CS/HB 5103 - School Readiness Programs Summary

• Establishes the School Readiness Allocation Conference to develop and approve formulas for allocating school readiness program funds among early learning coalitions, with the Office of Early Learning submitting recommendations by May 31, 2012 and January 1 of each year thereafter.

• Requires early learning coalitions to serve a minimum of 2,000 children and establishes procedures for coalition mergers; limits the number of coalitions to 31 or fewer to achieve adequate operational scale and compliance with expenditure limits.

• Implements standardized statewide provider contracts that coalitions must use without omission, supplement, or amendment; requires annual preassessment and postassessment of children using performance standards adopted by the Office of Early Learning.

• Establishes payment rates and sliding fee scales through the General Appropriations Act rather than by coalitions; limits administrative costs to 4 percent and combined administrative costs, quality activities, and nondirect services to 18 percent of allocated funds.

• Creates fraud investigation and penalty provisions allowing the Office of Early Learning inspector general to investigate overpayments and fraudulent acts, with permanent program exclusion for convicted providers and restrictions on related providers sharing officers or directors.