Florida Administrative Code › 6 - DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION › 6M - Division of Early Learning › Chapter 6M-4 - DIVISION OF EARLY LEARNING - SCHOOL READINESS PROGRAM › Section 6M-4.500 - Child Attendance and Provider Reimbursements

Current through Reg. 50, No. 138; July 16, 2024
(1) General Provisions.
(a) A school readiness provider shall not
				receive payment for a student prior to the student's first day of attendance or
				after the student is terminated from the school readiness program.
(b) Reimbursement rates shall be paid based
				on a child's care level and unit of care as defined by the coalition's approved
				provider rate schedule for the county in which the provider's facility is
				located.
(c) Daily attendance
				documentation shall be maintained by each school readiness provider based on
				the terms of the Statewide School Readiness Provider Contract, specified in
				Rule 6M-4.610, Florida Administrative
				Code (F.A.C.). The provider must record daily child attendance using a paper
				sign-in and sign-out form or electronic attendance-tracking system that is
				maintained at the provider site to validate the attendance data. For electronic
				attendance systems, the provider must backup records on a regular basis to
				safeguard against loss. The sign-in and sign-out forms will vary by provider
				but must contain the following information:
1.
				Provider's name;
2. Child's first
				and last name;
3. Time signed in
				and signed out;
4. Date (month,
				day, year); and,
5. An authorized
				signature or electronic attendance-tracking system that records the date,
				child's name, and electronic signature, card swipe, entry of a personal
				identification number, or similar daily action taken by the parent or other
				person dropping off or picking up the child to, or from, the provider site.
				Authorized signature, paper or electronic, includes provider designee for
				children who are transported via school to or from the provider site or a
				parent or person authorized by the parent as documented in writing and on file
				with the provider.
(d) A
				provider shall be reimbursed for each day that there is documented evidence
				that the child was in attendance.
(e) For school readiness children who are
				transported to and/or from the provider site, attendance shall be documented in
				accordance with the applicable health and safety handbook for the provider type
				as specified in Rule 6M-4.620, F.A.C. A copy of each
				handbook may be obtained electronically on the Department's website at
www.floridaearlylearning.com
or from the Department of Education, Division of Early Learning, 325 West
				Gaines Street, Tallahassee, FL 32399-0400.
(f) The provider must report any discrepancy,
				overpayment, or underpayment within sixty (60) calendar days of transmission of
				the reimbursement summary. Reported changes must include supporting
				documentation. Discrepancies validated by the coalition will be corrected for
				reimburement purposes.
(g) For a
				child who is authorized only full-time care, a coalition shall not recoup or
				adjust a provider's reimbursement for days a child attends part-time.
(h) The coalition shall not reduce authorized
				hours of care prior to redetermination unless the parent requests a reduction
				in the authorized hours of care based on hours of care needed.
(i) The coalition must conduct monitoring
				activities in accordance with Rule
				6M-4.630, F.A.C., to ensure the
				accuracy of payments of the monthly reimbursement requests. If it is determined
				through monitoring of the attendance and reimbursement documentation that a
				provider received an improper payment (overpayment or underpayment), the
				coalition shall process a payment adjustment required to correct the improper
				payment.
(j) In order for a
				provider to be reimbursed for a child served by a coalition other than the
				coalition where the provider is located, the provider must have executed a
				Statewide School Readiness Provider Contract with the coalition of the child's
				residence prior to enrollment and reimbursement. The provider's reimbursement
				rates shall be negotiated in accordance with the approved school readiness plan
				of the contracted coalition. However, the provider reimbursement rate shall not
				exceed the contracted coalition's approved school readiness rates based on the
				child's care level and unit of care.
(k) In accordance with Section
				1002.84(11),
				F.S., attendance records may not be altered or amended after December 31 of the
				subsequent year.