FL S1612

Requires prekindergarten instructors at private providers to complete at least 1.5 continuing education units (15 clock hours) of approved inservice training annually

Narrows acceptable degree qualifications for instructors, changing elementary education certification requirement from "birth through 6th grade" to "birth through kindergarten" and experience requirements from children up to age 8 to age 6

Adds early childhood education as an acceptable associate's degree field alongside child development

Establishes additional funding eligibility for private prekindergarten providers operating in enterprise zones whose instructors hold a bachelor's degree in early childhood education or an associate's degree in early childhood education/child development

Mandates implementation of a single, observational, evidence-based pre- and post-assessment for all VPK students to measure progress in early literacy, numeracy, and language