| 1 | A bill to be entitled |
| 2 | An act relating to the prekindergarten education pilot |
| 3 | program; establishing the pilot program to enhance the |
| 4 | quality of the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education |
| 5 | Program; specifying counties and providing requirements |
| 6 | for individual participants; providing for voluntary |
| 7 | participation by prekindergarten providers; providing |
| 8 | duties of the Early Learning Coalition of the Big Bend |
| 9 | Region and community colleges; authorizing application for |
| 10 | funding; providing an effective date. |
| 11 |
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| 12 | Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: |
| 13 |
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| 14 | Section 1. Pilot program to enhance the quality of the |
| 15 | Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program.-- |
| 16 | (1) There is established a 3-year coordinated pilot |
| 17 | program in Leon, Gadsden, Liberty, Wakulla, Taylor, Madison, and |
| 18 | Jefferson Counties. The purpose of the pilot program is to |
| 19 | enhance the quality of Florida's Voluntary Prekindergarten |
| 20 | Education Program by providing individuals who hold a |
| 21 | baccalaureate or higher degree with the opportunity to teach in |
| 22 | the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program. |
| 23 | (2)(a) An individual participating in the pilot program |
| 24 | must complete a curriculum that is developed by the Early |
| 25 | Learning Coalition of the Big Bend Region in consultation with a |
| 26 | community college in the pilot program region. The curriculum |
| 27 | shall provide each participant with early education training |
| 28 | that is designed to enhance the quality of the prekindergarten |
| 29 | education program and with necessary health and safety training. |
| 30 | (b) Participation in the pilot program by prekindergarten |
| 31 | education providers is voluntary. |
| 32 | (3) The pilot program shall be administered by the Early |
| 33 | Learning Coalition of the Big Bend Region. The coalition shall |
| 34 | recruit participants, determine required training, and provide |
| 35 | placement assistance for individual and prekindergarten provider |
| 36 | participants. |
| 37 | (4) The Early Learning Coalition of the Big Bend Region |
| 38 | may apply for appropriate grants and funding for implementation |
| 39 | of the pilot program. Implementation of the pilot program is not |
| 40 | required until such funding has been secured. |
| 41 | Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2008. |