Senate Bill sb2506

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
    Florida Senate - 2007                                  SB 2506

    By Senator Rich





    34-1414-07                                              See HB

  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to early learning; creating s.

  3         14.2017, F.S.; creating the Office of Early

  4         Learning in the Executive Office of the

  5         Governor; providing responsibilities; providing

  6         for type two transfer of the Office of Early

  7         Learning in the Agency for Workforce

  8         Innovation, the Office of Early Learning in the

  9         Department of Education, and child care

10         facility licensing responsibilities of the

11         Department of Children and Family Services to

12         the Office of Early Learning in the Executive

13         Office of the Governor; amending ss. 20.50,

14         216.136, 411.0105, 1002.22, and 1002.63, F.S.;

15         conforming provisions; amending s. 1002.65,

16         F.S.; providing requirements for credentials of

17         prekindergarten instructors; amending s.

18         1002.67, F.S.; providing curriculum

19         requirements for prekindergarten programs;

20         amending s. 1002.69, F.S.; revising provisions

21         relating to the minimum kindergarten readiness

22         rate; amending ss. 1002.71, 1002.73, 1002.75,

23         1002.77, 1002.79, and 1003.575, F.S.;

24         conforming provisions; providing for the

25         continued validity of child care facility

26         licenses and registrations; requiring the

27         Division of Statutory Revision to make

28         conforming changes to the Florida Statutes and

29         to provide certain assistance to legislative

30         committees and councils; providing an effective

31         date.

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    Florida Senate - 2007                                  SB 2506
    34-1414-07                                              See HB




 1  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

 2  

 3         Section 1.  Section 14.2017, Florida Statutes, is

 4  created to read:

 5         14.2017  Office of Early Learning.--The Office of Early

 6  Learning is created in the Executive Office of the Governor.

 7  The director of the Office of Early Learning shall be

 8  appointed by the Governor and serve at the pleasure of the

 9  Governor. The Office of Early Learning shall administer the

10  state's school readiness system, the Voluntary Prekindergarten

11  Education Program, and child care facility licensing.

12         Section 2.  (1)  All of the powers, duties, functions,

13  records, personnel, and property; unexpended balances of

14  appropriations, allocations, and other funds; administrative

15  authority; administrative rules; pending issues; and existing

16  contracts of the Office of Early Learning in the Agency for

17  Workforce Innovation are transferred by a type two transfer,

18  pursuant to s. 20.06(2), Florida Statutes, to the Office of

19  Early Learning in the Executive Office of the Governor.

20         (2)  All of the powers, duties, functions, records,

21  personnel, and property; unexpended balances of

22  appropriations, allocations, and other funds; administrative

23  authority; administrative rules; pending issues; and existing

24  contracts of the Office of Early Learning in the Department of

25  Education are transferred by a type two transfer, pursuant to

26  s. 20.06(2), Florida Statutes, to the Office of Early Learning

27  in the Executive Office of the Governor.

28         (3)  All of the powers, duties, functions, records,

29  personnel, and property; unexpended balances of

30  appropriations, allocations, and other funds; administrative

31  authority; administrative rules; pending issues; and existing

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    Florida Senate - 2007                                  SB 2506
    34-1414-07                                              See HB




 1  contracts of the Department of Children and Family Services

 2  relating to child care facility licensing are transferred by a

 3  type two transfer, pursuant to s. 20.06(2), Florida Statutes,

 4  to the Office of Early Learning in the Executive Office of the

 5  Governor.

 6         Section 3.  Paragraph (c) of subsection (2) of section

 7  20.50, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:

 8         20.50  Agency for Workforce Innovation.--There is

 9  created the Agency for Workforce Innovation within the

10  Department of Management Services. The agency shall be a

11  separate budget entity, as provided in the General

12  Appropriations Act, and the director of the agency shall be

13  the agency head for all purposes. The agency shall not be

14  subject to control, supervision, or direction by the

15  Department of Management Services in any manner, including,

16  but not limited to, personnel, purchasing, transactions

17  involving real or personal property, and budgetary matters.

18         (2)

19         (c)  The agency shall include the following offices

20  within its organizational structure:

21         1.  The Office of Unemployment Compensation Services;

22         2.  The Office of Workforce Program Support; and

23         3.  The Office of Early Learning, which shall

24  administer the school readiness system in accordance with s.

25  411.01 and the operational requirements of the Voluntary

26  Prekindergarten Education Program in accordance with part V of

27  chapter 1002. The office shall be directed by the Deputy

28  Director for Early Learning, who shall be appointed by and

29  serve at the pleasure of the director; and

30         3.4.  The Office of Agency Support Services.

31  

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    Florida Senate - 2007                                  SB 2506
    34-1414-07                                              See HB




 1  The director of the agency may establish the positions of

 2  assistant director and deputy director to administer the

 3  requirements and functions of the agency. In addition, the

 4  director may organize and structure the offices of the agency

 5  to best meet the goals and objectives of the agency as

 6  provided in s. 20.04.

 7         Section 4.  Paragraph (b) of subsection (8) of section

 8  216.136, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:

 9         216.136  Consensus estimating conferences; duties and

10  principals.--

11         (8)  EARLY LEARNING PROGRAMS ESTIMATING CONFERENCE.--

12         (b)  The Office of Early Learning Agency for Workforce

13  Innovation shall provide information on needs and waiting

14  lists for school readiness programs, and information on the

15  needs for the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program, as

16  requested by the Early Learning Programs Estimating Conference

17  or individual conference principals in a timely manner.

18         Section 5.  Section 411.0105, Florida Statutes, is

19  amended to read:

20         411.0105  Early Learning Opportunities Act and Even

21  Start Family Literacy Programs; lead agency.--

22         (1)  For purposes of administration of the Early

23  Learning Opportunities Act, pursuant to Pub. L. No. 106-554,

24  the Office of Early Learning is designated as the lead agency

25  and must comply with lead agency responsibilities pursuant to

26  federal law. and

27         (2)  For purposes of administration of the Even Start

28  Family Literacy Programs, pursuant to Pub. L. No. 106-554, the

29  Agency for Workforce Innovation is designated as the lead

30  agency and must comply with lead agency responsibilities

31  pursuant to federal law.

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    Florida Senate - 2007                                  SB 2506
    34-1414-07                                              See HB




 1         Section 6.  Paragraph (d) of subsection (3) of section

 2  1002.22, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:

 3         1002.22  Student records and reports; rights of parents

 4  and students; notification; penalty.--

 5         (3)  RIGHTS OF PARENT OR STUDENT.--The parent of any

 6  student who attends or has attended any public school, career

 7  center, or public postsecondary educational institution shall

 8  have the following rights with respect to any records or

 9  reports created, maintained, and used by any public

10  educational institution in the state. However, whenever a

11  student has attained 18 years of age, or is attending a

12  postsecondary educational institution, the permission or

13  consent required of, and the rights accorded to, the parents

14  of the student shall thereafter be required of and accorded to

15  the student only, unless the student is a dependent student of

16  such parents as defined in 26 U.S.C. s. 152 (s. 152 of the

17  Internal Revenue Code of 1954). The State Board of Education

18  shall adopt rules whereby parents or students may exercise

19  these rights:

20         (d)  Right of privacy.--Every student has a right of

21  privacy with respect to the educational records kept on him or

22  her. Personally identifiable records or reports of a student,

23  and any personal information contained therein, are

24  confidential and exempt from s. 119.07(1). A state or local

25  educational agency, board, public school, career center, or

26  public postsecondary educational institution may not permit

27  the release of such records, reports, or information without

28  the written consent of the student's parent, or of the student

29  himself or herself if he or she is qualified as provided in

30  this subsection, to any individual, agency, or organization.

31  However, personally identifiable records or reports of a

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    Florida Senate - 2007                                  SB 2506
    34-1414-07                                              See HB




 1  student may be released to the following persons or

 2  organizations without the consent of the student or the

 3  student's parent:

 4         1.  Officials of schools, school systems, career

 5  centers, or public postsecondary educational institutions in

 6  which the student seeks or intends to enroll; and a copy of

 7  such records or reports shall be furnished to the parent or

 8  student upon request.

 9         2.  Other school officials, including teachers within

10  the educational institution or agency, who have legitimate

11  educational interests in the information contained in the

12  records.

13         3.  The United States Secretary of Education, the

14  Director of the National Institute of Education, the Assistant

15  Secretary for Education, the Comptroller General of the United

16  States, or state or local educational authorities who are

17  authorized to receive such information subject to the

18  conditions set forth in applicable federal statutes and

19  regulations of the United States Department of Education, or

20  in applicable state statutes and rules of the State Board of

21  Education.

22         4.  Other school officials, in connection with a

23  student's application for or receipt of financial aid.

24         5.  Individuals or organizations conducting studies for

25  or on behalf of an institution or a board of education for the

26  purpose of developing, validating, or administering predictive

27  tests, administering student aid programs, or improving

28  instruction, if the studies are conducted in a manner that

29  does not permit the personal identification of students and

30  their parents by persons other than representatives of such

31  

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    Florida Senate - 2007                                  SB 2506
    34-1414-07                                              See HB




 1  organizations and if the information will be destroyed when no

 2  longer needed for the purpose of conducting such studies.

 3         6.  Accrediting organizations, in order to carry out

 4  their accrediting functions.

 5         7.  Early learning coalitions and the Office of Early

 6  Learning Agency for Workforce Innovation in order to carry out

 7  their assigned duties.

 8         8.  For use as evidence in student expulsion hearings

 9  conducted by a district school board under chapter 120.

10         9.  Appropriate parties in connection with an

11  emergency, if knowledge of the information in the student's

12  educational records is necessary to protect the health or

13  safety of the student or other individuals.

14         10.  The Auditor General and the Office of Program

15  Policy Analysis and Government Accountability in connection

16  with their official functions; however, except when the

17  collection of personally identifiable information is

18  specifically authorized by law, any data collected by the

19  Auditor General and the Office of Program Policy Analysis and

20  Government Accountability is confidential and exempt from s.

21  119.07(1) and shall be protected in a way that does not permit

22  the personal identification of students and their parents by

23  other than the Auditor General, the Office of Program Policy

24  Analysis and Government Accountability, and their staff, and

25  the personally identifiable data shall be destroyed when no

26  longer needed for the Auditor General's and the Office of

27  Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability's

28  official use.

29         11.a.  A court of competent jurisdiction in compliance

30  with an order of that court or the attorney of record in

31  accordance with a lawfully issued subpoena, upon the condition

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    Florida Senate - 2007                                  SB 2506
    34-1414-07                                              See HB




 1  that the student and the student's parent are notified of the

 2  order or subpoena in advance of compliance therewith by the

 3  educational institution or agency.

 4         b.  A person or entity in accordance with a court of

 5  competent jurisdiction in compliance with an order of that

 6  court or the attorney of record pursuant to a lawfully issued

 7  subpoena, upon the condition that the student, or his or her

 8  parent if the student is either a minor and not attending a

 9  postsecondary educational institution or a dependent of such

10  parent as defined in 26 U.S.C. s. 152 (s. 152 of the Internal

11  Revenue Code of 1954), is notified of the order or subpoena in

12  advance of compliance therewith by the educational institution

13  or agency.

14         12.  Credit bureaus, in connection with an agreement

15  for financial aid that the student has executed, if the

16  information is disclosed only to the extent necessary to

17  enforce the terms or conditions of the financial aid

18  agreement. Credit bureaus shall not release any information

19  obtained under this paragraph to any person.

20         13.  Parties to an interagency agreement among the

21  Department of Juvenile Justice, school and law enforcement

22  authorities, and other signatory agencies for the purpose of

23  reducing juvenile crime and especially motor vehicle theft by

24  promoting cooperation and collaboration, and the sharing of

25  appropriate information in a joint effort to improve school

26  safety, to reduce truancy and in-school and out-of-school

27  suspensions, and to support alternatives to in-school and

28  out-of-school suspensions and expulsions that provide

29  structured and well-supervised educational programs

30  supplemented by a coordinated overlay of other appropriate

31  services designed to correct behaviors that lead to truancy,

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    Florida Senate - 2007                                  SB 2506
    34-1414-07                                              See HB




 1  suspensions, and expulsions, and that support students in

 2  successfully completing their education. Information provided

 3  in furtherance of the interagency agreements is intended

 4  solely for use in determining the appropriate programs and

 5  services for each juvenile or the juvenile's family, or for

 6  coordinating the delivery of the programs and services, and as

 7  such is inadmissible in any court proceedings before a

 8  dispositional hearing unless written consent is provided by a

 9  parent or other responsible adult on behalf of the juvenile.

10         14.  Consistent with the Family Educational Rights and

11  Privacy Act, the Department of Children and Family Services or

12  a community-based care lead agency acting on behalf of the

13  Department of Children and Family Services, as appropriate.

14  

15  This paragraph does not prohibit any educational institution

16  from publishing and releasing to the general public directory

17  information relating to a student if the institution elects to

18  do so. However, no educational institution shall release, to

19  any individual, agency, or organization that is not listed in

20  subparagraphs 1.-14., directory information relating to the

21  student body in general or a portion thereof unless it is

22  normally published for the purpose of release to the public in

23  general. Any educational institution making directory

24  information public shall give public notice of the categories

25  of information that it has designated as directory information

26  for all students attending the institution and shall allow a

27  reasonable period of time after the notice has been given for

28  a parent or student to inform the institution in writing that

29  any or all of the information designated should not be

30  released.

31  

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    Florida Senate - 2007                                  SB 2506
    34-1414-07                                              See HB




 1         Section 7.  Paragraph (b) of subsection (4) of section

 2  1002.63, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:

 3         1002.63  School-year prekindergarten program delivered

 4  by public schools.--

 5         (4)  To be eligible to deliver the prekindergarten

 6  program during the school year, each school district must meet

 7  both of the following requirements:

 8         (b)  The Commissioner of Education must certify to the

 9  State Board of Education that the Department of Education has

10  reviewed the school district's educational facilities, capital

11  outlay funds, and projected student enrollment and concurs

12  with the district school board's certification under paragraph

13  (a).

14         Section 8.  Section 1002.65, Florida Statutes, is

15  amended to read:

16         1002.65  Professional credentials of prekindergarten

17  instructors; aspirational goals; legislative intent.--

18         (1)  The Legislature recognizes that there is a strong

19  relationship between the skills and preparation of

20  prekindergarten instructors and the educational outcomes of

21  students in the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program.

22         (2)  To improve these educational outcomes,

23  prekindergarten classes shall have instructors with the

24  following credentials the Legislature intends that all

25  prekindergarten instructors will continue to improve their

26  skills and preparation through education and training, so that

27  the following aspirational goals will be achieved:

28         (a)  By the 2010-2011 school year:

29         1.  Each prekindergarten class must will have at least

30  one prekindergarten instructor who holds an associate's or

31  

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    Florida Senate - 2007                                  SB 2506
    34-1414-07                                              See HB




 1  higher degree in the field of early childhood education or

 2  child development; and

 3         2.  For each prekindergarten class composed of 11 or

 4  more students, in addition to a prekindergarten instructor who

 5  meets the requirements of subparagraph 1., each the class must

 6  will have at least one prekindergarten instructor who meets

 7  the requirements of s. 1002.55(3)(c).

 8         (b)  By the 2013-2014 school year, each prekindergarten

 9  class must will have at least one prekindergarten instructor

10  who holds a bachelor's or higher degree in the field of early

11  childhood education or child development.

12         Section 9.  Paragraph (a) of subsection (2) and

13  paragraph (d) of subsection (3) of section 1002.67, Florida

14  Statutes, are amended to read:

15         1002.67  Performance standards; curricula and

16  accountability.--

17         (2)(a)  Each private prekindergarten provider and

18  public school may select or design the curriculum that the

19  provider or school uses to implement the Voluntary

20  Prekindergarten Education Program, except as otherwise

21  required for a provider or school that is placed on probation

22  under paragraph (3)(c). The curriculum selected or designed

23  must include a curriculum-based preassessment and

24  postassessment for the purpose of determining a student's

25  progress during the program year.

26         (3)

27         (d)  Each early learning coalition, the Agency for

28  Workforce Innovation, and the Office of Early Learning shall

29  department shall coordinate with the Child Care Services

30  Program Office of the Department of Children and Family

31  Services to minimize interagency duplication of activities for

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    Florida Senate - 2007                                  SB 2506
    34-1414-07                                              See HB




 1  monitoring private prekindergarten providers for compliance

 2  with requirements of the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education

 3  Program under this part, the school readiness programs under

 4  s. 411.01, and the licensing of providers under ss.

 5  402.301-402.319.

 6         Section 10.  Subsections (1), (5), and (6) of section

 7  1002.69, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:

 8         1002.69  Statewide kindergarten screening; kindergarten

 9  readiness rates.--

10         (1)  The Department of Education shall adopt a

11  statewide kindergarten screening that assesses the readiness

12  of each student for kindergarten based upon the performance

13  standards adopted by the office department under s. 1002.67(1)

14  for the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program. The

15  Department of Education shall require that each school

16  district administer the statewide kindergarten screening to

17  each kindergarten student in the school district within the

18  first 30 school days of each school year.

19         (5)  The State Board of Education shall adopt

20  procedures for the annual calculation of department to

21  annually calculate each private prekindergarten provider's and

22  public school's kindergarten readiness rate, which must be

23  expressed as the percentage of the provider's or school's

24  students who are assessed as ready for kindergarten. The

25  kindergarten readiness rates must be based exclusively upon

26  the results of the statewide kindergarten screening for

27  students completing the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education

28  Program, beginning with students completing the program during

29  the 2005-2006 school year who are administered the statewide

30  kindergarten screening during the 2006-2007 school year. The

31  

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    Florida Senate - 2007                                  SB 2506
    34-1414-07                                              See HB




 1  rates must not include students who are not administered the

 2  statewide kindergarten screening.

 3         (6)(a)  The State Board of Education shall periodically

 4  adopt a minimum kindergarten readiness rate that, if achieved

 5  by a private prekindergarten provider or public school, would

 6  demonstrate the provider's or school's satisfactory delivery

 7  of the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program.

 8         (b)  The minimum rate must not exceed the rate at which

 9  more than 15 percent of the kindergarten readiness rates of

10  all private prekindergarten providers and public schools

11  delivering the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program in

12  the state would fall below the minimum rate.

13         Section 11.  Paragraph (b) of subsection (5) of section

14  1002.71, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:

15         1002.71  Funding; financial and attendance reporting.--

16         (5)

17         (b)  The Office of Early Learning Agency for Workforce

18  Innovation shall adopt procedures for the payment of private

19  prekindergarten providers and public schools delivering the

20  Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program. The procedures

21  shall provide for the advance payment of providers and schools

22  based upon student enrollment in the program, the

23  certification of student attendance, and the reconciliation of

24  advance payments in accordance with the uniform attendance

25  policy adopted under paragraph (6)(d). The procedures shall

26  provide for the monthly distribution of funds by the office

27  Agency for Workforce Innovation to the early learning

28  coalitions for payment by the coalitions to private

29  prekindergarten providers and public schools. The department

30  shall transfer to the Agency for Workforce Innovation at least

31  once each quarter the funds available for payment to private

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    Florida Senate - 2007                                  SB 2506
    34-1414-07                                              See HB




 1  prekindergarten providers and public schools in accordance

 2  with this paragraph from the funds appropriated for that

 3  purpose.

 4         Section 12.  Section 1002.73, Florida Statutes, is

 5  amended to read:

 6         1002.73  Office of Early Learning and Department of

 7  Education; powers and duties; accountability requirements.--

 8         (1)  The office department shall administer the

 9  accountability requirements of the Voluntary Prekindergarten

10  Education Program at the state level.

11         (2)  The office department shall adopt procedures for

12  the office's department's:

13         (a)  Approval of prekindergarten director credentials

14  under ss. 1002.55 and 1002.57.

15         (b)  Approval of emergent literacy training courses

16  under ss. 1002.55 and 1002.59.

17         (c)  Certification of school districts that are

18  eligible to deliver the school-year prekindergarten program

19  under s. 1002.63.

20         (3)(d)  The Department of Education shall adopt

21  procedures for administration of the statewide kindergarten

22  screening and calculation of kindergarten readiness rates

23  under s. 1002.69.

24         (4)(3)  Except as provided by law, the office

25  department may not impose requirements on a private

26  prekindergarten provider that does not deliver the Voluntary

27  Prekindergarten Education Program or receive state funds under

28  this part.

29         Section 13.  Section 1002.75, Florida Statutes, is

30  amended to read:

31  

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    Florida Senate - 2007                                  SB 2506
    34-1414-07                                              See HB




 1         1002.75  Office of Early Learning Agency for Workforce

 2  Innovation; powers and duties; operational requirements.--

 3         (1)  The Agency for Workforce Innovation shall

 4  administer the operational requirements of the Voluntary

 5  Prekindergarten Education Program at the state level.

 6         (2)  The Agency for Workforce Innovation shall adopt

 7  procedures governing the administration of the Voluntary

 8  Prekindergarten Education Program by the early learning

 9  coalitions and school districts for:

10         (a)  Enrolling children in and determining the

11  eligibility of children for the Voluntary Prekindergarten

12  Education Program under s. 1002.53.

13         (b)  Providing parents with profiles of private

14  prekindergarten providers and public schools under s. 1002.53.

15         (c)  Registering private prekindergarten providers and

16  public schools to deliver the program under ss. 1002.55,

17  1002.61, and 1002.63.

18         (d)  Determining the eligibility of private

19  prekindergarten providers to deliver the program under ss.

20  1002.55 and 1002.61.

21         (e)  Verifying the compliance of private

22  prekindergarten providers and public schools and removing

23  providers or schools from eligibility to deliver the program

24  due to noncompliance or misconduct as provided in s. 1002.67.

25         (f)  Paying private prekindergarten providers and

26  public schools under s. 1002.71.

27         (g)  Documenting and certifying student enrollment and

28  student attendance under s. 1002.71.

29         (h)  Reconciling advance payments in accordance with

30  the uniform attendance policy under s. 1002.71.

31  

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    Florida Senate - 2007                                  SB 2506
    34-1414-07                                              See HB




 1         (i)  Reenrolling students dismissed by a private

 2  prekindergarten provider or public school for noncompliance

 3  with the provider's or school district's attendance policy

 4  under s. 1002.71.

 5         (3)  The office Agency for Workforce Innovation shall

 6  adopt, in consultation with and subject to approval by the

 7  department, procedures governing the administration of the

 8  Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program by the early

 9  learning coalitions and school districts for:

10         (a)  Approving improvement plans of private

11  prekindergarten providers and public schools under s. 1002.67.

12         (b)  Placing private prekindergarten providers and

13  public schools on probation and requiring corrective actions

14  under s. 1002.67.

15         (c)  Removing a private prekindergarten provider or

16  public school from eligibility to deliver the program due to

17  the provider's or school's remaining on probation beyond the

18  time permitted under s. 1002.67.

19         (4)  The Agency for Workforce Innovation shall also

20  adopt procedures for the agency's distribution of funds to

21  early learning coalitions under s. 1002.71.

22         (5)  Except as provided by law, the Agency for

23  Workforce Innovation may not impose requirements on a private

24  prekindergarten provider or public school that does not

25  deliver the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program or

26  receive state funds under this part.

27         Section 14.  Subsection (1) of section 1002.77, Florida

28  Statutes, is amended to read:

29         1002.77  Florida Early Learning Advisory Council.--

30         (1)  There is created the Florida Early Learning

31  Advisory Council within the Office of Early Learning Agency

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    Florida Senate - 2007                                  SB 2506
    34-1414-07                                              See HB




 1  for Workforce Innovation. The purpose of the advisory council

 2  is to submit recommendations to the office department and the

 3  Agency for Workforce Innovation on the early learning policy

 4  of this state, including recommendations relating to

 5  administration of the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education

 6  Program under this part and the school readiness programs

 7  under s. 411.01.

 8         Section 15.  Subsection (1) of section 1002.79, Florida

 9  Statutes, is amended to read:

10         1002.79  Rulemaking authority.--

11         (1)  The State Board of Education shall adopt rules

12  under ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54 to administer the provisions

13  of this part conferring duties upon the Department of

14  Education.

15         Section 16.  Subsection (3) of section 1003.575,

16  Florida Statutes, is amended to read:

17         1003.575  Assistive technology devices; findings;

18  interagency agreements.--Accessibility, utilization, and

19  coordination of appropriate assistive technology devices and

20  services are essential as a young person with disabilities

21  moves from early intervention to preschool, from preschool to

22  school, from one school to another, and from school to

23  employment or independent living. To ensure that an assistive

24  technology device issued to a young person as part of his or

25  her individualized family support plan, individual support

26  plan, or an individual education plan remains with the

27  individual through such transitions, the following agencies

28  shall enter into interagency agreements, as appropriate, to

29  ensure the transaction of assistive technology devices:

30  

31  

                                  17

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    Florida Senate - 2007                                  SB 2506
    34-1414-07                                              See HB




 1         (3)  The Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program

 2  administered by the Office of Early Learning Department of

 3  Education and the Agency for Workforce Innovation.

 4  

 5  Interagency agreements entered into pursuant to this section

 6  shall provide a framework for ensuring that young persons with

 7  disabilities and their families, educators, and employers are

 8  informed about the utilization and coordination of assistive

 9  technology devices and services that may assist in meeting

10  transition needs, and shall establish a mechanism by which a

11  young person or his or her parent may request that an

12  assistive technology device remain with the young person as he

13  or she moves through the continuum from home to school to

14  postschool.

15         Section 17.  Notwithstanding the transfer of regulatory

16  authority over child care facility licensing in chapter 402,

17  Florida Statutes, provided in this act, persons and entities

18  holding in good standing any child care facility license or

19  registration under chapter 402, Florida Statutes, as of 11:59

20  p.m. on the day prior to the effective date of this act, shall

21  be deemed to hold in good standing a license or registration

22  in the same capacity under the authority of the Office of

23  Early Learning in the Executive Office of the Governor as of

24  the effective date of this act.

25         Section 18.  The Division of Statutory Revision of the

26  Office of Legislative Services shall change "Agency for

27  Workforce Innovation" and "Department of Education" to "Office

28  of Early Learning" and shall change "agency" and "department,"

29  with respect to that agency and department, to "office"

30  wherever those terms appear in ss. 411.01 and 411.011, Florida

31  Statutes, relating to school readiness programs.

                                  18

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    Florida Senate - 2007                                  SB 2506
    34-1414-07                                              See HB




 1         Section 19.  The Division of Statutory Revision of the

 2  Office of Legislative Services shall change "Department of

 3  Education," "Department of Children and Family Services," and

 4  "Agency for Workforce Innovation" to "Office of Early

 5  Learning" and shall change "department" and "agency," with

 6  respect to those departments and that agency, to "office"

 7  wherever those terms appear in part V of chapter 1002, Florida

 8  Statutes, relating to the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education

 9  Program, except as otherwise amended in this act.

10         Section 20.  The Division of Statutory Revision of the

11  Office of Legislative Services shall change "Department of

12  Children and Family Services" and "Agency for Workforce

13  Innovation" to "Office of Early Learning" and shall change

14  "department" and "agency," with respect to that department and

15  agency, to "office" wherever those terms appear in ss. 402.27,

16  402.281, and 402.301-402.319, Florida Statutes, relating to

17  child care facility licensing.

18         Section 21.  The Legislature recognizes that there is a

19  need to conform the Florida Statutes to the policy decisions

20  reflected in the provisions of this act. The Division of

21  Statutory Revision of the Office of Legislative Services is

22  directed to provide the relevant substantive committees and

23  councils of the Senate and the House of Representatives with

24  assistance, upon request, to enable such committees or

25  councils to prepare draft legislation to conform the Florida

26  Statutes to the provisions of this act.

27         Section 22.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2007.

28  

29  

30  

31  

                                  19

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