Florida Senate - 2019                                     SB 970
       
       
        
       By Senator Baxley
       
       
       
       
       
       12-01182-19                                            2019970__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to the Voluntary Prekindergarten
    3         Education Program; creating s. 1002.78, F.S.;
    4         requiring the principals of certain public elementary
    5         schools to take specified actions to facilitate
    6         communication and collaboration with private
    7         prekindergarten providers; providing requirements for
    8         such school principals; requiring the Office of Early
    9         Learning and early learning coalitions to provide
   10         specified support to such school principals; providing
   11         an effective date.
   12          
   13  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   14  
   15         Section 1. Section 1002.78, Florida Statutes, is created to
   16  read:
   17         1002.78 Elementary school and private prekindergarten
   18  provider coordination.—
   19         (1) Each public elementary school with a kindergarten
   20  program shall collaborate with the private prekindergarten
   21  providers in its area to create communication between
   22  prekindergarten directors of private prekindergarten providers
   23  and the elementary school principal, parents, and students. The
   24  principal of each public elementary school shall:
   25         (a) Identify the feeder pattern of private prekindergarten
   26  programs whose students are zoned or expected to enroll in his
   27  or her school.
   28         (b) Provide an early registration process for children
   29  enrolling in kindergarten at his or her school.
   30         (c) Invite all prekindergarten directors of private
   31  prekindergarten providers within the feeder pattern for his or
   32  her school to meet to discuss student data, assessment results,
   33  and student records. Such meetings must be in accordance with
   34  the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, 20 U.S.C. s.
   35  1232g.
   36         (d) Prepare a welcome packet for incoming kindergarten
   37  students who enroll in his or her school and their parents which
   38  includes activities to help children prepare for kindergarten.
   39         (e) Plan and execute an opportunity for private
   40  prekindergarten providers, parents, and prekindergarten students
   41  to visit and participate in school activities with kindergarten
   42  students enrolled in the school.
   43         (2) The Office of Early Learning and early learning
   44  coalitions shall provide assistance to school principals in
   45  identifying private prekindergarten programs in their areas and
   46  connecting principals with prekindergarten directors of private
   47  prekindergarten providers.
   48         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2019.