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Florida House Bill H0859

Florida 2025 Regular Session

Florida House Bill H0859 Compare Versions

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1010 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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1414 A bill to be entitled 1
1515 An act relating to the school readiness program; 2
16-amending s. 1002.81, F.S.; revising definitions; 3
17-amending s. 1002.82, F.S.; revising requirements for a 4
18-specified statewide data information program within 5
19-the school readiness program; amending s. 1002.84, 6
20-F.S.; revising requirements for the program's uniform 7
21-waiting list; amending s. 1002.85, F.S.; conforming 8
22-provisions to changes made by the act; amending s. 9
23-1002.89, F.S.; revising the requirements for 10
24-determining the school readiness program allocation; 11
25-providing an effective date. 12
26- 13
27-Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 14
16+amending s. 1002.81, F.S.; revising the definition of 3
17+the terms "economically disadvantaged" and "single 4
18+point of entry"; amending s. 1002.82, F.S.; revising 5
19+requirements for a specified statewide data 6
20+information program within the school readiness 7
21+program; amending s. 1002.84, F.S.; revising 8
22+requirements for the program's uniform waiting list; 9
23+amending s. 1002.85, F.S.; conforming provisions to 10
24+changes made by the act; amending s. 1002.89, F.S.; 11
25+revising the requirements for determining the school 12
26+readiness program allocation; providing an effective 13
27+date. 14
2828 15
29- Section 1. Subsections (6) and (13) of section 1002.81, 16
30-Florida Statutes, are amended, and paragraph (g) is added to 17
31-subsection (1) of that section, to read: 18
32- 1002.81 Definitions. —Consistent with the requirements of 19
33-45 C.F.R. parts 98 and 99 and as used in this part, the term: 20
34- (1) "At-risk child" means: 21
35- (g) A child in the custody of and in residence with a 22
36-parent who is receiving comprehensive services with a licensed 23
37-residential behavioral health treatment center with an onsite 24
38-child care facility. 25
29+Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Flori da: 16
30+ 17
31+ Section 1. Subsections (6) and (13) of section 1002.81, 18
32+Florida Statutes, are amended to read: 19
33+ 1002.81 Definitions. —Consistent with the requirements of 20
34+45 C.F.R. parts 98 and 99 and as used in this part, the term: 21
35+ (6) "Economically disadvantag ed" means having a family 22
36+income that does not exceed the greater of either 50 percent of 23
37+the state median income or 150 percent of the federal poverty 24
38+level and includes being a child of a working migratory family 25
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4747 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- (6) "Economically disadvantaged" means having a family 26
52-income that does not exceed the greater of either 50 percent of 27
53-the state median income or 150 percent of the federal poverty 28
54-level and includes being a child of a working migratory family 29
55-as defined by 34 C.F.R. s. 200.81(d) or (f) or an agricultural 30
56-worker who is employed by more than one agricultural employer 31
57-during the course of a year, and whose income varies according 32
58-to weather conditions and market stability. 33
59- (13) "Single point of entry" means an integrated 34
60-information system that allows a parent to enroll his or her 35
61-child in the school readiness program or the Voluntary 36
62-Prekindergarten Education Program at various locations 37
63-throughout a county, that may allow a parent to enroll his or 38
64-her child by telephone or through a website, and that uses a 39
65-uniform waiting list to track eligible children waiting for 40
66-enrollment in the school readiness program based on family 41
67-household income and the priorities established under s. 42
68-1002.87. 43
69- Section 2. Paragraph (f) of subsection (2) of section 44
70-1002.82, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 45
71- 1002.82 Department of Education; powers and duties. — 46
72- (2) The department shall: 47
73- (f) Establish a unified approach to the state's efforts to 48
74-coordinate a comprehensive early learning program. In support of 49
75-this effort, the department: 50
51+as defined by 34 C.F.R. s. 200.81(d) or ( f) or an agricultural 26
52+worker who is employed by more than one agricultural employer 27
53+during the course of a year, and whose income varies according 28
54+to weather conditions and market stability. 29
55+ (13) "Single point of entry" means an integrated 30
56+information system that allows a parent to enroll his or her 31
57+child in the school readiness program or the Voluntary 32
58+Prekindergarten Education Program at various locations 33
59+throughout a county, that may allow a parent to enroll his or 34
60+her child by telephone or through a w ebsite, and that uses a 35
61+uniform waiting list to track eligible children waiting for 36
62+enrollment in the school readiness program based on family 37
63+household income and the priorities established under s. 38
64+1002.87. 39
65+ Section 2. Paragraph (f) of subsection (2) of section 40
66+1002.82, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 41
67+ 1002.82 Department of Education; powers and duties. — 42
68+ (2) The department shall: 43
69+ (f) Establish a unified approach to the state's efforts to 44
70+coordinate a comprehensive early learning program. In support of 45
71+this effort, the department: 46
72+ 1. Shall adopt specific program support services that 47
73+address the state's school readiness program, including: 48
74+ a. Statewide data information program requirements that 49
75+include: 50
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8484 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- 1. Shall adopt specific program support services that 51
89-address the state's school readiness program, including: 52
90- a. Statewide data information program requirements that 53
91-include: 54
92- (I) Eligibility requirements. 55
93- (II) Financial reports. 56
94- (III) Program accountability measures. 57
95- (IV) Child progress reports. 58
96- b. Child care resource and referral services. 59
97- c. A single point of entry and uniform waiting list that 60
98-tracks children waiting for school readiness program services 61
99-based on family house hold income and the priorities established 62
100-under s. 1002.87. 63
101- 2. May provide technical assistance and guidance on 64
102-additional support services to complement the school readiness 65
103-program, including: 66
104- a. Warm-Line services. 67
105- b. Anti-fraud plans. 68
106- c. Training and support for parental involvement in 69
107-children's early education. 70
108- d. Family literacy activities and services. 71
109- Section 3. Subsection (2) of section 1002.84, Florida 72
110-Statutes, is amended to read: 73
111- 1002.84 Early learning coalitions; school readin ess powers 74
112-and duties.—Each early learning coalition shall: 75
88+ (I) Eligibility requirements. 51
89+ (II) Financial reports. 52
90+ (III) Program accountability measures. 53
91+ (IV) Child progress reports. 54
92+ b. Child care resource and referral services. 55
93+ c. A single point of entry and uniform waiting list that 56
94+tracks children waiting for school readiness program services 57
95+based on family household income and the priorities established 58
96+under s. 1002.87. 59
97+ 2. May provide technical assistance and guidance on 60
98+additional support services to complement the school readiness 61
99+program, including: 62
100+ a. Warm-Line services. 63
101+ b. Anti-fraud plans. 64
102+ c. Training and support for parental involvement in 65
103+children's early education. 66
104+ d. Family literacy activities and services. 67
105+ Section 3. Subsection (2) of section 1002.84, Florida 68
106+Statutes, is amended to read: 69
107+ 1002.84 Early learning coalitions; school readiness powers 70
108+and duties.—Each early learning coalition shall: 71
109+ (2) Establish a uniform waiting list to track eligible 72
110+children waiting for enrollment in the school readiness program 73
111+based on family household income and the prio rities established 74
112+under s. 1002.87 and in accordance with rules adopted by the 75
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121121 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- (2) Establish a uniform waiting list to track eligible 76
126-children waiting for enrollment in the school readiness program 77
127-based on family household income and the priorities established 78
128-under s. 1002.87 and in accordance with rules adopted by the 79
129-State Board of Education. 80
130- Section 4. Paragraph (b) of subsection (2) and subsection 81
131-(5) of section 1002.85, Florida Statutes, are amended to read: 82
132- 1002.85 Early learning coalition plans. — 83
133- (2) Each early learning coalition must submit a school 84
134-readiness program plan every 3 years to the department before 85
135-the expenditure of funds. A coalition may not implement its 86
136-school readiness program plan until it receives approval from 87
137-the department. A coalition may not implement any revision to 88
138-its school readiness program plan until the coalition submits 89
139-the revised plan to and receives approval from the department. 90
140-If the department rejects a plan or revision, the coalition must 91
141-continue to operate under its p reviously approved plan. The plan 92
142-must include, but is not limited to: 93
143- (b) The coalition's procedures for implementing the 94
144-requirements of this part, including: 95
145- 1. Single point of entry. 96
146- 2. Uniform waiting list that tracks children waiting for 97
147-school readiness program services based on family household 98
148-income and the priorities established under s. 1002.87 . 99
149- 3. Eligibility and enrollment processes and local 100
125+State Board of Education. 76
126+ Section 4. Paragraph (b) of subsection (2) and subsection 77
127+(5) of section 1002.85, Florida Statutes, are amended to read: 78
128+ 1002.85 Early learning coalition plans.— 79
129+ (2) Each early learning coalition must submit a school 80
130+readiness program plan every 3 years to the department before 81
131+the expenditure of funds. A coalition may not implement its 82
132+school readiness program plan until it receives approval fr om 83
133+the department. A coalition may not implement any revision to 84
134+its school readiness program plan until the coalition submits 85
135+the revised plan to and receives approval from the department. 86
136+If the department rejects a plan or revision, the coalition must 87
137+continue to operate under its previously approved plan. The plan 88
138+must include, but is not limited to: 89
139+ (b) The coalition's procedures for implementing the 90
140+requirements of this part, including: 91
141+ 1. Single point of entry. 92
142+ 2. Uniform waiting list that tracks children waiting for 93
143+school readiness program services based on family household 94
144+income and the priorities established under s. 1002.87 . 95
145+ 3. Eligibility and enrollment processes and local 96
146+eligibility priorities for children pursuant to s. 1002.87. 97
147+ 4. Parent access and choice. 98
148+ 5. Sliding fee scale and policies on applying the waiver 99
149+or reduction of fees in accordance with s. 1002.84(9). 100
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158158 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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162-eligibility priorities for children pursuant to s. 1002.87. 101
163- 4. Parent access and choice. 102
164- 5. Sliding fee scale and policies on applying the waiver 103
165-or reduction of fees in accordance with s. 1002.84(9). 104
166- 6. Use of preassessments and postassessments, as 105
167-applicable. 106
168- 7. Use of contracted slots, as applicable, based on the 107
169-results of the assessmen t required under paragraph (i). 108
170- (5) The department shall collect and report data on 109
171-coalition delivery of early learning programs. Elements shall 110
172-include, but are not limited to, measures related to progress 111
173-towards reducing the number of children on the waiting list, the 112
174-percentage of children served by the program as compared to the 113
175-number of administrative staff and overhead, the percentage of 114
176-children served compared to total number of children under the 115
177-age of 5 years below either 50 percent of the s tate median 116
178-income or 150 percent of the federal poverty level, whichever is 117
179-greater, provider payment processes, fraud intervention, child 118
180-attendance and stability, use of child care resource and 119
181-referral, and kindergarten readiness outcomes for children in 120
182-the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program or the school 121
183-readiness program upon entry into kindergarten. The department 122
184-shall request input from the coalitions and school readiness 123
185-program providers before finalizing the format and data to be 124
186-used. The report shall be implemented beginning July 1, 2014, 125
162+ 6. Use of preassessments and postassessments, as 101
163+applicable. 102
164+ 7. Use of contracted slots, as applicable, based o n the 103
165+results of the assessment required under paragraph (i). 104
166+ (5) The department shall collect and report data on 105
167+coalition delivery of early learning programs. Elements shall 106
168+include, but are not limited to, measures related to progress 107
169+towards reducing the number of children on the waiting list, the 108
170+percentage of children served by the program as compared to the 109
171+number of administrative staff and overhead, the percentage of 110
172+children served compared to total number of children under the 111
173+age of 5 years below either 50 percent of the state median 112
174+income or 150 percent of the federal poverty level, whichever is 113
175+greater, provider payment processes, fraud intervention, child 114
176+attendance and stability, use of child care resource and 115
177+referral, and kindergarten re adiness outcomes for children in 116
178+the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program or the school 117
179+readiness program upon entry into kindergarten. The department 118
180+shall request input from the coalitions and school readiness 119
181+program providers before finalizing t he format and data to be 120
182+used. The report shall be implemented beginning July 1, 2014, 121
183+and results of the report must be included in the annual report 122
184+under s. 1002.82. 123
185+ Section 5. Paragraph (a) of subsection (1) of section 124
186+1002.89, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 125
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195195 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-and results of the report must be included in the annual report 126
200-under s. 1002.82. 127
201- Section 5. Paragraph (a) of subsection (1) of section 128
202-1002.89, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 129
203- 1002.89 School readiness program; funding. — 130
204- (1) DETERMINATION OF EARLY LEARNING COALITION SCHOOL 131
205-READINESS PROGRAM FUNDING. —Funding for the school readiness 132
206-program shall be used by the early learning coalitions in 133
207-accordance with this part and the General Appropr iations Act. 134
208- (a) School readiness program allocation. —If the annual 135
209-allocation for the school readiness program is not determined in 136
210-the General Appropriations Act or the substantive bill 137
211-implementing the General Appropriations Act, it shall be 138
212-determined as follows: 139
213- 1. For each county in the early learning coalition, the 140
214-total number of unweighted full -time equivalent school readiness 141
215-children, as adopted by the Early Learning Programs Estimating 142
216-Conference pursuant to s. 216.136(8), which shall consider the 143
217-historical trend of children served and population changes for 144
218-each county, shall be multiplied by the appropriate care level 145
219-factor to calculate the weighted full -time equivalent school 146
220-readiness children. For purposes of this subparagraph , the term 147
221-"care level factor" means the adjustment made based on the 148
222-relative differences in reimbursement rates associated with the 149
223-eligible school readiness children pursuant to s. 1002.87. 150
199+ 1002.89 School readiness program; funding. — 126
200+ (1) DETERMINATION OF EARLY LEARNING COALITION SCHOOL 127
201+READINESS PROGRAM FUNDING. —Funding for the school readiness 128
202+program shall be used by the early learning coalitions in 129
203+accordance with this part and the General Appropriations Act. 130
204+ (a) School readiness program allocation. —If the annual 131
205+allocation for the school readiness program is not determined in 132
206+the General Appropriations Act or the substantive bill 133
207+implementing the General Appropriati ons Act, it shall be 134
208+determined as follows: 135
209+ 1. For each county in the early learning coalition, the 136
210+total number of unweighted full -time equivalent school readiness 137
211+children, as adopted by the Early Learning Programs Estimating 138
212+Conference pursuant to s. 216.136(8), which shall consider the 139
213+historical trend of children served and population changes for 140
214+each county, shall be multiplied by the appropriate care level 141
215+factor to calculate the weighted full -time equivalent school 142
216+readiness children. For purposes of this subparagraph, the term 143
217+"care level factor" means the adjustment made based on the 144
218+relative differences in reimbursement rates associated with the 145
219+eligible school readiness children pursuant to s. 1002.87. 146
220+ 2. The total weighted full -time equivalent school 147
221+readiness children shall be multiplied by the rate index to 148
222+calculate the adjusted weighted full -time equivalent school 149
223+readiness children. For purposes of this subparagraph, the term 150
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232232 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- 2. The total weighted full -time equivalent school 151
237-readiness children shall be multiplied by the rate index to 152
238-calculate the adjusted weighted full -time equivalent school 153
239-readiness children. For purposes of this subparagraph, the term 154
240-"rate index" means the adjustment made based on the impact of 155
241-geographic location o n reimbursement rates. 156
242- 3. The school readiness program funds shall be distributed 157
243-based on each county's proportionate share of the total adjusted 158
244-weighted full-time equivalent school readiness children. 159
245- Section 6. This act shall take effect July 1, 2025. 160
236+"rate index" means th e adjustment made based on the impact of 151
237+geographic location on reimbursement rates. 152
238+ 3. The school readiness program funds shall be distributed 153
239+based on each county's proportionate share of the total adjusted 154
240+weighted full-time equivalent school readines s children. 155
241+ Section 6. This act shall take effect July 1, 2025. 156