CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
HOUSE AMENDMENT
Bill No. CS for CS/SB 366 & others, 1st Eng.
Amendment No. (for drafter's use only)
CHAMBER ACTION
Senate House
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5 ORIGINAL STAMP BELOW
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11 Representative(s) Warner offered the following:
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13 Amendment (with title amendment)
14 Remove from the bill: Everything after the enacting clause
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16 and insert in lieu thereof:
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18 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
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20 Section 1. Section 411.01, Florida Statutes, is
21 created to read:
22 411.01 School readiness program.--
23 (1) LEGISLATIVE INTENT.--
24 (a) The Legislature recognizes that school readiness
25 programs increase children's chances of achieving future
26 educational success and becoming productive members of
27 society. It is the intent of the Legislature that such
28 programs be developmentally appropriate, research-based,
29 involve parents as their child's first teacher, serve as
30 preventive measures for children at risk of future school
31 failure, enhance the educational readiness of eligible
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HOUSE AMENDMENT
Bill No. CS for CS/SB 366 & others, 1st Eng.
Amendment No. (for drafter's use only)
1 children, and support family education. Each school readiness
2 program shall provide the elements necessary to prepare
3 at-risk children for school, including health screening and
4 referral and an appropriate educational program.
5 (b) It is the intent of the Legislature that school
6 readiness programs be operated on a full-day, year-round basis
7 to the maximum extent possible to enable parents to work and
8 become financially self-sufficient.
9 (c) It is the intent of the Legislature that school
10 readiness programs not exist as isolated programs, but build
11 upon existing services and work in cooperation with other
12 programs for young children, and that school readiness
13 programs be coordinated and funding integrated to achieve full
14 effectiveness.
15 (d) It is the intent of the Legislature that the
16 implementation of a school readiness program be phased in on a
17 county-by-county basis. Each coalition's school readiness
18 program shall have available to it funding from all the
19 county's publicly funded early education and child care
20 programs, including Florida First Start programs, Even-Start
21 literacy programs, prekindergarten early intervention
22 programs, Head Start programs, programs offered by public and
23 private providers of child care, migrant prekindergarten
24 programs, Title I programs, subsidized child care programs,
25 teen parent programs, and other services, together with any
26 additional funds appropriated or obtained for purposes of this
27 section, and these programs and services shall be a part of
28 the coalition's integrated school readiness program.
29 (e) It is the intent of the Legislature that the
30 administrative staff at the state level for school readiness
31 programs be kept to the minimum necessary to carry out the
2
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HOUSE AMENDMENT
Bill No. CS for CS/SB 366 & others, 1st Eng.
Amendment No. (for drafter's use only)
1 duties of the State School Readiness Governing Board, as the
2 school readiness programs are to be locally designed,
3 operated, and managed, with the State School Readiness
4 Governing Board adopting a system for measuring school
5 readiness; developing school readiness program performance
6 standards, outcome measurements, and data design and review;
7 and approving and reviewing local school readiness coalitions
8 and plans.
9 (f) It is the intent of the Legislature that
10 appropriations for combined school readiness programs shall
11 not be less than the programs would receive in any fiscal year
12 on an uncombined basis.
13 (g) It is the intent of the Legislature that the
14 school readiness program coordinate and operate in conjunction
15 with the district school systems. However, it is also the
16 intent of the Legislature that the school readiness program
17 not be construed as part of the system of free public schools
18 but rather as a separate program for children under the age of
19 kindergarten eligibility, funded separately from the system of
20 free public schools, utilizing a mandatory sliding fee scale,
21 and providing an integrated and seamless system of school
22 readiness services for the state's birth-to-kindergarten
23 population.
24 (h) It is the intent of the Legislature that the
25 federal child care income tax credit be preserved for school
26 readiness programs.
27 (2) DEFINITIONS.--As used in this section, the term:
28 (a) "Governing board" means the State School Readiness
29 Governing Board.
30 (b) "Coalition" means a Local School Readiness
31 Coalition.
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HOUSE AMENDMENT
Bill No. CS for CS/SB 366 & others, 1st Eng.
Amendment No. (for drafter's use only)
1 (c) "Plan" means a coalition's school readiness
2 program implementation plan.
3 (3) STATE SCHOOL READINESS GOVERNING BOARD.--The State
4 School Readiness Governing Board is established in the
5 Executive Office of the Governor.
6 (a) The governing board shall consist of:
7 1. The Lieutenant Governor, or his or her designee.
8 2. The Secretary of the Department of Children and
9 Family Services.
10 3. The Commissioner of Education, or his or her
11 designee.
12 4. The chair of the WAGES Program State Board of
13 Directors.
14 5. The Secretary of Health.
15 6. The chair of the Child Care Executive Partnership
16 Board.
17 7. Five members appointed by the Governor. Four of
18 the Governor's appointees shall be appointed from a list of
19 six nominees, of which three have been submitted by the
20 President of the Senate, and three have been submitted by the
21 Speaker of the House of Representatives. Members shall be
22 appointed to 4-year terms of office. However, of the initial
23 appointees, one shall be appointed to a 1-year term, one shall
24 be appointed to a 2-year term, two shall be appointed to
25 3-year terms, and one shall be appointed to a 4-year term. Any
26 vacancy on the governing board shall be filled in the same
27 manner as the original appointment.
28
29 The appointed members shall be business, community, and civic
30 leaders in the state who are not elected to public office and
31 who are not providers of early education or child care. The
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HOUSE AMENDMENT
Bill No. CS for CS/SB 366 & others, 1st Eng.
Amendment No. (for drafter's use only)
1 members must be geographically and demographically
2 representative of the state. The Governor shall select a chair
3 and a vice chair, and shall appoint an executive director, who
4 is responsible for other staff authorized by the governing
5 board.
6 (b) For purposes of administration of the Federal
7 Child Care and Development Fund, 45 C.F.R. Parts 98 and 99,
8 the governing board may be designated by the Governor as the
9 Lead Agency, and if so designated shall comply with the Lead
10 Agency responsibilities pursuant to federal law.
11 Additionally, the governing board shall establish a reading
12 and literacy partnership with the Governor, the Commissioner
13 of Education, the chairs and ranking minority members of the
14 appropriate Senate and House education committees, and the
15 coalitions for purposes of receiving federal Reading
16 Excellence Act grants, and shall make every attempt to draw
17 down all available relevant federal funds.
18 (c) The governing board shall meet quarterly and may
19 meet as often as it deems necessary to carry out its duties
20 and responsibilities. Members of the governing board shall
21 participate without proxy at the quarterly meetings. The
22 governing board may take official action by a majority vote of
23 the members present at any meeting at which a quorum is
24 present. The governing board shall hold its first meeting by
25 October 1, 1999.
26 (d) Members of the governing board are subject to the
27 ethics provisions in part III of chapter 112, and no member
28 may derive any financial benefit from the funds administered
29 by the governing board.
30 (e) Members of the governing board shall serve without
31 compensation but are entitled to reimbursement for per diem
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HOUSE AMENDMENT
Bill No. CS for CS/SB 366 & others, 1st Eng.
Amendment No. (for drafter's use only)
1 and travel expenses incurred in the performance of their
2 duties as provided in s. 112.061, and reimbursement for other
3 reasonable, necessary, and actual expenses.
4 (f) For the purposes of tort liability, the members of
5 the governing board and its employees shall be governed by s.
6 768.28.
7 (g) The governing board shall:
8 1. Be responsible for the prudent use of all public
9 and private funds in accordance with all legal and contractual
10 requirements.
11 2. Provide final approval and periodic review of
12 coalitions and plans.
13 3. Provide leadership for enhancement of school
14 readiness in this state by aggressively establishing a unified
15 approach to the state's efforts toward enhancement of school
16 readiness. In support of this effort, the governing board may
17 develop and implement specific strategies that address the
18 state's school readiness programs, and may make
19 recommendations to the appropriate oversight entity to move
20 agency staff from other state agencies.
21 4. Seek the most strategic use of federal, state,
22 local, and private resources to maximize the effectiveness of
23 school readiness programs.
24 5. Adopt a system for measuring school readiness that
25 provides objective data regarding the expectations for school
26 readiness, and establish a method for collecting the data and
27 guidelines for using the data. The measurement, the data
28 collection, and the use of the data must serve the statewide
29 school readiness goal. The criteria for determining which data
30 to collect should be the usefulness of the data to state
31 policymakers and local program administrators in administering
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HOUSE AMENDMENT
Bill No. CS for CS/SB 366 & others, 1st Eng.
Amendment No. (for drafter's use only)
1 programs and allocating state funds, and must include the
2 tracking of school readiness system information back to
3 individual school readiness programs to assist in determining
4 program effectiveness. The governing board shall also adopt a
5 system for evaluating the performance of students through the
6 third grade to compare the performance of those who
7 participated in school readiness programs with the performance
8 of students who did not participate in school readiness
9 programs in order to identify strategies for continued
10 successful student performance.
11 6. Develop and adopt performance standards and outcome
12 measures which meet the requirements of subsection (5).
13 7.a. Use the resources and capabilities of the State
14 University System and the Division of Community Colleges in
15 improving school readiness programs, including establishing a
16 career path for employees in school readiness professions that
17 leads from entry-level employment to a bachelor's degree. The
18 State University System and the Division of Community Colleges
19 shall assist and support the governing board and the
20 coalitions, utilizing existing resources.
21 b. In consultation with the Postsecondary Education
22 Planning Commission and the Education Standards Commission,
23 assess the expertise of public and private Florida
24 postsecondary institutions in the areas of infant and toddler
25 developmental research; the related curriculum of training,
26 career, and academic programs; and the status of articulation
27 among those programs. Based on this assessment, the governing
28 board shall provide recommendations to the Governor and the
29 Legislature for postsecondary program improvements to enhance
30 school readiness initiatives.
31 (h) The governing board may adopt rules necessary to
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HOUSE AMENDMENT
Bill No. CS for CS/SB 366 & others, 1st Eng.
Amendment No. (for drafter's use only)
1 administer the provisions of this section which relate to
2 preparing and implementing the system for school readiness,
3 collecting data, approving local school readiness coalitions
4 and plans, providing a method whereby a coalition can serve
5 two or more counties, awarding incentives to coalitions, and
6 issuing waivers.
7 (i) The governing board shall recommend to the
8 Governor, the Commissioner of Education, and the State Board
9 of Education rules, and revisions or repeal of rules, which
10 would increase the effectiveness of programs that prepare
11 children for school.
12 (j) The governing board shall submit an annual report
13 of its activities to the Governor, the executive director of
14 the Florida Healthy Kids Corporation, the President of the
15 Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the
16 minority leaders of both houses of the Legislature. In
17 addition, the governing board's reports and recommendations
18 shall be made available to the State Board of Education, other
19 appropriate state agencies and entities, district school
20 boards, central agencies for child care, and county public
21 health units. The annual report must provide an analysis of
22 school readiness activities across the state, including the
23 number of children who were served in the programs and the
24 number of children who were ready for school. The annual
25 report shall be submitted in a timeframe that summarizes the
26 coalition reports pursuant to subsection (13) and the work of
27 the School Readiness Program Estimating Conference.
28 (k) The governing board shall work with school
29 readiness coalitions to increase parents' training for and
30 involvement in their children's preschool education and to
31 provide family literacy activities and programs.
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HOUSE AMENDMENT
Bill No. CS for CS/SB 366 & others, 1st Eng.
Amendment No. (for drafter's use only)
1 (4) PROGRAM ELIGIBILITY.--The school readiness program
2 shall be established for children under the age of
3 kindergarten eligibility. Priority for participation in the
4 school readiness program shall be given to children who meet
5 one or more of the following criteria:
6 (a) Children under the age of kindergarten eligibility
7 who are:
8 1. Children determined to be at risk of abuse,
9 neglect, or exploitation and who are currently clients of the
10 Children and Family Services Program Office of the Department
11 of Children and Family Services.
12 2. Children at risk of welfare dependency, including
13 economically disadvantaged children, children of participants
14 in the WAGES program, children of migrant farmworkers, and
15 children of teen parents.
16 3. Children of working families whose family income
17 does not exceed 150 percent of the federal poverty level.
18 (b) Three-year-old children and 4-year-old children
19 who may not be economically disadvantaged but who have
20 disabilities, have been served in a specific part-time or
21 combination of part-time exceptional education programs with
22 required special services, aids, or equipment, and were
23 previously reported for funding part time with the Florida
24 Education Finance Program as exceptional students.
25 (c) Economically disadvantaged children, children with
26 disabilities, and children at risk of future school failure,
27 from birth to 4 years of age, who are served at home through
28 home visitor programs and intensive parent education programs
29 such as the Florida First Start Program.
30 (d) Children who meet federal and state requirements
31 for eligibility for the migrant preschool program but who do
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HOUSE AMENDMENT
Bill No. CS for CS/SB 366 & others, 1st Eng.
Amendment No. (for drafter's use only)
1 not meet the criteria of economically disadvantaged.
2
3 An "economically disadvantaged" child means a child whose
4 family income is below 150 percent of the federal poverty
5 level. Notwithstanding any change in a family's economic
6 status, but subject to additional family contributions in
7 accordance with the sliding fee scale, a child who meets the
8 eligibility requirements upon initial registration for the
9 program shall be considered eligible until the child reaches
10 kindergarten age.
11 (5) STANDARDS; OUTCOME MEASURES.--
12 (a) All publicly funded school readiness programs
13 shall be required to meet the performance standards and
14 outcome measures developed and approved by the governing
15 board. The Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government
16 Accountability shall provide consultation to the governing
17 board in the development of the measures and standards. These
18 performance standards and outcome measures shall be applicable
19 on a state-wide basis and must:
20 1. Help prepare preschool children to enter
21 kindergarten ready to learn, as measured by a methodology
22 adopted by the governing board with input from the Department
23 of Education.
24 2. Provide extended-day services and extended-year
25 services when needed.
26 3. Include a staff development plan to ensure that the
27 program has qualified professionals.
28 4. Provide for expanded access to community services
29 and resources, including adult literacy assistance, to help
30 families achieve economic self-sufficiency.
31 5. Provide for a simplified point of entry and unified
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HOUSE AMENDMENT
Bill No. CS for CS/SB 366 & others, 1st Eng.
Amendment No. (for drafter's use only)
1 waiting list.
2 6. As long as funding or eligible populations do not
3 decrease, serve at least as many children as were served prior
4 to implementation of the program.
5 7. Establish a community plan to address the needs of
6 all eligible children.
7 8. Meet all state licensing guidelines, where
8 applicable.
9 9. Assess the developmental status of each child upon
10 the child's entry into a school readiness program and exit
11 from the program for the purpose of assisting program
12 effectiveness determinations.
13
14 The governing board shall develop a phase-in schedule through
15 which all publicly funded school readiness programs shall be
16 measured by these performance standards.
17 (b) All publicly funded school readiness programs
18 shall be required to implement a comprehensive program of
19 children and family services that will enhance the cognitive,
20 social, and physical development of children to achieve the
21 performance standards and outcome measures specified in
22 paragraph (a).
23 (6) LOCAL SCHOOL READINESS COALITIONS.--
24 (a) Each coalition shall consist of at least 14
25 members but not more than 21 members, including the following
26 local officials:
27 1. The Department of Children and Family Services
28 district administrator or his or her deputy or the equivalent.
29 2. The district superintendent of schools or his or
30 her deputy or the equivalent.
31 3. The regional workforce development board chair or
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HOUSE AMENDMENT
Bill No. CS for CS/SB 366 & others, 1st Eng.
Amendment No. (for drafter's use only)
1 director, where applicable.
2 4. The county health department director or his or her
3 designee.
4 5. The Children's Services Council chair or executive
5 director, if applicable.
6 6. The child care licensing agency head.
7 7. Two members appointed by the Department of Children
8 and Family Services district administrator.
9 8. Two members appointed by the board of county
10 commissioners.
11 9. Two members appointed by the district school board.
12 10. The central child care agency administrator.
13 11. Head Start director or directors.
14 12. Up to 7 additional members appointed by the
15 coalition.
16 (b) No member of a coalition may appoint a designee to
17 act in his or her place. A member who is unable to attend may
18 send a representative to coalition meetings, but that
19 representative will have no voting privileges.
20 (c) Members of the coalition are subject to the ethics
21 provisions in part III of chapter 112.
22 (d) Multicounty coalitions shall include
23 representation from each county.
24 (7) IMPLEMENTATION; PHASING-IN OF PROGRAM; EXCEPTIONS
25 TO LAW.--
26 (a) The school readiness program is to be phased-in as
27 prescribed by the procedures for implementation provided in
28 this subsection and subsection (8). Until the coalition
29 implements its plan, the county shall continue to receive the
30 services identified in paragraph (1)(d) through the various
31 agencies that would be responsible for delivering those
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HOUSE AMENDMENT
Bill No. CS for CS/SB 366 & others, 1st Eng.
Amendment No. (for drafter's use only)
1 services under current law.
2 (b) In order to obtain plan approval by the governing
3 board, the coalition must submit to the governing board a plan
4 that includes strategies to meet the requirements of this
5 section, including:
6 1. Specific eligibility priorities for children within
7 the coalition's county pursuant to subsection (4).
8 2. Performance standards and outcome measures
9 established by the governing board or alternatively, standards
10 and outcome measures to be used until such time as the
11 governing board adopts such standards and outcome measures.
12 3. Reimbursement rates that have been developed by the
13 coalition.
14 4. A sliding fee scale establishing a copayment for
15 parents based on their ability to pay, which is the same for
16 all program providers, to be implemented and reflected in each
17 program's budget.
18 5. Systems support services, including a central
19 agency, child care resource and referral, eligibility
20 determinations, training of providers, and parent support and
21 involvement.
22 6. Direct enhancement services to families and
23 children. System support and direct enhancement services shall
24 be in addition to payments for the placement of children in
25 school readiness programs.
26 7. A business plan, which must include the contract
27 with a school readiness agent if the coalition is not a
28 legally established corporate entity. Coalitions may contract
29 with other coalitions to achieve efficiency in multiple-county
30 services, and such contracts may be part of the coalition's
31 business plan.
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HOUSE AMENDMENT
Bill No. CS for CS/SB 366 & others, 1st Eng.
Amendment No. (for drafter's use only)
1 8. Strategies to meet the needs of unique populations,
2 such as migrant workers.
3
4 As part of the plan, the coalition may request the Governor to
5 apply for a waiver to allow the county to administer the Head
6 Start Program to accomplish the purposes of the school
7 readiness program. If any school readiness plan can
8 demonstrate that specific statutory goals can be achieved more
9 effectively by using procedures that require modification of
10 existing rules, policies, or procedures, a request for a
11 waiver to the governing board may be made as part of the plan.
12 Upon review, the governing board may grant the proposed
13 modification.
14 (c) The coalition may not implement its plan until it
15 submits the plan to and receives approval from the governing
16 board. Once the plan has been approved, the plan and the
17 services provided under the plan shall be controlled by the
18 coalition rather than by the state agencies or departments.
19 The plan shall be reviewed and revised as necessary, but not
20 less than every 3 years.
21 The provisions of ss. 125.901(2)(a)3., 228.061(1) and
22 (2), 230.2303, 230.2305, 230.2306, 230.23166, 232.01(1)(a)3.,
23 402.3015, 411.204, 411.221, 411.222, 411.223, and 411.232
24 shall not apply to school readiness programs which are subject
25 to this section and which are included within a coalition's
26 plan that has been approved by the governing board.
27 (e) Two or more counties may join for the purpose of
28 planning and implementing a school readiness program.
29 (f) A coalition may, subject to approval of the
30 governing board as part of the coalition's plan, receive
31 subsidized child care funds for all children eligible for any
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HOUSE AMENDMENT
Bill No. CS for CS/SB 366 & others, 1st Eng.
Amendment No. (for drafter's use only)
1 federal subsidized child care program and be the provider of
2 the program services.
3 (g) Coalitions are authorized to enter into multiparty
4 contracts with statewide service providers in order to meet
5 the needs of unique populations such as migrant workers.
6 (8) COALITION INITIATION GRANTS; INCENTIVE BONUSES.--
7 (a)1. Coalitions that are approved by the governing
8 board by December 1, 1999, shall be eligible for a $50,000
9 initiation grant to support the coalition in developing its
10 plan.
11 2. Coalitions that are approved by the governing board
12 by March 1, 2000, shall be eligible for a $25,000 initiation
13 grant to support the coalition in developing its plan.
14 3. Funds appropriated for coalition initiation grants
15 shall be allocated on a first-come first-served basis.
16 (b) Coalitions that have their plans approved by March
17 1, 2000, shall receive funding from the governing board in
18 fiscal year 2000-2001, and each year thereafter.
19 (c) Upon the governing board's approval of any
20 coalition's plan that clearly shows enhancement in the quality
21 and standards of the school readiness program without
22 diminishing the number of children served in the program, the
23 governing board shall award the coalition an incentive bonus
24 on a per-child-served basis, subject to appropriation.
25 (d) In fiscal year 2000-2001, and each year
26 thereafter, any increases in funding for school readiness
27 programs shall be administered through the coalitions.
28 (e) In fiscal year 2001-2002, the governing board
29 shall request proposals from government agencies and nonprofit
30 corporations for the development and operation of a coalition
31 in each county that does not have an approved coalition by
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HOUSE AMENDMENT
Bill No. CS for CS/SB 366 & others, 1st Eng.
Amendment No. (for drafter's use only)
1 March 1, 2001, unless the county has requested and been
2 granted a waiver by the governing board for good cause.
3 (9) FUNDING; SCHOOL READINESS PROGRAM.--
4 (a) It is the intent of this section to establish an
5 integrated and quality seamless service delivery system for
6 all publicly funded early education and child care programs
7 operating in this state.
8 (b) All state funds budgeted for a county for the
9 programs specified in paragraph (1)(d), along with the pro
10 rata share of the state administrative costs of those
11 programs, all federal funds and required local matching funds
12 for a county for programs specified in paragraph (1)(d), and
13 any additional funds appropriated or obtained for purposes of
14 this section, shall be transferred for the benefit of the
15 coalition for implementation of its plan, including the hiring
16 of staff to effectively operate the coalition's school
17 readiness program. As part of plan approval and periodic plan
18 review, the governing board shall require that administrative
19 costs be kept to the minimum necessary for efficient and
20 effective administration of the plan.
21 (c) By February 15, 2000, the governing board shall
22 present to the Legislature recommendations for combining
23 funding streams for school readiness programs into a School
24 Readiness Trust Fund. These recommendations must include
25 recommendations for the inclusion or noninclusion of
26 prekindergarten disabilities programs and funding.
27 (d) The governing board shall annually distribute all
28 eligible funds as block grants to assist coalitions in
29 integrating services and funding to develop a quality service
30 delivery system. Subject to appropriation, the governing board
31 may also provide financial awards to coalitions demonstrating
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HOUSE AMENDMENT
Bill No. CS for CS/SB 366 & others, 1st Eng.
Amendment No. (for drafter's use only)
1 success in merging and integrating funding streams to serve
2 children and school readiness programs.
3 (e) State funds appropriated for the school readiness
4 program may not be used for the construction of new facilities
5 or the purchase of buses. By February 15, 2000, the governing
6 board shall present to the Legislature recommendations for
7 providing necessary transportation services for school
8 readiness programs.
9 (f) All cost savings and all revenues received through
10 a mandatory sliding fee scale shall be used to help fund the
11 local school readiness program.
12 (10) REIMBURSEMENT RATE.--Each coalition shall develop
13 a reimbursement rate schedule that encompasses all programs
14 funded by that coalition. The reimbursement rate schedule must
15 take into consideration the relevant market rate and must
16 include the projected number of children to be served and must
17 be submitted to the governing board for information.
18 (11) REQUIREMENTS RELATING TO SCHOOL READINESS
19 AGENTS.--If the coalition is not a legally established
20 corporate entity, the coalition must designate a school
21 readiness agent, which may be a public entity or a private
22 nonprofit organization. The school readiness agent shall be
23 required to provide financial and administrative services
24 pursuant to a contract with the coalition. The cost of the
25 financial and administrative services shall be negotiated
26 between the school readiness agent and the coalition. If the
27 school readiness agent is a provider of early education and
28 care programs, the contract must specify that the school
29 readiness agent will act on policy direction from the
30 coalition and will not receive policy direction from its own
31 corporate or governance board regarding disbursal of coalition
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HOUSE AMENDMENT
Bill No. CS for CS/SB 366 & others, 1st Eng.
Amendment No. (for drafter's use only)
1 funds. The school readiness agent shall disburse funds in
2 accordance with the approved coalition school readiness plan
3 and based on billing and disbursement procedures approved by
4 the governing board. The school readiness agent must conform
5 to all data-reporting requirements established by the
6 governing board. A contract between a coalition and a school
7 readiness agent must be presented to the governing board as
8 part of the coalition's plan approval process.
9 (12) PARENTAL CHOICE.--
10 (a) The school readiness program shall provide
11 parental choice pursuant to a purchase service order that
12 ensures, to the maximum extent possible, flexibility in school
13 readiness programs and payment arrangements. According to
14 federal regulations requiring parental choice, a parent may
15 choose an informal child-care arrangement.
16 (b) If it is determined that a provider has provided
17 any cash or other unlawful renumeration to the beneficiary in
18 return for receiving the purchase order, the school readiness
19 agent shall refer the matter to the Division of Public
20 Assistance Fraud for investigation.
21 (c) The governing board shall adopt an electronic
22 transfer system for the dissemination of funds in accordance
23 with this subsection, which shall be fully implemented within
24 3 years after plan approval unless a waiver is obtained from
25 the governing board.
26 (d) The Office of Program Policy Analysis and
27 Government Accountability shall assess the implementation,
28 efficiency, and outcomes of the revised school readiness
29 program and report findings to the President of the Senate and
30 the Speaker of the House of Representatives by January 1,
31 2002. Subsequent reviews shall be conducted at the direction
18
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HOUSE AMENDMENT
Bill No. CS for CS/SB 366 & others, 1st Eng.
Amendment No. (for drafter's use only)
1 of the Joint Legislative Auditing Committee.
2 (13) EVALUATION AND ANNUAL REPORT.--Each coalition
3 shall conduct an evaluation of the effectiveness of its school
4 readiness program including performance standards and outcome
5 measures, and shall provide an annual report to the governing
6 board. This report must conform to the content and format
7 specifications set by the governing board. The governing board
8 must include an analysis of the coalition reports in its
9 annual report.
10 (14) CONFLICTING PROVISIONS.--In the event of a
11 conflict between the provisions of this section and federal
12 requirements, the federal requirements shall control.
13 Section 2. Section 229.567, Florida Statutes, is
14 created to read:
15 229.567 School readiness screening system.--The
16 Department of Education shall require that the school
17 readiness screening system adopted by the State School
18 Readiness Governing Board be utilized uniformly by all school
19 districts.
20 Section 3. Subsection (11) is added to section
21 216.136, Florida Statutes, 1998 Supplement, to read:
22 216.136 Consensus estimating conferences; duties and
23 principals.--
24 (11) SCHOOL READINESS PROGRAM ESTIMATING CONFERENCE.--
25 (a) Duties.--
26 1. The School Readiness Program Estimating Conference
27 shall develop such estimates and forecasts of the number of
28 children eligible for school readiness programs in accordance
29 with the eligibility standards established pursuant to this
30 act as the Conference determines are needed to support the
31 State planning, budgeting, and appropriations process.
19
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HOUSE AMENDMENT
Bill No. CS for CS/SB 366 & others, 1st Eng.
Amendment No. (for drafter's use only)
1 2. In addition, the School Readiness Program
2 Estimating Conference shall estimate the unduplicated count of
3 children who are eligible for services under the school
4 readiness program.
5 3. The School Readiness Governing Board shall provide
6 information on needs and waiting lists for school readiness
7 program services requested by the School Readiness Program
8 Estimating Conference or individual conference principals in a
9 timely manner.
10 (b) Principals.--The Executive Office of the Governor,
11 the Director of Economic and Demographic Research, and
12 professional staff who have forecasting expertise from the
13 School Readiness Governing Board, the Department of Children
14 and Family Services, the Department of Education, the Senate,
15 and the House of Representatives, or their designees, are the
16 principals of the School Readiness Program Estimating
17 Conference. The principal representing the Executive Office of
18 the Governor shall preside over sessions of the conference.
19 Section 4. Subsection (2) of section 414.026, Florida
20 Statutes, 1998 Supplement, is amended to read:
21 414.026 WAGES Program State Board of Directors.--
22 (2)(a) The board of directors shall be composed of the
23 following members:
24 1. The Commissioner of Education, or the
25 commissioner's designee.
26 2. The Secretary of Children and Family Services.
27 3. The Secretary of Health.
28 4. The Secretary of Labor and Employment Security.
29 5. The Secretary of Community Affairs.
30 6. The Secretary of Transportation, or the secretary's
31 designee.
20
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HOUSE AMENDMENT
Bill No. CS for CS/SB 366 & others, 1st Eng.
Amendment No. (for drafter's use only)
1 7. The director of the Office of Tourism, Trade, and
2 Economic Development.
3 8. The chair of the State School Readiness Governing
4 Board.
5 9.8. The president of the Enterprise Florida workforce
6 development board, established under s. 288.9620.
7 10.9. The chief executive officer of the Florida
8 Tourism Industry Marketing Corporation, established under s.
9 288.1226.
10 11.10. Nine members appointed by the Governor, as
11 follows:
12 a. Six members shall be appointed from a list of ten
13 nominees, of which five must be submitted by the President of
14 the Senate and five must be submitted by the Speaker of the
15 House of Representatives. The list of five nominees submitted
16 by the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of
17 Representatives must each contain at least three individuals
18 employed in the private sector, two of whom must have
19 management experience. One of the five nominees submitted by
20 the President of the Senate and one of the five nominees
21 submitted by the Speaker of the House of Representatives must
22 be an elected local government official who shall serve as an
23 ex officio nonvoting member.
24 b. Three members shall be at-large members appointed
25 by the Governor.
26 c. Of the nine members appointed by the Governor, at
27 least six must be employed in the private sector and of these,
28 at least five must have management experience.
29
30 The members appointed by the Governor shall be appointed to
31 4-year, staggered terms. Within 60 days after a vacancy occurs
21
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HOUSE AMENDMENT
Bill No. CS for CS/SB 366 & others, 1st Eng.
Amendment No. (for drafter's use only)
1 on the board, the Governor shall fill the vacancy of a member
2 appointed from the nominees submitted by the President of the
3 Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives for the
4 remainder of the unexpired term from one nominee submitted by
5 the President of the Senate and one nominee submitted by the
6 Speaker of the House of Representatives. Within 60 days after
7 a vacancy of a member appointed at-large by the Governor
8 occurs on the board, the Governor shall fill the vacancy for
9 the remainder of the unexpired term. The composition of the
10 board must generally reflect the racial, gender, and ethnic
11 diversity of the state as a whole.
12 (b) The board of directors shall annually elect a
13 chairperson from among the members appointed by the Governor.
14 The board of directors shall meet at least once each quarter.
15 A member appointed by the Governor may not authorize a
16 designee to attend a meeting of the board in place of the
17 member. The Governor may remove an appointed member for cause,
18 and an absence from three consecutive meetings results in
19 automatic removal, unless the member is excused by the
20 chairperson.
21 (c) Members of the board shall serve without
22 compensation, but are entitled to reimbursement for per diem
23 and travel expenses as provided in s. 112.061.
24 Section 5. Paragraph (a) of subsection (2) of section
25 624.91, Florida Statutes, 1998 Supplement, is amended to read:
26 624.91 The Florida Healthy Kids Corporation Act.--
27 (2) LEGISLATIVE INTENT.--
28 (a) The Legislature finds that increased access to
29 health care services could improve children's health and
30 reduce the incidence and costs of childhood illness and
31 disabilities among children in this state. Many children do
22
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HOUSE AMENDMENT
Bill No. CS for CS/SB 366 & others, 1st Eng.
Amendment No. (for drafter's use only)
1 not have comprehensive, affordable health care services
2 available. It is the intent of the Legislature that the
3 Florida Healthy Kids Corporation provide comprehensive health
4 insurance coverage to such children. The corporation is
5 encouraged to cooperate with any existing health service
6 programs funded by the public or the private sector and to
7 work cooperatively with the State School Readiness Governing
8 Board.
9 Section 6. Paragraph (e) is added to subsection (1) of
10 section 240.115, Florida Statutes, 1998 Supplement, to read:
11 240.115 Articulation agreement; acceleration
12 mechanisms.--
13 (1)
14 (e) The Commissioner of Education, in conjunction with
15 the State School Readiness Governing Board, the Postsecondary
16 Education Planning Commission, and the Education Standards
17 Commission, shall conduct a statewide assessment to determine
18 the extent and nature of instruction for those who work or are
19 training to work in the fields of child care and early
20 childhood education, as well as an assessment of the market
21 demand for individuals trained at various levels. Based on
22 this assessment, the Articulation Coordinating Committee shall
23 establish an articulated career path for school
24 readiness-related professions, which shall lead from
25 entry-level employment in child care and early childhood
26 education to a baccalaureate degree. The career path shall
27 provide for the articulation of:
28 1. Vocational credit to college credit for associate
29 in science degrees;
30 2. Credit earned in associate in science or associate
31 in arts degree programs to credit in baccalaureate degree
23
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HOUSE AMENDMENT
Bill No. CS for CS/SB 366 & others, 1st Eng.
Amendment No. (for drafter's use only)
1 programs;
2 3. Credit awarded by public and private institutions;
3 and
4 4. Credit for experiential learning associated with
5 minimum training requirements for employment. The Articulation
6 Coordinating Committee shall ensure that the articulation of
7 such credit does not jeopardize the receiving institution's
8 accreditation status.
9
10 By fall semester 2002, the articulation agreement must
11 guarantee the statewide articulation of appropriate coursework
12 as established in the career path.
13 Section 7. The Governor is authorized to transfer
14 funds from the relevant state departments or agencies to the
15 State School Readiness Governing Board to fund local school
16 readiness coalitions during the phase-in period.
17 Section 8. The State School Readiness Governing Board
18 shall recommend to the Legislature by February 15, 2000,
19 whether the current appropriations and positions for
20 Department of Children and Family Services contract managers
21 and Department of Education Prekindergarten Early Intervention
22 and School Readiness personnel should be phased out, or
23 transferred in whole or in part to the governing board to
24 provide for school readiness program staffing. If, before such
25 time as its own staff is in place, the State School Readiness
26 Governing Board needs staff assistance in reviewing and
27 approving local coalition plans, the Department of Children
28 and Family Services and the Department of Education shall
29 provide such staff assistance.
30 Section 9. Subject to appropriation by the
31 Legislature, the Inter-University Consortium on Child and
24
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HOUSE AMENDMENT
Bill No. CS for CS/SB 366 & others, 1st Eng.
Amendment No. (for drafter's use only)
1 Family Studies, with Florida State University as the lead
2 university, is authorized to design and develop the concept
3 for a child care and development center, which may be used as
4 a model for demonstrating best practices in children's
5 readiness for school.
6 Section 10. This act shall take effect upon becoming a
7 law.
8
9
10 ================ T I T L E A M E N D M E N T ===============
11 And the title is amended as follows:
12 On page 1, line 2 through page 2, line 30
13 remove from the title of the bill: all of said lines
14
15 and insert in lieu thereof:
16 An act relating to school readiness; creating
17 s. 411.01, F.S.; providing legislative intent;
18 providing definitions; creating the State
19 School Readiness Governing Board; providing
20 membership requirements, meeting requirements,
21 public records requirements, and
22 responsibilities and duties of the governing
23 board; authorizing the governing board to adopt
24 rules; providing eligibility requirements for
25 the school readiness program; requiring
26 performance standards and outcome measures
27 developed and approved by the governing board
28 to meet certain guidelines; providing for the
29 establishment of a school readiness coalition
30 in each county; providing membership of the
31 coalitions; providing for implementation and
25
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HOUSE AMENDMENT
Bill No. CS for CS/SB 366 & others, 1st Eng.
Amendment No. (for drafter's use only)
1 phasing-in of the school readiness program;
2 requiring the development of a plan; providing
3 for exceptions to law; providing for coalition
4 initiation grants; providing incentive bonuses;
5 providing for the funding of the school
6 readiness program; requiring each coalition to
7 develop a reimbursement rate schedule for all
8 programs funded by the coalition; providing
9 requirements for school readiness agents;
10 providing for parental choice with respect to
11 child care arrangements and payments; requiring
12 the governing board to adopt an electronic
13 funds transfer system; requiring the Office of
14 Program Policy Analysis and Government
15 Accountability to provide consultation and
16 assess outcomes; requiring each coalition to
17 conduct an annual evaluation and submit a
18 report to the governing board and requiring an
19 annual report by the governing board that
20 includes coalition report information; creating
21 s. 229.567, F.S.; requiring the Department of
22 Education to require use by the school
23 districts of a school readiness screening
24 system adopted by the governing board; amending
25 s. 216.136, F.S.; creating the School Readiness
26 Program Estimating Conference; requiring the
27 conference to develop information relating to
28 school readiness programs; specifying the
29 principals of the conference; amending s.
30 414.026, F.S.; adding the chair of the State
31 School Readiness Governing Board to the WAGES
26
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HOUSE AMENDMENT
Bill No. CS for CS/SB 366 & others, 1st Eng.
Amendment No. (for drafter's use only)
1 Program State Board of Directors; amending s.
2 624.91, F.S.; requiring the Florida Healthy
3 Kids Corporation to work cooperatively with the
4 State School Readiness Governing Board;
5 amending s. 240.115, F.S.; requiring the
6 Articulation Coordinating Committee to
7 establish a career path for school
8 readiness-related professions; authorizing the
9 Governor to transfer funds; authorizing the
10 State School Readiness Governing Board to make
11 staffing recommendations; authorizing the
12 Inter-University Consortium on Child and Family
13 Studies to design and develop the concept for a
14 child care and development center; providing an
15 effective date.
16
17 WHEREAS, the voters of the State of Florida, in the
18 November 1998 General Election, amended Section 1 of Article
19 IX of the State Constitution to state that it is "a paramount
20 duty of the state to make adequate provision for the education
21 of all children residing within its borders," and
22 WHEREAS, the Legislature recognizes the primacy of
23 parents as their children's first teachers and the importance
24 of children entering the education system ready to learn, and
25 WHEREAS, the Legislature seeks to assist parents by
26 providing opportunities for the state's at-risk
27 birth-to-kindergarten population to enhance their chances for
28 educational success by participating in quality school
29 readiness programs that can better prepare them for school,
30 NOW, THEREFORE,
31
27
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