Florida Senate - 2025 SB 1102 By Senator Calatayud 38-01371A-25 20251102__ 1 A bill to be entitled 2 An act relating to the school readiness program; 3 amending s. 1002.87, F.S.; revising the criteria for a 4 child to receive priority for participation in the 5 school readiness program; amending s. 1002.89, F.S.; 6 providing requirements for a school readiness program 7 provider to be eligible for specified funding 8 beginning on a specified date; providing an effective 9 date. 10 11 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 12 13 Section 1.Paragraph (c) of subsection (1) and subsection 14 (2) of section 1002.87, Florida Statutes, are amended to read: 15 1002.87School readiness program; eligibility and 16 enrollment. 17 (1)Each early learning coalition shall give priority for 18 participation in the school readiness program as follows: 19 (c)Subsequent priority shall be given, based on the early 20 learning coalitions local priorities identified under s. 21 1002.85(2)(i), to children who meet the following criteria: 22 1.A child from birth to the beginning of the school year 23 for which the child is eligible for admission to kindergarten in 24 a public school under s. 1003.21(1)(a)2. who is from a working 25 family that is economically disadvantaged, and may include such 26 childs eligible siblings, beginning with the school year in 27 which the sibling is eligible for admission to kindergarten in a 28 public school under s. 1003.21(1)(a)2. until the beginning of 29 the school year in which the sibling is eligible to begin 6th 30 grade, provided that the first priority for funding an eligible 31 sibling is local revenues available to the coalition for funding 32 direct services. 33 2.A child of a parent who transitions from the work 34 program into employment as described in s. 445.032 from birth to 35 the beginning of the school year for which the child is eligible 36 for admission to kindergarten in a public school under s. 37 1003.21(1)(a)2. 38 3.An at-risk child who is at least 9 years of age but 39 younger than 13 years of age. An at-risk child whose sibling is 40 enrolled in the school readiness program within an eligibility 41 priority category listed in paragraphs (a) and (b) and 42 subparagraph 1. shall be given priority over other children who 43 are eligible under this paragraph. 44 4.A child who is younger than 13 years of age from a 45 working family that is economically disadvantaged. 46 5.A child of a parent who transitions from the work 47 program into employment as described in s. 445.032 who is 48 younger than 13 years of age. 49 6.A child who has special needs and, has been determined 50 eligible as a student who requires additional accommodations 51 beyond those required by the Americans with Disabilities Act. 52 The childs special needs and associated accommodations must be 53 validated by a licensed health care professional, a licensed 54 mental health professional, or an educational psychologist. Such 55 person may not be the childs parent or a person employed by a 56 child care provider. The following documentation must be used to 57 determine the childs eligibility for such 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 determination of required accommodations needs child 64 eligible under this paragraph remains eligible until the child 65 is eligible for admission to kindergarten in a public school 66 under s. 1003.21(1)(a)2. 67 7.A child who otherwise meets one of the eligibility 68 criteria in paragraphs (a) and (b) and subparagraphs 1. and 2. 69 but who is also enrolled concurrently in the federal Head Start 70 Program and the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program. 71 (2)A school readiness program provider may be paid only 72 for authorized hours of care provided for a child in the school 73 readiness program. A child enrolled in the Voluntary 74 Prekindergarten Education Program may receive care from the 75 school readiness program if the child is eligible according to 76 the eligibility priorities and criteria established in 77 subsection (1). The school readiness program provider of a child 78 who meets the requirements of subsection (6) may be eligible for 79 additional funding through the special needs differential 80 allocation to implement the special needs rate as determined in 81 s. 1002.89(1)(d). 82 Section 2.Paragraph (d) of subsection (1) of section 83 1002.89, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 84 1002.89School readiness program; funding. 85 (1)DETERMINATION OF EARLY LEARNING COALITION SCHOOL 86 READINESS PROGRAM FUNDING.Funding for the school readiness 87 program shall be used by the early learning coalitions in 88 accordance with this part and the General Appropriations Act. 89 (d)Special needs differential allocation.There is created 90 the special needs differential allocation to assist eligible 91 school readiness program providers to implement the special 92 needs rate provisions defined in the states approved Child Care 93 and Development Fund Plan. Subject to legislative appropriation, 94 each early learning coalition shall be reimbursed based on 95 actual expenditures. All expenditures from the special needs 96 differential allocation shall be used by the department to help 97 meet federal targeted requirements for improving quality to the 98 extent allowable in the states approved plan. A school 99 readiness program provider is eligible for funding through the 100 allocation to implement the special needs differential rate upon 101 meeting all of the following requirements by July 1, 2027: 102 1.The provider has met or exceeded the minimum program 103 assessment composite score required for contracting as 104 determined by the department, as applicable. 105 2.The provider has completed training on early 106 identification of social and communication delays as specified 107 by the department. 108 3.The provider has completed 10 hours of training in 109 inclusive early childhood or inclusive school-age education 110 practices within the preceding 2-year period with the provider 111 completing an additional 10 hours of such training each 112 subsequent 5-year period as specified by the department. 113 Section 3.This act shall take effect July 1, 2027.