| 18 | | - | 1002.82, F.S.; requiring the Department of Education 5 |
|---|
| 19 | | - | to establish procedures to annually collect specified 6 |
|---|
| 20 | | - | data; providing requirements for such data; requiring 7 |
|---|
| 21 | | - | the department to annually report specified data to 8 |
|---|
| 22 | | - | the Legislature; amending s. 1002.84, F.S.; revising 9 |
|---|
| 23 | | - | provisions relating to the sliding fee scale for 10 |
|---|
| 24 | | - | families receiving school readiness program services; 11 |
|---|
| 25 | | - | revising requirements for the distribution of the 12 |
|---|
| 26 | | - | school readiness program funds; amending s. 1002.85, 13 |
|---|
| 27 | | - | F.S.; revising requirements for the data that must be 14 |
|---|
| 18 | + | 1002.84, F.S.; revising requirements for the sliding 5 |
|---|
| 19 | + | fee scale for families receiving school readiness 6 |
|---|
| 20 | + | program services to include a new method to calculate 7 |
|---|
| 21 | + | parent copayments at the time of eligibility 8 |
|---|
| 22 | + | determination and annually thereafter, regardless of 9 |
|---|
| 23 | + | the number of children; requiring certain information 10 |
|---|
| 24 | + | collected by the Department of Education to be used 11 |
|---|
| 25 | + | for a specified purposes until certain information is 12 |
|---|
| 26 | + | published; amending s. 1002.85, F.S.; revising 13 |
|---|
| 27 | + | requirements for the data elements that must be 14 |
|---|
| 31 | | - | the school readiness program allocation; amending s. 18 |
|---|
| 32 | | - | 1002.895, F.S.; revising requirements for the 19 |
|---|
| 33 | | - | implementation of the school readiness program market 20 |
|---|
| 34 | | - | rate schedule; deleting a requirement that the 21 |
|---|
| 35 | | - | department collect specified data and provide such 22 |
|---|
| 36 | | - | data to a specified entity; repealing s. 1002.90, 23 |
|---|
| 37 | | - | F.S., relating to school readine ss cost-of-care 24 |
|---|
| 38 | | - | information; amending s. 1002.92, F.S.; conforming 25 |
|---|
| 31 | + | the school readiness program allocation; deleting 18 |
|---|
| 32 | + | provisions relating to certain expenditure s from the 19 |
|---|
| 33 | + | Gold Seal Quality Care Program allocation, the 20 |
|---|
| 34 | + | differential payment program allocation, and the 21 |
|---|
| 35 | + | special needs differential allocation; amending s. 22 |
|---|
| 36 | + | 1002.90, F.S.; requiring official cost -of-care 23 |
|---|
| 37 | + | information to be published by the Early Learning 24 |
|---|
| 38 | + | Programs Estimating Conference by a specified date; 25 |
|---|
| 51 | | - | provisions to changes made by the act; providing 26 |
|---|
| 52 | | - | appropriations; providing an effective date 27 |
|---|
| 53 | | - | togetherness. 28 |
|---|
| 54 | | - | 29 |
|---|
| 55 | | - | Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 30 |
|---|
| 56 | | - | 31 |
|---|
| 57 | | - | Section 1. Subsection (6) of section 1002.81, Florida 32 |
|---|
| 58 | | - | Statutes, is amended to read: 33 |
|---|
| 59 | | - | 1002.81 Definitions. —Consistent with the requirements of 34 |
|---|
| 60 | | - | 45 C.F.R. parts 98 and 99 and as used in this part, the term: 35 |
|---|
| 61 | | - | (6) "Economically disadvantaged" means having a family 36 |
|---|
| 62 | | - | income that does not exceed 55 percent of the state median 37 |
|---|
| 63 | | - | income 150 percent of the federal poverty level and includes 38 |
|---|
| 64 | | - | being a child of a working migratory family as defined by 34 39 |
|---|
| 65 | | - | C.F.R. s. 200.81(d) or (f) or an agricultural worker who is 40 |
|---|
| 66 | | - | employed by more than one agricultural employer during the 41 |
|---|
| 67 | | - | course of a year, and whose income varies according to weather 42 |
|---|
| 68 | | - | conditions and market stability. 43 |
|---|
| 69 | | - | Section 2. Paragraph (d) of subsection (2) of section 44 |
|---|
| 70 | | - | 1002.82, Florida Statutes, is amended, and subsections (10) and 45 |
|---|
| 71 | | - | (11) are added to that section, to read: 46 |
|---|
| 72 | | - | 1002.82 Department of Education; powers and duties. — 47 |
|---|
| 73 | | - | (2) The department shall: 48 |
|---|
| 74 | | - | (d) Establish procedures for the annual calculation of the 49 |
|---|
| 75 | | - | prevailing market rate and procedures for the collection of data 50 |
|---|
| 51 | + | requiring certain data to be used when establishing 26 |
|---|
| 52 | + | cost-of-care information for the school readiness 27 |
|---|
| 53 | + | program; providing appropriations; providing effective 28 |
|---|
| 54 | + | dates. 29 |
|---|
| 55 | + | 30 |
|---|
| 56 | + | Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 31 |
|---|
| 57 | + | 32 |
|---|
| 58 | + | Section 1. Subsection (6) of section 1002.81, Florida 33 |
|---|
| 59 | + | Statutes, is amended to read: 34 |
|---|
| 60 | + | 1002.81 Definitions. —Consistent with the requirements of 35 |
|---|
| 61 | + | 45 C.F.R. parts 98 and 99 and as used in this part, the term: 36 |
|---|
| 62 | + | (6) "Economically disa dvantaged" means having a family 37 |
|---|
| 63 | + | income that does not exceed 55 percent of the state median 38 |
|---|
| 64 | + | income 150 percent of the federal poverty level and includes 39 |
|---|
| 65 | + | being a child of a working migratory family as defined by 34 40 |
|---|
| 66 | + | C.F.R. s. 200.81(d) or (f) or an agricultu ral worker who is 41 |
|---|
| 67 | + | employed by more than one agricultural employer during the 42 |
|---|
| 68 | + | course of a year, and whose income varies according to weather 43 |
|---|
| 69 | + | conditions and market stability. 44 |
|---|
| 70 | + | Section 2. Subsection (9) and paragraph (a) of subsection 45 |
|---|
| 71 | + | (17) of section 1002. 84, Florida Statutes, are amended to read: 46 |
|---|
| 72 | + | 1002.84 Early learning coalitions; school readiness powers 47 |
|---|
| 73 | + | and duties.—Each early learning coalition shall: 48 |
|---|
| 74 | + | (9) Implement Establish a parent sliding fee scale that 49 |
|---|
| 75 | + | provides for the calculation of a parent copayment at the time 50 |
|---|
| 88 | | - | to support the calculation of the cost data of care pursuant to 51 |
|---|
| 89 | | - | subsection (10) s. 1002.90. 52 |
|---|
| 90 | | - | (10) The department shall establish procedures to annually 53 |
|---|
| 91 | | - | collect cost data. Such data must include, but are not limited 54 |
|---|
| 92 | | - | to: 55 |
|---|
| 93 | | - | (a) Data from the Department of Commerce' s Bureau of 56 |
|---|
| 94 | | - | Workforce Statistics and Economic Research on the average salary 57 |
|---|
| 95 | | - | for child care personnel, including, at a minimum, child care 58 |
|---|
| 96 | | - | instructors and child care directors. 59 |
|---|
| 97 | | - | (b) Data from child care providers, including, at a 60 |
|---|
| 98 | | - | minimum, the average annu al cost of materials and curriculum, 61 |
|---|
| 99 | | - | the average annual cost of food and maintenance, the average 62 |
|---|
| 100 | | - | annual cost of any regulatory fees, the average annual cost of 63 |
|---|
| 101 | | - | salaries and benefits, and the average annual cost of all other 64 |
|---|
| 102 | | - | operational costs per child. 65 |
|---|
| 103 | | - | (11) By November 1, 2024, and annually thereafter, the 66 |
|---|
| 104 | | - | department shall submit the following data to the Legislature: 67 |
|---|
| 105 | | - | (a) The current fiscal year reimbursement rates, by 68 |
|---|
| 106 | | - | county, by provider type, and by care level. 69 |
|---|
| 107 | | - | (b) The cost data collected in subsection (10). 70 |
|---|
| 108 | | - | (c) The market rate survey data collected pursuant to s. 71 |
|---|
| 109 | | - | 1002.895. 72 |
|---|
| 110 | | - | (d) The narrow costs analysis data required by 45 C.F.R. 73 |
|---|
| 111 | | - | s. 98.45. 74 |
|---|
| 112 | | - | Section 3. Subsections (9) and (17) of section 1002.84, 75 |
|---|
| 88 | + | of the eligibility determination and for an annual eligibility 51 |
|---|
| 89 | + | redetermination thereafter, which increases in percentage with a 52 |
|---|
| 90 | + | parent's income, regardless of the number of children, as 53 |
|---|
| 91 | + | follows: 54 |
|---|
| 92 | + | (a) A parent whose income is at or below 60 percent of the 55 |
|---|
| 93 | + | state median income is responsible for a copayment of 3 percent 56 |
|---|
| 94 | + | of his or her income. 57 |
|---|
| 95 | + | (b) A parent whose income is above 60 percent but at or 58 |
|---|
| 96 | + | below 65 percent of the state median income is responsible for a 59 |
|---|
| 97 | + | copayment of 4 percent of his or her income. 60 |
|---|
| 98 | + | (c) A parent whose income is above 65 percent but at or 61 |
|---|
| 99 | + | below 75 percent of the state median income is responsible for a 62 |
|---|
| 100 | + | copayment of 5 percent of his or her income. 63 |
|---|
| 101 | + | (d) A parent whose income is above 75 percent but at or 64 |
|---|
| 102 | + | below 80 percent of the state median income is responsible for a 65 |
|---|
| 103 | + | copayment of 6 percent of his or her income. 66 |
|---|
| 104 | + | (e) A parent whose income is above 80 percent but at or 67 |
|---|
| 105 | + | below 85 percent of the state median income is responsible for a 68 |
|---|
| 106 | + | copayment of 7 percent of his or her income. 69 |
|---|
| 107 | + | 70 |
|---|
| 108 | + | The parent copayment for a child who receives part -time care is 71 |
|---|
| 109 | + | 50 percent of the copayment amount calculated in paragraphs (a) -72 |
|---|
| 110 | + | (e) that is not a barrier to families receiving school readiness 73 |
|---|
| 111 | + | program services. A coalition may waive the copayment for an at-74 |
|---|
| 112 | + | risk child or temporarily waive the copayment for a child whose 75 |
|---|
| 125 | | - | Florida Statutes, are amended to read: 76 |
|---|
| 126 | | - | 1002.84 Early learning coalitions; school readiness powers 77 |
|---|
| 127 | | - | and duties.—Each early learning coalition shall: 78 |
|---|
| 128 | | - | (9) Implement Establish a parent sliding fee scale as 79 |
|---|
| 129 | | - | established in rule by the State Board of Education that 80 |
|---|
| 130 | | - | provides for the calculation of a parent copayment at the time 81 |
|---|
| 131 | | - | of the eligibility determination and for an annual eligibility 82 |
|---|
| 132 | | - | redetermination thereafter that is not a barrier to families 83 |
|---|
| 133 | | - | receiving school readiness program services . A coalition may 84 |
|---|
| 134 | | - | waive the copayment for an at -risk child or temporarily waive 85 |
|---|
| 135 | | - | the copayment for a child whose family's income is at or below 86 |
|---|
| 136 | | - | the federal poverty level or whose family experiences a natural 87 |
|---|
| 137 | | - | disaster or an event that limits the parent's ability to pay, 88 |
|---|
| 138 | | - | such as incarceration, placement in residential treatment, or 89 |
|---|
| 139 | | - | becoming homeless, or an emergency situation such as a household 90 |
|---|
| 140 | | - | fire or burglary, or while the parent is participating in 91 |
|---|
| 141 | | - | parenting classes or participating in an Early Head Start 92 |
|---|
| 142 | | - | program or Head Start Program. A parent may not transfer scho ol 93 |
|---|
| 143 | | - | readiness program services to another school readiness program 94 |
|---|
| 144 | | - | provider until the parent has submitted documentation from the 95 |
|---|
| 145 | | - | current school readiness program provider to the early learning 96 |
|---|
| 146 | | - | coalition stating that the parent has satisfactorily fulfilled 97 |
|---|
| 147 | | - | the copayment obligation. 98 |
|---|
| 148 | | - | (17)(a) Distribute the school readiness program funds as 99 |
|---|
| 149 | | - | allocated in the General Appropriations Act to each the eligible 100 |
|---|
| 125 | + | family's income is at or below the federal poverty level or 76 |
|---|
| 126 | + | whose family experiences a natural disaster or an event that 77 |
|---|
| 127 | + | limits the parent's ability to pay, such as incarceration, 78 |
|---|
| 128 | + | placement in residential treatment, or becoming homeless, or an 79 |
|---|
| 129 | + | emergency situation such as a household fire or burglary, or 80 |
|---|
| 130 | + | while the parent is participating in parenting classes or 81 |
|---|
| 131 | + | participating in an Early Head Start program or Head Start 82 |
|---|
| 132 | + | Program. A parent may not transfer school readiness program 83 |
|---|
| 133 | + | services to another school readiness program provider until the 84 |
|---|
| 134 | + | parent has submitted documentation from the current school 85 |
|---|
| 135 | + | readiness program provider to the early learning coalition 86 |
|---|
| 136 | + | stating that the parent has sa tisfactorily fulfilled the 87 |
|---|
| 137 | + | copayment obligation. 88 |
|---|
| 138 | + | (17)(a) Distribute the school readiness program funds as 89 |
|---|
| 139 | + | allocated in the General Appropriations Act to the eligible 90 |
|---|
| 140 | + | providers using the following methodology: 91 |
|---|
| 141 | + | 1. For each county in the early learning co alition, 92 |
|---|
| 142 | + | multiply the cost of care by care level as provided in s. 93 |
|---|
| 143 | + | 1002.90 by the county's comparable wage factor provided in s. 94 |
|---|
| 144 | + | 1011.62(2). Cost-of-care information collected by the Department 95 |
|---|
| 145 | + | of Education shall be used to implement the requirements of th is 96 |
|---|
| 146 | + | subsection until the official cost -of-care information is 97 |
|---|
| 147 | + | published pursuant to s. 1002.90. 98 |
|---|
| 148 | + | 2. If a county enacted a local ordinance before January 1, 99 |
|---|
| 149 | + | 2022, that establishes the county's staff -to-children ratio for 100 |
|---|
| 162 | | - | provider based upon the reimbursement rate by county, by 101 |
|---|
| 163 | | - | provider type, and by care level. All instructio ns to early 102 |
|---|
| 164 | | - | learning coalitions for distributing the school readiness 103 |
|---|
| 165 | | - | program funds to eligible providers shall emanate from the 104 |
|---|
| 166 | | - | department in accordance with the policies of the Legislature. 105 |
|---|
| 167 | | - | providers using the following methodology: 106 |
|---|
| 168 | | - | 1. For each county in the early learning coalition, 107 |
|---|
| 169 | | - | multiply the cost of care by care level as provided in s. 108 |
|---|
| 170 | | - | 1002.90 by the county's comparable wage factor provided in s. 109 |
|---|
| 171 | | - | 1011.62(2). 110 |
|---|
| 172 | | - | 2. If a county enacted a local ordinance before January 1, 111 |
|---|
| 173 | | - | 2022, that establishes the cou nty's staff-to-children ratio for 112 |
|---|
| 174 | | - | licensed child care facilities below the ratio established in s. 113 |
|---|
| 175 | | - | 402.305(4), multiply the provider reimbursement rates for that 114 |
|---|
| 176 | | - | county by the adjustment factor specified in the General 115 |
|---|
| 177 | | - | Appropriations Act. 116 |
|---|
| 178 | | - | 3. Apply the weight established pursuant to s. 1002.90 for 117 |
|---|
| 179 | | - | each provider type to calculate the minimum provider 118 |
|---|
| 180 | | - | reimbursement rates by care level. 119 |
|---|
| 181 | | - | 4. Multiply the weighted provider reimbursement rates by 120 |
|---|
| 182 | | - | 22 percent to determine the amount of the school readiness 121 |
|---|
| 183 | | - | allocation an early learning coalition is eligible to retain 122 |
|---|
| 184 | | - | pursuant to s. 1002.89(4). 123 |
|---|
| 185 | | - | (b) Distribute to each eligible provider the minimum 124 |
|---|
| 186 | | - | provider reimbursement rate, by provider type and care level, 125 |
|---|
| 162 | + | licensed child care facilities below the ratio established in s. 101 |
|---|
| 163 | + | 402.305(4), multiply the provider reimbursement rates for that 102 |
|---|
| 164 | + | county by the adjustment factor specified in the General 103 |
|---|
| 165 | + | Appropriations Act. 104 |
|---|
| 166 | + | 3. Apply the weight established pursuant to s. 1002.90 for 105 |
|---|
| 167 | + | each provider type to calc ulate the minimum provider 106 |
|---|
| 168 | + | reimbursement rates by care level. 107 |
|---|
| 169 | + | 4. Multiply the weighted provider reimbursement rates by 108 |
|---|
| 170 | + | 22 percent to determine the amount of the school readiness 109 |
|---|
| 171 | + | allocation an early learning coalition is eligible to retain 110 |
|---|
| 172 | + | pursuant to s. 1002.89(4). 111 |
|---|
| 173 | + | 112 |
|---|
| 174 | + | Each early learning coalition with approved minimum provider 113 |
|---|
| 175 | + | reimbursement rates for the infant to age 5 care levels that are 114 |
|---|
| 176 | + | higher than the minimum provider reimbursement rates established 115 |
|---|
| 177 | + | in this subsection may continue to implement its app roved 116 |
|---|
| 178 | + | minimum provider reimbursement rates until the rates established 117 |
|---|
| 179 | + | in this subsection exceed its approved rates. 118 |
|---|
| 180 | + | Section 3. Subsection (5) of section 1002.85, Florida 119 |
|---|
| 181 | + | Statutes, is amended to read: 120 |
|---|
| 182 | + | 1002.85 Early learning coalition plans. — 121 |
|---|
| 183 | + | (5) The department shall collect and report data on 122 |
|---|
| 184 | + | coalition delivery of early learning programs. Data elements 123 |
|---|
| 185 | + | must shall include, but are not limited to, measures related to 124 |
|---|
| 186 | + | progress toward towards reducing the number of children on the 125 |
|---|
| 199 | | - | regardless of the provider's private pay rate. All minimum 126 |
|---|
| 200 | | - | provider reimbursement rates shall be charged as direct services 127 |
|---|
| 201 | | - | pursuant to s. 1002.89. 128 |
|---|
| 202 | | - | 129 |
|---|
| 203 | | - | Each early learning coalition with approved prior year minimum 130 |
|---|
| 204 | | - | provider reimbursement rates for the infant to age 5 care levels 131 |
|---|
| 205 | | - | that are higher than the minimum provider reimbursement rates 132 |
|---|
| 206 | | - | established in this subsection may continue to implement its 133 |
|---|
| 207 | | - | approved prior year minimum provider reimbursement rates until 134 |
|---|
| 208 | | - | the rates established in this subsection exceed its approved 135 |
|---|
| 209 | | - | prior year rates. 136 |
|---|
| 210 | | - | Section 4. Subsection ( 5) of section 1002.85, Florida 137 |
|---|
| 211 | | - | Statutes, is amended to read: 138 |
|---|
| 212 | | - | 1002.85 Early learning coalition plans. — 139 |
|---|
| 213 | | - | (5) The department shall collect and report data on 140 |
|---|
| 214 | | - | coalition delivery of early learning programs. Data Elements 141 |
|---|
| 215 | | - | shall include, but are not limited to, measures related to 142 |
|---|
| 216 | | - | progress towards reducing the number of children on the waiting 143 |
|---|
| 217 | | - | list, the percentage of children served by the program as 144 |
|---|
| 218 | | - | compared to the number of administrative staff and overhead, the 145 |
|---|
| 219 | | - | percentage of children served compared to the total number of 146 |
|---|
| 220 | | - | children younger than under the age of 5 years whose family 147 |
|---|
| 221 | | - | income is below 55 percent of the state median income 150 148 |
|---|
| 222 | | - | percent of the federal poverty level , provider payment 149 |
|---|
| 223 | | - | processes, fraud intervention, child attendance and stability, 150 |
|---|
| 199 | + | waiting list, the perc entage of children served by the program 126 |
|---|
| 200 | + | as compared to the number of administrative staff and overhead, 127 |
|---|
| 201 | + | the percentage of children served compared to the total number 128 |
|---|
| 202 | + | of children younger than under the age of 5 years whose family 129 |
|---|
| 203 | + | income is below 55 percent of the state median income 150 130 |
|---|
| 204 | + | percent of the federal poverty level , provider payment 131 |
|---|
| 205 | + | processes, fraud intervention, child attendance and stability, 132 |
|---|
| 206 | + | use of child care resource and referral, and kindergarten 133 |
|---|
| 207 | + | readiness outcomes for children in the Voluntar y Prekindergarten 134 |
|---|
| 208 | + | Education Program or the school readiness program upon entry 135 |
|---|
| 209 | + | into kindergarten. The department shall request input from the 136 |
|---|
| 210 | + | coalitions and school readiness program providers before 137 |
|---|
| 211 | + | finalizing the format and data to be used. The report must shall 138 |
|---|
| 212 | + | be implemented beginning July 1, 2025 2014, and results of the 139 |
|---|
| 213 | + | report must be included in the annual report under s. 1002.82. 140 |
|---|
| 214 | + | Section 4. Subsection (1) of section 1002.89, Florida 141 |
|---|
| 215 | + | Statutes, is amended to read: 142 |
|---|
| 216 | + | 1002.89 School readiness program ; funding.— 143 |
|---|
| 217 | + | (1) DETERMINATION OF EARLY LEARNING COALITION SCHOOL 144 |
|---|
| 218 | + | READINESS PROGRAM FUNDING. —Funding for the school readiness 145 |
|---|
| 219 | + | program shall be used by the early learning coalitions in 146 |
|---|
| 220 | + | accordance with this part and the General Appropriations Act. 147 |
|---|
| 221 | + | (a) School readiness program allocation. —If the annual 148 |
|---|
| 222 | + | allocation for the school readiness program is not determined in 149 |
|---|
| 223 | + | the General Appropriations Act or the substantive bill 150 |
|---|
| 236 | | - | use of child care resource and referral, and kindergarten 151 |
|---|
| 237 | | - | readiness outcomes for children in the Voluntary Prekindergarten 152 |
|---|
| 238 | | - | Education Program or the school readiness program upon entry 153 |
|---|
| 239 | | - | into kindergarten. The department shall request input from the 154 |
|---|
| 240 | | - | early learning coalitions and school readiness program providers 155 |
|---|
| 241 | | - | before finalizing the format and data to be used. The report 156 |
|---|
| 242 | | - | shall be implemented beginning July 1, 2025 2014, and results of 157 |
|---|
| 243 | | - | the report must be included in the annual report under s. 158 |
|---|
| 244 | | - | 1002.82. 159 |
|---|
| 245 | | - | Section 5. Paragraph (a) of subsection (1) of section 160 |
|---|
| 246 | | - | 1002.89, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 161 |
|---|
| 247 | | - | 1002.89 School readiness program; funding. — 162 |
|---|
| 248 | | - | (1) DETERMINATION OF EARLY LEARNING COALITION SCHOOL 163 |
|---|
| 249 | | - | READINESS PROGRAM FUNDING .—Funding for the school readiness 164 |
|---|
| 250 | | - | program shall be used by the early learning coalitions in 165 |
|---|
| 251 | | - | accordance with this part and the General Appropriations Act. 166 |
|---|
| 252 | | - | (a) School readiness program allocation. —If the annual 167 |
|---|
| 253 | | - | allocation for the school readiness program is not determined in 168 |
|---|
| 254 | | - | the General Appropriations Act or the substantive bill 169 |
|---|
| 255 | | - | implementing the General Appropriations Act, it shall be 170 |
|---|
| 256 | | - | determined as follows: 171 |
|---|
| 257 | | - | 1. For each county in the early learning coalition, the 172 |
|---|
| 258 | | - | total number of unweighted full -time equivalent school readiness 173 |
|---|
| 259 | | - | children eligible population, as adopted by the Early Learning 174 |
|---|
| 260 | | - | Programs Estimating Conference pursuant to s. 216.136(8), shall 175 |
|---|
| 236 | + | implementing the General Appropriations Act, it must shall be 151 |
|---|
| 237 | + | determined based on a calculation that considers, at a minimum, 152 |
|---|
| 238 | + | full-time equivalent program enrollment estimates per care 153 |
|---|
| 239 | + | level, approved cost of care developed in accordance with s. 154 |
|---|
| 240 | + | 1002.90, and the total school readiness eligible population as 155 |
|---|
| 241 | + | adopted by the Early Learning Progr ams Estimating Conference 156 |
|---|
| 242 | + | pursuant to s. 216.136(8). as follows: 157 |
|---|
| 243 | + | 1. For each county in the early learning coalition, the 158 |
|---|
| 244 | + | total school readiness eligible population, as adopted by the 159 |
|---|
| 245 | + | Early Learning Programs Estimating Conference pursuant to s. 160 |
|---|
| 246 | + | 216.136(8), shall be multiplied by the county's comparable wage 161 |
|---|
| 247 | + | factor provided in s. 1011.62(2). 162 |
|---|
| 248 | + | 2. If a county passed a local ordinance before January 1, 163 |
|---|
| 249 | + | 2022, that establishes the county's staff -to-children ratio for 164 |
|---|
| 250 | + | licensed child care facilities below the rat io established in s. 165 |
|---|
| 251 | + | 402.305(4), multiply the product calculated in subparagraph 1. 166 |
|---|
| 252 | + | by the adjustment factor specified in the General Appropriations 167 |
|---|
| 253 | + | Act. 168 |
|---|
| 254 | + | 3. Each county's school readiness allocation shall be 169 |
|---|
| 255 | + | based on the county's proportionate share of t he total adjusted 170 |
|---|
| 256 | + | eligible school readiness population. 171 |
|---|
| 257 | + | (b) Gold Seal Quality Care Program allocation. —There is 172 |
|---|
| 258 | + | created the Gold Seal Quality Care Program allocation to provide 173 |
|---|
| 259 | + | eligible school readiness program providers the rate 174 |
|---|
| 260 | + | differential established pursuant to s. 1002.945(6). Subject to 175 |
|---|
| 273 | | - | be multiplied by the appropriate care level factor to calculate 176 |
|---|
| 274 | | - | the weighted full-time equivalent school readiness children. For 177 |
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| 275 | | - | purposes of this subparagraph, the term "care level factor" 178 |
|---|
| 276 | | - | means the adjustment made based on the relative differences in 179 |
|---|
| 277 | | - | reimbursement rates associated with the eligible school 180 |
|---|
| 278 | | - | readiness children pursuant to s. 1002.87 county's comparable 181 |
|---|
| 279 | | - | wage factor provided in s. 1011.62(2) . 182 |
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| 280 | | - | 2. The product of weighted full -time equivalent school 183 |
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| 281 | | - | readiness children shall be multiplied by the rate index to 184 |
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| 282 | | - | calculate the adjusted weighted full -time equivalent school 185 |
|---|
| 283 | | - | readiness children. For purpose s of this subparagraph, the term 186 |
|---|
| 284 | | - | "rate index" means the adjustment made based on the impact of 187 |
|---|
| 285 | | - | geographic location on reimbursement rates If a county passed a 188 |
|---|
| 286 | | - | local ordinance before January 1, 2022, that establishes the 189 |
|---|
| 287 | | - | county's staff-to-children ratio for licensed child care 190 |
|---|
| 288 | | - | facilities below the ratio established in s. 402.305(4), 191 |
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| 289 | | - | multiply the product calculated in subparagraph 1. by the 192 |
|---|
| 290 | | - | adjustment factor specified in the General Appropriations Act . 193 |
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| 291 | | - | 3. The school readiness program funds shall be distribu ted 194 |
|---|
| 292 | | - | Each county's school readiness allocation shall be based on each 195 |
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| 293 | | - | the county's proportionate share of the total adjusted weighted 196 |
|---|
| 294 | | - | full-time equivalent school readiness children eligible school 197 |
|---|
| 295 | | - | readiness population . 198 |
|---|
| 296 | | - | Section 6. Subsections (8) and (9) of section 1002.895, 199 |
|---|
| 297 | | - | Florida Statutes, are renumbered as subsections (6) and (7), 200 |
|---|
| 273 | + | legislative appropriation, all expenditures from the Gold Seal 176 |
|---|
| 274 | + | Quality Care Program allocation shall be used by the department 177 |
|---|
| 275 | + | to help meet federal targeted requirements for improving quality 178 |
|---|
| 276 | + | to the extent allowable in the state's approved Child Care and 179 |
|---|
| 277 | + | Development Fund Plan. 180 |
|---|
| 278 | + | (c) Differential payment program allocation. —There is 181 |
|---|
| 279 | + | created the differential payment program allocation to provide 182 |
|---|
| 280 | + | eligible school readiness program providers the dif ferential pay 183 |
|---|
| 281 | + | established pursuant to s. 1002.82(2)(o). Subject to legislative 184 |
|---|
| 282 | + | appropriation, all expenditures from the differential payment 185 |
|---|
| 283 | + | program allocation shall be used by the department to help meet 186 |
|---|
| 284 | + | federal targeted requirements for improving quality to the 187 |
|---|
| 285 | + | extent allowable in the state's approved Child Care and 188 |
|---|
| 286 | + | Development Fund Plan. 189 |
|---|
| 287 | + | (d) Special needs differential allocation. —There is 190 |
|---|
| 288 | + | created the special needs differential allocation to assist 191 |
|---|
| 289 | + | eligible school readiness program providers to implemen t the 192 |
|---|
| 290 | + | special needs rate provisions defined in the state's approved 193 |
|---|
| 291 | + | Child Care and Development Fund Plan. Subject to legislative 194 |
|---|
| 292 | + | appropriation, each early learning coalition shall be reimbursed 195 |
|---|
| 293 | + | based on actual expenditures. All expenditures from the specia l 196 |
|---|
| 294 | + | needs differential allocation shall be used by the department to 197 |
|---|
| 295 | + | help meet federal targeted requirements for improving quality to 198 |
|---|
| 296 | + | the extent allowable in the state's approved plan. 199 |
|---|
| 297 | + | Section 5. Effective upon this act becoming a law, section 200 |
|---|
| 310 | | - | respectively, and present subsections (1), (2), (3), (4), (6), 201 |
|---|
| 311 | | - | and (7) of that section are amended to read: 202 |
|---|
| 312 | | - | 1002.895 Market rate schedule. —The school readiness 203 |
|---|
| 313 | | - | program market rate schedule shall be implemented as follows: 204 |
|---|
| 314 | | - | (1) The department shall establish procedures for the 205 |
|---|
| 315 | | - | adoption of a market rate schedule. The schedule must include, 206 |
|---|
| 316 | | - | at a minimum, county -by-county rates and: 207 |
|---|
| 317 | | - | (a) the market rate, to include including the minimum and 208 |
|---|
| 318 | | - | the maximum rates for child care providers that hold a Gold Seal 209 |
|---|
| 319 | | - | Quality Care designation under s. 1002.945 and adhere to its 210 |
|---|
| 320 | | - | accrediting association's teacher -to-child ratios and group size 211 |
|---|
| 321 | | - | requirements and. 212 |
|---|
| 322 | | - | (b) The market rate for child care providers that do not 213 |
|---|
| 323 | | - | hold a Gold Seal Quality Care designation. 214 |
|---|
| 324 | | - | (2) The market rate schedule must differentiate rates by 215 |
|---|
| 325 | | - | provider type, including, but not limited to: 216 |
|---|
| 326 | | - | (a) Child care providers that hold a Gold Seal Quality 217 |
|---|
| 327 | | - | Care designation under s. 1002.945 and adhere to their 218 |
|---|
| 328 | | - | accrediting association's teacher -to-child ratios and group size 219 |
|---|
| 329 | | - | requirements. 220 |
|---|
| 330 | | - | (a)(b) Child care providers licensed under s. 402.305, 221 |
|---|
| 331 | | - | faith-based child care providers exempt from licensure under s. 222 |
|---|
| 332 | | - | 402.316 that do not hold a Gold Seal Quality Care designation , 223 |
|---|
| 333 | | - | and large family child care homes licensed under s. 402.3131 224 |
|---|
| 334 | | - | that do not hold a Gold Seal Quality Care designation . 225 |
|---|
| 310 | + | 1002.90, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 201 |
|---|
| 311 | + | 1002.90 School readiness cost -of-care information.— 202 |
|---|
| 312 | + | (1) Annually, The principals of the Early Learning 203 |
|---|
| 313 | + | Programs Estimating Conference established in s. 216.136(8) 204 |
|---|
| 314 | + | shall publish by June 1, 2024, develop official cost-of-care 205 |
|---|
| 315 | + | information based on actual school readiness direct services 206 |
|---|
| 316 | + | program expenditures and information provided to the Department 207 |
|---|
| 317 | + | of Education pursuant to s. 1002.895(6) s. 1002.895. Conference 208 |
|---|
| 318 | + | principals shall agree on the cost of child care by care l evel 209 |
|---|
| 319 | + | and provider type, the provider type weights, and the methods of 210 |
|---|
| 320 | + | computation. The department shall provide the conference 211 |
|---|
| 321 | + | principals with all requested and necessary data to develop such 212 |
|---|
| 322 | + | information. The data may include a matrix by early learning 213 |
|---|
| 323 | + | coalition of any full-time equivalent changes made by the 214 |
|---|
| 324 | + | Division of Early Learning as part of its administration of the 215 |
|---|
| 325 | + | school readiness program. 216 |
|---|
| 326 | + | (2) Beginning in the 2024 -2025 fiscal year and annually 217 |
|---|
| 327 | + | thereafter, the Early Learning Programs Estimating Co nference 218 |
|---|
| 328 | + | shall update the official cost -of-care information based on any 219 |
|---|
| 329 | + | updates to the actual school readiness direct services program 220 |
|---|
| 330 | + | expenditures and information provided to the Department of 221 |
|---|
| 331 | + | Education pursuant to s. 1002.895(6). The conference shall 222 |
|---|
| 332 | + | provide the official cost -of-care information to the Legislature 223 |
|---|
| 333 | + | at least 90 days before the scheduled annual legislative 224 |
|---|
| 334 | + | session. 225 |
|---|
| 347 | | - | (b)(c) Public or nonpublic schools exempt from licensure 226 |
|---|
| 348 | | - | under s. 402.3025. 227 |
|---|
| 349 | | - | (c)(d) Family day care homes licensed or registered under 228 |
|---|
| 350 | | - | s. 402.313. 229 |
|---|
| 351 | | - | (e) Large family child care homes licensed under s. 230 |
|---|
| 352 | | - | 402.3131. 231 |
|---|
| 353 | | - | (3) The market rate schedule must differentiate rates by 232 |
|---|
| 354 | | - | care level that includes the type of child care services 233 |
|---|
| 355 | | - | provided for children with special needs or risk categories, 234 |
|---|
| 356 | | - | infants, toddlers, 2 -year-old children, 3-year-old children, 4-235 |
|---|
| 357 | | - | year-old children, 5-year-old children, and school -age children. 236 |
|---|
| 358 | | - | (4) The market rate schedule must differentiate rates 237 |
|---|
| 359 | | - | between full-time and part-time child care services and consider 238 |
|---|
| 360 | | - | discounted rates for child care services for multiple children 239 |
|---|
| 361 | | - | in a single family. 240 |
|---|
| 362 | | - | (6) The department shall establish procedures to annually 241 |
|---|
| 363 | | - | collect data regarding the cost of care to include, but not be 242 |
|---|
| 364 | | - | limited to: 243 |
|---|
| 365 | | - | (a) Data from the Department of Economic Opportunity's 244 |
|---|
| 366 | | - | Bureau of Workforce Statistics and Economic Research on the 245 |
|---|
| 367 | | - | average salary for child care personnel to include, at a 246 |
|---|
| 368 | | - | minimum, child care instructors and child care directors. 247 |
|---|
| 369 | | - | (b) Data from child care providers as part of data 248 |
|---|
| 370 | | - | collected under s. 1002.92(4) to include, at a minimum, the 249 |
|---|
| 371 | | - | average annual cost of materials and curriculum, the average 250 |
|---|
| 347 | + | Section 6. For the 2024-2025 fiscal year, the sum of 226 |
|---|
| 348 | + | $75,384,882 in nonrecurring funds is appropriated from the Child 227 |
|---|
| 349 | + | Care and Development Block Grant Trust Fund to the Department of 228 |
|---|
| 350 | + | Education for the costs associated with the change of the income 229 |
|---|
| 351 | + | eligibility requirement for the school readiness program to 55 230 |
|---|
| 352 | + | percent of the state median income as provided by this act. 231 |
|---|
| 353 | + | These funds shall be placed in reserve. The department is 232 |
|---|
| 354 | + | authorized to submit budget amendments requesting the release of 233 |
|---|
| 355 | + | the funds pursuant to chapter 216, Florida Statutes. Release of 234 |
|---|
| 356 | + | the funds is contingent upon the submission of an allocation 235 |
|---|
| 357 | + | plan in accordance with the requirements of s. 1002.89(1), 236 |
|---|
| 358 | + | Florida Statutes. 237 |
|---|
| 359 | + | Section 7. For the 2024-2025 fiscal year, the sum of $100 238 |
|---|
| 360 | + | million in nonrecurring funds is appropriated from the Child 239 |
|---|
| 361 | + | Care and Development Block Grant Trust Fund to the Department of 240 |
|---|
| 362 | + | Education for allocation to the early learning coalitions in 241 |
|---|
| 363 | + | accordance with s. 1002.84(17), Florida Statutes. These funds 242 |
|---|
| 364 | + | shall be placed in reserve. The department is authorized to 243 |
|---|
| 365 | + | submit budget amendments requesting the release of the funds 244 |
|---|
| 366 | + | pursuant to chapter 216, Florida Statutes. Release of the funds 245 |
|---|
| 367 | + | is contingent upon the submission of an allocation plan 246 |
|---|
| 368 | + | developed by the department in collaboration with the early 247 |
|---|
| 369 | + | learning coalitions. 248 |
|---|
| 370 | + | Section 8. Except as otherwise expressly provided in this 249 |
|---|
| 371 | + | act and except for this section, which shall take effect upon 250 |
|---|
| 384 | | - | annual cost of food and maintenance costs, and the average 251 |
|---|
| 385 | | - | annual cost of any regul atory fees or operational costs per 252 |
|---|
| 386 | | - | child. 253 |
|---|
| 387 | | - | (7) The department shall provide all applicable data 254 |
|---|
| 388 | | - | collected in this section to the Early Learning Programs 255 |
|---|
| 389 | | - | Estimating Conference established pursuant to s. 216.136(8). 256 |
|---|
| 390 | | - | Section 7. Section 1002.90, Florida Statutes, is repealed. 257 |
|---|
| 391 | | - | Section 8. Paragraph (e) of subsection (4) of section 258 |
|---|
| 392 | | - | 1002.92, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 259 |
|---|
| 393 | | - | 1002.92 Child care and early childhood resource and 260 |
|---|
| 394 | | - | referral.— 261 |
|---|
| 395 | | - | (4) A child care facility licensed under s. 402.305 and 262 |
|---|
| 396 | | - | licensed and registered family day care homes must provide the 263 |
|---|
| 397 | | - | statewide child care and resource and referral network with the 264 |
|---|
| 398 | | - | following information annually: 265 |
|---|
| 399 | | - | (e) Data required under s. 1002.895. 266 |
|---|
| 400 | | - | Section 9. For the 2024-2025 fiscal year, the sum of 267 |
|---|
| 401 | | - | $75,384,882 in nonrecurring funds is appropriated from the Child 268 |
|---|
| 402 | | - | Care and Development Block Grant Trust Fund to the Department of 269 |
|---|
| 403 | | - | Education for the costs associated with the change of the income 270 |
|---|
| 404 | | - | eligibility requirement for the school readiness program to 55 271 |
|---|
| 405 | | - | percent of the state median income as provided by this act. 272 |
|---|
| 406 | | - | These funds shall be placed in reserve. The department is 273 |
|---|
| 407 | | - | authorized to submit budget amendments requesting the release of 274 |
|---|
| 408 | | - | the funds pursuant to chapter 216, Florida Statutes. Release of 275 |
|---|
| 409 | | - | |
|---|
| 410 | | - | CS/CS/CS/HB 929 2024 |
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| 411 | | - | |
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| 412 | | - | |
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| 413 | | - | |
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| 414 | | - | CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. |
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| 415 | | - | hb0929-03-c3 |
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| 416 | | - | Page 12 of 12 |
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| 417 | | - | F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S |
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| 418 | | - | |
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| 419 | | - | |
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| 420 | | - | |
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| 421 | | - | the funds is contingent upon the submission of an allocation 276 |
|---|
| 422 | | - | plan in accordance with the requirements of s. 1002.89(1), 277 |
|---|
| 423 | | - | Florida Statutes. 278 |
|---|
| 424 | | - | Section 10. For the 2024-2025 fiscal year, the sum of $100 279 |
|---|
| 425 | | - | million in nonrecurring funds is appropriated from the Child 280 |
|---|
| 426 | | - | Care and Development Block Grant Trust Fund to the Department of 281 |
|---|
| 427 | | - | Education for allocation to the early learning coalitions in 282 |
|---|
| 428 | | - | accordance with s. 1002.84(17), Florida Statutes. These funds 283 |
|---|
| 429 | | - | shall be placed in reserve. The department is authorized to 284 |
|---|
| 430 | | - | submit budget amendments requesting the release of the funds 285 |
|---|
| 431 | | - | pursuant to chapter 216, Florida Statutes. Release of the funds 286 |
|---|
| 432 | | - | is contingent upon the submission of an allocation plan 287 |
|---|
| 433 | | - | developed by the department in collaboration with the early 288 |
|---|
| 434 | | - | learning coalitions. 289 |
|---|
| 435 | | - | Section 11. This act shall take effect July 1, 2024. 290 |
|---|
| 384 | + | this act becoming a law, this act shall take effect July 1, 251 |
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| 385 | + | 2024. 252 |
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