(1) The Legislature recognizes the importance of preschool developmental education and the need for adult students with limited economic resources to have access to high-quality, affordable child care at variable hours for their children. It is therefore the intent of the Legislature that Florida College System institutions provide high-quality, affordable child care to the children of adult students enrolled in Florida College System institutions. The primary purpose of these child development training centers is to provide affordable child care for children of adult students, particularly those who demonstrate financial need, as well as for employees and staff of the institution. Further, the child development training centers are intended to provide both preschool instruction to the children and clinical experiences for prospective child care and early childhood instructional and administrative personnel. A secondary mission of the centers shall be to provide instruction in parenting skills for the clients of the center as well as for the community.
(2) In consultation with the student government association or a recognized student group representing the student body, a Florida College System institution board of trustees may establish a child development training center in accordance with this section. Each child development training center shall be a child care center established to provide child care during the day and at variable hours, including evenings and weekends, for the children of students. Emphasis should be placed on serving students who demonstrate financial need as defined by the board of trustees. At least 50 percent of the child care slots must be made available to students, and financially needy students, as defined by the board of trustees, shall receive child care slots first. The center may serve the children of staff, employees, and faculty; however, a designated number of child care slots shall not be allocated for employees. Whenever possible, the center shall be located on the campus of the Florida College System institution. However, the board may elect to provide child care services for students through alternative mechanisms, which may include contracting with private providers.
(3) There shall be a board of directors of each child development training center, consisting of the president or his or her designee, the student government president or his or her designee, the chair of the department participating in the center or his or her designee, and one parent for each 25 children enrolled in the center, elected by the parents of the children enrolled in the center. There shall be a director of each center, selected by the board of directors of the center. The director shall be an ex officio, nonvoting member of the board. The board of trustees shall establish local policies and perform local oversight and operational guidance for the center.
(4) Each center may charge fees for the care and services it provides. Each board of trustees shall establish mechanisms to facilitate access to center services for students with financial need, which shall include a sliding fee scale and other methods adopted by the board of trustees to reduce or defray payment of fees for students. The board of trustees is authorized to seek and receive grants and other resources to support the operation of the child development center.
(5) In addition to revenues derived from child care fees charged to parents and other external resources, each child development training center may be funded by a portion of funds from the student activity and service fee authorized by s. 1009.23(7) and the capital improvement fee authorized by s. 1009.23(11). Florida College System institutions are authorized to transfer funds as necessary from the Florida College System institution’s general fund to support the operation of the child development training center. (6) This section does not preclude the continuation of or in any way affect child care centers operated by Florida College System institutions that were established by the district board of trustees prior to July 1, 1994.
