SCHOOL READINESS EARLY EDUCATION AND CARE
Definition of Terms

Administrative Services – Services necessary to administer programs. Administrative services include fiscal/financial services, human resources, contract management and procurement of local match.

Accredited – A licensed child care center or home will apply to a national early childhood association and meets certain health and safety requirements, curriculum and adult child ratios.

Accrediting Association – An organization that accredits providers, such as the National Association for Family Child Care, the National Association for the Education of Young Children and other similar organizations.

Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ) or Brigance – The instruments used to screen the children ages birth -four for developmental readiness.

Background Screening – Screening of individuals for reports of abuse neglect; in addition, criminal records screening encompasses the FBI criminal records check.

Caretaker/Caregiver – An individual or organization who provides school readiness services to children.

Categories of Care – Refers to whether center-based, family child care or in-home care.

Center Based Child Care Provider; Child Care Facility – A provider licensed or otherwise authorized to provide child care services for fewer than 24 hours per day per child in a non-residential setting. Additionally, 402.302(2), F.S., defines child care facility as including any child care center or child care arrangement which provides child care for more than five (5) children unrelated to the operator and which receives a payment, fee or grant for any of the children receiving care, wherever operated, and whether or not operated for profit.

Central Agency – Synonymous with 4C Agency/ Community Coordinated Care for Children

Certified Early Childhood Teacher – A teacher with a 4-year degree plus additional specialized training in child growth and development and learning strategies for young children. In Florida degreed teachers can have certification in 1)birth to 4 years of age, 2)age 3 to grade 3, 3) primary education (preschool) and, 4) elementary education (grades 1-6).

Child Care – The care, protection and supervision of a child for a period of less than 24 hours a day on a regular basis, which supplements parental care, enrichment and health supervision for the child, in accordance with his or her individual needs, and for which a payment, fee or grant is made or care.

Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R) – The process of contacting Community Coordinated Care for Children (4C) for child care information. This is to assist parents in making an informed choice.

Child Care Training Certificate (30 hours) – All child care providers must have this certificate. In order to maintain certification, 8 hours of continued training is required annually.

Child Development Associate (CDA) – A national credential awarded by the National Council for Early Childhood Professionals located in Washington, D.C. The purpose of the program is to enhance the quality of child care by defining, evaluating and recognizing the competence of child care providers. Once CDA is required for every 20 children in a child care location.

Collaboration – Working together to meet common goals, such as various agencies or individuals meeting together to work out solutions to problems.

Degreed Teacher – A teacher who has completed a 4-year degree in a specialized area of coursework.

Department of Children and Families (DCF) – Child care unit

Department of Education, Office of Early Intervention & Prevention (DOE)

Developmentally appropriate curriculum – curriculum containing activities and instruction designed to foster maximum brain development and education for each age group

Developmental Delays – delay in one or more of the following areas: adaptive or self-help development, cognitive development, communication development, socail or emotional development, or physical development, including fine, growth or perceptual motor in children ages birth through five years of age.

Economically Disadvantaged – A child whose family income is below 150% of the federal poverty level.

Even Start – A family education program for families with children ages birth to seven years.

Fiscal Agent – The agency responsible for the administration of the community’s early education and care funds. This agent may be a public entity or a private nonprofit organization. The agent shall be required to provide financial and administrative services pursuant to a contract or agreement with the Coalition. The agent may not provide direct early education or child care services, however, a fiscal agent may provide such services upon written request of the Coalition to the Partnership and upon the approval of such request by the Partnership. The cost of the financial and administrative services shall be negotiated between the fiscal agent and the Coalition. If the fiscal agent is a provider of early education and care programs, the contract must specify that the agent will act on policy direction from its own corporate board regarding disbursal of Coalition funds. The agent shall disburse funds in accordance with the approved Coalition school readiness plan and based on billing and disbursement procedures approved by the Partnership. The agent must conform to all data-reporting requirements established by the Partnership.

Florida Children’s Forum – organization responsible for administering the state-wide Quality Initiative grant; provides technical support to Central Agencies regarding the Child Care Resource & Referral system

Florida First Start (FFS) – A home visitor program funded through the State lottery. This program is available to families with children from birth to three years of age in designated school areas. The program offers home visits, parent and child time, parent education, medical and educational screening referral network and coordinates with early intervention and exceptional educational programs. The program supports parents in their role as their child’s first teacher.

Gold Seal – An accredited facility must apply to the State of Florida and the you receive a gold seal automatically. Gold Seal facilities receive a higher reimbursement rate.

Head Start – A program for preschool children of low income families which is federally funded by the Department of Health and Human Services. The Head Start program is a tax exempt, non-profit organization operated in Osceola County.

High Scope – A model for developing high quality early childhood programs that encourage and support children’s initiatives and active learning experiences.

Home Visitor Program – Program representatives from various programs visit in the homes of families. The of times a family receives a visit varies based on the program. The program provides parent strategies, education and care tips, as well as information on child growth and development to foster early learning.

Inclusion – The process of including children with disabilities in a regular classroom or child care setting.

Informal Caregiver – School readiness services provided through a friend or family member that is not registered or licensed through the State of Florida. The caregiver can provide care and has an abuse back ground check run on personnel but does not have site inspections.

Licensed Caregiver – A child care center or home that is registered with the State of Florida and meets certain health and safety requirements, background checks are run on personnel and the facility is inspected twice a year in order to be licensed.

National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC) – This Association is nationally recognized for its accreditation process of family child care homes.

National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) – This Association is nationally recognized for its accreditation process of early education and care programs.

Parental Choice – The process of informing parents of the various early education and care options (registered, licensed, religious-exempt, school based programs) within the community.

Part B Services – Services designed to enhance the development of infants and toddlers with disabilities that would minimize their potential for developmental delay or disability. Part B services could include resource educational placement, full time self-contained classroom setting, placement at a community based center with consult educational services.

Part C Services –In 1986 Congress passed, Individual With Disabilities Act (IDEA) this legislation ensures services for children birth to 36 months of age with existing developmental delay or disabilities. Administered at the State level by the Department of Heath/Children’s Medical Services (CMS).

Partnership – Agency of Workforce Innovation - Office of Early Learning will include the Lt. Governor, the Secretary of Children and Family Services, the Secretary of Health, the chairperson of the Child Care Executive Partnership Board and the chairperson of the WAGES Program State Board of Directors. The Partnership shall also include 10 members of the public who shall be business, community, and civic leaders in the state who are not elected to public office.

Ratios – The number of adults needed per number of children.

Readiness – As defined by the Partnership for School Readiness

Registered Caregiver – A child care center or home that is registered with the State of Florida. A registered caregiver has background checks run on personnel by there are not site inspections.

Reimbursement Rate – A schedule that encompasses all programs funded by the Coalition. The rate schedule must take into consideration the relevant market rate, must include the projected number of children to be served, and must be submitted to the Partnership for information. Informal child care arrangements shall be reimbursed at not more than 50% of the rate developed for family child care.

School based Exceptional Student Education (ESE) – 3 and 4 year old children with disabilities are co-located at established school based early education and care sites, providing an opportunity for mainstreaming disabled children when appropriate, and inclusionary practices for all children to interact together and share field trips.

School Readiness Services – Administered through 4C. The program is available through various participating school readiness providers in Osceola County. Eligibility is based on total family income and parents must be working at least 20 hours a week. The program serves children from 6 weeks to 12 years of age. Fees are assessed based on a sliding scale. Transportation must be provided by the parent.

Streamlined System of Entry/Single Point of Entry – This computerized system will maintain information regarding all children waiting to receive services for school based and private early education and care sites including Head Start.

Support Staff – Staff under direction of the Executive Director of the Partnership

Transition – The process of preparing children who are in early education and care sites for entry into school or other early education and care programs.

Sunshine Law – in 1976 a constitutional initiative resulted concerning ethics in government.

Strategic Plan – A plan developed by the community written to accomplish the legislatively outlined tasks including the performance standards and outcomes measures established by the Partnership as well as, address the needs of all eligible children. The Strategic Plan must include a written description of the role of the program in the Coalition’s effort to meet the education goal, readiness to start school. The Strategic Plan is submitted to the Partnership for approval, rejection or revision.

Types of Child Care
a) Informal
b) Registered
c) Licensed
d) Accredited
e) Gold Seal