FL H1259

Private prekindergarten providers in designated enterprise zones with instructors holding bachelor's degrees in early childhood education or associate's degrees in early childhood education/child development become eligible for additional funding through the General Appropriations Act

Acceptable degree fields for prekindergarten instructors expanded to include "prekindergarten through 3rd grade" in addition to existing early childhood education qualifications

Instructor certification age range narrowed from "birth through 6th grade" to "birth through kindergarten" for those with elementary education degrees

Experience requirement for instructors with unrelated degrees modified to apply to children ages birth through 6 years (reduced from 8 years)

VPK program pre- and post-assessments must use a single, standardized evidence-based tool approved by the State Board of Education, measuring early literacy, numeracy, and language development