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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
A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to the school readiness program; 2
amending s. 1002.87, F.S.; revising the criteria for a 3
child to receive priority for participation in the 4
school readiness program; amending s. 1002.89, F.S.; 5
providing requirements for a school readiness program 6
provider to be eligible for specified funding 7
beginning on a specified date; providing an effective 8
date. 9
10
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the Stat e of Florida: 11
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Section 1. Paragraph (c) of subsection (1) and subsection 13
(2) of section 1002.87, Florida Statutes, are amended to read: 14
1002.87 School readiness program; eligibility and 15
enrollment.— 16
(1) Each early learning coalition shall give prio rity for 17
participation in the school readiness program as follows: 18
(c) Subsequent priority shall be given, based on the early 19
learning coalition's local priorities identified under s. 20
1002.85(2)(i), to children who meet the following criteria: 21
1. A child from birth to the beginning of the school year 22
for which the child is eligible for admission to kindergarten in 23
a public school under s. 1003.21(1)(a)2. who is from a working 24
family that is economically disadvantaged, and may include such 25
HB 877 2025
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child's eligible siblings, beginning with the school year in 26
which the sibling is eligible for admission to kindergarten in a 27
public school under s. 1003.21(1)(a)2. until the beginning of 28
the school year in which the sibling is eligible to begin 6th 29
grade, provided that the first priority for funding an eligible 30
sibling is local revenues available to the coalition for funding 31
direct services. 32
2. A child of a parent who transitions from the work 33
program into employment as described in s. 445.032 from birth to 34
the beginning of the school year for which the child is eligible 35
for admission to kindergarten in a public school under s. 36
1003.21(1)(a)2. 37
3. An at-risk child who is at least 9 years of age but 38
younger than 13 years of age. An at -risk child whose sibling is 39
enrolled in the school readiness program within an eligibility 40
priority category listed in paragraphs (a) and (b) and 41
subparagraph 1. shall be given priority over other children who 42
are eligible under this paragraph. 43
4. A child who is younger than 13 years of age from a 44
working family that is economically disadvantaged. 45
5. A child of a parent who transitions from the work 46
program into employment as described in s. 445.032 who is 47
younger than 13 years of age. 48
6. A child who has special needs and, has been determined 49
eligible as a student who requires additional accommodations 50
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beyond those required by the Americans with Disabilities Act. 51
The child's special needs and associated accommodations must be 52
validated by a licensed health care professional, licensed 53
mental health professional, or educational psychologist. Such 54
person may not be the child's parent or a person employed by a 55
child care provider. The following documentation must be used to 56
determine the child's eligibility for such accommodations: 57
a. with a disability, has A current individual education 58
plan with a Florida school district ;, and is not younger than 3 59
years of age. 60
b. A current individualized family support plan; 61
c. A diagnosed special need; or 62
d. A determination of required accommodations needs child 63
eligible under this paragraph remains eligible until the child 64
is eligible for admission to kindergarten in a public school 65
under s. 1003.21(1)(a)2 . 66
7. A child who otherwise meets one of the eligibility 67
criteria in paragraphs (a) and (b) and subparagraphs 1. and 2. 68
but who is also enrolled concurrently in the federal Head Start 69
Program and the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program. 70
(2) A school readiness program provider may be paid only 71
for authorized hours of care pro vided for a child in the school 72
readiness program. A child enrolled in the Voluntary 73
Prekindergarten Education Program may receive care from the 74
school readiness program if the child is eligible according to 75
HB 877 2025
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the eligibility priorities and criteria establis hed in 76
subsection (1). The school readiness program provider of a child 77
who meets the requirements of subsection (6) may be eligible for 78
additional funding through the special needs differential 79
allocation to implement the special needs rate as determined in 80
s. 1002.89(1)(d). 81
Section 2. Paragraph (d) of subsection (1) of section 82
1002.89, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 83
1002.89 School readiness program; funding. — 84
(1) DETERMINATION OF EARLY LEARNING COALITION SCHOOL 85
READINESS PROGRAM FUNDING. —Funding for the school readiness 86
program shall be used by the early learning coalitions in 87
accordance with this part and the General Appropriations Act. 88
(d) Special needs differential allocation. —There is 89
created the special needs differential allocation t o assist 90
eligible school readiness program providers to implement the 91
special needs rate provisions defined in the state's approved 92
Child Care and Development Fund Plan. Subject to legislative 93
appropriation, each early learning coalition shall be reimburse d 94
based on actual expenditures. All expenditures from the special 95
needs differential allocation shall be used by the department to 96
help meet federal targeted requirements for improving quality to 97
the extent allowable in the state's approved plan. A school 98
readiness program provider is eligible for funding through the 99
allocation to implement the special needs differential rate upon 100
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meeting all of the following requirements by July 1, 2027: 101
1. The provider has met or exceeded the minimum program 102
assessment composite score required for contracting as 103
determined by the department, as applicable. 104
2. The provider has completed training on early 105
identification of social and communication delays as specified 106
by the department. 107
3. The provider has completed 10 hours of training in 108
inclusive early childhood or inclusive school -age education 109
practices within the preceding 2 -year period with the provider 110
completing an additional 10 hours of such training each 111
subsequent 5-year period as specified by the department. 112
Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2027. 113