HB 0821

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

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