Notice is hereby given that the following changes have been made to the proposed rule in accordance with subparagraph 120.54(3)(d)1., F.S., published in Vol. 38 No. 1, January 6, 2012 issue of the Florida Administrative Weekly.

Paragraph (2)(b), subsection (3), subparagraph (3)(a)1. and subparagraph (3)(b)1. of Rule 6A-1.099821 are amended to read:

(b) If a private or public provider disputes the accuracy of the cumulative list of VPK participants or the total number of hours the VPK participants ~~they~~ attended when such change would result in their inclusion or exclusion in the calculation of the VPK Provider Kindergarten Readiness Rate, as measured by the threshold of seventy (70) percent, as described in subparagraph (3)(a)1., of this rule, the provider may submit corrective information to the Department of Education within the review period described below after publication of the cumulative list on the Department’s website (vpk.fldoe.org). The Department, in collaboration with Florida’s Office of Early Learning and the respective Early Learning Coalition, shall review the corrective information and accept or reject the requested corrective information within the review period described below.

(3) Criteria for Inclusion in and Calculations of the VPK Readiness Rate.

1. Attended in the VPK program for seventy (70) percent or more of the total number of instructional hours; and

2. Kindergarten student scores on the Florida Assessments for Instruction in Reading (FAIR) assessment administered during the first thirty (30) days of the school year must demonstrate a probability of reading success of .67 or higher to be considered “ready for kindergarten.” Kindergarten student scores on the Early Childhood Observation System (ECHOS) must indicate that the student is either “emerging/progressing” or “demonstrating” to be considered “ready for kindergarten.” In order for a provider to be considered to have successfully administered the VPK program, the provider must have seventy (70) percent of children ready using the calculation in this section. A provider failing to meet this standard will be placed on probation.