RULE NO.:RULE TITLE:
6M-4.720Screening of Children in the School Readiness Program
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. 47 No. 105, June 1, 2021 issue of the Florida Administrative Register.
6M-4.720 Screening of Children in the School Readiness Program.
(1) Definitions. As used in this rule:
(a) through (g) No change.
(h) “Screener” means the individual responsible for conducting the developmental screening for each child.”Screening”means activities to identify children who may need early intervention practices as supports.
(i)(j)“Screening” means activities to identify children who may have concerns and who may need early intervention practices as supports. “Screener” means the individual responsible for conducting the developmental screening for each child.
(j)(k) “Screening Start Date” is the date of the child’s first day of attendance at the School Readiness program after enrollment or the first day of attendance after the annual redetermination date.
(k) “Single Statewide Information System (SSIS)” is the designated system used to conduct screenings and provide screening information to early learning coalitions, parents and providers, consisting of the Family Portal, Provider Services Portal, and Coalition Services Portal.
(2) Screening Process. A developmental screening shall be conducted for each child aged six (6) weeks to 60 months with parental consent. The parent of a child enrolled in the School Readiness program may consent or decline to have his or her child screened within the single statewide information system (SSIS). A parent’s screening decision remains in effect until redetermination.
(a) through (c) No change.
(d) Completion of screenings. Upon initial or subsequent enrollment, the screening instrument shall be available to each parent for completion. A parent can waive their option to be their child’s screener at the time of enrollment or redetermination.
1. No change
2. Completion by child care providers. A screening conducted by a child care provider shall be completed in accordance with subparagraph (2)(c)2 of this rule. The provider shall receive electronic notification of each child that must be screened using the SSIS. In the event the SSIS is non-operational, the early learning coalition shall provide written or electronic notification of each child that must be screened to child care provider no later than 15 calendar days after the screening start date. At a minimum, notification shall include the screening start date, the screening due date, and each child’s name, and date of birth and age.
a. No change.
b. No change.
3. No change.
4. No change.
(e) Screening Results. Screening results shall be available to each parent no later than 15 calendar days after the screening due date.
1. No change.
2. Each early learning coalition shall provide or require a child care provider to provide screening results with concerns in writing to each child’s parent. An early learning coalition shall make staff persons available to explain screening results, if requested by a parent.
(3) Screening Instruments. Each early learning coalition shall select a screening instrument or instruments for use under this rule which meet all of the following criteria:
(a) No change.
(b) Addresses, at a minimum, each of the developmental domains established established in the performance standards (Florida Early Learning and Developmental Standards: Birth to Five, Form OEL-SR 1530, dated October 2017) adopted by Florida’s Department of EducationOffice of Early Learning in Rule 6M-4.700, F.A.C;
(c) through (h) No change.
(4) No change.
(5) Early Identification and Referral.
(a) Each early learning coalition shall initiate intervention practices, no later than 30 calendar days after receipt of the screening results for children who show concerns based on their screening results. Intervention practices must address the identified concern(s).
(b) The coalition shall initiate and document intervention practices that match each concern identified by the screening instrument. The process for implementing intervention practices must include:
1. No change.
2. Concern analysis. The coalition shall develop priorities, goals, and an action plan in collaboration with the provider to address the identified concerns. An example includes but is not limited to a documented description of the steps the provider and or family will take to address each concern.
3. No change.
4. Plan evaluation. The coalition shall follow up to assess the intervention services provided. Examples include but are not limited to, a review of the action steps to determine if revision to the analysis is necesarry, sufficient gains are made or if a referral to other early intervention services or specialized care under subparagraph (5)(b)5 is needed.
5. No change.
(c) A coalition shall document intervention practices individualized upports or referrals declined by a parent or provider. The coalition shall inform the provider of intervention practices declined by a parent.
(6) Data.
(a) No changes.
(b) The early learning coalition shall make the electronic version of the screening results and intervention practices individualized supports data available to Florida’s DivisionOffice of Early Learning upon request. The child screening and intervention practices individualized supports data must include, at a minimum, the following elements:
1. through 14. No change.
Rulemaking Authority 1001.021001.213(2) FS. Law Implemented 1002.82(2)(f)2., 1002.84(5)(2) FS. History–New 11-15-12, Amended XX-XX-XX.
Document Information
- Related Rules: (1)
- 6M-4.720. Screening of Children in the School Readiness Program