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A bill to be entitled

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An act relating to the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education

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Program; amending s. 1002.55, F.S.; revising the number of

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instructional hours that are required for a school-year

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prekindergarten program delivered by a private

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kindergarten provider; amending s. 1002.63, F.S.; revising

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the number of instructional hours that are required for a

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school-year prekindergarten program delivered by a public

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school; amending s. 1002.71, F.S.; revising the number of

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instructional hours that are required in order for a

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student in a school-year prekindergarten program delivered

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by a public school or a private prekindergarten provider

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to be considered a full-time equivalent student in the

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Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program; providing an

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effective date.

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

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     Section 1.  Subsection (2) of section 1002.55, Florida

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Statutes, is amended to read:

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     1002.55  School-year prekindergarten program delivered by

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private prekindergarten providers.--

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     (2)  Each school-year prekindergarten program delivered by a

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private prekindergarten provider must comprise up to 720 at least

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540 instructional hours or the same number of instructional hours

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as is provided to a student in kindergarten and first grade, if

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the provider provides instruction in kindergarten and first

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grade.

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     Section 2.  Subsection (2) of section 1002.63, Florida

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Statutes, is amended to read:

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     1002.63  School-year prekindergarten program delivered by

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public schools.--

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     (2)  Each school-year prekindergarten program delivered by a

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public school must comprise at least the same number of 540

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instructional hours as the school provides for a student in

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kindergarten and first grade.

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     Section 3.  Subsection (2) of section 1002.71, Florida

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Statutes, is amended to read:

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     1002.71  Funding; financial and attendance reporting.--

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     (2)  A full-time equivalent student in the Voluntary

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Prekindergarten Education Program shall be calculated as follows:

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     (a)  For a student in a school-year prekindergarten program

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delivered by a private prekindergarten provider: up to 720 540

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instructional hours or the same number of instructional hours as

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is provided to a student in kindergarten and first grade, if the

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provider provides instruction in kindergarten and first grade.

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     (b)  For a student in a summer prekindergarten program

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delivered by a public school or private prekindergarten provider:

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300 instructional hours.

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     (c)  For a student in a school-year prekindergarten program

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delivered by a public school: the same number of 540

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instructional hours as the school provides for a student in

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kindergarten and first grade.

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Except as provided in subsection (4), a student may not be

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reported for funding purposes as more than one full-time

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equivalent student.

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     Section 4.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2008.