Florida Administrative Code › 6 - DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION › 6M - Division of Early Learning › Chapter 6M-4 - DIVISION OF EARLY LEARNING - SCHOOL READINESS PROGRAM › Section 6M-4.740 - Program Assessment Requirements for the School Readiness Program

Current through Reg. 50, No. 138; July 16, 2024
(1) Definitions. The following definitions
				are applicable to all rules under Chapter 6M-4, F.A.C.
(a) "Care Level" means the age of the
				majority (51% or more) of enrolled children in a classroom. Three care levels
				are used to meet the required observation quota: Infant (ages 0-18 months),
				Toddler (ages 19-35 months), and Pre-K (ages 36 months-kindergarten
				entry.)
(b) "Classroom" means any
				well-defined room in which care is provided or classes are held, or a room
				arranged with materials and equipment and set up as a learning space with
				intent to implement a plan of activities for the School Readiness program. The
				classroom provides a space where learning can take place uninterrupted by
				outside distractions. If floor to ceiling walls are not present, the classroom
				walls must be defined by stable barriers, and must adhere to the requirements
				for such barriers as established in Forms OEL-SR-6202, OEL-SR-6204, and
				OEL-SR-6206, incorporated by reference in Rule
				6M-4.620, F.A.C. Any classroom
				that is eligible to receive a School Readiness child enrollment at any time is
				considered a classroom under this definition. Any classroom that serves
				children in the School Readiness program for less than two (2) consecutive
				hours a day is not considered a classroom under this definition.
(c) "Composite Classroom" means a School
				Readiness provider classroom randomly selected through the DEL-defined system
				to meet the composite score calculation requirements of 50% of classrooms at
				each care level served by the provider. Observations conducted in Voluntary
				Prekindergarten (VPK) classrooms within VPK program hours are not subject to
				random classroom selection and may be used to calculate the Composite Program
				Assessment Score for the School Readiness program in accordance with paragraph
				6M-8.621(5)(b),
				F.A.C.
(d) "Composite Program
				Assessment Score" means an average of all DEL-adopted program assessment
				dimension scores, omitting the negative climate score, if included in the
				tool.
(e) "Contract Minimum
				Threshold" means the minimum score required by Section
				1002.82(2)(n),
				F.S., and defined in subsection (2) of this rule, that a provider must achieve
				on a program assessment to be eligible to contract for the School Readiness
				program.
(f) "Early Learning
				Coalition" or "coalition" means the entity charged with administering School
				Readiness program services pursuant to Sections
				1002.83 and
				1002.84, F.S. "Early Learning
				Coalition" or "coalition" includes applicable DEL contractors.
(g) "Negative Climate Score" means the
				measure of the level of expressed negativity shown by teachers and/or children
				in a classroom.
(h) "Observer"
				means a certified reliable observer for the age group of the classroom being
				observed, that meets the requirements of Form DEL-SR 740.
(i) "Personnel" means the director and all
				teachers entered into the DEL-defined system on the Class Roster and includes
				all instructional staff assigned to classrooms as lead and assistant teachers.
				Instructional staff does not include substitutes or others who fill in for an
				absent teacher or those who are temporarily in a classroom for a teacher
				break.
(j) "Program Assessment"
				means the assessment required by Section
				1002.82(2)(n),
				F.S., that measures of the quality of teacher-child interactions, including
				responsive caregiving, emotional and behavioral support, engaged support for
				learning, classroom organization, and instructional support for
				children.
(k) "Quality Improvement
				Plan" means a targeted twelve (12) month plan to improve program quality using
				performance goals and strategies.
(l) "School Readiness Child Care Slots" means
				the number of birth to kindergarten entry School Readiness child care slots
				paid during a month of service.