Florida's Office of Early Learning
RULE NO.:RULE TITLE:
6M-8.201Child Registration Procedures; Application; Parent Orientation Session
NOTICE OF CHANGE
Notice is hereby given that the following changes have been made to the proposed rule in accordance with subparagraph 120.54(3)(d)1., F.S., published in Vol. 38, No. 25, June 22, 2012 issue of the Florida Administrative Register.
The full text of the proposed rule is amended as indicated in strikethrough and underline below. While the dates of Forms OEL-VPK 01 and Form OEL-VPK 21 have been revised, no substantive changes have been made to the content of these forms. Other forms incorporated by reference into this rule are new or include substantive changes.
6M-8.201 Child Registration Procedures; Application.
(1) Application. A parent wishing to enroll his or her child for the VPK Program must complete an application process with a local early learning coaltion. Contact information for local early learning coalitions is available from Florida’s Office of Early Learning at (866)357-3239, TTY/Florida Relay 711, and at the website: https://spe.schoolreadiness.org/pe/;.
(a) A parent must complete and sign one of the following:
1. Part A of Form OEL-VPK 01 (Student Application), dated March 2013. Part A and Part B of Form OEL-VPK 01 (Student Application), dated March 2013, are August 2012, which is hereby incorporated by reference with instructions, and may be obtained as described in Rule 6M-8.900, F.A.C.
2. Form OEL-VPK 01SPEE (Single Point of Entry Student Application English), dated March 2013, which is hereby incorporated by reference, and is available Applications may be completed in hard copy using blue or black ink or online through the website: https://spe.schoolreadiness.org/pe/ by following the instructions on the webpage.
3. Form OEL-VPK 01SPES (Single Point of Entry Student Application Spanish), dated March 2013, which is hereby incorporated by reference, and is available online through the website https://spe.schoolreadiness.org/pe/ by following the instructions on the webpage.
4. Form OEL-VPK 01SPEC (Single Point of Entry Student Application Creole), dated March 2013, which is hereby incorporated by reference, and is available online through the website https://spe.schoolreadiness.org/pe/ by following the instructions on the webpage.
(b) A parent must submit the completed and signed Part A of Form OEL-VPK 01, or submit the printed confirmation of completion of Form OEL-VPK 01SPEE, Form OEL-VPK 01SPES, or Form OEL-VPK 01SPEC an online application to the coalition of the county where the VPK site selected by the parent is located regardless of the county in which the child resides. A parent must also submit the supporting documents showing the child’s age and residential address which are required under Rule 6M-8.200, F.A.C.
(2) Reenrollment Application. If a parent wishes to change a student’s VPK provider after a student has already attended a portion of VPK instruction that parent shall follow the requirements of Rule 6M-8.210, F.A.C.
(3) Parent Guide. A coalition shall ensure each parent has Each parent shall have the opportunity to review a copy of Form OEL-VPK 06, Voluntary Prekindergarten Parent Guide, which is incorporated by reference into Rule 6M-8.2011, F.A.C., and may be obtained as described in Rule 6M-8.900, F.A.C.
(4) Application Submission Location. An early learning coalition shall designate one or more locations throughout the coalition’s service area where a parent may submit a Student Application and supporting documents to the coalition. A coalition may allow private or public school VPK providers to be application submission locations. If the coalition designates certain VPK providers as application submission locations, then the coalition, those designated VPK providers, and parents submitting applications to those designated VPK providers must follow the requirements of subsection (5) below.
(5) Alternative Application. Notwithstanding the processes established above, an early learning coalition may also permit a VPK provider to determine the preliminary eligibility of children applying to enroll in the provider’s VPK classes on behalf of the coalition in accordance with the requirements of this paragraph. Providers permitted to make preliminary eligibility determinations under this paragraph must do so in accordance with the criteria and processes established in Rule 6M-8.200, F.A.C.
(a) Provider Eligibility. A VPK provider must apply annually to participate under this paragraph by submitting to the early learning coalition the completed and executed Form OEL-VPK 21 (Addendum to the Statewide Provider Agreement) dated March 2013 August 2012, which is hereby incorporated by reference and may be obtained as described in Rule 6M-8.900, F.A.C. A VPK provider shall not participate under this paragraph except under an executed Form OEL-VPK 21. A VPK provider may not determine the preliminary eligibility of children for its VPK program until the VPK provider receives a fully executed Form OEL-VPK 21 from the coalition which has been signed by the VPK provider and its early learning coalition. Documentation demonstrating that the provider has met the eligibility requirements established under this rule may be required by the coalition; however, the coalition may not impose on the provider additional eligibility requirements not included in this rule.
1. The VPK provider must have delivered instruction in the VPK program during the most recent two program years.
2. The VPK provider must retain a prekindergarten director or designee who has attended a training session conducted by the coalition which instructs the provider on procedures for determining a child’s preliminary eligibility for the VPK program, accepting an application and supporting documents on behalf of the coalition, and providing a parent with the form described in (3) above.
3. The VPK provider’s most recent kindergarten readiness rate for each program type (school-year and/or summer) must meet the minimum kindergarten readiness rate established pursuant to Section 1002.69, F.S.
4. A VPK provider is not eligible to determine the preliminary eligibility of children under this rule if, during the previous 24 months, the provider:
a. Submitted two or more consecutive, or a combined total of four or more, monthly attendance rosters containing inaccurate reporting of a student’s attendance;
b. Failed to repay an overpayment by the required repayment date after the coalition discovered the overpayment and requested repayment;
c. Submitted a monthly attendance roster resulting in an overpayment that exceeded 20 percent of the payment for a calendar month due to the provider’s inaccurate reporting of a student’s attendance;
d. Submitted a monthly attendance roster containing fraudulent reporting of a student’s attendance; or
e. Failed to comply with the terms of the Form OEL-VPK 21.
5. A VPK provider which is licensed by the Department of Children and Family Services or a local licensing agency is not eligible to participate under this rule if the provider’s license status, as recorded in the department’s Child Care Information System, is “Revocation Action Pending,” “Suspension Action Pending/Suspended,” or “Closed.”
6. A VPK provider which is not licensed by the Department of Children and Family Services or a local licensing agency, but which is accredited as described in Section 1002.55(3)b., F.S., is not eligible to participate under this rule if the provider’s accreditation status has expired or been rescinded.
(b) Child Registration Procedures.
1. A parent who wishes to apply to enroll a child for the VPK program through a VPK provider authorized to make preliminary eligibility determinations under this paragraph must complete, sign, and submit to the VPK provider Part A of Form OEL-VPK 01. A parent must submit this form to the VPK provider with supporting documents of the child’s age and residential address required under Rule 6M-8.200, F.A.C.
2. A VPK provider determining children’s preliminary eligibility under this paragraph shall provide each parent with a copy of the Form OEL-VPK 06, Voluntary Prekindergarten Parent Guide, which is incorporated by reference in Rule 6M-8.2011, F.A.C., and which may be obtained as described in Rule 6M-8.900, F.A.C., upon parental submission of the completed and signed Part A of Form OEL-VPK 01. Within five (5) working days after a child’s parent submits the completed and signed Part A of Form OEL-VPK 01, the provider shall complete Part B of the child’s Form OEL-VPK 01, maintaining a copy of the completed form and any supporting documents for its records, and process Parts A and B of the completed Form OEL-VPK 01 and supporting documents, as follows:
a. If the child’s Form OEL-VPK 01 is complete, signed, and submitted with the required supporting documents, the provider determines that the child appears preliminarily eligible for the VPK program, and the provider registers the child in one of the provider’s VPK classes, then the VPK provider shall submit a child’s Form OEL-VPK 01 and supporting documents to the coalition.
b. If the child’s Form OEL-VPK 01 is not complete, not signed, or not submitted with the required supporting documents, then the VPK provider shall return the form and supporting documents to the child’s parent.
c. If the child’s Form OEL-VPK 01 is complete, signed, and submitted with the required supporting documents, but the provider determines that the child does not appear to be preliminarily eligible for the VPK program, the provider shall return the child’s Form OEL-VPK 01 and supporting documents to the child’s parent and, in the designated area of Part B of Form OEL-VPK 01, shall notify the parent of the reasons(s) that the child does not appear to be eligible based on the provider’s determination and refer the parent to the coalition.
3. A coalition shall determine whether each child registered in a class by a VPK provider meets the eligibility criteria established in Rule 6M-8.200, F.A.C. Within 30 days of submission of a child’s Form OEL-VPK 01 and supporting documentation by a VPK provider, the coalition shall inform the VPK provider and/or parent, as detailed below applicable, of the child’s eligibility or ineligibility in writing.
a. If the coalition determines a child eligible and sends written notification prior to the start of the selected class, the notice shall inform the provider of the first date upon which the child is eligible to receive services.
b. If the coalition determines a child eligible, but the selected class begins before the coalition has provided written notification of the child’s eligibility or ineligibility, the coalition’s notification shall inform the provider and parent of the first date upon which the child is eligible to receive services and inform the parent that the child will not receive the full allotment of hours of VPK service.
c. If the coalition determines a child ineligible, the coalition’s notification shall inform the provider and parent of the reason for the child’s ineligibility.
4. Notwithstanding paragraph 6M-8.202(1)(c), F.A.C., a coalition is not required to issue a certificate of eligibility for a child applying for enrollment in the VPK program through a VPK provider under this paragraph.
5. A VPK provider may not deliver VPK instruction to a child registered in one of its VPK classes until the provider receives the final eligibility verification from a coalition as described in 3. above. Any instruction given prior to receiving final eligibility verification from the coalition shall be non-payable under Rules 6M-8.204 and 6M-8.205, F.A.C.
(c) Provider Prohibitions.
1. Preliminary Eligibility Determination After a VPK Class Has Started. A VPK provider participating under subsection (5) of this rule shall not determine the preliminary eligibility of a child whose parent is applying for enrollment in one of the VPK provider’s classes that has already begun instruction, and instead shall direct the parent to the coalition for child registration.
2. Specialized Instructional Services Program. A VPK provider participating under paragraph (5) of this rule shall not determine the preliminary eligibility of a child whose parent is applying to enroll the child in the Specialized Instructional Services Program, and instead shall direct the parent to the coalition for child registration.
3. Reenrollment Under This Rule. A VPK provider participating under paragraph (5) of this rule shall not accept Form OEL-VPK 05 from a parent applying to reenroll a child in the VPK provider’s VPK program or determine the preliminary eligibility of such a child for reenrollment. VPK providers shall direct parents applying to reenroll their children with a VPK provider to the coalition for child registration.
4. Payment for Participation Under This Rule Prohibited. A VPK provider may not accept compensation for participating under paragraph (5) of this rule, accepting a student application or supporting documents on behalf of the coalition, distributing a Voluntary Prekindergarten Parent Guide, or determining the preliminary eligibility of a child under this rule.
(6) Notwithstanding sub-subparagraph 6M-8.202(1)(c)2.e., F.A.C., a coalition may use Part B of Form OEL-VPK 01 as a certificate of eligibility.
(7) Access to Provider Profiles. Whether a parent registers a child directly through the coalition or through the alternative application process described in subsection paragraph (5), each early learning coalition is responsible for ensuring that each parent has access to parent shall have the opportunity to access the profile of each VPK provider operating within the county where the child is being enrolled. To make informed decisions about VPK providers, a parent may:
(a) Contact the local Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R) office to receive a customized list of VPK providers in the area that meet the needs of the family, as well as information about child care, School Readiness and other community resources at (866)357-3239 (TTY: 711).
(b) Visit the Department of Children and Families (DCF) website www.myflorida.com/childcare/provider to view inspection reports for licensed VPK providers in the area.
(c) Contact the early learning coalition that provides early learning support services in the community for more information on VPK programs or to request a copy of the profile of each VPK provider in the county.
Rulemaking Authority 1002.75(2)(a), 1002.79(2) FS. Law Implemented 1002.53(4), (5), 1002.75(2)(a), (b) FS. History–New 1-19-06, Amended 5-24-07, Formerly 60BB-8.201, Amended_________.
