HB 0821

1
A bill to be entitled
2An act relating to early childhood education; creating
3part V of ch. 1002, F.S.; creating the Voluntary
4Prekindergarten Education Program; implementing s. 1(b)
5and (c), Art. IX of the State Constitution; providing
6definitions for purposes of the program; providing
7eligibility and enrollment requirements; authorizing
8parents to enroll their children in a program delivered by
9a child development provider, a summer program delivered
10by a public school, or a school-year program delivered by
11a public school; requiring school districts to admit all
12eligible children in the summer program; prohibiting
13specified acts of discrimination and certain limits on
14enrollment; specifying eligibility requirements for child
15development providers and public schools that deliver the
16program; providing for the adoption of rules; requiring
17the Department of Education establish a credential for
18prekindergarten directors and an emergent literacy
19training course for teachers and child care personnel of
20the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program; requiring
21the credential and course to provide training and
22resources containing strategies that maximize the
23program's benefits for students with disabilities and
24other special needs; providing that the credential and
25course satisfy certain credentialing and training
26requirements; specifying eligibility requirements for
27school districts that deliver the school-year
28prekindergarten program; creating a demonstration program
29in specified school districts; directing the Office of
30Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability to
31evaluate the demonstration program; requiring the
32demonstration districts to submit data; providing for the
33future expiration of the demonstration program;
34authorizing providers and schools to select or design
35curricula used for the program under specified conditions;
36directing the Department of Education to adopt performance
37standards and approve curricula; requiring providers and
38schools to be placed on probation and use the approved
39curricula under certain circumstances; requiring
40improvement plans and corrective actions from providers
41and schools under certain circumstances; requiring
42regional child development boards and school districts to
43verify the compliance of child development providers and
44public schools; authorizing the removal of providers and
45schools from eligibility to deliver the program for
46noncompliance; requiring the Department of Education to
47adopt a statewide kindergarten screening; requiring
48certain students to take the statewide screening;
49specifying requirements for screening instruments and
50kindergarten readiness rates; providing funding and
51reporting requirements; specifying the calculation of per-
52student allocations; providing for advance payments to
53child development providers and public schools based upon
54student enrollment; providing for the documentation and
55certification of student attendance; requiring parents to
56verify student attendance and certify the choice of
57provider or school; providing for the reconciliation of
58advance payments based upon certified student attendance;
59requiring students to comply with attendance policies and
60authorizing the dismissal of students for noncompliance;
61prohibiting regional child development boards from
62withholding funds for administrative costs; providing for
63the allocation of administrative funds among regional
64child development boards; prohibiting certain fees or
65charges; limiting the use of state funds; providing powers
66and duties of the Department of Education; requiring the
67department to adopt procedures for the Voluntary
68Prekindergarten Education Program; authorizing interagency
69agreements for the integration of, and requiring
70interagency access to, certain databases; limiting the
71department's authority; creating the Florida Child
72Development Advisory Council; providing for the
73appointment and membership of the advisory council;
74providing membership and meeting requirements; authorizing
75council members to receive per diem and travel expenses;
76requiring the Department of Education to provide staff for
77the advisory council; providing for the adoption of rules;
78amending s. 411.01, F.S.; conforming provisions to the
79transfer of the Florida Partnership for School Readiness
80to the Agency for Workforce Innovation; deleting
81provisions for the appointment and membership of the
82partnership; redesignating school readiness coalitions as
83regional child development boards; deleting obsolete
84references to repealed programs; deleting obsolete
85provisions governing the phase in of school readiness
86programs; deleting provisions governing the measurement of
87school readiness, the school readiness uniform screening,
88and performance-based budgeting in school readiness
89programs; specifying requirements for school readiness
90performance standards; clarifying rulemaking requirements;
91limiting the Agency for Workforce Innovation's authority;
92revising requirements for school readiness programs;
93specifying that school readiness programs must enhance the
94progress of children in certain skills; requiring regional
95child development boards to obtain certain health
96information before enrolling a child in the school
97readiness program; requiring the Agency for Workforce
98Innovation to administer a quality-assurance system and
99identify best practices for regional child development
100boards; requiring a reduction in the number of boards in
101accordance with specified standards; directing the Agency
102for Workforce Innovation to adopt procedures for the
103merger of boards; revising appointment and membership
104requirements for the boards; directing the Agency for
105Workforce Innovation to adopt criteria for the appointment
106of certain members; requiring each board to specify terms
107of board members; prohibiting board members from voting
108under certain circumstances; providing a definition for
109purposes of the single point of entry; requiring regional
110child development boards to use a statewide information
111system; requiring the Agency for Workforce Innovation to
112approve payment rates and consider the access of eligible
113children before approving proposals to increase rates;
114deleting requirements for the minimum number of children
115served; providing requirements for developmentally
116appropriate curriculum used for school readiness programs;
117authorizing contracts for the continuation of school
118readiness services under certain circumstances; requiring
119the Agency for Workforce Innovation to adopt criteria for
120the approval of school readiness plans; revising
121requirements for school readiness plans; providing
122requirements for the approval and implementation of plan
123revisions; revising competitive procurement requirements
124for regional child development boards; authorizing the
125boards to designate certified public accountants as fiscal
126agents; clarifying age and income eligibility requirements
127for school readiness programs; revising eligibility
128requirements for certain at-risk children; revising
129funding requirements; revising requirements for the
130adoption of a formula for the allocation of certain funds
131among the regional child development boards; specifying
132allocations for fiscal year 2004-2005; prohibiting certain
133transfers without specific legislative authority; deleting
134an obsolete provision requiring a report; deleting the
135expiration of eligibility requirements for certain
136children from families receiving temporary cash
137assistance; amending s. 11.45, F.S.; authorizing the
138Auditor General to conduct audits of the school readiness
139system; conforming provisions; amending s. 20.15, F.S.;
140specifying that the Commissioner of Education does not
141appoint members of the Florida Child Development Advisory
142Council; amending s. 20.50, F.S.; creating the Office of
143Child Development within the Agency for Workforce
144Innovation; providing that the office administers the
145school readiness system; amending s. 125.901, F.S.;
146conforming provisions; amending ss. 216.133 and 216.136,
147F.S.; redesignating the School Readiness Program
148Estimating Conference as the Child Development Programs
149Estimating Conference; requiring the estimating conference
150to develop certain estimates and forecasts for the
151Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program; directing the
152Department of Education to provide certain information to
153the estimating conference; conforming provisions; creating
154s. 402.265, F.S.; prohibiting certain transfers without
155specific legislative authority; amending ss. 402.3016,
156411.011, 411.226, 411.227, 624.91, 1001.23, 1002.22, and
1571003.54, F.S.; conforming provisions to the transfer of
158the Florida Partnership for School Readiness to the Agency
159for Workforce Innovation and to the redesignation of the
160school readiness coalitions as regional child development
161boards; requiring the Department of Education to submit a
162report; requiring the Governor to submit certain
163recommendations as part of the Governor's recommended
164budget; abolishing the Florida Partnership for School
165Readiness and providing for the transfer of the
166partnership to the Agency for Workforce Innovation;
167repealing ss. 411.012 and 1008.21, F.S., relating to the
168voluntary universal prekindergarten education program and
169the school readiness uniform screening; providing
170appropriations; providing for the allocation of
171appropriations among certain school districts; requiring
172the Legislative Budget Commission to approve the
173allocation of certain appropriations; providing effective
174dates.
175
176Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
177
178     Section 1.  Part V of chapter 1002, Florida Statutes,
179consisting of sections 1002.51, 1002.53, 1002.55, 1002.57,
1801002.59, 1002.61, 1002.63, 1002.65, 1002.67, 1002.69, 1002.71,
1811002.73, and 1002.75, Florida Statutes, is created to read:
182
PART V
183
VOLUNTARY PREKINDERGARTEN EDUCATION PROGRAM
184     1002.51  Definitions.--As used in this part, the term:
185     (1)  "Advisory council" means the Florida Child Development
186Advisory Council created under s. 1002.73.
187     (2)  "Child development provider" means a provider eligible
188to deliver the prekindergarten program under s. 1002.55.
189     (3)  "Department" means the Department of Education.
190     (4)  "Kindergarten eligibility" means the eligibility of a
191child for admission to kindergarten in a public school under s.
1921003.21(1)(a)2.
193     (5)  "Prekindergarten director" means an onsite person
194ultimately responsible for the overall operation of a child
195development provider or, alternatively, of the provider's
196prekindergarten program, regardless of whether the person is the
197owner of the provider.
198     (6)  "Regional child development board" or "board" means a
199regional child development board created under s. 411.01.
200     1002.53  Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program;
201eligibility and enrollment.--
202     (1)  There is created the Voluntary Prekindergarten
203Education Program within the Department of Education. The
204program shall take effect in each county at the beginning of the
2052005-2006 school year and shall be organized, designed, and
206delivered in accordance with s. 1(b) and (c), Art. IX of the
207State Constitution.
208     (2)  Each child who is a resident of the state who will
209have attained the age of 4 years on or before September 1 of the
210school year is eligible for the Voluntary Prekindergarten
211Education Program during that school year. The child remains
212eligible until the child attains kindergarten eligibility or is
213admitted to kindergarten, whichever occurs first.
214     (3)  The parent of each child eligible under subsection (2)
215may enroll the child in one of the following programs:
216     (a)  A prekindergarten program delivered by a child
217development provider under s. 1002.55;
218     (b)  A summer prekindergarten program delivered by a public
219school under s. 1002.61; or
220     (c)  A school-year prekindergarten program delivered by a
221public school under s. 1002.63.
222
223However, a child may not be enrolled in more than one of these
224programs.
225     (4)(a)  Each parent enrolling a child in the Voluntary
226Prekindergarten Education Program must complete and submit an
227application to the regional child development board through the
228single point of entry established under s. 411.01.
229     (b)  The application must be submitted on forms prescribed
230by the department and must be accompanied by a certified copy of
231the child's birth certificate. The forms must include a
232certification, in substantially the form provided in s.
2331002.69(5)(b)2., that the parent chooses the child development
234provider or public school in accordance with this section and
235directs that payments for the program be made to the provider or
236school. The department may authorize alternative methods for
237submitting proof of the child's age in lieu of a certified copy
238of the child's birth certificate.
239     (c)  Each regional child development board shall coordinate
240with each of the school districts within the board's county or
241multicounty region in the development of procedures for the
242enrollment of children in prekindergarten programs delivered by
243public schools.
244     (5)  The regional child development board shall provide
245each parent enrolling a child in the Voluntary Prekindergarten
246Education Program with a profile of every child development
247provider and public school delivering the program within the
248board's county or multicounty region. The profiles shall be
249provided to parents in a format prescribed by the department.
250The profiles must include, at a minimum, the following
251information about each provider and school:
252     (a)  The provider's or school's services, curriculum,
253teacher credentials, and teacher-to-student ratio; and
254     (b)  The provider's or school's kindergarten readiness rate
255calculated in accordance with s. 1002.65(3)(c) and s. 1002.67,
256based upon the most recent available results of the statewide
257kindergarten screening.
258     (6)(a)  A parent may enroll his or her child with any child
259development provider that is eligible to deliver the Voluntary
260Prekindergarten Education Program under this part; however, the
261child development provider may determine whether to admit any
262child. A regional child development board or the department may
263not limit the number of students admitted by any child
264development provider for enrollment in the program; however, a
265child development provider may not exceed its licensed capacity
266in accordance with ss. 402.301-402.319 as a result of admissions
267in the prekindergarten program.
268     (b)  A parent may enroll his or her child with any public
269school within the school district which is eligible to deliver
270the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program under this part,
271subject to available space. Each school district may limit the
272number of students admitted by any public school for enrollment
273in the program; however, the school district must provide for
274the admission of every eligible child within the district whose
275parent enrolls the child in the summer prekindergarten program
276under s. 1002.61.
277     (c)  A child development provider or public school may not
278discriminate against a parent or child, including the refusal to
279admit a child for enrollment in the Voluntary Prekindergarten
280Education Program, because of the parent's or child's race,
281color, or national origin.
282     1002.55  Prekindergarten program delivered by child
283development providers.--
284     (1)  Each regional child development board shall administer
285the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program at the county or
286regional level for students enrolled under s. 1002.53(3)(a) in a
287prekindergarten program delivered by a child development
288provider.
289     (2)  To be eligible to deliver the prekindergarten program,
290a child development provider must meet each of the following
291requirements:
292     (a)  The child development provider must be one of the
293following types of providers:
294     1.  A nonpublic school exempt from licensure under s.
295402.3025(2) which is accredited by an accrediting association in
296the National Council for Private School Accreditation, the
297Commission on International and Trans-Regional Accreditation, or
298the Florida Association of Academic Nonpublic Schools or which
299holds a current Gold Seal Quality Care designation under s.
300402.281;
301     2.  A child care facility licensed under s. 402.305, family
302day care home licensed under s. 402.313, or large family child
303care home licensed under s. 402.3131, which facility or home
304holds a current Gold Seal Quality Care designation under s.
305402.281 or meets or exceeds the Gold Seal Quality Care program
306standards, as verified by the regional child development board,
307but does not hold the designation; or
308     3.  A faith-based child care provider exempt from licensure
309under s. 402.316 which is accredited by an accrediting
310association in the National Council for Private School
311Accreditation, the Commission on International and Trans-
312Regional Accreditation, or the Florida Association of Academic
313Nonpublic Schools or which holds a current Gold Seal Quality
314Care designation under s. 402.281.
315     (b)  The child development provider must have, for each
316prekindergarten class, at least one teacher or child care
317personnel who meets each of the following requirements:
318     1.  The teacher or child care personnel must hold, at a
319minimum, one of the following credentials:
320     a.  A Child Development Associate credential issued by the
321National Credentialing Program of the Council for Professional
322Regulation; or
323     b.  A credential approved by the Department of Children and
324Family Services as being equivalent to or greater than the
325credential described in sub-subparagraph a.
326
327The Department of Children and Family Services may adopt rules
328under s. 120.536(1) and s. 120.54 which provide criteria and
329procedures for the approval of equivalent credentials under sub-
330subparagraph b.
331     2.  The teacher or child care personnel must successfully
332complete an emergent literacy training course approved by the
333department as meeting or exceeding the minimum standards adopted
334under s. 1002.59. This subparagraph does not apply to a teacher
335or child care personnel who successfully completes approved
336training in early literacy and language development under s.
337402.305(2)(d)4., s. 402.313(6), or s. 402.3131(5) before the
338establishment of the emergent literacy training course under s.
3391002.59 or January 1, 2005, whichever occurs later.
340     (c)  The child development provider must have a
341prekindergarten director who has a prekindergarten director
342credential that is approved by the department as meeting or
343exceeding the minimum standards adopted under s. 1002.57.
344Successful completion of a child care facility director
345credential under s. 402.305(2)(f) before the establishment of
346the prekindergarten director credential under s. 1002.57 or July
3471, 2005, whichever occurs later, satisfies the requirement for a
348prekindergarten director credential under this paragraph.
349     (d)  The child development provider must register with the
350regional child development board on forms prescribed by the
351department.
352     (e)  The child development provider must deliver the
353Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program in accordance with
354this part.
355     (3)  A teacher or child care personnel, in lieu of the
356minimum credentials and courses required under paragraph (2)(b),
357may hold one of the following educational credentials:
358     (a)  A bachelor's or higher degree in early childhood
359education, prekindergarten or primary education, preschool
360education, or family and consumer science;
361     (b)  A bachelor's or higher degree in elementary education,
362if the teacher or child care personnel has been certified to
363teach children any age from birth through 6th grade, regardless
364of whether the teaching certificate is current;
365     (c)  An associate's or higher degree in child development;
366     (d)  An associate's or higher degree in an unrelated field,
367at least 6 credit hours in early childhood education or child
368development, and at least 480 hours experience in teaching or
369providing child care services for children any age from birth
370through 8 years of age; or
371     (e)  An educational credential approved by the department
372as being equivalent to or greater than an educational credential
373described in this subsection. The department may adopt criteria
374and procedures for the approval of equivalent educational
375credentials under this paragraph.
376     1002.57  Prekindergarten director credential.--
377     (1)  By July 1, 2005, the department, with the advice of
378the advisory council, shall adopt minimum standards for a
379credential for prekindergarten directors of child development
380providers delivering the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education
381Program. The credential must encompass requirements for
382education and onsite experience.
383     (2)  The educational requirements must include training in
384the following:
385     (a)  Professionally accepted standards for prekindergarten
386programs, child development, and strategies and techniques to
387address the age-appropriate progress of prekindergarten students
388in attaining the performance standards adopted by the department
389under s. 1002.65;
390     (b)  Strategies that allow students with disabilities and
391other special needs to derive maximum benefit from the Voluntary
392Prekindergarten Education Program; and
393     (c)  Program administration and operations, including
394management, organizational leadership, and financial and legal
395issues.
396     (3)  The prekindergarten director credential must meet or
397exceed the requirements of the Department of Children and Family
398Services for the child care facility director credential under
399s. 402.305(2)(f), and successful completion of the
400prekindergarten director credential satisfies these requirements
401for the child care facility director credential.
402     (4)  The department shall, to the maximum extent
403practicable, award credit to a person who successfully completes
404the child care facility director credential under s.
405402.305(2)(f) for those requirements of the prekindergarten
406director credential which are duplicative of requirements for
407the child care facility director credential.
408     1002.59  Emergent literacy training course.--By January 1,
4092005, the department, with the advice of the advisory council,
410shall adopt minimum standards for a training course in emergent
411literacy for teachers and child care personnel of the Voluntary
412Prekindergarten Education Program. The course shall comprise 5
413clock hours and shall provide instruction in strategies and
414techniques to address the age-appropriate progress of
415prekindergarten students in the development of emergent literacy
416skills, including oral communication, knowledge of print and
417letters, phonemic and phonological awareness, and vocabulary and
418comprehension development. The course shall also provide
419resources containing strategies that allow students with
420disabilities and other special needs to derive maximum benefit
421from the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program. The course
422must meet or exceed the requirements of the Department of
423Children and Family Services for approved training in early
424literacy and language development under ss. 402.305(2)(d)4.,
425402.313(6), and 402.3131(5), and successful completion of the
426training course satisfies these requirements for approved
427training.
428     1002.61  Summer prekindergarten program delivered by public
429schools; demonstration program.--
430     (1)  Each school district shall administer the Voluntary
431Prekindergarten Education Program at the district level for
432students enrolled under s. 1002.53(3)(b) in a summer
433prekindergarten program delivered by a public school.
434     (2)  Each district school board shall determine which
435public schools in the school district are eligible to deliver
436the summer prekindergarten program. The school district shall
437use educational facilities available in the public schools
438during the summer term for the summer prekindergarten program.
439     (3)  Each public school delivering the summer
440prekindergarten program must have at least one certified teacher
441for every 10 students in the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education
442Program. As used in this subsection, the term "certified
443teacher" means a teacher holding a valid Florida teaching
444certificate under s. 1012.56 who has the qualifications required
445by the district school board to instruct students in the summer
446prekindergarten program. In selecting instructional staff for
447the summer prekindergarten program, each school district shall
448give priority to teachers who have experience or coursework in
449early childhood education.
450     (4)  Each public school delivering the summer
451prekindergarten program must also:
452     (a)  Register with the regional child development board on
453forms prescribed by the department; and
454     (b)  Deliver the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education
455Program in accordance with this part.
456     (5)(a)  There is created a summer prekindergarten
457demonstration program that shall be implemented during summer
4582004 in the Baker, Duval, Hillsborough, Martin, Miami-Dade,
459Osceola, Palm Beach, Pasco, Santa Rosa, and Wakulla school
460districts. The demonstration program shall implement the summer
461prekindergarten program delivered by public schools within the
462demonstration districts.
463     (b)  The Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government
464Accountability shall develop a research design for the
465demonstration program which ensures that students in the
466demonstration program are demographically representative of
467students statewide and that the sample size is sufficient to
468generate statistically valid conclusions. The sample must be
469selected to ensure that the results obtained from the
470demonstration program are applicable statewide with statistical
471confidence.
472     (c)  Each demonstration district and demonstration school
473shall implement the demonstration program in accordance with the
474research design developed under paragraph (b) and, to the
475maximum extent practicable, in accordance with this part.
476     (d)  Each demonstration district shall submit to the Office
477of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability the
478results of the statewide kindergarten screening administered
479under s. 1002.67 for students who completed the summer
480prekindergarten demonstration program.
481     (e)  By January 15, 2005, the Office of Program Policy
482Analysis and Government Accountability shall conduct an
483evaluation of the demonstration program in consultation with the
484Legislature. Each demonstration district shall submit data about
485the demonstration program as requested by the Office of Program
486Policy Analysis and Government Accountability for purposes of
487the evaluation.
488     (f)  This subsection expires July 1, 2005.
489     1002.63  School-year prekindergarten program delivered by
490public schools.--
491     (1)  Each school district eligible under subsection (3) may
492administer the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program at
493the district level for students enrolled under s. 1002.53(3)(c)
494in a school-year prekindergarten program delivered by a public
495school.
496     (2)  The district school board of each school district
497eligible under subsection (3) shall determine which public
498schools in the district are eligible to deliver the
499prekindergarten program during the school year.
500     (3)  To be eligible to deliver the prekindergarten program
501during the school year, each school district must meet both of
502the following requirements:
503     (a)  The district school board must certify to the State
504Board of Education:
505     1.  That the school district has reduced the average class
506size in each classroom in accordance with s. 1003.03 and the
507schedule in s. 1(a), Art. IX of the State Constitution; and
508     2.  That the school district has sufficient satisfactory
509educational facilities and capital outlay funds to continue
510reducing the average class size in each classroom in an
511elementary school for each year in accordance with the class-
512size reduction schedule and to achieve full compliance with the
513maximum class sizes in s. 1(a), Art. IX of the State
514Constitution by the beginning of the 2010-2011 school year.
515     (b)  The Commissioner of Education must certify to the
516State Board of Education that the department has reviewed the
517school district's educational facilities, capital outlay funds,
518and projected student enrollment and concurs with the district
519school board's certification under paragraph (a).
520     (4)  Each public school delivering the school-year
521prekindergarten program must:
522     (a)  Register with the regional child development board on
523forms prescribed by the department; and
524     (b)  Deliver the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education
525Program in accordance with this part.
526     1002.65  Performance standards; curriculum and
527accountability.--
528     (1)  By January 1, 2005, the department, with the advice of
529the advisory council, shall develop and adopt performance
530standards for students in the Voluntary Prekindergarten
531Education Program. The performance standards must address the
532age-appropriate progress of students in the development of:
533     (a)  The capabilities, capacities, and skills required
534under s. 1(b), Art. IX of the State Constitution; and
535     (b)  Emergent literacy skills, including oral
536communication, knowledge of print and letters, phonemic and
537phonological awareness, and vocabulary and comprehension
538development.
539     (2)(a)  Each child development provider and public school
540may select or design the curriculum that the provider or school
541uses to implement the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education
542Program, except as otherwise required for a provider or school
543that is placed on probation under paragraph (3)(c).
544     (b)  Each child development provider's and public school's
545curriculum must be developmentally appropriate and must:
546     1.  Be based upon reading research;
547     2.  Enhance the age-appropriate progress of students in
548attaining the performance standards adopted by the department
549under subsection (1); and
550     3.  Prepare students to be assessed as ready for
551kindergarten based upon the statewide kindergarten screening
552administered under s. 1002.67.
553     (c)  The department shall review and approve curricula for
554use by child development providers and public schools that are
555placed on probation under paragraph (3)(c). The department shall
556maintain a list of the curricula approved under this paragraph.
557Each approved curriculum must meet the requirements of paragraph
558(b).
559     (3)(a)  Each regional child development board and school
560district shall verify compliance with this part of the child
561development providers or public schools, as applicable,
562delivering the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program
563within the district.
564     (b)  A regional child development board or the department
565may remove a child development provider, and a school district
566or the department may remove a public school, from eligibility
567to deliver the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program and
568receive state funds for the program, if the provider or school
569fails or refuses to comply with this part.
570     (c)  Beginning with the kindergarten readiness rates for
571students completing the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education
572Program during the 2005-2006 school year who are administered
573the statewide kindergarten screening during the 2006-2007 school
574year:
575     1.  Of the students who are administered the statewide
576kindergarten screening under s. 1002.67, if less than 85 percent
577of the students from a child development provider's or public
578school's prekindergarten program are assessed as ready for
579kindergarten based upon the results of the statewide
580kindergarten screening, the regional child development board or
581school district, as applicable, shall require the provider or
582school to submit an improvement plan for approval by the
583regional child development board or school district, as
584applicable, and to implement the plan.
585     2.  If a child development provider or public school fails
586to meet the 85-percent kindergarten readiness rate for 2
587consecutive years, the regional child development board or
588school district, as applicable, shall place the provider or
589school on probation and must require the provider or school to
590take certain corrective actions, including the use of a
591curriculum approved by the department under paragraph (2)(c).
592     3.  A child development provider or public school that is
593placed on probation must continue the corrective actions
594required under subparagraph 2., including the use of a
595curriculum approved by the department, until the provider or
596school meets the 85-percent kindergarten readiness rate, based
597upon the results of the statewide kindergarten screening.
598     1002.67  Statewide kindergarten screening.--
599     (1)  The department, with the advice of the advisory
600council, shall adopt a statewide kindergarten screening that
601assesses the readiness of each student for kindergarten based
602upon the performance standards adopted by the department under
603s. 1002.65(1) for the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education
604Program. The department shall require that each school district
605administer the statewide kindergarten screening to every
606kindergarten student in the school district within 30 school
607days after the student's entry into kindergarten.
608     (2)  The statewide kindergarten screening shall provide
609objective data on each student's progress in attaining the
610performance standards adopted by the department under s.
6111002.65(1).
612     (3)  The statewide kindergarten screening shall incorporate
613mechanisms for recognizing potential variations in kindergarten
614readiness rates for students with disabilities.
615     (4)  Each parent who enrolls his or her child in the
616Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program must submit the
617child for the statewide kindergarten screening, regardless of
618whether the child is admitted to kindergarten in a public school
619or nonpublic school. Each school district shall designate public
620schools to administer the statewide kindergarten screening for
621children admitted to kindergarten in a nonpublic school.
622     (5)  The department shall adopt procedures for the
623calculation of each child development provider's and public
624school's kindergarten readiness rate. The kindergarten readiness
625rates must be based exclusively upon the results of the
626statewide kindergarten screening and must not consider students
627who are not administered the statewide kindergarten screening.
628     (6)(a)  During the 2004-2005 through 2006-2007 school
629years, the department shall continue the statewide
630administration of the Early Screening Inventory-Kindergarten
631developmental screening instrument as the statewide kindergarten
632screening. The department may administer additional instruments
633but only if the instruments are administered statewide. For
634purposes of s. 1002.65(3)(c), the Early Screening Inventory-
635Kindergarten developmental screening instrument shall be used to
636calculate kindergarten readiness rates.
637     (b)  By January 15, 2006, the department, with the advice
638of the advisory council, shall recommend to the Legislature
639valid and reliable screening instruments for the statewide
640kindergarten screening. The Legislature shall review the
641recommendations of the department at the 2006 Regular Session
642and shall adopt screening instruments for the statewide
643kindergarten screening.
644     (c)  Beginning with the 2006-2007 school year, the
645department shall administer the screening instruments adopted by
646the Legislature under paragraph (b). During the 2006-2007 school
647year, the department shall continue administration of the Early
648Screening Inventory-Kindergarten developmental screening
649instrument for purposes of obtaining baseline data that compares
650the kindergarten readiness rates of the instruments.
651     (d)  The Legislature shall review, at the 2007 Regular
652Session, the baseline data obtained under paragraph (c) and the
65385-percent kindergarten readiness rate in s. 1002.65(3)(c). The
654screening instruments adopted by the Legislature under paragraph
655(b) shall be used to calculate the kindergarten readiness rates
656for students completing the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education
657Program during the 2006-2007 school year who are administered
658the statewide kindergarten screening during the 2007-2008 school
659year and for subsequent school years.
660     1002.69  Funding; financial and attendance reporting.--
661     (1)  There is created a categorical fund for the Voluntary
662Prekindergarten Education Program. Categorical funds
663appropriated for the program shall be in addition to funds
664appropriated based upon full-time equivalent student membership
665in the Florida Education Finance Program.
666     (2)  A full-time equivalent student in the Voluntary
667Prekindergarten Education Program shall be calculated as
668follows:
669     (a)  For a student in a prekindergarten program delivered
670by a child development provider: 540 hours.
671     (b)  For a student in a summer prekindergarten program
672delivered by a public school: 300 hours.
673     (c)  For a student in a school-year prekindergarten program
674delivered by a public school: 540 hours.
675
676A student may not be reported for funding purposes as more than
677one full-time equivalent student.
678     (3)(a)  The base student allocation per full-time
679equivalent student in the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education
680Program shall be provided in the General Appropriations Act and
681shall be equal, regardless of whether the student is enrolled in
682a prekindergarten program delivered by a child development
683provider, a summer prekindergarten program delivered by a public
684school, or a school-year prekindergarten program delivered by a
685public school.
686     (b)  Each county's allocation per full-time equivalent
687student in the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program shall
688be calculated annually by multiplying the base student
689allocation provided in the General Appropriations Act by the
690county's district cost differential provided in s. 1011.62(2).
691Each child development provider and public school shall be paid
692in accordance with the county's allocation per full-time
693equivalent student.
694     (4)(a)  Each regional child development board shall
695maintain through the single point of entry established under s.
696411.01 a current database of the students enrolled in the
697Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program for each county
698within the board's region.
699     (b)  The department shall adopt procedures for the payment
700of child development providers and public schools delivering the
701Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program. The procedures
702shall provide for the advance payment of providers and schools
703based upon student enrollment in the program, the certification
704of student attendance, and the reconciliation of advance
705payments based upon the certified student attendance. The
706procedures shall provide for the monthly distribution of funds
707by the department to the regional child development boards for
708payment by the boards to child development providers and public
709schools.
710     (5)(a)  Each parent enrolling his or her child in the
711Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program must agree to comply
712with the attendance policy of the child development provider or
713district school board, as applicable. Upon enrollment of the
714child, the child development provider or public school, as
715applicable, must provide the child's parent with a copy of the
716provider's or school district's attendance policy, as
717applicable.
718     (b)1.  Each child development provider's and district
719school board's attendance policy must require the parent of each
720student in the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program to
721verify, each month, the student's attendance on the prior
722month's certified student attendance.
723     2.  The parent must submit the verification of the
724student's attendance to the child development provider or public
725school on forms prescribed by the department. The forms must
726include, in addition to the verification of the student's
727attendance, a certification, in substantially the following
728form, that the parent continues to choose the child development
729provider or public school in accordance with s. 1002.53 and
730directs that payments for the program be made to the provider or
731school:
732
VERIFICATION OF STUDENT'S ATTENDANCE
733
AND CERTIFICATION OF PARENTAL CHOICE
734
735I,  . . . (Name of Parent) . . . , swear (or affirm) that my
736child,  . . . (Name of Student) . . . , attended the Voluntary
737Prekindergarten Education Program on the days listed above and
738certify that I continue to choose  . . . (Name of Provider or
739School) . . .  to deliver the program for my child and direct
740that program funds be paid to the provider or school for my
741child.
742
743 . . . (Signature of Parent) . . .
744 . . . (Date) . . .  
745
746     3.  The child development provider or public school must
747submit each original signed form to the regional child
748development board. The regional child development board shall
749keep the original signed forms or reproductions of the forms,
750such as digital images or microfilm, in accordance with chapter
751119. The department shall adopt procedures for the review of the
752original signed forms against the certified student attendance.
753The review procedures shall provide for the use of selective
754inspection techniques, including, but not limited to, random
755sampling. Each regional child development board must comply with
756the review procedures.
757     (c)  A child development provider or school district, as
758applicable, may dismiss a student who does not comply with the
759provider's or district's attendance policy. A student dismissed
760under this paragraph is not removed from the Voluntary
761Prekindergarten Education Program and may continue in the
762program through reenrollment with another child development
763provider or public school. Notwithstanding s. 1002.53(6)(b), a
764school district is not required to provide for the admission of
765a student dismissed under this paragraph.
766     (6)  A regional child development board may not withhold
767for administrative costs any portion of the funds distributed to
768the board for payment to child development providers and public
769schools. The department shall annually allocate administrative
770funds to each regional child development board from funds
771provided in the General Appropriations Act for that purpose. The
772administrative funds must only be used for administration of the
773Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program. The department
774shall allocate the administrative funds based upon each regional
775child development board's student enrollment in the program. The
776amount of each regional child development board's administrative
777funds may not exceed 3 percent of the funds paid by the board to
778child development providers and public schools.
779     (7)  Except as otherwise expressly authorized by law, a
780child development provider or public school may not:
781     (a)  Impose or collect a fee or charge for services
782provided for a child enrolled in the Voluntary Prekindergarten
783Education Program during a period reported for funding purposes;
784or
785     (b)  Require a child to enroll for, or require the payment
786of any fee or charge for, supplemental services as a condition
787of admitting a child for enrollment in the Voluntary
788Prekindergarten Education Program.
789     (8)  State funds provided for the Voluntary Prekindergarten
790Education Program may not be used for the transportation of
791students to and from the program. A parent is responsible for
792the transportation of his or her child to and from the Voluntary
793Prekindergarten Education Program, regardless of whether the
794program is delivered by a child development provider or a public
795school.
796     1002.71  Department of Education; powers and duties.--
797     (1)  The Department of Education, with the advice of the
798advisory council, shall administer the Voluntary Prekindergarten
799Education Program at the statewide level.
800     (2)  The department shall adopt procedures for:
801     (a)  Enrolling children in and determining the eligibility
802of children for the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program
803under s. 1002.53.
804     (b)  Providing parents with profiles of child development
805providers and public schools under s. 1002.53.
806     (c)  Registering and determining the eligibility of child
807development providers to deliver the program under s. 1002.55.
808     (d)  Verifying Gold Seal Quality Care program standards
809under s. 1002.55.
810     (e)  Approving prekindergarten director credentials under
811s. 1002.55 and s. 1002.57.
812     (f)  Approving emergent literacy training courses under s.
8131002.55 and s. 1002.59.
814     (g)  Certifying the eligibility of school districts to
815deliver the school-year prekindergarten program under s.
8161002.63.
817     (h)  Verifying the compliance of child development
818providers and public schools, and removing providers or schools
819from eligibility to deliver the program for noncompliance, under
820s. 1002.65.
821     (i)  Approving improvement plans of child development
822providers and public schools under s. 1002.65.
823     (j)  Placing child development providers and public schools
824on probation and requiring corrective actions under s. 1002.65.
825     (k)  Administering the statewide kindergarten screening and
826calculating kindergarten readiness rates under s. 1002.67.
827     (l)  Distributing funds to regional child development
828boards under s. 1002.69.
829     (m)  Paying child development providers and public schools
830under s. 1002.69.
831     (n)  Documenting and certifying student enrollment and
832student attendance under s. 1002.69.
833     (o)  Reconciling advance payments in accordance under s.
8341002.69.
835     (p)  Reenrolling students dismissed by a child development
836provider or public school for noncompliance with the provider's
837or school district's attendance policy under s. 1002.69.
838     (q)  Allocating administrative funds among regional child
839development boards under s. 1002.69.
840     (3)  Notwithstanding s. 402.265 and s. 411.01(10), the
841Department of Education, the Agency for Workforce Innovation,
842the Department of Children and Family Services, and the regional
843child development boards may enter into interagency agreements
844that provide for the integration of, and shall provide
845interagency access among these agencies to, databases containing
846records, data, or other information relating to the following:
847     (a)  Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program;
848     (b)  School readiness programs; or
849     (c)  Licensure or registration, inspection, and
850disciplinary actions of child care facilities, family day care
851homes, and large family child care homes.
852
853These databases may comprise individual records of students,
854child development providers, and public schools in the Voluntary
855Prekindergarten Education Program and individual records of
856students and providers in school readiness programs. The
857agencies must protect the confidentiality of school readiness
858records in accordance with s. 411.011. These databases may also
859include the statewide child care resource and referral network
860established under s. 402.27 and each regional child development
861board's single point of entry established under s. 411.01.
862     (4)  Except as otherwise provided by law, the department
863does not have authority to:
864     (a)  Impose requirements on a child development provider
865that does not deliver the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education
866Program or receive state funds under this part.
867     (b)  Impose requirements on a regional child development
868board which are not necessary for the administration of the
869Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program under this part.
870     (c)  Administer powers and duties assigned to the Agency
871for Workforce Innovation or a regional child development board
872under s. 411.01.
873     1002.73  Florida Child Development Advisory Council.--
874     (1)  There is created the Florida Child Development
875Advisory Council within the Department of Education. The purpose
876of the advisory council is to advise the Department of Education
877and the Agency for Workforce Innovation on the child development
878policy of this state, including advice relating to
879administration of the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education
880Program under this part and the school readiness programs under
881s. 411.01.
882     (2)  The advisory council shall be composed of the
883following members:
884     (a)  Eleven members appointed by the Governor, as follows:
885     1.  The chair of the advisory council and one other member,
886who must both meet the same qualifications as private-sector
887business members appointed to a regional child development board
888under s. 411.01(5)(a)6.
889     2.  A representative of nonpublic schools accredited by
890accrediting associations in either the National Council for
891Private School Accreditation or the Commission on International
892and Trans-Regional Accreditation.
893     3.  A representative of nonpublic schools accredited by
894accrediting associations in the Florida Association of Academic
895Nonpublic Schools.
896     4.  A representative of licensed child care facilities.
897     5.  A representative of licensed or registered family day
898care homes.
899     6.  A representative of licensed large family child care
900homes.
901     7.  A representative of faith-based child care providers.
902     8.  A representative of programs for prekindergarten
903children with disabilities under the federal Individuals with
904Disabilities Education Act.
905     9.  A public school classroom teacher.
906     10.  A district superintendent of schools.
907
908The members appointed under this paragraph must be
909geographically and demographically representative of the state.
910The members shall be appointed to terms of 3 years each, except
911that, to establish staggered terms, one-half of the members
912shall be appointed to initial terms of 2 years each. Appointed
913members may serve a maximum of two consecutive terms.
914     (b)  The director of the Florida Head Start-State
915Collaboration Office.
916     (c)  A chair of a regional child development board who
917shall be selected by the chairs of the regional child
918development boards.
919     (d)  An executive director of a regional child development
920board who shall be selected by the executive directors of the
921regional child development boards.
922     (e)  The chair of the Child Care Executive Partnership.
923     (f)  The chair or executive director of Workforce Florida,
924Inc., or his or her designee.
925     (g)  The director of the Division of Community Colleges of
926the Department of Education.
927     (h)  The Secretary of Health or his or her designee.
928     (i)  The director of the Child Care Services Program Office
929of the Department of Children and Family Services.
930     (j)  The Deputy Director for Child Development of the
931Agency for Workforce Innovation.
932     (k)  The Commissioner of Education or his or her designee.
933     (l)  Two members appointed by and who serve at the pleasure
934of the President of the Senate and two members appointed by and
935who serve at the pleasure of the Speaker of the House of
936Representatives, who must each meet the same qualifications as
937private-sector business members appointed to a regional child
938development board under s. 411.01(5)(a)6.
939     (3)  The advisory council shall meet at least quarterly but
940may meet as often as necessary to carry out its duties and
941responsibilities.
942     (4)(a)  Each member of the advisory council shall serve
943without compensation but is entitled to per diem and travel
944expenses for attendance of council meetings as provided in s.
945112.061.
946     (b)  Each member of the advisory council is subject to the
947ethics provisions in part III of chapter 112.
948     (c)  For purposes of tort liability, each member of the
949advisory council shall be governed by s. 768.28.
950     (5)  The department shall provide staff and administrative
951support for the advisory council.
952     1002.75  Rulemaking authority.--The State Board of
953Education shall adopt rules under s. 120.536(1) and s. 120.54 to
954administer the provisions of this part conferring duties upon
955the department. The state board shall adopt initial rules for
956the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program by January 1,
9572005.
958     Section 2.  Effective July 1, 2004, section 411.01, Florida
959Statutes, is amended to read:
960     411.01  Florida Partnership for School readiness programs;
961regional child development boards school readiness coalitions.--
962     (1)  SHORT TITLE.--This section may be cited as the "School
963Readiness Act."
964     (2)  LEGISLATIVE INTENT.--
965     (a)  The Legislature recognizes that school readiness
966programs increase children's chances of achieving future
967educational success and becoming productive members of society.
968It is the intent of the Legislature that the such programs be
969developmentally appropriate, research-based, involve parents as
970their child's first teacher, serve as preventive measures for
971children at risk of future school failure, enhance the
972educational readiness of eligible children, and support family
973education. Each school readiness program shall provide the
974elements necessary to prepare at-risk children for school,
975including health screening and referral and an appropriate
976educational program.
977     (b)  It is the intent of the Legislature that school
978readiness programs be operated on a full-day, year-round basis
979to the maximum extent possible to enable parents to work and
980become financially self-sufficient.
981     (c)  It is the intent of the Legislature that school
982readiness programs not exist as isolated programs, but build
983upon existing services and work in cooperation with other
984programs for young children, and that school readiness programs
985be coordinated and funding integrated to achieve full
986effectiveness.
987     (d)  It is the intent of the Legislature that the
988administrative staff at the state level for school readiness
989programs be kept to the minimum necessary to administer carry
990out the duties of the Agency for Workforce Innovation Florida
991Partnership for School Readiness, as the school readiness
992programs are to be regionally locally designed, operated, and
993managed, with the Agency for Workforce Innovation Florida
994Partnership for School Readiness adopting a system for measuring
995school readiness; developing school readiness program
996performance standards and, outcome measures measurements, and
997data design and review; and approving and reviewing regional
998child development boards and local school readiness coalitions
999and plans.
1000     (e)  It is the intent of the Legislature that
1001appropriations for combined school readiness programs shall not
1002be less than the programs would receive in any fiscal year on an
1003uncombined basis.
1004     (f)  It is the intent of the Legislature that the school
1005readiness program coordinate and operate in conjunction with the
1006district school systems. However, it is also the intent of the
1007Legislature that the school readiness program not be construed
1008as part of the system of free public schools but rather as a
1009separate program for children under the age of kindergarten
1010eligibility, funded separately from the system of free public
1011schools, utilizing a mandatory sliding fee scale, and providing
1012an integrated and seamless system of school readiness services
1013for the state's birth-to-kindergarten population.
1014     (g)  It is the intent of the Legislature that the federal
1015child care income tax credit be preserved for school readiness
1016programs.
1017     (h)  It is the intent of the Legislature that school
1018readiness services shall be an integrated and seamless system of
1019services with a developmentally appropriate education component
1020for the state's eligible birth-to-kindergarten population
1021described in subsection (6) and shall not be construed as part
1022of the seamless K-20 education system except for the
1023administration of the uniform screening system upon entry into
1024kindergarten.
1025     (3)  PARENTAL PARTICIPATION IN SCHOOL READINESS PROGRAMS
1026PROGRAM.--
1027     (a)  The school readiness program shall be phased in on a
1028coalition-by-coalition basis. Each coalition's school readiness
1029program shall have available to it funding from all the
1030coalition's early education and child care programs that are
1031funded with state, federal, lottery, or local funds, including
1032but not limited to Florida First Start programs, Even-Start
1033literacy programs, prekindergarten early intervention programs,
1034Head Start programs, programs offered by public and private
1035providers of child care, migrant prekindergarten programs, Title
1036I programs, subsidized child care programs, and teen parent
1037programs, together with any additional funds appropriated or
1038obtained for purposes of this section.  These programs and their
1039funding streams shall be components of the coalition's
1040integrated school readiness program, with the goal of preparing
1041children for success in school.
1042     (b)  Nothing contained in This section does not act is
1043intended to:
1044     (a)1.  Relieve parents and guardians of their own
1045obligations to prepare ready their children for school; or
1046     (b)2.  Create any obligation to provide publicly funded
1047school readiness programs or services beyond those authorized by
1048the Legislature.
1049     (4)  AGENCY FOR WORKFORCE INNOVATION FLORIDA PARTNERSHIP
1050FOR SCHOOL READINESS.--
1051     (a)  The Agency for Workforce Innovation shall Florida
1052Partnership for School Readiness was created to fulfill three
1053major purposes: to administer school readiness programs at the
1054statewide level and shall program services that help parents
1055prepare eligible children for school; to coordinate the regional
1056child development boards in providing provision of school
1057readiness services on a full-day, full-year, full-choice basis
1058to the extent possible in order to enable parents to work and be
1059financially self-sufficient; and to establish a uniform
1060screening instrument to be implemented by the Department of
1061Education and administered by the school districts upon entry
1062into kindergarten to assess the readiness for school of all
1063children. Readiness for kindergarten is the outcome measure of
1064the success of each school readiness program that receives state
1065or federal funds. The partnership is assigned to the Agency for
1066Workforce Innovation for administrative purposes.
1067     (b)  The Agency for Workforce Innovation Florida
1068Partnership for School Readiness shall:
1069     1.  Coordinate the birth-to-kindergarten services for
1070children who are eligible under pursuant to subsection (6) and
1071the programmatic, administrative, and fiscal standards under
1072pursuant to this section for all public providers of school
1073readiness programs.
1074     2.  Continue to provide unified leadership for school
1075readiness through regional child development boards local school
1076readiness coalitions.
1077     3.  Focus on improving the educational quality of all
1078publicly funded school readiness programs.
1079     (c)1.  The Florida Partnership for School Readiness shall
1080include the Lieutenant Governor, the Commissioner of Education,
1081the Secretary of Children and Family Services, and the Secretary
1082of Health, or their designees, and the chair of the Child Care
1083Executive Partnership Board, and the chairperson of the Board of
1084Directors of Workforce Florida, Inc. When the Lieutenant
1085Governor or an agency head appoints a designee, the designee
1086must be an individual who attends consistently, and, in the
1087event that the Lieutenant Governor or agency head and his or her
1088designee both attend a meeting, only one of them may vote.
1089     2.  The partnership shall also include 14 members of the
1090public who shall be business, community, and civic leaders in
1091the state who are not elected to public office. These members
1092and their families must not have a direct contract with any
1093local coalition to provide school readiness services. The
1094members must be geographically and demographically
1095representative of the state. Each member shall be appointed by
1096the Governor from a list of nominees submitted by the President
1097of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
1098By July 1, 2001, four members shall be appointed as follows: two
1099members shall be from the child care industry, one representing
1100the private for-profit sector appointed by the Governor from a
1101list of two nominees submitted by the President of the Senate
1102and one representing faith-based providers appointed by the
1103Governor from a list of two nominees submitted by the Speaker of
1104the House of Representatives; and two members shall be from the
1105business community, one appointed by the Governor from a list of
1106two nominees submitted by the President of the Senate and one
1107appointed by the Governor from a list of two nominees submitted
1108by the Speaker of the House of Representatives. Members shall be
1109appointed to 4-year terms of office. The members of the
1110partnership shall elect a chairperson annually from the
1111nongovernmental members of the partnership. Any vacancy on the
1112partnership shall be filled in the same manner as the original
1113appointment.
1114     (d)  The partnership shall meet at least quarterly but may
1115meet as often as it deems necessary to carry out its duties and
1116responsibilities. Members of the partnership shall participate
1117without proxy at the quarterly meetings. The partnership may
1118take official action by a majority vote of the members present
1119at any meeting at which a quorum is present.
1120     (e)  Members of the partnership are subject to the ethics
1121provisions in part III of chapter 112, and no member may derive
1122any financial benefit from the funds administered by the Florida
1123Partnership for School Readiness.
1124     (f)  Members of the partnership shall serve without
1125compensation but are entitled to reimbursement for per diem and
1126travel expenses incurred in the performance of their duties as
1127provided in s. 112.061, and reimbursement for other reasonable,
1128necessary, and actual expenses.
1129     (g)  For the purposes of tort liability, the members of the
1130partnership and its employees shall be governed by s. 768.28.
1131     (h)  The partnership shall appoint an executive director
1132who shall serve at the pleasure of the Governor. The executive
1133director shall perform the duties assigned to him or her by the
1134partnership. The executive director shall be responsible for
1135hiring, subject to the approval of the partnership, all
1136employees and staff members, who shall serve under his or her
1137direction and control.
1138     (c)(i)  For purposes of administration of the federal Child
1139Care and Development Fund, 45 C.F.R. parts 98 and 99, the Agency
1140for Workforce Innovation partnership may be designated by the
1141Governor as the lead agency, and if so designated shall comply
1142with the lead agency responsibilities under pursuant to federal
1143law.
1144     (d)(j)  The Agency for Workforce Innovation Florida
1145Partnership for School Readiness is the principal organization
1146responsible for the enhancement of school readiness for the
1147state's children, and shall:
1148     1.  Be responsible for the prudent use of all public and
1149private funds in accordance with all legal and contractual
1150requirements.
1151     2.  Provide final approval and periodic review of regional
1152child development boards coalitions and school readiness plans.
1153     3.  Provide leadership for the enhancement of school
1154readiness in this state by aggressively establishing a unified
1155approach to the state's efforts toward enhancement of school
1156readiness. In support of this effort, the Agency for Workforce
1157Innovation partnership may develop and implement specific
1158strategies that address the state's school readiness programs.
1159     4.  Safeguard the effective use of federal, state, local,
1160and private resources to achieve the highest possible level of
1161school readiness for the state's children in this state.
1162     5.  Provide technical assistance to regional child
1163development boards coalitions.
1164     6.  Assess gaps in service.
1165     7.  Provide technical assistance to counties that form a
1166regional child development board serving a multicounty region
1167coalition.
1168     8.a.  Adopt a system for measuring school readiness that
1169provides objective data regarding the expectations for school
1170readiness, and establish a method for collecting the data and
1171guidelines for using the data. The measurement, the data
1172collection, and the use of the data must serve the statewide
1173school readiness goal. The criteria for determining which data
1174to collect should be the usefulness of the data to state
1175policymakers and local program administrators in administering
1176programs and allocating state funds, and must include the
1177tracking of school readiness system information back to
1178individual school readiness programs to assist in determining
1179program effectiveness.
1180     b.  Adopt a system for evaluating the performance of
1181students through the third grade to compare the performance of
1182those who participated in school readiness programs with the
1183performance of students who did not participate in school
1184readiness programs in order to identify strategies for continued
1185successful student performance.
1186     8.9.  Develop and adopt, with the advice of the Florida
1187Child Development Advisory Council created under s. 1002.73 and
1188the Department of Education, performance standards and outcome
1189measures for school readiness programs. The performance
1190standards must address the age-appropriate progress of children
1191in the development of the school readiness skills required under
1192paragraph (j). The Agency for Workforce Innovation shall
1193integrate the performance standards for school readiness
1194programs into the performance standards adopted by the
1195Department of Education for the Voluntary Prekindergarten
1196Education Program under s. 1002.65.
1197     (e)(k)  The Agency for Workforce Innovation partnership may
1198adopt rules under s. 120.536(1) and s. 120.54 necessary to
1199administer the provisions of law conferring duties upon the
1200agency, including, but not limited this section which relate to,
1201rules governing the preparation preparing and implementation of
1202implementing the system for school readiness system, the
1203collection of collecting data, the approval of regional child
1204development boards and approving local school readiness
1205coalitions and plans, the provision of providing a method
1206whereby a regional child development board may coalition can
1207serve two or more counties, the award of awarding incentives to
1208regional child development boards coalitions, and the issuance
1209of issuing waivers.
1210     (f)(l)  The Agency for Workforce Innovation Florida
1211Partnership for School Readiness shall have all powers necessary
1212to administer carry out the purposes of this section, including,
1213but not limited to, the power to receive and accept grants,
1214loans, or advances of funds from any public or private agency
1215and to receive and accept from any source contributions of
1216money, property, labor, or any other thing of value, to be held,
1217used, and applied for the purposes of this section.
1218     (g)  Except as otherwise provided by law, the Agency for
1219Workforce Innovation does not have authority:
1220     1.  To impose requirements on a child care or early
1221childhood education provider that does not deliver services
1222under a school readiness program or receive state or federal
1223funds under this section.
1224     2.  To administer powers and duties assigned to the
1225Department of Education or a regional child development board
1226under part V of chapter 1002.
1227     (h)(m)  The Agency for Workforce Innovation Florida
1228Partnership for School Readiness shall have a budget for the
1229school readiness system, which and shall be financed through an
1230annual appropriation made for purposes of this section purpose
1231in the General Appropriations Act.
1232     (i)(n)  The Agency for Workforce Innovation, with the
1233advice of the Florida Child Development Advisory Council,
1234partnership shall coordinate the efforts toward school readiness
1235in this state and provide independent policy analyses and
1236recommendations to the Governor, the State Board of Education,
1237and the Legislature.
1238     (j)(o)  Each regional child development board's The
1239partnership shall prepare and submit to the State Board of
1240Education a system for measuring school readiness program. The
1241system must, at a minimum, enhance the age-appropriate progress
1242of each child in the development of include a uniform screening,
1243which shall provide objective data regarding the following
1244expectations for school readiness skills which shall include, at
1245a minimum:
1246     1.  The child's immunizations and other health requirements
1247as necessary, including appropriate vision and hearing screening
1248and examinations.
1249     2.  The child's physical development.
1250     1.3.  The child's Compliance with rules, limitations, and
1251routines.
1252     2.4.  The child's Ability to perform tasks.
1253     3.5.  The child's Interactions with adults.
1254     4.6.  The child's Interactions with peers.
1255     5.7.  The child's Ability to cope with challenges.
1256     6.8.  The child's Self-help skills.
1257     7.9.  The child's Ability to express the child's his or her
1258needs.
1259     8.10.  The child's Verbal communication skills.
1260     9.11.  The child's Problem-solving skills.
1261     10.12.  The child's Following of verbal directions.
1262     11.13.  The child's Demonstration of curiosity,
1263persistence, and exploratory behavior.
1264     12.14.  The child's Interest in books and other printed
1265materials.
1266     13.15.  The child's Paying attention to stories.
1267     14.16.  The child's Participation in art and music
1268activities.
1269     15.17.  The child's Ability to identify colors, geometric
1270shapes, letters of the alphabet, numbers, and spatial and
1271temporal relationships.
1272
1273Each regional child development board shall also require that,
1274before a child is enrolled in the board's school readiness
1275program, information must first be obtained regarding the
1276child's immunizations, physical development, and other health
1277requirements as necessary, including appropriate vision and
1278hearing screening and examinations.
1279     (p)  The partnership shall prepare a plan for implementing
1280the system for measuring school readiness in such a way that all
1281children in this state will undergo the uniform screening
1282established by the partnership when they enter kindergarten.
1283Children who enter public school for the first time in first
1284grade must undergo a uniform screening approved by the
1285partnership for use in first grade. Because children with
1286disabilities may not be able to meet all of the identified
1287expectations for school readiness, the plan for measuring school
1288readiness shall incorporate mechanisms for recognizing the
1289potential variations in expectations for school readiness when
1290serving children with disabilities and shall provide for
1291communities to serve children with disabilities.
1292     (k)(q)  The Agency for Workforce Innovation partnership
1293shall conduct studies and planning activities related to the
1294overall improvement and effectiveness of the outcome school
1295readiness measures adopted by the agency for school readiness
1296programs.
1297     (l)  The Agency for Workforce Innovation, with the advice
1298of the Florida Child Development Advisory Council, shall adopt
1299and administer a quality-assurance system. The Agency for
1300Workforce Innovation shall use the quality-assurance system to
1301monitor and evaluate the performance of each regional child
1302development board in administering the school readiness program
1303and implementing the board's school readiness plan. The quality-
1304assurance system must include, at a minimum, onsite monitoring
1305of each board's finances, management, operations, and programs.
1306     (m)  The Agency for Workforce Innovation, with the advice
1307of the Florida Child Development Advisory Council, shall
1308identify best practices of regional child development boards in
1309order to improve the outcomes of school readiness programs.
1310     (r)  The partnership shall establish procedures for
1311performance-based budgeting in school readiness programs.
1312     (n)(s)  The Agency for Workforce Innovation partnership
1313shall submit an annual report of its activities conducted under
1314this section to the Governor, the executive director of the
1315Florida Healthy Kids Corporation, the President of the Senate,
1316the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the minority
1317leaders of both houses of the Legislature. In addition, the
1318Agency for Workforce Innovation's partnership's reports and
1319recommendations shall be made available to the State Board of
1320Education, the Florida Child Development Advisory Council, other
1321appropriate state agencies and entities, district school boards,
1322central agencies for child care, and county health departments.
1323The annual report must provide an analysis of school readiness
1324activities across the state, including the number of children
1325who were served in the programs and the number of children who
1326were ready for school.
1327     (o)(t)  The Agency for Workforce Innovation partnership
1328shall work with regional child development boards school
1329readiness coalitions to increase parents' training for and
1330involvement in their children's preschool education and to
1331provide family literacy activities and programs.
1332
1333To ensure that the system for measuring school readiness is
1334comprehensive and appropriate statewide, as the system is
1335developed and implemented, the partnership must consult with
1336representatives of district school systems, providers of public
1337and private child care, health care providers, large and small
1338employers, experts in education for children with disabilities,
1339and experts in child development.
1340     (5)  CREATION OF REGIONAL CHILD DEVELOPMENT BOARDS SCHOOL
1341READINESS COALITIONS.--
1342     (a)  Regional child development boards School readiness
1343coalitions.--
1344     1.  The Agency for Workforce Innovation, with the advice of
1345the Florida Child Development Advisory Council created under s.
13461002.73, shall establish the minimum number of children to be
1347served by each regional child development board through the
1348board's school readiness program. The Agency for Workforce
1349Innovation may only approve school readiness plans in accordance
1350with this minimum number. The minimum number must be uniform for
1351every regional child development board and must:
1352     a.  Permit 30 or fewer boards to be established; and
1353     b.  Require each board to serve at least 2,000 children
1354based upon the average number of all children served per month
1355through the board's school readiness program during the previous
135612 months.
1357
1358The Agency for Workforce Innovation shall adopt procedures for
1359the merger of regional child development boards, including
1360procedures for the consolidation of merging boards and for the
1361early termination of the terms of board members, which are
1362necessary to accomplish the mergers. Each regional child
1363development board must comply with the merger procedures and
1364shall be organized in accordance with this subparagraph by
1365January 1, 2005. By June 30, 2005, each board must complete the
1366transfer of powers, duties, functions, rules, records,
1367personnel, property, and unexpended balances of appropriations,
1368allocations, and other funds to the successor board, if
1369applicable.
1370     2.1.  If a regional child development board coalition's
1371plan would serve fewer less than 400 birth-to-kindergarten age
1372children than the minimum number established under subparagraph
13731., the board coalition must either join with another county to
1374form a multicounty board coalition, enter an agreement with a
1375fiscal agent to serve more than one coalition, or demonstrate to
1376the partnership its ability to effectively and efficiently
1377implement its plan as a single-county coalition and meet all
1378required performance standards and outcome measures.
1379     3.  Each regional child development board shall be composed
1380of at least 18 members but not more than 35 members. The Agency
1381for Workforce Innovation, with the advice of the Florida Child
1382Development Advisory Council, shall adopt standards establishing
1383within this range the minimum and maximum number of members that
1384may be appointed to a regional child development board. These
1385standards shall include variations for a board serving a
1386multicounty region. Each regional child development board must
1387comply with these standards.
1388     4.  The Governor shall appoint the chair and two other
1389members of each regional child development board, who must each
1390meet the same qualifications as private-sector business members
1391appointed by the board under subparagraph 6.
1392     5.2.  Each regional child development board coalition shall
1393have at least 18 but not more than 25 members and such members
1394must include the following members:
1395     a.  A Department of Children and Family Services district
1396administrator or his or her designee who is authorized to make
1397decisions on behalf of the department.
1398     b.  A district superintendent of schools or his or her
1399designee who is authorized to make decisions on behalf of the
1400district.
1401     c.  A regional workforce development board executive chair
1402or director or his or her designee, where applicable.
1403     d.  A county health department director or his or her
1404designee.
1405     e.  A children's services council or juvenile welfare board
1406chair or executive director, if applicable.
1407     f.  An agency head of a local child care licensing agency
1408as defined in s. 402.302, where applicable head.
1409     g.  A president of a community college or his or her
1410designee.
1411     g.  One member appointed by a Department of Children and
1412Family Services district administrator.
1413     h.  One member appointed by a board of county
1414commissioners.
1415     i.  One member appointed by a district school board.
1416     i.j.  A central child care agency administrator, where
1417applicable.
1418     j.k.  A Head Start director.
1419     k.l.  A representative of private child care providers,
1420including family day care homes.
1421     l.m.  A representative of faith-based child care providers.
1422     m.  A representative of programs for children with
1423disabilities under the federal Individuals with Disabilities
1424Education Act.
1425     6.  Including the members appointed by the Governor under
1426subparagraph 4., more than one-third of the coalition members of
1427each regional child development board must be private-sector
1428business members who do not have, and none of whose relatives as
1429defined in s. 112.3143 has, a substantial financial interest in
1430the design or delivery of the Voluntary Prekindergarten
1431Education Program created under part V of chapter 1002 or the
1432board's school readiness program from the private sector, and
1433neither they nor their families may earn an income from the
1434early education and child care industry. To meet this
1435requirement a regional child development board coalition must
1436appoint additional members from a list of nominees submitted
1437presented to the board coalition by a chamber of commerce or
1438economic development council within the geographic region served
1439by area of the board coalition. The Agency for Workforce
1440Innovation shall adopt criteria for the appointment of private-
1441sector business members. These criteria must include standards
1442for determining whether a member or relative has a substantial
1443financial interest in the design or delivery of the Voluntary
1444Prekindergarten Education Program or the board's school
1445readiness program.
1446     7.3.  A No member of a regional child development board
1447coalition may not appoint a designee to act in his or her place.
1448A member may send a representative to board coalition meetings,
1449but that representative does not will have no voting privileges.
1450When a district superintendent of schools or a district
1451administrator for the Department of Children and Family Services
1452appoints a designee to a regional child development board school
1453readiness coalition, the designee is will be the voting member
1454of the board coalition, and any individual attending in the
1455designee's his or her place, including the district
1456administrator or superintendent, does not will have no voting
1457privileges.
1458     8.4.  Each member Members of a regional child development
1459board is the coalition are subject to s. 112.313, s. 112.3135,
1460and s. 112.3143 the ethics provisions in part III of chapter
1461112. For purposes of s. 112.3143(3)(a), each member is a local
1462public officer who must abstain from voting when a voting
1463conflict exists.
1464     9.5.  For the purposes of tort liability, each member or
1465employee of a regional child development board the members of
1466the school readiness coalition and its employees shall be
1467governed by s. 768.28.
1468     10.6.  A regional child development board serving a
1469multicounty region coalitions shall include representation from
1470each county.
1471     11.7.  Each regional child development board shall
1472establish The terms for of all appointed members of the board.
1473The terms coalition must be staggered and must be a uniform
1474length that does not exceed 4 years per term. Appointed members
1475may serve a maximum of two consecutive terms. When a vacancy
1476occurs in an appointed position, the board coalition must
1477advertise the vacancy.
1478     (b)  Program participation.--The school readiness program
1479shall be established for children younger than from birth to 5
1480years of age or until the child enters kindergarten eligibility
1481as defined in s. 1002.51. The program shall be administered by
1482the regional child development board school readiness coalition.
1483Within funding limitations, the regional child development board
1484school readiness coalition, along with all providers, shall make
1485reasonable efforts to accommodate the needs of children for
1486extended-day and extended-year services without compromising the
1487quality of the program.
1488     (c)  Program expectations.--
1489     1.  The school readiness program must meet the following
1490expectations:
1491     a.  The program must, at a minimum, enhance the age-
1492appropriate progress of each child in the development of the
1493school readiness skills required under paragraph (4)(j) prepare
1494preschool children to enter kindergarten ready to learn, as
1495measured by the performance standards and outcome measures
1496adopted criteria established by the Agency for Workforce
1497Innovation Florida Partnership for School Readiness.
1498     b.  The program must provide extended-day and extended-year
1499services to the maximum extent possible to meet the needs of
1500parents who work.
1501     c.  There must be coordinated staff development and
1502teaching opportunities.
1503     d.  There must be expanded access to community services and
1504resources for families to help achieve economic self-
1505sufficiency.
1506     e.  There must be a single point of entry and unified
1507waiting list. As used in this sub-subparagraph, the term "single
1508point of entry" means an integrated information system that
1509allows a parent to enroll his or her child in the school
1510readiness program at various locations throughout the county or
1511multicounty region served by a regional child development board,
1512that may allow a parent to enroll his or her child by telephone
1513or through an Internet website, and that uses a unified waiting
1514list to track eligible children waiting for enrollment in the
1515school readiness program. The Agency for Workforce Innovation
1516shall establish a single statewide information system that
1517integrates each regional child development board's single point
1518of entry, and each board must use the statewide system.
1519     f.  The Agency for Workforce Innovation must consider the
1520access of eligible children to the school readiness program, as
1521demonstrated in part by waiting lists, before approving a
1522proposed increase in payment rates submitted by a regional child
1523development board.
1524     f.  As long as funding or eligible populations do not
1525decrease, the program must serve at least as many children as
1526were served prior to implementation of the program.
1527     g.  There must be a community plan to address the needs of
1528all eligible children.
1529     h.  The program must meet all state licensing guidelines,
1530where applicable.
1531     2.  The regional child development board school  readiness
1532coalition must implement a comprehensive program of school
1533readiness services that enhance the cognitive, social, and
1534physical development of children to achieve the performance
1535standards and outcome measures adopted specified by the Agency
1536for Workforce Innovation partnership.  At a minimum, these
1537programs must contain the following elements:
1538     a.  Developmentally appropriate curriculum designed to
1539enhance the age-appropriate progress of children in attaining
1540the performance standards adopted by the Agency for Workforce
1541Innovation under subparagraph (4)(d)8.
1542     b.  A character development program to develop basic
1543values.
1544     c.  An age-appropriate assessment of each child's
1545development.
1546     d.  A pretest administered to children when they enter a
1547program and a posttest administered to children when they leave
1548the program.
1549     e.  An appropriate staff-to-children staff-to-child ratio.
1550     f.  A healthy healthful and safe environment.
1551     g.  A resource and referral network to assist parents in
1552making an informed choice.
1553     (d)  Implementation.--
1554     1.  A regional child development board may not implement
1555the school readiness program is to be phased in. until the board
1556is authorized coalition implements its plan, the county shall
1557continue to receive the services identified in subsection (3)
1558through the various agencies that would be responsible for
1559delivering those services under current law.  Plan
1560implementation is subject to approval of the board's school
1561readiness coalition and the plan by the Agency for Workforce
1562Innovation Florida Partnership for School Readiness.
1563     2.  Each regional child development board school readiness
1564coalition shall develop a plan for implementing the school
1565readiness program to meet the requirements of this section and
1566the performance standards and outcome measures adopted
1567established by the Agency for Workforce Innovation partnership.
1568The plan must include a written description of the role of the
1569program in the coalition's effort to meet the first state
1570education goal, readiness to start school, including a
1571description of the plan to involve the prekindergarten early
1572intervention programs, Head Start Programs, programs offered by
1573public or private providers of child care, preschool programs
1574for children with disabilities, programs for migrant children,
1575Title I programs, subsidized child care programs, and teen
1576parent programs. The plan must also demonstrate how the program
1577will ensure that each 3-year-old and 4-year-old child in a
1578publicly funded school readiness program receives scheduled
1579activities and instruction designed to enhance the age-
1580appropriate progress of the prepare children in attaining the
1581performance standards adopted by the Agency for Workforce
1582Innovation under subparagraph (4)(d)8 to enter kindergarten
1583ready to learn. Before Prior to implementation of the school
1584readiness program, the regional child development board school
1585readiness coalition must submit the plan to the Agency for
1586Workforce Innovation partnership for approval. The Agency for
1587Workforce Innovation partnership may approve the plan, reject
1588the plan, or approve the plan with conditions.  The Agency for
1589Workforce Innovation Florida Partnership for School Readiness
1590shall review school readiness coalition plans at least annually.
1591     3.  If the Agency for Workforce Innovation determines
1592during the annual review of school readiness plans, or through
1593monitoring and performance evaluations conducted under the
1594quality-assurance system, that a regional child development
1595board has not substantially implemented its plan or has not
1596substantially met the performance standards and outcome measures
1597adopted by the agency, the Agency for Workforce Innovation may
1598reject the board's plan and contract with a qualified entity to
1599continue school readiness services in the board's county or
1600multicounty region until the board is reestablished through
1601resubmission of a school readiness plan and approval by the
1602agency.
1603     4.3.  The Agency for Workforce Innovation, with the advice
1604of the Florida Child Development Advisory Council, shall adopt
1605criteria for the approval of school readiness plans. The
1606criteria must be consistent with the performance standards and
1607outcome measures adopted by the agency and must require each
1608approved plan to for the school readiness program must include
1609the following minimum standards and provisions:
1610     a.  A sliding fee scale establishing a copayment for
1611parents based upon their ability to pay, which is the same for
1612all program providers, to be implemented and reflected in each
1613program's budget.
1614     b.  A choice of settings and locations in licensed,
1615registered, religious-exempt, or school-based programs to be
1616provided to parents.
1617     c.  Instructional staff who have completed the training
1618course as required in s. 402.305(2)(d)1., as well as staff who
1619have additional training or credentials as required by the
1620Agency for Workforce Innovation partnership. The plan must
1621provide a method for assuring the qualifications of all
1622personnel in all program settings.
1623     d.  Specific eligibility priorities for children within the
1624regional child development board's coalition's county or
1625multicounty region in accordance with pursuant to subsection
1626(6).
1627     e.  Performance standards and outcome measures adopted
1628established by the Agency for Workforce Innovation partnership
1629or alternatively, standards and outcome measures to be used
1630until such time as the partnership adopts such standards and
1631outcome measures.
1632     f.  Payment Reimbursement rates adopted that have been
1633developed by the regional child development board and approved
1634by the Agency for Workforce Innovation coalition. Payment
1635Reimbursement rates shall not have the effect of limiting
1636parental choice or creating standards or levels of services that
1637have not been authorized by the Legislature.
1638     g.  Systems support services, including a central agency,
1639child care resource and referral, eligibility determinations,
1640training of providers, and parent support and involvement.
1641     h.  Direct enhancement services to families and children.
1642System support and direct enhancement services shall be in
1643addition to payments for the placement of children in school
1644readiness programs.
1645     i.  The A business organization of the regional child
1646development board plan, which must include the board's articles
1647of incorporation and bylaws if the board is organized as a
1648corporation. If the board is not organized as a corporation or
1649other business entity, the plan must include the contract with a
1650fiscal school readiness agent if the coalition is not a legally
1651established corporate entity. A regional child development board
1652Coalitions may contract with other regional child development
1653boards coalitions to achieve efficiency in multicounty multiple-
1654county services, and these such contracts may be part of the
1655board's school readiness coalition's business plan.
1656     j.  Strategies to meet the needs of unique populations,
1657such as migrant workers.
1658
1659As part of the school readiness plan, the regional child
1660development board coalition may request the Governor to apply
1661for a waiver to allow the board coalition to administer the Head
1662Start Program to accomplish the purposes of the school readiness
1663program.  If a any school readiness plan demonstrates can
1664demonstrate that specific statutory goals may can be achieved
1665more effectively by using procedures that require modification
1666of existing rules, policies, or procedures, a request for a
1667waiver to the Agency for Workforce Innovation partnership may be
1668submitted made as part of the plan. Upon review, the Agency for
1669Workforce Innovation partnership may grant the proposed
1670modification.
1671     5.4.  Persons with an early childhood teaching certificate
1672may provide support and supervision to other staff in the school
1673readiness program.
1674     6.5.  A regional child development board The coalition may
1675not implement its school readiness plan until the board it
1676submits the plan to and receives approval from the Agency for
1677Workforce Innovation partnership. Once the plan is has been
1678approved, the plan and the services provided under the plan
1679shall be controlled by the regional child development board
1680coalition rather than by the state agencies or departments. The
1681plan shall be reviewed and revised as necessary, but at least
1682biennially. A regional child development board may not implement
1683the revisions until the board submits the revised plan to and
1684receives approval from the Agency for Workforce Innovation. If
1685the Agency for Workforce Innovation rejects a revised plan, the
1686board must continue to operate under its prior approved plan.
1687     7.6.  Sections The following statutes will not apply to
1688local coalitions with approved plans: ss. 125.901(2)(a)3.,
1689411.221, and 411.232 do not apply to a regional child
1690development board with an approved school readiness plan. To
1691facilitate innovative practices and to allow the regional local
1692establishment of school readiness programs, a regional child
1693development board school readiness coalition may apply to the
1694Governor and Cabinet for a waiver of, and the Governor and
1695Cabinet may waive, any of the provisions of ss. 411.223,
1696411.232, and 1003.54, if the waiver is necessary for
1697implementation of the board's coalition's school readiness plan.
1698     8.7.  Two or more counties may join for purposes the
1699purpose of planning and implementing a school readiness program.
1700     9.8.  A regional child development board coalition may,
1701subject to approval by of the Agency for Workforce Innovation
1702partnership as part of the board's school readiness coalition's
1703plan, receive subsidized child care funds for all children
1704eligible for any federal subsidized child care program and be
1705the provider of the program services.
1706     10.9.  A regional child development board may Coalitions
1707are authorized to enter into multiparty contracts with
1708multicounty service providers in order to meet the needs of
1709unique populations such as migrant workers.
1710     (e)  Requests for proposals; payment schedule.--
1711     1.  At least once every 3 years, beginning July 1, 2001,
1712Each regional child development board coalition must comply with
1713follow the competitive procurement requirements of s. 287.057
1714for the procurement of commodities or contractual services from
1715the funds described in paragraph (9)(d) school readiness
1716programs. The period of a contract for purchase of these
1717commodities or contractual services, together with any renewal
1718of the original contract, may not exceed 3 years.
1719     2.  Each regional child development board coalition shall
1720adopt develop a payment schedule that encompasses all programs
1721funded by the board under this section that coalition. The
1722payment schedule must take into consideration the relevant
1723market rate, must include the projected number of children to be
1724served, and must be submitted for approval by to the Agency for
1725Workforce Innovation partnership for information. Informal child
1726care arrangements shall be reimbursed at not more than 50
1727percent of the rate developed for a family day care home
1728childcare.
1729     (f)  Requirements relating to fiscal agents.--If a regional
1730child development board the local coalition is not a legally
1731organized as a corporation or other business established
1732corporate entity, the board coalition must designate a fiscal
1733agent, which may be a public entity, or a private nonprofit
1734organization, or a certified public accountant who holds a
1735license under chapter 473. The fiscal agent must shall be
1736required to provide financial and administrative services under
1737pursuant to a contract or agreement with the regional child
1738development board school readiness coalition. The fiscal agent
1739may not provide direct early childhood education or child care
1740services; however, a fiscal agent may provide those such
1741services upon written request of the regional child development
1742board coalition to the Agency for Workforce Innovation
1743partnership and upon the approval of the such request by the
1744agency partnership. The cost of the financial and administrative
1745services shall be negotiated between the fiscal agent and the
1746regional child development board school readiness coalition. If
1747the fiscal agent is a provider of early childhood education and
1748child care programs, the contract must specify that the fiscal
1749agent shall will act on policy direction from the regional child
1750development board coalition and must will not receive policy
1751direction from its own corporate board regarding disbursal of
1752the regional child development board's coalition funds. The
1753fiscal agent shall disburse funds in accordance with the
1754regional child development board's approved coalition school
1755readiness plan and based on billing and disbursement procedures
1756approved by the Agency for Workforce Innovation partnership. The
1757fiscal agent must conform to all data-reporting requirements
1758established by the Agency for Workforce Innovation partnership.
1759     (g)  Evaluation and annual report.--Each regional child
1760development board school readiness coalition shall conduct an
1761evaluation of the effectiveness of the school readiness program,
1762including performance standards and outcome measures, and shall
1763provide an annual report and fiscal statement to the Agency for
1764Workforce Innovation Florida Partnership for School Readiness.
1765This report must conform to the content and format
1766specifications set by the Agency for Workforce Innovation
1767Florida Partnership for School Readiness. The Agency for
1768Workforce Innovation partnership must include an analysis of the
1769regional child development board's coalition reports in the
1770agency's its annual report.
1771     (6)  PROGRAM ELIGIBILITY.--Each regional child development
1772board's The school readiness program shall be established for
1773children younger than under the age of kindergarten eligibility
1774as defined in s. 1002.51. Priority for participation in the
1775school readiness program shall be given to children age 3 years
1776to school entry who are served by the Family Safety Program
1777Office of the Department of Children and Family Services or a
1778community-based lead agency under pursuant to chapter 39 and for
1779whom child care is needed to minimize risk of further abuse,
1780neglect, or abandonment. Other eligible populations include
1781children who meet one or more of the following criteria:
1782     (a)  Children under the age of kindergarten eligibility who
1783are:
1784     1.  Children determined to be at risk of abuse, neglect, or
1785exploitation who are currently clients of the Family Safety
1786Program Office of the Department of Children and Family
1787Services, but who are not otherwise given priority under this
1788subsection.
1789     2.1.  Children at risk of welfare dependency, including
1790economically disadvantaged children, children of participants in
1791the welfare transition program, children of migrant farmworkers,
1792and children of teen parents.
1793     3.2.  Children of working families whose family income does
1794not exceed 150 percent of the federal poverty level.
1795     4.3.  Children for whom the state is paying a relative
1796caregiver payment under s. 39.5085.
1797     (b)  Three-year-old children and 4-year-old children who
1798may not be economically disadvantaged but who have disabilities,
1799have been served in a specific part-time or combination of part-
1800time exceptional education programs with required special
1801services, aids, or equipment, and were previously reported for
1802funding part time with the Florida Education Finance Program as
1803exceptional students.
1804     (c)  Economically disadvantaged children, children with
1805disabilities, and children at risk of future school failure,
1806from birth to 4 years of age, who are served at home through
1807home visitor programs and intensive parent education programs
1808such as the Florida First Start Program.
1809     (d)  Children who meet federal and state eligibility
1810requirements for eligibility for the migrant preschool program
1811but who do not meet the criteria of economically disadvantaged.
1812
1813As used in this subsection, the term An "economically
1814disadvantaged" child means a child whose family income does not
1815exceed is below 150 percent of the federal poverty level.
1816Notwithstanding any change in a family's economic status, but
1817subject to additional family contributions in accordance with
1818the sliding fee scale, a child who meets the eligibility
1819requirements upon initial registration for the program remains
1820shall be considered eligible until the child reaches
1821kindergarten eligibility as defined in s. 1002.51 age.
1822     (7)  PARENTAL CHOICE.--
1823     (a)  The school readiness program shall provide parental
1824choice through pursuant to a purchase service order that
1825ensures, to the maximum extent possible, flexibility in school
1826readiness programs and payment arrangements. According to
1827federal regulations requiring parental choice, a parent may
1828choose an informal child care arrangement. The purchase order
1829must bear the name of the beneficiary and the program provider
1830and, when redeemed, must bear the signature of both the
1831beneficiary and an authorized representative of the provider.
1832     (b)  If it is determined that a provider has provided any
1833cash to the beneficiary in return for receiving the purchase
1834order, the regional child development board coalition or its
1835fiscal agent shall refer the matter to the Division of Public
1836Assistance Fraud for investigation.
1837     (c)  The office of the Chief Financial Officer shall
1838establish an electronic transfer system for the disbursement of
1839funds in accordance with this subsection. Each regional child
1840development board School readiness coalitions shall fully
1841implement the electronic funds transfer system within 2 years
1842after plan approval of the board's school readiness plan, unless
1843a waiver is obtained from the Agency for Workforce Innovation
1844partnership.
1845     (8)  STANDARDS; OUTCOME MEASURES.--All publicly funded
1846school readiness programs must shall be required to meet the
1847performance standards and outcome measures adopted developed and
1848approved by the Agency for Workforce Innovation partnership. The
1849Agency for Workforce Innovation shall consult with the Office of
1850Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability shall
1851provide consultation to the partnership in the development of
1852the measures and standards. These performance standards and
1853outcome measures shall apply be applicable on a statewide basis.
1854     (9)  FUNDING; SCHOOL READINESS PROGRAM.--
1855     (a)  It is the intent of this section to establish an
1856integrated and quality seamless service delivery system for all
1857publicly funded early childhood education and child care
1858programs operating in this state.
1859     (b)  Notwithstanding s. 20.50:
1860     1.  The Agency for Workforce Innovation shall administer
1861school readiness funds, plans, and policies pursuant to the
1862contract with the Florida Partnership for School Readiness and
1863shall prepare and submit a unified budget request for the school
1864readiness system program in accordance with chapter 216.
1865     2.  All instructions to regional child development boards
1866for the administration of this section local school readiness
1867coalitions shall emanate from the Agency for Workforce
1868Innovation in accordance with the pursuant to policies of the
1869Legislature, plans of the Florida Partnership for School
1870Readiness, and the contract between the Florida Partnership for
1871School Readiness and the agency.
1872     (c)  The Agency for Workforce Innovation shall adopt
1873prepare a formula plan that provides for the allocation among
1874the regional child development boards distribution and
1875expenditure of all state and federal school readiness funds for
1876children participating in public or private school readiness
1877programs based upon an equity and performance funding formula.
1878The allocation formula must plan shall be submitted to the
1879Governor and the Legislative Budget Commission. Upon approval,
1880the Legislative Budget Commission shall authorize the transfer
1881of funds to the Agency for Workforce Innovation to distribute
1882funds for distribution in accordance with the allocation
1883provisions of the formula. For fiscal year 2004-2005, the Agency
1884for Workforce Innovation shall allocate funds to the regional
1885child development boards consistent with the fiscal year 2003-
18862004 funding allocations to the local school readiness
1887coalitions.
1888     (d)  All state funds budgeted for a county for the programs
1889specified in subsection (3), along with the pro rata share of
1890the state administrative costs of those programs in the amount
1891as determined by the partnership, all federal, funds and
1892required local maintenance-of-effort or matching funds provided
1893to a regional child development board for a county for programs
1894specified in subsection (3), and any additional funds
1895appropriated or obtained for purposes of this section, shall be
1896used by transferred for the benefit of the board coalition for
1897implementation of its school readiness plan, including the
1898hiring of staff to effectively operate the board's coalition's
1899school readiness program.  As part of plan approval and periodic
1900plan review, the Agency for Workforce Innovation partnership
1901shall require that administrative costs be kept to the minimum
1902necessary for efficient and effective administration of the
1903school readiness plan, but total administrative expenditures
1904must shall not exceed 5 percent unless specifically waived by
1905the Agency for Workforce Innovation partnership.  The Agency for
1906Workforce Innovation partnership shall annually report to the
1907Legislature any problems relating to administrative costs.
1908     (e)  The Agency for Workforce Innovation partnership shall
1909annually distribute, to a maximum extent practicable, all
1910eligible funds provided under this section as block grants to
1911the regional child development boards. assist coalitions in
1912integrating services and funding to develop a quality service
1913delivery system. Subject to appropriation, the partnership may
1914also provide financial awards to coalitions demonstrating
1915success in merging and integrating funding streams to serve
1916children and school readiness programs.
1917     (f)  State funds appropriated for the school readiness
1918program may not be used for the construction of new facilities
1919or the purchase of buses. The Agency for Workforce Innovation
1920partnership shall present to the Legislature recommendations for
1921providing necessary transportation services for school readiness
1922programs.
1923     (g)  All cost savings and all revenues received through a
1924mandatory sliding fee scale shall be used to help fund each
1925regional child development board's the local school readiness
1926program.
1927     (10)  UNAUTHORIZED TRANSFERS.--Notwithstanding any other
1928law to the contrary, the Agency for Workforce Innovation may not
1929transfer to the Department of Education, through an interagency
1930agreement or through any other means, any of the agency's
1931powers, duties, functions, rules, records, personnel, property,
1932or unexpended balances of appropriations, allocations, or other
1933funds, any of which have been or which may be authorized for
1934administration of s. 402.25, s. 402.27, s. 402.3016, s.
1935402.3017, s. 402.3018, s. 402.3051, s. 409.178, or this section,
1936without specific legislative authority by express reference to
1937this subsection.
1938     (10)  SCHOOL READINESS UNIFORM SCREENING.--The Department
1939of Education shall implement a school readiness uniform
1940screening, including a pilot program during the 2001-2002 school
1941year, to validate the system recommended by the Florida
1942Partnership for School Readiness as part of a comprehensive
1943evaluation design. Beginning with the 2002-2003 school year, the
1944department shall require that all school districts administer
1945the school readiness uniform screening to each kindergarten
1946student in the district school system upon the student's entry
1947into kindergarten. Children who enter public school for the
1948first time in first grade must undergo a uniform screening
1949adopted for use in first grade. The department shall incorporate
1950school readiness data into the K-20 data warehouse for
1951longitudinal tracking. Notwithstanding s. 1002.22, the
1952department shall provide the partnership and the Agency for
1953Workforce Innovation with complete and full access to
1954kindergarten uniform screening data at the student, school,
1955district, and state levels in a format that will enable the
1956partnership and the agency to prepare reports needed by state
1957policymakers and local school readiness coalitions to access
1958progress toward school readiness goals and provide input for
1959continuous improvement of local school readiness services and
1960programs.
1961     (11)  REPORTS.--The Office of Program Policy Analysis and
1962Government Accountability shall assess the implementation,
1963efficiency, and outcomes of the school readiness program and
1964report its findings to the President of the Senate and the
1965Speaker of the House of Representatives by January 1, 2002.
1966Subsequent reviews shall be conducted at the direction of the
1967Joint Legislative Auditing Committee.
1968     (11)(12)  CONFLICTING PROVISIONS.--In the event of a
1969conflict between the provisions of this section and federal
1970requirements, the federal requirements shall control.
1971     (12)(13)  PLACEMENTS.--Notwithstanding any other provision
1972of this section to the contrary, and for fiscal year 2003-2004
1973only, the first children to be placed in the school readiness
1974program shall be those from families receiving temporary cash
1975assistance and subject to federal work requirements. Subsequent
1976placements shall be made in accordance with subsection (6)
1977pursuant to the provisions of this section. This subsection
1978expires July 1, 2004.
1979     Section 3.  Effective July 1, 2004, paragraph (a) of
1980subsection (3) of section 11.45, Florida Statutes, is amended to
1981read:
1982     11.45  Definitions; duties; authorities; reports; rules.--
1983     (3)  AUTHORITY FOR AUDITS AND OTHER ENGAGEMENTS.--
1984     (a)  The Auditor General may, by pursuant to his or her own
1985authority, or at the direction of the Legislative Auditing
1986Committee, conduct audits or other engagements as determined
1987appropriate by the Auditor General of:
1988     1.  The accounts and records of any governmental entity
1989created or established by law.
1990     2.  The information technology programs, activities,
1991functions, or systems of any governmental entity created or
1992established by law.
1993     3.  The accounts and records of any charter school created
1994or established by law.
1995     4.  The accounts and records of any direct-support
1996organization or citizen support organization created or
1997established by law. The Auditor General may is authorized to
1998require and receive any records from the direct-support
1999organization or citizen support organization, or from its
2000independent auditor.
2001     5.  The public records associated with any appropriation
2002made by the General Appropriations Act to a nongovernmental
2003agency, corporation, or person. All records of a nongovernmental
2004agency, corporation, or person for with respect to the receipt
2005and expenditure of the such an appropriation are shall be public
2006records and shall be treated in the same manner as other public
2007records are under general law.
2008     6.  State financial assistance provided to any nonstate
2009entity.
2010     7.  The Tobacco Settlement Financing Corporation created
2011under pursuant to s. 215.56005.
2012     8.  The Florida Virtual School created under pursuant to s.
20131002.37.
2014     9.  Any purchases of federal surplus lands for use as sites
2015for correctional facilities as described in s. 253.037.
2016     10.  Enterprise Florida, Inc., including any of its boards,
2017advisory committees, or similar groups created by Enterprise
2018Florida, Inc., and programs. The audit report may not reveal the
2019identity of any person who has anonymously made a donation to
2020Enterprise Florida, Inc., under pursuant to this subparagraph.
2021The identity of a donor or prospective donor to Enterprise
2022Florida, Inc., who desires to remain anonymous and all
2023information identifying the such donor or prospective donor are
2024confidential and exempt from the provisions of s. 119.07(1) and
2025s. 24(a), Art. I of the State Constitution. The Such anonymity
2026shall be maintained in the auditor's report.
2027     11.  The Florida Development Finance Corporation or the
2028capital development board or the programs or entities created by
2029the board. The audit or report may not reveal the identity of
2030any person who has anonymously made a donation to the board
2031under pursuant to this subparagraph. The identity of a donor or
2032prospective donor to the board who desires to remain anonymous
2033and all information identifying the such donor or prospective
2034donor are confidential and exempt from the provisions of s.
2035119.07(1) and s. 24(a), Art. I of the State Constitution. The
2036Such anonymity shall be maintained in the auditor's report.
2037     12.  The records pertaining to the use of funds from
2038voluntary contributions on a motor vehicle registration
2039application or on a driver's license application authorized
2040under pursuant to ss. 320.023 and 322.081.
2041     13.  The records pertaining to the use of funds from the
2042sale of specialty license plates described in chapter 320.
2043     14.  The transportation corporations under contract with
2044the Department of Transportation that are acting on behalf of
2045the state to secure and obtain rights-of-way for urgently needed
2046transportation systems and to assist in the planning and design
2047of the such systems under pursuant to ss. 339.401-339.421.
2048     15.  The acquisitions and divestitures related to the
2049Florida Communities Trust Program created under pursuant to
2050chapter 380.
2051     16.  The Florida Water Pollution Control Financing
2052Corporation created under pursuant to s. 403.1837.
2053     17.  The school readiness system, including the regional
2054child development boards, Florida Partnership for School
2055Readiness created under pursuant to s. 411.01.
2056     18.  The Florida Special Disability Trust Fund Financing
2057Corporation created under pursuant to s. 440.49.
2058     19.  Workforce Florida, Inc., or the programs or entities
2059created by Workforce Florida, Inc., created under pursuant to s.
2060445.004.
2061     20.  The corporation defined in s. 455.32 which that is
2062under contract with the Department of Business and Professional
2063Regulation to provide administrative, investigative,
2064examination, licensing, and prosecutorial support services in
2065accordance with the provisions of s. 455.32 and the practice act
2066of the relevant profession.
2067     21.  The Florida Engineers Management Corporation created
2068under pursuant to chapter 471.
2069     22.  The Investment Fraud Restoration Financing Corporation
2070created under pursuant to chapter 517.
2071     23.  The books and records of any permitholder that
2072conducts race meetings or jai alai exhibitions under chapter
2073550.
2074     24.  The corporation defined in part II of chapter 946,
2075cited known as the Prison Rehabilitative Industries and
2076Diversified Enterprises, Inc., or PRIDE Enterprises.
2077     Section 4.  Subsection (6) of section 20.15, Florida
2078Statutes, is amended to read:
2079     20.15  Department of Education.--There is created a
2080Department of Education.
2081     (6)  COUNCILS AND COMMITTEES.--Notwithstanding any anything
2082contained in law to the contrary, the commissioner shall appoint
2083all members of all councils and committees of the Department of
2084Education, except for the Commission for Independent Education,
2085and the Education Practices Commission, and the Florida Child
2086Development Advisory Council.
2087     Section 5.  Effective July 1, 2004, subsection (2) of
2088section 20.50, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
2089     20.50  Agency for Workforce Innovation.--There is created
2090the Agency for Workforce Innovation within the Department of
2091Management Services. The agency shall be a separate budget
2092entity, and the director of the agency shall be the agency head
2093for all purposes. The agency shall not be subject to control,
2094supervision, or direction by the Department of Management
2095Services in any manner, including, but not limited to,
2096personnel, purchasing, transactions involving real or personal
2097property, and budgetary matters.
2098     (2)  The Agency for Workforce Innovation is shall be the
2099designated administrative agency designated for receipt of
2100federal workforce development grants and other federal funds.
2101The agency, and shall administer carry out the duties and
2102responsibilities assigned by the Governor under each federal
2103grant assigned to the agency. The agency shall be a separate
2104budget entity and shall expend each revenue source as provided
2105by federal and state law and as provided in plans developed by
2106and agreements with Workforce Florida, Inc. The agency shall
2107prepare and submit as a separate budget entity a unified budget
2108request for workforce development, in accordance with chapter
2109216 for, and in conjunction with, Workforce Florida, Inc., and
2110its board. The head of the agency is the director of Workforce
2111Innovation, who shall be appointed by the Governor. The
2112accountability and reporting functions of the agency shall be
2113administered by the director or his or her designee. Included in
2114These functions shall include are budget management, financial
2115management, audit, performance management standards and
2116controls, assessing outcomes of service delivery, and financial
2117administration of workforce programs under pursuant to s.
2118445.004(5) and (9). Within the agency's overall organizational
2119structure, The agency shall include the following offices within
2120its organizational structure, which shall have the specified
2121responsibilities:
2122     (a)  The Office of Workforce Services shall administer the
2123unemployment compensation program, the Rapid Response program,
2124the Work Opportunity Tax Credit program, the Alien Labor
2125Certification program, and any other programs that are delivered
2126directly by agency staff rather than through the one-stop
2127delivery system. The office shall be directed by the Deputy
2128Director for Workforce Services, who shall be appointed by and
2129serve at the pleasure of the director.
2130     (b)  The Office of Program Support and Accountability shall
2131administer state merit system program staff within the workforce
2132service delivery system, under the pursuant to policies of
2133Workforce Florida, Inc. The office is shall be responsible for
2134delivering services through the one-stop delivery system and for
2135ensuring that participants in welfare transition programs
2136receive case management services, diversion assistance, support
2137services, including subsidized child care and transportation
2138services, Medicaid services, and transition assistance to enable
2139them to succeed in the workforce. The office is shall also be
2140responsible for program quality assurance, grants and contract
2141management, contracting, financial management, and reporting.
2142The office shall be directed by the Deputy Director for Program
2143Support and Accountability, who shall be appointed by and serve
2144at the pleasure of the director. The office is shall be
2145responsible for:
2146     1.  Establishing monitoring, quality assurance, and quality
2147improvement systems that routinely assess the quality and
2148effectiveness of contracted programs and services.
2149     2.  Annual review of each regional workforce board and
2150administrative entity to ensure that adequate systems of
2151reporting and control are in place; that, and monitoring,
2152quality assurance, and quality improvement activities are
2153conducted routinely;, and that corrective action is taken to
2154eliminate deficiencies.
2155     (c)  The Office of Child Development shall administer the
2156school readiness system in accordance with s. 411.01. The office
2157shall be directed by the Deputy Director for Child Development,
2158who shall be appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the
2159director.
2160     (d)(c)  The Office of Agency Support Services is shall be
2161responsible for procurement, human resource services, and
2162information services including delivering information on labor
2163markets, employment, occupations, and performance, and shall
2164implement and maintain information systems that are required for
2165the effective operation of the one-stop delivery system and the
2166school readiness services system, including, but not limited to,
2167those systems described in s. 445.009. The office shall will be
2168directed by under the direction of the Deputy Director for
2169Agency Support Services, who shall be appointed by and serve at
2170the pleasure of the director. The office is shall be responsible
2171for establishing:
2172     1.  Information systems and controls that report reliable,
2173timely and accurate fiscal and performance data for assessing
2174outcomes, service delivery, and financial administration of
2175workforce programs under pursuant to s. 445.004(5) and (9).
2176     2.  Information systems that support service integration
2177and case management by providing for case tracking for
2178participants in welfare transition programs.
2179     3.  Information systems that support the school readiness
2180system services.
2181     (e)(d)  The Unemployment Appeals Commission, authorized by
2182s. 443.012, is shall not be subject to the control, supervision,
2183or direction by the Agency for Workforce Innovation in the
2184performance of its powers and duties but shall receive any and
2185all support and assistance from the agency that is may be
2186required for the performance of its duties.
2187     Section 6.  Effective July 1, 2004, paragraph (b) of
2188subsection (1) of section 125.901, Florida Statutes, is amended
2189to read:
2190     125.901  Children's services; independent special district;
2191council; powers, duties, and functions.--
2192     (1)  Each county may by ordinance create an independent
2193special district, as defined in ss. 189.403(3) and
2194200.001(8)(e), to provide funding for children's services
2195throughout the county in accordance with this section. The
2196boundaries of such district shall be coterminous with the
2197boundaries of the county. The county governing body shall obtain
2198approval, by a majority vote of those electors voting on the
2199question, to annually levy ad valorem taxes which shall not
2200exceed the maximum millage rate authorized by this section. Any
2201district created pursuant to the provisions of this subsection
2202shall be required to levy and fix millage subject to the
2203provisions of s. 200.065. Once such millage is approved by the
2204electorate, the district shall not be required to seek approval
2205of the electorate in future years to levy the previously
2206approved millage.
2207     (b)  However, any county as defined in s. 125.011(1) may
2208instead have a governing board consisting of 33 members,
2209including: the superintendent of schools; two representatives of
2210public postsecondary education institutions located in the
2211county; the county manager or the equivalent county officer; the
2212district administrator from the appropriate district of the
2213Department of Children and Family Services, or the
2214administrator's designee who is a member of the Senior
2215Management Service or the Selected Exempt Service; the director
2216of the county health department or the director's designee; the
2217state attorney for the county or the state attorney's designee;
2218the chief judge assigned to juvenile cases, or another juvenile
2219judge who is the chief judge's designee and who shall sit as a
2220voting member of the board, except that the judge may not vote
2221or participate in setting ad valorem taxes under this section;
2222an individual who is selected by the board of the local United
2223Way or its equivalent; a member of a locally recognized faith-
2224based coalition, selected by that coalition; a member of the
2225local chamber of commerce, selected by that chamber or, if more
2226than one chamber exists within the county, a person selected by
2227a coalition of the local chambers; a member of the regional
2228child development board local school readiness coalition,
2229selected by that board coalition; a representative of a labor
2230organization or union active in the county; a member of a local
2231alliance or coalition engaged in cross-system planning for
2232health and social service delivery in the county, selected by
2233that alliance or coalition; a member of the local Parent-
2234Teachers Association/Parent-Teacher-Student Association,
2235selected by that association; a youth representative selected by
2236the local school system's student government; a local school
2237board member appointed by the chair of the school board; the
2238mayor of the county or the mayor's designee; one member of the
2239county governing body, appointed by the chair of that body; a
2240member of the state Legislature who represents residents of the
2241county, selected by the chair of the local legislative
2242delegation; an elected official representing the residents of a
2243municipality in the county, selected by the county municipal
2244league; and 4 members-at-large, appointed to the council by the
2245majority of sitting council members. The remaining 7 members
2246shall be appointed by the Governor in accordance with procedures
2247set forth in paragraph (a), except that the Governor may remove
2248a member for cause or upon the written petition of the council.
2249Appointments by the Governor must, to the extent reasonably
2250possible, represent the geographic and demographic diversity of
2251the population of the county. Members who are appointed to the
2252council by reason of their position are not subject to the
2253length of terms and limits on consecutive terms as provided in
2254this section. The remaining appointed members of the governing
2255board shall be appointed to serve 2-year terms, except that
2256those members appointed by the Governor shall be appointed to
2257serve 4-year terms, and the youth representative and the
2258legislative delegate shall be appointed to serve 1-year terms. A
2259member may be reappointed; however, a member may not serve for
2260more than three consecutive terms. A member is eligible to be
2261appointed again after a 2-year hiatus from the council.
2262     Section 7.  Effective July 1, 2004, subsection (1) of
2263section 216.133, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
2264     216.133  Definitions; ss. 216.133-216.137.--As used in ss.
2265216.133-216.137:
2266     (1)  "Consensus estimating conference" includes the
2267Economic Estimating Conference, the Demographic Estimating
2268Conference, the Revenue Estimating Conference, the Education
2269Estimating Conference, the Criminal Justice Estimating
2270Conference, the Juvenile Justice Estimating Conference, the
2271Child Welfare System Estimating Conference, the Occupational
2272Forecasting Conference, the Child Development Programs School
2273Readiness Program Estimating Conference, the Self-Insurance
2274Estimating Conference, the Florida Retirement System Actuarial
2275Assumption Conference, and the Social Services Estimating
2276Conference.
2277     Section 8.  Effective July 1, 2004, subsection (10) of
2278section 216.136, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
2279     216.136  Consensus estimating conferences; duties and
2280principals.--
2281     (10)  CHILD DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS SCHOOL READINESS PROGRAM
2282ESTIMATING CONFERENCE.--
2283     (a)  Duties.--
2284     1.  The Child Development Programs School Readiness Program
2285Estimating Conference shall develop estimates and forecasts of
2286the unduplicated count of children eligible for school readiness
2287programs in accordance with the standards of eligibility
2288established in s. 411.01(6), and of children eligible for the
2289Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program in accordance with
2290s. 1002.53(2), as the conference determines are needed to
2291support the state planning, budgeting, and appropriations
2292processes.
2293     2.  The Agency for Workforce Innovation Florida Partnership
2294for School Readiness shall provide information on needs and
2295waiting lists for school readiness programs as program services
2296requested by the Child Development Programs School Readiness
2297Program Estimating Conference or individual conference
2298principals in a timely manner.
2299     3.  The Department of Education shall provide information
2300on needs for the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program as
2301requested by the Child Development Programs Estimating
2302Conference or individual conference principals in a timely
2303manner.
2304     (b)  Principals.--The Executive Office of the Governor, the
2305Director of Economic and Demographic Research, and professional
2306staff who have forecasting expertise from the Florida
2307Partnership for School Readiness, the Agency for Workforce
2308Innovation, the Department of Children and Family Services, the
2309Department of Education, the Senate, and the House of
2310Representatives, or their designees, are the principals of the
2311Child Development Programs School Readiness Program Estimating
2312Conference. The principal representing the Executive Office of
2313the Governor shall preside over sessions of the conference.
2314     Section 9.  Section 402.265, Florida Statutes, is created
2315to read:
2316     402.265  Unauthorized transfers.--Notwithstanding any other
2317law to the contrary, the Department of Children and Family
2318Services may not transfer to the Department of Education,
2319through an interagency agreement or through any other means, any
2320of the department's powers, duties, functions, rules, records,
2321personnel, property, or unexpended balances of appropriations,
2322allocations, or other funds, any of which have been or which may
2323be authorized for the Child Care Services Program Office or for
2324administration of ss. 402.25-402.319, without specific
2325legislative authority by express reference to this section.
2326     Section 10.  Effective July 1, 2004, section 402.3016,
2327Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
2328     402.3016  Early Head Start collaboration grants.--
2329     (1)  Contingent upon specific appropriations, the Agency
2330for Workforce Innovation Florida Partnership for School
2331Readiness shall establish a program to award collaboration
2332grants to assist local agencies in securing Early Head Start
2333programs through Early Head Start program federal grants. The
2334collaboration grants shall provide the required matching funds
2335for public and private nonprofit agencies that have been
2336approved for Early Head Start program federal grants.
2337     (2)  Public and private nonprofit agencies providing Early
2338Head Start programs applying for collaborative grants must:
2339     (a)  Ensure quality performance by meeting the requirements
2340in the Head Start program performance standards and other
2341applicable rules and regulations;
2342     (b)  Ensure collaboration with other service providers at
2343the local level; and
2344     (c)  Ensure that a comprehensive array of health,
2345nutritional, and other services are provided to the program's
2346pregnant women and very young children, and their families.
2347     (3)  The Agency for Workforce Innovation partnership shall
2348report to the Legislature on an annual basis the number of
2349agencies receiving Early Head Start collaboration grants and the
2350number of children served.
2351     (4)  The Agency for Workforce Innovation partnership may
2352adopt rules under s. 120.536(1) and s. 120.54 as necessary for
2353the award of collaboration grants to competing agencies and the
2354administration of the collaboration grants program under this
2355section.
2356     Section 11.  Effective, July 1, 2004, section 411.011,
2357Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
2358     411.011  Records of children in school readiness programs.-
2359-The individual records of children enrolled in school readiness
2360programs provided under s. 411.01, when held in the possession
2361of the regional child development board school readiness
2362coalition or the Agency for Workforce Innovation Florida
2363Partnership for School Readiness, are confidential and exempt
2364from the provisions of s. 119.07 and s. 24(a), Art. I of the
2365State Constitution. For the purposes of this section, records
2366include assessment data, health data, records of teacher
2367observations, and identifying data, including the child's social
2368security number. A parent, guardian, or individual acting as a
2369parent in the absence of a parent or guardian has the right to
2370inspect and review the individual school readiness program
2371record of his or her child and to obtain a copy of the record.
2372School readiness records may be released to the United States
2373Secretary of Education, the United States Secretary of Health
2374and Human Services, and the Comptroller General of the United
2375States for the purpose of federal audits; to individuals or
2376organizations conducting studies for institutions to develop,
2377validate, or administer assessments or improve instruction; to
2378accrediting organizations in order to carry out their
2379accrediting functions; to appropriate parties in connection with
2380an emergency if the information is necessary to protect the
2381health or safety of the student or other individuals; to the
2382Auditor General in connection with his or her official
2383functions; to a court of competent jurisdiction in compliance
2384with an order of that court in accordance with pursuant to a
2385lawfully issued subpoena; and to parties to an interagency
2386agreement among regional child development boards school
2387readiness coalitions, local governmental agencies, providers of
2388school readiness programs, state agencies, and the Agency for
2389Workforce Innovation Florida Partnership for School Readiness
2390for the purpose of implementing the school readiness program.
2391Agencies, organizations, or individuals that receive school
2392readiness records in order to carry out their official functions
2393must protect the data in a manner that does will not permit the
2394personal identification of students and their parents by persons
2395other than those authorized to receive the records. This section
2396is subject to the Open Government Sunset Review Act of 1995 in
2397accordance with s. 119.15 and shall stand repealed on October 2,
23982005, unless reviewed and saved from repeal through reenactment
2399by the Legislature.
2400     Section 12.  Effective July 1, 2004, paragraph (e) of
2401subsection (2) of section 411.226, Florida Statutes, is amended
2402to read:
2403     411.226  Learning Gateway.--
2404     (2)  LEARNING GATEWAY STEERING COMMITTEE.--
2405     (e)  To support and facilitate system improvements, the
2406steering committee must consult with representatives from the
2407Department of Education, the Department of Health, the Agency
2408for Workforce Innovation Florida Partnership for School
2409Readiness, the Department of Children and Family Services, the
2410Agency for Health Care Administration, the Department of
2411Juvenile Justice, and the Department of Corrections and with the
2412director of the Learning Development and Evaluation Center of
2413Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University.
2414     Section 13.  Effective July 1, 2004, paragraph (d) of
2415subsection (1), paragraph (a) of subsection (2), and paragraph
2416(c) of subsection (3) of section 411.227, Florida Statutes, are
2417amended to read:
2418     411.227  Components of the Learning Gateway.--The Learning
2419Gateway system consists of the following components:
2420     (1)  COMMUNITY EDUCATION STRATEGIES AND FAMILY-ORIENTED
2421ACCESS.--
2422     (d)  In collaboration with other local resources, the
2423demonstration projects shall develop public awareness strategies
2424to disseminate information about developmental milestones,
2425precursors of learning problems and other developmental delays,
2426and the service system that is available. The information should
2427target parents of children from birth through age 9 and should
2428be distributed to parents, health care providers, and caregivers
2429of children from birth through age 9. A variety of media should
2430be used as appropriate, such as print, television, radio, and a
2431community-based Internet website, as well as opportunities such
2432as those presented by parent visits to physicians for well-child
2433checkups. The Learning Gateway Steering Committee shall provide
2434technical assistance to the local demonstration projects in
2435developing and distributing educational materials and
2436information.
2437     1.  Public awareness strategies targeting parents of
2438children from birth through age 5 shall be designed to provide
2439information to public and private preschool programs, child care
2440childcare providers, pediatricians, parents, and local
2441businesses and organizations. These strategies should include
2442information on the school readiness performance standards for
2443kindergarten adopted by the Agency for Workforce Innovation
2444School Readiness Partnership Board.
2445     2.  Public awareness strategies targeting parents of
2446children from ages 6 through 9 must be designed to disseminate
2447training materials and brochures to parents and public and
2448private school personnel, and must be coordinated with the local
2449school board and the appropriate school advisory committees in
2450the demonstration projects. The materials should contain
2451information on state and district proficiency levels for grades
2452K-3.
2453     (2)  SCREENING AND DEVELOPMENTAL MONITORING.--
2454     (a)  In coordination with the Agency for Workforce
2455Innovation Partnership for School Readiness, the Department of
2456Education, and the Florida Pediatric Society, and using
2457information learned from the local demonstration projects, the
2458Learning Gateway Steering Committee shall establish guidelines
2459for screening children from birth through age 9. The guidelines
2460should incorporate recent research on the indicators most likely
2461to predict early learning problems, mild developmental delays,
2462child-specific precursors of school failure, and other related
2463developmental indicators in the domains of cognition;
2464communication; attention; perception; behavior; and social,
2465emotional, sensory, and motor functioning.
2466     (3)  EARLY EDUCATION, SERVICES AND SUPPORTS.--
2467     (c)  The steering committee, in cooperation with the
2468Department of Children and Family Services, the Department of
2469Education, and the Agency for Workforce Innovation Florida
2470Partnership for School Readiness, shall identify the elements of
2471an effective research-based curriculum for early care and
2472education programs.
2473     Section 14.  Effective July 1, 2004, paragraph (a) of
2474subsection (2) of section 624.91, Florida Statutes, is amended
2475to read:
2476     624.91  The Florida Healthy Kids Corporation Act.--
2477     (2)  LEGISLATIVE INTENT.--
2478     (a)  The Legislature finds that increased access to health
2479care services could improve children's health and reduce the
2480incidence and costs of childhood illness and disabilities among
2481children in this state. Many children do not have comprehensive,
2482affordable health care services available.  It is the intent of
2483the Legislature that the Florida Healthy Kids Corporation
2484provide comprehensive health insurance coverage to these such
2485children. The corporation is encouraged to cooperate with any
2486existing health service programs funded by the public or the
2487private sector and to work cooperatively with the Agency for
2488Workforce Innovation Florida Partnership for School Readiness.
2489     Section 15.  Subsection (1) of section 1001.23, Florida
2490Statutes, is amended to read:
2491     1001.23  Specific powers and duties of the Department of
2492Education.--In addition to all other duties assigned to it by
2493law or by rule of the State Board of Education, the department
2494shall:
2495     (1)  Adopt the statewide kindergarten school readiness
2496uniform screening developed by the Florida Partnership for
2497School Readiness, in accordance with s. 1002.67 the criteria
2498itemized in chapter 1008.
2499     Section 16.  Effective July 1, 2004, paragraph (d) of
2500subsection (3) of section 1002.22, Florida Statutes, is amended
2501to read:
2502     1002.22  Student records and reports; rights of parents and
2503students; notification; penalty.--
2504     (3)  RIGHTS OF PARENT OR STUDENT.--The parent of any
2505student who attends or has attended any public school, area
2506technical center, or public postsecondary educational
2507institution shall have the following rights with respect to any
2508records or reports created, maintained, and used by any public
2509educational institution in the state.  However, whenever a
2510student has attained 18 years of age, or is attending a
2511postsecondary educational institution, the permission or consent
2512required of, and the rights accorded to, the parents of the
2513student shall thereafter be required of and accorded to the
2514student only, unless the student is a dependent student of such
2515parents as defined in 26 U.S.C. s. 152 (s. 152 of the Internal
2516Revenue Code of 1954). The State Board of Education shall adopt
2517rules whereby parents or students may exercise these rights:
2518     (d)  Right of privacy.--Every student has shall have a
2519right of privacy with respect to the educational records kept on
2520him or her. Personally identifiable records or reports of a
2521student, and any personal information contained therein, are
2522confidential and exempt from the provisions of s. 119.07(1). No
2523state or local educational agency, board, public school,
2524technical center, or public postsecondary educational
2525institution shall permit the release of the such records,
2526reports, or information without the written consent of the
2527student's parent, or of the student himself or herself if he or
2528she is qualified as provided in this subsection, to any
2529individual, agency, or organization. However, personally
2530identifiable records or reports of a student may be released to
2531the following persons or organizations without the consent of
2532the student or the student's parent:
2533     1.  Officials of schools, school systems, technical
2534centers, or public postsecondary educational institutions in
2535which the student seeks or intends to enroll; and a copy of the
2536such records or reports shall be furnished to the parent or
2537student upon request.
2538     2.  Other school officials, including teachers within the
2539educational institution or agency, who have legitimate
2540educational interests in the information contained in the
2541records.
2542     3.  The United States Secretary of Education, the Director
2543of the National Institute of Education, the Assistant Secretary
2544for Education, the Comptroller General of the United States, or
2545state or local educational authorities who are authorized to
2546receive such information subject to the conditions set forth in
2547applicable federal statutes and regulations of the United States
2548Department of Education, or in applicable state statutes and
2549rules of the State Board of Education.
2550     4.  Other school officials, in connection with a student's
2551application for or receipt of financial aid.
2552     5.  Individuals or organizations conducting studies for or
2553on behalf of an institution or a board of education for the
2554purpose of developing, validating, or administering predictive
2555tests, administering student aid programs, or improving
2556instruction, if the such studies are conducted in such a manner
2557that does as will not permit the personal identification of
2558students and their parents by persons other than representatives
2559of the such organizations and if the such information will be
2560destroyed when no longer needed for the purpose of conducting
2561the such studies.
2562     6.  Accrediting organizations, in order to carry out their
2563accrediting functions.
2564     7.  Regional child development boards School readiness
2565coalitions and the Agency for Workforce Innovation Florida
2566Partnership for School Readiness in order to carry out their
2567assigned duties.
2568     8.  For use as evidence in student expulsion hearings
2569conducted by a district school board under pursuant to the
2570provisions of chapter 120.
2571     9.  Appropriate parties in connection with an emergency, if
2572knowledge of the information in the student's educational
2573records is necessary to protect the health or safety of the
2574student or other individuals.
2575     10.  The Auditor General and the Office of Program Policy
2576Analysis and Government Accountability in connection with their
2577official functions; however, except when the collection of
2578personally identifiable information is specifically authorized
2579by law, any data collected by the Auditor General and the Office
2580of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability is
2581confidential and exempt from the provisions of s. 119.07(1) and
2582shall be protected in such a way that does as will not permit
2583the personal identification of students and their parents by
2584other than the Auditor General, the Office of Program Policy
2585Analysis and Government Accountability, and their staff, and the
2586such personally identifiable data shall be destroyed when no
2587longer needed for the Auditor General's and the Office of
2588Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability's official
2589use.
2590     11.a.  A court of competent jurisdiction in compliance with
2591an order of that court or the attorney of record in accordance
2592with pursuant to a lawfully issued subpoena, upon the condition
2593that the student and the student's parent are notified of the
2594order or subpoena in advance of compliance therewith by the
2595educational institution or agency.
2596     b.  A person or entity pursuant to a court of competent
2597jurisdiction in compliance with an order of that court or the
2598attorney of record in accordance with pursuant to a lawfully
2599issued subpoena, upon the condition that the student, or his or
2600her parent if the student is either a minor and not attending a
2601postsecondary educational institution or a dependent of such
2602parent as defined in 26 U.S.C. s. 152 (s. 152 of the Internal
2603Revenue Code of 1954), is notified of the order or subpoena in
2604advance of compliance therewith by the educational institution
2605or agency.
2606     12.  Credit bureaus, in connection with an agreement for
2607financial aid that the student has executed, if the provided
2608that such information is may be disclosed only to the extent
2609necessary to enforce the terms or conditions of the financial
2610aid agreement. Credit bureaus shall not release any information
2611obtained under pursuant to this paragraph to any person.
2612     13.  Parties to an interagency agreement among the
2613Department of Juvenile Justice, school and law enforcement
2614authorities, and other signatory agencies for the purpose of
2615reducing juvenile crime and especially motor vehicle theft by
2616promoting cooperation and collaboration, and the sharing of
2617appropriate information in a joint effort to improve school
2618safety, to reduce truancy and in-school and out-of-school
2619suspensions, and to support alternatives to in-school and out-
2620of-school suspensions and expulsions that provide structured and
2621well-supervised educational programs supplemented by a
2622coordinated overlay of other appropriate services designed to
2623correct behaviors that lead to truancy, suspensions, and
2624expulsions, and that support students in successfully completing
2625their education.  Information provided in furtherance of the
2626such interagency agreements is intended solely for use in
2627determining the appropriate programs and services for each
2628juvenile or the juvenile's family, or for coordinating the
2629delivery of the such programs and services, and as such is
2630inadmissible in any court proceedings before prior to a
2631dispositional hearing unless written consent is provided by a
2632parent or other responsible adult on behalf of the juvenile.
2633
2634This paragraph does not prohibit any educational institution
2635from publishing and releasing to the general public directory
2636information relating to a student if the institution elects to
2637do so.  However, no educational institution shall release, to
2638any individual, agency, or organization that is not listed in
2639subparagraphs 1.-13., directory information relating to the
2640student body in general or a portion thereof unless it is
2641normally published for the purpose of release to the public in
2642general.  Any educational institution making directory
2643information public shall give public notice of the categories of
2644information that it has designated as directory information for
2645with respect to all students attending the institution and shall
2646allow a reasonable period of time after the such notice has been
2647given for a parent or student to inform the institution in
2648writing that any or all of the information designated should not
2649be released.
2650     Section 17.  Paragraph (c) of subsection (3) of section
26511003.54, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
2652     1003.54  Teenage parent programs.--
2653     (3)
2654     (c)  Provision for necessary child care, health care,
2655social services, parent education, and transportation shall be
2656ancillary service components of teenage parent programs.
2657Ancillary services may be provided through the coordination of
2658existing programs and services and through joint agreements
2659between district school boards and regional child development
2660boards local school readiness coalitions or other appropriate
2661public and private providers.
2662     Section 18.  By January 15, 2005, the Department of
2663Education, with the advice of the Florida Child Development
2664Advisory Council created under section 1002.73, Florida
2665Statutes, shall submit recommendations to the Legislature on
2666professional development programs for the Voluntary
2667Prekindergarten Education Program. The recommendations must
2668comprise options for the professional development of
2669prekindergarten directors, teachers, and child care personnel.
2670The recommendations shall address curricula and appropriate
2671delivery systems for the programs and shall consider the use of
2672Internet-based applications for instruction or assessment. The
2673recommendations must also include the estimated costs of the
2674professional development programs, including nonrecurring
2675startup costs and recurring operational costs.
2676     Section 19.  Notwithstanding sections 216.162-216.168,
2677Florida Statutes, and under section 216.351, Florida Statutes,
2678the Governor shall submit to the Legislature, as part of the
2679Governor's recommended budget for the 2005-2006 fiscal year, the
2680Governor's annual cost projections for the Voluntary
2681Prekindergarten Education Program for the 5-year period ending
2682with the 2009-2010 fiscal year. The cost projections must be
2683based upon the Governor's estimate of the number of children to
2684be served annually in the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education
2685Program, including annual estimates for the potential shift of
2686children to the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program from
2687school readiness programs provided under section 411.01, Florida
2688Statutes.
2689     Section 20.  (1)  Effective July 1, 2004, the Florida
2690Partnership for School Readiness is abolished. All powers,
2691duties, functions, rules, records, personnel, property, and
2692unexpended balances of appropriations, allocations, and other
2693funds of the Florida Partnership for School Readiness are
2694transferred, effective July 1, 2004, by a type two transfer, as
2695defined in section 20.06(2), Florida Statutes, to the Agency for
2696Workforce Innovation.
2697     (2)  This act does not abolish the school readiness
2698coalitions but, effective July 1, 2004, redesignates the
2699coalitions as regional child development boards and, effective
2700January 1, 2005, requires a reduction in the number of boards.
2701All powers, duties, functions, rules, records, personnel,
2702property, and unexpended balances of appropriations,
2703allocations, and other funds of each school readiness coalition
2704are not transferred but shall be retained by the coalition upon
2705its redesignation as a regional child development board.
2706     Section 21.  Sections 411.012 and 1008.21, Florida
2707Statutes, are repealed.
2708     Section 22.  (1)  The sum of $7 million in nonrecurring
2709funds is appropriated from the General Revenue Fund to the
2710Department of Education for implementation of the summer
2711prekindergarten demonstration program under section 1002.61(5),
2712Florida Statutes, during the 2003-2004 fiscal year, and for
2713nonrecurring startup costs for the Voluntary Prekindergarten
2714Education Program during fiscal year 2004-2005. The Department
2715of Education may use any funds remaining after implementation of
2716the summer prekindergarten demonstration program in accordance
2717with the research design developed under section 1002.61(5)(b),
2718Florida Statutes, for nonrecurring startup costs for the
2719Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program, subject to approval
2720by the Legislative Budget Commission of the allocation among
2721specific appropriation categories of funds for these
2722nonrecurring startup costs.
2723     (2)  Notwithstanding section 1002.69, Florida Statutes,
2724each demonstration district's allocation of funds appropriated
2725under subsection (1) shall be based upon the district's student
2726enrollment in the demonstration program. Each demonstration
2727district's student enrollment in the demonstration program, and
2728the demographic composition of the student enrollment, must be
2729consistent with the research design developed under section
27301002.61(5)(b), Florida Statutes. A full-time equivalent student
2731in the summer prekindergarten demonstration program shall be 300
2732hours, and the base student allocation for the demonstration
2733program shall be $2,500 per full-time equivalent student. Each
2734district's allocation per full-time equivalent student shall be
2735calculated by multiplying the base student allocation by the
2736district cost differential provided in section 1011.62(2),
2737Florida Statutes.
2738     (3)  Each demonstration school must have at least one
2739certified teacher for every 10 students in the demonstration
2740program. As used in this subsection, the term "certified
2741teacher" has the same meaning ascribed in section 1002.61(3),
2742Florida Statutes.
2743     (4)  Each demonstration district must submit all
2744information requested by the Department of Education for
2745reporting and funding purposes.
2746     (5)  Any unexpended balance at the end of the 2003-2004
2747fiscal year from the funds appropriated under subsection (1)
2748shall be certified forward to the 2004-2005 fiscal year and
2749shall be used to continue implementation of the demonstration
2750program during summer 2004.
2751     Section 23.  Except as otherwise expressly provided in this
2752act, this act shall take effect upon becoming a law.


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