STORAGE NAME: h0859.EAS
DATE: 3/25/2025
1
FLORIDA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
BILL ANALYSIS
This bill analysis was prepared by nonpartisan committee staff and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.
BILL #: HB 859
TITLE: School Readiness Program
SPONSOR(S): Tramont
COMPANION BILL: SB 1382 (Calatayud)
LINKED BILLS: None
RELATED BILLS: None
Committee References
Education Administration
PreK-12 Budget
Education & Employment
SUMMARY
Effect of the Bill:
The bill modifies the definition of “economically disadvantaged” used for determining eligibility in the School
Readiness (SR) program, makes changes to implement the new definition, and modifies tracking of children on
waiting lists for SR services. Specifically, the bill revises the definition of “economically disadvantaged” by replacing
“income that does not exceed 150 percent of the federal poverty level” with “income that does not exceed 65
percent of the state median income” for families seeking SR services. The bill modifies various references to the SR
waitlists that require the tracking of children on waitlists by family income and priority. The bill modifies the data
collected by the Department of Education to reflect the change in definition related to income. The bill also modifies
the priorities for children from economically disadvantaged families by separating the first subsequent priority
group into two groups based on income. Finally, the bill requires estimates adopted by the Early Learning Program
Estimating Conference to consider county specific trends and changes.
Fiscal or Economic Impact:
The bill has an indeterminate fiscal impact on state government because the new definition of “economically
disadvantaged” will increase the number of families who will qualify for SR services.
JUMP TO SUMMARY ANALYSIS RELEVANT INFORMATION BILL HISTORY
ANALYSIS
EFFECT OF THE BILL:
The bill modifies the definition of “economically disadvantaged” used for determining eligibility for the School
Readiness (SR) program.
1 The bill changes the threshold for “economically disadvantaged” from families with an
income that does not exceed “150 percent of the federal poverty level” to “65 percent of the state median income.”
This change means that more families will meet the definition of “economically disadvantaged” than under the
current definition. By some estimates adopting the 65 percent of state median income threshold will potentially
mean an additional 31,000 families with 54,000 children may be eligible for SR services.
2 (Section 1).
The bill modifies sections of statute to require that the uniform waitlists that track children waiting for SR services
be based on family household income and by the priorities specified in Florida law.
3 (Sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 5)
The bill requires that the data collected from Early Learning Coalitions (ELCs) by the Department of Education
(DOE) reflect the change in the definition of “economically disadvantaged” using state median income instead of
federal poverty levels.
4 (Section 4).
1
Section 1002.81(6), F.S.
2
Email, Association of Early Learning Coalitions, Inc. (Mar. 14, 2025).
3
Sections 1002.81(13), 1002.82(2), 1002.84(2), 1002.85(2), and 1002.87(1), F.S.
4
Section 1002.85(5), F.S. JUMP TO SUMMARY ANALYSIS RELEVANT INFORMATION BILL HISTORY
2
The bill separates the first subsequent priority group for children waiting to be served in the SR program that is in
current Florida law into two parts.
5 First subsequent priority would be for an eligible child from a working family
that is “economically disadvantaged” having an income less than 50 percent of the state median income. Second
subsequent priority group would be for an eligible child from a working family that is “economically
disadvantaged” having an income greater than 50 percent but less than 65 percent of the state median income.
(Section 5).
The bill requires that the data for the total number of unweighted full-time equivalent SR children that is adopted
by the Early Learning Program Estimating conference must consider the historical trend of children served and
population changes for each county.
6 (Section 6).
The effective date of the bill is July 1, 2025. (Section 7).
RULEMAKING:
Current law requires the State Board of Education (SBE) to adopt rules regarding SR program plans and services.
The bill modifies provisions of law already under the SBE’s rulemaking authority, thus allowing the SBE to make
rules to implement the bill.
Lawmaking is a legislative power; however, the Legislature may delegate a portion of such power to executive
branch agencies to create rules that have the force of law. To exercise this delegated power, an agency must
have a grant of rulemaking authority and a law to implement.
FISCAL OR ECONOMIC IMPACT:
STATE GOVERNMENT:
The bill has an indeterminate fiscal impact. The transition from 150 percent of the federal poverty level to 65
percent of the state median income will increase the number of families who will qualify for SR services. However,
the number of SR children served is based on the annual appropriation each year provided in the General
Appropriations Act. Therefore, absent additional funds being appropriated, the number of children served is
unlikely to increase, resulting in a corresponding increase to the waitlist.
RELEVANT INFORMATION
SUBJECT OVERVIEW:
School Readiness Program Overview
Florida’s SR program offers low-income families financial assistance to facilitate access to high-quality child care
and early education for their children while parents work or participate in job training. The Division of Early
Learning (DEL), under the DOE, administers the program at the state level while ELCs administer the SR program
at the county and regional levels. Funding comes from four sources including, the Child Care and Development
Block Grant, the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Block Grant, the Social Services Block Grant, and the
State of Florida.
7
The program's two main goals are to help families become financially self-sufficient and help each child from a
qualifying family develop school readiness skills. The program gives children access to a quality early learning
environment and supports parents with information about child development and family engagement. The quality
5
Section 1002.87(1)(c), F.S.
6
Section 1002.89(1), F.S.
7
Florida Department of Education, Division of Early Learning 2023-2024 Annual Report (2024), available at DEL Annual Report
2023-2024. JUMP TO SUMMARY ANALYSIS RELEVANT INFORMATION BILL HISTORY
3
environment of each SR provider is measured by the administration of a widely recognized tool that assesses the
interactions between adults and children in the classroom.
8
In fiscal year 2022-2023, there were 212,062 children participating in the SR program at 6,889 early learning
providers. Total expenditures were $990 million, which included $36 million in administrative expenses, $59
million in non-direct services expenditures, and $80 million in quality expenditures.
9
School Readiness Eligibility and Priorities
Florida statute defines “economically disadvantaged” as having a family income that does not exceed 150 percent
of the federal poverty level and includes being a child of a working migratory family
10 or an agricultural worker
who is employed by more than one agricultural employer during the course of a year, and whose income varies
according to weather conditions and market stability.
11 The definition is used to determine eligibility for and
priority status in the SR program.
According to the 2023 Poverty Guidelines Computations from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services,
for a family of three the federal poverty level was $24,860 per year. This means a family of three would need to
earn $37,290 or less per year to not exceed the 150 percent threshold for “economically disadvantaged.”
12 For
comparison, the 2023 State Median Income (SMI) for Florida was $71,771, meaning a family would need to earn
$46,651.15 or less to not exceed 65 percent of the state median income.
13
Each ELC is required to give priority to receive services under the SR program as follows:
14
Children under the age of 13 from a family that includes a parent who is receiving temporary cash
assistance and is subject to the federal work requirements or a parent who has an Intensive Service
Account or an Individual Training Account.
An at-risk child younger than 9 years of age.
Subsequent priority is given based on the ELC’s local priorities to children who meet the following
criteria:
15
o A child from birth to the beginning of the school year for which the child is eligible for admission to
kindergarten in a public school who is from a working family that is economically disadvantaged.
o A child of a parent who transitions from the work program into employment from birth to the
beginning of the school year for which the child is eligible for admission to kindergarten.
o An at-risk child who is at least 9 years of age but younger than 13 years of age, however an at-risk child
whose sibling is enrolled in the school readiness program within a specific eligibility priority category
shall be given priority over other children who are eligible.
o A child who is younger than 13 years of age from a working family that is economically disadvantaged.
o A child of a parent who transitions from the work program into employment who is younger than 13
years of age.
o A child who has special needs and has been determined eligible as a student with a disability who has a
current individual education plan (IEP) with a Florida school district and is not younger than 3 years of
age.
o A child who otherwise meets one of the first two eligibility criteria but who is also enrolled
concurrently in the federal Head Start Program and the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program
(VPK).
8
Florida Department of Education, Division of Early Learning 2023-2024 Annual Report (2024), available at DEL Annual
Report 2023-2024.
9
Id.
10
See 34 C.F.R. s. 200.81(d) or (f).
11
Section 1002.81(6), F.S.
12
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2023 Poverty Guidelines Computations, 2023 Poverty Guidelines
Computations | ASPE (last visited Mar. 18, 2025).
13
Florida Department of Health, 2023 Median Household Income, Median Household Income (Census ACS) - FL Health CHARTS
(last visited Mar. 18, 2025).
14
Section 1002.87(1), F.S.
15
Section 1002.87(1)(c), F.S. JUMP TO SUMMARY ANALYSIS RELEVANT INFORMATION BILL HISTORY
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School Readiness Waitlists
During fiscal year 2023-2024, there were 117,981 SR enrollments of children aged birth to four years of age
compared to an estimated population of 357,199 children aged birth to four years of age from families below 150
percent of the federal poverty level, meaning statewide only 33 percent of children below this threshold were
served by the SR program.
16 The percentages varied by ELC from a low of 19 percent of children served by the
Santa Rosa ELC to a high of 48 percent served by the ELC of the Big Bend.
17
Since not all eligible children are served by the SR program, there are waitlists to organize those waiting for
services. Florida law requires that the “single point of entry” system where families apply for services for both SR
and VPK programs utilize a uniform waitlist to track eligible children waiting for enrollment into the SR program.
18
The DOE is required to adopt specific program support services that include a single point of entry and a uniform
waitlist for the SR program.
19
Each ELC is required to establish a uniform waitlist to track eligible children waiting for enrollment in the SR
program.
20 The SBE has adopted a rule to provide guidelines to the ELCs on development of waitlists for families
seeking services.
21 The adopted rules provide guidance for the following:
22
Definitions of terms.
Prequalifying questions and applications for services.
Eligibility Screening.
Waitlist management.
Reapplication for services after removal from waitlist.
As part of each ELC’s SR program plan, the ELC is required to include procedures for implementing the
requirement for a uniform waitlist for SR services.
23 Additionally ELCs are required to collect and report data to
the DOE about SR program delivery, including:
24
Progress in reducing the number of children on waitlists.
The percentage of children served as compared to the number of administrative staff and overhead.
The percentage of children served compared to the number of children under the age of five from families
below 150 percent of the federal poverty level.
Provider payment processes and fraud intervention.
Child attendance and stability.
Use of Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R) services.
Child outcomes related to school readiness.
School Readiness Funding
Each ELC is required to establish a parent sliding fee scale that provides for a parent copayment that is not a
barrier to families receiving SR program services. Coalitions may waive copayments for at-risk children or
temporarily waive the copayment for children whose family income is at or below the federal poverty level.
Coalitions may also waive copayments for a child whose family experiences a natural disaster or an event that
limits the parent’s ability to pay including:
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Incarceration;
Placement in residential treatment;
Becoming homeless;
An emergency situation such as a household fire or burglary; or
16
Florida Department of Education, Division of Early Learning 2023-2024 Annual Report (2024), available at DEL Annual
Report 2023-2024.
17
Id.
18
Section 1002.81(13), F.S.
19
Section 1002.82(2)(f), F.S.
20
Section 1002.84(2), F.S.
21
Rule 6A-4.300, F.A.C.
22
Id.
23
Section 1002.85(2), F.S.
24
Section 1002.85(5), F.S.
25
Section 1002.84(9), F.S. JUMP TO SUMMARY ANALYSIS RELEVANT INFORMATION BILL HISTORY
5
While the parent is participating in parenting classes or participating in an Early Head Start program or
Head Start Program.
A parent may not transfer SR program services to another SR program provider until the parent has submitted
documentation from the current provider to the ELC stating that the parent has satisfactorily fulfilled the
copayment obligation.
26
Each ELC is required to distribute the SR program funds as allocated in the GAA to eligible providers. All
instructions to ELCs for distributing the SR program funds to eligible providers come from the DOE in accordance
with the policies of the Legislature.
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Costs for the SR program must be kept to the minimum necessary for the efficient and effective administration of
the SR program, with the highest priority of expenditure being direct services for eligible children. No more than 5
percent of the funds allocated in the GAA may be used for administrative costs and no more than 22 percent of the
funds allocated may be used in any fiscal year for any combination of administrative costs, quality activities, and
non-direct services.
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OTHER RESOURCES:
School Readiness Program Fact Sheet- House Education & Employment Committee
BILL HISTORY
COMMITTEE REFERENCE ACTION DATE
STAFF
DIRECTOR/
POLICY CHIEF
ANALYSIS
PREPARED BY
Education Administration
Subcommittee
Sleap Blalock
PreK-12 Budget Subcommittee
Education & Employment
Committee
26
Id.
27
Section 1002.84(17), F.S.
28
Section 1002.89(4), F.S.