Florida Department of Education
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Office of Early Learning and Bureau of Exceptional Education and Student Services
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VOLUNTARY PREKINDERGARTEN EDUCATION PROGRAMS (VPK)
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AND
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PROGRAMS FOR CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES
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Background Information
Federal Requirements for Children with Disabilities
Federal law (the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA 2004)
requires State Educational Agencies (DOE) and Local Educational Agencies (LEAs) to
make a free, appropriate, public education available to eligible children with disabilities by
their third birthday.
Florida law (Sections 1003.21(1)(e) and 1003.57, Florida Statutes (F.S.)) designates local
school districts as LEAs responsible for the provision of services to children with
disabilities.
Children with disabilities are entitled to extended school-year (ESY) services beyond the
180-day school year if these services are determined necessary by their individual
educational plan (IEP) team to address regression or other factors that must be considered
when determining the need for ESY services.
School districts provide special education and related services to 9,726 four-year-olds
(41% of all four-year
-olds served by school districts in 2004-05)
(see Charts 1 and 2).
Funding for Programs for Children with Disabilities
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Funding for school-year programs for children with disabilities is via the Florida Education
Finance Program (FEFP) at K-3 cost factors (111), 254 or 255 for a maximum of 720 hours
(1.0 full-time equivalent (FTE))
(see Chart).
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Prek children with disabilities are often served less than 1 FTE (20 hours per week for 26
weeks)
(see Charts 4, 5, 6, and 7).
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Funding for extended school year services is via the district’s supplemental academic
instruction funds or through federal IDEA funds.
State Requirements for VPK Programs
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VPK programs are operated by early learning coalitions, and
are not considered part of
the state’s elementary and secondary program.
Therefore, the federal IDEA
requirements are not applicable to Florida’s VPK programs. However, requirements of
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) apply to community-based child care programs.
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 applies to VPK programs if the provider
receives federal funds.
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All eligible four-year-olds, including children with disabilities, are entitled to participate in
one of the VPK program options.
Florida Department of Education
Office of Early Learning – TAP # 05-02
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Questions and Answers
Funding
1.
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Can an eligible child with disabilities participate in both a FEFP- funded special
education program and the VPK program?
Yes.
2.
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What effect does the VPK program have on districts’ funding through the FEFP for
special education programs?
None. Districts are required to continue to offer and provide FAPE to eligible four-year-
olds. These services will continue to be funded via the FEFP. Funding for children
participating in the VPK program is from Agency for Workforce Innovation (AWI), to local
coalitions, to districts via a separate funding source.
3.
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Are there additional VPK funds for children with disabilities?
No. The per FTE allocation for the VPK program is $2,500 multiplied by the district cost
differential (DCD). This allocation is for all participating children. VPK is not the program by
which the district’s FAPE obligation is met.
4.
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Will the Matrix of Services be modified to permit 13 “special considerations
points” for children being served in community-based VPK settings on a one-to- one
basis?
No, not for the coming year. However, districts are encouraged to collect and maintain
cost data related to the provision of itinerant services in community-based settings for
future consideration in building the Department’s legislative budget request.
Service Delivery
5.
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Can the school-year VPK Service Delivery location be the site where FAPE is
delivered by the local school district?
Yes. Districts are strongly encouraged to initiate new options for the delivery of specially
designed instruction and related services through collaboration with school-based VPK
programs or through services offered at community-based VPK provider sites. However,
the class size requirements of a minimum of four, and a maximum of 18 children, apply.
Examples of such program delivery models include:
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Itinerant/Consultative Services at a VPK Program Site
–
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VPK program generates VPK funds for 540-hours; school district generates FEFP
funds for amount of time for the specially designed instruction and related services
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IEP reflects ONLY the specially designed instruction and indicates VPK as the
location of services
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Half-Day ESE Program and 540-Hour VPK
–
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VPK program generates VPK funds for 540-hours; school district generates FEFP
funds for amount of time for the specially designed instruction and related services
–
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IEP reflects ONLY the specially designed instruction and related services
Florida Department of Education
Office of Early Learning – TAP # 05-02
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Full-time ESE Programs (720 hours) (Self-contained, or blended program with the
school year VPK program, Head Start, Title I, or School Readiness)
–
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School district generates FEFP funds for the amount of time for the specially
designed instruction and related services
–
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IEP reflects the full-time ESE program
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Child remains eligible for the summer VPK program option
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Full- or Part-time ESE Program Provided by School District Through a Contractual
Arrangement with a Community-Based VPK Provider during the School Year
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School district enters into a contractual agreement in accordance with Rule 6A-
6.0361, Florida Administrative Code (FAC)
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School district generates FEFP funds for the amount of time for the specially
designed instruction and related services
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IEP reflects the ESE program and services
–
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Child remains eligible for a summer VPK program option
6.
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If a school district provides itinerant/consultative services in a VPK program, as
stated in the first option referenced in Question 4, will this negatively impact the
VPK provider and be considered to reduce the required 540-hours of VPK services?
No. Itinerant services provided to children attending a VPK program will not reduce the
hours of VPK service. To the extent possible when implementing this model, districts
should consider embedding interventions in the VPK classroom. In such a model the child
would not be removed from the VPK classroom, but services would be embedded in the
context of everyday classroom activities. This would be an appropriate practice for many
prekindergarten children with disabilities.
7.
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If a district intends to provide itinerant services on-site at community-based VPK
providers, could the district do a single written agreement with the local early
learning coalition, as opposed to multiple separate agreements with the each VPK
provider?
Under Rule 6A-6.0311(3)(b), FAC, a written agreement is required when a district assigns
personnel to a facility operated by another agency or organization. In this case, the early
learning coalition would not be operating the VPK program. Rather, the program would be
operated by the respective community-based provider. An additional issue with a written
agreement between the district and the early learning coalition is that the coalition would
not have any duties or responsibilities under the agreement. As a result, any written
agreement should probably be between the provider of the services (district) and the
recipient (VPK provider).
8.
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Can the summer VPK program be used as the location or site where ESY services
are provided?
Yes. Examples of such delivery models are described above. In this circumstance, these
services would be reflected as ESY on the child’s IEP.
Florida Department of Education
Office of Early Learning – TAP # 05-02
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9.
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If a child with disabilities participates in the summer VPK program and his/her IEP
does not include ESY, is the district obligated to provide specially designed
instruction and related services or support the child’s placement in the VPK
program?
No. The obligation for such services beyond the traditional school year would be included
in the ESY determination made on an individual basis through the IEP. However, the
requirements of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 related to accommodations
would be applicable to the summer VPK program.
Credentials for Staff
10. If a school district plans to “blend” a prekindergarten class for children with
disabilities with a VPK class (school-year program), what credential would be
required for the instructor?
The
2005-06 Florida Course Code Directory
provides guidance when the VPK classroom
setting serves as the inclusive setting for a child with a disability. Districts should refer to
page 51 of
Section 1 – the 2005-06 Course Code Directory System Guide
an
d to page 152
of
Section 4
–
Course Listings
of the
2005-06 Course Code Directory.
When creating a
“blended program,” or determining that the VPK program will serve as the inclusive setting
for the delivery of specially designed instruction,
either
the credentials for the
Prekindergarten Disabilities Course (7650130)
or
the credentials for the Voluntary
Prekindergarten School-Year Program (5100580) apply. The qualifications for each of
these course titles, effective for the 2005-06 school-year, are listed below.
Prekindergarten Disabilities Course (7650130) – Applicable Credentials
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Any exceptional education field, with or without the prekindergarten disabilities
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endorsement
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Primary education, with or without the prekindergarten disabilities endorsement
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Prekindergergarten/primary education (age three through grade three), with or without
the prekindergarten disabilities endorsement
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Preschool education (birth through four), with or without the prekindergarten disabilities
endorsement
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Early childhood education, with or without the prekindergarten disabilities endorsement
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Appointment of a non-certificated staff member, in accordance with Rule 6A-1.0502,
FAC, entitled “Noncertificated Instructional Personnel.”
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If contracted with a community provider, in accordance Rule 6A-6.0361, FAC.
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Voluntary Prekindergarten Education – School-Year Program Course (5100580) –
Applicable
Credentials
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CDA or CDA equivalent
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Bachelor’s degree, or higher, in any of the following areas: early childhood education,
prekindergarten or primary education, preschool education or family and consumer
science
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Bachelor’s degree or higher in elementary education, if teacher has been certified to
teach children any age from birth through 6
th
grade, regardless of whether certificate is
current, as long as the certificate has not been revoked or suspended
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Associate’s or higher degree in child development
Florida Department of Education
Office of Early Learning – TAP # 05-02
4
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Associate’s or higher degree in an unrelated field, at least 6 credit hours in early
childhood education or child development and at least 480 hours of experience in
teaching or providing child care services for children any age from birth through 8 years
of age
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Educational credentials approved by the Department of Education as equivalent or
greater than the equivalent or greater than the educational credentials described above
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If program serves children with disabilities as an inclusive setting, refer to Section 1 of
the
Florida Course Code Directory
(narrative section referenced above).
11. Has the Department of Education adopted additional credentials for the Voluntary
Prekindergarten School-Year Program?
Yes. On June 21, 2005, the State Board of Education adopted the following credentials as
equivalent or greater than the credentials specifically identified in Section 1002.53, F.S.
Bachelor’s or (higher) degree in
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Exceptional Student Education
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Special
Education
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Mental
Disabilities
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Specific
Learning
Disabilities
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Physically
Impaired
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Varying
Exceptionalities
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Emotional
Disabilities
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Visually
Impaired
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Hearing
Impaired
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Speech-language
pathology
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Associate’s degree in
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Early
Childhood
Education
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Florida Department of Education
Office of Early Learning – TAP # 05-02
5
Chart 1
School District Services to Four-Year-Olds
(Survey 2, 2004-05)
Local
Title I Unknown
Coalition
3,465
254
5,294
Head Start
14%
1%
22%
Disabled
9,726
Fee For
Service
865
Migrant
4,181
17%
4%
284
41%
1%
Chart 2
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Four-Year-Olds Served by Disability
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(Survey 2, 2004-05)
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Other
MH
363
339
SI
3%
3%
3,133
DD
4,666
44%
LI
29%
AUT
1,774
384
17%
4%
Categories of Disabilities
AUT Autism
DD Developmental
Delay
MH Mentally
Handicapped
LI Language
Impaired
SI Speech
Impaired
Other
Other Health Impaired, Traumatic Brain
Injured, Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing, Visually
Impaired, Emotionally Handicapped,
Severely Emotionally Disturbed, Specific
Learning Disabled, Hospital/Homebound
Florida Department of Education
Office of Early Learning – TAP # 05-02
6
Chart 3
Four-Year-Olds Served by Program Cost Factor
(Survey 2, 2004-05)
255
254
1,408
246
2%
13%
111
9,289
85%
Cost Factor
Cost Factor x BSA
($3,670.26)
111 (1.012)
$ 3,714.16
254 (3.948)
$14,489.63
255 (5.591)
$20,519.64
Chart 4
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Range of UFTE for Four-Year-Olds Served
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(Survey 2, 2004-05)
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UFTE<.1
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2,691
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25%
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.5 UFTE
.1<UFTE<.3
624
6%
.3<UFTE<.5
6,958
670
63%
6%
Florida Department of Education
Office of Early Learning – TAP # 05-02
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Number of Minutes and UFTE
Minutes/Day Hours/Day Hours/Week Hours/Year
Full-Year
FTE
Survey 2
FTE
240 4.0
20.00 720
1.000
0.500
210 3.5
17.50 630
0.875
0.438
180 3.0
15.00 540
0.750
0.375
150 2.5
12.50 450
0.625
0.313
120 2.0
10.00 360
0.500
0.250
90 1.5 7.50 270
0.375
0.188
60 1.0 5.00 180
0.250
0.125
30 0.5 2.50
90
0.125
0.063
20 0.3 1.67
60
0.083
0.042
12 0.2 1.00
36
0.050
0.025
9 0.2 0.75
27
0.038
0.019
6 0.1 0.50
18
0.025
0.013
Chart 5
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Four-Year-Olds Served for .5 UFTE
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(Survey 2, 2004-05)
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255
254
147
978
2%
14%
111
5,833
84%
Florida Department of Education
Office of Early Learning – TAP # 05-02
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Chart 6
Four-Year-Olds Served .5 UFTE (Survey 2, 2004-05) by Disability
100%
90%
85%
86%
88%
80%
76%
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70%
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60%
?
50%
?
45%
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40%
?
30%
?
20%
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13%
10%
0%
P
e
r
cen
t
DD
Other
AUT
MH
SI
LI
Chart 7
Four-Year-Olds Served Less Than .1 UFTE
(Survey 2, 2004-05) by Disability
33
%
78 %
91%
0%
10 %
20
%
30
%
40
%
50
%
60
%
70
%
80
%
90
%
10 0 %
LI
SI
HH
Florida Department of Education
Office of Early Learning – TAP # 05-02
9
