Prekindergarten director credential.

(1) The department, in consultation with the Department of Children and Families, shall adopt minimum standards for a credential for prekindergarten directors of private prekindergarten providers delivering the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program. The credential must encompass requirements for education and onsite experience.

(2) The educational requirements must include training in the following:

(a) Professionally accepted standards for prekindergarten programs, early learning, and strategies and techniques to address the age-appropriate progress of prekindergarten students in attaining the performance standards adopted by the department under s. 1002.67;

(b) Implementation of curriculum and usage of student-level data to inform the delivery of instruction;

(c) Strategies that allow students with disabilities and other special needs to derive maximum benefit from the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program; and

(d) Program administration and operations, including management, organizational leadership, and financial and legal issues.

(3) The prekindergarten director credential must meet or exceed the requirements of the Department of Children and Families for the child care facility director credential under s. 402.305(2)(f), and successful completion of the prekindergarten director credential satisfies these requirements for the child care facility director credential.

(4) The department shall, to the maximum extent practicable, award credit to a person who successfully completes the child care facility director credential under s. 402.305(2)(f) for those requirements of the prekindergarten director credential which are duplicative of requirements for the child care facility director credential.