Florida Senate - 2025 SB 1780
By Senator Smith
17-01338-25 20251780__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to early education workforce support;
3 providing a short title; creating s. 1002.996, F.S.;
4 establishing the Early Education Workforce Support
5 Pilot Program within the Department of Education for a
6 specified period; providing the purpose of and funding
7 for the program; defining terms; providing program
8 services; providing early education worker eligibility
9 requirements; providing department and participating
10 provider responsibilities; providing reporting and
11 recommendation requirements; providing for the future
12 expiration of the program; providing for rulemaking;
13 providing an effective date.
14
15 WHEREAS, the Legislature finds that this state faces a
16 critical shortage of early education workers due to low wages
17 and high job demands, leading to instability in the child care
18 sector, and
19 WHEREAS, the Legislature finds that providing access to
20 free early education services for the children of early
21 education workers can reduce the financial strain on and improve
22 the job satisfaction of early education workers, and increase
23 workforce retention for early education providers, and
24 WHEREAS, the Legislature further finds that supporting the
25 early education workforce is essential for expanding access to
26 high-quality early learning programs for all families in this
27 state, and
28 WHEREAS, it is the intent of the Legislature to establish a
29 program that provides free early education services to the
30 children of eligible early education workers and strengthen this
31 state’s early education workforce by reducing barriers to
32 employment and retention of early education workers, NOW,
33 THEREFORE,
34
35 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
36
37 Section 1. This act may be cited as the “Early Education
38 Workforce Support and Access Act.”
39 Section 2. Section 1002.996, Florida Statutes, is created
40 to read:
41 1002.996 The Early Education Workforce Support Pilot
42 Program.—There is established the Early Education Workforce
43 Support Pilot Program for a period of 2 years, to be
44 administered by the Department of Education to provide free
45 early education services to eligible children of early education
46 workers. Funding for the program shall be as provided in the
47 General Appropriations Act. The department may also use any
48 eligible federal funds, including, but not limited to, the Child
49 Care and Development Block Grant Trust Fund.
50 (1) DEFINITIONS.—For purposes of this section, the term:
51 (a) “Early education worker” means a person who is a paid
52 child care personnel as defined in s. 402.302 who works at least
53 20 hours per week.
54 (b) “Eligible child” means the biological, adopted, or
55 legal child of an early education worker who is not yet eligible
56 for kindergarten and who resides with the early education
57 worker.
58 (c) “Participating provider” means a child care facility
59 licensed under s. 402.305, family day care home licensed under
60 s. 402.313, large family child care home licensed under s.
61 402.3131, or faith-based child care provider exempt from
62 licensure under s. 402.316 that is approved by the department to
63 offer free early education services through the program.
64 (d) “Program” means the Early Education Workforce Support
65 Pilot Program.
66 (2) PROGRAM SERVICES.—The program shall provide funds
67 directly to participating providers for the full cost of tuition
68 of an eligible child selected to participate in the program,
69 including either full-time or part-time care based on the needs
70 of the family.
71 (3) EARLY EDUCATION WORKER ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS.—To be
72 eligible for participation in the program, an early education
73 worker must:
74 (a) Be a resident of this state who resides in a
75 participating county and has an eligible child who resides with
76 him or her.
77 (b) Be employed for at least 6 months by a child care
78 facility licensed under s. 402.305 for a minimum of 20 hours per
79 week.
80 (c) Provide proof of employment and residency in this
81 state.
82 (4) DEPARTMENT RESPONSIBILITIES.—The department shall:
83 (a) Select at least two counties to participate in the
84 program. Such counties must have the highest need for early
85 education workers based on workforce shortages and access to
86 child care services.
87 (b) Establish a process to verify the program eligibility
88 of participating providers, early education workers, and
89 eligible children.
90 (c) Establish participation requirements for participating
91 providers and early education workers.
92 (d) Establish a grant mechanism and procedures to reimburse
93 participating providers participating in the program.
94 (e) Monitor the implementation of the program to ensure
95 equitable access.
96 (f) Evaluate the program’s effectiveness in improving
97 workforce retention for early education providers and access to
98 child care for the children of early education workers.
99 (5) PARTICIPATING PROVIDERS RESPONSIBILITIES.—Participating
100 providers must:
101 (a) Maintain compliance with all state and federal
102 licensing and regulatory requirements.
103 (b) Submit the information and data required by the
104 department, including an annual report detailing the enrollment
105 of eligible children and the attendance and outcome of such
106 children.
107 (c) Meet any other requirements established by the
108 department.
109 (6) PROGRAM REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS.—Within 90 days
110 after completion of the program, the department shall provide to
111 the Legislature:
112 (a) A recommendation for the statewide expansion of the
113 program.
114 (b) A report on all of the following:
115 1. Program enrollment.
116 2. Workforce retention rates.
117 3. Financial impacts of the program.
118 (7) EXPIRATION.—This section expires on June 30, 2028.
119 (8) RULEMAKING.—The State Board of Education may adopt
120 rules to administer this section, including rules to establish
121 eligibility verification requirements, provider participation
122 requirements, and reimbursement procedures.
123 Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2025.