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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
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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, a licensed 53
mental health professional, or an educational psychologist. Such 54
person may not be the child's parent or relative or a person 55
employed by a child care provider. The following documentation 56
must be used to determine the child's eligibility for such 57
accommodations: 58
a. with a disability, has A current individual education 59
plan with a Florida school district ;, and is not younger than 3 60
years of age. 61
b. A current individualized family support plan; 62
c. A diagnosed special need; or 63
d. A written determination of required accommodations by a 64
licensed health care professional, a licensed mental health 65
professional, or an educational psychologist needs child 66
eligible under this paragraph remains eligible until the child 67
is eligible for admission to k indergarten in a public school 68
under s. 1003.21(1)(a)2 . 69
7. A child who otherwise meets one of the eligibility 70
criteria in paragraphs (a) and (b) and subparagraphs 1. and 2. 71
but who is also enrolled concurrently in the federal Head Start 72
Program and the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program. 73
(2) A school readiness program provider may be paid only 74
for authorized hours of care provided for a child in the school 75
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readiness program. A child enrolled in the Voluntary 76
Prekindergarten Education Program m ay receive care from the 77
school readiness program if the child is eligible according to 78
the eligibility priorities and criteria established in 79
subsection (1). The school readiness program provider of a child 80
who meets the requirements of subsection (6) may be eligible for 81
additional funding through the special needs differential 82
allocation to implement the special needs rate as determined in 83
s. 1002.89(1)(d). 84
Section 2. Paragraph (d) of subsection (1) of section 85
1002.89, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 86
1002.89 School readiness program; funding. — 87
(1) DETERMINATION OF EARLY LEARNING COALITION SCHOOL 88
READINESS PROGRAM FUNDING. —Funding for the school readiness 89
program shall be used by the early learning coalitions in 90
accordance with this part and t he General Appropriations Act. 91
(d) Special needs differential allocation. —There is 92
created the special needs differential allocation to assist 93
eligible school readiness program providers to implement the 94
special needs rate provisions defined in the state 's approved 95
Child Care and Development Fund Plan. Subject to legislative 96
appropriation, each early learning coalition shall be reimbursed 97
based on actual expenditures. All expenditures from the special 98
needs differential allocation shall be used by the dep artment to 99
help meet federal targeted requirements for improving quality to 100
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the extent allowable in the state's approved plan. A school 101
readiness program provider is eligible for funding through the 102
allocation to implement the special needs differential ra te upon 103
meeting all of the following requirements beginning July 1, 104
2027: 105
1. The provider has met or exceeded the minimum program 106
assessment composite score required for contracting as 107
determined by the department, as applicable. 108
2. Instructional staff employed or contracted by the 109
provider has completed training on early identification of 110
social and communication delays as specified by the department. 111
3. The instructor assigned by the provider to the child in 112
need of additional accommodations under s . 1002.87(1)(c)6. has 113
completed 10 hours of training in inclusive early childhood or 114
inclusive school-age education practices within the first 90 115
days after the child's enrollment or within 90 days after hiring 116
of a new instructor assigned by the provider to a child in need 117
of additional accommodations under s. 1002.87(1)(c)6. 118
119
After the initial determination of eligibility, the provider 120
must maintain the required program composite score and the 121
instructor assigned by the provider to a child in need of 122
additional accommodations under s. 1002.87(1)(c)6. must complete 123
a minimum of 2 hours of relevant training in each subsequent 124
year after the initial determination of eligibility in order to 125
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remain eligible to implement the special needs differential 126
rate. 127
Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2025. 128