In 2004, the Florida Legislature enacted legislation to implement the Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK) Education Program, in accordance with the State Constitution. This legislation assigns responsibilities for the day-to-day management of the program to: The Agency for Workforce Innovation, Office of Early Learning Licensing and credentialing to the Department of Children and Families; and the creation of standards, curriculum, and accountability to the Florida Department of Education, Office of Early Learning. These agencies work together to provide leadership and support to the local early learning coalitions, school districts, and public and private providers to ensure the successful implementation of effective prekindergarten education programs for Florida’s four-year-old children. The statutes and administrative rules governing the program are available below and include changes from the 2008 legislative sessions. Please note that as agencies adopt new rules to comply with the statutory changes these will be updated as well.

Florida Statutes – Title 48 – Chapter 1002 – Part V
Chapter 1002 – Student And Parental Rights And Educational Choices
Part V – Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program

• 1002.51 Definitions
• 1002.53 Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program; eligibility and enrollment
• 1002.55 School-year prekindergarten program delivered by private prekindergarten providers
• 1002.57 Prekindergarten director credential
• 1002.59 Emergent literacy training courses
• 1002.61 Summer prekindergarten program delivered by public schools and private prekindergarten providers
• 1002.63 School-year prekindergarten program delivered by public schools
• 1002.65 Professional credentials of prekindergarten instructors; aspirational goals; legislative intent
• 1002.67 Performance standards; curricula and accountability
• 1002.69 Statewide kindergarten screening; kindergarten readiness rates
• 1002.71 Funding; financial and attendance reporting
• 1002.72 Records of children in the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program
• 1002.73 Department of Education; powers and duties; accountability requirements
• 1002.75 Agency for Workforce Innovation; powers and duties; operational requirements
• 1002.77 Florida Early Learning Advisory Council
• 1002.79 Rulemaking authority

Florida Statutes – Title 48 – Chapter 1003 – Part V
Chapter 1003 –Public K-12 Education
Part V – Specialized Instruction for Certain Public K-12 Students

• 1003.575 Assistive technology devices; findings; interagency agreements

Florida Statutes – Title 48 – Chapter 1007 – Part II
Chapter 1007 –Articulation and Access

• 1007.23 Statewide articulation agreement

Florida Administrative Code – Chapter 6A-1
Chapter 6A-1: Finance And Administration

• 6A-1.099821 Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK) Provider Kindergarten Readiness Rate
• 6A-1.099823 Performance Standards for Children Participating in the Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK) Education Program (Word)

Florida Administrative Code – Chapter 6A-6
Chapter 6A-6 Special Programs I

• 6A-6.040 Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK) Director Endorsement for Private Providers (Word)

Agency For Workforce Innovation
Florida Statutes – Title 30 – Chapter 411
Chapter 411 – Handicap Or High-Risk Condition Prevention And Early Childhood Assistance
Part I – General Provisions

• 411.01 School readiness programs; early learning coalitions
• 411.0101Child care and early childhood resource and referral
• 411.0102 Child Care Executive Partnership Act; findings and intent; grant; limitation; rules
• 411.0103 Teacher Education and Compensation Helps (TEACH) scholarship program
• 411.0105 Early Learning Opportunities Act and Even Start Family Literacy Programs; lead agency
• 411.011 Records of children in school readiness programs
• 411.201 Florida Prevention, Early Assistance, and Early Childhood Act; short title
• 411.202 Definitions
• 411.203 Continuum of comprehensive services
• 411.205 Rules

Part II - Prevention And Early Assistance

• 411.22 Legislative intent
• 411.221 Prevention and early assistance strategic plan; agency responsibilities
• 411.223 Uniform standards
• 411.224 Family support planning process
• 411.226 Learning Gateway
• 411.227 Components of the Learning Gateway
• 411.228 Accountability

Part III - Infants And Toddlers

• 411.23 Short title
• 411.231 Legislative intent; purpose
• 411.232 Children's Early Investment Program
• 411.233 Dangers of shaking infants and young children; requirements for distributing brochures

Part IV - Childhood Pregnancy Prevention Public Education Program

• 411.24 Short title
• 411.241 Legislative intent
• 411.242 Florida Education Now and Babies Later (ENABL) program
• 411.243 Teen Pregnancy Prevention Community Initiative

Florida Administrative Code – Chapter 60BB-8
Chapter 60BB-8 – Voluntary Prekindergarten Program
Creating Rules 60BB-8.100, 60BB-8.200, 60BB-8.201, 60BB-8.202, 60BB-8.300, F.A.C

• 60BB-8.100 Definitions (Word)
• 60BB-8.200 Voluntary Prekindergarten Child Eligibility (Word)
• 60BB-8.201 Child Registration Procedures; Application: Parent-Orientation Session (Word)
• 60BB-8.2015 VPK Child Registration Pilot Project (Word)
• 60BB-8.202 Child Eligibility Determination and Enrollment Procedures (Word)
• 60BB-8.204 Uniform Attendance Policy for Funding the VPK Program (Word)
• 60BB-8.205 Advance Payment and Reconciliation for the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program (Word)
• 60BB-8.300 Provider and Class Registration Procedures; Application; Eligibility Determination (Word)
• 60BB-8.301 Statewide Provider Agreement for the VPK Program (Word)
• 60BB-8.305 Recording and Certifying Child Attendance in the VPK Program (Word)
• 60BB-8.400 VPK Class Sizes; Blended Classes; Multi-Class Groups (Word)
• 60BB-8.410 Voluntary Prekindergarten Program Substitute Instructors (Word)
• 60BB-8.451 VPK Class Schedules (Word)
• 60BB-8.900 Obtaining VPK Forms (Word)

Department Of Children & Families
Florida Statutes – Title 29 – Chapter 402 – Sections 402.26-402.319
Chapter 402 – Health And Human Services: Miscellaneous Provisions
Sections 402.26-402.319 – Child Care

• 402.26 Child care; legislative intent
• 402.281 Gold Seal Quality Care program
• 402.301 Child care facilities; legislative intent and declaration of purpose and policy
• 402.3016 Early Head Start collaboration grants
• 402.3018 Consultation to child care centers and family day care homes regarding health, developmental, disability, and special needs issues
• 402.302 Definitions
• 402.3025 Public and nonpublic schools
• 402.3026 Full-service schools
• 402.3045 Requirement for distinguishable definitions of child care
• 402.305 Licensing standards; child care facilities
• 402.30501 Modification of introductory child care course for community college credit authorized
• 402.3051 Child care market rate reimbursement; child care grants
• 402.3054 Child enrichment service providers
• 402.3055 Child care personnel requirements
• 402.3057 Persons not required to be refingerprinted or rescreened
• 402.306 Designation of licensing agency; dissemination by the department and local licensing agency of information on child care
• 402.307 Approval of licensing agency
• 402.308 Issuance of license
• 402.309 Provisional license or registration
• 402.310 Disciplinary actions; hearings upon denial, suspension, or revocation of license or registration; administrative fines
• 402.311 Inspection
• 402.3115 Elimination of duplicative and unnecessary inspections; abbreviated inspections
• 402.312 License required; injunctive relief
• 402.3125 Display and appearance of license; posting of violations; information to be provided to parents
• 402.313 Family day care homes
• 402.3131 Large family child care homes
• 402.3135 Subsidized child care case management program
• 402.314 Supportive services
• 402.3145 Subsidized child care transportation program
• 402.315 Funding License Fees
• 402.316 Exemptions
• 402.317 Prolonged child care
• 402.318 Advertisement
• 402.319 Penalties
• 402.56 Children's cabinet; organization; responsibilities; annual report

Florida Administrative Code – Chapter 65C-20
Chapter 65C-20 – Family Day Care Standards And Large Family Child Care Homes

• 65C-20.008 Application (Word)
• 65C-20.009 Staffing Requirements (Word)
• 65C-20.010 Health and Safety Related Requirements (Word)
• 65C-20.011 Health Records (Word)
• 65C-20.012 Enforcement (Word)
• 65C-20.013 Large Family Child Care Homes (LFCCH) (Word)

Florida Administrative Code – Chapter 65C-20
Chapter 65C-20.014 Gold Seal Quality Care Program

• 65C-20.014 Gold Seal Quality Care Program (Word)

Florida Administrative Code – Chapter 65C-22
Chapter 65C-22 – Child Care Standards

• 65C-22.001 General Information (Word)
• 65C-22.002 Physical Environment (Word)
• 65C-22.003 Training (Word)
• 65C-22.004 Health Related Requirements (Word)
• 65C-22.005 Food and Nutrition (Word)
• 65C-22.006 Record Keeping (Word)
• 65C-22.007 Evening Child Care (Word)
• 65C-22.008 School Age Child Care (Word)

Florida Approved Child Care Accreditation Programs

• Gold Seal Quality Care Program List Of Approved Accrediting Agencies (2009)
• Accrediting Agency Side-By-Side Comparison 03/09 (PDF)
• Accrediting Agencies For Religious Exempt Child Care Facilities (PDF)

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