Senate Bill sb1810

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
    Florida Senate - 2002                                  SB 1810

    By Senator Wasserman Schultz





    32-1501A-02                                             See HB

  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to school-age child care;

  3         amending s. 411.01, F.S., relating to the

  4         Florida Partnership for School Readiness and

  5         school readiness coalitions; providing for

  6         definition of the term "appropriate age of

  7         self-care"; providing that school-age children

  8         meeting specified requirements shall receive

  9         priority for participation in school readiness

10         programs; providing an effective date.

11

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

13

14         Section 1.  Paragraph (d) of subsection (5) and

15  subsection (6) of section 411.01, Florida Statutes, are

16  amended to read:

17         411.01  Florida Partnership for School Readiness;

18  school readiness coalitions.--

19         (5)  CREATION OF SCHOOL READINESS COALITIONS.--

20         (d)  Implementation.--

21         1.  The school readiness program is to be phased in.

22  Until the coalition implements its plan, the county shall

23  continue to receive the services identified in subsection (3)

24  through the various agencies that would be responsible for

25  delivering those services under current law.  Plan

26  implementation is subject to approval of the coalition and the

27  plan by the Florida Partnership for School Readiness.

28         2.  Each school readiness coalition shall develop a

29  plan for implementing the school readiness program to meet the

30  requirements of this section and the performance standards and

31  outcome measures established by the partnership. The plan must

                                  1

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    Florida Senate - 2002                                  SB 1810
    32-1501A-02                                             See HB




  1  include a written description of the role of the program in

  2  the coalition's effort to meet the first state education goal,

  3  readiness to start school, including a description of the plan

  4  to involve the prekindergarten early intervention programs,

  5  Head Start Programs, programs offered by public or private

  6  providers of child care, preschool programs for children with

  7  disabilities, programs for migrant children, Title I programs,

  8  subsidized child care programs, and teen parent programs. The

  9  plan must also demonstrate how the program will ensure that

10  each 3-year-old and 4-year-old child in a publicly funded

11  school readiness program receives scheduled activities and

12  instruction designed to prepare children to enter kindergarten

13  ready to learn. Prior to implementation of the program, the

14  school readiness coalition must submit the plan to the

15  partnership for approval. The partnership may approve the

16  plan, reject the plan, or approve the plan with conditions.

17  The Florida Partnership for School Readiness shall review

18  coalition plans at least annually.

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 copayment 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

                                  2

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    Florida Senate - 2002                                  SB 1810
    32-1501A-02                                             See HB




  1  partnership. The plan must provide a method for assuring the

  2  qualifications of all personnel in all program settings.

  3         d.  Specific eligibility priorities for children within

  4  the coalition's county pursuant to subsection (6).

  5         e.  Performance standards and outcome measures

  6  established by the partnership or alternatively, standards and

  7  outcome measures to be used until such time as the partnership

  8  adopts such standards and outcome measures.

  9         f.  Reimbursement rates that have been developed by the

10  coalition. Reimbursement rates shall not have the effect of

11  limiting parental choice or creating standards or levels of

12  services that have not been authorized by the Legislature.

13         g.  Systems support services, including a central

14  agency, child care resource and referral, eligibility

15  determinations, training of providers, and parent support and

16  involvement.

17         h.  Direct enhancement services to families and

18  children. System support and direct enhancement services shall

19  be in addition to payments for the placement of children in

20  school readiness programs.

21         i.  A business plan, which must include the contract

22  with a school readiness agent if the coalition is not a

23  legally established corporate entity. Coalitions may contract

24  with other coalitions to achieve efficiency in multiple-county

25  services, and such contracts may be part of the coalition's

26  business plan.

27         j.  Strategies to meet the needs of unique populations,

28  such as migrant workers.

29         k.  A definition of the term "appropriate age of

30  self-care."

31

                                  3

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    Florida Senate - 2002                                  SB 1810
    32-1501A-02                                             See HB




  1  As part of the plan, the coalition may request the Governor to

  2  apply for a waiver to allow the coalition to administer the

  3  Head Start Program to accomplish the purposes of the school

  4  readiness program.  If any school readiness plan can

  5  demonstrate that specific statutory goals can be achieved more

  6  effectively by using procedures that require modification of

  7  existing rules, policies, or procedures, a request for a

  8  waiver to the partnership may be made as part of the plan.

  9  Upon review, the partnership may grant the proposed

10  modification.

11         4.  Persons with an early childhood teaching

12  certificate may provide support and supervision to other staff

13  in the school readiness program.

14         5.  The coalition may not implement its plan until it

15  submits the plan to and receives approval from the

16  partnership. 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 at

20  least biennially.

21         6.  The following statutes will not apply to local

22  coalitions with approved plans: ss. 125.901(2)(a)3., 411.221,

23  and 411.232. To facilitate innovative practices and to allow

24  local establishment of school readiness programs, a school

25  readiness coalition may apply to the Governor and Cabinet for

26  a waiver of, and the Governor and Cabinet may waive, any of

27  the provisions of ss. 230.23166, 411.223, and 411.232, if the

28  waiver is necessary for implementation of the coalition's

29  school readiness plan.

30         7.  Two or more counties may join for the purpose of

31  planning and implementing a school readiness program.

                                  4

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    Florida Senate - 2002                                  SB 1810
    32-1501A-02                                             See HB




  1         8.  A coalition may, subject to approval of the

  2  partnership as part of the coalition's plan, receive

  3  subsidized child care funds for all children eligible for any

  4  federal subsidized child care program and be the provider of

  5  the program services.

  6         9.  Coalitions are authorized to enter into multiparty

  7  contracts with multicounty service providers in order to meet

  8  the needs of unique populations such as migrant workers.

  9         (6)  PROGRAM ELIGIBILITY.--The school readiness program

10  shall be established for children under the age of

11  kindergarten eligibility. Priority for participation in the

12  school readiness program shall be given to children who meet

13  one or more of the following criteria:

14         (a)  Children under the age of kindergarten eligibility

15  who are:

16         1.  Children determined to be at risk of abuse,

17  neglect, or exploitation and who are currently clients of the

18  Family Safety Program Office of the Department of Children and

19  Family Services.

20         2.  Children at risk of welfare dependency, including

21  economically disadvantaged children, children of participants

22  in the welfare transition program, children of migrant

23  farmworkers, and children of teen parents.

24         3.  Children of working families whose family income

25  does not exceed 150 percent of the federal poverty level.

26         (b)  Three-year-old children and 4-year-old children

27  who may not be economically disadvantaged but who have

28  disabilities, have been served in a specific part-time or

29  combination of part-time exceptional education programs with

30  required special services, aids, or equipment, and were

31

                                  5

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    Florida Senate - 2002                                  SB 1810
    32-1501A-02                                             See HB




  1  previously reported for funding part time with the Florida

  2  Education Finance Program as exceptional students.

  3         (c)  Economically disadvantaged children, children with

  4  disabilities, and children at risk of future school failure,

  5  from birth to 4 years of age, who are served at home through

  6  home visitor programs and intensive parent education programs

  7  such as the Florida First Start Program.

  8         (d)  Children who meet federal and state requirements

  9  for eligibility for the migrant preschool program but who do

10  not meet the criteria of economically disadvantaged.

11         (e)  Children under 12 years of age: who are determined

12  to be at risk of abuse, neglect, or exploitation; whose

13  parents are participating in a welfare transition or diversion

14  program; who are children of working families whose family

15  income does not exceed 150 percent of the federal poverty

16  level; who have special needs pursuant to paragraph (b); or

17  who have a sibling under 5 years of age who is eligible for

18  participation in a school readiness program pursuant to

19  paragraphs (a)-(d). Priority for eligibility pursuant to this

20  paragraph shall be given to those children who are under the

21  appropriate age of self-care, as defined by the coalition in

22  its school readiness plan.

23

24  An "economically disadvantaged" child means a child whose

25  family income is below 150 percent of the federal poverty

26  level. Notwithstanding any change in a family's economic

27  status, but subject to additional family contributions in

28  accordance with the sliding fee scale, a child who meets the

29  eligibility requirements upon initial registration for the

30  program shall be considered eligible until the child reaches

31

                                  6

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    Florida Senate - 2002                                  SB 1810
    32-1501A-02                                             See HB




  1  the age of self-care or 12 years of age, as specified by the

  2  coalition in its school readiness plan kindergarten age.

  3         Section 2.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2002.

  4

  5            *****************************************

  6                          HOUSE SUMMARY

  7
      Provides that school-age children who meet specified
  8    requirements shall be given priority for participation in
      school readiness programs administered by school
  9    readiness coalitions.

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

                                  7

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.