Florida 2024 Regular Session

Florida House Bill H1197 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

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7	7	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
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10	10	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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14	14	A bill to be entitled 1
15	15	An act relating to the Early Child Care Universal 2
16	16	Voucher Program; creating s. 1002.396, F.S.; 3
17	17	establishing the Early Child Care Universal Voucher 4
18	18	Program; providing the purpose of the program; 5
19	19	defining terms; providing eligibility requirements for 6
20	20	the program; providing for certain students to be 7
21	21	placed on a wait list under certain circumstances; 8
22	22	providing authorized uses for program funds; providin g 9
23	23	requirements for terms of a scholarship; providing 10
24	24	ineligibility requirements; providing early learning 11
25	25	coalition, Department of Education, and program 12
26	26	provider obligations; providing program provider 13
27	27	eligibility criteria; providing parent and student 14
28	28	responsibilities for program participation; providing 15
29	29	requirements for the funding and payment of 16
30	30	scholarships; providing construction; requiring the 17
31	31	State Board of Education to adopt rules; providing an 18
32	32	effective date. 19
33	33	20
34	34	Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 21
35	35	22
36	36	Section 1. Section 1002.396, Florida Statutes, is created 23
37	37	to read: 24
38	38	1002.396 The Early Child Care Universal Voucher Program. — 25
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47	47	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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51	51	(1) PURPOSE.—The Early Child Care Universal Voucher 26
52	52	Program is established to provide children of families in this 27
53	53	state which have limited financial resources with early 28
54	54	education options to achieve success in their education. 29
55	55	(2) DEFINITIONS.—As used in this section, the term: 30
56	56	(a) "Department" means the Department of Education. 31
57	57	(b) "Disability" means, for a student 6 years of age or 32
58	58	younger, autism spectrum disorder, as defined in the Diagnostic 33
59	59	and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, 34
60	60	published by the American Psychiatric Association; cerebral 35
61	61	palsy, as defined in s. 393.063; Down syndrome, as defined in s. 36
62	62	393.063; an intellectual disability, as defined in s. 393.063; a 37
63	63	speech impairment; a language impairment; an orthopedic 38
64	64	impairment; any other health impairment; an emotional or a 39
65	65	behavioral disability; a specific learning disability, 40
66	66	including, but not limited to, dyslexia, dyscalculia, or 41
67	67	developmental aphasia; Phelan -McDermid syndrome, as defined in 42
68	68	s. 393.063; Prader-Willi syndrome, as defined in s. 393.063; 43
69	69	spina bifida, as defined in s. 393.063; being a high -risk child, 44
70	70	as defined in s. 393.063(22)(a); muscular dystrophy; Williams 45
71	71	syndrome; rare diseases which affect patient populations of 46
72	72	fewer than 200,000 individuals in the United States, as defined 47
73	73	by the National Organization for Rare Disorders; anaphylaxis; a 48
74	74	hearing impairment, including deafness; a visual impairment, 49
75	75	including blindness; traumatic brain injury; being hospital or 50
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84	84	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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88	88	homebound; or identification as dual sensory impaired, as 51
89	89	defined by rules of the State Board of Education and evidenced 52
90	90	by reports from local school districts. The term "hospital or 53
91	91	homebound" includes a student who has a medically diagnosed 54
92	92	physical or psychiatric condition or illness, as defined by the 55
93	93	state board in rule, and who is confined to the home or hospital 56
94	94	for more than 6 mont hs. A disability under this paragraph must 57
95	95	be diagnosed by a physician who is licensed under chapter 458 or 58
96	96	chapter 459, a psychologist who is licensed under chapter 490, 59
97	97	or a physician who holds an active license issued by another 60
98	98	state or territory of th e United States, the District of 61
99	99	Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. 62
100	100	(c) "Early learning coalition" has the same meaning as in 63
101	101	s. 1002.51(4). 64
102	102	(d) "Parent" means a resident of this state who is a 65
103	103	parent, as defined in s. 1000.21. 66
104	104	(e) "Program" means the Early Child Care Universal Voucher 67
105	105	Program. 68
106	106	(f) "Program provider" means a: 69
107	107	1. Provider eligible for the Voluntary Prekindergarten 70
108	108	Education Program or the school readiness program. 71
109	109	2. An informal provider, including a grandparent, an au nt, 72
110	110	an uncle, a sibling, or any other person, who provides care to 73
111	111	the student and meets the requirements established by the 74
112	112	department. 75
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121	121	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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125	125	(3) SCHOLARSHIP ELIGIBILITY. — 76
126	126	(a) A parent of a student may request and receive from the 77
127	127	state a scholarship for the purposes specified in paragraph 78
128	128	(4)(a) if the student is a resident of this state and is 6 years 79
129	129	of age or younger. A student who receives a Family Empowerment 80
130	130	Scholarship or a Florida Tax Credit Scholarship is ineligible 81
131	131	for an award under the program. 82
132	132	(b) A parent of a student with a disability may request 83
133	133	and receive from the state a scholarship for the purposes 84
134	134	specified in paragraph (4)(b) if the student has a disability, 85
135	135	is a resident of this state, and is 13 years of ag e or younger. 86
136	136	A student who receives a Family Empowerment Scholarship or a 87
137	137	Florida Tax Credit Scholarship is ineligible for an award under 88
138	138	the program. 89
139	139	(c) An approved student who does not receive a scholarship 90
140	140	must be placed on the wait list in the orde r in which the 91
141	141	student is approved. An eligible student who does not receive a 92
142	142	scholarship within the fiscal year must be retained on the wait 93
143	143	list for the subsequent fiscal year. 94
144	144	(4) AUTHORIZED USES OF PROGRAM FUNDS. — 95
145	145	(a) Program funds awarded to a st udent determined eligible 96
146	146	pursuant to paragraph (3)(a) may be used for: 97
147	147	1. Tuition and fees at a child care provider, a family 98
148	148	child care provider, or an informal provider. 99
149	149	2. Transportation to an approved form of care under 100
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158	158	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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160	160
161	161
162	162	subparagraph 1. 101
163	163	3. Instructional materials, including digital materials 102
164	164	and Internet resources. 103
165	165	4. Fees for state and national assessments. 104
166	166	5. Tuition and fees for part -time tutoring services or 105
167	167	fees for qualified early educators. For part -time tutoring 106
168	168	services, such services must be provided by a person who holds a 107
169	169	valid Florida educator's certificate pursuant to s. 1012.56, a 108
170	170	person who holds an adjunct teaching certificate pursuant to s. 109
171	171	1012.57, a person who has a bachelor's degree or a graduate 110
172	172	degree in the subject area in which instruction is given, a 111
173	173	person who has demonstrated a mastery of subject area knowledge 112
174	174	pursuant to s. 1012.56(5), or a person certified by a nationally 113
175	175	or internationally recognized research -based training program as 114
176	176	approved by the department. A s used in this subparagraph, the 115
177	177	term "part-time tutoring services" does not qualify as regular 116
178	178	school attendance as defined in s. 1003.01(16)(e). 117
179	179	6. Contributions to the Stanley G. Tate Florida Prepaid 118
180	180	College Program pursuant to s. 1009.98 or the Flori da College 119
181	181	Savings Program pursuant to s. 1009.981 for the benefit of the 120
182	182	eligible student. 121
183	183	(b) Program funds awarded to a student with a disability 122
184	184	determined eligible pursuant to paragraph (3)(b) may be used for 123
185	185	the following purposes based on the stud ent's matrix level of 124
186	186	services or an evaluation from a licensed physician: 125
187	187
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195	195	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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199	199	1. Instructional materials, including digital devices, 126
200	200	digital periphery devices, and assistive technology devices that 127
201	201	allow a student to access instruction or instructional cont ent. 128
202	202	2. Specialized services by approved providers or by a 129
203	203	hospital in this state which are selected by the parent. These 130
204	204	specialized services may include, but are not limited to: 131
205	205	a. Applied behavior analysis services as provided in ss. 132
206	206	627.6686 and 641.31098. 133
207	207	b. Services provided by speech -language pathologists as 134
208	208	defined in s. 468.1125(8). 135
209	209	c. Occupational therapy as defined in s. 468.203. 136
210	210	d. Physical therapy as defined in s. 486.021(8). 137
211	211	e. Services provided by listening and spoken language 138
212	212	specialists and an appropriate acoustical environment for a 139
213	213	student who has a hearing impairment, including deafness, and 140
214	214	who has received an implant or assistive hearing device. 141
215	215	3. Fees for specialized summer education programs. 142
216	216	4. Fees for specialized a fter-school education programs. 143
217	217	5. Fees for other approved therapeutic services provided 144
218	218	by qualified providers and consistent with student's treatment 145
219	219	plan, individualized education plan, individualized family 146
220	220	support plan, or 504 plan. 147
221	221	(5) TERM OF SCHOLARSHIP.—For purposes of continuity of 148
222	222	educational choice under the program: 149
223	223	(a)1. A scholarship awarded to an eligible student 150
224	224
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232	232	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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236	236	pursuant to paragraph (3)(a) shall remain in force until: 151
237	237	a. The early learning coalition determines that the 152
238	238	student is ineligible for program renewal; 153
239	239	b. The Commissioner of Education suspends or revokes 154
240	240	program participation or use of funds; 155
241	241	c. The student's parent forfeits participation in the 156
242	242	program for failure to comply with subsection (10); or 157
243	243	d. The student is eligible to attend kindergarten. 158
244	244	2.a. The student's scholarship account must be closed and 159
245	245	any remaining funds shall revert to the state after: 160
246	246	(I) Suspension or revocation of program participation or 161
247	247	use of funds by the commissioner for fraud or abuse, including, 162
248	248	but not limited to, the student or student's parent accepting 163
249	249	any payment, refund, or rebate, in any manner, from a provider 164
250	250	of any services received pursuant to paragraph (4)(a); 165
251	251	(II) Two consecutive fiscal years in which an account has 166
252	252	been inactive; or 167
253	253	(III) The student is eligible to attend kindergarten. 168
254	254	b. Reimbursements for program expenditures may continue 169
255	255	until the account balance is expended or remaining funds have 170
256	256	reverted to the state. 171
257	257	(b)1. A scholarship awarded to an eligible student 172
258	258	pursuant to paragraph (3)(b) shall remain in force until: 173
259	259	a. The parent does not renew program eligibility; 174
260	260	b. The early learning coalition determines that the 175
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269	269	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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271	271
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273	273	student is ineligible for prog ram renewal; 176
274	274	c. The Commissioner of Education suspends or revokes 177
275	275	program participation or use of funds; 178
276	276	d. The student's parent forfeits participation in the 179
277	277	program for failure to comply with subsection (10); or 180
278	278	e. The student is eligible to enroll in kindergarten. 181
279	279	2. Reimbursements for program expenditures may continue 182
280	280	until the account balance is expended or the account is closed. 183
281	281	3. A student's scholarship account must be closed and any 184
282	282	remaining funds, including, but not limited to, contribu tions 185
283	283	made to the Stanley G. Tate Florida Prepaid College Program 186
284	284	using program funds or earnings from or contributions made to 187
285	285	the Florida College Savings Program using program funds, shall 188
286	286	revert to the state after: 189
287	287	a. Suspension or revocation of progr am participation or 190
288	288	use of funds by the commissioner for fraud or abuse, including, 191
289	289	but not limited to, the student or student's parent accepting 192
290	290	any payment, refund, or rebate, in any manner, from a provider 193
291	291	of any services received pursuant to paragraph (4)(b); or 194
292	292	b. Two consecutive fiscal years in which an account has 195
293	293	been inactive. 196
294	294	(6) SCHOLARSHIP PROHIBITIONS. —A student is ineligible for 197
295	295	a scholarship through the program while he or she is receiving 198
296	296	any other educational scholarship pursuant to thi s chapter. 199
297	297	(7) EARLY LEARNING COALITION OBLIGATIONS. —An early 200
298	298
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306	306	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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310	310	learning coalition awarding scholarships to eligible students: 201
311	311	(a) If a student with a disability who is enrolled in the 202
312	312	program does not have an individual education plan (IEP) or 203
313	313	other authorized assessment, shall request an IEP evaluation or 204
314	314	reevaluation from the school district in which the student 205
315	315	resides. For private school students, the early learning 206
316	316	coalition may accept evaluation reports and plans developed by 207
317	317	licensed professionals to develop matrix scores. 208
318	318	(b) Shall provide for the administration of the 209
319	319	coordinated screening and progress monitoring system under s. 210
320	320	1008.25(9). 211
321	321	(c) Must publish information about the program on the 212
322	322	coalition's website homepage. At a minimum, the p ublished 213
323	323	information must include a website link to the program published 214
324	324	on the department's website as well as a telephone number and e -215
325	325	mail address that students and parents may use to contact 216
326	326	relevant personnel at the early learning coalition to obtain 217
327	327	information about the program. 218
328	328	(d) Must receive applications, determine student 219
329	329	eligibility, notify parents in accordance with the requirements 220
330	330	of this section, and provide the department with information on 221
331	331	the student to enable the department to deter mine student 222
332	332	funding. 223
333	333	(e) Shall verify the household income level of students 224
334	334	and submit the verified list of students determined to be 225
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343	343	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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347	347	eligible for a scholarship and related documentation to the 226
348	348	department when necessary. 227
349	349	(f) Shall establish and maint ain separate accounts for 228
350	350	each eligible student. For each account, the early learning 229
351	351	coalition must maintain a record of accrued interest that is 230
352	352	retained in the student's account and available only for 231
353	353	authorized program expenditures. 232
354	354	(g) May permit eligible students to use program funds by 233
355	355	paying for the authorized use directly, then submitting a 234
356	356	reimbursement request to the early learning coalition. However, 235
357	357	an early learning coalition may require the use of an online 236
358	358	platform for direct purchases of products so long as such use 237
359	359	does not limit a parent's choice of curriculum or academic 238
360	360	programs. If a parent purchases a product identical to one 239
361	361	offered by an early learning coalition's online platform for a 240
362	362	lower price, the early learning coalition shal l reimburse the 241
363	363	parent for the cost of the product. 242
364	364	(h) May use an amount not to exceed 2.5 percent of the 243
365	365	total amount of all scholarships funded under this section for 244
366	366	administrative expenses associated with performing functions 245
367	367	under this section. An early learning coalition that has, for 246
368	368	the prior fiscal year, complied with expenditure requirements 247
369	369	may use an amount not to exceed 3 percent. Such administrative 248
370	370	expense amount is considered within the 3 -percent limit on the 249
371	371	total amount an early learnin g coalition may use to administer 250
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380	380	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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384	384	scholarships under this section. 251
385	385	(i) Must, in a timely manner, submit any information 252
386	386	requested by the department relating to the scholarship under 253
387	387	this section. 254
388	388	(j) Must notify the department about any violation of th is 255
389	389	section. 256
390	390	(k) Must document each student's eligibility for a fiscal 257
391	391	year before granting a scholarship for that fiscal year. A 258
392	392	student is ineligible for a scholarship if the student's account 259
393	393	has been inactive for 2 consecutive fiscal years. 260
394	394	(l) Must notify each parent that participation in the 261
395	395	scholarship program does not guarantee enrollment. 262
396	396	(m) Shall commit scholarship funds on behalf of the 263
397	397	student for tuition and fees for which the parent is responsible 264
398	398	for payment to the program provider before using scholarship 265
399	399	funds for additional authorized uses. 266
400	400	(8) DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION OBLIGATIONS. — 267
401	401	(a) The department shall: 268
402	402	1. Publish and update, as necessary, information on the 269
403	403	department website about th e program, including, but not limited 270
404	404	to, student eligibility criteria, parental responsibilities, and 271
405	405	relevant data. 272
406	406	2. Maintain and annually publish a list of state and 273
407	407	nationally norm-referenced tests identified for purposes of 274
408	408	satisfying quality and achievement standards. 275
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417	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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421	421	3. Notify early learning coalitions of the deadlines for 276
422	422	submitting the verified list of students determined to be 277
423	423	eligible for a scholarship. An early learning coalition may not 278
424	424	submit a student for funding after February 1 if suc h student is 279
425	425	1 year of age or older. 280
426	426	4. Deny or terminate program participation due to 281
427	427	attendance or programmatic requirements. 282
428	428	5. Notify the parent and the early learning coalition when 283
429	429	a scholarship account is closed and program funds revert to the 284
430	430	state. 285
431	431	6. Maintain on its website a list of approved providers, 286
432	432	eligible schools, and early learning coalitions and activities. 287
433	433	7. Require each early learning coalition to verify 288
434	434	eligible expenditures before the distribution of funds for any 289
435	435	expenditures. Review of expenditures may be completed after the 290
436	436	purchase is made. 291
437	437	8. Investigate any written complaint of a violation of 292
438	438	this section by a parent, a program provider, a school district, 293
439	439	an early learning coalition, or another appropriate party. 294
440	440	9. Require quarterly reports by an early learning 295
441	441	coalition, which must include, at a minimum, the number of 296
442	442	students participating in the program; the demographics of 297
443	443	program participants; the disability category of program 298
444	444	participants; the matrix level of services, if known; the 299
445	445	program award amount per student; the total expenditures for the 300
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454	454	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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458	458	program; the types of program providers; and any other 301
459	459	information deemed necessary by the department. 302
460	460	(b) At the direction of the Commissioner of Education, the 303
461	461	department may: 304
462	462	1. Suspend or revoke program participation or use of 305
463	463	program funds by the student or participation or eligibility of 306
464	464	an another party for a violation of this section. 307
465	465	2. Determine the length of, and conditions for lifting, a 308
466	466	suspension or revocation specified in this paragraph. 309
467	467	3. Recover unexpended program funds or withhold payment of 310
468	468	an equal amount of program funds to recover program funds that 311
469	469	were not authorized for use. 312
470	470	313
471	471	In determining whether to suspend or revoke program 314
472	472	participation or lift a suspension or revocation in accordance 315
473	473	with this paragraph, the department may consider factors that 316
474	474	include, but are not limited to, acts or omissions that led to a 317
475	475	previous suspension or revocation of participation in a state or 318
476	476	federal program; failure to reimburse the early learning 319
477	477	coalition for funds improperly received or retained; failure to 320
478	478	reimburse government funds improperly received or retained; 321
479	479	imposition of a prior criminal sanction related to the person or 322
480	480	entity or its office rs or employees; imposition of a civil fine 323
481	481	or administrative fine, license revocation or suspension, or 324
482	482	program eligibility suspension, termination, or revocation 325
483	483
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491	491	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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495	495	related to a person's or entity's management or operation; or 326
496	496	other types of criminal procee dings in which the person or 327
497	497	entity or its officers or employees were found guilty of, 328
498	498	regardless of adjudication, or entered a plea of nolo contendere 329
499	499	or guilty to, any offense involving fraud, deceit, dishonesty, 330
500	500	or moral turpitude. 331
501	501	(9) PROVIDER ELIGIB ILITY AND OBLIGATIONS. —To be eligible 332
502	502	to participate in the program, a provider: 333
503	503	(a) May be sectarian or nonsectarian. 334
504	504	(b) May be a private or public provider. 335
505	505	(c) Must meet with parents to discuss the program's 336
506	506	academic programs and policies, specialized services, code of 337
507	507	conduct, and attendance policies before enrolling a student who 338
508	508	is participating in the program to determine which programs and 339
509	509	services meet the student's needs. 340
510	510	(d) Must provide to the early learning coalition all 341
511	511	documentation required for a student's participation, including 342
512	512	the provider's and student's fee schedules, at least 30 days 343
513	513	before any quarterly scholarship payment is made for the 344
514	514	student. A student is ineligible to receive a quar terly 345
515	515	scholarship payment if the provider fails to meet this deadline. 346
516	516	(e) Must ensure that at least 70 percent of program funds 347
517	517	are used for the following: 348
518	518	1. Personnel costs, including wages, bonuses, or other 349
519	519	staff benefits, including, but not limit ed to, health insurance, 350
520	520
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528	528	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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531	531
532	532	paid leave, and retirement contributions. 351
533	533	2. Hiring staff, including conducting background checks 352
534	534	and lowering the staff -to-student ratio. 353
535	535	3. Payment of mortgage or rent for the provider 354
536	536	facilities. 355
537	537	4. The purchase of supplie s, services, and training 356
538	538	necessary to ensure compliance with health, safety, educational, 357
539	539	and quality requirements. 358
540	540	5. Providing comprehensive services, including access to 359
541	541	health resources, to students and their families. 360
542	542	6. Improving the quality of child care services in a way 361
543	543	that is appropriate for student development by provider type and 362
544	544	for the student population being served. 363
545	545	7. Providing inclusive and developmentally appropriate 364
546	546	care for student with disabilities. 365
547	547	(f) Must use a sliding copayment fee scale that gradually 366
548	548	increases, providing that a family with an income of: 367
549	549	1. No more than 85 percent of the state median income for 368
550	550	a family of the same size may to be required to pay a copayment 369
551	551	under the scale. 370
552	552	2. Between 86 to 100 percent of the state median income 371
553	553	for a family of the same size shall pay a copayment between 0 to 372
554	554	2 percent of the family's income. 373
555	555	3. Between 101 to 125 percent of the state median income 374
556	556	for a family of the same size shall pay a copayment between 2 to 375
557	557
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565	565	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
566	566
567	567
568	568
569	569	4 percent of the family's income. 376
570	570	4. Between 126 to 150 percent of the state median income 377
571	571	for a family of the same size shall pay a copayment between 4 to 378
572	572	7 percent of the family's income. 379
573	573	5. More than 151 percent of the state median income for a 380
574	574	family of the same size shall pay a copayment of no more than 7 381
575	575	percent of the family's income. 382
576	576	(10) PARENT AND STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES FOR PROGRAM 383
577	577	PARTICIPATION.— 384
578	578	(a) A parent who applies for program participation is 385
579	579	exercising his or her parental option to determine the 386
580	580	appropriate placement or the services that best meet the needs 387
581	581	of his or her student and must: 388
582	582	1. Apply to an early learning coalition to participate in 389
583	583	the program by a date set by the early learning coalition and 390
584	584	apply to a program provider and be accepted. The request must be 391
585	585	communicated directly to the early learning coalition in a 392
586	586	manner that creates a written or electronic record of the 393
587	587	request and the date of receipt of the request. 394
588	588	2. Require the stude nt to meet all of the program 395
589	589	requirements throughout the year unless excused for illness or 396
590	590	good cause. 397
591	591	3. Meet with the program director or staff of the program 398
592	592	provider to discuss the program's academic programs and 399
593	593	policies, specialized services, cod e of conduct, and attendance 400
594	594
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602	602	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
603	603
604	604
605	605
606	606	policies before enrolling his or her student to determine which 401
607	607	programs and services may meet his or her student's needs. 402
608	608	4. Participate in any required state and national 403
609	609	assessments. 404
610	610	5. Sign an agreement with the early l earning coalition and 405
611	611	annually submit a sworn compliance statement to the early 406
612	612	learning coalition to satisfy or maintain program eligibility, 407
613	613	including eligibility to receive and spend program payments by: 408
614	614	a. Affirming that the student is enrolled in a program 409
615	615	that meets any applicable attendance requirements. 410
616	616	b. Affirming that the program funds are used only for 411
617	617	authorized purposes serving the student's educational needs; 412
618	618	that any prepaid college plan or college savings plan funds 413
619	619	contributed will not be transferred to another beneficiary while 414
620	620	the plan contains funds contributed pursuant to this section; 415
621	621	and that the parent will not receive a payment, refund, or 416
622	622	rebate of any funds provided under this section. 417
623	623	c. Affirming that the parent is respons ible for all 418
624	624	eligible expenses in excess of the amount of the scholarship and 419
625	625	for the education of his or her student by, as applicable: 420
626	626	(I) Requiring the student to take an assessment; or 421
627	627	(II) Providing an annual evaluation. 422
628	628	d. Affirming that the st udent remains in good standing 423
629	629	with the program provider if those options are selected by the 424
630	630	parent. 425
631	631
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635	635
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639	639	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
640	640
641	641
642	642
643	643	e. Renewing participation in the program each year. A 426
644	644	student whose participation in the program is not renewed may 427
645	645	continue to spend scholarship funds that are in his or her 428
646	646	account from prior years unless the account must be closed. 429
647	647	f. Procuring the services necessary to educate the 430
648	648	student. If such services include enrollment in an eligible 431
649	649	private school, the parent must meet with the private schoo l's 432
650	650	principal or the principal's designee to review the school's 433
651	651	academic programs and policies, specialized services, code of 434
652	652	student conduct, and attendance policies before his or her 435
653	653	student is enrolled. 436
654	654	(b) A participant who fails to comply with thi s subsection 437
655	655	forfeits the scholarship. 438
656	656	(11) SCHOLARSHIP FUNDING AND PAYMENT. — 439
657	657	(a) Each student's scholarship amount shall be calculated 440
658	658	as the base student allocation, as established by the 441
659	659	Legislature, multiplied by the number of students in the schoo l 442
660	660	district. The following funds, in amounts established by the 443
661	661	Legislature, shall be added to the product: 444
662	662	1. An additional amount of funding shall be provided to 445
663	663	each student based on the poverty level of the county in which 446
664	664	he or she resides, the cost of living for such county, and the 447
665	665	size of the county. 448
666	666	2. An additional amount of funding shall be provided to 449
667	667	each student based on each student's disability or matrix score. 450
668	668
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676	676	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
677	677
678	678
679	679
680	680	3. An additional amount of funding shall be provided to 451
681	681	each student based o n the staffing levels required for the care 452
682	682	of such student, including funding to ensure that individuals 453
683	683	providing care for such students receive livable wages and wages 454
684	684	that are equivalent to wages for elementary educators with 455
685	685	similar credentials and ex perience in the state, adjusted on an 456
686	686	annual basis for cost -of-living increases. 457
687	687	(b)1. The calculated scholarship amount for a 458
688	688	participating student shall be based upon the age of the 459
689	689	student, the county in which the student resides, the student's 460
690	690	disability status or matrix score, and the opportunity weight to 461
691	691	address childhood poverty, as specified in the General 462
692	692	Appropriations Act. 463
693	693	2. The early learning coalition must provide the 464
694	694	department with the documentation necessary to verify the 465
695	695	student's participation. Upon receiving the documentation, the 466
696	696	department shall transfer, beginning August 1, from state funds, 467
697	697	the amount calculated pursuant to subparagraph 1. to the early 468
698	698	learning coalition for quarterly disbursement to parents of 469
699	699	participating students each school year in which the scholarship 470
700	700	is in force. Such funds must be deposited to students' accounts 471
701	701	in four equal amounts no later than September 1, November 1, 472
702	702	February 1, and April 1 of each school year in which the 473
703	703	scholarship is in for ce. When a student enters the program, the 474
704	704	early learning coalition must receive all documentation required 475
705	705
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713	713	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
714	714
715	715
716	716
717	717	for the student's participation, including the program 476
718	718	provider's and the student's fee schedules at least 30 days 477
719	719	before the first quarterly schola rship payment is made for the 478
720	720	student. 479
721	721	3. The initial payment shall be made after the early 480
722	722	learning coalition's verification of admission acceptance, and 481
723	723	subsequent payments shall be made upon verification of continued 482
724	724	enrollment and attendance at the p rogram provider. Payment must 483
725	725	be made by funds transfer or any other means of payment that the 484
726	726	department deems to be commercially viable or cost -effective. An 485
727	727	early learning coalition shall ensure that the parent has 486
728	728	approved a funds transfer before any s cholarship funds are 487
729	729	deposited in the student's account. An early learning coalition 488
730	730	may develop a system for payment of benefits by funds transfer, 489
731	731	including, but not limited to, debit cards, electronic payment 490
732	732	cards, or any other means of payment which t he department deems 491
733	733	to be commercially viable or cost -effective. A student's 492
734	734	scholarship may not be reduced for debit card or electronic 493
735	735	payment fees. Commodities or services related to the development 494
736	736	of such a system must be procured by competitive solic itation 495
737	737	unless they are purchased from a state term contract pursuant to 496
738	738	s. 287.056. 497
739	739	4. Accrued interest in the student's account is in 498
740	740	addition to, and not part of, the awarded funds. Program funds 499
741	741	include both the awarded funds and the accrued interest . 500
742	742
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750	750	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
751	751
752	752
753	753
754	754	5. Moneys received pursuant to this section do not 501
755	755	constitute taxable income to the student or his or her parent. 502
756	756	6. An early learning coalition may not transfer any funds 503
757	757	to an account of a student which has a balance in excess of 504
758	758	$24,000. 505
759	759	(12) LIABILITY.—No liability shall arise on the part of 506
760	760	the state based on the award or use of a scholarship. 507
761	761	(13) RULES.—The State Board of Education shall adopt rules 508
762	762	pursuant to ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54 to administer this 509
763	763	section. 510
764	764	Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2024. 511