Senate Bill 0366c2
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Florida Senate - 1999 CS for CS for SB's 366 & 382 and SB 708
By the Committees on Fiscal Policy, Education and Senators
Holzendorf and Kirkpatrick
309-1651A-99
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to school readiness; creating
3 s. 411.01, F.S.; establishing the Florida
4 Partnership for School Readiness for purposes
5 of administering the School Readiness Program;
6 providing responsibilities and duties of the
7 partnership; providing membership and meeting
8 requirements; providing that the Florida
9 Partnership for School Readiness is subject to
10 public records and public meeting requirements;
11 providing for hiring certain employees;
12 requiring that the partnership prepare a system
13 for measuring school readiness; specifying
14 objectives to be measured by such system;
15 requiring that the partnership contract with an
16 independent entity to evaluate the measurement
17 system; requiring the partnership to make
18 recommendations to the Governor and the State
19 Board of Education; authorizing the partnership
20 to adopt rules; requiring the establishment of
21 school readiness coalitions; specifying
22 services to be provided by the coalitions;
23 providing for designation and approval of a
24 fiscal agent; providing for grants to be
25 provided to coalitions to develop school
26 readiness plans; providing for incentive
27 bonuses to be awarded; providing requirements
28 for school readiness plans; providing for
29 parental choice with respect to child care
30 arrangements and payments; providing for
31 evaluation and performance measures; providing
1
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1 responsibility for implementation; providing
2 for parental choice; creating s. 229.567, F.S.;
3 requiring the Department of Education to adopt
4 the school readiness uniform screening
5 developed by the Florida Partnership for School
6 Readiness and to require their use by the
7 school districts; amending s. 216.136, F.S.;
8 creating the School Readiness Program
9 Estimating Conference; requiring the conference
10 to develop estimates and forecasts of students
11 eligible for school readiness programs;
12 specifying the principals of the conference;
13 amending s. 414.026, F.S.; requiring the
14 chairperson of the Florida Partnership for
15 School Readiness to serve on the WAGES Program
16 State Board of Directors; amending s. 411.222,
17 F.S.; abolishing the State Coordinating Council
18 for Early Childhood Services; establishing the
19 State Coordinating Council for School Readiness
20 Programs; requiring the State Coordinating
21 Council for Early Childhood Services to submit
22 a final report; amending s. 624.91, F.S.;
23 requiring the Healthy Kids Corporation to work
24 cooperatively with the Florida Partnership for
25 School Readiness; repealing s. 411.222(4),
26 F.S., relating to the State Coordinating
27 Council for Early Childhood Services; providing
28 effective dates.
29
30 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
31
2
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1 Section 1. Section 411.01, Florida Statutes, is
2 created to read:
3 411.01 Florida Partnership for School Readiness;
4 school readiness coalitions.--
5 (1) SHORT TITLE.--This section may be cited as the
6 "School Readiness Act."
7 (2) SCHOOL READINESS PROGRAM.--For purposes of this
8 chapter, all child care and education programs that are funded
9 with state, federal, lottery, or local funds and provide
10 services to children from birth to 5 years of age, or until
11 the child enters kindergarten, shall be components of the
12 school readiness program with the goal of preparing children
13 for success in school.
14 (3) FLORIDA PARTNERSHIP FOR SCHOOL READINESS.--
15 (a) There is created the Florida Partnership for
16 School Readiness with responsibility for adopting and
17 maintaining coordinated programmatic, administrative, and
18 fiscal policies and standards for all school readiness
19 programs, while allowing a wide range of programmatic
20 flexibility and differentiation. The partnership is assigned
21 to the Executive Office of the Governor for administrative
22 purposes.
23 (b)1. The Florida Partnership for School Readiness
24 shall include the Governor, the Commissioner of Education, the
25 Secretary of Children and Family Services, the Secretary of
26 Health, the chairperson of the Child Care Executive
27 Partnership Board, and the chairperson of the WAGES Program
28 State Board of Directors.
29 2. The partnership shall also include 10 members of
30 the public who shall be business, community, and civic leaders
31 in the state who are not elected to public office. These
3
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1 members and their families must not earn their income in the
2 early education and child care industry. The members must be
3 geographically and demographically representative of the
4 state. Each member shall be appointed by the Governor. Eight
5 of the members shall be appointed from a list of 10 nominees,
6 of which five must be submitted by the President of the Senate
7 and five must be submitted by the Speaker of the House of
8 Representatives. Members shall be appointed to 4-year terms of
9 office. However, of the initial appointees, two shall be
10 appointed to 1-year terms, two shall be appointed to 2-year
11 terms, three shall be appointed to 3-year terms, and three
12 shall be appointed to 4-year terms. The members of the
13 partnership shall elect a chairperson annually from the
14 nongovernmental members of the partnership. Any vacancy on the
15 partnership shall be filled in the same manner as the original
16 appointment.
17 (c) The partnership shall meet at least quarterly but
18 may meet as often as it deems necessary to carry out its
19 duties and responsibilities. Members of the partnership shall
20 participate without proxy at the quarterly meetings. The
21 partnership may take official action by a majority vote of the
22 members present at any meeting at which a quorum is present.
23 The partnership shall hold its first meeting by October 1,
24 1999.
25 (d) Members of the partnership are subject to the
26 ethics provisions in part III of chapter 112, and no member
27 may derive any financial benefit from the funds administered
28 by the Florida Partnership for School Readiness.
29 (e) Members of the partnership shall serve without
30 compensation but are entitled to reimbursement for per diem
31 and travel expenses incurred in the performance of their
4
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1 duties as provided in s. 112.061, and reimbursement for other
2 reasonable, necessary, and actual expenses.
3 (f) For the purposes of tort liability, the members of
4 the partnership and its employees shall be governed by s.
5 768.28.
6 (g) The partnership shall appoint an executive
7 director to serve at its pleasure who shall perform the duties
8 assigned to him or her by the partnership. The executive
9 director shall be responsible for appointing all employees and
10 staff members, who shall serve under his or her direction and
11 control.
12 (h) The Florida Partnership for School Readiness is
13 the principal organization responsible for the enhancement of
14 school readiness for the state's children, and shall:
15 1. Be responsible for the prudent use of all public
16 and private funds in accordance with all legal and contractual
17 requirements.
18 2. Provide final approval and periodic review of
19 coalitions and plans.
20 3. Provide leadership for enhancement of school
21 readiness in this state by aggressively establishing a unified
22 approach to the state's efforts toward enhancement of school
23 readiness. In support of this effort, the partnership may
24 develop and implement specific strategies that address the
25 state's school readiness programs.
26 4. Safeguard the effective use of federal, state,
27 local, and private resources to achieve the highest possible
28 level of school readiness for the state's children.
29 5. Provide technical assistance to coalitions.
30 6. Assess gaps in service.
31
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1 7. Recommend common eligibility requirements for
2 similar programs.
3 8. Provide technical assistance to counties that form
4 a multicounty coalition.
5 9. By January 31, 2000, recommend to the Legislature
6 whether agency staff should be moved from the Department of
7 Education or the Department of Children and Family Services to
8 the partnership.
9 10. By May 1, 2000, adopt a screening system for
10 measuring school readiness which provides objective data
11 regarding the expectations for school readiness.
12 11. Establish a method for collecting data from the
13 screening instrument and establish guidelines for using the
14 data so that the measurement, the data collection, and the use
15 of the data serve the statewide goal that all children will be
16 ready for school. The criteria for determining which data to
17 collect should be the usefulness of the data to state
18 policymakers and local program administrators in administering
19 programs and allocating state funds.
20 12. By January 1, 2000, develop and adopt performance
21 standards and outcome measures that meet the requirements of
22 this section.
23 13. Use the resources and capabilities of the State
24 University System and the Division of Community Colleges in
25 improving school readiness programs. The partnership shall
26 work to establish a career path for employees in
27 readiness-related professions which leads from entry-level
28 employment in child care to a bachelor's degree. The State
29 University System and the Division of Community Colleges shall
30 assist and support the partnership and coalitions as much as
31
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1 possible and shall provide services utilizing existing
2 resources.
3 (i) The partnership may adopt rules necessary to
4 administer the provisions of this section which relate to
5 preparing and implementing the system for school readiness,
6 collecting data, approving local school readiness coalitions
7 and plans, providing a method whereby a coalition can serve
8 two or more counties, and awarding incentives to coalitions.
9 (j) The Florida Partnership for School Readiness shall
10 have all powers necessary to carry out the purposes of this
11 section, including, but not limited to, the power to receive
12 and accept grants, loans, or advances of funds from any public
13 or private agency and to receive and accept from any source
14 contributions of money, property, labor, or any other thing of
15 value, to be held, used, and applied for the purposes of this
16 section.
17 (k) The Florida Partnership for School Readiness shall
18 be an independent, nonpartisan body and shall not be
19 identified or affiliated with any one agency, program, or
20 group.
21 (l) The Florida Partnership for School Readiness shall
22 have a budget, shall be financed through an annual
23 appropriation made for this purpose in the General
24 Appropriations Act, and shall be subject to compliance audits
25 and annual financial audits by the Auditor General.
26 (m) The partnership shall coordinate the efforts
27 toward school readiness in this state and provide independent
28 policy analyses and recommendations to the Governor, the State
29 Board of Education, and the Legislature.
30 (n) By May 1, 2000, the partnership shall prepare and
31 submit to the State Board of Education a system for measuring
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1 school readiness. The system must include a uniform screening,
2 which shall provide objective data regarding the following
3 expectations for school readiness which shall include, at a
4 minimum:
5 1. The child's immunizations and other health
6 requirements as necessary, including appropriate vision and
7 hearing screening and examinations.
8 2. The child's display of physical development
9 appropriate for kindergarten.
10 3. The child's compliance with rules, limitations, and
11 routines.
12 4. The child's successful engagement in kindergarten
13 tasks.
14 5. The child's demonstration of appropriate
15 interactions with adults.
16 6. The child's demonstration of appropriate
17 interactions with peers.
18 7. The child's effective coping with challenges and
19 frustrations.
20 8. The child's demonstration of appropriate self-help
21 skills.
22 9. The child's ability to express his or her needs
23 appropriately.
24 10. The child's demonstration of verbal communication
25 skills necessary to succeed in kindergarten.
26 11. The child's demonstration of problem-solving
27 skills necessary to succeed in kindergarten.
28 12. The child's following of verbal directions.
29 13. The child's demonstration of curiosity,
30 persistence, and exploratory behavior.
31
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1 14. The child's demonstration of an interest in books
2 and other printed materials.
3 15. The child's paying attention to stories.
4 16. The child's participation in art and music
5 activities.
6 17. The child's ability to identify colors, geometric
7 shapes, letters of the alphabet, numbers, and spacial and
8 temporal relationships.
9 (o) The partnership shall prepare a plan for
10 implementing the system for measuring school readiness in such
11 a way that all children in this state will undergo the uniform
12 screening established by the partnership when they enter
13 kindergarten. Children who enter public school for the first
14 time in first grade must undergo a uniform screening approved
15 by the partnership for use in first grade. Because children
16 with disabilities may not be able to meet all of the
17 identified expectations for school readiness, the plan for
18 measuring school readiness shall incorporate mechanisms for
19 recognizing the potential variations in expectations for
20 school readiness when serving children with disabilities and
21 shall provide for communities to serve children with
22 disabilities.
23 (p) The partnership shall establish a method for
24 collecting data from the uniform screening and establish
25 guidelines for using the data so that the measurement, the
26 data collection, and the use of the data serve the statewide
27 goal that all children will be ready for school. The criteria
28 for determining which data to collect should be the usefulness
29 of the data to state policymakers and program administrators
30 in administering programs and allocating funds.
31
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1 (q) The partnership shall contract with an independent
2 entity for an evaluation of the measurement system. The
3 evaluation must provide the information that local and state
4 agencies, the Governor, and the Legislature need to provide
5 for the effective administration of programs that serve
6 preschool children. The evaluation must provide information
7 that will assist providers of private preschool and child care
8 programs in assessing the success of preschool and child care
9 programs and making decisions about improving program services
10 to prepare children for school.
11 (r) The partnership shall recommend to the Governor,
12 the Commissioner of Education, and the State Board of
13 Education rules, and revisions or repeal of rules, which would
14 increase the effectiveness of programs that prepare children
15 for school.
16 (s) The partnership shall conduct studies and planning
17 activities related to the overall improvement and
18 effectiveness of school-readiness measures.
19 (t) By February 1, 2000, the partnership shall work
20 with the Office of the Comptroller for electronic funds
21 transfer.
22 (u) By February 1, 2000, the partnership shall present
23 to the Legislature a plan for combining funding streams for
24 school readiness programs into a School Readiness Trust Fund.
25 (v) The partnership shall establish procedures for
26 performance-based budgeting in school readiness programs.
27 (w) The partnership shall submit an annual report of
28 its activities to the Governor, the executive director of the
29 Florida Healthy Kids Corporation, the President of the Senate,
30 the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the minority
31 leaders of both houses of the Legislature. In addition, the
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1 partnership's reports and recommendations shall be made
2 available to the State Board of Education, other appropriate
3 state agencies and entities, district school boards, central
4 agencies for child care, and county health departments. The
5 annual report must provide an analysis of school readiness
6 activities across the state, including the number of children
7 who were served in the programs and the number of children who
8 were ready for school.
9 (x) The partnership shall work with school readiness
10 coalitions to increase parents' training for and involvement
11 in their children's preschool education and to provide family
12 literacy activities and programs.
13 (y) The partnership may adopt rules necessary to
14 administer the provisions of this section which relate to
15 preparing and implementing the system for school readiness,
16 collecting data, approving local coalition plans, providing a
17 method whereby a coalition can serve two or more counties,
18 awarding incentives to coalitions, and contracting for an
19 evaluation.
20
21 To ensure that the system for measuring school readiness is
22 comprehensive and appropriate statewide, as the system is
23 developed and implemented, the partnership must consult with
24 representatives of district school systems, providers of
25 public and private child care, health care providers, large
26 and small employers, experts in education for children with
27 disabilities, and experts in child development.
28 (5) CREATION OF SCHOOL READINESS COALITIONS.--
29 (a) School readiness coalitions.--
30 1. Each school readiness coalition shall serve a
31 geographic area with a population of at least 20,000 children,
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1 ages birth to 5 years. The partnership may grant an exemption
2 from this requirement if a proposal demonstrates that meeting
3 this requirement would constitute a hardship.
4 2. Each coalition shall have not less than 14 nor more
5 than 28 members and such members must include the following:
6 a. A Department of Children and Family Services
7 district administrator.
8 b. A district superintendent of schools.
9 c. A regional workforce development board chair or
10 director, where applicable.
11 d. A county health department director or his or her
12 designee.
13 e. A Children's Services Council or Juvenile Welfare
14 Board chair or executive director, if applicable.
15 f. A child care licensing agency head.
16 g. Two members appointed by a Department of Children
17 and Family Services district administrator.
18 h. Two members appointed by a board of county
19 commissioners.
20 i. Two members appointed by a district school board.
21 j. A central child care agency administrator.
22 k. A Head Start director.
23
24 These appointed members shall appoint not less than five nor
25 more than seven members from the private sector so that 30
26 percent of the coalition members are from the private sector.
27 The members from the private sector or their families may not
28 earn an income from the early education and child care
29 industry.
30 3. No member of a coalition may appoint a designee to
31 act in his or her place. A member may send a representative to
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1 coalition meetings, but that representative will have no
2 voting privileges.
3 4. The school readiness coalition shall replace the
4 district interagency coordinating council required under s.
5 230.2305.
6 (b) Program participation.--The school readiness
7 program shall be established for children from birth to 5
8 years of age or until the child enters kindergarten. The
9 program shall be administered by the school readiness
10 coalition. Within funding limitations, the school readiness
11 coalition, along with all providers, shall make reasonable
12 efforts to accommodate the needs of children for extended-day
13 and extended-year services without compromising the quality of
14 the program.
15 (c) Program expectations.--
16 1. The school readiness program must meet the
17 following expectations:
18 a. The program must prepare preschool children to
19 enter kindergarten ready to learn, as measured by criteria
20 established by the Florida Partnership for School Readiness.
21 b. The program must provide extended-day and
22 extended-year services to the maximum extent possible to meet
23 the needs of parents who work.
24 c. There must be coordinated staff development and
25 teaching opportunities.
26 d. There must be expanded access to community services
27 and resources for families to help achieve economic
28 self-sufficiency.
29 e. There must be a single point of entry and unified
30 waiting list.
31
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1 f. As long as funding does not decrease, the program
2 must serve at least as many children as were served prior to
3 implementation of the program.
4 2. The school readiness coalition must implement a
5 comprehensive program of readiness services that enhance the
6 cognitive and physical development of children to achieve the
7 performance standards and outcome measures specified by the
8 partnership. At a minimum, these programs must contain the
9 following elements:
10 a. Developmentally appropriate curriculum.
11 b. A character development program to develop basic
12 values.
13 c. An age-appropriate assessment of each child's
14 development.
15 d. A pretest administered to children when they enter
16 a program and a posttest administered to children when they
17 leave the program.
18 e. An appropriate staff-to-child ratio, as required by
19 the respective participating programs.
20 f. A healthful and safe environment.
21 g. A resource and referral network to assist parents
22 in making an informed choice pursuant to s. 402.27.
23 (d) Implementation.--
24 1. The school readiness program may be implemented in
25 any county by a school readiness coalition with the approval
26 of the Florida Partnership for School Readiness. Approval by
27 the partnership is predicated on the submission of a plan of
28 implementation prepared and submitted by the school readiness
29 coalition.
30 2. Each school readiness coalition shall develop a
31 plan for implementing the school readiness program to meet the
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1 requirements of this section and the performance standards
2 established by the partnership. The plan must include a
3 written description of the role of the program in the
4 district's effort to meet the first state education goal,
5 readiness to start school, including a description of the plan
6 to involve prekindergarten early intervention programs, Head
7 Start Programs, programs offered by public or private
8 providers of child care, preschool programs for children with
9 disabilities, programs for migrant children, Title I programs,
10 subsidized child care programs, and teen parent programs. The
11 plan must also demonstrate how the program will ensure that
12 each 3-year-old and 4-year-old child in a publicly funded
13 early education and child care program receives scheduled
14 activities and instruction designed to prepare children to
15 enter kindergarten ready to learn. Prior to implementation of
16 the program, the school readiness coalition must submit the
17 plan to the partnership for approval. The plan shall be
18 reviewed, revised, and approved biannually.
19 3. The plan for the school readiness program must
20 include the following minimum standards and provisions:
21 a. A sliding fee scale establishing a co-payment for
22 parents based upon their ability to pay, which is the same for
23 all program providers, to be implemented and reflected in each
24 program's budget.
25 b. A choice of settings and locations in licensed,
26 registered, religious-exempt, or school-based programs to be
27 provided to parents.
28 c. Instructional staff who have completed the training
29 course as required in s. 402.305(2)(d)1., as well as staff who
30 have additional training or credentials as required by the
31 respective program provider. The plan must provide a method
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1 for assuring the qualifications of all personnel in all
2 program settings.
3 4. Persons with an early childhood teaching
4 certificate may provide support and supervision to other staff
5 in the school readiness program.
6 (e) Reimbursement rate.--The school readiness
7 coalition shall include in its implementation plan a
8 reimbursement rate schedule that encompasses all publicly
9 funded early education and child care programs and complies
10 with applicable state and federal laws and regulations. The
11 reimbursement rate schedule must include the projected number
12 of children to be served and must be submitted to the
13 Partnership for School Readiness for approval. Informal child
14 care arrangements shall be reimbursed at not more than 50
15 percent of the rate developed for family child care.
16 (f) Requirements relating to fiscal agents.--If the
17 local coalition is not a legally established corporate entity,
18 the coalition must designate a fiscal agent, which may be a
19 public entity or a private nonprofit organization. The fiscal
20 agent shall be required to provide financial and
21 administrative services pursuant to a contract or agreement
22 with the school readiness coalition. The fiscal agent may not
23 provide direct early education or child care services,
24 however, a fiscal agent may provide such services upon written
25 request of the coalition to the partnership and upon the
26 approval of such request by the partnership. The cost of the
27 financial and administrative services shall be negotiated
28 between the fiscal agent and the school readiness coalition.
29 If the fiscal agent is a provider of early education and care
30 programs, the contract must specify that the fiscal agent will
31 act on policy direction from the coalition and will not
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1 receive policy direction from its own corporate board
2 regarding disbursal of coalition funds. The fiscal agent shall
3 disburse funds in accordance with the approved coalition
4 school readiness plan and based on billing and disbursement
5 procedures approved by the partnership. The fiscal agent must
6 conform to all data-reporting requirements established by the
7 partnership.
8 (g) Coalition initiation grants; incentive bonuses;
9 funding.--
10 1. School readiness coalitions that are approved by
11 the Florida Partnership for School Readiness by January 1,
12 2000, shall be eligible for a $50,000 initiation grant to
13 support the school readiness coalition in developing its
14 school readiness plan.
15 2. School readiness coalitions that are approved by
16 the Florida Partnership for School Readiness by March 1, 2000,
17 shall be eligible for a $25,000 initiation grant to support
18 the school readiness coalition in developing its school
19 readiness plan.
20 3. School readiness coalitions that have their plans
21 approved by July 1, 2000, shall receive funding from the
22 Partnership for School Readiness in fiscal year 2000-2001, and
23 each year thereafter.
24 4. Upon approval by the Florida Partnership for School
25 Readiness of any coalition's plan that clearly shows
26 enhancement in the quality and standards of the school
27 readiness program without diminishing the number of children
28 served in the program, the partnership shall award the
29 coalition an incentive bonus, subject to appropriation.
30 5. In fiscal year 2000-2001, and each year thereafter,
31 any increases in funding for the prekindergarten early
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1 intervention program and the subsidized child care program
2 shall be administered through school readiness coalitions.
3 6. In fiscal year 2001-2002, the Florida Partnership
4 for School Readiness shall request proposals from government
5 agencies and nonprofit corporations for the development and
6 operation of a school readiness coalition in each county that
7 does not have an approved coalition by March 1, 2001.
8 7. Administrative costs for a school readiness program
9 may not exceed 10 percent of the total funds provided to the
10 coalition in any fiscal year. Not more than one-half of the
11 administrative funds, or 5 percent of the total funds, may be
12 expended for the administration of the coalition.
13 (h) Evaluation and annual report.--Each school
14 readiness coalition shall conduct an evaluation of the
15 effectiveness of the school readiness program, including
16 performance standards and outcome measures, and shall provide
17 an annual report and fiscal statement to the Florida
18 Partnership for School Readiness. This report must conform to
19 the content and format specifications set by the Florida
20 Partnership for School Readiness. The partnership must include
21 an analysis of the coalition reports in its annual report.
22 (6) CONFLICTING PROVISIONS.--If any provision of this
23 section conflicts with federal requirements, the applicable
24 federal requirements shall control.
25 (7) PARENTAL CHOICE.--
26 (a) The school readiness program shall provide
27 parental choice pursuant to a purchase service order that
28 ensures, to the maximum extent possible, flexibility in school
29 readiness programs and payment arrangements. According to
30 federal regulations requiring parental choice, a parent may
31 choose an informal child-care arrangement. The purchase order
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1 must bear the name of the beneficiary and the program provider
2 and, when redeemed, must bear the signature of both the
3 beneficiary and an authorized representative of the provider.
4 (b) If it is determined that a provider has provided
5 any cash to the beneficiary in return for receiving the
6 purchase order, the coalition or its fiscal agent shall refer
7 the matter to the Division of Public Assistance Fraud for
8 investigation.
9 (c) The Office of the Comptroller shall establish an
10 electronic transfer system for the disbursement of funds in
11 accordance with this subsection. School readiness coalitions
12 shall fully implement the electronic funds transfer system
13 within 3 years after plan approval unless a waiver is obtained
14 from the partnership.
15 (8) REPORTS.--The Office of Program Policy Analysis
16 and Government Accountability shall assess the implementation,
17 efficiency, and outcomes of the school readiness program and
18 report its findings to the President of the Senate and the
19 Speaker of the House of Representatives by January 1, 2000.
20 Subsequent reviews shall be conducted at the direction of the
21 Joint Legislative Auditing Committee.
22 Section 2. Section 229.567, Florida Statutes, is
23 created to read:
24 229.567 School readiness uniform screening.--The
25 Department of Education shall adopt the school readiness
26 uniform screening developed by the Florida Partnership for
27 School Readiness, and shall require that all school districts
28 administer the kindergarten uniform screening to each
29 kindergarten student in the district school system upon the
30 student's entry into kindergarten. Children who enter public
31 school for the first time in first grade must undergo a
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1 uniform screening approved by the partnership for use in first
2 grade.
3 Section 3. Subsection (11) is added to section
4 216.136, Florida Statutes, 1998 Supplement, to read:
5 216.136 Consensus estimating conferences; duties and
6 principals.--
7 (11) SCHOOL READINESS PROGRAM ESTIMATING CONFERENCE.--
8 (a) Duties.--
9 1. The School Readiness Program Estimating Conference
10 shall develop such estimates and forecasts of the number of
11 individuals eligible for school readiness programs in
12 accordance with the standards of eligibility established by
13 state or federal statute or administrative rule as the
14 conference determines are needed to support the state
15 planning, budgeting, and appropriations processes.
16 2. In addition, the School Readiness Program
17 Estimating Conference shall estimate the unduplicated count of
18 children who are eligible for services under the school
19 readiness program.
20 3. The Florida Partnership for School Readiness shall
21 provide information on needs and waiting lists for school
22 readiness program services requested by the School Readiness
23 Program Estimating Conference or individual conference
24 principals in a timely manner.
25 (b) Principals.--The Executive Office of the Governor,
26 the Director of Economic and Demographic Research, and
27 professional staff who have forecasting expertise from the
28 Florida Partnership for School Readiness, the Department of
29 Children and Family Services, the Department of Education, the
30 Senate, and the House of Representatives, or their designees,
31 are the principals of the School Readiness Program Estimating
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1 Conference. The principal representing the Executive Office of
2 the Governor shall preside over sessions of the conference.
3 Section 4. Subsection (2) of section 414.026, Florida
4 Statutes, 1998 Supplement, is amended to read:
5 414.026 WAGES Program State Board of Directors.--
6 (2)(a) The board of directors shall be composed of the
7 following members:
8 1. The Commissioner of Education, or the
9 commissioner's designee.
10 2. The Secretary of Children and Family Services.
11 3. The Secretary of Health.
12 4. The Secretary of Labor and Employment Security.
13 5. The Secretary of Community Affairs.
14 6. The Secretary of Transportation, or the secretary's
15 designee.
16 7. The director of the Office of Tourism, Trade, and
17 Economic Development.
18 8. The chairperson of the Florida Partnership for
19 School Readiness.
20 9.8. The president of the Enterprise Florida workforce
21 development board, established under s. 288.9620.
22 10.9. The chief executive officer of the Florida
23 Tourism Industry Marketing Corporation, established under s.
24 288.1226.
25 11.10. Nine members appointed by the Governor, as
26 follows:
27 a. Six members shall be appointed from a list of ten
28 nominees, of which five must be submitted by the President of
29 the Senate and five must be submitted by the Speaker of the
30 House of Representatives. The list of five nominees submitted
31 by the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of
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1 Representatives must each contain at least three individuals
2 employed in the private sector, two of whom must have
3 management experience. One of the five nominees submitted by
4 the President of the Senate and one of the five nominees
5 submitted by the Speaker of the House of Representatives must
6 be an elected local government official who shall serve as an
7 ex officio nonvoting member.
8 b. Three members shall be at-large members appointed
9 by the Governor.
10 c. Of the nine members appointed by the Governor, at
11 least six must be employed in the private sector and of these,
12 at least five must have management experience.
13
14 The members appointed by the Governor shall be appointed to
15 4-year, staggered terms. Within 60 days after a vacancy occurs
16 on the board, the Governor shall fill the vacancy of a member
17 appointed from the nominees submitted by the President of the
18 Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives for the
19 remainder of the unexpired term from one nominee submitted by
20 the President of the Senate and one nominee submitted by the
21 Speaker of the House of Representatives. Within 60 days after
22 a vacancy of a member appointed at-large by the Governor
23 occurs on the board, the Governor shall fill the vacancy for
24 the remainder of the unexpired term. The composition of the
25 board must generally reflect the racial, gender, and ethnic
26 diversity of the state as a whole.
27 (b) The board of directors shall annually elect a
28 chairperson from among the members appointed by the Governor.
29 The board of directors shall meet at least once each quarter.
30 A member appointed by the Governor may not authorize a
31 designee to attend a meeting of the board in place of the
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1 member. The Governor may remove an appointed member for cause,
2 and an absence from three consecutive meetings results in
3 automatic removal, unless the member is excused by the
4 chairperson.
5 (c) Members of the board shall serve without
6 compensation, but are entitled to reimbursement for per diem
7 and travel expenses as provided in s. 112.061.
8 Section 5. Paragraph (a) of subsection (2) of section
9 624.91, Florida Statutes, 1998 Supplement, is amended to read:
10 624.91 The Florida Healthy Kids Corporation Act.--
11 (2) LEGISLATIVE INTENT.--
12 (a) The Legislature finds that increased access to
13 health care services could improve children's health and
14 reduce the incidence and costs of childhood illness and
15 disabilities among children in this state. Many children do
16 not have comprehensive, affordable health care services
17 available. It is the intent of the Legislature that the
18 Florida Healthy Kids Corporation provide comprehensive health
19 insurance coverage to such children. The corporation is
20 encouraged to cooperate with any existing health service
21 programs funded by the public or the private sector and to
22 work cooperatively with the Florida Partnership for School
23 Readiness.
24 Section 6. Subsection (4) of section 411.222, Florida
25 Statutes, is amended to read:
26 (Substantial rewording of subsection. See
27 s. 411.222(4), F.S., for present text.)
28 (4) STATE COORDINATING COUNCIL FOR SCHOOL READINESS
29 PROGRAMS.--
30 (a) Creation; intent.--The State Coordinating Council
31 for School Readiness Programs is established to ensure
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1 coordination among the programs that serve preschool children
2 in order to support the first state education goal, readiness
3 to start school; to facilitate communication, cooperation, and
4 the maximum use of resources; and to promote high standards
5 for all programs that serve preschool children in this state.
6 It is the intent of the Legislature that the coordinating
7 council be an independent nonpartisan body and not be
8 identified or affiliated with any one agency, program, or
9 group.
10 (b) Membership.--The council shall be composed of the
11 following 15 members:
12 1. The seven current members of the 1998-1999 State
13 Coordinating Council Executive Committee.
14 2. Eight additional members, appointed by the
15 executive committee, including a representative of each of the
16 following: subsidized child care programs; prekindergarten
17 early intervention programs; Head Start programs; health care
18 programs; private providers; faith-based providers; programs
19 for children with disabilities; and parents of preschool
20 children.
21 (c) Term.--The State Coordinating Council for School
22 Readiness Programs shall terminate on July 1, 2002.
23 (d) Organization.--
24 1. The council shall adopt internal organizational
25 procedures or bylaws necessary for the efficient operation of
26 the council. The council may establish committees that are
27 responsible for conducting specific council programs and
28 activities.
29 2. The council shall have a budget and be financed
30 through an annual appropriation made for this purpose in the
31 General Appropriations Act. Council members are entitled to
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1 reimbursement for per diem and travel expenses as provided in
2 s. 112.061 while carrying out official business of the
3 council. When appropriate, parent representatives shall
4 receive a stipend for child care costs incurred while
5 attending council meetings. For administrative purposes only,
6 the council is assigned to the Florida Partnership for School
7 Readiness.
8 3. The coordinating council shall hold quarterly
9 meetings that are open to the public, and the public shall be
10 given the opportunity to comment at each such meeting. The
11 coordinating council shall notify persons of the date, time,
12 and place of each quarterly meeting upon request.
13 (e) Duties.--The coordinating council shall recommend
14 to the Florida Partnership for School Readiness methods for
15 coordinating public and private school readiness programs and
16 procedures to facilitate communication, cooperation, and the
17 maximum use of resources to achieve the first state education
18 goal, readiness to start school. In addition, the council
19 shall:
20 1. Advise the Florida Partnership for School Readiness
21 concerning criteria for grant proposal guidelines, the review
22 of plans and proposals, and eligibility for services of school
23 readiness programs.
24 2. Recommend to the Florida Partnership for School
25 Readiness methods to increase the involvement of public and
26 private partnerships in school readiness programs in order to
27 maximize the availability of federal funds and to effectively
28 use available resources through cooperative funding and
29 coordinated services.
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1 (f) Reporting requirements.--The coordinating council
2 shall submit its final report to the Florida Partnership for
3 School Readiness by July 1, 2002.
4 Section 7. Effective July 1, 2002, subsection (4) of
5 section 411.222, Florida Statutes, is repealed.
6 Section 8. This act is not intended to impede or
7 curtail the state's ability to receive federal funds.
8 Section 9. Except as otherwise expressly provided in
9 this act, this act shall take effect upon becoming a law.
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1 STATEMENT OF SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES CONTAINED IN
COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR
2 CS/SB 366 & 382 and SB 708
3
4 The committee substitute for the committee substitute for
Senate Bills 366 and 382 and Senate bill 708 contains none of
5 the provisions of SB 708 and differs from CS/SB 366 and 382 in
the following ways:
6
1. The Partnership for School Readiness must provide technical
7 assistance to coalitions and to counties forming multicounty
coalitions; assess gaps in service; recommend common
8 eligibility requirements for similar programs; work with
coalitions to provide family literacy activities and programs;
9 and recommend whether or not to move agency personnel to the
Partnership.
10
2. Several new dates by which certain activities must be
11 completed by the Partnership are established. By January 1,
2000, the Partnership must adopt performance standards and
12 outcome measures; by January 31, 2000, the Partnership must
recommend whether or not to move agency personnel to the
13 Partnership; by February 1, 2000, the Partnership must work
with the Comptroller for electronic funds transfer and must
14 present to the Legislature a plan for combining funding
streams for school readiness programs into a school readiness
15 trust fund; and by May 1, 2000, the Partnership must adopt a
screening system for measuring school readiness.
16
3. The Partnership must work to establish a career path for
17 employees in readiness-related professions.
18 4. Children who enter public school for the first time in
first grade must undergo a screening for school readiness.
19
5. A provider of early education services cannot be a fiscal
20 agent unless approved by the Partnership.
21 6. A coalition must serve a geographic area with a population
of at least 20,000 children ages birth to five years unless
22 the Partnership grants a hardship exemption.
23 7. Coalition plans will be approved biannually by the
Partnership.
24
8. Administrative costs will be limited to 10 percent; a
25 coalition could only expend 5 percent for its administrative
costs and the other 5 percent would be available for
26 administrative costs of program providers.
27 9. The State Coordinating Council for Early Childhood Services
will be reconstituted as the 15-member Coordinating Council
28 for School Readiness and will advise the Partnership until
2002, at which time the council will be repealed.
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