Fla. Admin. Code R. 6M-8.622 – Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK) Provider Performance Metric and Designation

(1) Purpose. The purpose of this rule is to implement the VPK provider performance metric and designation requirements of Section 1002.68, F.S.
(2) Definitions. For this rule, the following definitions apply:
1. (a) “Composite Program Assessment Score” means an average of all Division of Early Learning-adopted program assessment dimension scores from VPK classrooms, omitting the negative climate score, as defined in subsection (1) in Rule 6M-8.621, F.A.C.
2. (b) “Eligible children” means children who have completed more than fifty (50) percent of the total number of instructional hours of the VPK program in the same provider’s program.
3. (c) “Growth rate” is the rate of learning per month for children enrolled in the VPK program. Growth rate will be calculated by subtracting the progress monitoring one (PM1) score from the progress monitoring three (PM3) score, then dividing by the number of calendar days between PM1 and PM3 administration dates and multiplying by thirty (30).
4. (d) “Highest literacy classification” is known as Probable Reader with a Unified Scaled Score (USS) between 852-1100.
5. (e) “Kindergarten Readiness” is defined as meeting the expected developmental learning outcome as demonstrated by children scoring a USS of 707 or higher on PM3.
6. (f) “Performance metric designations” summarize the profiles of all sites with the following designations: “unsatisfactory,” “below expectations,” “meets expectations,” “above expectations,” and “excellent.”
(3) VPK Provider Performance Metric Components. Each private and public school VPK provider with sufficient data will receive a performance metric designation as provided for in this rule. Sufficient data exists when a provider has a minimum of four (4) eligible children, as defined in paragraph (2)(b), for inclusion in the providers’ metric calculation. The VPK provider performance metric is comprised of three (3) components:
1. (a) Quality. The Quality score is calculated based on the Composite Program Assessment Score as defined in paragraph (2)(a) and will be expressed as a whole number. The Quality score accounts for fifty (50) percent of the total performance metric and each provider can earn a maximum of fifty (50) points for this component. Providers with Composite Program Assessment Scores:
  1. Below 4.00 will earn zero (0) percent or zero (0) of the fifty (50) possible points.
  2. 4.00-4.49 will earn ten (10) percent or five (5) of the fifty (50) possible points.
  3. 4.50-4.99 will earn twenty (20) percent or ten (10) of the fifty (50) possible points.
  4. 5.00-5.49 will earn forty (40) percent or twenty (20) of the fifty (50) possible points.
  5. 5.50-5.99 will earn sixty (60) percent or thirty (30) of the fifty (50) possible points.
  6. 6.00-6.49 will earn eighty (80) percent or forty (40) of the fifty (50) possible points.
  7. 6.50-7.00 will earn one hundred (100) percent or fifty (50) of the fifty (50) possible points.
2. (b) Achievement. The Achievement score accounts for twenty (20) percent of the total performance metric, and each provider can earn a maximum of twenty (20) points for this component. The Achievement score is calculated by multiplying the percentage of eligible children who demonstrate kindergarten readiness, as defined in paragraph (2)(e) of this rule, by one hundred (100) and multiplying the result by twenty (20) percent. The score will be expressed as a whole number by rounding a value of .5 or greater up and rounding a value of less than .5 down.
3. (c) Learning Gains. The Learning Gains score accounts for thirty (30) percent of the total performance metric and each provider can earn a maximum of thirty (30) points for this component.
  1. Learning gains are demonstrated by:
  a. Eligible children in the VPK school-year program with a growth rate of twelve (12) USS points or more per month; or
  b. Eligible children in the VPK summer program with a growth rate of forty (40) USS points or more per month; or
  c. Eligible children maintaining a score within the highest literacy classification at PM1 and PM3.
  2. The Learning Gains score is calculated by multiplying the percentage of eligible children that meet the growth rate, as defined in paragraph (2)(c), by one hundred (100) and multiplying the results by thirty (30) percent. The score will be expressed as a whole number by rounding a value of .5 or greater up and rounding a value of less than .5 down.
(4) VPK Provider Performance Metric Calculation. The department must calculate a VPK provider performance metric for each private or public school VPK provider. A provider’s school-year and summer VPK programs are calculated separately. The VPK performance metric is calculated as the sum of the Quality score, Achievement score, and the Learning Gains score.
(5) VPK Provider Performance Designation. The department will assign each private or public school a VPK provider performance designation as defined in paragraph (2)(f) within forty-five (45) days after the conclusion of the school-year and summer VPK programs based on the VPK provider performance metric. The department must display each provider’s designation in the early learning provider performance profiles, in accordance with Sections 1002.68 and 1002.92(3), F.S. For a provider to have successfully implemented the VPK Program, a provider must achieve a performance designation of: meets expectations, above expectations, or excellent. A provider with a performance designation below expectations or unsatisfactory, fails to meet this standard and will be placed on probation, in accordance with Section 1002.68, F.S.
1. (a) Designations will be assigned to providers based on the percentage of total applicable points earned as follows:
  1. Sixty-one (61) points or higher equals a designation of “Excellent.”
  2. Forty-six (46) to sixty (60) points equals a designation of “Above Expectations.”
  3. Twenty-eight (28) to forty-five (45) points equals a designation of “Meets Expectations.”
  4. Sixteen (16) to twenty-seven (27) points equals a designation of “Below Expectations.”
  5. Fifteen (15) points or less equals a designation of “Unsatisfactory.”
2. (b) The department will assign VPK providers who do not have all three (3) metric components the designation of incomplete.
3. (c) When a transfer of ownership occurs, as defined in subsection (9) in Rule 6M-8.301, F.A.C., and the new private VPK owner has delivered:
  1. More than fifty (50) percent of the VPK school-year or summer program instructional hours, the VPK provider performance designation will be binding on the provider.
  2. Fifty (50) percent or less of the VPK school-year or summer program instructional hours, the VPK provider performance designation will not be binding on the provider and the provider will be assigned the designation of incomplete.

Rulemaking Authority 1001.02(2)(n), 1002.79, FS. Law Implemented 1002.68 FS. History–New 9-24-24.