Dear Early Learning Provider,
We recognize the importance of consistent front-line information. You need information to help the children and families you serve--whether or not your program is open or temporarily closed at the moment.
We made a commitment to share accurate and timely information so you have the tools to make decisions for your school and community. Please see the below update from The Office of Early Learning.
Lastly, please take a moment to follow our
facebook page. We are sharing valuable resources for providers, parents, and the community.
Sincerely,
The Early Learning Coalition of Palm Beach County
Office of Early Learning
The health and safety of the children and families in our School Readiness (SR) and Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK) programs along with the childcare teachers and directors is of utmost importance to the Department of Education and the Office of Early Learning.
Child care providers have flexibility to make the business decision to stay open or temporarily close based on the needs of their community. For child care providers who choose to remain open, we strongly recommend their adherence to the
CDC’s March 15, 2020 Interim Guidance
by limiting students and employees to no more than 10 people in a single occupied space. These providers should also continue to implement health and safety routines and proper hygiene within their programs and adhere to CDC guidance which includes but is not limited to:
- Encouraging staff and parents to protect their personal health.
- Posting signs and symptoms of COVID-19: fever, cough, shortness of breath.
- Encouraging parents to stay home and keep children home when sick.
- Creating and maintaining heightened cleaning and sanitation procedures is of the utmost important; Clean surfaces that are frequently touched – things such as shared desks, toys, counter-tops, kitchen areas, electronics and doorknobs.
- Postponing or canceling field trips and meetings that require close contact.
- Staying up to date on developments in your community.
- Creating an emergency plan for possible outbreak.
In collaboration with your early learning coalition,
we are committed to minimizing the fiscal impact to providers and families.
These efforts include:
- Ensuring that all SR and VPK providers receive their funding – which means we will pay/reimburse for additional child absences when the provider is open and for those that occur during temporary closures.
- Eliminating the requirement for the remaining child screenings/assessments or provider program assessments for the 2019-20 program year.
- Extending timelines for provider improvement plans, reports, and VPK calendars.
- Click here to read the DOE press release.
For families, we are:
- Suspending termination of SR eligibility.
- Extending the timelines for re-determination of SR eligibility.
- Waiving parent co-pays/fees for SR families with incomes above 100% of the poverty level.
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