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2021 Florida Statutes (Including 2021B Session)

F.S. 1002.895
1002.895 Market rate schedule.The school readiness program market rate schedule shall be implemented as follows:
(1) The department shall establish procedures for the adoption of a market rate schedule until an alternative model that has been approved by the Administration for Children and Families pursuant to 45 C.F.R. s. 98.45(c) is available for adoption. The schedule must include, at a minimum, county-by-county rates:
(a) The market rate, including the minimum and the maximum rates for child care providers that hold a Gold Seal Quality Care designation under s. 1002.945 and adhere to its accrediting association’s teacher-to-child ratios and group size requirements.
(b) The market rate for child care providers that do not hold a Gold Seal Quality Care designation.
(2) The market rate schedule, at a minimum, must:
(a) Differentiate rates by type, including, but not limited to, a child care provider that holds a Gold Seal Quality Care designation under s. 1002.945 and adheres to its accrediting association’s teacher-to-child ratios and group size requirements, a child care facility licensed under s. 402.305, a public or nonpublic school exempt from licensure under s. 402.3025, a faith-based child care facility exempt from licensure under s. 402.316 that does not hold a Gold Seal Quality Care designation, a large family child care home licensed under s. 402.3131, or a family day care home licensed or registered under s. 402.313.
(b) Differentiate rates by the type of child care services provided for children with special needs or risk categories, infants, toddlers, preschool-age children, and school-age children.
(c) Differentiate rates between full-time and part-time child care services.
(d) Consider discounted rates for child care services for multiple children in a single family.
(3) The market rate schedule must be based exclusively on the prices charged for child care services.
(4) The market rate schedule shall be considered by an early learning coalition in the adoption of a payment schedule. The payment schedule must take into consideration the prevailing market rate and include the projected number of children to be served by each county and be submitted for approval by the department. Informal child care arrangements shall be reimbursed at not more than 50 percent of the rate adopted for a family day care home.
(5) The department may contract with one or more qualified entities to administer this section and provide support and technical assistance for child care providers.
(6) The department may adopt rules for establishing procedures for the collection of child care providers’ market rate, the calculation of the prevailing market rate by program care level and provider type in a predetermined geographic market, and the publication of the market rate schedule.
History.s. 17, ch. 2013-252; s. 55, ch. 2021-10.