6A-6.0525. Teenage Parent Programs

Pregnant and parenting students and their children shall be entitled to participate in Teenage Parent (TAP) Programs designed to provide comprehensive educational and ancillary services to facilitate the parents’ completion of high school. Students participating in teenage parent programs shall be eligible for all services afforded to students enrolled in programs pursuant to Section 1003.54, F.S., and Rule 6A-6.0525, F.A.C.

(1) Requirements.

(a) Credits. Students served in teenage parent programs shall retain the right to earn the number and type of credits required for a standard or special diploma pursuant to Sections 1003.54, F.S. The special diploma is not a diploma option beginning with students entering 9th grade for the first time in 2014-2015 school year and student cohorts thereafter.

(b) Exceptional student education referral. An exceptional student referred for enrollment in a teenage parent program shall have an individual educational plan review prior to enrollment. A staff representative of the teenage parent program in the district shall participate in the review.

(c) Limited English proficient students. Limited English proficient students meeting the eligibility criteria for the teenage parent program shall be considered for enrollment in the teenage parent program based on student needs.

(d) Parent notification. Parents shall be notified annually in writing as specified in Section 1003.53, F.S., of their child’s enrollment in a teenage parent program and of their right to review any action relating to such enrollment.

(e) Student records. Records of students participating in a teenage parent program shall contain the following:

1. The students’ entry and exit dates in the teenage parent program.

2. Documentation of the eligibility of each student and child prior to enrollment in a teenage parent program. Eligibility for multi-year programs shall be documented annually.

3. Number of instructional periods or hours of participation.

4. Evaluation of each student’s academic and behavioral progress.

(f) Student eligibility for full-time equivalent (FTE). Eligible pregnant and parenting students shall be reported for teenage parent full-time equivalent student membership in the Florida Education Finance Program in the following settings:

Standard teenage parent program in which all students are teenage parent program participants.

(g) Certification. Any certification is appropriate for teachers in teenage parent programs. Teenage parent program teachers shall be instructional personnel as defined in Section 1012.01, F.S.

(h) Students served in teenage parent programs shall retain their right to have access to a school day as defined by Section 1011.60, F.S.

(2) Student eligibility. Districts shall implement student eligibility criteria and establish enrollment procedures for each teenage parent program.

(a) Voluntary participation. Participation in a teenage parent program is voluntary. Pregnant students, teenage parent students, and their children shall not be assigned to the program without annual parental or adult student permission.

(b) Criteria for eligibility.

1. Pregnant students.

2. Parenting students.

3. Children of parenting students and teenage parent program completers.

(c) Documentation of eligibility includes:

1. A county public health unit or private physician’s certification of pregnancy;

2. A child’s birth certificate, copy of application of birth certificate, hospital records, or a notarized affidavit of fatherhood signed by mother and father; and,

3. Evidence of parent’s program completion and documentation of child’s birth.

(3) Instructional periods. The program shall consist of instruction to participants full-time, part-time or on a variable schedule as needed to deliver the pregnancy- or parenting-related curriculum as specified in Section 1003.54(3)(b), F.S. Children of teenage parent students enrolled in teenage parent programs shall be served during the time that the parent student is earning credit towards a standard dipolma pursuant to Section 1003.4282 or 1002.3105, F.S. The special diploma is not a diploma option beginning with students entering 9th grade for the first time in 2014-2015 school year and student cohorts thereafter.

(4) Service delivery models. Teenage parent programs may be offered at any location approved by the district school board as a school center.

(5) Ancillary services. School districts shall develop and implement procedures for the provision or coordination of the four ancillary services of child care, social services, health services and transportation for pregnant and parenting students who are currently enrolled or have completed a teenage parent program and their eligible children. Program completers are those students who have successfully completed a teenage parent program as described in the district’s approved teenage parent program plan. Ancillary services are described as:

(a) Child care. Child care includes developmentally appropriate learning activities for the children of teenage parent program participants and completers during the hours when the child’s teenage parent is earning credit pursuing a standard dipolma as defined by Section 1003.4282 or 1002.3105, F.S. The special diploma is not a diploma option beginning with students entering 9th grade for the first time in 2014-2015 school year and student cohorts thereafter. Districts choosing to operate school-based child care for children birth through age three should be aware of the requirements of Florida’s child care law [Section 402.3025, F.S.]. Districts may report children of teenage parent program participants and completers for teenage parent full-time equivalent student membership in the Florida Education Finance Program when the district provides or contracts for child care for the child and the following criteria are met:

1. The child is assigned a student identification number and all appropriate data for reporting is collected;

2. The parent is currently enrolled in a teenage parent program or is a program completer and enrolled in courses that meet the graduation requirements pursuant to Section 1003.4282 or 1002.3105, F.S.;

3. The teenage parent has not graduated or legally withdrawn from school;

4. The child has not attained the age of five or is not eligible to enroll in kindergarten according to Section 1003.21(1)(a)2., F.S., whichever comes last;

5. The child is not served in a preschool program supported by other state or federal funds such as Prekindergarten Early Intervention, Head Start, or other subsidized child care.

(b) Health services. Health services include the coordination of health and nutrition education and routine prenatal and postnatal health checkups during the time that the teenage parent student is reported for FTE in the teenage parent program. Routine check-ups for the children of teenage parent program participants and completers, including immunizations, shall be provided or coordinated during the time those children are reported for FTE in a teenage parent program.

(c) Social services. Social services include counseling assistance or case coordination related to economic assistance, during the time that the teenage parent students or their children are reported for FTE in a teenage parent program.

(d) Transportation. Transportation includes transportation for pregnant and parenting teenage parent program participants, program completers who have returned to their home schools, and their children regardless of distance from school pursuant to Section 1011.68(1)(b), F.S. Transportation shall be provided for teenage parents and their children to and from home and the child care facility and for the teenage parents to and from the child care facility and the school, as required for the parent’s educational activities in credit earning hours.

(6) The local school board shall approve the teenage parent program plan and all subsequent amendments prior to reporting students and their children for teenage parent program funding. The individual program description of the teenage parent program plan shall include:

(a) Agency coordination.

(b) Specific outcome objectives.

(c) Evaluation.

(d) Specific student eligibility criteria.

(e) Student admission procedures.

(f) Program operating procedures to include:

1. Pregnancy- and parenting-related curriculum.

2. Special strategies.

3. Equal access for eligible exceptional and limited English proficient students.

4. Student services.

a. Description of child care services.

b. Description of health services.

c. Description of social services.

d. Description of transportation.

e. Other services which may be provided to participants.

5. Implementation sites.

6. Length of stay in program for students and their children.

7. Total teenage parent program FTE projected for students and their children.

(7) Program Evaluation. Each district receiving state funding for teenage parent programs through the Florida Education Finance Program shall submit an annual report to the Department documenting the extent to which each of the individual teenage parent programs has met the objectives established by the district. These objectives, developed by the district, are based upon the following required common objective criteria:

(a) Remaining in school or earning a high school diploma.

(b) Improving parenting skills.

(c) Giving birth to babies weighing 5.5 pounds or greater.

Rulemaking Authority 1001.02, 1003.54 FS. Law Implemented 1003.54 FS. History–New 10-30-90, Amended 1-2-95, 3-20-96, 2-20-17.