Florida Senate - 2014                          SENATOR AMENDMENT
       Bill No. CS/CS/HB 7069, 1st Eng.
       
       
       
       
       
       
                                Ì3616540Î361654                         
       
                              LEGISLATIVE ACTION                        
                    Senate             .             House              
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                Floor: 2/AD/3R         .                                
             05/02/2014 09:28 PM       .                                
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       Senator Legg moved the following:
       
    1         Senate Amendment (with title amendment)
    2  
    3         Delete lines 895 - 1437
    4  and insert:
    5         Section 15. Subsection (4) of section 1002.53, Florida
    6  Statutes, is amended to read:
    7         1002.53 Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program;
    8  eligibility and enrollment.—
    9         (4)(a) Each parent enrolling a child in the Voluntary
   10  Prekindergarten Education Program must complete and submit an
   11  application to the early learning coalition through the single
   12  point of entry established under s. 1002.82 or to a private
   13  prekindergarten provider if the provider is authorized by the
   14  early learning coalition to determine student eligibility for
   15  enrollment in the program.
   16         (b) The application must be submitted on forms prescribed
   17  by the Office of Early Learning and must be accompanied by a
   18  certified copy of the child’s birth certificate. The forms must
   19  include a certification, in substantially the form provided in
   20  s. 1002.71(6)(b)2., that the parent chooses the private
   21  prekindergarten provider or public school in accordance with
   22  this section and directs that payments for the program be made
   23  to the provider or school. The Office of Early Learning may
   24  authorize alternative methods for submitting proof of the
   25  child’s age in lieu of a certified copy of the child’s birth
   26  certificate.
   27         (c) If a private prekindergarten provider has been
   28  authorized to determine child eligibility and enrollment, upon
   29  receipt of an application, the provider must:
   30         1. Determine the child’s eligibility for the program and be
   31  responsible for any errors in such determination.
   32         2. Retain the original application and certified copy of
   33  the child’s birth certificate or authorized alternative proof of
   34  age on file for at least 5 years.
   35  
   36  Pursuant to this paragraph, the early learning coalition may
   37  audit applications held by a private prekindergarten provider in
   38  the coalition’s service area to determine whether children
   39  enrolled and reported for funding by the provider have met the
   40  eligibility criteria in subsection (2).
   41         (d)(c) Each early learning coalition shall coordinate with
   42  each of the school districts within the coalition’s county or
   43  multicounty region in the development of procedures for
   44  enrolling children in prekindergarten programs delivered by
   45  public schools, including procedures for making child
   46  eligibility determinations and auditing enrollment records to
   47  confirm that enrolled children have met eligibility
   48  requirements.
   49         Section 16.  Section 1002.55, Florida Statutes, is amended
   50  to read:
   51         1002.55 School-year prekindergarten program delivered by
   52  private prekindergarten providers.—
   53         (1) Each early learning coalition shall administer the
   54  Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program at the county or
   55  regional level for students enrolled under s. 1002.53(3)(a) in a
   56  school-year prekindergarten program delivered by a private
   57  prekindergarten provider. Each early learning coalition shall
   58  cooperate with the Office of Early Learning and the Child Care
   59  Services Program Office of the Department of Children and
   60  Families to reduce paperwork and to avoid duplicating
   61  interagency activities, health and safety monitoring, and
   62  acquiring and composing data pertaining to child care training
   63  and credentialing.
   64         (2) Each school-year prekindergarten program delivered by a
   65  private prekindergarten provider must comprise at least 540
   66  instructional hours.
   67         (3) To be eligible to deliver the prekindergarten program,
   68  a private prekindergarten provider must meet each of the
   69  following requirements:
   70         (a) The private prekindergarten provider must be a child
   71  care facility licensed under s. 402.305, family day care home
   72  licensed under s. 402.313, large family child care home licensed
   73  under s. 402.3131, nonpublic school exempt from licensure under
   74  s. 402.3025(2), or faith-based child care provider exempt from
   75  licensure under s. 402.316.
   76         (a)(b) The private prekindergarten provider must:
   77         1. Be accredited by an accrediting association that is a
   78  member of the National Council for Private School Accreditation,
   79  or the Florida Association of Academic Nonpublic Schools, or be
   80  accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools,
   81  or Western Association of Colleges and Schools, or North Central
   82  Association of Colleges and Schools, or Middle States
   83  Association of Colleges and Schools, or New England Association
   84  of Colleges and Schools; and have written accreditation
   85  standards that meet or exceed the state’s licensing requirements
   86  under s. 402.305, s. 402.313, or s. 402.3131 and require at
   87  least one onsite visit to the provider or school before
   88  accreditation is granted;
   89         2. Hold a current Gold Seal Quality Care designation under
   90  s. 402.281; or
   91         3. Be licensed under s. 402.305, s. 402.313, or s.
   92  402.3131; or
   93         4. Be a child development center located on a military
   94  installation that is certified by the United States Department
   95  of Defense.
   96         (b) The private prekindergarten provider must provide basic
   97  health and safety on its premises and in its facilities. For a
   98  public school, compliance with ss. 1003.22 and 1013.12 satisfies
   99  this requirement. For a nonpublic school, compliance with s.
  100  402.3025(2)(d) satisfies this requirement. For a child care
  101  facility, a licensed family day care home, or a large family
  102  child care home, compliance with s. 402.305, s. 402.313, or s.
  103  402.3131, respectively, satisfies this requirement. For a
  104  facility exempt from licensure, compliance with s. 402.316(4)
  105  satisfies this requirement and demonstrate, before delivering
  106  the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program, as verified by
  107  the early learning coalition, that the provider meets each of
  108  the requirements of the program under this part, including, but
  109  not limited to, the requirements for credentials and background
  110  screenings of prekindergarten instructors under paragraphs (c)
  111  and (d), minimum and maximum class sizes under paragraph (f),
  112  prekindergarten director credentials under paragraph (g), and a
  113  developmentally appropriate curriculum under s. 1002.67(2)(b).
  114         (c) The private prekindergarten provider must have, for
  115  each prekindergarten class of 11 children or fewer, at least one
  116  prekindergarten instructor who meets each of the following
  117  requirements:
  118         1. The prekindergarten instructor must hold, at a minimum,
  119  one of the following credentials:
  120         a. A child development associate credential issued by the
  121  National Credentialing Program of the Council for Professional
  122  Recognition; or
  123         b. A credential approved by the Department of Children and
  124  Families, pursuant to s. 402.305(3)(c), as being equivalent to
  125  or greater than the credential described in sub-subparagraph a.;
  126         c. An associate or higher degree in child development;
  127         d. An associate or higher degree in an unrelated field, at
  128  least 6 credit hours in early childhood education or child
  129  development, and at least 480 hours of experience in teaching or
  130  providing child care services for children any age from birth
  131  through 8 years of age;
  132         e. A baccalaureate or higher degree in early childhood
  133  education, prekindergarten or primary education, preschool
  134  education, or family and consumer science;
  135         f. A baccalaureate or higher degree in family and child
  136  science and at least 480 hours of experience in teaching or
  137  providing child care services for children any age from birth
  138  through 8 years of age;
  139         g. A baccalaureate or higher degree in elementary education
  140  if the prekindergarten instructor has been certified to teach
  141  children of any age from birth through grade 6, regardless of
  142  whether the instructor’s educator certificate is current, and if
  143  the instructor is not ineligible to teach in a public school
  144  because his or her educator certificate is suspended or revoked;
  145  or
  146         h. A credential approved by the department as being
  147  equivalent to or greater than a credential described in sub
  148  subparagraphs a.-f. The department may adopt criteria and
  149  procedures for approving such equivalent credentials.
  150  
  151  The Department of Children and Families may adopt rules under
  152  ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54 which provide criteria and procedures
  153  for approving equivalent credentials under sub-subparagraph b.
  154         2. The prekindergarten instructor must successfully
  155  complete an emergent literacy training course and a student
  156  performance standards training course approved by the office as
  157  meeting or exceeding the minimum standards adopted under s.
  158  1002.59. The requirement for completion of the standards
  159  training course shall take effect July 1, 2015 2014, and the
  160  course shall be available online.
  161         (d) Each prekindergarten instructor employed by the private
  162  prekindergarten provider must be of good moral character, must
  163  undergo background screening pursuant to s. 402.305(2)(a) be
  164  screened using the level 2 screening standards in s. 435.04
  165  before employment, must be and rescreened at least once every 5
  166  years, must be denied employment or terminated if required under
  167  s. 435.06, and must not be ineligible to teach in a public
  168  school because his or her educator certificate is suspended or
  169  revoked.
  170         (e) A private prekindergarten provider may assign a
  171  substitute instructor to temporarily replace a credentialed
  172  instructor if the credentialed instructor assigned to a
  173  prekindergarten class is absent, as long as the substitute
  174  instructor meets the requirements of paragraph (d) is of good
  175  moral character and has been screened before employment in
  176  accordance with level 2 background screening requirements in
  177  chapter 435. The Office of Early Learning shall adopt rules to
  178  implement this paragraph which shall include required
  179  qualifications of substitute instructors and the circumstances
  180  and time limits for which a private prekindergarten provider may
  181  assign a substitute instructor.
  182         (f) Each of the private prekindergarten provider’s
  183  prekindergarten classes must be composed of at least 4 students
  184  but may not exceed 20 students. In order to protect the health
  185  and safety of students, each private prekindergarten provider
  186  must also provide appropriate adult supervision for students at
  187  all times and, for each prekindergarten class composed of 12 or
  188  more students, must have, in addition to a prekindergarten
  189  instructor who meets the requirements of paragraph (c), at least
  190  one adult prekindergarten instructor who is not required to meet
  191  those requirements but who must meet each requirement of s.
  192  402.305(2) paragraph (d). This paragraph does not supersede any
  193  requirement imposed on a provider under ss. 402.301-402.319.
  194         (g) The private prekindergarten provider must have a
  195  prekindergarten director who has a prekindergarten director
  196  credential that is approved by the office as meeting or
  197  exceeding the minimum standards adopted under s. 1002.57.
  198  Successful completion of a child care facility director
  199  credential under s. 402.305(2)(f) before the establishment of
  200  the prekindergarten director credential under s. 1002.57 or July
  201  1, 2006, whichever occurs later, satisfies the requirement for a
  202  prekindergarten director credential under this paragraph.
  203         (h) The private prekindergarten provider must register with
  204  the early learning coalition on forms prescribed by the Office
  205  of Early Learning.
  206         (i) The private prekindergarten provider must execute the
  207  statewide provider contract prescribed under s. 1002.75, except
  208  that an individual who owns or operates multiple private
  209  prekindergarten providers within a coalition’s service area may
  210  execute a single agreement with the coalition on behalf of each
  211  provider.
  212         (j) The private prekindergarten provider must maintain
  213  general liability insurance and provide the coalition with
  214  written evidence of general liability insurance coverage,
  215  including coverage for transportation of children if
  216  prekindergarten students are transported by the provider. A
  217  provider must obtain and retain an insurance policy that
  218  provides a minimum of $100,000 of coverage per occurrence and a
  219  minimum of $300,000 general aggregate coverage. The office may
  220  authorize lower limits upon request, as appropriate. A provider
  221  must add the coalition as a named certificateholder and as an
  222  additional insured. A provider must provide the coalition with a
  223  minimum of 10 calendar days’ advance written notice of
  224  cancellation of or changes to coverage. The general liability
  225  insurance required by this paragraph must remain in full force
  226  and effect for the entire period of the provider contract with
  227  the coalition.
  228         (k) The private prekindergarten provider must obtain and
  229  maintain any required workers’ compensation insurance under
  230  chapter 440 and any required reemployment assistance or
  231  unemployment compensation coverage under chapter 443, unless
  232  exempt under state or federal law.
  233         (l) Notwithstanding paragraph (j), for a private
  234  prekindergarten provider that is a state agency or a subdivision
  235  thereof, as defined in s. 768.28(2), the provider must agree to
  236  notify the coalition of any additional liability coverage
  237  maintained by the provider in addition to that otherwise
  238  established under s. 768.28. The provider shall indemnify the
  239  coalition to the extent permitted by s. 768.28.
  240         (m) The private prekindergarten provider shall be denied
  241  initial eligibility to offer the program if the provider has
  242  been cited for a class I violation in the 12 months before
  243  seeking eligibility and the Office of Early Learning determines
  244  that denial of initial eligibility is appropriate after a review
  245  of the violation and the provider’s licensure history. The
  246  Office of Early Learning shall establish a procedure of due
  247  process which ensures each provider the opportunity to appeal
  248  such a denial of initial eligibility to offer the program. The
  249  decision of the Office of Early Learning is not subject to the
  250  provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act, chapter 120.
  251         (n)(m) The private prekindergarten provider must deliver
  252  the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program in accordance
  253  with this part and have child disciplinary policies that
  254  prohibit children from being subjected to discipline that is
  255  severe, humiliating, frightening, or associated with food, rest,
  256  toileting, spanking, or any other form of physical punishment as
  257  provided in s. 402.305(12).
  258         (o)Beginning January 1, 2015, at least 50 percent of the
  259  instructors employed by a prekindergarten provider at each
  260  location, who are responsible for supervising children in care,
  261  must be trained in first aid and infant and child
  262  cardiopulmonary resuscitation, as evidenced by current
  263  documentation of course completion. As a condition of
  264  employment, instructors hired on or after January 1, 2015, must
  265  complete this training within 60 days after employment.
  266         (p) Beginning January 1, 2016, the private prekindergarten
  267  provider must employ child care personnel who hold a high school
  268  diploma or its equivalent and are at least 18 years of age,
  269  unless the personnel are not responsible for supervising
  270  children in care or are under direct supervision and are not
  271  counted for the purposes of computing the personnel-to-child
  272  ratio.
  273         (4) A prekindergarten instructor, in lieu of the minimum
  274  credentials and courses required under paragraph (3)(c), may
  275  hold one of the following educational credentials:
  276         (a) A bachelor’s or higher degree in early childhood
  277  education, prekindergarten or primary education, preschool
  278  education, or family and consumer science;
  279         (b) A bachelor’s or higher degree in elementary education,
  280  if the prekindergarten instructor has been certified to teach
  281  children any age from birth through 6th grade, regardless of
  282  whether the instructor’s educator certificate is current, and if
  283  the instructor is not ineligible to teach in a public school
  284  because his or her educator certificate is suspended or revoked;
  285         (c) An associate’s or higher degree in child development;
  286         (d) An associate’s or higher degree in an unrelated field,
  287  at least 6 credit hours in early childhood education or child
  288  development, and at least 480 hours of experience in teaching or
  289  providing child care services for children any age from birth
  290  through 8 years of age; or
  291         (e) An educational credential approved by the department as
  292  being equivalent to or greater than an educational credential
  293  described in this subsection. The department may adopt criteria
  294  and procedures for approving equivalent educational credentials
  295  under this paragraph.
  296         (5) Notwithstanding paragraph (3)(b), a private
  297  prekindergarten provider may not participate in the Voluntary
  298  Prekindergarten Education Program if the provider has child
  299  disciplinary policies that do not prohibit children from being
  300  subjected to discipline that is severe, humiliating,
  301  frightening, or associated with food, rest, toileting, spanking,
  302  or any other form of physical punishment as provided in s.
  303  402.305(12).
  304         Section 17. Subsection (1) of section 1002.59, Florida
  305  Statutes, is amended to read:
  306         1002.59 Emergent literacy and performance standards
  307  training courses.—
  308         (1) The office shall adopt minimum standards for one or
  309  more training courses in emergent literacy for prekindergarten
  310  instructors. Each course must comprise 5 clock hours and provide
  311  instruction in strategies and techniques to address the age
  312  appropriate progress of prekindergarten students in developing
  313  emergent literacy skills, including oral communication,
  314  knowledge of print and letters, phonemic and phonological
  315  awareness, and vocabulary and comprehension development. Each
  316  course must also provide resources containing strategies that
  317  allow students with disabilities and other special needs to
  318  derive maximum benefit from the Voluntary Prekindergarten
  319  Education Program. Successful completion of an emergent literacy
  320  training course approved under this section satisfies
  321  requirements for approved training in early literacy and
  322  language development under ss. 402.305(2)(d)5., 402.313(4)(c)
  323  402.313(6), and 402.3131(5).
  324         Section 18. Subsections (4) through (7) of section 1002.61,
  325  Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
  326         1002.61 Summer prekindergarten program delivered by public
  327  schools and private prekindergarten providers.—
  328         (4) Notwithstanding ss. 1002.55(3)(c)1. and 1002.63(4),
  329  Each public school and private prekindergarten provider that
  330  delivers the summer prekindergarten program must have, for each
  331  prekindergarten class, at least one prekindergarten instructor
  332  who is a certified teacher or holds one of the educational
  333  credentials specified in s. 1002.55(3)(c)1.e.-h. 1002.55(4)(a)
  334  or (b). As used in this subsection, the term “certified teacher”
  335  means a teacher holding a valid Florida educator certificate
  336  under s. 1012.56 who has the qualifications required by the
  337  district school board to instruct students in the summer
  338  prekindergarten program. In selecting instructional staff for
  339  the summer prekindergarten program, each school district shall
  340  give priority to teachers who have experience or coursework in
  341  early childhood education.
  342         (5) Each prekindergarten instructor employed by a public
  343  school or private prekindergarten provider delivering the summer
  344  prekindergarten program must be of good moral character, must
  345  undergo background screening pursuant to s. 402.305(2)(a) be
  346  screened using the level 2 screening standards in s. 435.04
  347  before employment, must be and rescreened at least once every 5
  348  years, and must be denied employment or terminated if required
  349  under s. 435.06. Each prekindergarten instructor employed by a
  350  public school delivering the summer prekindergarten program, and
  351  must satisfy the not be ineligible to teach in a public school
  352  because his or her educator certificate is suspended or revoked.
  353  This subsection does not supersede employment requirements for
  354  instructional personnel in public schools as provided in s.
  355  1012.32 which are more stringent than the requirements of this
  356  subsection.
  357         (6) A public school or private prekindergarten provider may
  358  assign a substitute instructor to temporarily replace a
  359  credentialed instructor if the credentialed instructor assigned
  360  to a prekindergarten class is absent, as long as the substitute
  361  instructor meets the requirements of subsection (5) is of good
  362  moral character and has been screened before employment in
  363  accordance with level 2 background screening requirements in
  364  chapter 435. This subsection does not supersede employment
  365  requirements for instructional personnel in public schools which
  366  are more stringent than the requirements of this subsection. The
  367  Office of Early Learning shall adopt rules to implement this
  368  subsection which must shall include required qualifications of
  369  substitute instructors and the circumstances and time limits for
  370  which a public school or private prekindergarten provider may
  371  assign a substitute instructor.
  372         (7) Notwithstanding ss. 1002.55(3)(e) 1002.55(3)(f) and
  373  1002.63(7), each prekindergarten class in the summer
  374  prekindergarten program, regardless of whether the class is a
  375  public school’s or private prekindergarten provider’s class,
  376  must be composed of at least 4 students but may not exceed 12
  377  students beginning with the 2009 summer session. In order to
  378  protect the health and safety of students, each public school or
  379  private prekindergarten provider must also provide appropriate
  380  adult supervision for students at all times. This subsection
  381  does not supersede any requirement imposed on a provider under
  382  ss. 402.301-402.319.
  383         Section 19. Subsections (5) and (6) of section 1002.63,
  384  Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
  385         1002.63 School-year prekindergarten program delivered by
  386  public schools.—
  387         (5) Each prekindergarten instructor employed by a public
  388  school delivering the school-year prekindergarten program must
  389  satisfy the be of good moral character, must be screened using
  390  the level 2 screening standards in s. 435.04 before employment
  391  and rescreened at least once every 5 years, must be denied
  392  employment or terminated if required under s. 435.06, and must
  393  not be ineligible to teach in a public school because his or her
  394  educator certificate is suspended or revoked. This subsection
  395  does not supersede employment requirements for instructional
  396  personnel in public schools as provided in s. 1012.32 which are
  397  more stringent than the requirements of this subsection.
  398         (6) A public school prekindergarten provider may assign a
  399  substitute instructor to temporarily replace a credentialed
  400  instructor if the credentialed instructor assigned to a
  401  prekindergarten class is absent, as long as the substitute
  402  instructor meets the requirements of subsection (5) is of good
  403  moral character and has been screened before employment in
  404  accordance with level 2 background screening requirements in
  405  chapter 435. This subsection does not supersede employment
  406  requirements for instructional personnel in public schools which
  407  are more stringent than the requirements of this subsection. The
  408  Office of Early Learning shall adopt rules to implement this
  409  subsection which must shall include required qualifications of
  410  substitute instructors and the circumstances and time limits for
  411  which a public school prekindergarten provider may assign a
  412  substitute instructor.
  413         Section 20. Paragraph (a) of subsection (6) of section
  414  1002.71, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
  415         1002.71 Funding; financial and attendance reporting.—
  416         (6)(a) Each parent enrolling his or her child in the
  417  Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program must agree to comply
  418  with the attendance policy of the private prekindergarten
  419  provider or district school board, as applicable. Upon
  420  enrollment of the child, the private prekindergarten provider or
  421  public school, as applicable, must provide the child’s parent
  422  with program information, including, but not limited to, child
  423  development, expectations for parent engagement, the daily
  424  schedule, and the a copy of the provider’s or school district’s
  425  attendance policy, which must include procedures for contacting
  426  a parent on the second consecutive day a child is absent for
  427  which the reason is unknown as applicable.
  428         Section 21. Subsection (1) of section 1002.75, Florida
  429  Statutes, is amended to read:
  430         1002.75 Office of Early Learning; powers and duties.—
  431         (1) The Office of Early Learning shall adopt by rule a
  432  standard statewide provider contract to be used with each
  433  Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program provider, with
  434  standardized attachments by provider type. The office shall
  435  publish a copy of the standard statewide provider contract on
  436  its website. The standard statewide contract must shall include,
  437  at a minimum, provisions that:
  438         (a) Govern for provider probation, termination for cause,
  439  and emergency termination for those actions or inactions of a
  440  provider that pose an immediate and serious danger to the
  441  health, safety, or welfare of children. The standard statewide
  442  contract must shall also include appropriate due process
  443  procedures. During the pendency of an appeal of a termination,
  444  the provider may not continue to offer its services.
  445         (b) Require each private prekindergarten provider to
  446  conspicuously post violations on the premises, pursuant to s.
  447  402.3125(1)(b), and to post class I and class II violations, as
  448  defined by rules of the Department of Children and Families,
  449  which result in disciplinary action, on the provider’s Internet
  450  website, if available. Such postings must use simple language to
  451  describe each violation with specificity and include a copy of
  452  the citation and the contact information of the Department of
  453  Children and Families or the local licensing agency from which
  454  the parent may obtain additional information regarding the
  455  citation. The provider must post such violations within 24 hours
  456  after receipt of the citation. Additionally, such provider shall
  457  post each inspection report on the premises in an area visible
  458  to parents, which report must remain posted until the next
  459  inspection report is available.
  460         (c) Specify that child care personnel employed by the
  461  provider who are responsible for supervising children in care
  462  must be trained in developmentally appropriate practices aligned
  463  to the age and needs of children over which the personnel are
  464  assigned supervision duties. This requirement is met by the
  465  completion of developmentally appropriate practice courses
  466  administered by the Department of Children and Families under s.
  467  402.305(2)(d)1. within 30 days after being assigned such
  468  children if the child care personnel has not previously
  469  completed the training.
  470  
  471  Any provision imposed upon a provider that is inconsistent with,
  472  or prohibited by, law is void and unenforceable.
  473         Section 22. Subsections (1), (3), and (5) of section
  474  1002.77, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
  475         1002.77 Florida Early Learning Advisory Council.—
  476         (1) There is created the Florida Early Learning Advisory
  477  Council within the Office of Early Learning. The purpose of the
  478  advisory council is to provide written input submit
  479  recommendations to the executive director office on early
  480  learning best practices, including recommendations relating to
  481  the most effective program administration; of the Voluntary
  482  Prekindergarten Education Program under this part and the school
  483  readiness program under part VI of this chapter. The advisory
  484  council shall periodically analyze and provide recommendations
  485  to the office on the effective and efficient use of local,
  486  state, and federal funds; the content of professional
  487  development training programs; and best practices for the
  488  development and implementation of coalition plans pursuant to s.
  489  1002.85.
  490         (3) The advisory council shall meet at least quarterly upon
  491  the call of the executive director but may meet as often as
  492  necessary to carry out its duties and responsibilities. The
  493  executive director is encouraged to advisory council may use
  494  communications media technology any method of telecommunications
  495  to conduct meetings in accordance with s. 120.54(5)(b),
  496  including establishing a quorum through telecommunications, only
  497  if the public is given proper notice of a telecommunications
  498  meeting and reasonable access to observe and, when appropriate,
  499  participate.
  500         (5) The Office of Early Learning shall provide staff and
  501  administrative support for the advisory council as determined by
  502  the executive director.
  503  
  504  ================= T I T L E  A M E N D M E N T ================
  505  And the title is amended as follows:
  506         Delete lines 49 - 69
  507  and insert:
  508         amending s. 1002.53, F.S.; revising requirements for
  509         application and determination of eligibility to enroll
  510         in the Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK) Education
  511         Program; amending s. 1002.55, F.S.; revising
  512         requirements for a school-year prekindergarten program
  513         delivered by a private prekindergarten provider,
  514         including requirements for providers, instructors, and
  515         child care personnel; providing requirements in the
  516         case of provider violations; amending s. 1002.59,
  517         F.S.; correcting a cross-reference; amending ss.
  518         1002.61 and 1002.63, F.S.; revising employment
  519         requirements and educational credentials of certain
  520         instructional personnel; amending s. 1002.71, F.S.;
  521         revising information that must be reported to parents;
  522         amending s. 1002.75, F.S.; revising provisions
  523         included in the standard statewide VPK program
  524         provider contract; amending s. 1002.77, F.S.; revising
  525         the purpose and meetings of the Florida Early Learning
  526         Advisory Council; amending s. 1002.81, F.S.;