Attachment II
Early Learning Coalition Procedures Related
To VPK Agreements
Enrollment of VPK Children for Payment Purposes
1. The Coalition must have received and approved the VPK Provider Application (AWI-VPK
Forms 10 and 11), Statewide VPK Provider Agreement and Attachments prior to enrolling
children. In addition, the VPK Provider Agreement for the current year must be signed by
the Provider and the Coalition in order to receive payments. No payments will be
authorized prior to the date the Provider Agreement was signed by the Coalition.
2. As certificates are collected from parents/guardians, please print each child’s name, date of
birth, parent/guardian name, certificate number, enrollment date, and the child’s classroom
assignment on the ELCB Provider Enrollment Form. (Note: This information comes directly
from the Certificate of Eligibility.) Once a minimum of four (4) certificates have been
received for your class, send the completed form(s) to the Early Learning Coalition. The
Coalition requests that documents be sent by fax (321-637-7243). The reimbursement
Specialist will enroll each child in the classroom specified on the form. A copy of the
document will be returned to you with confirmation numbers which indicate the enrollment
process has been completed for payment purposes.
3.
If, after VPK has begun, additional children are enrolled late, you should ensure the
parent/guardian has a valid Certificate of Eligibility and send an enrollment form with the
child’s name, certificate number, and class name to the Early Learning Coalition.
4. Reenrollments may occur one-time only for Good Cause or Extreme Hardship as defined
by Rule 60BB-8.210, F.A.C. Form AWI-VPK 05 “Reenrollment Application” must be
completed and stapled to the reissued certificate. This form is given to parents to present
to the new provider, along with the new certificate.
I have read and understand the components of this section: _______ (initial)
Documentation of Daily Attendance & Record Keeping
1. The Provider is to abide by Rule 60BB-8.305, F.A.C. (Recording and Certifying Student
Attendance in the VPK Program) and utilize either the AWI-VPK 03S (Child Attendance and
Parental Choice Certificate Short Form) or the AWI-VPK 03L (Child Attendance and
Parental Choice Certificate Long Form).
VPK Provider Agreement
2011-2012
Attachment II
2. Forms AWI-VPK 03S and 03L do not need to be submitted to the Coalition monthly.
Certificates will be reviewed for compliance during annual monitoring of the VPK program.
Please review paragraph 32 of this Agreement for document retention requirements.
3. The Provider is to ensure daily sign-in of each VPK student by the parent, guardian or other
person responsible for the arrival of the child.
4. The Provider must complete the daily attendance roster provided by the Early Learning
Coalition for each child enrolled. Failure to post and properly code all eligible children
served on the attendance sheet will result in non-payment for such services.
3.
The Provider will use the following codes on all attendance sheets:
X- Enrolled/Present
A- Absence
C- Provider Closed
N- Attended, Non-Reimbursable (not enrolled, non-compliance)
T- Terminated
Absence documentation is not required in accordance with Rule 60BB.8.204, F.A.C.
Contact your Reimbursement Specialist for Special Circumstances regarding
absences.
5. If a child is not listed on the attendance roster, the Provider should ensure the ELCB
Provider Enrollment Form has been submitted and a confirmation number has been issued
prior to adding the child to the roster. Once a confirmation number has been issued, the
Provider may then add the child’s name to the roster. This will ensure the child is enrolled in
the classroom for payment purposes.
6. Attendance rosters must be submitted to the Early Learning Coalition by close of business
on the 3rd day of the following month. Rosters may be submitted by mail, faxed to (321)
637-7243 or dropped off at the Early Learning Coalition’s Rockledge office, 1018 Florida
Ave.
I have read and understand the components of this section: _______ (initial)
Payment Procedures
1. To ensure receipt of payment in a timely manner, attendance rosters must be submitted by
the close of business on the 3rd day of each month. Attendance rosters submitted
beyond the timeframe specified may not be reimbursed until the following month.
VPK Provider Agreement
2011-2012
Attachment II
2. Any overpayment identified by the provider shall be repaid within thirty (30) days of
discovery. The Provider should contact the Early Learning Coalition prior to submitting any
re-payments.
3. In the case of advanced payments and reconciliation based on actual attendance,
over/under-payments will be processed through the reconciliation process and may be
added to or deducted from the following month’s payment. If no payment for VPK services
is to be issued the following month, payments may be deducted from the Provider’s total
payment, if applicable.
4. Rule 60BB–8.204, F.A.C., applies for payment purposes only and does not require a
Provider to dismiss a child at any time. While s. 1002.71(6)(d), F.S., permits VPK private
Providers and public schools to adopt their own attendance policies, the Provider should
keep in mind that choosing to implement strict attendance policies risks creating programs
so restrictive that too few children enroll.
Some of the standards regarding the payment for a child’s attendance include:






A Provider is paid for every day a child attends the program.
A Provider is paid for a full day if a child attends any portion of the VPK day, even if the
child leaves early or arrives late.
At a maximum, 20 percent of the total payment made on behalf of a student may be for
hours a student is absent.
Generally, a Provider is paid monthly for all absences as long as a child is not absent
more than 20 percent of the time attended.
If a child is absent more than 20 percent of the time attended, a Provider is paid for
some portion of the absences.
If a child is absent more than 20 percent of the time attended during a specific month,
but is absent for less than 20 percent of the total time attended, the Provider will
receive a reconciliation payment at the end of the class.
5. VPK Providers are not allowed to charge parents for services provided in the VPK program.
Section 1(b), Article IX of the state constitution mandates VPK as a free program. Section
1002.71(8)(a), F.S., specifies that “a private prekindergarten Provider or public school may
not … [r]equire payment of a fee or charge for services provided for a child enrolled in the
Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program during a period reported for funding
purposes.” Charging parents for days a student is absent, whether or not the Provider
receives payment from the Coalition, is not permissible.
I have read and understand the components of this section: _______ (initial)
Monitoring/Corrective Action Plans for Non-Compliance
1. 1. The Provider will be monitored utilizing the Early Learning Coalition’s VPK monitoring tool.
Monitoring visits will occur unannounced.
VPK Provider Agreement
2011-2012
Attachment II
2.
3.
2.
If the Coalition determines the Provider to be out of compliance with the Provider
Agreement (AWI-VPK 20) and its attachments or with the requirements of the VPK
program as set forth in Florida Statutes or state rules, a VPK Notice of Non-Compliance will
be sent to the Provider. The notice will contain the item(s) identified to be out of
compliance, the specific items/actions to be taken to address the compliance issue and the
time frame required for completion.
3. By the specified due date, the Coalition will review the items submitted as the Provider’s
response to the VPK Notice of Non-Compliance and will determine if compliance has been
achieved. If full compliance is achieved, the Provider will be notified that no further action
is necessary. If there continue to be outstanding items/actions to be taken by the Provider,
the Coalition will issue a final 5 day notice for the provider to establish compliance.
4. The Provider’s VPK Provider Agreement may be terminated or funding may be withheld if
compliance is not achieved by the specified due date on the final notice. The Provider may
be required to submit proposed make-up days for instructional days missed due to noncompliance. Funds withheld for noncompliance may be reimbursed once compliance is
achieved.
5. Non-compliance which may result in withholding of funds, suspension, and termination
includes, but is not limited to late or non-submission of attendance rosters, instructor
qualifications not meeting VPK state requirements; non-submission of documentation
specifying reasons for dismissing a child from the VPK program, or findings from annual
VPK monitoring.
I have read and understand the components of this section: _______ (initial)
Submission of Updated Documents
Background screening: Level 2 screenings (FBI, FDLE, and Local Law) must be completed
every 5 years. VPK background screening requirements are different from local licensing
requirements. For VPK instructors whose screening expires during the VPK session, copies of
the re-screening clearance must be submitted to the Provider Contract Coordinator at the
Coalition no less than 30 calendar days prior to the expiration. Affidavits of Good Moral
Character are to be completed upon hire and after a break in service of 90 days or more.
1. Child Care License: License renewals must be submitted to the Provider Contract
Coordinator at the Coalition annually within 30 calendar days of expiration of the old
license. Changes to licensing status including provisional, probationary, suspension, or
loss in license must be immediately reported to the Early Learning Coalition.
VPK Provider Agreement
2011-2012
Attachment II
2. Director’s Credential: When possible, Director’s Credential renewals should be submitted
to the Provider Contract Coordinator at the Coalition no less than 30 calendar days prior to
the expiration.
3. Accreditation / Gold Seal: When possible, renewals should be submitted to the Provider
Contract Coordinator at the Coalition no less than 30 calendar days prior to the expiration
of the old accreditation. Accreditation extensions must be submitted to the Coalition in the
form of a letter from the Accrediting Agency and must include the extension dates.
4. FCCPC: When possible, renewals should be submitted to the Provider Contract
Coordinator at the Coalition no less than 30 calendar days prior to the expiration.
5. Instructor/Director Changes: All changes to VPK instructors and/or VPK directors must be
submitted to the Coalition and approved in accordance with the requirements of law. The
Provider may comply with the requirements of law by complying with the Coalition’s VPK
Provider Notification Policy (Attachment I).
I have read and understand the components of this section: _______ (initial)
Fraud
1. The Coalition takes all matters of reported or suspected fraud seriously and will work in
conjunction with the Agency for Workforce Innovation and Florida Department of Financial
Services for any necessary investigations.
2. Examples of fraud may include but are not limited to falsification of attendance
documentation for students enrolled in the VPK program, falsifying eligibility documentation
such as staff credentials and/or background screenings or tampering with any official VPK
documents.
I have read and understand the components of this section: _______ (initial)
VPK Substitute Policy
1. Before a Provider may assign a substitute instructor to a VPK classroom, the Provider must
ensure that the Coalition has received documentation of the substitute instructor’s current
level 2 background screening and applicable credentials.
VPK Provider Agreement
2011-2012
Attachment II
2. Circumstances: A VPK Provider may assign a substitute instructor when a credentialed
instructor is absent from the Provider’s premise. A substitute instructor MAY NOT be
assigned when a credentialed instructor remains on the Provider’s premises in order for the
credentialed instructor to offer instruction in a classroom other than the one to which the
credentialed instructor is assigned.
3. Time Limitations: Substitute instructors MAY NOT be assigned to substitute for an absent
credentialed instructor in excess of 30 percent of the program hours. A new credentialed
instructor must be assigned to replace the absent instructor in the event the absence of the
credentialed instructor will exceed 30 percent of the program hours.
4. The Provider shall maintain a record of the number of hours a substitute instructor has been
assigned to each VPK classroom. Records created under paragraph (2) shall be
maintained by the VPK Provider for the greater of five years after the employee’s last day of
employment as a VPK instructor or until all investigations to which the records are pertinent
have been resolved and shall be made available for inspection to the Coalition or the
Agency during normal hours of operation, and shall submit a copy of the documentation to
the Coalition or Agency upon request of the Coalition or Agency.
The VPK Substitute Tracking Documentation form is available on the Coalition’s website,
www.elcbrevard.org, under Provider Documentation Resources.
I have read and understand the components of this section: ______(initial)
I agree to abide by the above procedures while providing VPK services for the 2011 – 2012
program year.
__________________________
Printed Name
__________________________
Name of School
__________________________
Signature
__________________________
Date
VPK Provider Agreement
2011-2012
Attachment II