Florida Senate - 2021                                    SB 1282
       
       
        
       By Senator Harrell
       
       
       
       
       
       25-00633A-21                                          20211282__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to early learning and early grade
    3         success; amending s. 20.055, F.S.; conforming
    4         provisions to changes made by the act; amending s.
    5         20.15, F.S.; deleting the Office of Early Learning
    6         from within the Office of Independent Education and
    7         Parental Choice of the Department of Education;
    8         establishing the Division of Early Learning within the
    9         department; amending s. 39.202, F.S.; conforming
   10         provisions to changes made by the act; amending s.
   11         39.604, F.S.; revising approved child care or early
   12         education settings for the placement of certain
   13         children; conforming a cross-reference to changes made
   14         by the act; amending s. 212.08, F.S.; conforming
   15         provisions and cross-references to changes made by the
   16         act; ss. 216.136, 383.14, 391.308, and 402.26, F.S.;
   17         conforming provisions to changes made by the act;
   18         transferring, renumbering, and amending s. 402.281,
   19         F.S.; revising the requirements of the Gold Seal
   20         Quality Care program; requiring the State Board of
   21         Education to adopt specified rules; revising
   22         accrediting association requirements; providing
   23         requirements for accrediting associations; requiring
   24         the department to establish a specified process;
   25         providing requirements for such process; deleting a
   26         requirement for the department to consult certain
   27         entities for specified purposes; providing
   28         requirements for certain providers to maintain Gold
   29         Seal Quality Care status; providing exemptions to
   30         certain ad valorem taxes; providing rate differentials
   31         to certain providers; providing for a type two
   32         transfer of the Gold Seal Quality Care program in the
   33         Department of Children and Families to the Department
   34         of Education; providing for the continuation of
   35         certain contracts and interagency agreements; amending
   36         s. 402.315, F.S.; conforming a cross-reference;
   37         amending s. 402.56, F.S.; revising the membership of
   38         the Children and Youth Cabinet; amending ss. 411.227,
   39         414.295, 1000.01, 1000.02, 1000.03, 1000.04, 1000.21,
   40         1001.02, 1001.03, 1001.10, and 1001.11, F.S.;
   41         conforming provisions to changes made by the act;
   42         repealing s. 1001.213, F.S., relating to the Office of
   43         Early Learning; amending ss. 1001.215, 1001.23,
   44         1001.70, 1001.706, F.S.; conforming provisions to
   45         changes made by the act; amending ss. 1002.22,
   46         1002.32, F.S.; conforming cross-references; amending
   47         ss. 1002.34, and 1002.36, F.S.; conforming provisions
   48         and to changes made by the act; amending s. 1002.53,
   49         F.S.; revising the requirements for certain program
   50         provider profiles; requiring each parent who enrolls
   51         his or her child in the Voluntary Prekindergarten
   52         Education Program to allow his or her child to
   53         participate in a specified screening and progress
   54         monitoring program; amending s. 1002.55, F.S.;
   55         authorizing certain child development programs
   56         operating on a military installation to be private
   57         prekindergarten providers within the Voluntary
   58         Prekindergarten Education Program; providing that a
   59         private prekindergarten provider is ineligible for
   60         participation in the program under certain
   61         circumstances; revising requirements for
   62         prekindergarten instructors; revising requirements for
   63         specified courses for prekindergarten instructors;
   64         providing that a private school administrator who
   65         holds a specified certificate meets certain credential
   66         requirements; providing liability insurance
   67         requirements for child development programs operating
   68         on a military installation participating in the
   69         program; requiring early learning coalitions to verify
   70         private prekindergarten provider compliance with
   71         specified provisions; requiring such coalitions to
   72         remove a provider from eligibility under specified
   73         circumstances; amending s. 1002.57, F.S.; revising the
   74         minimum standards for a credential for certain
   75         prekindergarten directors; amending s. 1002.59, F.S.;
   76         revising requirements for emergent literacy and
   77         performance standards training courses for
   78         prekindergarten instructors; requiring the department
   79         to make certain courses available; amending s.
   80         1002.61, F.S.; authorizing certain child development
   81         programs operating on a military installation to be
   82         private prekindergarten providers within the summer
   83         Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program; revising
   84         the criteria for a teacher to receive priority for the
   85         summer program in school district; requiring a child
   86         development program operating on a military
   87         installation to comply with specified criteria;
   88         requiring early learning coalitions to verify
   89         specified information; providing for the removal of a
   90         program provider or public school from eligibility
   91         under certain circumstances; amending s. 1002.63,
   92         F.S.; requiring early learning coalitions to verify
   93         specified information; providing for the removal of
   94         public schools from the program under certain
   95         circumstances; amending s. 1002.67, F.S.; revising the
   96         performance standards for the Voluntary
   97         Prekindergarten Education Program; requiring the
   98         department to review and revise performance standards
   99         on a specified schedule; revising curriculum
  100         requirements for the program; requiring the department
  101         to adopt procedures for the review and approval of
  102         curricula for the program; deleting a required
  103         preassessment and postassessment for the program;
  104         creating s. 1002.68, F.S.; requiring providers of the
  105         Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program to
  106         participate in a specified screening and progress
  107         monitoring program; providing specified uses for the
  108         results of such program; requiring certain portions of
  109         the screening and progress monitoring program to be
  110         administered by individuals who meet specified
  111         criteria; requiring the results of specified
  112         assessments to be reported to the parents of
  113         participating students; providing requirements for
  114         assessments of voluntary prekindergarten education
  115         classrooms; providing department duties and
  116         responsibilities relating to such assessments;
  117         providing requirements for a specified methodology
  118         used to calculate the results of such assessments;
  119         requiring the department to establish a designation
  120         system for program providers; providing for the
  121         adoption of a minimum performance metric or
  122         designation for program participation; providing
  123         procedures for a provider whose score or designation
  124         falls below the minimum requirement; providing for the
  125         revocation of program eligibility for a provider;
  126         authorizing the department to grant good cause
  127         exemptions to providers under certain circumstances;
  128         providing department and provider requirements for
  129         such exemptions; requiring an annual meeting of
  130         representatives from specified entities to develop
  131         certain strategies; repealing s. 1002.69, F.S.,
  132         relating to statewide kindergarten screening and
  133         readiness rates; amending ss. 1002.71 and 1002.72,
  134         F.S.; conforming provisions to changes made by the
  135         act; amending s. 1002.73, F.S.; requiring the
  136         department to adopt a standard statewide provider
  137         contract; requiring such contract to be published on
  138         the department’s website; providing requirements for
  139         such contract; prohibiting providers from offering
  140         services during an appeal of termination from the
  141         program; providing applicability; requiring the
  142         department to adopt specified procedures relating to
  143         the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program;
  144         providing duties of the department relating to such
  145         program; repealing s. 1002.75, F.S., relating to the
  146         powers and duties of the Office of Early Learning;
  147         amending ss. 1002.79 and 1002.81, F.S.; conforming
  148         provisions and cross-references to changes made by the
  149         act; amending s. 1002.82, F.S.; providing duties of
  150         the department relating to early learning; exempting
  151         certain child development programs operating on a
  152         military installation from specified inspection
  153         requirements; requiring the department to monitor
  154         specified standards and benchmarks for certain
  155         purposes; revising the age range used for specified
  156         standards; requiring the department to provide
  157         specified technical support; revising requirements for
  158         a specified assessment program; requiring the
  159         department to adopt requirements to make certain
  160         contracted slots available to serve specified
  161         populations; requiring the department adopt certain
  162         standards and outcome measures including specified
  163         surveys; requiring the department to adopt procedures
  164         for the merging of early learning coalitions; revising
  165         the requirements for a specified report; amending s.
  166         1002.83, F.S.; revising the number of authorized early
  167         learning coalitions; revising the number of and
  168         requirements for members of an early learning
  169         coalition; revising and adding requirements for such
  170         coalitions; amending s. 1002.84, F.S.; revising early
  171         learning coalition responsibilities and duties;
  172         revising requirements for the waiver of specified
  173         copayments; amending s. 1002.85, F.S.; revising the
  174         requirements for school readiness program plans;
  175         amending s. 1002.88, F.S.; authorizing certain child
  176         development programs operating on military
  177         installations to participate in the school readiness
  178         program; revising requirements to deliver such
  179         program; providing that a specified annual inspection
  180         for a child development program participating in the
  181         school readiness program meets certain provider
  182         requirements; providing requirements for a child
  183         development program to meet certain liability
  184         requirements; amending ss. 1002.89, 1002.895, and
  185         1002.91, F.S.; conforming provisions and cross
  186         references to changes made by the act; amending s.
  187         1002.92, F.S.; revising the requirements for specified
  188         services that child care resources and referral
  189         agencies must provide; amending s. 1002.93, F.S.;
  190         conforming provisions to changes made by the act;
  191         repealing s. 1002.94, F.S., relating to the Child Care
  192         Executive Partnership Program; amending ss. 1002.95,
  193         1002.96, 1002.97, 1002.995, and 1007.01, F.S.;
  194         conforming provisions to changes made by the act;
  195         creating s. 1008.2125, F.S.; creating the coordinated
  196         screening and progress monitoring program within the
  197         department for specified purposes; requiring the
  198         Commissioner of Education to design such program;
  199         providing requirements for the administration of such
  200         program and the use of results from the program;
  201         providing requirements for the commissioner; creating
  202         the Council for Early Grade Success; providing duties
  203         of the council; providing membership of the council;
  204         requiring the council to elect a chair and a vice
  205         chair; providing requirements for such appointments;
  206         providing for per diem for members of the council;
  207         providing meeting requirements for the council;
  208         providing for a quorum of the council; amending s.
  209         1008.25, F.S.; authorizing certain students who
  210         enrolled in the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education
  211         Program to receive intensive reading interventions
  212         using specified funds; amending ss. 1008.31, 1008.32,
  213         and 1008.33, F.S.; conforming provisions to changes
  214         made by the act; amending s. 1011.62, F.S.; revising
  215         the research-based reading instruction allocation to
  216         authorize the use of such funds for certain intensive
  217         reading interventions for certain students; revising
  218         the requirements for specified reading instruction and
  219         interventions; defining the term “evidence-based”;
  220         providing appropriations; providing requirements for
  221         the use of such funds; providing an effective date.
  222          
  223  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
  224  
  225         Section 1. Paragraphs (a) and (d) of subsection (1) of
  226  section 20.055, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
  227         20.055 Agency inspectors general.—
  228         (1) As used in this section, the term:
  229         (a) “Agency head” means the Governor, a Cabinet officer, or
  230  a secretary or executive director as those terms are defined in
  231  s. 20.03, the chair of the Public Service Commission, the
  232  Director of the Office of Insurance Regulation of the Financial
  233  Services Commission, the Director of the Office of Financial
  234  Regulation of the Financial Services Commission, the board of
  235  directors of the Florida Housing Finance Corporation, the
  236  executive director of the Office of Early Learning, and the
  237  Chief Justice of the State Supreme Court.
  238         (d) “State agency” means each department created pursuant
  239  to this chapter and the Executive Office of the Governor, the
  240  Department of Military Affairs, the Fish and Wildlife
  241  Conservation Commission, the Office of Insurance Regulation of
  242  the Financial Services Commission, the Office of Financial
  243  Regulation of the Financial Services Commission, the Public
  244  Service Commission, the Board of Governors of the State
  245  University System, the Florida Housing Finance Corporation, the
  246  Office of Early Learning, and the state courts system.
  247         Section 2. Present paragraphs (c) through (j) of subsection
  248  (3) of section 20.15, Florida Statutes, are redesignated as
  249  paragraphs (d) through (k), respectively, a new paragraph (c) is
  250  added to that subsection, and present paragraph (i) of
  251  subsection (3) and subsection (5) of that section are amended,
  252  to read:
  253         20.15 Department of Education.—There is created a
  254  Department of Education.
  255         (3) DIVISIONS.—The following divisions of the Department of
  256  Education are established:
  257         (c)Division of Early Learning.
  258         (j)(i) The Office of Independent Education and Parental
  259  Choice, which must include the following offices:
  260         1.The Office of Early Learning, which shall be
  261  administered by an executive director who is fully accountable
  262  to the Commissioner of Education. The executive director shall,
  263  pursuant to s. 1001.213, administer the early learning programs,
  264  including the school readiness program and the Voluntary
  265  Prekindergarten Education Program at the state level.
  266         2. the Office of K-12 School Choice, which shall be
  267  administered by an executive director who is fully accountable
  268  to the Commissioner of Education.
  269         (5) POWERS AND DUTIES.—The State Board of Education and the
  270  Commissioner of Education shall assign to the divisions such
  271  powers, duties, responsibilities, and functions as are necessary
  272  to ensure the greatest possible coordination, efficiency, and
  273  effectiveness of education for students in Early Learning-20 K
  274  20 education under the jurisdiction of the State Board of
  275  Education.
  276         Section 3. Paragraph (a) of subsection (2) of section
  277  39.202, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
  278         39.202 Confidentiality of reports and records in cases of
  279  child abuse or neglect.—
  280         (2) Except as provided in subsection (4), access to such
  281  records, excluding the name of, or other identifying information
  282  with respect to, the reporter which shall be released only as
  283  provided in subsection (5), shall be granted only to the
  284  following persons, officials, and agencies:
  285         (a) Employees, authorized agents, or contract providers of
  286  the department, the Department of Health, the Agency for Persons
  287  with Disabilities, the Department of Education Office of Early
  288  Learning, or county agencies responsible for carrying out:
  289         1. Child or adult protective investigations;
  290         2. Ongoing child or adult protective services;
  291         3. Early intervention and prevention services;
  292         4. Healthy Start services;
  293         5. Licensure or approval of adoptive homes, foster homes,
  294  child care facilities, facilities licensed under chapter 393,
  295  family day care homes, providers who receive school readiness
  296  funding under part VI of chapter 1002, or other homes used to
  297  provide for the care and welfare of children;
  298         6. Employment screening for caregivers in residential group
  299  homes; or
  300         7. Services for victims of domestic violence when provided
  301  by certified domestic violence centers working at the
  302  department’s request as case consultants or with shared clients.
  303  
  304  Also, employees or agents of the Department of Juvenile Justice
  305  responsible for the provision of services to children, pursuant
  306  to chapters 984 and 985.
  307         Section 4. Paragraph (b) of subsection (5) of section
  308  39.604, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
  309         39.604 Rilya Wilson Act; short title; legislative intent;
  310  child care; early education; preschool.—
  311         (5) EDUCATIONAL STABILITY.—Just as educational stability is
  312  important for school-age children, it is also important to
  313  minimize disruptions to secure attachments and stable
  314  relationships with supportive caregivers of children from birth
  315  to school age and to ensure that these attachments are not
  316  disrupted due to placement in out-of-home care or subsequent
  317  changes in out-of-home placement.
  318         (b) If it is not in the best interest of the child for him
  319  or her to remain in his or her child care or early education
  320  setting upon entry into out-of-home care, the caregiver must
  321  work with the case manager, guardian ad litem, child care and
  322  educational staff, and educational surrogate, if one has been
  323  appointed, to determine the best setting for the child. Such
  324  setting may be a child care provider that receives a Gold Seal
  325  Quality Care designation pursuant to s. 1002.945 s. 402.281, a
  326  provider participating in a quality rating system, a licensed
  327  child care provider, a public school provider, or a license
  328  exempt child care provider, including religious-exempt and
  329  registered providers, and nonpublic schools.
  330         Section 5. Paragraph (m) of subsection (5) of section
  331  212.08, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
  332         212.08 Sales, rental, use, consumption, distribution, and
  333  storage tax; specified exemptions.—The sale at retail, the
  334  rental, the use, the consumption, the distribution, and the
  335  storage to be used or consumed in this state of the following
  336  are hereby specifically exempt from the tax imposed by this
  337  chapter.
  338         (5) EXEMPTIONS; ACCOUNT OF USE.—
  339         (m) Educational materials purchased by certain child care
  340  facilities.—Educational materials, such as glue, paper, paints,
  341  crayons, unique craft items, scissors, books, and educational
  342  toys, purchased by a child care facility that meets the
  343  standards delineated in s. 402.305, is licensed under s.
  344  402.308, holds a current Gold Seal Quality Care designation
  345  pursuant to s. 1002.945 s. 402.281, and provides basic health
  346  insurance to all employees are exempt from the taxes imposed by
  347  this chapter. For purposes of this paragraph, the term “basic
  348  health insurance” shall be defined and promulgated in rules
  349  developed jointly by the Department of Education Children and
  350  Families, the Agency for Health Care Administration, and the
  351  Financial Services Commission.
  352         Section 6. Paragraph (b) of subsection (8) of section
  353  216.136, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
  354         216.136 Consensus estimating conferences; duties and
  355  principals.—
  356         (8) EARLY LEARNING PROGRAMS ESTIMATING CONFERENCE.—
  357         (b) The Division Office of Early Learning shall provide
  358  information on needs and waiting lists for school readiness
  359  programs, and information on the needs for the Voluntary
  360  Prekindergarten Education Program, as requested by the Early
  361  Learning Programs Estimating Conference or individual conference
  362  principals in a timely manner.
  363         Section 7. Paragraph (b) of subsection (1) and paragraph
  364  (b) of subsection (2) of section 383.14, Florida Statutes, are
  365  amended to read:
  366         383.14 Screening for metabolic disorders, other hereditary
  367  and congenital disorders, and environmental risk factors.—
  368         (1) SCREENING REQUIREMENTS.—To help ensure access to the
  369  maternal and child health care system, the Department of Health
  370  shall promote the screening of all newborns born in Florida for
  371  metabolic, hereditary, and congenital disorders known to result
  372  in significant impairment of health or intellect, as screening
  373  programs accepted by current medical practice become available
  374  and practical in the judgment of the department. The department
  375  shall also promote the identification and screening of all
  376  newborns in this state and their families for environmental risk
  377  factors such as low income, poor education, maternal and family
  378  stress, emotional instability, substance abuse, and other high
  379  risk conditions associated with increased risk of infant
  380  mortality and morbidity to provide early intervention,
  381  remediation, and prevention services, including, but not limited
  382  to, parent support and training programs, home visitation, and
  383  case management. Identification, perinatal screening, and
  384  intervention efforts shall begin prior to and immediately
  385  following the birth of the child by the attending health care
  386  provider. Such efforts shall be conducted in hospitals,
  387  perinatal centers, county health departments, school health
  388  programs that provide prenatal care, and birthing centers, and
  389  reported to the Office of Vital Statistics.
  390         (b) Postnatal screening.—A risk factor analysis using the
  391  department’s designated risk assessment instrument shall also be
  392  conducted as part of the medical screening process upon the
  393  birth of a child and submitted to the department’s Office of
  394  Vital Statistics for recording and other purposes provided for
  395  in this chapter. The department’s screening process for risk
  396  assessment shall include a scoring mechanism and procedures that
  397  establish thresholds for notification, further assessment,
  398  referral, and eligibility for services by professionals or
  399  paraprofessionals consistent with the level of risk. Procedures
  400  for developing and using the screening instrument, notification,
  401  referral, and care coordination services, reporting
  402  requirements, management information, and maintenance of a
  403  computer-driven registry in the Office of Vital Statistics which
  404  ensures privacy safeguards must be consistent with the
  405  provisions and plans established under chapter 411, Pub. L. No.
  406  99-457, and this chapter. Procedures established for reporting
  407  information and maintaining a confidential registry must include
  408  a mechanism for a centralized information depository at the
  409  state and county levels. The department shall coordinate with
  410  existing risk assessment systems and information registries. The
  411  department must ensure, to the maximum extent possible, that the
  412  screening information registry is integrated with the
  413  department’s automated data systems, including the Florida On
  414  line Recipient Integrated Data Access (FLORIDA) system. Tests
  415  and screenings must be performed by the State Public Health
  416  Laboratory, in coordination with Children’s Medical Services, at
  417  such times and in such manner as is prescribed by the department
  418  after consultation with the Genetics and Newborn Screening
  419  Advisory Council and the Department of Education Office of Early
  420  Learning.
  421         (2) RULES.—
  422         (b) After consultation with the Department of Education
  423  Office of Early Learning, the department shall adopt and enforce
  424  rules requiring every newborn in this state to be screened for
  425  environmental risk factors that place children and their
  426  families at risk for increased morbidity, mortality, and other
  427  negative outcomes.
  428         Section 8. Paragraph (h) of subsection (2) of section
  429  391.308, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
  430         391.308 Early Steps Program.—The department shall implement
  431  and administer part C of the federal Individuals with
  432  Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which shall be known as the
  433  “Early Steps Program.”
  434         (2) DUTIES OF THE DEPARTMENT.—The department shall:
  435         (h) Promote interagency cooperation and coordination, with
  436  the Medicaid program, the Department of Education program
  437  pursuant to part B of the federal Individuals with Disabilities
  438  Education Act, and programs providing child screening such as
  439  the Florida Diagnostic and Learning Resources System, the Office
  440  of Early Learning, Healthy Start, and the Help Me Grow program.
  441         1. Coordination with the Medicaid program shall be
  442  developed and maintained through written agreements with the
  443  Agency for Health Care Administration and Medicaid managed care
  444  organizations as well as through active and ongoing
  445  communication with these organizations. The department shall
  446  assist local program offices to negotiate agreements with
  447  Medicaid managed care organizations in the service areas of the
  448  local program offices. Such agreements may be formal or
  449  informal.
  450         2. Coordination with education programs pursuant to part B
  451  of the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act shall
  452  be developed and maintained through written agreements with the
  453  Department of Education. The department shall assist local
  454  program offices to negotiate agreements with school districts in
  455  the service areas of the local program offices.
  456         Section 9. Subsection (6) of section 402.26, Florida
  457  Statutes, is amended to read:
  458         402.26 Child care; legislative intent.—
  459         (6)It is the intent of the Legislature that a child care
  460  facility licensed pursuant to s. 402.305 or a child care
  461  facility exempt from licensing pursuant to s. 402.316, that
  462  achieves Gold Seal Quality status pursuant to s. 402.281, be
  463  considered an educational institution for the purpose of
  464  qualifying for exemption from ad valorem tax pursuant to s.
  465  196.198.
  466         Section 10. Section 402.281, Florida Statutes, is
  467  transferred, renumbered as section 1002.945, Florida Statutes,
  468  and amended to read:
  469         1002.945 402.281 Gold Seal Quality Care program.—
  470         (1)(a) There is established within the Department of
  471  Education the Gold Seal Quality Care program.
  472         (b) A child care facility, large family child care home, or
  473  family day care home that is accredited by an accrediting
  474  association approved by the Department of Education under
  475  subsection (3) and meets all other requirements shall, upon
  476  application to the department, receive a separate “Gold Seal
  477  Quality Care” designation.
  478         (2) The State Board of Education department shall adopt
  479  rules establishing Gold Seal Quality Care accreditation
  480  standards using nationally recognized accrediting standards and
  481  input from accrediting associations based on the applicable
  482  accrediting standards of the National Association for the
  483  Education of Young Children (NAEYC), the National Association of
  484  Family Child Care, and the National Early Childhood Program
  485  Accreditation Commission.
  486         (3)(a) In order to be approved by the Department of
  487  Education for participation in the Gold Seal Quality Care
  488  program, an accrediting association must apply to the department
  489  and demonstrate that it:
  490         1. Is a recognized accrediting association.
  491         2. Has accrediting standards that substantially meet or
  492  exceed the Gold Seal Quality Care standards adopted by the state
  493  board department under subsection (2).
  494         3.Is a registered corporation with the Department of
  495  State.
  496         4.Can provide evidence that the process for accreditation
  497  has, at a minimum, all of the following components:
  498         a.Clearly defined prerequisites that a child care provider
  499  must meet before beginning the accreditation process. However,
  500  accreditation may not be granted to a child care facility, large
  501  family child care home, or family day care home before the site
  502  is operational and is attended by children.
  503         b.Procedures for completion of a self-study and
  504  comprehensive onsite verification process for each classroom
  505  that documents compliance with accrediting standards.
  506         c.A training process for accreditation verifiers to ensure
  507  inter-rater reliability.
  508         d.Ongoing compliance procedures that include requiring
  509  each accredited child care facility, large family child care
  510  home, and family day care home to file an annual report with the
  511  accrediting association and risk-based, onsite auditing
  512  protocols for accredited child care facilities, large family
  513  child care homes, and family day care homes.
  514         e.Procedures for the revocation of accreditation due to
  515  failure to maintain accrediting standards as evidenced by sub
  516  subparagraph d. or any other relevant information received by
  517  the accrediting association.
  518         f.Accreditation renewal procedures that include an onsite
  519  verification occurring at least every 5 years.
  520         g.A process for verifying continued accreditation
  521  compliance in the event of a transfer of ownership of
  522  facilities.
  523         h.A process to communicate issues that arise during the
  524  accreditation period with governmental entities that have a
  525  vested interest in the Gold Seal Quality Care program, including
  526  the Department of Education, the Department of Children and
  527  Families, the Department of Health, local licensing entities if
  528  applicable, and the early learning coalition.
  529         (b)The Department of Education shall establish a process
  530  that verifies that the accrediting association meets the
  531  provisions of paragraph (a), which must include an auditing
  532  program and any other procedures that may reasonably determine
  533  an accrediting association’s compliance with this section. If an
  534  accrediting association is not in compliance and fails to cure
  535  its deficiencies within 30 days, the department shall recommend
  536  to the state board termination of the accrediting association’s
  537  participation as an accrediting association in the program for a
  538  period of at least 2 years but no more than 5 years. If an
  539  accrediting association is removed from being an approved
  540  accrediting association, each child care provider accredited by
  541  that association shall have up to 1 year to obtain a new
  542  accreditation from a department-approved accreditation
  543  association.
  544         (c)If an accrediting association has granted accreditation
  545  to a child care facility, large family child care home, or
  546  family day care under fraudulent terms or has failed to conduct
  547  onsite verifications, the accrediting association shall be
  548  liable for the repayment of any rate differentials paid under
  549  subsection (6).
  550         (b)In approving accrediting associations, the department
  551  shall consult with the Department of Education, the Florida Head
  552  Start Directors Association, the Florida Association of Child
  553  Care Management, the Florida Family Child Care Home Association,
  554  the Florida Children’s Forum, the Florida Association for the
  555  Education of the Young, the Child Development Education
  556  Alliance, the Florida Association of Academic Nonpublic Schools,
  557  the Association of Early Learning Coalitions, providers
  558  receiving exemptions under s. 402.316, and parents.
  559         (4) In order to obtain and maintain a designation as a Gold
  560  Seal Quality Care provider, a child care facility, large family
  561  child care home, or family day care home must meet the following
  562  additional criteria:
  563         (a) The child care provider must not have had any class I
  564  violations, as defined by rule of the Department of Children and
  565  Families, within the 2 years preceding its application for
  566  designation as a Gold Seal Quality Care provider. Commission of
  567  a class I violation shall be grounds for termination of the
  568  designation as a Gold Seal Quality Care provider until the
  569  provider has no class I violations for a period of 2 years.
  570         (b) The child care provider must not have had three or more
  571  class II violations, as defined by rule of the Department of
  572  Children and Families, within the 2 years preceding its
  573  application for designation as a Gold Seal Quality Care
  574  provider. Commission of three or more class II violations within
  575  a 2-year period shall be grounds for termination of the
  576  designation as a Gold Seal Quality Care provider until the
  577  provider has no class II violations for a period of 1 year.
  578         (c) The child care provider must not have been cited for
  579  the same class III violation, as defined by rule of the
  580  Department of Children and Families, three or more times and
  581  failed to correct the violation within 1 year after the date of
  582  each citation, within the 2 years preceding its application for
  583  designation as a Gold Seal Quality Care provider. Commission of
  584  the same class III violation three or more times and failure to
  585  correct within the required time during a 2-year period may be
  586  grounds for termination of the designation as a Gold Seal
  587  Quality Care provider until the provider has no class III
  588  violations for a period of 1 year.
  589         (d)Notwithstanding paragraph (a), if the Department of
  590  Education determines through a formal process that a provider
  591  has been in business for at least 5 years and has no other class
  592  I violations recorded, the department may recommend to the state
  593  board that the provider maintain its Gold Seal Quality Care
  594  status. The state board’s determination regarding such
  595  provider’s status is final.
  596         (5)A child care facility licensed under s. 402.305 or a
  597  child care facility exempt from licensing under s. 402.316 which
  598  achieves Gold Seal Quality status under this section shall be
  599  considered an educational institution for the purpose of
  600  qualifying for exemption from ad valorem tax under s. 196.198.
  601         (6)A child care facility licensed under s. 402.305 or a
  602  child care facility exempt from licensing pursuant to s. 402.316
  603  which achieves Gold Seal Quality status under this section and
  604  which participates in the school readiness program shall receive
  605  a minimum of a 20 percent rate differential for each enrolled
  606  school readiness child by care level and unit of child care.
  607         (7)(5) The state board Department of Children and Families
  608  shall adopt rules under ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54 which provide
  609  criteria and procedures for reviewing and approving accrediting
  610  associations for participation in the Gold Seal Quality Care
  611  program and, conferring and revoking designations of Gold Seal
  612  Quality Care providers, and classifying violations.
  613         Section 11. Type two transfer from the Department of
  614  Children and Families.—
  615         (1)All powers, duties, functions, records, offices,
  616  personnel, associated administrative support positions,
  617  property, pending issues, existing contracts, administrative
  618  authority, administrative rules, and unexpended balances of
  619  appropriations, allocations, and other funds relating to the
  620  Gold Seal Quality Care program within the Department of Children
  621  and Families are transferred by a type two transfer, as defined
  622  in s. 20.06(2), Florida Statutes, to the Department of
  623  Education.
  624         (2)Any binding contract or interagency agreement existing
  625  before July 1, 2021, between the Department of Children and
  626  Families, or an entity or agent of the department, and any other
  627  agency, entity, or person relating to the Gold Seal Quality Care
  628  program shall continue as a binding contract or agreement for
  629  the remainder of the term of such contract or agreement on the
  630  successor entity responsible for the program, activity, or
  631  functions relative to the contract or agreement.
  632         Section 12. Subsection (5) of section 402.315, Florida
  633  Statutes, is amended to read:
  634         402.315 Funding; license fees.—
  635         (5) All moneys collected by the department for child care
  636  licensing shall be held in a trust fund of the department to be
  637  reallocated to the department during the following fiscal year
  638  to fund child care licensing activities, including the Gold Seal
  639  Quality Care program created pursuant to s. 1002.945 s. 402.281.
  640         Section 13. Paragraph (a) of subsection (4) of section
  641  402.56, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
  642         402.56 Children’s cabinet; organization; responsibilities;
  643  annual report.—
  644         (4) MEMBERS.—The cabinet shall consist of 16 members
  645  including the Governor and the following persons:
  646         (a)1. The Secretary of Children and Families;
  647         2. The Secretary of Juvenile Justice;
  648         3. The director of the Agency for Persons with
  649  Disabilities;
  650         4. A representative from the Division The director of the
  651  Office of Early Learning;
  652         5. The State Surgeon General;
  653         6. The Secretary of Health Care Administration;
  654         7. The Commissioner of Education;
  655         8. The director of the Statewide Guardian Ad Litem Office;
  656         9. A representative of the Office of Adoption and Child
  657  Protection;
  658         10. A superintendent of schools, appointed by the Governor;
  659  and
  660         11. Five members who represent children and youth advocacy
  661  organizations and who are not service providers, appointed by
  662  the Governor.
  663         Section 14. Paragraph (d) of subsection (1), paragraph (a)
  664  of subsection (2), and paragraph (c) of subsection (3) of
  665  section 411.227, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
  666         411.227 Components of the Learning Gateway.—The Learning
  667  Gateway system consists of the following components:
  668         (1) COMMUNITY EDUCATION STRATEGIES AND FAMILY-ORIENTED
  669  ACCESS.—
  670         (d) In collaboration with other local resources, the
  671  demonstration projects shall develop public awareness strategies
  672  to disseminate information about developmental milestones,
  673  precursors of learning problems and other developmental delays,
  674  and the service system that is available. The information should
  675  target parents of children from birth through age 9 and should
  676  be distributed to parents, health care providers, and caregivers
  677  of children from birth through age 9. A variety of media should
  678  be used as appropriate, such as print, television, radio, and a
  679  community-based Internet website, as well as opportunities such
  680  as those presented by parent visits to physicians for well-child
  681  checkups. The Learning Gateway Steering Committee shall provide
  682  technical assistance to the local demonstration projects in
  683  developing and distributing educational materials and
  684  information.
  685         1. Public awareness strategies targeting parents of
  686  children from birth through age 5 shall be designed to provide
  687  information to public and private preschool programs, child care
  688  providers, pediatricians, parents, and local businesses and
  689  organizations. These strategies should include information on
  690  the school readiness performance standards adopted by the
  691  Department of Education Office of Early Learning.
  692         2. Public awareness strategies targeting parents of
  693  children from ages 6 through 9 must be designed to disseminate
  694  training materials and brochures to parents and public and
  695  private school personnel, and must be coordinated with the local
  696  school board and the appropriate school advisory committees in
  697  the demonstration projects. The materials should contain
  698  information on state and district proficiency levels for grades
  699  K-3.
  700         (2) SCREENING AND DEVELOPMENTAL MONITORING.—
  701         (a) In coordination with the Office of Early Learning, the
  702  Department of Education, and the Florida Pediatric Society, and
  703  using information learned from the local demonstration projects,
  704  the Learning Gateway Steering Committee shall establish
  705  guidelines for screening children from birth through age 9. The
  706  guidelines should incorporate recent research on the indicators
  707  most likely to predict early learning problems, mild
  708  developmental delays, child-specific precursors of school
  709  failure, and other related developmental indicators in the
  710  domains of cognition; communication; attention; perception;
  711  behavior; and social, emotional, sensory, and motor functioning.
  712         (3) EARLY EDUCATION, SERVICES AND SUPPORTS.—
  713         (c) The steering committee, in cooperation with the
  714  Department of Children and Families and, the Department of
  715  Education, and the Office of Early Learning, shall identify the
  716  elements of an effective research-based curriculum for early
  717  care and education programs.
  718         Section 15. Subsection (1) of section 414.295, Florida
  719  Statutes, is amended to read:
  720         414.295 Temporary cash assistance programs; public records
  721  exemption.—
  722         (1) Personal identifying information of a temporary cash
  723  assistance program participant, a participant’s family, or a
  724  participant’s family or household member, except for information
  725  identifying a parent who does not live in the same home as the
  726  child, which is held by the department, the Office of Early
  727  Learning, CareerSource Florida, Inc., the Department of Health,
  728  the Department of Revenue, the Department of Education, or a
  729  local workforce development board or local committee created
  730  pursuant to s. 445.007 is confidential and exempt from s.
  731  119.07(1) and s. 24(a), Art. I of the State Constitution. Such
  732  confidential and exempt information may be released for purposes
  733  directly connected with:
  734         (a) The administration of the temporary assistance for
  735  needy families plan under Title IV-A of the Social Security Act,
  736  as amended, by the department, the Office of Early Learning,
  737  CareerSource Florida, Inc., the Department of Military Affairs,
  738  the Department of Health, the Department of Revenue, the
  739  Department of Education, a local workforce development board or
  740  local committee created pursuant to s. 445.007, or a school
  741  district.
  742         (b) The administration of the state’s plan or program
  743  approved under Title IV-B, Title IV-D, or Title IV-E of the
  744  Social Security Act, as amended, or under Title I, Title X,
  745  Title XIV, Title XVI, Title XIX, Title XX, or Title XXI of the
  746  Social Security Act, as amended.
  747         (c) An investigation, prosecution, or criminal, civil, or
  748  administrative proceeding conducted in connection with the
  749  administration of any of the plans or programs specified in
  750  paragraph (a) or paragraph (b) by a federal, state, or local
  751  governmental entity, upon request by that entity, if such
  752  request is made pursuant to the proper exercise of that entity’s
  753  duties and responsibilities.
  754         (d) The administration of any other state, federal, or
  755  federally assisted program that provides assistance or services
  756  on the basis of need, in cash or in kind, directly to a
  757  participant.
  758         (e) An audit or similar activity, such as a review of
  759  expenditure reports or financial review, conducted in connection
  760  with the administration of plans or programs specified in
  761  paragraph (a) or paragraph (b) by a governmental entity
  762  authorized by law to conduct such audit or activity.
  763         (f) The administration of the reemployment assistance
  764  program.
  765         (g) The reporting to the appropriate agency or official of
  766  information about known or suspected instances of physical or
  767  mental injury, sexual abuse or exploitation, or negligent
  768  treatment or maltreatment of a child or elderly person receiving
  769  assistance, if circumstances indicate that the health or welfare
  770  of the child or elderly person is threatened.
  771         (h) The administration of services to elderly persons under
  772  ss. 430.601-430.606.
  773         Section 16. Section 1000.01, Florida Statutes, is amended
  774  to read:
  775         1000.01 The Florida Early Learning-20 K-20 education
  776  system; technical provisions.—
  777         (1) NAME.—Chapters 1000 through 1013 shall be known and
  778  cited as the “Florida Early Learning-20 K-20 Education Code.”
  779         (2) LIBERAL CONSTRUCTION.—The provisions of the Florida
  780  Early Learning-20 K-20 Education Code shall be liberally
  781  construed to the end that its objectives may be effected. It is
  782  the legislative intent that if any section, subsection,
  783  sentence, clause, or provision of the Florida Early Learning-20
  784  K-20 Education Code is held invalid, the remainder of the code
  785  shall not be affected.
  786         (3) PURPOSE.—The purpose of the Florida Early Learning-20
  787  K-20 Education Code is to provide by law for a state system of
  788  schools, courses, classes, and educational institutions and
  789  services adequate to allow, for all Florida’s students, the
  790  opportunity to obtain a high quality education. The Florida
  791  Early Learning-20 K-20 education system is established to
  792  accomplish this purpose; however, nothing in this code shall be
  793  construed to require the provision of free public education
  794  beyond grade 12.
  795         (4) UNIFORM SYSTEM OF PUBLIC K-12 SCHOOLS INCLUDED.—As
  796  required by s. 1, Art. IX of the State Constitution, the Florida
  797  Early Learning-20 K-20 education system shall include the
  798  uniform system of free public K-12 schools. These public K-12
  799  schools shall provide 13 consecutive years of instruction,
  800  beginning with kindergarten, and shall also provide such
  801  instruction for students with disabilities, gifted students,
  802  limited English proficient students, and students in Department
  803  of Juvenile Justice programs as may be required by law. The
  804  funds for support and maintenance of the uniform system of free
  805  public K-12 schools shall be derived from state, district,
  806  federal, and other lawful sources or combinations of sources,
  807  including any fees charged nonresidents as provided by law.
  808         Section 17. Section 1000.02, Florida Statutes, is amended
  809  to read:
  810         1000.02 Policy and guiding principles for the Florida Early
  811  Learning-20 K-20 education system.—
  812         (1) It is the policy of the Legislature:
  813         (a) To achieve within existing resources a seamless
  814  academic educational system that fosters an integrated continuum
  815  of early learning kindergarten through graduate school education
  816  for Florida’s students.
  817         (b) To promote enhanced academic success and funding
  818  efficiency of educational delivery systems by aligning
  819  responsibility with accountability.
  820         (c) To provide consistent education policy across all
  821  educational delivery systems, focusing on students.
  822         (d) To provide substantially improved articulation across
  823  all educational delivery systems.
  824         (e) To provide for the decentralization of authority to the
  825  schools, Florida College System institutions, universities, and
  826  other education institutions that deliver educational services
  827  to the public.
  828         (f) To ensure that independent education institutions and
  829  home education programs maintain their independence, autonomy,
  830  and nongovernmental status.
  831         (2) The guiding principles for Florida’s Early Learning-20
  832  K-20 education system are:
  833         (a) A coordinated, seamless system for early learning
  834  kindergarten through graduate school education.
  835         (b) A system that is student-centered in every facet.
  836         (c) A system that maximizes education access and allows the
  837  opportunity for a high quality education for all Floridians.
  838         (d) A system that safeguards equity and supports academic
  839  excellence.
  840         (e) A system that provides for local operational
  841  flexibility while promoting accountability for student
  842  achievement and improvement.
  843         Section 18. Section 1000.03, Florida Statutes, is amended
  844  to read:
  845         1000.03 Function, mission, and goals of the Florida Early
  846  Learning-20 K-20 education system.—
  847         (1) Florida’s Early Learning-20 K-20 education system shall
  848  be a decentralized system without excess layers of bureaucracy.
  849  Florida’s Early Learning-20 K-20 education system shall maintain
  850  a systemwide technology plan based on a common set of data
  851  definitions.
  852         (2)(a) The Legislature shall establish education policy,
  853  enact education laws, and appropriate and allocate education
  854  resources.
  855         (b) With the exception of matters relating to the State
  856  University System, the State Board of Education shall oversee
  857  the enforcement of all laws and rules, and the timely provision
  858  of direction, resources, assistance, intervention when needed,
  859  and strong incentives and disincentives to force accountability
  860  for results.
  861         (c) The Board of Governors shall oversee the enforcement of
  862  all state university laws and rules and regulations and the
  863  timely provision of direction, resources, assistance,
  864  intervention when needed, and strong incentives and
  865  disincentives to force accountability for results.
  866         (3) Public education is a cooperative function of the state
  867  and local educational authorities. The state retains
  868  responsibility for establishing a system of public education
  869  through laws, standards, and rules to assure efficient operation
  870  of an Early Learning-20 a K-20 system of public education and
  871  adequate educational opportunities for all individuals. Local
  872  educational authorities have a duty to fully and faithfully
  873  comply with state laws, standards, and rules and to efficiently
  874  use the resources available to them to assist the state in
  875  allowing adequate educational opportunities.
  876         (4) The mission of Florida’s Early Learning-20 K-20
  877  education system is to allow its students to increase their
  878  proficiency by allowing them the opportunity to expand their
  879  knowledge and skills through rigorous and relevant learning
  880  opportunities, in accordance with the mission statement and
  881  accountability requirements of s. 1008.31.
  882         (5) The priorities of Florida’s Early Learning-20 K-20
  883  education system include:
  884         (a) Learning and completion at all levels, including
  885  increased high school graduation rate and readiness for
  886  postsecondary education without remediation.—All students
  887  demonstrate increased learning and completion at all levels,
  888  graduate from high school, and are prepared to enter
  889  postsecondary education without remediation.
  890         (b) Student performance.—Students demonstrate that they
  891  meet the expected academic standards consistently at all levels
  892  of their education.
  893         (c) Civic literacy.—Students are prepared to become
  894  civically engaged and knowledgeable adults who make positive
  895  contributions to their communities.
  896         (d) Alignment of standards and resources.—Academic
  897  standards for every level of the Early Learning-20 K-20
  898  education system are aligned, and education financial resources
  899  are aligned with student performance expectations at each level
  900  of the Early Learning-20 K-20 education system.
  901         (e) Educational leadership.—The quality of educational
  902  leadership at all levels of Early Learning-20 K-20 education is
  903  improved.
  904         (f) Workforce education.—Workforce education is
  905  appropriately aligned with the skills required by the new global
  906  economy.
  907         (g) Parental, student, family, educational institution, and
  908  community involvement.—Parents, students, families, educational
  909  institutions, and communities are collaborative partners in
  910  education, and each plays an important role in the success of
  911  individual students. Therefore, the State of Florida cannot be
  912  the guarantor of each individual student’s success. The goals of
  913  Florida’s Early Learning-20 K-20 education system are not
  914  guarantees that each individual student will succeed or that
  915  each individual school will perform at the level indicated in
  916  the goals.
  917         (h) Comprehensive Early Learning-20 K-20 career and
  918  education planning.—It is essential that Florida’s Early
  919  Learning-20 K-20 education system better prepare all students at
  920  every level for the transition from school to postsecondary
  921  education or work by providing information regarding:
  922         1. Career opportunities, educational requirements
  923  associated with each career, educational institutions that
  924  prepare students to enter each career, and student financial aid
  925  available to pursue postsecondary instruction required to enter
  926  each career.
  927         2. How to make informed decisions about the program of
  928  study that best addresses the students’ interests and abilities
  929  while preparing them to enter postsecondary education or the
  930  workforce.
  931         3. Recommended coursework and programs that prepare
  932  students for success in their areas of interest and ability.
  933  
  934  This information shall be provided to students and parents
  935  through websites, handbooks, manuals, or other regularly
  936  provided communications.
  937         Section 19. Section 1000.04, Florida Statutes, is amended
  938  to read:
  939         1000.04 Components for the delivery of public education
  940  within the Florida Early Learning-20 K-20 education system.
  941  Florida’s Early Learning-20 K-20 education system provides for
  942  the delivery of early learning and public education through
  943  publicly supported and controlled K-12 schools, Florida College
  944  System institutions, state universities and other postsecondary
  945  educational institutions, other educational institutions, and
  946  other educational services as provided or authorized by the
  947  Constitution and laws of the state.
  948         (1)EARLY LEARNING.—Early learning includes the Voluntary
  949  Prekindergarten Education Program and the school readiness
  950  program.
  951         (2)(1) PUBLIC K-12 SCHOOLS.—The public K-12 schools include
  952  charter schools and consist of kindergarten classes; elementary,
  953  middle, and high school grades and special classes; virtual
  954  instruction programs; workforce education; career centers;
  955  adult, part-time, and evening schools, courses, or classes, as
  956  authorized by law to be operated under the control of district
  957  school boards; and lab schools operated under the control of
  958  state universities.
  959         (3)(2) PUBLIC POSTSECONDARY EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS.
  960  Public postsecondary educational institutions include workforce
  961  education; Florida College System institutions; state
  962  universities; and all other state-supported postsecondary
  963  educational institutions that are authorized and established by
  964  law.
  965         (4)(3) FLORIDA SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF AND THE BLIND.—The
  966  Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind is a component of the
  967  delivery of public education within Florida’s Early Learning-20
  968  K-20 education system.
  969         (5)(4) THE FLORIDA VIRTUAL SCHOOL.—The Florida Virtual
  970  School is a component of the delivery of public education within
  971  Florida’s Early Learning-20 K-20 education system.
  972         Section 20. Section 1000.21, Florida Statutes, is amended
  973  to read:
  974         1000.21 Systemwide definitions.—As used in the Florida
  975  Early Learning-20 K-20 Education Code:
  976         (1) “Articulation” is the systematic coordination that
  977  provides the means by which students proceed toward their
  978  educational objectives in as rapid and student-friendly manner
  979  as their circumstances permit, from grade level to grade level,
  980  from elementary to middle to high school, to and through
  981  postsecondary education, and when transferring from one
  982  educational institution or program to another.
  983         (2) “Commissioner” is the Commissioner of Education.
  984         (3) “Florida College System institution” except as
  985  otherwise specifically provided, includes all of the following
  986  public postsecondary educational institutions in the Florida
  987  College System and any branch campuses, centers, or other
  988  affiliates of the institution:
  989         (a) Eastern Florida State College, which serves Brevard
  990  County.
  991         (b) Broward College, which serves Broward County.
  992         (c) College of Central Florida, which serves Citrus, Levy,
  993  and Marion Counties.
  994         (d) Chipola College, which serves Calhoun, Holmes, Jackson,
  995  Liberty, and Washington Counties.
  996         (e) Daytona State College, which serves Flagler and Volusia
  997  Counties.
  998         (f) Florida SouthWestern State College, which serves
  999  Charlotte, Collier, Glades, Hendry, and Lee Counties.
 1000         (g) Florida State College at Jacksonville, which serves
 1001  Duval and Nassau Counties.
 1002         (h) The College of the Florida Keys, which serves Monroe
 1003  County.
 1004         (i) Gulf Coast State College, which serves Bay, Franklin,
 1005  and Gulf Counties.
 1006         (j) Hillsborough Community College, which serves
 1007  Hillsborough County.
 1008         (k) Indian River State College, which serves Indian River,
 1009  Martin, Okeechobee, and St. Lucie Counties.
 1010         (l) Florida Gateway College, which serves Baker, Columbia,
 1011  Dixie, Gilchrist, and Union Counties.
 1012         (m) Lake-Sumter State College, which serves Lake and Sumter
 1013  Counties.
 1014         (n) State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota, which
 1015  serves Manatee and Sarasota Counties.
 1016         (o) Miami Dade College, which serves Miami-Dade County.
 1017         (p) North Florida College, which serves Hamilton,
 1018  Jefferson, Lafayette, Madison, Suwannee, and Taylor Counties.
 1019         (q) Northwest Florida State College, which serves Okaloosa
 1020  and Walton Counties.
 1021         (r) Palm Beach State College, which serves Palm Beach
 1022  County.
 1023         (s) Pasco-Hernando State College, which serves Hernando and
 1024  Pasco Counties.
 1025         (t) Pensacola State College, which serves Escambia and
 1026  Santa Rosa Counties.
 1027         (u) Polk State College, which serves Polk County.
 1028         (v) St. Johns River State College, which serves Clay,
 1029  Putnam, and St. Johns Counties.
 1030         (w) St. Petersburg College, which serves Pinellas County.
 1031         (x) Santa Fe College, which serves Alachua and Bradford
 1032  Counties.
 1033         (y) Seminole State College of Florida, which serves
 1034  Seminole County.
 1035         (z) South Florida State College, which serves DeSoto,
 1036  Hardee, and Highlands Counties.
 1037         (aa) Tallahassee Community College, which serves Gadsden,
 1038  Leon, and Wakulla Counties.
 1039         (bb) Valencia College, which serves Orange and Osceola
 1040  Counties.
 1041         (4) “Department” is the Department of Education.
 1042         (5) “Parent” is either or both parents of a student, any
 1043  guardian of a student, any person in a parental relationship to
 1044  a student, or any person exercising supervisory authority over a
 1045  student in place of the parent.
 1046         (6) “State university,” except as otherwise specifically
 1047  provided, includes the following institutions and any branch
 1048  campuses, centers, or other affiliates of the institution:
 1049         (a) The University of Florida.
 1050         (b) The Florida State University.
 1051         (c) The Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University.
 1052         (d) The University of South Florida.
 1053         (e) The Florida Atlantic University.
 1054         (f) The University of West Florida.
 1055         (g) The University of Central Florida.
 1056         (h) The University of North Florida.
 1057         (i) The Florida International University.
 1058         (j) The Florida Gulf Coast University.
 1059         (k) New College of Florida.
 1060         (l) The Florida Polytechnic University.
 1061         (7) “Next Generation Sunshine State Standards” means the
 1062  state’s public K-12 curricular standards adopted under s.
 1063  1003.41.
 1064         (8) “Board of Governors” is the Board of Governors of the
 1065  State University System.
 1066         Section 21. Subsection (1) and paragraphs (e) and (s) of
 1067  subsection (2) of section 1001.02, Florida Statutes, are amended
 1068  to read:
 1069         1001.02 General powers of State Board of Education.—
 1070         (1) The State Board of Education is the chief implementing
 1071  and coordinating body of public education in Florida except for
 1072  the State University System, and it shall focus on high-level
 1073  policy decisions. It has authority to adopt rules pursuant to
 1074  ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54 to implement the provisions of law
 1075  conferring duties upon it for the improvement of the state
 1076  system of Early Learning-20 K-20 public education except for the
 1077  State University System. Except as otherwise provided herein, it
 1078  may, as it finds appropriate, delegate its general powers to the
 1079  Commissioner of Education or the directors of the divisions of
 1080  the department.
 1081         (2) The State Board of Education has the following duties:
 1082         (e) To adopt and submit to the Governor and Legislature, as
 1083  provided in s. 216.023, a coordinated Early Learning-20 K-20
 1084  education budget that estimates the expenditure requirements for
 1085  the Board of Governors, as provided in s. 1001.706, the State
 1086  Board of Education, including the Department of Education and
 1087  the Commissioner of Education, and all of the boards,
 1088  institutions, agencies, and services under the general
 1089  supervision of the Board of Governors, as provided in s.
 1090  1001.706, or the State Board of Education for the ensuing fiscal
 1091  year. The State Board of Education may not amend the budget
 1092  request submitted by the Board of Governors. Any program
 1093  recommended by the Board of Governors or the State Board of
 1094  Education which will require increases in state funding for more
 1095  than 1 year must be presented in a multiyear budget plan.
 1096         (s) To establish a detailed procedure for the
 1097  implementation and operation of a systemwide K-20 technology
 1098  plan that is based on a common set of data definitions.
 1099         Section 22. Subsections (8) and (9) of section 1001.03,
 1100  Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
 1101         1001.03 Specific powers of State Board of Education.—
 1102         (8) SYSTEMWIDE ENFORCEMENT.—The State Board of Education
 1103  shall enforce compliance with law and state board rule by all
 1104  school districts, early learning coalitions, and public
 1105  postsecondary educational institutions, except for the State
 1106  University System, in accordance with the provisions of s.
 1107  1008.32.
 1108         (9) MANAGEMENT INFORMATION DATABASES.—The State Board of
 1109  Education, in conjunction with the Board of Governors regarding
 1110  the State University System, shall continue to collect and
 1111  maintain, at a minimum, the management information databases for
 1112  state universities, and all other components of the public Early
 1113  Learning-20 K-20 education system as such databases existed on
 1114  June 30, 2002.
 1115         Section 23. Subsection (1), paragraphs (g), (k), and (l) of
 1116  subsection (6), and subsection (8) of section 1001.10, Florida
 1117  Statutes, are amended to read:
 1118         1001.10 Commissioner of Education; general powers and
 1119  duties.—
 1120         (1) The Commissioner of Education is the chief educational
 1121  officer of the state and the sole custodian of the educational
 1122  K-20 data warehouse, and is responsible for giving full
 1123  assistance to the State Board of Education in enforcing
 1124  compliance with the mission and goals of the Early Learning-20
 1125  K-20 education system, except for the State University System.
 1126         (6) Additionally, the commissioner has the following
 1127  general powers and duties:
 1128         (g) To submit to the State Board of Education, on or before
 1129  October 1 of each year, recommendations for a coordinated Early
 1130  Learning-20 K-20 education budget that estimates the
 1131  expenditures for the Board of Governors, the State Board of
 1132  Education, including the Department of Education and the
 1133  Commissioner of Education, and all of the boards, institutions,
 1134  agencies, and services under the general supervision of the
 1135  Board of Governors or the State Board of Education for the
 1136  ensuing fiscal year. Any program recommended to the State Board
 1137  of Education that will require increases in state funding for
 1138  more than 1 year must be presented in a multiyear budget plan.
 1139         (k) To prepare, publish, and disseminate user-friendly
 1140  materials relating to the state’s education system, including
 1141  the state’s K-12 scholarship programs, the school readiness
 1142  program, and the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program.
 1143         (l) To prepare and publish annually reports giving
 1144  statistics and other useful information pertaining to the
 1145  state’s K-12 scholarship programs, the school readiness program,
 1146  and the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program.
 1147         (8) In the event of an emergency situation, the
 1148  commissioner may coordinate through the most appropriate means
 1149  of communication with early learning coalitions, local school
 1150  districts, Florida College System institutions, and satellite
 1151  offices of the Division of Blind Services and the Division of
 1152  Vocational Rehabilitation to assess the need for resources and
 1153  assistance to enable each school, institution, or satellite
 1154  office the ability to reopen as soon as possible after
 1155  considering the health, safety, and welfare of students and
 1156  clients.
 1157         Section 24. Paragraph (b) of subsection (1) and subsection
 1158  (4) of section 1001.11, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
 1159         1001.11 Commissioner of Education; other duties.—
 1160         (1) The Commissioner of Education must independently
 1161  perform the following duties:
 1162         (b) Serve as the primary source of information to the
 1163  Legislature, including the President of the Senate and the
 1164  Speaker of the House of Representatives, concerning the State
 1165  Board of Education, the Early Learning-20 K-20 education system,
 1166  and early learning programs.
 1167         (4) The commissioner shall develop and implement an
 1168  integrated Early Learning-20 K-20 information system for
 1169  educational management in accordance with the requirements of
 1170  chapter 1008.
 1171         Section 25. Section 1001.213, Florida Statutes, is
 1172  repealed.
 1173         Section 26. Subsection (7) of section 1001.215, Florida
 1174  Statutes, is amended to read:
 1175         1001.215 Just Read, Florida! Office.—There is created in
 1176  the Department of Education the Just Read, Florida! Office. The
 1177  office is fully accountable to the Commissioner of Education and
 1178  shall:
 1179         (7) Review, evaluate, and provide technical assistance to
 1180  school districts’ implementation of the K-12 comprehensive
 1181  reading plan required in s. 1011.62(9).
 1182         Section 27. Subsection (1) of section 1001.23, Florida
 1183  Statutes, is amended to read:
 1184         1001.23 Specific powers and duties of the Department of
 1185  Education.—In addition to all other duties assigned to it by law
 1186  or by rule of the State Board of Education, the department
 1187  shall:
 1188         (1)Adopt the statewide kindergarten screening in
 1189  accordance with s. 1002.69.
 1190         Section 28. Subsection (3) of section 1001.70, Florida
 1191  Statutes, is amended to read:
 1192         1001.70 Board of Governors of the State University System.—
 1193         (3) The Board of Governors, in exercising its authority
 1194  under the State Constitution and statutes, shall exercise its
 1195  authority in a manner that supports, promotes, and enhances an
 1196  Early Learning-20 a K-20 education system that provides
 1197  affordable access to postsecondary educational opportunities for
 1198  residents of the state to the extent authorized by the State
 1199  Constitution and state law.
 1200         Section 29. Paragraph (b) of subsection (4) of section
 1201  1001.706, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
 1202         1001.706 Powers and duties of the Board of Governors.—
 1203         (4) POWERS AND DUTIES RELATING TO FINANCE.—
 1204         (b) The Board of Governors shall prepare the legislative
 1205  budget requests for the State University System, including a
 1206  request for fixed capital outlay, and submit them to the State
 1207  Board of Education for inclusion in the Early Learning-20 K-20
 1208  legislative budget request. The Board of Governors shall provide
 1209  the state universities with fiscal policy guidelines, formats,
 1210  and instruction for the development of individual university
 1211  budget requests.
 1212         Section 30. Paragraph (b) of subsection (1) of section
 1213  1002.22, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
 1214         1002.22 Education records and reports of K-12 students;
 1215  rights of parents and students; notification; penalty.—
 1216         (1) DEFINITIONS.—As used in this section, the term:
 1217         (b) “Institution” means any public school, center,
 1218  institution, or other entity that is part of Florida’s education
 1219  system under s. 1000.04(2), (4), and (5) s. 1000.04(1), (3), and
 1220  (4).
 1221         Section 31. Subsections (3) and (10) of section 1002.32,
 1222  Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
 1223         1002.32 Developmental research (laboratory) schools.—
 1224         (3) MISSION.—The mission of a lab school shall be the
 1225  provision of a vehicle for the conduct of research,
 1226  demonstration, and evaluation regarding management, teaching,
 1227  and learning. Programs to achieve the mission of a lab school
 1228  shall embody the goals and standards established pursuant to ss.
 1229  1000.03(5) and 1001.23(1) 1001.23(2) and shall ensure an
 1230  appropriate education for its students.
 1231         (a) Each lab school shall emphasize mathematics, science,
 1232  computer science, and foreign languages. The primary goal of a
 1233  lab school is to enhance instruction and research in such
 1234  specialized subjects by using the resources available on a state
 1235  university campus, while also providing an education in
 1236  nonspecialized subjects. Each lab school shall provide
 1237  sequential elementary and secondary instruction where
 1238  appropriate. A lab school may not provide instruction at grade
 1239  levels higher than grade 12 without authorization from the State
 1240  Board of Education. Each lab school shall develop and implement
 1241  a school improvement plan pursuant to s. 1003.02(3).
 1242         (b) Research, demonstration, and evaluation conducted at a
 1243  lab school may be generated by the college of education and
 1244  other colleges within the university with which the school is
 1245  affiliated.
 1246         (c) Research, demonstration, and evaluation conducted at a
 1247  lab school may be generated by the State Board of Education.
 1248  Such research shall respond to the needs of the education
 1249  community at large, rather than the specific needs of the
 1250  affiliated college.
 1251         (d) Research, demonstration, and evaluation conducted at a
 1252  lab school may consist of pilot projects to be generated by the
 1253  affiliated college, the State Board of Education, or the
 1254  Legislature.
 1255         (e) The exceptional education programs offered at a lab
 1256  school shall be determined by the research and evaluation goals
 1257  and the availability of students for efficiently sized programs.
 1258  The fact that a lab school offers an exceptional education
 1259  program in no way lessens the general responsibility of the
 1260  local school district to provide exceptional education programs.
 1261         (10) EXCEPTIONS TO LAW.—To encourage innovative practices
 1262  and facilitate the mission of the lab schools, in addition to
 1263  the exceptions to law specified in s. 1001.23(1) s. 1001.23(2),
 1264  the following exceptions shall be permitted for lab schools:
 1265         (a) The methods and requirements of the following statutes
 1266  shall be held in abeyance: ss. 316.75; 1001.30; 1001.31;
 1267  1001.32; 1001.33; 1001.34; 1001.35; 1001.36; 1001.361; 1001.362;
 1268  1001.363; 1001.37; 1001.371; 1001.372; 1001.38; 1001.39;
 1269  1001.395; 1001.40; 1001.41; 1001.44; 1001.453; 1001.46;
 1270  1001.461; 1001.462; 1001.463; 1001.464; 1001.47; 1001.48;
 1271  1001.49; 1001.50; 1001.51; 1006.12(2); 1006.21(3), (4); 1006.23;
 1272  1010.07(2); 1010.40; 1010.41; 1010.42; 1010.43; 1010.44;
 1273  1010.45; 1010.46; 1010.47; 1010.48; 1010.49; 1010.50; 1010.51;
 1274  1010.52; 1010.53; 1010.54; 1010.55; 1011.02(1)-(3), (5);
 1275  1011.04; 1011.20; 1011.21; 1011.22; 1011.23; 1011.71; 1011.72;
 1276  1011.73; and 1011.74.
 1277         (b) With the exception of s. 1001.42(18), s. 1001.42 shall
 1278  be held in abeyance. Reference to district school boards in s.
 1279  1001.42(18) shall mean the president of the university or the
 1280  president’s designee.
 1281         Section 32. Paragraph (b) of subsection (10) of section
 1282  1002.34, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
 1283         1002.34 Charter technical career centers.—
 1284         (10) EXEMPTION FROM STATUTES.—
 1285         (b) A center must comply with the Florida Early Learning-20
 1286  K-20 Education Code with respect to providing services to
 1287  students with disabilities.
 1288         Section 33. Subsection (1) of section 1002.36, Florida
 1289  Statutes, is amended to read:
 1290         1002.36 Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind.—
 1291         (1) RESPONSIBILITIES.—The Florida School for the Deaf and
 1292  the Blind, located in St. Johns County, is a state-supported
 1293  residential public school for hearing-impaired and visually
 1294  impaired students in preschool through 12th grade. The school is
 1295  a component of the delivery of public education within Florida’s
 1296  Early Learning-20 K-20 education system and shall be funded
 1297  through the Department of Education. The school shall provide
 1298  educational programs and support services appropriate to meet
 1299  the education and related evaluation and counseling needs of
 1300  hearing-impaired and visually impaired students in the state who
 1301  meet enrollment criteria. Unless otherwise provided by law, the
 1302  school shall comply with all laws and rules applicable to state
 1303  agencies. Education services may be provided on an outreach
 1304  basis for sensory-impaired children ages 0 through 5 years and
 1305  to district school boards upon request. Graduates of the Florida
 1306  School for the Deaf and the Blind shall be eligible for the
 1307  William L. Boyd, IV, Effective Access to Student Education Grant
 1308  Program as provided in s. 1009.89.
 1309         Section 34. Paragraph (b) of subsection (4) and subsection
 1310  (5) of section 1002.53, Florida Statutes, are amended, and
 1311  paragraph (d) is added to subsection (6) of that section, to
 1312  read:
 1313         1002.53 Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program;
 1314  eligibility and enrollment.—
 1315         (4)
 1316         (b) The application must be submitted on forms prescribed
 1317  by the department Office of Early Learning and must be
 1318  accompanied by a certified copy of the child’s birth
 1319  certificate. The forms must include a certification, in
 1320  substantially the form provided in s. 1002.71(6)(b)2., that the
 1321  parent chooses the private prekindergarten provider or public
 1322  school in accordance with this section and directs that payments
 1323  for the program be made to the provider or school. The
 1324  department Office of Early Learning may authorize alternative
 1325  methods for submitting proof of the child’s age in lieu of a
 1326  certified copy of the child’s birth certificate.
 1327         (5) The early learning coalition shall provide each parent
 1328  enrolling a child in the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education
 1329  Program with a profile of every private prekindergarten provider
 1330  and public school delivering the program within the county where
 1331  the child is being enrolled. The profiles shall be provided to
 1332  parents in a format prescribed by the department in accordance
 1333  with s. 1002.92(3) Office of Early Learning. The profiles must
 1334  include, at a minimum, the following information about each
 1335  provider and school:
 1336         (a)The provider’s or school’s services, curriculum,
 1337  instructor credentials, and instructor-to-student ratio; and
 1338         (b)The provider’s or school’s kindergarten readiness rate
 1339  calculated in accordance with s. 1002.69, based upon the most
 1340  recent available results of the statewide kindergarten
 1341  screening.
 1342         (6)
 1343         (d)Each parent who enrolls his or her child in the
 1344  Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program must allow his or
 1345  her child to participate in the coordinated screening and
 1346  progress monitoring program under s. 1008.2125.
 1347         Section 35. Paragraphs (a), (b), (c), (e), (g), (h), (i),
 1348  (j), and (l) of subsection (3), subsection (4), and paragraph
 1349  (b) of subsection (5) of section 1002.55, Florida Statutes, are
 1350  amended, and subsection (6) is added to that section, to read:
 1351         1002.55 School-year prekindergarten program delivered by
 1352  private prekindergarten providers.—
 1353         (3) To be eligible to deliver the prekindergarten program,
 1354  a private prekindergarten provider must meet each of the
 1355  following requirements:
 1356         (a) The private prekindergarten provider must be a child
 1357  care facility licensed under s. 402.305, family day care home
 1358  licensed under s. 402.313, large family child care home licensed
 1359  under s. 402.3131, nonpublic school exempt from licensure under
 1360  s. 402.3025(2), or faith-based child care provider exempt from
 1361  licensure under s. 402.316, child development program that is
 1362  accredited by a national accrediting body and operates on a
 1363  military installation that is certified by the United States
 1364  Department of Defense, or private prekindergarten provider that
 1365  has been issued a provisional license under s. 402.309. A
 1366  private prekindergarten provider may not deliver the program
 1367  while holding a probation-status license under s. 402.310.
 1368         (b) The private prekindergarten provider must:
 1369         1. Be accredited by an accrediting association that is a
 1370  member of the National Council for Private School Accreditation,
 1371  or the Florida Association of Academic Nonpublic Schools, or be
 1372  accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools,
 1373  or Western Association of Colleges and Schools, or North Central
 1374  Association of Colleges and Schools, or Middle States
 1375  Association of Colleges and Schools, or New England Association
 1376  of Colleges and Schools; and have written accreditation
 1377  standards that meet or exceed the state’s licensing requirements
 1378  under s. 402.305, s. 402.313, or s. 402.3131 and require at
 1379  least one onsite visit to the provider or school before
 1380  accreditation is granted;
 1381         2. Hold a current Gold Seal Quality Care designation under
 1382  s. 1002.945 s. 402.281; or
 1383         3. Be licensed under s. 402.305, s. 402.313, or s. 402.3131
 1384  and demonstrate, before delivering the Voluntary Prekindergarten
 1385  Education Program, as verified by the early learning coalition,
 1386  that the provider meets each of the requirements of the program
 1387  under this part, including, but not limited to, the requirements
 1388  for credentials and background screenings of prekindergarten
 1389  instructors under paragraphs (c) and (d), minimum and maximum
 1390  class sizes under paragraph (f), prekindergarten director
 1391  credentials under paragraph (g), and a developmentally
 1392  appropriate curriculum under s. 1002.67(2)(b).
 1393         (c) The private prekindergarten provider must have, for
 1394  each prekindergarten class of 11 children or fewer, at least one
 1395  prekindergarten instructor who meets each of the following
 1396  requirements:
 1397         1. The prekindergarten instructor must hold, at a minimum,
 1398  one of the following credentials:
 1399         a. A child development associate credential issued by the
 1400  National Credentialing Program of the Council for Professional
 1401  Recognition; or
 1402         b. A credential approved by the Department of Children and
 1403  Families as being equivalent to or greater than the credential
 1404  described in sub-subparagraph a.
 1405  
 1406  The Department of Children and Families may adopt rules under
 1407  ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54 which provide criteria and procedures
 1408  for approving equivalent credentials under sub-subparagraph b.
 1409         2. The prekindergarten instructor must successfully
 1410  complete at least three an emergent literacy training courses
 1411  that include developmentally appropriate and experiential
 1412  learning practices for children course and a student performance
 1413  standards training course approved by the department office as
 1414  meeting or exceeding the minimum standards adopted under s.
 1415  1002.59. The requirement for completion of the standards
 1416  training course shall take effect July 1, 2022 2014, and be
 1417  recognized as part of the informal early learning career pathway
 1418  identified by the department under s. 1002.995(1)(b). Such and
 1419  the course shall be available online or in person.
 1420         (e) A private prekindergarten provider may assign a
 1421  substitute instructor to temporarily replace a credentialed
 1422  instructor if the credentialed instructor assigned to a
 1423  prekindergarten class is absent, as long as the substitute
 1424  instructor is of good moral character and has been screened
 1425  before employment in accordance with level 2 background
 1426  screening requirements in chapter 435. The department Office of
 1427  Early Learning shall adopt rules to implement this paragraph
 1428  which shall include required qualifications of substitute
 1429  instructors and the circumstances and time limits for which a
 1430  private prekindergarten provider may assign a substitute
 1431  instructor.
 1432         (g) The private prekindergarten provider must have a
 1433  prekindergarten director who has a prekindergarten director
 1434  credential that is approved by the department office as meeting
 1435  or exceeding the minimum standards adopted under s. 1002.57. A
 1436  private school administrator who holds a valid certificate in
 1437  educational leadership issued by the department satisfies the
 1438  requirement for a prekindergarten director credential under s.
 1439  1002.57 Successful completion of a child care facility director
 1440  credential under s. 402.305(2)(g) before the establishment of
 1441  the prekindergarten director credential under s. 1002.57 or July
 1442  1, 2006, whichever occurs later, satisfies the requirement for a
 1443  prekindergarten director credential under this paragraph.
 1444         (h) The private prekindergarten provider must register with
 1445  the early learning coalition on forms prescribed by the
 1446  department Office of Early Learning.
 1447         (i) The private prekindergarten provider must execute the
 1448  statewide provider contract prescribed under s. 1002.73 s.
 1449  1002.75, except that an individual who owns or operates multiple
 1450  private prekindergarten sites providers within a coalition’s
 1451  service area may execute a single agreement with the coalition
 1452  on behalf of each site provider.
 1453         (j) The private prekindergarten provider must maintain
 1454  general liability insurance and provide the coalition with
 1455  written evidence of general liability insurance coverage,
 1456  including coverage for transportation of children if
 1457  prekindergarten students are transported by the provider. A
 1458  provider must obtain and retain an insurance policy that
 1459  provides a minimum of $100,000 of coverage per occurrence and a
 1460  minimum of $300,000 general aggregate coverage. The department
 1461  office may authorize lower limits upon request, as appropriate.
 1462  A provider must add the coalition as a named certificateholder
 1463  and as an additional insured. A provider must provide the
 1464  coalition with a minimum of 10 calendar days’ advance written
 1465  notice of cancellation of or changes to coverage. The general
 1466  liability insurance required by this paragraph must remain in
 1467  full force and effect for the entire period of the provider
 1468  contract with the coalition.
 1469         (l) Notwithstanding paragraph (j), for a private
 1470  prekindergarten provider that is a state agency or a subdivision
 1471  thereof, as defined in s. 768.28(2), the provider must agree to
 1472  notify the coalition of any additional liability coverage
 1473  maintained by the provider in addition to that otherwise
 1474  established under s. 768.28. The provider shall indemnify the
 1475  coalition to the extent permitted by s. 768.28. Notwithstanding
 1476  paragraph (j), for a child development program that is
 1477  accredited by a national accrediting body and operates on a
 1478  military installation that is certified by the United States
 1479  Department of Defense, the provider may demonstrate liability
 1480  coverage by affirming that it is subject to the Federal Tort
 1481  Claims Act, 28 U.S.C. s. 2671 et seq.
 1482         (4) A prekindergarten instructor, in lieu of the minimum
 1483  credentials and courses required under paragraph (3)(c), may
 1484  hold one of the following educational credentials:
 1485         (a) A bachelor’s or higher degree in early childhood
 1486  education, prekindergarten or primary education, preschool
 1487  education, or family and consumer science;
 1488         (b) A bachelor’s or higher degree in elementary education,
 1489  if the prekindergarten instructor has been certified to teach
 1490  children any age from birth through 6th grade, regardless of
 1491  whether the instructor’s educator certificate is current, and if
 1492  the instructor is not ineligible to teach in a public school
 1493  because his or her educator certificate is suspended or revoked;
 1494         (c) An associate’s or higher degree in child development;
 1495         (d) An associate’s or higher degree in an unrelated field,
 1496  at least 6 credit hours in early childhood education or child
 1497  development, and at least 480 hours of experience in teaching or
 1498  providing child care services for children any age from birth
 1499  through 8 years of age; or
 1500         (e) An educational credential approved by the department as
 1501  being equivalent to or greater than an educational credential
 1502  described in this subsection. The department may adopt criteria
 1503  and procedures for approving equivalent educational credentials
 1504  under this paragraph.
 1505         (5)
 1506         (b) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, if a
 1507  private prekindergarten provider has been cited for a class I
 1508  violation, as defined by rule of the Child Care Services Program
 1509  Office of the Department of Children and Families, the coalition
 1510  may refuse to contract with the provider.
 1511         (6)Each early learning coalition shall verify that each
 1512  private prekindergarten provider delivering the Voluntary
 1513  Prekindergarten Education Program within the coalition’s county
 1514  or multicounty region complies with this part. If a private
 1515  prekindergarten provider fails or refuses to comply with this
 1516  part or engages in misconduct, the department must require the
 1517  early learning coalition to remove the provider from eligibility
 1518  to deliver the program and receive state funds under this part
 1519  for a period of at least 2 years but no more than 5 years.
 1520         Section 36. Paragraphs (b) and (c) of subsection (2) of
 1521  section 1002.57, Florida Statutes, are redesignated as
 1522  paragraphs (c) and (d), respectively, subsection (1) is amended,
 1523  and a new paragraph (b) is added to subsection (2) of that
 1524  section, to read:
 1525         1002.57 Prekindergarten director credential.—
 1526         (1) The department office, in consultation with the
 1527  Department of Children and Families, shall adopt minimum
 1528  standards for a credential for prekindergarten directors of
 1529  private prekindergarten providers delivering the Voluntary
 1530  Prekindergarten Education Program. The credential must encompass
 1531  requirements for education and onsite experience.
 1532         (2) The educational requirements must include training in
 1533  the following:
 1534         (b)Implementation of curriculum and usage of student-level
 1535  data to inform the delivery of instruction;
 1536         Section 37. Section 1002.59, Florida Statutes, is amended
 1537  to read:
 1538         1002.59 Emergent literacy and performance standards
 1539  training courses.—
 1540         (1) The department office shall adopt minimum standards for
 1541  one or more training courses in emergent literacy for
 1542  prekindergarten instructors. Each course must comprise 5 clock
 1543  hours and provide instruction in strategies and techniques to
 1544  address the age-appropriate progress of prekindergarten students
 1545  in developing emergent literacy skills, including oral
 1546  communication, knowledge of print and letters, phonemic and
 1547  phonological awareness, and vocabulary and comprehension
 1548  development. Each course must also provide resources containing
 1549  strategies that allow students with disabilities and other
 1550  special needs to derive maximum benefit from the Voluntary
 1551  Prekindergarten Education Program. Successful completion of an
 1552  emergent literacy training course approved under this section
 1553  satisfies requirements for approved training in early literacy
 1554  and language development under ss. 402.305(2)(e)5., 402.313(6),
 1555  and 402.3131(5).
 1556         (2) The department office shall adopt minimum standards for
 1557  one or more training courses on the performance standards
 1558  adopted under s. 1002.67(1). Each course must be comprised of
 1559  comprise at least 3 clock hours, provide instruction in
 1560  strategies and techniques to address age-appropriate progress of
 1561  each child in attaining the standards, and be available online.
 1562         (3)The department shall make available online professional
 1563  development and training courses comprised of at least 8 clock
 1564  hours that support prekindergarten instructors in increasing the
 1565  competency of teacher-child interactions.
 1566         Section 38. Present subsections (6) through (8) of section
 1567  1002.61, Florida Statutes, are redesignated as subsections (7)
 1568  through (9), respectively, a new subsection (6) and subsection
 1569  (10) are added to that section, and paragraph (b) of subsection
 1570  (1), paragraph (b) of subsection (3), subsection (4), and
 1571  present subsections (6) and (8) of that section are amended, to
 1572  read:
 1573         1002.61 Summer prekindergarten program delivered by public
 1574  schools and private prekindergarten providers.—
 1575         (1)
 1576         (b) Each early learning coalition shall administer the
 1577  Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program at the county or
 1578  regional level for students enrolled under s. 1002.53(3)(b) in a
 1579  summer prekindergarten program delivered by a private
 1580  prekindergarten provider. A child development program that is
 1581  accredited by a national accrediting body and operates on a
 1582  military installation that is certified by the United States
 1583  Department of Defense may administer the summer prekindergarten
 1584  program as a private prekindergarten provider.
 1585         (3)
 1586         (b) Each public school delivering the summer
 1587  prekindergarten program must execute the statewide provider
 1588  contract prescribed under s. 1002.73 s. 1002.75, except that the
 1589  school district may execute a single agreement with the early
 1590  learning coalition on behalf of all district schools.
 1591         (4) Notwithstanding ss. 1002.55(3)(c)1. and 1002.63(4),
 1592  each public school and private prekindergarten provider must
 1593  have, for each prekindergarten class, at least one
 1594  prekindergarten instructor who is a certified teacher or holds
 1595  one of the educational credentials specified in s. 1002.55(4)(a)
 1596  or (b). As used in this subsection, the term “certified teacher”
 1597  means a teacher holding a valid Florida educator certificate
 1598  under s. 1012.56 who has the qualifications required by the
 1599  district school board to instruct students in the summer
 1600  prekindergarten program. In selecting instructional staff for
 1601  the summer prekindergarten program, each school district shall
 1602  give priority to teachers who have experience or coursework in
 1603  early childhood education and have completed emergent literacy
 1604  and performance standards courses, as provided for in s.
 1605  1002.55(3)(c)2.
 1606         (6)A child development program that is accredited by a
 1607  national accrediting body and operates on a military
 1608  installation that is certified by the United States Department
 1609  of Defense shall comply with the requirements of a private
 1610  prekindergarten provider in this section.
 1611         (7)(6) A public school or private prekindergarten provider
 1612  may assign a substitute instructor to temporarily replace a
 1613  credentialed instructor if the credentialed instructor assigned
 1614  to a prekindergarten class is absent, as long as the substitute
 1615  instructor is of good moral character and has been screened
 1616  before employment in accordance with level 2 background
 1617  screening requirements in chapter 435. This subsection does not
 1618  supersede employment requirements for instructional personnel in
 1619  public schools which are more stringent than the requirements of
 1620  this subsection. The department Office of Early Learning shall
 1621  adopt rules to implement this subsection which shall include
 1622  required qualifications of substitute instructors and the
 1623  circumstances and time limits for which a public school or
 1624  private prekindergarten provider may assign a substitute
 1625  instructor.
 1626         (9)(8) Each public school delivering the summer
 1627  prekindergarten program must also register with the early
 1628  learning coalition on forms prescribed by the department Office
 1629  of Early Learning and deliver the Voluntary Prekindergarten
 1630  Education Program in accordance with this part.
 1631         (10)(a)Each early learning coalition shall verify that
 1632  each private prekindergarten provider and public school
 1633  delivering the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program
 1634  within the coalition’s county or multicounty region complies
 1635  with this part.
 1636         (b)If a private prekindergarten provider or public school
 1637  fails or refuses to comply with this part or engages in
 1638  misconduct, the department shall require the early learning
 1639  coalition to remove the provider or school from eligibility to
 1640  deliver the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program and
 1641  receive state funds under this part for a period of at least 2
 1642  years but no more than 5 years.
 1643         Section 39. Paragraph (b) of subsection (3) and subsections
 1644  (6) and (8) of section 1002.63, Florida Statutes, are amended,
 1645  and subsection (9) is added to that section, to read:
 1646         1002.63 School-year prekindergarten program delivered by
 1647  public schools.—
 1648         (3)
 1649         (b) Each public school delivering the school-year
 1650  prekindergarten program must execute the statewide provider
 1651  contract prescribed under s. 1002.73 s. 1002.75, except that the
 1652  school district may execute a single agreement with the early
 1653  learning coalition on behalf of all district schools.
 1654         (6) A public school prekindergarten provider may assign a
 1655  substitute instructor to temporarily replace a credentialed
 1656  instructor if the credentialed instructor assigned to a
 1657  prekindergarten class is absent, as long as the substitute
 1658  instructor is of good moral character and has been screened
 1659  before employment in accordance with level 2 background
 1660  screening requirements in chapter 435. This subsection does not
 1661  supersede employment requirements for instructional personnel in
 1662  public schools which are more stringent than the requirements of
 1663  this subsection. The department Office of Early Learning shall
 1664  adopt rules to implement this subsection which shall include
 1665  required qualifications of substitute instructors and the
 1666  circumstances and time limits for which a public school
 1667  prekindergarten provider may assign a substitute instructor.
 1668         (8) Each public school delivering the school-year
 1669  prekindergarten program must register with the early learning
 1670  coalition on forms prescribed by the department Office of Early
 1671  Learning and deliver the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education
 1672  Program in accordance with this part.
 1673         (9)(a)Each early learning coalition shall verify that each
 1674  public school delivering the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education
 1675  Program within the coalition’s service area complies with this
 1676  part.
 1677         (b)If a public school fails or refuses to comply with this
 1678  part or engages in misconduct, the department shall require the
 1679  early learning coalition to remove the school from eligibility
 1680  to deliver the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program and
 1681  receive state funds under this part for a period of at least 2
 1682  years but no more than 5 years.
 1683         Section 40. Section 1002.67, Florida Statutes, is amended
 1684  to read:
 1685         1002.67 Performance standards and; curricula and
 1686  accountability.—
 1687         (1)(a) The department office shall develop and adopt
 1688  performance standards for students in the Voluntary
 1689  Prekindergarten Education Program. The performance standards
 1690  must address the age-appropriate progress of students in the
 1691  development of:
 1692         1. The capabilities, capacities, and skills required under
 1693  s. 1(b), Art. IX of the State Constitution; and
 1694         2. Emergent literacy skills, including oral communication,
 1695  knowledge of print and letters, phonemic and phonological
 1696  awareness, and vocabulary and comprehension development; and
 1697         3.Mathematical thinking and early math skills.
 1698  
 1699  By October 1, 2013, the office shall examine the existing
 1700  performance standards in the area of mathematical thinking and
 1701  develop a plan to make appropriate professional development and
 1702  training courses available to prekindergarten instructors.
 1703         (b) At least every 3 years, the department office shall
 1704  periodically review and, if necessary, revise the performance
 1705  standards established under this section for the statewide
 1706  kindergarten screening administered under s. 1002.69 and align
 1707  the standards to the standards established by the state board
 1708  for student performance on the statewide assessments
 1709  administered pursuant to s. 1008.22.
 1710         (2)(a) Each private prekindergarten provider and public
 1711  school may select or design the curriculum that the provider or
 1712  school uses to implement the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education
 1713  Program, except as otherwise required for a provider or school
 1714  that is placed on probation under s. 1002.68 paragraph (4)(c).
 1715         (b) Each private prekindergarten provider’s and public
 1716  school’s curriculum must be developmentally appropriate and
 1717  must:
 1718         1. Be designed to prepare a student for early literacy and
 1719  provide for instruction in early math skills;
 1720         2. Enhance the age-appropriate progress of students in
 1721  attaining the performance standards adopted by the department
 1722  under subsection (1); and
 1723         3. Support student learning gains through differentiated
 1724  instruction that shall be measured by the coordinated screening
 1725  and progress monitoring program under s. 1008.2125 Prepare
 1726  students to be ready for kindergarten based upon the statewide
 1727  kindergarten screening administered under s. 1002.69.
 1728         (c) The department office shall adopt procedures for the
 1729  review and approval of approve curricula for use by private
 1730  prekindergarten providers and public schools that are placed on
 1731  probation under s. 1002.68 paragraph (4)(c). The department
 1732  office shall administer the review and approval process and
 1733  maintain a list of the curricula approved under this paragraph.
 1734  Each approved curriculum must meet the requirements of paragraph
 1735  (b).
 1736         (3)(a)Contingent upon legislative appropriation, each
 1737  private prekindergarten provider and public school in the
 1738  Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program must implement an
 1739  evidence-based pre- and post-assessment that has been approved
 1740  by rule of the State Board of Education.
 1741         (b)In order to be approved, the assessment must be valid,
 1742  reliable, developmentally appropriate, and designed to measure
 1743  student progress on domains which must include, but are not
 1744  limited to, early literacy, numeracy, and language.
 1745         (c)The pre- and post-assessment must be administered by
 1746  individuals meeting requirements established by rule of the
 1747  State Board of Education.
 1748         (4)(a)Each early learning coalition shall verify that each
 1749  private prekindergarten provider delivering the Voluntary
 1750  Prekindergarten Education Program within the coalition’s county
 1751  or multicounty region complies with this part. Each district
 1752  school board shall verify that each public school delivering the
 1753  program within the school district complies with this part.
 1754         (b)If a private prekindergarten provider or public school
 1755  fails or refuses to comply with this part, or if a provider or
 1756  school engages in misconduct, the office shall require the early
 1757  learning coalition to remove the provider and require the school
 1758  district to remove the school from eligibility to deliver the
 1759  Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program and receive state
 1760  funds under this part for a period of 5 years.
 1761         (c)1.If the kindergarten readiness rate of a private
 1762  prekindergarten provider or public school falls below the
 1763  minimum rate adopted by the office as satisfactory under s.
 1764  1002.69(6), the early learning coalition or school district, as
 1765  applicable, shall require the provider or school to submit an
 1766  improvement plan for approval by the coalition or school
 1767  district, as applicable, and to implement the plan; shall place
 1768  the provider or school on probation; and shall require the
 1769  provider or school to take certain corrective actions, including
 1770  the use of a curriculum approved by the office under paragraph
 1771  (2)(c) or a staff development plan to strengthen instruction in
 1772  language development and phonological awareness approved by the
 1773  office.
 1774         2.A private prekindergarten provider or public school that
 1775  is placed on probation must continue the corrective actions
 1776  required under subparagraph 1., including the use of a
 1777  curriculum or a staff development plan to strengthen instruction
 1778  in language development and phonological awareness approved by
 1779  the office, until the provider or school meets the minimum rate
 1780  adopted by the office as satisfactory under s. 1002.69(6).
 1781  Failure to implement an approved improvement plan or staff
 1782  development plan shall result in the termination of the
 1783  provider’s contract to deliver the Voluntary Prekindergarten
 1784  Education Program for a period of 5 years.
 1785         3.If a private prekindergarten provider or public school
 1786  remains on probation for 2 consecutive years and fails to meet
 1787  the minimum rate adopted by the office as satisfactory under s.
 1788  1002.69(6) and is not granted a good cause exemption by the
 1789  office pursuant to s. 1002.69(7), the office shall require the
 1790  early learning coalition or the school district to remove, as
 1791  applicable, the provider or school from eligibility to deliver
 1792  the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program and receive
 1793  state funds for the program for a period of 5 years.
 1794         (d)Each early learning coalition and the office shall
 1795  coordinate with the Child Care Services Program Office of the
 1796  Department of Children and Families to minimize interagency
 1797  duplication of activities for monitoring private prekindergarten
 1798  providers for compliance with requirements of the Voluntary
 1799  Prekindergarten Education Program under this part, the school
 1800  readiness program under part VI of this chapter, and the
 1801  licensing of providers under ss. 402.301-402.319.
 1802         Section 41. Section 1002.68, Florida Statutes, is created
 1803  to read:
 1804         1002.68Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program
 1805  accountability.—
 1806         (1)(a)Beginning with the 2022-2023 program year, each
 1807  private prekindergarten provider and public school participating
 1808  in the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program must
 1809  participate in the coordinated screening and progress monitoring
 1810  program in accordance with s. 1008.2125. The coordinated
 1811  screening and progress monitoring program results shall be used
 1812  by the department to identify student learning gains, index
 1813  development learning outcomes upon program completion relative
 1814  to the performance standards established under s. 1002.67 and
 1815  representative norms, and inform a private prekindergarten
 1816  provider’s and public school’s performance metric.
 1817         (b)At a minimum, the initial and final progress monitoring
 1818  or screening must be administered by individuals meeting
 1819  requirements adopted by the department under s. 1008.2125.
 1820         (c)Each private prekindergarten provider and public school
 1821  must provide a student’s performance results from the
 1822  coordinated screening and progress monitoring to the student’s
 1823  parents within 7 days after the administration of such
 1824  coordinated screening and progress monitoring.
 1825         (2)Beginning with the 2021-2022 program year, each private
 1826  prekindergarten provider and public school in the Voluntary
 1827  Prekindergarten Education Program must participate in a program
 1828  assessment of each voluntary prekindergarten education
 1829  classroom. The program assessment shall measure the quality of
 1830  teacher-child interactions, including emotional support,
 1831  classroom organization, and instructional support for children
 1832  ages 3 to 5 years. Each private prekindergarten provider and
 1833  public school in the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program
 1834  shall receive from the department the results of the program
 1835  assessment for each classroom within 14 days after the
 1836  observation. Each early learning coalition shall be responsible
 1837  for the administration of the program assessments, which must be
 1838  conducted by individuals qualified to conduct program
 1839  assessments under s. 1002.82(2)(n).
 1840         (3)(a)For the 2020-2021 program year, the department shall
 1841  calculate a kindergarten readiness rate for each private
 1842  prekindergarten provider and public school in the Voluntary
 1843  Prekindergarten Education Program, based upon learning gains and
 1844  the percentage of students who are assessed as ready for
 1845  kindergarten. The department shall require that each school
 1846  district administer the statewide kindergarten screening in use
 1847  before the 2021-2022 school year to each kindergarten student in
 1848  the school district within the first 30 school days of the 2021
 1849  2022 school year. Private schools may administer the statewide
 1850  kindergarten screening to each kindergarten student in a private
 1851  school who was enrolled in the Voluntary Prekindergarten
 1852  Education Program. Learning gains shall be determined using a
 1853  value-added measure based on growth demonstrated by the results
 1854  of the preassessment and postassessment in use before the 2021
 1855  2022 program year. Any private prekindergarten provider or
 1856  public school in the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program
 1857  which fails to meet the minimum kindergarten readiness rate for
 1858  the 2020-2021 program year is subject to the probation
 1859  requirements of subsection (5).
 1860         (b)For the 2021-2022 program year, the department shall
 1861  calculate a program assessment composite score for each provider
 1862  based on the program assessment under subsection (2). Any
 1863  private prekindergarten provider or public school in the
 1864  Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program which fails to meet
 1865  the minimum program assessment composite score established by
 1866  the state board pursuant to s. 1002.82(2)(n) for the 2021-2022
 1867  program year is subject to the probation requirements of
 1868  subsection (5).
 1869         (4)(a)Beginning with the 2022-2023 program year, the
 1870  department shall adopt a methodology for calculating each
 1871  private prekindergarten provider’s and public school provider’s
 1872  performance metric, which must be based on a combination of the
 1873  following:
 1874         1.Program assessment composite scores under subsection
 1875  (3), which must be weighted at no less than 50 percent.
 1876         2.Learning gains operationalized as change in ability
 1877  scores from the initial and final progress monitoring results
 1878  described in subsection (1).
 1879         3.Norm-referenced developmental learning outcomes
 1880  described in subsection (1).
 1881         (b)The methodology for calculating a provider’s
 1882  performance metric may only include prekindergarten students who
 1883  have attended at least 85 percent of a private prekindergarten
 1884  provider’s or public school’s program.
 1885         (c)The program assessment composite score and performance
 1886  metric must be calculated for each private prekindergarten or
 1887  public school site.
 1888         (d)The methodology shall include a statistical latent
 1889  profile analysis that has been conducted by an independent
 1890  expert with experience in relevant quantitative analysis, early
 1891  childhood assessment, and designing state-level accountability
 1892  systems. The independent expert shall be able to produce a
 1893  limited number of performance metric profiles that summarize the
 1894  profiles of all sites that must be used to inform the following
 1895  designations: “unsatisfactory,” “emerging proficiency,”
 1896  “proficient,” “highly proficient,” and “excellent” or comparable
 1897  terminology determined by the State Board of Education which may
 1898  not include letter grades. The independent expert may not be a
 1899  direct stakeholder or have had a financial interest in the
 1900  design or delivery of the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education
 1901  Program or public school system within the last 5 years.
 1902         (e)Subject to an appropriation, the department shall
 1903  provide for a differential payment to a private prekindergarten
 1904  provider and public school based on the provider’s designation.
 1905  The maximum differential payment may not exceed a total of 15
 1906  percent of the base student allocation per full-time equivalent
 1907  student under s. 1002.71 attending in the consecutive program
 1908  year for that program. A private prekindergarten provider or
 1909  public school may not receive a differential payment if it
 1910  receives a designation of proficient or lower. Before the
 1911  adoption of the methodology, the department and the independent
 1912  expert shall confer with the Council for Early Grade Success
 1913  under s. 1008.2125 before receiving approval from the State
 1914  Board of Education for the final recommendations on the
 1915  designation system and differential payments.
 1916         (f)The department shall adopt procedures to annually
 1917  calculate each private prekindergarten provider’s and public
 1918  school’s performance metric, based on the methodology adopted in
 1919  paragraphs (a) and (b), and assign a designation under paragraph
 1920  (d). Beginning with the 2023-2024 program year, each private
 1921  prekindergarten provider or public school shall be assigned a
 1922  designation within 45 days after the conclusion of the school
 1923  year Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program delivered by
 1924  all participating private prekindergarten providers or public
 1925  schools and within 45 days after the conclusion of the summer
 1926  Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program delivered by all
 1927  participating private prekindergarten providers or public
 1928  schools.
 1929         (g)A private prekindergarten provider or public school
 1930  designated “proficient,” “highly proficient,” or “excellent”
 1931  demonstrates the provider’s or school’s satisfactory delivery of
 1932  the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program.
 1933         (h)The designations shall be displayed in the early
 1934  learning provider performance profiles required under s.
 1935  1002.92(3).
 1936         (5)(a)If a public school’s or private prekindergarten
 1937  provider’s program assessment composite score for its
 1938  prekindergarten classrooms fails to meet the minimum program
 1939  assessment composite score for contracting established by the
 1940  department pursuant to s. 1002.82(2)(n), the private
 1941  prekindergarten provider or public school may not participate in
 1942  the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program beginning in the
 1943  consecutive program year and thereafter until the public school
 1944  or private prekindergarten provider meets the minimum composite
 1945  score for contracting.
 1946         (b)If a private prekindergarten provider’s or public
 1947  school’s performance metric or designation falls below the
 1948  minimum performance metric or designation, the early learning
 1949  coalition shall:
 1950         1.Require the provider or school to submit for approval to
 1951  the early learning coalition an improvement plan and implement
 1952  the plan.
 1953         2.Place the provider or school on probation.
 1954         3.Require the provider or school to take certain
 1955  corrective actions, including the use of a curriculum approved
 1956  by the department under s. 1002.67(2)(c) and a staff development
 1957  plan approved by the department to strengthen instructional
 1958  practices in emotional support, classroom organization,
 1959  instructional support, language development, phonological
 1960  awareness, alphabet knowledge, and mathematical thinking.
 1961         (c)A private prekindergarten provider or public school
 1962  placed on probation must continue the corrective actions
 1963  required under paragraph (b) until the provider or school meets
 1964  the minimum performance metric or designation adopted by the
 1965  department. Failure to meet the requirements of subparagraphs
 1966  (b)1. and 3. shall result in the termination of the provider’s
 1967  or school’s contract to deliver the Voluntary Prekindergarten
 1968  Education Program for a period of at least 2 years but no more
 1969  than 5 years.
 1970         (d)If a private prekindergarten provider or public school
 1971  remains on probation for 2 consecutive years and fails to meet
 1972  the minimum performance metric or designation, or is not granted
 1973  a good cause exemption by the department, the department shall
 1974  require the early learning coalition to revoke the provider’s or
 1975  school’s eligibility to deliver the Voluntary Prekindergarten
 1976  Education Program and receive state funds for the program for a
 1977  period of at least 2 years but no more than 5 years.
 1978         (6)(a)The department, upon the request of a private
 1979  prekindergarten provider or public school that remains on
 1980  probation for at least 2 consecutive years and subsequently
 1981  fails to meet the minimum performance metric or designation, and
 1982  for good cause shown, may grant to the provider or school an
 1983  exemption from being determined ineligible to deliver the
 1984  Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program and receive state
 1985  funds for the program. Such exemption is valid for 1 year and,
 1986  upon the request of the private prekindergarten provider or
 1987  public school and for good cause shown, may be renewed.
 1988         (b)A private prekindergarten provider’s or public school’s
 1989  request for a good cause exemption, or renewal of such an
 1990  exemption, must be submitted to the department in the manner and
 1991  within the timeframes prescribed by the department and must
 1992  include the following:
 1993         1.Data from the private prekindergarten provider or public
 1994  school which documents the achievement and progress of the
 1995  children served, as measured by any required screenings or
 1996  assessments.
 1997         2.Data from the program assessment required under
 1998  subsection (2) which demonstrates effective teaching practices
 1999  as recognized by the tool developer.
 2000         3.Data from the early learning coalition or district
 2001  school board, as applicable, the Department of Children and
 2002  Families, the local licensing authority, or an accrediting
 2003  association, as applicable, relating to the private
 2004  prekindergarten provider’s or public school’s compliance with
 2005  state and local health and safety standards.
 2006         (c)The department shall adopt criteria for granting good
 2007  cause exemptions. Such criteria must include, but are not
 2008  limited to, all of the following:
 2009         1.Child demographic data that evidences a private
 2010  prekindergarten provider or public school serves a statistically
 2011  significant population of children with special needs who have
 2012  individual education plans and can demonstrate progress toward
 2013  meeting the goals outlined in the students’ individual education
 2014  plans.
 2015         2.Learning gains of children served in the Voluntary
 2016  Prekindergarten Education Program by the private prekindergarten
 2017  provider or public school on an alternative measure that has
 2018  comparable validity and reliability of the coordinated screening
 2019  and progress monitoring program in accordance with s. 1008.2125.
 2020         3.Program assessment data under subsection (2) which
 2021  demonstrates effective teaching practices as recognized by the
 2022  tool developer.
 2023         4.Verification that local and state health and safety
 2024  requirements are met.
 2025         (d)A good cause exemption may not be granted to any
 2026  private prekindergarten provider or public school that has any
 2027  class I violations or two or more class II violations, as
 2028  defined by rule of the Department of Children and Families,
 2029  within the 2 years preceding the provider’s or school’s request
 2030  for the exemption.
 2031         (e)A private prekindergarten provider or public school
 2032  granted a good cause exemption shall continue to implement its
 2033  improvement plan and continue the corrective actions required
 2034  under subsection (5)(b) until the provider or school meets the
 2035  minimum performance metric.
 2036         (f)If a good cause exemption is granted to a private
 2037  prekindergarten provider or public school that remains on
 2038  probation for 2 consecutive years and if the provider meets all
 2039  other applicable requirements of this part, the department shall
 2040  notify the early learning coalition of the good cause exemption
 2041  and direct that the early learning coalition not remove the
 2042  provider from eligibility to deliver the Voluntary
 2043  Prekindergarten Education Program or to receive state funds for
 2044  the program.
 2045         (g)The department shall report the number of private
 2046  prekindergarten providers or public schools that have received a
 2047  good cause exemption and the reasons for the exemptions as part
 2048  of its annual reporting requirements under s. 1002.82(7).
 2049         (7)Representatives from each school district and
 2050  corresponding early learning coalitions must meet annually to
 2051  develop strategies to transition students from the Voluntary
 2052  Prekindergarten Education Program to kindergarten.
 2053         Section 42. Section 1002.69, Florida Statutes, is repealed.
 2054         Section 43. Paragraph (c) of subsection (3), subsection
 2055  (4), paragraph (b) of subsection (5), paragraphs (b) and (d) of
 2056  subsection (6), and subsection (7) of section 1002.71, Florida
 2057  Statutes, are amended to read:
 2058         1002.71 Funding; financial and attendance reporting.—
 2059         (3)
 2060         (c) The initial allocation shall be based on estimated
 2061  student enrollment in each coalition service area. The
 2062  department Office of Early Learning shall reallocate funds among
 2063  the coalitions based on actual full-time equivalent student
 2064  enrollment in each coalition service area. Each coalition shall
 2065  report student enrollment pursuant to subsection (2) on a
 2066  monthly basis. A student enrollment count for the prior fiscal
 2067  year may not be amended after September 30 of the subsequent
 2068  fiscal year.
 2069         (4) Notwithstanding s. 1002.53(3) and subsection (2):
 2070         (a) A child who, for any of the prekindergarten programs
 2071  listed in s. 1002.53(3), has not completed more than 70 percent
 2072  of the hours authorized to be reported for funding under
 2073  subsection (2), or has not expended more than 70 percent of the
 2074  funds authorized for the child under s. 1002.66, may withdraw
 2075  from the program for good cause and reenroll in one of the
 2076  programs. The total funding for a child who reenrolls in one of
 2077  the programs for good cause may not exceed one full-time
 2078  equivalent student. Funding for a child who withdraws and
 2079  reenrolls in one of the programs for good cause shall be issued
 2080  in accordance with the department’s Office of Early Learning’s
 2081  uniform attendance policy adopted pursuant to paragraph (6)(d).
 2082         (b) A child who has not substantially completed any of the
 2083  prekindergarten programs listed in s. 1002.53(3) may withdraw
 2084  from the program due to an extreme hardship that is beyond the
 2085  child’s or parent’s control, reenroll in one of the summer
 2086  programs, and be reported for funding purposes as a full-time
 2087  equivalent student in the summer program for which the child is
 2088  reenrolled.
 2089  
 2090  A child may reenroll only once in a prekindergarten program
 2091  under this section. A child who reenrolls in a prekindergarten
 2092  program under this subsection may not subsequently withdraw from
 2093  the program and reenroll, unless the child is granted a good
 2094  cause exemption under this subsection. The department Office of
 2095  Early Learning shall establish criteria specifying whether a
 2096  good cause exists for a child to withdraw from a program under
 2097  paragraph (a), whether a child has substantially completed a
 2098  program under paragraph (b), and whether an extreme hardship
 2099  exists which is beyond the child’s or parent’s control under
 2100  paragraph (b).
 2101         (5)
 2102         (b) The department Office of Early Learning shall adopt
 2103  procedures for the payment of private prekindergarten providers
 2104  and public schools delivering the Voluntary Prekindergarten
 2105  Education Program. The procedures shall provide for the advance
 2106  payment of providers and schools based upon student enrollment
 2107  in the program, the certification of student attendance, and the
 2108  reconciliation of advance payments in accordance with the
 2109  uniform attendance policy adopted under paragraph (6)(d). The
 2110  procedures shall provide for the monthly distribution of funds
 2111  by the department Office of Early Learning to the early learning
 2112  coalitions for payment by the coalitions to private
 2113  prekindergarten providers and public schools.
 2114         (6)
 2115         (b)1. Each private prekindergarten provider’s and district
 2116  school board’s attendance policy must require the parent of each
 2117  student in the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program to
 2118  verify, each month, the student’s attendance on the prior
 2119  month’s certified student attendance.
 2120         2. The parent must submit the verification of the student’s
 2121  attendance to the private prekindergarten provider or public
 2122  school on forms prescribed by the department Office of Early
 2123  Learning. The forms must include, in addition to the
 2124  verification of the student’s attendance, a certification, in
 2125  substantially the following form, that the parent continues to
 2126  choose the private prekindergarten provider or public school in
 2127  accordance with s. 1002.53 and directs that payments for the
 2128  program be made to the provider or school:
 2129  
 2130                VERIFICATION OF STUDENT’S ATTENDANCE               
 2131                AND CERTIFICATION OF PARENTAL CHOICE               
 2132  I, ...(Name of Parent)..., swear (or affirm) that my child,
 2133  ...(Name of Student)..., attended the Voluntary Prekindergarten
 2134  Education Program on the days listed above and certify that I
 2135  continue to choose ...(Name of Provider or School)... to deliver
 2136  the program for my child and direct that program funds be paid
 2137  to the provider or school for my child.
 2138  ...(Signature of Parent)...
 2139  ...(Date)...
 2140         3. The private prekindergarten provider or public school
 2141  must keep each original signed form for at least 2 years. Each
 2142  private prekindergarten provider must permit the early learning
 2143  coalition, and each public school must permit the school
 2144  district, to inspect the original signed forms during normal
 2145  business hours. The department Office of Early Learning shall
 2146  adopt procedures for early learning coalitions and school
 2147  districts to review the original signed forms against the
 2148  certified student attendance. The review procedures shall
 2149  provide for the use of selective inspection techniques,
 2150  including, but not limited to, random sampling. Each early
 2151  learning coalition and the school districts must comply with the
 2152  review procedures.
 2153         (d) The department Office of Early Learning shall adopt,
 2154  for funding purposes, a uniform attendance policy for the
 2155  Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program. The attendance
 2156  policy must apply statewide and apply equally to all private
 2157  prekindergarten providers and public schools. The attendance
 2158  policy must include at least the following provisions:
 2159         1. A student’s attendance may be reported on a pro rata
 2160  basis as a fractional part of a full-time equivalent student.
 2161         2. At a maximum, 20 percent of the total payment made on
 2162  behalf of a student to a private prekindergarten provider or a
 2163  public school may be for hours a student is absent.
 2164         3. A private prekindergarten provider or public school may
 2165  not receive payment for absences that occur before a student’s
 2166  first day of attendance or after a student’s last day of
 2167  attendance.
 2168  
 2169  The uniform attendance policy shall be used only for funding
 2170  purposes and does not prohibit a private prekindergarten
 2171  provider or public school from adopting and enforcing its
 2172  attendance policy under paragraphs (a) and (c).
 2173         (7) The department Office of Early Learning shall require
 2174  that administrative expenditures be kept to the minimum
 2175  necessary for efficient and effective administration of the
 2176  Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program. Administrative
 2177  policies and procedures shall be revised, to the maximum extent
 2178  practicable, to incorporate the use of automation and electronic
 2179  submission of forms, including those required for child
 2180  eligibility and enrollment, provider and class registration, and
 2181  monthly certification of attendance for payment. A school
 2182  district may use its automated daily attendance reporting system
 2183  for the purpose of transmitting attendance records to the early
 2184  learning coalition in a mutually agreed-upon format. In
 2185  addition, actions shall be taken to reduce paperwork, eliminate
 2186  the duplication of reports, and eliminate other duplicative
 2187  activities. Each early learning coalition may retain and expend
 2188  no more than 4.0 percent of the funds paid by the coalition to
 2189  private prekindergarten providers and public schools under
 2190  paragraph (5)(b). Funds retained by an early learning coalition
 2191  under this subsection may be used only for administering the
 2192  Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program and may not be used
 2193  for the school readiness program or other programs.
 2194         Section 44. Subsection (1) of section 1002.72, Florida
 2195  Statutes, is amended to read:
 2196         1002.72 Records of children in the Voluntary
 2197  Prekindergarten Education Program.—
 2198         (1)(a) The records of a child enrolled in the Voluntary
 2199  Prekindergarten Education Program held by an early learning
 2200  coalition, the department Office of Early Learning, or a
 2201  Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program provider are
 2202  confidential and exempt from s. 119.07(1) and s. 24(a), Art. I
 2203  of the State Constitution. For purposes of this section, such
 2204  records include assessment data, health data, records of teacher
 2205  observations, and personal identifying information of an
 2206  enrolled child and his or her parent.
 2207         (b) This exemption applies to the records of a child
 2208  enrolled in the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program held
 2209  by an early learning coalition, the department Office of Early
 2210  Learning, or a Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program
 2211  provider before, on, or after the effective date of this
 2212  exemption.
 2213         Section 45. Section 1002.73, Florida Statutes, is amended
 2214  to read:
 2215         1002.73 Department of Education; powers and duties;
 2216  accountability requirements.—
 2217         (1) The department shall adopt by rule a standard statewide
 2218  provider contract to be used with each Voluntary Prekindergarten
 2219  Education Program provider, with standardized attachments by
 2220  provider type. The department shall publish a copy of the
 2221  standard statewide provider contract on its website. The
 2222  standard statewide provider contract shall include, at a
 2223  minimum, provisions for provider probation, termination for
 2224  cause, and emergency termination for actions or inactions of a
 2225  provider which pose an immediate and serious danger to the
 2226  health, safety, or welfare of children. The standard statewide
 2227  provider contract shall also include appropriate due process
 2228  procedures. During the pendency of an appeal of a termination,
 2229  the provider may not continue to offer its services. Any
 2230  provision imposed upon a provider which is inconsistent with, or
 2231  prohibited by, law is void and unenforceable administer the
 2232  accountability requirements of the Voluntary Prekindergarten
 2233  Education Program at the state level.
 2234         (2) The department shall adopt procedures for its:
 2235         (a) The approval of prekindergarten director credentials
 2236  under ss. 1002.55 and 1002.57.
 2237         (b) The approval of emergent literacy and early mathematics
 2238  skills training courses under ss. 1002.55 and 1002.59.
 2239         (c)Annually notifying private prekindergarten providers
 2240  and public schools placed on probation for not meeting the
 2241  minimum performance metric or designation as required by s.
 2242  1002.68 of the high-quality professional development
 2243  opportunities developed or supported by the department.
 2244         (d)The administration of the Voluntary Prekindergarten
 2245  Education Program by the early learning coalitions, including,
 2246  but not limited to, procedures for:
 2247         1.Enrolling students in and determining the eligibility of
 2248  children for the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program
 2249  under s. 1002.53, which shall include the enrollment of children
 2250  by public schools and private providers that meet specified
 2251  requirements.
 2252         2.Providing parents with profiles of private
 2253  prekindergarten providers and public schools under s. 1002.53.
 2254         3.Registering private prekindergarten providers and public
 2255  schools to deliver the program under ss. 1002.55, 1002.61, and
 2256  1002.63.
 2257         4.Determining the eligibility of private prekindergarten
 2258  providers to deliver the program under ss. 1002.55 and 1002.61
 2259  and streamlining the process of determining provider eligibility
 2260  whenever possible.
 2261         5.Verifying the compliance of private prekindergarten
 2262  providers and public schools and removing providers or schools
 2263  from eligibility to deliver the program due to noncompliance or
 2264  misconduct as provided in s. 1002.67.
 2265         6.Paying private prekindergarten providers and public
 2266  schools under s. 1002.71.
 2267         7.Documenting and certifying student enrollment and
 2268  student attendance under s. 1002.71.
 2269         8.Reconciling advance payments in accordance with the
 2270  uniform attendance policy under s. 1002.71.
 2271         9.Reenrolling students dismissed by a private
 2272  prekindergarten provider or public school for noncompliance with
 2273  the provider’s or school district’s attendance policy under s.
 2274  1002.71.
 2275         (3)The department shall administer the accountability
 2276  requirements of the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program
 2277  at the state level.
 2278         (4)The department shall adopt procedures governing the
 2279  administration of the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education
 2280  Program by the early learning coalitions for:
 2281         (a)Approving improvement plans of private prekindergarten
 2282  providers and public schools under s. 1002.68.
 2283         (b)Placing private prekindergarten providers and public
 2284  schools on probation and requiring corrective actions under s.
 2285  1002.68.
 2286         (c)Removing a private prekindergarten provider or public
 2287  school from eligibility to deliver the program due to the
 2288  provider’s or school’s remaining on probation beyond the time
 2289  permitted under s. 1002.68. Notwithstanding any other law, if a
 2290  private prekindergarten provider has been cited for a class I
 2291  violation, as defined by rule of the Child Care Services Program
 2292  Office of the Department of Children and Families, the coalition
 2293  may refuse to contract with the provider or revoke the
 2294  provider’s eligibility to deliver the Voluntary Prekindergarten
 2295  Education Program.
 2296         (d)Enrolling children in and determining the eligibility
 2297  of children for the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program
 2298  under s. 1002.66.
 2299         (e)Paying specialized instructional services providers
 2300  under s. 1002.66.
 2301         (c)Administration of the statewide kindergarten screening
 2302  and calculation of kindergarten readiness rates under s.
 2303  1002.69.
 2304         (d)Implementation of, and determination of costs
 2305  associated with, the state-approved prekindergarten enrollment
 2306  screening and the standardized postassessment approved by the
 2307  department, and determination of the learning gains of students
 2308  who complete the state-approved prekindergarten enrollment
 2309  screening and the standardized postassessment approved by the
 2310  department.
 2311         (f)(e)Approving Approval of specialized instructional
 2312  services providers under s. 1002.66.
 2313         (f)Annual reporting of the percentage of kindergarten
 2314  students who meet all state readiness measures.
 2315         (g) Granting of a private prekindergarten provider’s or
 2316  public school’s request for a good cause exemption under s.
 2317  1002.68 s. 1002.69(7).
 2318         (5)The department shall adopt procedures for the
 2319  distribution of funds to early learning coalitions under s.
 2320  1002.71.
 2321         (6)(3) Except as provided by law, the department may not
 2322  impose requirements on a private prekindergarten provider or
 2323  public school that does not deliver the Voluntary
 2324  Prekindergarten Education Program or receive state funds under
 2325  this part.
 2326         Section 46. Sections 1002.75, Florida Statutes, is
 2327  repealed.
 2328         Section 47. Section 1002.79, Florida Statutes, is amended
 2329  to read:
 2330         1002.79 Rulemaking authority.—The State Board of Education
 2331  Office of Early Learning shall adopt rules under ss. 120.536(1)
 2332  and 120.54 to administer the provisions of this part conferring
 2333  duties upon the department office.
 2334         Section 48. Section 1002.81, Florida Statutes, is amended
 2335  to read:
 2336         1002.81 Definitions.—Consistent with the requirements of 45
 2337  C.F.R. parts 98 and 99 and as used in this part, the term:
 2338         (1) “At-risk child” means:
 2339         (a) A child from a family under investigation by the
 2340  Department of Children and Families or a designated sheriff’s
 2341  office for child abuse, neglect, abandonment, or exploitation.
 2342         (b) A child who is in a diversion program provided by the
 2343  Department of Children and Families or its contracted provider
 2344  and who is from a family that is actively participating and
 2345  complying in department-prescribed activities, including
 2346  education, health services, or work.
 2347         (c) A child from a family that is under supervision by the
 2348  Department of Children and Families or a contracted service
 2349  provider for abuse, neglect, abandonment, or exploitation.
 2350         (d) A child placed in court-ordered, long-term custody or
 2351  under the guardianship of a relative or nonrelative after
 2352  termination of supervision by the Department of Children and
 2353  Families or its contracted provider.
 2354         (e) A child in the custody of a parent who is considered a
 2355  victim of domestic violence and is receiving services through a
 2356  certified domestic violence center.
 2357         (f) A child in the custody of a parent who is considered
 2358  homeless as verified by a Department of Children and Families
 2359  certified homeless shelter.
 2360         (2) “Authorized hours of care” means the hours of care that
 2361  are necessary to provide protection, maintain employment, or
 2362  complete work activities or eligible educational activities,
 2363  including reasonable travel time.
 2364         (12)(3) “Prevailing Average market rate” means the
 2365  biennially determined 75th percentile of a reasonable frequency
 2366  distribution average of the market rate by program care level
 2367  and provider type in a predetermined geographic market at which
 2368  child care providers charge a person for child care services.
 2369         (3)(4) “Direct enhancement services” means services for
 2370  families and children that are in addition to payments for the
 2371  placement of children in the school readiness program. Direct
 2372  enhancement services for families and children may include
 2373  supports for providers, parent training and involvement
 2374  activities, and strategies to meet the needs of unique
 2375  populations and local eligibility priorities. Direct enhancement
 2376  services offered by an early learning coalition shall be
 2377  consistent with the activities prescribed in s. 1002.89(5)(b) s.
 2378  1002.89(6)(b).
 2379         (4)(5) “Disenrollment” means the removal, either temporary
 2380  or permanent, of a child from participation in the school
 2381  readiness program. Removal of a child from the school readiness
 2382  program may be based on the following events: a reduction in
 2383  available school readiness program funding, participant’s
 2384  failure to meet eligibility or program participation
 2385  requirements, fraud, or a change in local service priorities.
 2386         (5)(6) “Earned income” means gross remuneration derived
 2387  from work, professional service, or self-employment. The term
 2388  includes commissions, bonuses, back pay awards, and the cash
 2389  value of all remuneration paid in a medium other than cash.
 2390         (6)(7) “Economically disadvantaged” means having a family
 2391  income that does not exceed 150 percent of the federal poverty
 2392  level and includes being a child of a working migratory family
 2393  as defined by 34 C.F.R. s. 200.81(d) or (f) or an agricultural
 2394  worker who is employed by more than one agricultural employer
 2395  during the course of a year, and whose income varies according
 2396  to weather conditions and market stability.
 2397         (7)(8) “Family income” means the combined gross income,
 2398  whether earned or unearned, that is derived from any source by
 2399  all family or household members who are 18 years of age or older
 2400  who are currently residing together in the same dwelling unit.
 2401  The term does not include income earned by a currently enrolled
 2402  high school student who, since attaining the age of 18 years, or
 2403  a student with a disability who, since attaining the age of 22
 2404  years, has not terminated school enrollment or received a high
 2405  school diploma, high school equivalency diploma, special
 2406  diploma, or certificate of high school completion. The term also
 2407  does not include food stamp benefits or federal housing
 2408  assistance payments issued directly to a landlord or the
 2409  associated utilities expenses.
 2410         (8)(9) “Family or household members” means spouses, former
 2411  spouses, persons related by blood or marriage, persons who are
 2412  parents of a child in common regardless of whether they have
 2413  been married, and other persons who are currently residing
 2414  together in the same dwelling unit as if a family.
 2415         (9)(10) “Full-time care” means at least 6 hours, but not
 2416  more than 11 hours, of child care or early childhood education
 2417  services within a 24-hour period.
 2418         (10)(11) “Market rate” means the price that a child care or
 2419  early childhood education provider charges for full-time or
 2420  part-time daily, weekly, or monthly child care or early
 2421  childhood education services.
 2422         (12)“Office” means the Office of Early Learning of the
 2423  Department of Education.
 2424         (11)(13) “Part-time care” means less than 6 hours of child
 2425  care or early childhood education services within a 24-hour
 2426  period.
 2427         (13)(14) “Single point of entry” means an integrated
 2428  information system that allows a parent to enroll his or her
 2429  child in the school readiness program or the Voluntary
 2430  Prekindergarten Education Program at various locations
 2431  throughout a county, that may allow a parent to enroll his or
 2432  her child by telephone or through a website, and that uses a
 2433  uniform waiting list to track eligible children waiting for
 2434  enrollment in the school readiness program.
 2435         (14)(15) “Unearned income” means income other than earned
 2436  income. The term includes, but is not limited to:
 2437         (a) Documented alimony and child support received.
 2438         (b) Social security benefits.
 2439         (c) Supplemental security income benefits.
 2440         (d) Workers’ compensation benefits.
 2441         (e) Reemployment assistance or unemployment compensation
 2442  benefits.
 2443         (f) Veterans’ benefits.
 2444         (g) Retirement benefits.
 2445         (h) Temporary cash assistance under chapter 414.
 2446         (15)(16) “Working family” means:
 2447         (a) A single-parent family in which the parent with whom
 2448  the child resides is employed or engaged in eligible work or
 2449  education activities for at least 20 hours per week;
 2450         (b) A two-parent family in which both parents with whom the
 2451  child resides are employed or engaged in eligible work or
 2452  education activities for a combined total of at least 40 hours
 2453  per week; or
 2454         (c) A two-parent family in which one of the parents with
 2455  whom the child resides is exempt from work requirements due to
 2456  age or disability, as determined and documented by a physician
 2457  licensed under chapter 458 or chapter 459, and one parent is
 2458  employed or engaged in eligible work or education activities at
 2459  least 20 hours per week.
 2460         Section 49. Section 1002.82, Florida Statutes, is amended
 2461  to read:
 2462         1002.82 Department of Education Office of Early Learning;
 2463  powers and duties.—
 2464         (1) For purposes of administration of the Child Care and
 2465  Development Block Grant Trust Fund, pursuant to 45 C.F.R. parts
 2466  98 and 99, the Department of Education Office of Early Learning
 2467  is designated as the lead agency and must comply with lead
 2468  agency responsibilities pursuant to federal law. The department
 2469  office may apply to the Governor and Cabinet for a waiver of,
 2470  and the Governor and Cabinet may waive, any provision of ss.
 2471  411.223 and 1003.54 if the waiver is necessary for
 2472  implementation of the school readiness program. Section
 2473  125.901(2)(a)3. does not apply to the school readiness program.
 2474         (2) The department office shall:
 2475         (a) Focus on improving the educational quality delivered by
 2476  all providers participating in the school readiness program.
 2477         (b) Preserve parental choice by permitting parents to
 2478  choose from a variety of child care categories, including
 2479  center-based care, family child care, and informal child care to
 2480  the extent authorized in the state’s Child Care and Development
 2481  Fund Plan as approved by the United States Department of Health
 2482  and Human Services pursuant to 45 C.F.R. s. 98.18. Care and
 2483  curriculum by a faith-based provider may not be limited or
 2484  excluded in any of these categories.
 2485         (c) Be responsible for the prudent use of all public and
 2486  private funds in accordance with all legal and contractual
 2487  requirements, safeguarding the effective use of federal, state,
 2488  and local resources to achieve the highest practicable level of
 2489  school readiness for the children described in s. 1002.87,
 2490  including:
 2491         1. The adoption of a uniform chart of accounts for
 2492  budgeting and financial reporting purposes that provides
 2493  standardized definitions for expenditures and reporting,
 2494  consistent with the requirements of 45 C.F.R. part 98 and s.
 2495  1002.89 for each of the following categories of expenditure:
 2496         a. Direct services to children.
 2497         b. Administrative costs.
 2498         c. Quality activities.
 2499         d. Nondirect services.
 2500         2. Coordination with other state and federal agencies to
 2501  perform data matches on children participating in the school
 2502  readiness program and their families in order to verify the
 2503  children’s eligibility pursuant to s. 1002.87.
 2504         (d) Establish procedures for the biennial calculation of
 2505  the prevailing average market rate.
 2506         (e) Review each early learning coalition’s school readiness
 2507  program plan every 2 years and provide final approval of the
 2508  plan and any amendments submitted.
 2509         (f) Establish a unified approach to the state’s efforts to
 2510  coordinate a comprehensive early learning program. In support of
 2511  this effort, the department office:
 2512         1. Shall adopt specific program support services that
 2513  address the state’s school readiness program, including:
 2514         a. Statewide data information program requirements that
 2515  include:
 2516         (I) Eligibility requirements.
 2517         (II) Financial reports.
 2518         (III) Program accountability measures.
 2519         (IV) Child progress reports.
 2520         b. Child care resource and referral services.
 2521         c. A single point of entry and uniform waiting list.
 2522         2. May provide technical assistance and guidance on
 2523  additional support services to complement the school readiness
 2524  program, including:
 2525         a.Rating and improvement systems.
 2526         a.b. Warm-Line services.
 2527         b.c. Anti-fraud plans.
 2528         d.School readiness program standards.
 2529         e.Child screening and assessments.
 2530         c.f. Training and support for parental involvement in
 2531  children’s early education.
 2532         d.g. Family literacy activities and services.
 2533         (g) Provide technical assistance to early learning
 2534  coalitions.
 2535         (h) In cooperation with the early learning coalitions,
 2536  coordinate with the Child Care Services Program Office of the
 2537  Department of Children and Families to reduce paperwork and to
 2538  avoid duplicating interagency activities, health and safety
 2539  monitoring, and acquiring and composing data pertaining to child
 2540  care training and credentialing.
 2541         (i) Enter into a memorandum of understanding with local
 2542  licensing agencies and the Child Care Services Program Office of
 2543  the Department of Children and Families for inspections of
 2544  school readiness program providers to monitor and verify
 2545  compliance with s. 1002.88 and the health and safety checklist
 2546  adopted by the department office. The provider contract of a
 2547  school readiness program provider that refuses permission for
 2548  entry or inspection shall be terminated. The health and safety
 2549  checklist may not exceed the requirements of s. 402.305 and the
 2550  Child Care and Development Fund pursuant to 45 C.F.R. part 98. A
 2551  child development program that is accredited by a national
 2552  accrediting body and operates on a military installation that is
 2553  certified by the United States Department of Defense is exempted
 2554  from the inspection requirements under s. 1002.88.
 2555         (j) Monitor the alignment and consistency of the Develop
 2556  and adopt standards and benchmarks developed and adopted by the
 2557  department that address the age-appropriate progress of children
 2558  in the development of school readiness skills. The standards for
 2559  children from birth to kindergarten entry 5 years of age in the
 2560  school readiness program must be aligned with the performance
 2561  standards adopted for children in the Voluntary Prekindergarten
 2562  Education Program and must address the following domains:
 2563         1. Approaches to learning.
 2564         2. Cognitive development and general knowledge.
 2565         3. Numeracy, language, and communication.
 2566         4. Physical development.
 2567         5. Self-regulation.
 2568         (k) Identify observation-based child assessments that are
 2569  valid, reliable, and developmentally appropriate for use at
 2570  least three times a year. The assessments must:
 2571         1. Provide interval level and norm-referenced criterion
 2572  referenced data that measures equivalent levels of growth across
 2573  the core domains of early childhood development and that can be
 2574  used for determining developmentally appropriate learning gains.
 2575         2. Measure progress in the performance standards adopted
 2576  pursuant to paragraph (j).
 2577         3. Provide for appropriate accommodations for children with
 2578  disabilities and English language learners and be administered
 2579  by qualified individuals, consistent with the developer’s
 2580  instructions.
 2581         4. Coordinate with the performance standards adopted by the
 2582  department under s. 1002.67(1) for the Voluntary Prekindergarten
 2583  Education Program.
 2584         5. Provide data in a format for use in the single statewide
 2585  information system to meet the requirements of paragraph (q)
 2586  (p).
 2587         (l) Adopt a list of approved curricula that meet the
 2588  performance standards for the school readiness program and
 2589  establish a process for the review and approval of a provider’s
 2590  curriculum that meets the performance standards.
 2591         (m) Provide technical support to an early learning
 2592  coalition to facilitate the use of Adopt by rule a standard
 2593  statewide provider contract adopted by the department to be used
 2594  with each school readiness program provider, with standardized
 2595  attachments by provider type. The department office shall
 2596  publish a copy of the standard statewide provider contract on
 2597  its website. The standard statewide contract shall include, at a
 2598  minimum, contracted slots, if applicable, in accordance with the
 2599  Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 2014, 45 C.F.R.
 2600  parts 98 and 99; quality improvement strategies, if applicable;
 2601  program assessment requirements; and provisions for provider
 2602  probation, termination for cause, and emergency termination for
 2603  those actions or inactions of a provider that pose an immediate
 2604  and serious danger to the health, safety, or welfare of the
 2605  children. The standard statewide provider contract shall also
 2606  include appropriate due process procedures. During the pendency
 2607  of an appeal of a termination, the provider may not continue to
 2608  offer its services. Any provision imposed upon a provider that
 2609  is inconsistent with, or prohibited by, law is void and
 2610  unenforceable. Provisions for termination for cause must also
 2611  include failure to meet the minimum quality measures established
 2612  under paragraph (n) for a period of up to 5 years, unless the
 2613  coalition determines that the provider is essential to meeting
 2614  capacity needs based on the assessment under s. 1002.85(2)(j)
 2615  and the provider has an active improvement plan pursuant to
 2616  paragraph (n).
 2617         (n) Adopt a program assessment for school readiness program
 2618  providers that measures the quality of teacher-child
 2619  interactions, including emotional and behavioral support,
 2620  engaged support for learning, classroom organization, and
 2621  instructional support for children ages birth to 5 years. The
 2622  implementation of the program assessment must also include the
 2623  following components adopted by rule of the State Board of
 2624  Education:
 2625         1. Quality measures, including a minimum program assessment
 2626  composite score threshold for contracting purposes and program
 2627  improvement through an improvement plan. The minimum program
 2628  assessment composite score required for the Voluntary
 2629  Prekindergarten Education Program contracting threshold must be
 2630  the same as the minimum program assessment composite score
 2631  required for contracting for the school readiness program. The
 2632  methodology for the calculation of the minimum program
 2633  assessment composite score shall be reviewed by the independent
 2634  expert identified in s. 1002.68(4)(d).
 2635         2. Requirements for program participation, frequency of
 2636  program assessment, and exemptions.
 2637         (o) No later than July 1, 2019, develop a differential
 2638  payment program based on the quality measures adopted by the
 2639  department office under paragraph (n). The differential payment
 2640  may not exceed a total of 15 percent for each care level and
 2641  unit of child care for a child care provider. No more than 5
 2642  percent of the 15 percent total differential may be provided to
 2643  providers who submit valid and reliable data to the statewide
 2644  information system in the domains of language and executive
 2645  functioning using a child assessment identified pursuant to
 2646  paragraph (k). Providers below the minimum program assessment
 2647  score adopted threshold for contracting purposes are ineligible
 2648  for such payment.
 2649         (p)No later than July 1, 2022, develop and adopt
 2650  requirements for the implementation of a program designed to
 2651  make available contracted slots to serve children at the
 2652  greatest risk of school failure as determined by such children
 2653  being located in an area that has been designated as a poverty
 2654  area tract according to the latest census data. The contracted
 2655  slot program may also be used to increase the availability of
 2656  child care capacity based on the assessment under s.
 2657  1002.85(2)(j).
 2658         (q)(p) Establish a single statewide information system that
 2659  each coalition must use for the purposes of managing the single
 2660  point of entry, tracking children’s progress, coordinating
 2661  services among stakeholders, determining eligibility of
 2662  children, tracking child attendance, and streamlining
 2663  administrative processes for providers and early learning
 2664  coalitions. By July 1, 2019, the system, subject to ss. 1002.72
 2665  and 1002.97, shall:
 2666         1. Allow a parent to monitor the development of his or her
 2667  child as the child moves among programs within the state.
 2668         2. Enable analysis at the state, regional, and local level
 2669  to measure child growth over time, program impact, and quality
 2670  improvement and investment decisions.
 2671         (r)(q)Provide technical support to coalitions to
 2672  facilitate the use of Adopt by rule standardized procedures
 2673  adopted in state board rule for early learning coalitions to use
 2674  when monitoring the compliance of school readiness program
 2675  providers with the terms of the standard statewide provider
 2676  contract.
 2677         (s)(r)At least biennially provide fiscal and programmatic
 2678  monitoring to Monitor and evaluate the performance of each early
 2679  learning coalition in administering the school readiness
 2680  program, ensuring proper payments for school readiness program
 2681  services, implementing the coalition’s school readiness program
 2682  plan, and administering the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education
 2683  Program. These monitoring and performance evaluations must
 2684  include, at a minimum, onsite monitoring of each coalition’s
 2685  finances, management, operations, and programs.
 2686         (t)(s) Work in conjunction with the Bureau of Federal
 2687  Education Programs within the Department of Education to
 2688  coordinate readiness and voluntary prekindergarten services to
 2689  the populations served by the bureau.
 2690         (u)(t) Administer a statewide toll-free Warm-Line to
 2691  provide assistance and consultation to child care facilities and
 2692  family day care homes regarding health, developmental,
 2693  disability, and special needs issues of the children they are
 2694  serving, particularly children with disabilities and other
 2695  special needs. The department office shall:
 2696         1. Annually inform child care facilities and family day
 2697  care homes of the availability of this service through the child
 2698  care resource and referral network under s. 1002.92.
 2699         2. Expand or contract for the expansion of the Warm-Line to
 2700  maintain at least one Warm-Line in each early learning coalition
 2701  service area.
 2702         (v)(u) Develop and implement strategies to increase the
 2703  supply and improve the quality of child care services for
 2704  infants and toddlers, children with disabilities, children who
 2705  receive care during nontraditional hours, children in
 2706  underserved areas, and children in areas that have significant
 2707  concentrations of poverty and unemployment.
 2708         (w)(v) Establish preservice and inservice training
 2709  requirements that address, at a minimum, school readiness child
 2710  development standards, health and safety requirements, and
 2711  social-emotional behavior intervention models, which may include
 2712  positive behavior intervention and support models, including the
 2713  integration of early learning professional development pathways
 2714  established in s. 1002.995.
 2715         (x)(w) Establish standards for emergency preparedness plans
 2716  for school readiness program providers.
 2717         (y)(x) Establish group sizes.
 2718         (z)(y) Establish staff-to-children ratios that do not
 2719  exceed the requirements of s. 402.302(8) or (11) or s.
 2720  402.305(4), as applicable, for school readiness program
 2721  providers.
 2722         (aa)(z) Establish eligibility criteria, including
 2723  limitations based on income and family assets, in accordance
 2724  with s. 1002.87 and federal law.
 2725         (3)(a)The department shall adopt performance standards and
 2726  outcome measures for early learning coalitions that, at a
 2727  minimum, include the development of objective customer service
 2728  surveys that shall be deployed beginning in fiscal year 2022
 2729  2023 and be distributed to:
 2730         1.Customers who use the services in s. 1002.92 upon the
 2731  completion of a referral inquiry.
 2732         2.Parents, annually, at the time of eligibility
 2733  determination.
 2734         3.Child care providers that participate in the school
 2735  readiness program or the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education
 2736  Program at the time of execution of the statewide provider
 2737  contract.
 2738         4.Board members required under s. 1002.83.
 2739         (b)Results of the survey shall be based on a statistically
 2740  significant sample size and calculated annually for each early
 2741  learning coalition and included in the department’s annual
 2742  report under subsection (7). If an early learning coalition’s
 2743  customer satisfaction survey results are below 60 percent, the
 2744  coalition shall be placed on a 1-year corrective action plan.
 2745  If, after being placed on corrective action, an early learning
 2746  coalition’s customer satisfaction survey results do not improve
 2747  above the 60 percent threshold, the department may contract out
 2748  or merge the coalition.
 2749         (4)(3) If the department office determines during the
 2750  review of school readiness program plans, or through monitoring
 2751  and performance evaluations conducted under s. 1002.85, that an
 2752  early learning coalition has not substantially implemented its
 2753  plan, has not substantially met the performance standards and
 2754  outcome measures adopted by the department office, or has not
 2755  effectively administered the school readiness program or
 2756  Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program, the department
 2757  office may remove the coalition from eligibility to administer
 2758  early learning programs and temporarily contract with a
 2759  qualified entity to continue school readiness program and
 2760  prekindergarten services in the coalition’s county or
 2761  multicounty region until the department office reestablishes or
 2762  merges the coalition and a new school readiness program plan is
 2763  approved in accordance with the rules adopted by the state board
 2764  office.
 2765         (5)The department shall adopt procedures for merging early
 2766  learning coalitions for failure to meet the requirements of
 2767  subsection (3) or subsection (4), including procedures for the
 2768  consolidation of merging coalitions that minimize duplication of
 2769  programs and services due to the merger, and for the early
 2770  termination of the terms of the coalition members which are
 2771  necessary to accomplish the mergers.
 2772         (6)(4) The department office may request the Governor to
 2773  apply for a waiver to allow a coalition to administer the Head
 2774  Start Program to accomplish the purposes of the school readiness
 2775  program.
 2776         (7)(5) By January 1 of each year, the department office
 2777  shall annually publish on its website a report of its activities
 2778  conducted under this section. The report must include a summary
 2779  of the coalitions’ annual reports, a statewide summary, and the
 2780  following:
 2781         (a) An analysis of early learning activities throughout the
 2782  state, including the school readiness program and the Voluntary
 2783  Prekindergarten Education Program.
 2784         1. The total and average number of children served in the
 2785  school readiness program, enumerated by age, eligibility
 2786  priority category, and coalition, and the total number of
 2787  children served in the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education
 2788  Program.
 2789         2. A summary of expenditures by coalition, by fund source,
 2790  including a breakdown by coalition of the percentage of
 2791  expenditures for administrative activities, quality activities,
 2792  nondirect services, and direct services for children.
 2793         3. A description of the department’s office’s and each
 2794  coalition’s expenditures by fund source for the quality and
 2795  enhancement activities described in s. 1002.89(5)(b) s.
 2796  1002.89(6)(b).
 2797         4. A summary of annual findings and collections related to
 2798  provider fraud and parent fraud.
 2799         5. Data regarding the coalitions’ delivery of early
 2800  learning programs.
 2801         6. The total number of children disenrolled statewide and
 2802  the reason for disenrollment.
 2803         7. The total number of providers by provider type.
 2804         8. The number of school readiness program providers who
 2805  have completed the program assessment required under paragraph
 2806  (2)(n); the number of providers who have not met the minimum
 2807  program assessment composite score threshold for contracting
 2808  established under paragraph (2)(n); and the number of providers
 2809  that have an active improvement plan based on the results of the
 2810  program assessment under paragraph (2)(n).
 2811         9. The total number of provider contracts revoked and the
 2812  reasons for revocation.
 2813         (b) A detailed summary of the analysis compiled using the
 2814  single statewide information system established in subsection
 2815  (2) activities and detailed expenditures related to the Child
 2816  Care Executive Partnership Program.
 2817         (8)(a)(6)(a) Parental choice of child care providers,
 2818  including private and faith-based providers, shall be
 2819  established to the maximum extent practicable in accordance with
 2820  45 C.F.R. s. 98.30.
 2821         (b) As used in this subsection, the term “payment
 2822  certificate” means a child care certificate as defined in 45
 2823  C.F.R. s. 98.2.
 2824         (c) The school readiness program shall, in accordance with
 2825  45 C.F.R. s. 98.30, provide parental choice through a payment
 2826  certificate that provides, to the maximum extent possible,
 2827  flexibility in the school readiness program and payment
 2828  arrangements. The payment certificate must bear the names of the
 2829  beneficiary and the program provider and, when redeemed, must
 2830  bear the signatures of both the beneficiary and an authorized
 2831  representative of the provider.
 2832         (d) If it is determined that a provider has given any cash
 2833  or other consideration to the beneficiary in return for
 2834  receiving a payment certificate, the early learning coalition or
 2835  its fiscal agent shall refer the matter to the Department of
 2836  Financial Services pursuant to s. 414.411 for investigation.
 2837         (9)(7) Participation in the school readiness program does
 2838  not expand the regulatory authority of the state, its officers,
 2839  or an early learning coalition to impose any additional
 2840  regulation on providers beyond those necessary to enforce the
 2841  requirements set forth in this part and part V of this chapter.
 2842         Section 50. Present subsections (5) through (14) of section
 2843  1002.83, Florida Statutes, are redesignated as subsections (6)
 2844  through (15), respectively, a new subsection (5) is added to
 2845  that section, and subsections (1) and (3), paragraphs (e), (f),
 2846  and (m) of subsection (4), and present subsections (5), (11),
 2847  and (13) of that section are amended, to read:
 2848         1002.83 Early learning coalitions.—
 2849         (1) Thirty Thirty-one or fewer early learning coalitions
 2850  are established and shall maintain direct enhancement services
 2851  at the local level and provide access to such services in all 67
 2852  counties. Two or more early learning coalitions may join for
 2853  purposes of planning and implementing a school readiness program
 2854  and the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program.
 2855         (3) The Governor shall appoint the chair and two other
 2856  members of each early learning coalition, who must each meet the
 2857  same qualifications of a as private sector business member
 2858  members appointed by the coalition under subsection (6) (5). In
 2859  the absence of a governor-appointed chair, the Commissioner of
 2860  Education may appoint an interim chair from the current early
 2861  learning coalition board membership.
 2862         (4) Each early learning coalition must include the
 2863  following member positions; however, in a multicounty coalition,
 2864  each ex officio member position may be filled by multiple
 2865  nonvoting members but no more than one voting member shall be
 2866  seated per member position. If an early learning coalition has
 2867  more than one member representing the same entity, only one of
 2868  such members may serve as a voting member:
 2869         (e) A children’s services council or juvenile welfare board
 2870  chair or executive director from each county, if applicable.
 2871         (f) A Department of Children and Families child care
 2872  regulation representative or an agency head of a local licensing
 2873  agency as defined in s. 402.302, where applicable.
 2874         (m)A central agency administrator, where applicable.
 2875         (5)If members of the board are found to be
 2876  nonparticipating according to the early learning coalition
 2877  bylaws, the early learning coalition may request an alternate
 2878  designee who meets the same qualifications or membership
 2879  requirements of the nonparticipating member.
 2880         (6)(5)The early learning coalition may appoint additional
 2881  Including the members who appointed by the Governor under
 2882  subsection (3), more than one-third of the members of each early
 2883  learning coalition must be private sector business members,
 2884  either for-profit or nonprofit, who do not have, and none of
 2885  whose relatives as defined in s. 112.3143 has, a substantial
 2886  financial interest in the design or delivery of the Voluntary
 2887  Prekindergarten Education Program created under part V of this
 2888  chapter or the school readiness program. To meet this
 2889  requirement, an early learning coalition must appoint additional
 2890  members. The department office shall establish criteria for
 2891  appointing private sector business members. These criteria must
 2892  include standards for determining whether a member or relative
 2893  has a substantial financial interest in the design or delivery
 2894  of the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program or the school
 2895  readiness program.
 2896         (12)(11) Each early learning coalition shall establish
 2897  terms for all appointed members of the coalition. The terms must
 2898  be staggered and must be a uniform length that does not exceed 4
 2899  years per term. Coalition chairs shall be appointed for 4 years
 2900  pursuant to s. 20.052. Appointed members may serve a maximum of
 2901  two consecutive terms. When a vacancy occurs in an appointed
 2902  position, the coalition must advertise the vacancy.
 2903         (14)(13) Each early learning coalition shall complete an
 2904  annual evaluation of the early learning coalition’s executive
 2905  director or chief executive officer on forms adopted by the
 2906  department. The annual evaluation must be submitted to the
 2907  commissioner by June 30 of each year use a coordinated
 2908  professional development system that supports the achievement
 2909  and maintenance of core competencies by school readiness program
 2910  teachers in helping children attain the performance standards
 2911  adopted by the office.
 2912         Section 51. Present subsections (7) through (20) of section
 2913  1002.84, Florida Statutes, are redesignated as subsections (8)
 2914  through (21), respectively, a new subsection (7) is added to
 2915  that section, and subsections (1), (2), and (4) and present
 2916  subsections (7), (8), (15), (16), (17), (18), and (20) of that
 2917  section are amended, to read:
 2918         1002.84 Early learning coalitions; school readiness powers
 2919  and duties.—Each early learning coalition shall:
 2920         (1) Administer and implement a local comprehensive program
 2921  of school readiness program services in accordance with this
 2922  part and the rules adopted by the department office, which
 2923  enhances the cognitive, social, and physical development of
 2924  children to achieve the performance standards.
 2925         (2) Establish a uniform waiting list to track eligible
 2926  children waiting for enrollment in the school readiness program
 2927  in accordance with rules adopted by the State Board of Education
 2928  office.
 2929         (4) Establish a regional Warm-Line as directed by the
 2930  department office pursuant to s. 1002.82(2)(u) s. 1002.82(2)(t).
 2931  Regional Warm-Line staff shall provide onsite technical
 2932  assistance, when requested, to assist child care facilities and
 2933  family day care homes with inquiries relating to the strategies,
 2934  curriculum, and environmental adaptations the child care
 2935  facilities and family day care homes may need as they serve
 2936  children with disabilities and other special needs.
 2937         (7)Use a coordinated professional development system that
 2938  supports the achievement and maintenance of core competencies by
 2939  school readiness program teachers in helping children attain the
 2940  performance standards adopted by the department.
 2941         (8)(7) Determine child eligibility pursuant to s. 1002.87
 2942  and provider eligibility pursuant to s. 1002.88. Child
 2943  eligibility must be redetermined annually. A coalition must
 2944  document the reason a child is no longer eligible for the school
 2945  readiness program according to the standard codes prescribed by
 2946  the department office.
 2947         (9)(8) Establish a parent sliding fee scale that provides
 2948  for a parent copayment that is not a barrier to families
 2949  receiving school readiness program services. Providers are
 2950  required to collect the parent’s copayment. A coalition may, on
 2951  a case-by-case basis, waive the copayment for an at-risk child
 2952  or temporarily waive the copayment for a child whose family’s
 2953  income is at or below the federal poverty level or and whose
 2954  family experiences a natural disaster or an event that limits
 2955  the parent’s ability to pay, such as incarceration, placement in
 2956  residential treatment, or becoming homeless, or an emergency
 2957  situation such as a household fire or burglary, or while the
 2958  parent is participating in parenting classes or participating in
 2959  an Early Head Start program or Head Start Program. A parent may
 2960  not transfer school readiness program services to another school
 2961  readiness program provider until the parent has submitted
 2962  documentation from the current school readiness program provider
 2963  to the early learning coalition stating that the parent has
 2964  satisfactorily fulfilled the copayment obligation.
 2965         (16)(15) Monitor school readiness program providers in
 2966  accordance with its plan, or in response to a parental
 2967  complaint, to verify that the standards prescribed in ss.
 2968  1002.82 and 1002.88 are being met using a standard monitoring
 2969  tool adopted by the department office. Providers determined to
 2970  be high-risk by the coalition, as demonstrated by substantial
 2971  findings of violations of federal law or the general or local
 2972  laws of the state, shall be monitored more frequently. Providers
 2973  with 3 consecutive years of compliance may be monitored
 2974  biennially.
 2975         (17)(16) Adopt a payment schedule that encompasses all
 2976  programs funded under this part and part V of this chapter. The
 2977  payment schedule must take into consideration the prevailing
 2978  average market rate, include the projected number of children to
 2979  be served, and be submitted for approval by the department
 2980  office. Informal child care arrangements shall be reimbursed at
 2981  not more than 50 percent of the rate adopted for a family day
 2982  care home.
 2983         (18)(17) Implement an anti-fraud plan addressing the
 2984  detection, reporting, and prevention of overpayments, abuse, and
 2985  fraud relating to the provision of and payment for school
 2986  readiness program and Voluntary Prekindergarten Education
 2987  Program services and submit the plan to the department office
 2988  for approval, as required by s. 1002.91.
 2989         (19)(18) By October 1 of each year, submit an annual report
 2990  to the department office. The report shall conform to the format
 2991  adopted by the department office and must include:
 2992         (a) Segregation of school readiness program funds,
 2993  Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program funds, Child Care
 2994  Executive Partnership Program funds, and other local revenues
 2995  available to the coalition.
 2996         (b) Details of expenditures by fund source, including total
 2997  expenditures for administrative activities, quality activities,
 2998  nondirect services, and direct services for children.
 2999         (c) The total number of coalition staff and the related
 3000  expenditures for salaries and benefits. For any subcontracts,
 3001  the total number of contracted staff and the related
 3002  expenditures for salaries and benefits must be included.
 3003         (d) The number of children served in the school readiness
 3004  program, by provider type, enumerated by age and eligibility
 3005  priority category, reported as the number of children served
 3006  during the month, the average participation throughout the
 3007  month, and the number of children served during the month.
 3008         (e) The total number of children disenrolled during the
 3009  year and the reasons for disenrollment.
 3010         (f) The total number of providers by provider type.
 3011         (g) A listing of any school readiness program provider, by
 3012  type, whose eligibility to deliver the school readiness program
 3013  is revoked, including a brief description of the state or
 3014  federal violation that resulted in the revocation.
 3015         (h) An evaluation of its direct enhancement services.
 3016         (i) The total number of children served in each provider
 3017  facility.
 3018         (21)(a)(20) To increase transparency and accountability,
 3019  comply with the requirements of this section before contracting
 3020  with one or more of the following persons or business entities
 3021  which employs, has a contractual relationship with, or is owned
 3022  by the following persons:
 3023         1. A member of the coalition appointed pursuant to s.
 3024  1002.83(3);
 3025         2.A board member of any other early learning subrecipient
 3026  entity;
 3027         3.A coalition employee; or
 3028         4. A relative, as defined in s. 112.3143(1)(c), of any
 3029  person listed in subparagraphs 1.-3 a coalition member or of an
 3030  employee of the coalition.
 3031         (b) Such contracts may not be executed without the approval
 3032  of the department office. Such contracts, as well as
 3033  documentation demonstrating adherence to this section by the
 3034  coalition, must be approved by a two-thirds vote of the
 3035  coalition, a quorum having been established; all conflicts of
 3036  interest must be disclosed before the vote; and any member who
 3037  may benefit from the contract, or whose relative may benefit
 3038  from the contract, must abstain from the vote. A contract under
 3039  $25,000 between an early learning coalition and a member of that
 3040  coalition or between a relative, as defined in s.
 3041  112.3143(1)(c), of a coalition member or of an employee of the
 3042  coalition is not required to have the prior approval of the
 3043  department office but must be approved by a two-thirds vote of
 3044  the coalition, a quorum having been established, and must be
 3045  reported to the department office within 30 days after approval.
 3046  If a contract cannot be approved by the department office, a
 3047  review of the decision to disapprove the contract may be
 3048  requested by the early learning coalition or other parties to
 3049  the disapproved contract.
 3050         Section 52. Section 1002.85, Florida Statutes, is amended
 3051  to read:
 3052         1002.85 Early learning coalition plans.—
 3053         (1) The department office shall adopt rules prescribing the
 3054  standardized format and required content of school readiness
 3055  program plans as necessary for a coalition or other qualified
 3056  entity to administer the school readiness program as provided in
 3057  this part.
 3058         (2) Each early learning coalition must biennially submit a
 3059  school readiness program plan to the department office before
 3060  the expenditure of funds. A coalition may not implement its
 3061  school readiness program plan until it receives approval from
 3062  the department office. A coalition may not implement any
 3063  revision to its school readiness program plan until the
 3064  coalition submits the revised plan to and receives approval from
 3065  the department office. If the department office rejects a plan
 3066  or revision, the coalition must continue to operate under its
 3067  previously approved plan. The plan must include, but is not
 3068  limited to:
 3069         (a) The coalition’s operations, including its membership
 3070  and business organization, and the coalition’s articles of
 3071  incorporation and bylaws if the coalition is organized as a
 3072  corporation. If the coalition is not organized as a corporation
 3073  or other business entity, the plan must include the contract
 3074  with a fiscal agent.
 3075         (b) The minimum number of children to be served by care
 3076  level.
 3077         (c) The coalition’s procedures for implementing the
 3078  requirements of this part, including:
 3079         1. Single point of entry.
 3080         2. Uniform waiting list.
 3081         3. Eligibility and enrollment processes and local
 3082  eligibility priorities for children pursuant to s. 1002.87.
 3083         4. Parent access and choice.
 3084         5. Sliding fee scale and policies on applying the waiver or
 3085  reduction of fees in accordance with s. 1002.84(9) s.
 3086  1002.84(8).
 3087         6. Use of preassessments and postassessments, as
 3088  applicable.
 3089         7. Payment rate schedule.
 3090         8. Use of contracted slots, as applicable, based on the
 3091  results of the assessment required under paragraph (j).
 3092         (d) A detailed description of the coalition’s quality
 3093  activities and services, including, but not limited to:
 3094         1. Resource and referral and school-age child care.
 3095         2. Infant and toddler early learning.
 3096         3. Inclusive early learning programs.
 3097         4. Quality improvement strategies that strengthen teaching
 3098  practices and increase child outcomes.
 3099         (e) A detailed budget that outlines estimated expenditures
 3100  for state, federal, and local matching funds at the lowest level
 3101  of detail available by other-cost-accumulator code number; all
 3102  estimated sources of revenue with identifiable descriptions; a
 3103  listing of full-time equivalent positions; contracted
 3104  subcontractor costs with related annual compensation amount or
 3105  hourly rate of compensation; and a capital improvements plan
 3106  outlining existing fixed capital outlay projects and proposed
 3107  capital outlay projects that will begin during the budget year.
 3108         (f) A detailed accounting, in the format prescribed by the
 3109  department office, of all revenues and expenditures during the
 3110  previous state fiscal year. Revenue sources should be
 3111  identifiable, and expenditures should be reported by two three
 3112  categories: state and federal funds and, local matching funds,
 3113  and Child Care Executive Partnership Program funds.
 3114         (g) Updated policies and procedures, including those
 3115  governing procurement, maintenance of tangible personal
 3116  property, maintenance of records, information technology
 3117  security, and disbursement controls.
 3118         (h) A description of the procedures for monitoring school
 3119  readiness program providers, including in response to a parental
 3120  complaint, to determine that the standards prescribed in ss.
 3121  1002.82 and 1002.88 are met using a standard monitoring tool
 3122  adopted by the department office. Providers determined to be
 3123  high risk by the coalition as demonstrated by substantial
 3124  findings of violations of law shall be monitored more
 3125  frequently.
 3126         (i) Documentation that the coalition has solicited and
 3127  considered comments regarding the proposed school readiness
 3128  program plan from the local community.
 3129         (j) An assessment of local priorities within the county or
 3130  multicounty region based on the needs of families and provider
 3131  capacity using available community data.
 3132         (3) The coalition may periodically amend its plan as
 3133  necessary. An amended plan must be submitted to and approved by
 3134  the department office before any expenditures are incurred on
 3135  the new activities proposed in the amendment.
 3136         (4) The department office shall publish a copy of the
 3137  standardized format and required content of school readiness
 3138  program plans on its website.
 3139         (5) The department office shall collect and report data on
 3140  coalition delivery of early learning programs. Elements shall
 3141  include, but are not limited to, measures related to progress
 3142  towards reducing the number of children on the waiting list, the
 3143  percentage of children served by the program as compared to the
 3144  number of administrative staff and overhead, the percentage of
 3145  children served compared to total number of children under the
 3146  age of 5 years below 150 percent of the federal poverty level,
 3147  provider payment processes, fraud intervention, child attendance
 3148  and stability, use of child care resource and referral, and
 3149  kindergarten readiness outcomes for children in the Voluntary
 3150  Prekindergarten Education Program or the school readiness
 3151  program upon entry into kindergarten. The department office
 3152  shall request input from the coalitions and school readiness
 3153  program providers before finalizing the format and data to be
 3154  used. The report shall be implemented beginning July 1, 2014,
 3155  and results of the report must be included in the annual report
 3156  under s. 1002.82.
 3157         Section 53. Paragraphs (a), (b), (c), (e), (f), (m), (n),
 3158  (p), and (q) of subsection (1) and subsection (3) of section
 3159  1002.88, Florida Statutes, are amended, and paragraph (s) is
 3160  added to subsection (1) of that section, to read:
 3161         1002.88 School readiness program provider standards;
 3162  eligibility to deliver the school readiness program.—
 3163         (1) To be eligible to deliver the school readiness program,
 3164  a school readiness program provider must:
 3165         (a) Be a child care facility licensed under s. 402.305, a
 3166  family day care home licensed or registered under s. 402.313, a
 3167  large family child care home licensed under s. 402.3131, a
 3168  public school or nonpublic school exempt from licensure under s.
 3169  402.3025, a faith-based child care provider exempt from
 3170  licensure under s. 402.316, a before-school or after-school
 3171  program described in s. 402.305(1)(c), a child development
 3172  program that is accredited by a national accrediting body and
 3173  operates on a military installation that is certified by the
 3174  United States Department of Defense, or an informal child care
 3175  provider to the extent authorized in the state’s Child Care and
 3176  Development Fund Plan as approved by the United States
 3177  Department of Health and Human Services pursuant to 45 C.F.R. s.
 3178  98.18, or a provider who has been issued a provisional license
 3179  pursuant to s. 402.309. A provider may not deliver the program
 3180  while holding a probation-status license under s. 402.310.
 3181         (b) Provide instruction and activities to enhance the age
 3182  appropriate progress of each child in attaining the child
 3183  development standards adopted by the department office pursuant
 3184  to s. 1002.82(2)(j). A provider should include activities to
 3185  foster brain development in infants and toddlers; provide an
 3186  environment that is rich in language and music and filled with
 3187  objects of various colors, shapes, textures, and sizes to
 3188  stimulate visual, tactile, auditory, and linguistic senses; and
 3189  include 30 minutes of reading to children each day.
 3190         (c) Provide basic health and safety of its premises and
 3191  facilities and compliance with requirements for age-appropriate
 3192  immunizations of children enrolled in the school readiness
 3193  program.
 3194         1. For a provider that is licensed, compliance with s.
 3195  402.305, s. 402.3131, or s. 402.313 and this subsection, as
 3196  verified pursuant to s. 402.311, satisfies this requirement.
 3197         2. For a provider that is a registered family day care home
 3198  or is not subject to licensure or registration by the Department
 3199  of Children and Families, compliance with this subsection, as
 3200  verified pursuant to s. 402.311, satisfies this requirement.
 3201  Upon verification pursuant to s. 402.311, the provider shall
 3202  annually post the health and safety checklist adopted by the
 3203  department office prominently on its premises in plain sight for
 3204  visitors and parents and shall annually submit the checklist to
 3205  its local early learning coalition.
 3206         3.For a child development program that is accredited by a
 3207  national accrediting body and operates on a military
 3208  installation that is certified by the United States Department
 3209  of Defense, the submission and verification of annual
 3210  inspections pursuant to United States Department of Defense
 3211  Instructions 6060.2 and 1402.05 satisfies this requirement.
 3212         (e) Employ child care personnel, as defined in s.
 3213  402.302(3), who have satisfied the screening requirements of
 3214  chapter 402 and fulfilled the training requirements of the
 3215  department office.
 3216         (f) Implement one of the curricula approved by the
 3217  department office that meets the child development standards.
 3218         (m) For a provider that is not an informal provider,
 3219  maintain general liability insurance and provide the coalition
 3220  with written evidence of general liability insurance coverage,
 3221  including coverage for transportation of children if school
 3222  readiness program children are transported by the provider. A
 3223  provider must obtain and retain an insurance policy that
 3224  provides a minimum of $100,000 of coverage per occurrence and a
 3225  minimum of $300,000 general aggregate coverage. The department
 3226  office may authorize lower limits upon request, as appropriate.
 3227  A provider must add the coalition as a named certificateholder
 3228  and as an additional insured. A provider must provide the
 3229  coalition with a minimum of 10 calendar days’ advance written
 3230  notice of cancellation of or changes to coverage. The general
 3231  liability insurance required by this paragraph must remain in
 3232  full force and effect for the entire period of the provider
 3233  contract with the coalition.
 3234         (n) For a provider that is an informal provider, comply
 3235  with the provisions of paragraph (m) or maintain homeowner’s
 3236  liability insurance and, if applicable, a business rider. If an
 3237  informal provider chooses to maintain a homeowner’s policy, the
 3238  provider must obtain and retain a homeowner’s insurance policy
 3239  that provides a minimum of $100,000 of coverage per occurrence
 3240  and a minimum of $300,000 general aggregate coverage. The
 3241  department office may authorize lower limits upon request, as
 3242  appropriate. An informal provider must add the coalition as a
 3243  named certificateholder and as an additional insured. An
 3244  informal provider must provide the coalition with a minimum of
 3245  10 calendar days’ advance written notice of cancellation of or
 3246  changes to coverage. The general liability insurance required by
 3247  this paragraph must remain in full force and effect for the
 3248  entire period of the provider’s contract with the coalition.
 3249         (p) Notwithstanding paragraph (m), for a provider that is a
 3250  state agency or a subdivision thereof, as defined in s.
 3251  768.28(2), agree to notify the coalition of any additional
 3252  liability coverage maintained by the provider in addition to
 3253  that otherwise established under s. 768.28. The provider shall
 3254  indemnify the coalition to the extent permitted by s. 768.28.
 3255  Notwithstanding paragraph (m), for a child development program
 3256  that is accredited by a national accrediting body and operates
 3257  on a military installation that is certified by the United
 3258  States Department of Defense, the provider may demonstrate
 3259  liability coverage by affirming that it is subject to the
 3260  Federal Tort Claims Act, 28 U.S.C. ss. 2671 et seq.
 3261         (q) Execute the standard statewide provider contract
 3262  adopted by the department office.
 3263         (s)Collect all parent copayment fees unless a waiver has
 3264  been granted under s. 1002.84(9).
 3265         (3) The department office and the coalitions may not:
 3266         (a) Impose any requirement on a child care provider or
 3267  early childhood education provider that does not deliver
 3268  services under the school readiness program or receive state or
 3269  federal funds under this part;
 3270         (b) Impose any requirement on a school readiness program
 3271  provider that exceeds the authority provided under this part or
 3272  part V of this chapter or rules adopted pursuant to this part or
 3273  part V of this chapter; or
 3274         (c) Require a provider to administer a preassessment or
 3275  postassessment.
 3276         Section 54. Subsections (2), (3), and (6) of section
 3277  1002.89, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
 3278         1002.89 School readiness program; funding.—
 3279         (2)The office shall administer school readiness program
 3280  funds and prepare and submit a unified budget request for the
 3281  school readiness program in accordance with chapter 216.
 3282         (2)(3) All instructions to early learning coalitions for
 3283  administering this section shall emanate from the department
 3284  office in accordance with the policies of the Legislature.
 3285         (5)(6) Costs shall be kept to the minimum necessary for the
 3286  efficient and effective administration of the school readiness
 3287  program with the highest priority of expenditure being direct
 3288  services for eligible children. However, no more than 5 percent
 3289  of the funds described in subsection (4) subsection (5) may be
 3290  used for administrative costs and no more than 22 percent of the
 3291  funds described in subsection (4) subsection (5) may be used in
 3292  any fiscal year for any combination of administrative costs,
 3293  quality activities, and nondirect services as follows:
 3294         (a) Administrative costs as described in 45 C.F.R. s. 98.54
 3295  45 C.F.R. s. 98.52, which shall include monitoring providers
 3296  using the standard methodology adopted under s. 1002.82 to
 3297  improve compliance with state and federal regulations and law
 3298  pursuant to the requirements of the statewide provider contract
 3299  adopted under s. 1002.82(2)(m).
 3300         (b) Activities to improve the quality of child care as
 3301  described in 45 C.F.R. s. 98.53 45 C.F.R. s. 98.51, which shall
 3302  be limited to the following:
 3303         1. Developing, establishing, expanding, operating, and
 3304  coordinating resource and referral programs specifically related
 3305  to the provision of comprehensive consumer education to parents
 3306  and the public to promote informed child care choices specified
 3307  in 45 C.F.R. s. 98.33.
 3308         2. Awarding grants and providing financial support to
 3309  school readiness program providers and their staff to assist
 3310  them in meeting applicable state requirements for the program
 3311  assessment required under s. 1002.82(2)(n), child care
 3312  performance standards, implementing developmentally appropriate
 3313  curricula and related classroom resources that support
 3314  curricula, providing literacy supports, and providing continued
 3315  professional development and training. Any grants awarded
 3316  pursuant to this subparagraph shall comply with ss. 215.971 and
 3317  287.058.
 3318         3. Providing training, technical assistance, and financial
 3319  support to school readiness program providers, staff, and
 3320  parents on standards, child screenings, child assessments, child
 3321  development research and best practices, developmentally
 3322  appropriate curricula, character development, teacher-child
 3323  interactions, age-appropriate discipline practices, health and
 3324  safety, nutrition, first aid, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, the
 3325  recognition of communicable diseases, and child abuse detection,
 3326  prevention, and reporting.
 3327         4. Providing, from among the funds provided for the
 3328  activities described in subparagraphs 1.-3., adequate funding
 3329  for infants and toddlers as necessary to meet federal
 3330  requirements related to expenditures for quality activities for
 3331  infant and toddler care.
 3332         5. Improving the monitoring of compliance with, and
 3333  enforcement of, applicable state and local requirements as
 3334  described in and limited by 45 C.F.R. s. 98.40.
 3335         6. Responding to Warm-Line requests by providers and
 3336  parents, including providing developmental and health screenings
 3337  to school readiness program children.
 3338         (c) Nondirect services as described in applicable Office of
 3339  Management and Budget instructions are those services not
 3340  defined as administrative, direct, or quality services that are
 3341  required to administer the school readiness program. Such
 3342  services include, but are not limited to:
 3343         1. Assisting families to complete the required application
 3344  and eligibility documentation.
 3345         2. Determining child and family eligibility.
 3346         3. Recruiting eligible child care providers.
 3347         4. Processing and tracking attendance records.
 3348         5. Developing and maintaining a statewide child care
 3349  information system.
 3350  
 3351  As used in this paragraph, the term “nondirect services” does
 3352  not include payments to school readiness program providers for
 3353  direct services provided to children who are eligible under s.
 3354  1002.87, administrative costs as described in paragraph (a), or
 3355  quality activities as described in paragraph (b).
 3356         Section 55. Subsection (1), paragraph (a) of subsection
 3357  (2), and subsections (4), (5), and (6) of section 1002.895,
 3358  Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
 3359         1002.895 Market rate schedule.—The school readiness program
 3360  market rate schedule shall be implemented as follows:
 3361         (1) The department office shall establish procedures for
 3362  the adoption of a market rate schedule. The schedule must
 3363  include, at a minimum, county-by-county rates:
 3364         (a) The market rate, including the minimum and the maximum
 3365  rates for child care providers that hold a Gold Seal Quality
 3366  Care designation under s. 1002.945 and adhere to its accrediting
 3367  association’s teacher-to-child ratios and group size
 3368  requirements s. 402.281.
 3369         (b) The market rate for child care providers that do not
 3370  hold a Gold Seal Quality Care designation.
 3371         (2) The market rate schedule, at a minimum, must:
 3372         (a) Differentiate rates by type, including, but not limited
 3373  to, a child care provider that holds a Gold Seal Quality Care
 3374  designation under s. 1002.945 and adheres to its accrediting
 3375  association’s teacher-to-child ratios and group size
 3376  requirements s. 402.281, a child care facility licensed under s.
 3377  402.305, a public or nonpublic school exempt from licensure
 3378  under s. 402.3025, a faith-based child care facility exempt from
 3379  licensure under s. 402.316 that does not hold a Gold Seal
 3380  Quality Care designation, a large family child care home
 3381  licensed under s. 402.3131, or a family day care home licensed
 3382  or registered under s. 402.313.
 3383         (4) The market rate schedule shall be considered by an
 3384  early learning coalition in the adoption of a payment schedule.
 3385  The payment schedule must take into consideration the prevailing
 3386  average market rate and, include the projected number of
 3387  children to be served by each county, and be submitted for
 3388  approval by the department office. Informal child care
 3389  arrangements shall be reimbursed at not more than 50 percent of
 3390  the rate adopted for a family day care home.
 3391         (5) The department office may contract with one or more
 3392  qualified entities to administer this section and provide
 3393  support and technical assistance for child care providers.
 3394         (6) The department office may adopt rules for establishing
 3395  procedures for the collection of child care providers’ market
 3396  rate, the calculation of the prevailing average market rate by
 3397  program care level and provider type in a predetermined
 3398  geographic market, and the publication of the market rate
 3399  schedule.
 3400         Section 56. Section 1002.91, Florida Statutes, is amended
 3401  to read:
 3402         1002.91 Investigations of fraud or overpayment; penalties.—
 3403         (1) As used in this subsection, the term “fraud” means an
 3404  intentional deception, omission, or misrepresentation made by a
 3405  person with knowledge that the deception, omission, or
 3406  misrepresentation may result in unauthorized benefit to that
 3407  person or another person, or any aiding and abetting of the
 3408  commission of such an act. The term includes any act that
 3409  constitutes fraud under applicable federal or state law.
 3410         (2) To recover state, federal, and local matching funds,
 3411  the department office shall investigate early learning
 3412  coalitions, recipients, and providers of the school readiness
 3413  program and the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program to
 3414  determine possible fraud or overpayment. If by its own
 3415  inquiries, or as a result of a complaint, the department office
 3416  has reason to believe that a person, coalition, or provider has
 3417  engaged in, or is engaging in, a fraudulent act, it shall
 3418  investigate and determine whether any overpayment has occurred
 3419  due to the fraudulent act. During the investigation, the
 3420  department office may examine all records, including electronic
 3421  benefits transfer records, and make inquiry of all persons who
 3422  may have knowledge as to any irregularity incidental to the
 3423  disbursement of public moneys or other items or benefits
 3424  authorizations to recipients.
 3425         (3) Based on the results of the investigation, the
 3426  department office may, in its discretion, refer the
 3427  investigation to the Department of Financial Services for
 3428  criminal investigation or refer the matter to the applicable
 3429  coalition. Any suspected criminal violation identified by the
 3430  department office must be referred to the Department of
 3431  Financial Services for criminal investigation.
 3432         (4) An early learning coalition may suspend or terminate a
 3433  provider from participation in the school readiness program or
 3434  the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program when it has
 3435  reasonable cause to believe that the provider has committed
 3436  fraud. The department office shall adopt by rule appropriate due
 3437  process procedures that the early learning coalition shall apply
 3438  in suspending or terminating any provider, including the
 3439  suspension or termination of payment. If suspended, the provider
 3440  shall remain suspended until the completion of any investigation
 3441  by the department office, the Department of Financial Services,
 3442  or any other state or federal agency, and any subsequent
 3443  prosecution or other legal proceeding.
 3444         (5) If a school readiness program provider or a Voluntary
 3445  Prekindergarten Education Program provider, or an owner,
 3446  officer, or director thereof, is convicted of, found guilty of,
 3447  or pleads guilty or nolo contendere to, regardless of
 3448  adjudication, public assistance fraud pursuant to s. 414.39, or
 3449  is acting as the beneficial owner for someone who has been
 3450  convicted of, found guilty of, or pleads guilty or nolo
 3451  contendere to, regardless of adjudication, public assistance
 3452  fraud pursuant to s. 414.39, the early learning coalition shall
 3453  refrain from contracting with, or using the services of, that
 3454  provider for a period of 5 years. In addition, the coalition
 3455  shall refrain from contracting with, or using the services of,
 3456  any provider that shares an officer or director with a provider
 3457  that is convicted of, found guilty of, or pleads guilty or nolo
 3458  contendere to, regardless of adjudication, public assistance
 3459  fraud pursuant to s. 414.39 for a period of 5 years.
 3460         (6) If the investigation is not confidential or otherwise
 3461  exempt from disclosure by law, the results of the investigation
 3462  may be reported by the department office to the appropriate
 3463  legislative committees, the Department of Children and Families,
 3464  and such other persons as the department office deems
 3465  appropriate.
 3466         (7) The early learning coalition may not contract with a
 3467  school readiness program provider or a Voluntary Prekindergarten
 3468  Education Program provider who is on the United States
 3469  Department of Agriculture National Disqualified List. In
 3470  addition, the coalition may not contract with any provider that
 3471  shares an officer or director with a provider that is on the
 3472  United States Department of Agriculture National Disqualified
 3473  List.
 3474         (8) Each early learning coalition shall adopt an anti-fraud
 3475  plan addressing the detection and prevention of overpayments,
 3476  abuse, and fraud relating to the provision of and payment for
 3477  school readiness program and Voluntary Prekindergarten Education
 3478  Program services and submit the plan to the department office
 3479  for approval. The department office shall adopt rules
 3480  establishing criteria for the anti-fraud plan, including
 3481  appropriate due process provisions. The anti-fraud plan must
 3482  include, at a minimum:
 3483         (a) A written description or chart outlining the
 3484  organizational structure of the plan’s personnel who are
 3485  responsible for the investigation and reporting of possible
 3486  overpayment, abuse, or fraud.
 3487         (b) A description of the plan’s procedures for detecting
 3488  and investigating possible acts of fraud, abuse, or overpayment.
 3489         (c) A description of the plan’s procedures for the
 3490  mandatory reporting of possible overpayment, abuse, or fraud to
 3491  the Office of Inspector General within the department office.
 3492         (d) A description of the plan’s program and procedures for
 3493  educating and training personnel on how to detect and prevent
 3494  fraud, abuse, and overpayment.
 3495         (e) A description of the plan’s procedures, including the
 3496  appropriate due process provisions adopted by the department
 3497  office for suspending or terminating from the school readiness
 3498  program or the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program a
 3499  recipient or provider who the early learning coalition believes
 3500  has committed fraud.
 3501         (9) A person who commits an act of fraud as defined in this
 3502  section is subject to the penalties provided in s. 414.39(5)(a)
 3503  and (b).
 3504         Section 57. Subsections (1) and (2) and paragraphs (a),
 3505  (c), and (d) of subsection (3) of section 1002.92, Florida
 3506  Statutes, are amended to read:
 3507         1002.92 Child care and early childhood resource and
 3508  referral.—
 3509         (1) As a part of the school readiness program, the
 3510  department office shall establish a statewide child care
 3511  resource and referral network that is unbiased and provides
 3512  referrals to families for child care and information on
 3513  available community resources. Preference shall be given to
 3514  using early learning coalitions as the child care resource and
 3515  referral agencies. If an early learning coalition cannot comply
 3516  with the requirements to offer the resource information
 3517  component or does not want to offer that service, the early
 3518  learning coalition shall select the resource and referral agency
 3519  for its county or multicounty region based upon the procurement
 3520  requirements of s. 1002.84(13) s. 1002.84(12).
 3521         (2) At least one child care resource and referral agency
 3522  must be established in each early learning coalition’s county or
 3523  multicounty region. The department office shall adopt rules
 3524  regarding accessibility of child care resource and referral
 3525  services offered through child care resource and referral
 3526  agencies in each county or multicounty region which include, at
 3527  a minimum, required hours of operation, methods by which parents
 3528  may request services, and child care resource and referral staff
 3529  training requirements.
 3530         (3) Child care resource and referral agencies shall provide
 3531  the following services:
 3532         (a) Identification of existing public and private child
 3533  care and early childhood education services, including child
 3534  care services by public and private employers, and the
 3535  development of an early learning provider performance profile a
 3536  resource file of those services through the single statewide
 3537  information system developed by the department office under s.
 3538  1002.82(2)(q) s. 1002.82(2)(p). These services may include
 3539  family day care, public and private child care programs, the
 3540  Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program, Head Start, the
 3541  school readiness program, special education programs for
 3542  prekindergarten children with disabilities, services for
 3543  children with developmental disabilities, full-time and part
 3544  time programs, before-school and after-school programs, and
 3545  vacation care programs, parent education, the temporary cash
 3546  assistance program, and related family support services. The
 3547  early learning provider performance profile resource file shall
 3548  include, but not be limited to:
 3549         1. Type of program.
 3550         2. Hours of service.
 3551         3. Ages of children served.
 3552         4. Number of children served.
 3553         5. Program information.
 3554         6. Fees and eligibility for services.
 3555         7. Availability of transportation.
 3556         8.Participation in the Child Care Food Program, if
 3557  applicable.
 3558         9.A link to licensing inspection reports, if applicable.
 3559         10.The components of the Voluntary Prekindergarten
 3560  Education Program performance metric calculated under s. 1002.68
 3561  which must consist of the program assessment composite score,
 3562  learning gains score, achievement score, and its designations,
 3563  if applicable.
 3564         11.The school readiness program assessment composite score
 3565  and program assessment care level composite score results
 3566  delineated by infant classrooms, toddler classrooms, and
 3567  preschool classrooms results under s. 1002.82, if applicable.
 3568         12.Gold Seal Quality Care designation under s. 1002.945,
 3569  if applicable.
 3570         13.Indication of whether the provider implements a
 3571  curriculum approved by the department and the name of the
 3572  curriculum, if applicable.
 3573         14.Participation in the school readiness child assessment
 3574  under s. 1002.82.
 3575         (c) Maintenance of ongoing documentation of requests for
 3576  service tabulated through the internal referral process through
 3577  the single statewide information system. The following
 3578  documentation of requests for service shall be maintained by the
 3579  child care resource and referral network:
 3580         1. Number of calls and contacts to the child care resource
 3581  information and referral network component by type of service
 3582  requested.
 3583         2. Ages of children for whom service was requested.
 3584         3. Time category of child care requests for each child.
 3585         4. Special time category, such as nights, weekends, and
 3586  swing shift.
 3587         5. Reason that the child care is needed.
 3588         6. Customer service survey data required under s.
 3589  1002.82(3) Name of the employer and primary focus of the
 3590  business for an employer-based child care program.
 3591         (d) Assistance to families that connects them to parent
 3592  education opportunities, the temporary cash assistance program,
 3593  or social services programs that support families with children,
 3594  and related child development support services Provision of
 3595  technical assistance to existing and potential providers of
 3596  child care services. This assistance may include:
 3597         1.Information on initiating new child care services,
 3598  zoning, and program and budget development and assistance in
 3599  finding such information from other sources.
 3600         2.Information and resources which help existing child care
 3601  services providers to maximize their ability to serve children
 3602  and parents in their community.
 3603         3.Information and incentives that may help existing or
 3604  planned child care services offered by public or private
 3605  employers seeking to maximize their ability to serve the
 3606  children of their working parent employees in their community,
 3607  through contractual or other funding arrangements with
 3608  businesses.
 3609         Section 58. Subsection (1) of section 1002.93, Florida
 3610  Statutes, is amended to read:
 3611         1002.93 School readiness program transportation services.—
 3612         (1) The department office may authorize an early learning
 3613  coalition to establish school readiness program transportation
 3614  services for children at risk of abuse or neglect who are
 3615  participating in the school readiness program, pursuant to
 3616  chapter 427. The early learning coalitions may contract for the
 3617  provision of transportation services as required by this
 3618  section.
 3619         Section 59. Section 1002.94, Florida Statutes, is repealed.
 3620         Section 60. Section 1002.95, Florida Statutes, is amended
 3621  to read:
 3622         1002.95 Teacher Education and Compensation Helps (TEACH)
 3623  scholarship program.—
 3624         (1) The department office may contract for the
 3625  administration of the Teacher Education and Compensation Helps
 3626  (TEACH) scholarship program, which provides educational
 3627  scholarships to caregivers and administrators of early childhood
 3628  programs, family day care homes, and large family child care
 3629  homes. The goal of the program is to increase the education and
 3630  training for caregivers, increase the compensation for child
 3631  caregivers who complete the program requirements, and reduce the
 3632  rate of participant turnover in the field of early childhood
 3633  education.
 3634         (2) The State Board of Education office shall adopt rules
 3635  as necessary to administer this section.
 3636         Section 61. Subsections (1) and (3) of section 1002.96,
 3637  Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
 3638         1002.96 Early Head Start collaboration grants.—
 3639         (1) Contingent upon specific appropriation, the department
 3640  office shall establish a program to award collaboration grants
 3641  to assist local agencies in securing Early Head Start programs
 3642  through Early Head Start program federal grants. The
 3643  collaboration grants shall provide the required matching funds
 3644  for public and private nonprofit agencies that have been
 3645  approved for Early Head Start program federal grants.
 3646         (3) The department office may adopt rules as necessary for
 3647  the award of collaboration grants to competing agencies and the
 3648  administration of the collaboration grants program under this
 3649  section.
 3650         Section 62. Subsection (1) and paragraph (g) of subsection
 3651  (3) of section 1002.97, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
 3652         1002.97 Records of children in the school readiness
 3653  program.—
 3654         (1) The individual records of children enrolled in the
 3655  school readiness program provided under this part, held by an
 3656  early learning coalition or the department office, are
 3657  confidential and exempt from s. 119.07(1) and s. 24(a), Art. I
 3658  of the State Constitution. For purposes of this section, records
 3659  include assessment data, health data, records of teacher
 3660  observations, and personal identifying information.
 3661         (3) School readiness program records may be released to:
 3662         (g) Parties to an interagency agreement among early
 3663  learning coalitions, local governmental agencies, providers of
 3664  the school readiness program, state agencies, and the department
 3665  office for the purpose of implementing the school readiness
 3666  program.
 3667  
 3668  Agencies, organizations, or individuals that receive school
 3669  readiness program records in order to carry out their official
 3670  functions must protect the data in a manner that does not permit
 3671  the personal identification of a child enrolled in a school
 3672  readiness program and his or her parent by persons other than
 3673  those authorized to receive the records.
 3674         Section 63. Subsections (1) and (3) of section 1002.995,
 3675  Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
 3676         1002.995 Early learning professional development standards
 3677  and career pathways.—
 3678         (1) The department office shall:
 3679         (a) Develop early learning professional development
 3680  training and course standards to be utilized for school
 3681  readiness program providers.
 3682         (b) Identify both formal and informal early learning career
 3683  pathways with stackable credentials and certifications that
 3684  allow early childhood teachers to access specialized
 3685  professional development that:
 3686         1. Strengthens knowledge and teaching practices.
 3687         2. Aligns to established professional standards and core
 3688  competencies.
 3689         3. Provides a progression of attainable, competency-based
 3690  stackable credentials and certifications.
 3691         4. Improves outcomes for children to increase kindergarten
 3692  readiness and early grade success.
 3693         (3) The State Board of Education office shall adopt rules
 3694  to administer this section.
 3695         Section 64. Section 1007.01, Florida Statutes, is amended
 3696  to read:
 3697         1007.01 Articulation; legislative intent; purpose; role of
 3698  the State Board of Education and the Board of Governors;
 3699  Articulation Coordinating Committee.—
 3700         (1) It is the intent of the Legislature to facilitate
 3701  articulation and seamless integration of the Early Learning-20
 3702  K-20 education system by building, sustaining, and strengthening
 3703  relationships among Early Learning-20 K-20 public organizations,
 3704  between public and private organizations, and between the
 3705  education system as a whole and Florida’s communities. The
 3706  purpose of building, sustaining, and strengthening these
 3707  relationships is to provide for the efficient and effective
 3708  progression and transfer of students within the education system
 3709  and to allow students to proceed toward their educational
 3710  objectives as rapidly as their circumstances permit. The
 3711  Legislature further intends that articulation policies and
 3712  budget actions be implemented consistently in the practices of
 3713  the Department of Education and postsecondary educational
 3714  institutions and expressed in the collaborative policy efforts
 3715  of the State Board of Education and the Board of Governors.
 3716         (2) To improve and facilitate articulation systemwide, the
 3717  State Board of Education and the Board of Governors shall
 3718  collaboratively establish and adopt policies with input from
 3719  statewide K-20 advisory groups established by the Commissioner
 3720  of Education and the Chancellor of the State University System
 3721  and shall recommend the policies to the Legislature. The
 3722  policies shall relate to:
 3723         (a) The alignment between the exit requirements of one
 3724  education system and the admissions requirements of another
 3725  education system into which students typically transfer.
 3726         (b) The identification of common courses, the level of
 3727  courses, institutional participation in a statewide course
 3728  numbering system, and the transferability of credits among such
 3729  institutions.
 3730         (c) Identification of courses that meet general education
 3731  or common degree program prerequisite requirements at public
 3732  postsecondary educational institutions.
 3733         (d) Dual enrollment course equivalencies.
 3734         (e) Articulation agreements.
 3735         (3) The Commissioner of Education, in consultation with the
 3736  Chancellor of the State University System, shall establish the
 3737  Articulation Coordinating Committee, which shall make
 3738  recommendations related to statewide articulation policies and
 3739  issues regarding access, quality, and reporting of data
 3740  maintained by the educational K-20 data warehouse, established
 3741  pursuant to ss. 1001.10 and 1008.31, to the Higher Education
 3742  Coordination Council, the State Board of Education, and the
 3743  Board of Governors. The committee shall consist of two members
 3744  each representing the State University System, the Florida
 3745  College System, public career and technical education, K-12
 3746  education, and nonpublic postsecondary education and one member
 3747  representing students. The chair shall be elected from the
 3748  membership. The Office of K-20 Articulation shall provide
 3749  administrative support for the committee. The committee shall:
 3750         (a) Monitor the alignment between the exit requirements of
 3751  one education system and the admissions requirements of another
 3752  education system into which students typically transfer and make
 3753  recommendations for improvement.
 3754         (b) Propose guidelines for interinstitutional agreements
 3755  between and among public schools, career and technical education
 3756  centers, Florida College System institutions, state
 3757  universities, and nonpublic postsecondary institutions.
 3758         (c) Annually recommend dual enrollment course and high
 3759  school subject area equivalencies for approval by the State
 3760  Board of Education and the Board of Governors.
 3761         (d) Annually review the statewide articulation agreement
 3762  pursuant to s. 1007.23 and make recommendations for revisions.
 3763         (e) Annually review the statewide course numbering system,
 3764  the levels of courses, and the application of transfer credit
 3765  requirements among public and nonpublic institutions
 3766  participating in the statewide course numbering system and
 3767  identify instances of student transfer and admissions
 3768  difficulties.
 3769         (f) Annually publish a list of courses that meet common
 3770  general education and common degree program prerequisite
 3771  requirements at public postsecondary institutions identified
 3772  pursuant to s. 1007.25.
 3773         (g) Foster timely collection and reporting of statewide
 3774  education data to improve the Early Learning-20 K-20 education
 3775  performance accountability system pursuant to ss. 1001.10 and
 3776  1008.31, including, but not limited to, data quality,
 3777  accessibility, and protection of student records.
 3778         (h) Recommend roles and responsibilities of public
 3779  education entities in interfacing with the single, statewide
 3780  computer-assisted student advising system established pursuant
 3781  to s. 1006.735.
 3782         Section 65. Section 1008.2125, Florida Statutes, is created
 3783  to read:
 3784         1008.2125Coordinated screening and progress monitoring
 3785  program for students in the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education
 3786  Program through grade 3.—
 3787         (1)The primary purpose of the coordinated screening and
 3788  progress monitoring program for students in the Voluntary
 3789  Prekindergarten Education Program through grade 3 is to provide
 3790  information on students’ progress in mastering the appropriate
 3791  grade-level standards and to provide information on their
 3792  progress to parents, teachers, and school and program
 3793  administrators. Data shall be used by Voluntary Prekindergarten
 3794  Education Program providers and school districts to improve
 3795  instruction, by parents and teachers to guide learning
 3796  objectives and provide timely and appropriate supports and
 3797  interventions to students not meeting grade level expectations,
 3798  and by the public to assess the cost benefit of the expenditure
 3799  of taxpayer dollars. The coordinated screening and progress
 3800  monitoring program must:
 3801         (a)Assess the progress of students in the Voluntary
 3802  Prekindergarten Education Program through grade 3 in meeting the
 3803  appropriate expectations in emergent literacy and math skills
 3804  and in English Language Arts and mathematics, as required by ss.
 3805  1002.67(1)(a) and 1003.41.
 3806         (b)Provide data for accountability of the Voluntary
 3807  Prekindergarten Education Program, as required by s. 1002.68.
 3808         (c)Provide baseline data to the department of each
 3809  student’s readiness for kindergarten, which must be based on
 3810  each kindergarten student’s progress monitoring results within
 3811  the first 30 days of enrollment in accordance with paragraph
 3812  (2)(a). The methodology for determining a student’s readiness
 3813  for kindergarten shall be developed by the same independent
 3814  expert identified in s. 1002.68(4)(d).
 3815         (d)Identify the educational strengths and needs of
 3816  students in the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program
 3817  through grade 3.
 3818         (e)Provide teachers with progress monitoring data to
 3819  provide timely interventions and supports pursuant to s.
 3820  1008.25(4).
 3821         (f)Assess how well educational goals and curricular
 3822  standards are met at the provider, school, district, and state
 3823  levels.
 3824         (g)Provide information to aid in the evaluation and
 3825  development of educational programs and policies.
 3826         (2)The Commissioner of Education shall design a statewide,
 3827  standardized coordinated screening and progress monitoring
 3828  program to assess early literacy and mathematics skills and the
 3829  English Language Arts and mathematics standards established in
 3830  ss. 1002.67(1)(a) and 1003.41, respectively. The coordinated
 3831  screening and progress monitoring program must provide interval
 3832  level and norm-referenced data that measures equivalent levels
 3833  of growth; be a developmentally appropriate, valid, and reliable
 3834  direct assessment; be able to capture data on students who may
 3835  be performing below grade or developmental level and which may
 3836  enable the identification of early indicators of dyslexia or
 3837  other developmental delays; accurately measure the core content
 3838  in the applicable grade level standards; document learning gains
 3839  for the achievement of these standards; and provide teachers
 3840  with progress monitoring supports and materials that enhance
 3841  differentiated instruction and parent communication.
 3842  Participation in the coordinated screening and progress
 3843  monitoring program is mandatory for all students in the
 3844  Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program and enrolled in a
 3845  public school in kindergarten through grade 3. The coordinated
 3846  screening and progress monitoring program shall be implemented
 3847  beginning in the 2022-2023 school year for students in the
 3848  Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program and kindergarten
 3849  students, as follows:
 3850         (a)The coordinated screening and progress monitoring
 3851  program shall be administered within the first 30 days after
 3852  enrollment, midyear, and within the last 30 days of the program
 3853  or school year, in accordance with the rules adopted by the
 3854  State Board of Education. The state board may adopt alternate
 3855  timeframes to address nontraditional school year calendars or
 3856  summer programs to ensure that the coordinated screening and
 3857  progress monitoring program is administered a minimum of 3 times
 3858  within a year or program.
 3859         (b)The results of the coordinated screening and progress
 3860  monitoring program shall be reported to the department, in
 3861  accordance with the rules adopted by the state board, and
 3862  maintained in the department’s educational data warehouse.
 3863         (3)The Commissioner of Education shall:
 3864         (a)Develop a plan, in coordination with the Council for
 3865  Early Grade Success, for implementing the coordinated screening
 3866  and progress monitoring program in consideration of timelines
 3867  for implementing new early literacy and mathematics skills and
 3868  the English Language Arts and mathematics standards established
 3869  in ss. 1002.67(1)(a) and 1003.41, as appropriate.
 3870         (b)Provide data, reports, and information as requested to
 3871  the Council for Early Grade Success.
 3872         (4)The Council for Early Grade Success, a council defined
 3873  in s. 20.03(7), is created within the Department of Education to
 3874  oversee the coordinated screening and progress monitoring
 3875  program and, except as otherwise provided in this section, shall
 3876  operate consistent with s. 20.052.
 3877         (a)The council shall be responsible for reviewing the
 3878  implementation of, training for, administration of, and outcomes
 3879  from the coordinated screening and progress monitoring program
 3880  to provide recommendations to the department that supports grade
 3881  3 students reading at or above grade level. The council, at a
 3882  minimum, shall:
 3883         1.Provide recommendations on the implementation of the
 3884  coordinated screening and progress monitoring program, including
 3885  reviewing any procurement solicitation documents and criteria
 3886  before being published.
 3887         2.Develop training plans and timelines for such training.
 3888         3.Identify appropriate personnel, processes, and
 3889  procedures required for the administration of the coordinated
 3890  screening and progress monitoring program.
 3891         4.Provide input on the methodology for calculating a
 3892  provider’s or school’s performance metric and designations under
 3893  s. 1002.68.
 3894         5.Work with the department’s independent expert under s.
 3895  1002.68(4)(d) to review the methodology for determining a
 3896  child’s kindergarten readiness.
 3897         6.Review data on age-appropriate learning gains by grade
 3898  level that a student would need to attain in order to
 3899  demonstrate proficiency in reading by grade 3.
 3900         7.Continually review anonymized data from the results of
 3901  the coordinated screening and progress monitoring program for
 3902  students in the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program
 3903  through grade 3 to help inform recommendations to the department
 3904  that support practices that will enable grade 3 students to read
 3905  at or above grade level.
 3906         (b)The council shall be composed of 15 members who are
 3907  residents of this state and appointed, notwithstanding any other
 3908  provision of law, as follows:
 3909         1.Two members appointed by the Governor, as follows:
 3910         a.One representative from the Department of Education.
 3911         b.One parent of a child who is 4 to 9 years of age.
 3912         2.Thirteen members appointed jointly by the President of
 3913  the Senate and Speaker of the House of Representatives, as
 3914  follows:
 3915         a.One representative of an urban school district.
 3916         b.One representative of a rural school district.
 3917         c.One representative of an urban early learning coalition.
 3918         d.One representative of a rural early learning coalition.
 3919         e.One representative of an early learning provider.
 3920         f.One representative of a faith-based early learning
 3921  provider.
 3922         g.One representative who is a kindergarten teacher who has
 3923  at least 5 years of teaching experience.
 3924         h.One representative who is a second grade teacher who has
 3925  at least 5 years of teaching experience.
 3926         i.One representative who is a school principal.
 3927         j.Four representatives with subject matter expertise in
 3928  early learning, early grade success, or child assessments. The
 3929  four representatives with subject matter expertise may not be
 3930  direct stakeholders within the early learning or public school
 3931  systems or potential recipients of a contract resulting from the
 3932  committee’s recommendations.
 3933         (5)The council shall elect a chair and a vice chair, one
 3934  of whom must be a member who has subject matter expertise in
 3935  early learning, early grade success, or child assessments. The
 3936  vice chair must be a member appointed by the President of the
 3937  Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives who is
 3938  not one of the four members with subject matter expertise in
 3939  early learning, early grade success, or child assessments
 3940  appointed pursuant to sub-subparagraph (b)2.j. Members of the
 3941  council shall serve without compensation but are entitled to
 3942  reimbursement for per diem and travel expenses pursuant to s.
 3943  112.061.
 3944         (6)The council must meet at least biannually and may meet
 3945  by teleconference or other electronic means, if possible, to
 3946  reduce costs.
 3947         (7)A majority of the members constitutes a quorum.
 3948         Section 66. Present paragraphs (b) and (c) of subsection
 3949  (5) of section 1008.25, Florida Statutes, are redesignated as
 3950  paragraphs (c) and (d), respectively, a new paragraph (b) is
 3951  added to that subsection, and paragraph (b) of subsection (6),
 3952  subsection (7), and paragraph (a) of subsection (8) are amended,
 3953  to read:
 3954         1008.25 Public school student progression; student support;
 3955  reporting requirements.—
 3956         (5) READING DEFICIENCY AND PARENTAL NOTIFICATION.—
 3957         (b)A Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program student
 3958  who exhibits a substantial deficiency in early literacy skills
 3959  in accordance with the standards under s. 1002.67(1)(a) and
 3960  based upon the results of the administration of the final
 3961  coordinated screening and progress monitoring under s. 1008.2125
 3962  shall be referred to the local school district and may be
 3963  eligible to receive intensive reading interventions before
 3964  participating in kindergarten. Such intensive reading
 3965  interventions shall be paid for using funds from the district’s
 3966  research-based reading instruction allocation in accordance with
 3967  s. 1011.62(9).
 3968         (6) ELIMINATION OF SOCIAL PROMOTION.—
 3969         (b) The district school board may only exempt students from
 3970  mandatory retention, as provided in paragraph (5)(c) (5)(b), for
 3971  good cause. A student who is promoted to grade 4 with a good
 3972  cause exemption shall be provided intensive reading instruction
 3973  and intervention that include specialized diagnostic information
 3974  and specific reading strategies to meet the needs of each
 3975  student so promoted. The school district shall assist schools
 3976  and teachers with the implementation of explicit, systematic,
 3977  and multisensory reading instruction and intervention strategies
 3978  for students promoted with a good cause exemption which research
 3979  has shown to be successful in improving reading among students
 3980  who have reading difficulties. Good cause exemptions are limited
 3981  to the following:
 3982         1. Limited English proficient students who have had less
 3983  than 2 years of instruction in an English for Speakers of Other
 3984  Languages program based on the initial date of entry into a
 3985  school in the United States.
 3986         2. Students with disabilities whose individual education
 3987  plan indicates that participation in the statewide assessment
 3988  program is not appropriate, consistent with the requirements of
 3989  s. 1008.212.
 3990         3. Students who demonstrate an acceptable level of
 3991  performance on an alternative standardized reading or English
 3992  Language Arts assessment approved by the State Board of
 3993  Education.
 3994         4. A student who demonstrates through a student portfolio
 3995  that he or she is performing at least at Level 2 on the
 3996  statewide, standardized English Language Arts assessment.
 3997         5. Students with disabilities who take the statewide,
 3998  standardized English Language Arts assessment and who have an
 3999  individual education plan or a Section 504 plan that reflects
 4000  that the student has received intensive instruction in reading
 4001  or English Language Arts for more than 2 years but still
 4002  demonstrates a deficiency and was previously retained in
 4003  kindergarten, grade 1, grade 2, or grade 3.
 4004         6. Students who have received intensive reading
 4005  intervention for 2 or more years but still demonstrate a
 4006  deficiency in reading and who were previously retained in
 4007  kindergarten, grade 1, grade 2, or grade 3 for a total of 2
 4008  years. A student may not be retained more than once in grade 3.
 4009         (7) SUCCESSFUL PROGRESSION FOR RETAINED THIRD GRADE
 4010  STUDENTS.—
 4011         (a) Students retained under paragraph (5)(c) (5)(b) must be
 4012  provided intensive interventions in reading to ameliorate the
 4013  student’s specific reading deficiency and prepare the student
 4014  for promotion to the next grade. These interventions must
 4015  include:
 4016         1. Evidence-based, explicit, systematic, and multisensory
 4017  reading instruction in phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency,
 4018  vocabulary, and comprehension and other strategies prescribed by
 4019  the school district.
 4020         2. Participation in the school district’s summer reading
 4021  camp, which must incorporate the instructional and intervention
 4022  strategies under subparagraph 1.
 4023         3. A minimum of 90 minutes of daily, uninterrupted reading
 4024  instruction incorporating the instructional and intervention
 4025  strategies under subparagraph 1. This instruction may include:
 4026         a. Integration of content-rich texts in science and social
 4027  studies within the 90-minute block.
 4028         b. Small group instruction.
 4029         c. Reduced teacher-student ratios.
 4030         d. More frequent progress monitoring.
 4031         e. Tutoring or mentoring.
 4032         f. Transition classes containing 3rd and 4th grade
 4033  students.
 4034         g. Extended school day, week, or year.
 4035         (b) Each school district shall:
 4036         1. Provide written notification to the parent of a student
 4037  who is retained under paragraph (5)(c) (5)(b) that his or her
 4038  child has not met the proficiency level required for promotion
 4039  and the reasons the child is not eligible for a good cause
 4040  exemption as provided in paragraph (6)(b). The notification must
 4041  comply with paragraph (5)(d) (5)(c) and must include a
 4042  description of proposed interventions and supports that will be
 4043  provided to the child to remediate the identified areas of
 4044  reading deficiency.
 4045         2. Implement a policy for the midyear promotion of a
 4046  student retained under paragraph (5)(c) (5)(b) who can
 4047  demonstrate that he or she is a successful and independent
 4048  reader and performing at or above grade level in reading or,
 4049  upon implementation of English Language Arts assessments,
 4050  performing at or above grade level in English Language Arts.
 4051  Tools that school districts may use in reevaluating a student
 4052  retained may include subsequent assessments, alternative
 4053  assessments, and portfolio reviews, in accordance with rules of
 4054  the State Board of Education. Students promoted during the
 4055  school year after November 1 must demonstrate proficiency levels
 4056  in reading equivalent to the level necessary for the beginning
 4057  of grade 4. The rules adopted by the State Board of Education
 4058  must include standards that provide a reasonable expectation
 4059  that the student’s progress is sufficient to master appropriate
 4060  grade 4 level reading skills.
 4061         3. Provide students who are retained under paragraph (5)(c)
 4062  (5)(b), including students participating in the school
 4063  district’s summer reading camp under subparagraph (a)2., with a
 4064  highly effective teacher as determined by the teacher’s
 4065  performance evaluation under s. 1012.34, and, beginning July 1,
 4066  2020, the teacher must also be certified or endorsed in reading.
 4067         4. Establish at each school, when applicable, an intensive
 4068  reading acceleration course for any student retained in grade 3
 4069  who was previously retained in kindergarten, grade 1, or grade
 4070  2. The intensive reading acceleration course must provide the
 4071  following:
 4072         a. Uninterrupted reading instruction for the majority of
 4073  student contact time each day and opportunities to master the
 4074  grade 4 Next Generation Sunshine State Standards in other core
 4075  subject areas through content-rich texts.
 4076         b. Small group instruction.
 4077         c. Reduced teacher-student ratios.
 4078         d. The use of explicit, systematic, and multisensory
 4079  reading interventions, including intensive language, phonics,
 4080  and vocabulary instruction, and use of a speech-language
 4081  therapist if necessary, that have proven results in accelerating
 4082  student reading achievement within the same school year.
 4083         e. A read-at-home plan.
 4084         (8) ANNUAL REPORT.—
 4085         (a) In addition to the requirements in paragraph (5)(c)
 4086  (5)(b), each district school board must annually report to the
 4087  parent of each student the progress of the student toward
 4088  achieving state and district expectations for proficiency in
 4089  English Language Arts, science, social studies, and mathematics.
 4090  The district school board must report to the parent the
 4091  student’s results on each statewide, standardized assessment.
 4092  The evaluation of each student’s progress must be based upon the
 4093  student’s classroom work, observations, tests, district and
 4094  state assessments, response to intensive interventions provided
 4095  under paragraph (5)(a), and other relevant information. Progress
 4096  reporting must be provided to the parent in writing in a format
 4097  adopted by the district school board.
 4098         Section 67. Section 1008.31, Florida Statutes, is amended
 4099  to read:
 4100         1008.31 Florida’s Early Learning-20 K-20 education
 4101  performance accountability system; legislative intent; mission,
 4102  goals, and systemwide measures; data quality improvements.—
 4103         (1) LEGISLATIVE INTENT.—It is the intent of the Legislature
 4104  that:
 4105         (a) The performance accountability system implemented to
 4106  assess the effectiveness of Florida’s seamless Early Learning-20
 4107  K-20 education delivery system provide answers to the following
 4108  questions in relation to its mission and goals:
 4109         1. What is the public receiving in return for funds it
 4110  invests in education?
 4111         2. How effectively is Florida’s Early Learning-20 K-20
 4112  education system educating its students?
 4113         3. How effectively are the major delivery sectors promoting
 4114  student achievement?
 4115         4. How are individual schools and postsecondary education
 4116  institutions performing their responsibility to educate their
 4117  students as measured by how students are performing and how much
 4118  they are learning?
 4119         (b) The Early Learning-20 K-20 education performance
 4120  accountability system be established as a single, unified
 4121  accountability system with multiple components, including, but
 4122  not limited to, student performance in public schools and school
 4123  and district grades.
 4124         (c) The K-20 education performance accountability system
 4125  comply with the requirements of the “No Child Left Behind Act of
 4126  2001,” Pub. L. No. 107-110, and the Individuals with
 4127  Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
 4128         (d)The early learning accountability system comply with
 4129  the requirements of part V and part VI of chapter 1002 and the
 4130  requirements of the Child Care and Development Block Grant Trust
 4131  Fund, pursuant to 45 C.F.R. parts 98 and 99.
 4132         (e)(d) The State Board of Education and the Board of
 4133  Governors of the State University System recommend to the
 4134  Legislature systemwide performance standards; the Legislature
 4135  establish systemwide performance measures and standards; and the
 4136  systemwide measures and standards provide Floridians with
 4137  information on what the public is receiving in return for the
 4138  funds it invests in education and how well the Early Learning-20
 4139  K-20 system educates its students.
 4140         (f)1.(e)1. The State Board of Education establish
 4141  performance measures and set performance standards for
 4142  individual public schools and Florida College System
 4143  institutions, with measures and standards based primarily on
 4144  student achievement.
 4145         2. The Board of Governors of the State University System
 4146  establish performance measures and set performance standards for
 4147  individual state universities, including actual completion
 4148  rates.
 4149         (2) MISSION, GOALS, AND SYSTEMWIDE MEASURES.—
 4150         (a) The mission of Florida’s Early Learning-20 K-20
 4151  education system shall be to increase the proficiency of all
 4152  students within one seamless, efficient system, by allowing them
 4153  the opportunity to expand their knowledge and skills through
 4154  learning opportunities and research valued by students, parents,
 4155  and communities.
 4156         (b) The process for establishing state and sector-specific
 4157  standards and measures must be:
 4158         1. Focused on student success.
 4159         2. Addressable through policy and program changes.
 4160         3. Efficient and of high quality.
 4161         4. Measurable over time.
 4162         5. Simple to explain and display to the public.
 4163         6. Aligned with other measures and other sectors to support
 4164  a coordinated Early Learning-20 K-20 education system.
 4165         (c) The Department of Education shall maintain an
 4166  accountability system that measures student progress toward the
 4167  following goals:
 4168         1. Highest student achievement, as indicated by evidence of
 4169  student learning gains at all levels.
 4170         2. Seamless articulation and maximum access, as measured by
 4171  evidence of progression, readiness, and access by targeted
 4172  groups of students identified by the Commissioner of Education.
 4173         3. Skilled workforce and economic development, as measured
 4174  by evidence of employment and earnings.
 4175         4. Quality efficient services, as measured by evidence of
 4176  return on investment.
 4177         5. Other goals as identified by law or rule.
 4178         (3) K-20 EDUCATION DATA QUALITY IMPROVEMENTS.—To provide
 4179  data required to implement education performance accountability
 4180  measures in state and federal law, the Commissioner of Education
 4181  shall initiate and maintain strategies to improve data quality
 4182  and timeliness. The Board of Governors shall make available to
 4183  the department all data within the State University Database
 4184  System to be integrated into the educational K-20 data
 4185  warehouse. The commissioner shall have unlimited access to such
 4186  data for the purposes of conducting studies, reporting annual
 4187  and longitudinal student outcomes, and improving college
 4188  readiness and articulation. All public educational institutions
 4189  shall annually provide data from the prior year to the
 4190  educational K-20 data warehouse in a format based on data
 4191  elements identified by the commissioner.
 4192         (a) School districts and public postsecondary educational
 4193  institutions shall maintain information systems that will
 4194  provide the State Board of Education, the Board of Governors of
 4195  the State University System, and the Legislature with
 4196  information and reports necessary to address the specifications
 4197  of the accountability system. The level of comprehensiveness and
 4198  quality must be no less than that which was available as of June
 4199  30, 2001.
 4200         (b) Colleges and universities eligible to participate in
 4201  the William L. Boyd, IV, Effective Access to Student Education
 4202  Grant Program shall annually report student-level data from the
 4203  prior year for each student who receives state funds in a format
 4204  prescribed by the Department of Education. At a minimum, data
 4205  from the prior year must include retention rates, transfer
 4206  rates, completion rates, graduation rates, employment and
 4207  placement rates, and earnings of graduates. By October 1 of each
 4208  year, the colleges and universities described in this paragraph
 4209  shall report the data to the department.
 4210         (c) The Commissioner of Education shall determine the
 4211  standards for the required data, monitor data quality, and
 4212  measure improvements. The commissioner shall report annually to
 4213  the State Board of Education, the Board of Governors of the
 4214  State University System, the President of the Senate, and the
 4215  Speaker of the House of Representatives data quality indicators
 4216  and ratings for all school districts and public postsecondary
 4217  educational institutions.
 4218         (d) Before establishing any new reporting or data
 4219  collection requirements, the commissioner shall use existing
 4220  data being collected to reduce duplication and minimize
 4221  paperwork.
 4222         (4) RULES.—The State Board of Education shall adopt rules
 4223  pursuant to ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54 to implement the
 4224  provisions of this section relating to the educational K-20 data
 4225  warehouse.
 4226         Section 68. Section 1008.32, Florida Statutes, is amended
 4227  to read:
 4228         1008.32 State Board of Education oversight enforcement
 4229  authority.—The State Board of Education shall oversee the
 4230  performance of early learning coalitions, district school
 4231  boards, and Florida College System institution boards of
 4232  trustees in enforcement of all laws and rules. District school
 4233  boards and Florida College System institution boards of trustees
 4234  shall be primarily responsible for compliance with law and state
 4235  board rule.
 4236         (1) In order to ensure compliance with law or state board
 4237  rule, the State Board of Education shall have the authority to
 4238  request and receive information, data, and reports from early
 4239  learning coalitions, school districts, and Florida College
 4240  System institutions. Early learning coalition chief executive
 4241  officers or executive directors, district school
 4242  superintendents, and Florida College System institution
 4243  presidents are responsible for the accuracy of the information
 4244  and data reported to the state board.
 4245         (2)(a) The Commissioner of Education may investigate
 4246  allegations of noncompliance with law or state board rule and
 4247  determine probable cause. The commissioner shall report
 4248  determinations of probable cause to the State Board of Education
 4249  which shall require the early learning coalition, district
 4250  school board, or Florida College System institution board of
 4251  trustees to document compliance with law or state board rule.
 4252         (b) The Commissioner of Education shall report to the State
 4253  Board of Education any findings by the Auditor General that an
 4254  early learning coalition, a district school board, or Florida
 4255  College System institution is acting without statutory authority
 4256  or contrary to general law. The State Board of Education shall
 4257  require the early learning coalition, district school board, or
 4258  Florida College System institution board of trustees to document
 4259  compliance with such law.
 4260         (3) If the early learning coalition, district school board,
 4261  or Florida College System institution board of trustees cannot
 4262  satisfactorily document compliance, the State Board of Education
 4263  may order compliance within a specified timeframe.
 4264         (4) If the State Board of Education determines that an
 4265  early learning coalition, a district school board, or Florida
 4266  College System institution board of trustees is unwilling or
 4267  unable to comply with law or state board rule within the
 4268  specified time, the state board shall have the authority to
 4269  initiate any of the following actions:
 4270         (a) Report to the Legislature that the early learning
 4271  coalition, school district, or Florida College System
 4272  institution is unwilling or unable to comply with law or state
 4273  board rule and recommend action to be taken by the Legislature.
 4274         (b) Withhold the transfer of state funds, discretionary
 4275  grant funds, discretionary lottery funds, or any other funds
 4276  specified as eligible for this purpose by the Legislature until
 4277  the early learning coalition, school district, or Florida
 4278  College System institution complies with the law or state board
 4279  rule.
 4280         (c) Declare the early learning coalition, school district,
 4281  or Florida College System institution ineligible for competitive
 4282  grants.
 4283         (d) Require monthly or periodic reporting on the situation
 4284  related to noncompliance until it is remedied.
 4285         (5) Nothing in this section shall be construed to create a
 4286  private cause of action or create any rights for individuals or
 4287  entities in addition to those provided elsewhere in law or rule.
 4288         Section 69. Paragraph (a) of subsection (3) of section
 4289  1008.33, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
 4290         1008.33 Authority to enforce public school improvement.—
 4291         (3)(a) The academic performance of all students has a
 4292  significant effect on the state school system. Pursuant to Art.
 4293  IX of the State Constitution, which prescribes the duty of the
 4294  State Board of Education to supervise Florida’s public school
 4295  system, the state board shall equitably enforce the
 4296  accountability requirements of the state school system and may
 4297  impose state requirements on school districts in order to
 4298  improve the academic performance of all districts, schools, and
 4299  students based upon the provisions of the Florida Early
 4300  Learning-20 K-20 Education Code, chapters 1000-1013; the federal
 4301  ESEA and its implementing regulations; and the ESEA flexibility
 4302  waiver approved for Florida by the United States Secretary of
 4303  Education.
 4304         Section 70. Subsection (9) of section 1011.62, Florida
 4305  Statutes, is amended to read:
 4306         1011.62 Funds for operation of schools.—If the annual
 4307  allocation from the Florida Education Finance Program to each
 4308  district for operation of schools is not determined in the
 4309  annual appropriations act or the substantive bill implementing
 4310  the annual appropriations act, it shall be determined as
 4311  follows:
 4312         (9) RESEARCH-BASED READING INSTRUCTION ALLOCATION.—
 4313         (a) The research-based reading instruction allocation is
 4314  created to provide comprehensive reading instruction to students
 4315  in kindergarten through grade 12, including certain students who
 4316  exhibit a substantial deficiency in early literacy and completed
 4317  the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program under s.
 4318  1008.25(5)(b). Each school district that has one or more of the
 4319  300 lowest-performing elementary schools based on a 3-year
 4320  average of the state reading assessment data must use the
 4321  school’s portion of the allocation to provide an additional hour
 4322  per day of intensive reading instruction for the students in
 4323  each school. The additional hour may be provided within the
 4324  school day. Students enrolled in these schools who earned a
 4325  level 4 or level 5 score on the statewide, standardized English
 4326  Language Arts assessment for the previous school year may
 4327  participate in the additional hour of instruction. Exceptional
 4328  student education centers may not be included in the 300
 4329  schools. The intensive reading instruction delivered in this
 4330  additional hour shall include: research-based reading
 4331  instruction that has been proven to accelerate progress of
 4332  students exhibiting a reading deficiency; differentiated
 4333  instruction based on screening, diagnostic, progress monitoring,
 4334  or student assessment data to meet students’ specific reading
 4335  needs; explicit and systematic reading strategies to develop
 4336  phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and
 4337  comprehension, with more extensive opportunities for guided
 4338  practice, error correction, and feedback; and the integration of
 4339  social studies, science, and mathematics-text reading, text
 4340  discussion, and writing in response to reading.
 4341         (b) Funds for comprehensive, research-based reading
 4342  instruction shall be allocated annually to each school district
 4343  in the amount provided in the General Appropriations Act. Each
 4344  eligible school district shall receive the same minimum amount
 4345  as specified in the General Appropriations Act, and any
 4346  remaining funds shall be distributed to eligible school
 4347  districts based on each school district’s proportionate share of
 4348  K-12 base funding.
 4349         (c) Funds allocated under this subsection must be used to
 4350  provide a system of comprehensive reading instruction to
 4351  students enrolled in the K-12 programs and certain students who
 4352  exhibit a substantial deficiency in early literacy and completed
 4353  the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program pursuant to s.
 4354  1008.25(5)(b), which may include the following:
 4355         1. An additional hour per day of evidence-based intensive
 4356  reading instruction to students in the 300 lowest-performing
 4357  elementary schools by teachers and reading specialists who have
 4358  demonstrated effectiveness in teaching reading as required in
 4359  paragraph (a).
 4360         2. Kindergarten through grade 5 evidence-based reading
 4361  intervention teachers to provide intensive reading interventions
 4362  provided by reading intervention teachers intervention during
 4363  the school day and in the required extra hour for students
 4364  identified as having a reading deficiency.
 4365         3. Highly qualified reading coaches to specifically support
 4366  teachers in making instructional decisions based on student
 4367  data, and improve teacher delivery of effective reading
 4368  instruction, intervention, and reading in the content areas
 4369  based on student need.
 4370         4. Professional development for school district teachers in
 4371  scientifically based reading instruction, including strategies
 4372  to teach reading in content areas and with an emphasis on
 4373  technical and informational text, to help school district
 4374  teachers earn a certification or an endorsement in reading.
 4375         5. Summer reading camps, using only teachers or other
 4376  district personnel who are certified or endorsed in reading
 4377  consistent with s. 1008.25(7)(b)3., for all students in
 4378  kindergarten through grade 2 who demonstrate a reading
 4379  deficiency as determined by district and state assessments, and
 4380  students in grades 3 through 5 who score at Level 1 on the
 4381  statewide, standardized English Language Arts assessment, and
 4382  certain students who exhibit a substantial deficiency in early
 4383  literacy and completed the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education
 4384  Program under s. 1008.25(5)(b).
 4385         6. Scientifically researched and evidence-based
 4386  supplemental instructional materials that are grounded in
 4387  scientifically based reading research as identified by the Just
 4388  Read, Florida! Office pursuant to s. 1001.215(8).
 4389         7. Evidence-based intensive interventions for students in
 4390  kindergarten through grade 12 who have been identified as having
 4391  a reading deficiency or who are reading below grade level as
 4392  determined by the statewide, standardized English Language Arts
 4393  assessment or for certain students who exhibit a substantial
 4394  deficiency in early literacy and completed the Voluntary
 4395  Prekindergarten Education Program under s. 1008.25(5)(b).
 4396         (d)1. Annually, by a date determined by the Department of
 4397  Education but before May 1, school districts shall submit a K-12
 4398  comprehensive reading plan for the specific use of the research
 4399  based reading instruction allocation in the format prescribed by
 4400  the department for review and approval by the Just Read,
 4401  Florida! Office created pursuant to s. 1001.215. The plan
 4402  annually submitted by school districts shall be deemed approved
 4403  unless the department rejects the plan on or before June 1. If a
 4404  school district and the Just Read, Florida! Office cannot reach
 4405  agreement on the contents of the plan, the school district may
 4406  appeal to the State Board of Education for resolution. School
 4407  districts shall be allowed reasonable flexibility in designing
 4408  their plans and shall be encouraged to offer reading
 4409  intervention through innovative methods, including career
 4410  academies. The plan format shall be developed with input from
 4411  school district personnel, including teachers and principals,
 4412  and shall provide for intensive reading interventions through
 4413  integrated curricula, provided that, beginning with the 2020
 4414  2021 school year, the interventions are delivered by a teacher
 4415  who is certified or endorsed in reading. Such interventions must
 4416  incorporate evidence-based strategies identified by the Just
 4417  Read, Florida! Office pursuant to s. 1001.215(8). No later than
 4418  July 1 annually, the department shall release the school
 4419  district’s allocation of appropriated funds to those districts
 4420  having approved plans. A school district that spends 100 percent
 4421  of this allocation on its approved plan shall be deemed to have
 4422  been in compliance with the plan. The department may withhold
 4423  funds upon a determination that reading instruction allocation
 4424  funds are not being used to implement the approved plan. The
 4425  department shall monitor and track the implementation of each
 4426  district plan, including conducting site visits and collecting
 4427  specific data on expenditures and reading improvement results.
 4428  By February 1 of each year, the department shall report its
 4429  findings to the Legislature.
 4430         2. Each school district that has a school designated as one
 4431  of the 300 lowest-performing elementary schools as specified in
 4432  paragraph (a) shall specifically delineate in the comprehensive
 4433  reading plan, or in an addendum to the comprehensive reading
 4434  plan, the implementation design and reading intervention
 4435  strategies that will be used for the required additional hour of
 4436  reading instruction. The term “reading intervention” includes
 4437  evidence-based strategies frequently used to remediate reading
 4438  deficiencies and also includes individual instruction, tutoring,
 4439  mentoring, or the use of technology that targets specific
 4440  reading skills and abilities.
 4441  
 4442  For purposes of this subsection, the term “evidence-based” means
 4443  demonstrating a statistically significant effect on improving
 4444  student outcomes or other relevant outcomes.
 4445         Section 71. For the 2022-2023 fiscal year, the sum of
 4446  $3,088,000 in recurring funds is appropriated from the General
 4447  Revenue Fund to the Department of Education to implement the
 4448  coordinated screening and progress monitoring program required
 4449  by s. 1008.2125, Florida Statutes. Of these funds, $3 million
 4450  shall be placed in reserve. The department is authorized to
 4451  submit budget amendments requesting the release of funds
 4452  pursuant to chapter 216, Florida Statutes. The budget amendment
 4453  shall include a detailed operational work plan and spending
 4454  plan. The department shall submit quarterly updates to the plans
 4455  and quarterly project status reports to the Office of Policy and
 4456  Budget in the Executive Office of the Governor and the chairs of
 4457  the Senate Committee on Appropriations and the House of
 4458  Representatives Appropriations Committee. Each status report
 4459  must include progress made to date for each project activity,
 4460  planned and actual tasks and deliverable completion dates,
 4461  planned and actual costs incurred, and any current issues and
 4462  risks.
 4463         Section 72. For the 2021-2022 fiscal year, the sum of
 4464  $100,000 in nonrecurring funds is appropriated from the General
 4465  Revenue Fund to the Department of Education to issue a
 4466  competitive solicitation to contract with an independent third
 4467  party consulting firm to conduct a review of the school
 4468  readiness payment rates by county, provider type, and care
 4469  level. The review shall include an evaluation of the current
 4470  methodology for establishing the market rate schedule pursuant
 4471  to s. 1002.895, Florida Statutes, the current school readiness
 4472  payment rates, and the impact of the approved pay differentials
 4473  authorized under part VI of chapter 1002, Florida Statutes, on
 4474  the payment rates. The review shall include recommendations on a
 4475  methodology for setting the payment rates by county, by provider
 4476  type, and by care level that takes into consideration the impact
 4477  that local ordinances may have on the market rate if such
 4478  ordinances require more stringent staff-to-child ratios than
 4479  required in s. 402.305(4), Florida Statutes, but may not
 4480  consider school readiness wait lists as a factor. The department
 4481  shall submit the results of the review and the recommendations
 4482  to the Governor’s Office of Policy and Budget and the chairs of
 4483  the Senate Committee on Appropriations and the House of
 4484  Representatives Appropriations Committee by January 1, 2022.
 4485         Section 73. For the 2021-2022 fiscal year, the sum of
 4486  $677,759 in recurring funds is appropriated from the General
 4487  Revenue Fund to the Department of Education to assist in the
 4488  implementation of s. 1002.68(2), Florida Statutes.
 4489         Section 74. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.