HB 0821

CS

CHAMBER ACTION

1	The Committee on Appropriations recommends the following:
2
3	Committee Substitute
4	Remove the entire bill and insert:
5	A bill to be entitled
6	An act relating to early childhood education; creating pt.
7	V of ch. 1002, F.S., entitled "Voluntary Prekindergarten
8	Education Program"; providing definitions; creating the
9	Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program (VPK Program)
10	within the Department of Education to implement s. 1(b)
11	and (c), Art. IX of the State Constitution; providing
12	student eligibility and enrollment requirements; providing
13	scholarship options and for issuance of scholarships;
14	providing eligibility requirements for prekindergarten
15	schools to participate in the VPK Program; providing
16	educational requirements for prekindergarten directors of
17	prekindergarten schools; providing requirements for a
18	prekindergarten school teacher preparation and continuing
19	education course; requiring adoption of VPK Program
20	student performance standards; providing curriculum
21	requirements and accountability standards; requiring
22	adoption of a statewide kindergarten screening, and
23	implementation of a screening instrument, to assess
24	kindergarten readiness; providing funding, payment, and
25	attendance requirements for prekindergarten schools;
26	providing for administration of the VPK Program; providing
27	department powers and duties; providing for an evaluation
28	and adoption of curriculum standards for child development
29	associate credentials; providing for interinstitutional
30	articulation agreements; creating the Early Learning
31	Advisory Council within the Agency for Workforce
32	Innovation to provide advice on early childhood education
33	policy and administration of the VPK Program and early
34	learning programs; providing council requirements;
35	providing State Board of Education rulemaking authority;
36	amending and renumbering s. 402.3017, F.S.; authorizing
37	the department to contract for administration of
38	scholarship initiatives for early childhood education
39	personnel and for a program to encourage parental
40	involvement; amending s. 411.01, F.S.; conforming
41	provisions to the transfer of the powers and duties of the
42	Florida Partnership for School Readiness to the Agency for
43	Workforce Innovation and the abolishment of the
44	partnership; redesignating school readiness programs as
45	early learning programs and school readiness coalitions as
46	early learning councils; providing duties of the Agency
47	for Workforce Innovation with respect to administration of
48	early learning programs at the statewide level, adoption
49	of standards and outcome measures for early learning
50	programs, and approval, coordination, and evaluation of
51	early learning councils; providing for the organization of
52	early learning councils and membership thereof; providing
53	for administration and implementation of early learning
54	programs by early learning councils; specifying
55	requirements for, and elements of, early learning
56	programs; requiring Agency for Workforce Innovation
57	approval of early learning program plans submitted by
58	early learning councils; specifying minimum standards and
59	provisions for each early learning plan; providing
60	requirements relating to the procurement of commodities or
61	services, payment schedules, fiscal agents, and evaluation
62	of early learning programs and reporting thereof;
63	providing eligibility requirements for participation in
64	early learning programs; requiring early learning programs
65	to provide parental choice; requiring early learning
66	programs to meet performance standards and outcome
67	measures adopted by the Agency for Workforce Innovation;
68	providing for allocation of funds to early learning
69	councils by the Agency for Workforce Innovation and
70	specifying use of such funds; amending s. 11.45, F.S.;
71	authorizing the Auditor General to conduct audits of the
72	early learning system; amending s. 20.50, F.S.; creating
73	the Office of Early Childhood Education within the Agency
74	for Workforce Innovation to administer the early learning
75	system; amending s. 125.901, F.S.; conforming provisions;
76	amending ss. 216.133 and 216.136, F.S.; redesignating the
77	School Readiness Program Estimating Conference as the
78	Early Childhood Education Programs Estimating Conference;
79	requiring estimates and forecasts for early learning
80	programs and the VPK Program; amending s. 402.3016, F.S.;
81	conforming provisions; amending and renumbering s. 402.27,
82	F.S.; requiring the Agency for Workforce Innovation to
83	administer a statewide resource and referral network to
84	provide information for, and assistance in, the operation
85	of early learning councils and the VPK Program; including
86	a system of local resource and referral within the network
87	and specifying services to be provided; amending s.
88	402.3018, F.S.; requiring the Agency for Workforce
89	Innovation to provide for a statewide toll-free Warm-Line;
90	amending s. 409.178, F.S.; redesignating the Child Care
91	Executive Partnership as the Business Partnership for
92	Early Learning to be administered by the Agency for
93	Workforce Innovation and providing for establishment of
94	the Business Partnership for Early Learning Program;
95	amending s. 402.25, F.S.; conforming provisions; amending
96	s. 402.281, F.S.; redesignating the Gold Seal Quality Care
97	program as the Gold Seal Quality program; specifying
98	requirements for a Gold Seal Quality designation; amending
99	ss. 402.3051, 402.315, and 212.08, F.S.; conforming
100	provisions; amending s. 402.305, F.S.; revising
101	requirements for an introductory course in child care for
102	child care personnel; revising minimum staff credential
103	requirements for child care personnel and providing
104	rulemaking authority for equivalent credentials; amending
105	ss. 383.14, 402.45, 411.011, 411.221, 411.226, 411.227,
106	445.023, 490.014, 491.014, 624.91, 1001.23, 1002.22,
107	1003.21, 1003.54, and 1006.03, F.S.; conforming
108	provisions; requiring the Department of Education to
109	submit to the Legislature recommendations for professional
110	development programs for the VPK Program; repealing ss.
111	402.30501, 411.012, and 1008.21, F.S., relating to
112	modification of the introductory child care course for
113	community college credit, the voluntary universal
114	prekindergarten education program, and the school
115	readiness uniform screening, respectively; abolishing the
116	Florida Partnership for School Readiness and providing for
117	transfer of powers, duties, functions, rules, records,
118	personnel, property, and funds to the Agency for Workforce
119	Innovation; providing for retention of powers, duties,
120	functions, rules, records, personnel, property, and funds
121	by school readiness coalitions upon redesignation as early
122	learning councils; providing for the transfer of the TEACH
123	Early Childhood Project and the HIPPY program from the
124	Agency for Workforce Innovation to the Department of
125	Education; prohibiting certain transfers without specific
126	legislative authority; providing that the VPK Program is a
127	choice option for parents and providers and not part of
128	the system of public education; providing effective dates.
129
130	Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
131
132	Section 1.  Part V of chapter 1002, Florida Statutes,
133	consisting of sections 1002.51, 1002.53, 1002.55, 1002.57,
134	1002.59, 1002.63, 1002.65, 1002.67, 1002.69, 1002.701, 1002.702,
135	1002.71, and 1002.75, is created to read:
136	PART V
137	VOLUNTARY PREKINDERGARTEN EDUCATION PROGRAM
138	1002.51  Definitions.--As used in this part, the term:
139	(1)  "Advisory council" means the Early Learning Advisory
140	Council created under s. 1002.71.
141	(2)  "Department" means the Department of Education.
142	(3)  "Early learning council" or "council" means an early
143	learning council created under s. 411.01.
144	(4)  "Kindergarten eligibility" means the age at which a
145	child is eligible for admission to kindergarten in a public
146	school under s. 1003.21(1)(a)2.
147	(5)  "Prekindergarten director" means an onsite person
148	ultimately responsible for the overall operation of a
149	prekindergarten school or, alternatively, of the school's
150	prekindergarten education program, regardless of whether he or
151	she is the owner of the school.
152	(6)  "Prekindergarten school" means a school eligible to
153	deliver the prekindergarten education program under s. 1002.55
154	and includes public, private, and faith-based schools.
155	1002.53  Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program;
156	eligibility and enrollment.--
157	(1)  There is created the Voluntary Prekindergarten
158	Education Program (VPK Program) within the Department of
159	Education. The program shall take effect at the beginning of the
160	2005-2006 school year and shall be organized, designed, and
161	delivered in accordance with s. 1(b) and (c), Art. IX of the
162	State Constitution.
163	(2)  Each child who is a resident of the state who will
164	have attained the age of 4 years on or before September 1 of the
165	school year is eligible for the VPK Program during that school
166	year. The child remains eligible until the child attains
167	kindergarten eligibility or is admitted to kindergarten,
168	whichever occurs first. Participation in the VPK Program shall
169	be voluntary on the part of both parents and prekindergarten
170	schools.
171	(3)(a)  The parent of each child eligible under subsection
172	(2) may request and receive from the state:
173	1.  A scholarship for the child to attend any eligible VPK
174	Program public, private, or faith-based prekindergarten school
175	of the parent's choice for a school year of 540 hours. The
176	parent shall be responsible for the child's transportation and
177	for additional hours or services desired for the child unless
178	the child is eligible for subsidized services under the early
179	learning program; or
180	2.  A scholarship for the child to attend an intensive
181	full-day, 310-hour prekindergarten summer school offered by an
182	eligible VPK Program public, private, or faith-based school of
183	the parent's choice. The parent shall be responsible for the
184	child's transportation and for additional hours or services
185	desired for the child unless the child is eligible for
186	subsidized services under the early learning program.
187	(b)  An additional scholarship option shall be available to
188	the parent of a child who has participated in the option under
189	subparagraph (a)1. who is a limited English proficient child and
190	is assessed at the end of the 540-hour school year program as
191	being in the lowest quartile of students in the state on a
192	uniform prereadiness assessment instrument provided by the
193	department. The parent of each such child may opt for the child
194	to also attend the intensive prekindergarten summer school
195	option under subparagraph (a)2.
196
197	If the parent requests a scholarship for the child for the
198	option under subparagraph (a)1., the option under subparagraph
199	(a)2., or the option under paragraph (b), the scholarship shall
200	be issued by a voucher or coupon or an electronic coupon or code
201	in the name of the parent. The parent shall monthly present the
202	voucher, coupon, or code to the eligible VPK Program
203	prekindergarten school of the parent's choice and, with
204	verification of the child's enrollment in and continued
205	attendance at the school, the prekindergarten school shall
206	monthly submit the voucher, coupon, or code to the department
207	and the department shall deposit the child's monthly scholarship
208	payment in the school's account. The scholarship shall be in an
209	amount set by the 2005 Legislature, annually adjusted for
210	inflation in accordance with the Consumer Price Index. The
211	parent is free to choose for the child any eligible VPK Program
212	prekindergarten school with available space.
213	(4)(a)  Each parent seeking a VPK Program scholarship for
214	his or her child must complete and submit an application to the
215	department through the single point of entry established under
216	s. 411.01.
217	(b)  The application must be submitted on forms prescribed
218	by the department and must be accompanied by a certified copy of
219	the child's birth certificate. The department may designate
220	alternative methods for submitting proof of the child's age in
221	lieu of a certified copy of the child's birth certificate.
222	(5)  The department shall provide each parent enrolling a
223	child in the VPK Program with a profile of every prekindergarten
224	school delivering the program within the school district. The
225	profiles shall be provided to parents in a format prescribed by
226	the department. The profiles must include, at a minimum, the
227	following information about each prekindergarten school:
228	(a)  The school's services, curriculum, teacher
229	credentials, and teacher-to-student ratio.
230	(b)  The school's kindergarten readiness rate calculated in
231	accordance with ss. 1002.63(3)(c) and 1002.65, based upon the
232	most recent available results of the statewide kindergarten
233	screening.
234	(6)  A parent may enroll his or her child with any
235	prekindergarten school that is eligible to deliver the VPK
236	Program under this part, subject to available space; however, a
237	prekindergarten school is not required to admit any child. The
238	department may not limit the number of students admitted by any
239	prekindergarten school for enrollment in the program.
240	1002.55  VPK Program delivered by prekindergarten
241	schools.--
242	(1)(a)  To be an eligible prekindergarten school in the VPK
243	Program, the school must be a Florida public, private, or faith-
244	based school that offers a literacy-based and numeracy-based
245	foundation curriculum which emphasizes phonics, phonemic
246	awareness, and vocabulary and is appropriate to prepare 4-year-
247	old children for success upon entry into public school. A public
248	school graded "D" or "F" shall not be eligible to participate in
249	the VPK Program unless no other VPK Program prekindergarten
250	school is located in the geographic area, in which case the
251	public school graded "D" or "F" shall contract with a public
252	school graded "A" or "B" or a private or faith-based VPK Program
253	prekindergarten school to provide the prekindergarten program in
254	the public school graded "D" or "F."
255	(b)  The prekindergarten school shall maintain an accurate
256	school profile containing the information required in s.
257	1002.53(5) and other objective measures and keep this profile
258	readily available and easy to access and understand by parents
259	of children attending the school and parents interested in the
260	school for their child.
261	(c)  The prekindergarten school shall provide the
262	department evidence of its fiscal soundness and other evidence
263	as required by the department pursuant to this part of its
264	eligibility to participate in the VPK Program. The department
265	may request a surety bond if necessary to ensure continued
266	provision of prekindergarten education by the school.
267	(2)  To be eligible to deliver the VPK Program, a
268	prekindergarten school must:
269	(a)1.  Be a public prekindergarten school pursuant to
270	paragraph (1)(a); or
271	2.  Be a private prekindergarten school, including:
272	a.  A nonpublic school exempt from licensure under s.
273	402.3025(2) that is accredited by an accrediting association
274	recognized by the National Council for Private School
275	Accreditation (NCPSA), the Commission on International and
276	Trans-Regional Accreditation, or the Florida Association of
277	Academic Nonpublic Schools (FAANS) or that has a current Gold
278	Seal Quality designation;
279	b.  A child care facility licensed under s. 402.305 that
280	has a current Gold Seal Quality designation;
281	c.  A family day care home licensed under s. 402.313 that
282	has a current Gold Seal Quality designation;
283	d.  A large family child care home licensed under s.
284	402.3131 that has a current Gold Seal Quality designation; or
285	e.  A religious-affiliated child care facility exempt from
286	licensure under s. 402.316 that is accredited by an accrediting
287	association recognized by the National Council for Private
288	School Accreditation (NCPSA), the Commission on International
289	and Trans-Regional Accreditation, or the Florida Association of
290	Academic Nonpublic Schools (FAANS) or that has a current Gold
291	Seal Quality designation.
292
293	No public or private prekindergarten school participating in the
294	VPK Program shall exceed the constitutionally established class
295	size maximum of 18 students for each prekindergarten classroom.
296	(b)  Have for each prekindergarten class at least one
297	teacher who meets the following requirements:
298	1.  The teacher must hold, at a minimum, one of the
299	following credentials:
300	a.  A current child development associate credential issued
301	by the National Credentialing Program of the Council for
302	Professional Regulation; or
303	b.  A current credential approved by the department as
304	being equivalent to or greater than the credential described in
305	sub-subparagraph a.
306
307	The State Board of Education may adopt rules that provide
308	criteria and procedures for the approval of equivalent
309	credentials under sub-subparagraph b.
310	2.  The teacher must successfully complete an emerging
311	literacy teacher preparation and continuing education course
312	approved by the department as meeting or exceeding the minimum
313	standards adopted under s. 1002.59. This subparagraph does not
314	apply to a teacher who successfully completes approved training
315	in early literacy and language development under s.
316	402.305(2)(d)4., s. 402.313(6), or s. 402.3131(5) before the
317	establishment of the emerging literacy training course under s.
318	1002.59 or January 1, 2005, whichever occurs later.
319	(c)  Have a director who has a prekindergarten director
320	credential that is approved by the department, which must
321	include the child care facility director credential under s.
322	402.305(2)(f) and additional minimum standards adopted under s.
323	1002.57. A prekindergarten director who successfully completes a
324	child care facility director credential under s. 402.305(2)(f)
325	before the establishment of the prekindergarten director
326	credential under s. 1002.57 or July 1, 2005, whichever occurs
327	later, satisfies the requirement for a prekindergarten director
328	credential under this paragraph.
329	(d)  Register with the department on forms prescribed by
330	the department.
331	(e)  Deliver the prekindergarten education program in
332	accordance with this part.
333	(3)  A teacher, in lieu of the minimum credentials and
334	courses required under paragraph (2)(b), may hold one of the
335	following educational credentials:
336	(a)  A bachelor's or higher degree in early childhood
337	education, prekindergarten or primary education, preschool
338	education, or family and consumer science;
339	(b)  A bachelor's or higher degree in elementary education
340	if the teacher or child care personnel has been certified to
341	teach children any age from birth through grade 6, regardless of
342	whether the teaching certificate is current;
343	(c)  An associate's or higher degree in child development;
344	(d)  An associate's or higher degree in an unrelated field,
345	at least 6 credit hours in early childhood education or child
346	development, and at least 480 hours' experience in teaching or
347	providing child care services for children any age from birth
348	through 8 years of age; or
349	(e)  An educational credential approved by the department
350	as being equivalent to or greater than an educational credential
351	described in this subsection. The department shall adopt
352	criteria and procedures for the approval of equivalent
353	educational credentials under this paragraph, which shall
354	include, but are not limited to, the emerging literacy
355	preparation and continuing education course pursuant to s.
356	1002.59.
357	(4)  The prekindergarten school must comply with the
358	antidiscrimination provisions of 42 U.S.C. s. 2000d.
359	1002.57  Prekindergarten director credential.--
360	(1)  By July 1, 2005, the department, with the advice of
361	the advisory council, shall adopt minimum standards for a
362	credential for prekindergarten directors of prekindergarten
363	schools delivering the VPK Program. The credential must
364	encompass the director credential developed under s.
365	402.305(2)(f) and additional requirements for education or
366	onsite experience.
367	(2)  Additional educational requirements must include
368	training in professionally accepted standards for
369	prekindergarten programs, child development, and strategies and
370	techniques to address the age-appropriate progress of
371	prekindergarten students in attaining the performance standards
372	adopted by the department under s. 1002.63.
373	1002.59  Emerging literacy prekindergarten school teacher
374	preparation and continuing education course.--
375	(1)  The Florida Center for Reading Research at Florida
376	State University shall design a web-based teacher preparation
377	and continuing education course that will provide teachers of 4-
378	year-old children with the teaching skills necessary to teach
379	these children the literacy, numeracy, phonics, phonemic
380	awareness, and vocabulary foundation skills they need to be
381	measured as ready for school when they are administered the
382	uniform school readiness screening upon entry into public
383	school.
384	(2)  The teacher education and continuing education course
385	must be designed with sufficient flexibility to accommodate the
386	variety of curricula and teaching methodologies that may be used
387	by public, private, and faith-based prekindergarten schools.
388	(3)  The teacher preparation and continuing education
389	course shall be provided to the department by May 1, 2005. By
390	June 1, 2005, the department shall make the teacher preparation
391	and continuing education course available to all VPK Program
392	prekindergarten schools and teachers.
393	(4)  All teachers of 4-year-old children in prekindergarten
394	schools participating in the VPK Program shall complete the
395	teacher preparation and continuing education course.
396	(5)  The course shall comprise 5 clock hours and provide
397	instruction in strategies and techniques to address the age-
398	appropriate progress of prekindergarten students. The course
399	must meet or exceed the requirements of the Department of
400	Children and Family Services for approved training in early
401	literacy and language development under ss. 402.305(2)(d)4.,
402	402.313(6), and 402.3131(5), and successful completion of the
403	course satisfies these requirements for approved training.
404	1002.63  Performance standards; curriculum and
405	accountability.--
406	(1)  By January 1, 2005, the department, with the advice of
407	the advisory council, shall develop and adopt education
408	performance standards for students in the VPK Program. The
409	performance standards must address the age-appropriate progress
410	of students in the development of:
411	(a)  The capabilities, capacities, and skills required
412	under s. 1(b), Art. IX of the State Constitution.
413	(b)  Emerging literacy skills, including oral
414	communication, knowledge of print and letters, and phonological
415	or phonemic awareness.
416	(2)(a)  Each prekindergarten school may select or design
417	the curriculum that the school uses to implement the VPK
418	Program, except as otherwise required for a school that is
419	placed on probation under paragraph (3)(c). Each school's
420	curriculum must be designed to enhance the age-appropriate
421	progress of students in attaining the performance standards
422	adopted by the department under subsection (1).
423	(b)  The department shall review and approve curricula for
424	use by schools that are placed on probation under paragraph
425	(3)(c). The department shall maintain a list of the curricula
426	approved under this paragraph. Each approved curriculum must be
427	designed to:
428	1.  Enhance the age-appropriate progress of students in
429	attaining the performance standards adopted by the department
430	under subsection (1).
431	2.  Prepare students to be assessed as ready for
432	kindergarten based upon the statewide kindergarten screening
433	administered under s. 1002.65.
434	(3)(a)  The department shall verify compliance with this
435	part of the prekindergarten schools delivering the VPK Program.
436	(b)  The department may remove a prekindergarten school
437	from eligibility to deliver the VPK Program and to receive state
438	funds for the program if the school fails or refuses to comply
439	with this part.
440	(c)  Beginning with the kindergarten readiness rates for
441	students completing the VPK Program during the 2005-2006 school
442	year who are administered the statewide kindergarten screening
443	during the 2006-2007 school year:
444	1.  If less than 85 percent of the students in a
445	prekindergarten school's prekindergarten program are assessed as
446	ready for kindergarten based upon the statewide kindergarten
447	screening, the department shall require the school to submit an
448	improvement plan for approval and to implement the plan.
449	2.  If a prekindergarten school fails to meet the 85-
450	percent kindergarten readiness rate for 2 consecutive years, the
451	department shall place the school on probation and must require
452	the school to take certain corrective actions, including the use
453	of a curriculum approved by the department under paragraph
454	(2)(b).
455	3.  A prekindergarten school that is placed on probation
456	must continue the corrective actions required under subparagraph
457	2., including the use of a curriculum approved by the department
458	under paragraph (2)(b), until the school meets the 85-percent
459	kindergarten readiness rate, based upon results of the statewide
460	kindergarten screening administered under s. 1002.65.
461	1002.65  Statewide kindergarten screening.--
462	(1)  The department, with the advice of the advisory
463	council, shall adopt a statewide kindergarten screening that
464	assesses the readiness of each student for kindergarten based
465	upon the performance standards for the VPK Program adopted by
466	the department under s. 1002.63(1). The department shall require
467	that each school district administer the statewide kindergarten
468	screening to every kindergarten student in the school district
469	within 30 school days after the student's entry into
470	kindergarten.
471	(2)  The statewide kindergarten screening shall provide
472	objective data on each student's progress in attaining the
473	performance standards adopted by the department under s.
474	1002.63(1).
475	(3)  The statewide kindergarten screening shall incorporate
476	mechanisms for recognizing potential variations in kindergarten
477	readiness rates for children with disabilities.
478	(4)(a)  During the 2004-2005 school year, the department
479	shall implement a statewide kindergarten screening instrument
480	that measures emerging phonemic awareness and phonics skills
481	which are valid and reliable predictors of later reading
482	performance.
483	(b)  For purposes of s. 1002.63(3)(c), the statewide
484	kindergarten screening instrument implemented under paragraph
485	(a) shall be used to calculate kindergarten readiness rates.
486	(c)  The kindergarten screening instrument implemented
487	during the 2004-2005 school year shall continue to be used by
488	the department for a minimum of 3 consecutive school years.
489	(d)  The Legislature shall review, at the 2007 Regular
490	Session, the baseline data obtained under the statewide
491	kindergarten screening instrument implemented under paragraph
492	(a) and the 85-percent kindergarten readiness rate in s.
493	1002.63(3)(c). The kindergarten screening instrument implemented
494	by the department under paragraph (a) shall be used to calculate
495	the kindergarten readiness rates for students completing the VPK
496	Program during the 2005-2006 school year and for subsequent
497	school years.
498	1002.67  Funding; financial and attendance reporting.--
499	(1)  The department shall pay prekindergarten schools
500	monthly for the VPK Program from funds provided in the General
501	Appropriations Act for that purpose. A prekindergarten school
502	must, in order to receive payment, certify student attendance
503	each month to the department and submit a voucher or coupon or
504	electronic coupon or code verifying the parent's continuing
505	choice for the child to attend the school. The department shall
506	contract for a payment system that contains maximum automation
507	while providing flexibility for direct parental provider choice
508	and that contains built-in safeguards to minimize fraudulent
509	conduct.
510	(2)(a)  Each parent enrolling his or her child in the VPK
511	Program must agree to comply with the attendance policy of the
512	prekindergarten school. Upon enrollment of the child, the
513	prekindergarten school must provide the child's parent with a
514	copy of the school's attendance policy.
515	(b)  The prekindergarten school may dismiss a student who
516	does not comply with the school's attendance policy.
517	(c)  The department shall adopt procedures for documenting
518	the attendance of students in the VPK Program. The procedures
519	must provide requirements for the adjustment of a
520	prekindergarten school's funding when a student has more than
521	five consecutive unexcused absences during a month.
522	(3)  Except as otherwise expressly authorized by law, a
523	prekindergarten school may not:
524	(a)  Impose or collect a fee or charge for services
525	provided for a child enrolled in the VPK Program during a period
526	reported for funding purposes under subsection (1); or
527	(b)  Require a child to enroll for, or require the payment
528	of any fee or charge for, supplemental services as a condition
529	of admitting a child for enrollment in the VPK Program.
530	Supplemental or wrap-around services may be paid for by the
531	parents or, if the child is eligible, by the early learning
532	program pursuant to s. 411.01.
533	(4)  State funds provided for the VPK Program may not be
534	used for the transportation of students to and from the program.
535	A parent is responsible for the transportation of his or her
536	child to and from the VPK Program. However, nothing shall
537	prohibit a prekindergarten school from opting to provide
538	transportation scholarships.
539	1002.69  Department of Education; Choice Office; powers and
540	duties.--
541	(1)  The Choice Office of the Department of Education, with
542	the advice of the advisory council, shall contract with a
543	program administrator to administer the VPK Program at the
544	statewide level. The program administrator shall administer the
545	program effectively and efficiently in accordance with this
546	part.
547	(2)  The department shall adopt procedures for:
548	(a)  Enrolling children in and determining the eligibility
549	of children for the VPK Program under s. 1002.53.
550	(b)  Providing parents with profiles of prekindergarten
551	schools under s. 1002.53.
552	(c)  Registering and determining the eligibility of
553	prekindergarten schools to deliver the program under s. 1002.55.
554	(d)  Approving prekindergarten director credentials under
555	ss. 1002.55 and 1002.57.
556	(e)  Approving emerging literacy prekindergarten school
557	teacher preparation and continuing education courses under ss.
558	1002.55 and 1002.59.
559	(f)  Verifying the compliance of prekindergarten schools,
560	and removing schools from eligibility to deliver the program for
561	noncompliance, under s. 1002.63.
562	(g)  Approving improvement plans of prekindergarten schools
563	under s. 1002.63.
564	(h)  Placing prekindergarten schools on probation and
565	requiring corrective actions under s. 1002.63.
566	(i)  Administering the statewide kindergarten screening and
567	calculating kindergarten readiness rates under s. 1002.65.
568	(j)  Allocating funds for the VPK Program under s. 1002.67.
569	(k)  Documenting and certifying student attendance and
570	continuing parental choice under s. 1002.67.
571	(l)  Reenrolling students dismissed by a prekindergarten
572	school for noncompliance with the school's attendance policy
573	under s. 1002.67.
574	(m)  Paying prekindergarten schools under s. 1002.67.
575
576	Such procedures shall, through interagency agreement with state
577	or local agencies, make use of existing data or information
578	whenever feasible.
579	(3)  Except as otherwise provided by law, the department
580	does not have authority to:
581	(a)  Impose requirements on a prekindergarten school that
582	does not deliver the VPK Program or receive state funds under
583	this part.
584	(b)  Impose any requirements which are not necessary for
585	the administration of the VPK Program under this part.
586	(c)  Administer powers and duties assigned to the Agency
587	for Workforce Innovation or an early learning council under s.
588	411.01.
589	1002.701  Child development associate and child development
590	associate equivalent training capacity.--
591	(1)  The department shall conduct an evaluation of training
592	requirements and testing procedures for child development
593	associate and child development associate equivalent teachers in
594	order to assess the status of this training and testing and to
595	develop methods for improving these requirements and procedures.
596	The evaluation shall be conducted every 3 years and shall
597	include, but is not limited to, a determination of the
598	accessibility, quality, scope, and sources of current training;
599	a determination of the need for specialty training; and a
600	determination of ways to increase inservice training and
601	accessibility, quality, and cost-effectiveness of current and
602	proposed training.
603	(2)(a)  The State Board of Education shall adopt rules
604	establishing curriculum standards for the approval and renewal
605	of child development associate and child development associate
606	equivalent credential programs.
607	(b)  The curriculum standards for the child development
608	associate equivalent credential shall include a requirement to
609	successfully complete a competency-based examination for which a
610	professional certificate will be awarded. The curriculum
611	standards and renewal requirements for the state-approved child
612	development associate equivalent credential must include
613	literacy education, effective practices for increasing parental
614	involvement, and strategies to meet the needs of non-English-
615	speaking children and children with disabilities. Universities,
616	community colleges, school districts, and private providers may
617	provide training for professional development. Professional
618	development shall encourage VPK Program teachers to improve
619	their skills through education and training toward the
620	completion of an associate's degree in early childhood education
621	or child development and with the goal of completing a
622	bachelor's degree in early childhood education or child
623	development.
624	1002.702  Articulation.--The State Board of Education shall
625	develop guidelines for the articulation required in this section
626	which maximize local flexibility in developing
627	interinstitutional articulation agreements while ensuring that
628	students in the field of early learning have the ability to
629	proceed toward their higher educational and professional
630	objectives. The State Board of Education shall adopt a rule for
631	a statewide articulation agreement in which:
632	(1)  Successful completion of the 45-clock-hour
633	introductory course under s. 402.305(2)(d) shall reduce the
634	number of hours required for the equivalent state-approved child
635	development associate credential by 45 hours. The specific
636	competencies into which the hours articulate shall be determined
637	by the State Board of Education.
638	(2)  Successful completion of a child development associate
639	credential or an equivalent state-approved child development
640	associate credential that includes the emerging literacy teacher
641	preparation and continuing education course under s. 1002.59
642	shall articulate into a minimum of 8 community college credit
643	hours in early childhood education. The specific courses into
644	which the credits articulate shall be determined by the local
645	community college.
646	(3)  Successful completion of an associate degree in early
647	childhood education shall articulate into the appropriate state
648	university baccalaureate degree program.
649	1002.71  Early Learning Advisory Council.--
650	(1)  There is created the Early Learning Advisory Council,
651	administratively housed within the Agency for Workforce
652	Innovation. The purpose of the advisory council is to advise the
653	Department of Education and the Agency for Workforce Innovation
654	on early childhood education policy, including advice relating
655	to administration of the VPK Program under this part and the
656	early learning programs under s. 411.01.
657	(2)  The advisory council shall be composed of 16 members,
658	as follows:
659	(a)  Twelve members appointed by the Governor, comprised of
660	representatives of:
661	1.  Parents.
662	2.  State university presidents.
663	3.  Community college presidents.
664	4.  Private postsecondary educational institution
665	presidents.
666	5.  District school superintendents.
667	6.  Florida Association of Academic Nonpublic Schools
668	(FAANS).
669	7.  Early learning council chairs.
670	8.  Prekindergarten schools specializing in children with
671	disabilities.
672	9.  Faith-based prekindergarten schools.
673	10.  Private prekindergarten schools.
674	11.  Family day care homes that provide prekindergarten
675	education.
676	12.  Chambers of commerce.
677	(b)  Two members appointed by, and who serve at the
678	pleasure of, the President of the Senate and two members
679	appointed by, and who serve at the pleasure of, the Speaker of
680	the House of Representatives, who must each meet the same
681	qualifications as private-sector business members appointed to
682	an early learning council under s. 411.01(5)(a)6.
683
684	The advisory council shall elect its chair annually by majority
685	vote. The members appointed under this subsection must be
686	geographically and demographically representative of the state.
687	The members shall be appointed to terms of 3 years each, except
688	that, to establish staggered terms, one-half of the members
689	shall be appointed to initial terms of 2 years each. Members may
690	serve a maximum of two consecutive terms.
691	(3)  The advisory council shall meet at least quarterly but
692	may meet as often as necessary to carry out its duties and
693	responsibilities.
694	(4)(a)  Each member of the advisory council shall serve
695	without compensation but is entitled to per diem and travel
696	expenses for attendance at council meetings as provided in s.
697	112.061.
698	(b)  Each member of the advisory council is subject to the
699	ethics provisions in part III of chapter 112.
700	(c)  For purposes of tort liability, each member of the
701	advisory council shall be governed by s. 768.28.
702	(5)  The Agency for Workforce Innovation shall provide
703	staff and administrative support for the advisory council.
704	1002.75  Rulemaking authority.--The State Board of
705	Education shall adopt rules under ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54 to
706	administer the provisions of this part that confer duties upon
707	the department. However, the inclusion of eligible private and
708	faith-based options for the VPK Program available to the state's
709	4-year-old children does not expand any regulatory authority to
710	impose any additional regulation of private and faith-based
711	prekindergarten schools beyond those reasonably necessary to
712	enforce requirements expressly set forth in this part. The
713	rulemaking authority in this section does not apply to any
714	prekindergarten school that chooses not to participate in the
715	VPK Program. The state board shall adopt initial rules for the
716	VPK Program by January 1, 2005.
717	Section 2.  Section 402.3017, Florida Statutes, is
718	renumbered as section 1002.73, Florida Statutes, and amended to
719	read:
720	1002.73 402.3017  Teacher Education and Compensation Helps
721	(TEACH) Early Childhood Project or other scholarship
722	initiatives; Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool
723	Youngsters (HIPPY) program.--
724	(1)  The Legislature finds that the level of early child
725	care teacher education and training is a key predictor for
726	determining program quality. The Legislature also finds that low
727	wages for child care workers prevent many from obtaining
728	increased training and education and contribute to high turnover
729	rates. The Legislature therefore intends to help fund a program
730	which links teacher training and education to compensation and
731	commitment to the field of early childhood education.
732	(1)(2)  The department may of Children and Family Services
733	is authorized to contract for the administration of the Teacher
734	Education and Compensation Helps (TEACH) Early Childhood Project
735	or other scholarship initiatives. The project shall be based
736	upon the national model and shall provide scholarship program,
737	which provides educational scholarships to early childhood
738	education personnel caregivers and administrators of early
739	childhood programs, family day care homes, and large family
740	child care homes.
741	(2)  The department may contract for the administration of
742	the Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters (HIPPY)
743	program. The program shall be based on its national model and
744	encourage parental involvement in early learning programs by
745	providing parents with assistance in preparing their children
746	for school.
747	(3)  The State Board of Education may department shall
748	adopt rules as necessary to administer implement this section.
749	(4)  For the 2003-2004 fiscal year only, the Agency for
750	Workforce Innovation shall administer this section. This
751	subsection expires July 1, 2004.
752	Section 3.  Effective November 1, 2004, section 411.01,
753	Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
754	411.01  Early learning programs; early learning councils
755	Florida Partnership for School readiness; school readiness
756	coalitions.--
757	(1)  POPULAR NAME SHORT TITLE.--This section may be known
758	by the popular name cited as the "Early Learning School
759	Readiness Act."
760	(2)  LEGISLATIVE INTENT.--
761	(a)  The Legislature recognizes that early learning school
762	readiness programs increase children's chances of achieving
763	future educational success and becoming productive members of
764	society. It is the intent of the Legislature that the such
765	programs be developmentally appropriate, research-based, involve
766	parents as their child's first teacher, serve as preventive
767	measures for children at risk of future school failure, enhance
768	the educational readiness of eligible children, and support
769	family education. Each early learning school readiness program
770	shall provide the elements necessary to prepare at-risk children
771	for school, including health screening and referral and an
772	appropriate educational program.
773	(b)  It is the intent of the Legislature that early
774	learning school readiness programs be operated on a full-day,
775	year-round basis to the maximum extent possible to enable
776	parents to work and become financially self-sufficient.
777	(c)  It is the intent of the Legislature that early
778	learning school readiness programs not exist as isolated
779	programs, but build upon existing services and work in
780	cooperation with other programs for young children, and that
781	early learning school readiness programs be coordinated and
782	funding integrated to achieve full effectiveness.
783	(d)  It is the intent of the Legislature that the
784	administrative staff at the state level for early learning
785	school readiness programs be kept to the minimum necessary to
786	administer carry out the duties of the Agency for Workforce
787	Innovation Florida Partnership for School Readiness, as the
788	early learning school readiness programs are to be regionally
789	locally designed, operated, and managed, with the Agency for
790	Workforce Innovation Florida Partnership for School Readiness
791	adopting a system for measuring school readiness; developing
792	early learning school readiness program performance standards
793	and, outcome measures measurements, and data design and review;
794	and approving and reviewing early learning councils and early
795	learning local school readiness coalitions and plans.
796	(e)  It is the intent of the Legislature that
797	appropriations for combined early learning school readiness
798	programs shall not be less than the programs would receive in
799	any fiscal year on an uncombined basis.
800	(f)  It is the intent of the Legislature that early
801	learning programs the school readiness program coordinate and
802	operate in conjunction with the district school systems.
803	However, it is also the intent of the Legislature that the early
804	learning school readiness program not be construed as part of
805	the system of free public schools but rather as a separate
806	program for children under the age of kindergarten eligibility,
807	funded separately from the system of free public schools,
808	utilizing a mandatory sliding fee scale, and providing an
809	integrated and seamless system of early learning school
810	readiness services for the state's birth-to-kindergarten
811	population.
812	(g)  It is the intent of the Legislature that the federal
813	child care income tax credit be preserved for early learning
814	school readiness programs.
815	(h)  It is the intent of the Legislature that early
816	learning school readiness services shall be an integrated and
817	seamless system of services with a developmentally appropriate
818	education component for the state's eligible birth-to-
819	kindergarten population described in subsection (6) and shall
820	not be construed as part of the seamless K-20 education system
821	except for the administration of the uniform screening system
822	upon entry into kindergarten.
823	(3)  PARENTAL PARTICIPATION IN EARLY LEARNING PROGRAMS
824	SCHOOL READINESS PROGRAM.--This section does not:
825	(a)  The school readiness program shall be phased in on a
826	coalition-by-coalition basis. Each coalition's school readiness
827	program shall have available to it funding from all the
828	coalition's early education and child care programs that are
829	funded with state, federal, lottery, or local funds, including
830	but not limited to Florida First Start programs, Even-Start
831	literacy programs, prekindergarten early intervention programs,
832	Head Start programs, programs offered by public and private
833	providers of child care, migrant prekindergarten programs, Title
834	I programs, subsidized child care programs, and teen parent
835	programs, together with any additional funds appropriated or
836	obtained for purposes of this section. These programs and their
837	funding streams shall be components of the coalition's
838	integrated school readiness program, with the goal of preparing
839	children for success in school.
840	(b)  Nothing contained in this act is intended to:
841	(a)1.  Relieve parents and guardians of their own
842	obligations to prepare ready their children for school; or
843	(b)2.  Create any obligation to provide publicly funded
844	early learning school readiness programs or services beyond
845	those authorized by the Legislature.
846	(4)  AGENCY FOR WORKFORCE INNOVATION FLORIDA PARTNERSHIP
847	FOR SCHOOL READINESS.--
848	(a)  The Agency for Workforce Innovation shall Florida
849	Partnership for School Readiness was created to fulfill three
850	major purposes: to administer early learning programs at the
851	statewide level and shall school readiness program services that
852	help parents prepare eligible children for school; to coordinate
853	the early learning councils in providing early learning
854	provision of school readiness services on a full-day, full-year,
855	full-choice basis to the extent possible in order to enable
856	parents to work and be financially self-sufficient; and to
857	establish a uniform screening instrument to be implemented by
858	the Department of Education and administered by the school
859	districts upon entry into kindergarten to assess the readiness
860	for school of all children. Readiness for kindergarten is the
861	outcome measure of the success of each school readiness program
862	that receives state or federal funds. The partnership is
863	assigned to the Agency for Workforce Innovation for
864	administrative purposes.
865	(b)  The Agency for Workforce Innovation Florida
866	Partnership for School Readiness shall:
867	1.  Coordinate the birth-to-kindergarten services for
868	children who are eligible under pursuant to subsection (6) and
869	the programmatic, administrative, and fiscal standards under
870	pursuant to this section for all public providers of early
871	learning school readiness programs.
872	2.  Continue to provide unified leadership for early
873	learning school readiness through early learning councils local
874	school readiness coalitions.
875	3.  Focus on improving the educational quality of all
876	publicly funded early learning school readiness programs.
877	(c)1.  The Florida Partnership for School Readiness shall
878	include the Lieutenant Governor, the Commissioner of Education,
879	the Secretary of Children and Family Services, and the Secretary
880	of Health, or their designees, and the chair of the Child Care
881	Executive Partnership Board, and the chairperson of the Board of
882	Directors of Workforce Florida, Inc. When the Lieutenant
883	Governor or an agency head appoints a designee, the designee
884	must be an individual who attends consistently, and, in the
885	event that the Lieutenant Governor or agency head and his or her
886	designee both attend a meeting, only one of them may vote.
887	2.  The partnership shall also include 14 members of the
888	public who shall be business, community, and civic leaders in
889	the state who are not elected to public office. These members
890	and their families must not have a direct contract with any
891	local coalition to provide school readiness services. The
892	members must be geographically and demographically
893	representative of the state. Each member shall be appointed by
894	the Governor from a list of nominees submitted by the President
895	of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
896	By July 1, 2001, four members shall be appointed as follows: two
897	members shall be from the child care industry, one representing
898	the private for-profit sector appointed by the Governor from a
899	list of two nominees submitted by the President of the Senate
900	and one representing faith-based providers appointed by the
901	Governor from a list of two nominees submitted by the Speaker of
902	the House of Representatives; and two members shall be from the
903	business community, one appointed by the Governor from a list of
904	two nominees submitted by the President of the Senate and one
905	appointed by the Governor from a list of two nominees submitted
906	by the Speaker of the House of Representatives. Members shall be
907	appointed to 4-year terms of office. The members of the
908	partnership shall elect a chairperson annually from the
909	nongovernmental members of the partnership. Any vacancy on the
910	partnership shall be filled in the same manner as the original
911	appointment.
912	(d)  The partnership shall meet at least quarterly but may
913	meet as often as it deems necessary to carry out its duties and
914	responsibilities. Members of the partnership shall participate
915	without proxy at the quarterly meetings. The partnership may
916	take official action by a majority vote of the members present
917	at any meeting at which a quorum is present.
918	(e)  Members of the partnership are subject to the ethics
919	provisions in part III of chapter 112, and no member may derive
920	any financial benefit from the funds administered by the Florida
921	Partnership for School Readiness.
922	(f)  Members of the partnership shall serve without
923	compensation but are entitled to reimbursement for per diem and
924	travel expenses incurred in the performance of their duties as
925	provided in s. 112.061, and reimbursement for other reasonable,
926	necessary, and actual expenses.
927	(g)  For the purposes of tort liability, the members of the
928	partnership and its employees shall be governed by s. 768.28.
929	(h)  The partnership shall appoint an executive director
930	who shall serve at the pleasure of the Governor. The executive
931	director shall perform the duties assigned to him or her by the
932	partnership. The executive director shall be responsible for
933	hiring, subject to the approval of the partnership, all
934	employees and staff members, who shall serve under his or her
935	direction and control.
936	(c)(i)  For purposes of administration of the federal Child
937	Care and Development Fund, 45 C.F.R. parts 98 and 99, the Agency
938	for Workforce Innovation partnership may be designated by the
939	Governor as the lead agency, and, if so designated, shall comply
940	with the lead agency responsibilities under pursuant to federal
941	law.
942	(d)(j)  The Agency for Workforce Innovation Florida
943	Partnership for School Readiness is the principal organization
944	responsible for the enhancement of school readiness for the
945	state's children, and shall:
946	1.  Be responsible for the prudent use of all public and
947	private funds in accordance with all legal and contractual
948	requirements.
949	2.  Provide final approval and periodic review of early
950	learning councils coalitions and early learning plans.
951	3.  Provide leadership for the enhancement of early
952	learning school readiness in this state by aggressively
953	establishing a unified approach to the state's efforts toward
954	enhancement of early learning school readiness. In support of
955	this effort, the Agency for Workforce Innovation partnership may
956	develop and implement specific strategies that address the
957	state's early learning school readiness programs.
958	4.  Safeguard the effective use of federal, state, local,
959	and private resources to achieve the highest possible level of
960	early learning school readiness for the state's children in this
961	state.
962	5.  Provide technical assistance to early learning councils
963	coalitions.
964	6.  Assess gaps in service.
965	7.  Provide technical assistance to counties that form an
966	early learning council serving a multicounty region coalition.
967	8.a.  Adopt a system for measuring school readiness that
968	provides objective data regarding the expectations for school
969	readiness, and establish a method for collecting the data and
970	guidelines for using the data. The measurement, the data
971	collection, and the use of the data must serve the statewide
972	school readiness goal. The criteria for determining which data
973	to collect should be the usefulness of the data to state
974	policymakers and local program administrators in administering
975	programs and allocating state funds, and must include the
976	tracking of school readiness system information back to
977	individual school readiness programs to assist in determining
978	program effectiveness.
979	b.  Adopt a system for evaluating the performance of
980	students through the third grade to compare the performance of
981	those who participated in school readiness programs with the
982	performance of students who did not participate in school
983	readiness programs in order to identify strategies for continued
984	successful student performance.
985	8.9.  Develop and adopt, with the advice of the Early
986	Learning Advisory Council created under s. 1002.71 and the
987	Department of Education, performance standards and outcome
988	measures for early learning programs. The performance standards
989	must address the age-appropriate progress of children in the
990	development of the early learning skills required under
991	paragraph (j). The Agency for Workforce Innovation shall
992	integrate the performance standards for early learning programs
993	into the education performance standards for the VPK Program
994	adopted by the Department of Education under s. 1002.63.
995	(e)(k)  The Agency for Workforce Innovation partnership may
996	adopt rules under ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54 necessary to
997	administer the provisions of law conferring duties upon the
998	agency, including, but not limited this section which relate to,
999	rules governing the preparation preparing and implementation of
1000	implementing the early learning system for school readiness, the
1001	collection of collecting data, the approval of early learning
1002	councils and early learning approving local school readiness
1003	coalitions and plans, the provision of providing a method
1004	whereby an early learning council may a coalition can serve two
1005	or more counties, the award of awarding incentives to early
1006	learning councils coalitions, and the issuance of issuing
1007	waivers.
1008	(f)(l)  The Agency for Workforce Innovation Florida
1009	Partnership for School Readiness shall have all powers necessary
1010	to administer carry out the purposes of this section, including,
1011	but not limited to, the power to receive and accept grants,
1012	loans, or advances of funds from any public or private agency
1013	and to receive and accept from any source contributions of
1014	money, property, labor, or any other thing of value, to be held,
1015	used, and applied for the purposes of this section.
1016	(g)  Except as otherwise provided by law, the Agency for
1017	Workforce Innovation does not have authority to:
1018	1.  Impose requirements on a child care or early childhood
1019	education provider that does not deliver services under an early
1020	learning program or receive state or federal funds under this
1021	section.
1022	2.  Administer powers and duties assigned to the Department
1023	of Education under part V of chapter 1002.
1024	(h)(m)  The Agency for Workforce Innovation Florida
1025	Partnership for School Readiness shall have a budget for the
1026	early learning system, which and shall be financed through an
1027	annual appropriation made for purposes of this section purpose
1028	in the General Appropriations Act.
1029	(i)(n)  The Agency for Workforce Innovation, with the
1030	advice of the Early Learning Advisory Council, partnership shall
1031	coordinate the efforts toward early learning school readiness in
1032	this state and provide independent policy analyses and
1033	recommendations to the Governor, the State Board of Education,
1034	and the Legislature.
1035	(j)(o)  The Agency for Workforce Innovation, with the
1036	advice of the Early Learning Advisory Council, shall require
1037	each early learning council's early learning program to, at a
1038	minimum, enhance the age-appropriate progress of each child in
1039	the development of The partnership shall prepare and submit to
1040	the State Board of Education a system for measuring school
1041	readiness. The system must include a uniform screening, which
1042	shall provide objective data regarding the following early
1043	learning skills expectations for school readiness which shall
1044	include, at a minimum:
1045	1.  The child's immunizations and other health requirements
1046	as necessary, including appropriate vision and hearing screening
1047	and examinations.
1048	1.2.  The child's Physical development.
1049	2.3.  The child's Compliance with rules, limitations, and
1050	routines.
1051	3.4.  The child's Ability to perform tasks.
1052	4.5.  The child's Interactions with adults.
1053	5.6.  The child's Interactions with peers.
1054	6.7.  The child's Ability to cope with challenges.
1055	7.8.  The child's Self-help skills.
1056	8.9.  The child's Ability to express the child's his or her
1057	needs.
1058	9.10.  The child's Verbal communication skills.
1059	10.11.  The child's Problem-solving skills.
1060	11.12.  The child's Following of verbal directions.
1061	12.13.  The child's Demonstration of curiosity,
1062	persistence, and exploratory behavior.
1063	13.14.  The child's Interest in books and other printed
1064	materials.
1065	14.15.  The child's Paying attention to stories.
1066	15.16.  The child's Participation in art and music
1067	activities.
1068	16.17.  The child's Ability to identify colors, geometric
1069	shapes, letters of the alphabet, numbers, and spatial and
1070	temporal relationships.
1071
1072	To enhance progress in the development of the early learning
1073	skills specified in this paragraph, each early learning
1074	council's early learning program shall ensure that, prior to a
1075	child's enrollment in an early learning program, information
1076	regarding a child's immunizations and physical development and
1077	other health information as necessary, including appropriate
1078	vision and hearing screening and examinations, is obtained.
1079	(p)  The partnership shall prepare a plan for implementing
1080	the system for measuring school readiness in such a way that all
1081	children in this state will undergo the uniform screening
1082	established by the partnership when they enter kindergarten.
1083	Children who enter public school for the first time in first
1084	grade must undergo a uniform screening approved by the
1085	partnership for use in first grade. Because children with
1086	disabilities may not be able to meet all of the identified
1087	expectations for school readiness, the plan for measuring school
1088	readiness shall incorporate mechanisms for recognizing the
1089	potential variations in expectations for school readiness when
1090	serving children with disabilities and shall provide for
1091	communities to serve children with disabilities.
1092	(k)(q)  The Agency for Workforce Innovation partnership
1093	shall conduct studies and planning activities related to the
1094	overall improvement and effectiveness of the outcome school
1095	readiness measures adopted by the agency for early learning
1096	programs.
1097	(l)  The Agency for Workforce Innovation, with the advice
1098	of the Early Learning Advisory Council, shall adopt and
1099	administer a quality-assurance system. The Agency for Workforce
1100	Innovation shall use the quality-assurance system to monitor and
1101	evaluate the performance of each early learning council in
1102	administering the early learning program and implementing the
1103	council's early learning plan. The quality-assurance system must
1104	include, at a minimum, onsite monitoring of each council's
1105	finances, management, operations, and programs.
1106	(m)  The Agency for Workforce Innovation, with the advice
1107	of the Early Learning Advisory Council, shall identify best
1108	practices of early learning councils in order to improve the
1109	outcomes of early learning programs.
1110	(r)  The partnership shall establish procedures for
1111	performance-based budgeting in school readiness programs.
1112	(n)(s)  The Agency for Workforce Innovation partnership
1113	shall submit an annual report of its activities conducted under
1114	this section to the Governor, the executive director of the
1115	Florida Healthy Kids Corporation, the President of the Senate,
1116	the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the minority
1117	leaders of both houses of the Legislature. In addition, the
1118	Agency for Workforce Innovation's partnership's reports and
1119	recommendations shall be made available to the State Board of
1120	Education, the Early Learning Advisory Council, other
1121	appropriate state agencies and entities, district school boards,
1122	central agencies for child care, and county health departments.
1123	The annual report must provide an analysis of early learning
1124	school readiness activities across the state, including the
1125	number of children who were served in the programs and the
1126	number of children who were ready for school.
1127	(o)(t)  The Agency for Workforce Innovation partnership
1128	shall work with early learning councils school readiness
1129	coalitions to increase parents' training for and involvement in
1130	their children's preschool education and to provide family
1131	literacy activities and programs.
1132
1133	To ensure that the system for measuring school readiness is
1134	comprehensive and appropriate statewide, as the system is
1135	developed and implemented, the partnership must consult with
1136	representatives of district school systems, providers of public
1137	and private child care, health care providers, large and small
1138	employers, experts in education for children with disabilities,
1139	and experts in child development.
1140	(5)  CREATION OF EARLY LEARNING COUNCILS SCHOOL READINESS
1141	COALITIONS.--
1142	(a)  Early learning councils School readiness coalitions.--
1143	1.  The Agency for Workforce Innovation, with the advice of
1144	the Early Learning Advisory Council, shall establish the minimum
1145	number of children younger than kindergarten eligibility to be
1146	served by each early learning council through the council's
1147	early learning program. The Agency for Workforce Innovation may
1148	only approve early learning plans in accordance with this
1149	minimum number. The minimum number must be uniform for every
1150	early learning council and must:
1151	a.  Permit 28 or fewer councils to be established which, to
1152	the maximum extent practicable, have regions that are
1153	coterminous with community college service regions.
1154	b.  Require each council to serve at least 1,500 children
1155	younger than kindergarten eligibility as defined in s. 1002.51.
1156
1157	Each early learning council shall be organized in accordance
1158	with this subparagraph and subsection (2) of section 36 of this
1159	act by January 1, 2005. No school readiness coalition may become
1160	a provider of direct services, including eligibility
1161	determination, resource and referral, training and technical
1162	assistance, and provider payments, unless the decision to
1163	provide such service was officially made by the coalition prior
1164	to January 1, 2004.
1165	2.1.  If an early learning council a coalition's plan would
1166	serve fewer less than 400 birth-to-kindergarten age children
1167	than the minimum number established under subparagraph 1., the
1168	council coalition must either join with another county to form a
1169	multicounty council coalition, enter an agreement with a fiscal
1170	agent to serve more than one coalition, or demonstrate to the
1171	partnership its ability to effectively and efficiently implement
1172	its plan as a single-county coalition and meet all required
1173	performance standards and outcome measures.
1174	3.  The Agency for Workforce Innovation, with the advice of
1175	the Early Learning Advisory Council, shall adopt standards
1176	establishing the minimum number and the maximum number of
1177	members that may be appointed to an early learning council.
1178	These standards shall include variations for a council serving a
1179	multicounty region. Each early learning council must comply with
1180	these standards.
1181	4.  The Governor shall appoint a majority of the members,
1182	including the chair, of each early learning council.
1183	5.2.  Each early learning council coalition shall have at
1184	least 18 but not more than 25 members and such members must
1185	include the following members:
1186	a.  A Department of Children and Family Services district
1187	administrator or his or her designee who is authorized to make
1188	decisions on behalf of the department.
1189	b.  A district superintendent of schools or his or her
1190	designee who is authorized to make decisions on behalf of the
1191	district.
1192	c.  A regional workforce development board executive chair
1193	or director or his or her designee, where applicable.
1194	d.  A county health department director or his or her
1195	designee.
1196	e.  A children's services council or juvenile welfare board
1197	chair or executive director, if applicable.
1198	f.  An agency head of a local child care licensing agency
1199	as defined in s. 402.302, where applicable head.
1200	g.  A president of a community college or his or her
1201	designee One member appointed by a Department of Children and
1202	Family Services district administrator.
1203	h.  One member appointed by a board of county
1204	commissioners.
1205	i.  One member appointed by a district school board.
1206	i.j.  A central child care agency administrator, where
1207	applicable.
1208	j.k.  A Head Start director.
1209	k.l.  A representative of private child care providers,
1210	including family day care homes.
1211	l.m.  A representative of faith-based child care providers.
1212	m.  A representative of a program serving children with
1213	disabilities.
1214	6.  More than one-third of the coalition members of each
1215	early learning council must be private-sector business members
1216	who do not have, and none of whose relatives as defined in s.
1217	112.3143 have, a substantial financial interest in the design or
1218	delivery of the VPK Program created under part V of chapter 1002
1219	or the council's early learning program from the private sector,
1220	and neither they nor their families may earn an income from the
1221	early education and child care industry. To meet this
1222	requirement, an early learning council a coalition must appoint
1223	additional members pursuant to guidelines and procedures
1224	promulgated by the Agency for Workforce Innovation from a list
1225	of nominees presented to the coalition by a chamber of commerce
1226	or economic development council within the geographic area of
1227	the coalition. The Agency for Workforce Innovation shall adopt
1228	criteria for the appointment of private-sector business members.
1229	These criteria must include standards for determining whether a
1230	member or relative has a substantial financial interest in the
1231	design or delivery of the VPK Program or the council's early
1232	learning program.
1233	7.3.  A No member of an early learning council a coalition
1234	may not appoint a designee to act in his or her place except as
1235	otherwise provided in this paragraph. A member may send a
1236	representative to council coalition meetings, but that
1237	representative does not will have no voting privileges. When a
1238	district superintendent of schools, or a district administrator
1239	for the Department of Children and Family Services, a regional
1240	workforce board executive director, a county health department
1241	director, or a president of a community college appoints a
1242	designee to an early learning council a school readiness
1243	coalition, the designee is will be the voting member of the
1244	council coalition, and any individual attending in the
1245	designee's his or her place, including the district
1246	administrator, or superintendent, workforce board executive
1247	director, health department director, or community college
1248	president, does not will have no voting privileges.
1249	8.4.  Each member Members of an early learning council is
1250	the coalition are subject to ss. 112.313, 112.3135, and 112.3143
1251	the ethics provisions in part III of chapter 112. For purposes
1252	of s. 112.3143(3)(a), each member is a local public officer who
1253	must abstain from voting when a voting conflict exists.
1254	9.5.  For the purposes of tort liability, each member or
1255	employee of an early learning council the members of the school
1256	readiness coalition and its employees shall be governed by s.
1257	768.28.
1258	10.6.  An early learning council serving a multicounty
1259	region coalitions shall include representation from each county.
1260	11.7.  Each early learning council shall establish The
1261	terms for of all appointed members of the council, where
1262	appropriate. The terms coalition must be staggered and must be a
1263	uniform length that does not exceed 4 years per term. Appointed
1264	members may serve a maximum of two consecutive terms. When a
1265	vacancy occurs in an appointed position, the council coalition
1266	must advertise the vacancy.
1267	(b)  Program participation.--The early learning school
1268	readiness program shall be established for children younger than
1269	those eligible for from birth to 5 years of age or until the
1270	child enters kindergarten as defined in s. 1002.51. The program
1271	shall be administered by the early learning council school
1272	readiness coalition. Within funding limitations, the early
1273	learning council school readiness coalition, along with all
1274	providers, shall make reasonable efforts to accommodate the
1275	needs of children for extended-day and extended-year services
1276	without compromising the quality of the program.
1277	(c)  Program expectations.--
1278	1.  The early learning school readiness program must meet
1279	the following expectations:
1280	a.  The program must, at a minimum, enhance the age-
1281	appropriate progress of each child in the development of the
1282	early learning skills required under paragraph (4)(j) prepare
1283	preschool children to enter kindergarten ready to learn, as
1284	measured by the performance standards and outcome measures
1285	adopted criteria established by the Agency for Workforce
1286	Innovation Florida Partnership for School Readiness.
1287	b.  The program must provide extended-day and extended-year
1288	services to the maximum extent possible to meet the needs of
1289	parents who work.
1290	c.  There must be coordinated staff development and
1291	teaching opportunities.
1292	d.  There must be expanded access to community services and
1293	resources for families to help achieve economic self-
1294	sufficiency.
1295	e.  There must be a single point of entry and unified
1296	waiting list. As used in this sub-subparagraph, the term "single
1297	point of entry" means an integrated information system that
1298	allows a parent to enroll his or her child in the early learning
1299	program at various locations throughout the county or
1300	multicounty region served by an early learning council, that may
1301	allow a parent to enroll his or her child by telephone or
1302	through an Internet website, and that uses a unified waiting
1303	list to track eligible children waiting for enrollment in the
1304	early learning program. The Agency for Workforce Innovation
1305	shall establish a single statewide information system that
1306	integrates each early learning council's single point of entry,
1307	and each council must use the statewide system. The Agency for
1308	Workforce Innovation shall make the single statewide information
1309	system available to the Department of Education for purposes of
1310	the VPK Program under part V of chapter 1002.
1311	f.  The access of eligible children to the early learning
1312	program, as demonstrated in part by waiting lists, must be
1313	considered by the Agency for Workforce Innovation before it
1314	approves a proposed increase in payment rates submitted by an
1315	early learning council As long as funding or eligible
1316	populations do not decrease, the program must serve at least as
1317	many children as were served prior to implementation of the
1318	program.
1319	g.  There must be a community plan to address the needs of
1320	all eligible children.
1321	h.  The program must meet all state licensing guidelines,
1322	where applicable.
1323	2.  The early learning council school readiness coalition
1324	must implement a comprehensive program of early learning
1325	readiness services that enhance the cognitive, social, and
1326	physical development of children to achieve the performance
1327	standards and outcome measures adopted specified by the Agency
1328	for Workforce Innovation partnership. At a minimum, these
1329	programs must contain the following elements:
1330	a.  Developmentally appropriate curriculum designed to
1331	enhance the age-appropriate progress of children in attaining
1332	the performance standards adopted by the Agency for Workforce
1333	Innovation under subparagraph (4)(d)8.
1334	b.  A character development program to develop basic
1335	values.
1336	c.  An age-appropriate assessment of each child's
1337	development.
1338	d.  A pretest administered to children when they enter a
1339	program and a posttest administered to children when they leave
1340	the program.
1341	e.  An appropriate staff-to-children staff-to-child ratio.
1342	f.  A healthy healthful and safe environment.
1343	g.  A resource and referral network to assist parents in
1344	making an informed choice.
1345	(d)  Implementation.--
1346	1.  An early learning council may not implement the early
1347	learning school readiness program is to be phased in. until the
1348	council is authorized through coalition implements its plan, the
1349	county shall continue to receive the services identified in
1350	subsection (3) through the various agencies that would be
1351	responsible for delivering those services under current law.
1352	Plan implementation is subject to approval of the council's
1353	early learning coalition and the plan by the Agency for
1354	Workforce Innovation Florida Partnership for School Readiness.
1355	2.  Each early learning council school readiness coalition
1356	shall develop a plan for implementing the early learning school
1357	readiness program to meet the requirements of this section and
1358	the performance standards and outcome measures adopted
1359	established by the Agency for Workforce Innovation partnership.
1360	The plan must include a written description of the role of the
1361	program in the coalition's effort to meet the first state
1362	education goal, readiness to start school, including a
1363	description of the plan to involve the prekindergarten early
1364	intervention programs, Head Start Programs, programs offered by
1365	public or private providers of child care, preschool programs
1366	for children with disabilities, programs for migrant children,
1367	Title I programs, subsidized child care programs, and teen
1368	parent programs. The plan must also demonstrate how the program
1369	will ensure that each 3-year-old and 4-year-old child in a
1370	publicly funded early learning school readiness program receives
1371	scheduled activities and instruction designed to enhance the
1372	age-appropriate progress of the prepare children in attaining
1373	the performance standards adopted by the Agency for Workforce
1374	Innovation under subparagraph (4)(d)8 to enter kindergarten
1375	ready to learn. Before Prior to implementation of the early
1376	learning program, the early learning council school readiness
1377	coalition must submit the plan to the Agency for Workforce
1378	Innovation partnership for approval. The Agency for Workforce
1379	Innovation partnership may approve the plan, reject the plan, or
1380	approve the plan with conditions. The Agency for Workforce
1381	Innovation Florida Partnership for School Readiness shall review
1382	early learning coalition plans at least annually.
1383	3.  If the Agency for Workforce Innovation determines
1384	during the annual review of early learning plans, or through
1385	monitoring and performance evaluations conducted under the
1386	quality-assurance system, that an early learning council has not
1387	substantially implemented its plan or has not substantially met
1388	the performance standards and outcome measures adopted by the
1389	agency, the agency may reject the council's plan and contract
1390	with a qualified entity to continue early learning services in
1391	the council's county or multicounty region until the council is
1392	reestablished through resubmission of an early learning plan and
1393	approval by the agency.
1394	4.3.  The Agency for Workforce Innovation, with the advice
1395	of the Early Learning Advisory Council, shall adopt criteria for
1396	the approval of early learning plans. The criteria must be
1397	consistent with the performance standards and outcome measures
1398	adopted by the agency and must require each approved plan to for
1399	the school readiness program must include the following minimum
1400	standards and provisions:
1401	a.  A sliding fee scale establishing a copayment for
1402	parents based upon their ability to pay, which is the same for
1403	all program providers, to be implemented and reflected in each
1404	program's budget.
1405	b.  A choice of settings and locations in licensed,
1406	registered, religious-exempt, or school-based programs to be
1407	provided to parents.
1408	c.  Instructional staff who have completed the training
1409	course as required in s. 402.305(2)(d)1., as well as staff who
1410	have additional training or credentials as required by the
1411	Agency for Workforce Innovation partnership. The plan must
1412	provide a method for assuring the qualifications of all
1413	personnel in all program settings.
1414	d.  Specific eligibility priorities for children within the
1415	early learning council's coalition's county or multicounty
1416	region in accordance with pursuant to subsection (6).
1417	e.  Performance standards and outcome measures adopted
1418	established by the Agency for Workforce Innovation partnership
1419	or alternatively, standards and outcome measures to be used
1420	until such time as the partnership adopts such standards and
1421	outcome measures.
1422	f.  Payment Reimbursement rates adopted that have been
1423	developed by the early learning council and approved by the
1424	Agency for Workforce Innovation coalition. Payment Reimbursement
1425	rates shall not have the effect of limiting parental choice or
1426	creating standards or levels of services that have not been
1427	authorized by the Legislature.
1428	g.  Systems support services, including a central agency,
1429	child care resource and referral, eligibility determinations,
1430	training of providers, and parent support and involvement.
1431	h.  Direct enhancement services to families and children.
1432	System support and direct enhancement services shall be in
1433	addition to payments for the placement of children in early
1434	learning school readiness programs.
1435	i.  The A business organization of the early learning
1436	council plan, which must include the council's articles of
1437	incorporation and bylaws if the council is organized as a
1438	corporation. If the council is not organized as a corporation or
1439	other business entity, the plan must include the contract with a
1440	fiscal school readiness agent if the coalition is not a legally
1441	established corporate entity. An early learning council
1442	Coalitions may contract with other early learning councils
1443	coalitions to achieve efficiency in multicounty multiple-county
1444	services, and these such contracts may be part of the council's
1445	early learning coalition's business plan.
1446	j.  Strategies to meet the needs of unique populations,
1447	such as migrant workers.
1448
1449	As part of the early learning plan, the early learning council
1450	coalition may request the Governor to apply for a waiver to
1451	allow the council coalition to administer the Head Start Program
1452	to accomplish the purposes of the early learning school
1453	readiness program. If an early learning any school readiness
1454	plan demonstrates can demonstrate that specific statutory goals
1455	may can be achieved more effectively by using procedures that
1456	require modification of existing rules, policies, or procedures,
1457	a request for a waiver to the Agency for Workforce Innovation
1458	partnership may be submitted made as part of the plan. Upon
1459	review, the Agency for Workforce Innovation partnership may
1460	grant the proposed modification.
1461	5.4.  Persons with an early childhood teaching certificate
1462	may provide support and supervision to other staff in the early
1463	learning school readiness program.
1464	6.5.  An early learning council The coalition may not
1465	implement its early learning plan until the council it submits
1466	the plan to and receives approval from the Agency for Workforce
1467	Innovation partnership. Once the plan is has been approved, the
1468	plan and the services provided under the plan shall be
1469	controlled by the early learning council coalition rather than
1470	by the state agencies or departments. The plan shall be reviewed
1471	and revised as necessary, but at least annually biennially. An
1472	early learning council may not implement the revisions until the
1473	council submits the revised plan to and receives approval from
1474	the Agency for Workforce Innovation. If the agency rejects a
1475	revised plan, the council must continue to operate under its
1476	prior approved plan.
1477	7.6.  Sections The following statutes will not apply to
1478	local coalitions with approved plans: ss. 125.901(2)(a)3.,
1479	411.221, and 411.232 do not apply to an early learning council
1480	with an approved early learning plan. To facilitate innovative
1481	practices and to allow the regional local establishment of early
1482	learning school readiness programs, an early learning council a
1483	school readiness coalition may apply to the Governor and Cabinet
1484	for a waiver of, and the Governor and Cabinet may waive, any of
1485	the provisions of ss. 411.223, 411.232, and 1003.54 if the
1486	waiver is necessary for implementation of the council's early
1487	learning coalition's school readiness plan.
1488	8.7.  Two or more counties may join for purposes the
1489	purpose of planning and implementing an early learning a school
1490	readiness program.
1491	9.8.  An early learning council a coalition may, subject to
1492	approval by of the Agency for Workforce Innovation partnership
1493	as part of the council's early learning coalition's plan,
1494	receive subsidized child care funds for all children eligible
1495	for any federal subsidized child care program and be the
1496	provider of the program services.
1497	10.9.  An early learning council may Coalitions are
1498	authorized to enter into multiparty contracts with multicounty
1499	service providers in order to meet the needs of unique
1500	populations such as migrant workers.
1501	(e)  Requests for proposals; payment schedule.--
1502	1.  At least once every 3 years, beginning July 1, 2001,
1503	Each early learning council coalition must comply with follow
1504	the competitive procurement requirements of s. 287.057 for the
1505	procurement of commodities or contractual services from the
1506	funds described in paragraph (9)(d) school readiness programs.
1507	The period of a contract for purchase of these commodities or
1508	contractual services, together with any renewal of the original
1509	contract, may not exceed 3 years.
1510	2.  Each early learning council coalition shall adopt
1511	develop a payment schedule that encompasses all programs funded
1512	by the council under this section that coalition. The payment
1513	schedule must take into consideration the relevant market rate,
1514	must include the projected number of children to be served, and
1515	must be submitted for approval by to the Agency for Workforce
1516	Innovation partnership for information. Informal child care
1517	arrangements shall be reimbursed at not more than 50 percent of
1518	the rate developed for a family day care home childcare.
1519	(f)  Requirements relating to fiscal agents.--If an early
1520	learning council the local coalition is not a legally organized
1521	as a corporation or other business established corporate entity,
1522	the council coalition must designate a fiscal agent, which may
1523	be a public entity or a private nonprofit organization. The
1524	fiscal agent must shall be required to provide financial and
1525	administrative services under pursuant to a contract or
1526	agreement with the early learning council school readiness
1527	coalition. The fiscal agent may not provide direct early
1528	childhood education or child care services; however, a fiscal
1529	agent may provide those such services upon written request of
1530	the early learning council coalition to the Agency for Workforce
1531	Innovation partnership and upon the approval of the such request
1532	by the agency partnership. The cost of the financial and
1533	administrative services shall be negotiated between the fiscal
1534	agent and the early learning council school readiness coalition.
1535	If the fiscal agent is a provider of early childhood education
1536	and child care programs, the contract must specify that the
1537	fiscal agent shall will act on policy direction from the early
1538	learning council coalition and must will not receive policy
1539	direction from its own corporate board regarding disbursal of
1540	the early learning council's coalition funds. The fiscal agent
1541	shall disburse funds in accordance with the early learning
1542	council's approved early learning coalition school readiness
1543	plan and based on billing and disbursement procedures approved
1544	by the Agency for Workforce Innovation partnership. The fiscal
1545	agent must conform to all data-reporting requirements
1546	established by the Agency for Workforce Innovation partnership.
1547	(g)  Evaluation and annual report.--Each early learning
1548	council school readiness coalition shall conduct an evaluation
1549	of the effectiveness of the early learning school readiness
1550	program, including performance standards and outcome measures,
1551	and shall provide an annual report and fiscal statement to the
1552	Agency for Workforce Innovation Florida Partnership for School
1553	Readiness. This report must conform to the content and format
1554	specifications set by the Agency for Workforce Innovation
1555	Florida Partnership for School Readiness. The Agency for
1556	Workforce Innovation partnership must include an analysis of the
1557	early learning councils' coalition reports in the agency's its
1558	annual report.
1559	(6)  PROGRAM ELIGIBILITY.--Each early learning council's
1560	early learning The school readiness program shall be established
1561	for children younger than those eligible for under the age of
1562	kindergarten as defined in s. 1002.51 eligibility. Priority for
1563	participation in the early learning school readiness program
1564	shall be given to children age 3 years to school entry who are
1565	served by the Family Safety Program Office of the Department of
1566	Children and Family Services or a community-based lead agency
1567	under pursuant to chapter 39 and for whom child care is needed
1568	to minimize risk of further abuse, neglect, or abandonment.
1569	Other eligible populations include children who meet one or more
1570	of the following criteria:
1571	(a)  Children under the age of kindergarten eligibility who
1572	are:
1573	1.  Children determined to be at risk of abuse, neglect, or
1574	exploitation who are currently clients of the Family Safety
1575	Program Office of the Department of Children and Family Services
1576	but who are not otherwise given priority under this subsection.
1577	2.1.  Children at risk of welfare dependency, including
1578	economically disadvantaged children, children of participants in
1579	the welfare transition program, children of migrant farmworkers,
1580	and children of teen parents.
1581	3.2.  Children of working families whose family income does
1582	not exceed 150 percent of the federal poverty level.
1583	4.3.  Children for whom the state is paying a relative
1584	caregiver payment under s. 39.5085.
1585	(b)  Three-year-old children and 4-year-old children who
1586	may not be economically disadvantaged but who have disabilities,
1587	have been served in a specific part-time or combination of part-
1588	time exceptional education programs with required special
1589	services, aids, or equipment, and were previously reported for
1590	funding part time with the Florida Education Finance Program as
1591	exceptional students.
1592	(c)  Economically disadvantaged children, children with
1593	disabilities, and children at risk of future school failure,
1594	from birth to 4 years of age, who are served at home through
1595	home visitor programs and intensive parent education programs
1596	such as the Florida First Start Program.
1597	(d)  Children who meet federal and state eligibility
1598	requirements for eligibility for the migrant preschool program
1599	but who do not meet the criteria of economically disadvantaged.
1600
1601	As used in this subsection, the term An "economically
1602	disadvantaged" child means a child whose family income does not
1603	exceed is below 150 percent of the federal poverty level.
1604	Notwithstanding any change in a family's economic status, but
1605	subject to additional family contributions in accordance with
1606	the sliding fee scale, a child who meets the eligibility
1607	requirements upon initial registration for the program remains
1608	shall be considered eligible until the child reaches
1609	kindergarten eligibility as defined in s. 1002.51 age.
1610	(7)  PARENTAL CHOICE.--
1611	(a)  The early learning school readiness program shall
1612	provide parental choice through pursuant to a purchase service
1613	order that ensures, to the maximum extent possible, flexibility
1614	in early learning school readiness programs and payment
1615	arrangements. According to federal regulations requiring
1616	parental choice, a parent may choose an informal child care
1617	arrangement. The purchase order must bear the name of the
1618	beneficiary and the program provider and, when redeemed, must
1619	bear the signature of both the beneficiary and an authorized
1620	representative of the provider.
1621	(b)  If it is determined that a provider has provided any
1622	cash to the beneficiary in return for receiving the purchase
1623	order, the early learning council coalition or its fiscal agent
1624	shall refer the matter to the Division of Public Assistance
1625	Fraud for investigation.
1626	(c)  The office of the Chief Financial Officer shall
1627	establish an electronic transfer system for the disbursement of
1628	funds in accordance with this subsection. Each early learning
1629	council School readiness coalitions shall fully implement the
1630	electronic funds transfer system within 2 years after plan
1631	approval of the council's early learning plan unless a waiver is
1632	obtained from the Agency for Workforce Innovation partnership.
1633	(8)  STANDARDS; OUTCOME MEASURES.--All publicly funded
1634	early learning school readiness programs must shall be required
1635	to meet the performance standards and outcome measures adopted
1636	developed and approved by the Agency for Workforce Innovation
1637	partnership. The Agency for Workforce Innovation shall consult
1638	with the Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government
1639	Accountability shall provide consultation to the partnership in
1640	the development of the measures and standards. These performance
1641	standards and outcome measures shall apply be applicable on a
1642	statewide basis.
1643	(9)  FUNDING; EARLY LEARNING SCHOOL READINESS PROGRAM.--
1644	(a)  It is the intent of this section to establish an
1645	integrated and quality seamless service delivery system for all
1646	publicly funded early childhood education and child care
1647	programs operating in this state.
1648	(b)  Notwithstanding s. 20.50:
1649	1.  The Agency for Workforce Innovation shall administer
1650	early learning school readiness funds, plans, and policies
1651	pursuant to the contract with the Florida Partnership for School
1652	Readiness and shall prepare and submit a unified budget request
1653	for the early learning system school readiness program in
1654	accordance with chapter 216.
1655	2.  All instructions to early learning councils for the
1656	administration of this section local school readiness coalitions
1657	shall emanate from the Agency for Workforce Innovation in
1658	accordance with the pursuant to policies of the Legislature,
1659	plans of the Florida Partnership for School Readiness, and the
1660	contract between the Florida Partnership for School Readiness
1661	and the agency.
1662	(c)  The Agency for Workforce Innovation shall adopt
1663	prepare a formula plan that provides for the allocation among
1664	the early learning councils distribution and expenditure of all
1665	state and federal early learning school readiness funds for
1666	children participating in public or private early learning
1667	school readiness programs based upon an equity and performance
1668	funding formula. The allocation formula must plan shall be
1669	submitted to the Governor and the Legislative Budget Commission.
1670	Upon approval, the Legislative Budget Commission shall authorize
1671	the allocation transfer of funds by to the Agency for Workforce
1672	Innovation for distribution in accordance with the provisions of
1673	the allocation formula.
1674	(d)  All state funds budgeted for a county for the programs
1675	specified in subsection (3), along with the pro rata share of
1676	the state administrative costs of those programs in the amount
1677	as determined by the partnership, all federal, funds and
1678	required local maintenance-of-effort or matching funds provided
1679	to an early learning council for a county for programs specified
1680	in subsection (3), and any additional funds appropriated or
1681	obtained for purposes of this section, shall be used by
1682	transferred for the benefit of the council coalition for
1683	implementation of its early learning plan, including the hiring
1684	of staff to effectively operate the council's early learning
1685	coalition's school readiness program. As part of plan approval
1686	and periodic plan review, the Agency for Workforce Innovation
1687	partnership shall require that administrative costs be kept to
1688	the minimum necessary for efficient and effective administration
1689	of the early learning plan, but total administrative
1690	expenditures must shall not exceed 5 percent unless specifically
1691	waived by the Agency for Workforce Innovation partnership. The
1692	Agency for Workforce Innovation partnership shall annually
1693	report to the Legislature any problems relating to
1694	administrative costs.
1695	(e)  The Agency for Workforce Innovation partnership shall
1696	annually distribute, to the maximum extent practicable, all
1697	eligible funds provided under this section as block grants to
1698	the early learning councils assist coalitions in integrating
1699	services and funding to develop a quality service delivery
1700	system. Subject to appropriation, the partnership may also
1701	provide financial awards to coalitions demonstrating success in
1702	merging and integrating funding streams to serve children and
1703	school readiness programs.
1704	(f)  State funds appropriated for the early learning school
1705	readiness program may not be used for the construction of new
1706	facilities or the purchase of buses. The Agency for Workforce
1707	Innovation partnership shall present to the Legislature
1708	recommendations for providing necessary transportation services
1709	for early learning school readiness programs.
1710	(g)  All cost savings and all revenues received through a
1711	mandatory sliding fee scale shall be used to help fund each
1712	early learning council's early learning the local school
1713	readiness program.
1714	(10)  SCHOOL READINESS UNIFORM SCREENING.--The Department
1715	of Education shall implement a school readiness uniform
1716	screening, including a pilot program during the 2001-2002 school
1717	year, to validate the system recommended by the Florida
1718	Partnership for School Readiness as part of a comprehensive
1719	evaluation design. Beginning with the 2002-2003 school year, the
1720	department shall require that all school districts administer
1721	the school readiness uniform screening to each kindergarten
1722	student in the district school system upon the student's entry
1723	into kindergarten. Children who enter public school for the
1724	first time in first grade must undergo a uniform screening
1725	adopted for use in first grade. The department shall incorporate
1726	school readiness data into the K-20 data warehouse for
1727	longitudinal tracking. Notwithstanding s. 1002.22, the
1728	department shall provide the partnership and the Agency for
1729	Workforce Innovation with complete and full access to
1730	kindergarten uniform screening data at the student, school,
1731	district, and state levels in a format that will enable the
1732	partnership and the agency to prepare reports needed by state
1733	policymakers and local school readiness coalitions to access
1734	progress toward school readiness goals and provide input for
1735	continuous improvement of local school readiness services and
1736	programs.
1737	(11)  REPORTS.--The Office of Program Policy Analysis and
1738	Government Accountability shall assess the implementation,
1739	efficiency, and outcomes of the school readiness program and
1740	report its findings to the President of the Senate and the
1741	Speaker of the House of Representatives by January 1, 2002.
1742	Subsequent reviews shall be conducted at the direction of the
1743	Joint Legislative Auditing Committee.
1744	(10)(12)  CONFLICTING PROVISIONS.--In the event of a
1745	conflict between the provisions of this section and federal
1746	requirements, the federal requirements shall control.
1747	(11)(13)  PLACEMENTS.--Notwithstanding any other provision
1748	of this section to the contrary, and for fiscal year 2004-2005
1749	2003-2004 only, the first children to be placed in the early
1750	learning school readiness program shall be those from families
1751	receiving temporary cash assistance and subject to federal work
1752	requirements. Subsequent placements shall be made in accordance
1753	with subsection (6) pursuant to the provisions of this section.
1754	This subsection expires July 1, 2004.
1755	Section 4.  Effective November 1, 2004, paragraph (a) of
1756	subsection (3) of section 11.45, Florida Statutes, is amended to
1757	read:
1758	11.45  Definitions; duties; authorities; reports; rules.--
1759	(3)  AUTHORITY FOR AUDITS AND OTHER ENGAGEMENTS.--
1760	(a)  The Auditor General may, by pursuant to his or her own
1761	authority, or at the direction of the Legislative Auditing
1762	Committee, conduct audits or other engagements as determined
1763	appropriate by the Auditor General of:
1764	1.  The accounts and records of any governmental entity
1765	created or established by law.
1766	2.  The information technology programs, activities,
1767	functions, or systems of any governmental entity created or
1768	established by law.
1769	3.  The accounts and records of any charter school created
1770	or established by law.
1771	4.  The accounts and records of any direct-support
1772	organization or citizen support organization created or
1773	established by law. The Auditor General may is authorized to
1774	require and receive any records from the direct-support
1775	organization or citizen support organization, or from its
1776	independent auditor.
1777	5.  The public records associated with any appropriation
1778	made by the General Appropriations Act to a nongovernmental
1779	agency, corporation, or person. All records of a nongovernmental
1780	agency, corporation, or person for with respect to the receipt
1781	and expenditure of the such an appropriation are shall be public
1782	records and shall be treated in the same manner as other public
1783	records are under general law.
1784	6.  State financial assistance provided to any nonstate
1785	entity.
1786	7.  The Tobacco Settlement Financing Corporation created
1787	under pursuant to s. 215.56005.
1788	8.  The Florida Virtual School created under pursuant to s.
1789	1002.37.
1790	9.  Any purchases of federal surplus lands for use as sites
1791	for correctional facilities as described in s. 253.037.
1792	10.  Enterprise Florida, Inc., including any of its boards,
1793	advisory committees, or similar groups created by Enterprise
1794	Florida, Inc., and programs. The audit report may not reveal the
1795	identity of any person who has anonymously made a donation to
1796	Enterprise Florida, Inc., under pursuant to this subparagraph.
1797	The identity of a donor or prospective donor to Enterprise
1798	Florida, Inc., who desires to remain anonymous and all
1799	information identifying the such donor or prospective donor are
1800	confidential and exempt from the provisions of s. 119.07(1) and
1801	s. 24(a), Art. I of the State Constitution. The Such anonymity
1802	shall be maintained in the auditor's report.
1803	11.  The Florida Development Finance Corporation or the
1804	capital development board or the programs or entities created by
1805	the board. The audit or report may not reveal the identity of
1806	any person who has anonymously made a donation to the board
1807	under pursuant to this subparagraph. The identity of a donor or
1808	prospective donor to the board who desires to remain anonymous
1809	and all information identifying the such donor or prospective
1810	donor are confidential and exempt from the provisions of s.
1811	119.07(1) and s. 24(a), Art. I of the State Constitution. The
1812	Such anonymity shall be maintained in the auditor's report.
1813	12.  The records pertaining to the use of funds from
1814	voluntary contributions on a motor vehicle registration
1815	application or on a driver's license application authorized
1816	under pursuant to ss. 320.023 and 322.081.
1817	13.  The records pertaining to the use of funds from the
1818	sale of specialty license plates described in chapter 320.
1819	14.  The transportation corporations under contract with
1820	the Department of Transportation that are acting on behalf of
1821	the state to secure and obtain rights-of-way for urgently needed
1822	transportation systems and to assist in the planning and design
1823	of the such systems under pursuant to ss. 339.401-339.421.
1824	15.  The acquisitions and divestitures related to the
1825	Florida Communities Trust Program created under pursuant to
1826	chapter 380.
1827	16.  The Florida Water Pollution Control Financing
1828	Corporation created under pursuant to s. 403.1837.
1829	17.  The early learning system, including the early
1830	learning councils, Florida Partnership for School Readiness
1831	created under pursuant to s. 411.01.
1832	18.  The Florida Special Disability Trust Fund Financing
1833	Corporation created under pursuant to s. 440.49.
1834	19.  Workforce Florida, Inc., or the programs or entities
1835	created by Workforce Florida, Inc., created under pursuant to s.
1836	445.004.
1837	20.  The corporation defined in s. 455.32 which that is
1838	under contract with the Department of Business and Professional
1839	Regulation to provide administrative, investigative,
1840	examination, licensing, and prosecutorial support services in
1841	accordance with the provisions of s. 455.32 and the practice act
1842	of the relevant profession.
1843	21.  The Florida Engineers Management Corporation created
1844	under pursuant to chapter 471.
1845	22.  The Investment Fraud Restoration Financing Corporation
1846	created under pursuant to chapter 517.
1847	23.  The books and records of any permitholder that
1848	conducts race meetings or jai alai exhibitions under chapter
1849	550.
1850	24.  The corporation defined in part II of chapter 946,
1851	cited known as the Prison Rehabilitative Industries and
1852	Diversified Enterprises, Inc., or PRIDE Enterprises.
1853	Section 5.  Effective November 1, 2004, subsection (2) of
1854	section 20.50, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
1855	20.50  Agency for Workforce Innovation.--There is created
1856	the Agency for Workforce Innovation within the Department of
1857	Management Services. The agency shall be a separate budget
1858	entity, and the director of the agency shall be the agency head
1859	for all purposes. The agency shall not be subject to control,
1860	supervision, or direction by the Department of Management
1861	Services in any manner, including, but not limited to,
1862	personnel, purchasing, transactions involving real or personal
1863	property, and budgetary matters.
1864	(2)  The Agency for Workforce Innovation is shall be the
1865	designated administrative agency designated for receipt of
1866	federal workforce development grants and other federal funds.
1867	The agency, and shall administer carry out the duties and
1868	responsibilities assigned by the Governor under each federal
1869	grant assigned to the agency. The agency shall be a separate
1870	budget entity and shall expend each revenue source as provided
1871	by federal and state law and as provided in plans developed by
1872	and agreements with Workforce Florida, Inc. The agency shall
1873	prepare and submit as a separate budget entity a unified budget
1874	request for workforce development, in accordance with chapter
1875	216 for, and in conjunction with, Workforce Florida, Inc., and
1876	its board. The head of the agency is the director of Workforce
1877	Innovation, who shall be appointed by the Governor. The
1878	accountability and reporting functions of the agency shall be
1879	administered by the director or his or her designee. Included in
1880	These functions shall include are budget management, financial
1881	management, audit, performance management standards and
1882	controls, assessing outcomes of service delivery, and financial
1883	administration of workforce programs under pursuant to s.
1884	445.004(5) and (9). Within the agency's overall organizational
1885	structure, The agency shall include the following offices within
1886	its organizational structure, which shall have the specified
1887	responsibilities:
1888	(a)  The Office of Workforce Services shall administer the
1889	unemployment compensation program, the Rapid Response program,
1890	the Work Opportunity Tax Credit program, the Alien Labor
1891	Certification program, and any other programs that are delivered
1892	directly by agency staff rather than through the one-stop
1893	delivery system. The office shall be directed by the Deputy
1894	Director for Workforce Services, who shall be appointed by and
1895	serve at the pleasure of the director.
1896	(b)  The Office of Program Support and Accountability shall
1897	administer state merit system program staff within the workforce
1898	service delivery system, under the pursuant to policies of
1899	Workforce Florida, Inc. The office is shall be responsible for
1900	delivering services through the one-stop delivery system and for
1901	ensuring that participants in welfare transition programs
1902	receive case management services, diversion assistance, support
1903	services, including subsidized child care and transportation
1904	services, Medicaid services, and transition assistance to enable
1905	them to succeed in the workforce. The office is shall also be
1906	responsible for program quality assurance, grants and contract
1907	management, contracting, financial management, and reporting.
1908	The office shall be directed by the Deputy Director for Program
1909	Support and Accountability, who shall be appointed by and serve
1910	at the pleasure of the director. The office is shall be
1911	responsible for:
1912	1.  Establishing monitoring, quality assurance, and quality
1913	improvement systems that routinely assess the quality and
1914	effectiveness of contracted programs and services.
1915	2.  Annual review of each regional workforce board and
1916	administrative entity to ensure that adequate systems of
1917	reporting and control are in place; that, and monitoring,
1918	quality assurance, and quality improvement activities are
1919	conducted routinely;, and that corrective action is taken to
1920	eliminate deficiencies.
1921	(c)  The Office of Early Childhood Education shall
1922	administer the early learning system in accordance with s.
1923	411.01. The office shall be directed by the Deputy Director for
1924	Early Childhood Education, who shall be appointed by and serve
1925	at the pleasure of the director.
1926	(d)(c)  The Office of Agency Support Services is shall be
1927	responsible for procurement, human resource services, and
1928	information services including delivering information on labor
1929	markets, employment, occupations, and performance, and shall
1930	implement and maintain information systems that are required for
1931	the effective operation of the one-stop delivery system and the
1932	early learning school readiness services system, including, but
1933	not limited to, those systems described in s. 445.009. The
1934	office shall will be directed by under the direction of the
1935	Deputy Director for Agency Support Services, who shall be
1936	appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the director. The
1937	office is shall be responsible for establishing:
1938	1.  Information systems and controls that report reliable,
1939	timely and accurate fiscal and performance data for assessing
1940	outcomes, service delivery, and financial administration of
1941	workforce programs under pursuant to s. 445.004(5) and (9).
1942	2.  Information systems that support service integration
1943	and case management by providing for case tracking for
1944	participants in welfare transition programs.
1945	3.  Information systems that support the early learning
1946	system school readiness services.
1947	(e)(d)  The Unemployment Appeals Commission, authorized by
1948	s. 443.012, is shall not be subject to the control, supervision,
1949	or direction by the Agency for Workforce Innovation in the
1950	performance of its powers and duties but shall receive any and
1951	all support and assistance from the agency that is may be
1952	required for the performance of its duties.
1953	Section 6.  Effective November 1, 2004, paragraph (b) of
1954	subsection (1) of section 125.901, Florida Statutes, is amended
1955	to read:
1956	125.901  Children's services; independent special district;
1957	council; powers, duties, and functions.--
1958	(1)  Each county may by ordinance create an independent
1959	special district, as defined in ss. 189.403(3) and
1960	200.001(8)(e), to provide funding for children's services
1961	throughout the county in accordance with this section. The
1962	boundaries of such district shall be coterminous with the
1963	boundaries of the county. The county governing body shall obtain
1964	approval, by a majority vote of those electors voting on the
1965	question, to annually levy ad valorem taxes which shall not
1966	exceed the maximum millage rate authorized by this section. Any
1967	district created pursuant to the provisions of this subsection
1968	shall be required to levy and fix millage subject to the
1969	provisions of s. 200.065. Once such millage is approved by the
1970	electorate, the district shall not be required to seek approval
1971	of the electorate in future years to levy the previously
1972	approved millage.
1973	(b)  However, any county as defined in s. 125.011(1) may
1974	instead have a governing board consisting of 33 members,
1975	including: the superintendent of schools; two representatives of
1976	public postsecondary education institutions located in the
1977	county; the county manager or the equivalent county officer; the
1978	district administrator from the appropriate district of the
1979	Department of Children and Family Services, or the
1980	administrator's designee who is a member of the Senior
1981	Management Service or the Selected Exempt Service; the director
1982	of the county health department or the director's designee; the
1983	state attorney for the county or the state attorney's designee;
1984	the chief judge assigned to juvenile cases, or another juvenile
1985	judge who is the chief judge's designee and who shall sit as a
1986	voting member of the board, except that the judge may not vote
1987	or participate in setting ad valorem taxes under this section;
1988	an individual who is selected by the board of the local United
1989	Way or its equivalent; a member of a locally recognized faith-
1990	based coalition, selected by that coalition; a member of the
1991	local chamber of commerce, selected by that chamber or, if more
1992	than one chamber exists within the county, a person selected by
1993	a coalition of the local chambers; a member of the early
1994	learning council local school readiness coalition, selected by
1995	that council coalition; a representative of a labor organization
1996	or union active in the county; a member of a local alliance or
1997	coalition engaged in cross-system planning for health and social
1998	service delivery in the county, selected by that alliance or
1999	coalition; a member of the local Parent-Teachers
2000	Association/Parent-Teacher-Student Association, selected by that
2001	association; a youth representative selected by the local school
2002	system's student government; a local school board member
2003	appointed by the chair of the school board; the mayor of the
2004	county or the mayor's designee; one member of the county
2005	governing body, appointed by the chair of that body; a member of
2006	the state Legislature who represents residents of the county,
2007	selected by the chair of the local legislative delegation; an
2008	elected official representing the residents of a municipality in
2009	the county, selected by the county municipal league; and 4
2010	members-at-large, appointed to the council by the majority of
2011	sitting council members. The remaining 7 members shall be
2012	appointed by the Governor in accordance with procedures set
2013	forth in paragraph (a), except that the Governor may remove a
2014	member for cause or upon the written petition of the council.
2015	Appointments by the Governor must, to the extent reasonably
2016	possible, represent the geographic and demographic diversity of
2017	the population of the county. Members who are appointed to the
2018	council by reason of their position are not subject to the
2019	length of terms and limits on consecutive terms as provided in
2020	this section. The remaining appointed members of the governing
2021	board shall be appointed to serve 2-year terms, except that
2022	those members appointed by the Governor shall be appointed to
2023	serve 4-year terms, and the youth representative and the
2024	legislative delegate shall be appointed to serve 1-year terms. A
2025	member may be reappointed; however, a member may not serve for
2026	more than three consecutive terms. A member is eligible to be
2027	appointed again after a 2-year hiatus from the council.
2028	Section 7.  Effective November 1, 2004, subsection (1) of
2029	section 216.133, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
2030	216.133  Definitions; ss. 216.133-216.137.--As used in ss.
2031	216.133-216.137:
2032	(1)  "Consensus estimating conference" includes the
2033	Economic Estimating Conference, the Demographic Estimating
2034	Conference, the Revenue Estimating Conference, the Education
2035	Estimating Conference, the Criminal Justice Estimating
2036	Conference, the Juvenile Justice Estimating Conference, the
2037	Child Welfare System Estimating Conference, the Occupational
2038	Forecasting Conference, the Early Childhood Education Programs
2039	School Readiness Program Estimating Conference, the Self-
2040	Insurance Estimating Conference, the Florida Retirement System
2041	Actuarial Assumption Conference, and the Social Services
2042	Estimating Conference.
2043	Section 8.  Effective November 1, 2004, subsection (10) of
2044	section 216.136, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
2045	216.136  Consensus estimating conferences; duties and
2046	principals.--
2047	(10)  EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION PROGRAMS SCHOOL READINESS
2048	PROGRAM ESTIMATING CONFERENCE.--
2049	(a)  Duties.--
2050	1.  The Early Childhood Education Programs School Readiness
2051	Program Estimating Conference shall develop estimates and
2052	forecasts of the unduplicated count of children eligible for
2053	early learning school readiness programs in accordance with the
2054	standards of eligibility established in s. 411.01(6), and of
2055	children eligible for the VPK Program in accordance with s.
2056	1002.53(2), as the conference determines are needed to support
2057	the state planning, budgeting, and appropriations processes.
2058	2.  The Agency for Workforce Innovation Florida Partnership
2059	for School Readiness shall provide information on needs and
2060	waiting lists for early learning programs as school readiness
2061	program services requested by the Early Childhood Education
2062	Programs School Readiness Program Estimating Conference or
2063	individual conference principals in a timely manner.
2064	3.  The Department of Education shall provide information
2065	on needs for the VPK Program as requested by the Early Childhood
2066	Education Programs Estimating Conference or individual
2067	conference principals in a timely manner.
2068	(b)  Principals.--The Executive Office of the Governor, the
2069	Director of Economic and Demographic Research, and professional
2070	staff who have forecasting expertise from the Florida
2071	Partnership for School Readiness, the Agency for Workforce
2072	Innovation, the Department of Children and Family Services, the
2073	Department of Education, the Senate, and the House of
2074	Representatives, or their designees, are the principals of the
2075	Early Childhood Education Programs School Readiness Program
2076	Estimating Conference. The principal representing the Executive
2077	Office of the Governor shall preside over sessions of the
2078	conference.
2079	Section 9.  Effective November 1, 2004, section 402.3016,
2080	Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
2081	402.3016  Early Head Start collaboration grants.--
2082	(1)  Contingent upon specific appropriations, the Agency
2083	for Workforce Innovation Florida Partnership for School
2084	Readiness shall establish a program to award collaboration
2085	grants to assist local agencies in securing Early Head Start
2086	programs through Early Head Start program federal grants. The
2087	collaboration grants shall provide the required matching funds
2088	for public and private nonprofit agencies that have been
2089	approved for Early Head Start program federal grants.
2090	(2)  Public and private nonprofit agencies providing Early
2091	Head Start programs applying for collaborative grants must:
2092	(a)  Ensure quality performance by meeting the requirements
2093	in the Head Start program performance standards and other
2094	applicable rules and regulations;
2095	(b)  Ensure collaboration with other service providers at
2096	the local level; and
2097	(c)  Ensure that a comprehensive array of health,
2098	nutritional, and other services are provided to the program's
2099	pregnant women and very young children, and their families.
2100	(3)  The Agency for Workforce Innovation partnership shall
2101	report to the Legislature on an annual basis the number of
2102	agencies receiving Early Head Start collaboration grants and the
2103	number of children served.
2104	(4)  The Agency for Workforce Innovation partnership may
2105	adopt rules under ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54 as necessary for the
2106	award of collaboration grants to competing agencies and the
2107	administration of the collaboration grants program under this
2108	section.
2109	Section 10.  Effective November 1, 2004, section 402.27,
2110	Florida Statutes, is renumbered as section 411.015, Florida
2111	Statutes, and amended to read:
2112	411.015 402.27  Child care and early childhood Resource and
2113	referral.--The Agency for Workforce Innovation Department of
2114	Children and Family Services shall administer all functions of
2115	establish a statewide child care resource and referral network,
2116	in consultation with the Department of Education's program
2117	administrator for the VPK Program, that the agency determines
2118	necessary for efficient operation of the early learning councils
2119	and the VPK Program. The network shall be composed of statewide
2120	resource and referral and a system of local resource and
2121	referral contracted through the Agency for Workforce Innovation.
2122	Preference shall be given to using the already established
2123	central agencies for subsidized child care as the child care
2124	resource and referral agency. If the agency cannot comply with
2125	the requirements to offer the resource information component or
2126	does not want to offer that service, the department of Children
2127	and Family Services shall select the resource information agency
2128	based upon a request for proposal. Each early learning council
2129	shall establish its local at least one child care resource and
2130	referral agency must be established in the county or multicounty
2131	area served by the council each district of the department, but
2132	no more than one may be established in any county. Child care
2133	Resource and referral agencies shall provide the following
2134	services:
2135	(1)  Identification of existing public and private early
2136	childhood education providers child care and early childhood
2137	education services, including child care services by public and
2138	private employers, and the development of a database resource
2139	file of providers those services. These providers services may
2140	include early childhood education providers that are licensed,
2141	exempt from licensure, or registered; providers participating in
2142	the VPK Program; providers participating in a council's early
2143	learning programs; family day care, public and private child
2144	care programs, Head Start;, prekindergarten early intervention
2145	programs, special education programs for prekindergarten
2146	handicapped children with disabilities;, services for children
2147	with developmental disabilities;, full-time and part-time
2148	programs;, before-school and after-school programs;, vacation
2149	care programs;, parent education; welfare transition programs;,
2150	the WAGES Program, and related family support services. The
2151	database information resource file shall include, but is not be
2152	limited to:
2153	(a)  Type of early childhood education provider program.
2154	(b)  Hours of service.
2155	(c)  Ages of children served.
2156	(d)  Number of children served.
2157	(e)  Significant program information.
2158	(f)  Fees and eligibility for services.
2159	(g)  Availability of transportation.
2160	(2)  The establishment of a referral process that which
2161	responds to parental need for information and that which is
2162	provided with full recognition of the confidentiality rights of
2163	parents. Resource and referral may only programs shall make
2164	referrals to licensed early childhood education providers,
2165	except that a referral may child care facilities. Referrals
2166	shall be made to an unlicensed provider child care facility or
2167	arrangement only if the provider is not required to there is no
2168	requirement that the facility or arrangement be licensed.
2169	(3)  Maintenance of ongoing documentation of requests for
2170	service tabulated through the internal referral process. The
2171	following documentation of requests for service shall be
2172	maintained by the council's all child care resource and referral
2173	agencies:
2174	(a)  Number of calls and contacts to the council's resource
2175	child care information and referral agency component by type of
2176	early childhood education provider service requested.
2177	(b)  Ages of children for whom service is was requested.
2178	(c)  Time category of early childhood education child care
2179	requests for each child.
2180	(d)  Special time category, such as nights, weekends, and
2181	swing shifts shift.
2182	(e)  Reason that early childhood education the child care
2183	is needed.
2184	(f)  Name of the employer and primary focus of the
2185	business.
2186	(4)  Provision of technical assistance to existing and
2187	potential providers of early childhood education child care
2188	services. This assistance may include:
2189	(a)  Information on initiating new early childhood
2190	education child care services, zoning, and program and budget
2191	development and assistance in finding the such information from
2192	other sources.
2193	(b)  Information and resources that assist which help
2194	existing early childhood education child care services providers
2195	to maximize their ability to serve children and parents in their
2196	community.
2197	(c)  Information and incentives that may which could help
2198	existing or planned early childhood education child care
2199	services offered by public or private employers seeking to
2200	maximize their ability to serve the children of their working
2201	parent employees who are working parents in their community,
2202	through contractual or other funding arrangements with
2203	businesses.
2204	(5)  Assistance to families and employers in applying for
2205	various early childhood education programs, sources of subsidy
2206	including, but not limited to, the VPK Program or a council's
2207	early learning program subsidized child care, Head Start,
2208	prekindergarten early intervention programs, Project
2209	Independence, private scholarships, and the federal child and
2210	dependent care tax credit.
2211	(6)  Assistance to state agencies in determining the
2212	prevailing market rate for early childhood education child care.
2213	(7)  Assistance in negotiating discounts or other special
2214	arrangements with early childhood education child care
2215	providers.
2216	(8)  Information and assistance to local interagency
2217	councils coordinating services for prekindergarten handicapped
2218	children with disabilities.
2219	(9)  Assistance to families in identifying summer
2220	recreation camp and summer day camp programs and in evaluating
2221	the health and safety qualities of summer recreation camp, and
2222	summer day camp, programs and in evaluating the health and
2223	safety qualities of summer camp programs. Subject to legislative
2224	Contingent upon specific appropriation, a checklist of important
2225	health and safety qualities that parents may can use to choose
2226	their summer camp programs shall be developed and distributed in
2227	a manner that will reach parents interested in these such
2228	programs for their children.
2229	(10)  A child care facility licensed under s. 402.305 and
2230	licensed and registered family day care homes must provide the
2231	statewide child care and resource and referral agencies with The
2232	following information annually for each licensed or registered
2233	early childhood education provider:
2234	(a)  Type of each childhood education provider program.
2235	(b)  Hours of service.
2236	(c)  Ages of children served.
2237	(d)  Fees and eligibility for services.
2238	Section 11.  Effective November 1, 2004, subsections (1),
2239	(3), and (4) of section 402.3018, Florida Statutes, are amended
2240	to read:
2241	402.3018  Consultation to child care centers and family day
2242	care homes regarding health, developmental, disability, and
2243	special needs issues.--
2244	(1)  Contingent upon specific appropriations, the Agency
2245	for Workforce Innovation shall provide department is directed to
2246	contract with the statewide resource information and referral
2247	agency for a statewide toll-free Warm-Line for the purpose of
2248	providing assistance and consultation to child care centers and
2249	family day care homes regarding health, developmental,
2250	disability, and special needs issues of the children they are
2251	serving, particularly children with disabilities and other
2252	special needs.
2253	(3)  The Agency for Workforce Innovation department shall
2254	inform child care centers and family day care homes of the
2255	availability of this service, on an annual basis.
2256	(4)  Contingent upon specific appropriations, the Agency
2257	for Workforce Innovation department shall expand or contract for
2258	the expansion of the Warm-Line from one statewide site to one
2259	Warm-Line site in each child care resource and referral agency
2260	region.
2261	Section 12.  Effective November 1, 2004, section 409.178,
2262	Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
2263	409.178  Business Child Care Executive Partnership for
2264	Early Learning Act; findings and intent; grant; limitation;
2265	rules.--
2266	(1)  This section may be cited as the "Child Care Executive
2267	Partnership Act."

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