1The school readiness program market rate schedule shall be implemented as follows:
13(1) 14The office shall establish procedures for the adoption of a market rate schedule. The schedule must include, at a minimum, county-by-county rates:
36(a) 37The market rate, including the minimum and the maximum rates for child care providers that hold a Gold Seal Quality Care designation under s. 61402.28162.
63(b) 64The market rate for child care providers that do not hold a Gold Seal Quality Care designation.
81(2) 82The market rate schedule, at a minimum, must:
90(a) 91Differentiate rates by type, including, but not limited to, a child care provider that holds a Gold Seal Quality Care designation under s. 114402.281, 115a child care facility licensed under s. 122402.305, 123a public or nonpublic school exempt from licensure under s. 133402.3025, 134a faith-based child care facility exempt from licensure under s. 144402.316145that does not hold a Gold Seal Quality Care designation, a large family child care home licensed under s. 164402.3131, 165or a family day care home licensed or registered under s. 176402.313177.
178(b) 179Differentiate rates by the type of child care services provided for children with special needs or risk categories, infants, toddlers, preschool-age children, and school-age children.
204(c) 205Differentiate rates between full-time and part-time child care services.
214(d) 215Consider discounted rates for child care services for multiple children in a single family.
229(3) 230The market rate schedule must be based exclusively on the prices charged for child care services.
246(4) 247The market rate schedule shall be considered by an early learning coalition in the adoption of a payment schedule. The payment schedule must take into consideration the average market rate, include the projected number of children to be served, and be submitted for approval by the office. Informal child care arrangements shall be reimbursed at not more than 50 percent of the rate adopted for a family day care home.
317(5) 318The office may contract with one or more qualified entities to administer this section and provide support and technical assistance for child care providers.
342(6) 343The office may adopt rules for establishing procedures for the collection of child care providers’ market rate, the calculation of the average market rate by program care level and provider type in a predetermined geographic market, and the publication of the market rate schedule.
