 Marina Harkness, Supervisor, Coordinating Services 744-8941, Ext 226 Susan Morris, Supervisor, Family, Child and Provider Services 744-8941, Ext. 382
School Readiness (Birth to 10)
What is School Readiness?
The School Readiness Act, Chapter 411.01 of the Florida Statutes, recognizes that school readiness programs increase children's chances of achieving future educational success and becoming productive members of society. It is the intent of the legislature that the program:
- Be developmentally appropriate
- Research-based
- Involve parents as their child's first teacher
- Serve as preventive measures for children at risk of future school failure
- Enhance the educational readiness of eligible children
- Support family education
School readiness programs are to be full-day, year-round to the maximum extent possible, to enable parents to work and become financially self-sufficient. Eligibility is determined by employment and income verification and/or through partner agency authorizations. The funding for this program flows from the Agency for Workforce Innovation Office of Early Learning to the Early Learning Coalition of Hillsborough County and then by contract to the Agency, Hillsborough County Public Schools. Local match funds are provided by the City of Tampa, Children's Board, and United Way of Tampa Bay.
School Readiness Provider Rates
The Agency is responsible for negotiating fixed rates with providers. Rates negotiated by the Agency may not exceed rates paid by the general public, nor shall rates exceed the Coalition's current established rate schedule as posted on the Hillsborough County Public Schools, Early Childhood School Readiness Programs website at http://earlychildhood.mysdhc.org/. If at any time during the year the Early Learning Coalition of Hillsborough County authorizes changes to the child care rates, the changes will be made effective by written notification to providers.
All providers submit to the Agency a copy of the provider's rates. The reimbursement is reduced by the assessed parent fee amount. The provider has the right to discontinue care of a client who has not paid parent fees. For Protective Service clients, the provider is required to call the referring agency's social worker prior to the suspension of service. It is the provider's responsibility to use all reasonable methods of collection of fees.
If the parents/guardians prefer a provider whose private pay rate exceeds the negotiated subsidized rate and if the parents/guardians would prefer to pay the difference between the provider's private rate and the subsidy rate rather than use another provider, it is acceptable. In this case, the parents/guardians will be responsible for the difference between the provider's private rate and subsidy rate. These payments are arranged between the parents/guardians and the caregivers and are not administered by the Agency. Therefore, the Agency can not initiate a termination due to nonpayment of these fees.
In addition to the difference between the approved market rate and the rate paid by private families receiving the same services, the provider may charge the parents/guardians a one time registration fee, lunch fees, fees for special services such as field trips, fees for private or group lessons by an outside vendor and arranged by the provider, and other fees that private families pay as long as these fees are fully disclosed in a mutually signed provider-parent agreement at the time of enrollment. The provider agrees to maintain a signed provider/parent rate/fee agreement for all families, private as well as subsidized.
Reimbursement Payment Process
The Agency reimburses the provider on a monthly basis within a normal operating cycle. The provider submits a request for payment monthly. Request for payment must be accompanied by the appropriate documentation as prescribed by the Early Learning Coalition of Hillsborough County and the Agency. The Agency may withhold any payments if, at the time of payment, the provider has failed to perform any of its responsibilities according to Chapter 411.01 and policies and procedures of the Coalition.
During the first month of child care, and every month thereafter, the Agency's Federal Finance department mails to the provider the necessary forms to claim reimbursement for any children participating in the School Readiness Program. All providers submit monthly Enrollment/Attendance Verification forms, known as monthly rosters, to the Agency's office by the (3rd) calendar day following the month of service. If the day falls on a weekend or holiday, forms are submitted the following workday. Failure to meet this deadline may result in reimbursement being delayed until the next payment cycle. The School Readiness Program is only authorized to reimburse for up to a total of three (3) absences per calendar month per child. In the event of extraordinary circumstances, the provider may submit a request form with the appropriate documentation
for consideration of payment for up to seven (7) additional days. The request form as well as documentation must be turned in with the corresponding Verification Attendance Form. The Agency is not responsible to reimburse the provider for any care not actually provided resulting from a parent/guardian's lack of ample notification of withdrawing a child(ren) from care. Extraordinary circumstances are defined as:
- Hospitalization of the child with appropriate documentation
- Illness requiring home-stay as documented
- Death in the immediate family as documented
- Court ordered visitation with legal documentation
- Unforeseen documented military deployment or exercise of the parent(s)/guardian(s)
A predetermined number of days as established between the provider and the Agency will be allowed as reimbursable for holidays.
Enrollment/Attendance Verification forms, known as monthly rosters, must be submitted with correct and accurate information. Fraudulent misrepresentation of attendance on these forms shall be grounds for termination and the provider may be prosecuted. It is against the law to be reimbursed for child care by submitting false information.
Sanctions
Effective July 2007, School Readiness clients will be imposed sanctions penalties for noncompliance if they fail to report changes in employment as stated in the signed Terms & Conditions.
A client must submit in writing to the School Readiness Program within ten (10) calendar days any changes in income, employment, address, or any other information which could affect possible school readiness assistance eligibility. Failure to do so will lead to the termination of the client's child care services. If a loss of employment is not reported within the specified time frame, sanction penalties will be imposed.
A client that has a break in employment and reports it in a timely manner, may be eligible for 30 days of job search or maternity/medical leave. During this time School Readiness child care services will be reimbursed.
If a client is sactioned, child care services will terminate immediately. The provider will be contacted by telephone regarding the date of termination. The School Readiness office will also send a "Termination Notice" to both the client and the provider.
It is the responsibility of the client to return to any of the School Readiness satellite offices for eligibility determination after the sanction period has ended, child care services will resume only if there is funding available. If funding is not available, the client will be placed on a Waiting List.
Gold Seal Rate
The Agency may pay a differential rate to Gold Seal Quality Care providers. As authorized by the legislature, the Agency may pay up to a 20% higher differential rate for school readiness eligible children enrolled in child care centers and family child care homes that have met the criteria for Gold Seal designation. This rate cannot exceed the rate charged by the provider to the general public. Gold Seal reimbursement rate will be effective the 1st day of the month following receipt of documentation (copy of accreditation certificate) in the Agency's Federal Finance office and will be determined by the rate information supplied by the provider.
Quality Counts for Kids
Quality Counts for Kids was developed by the Enhancement Committee of the Early Learning Coalition of Hillsborugh County, which is comprised of staff from the coalition, central agency, and child care licensing program, Nova Southeastern University, and early education providers. The overall goals of the project are:
Ensure young children throughout Hillsborough County are provided with the best possible early learning experiences through high quality early learning programs and school-age programs.
Provide information and support to early learning programs to improve and sustain the quality of their programs.
Provide families with an easy to use tool to select the best programs for their children.
For additional information, access:
Quality Counts for Kids
Quality Counts for Kids is a voluntary program for Hillsborough County child care providers that encourages and recognizes quality services. Participating providers may be eligible to receive a stipend to help defray the costs of providing higher quality service to children.
Become a School Readiness Provider
Warning! The below files are large in size and will take some time to open completely
A provider interested in participating in the School Readiness Program may contact the Child Care Resource and Referral (CCRR) department at 744-8941 ext. 428 to update their provider program on the CCRR data base to include the "offers subsidy option."
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