Market rate schedule.

The school readiness program market rate schedule shall be implemented as follows:

(1) The department shall establish procedures for the adoption of a market rate schedule. The schedule must include, at a minimum, county-by-county rates and the market rate, to include the minimum and the maximum rates for child care providers that hold a Gold Seal Quality Care designation under s. 1002.945 and adhere to its accrediting association’s teacher-to-child ratios and group size requirements and for child care providers that do not hold a Gold Seal Quality Care designation.

(2) The market rate schedule must differentiate rates by provider type, including, but not limited to:

(a) Child care providers licensed under s. 402.305, faith-based child care providers exempt from licensure under s. 402.316, and large family child care homes licensed under s. 402.3131.

(b) Public or nonpublic schools exempt from licensure under s. 402.3025.

(c) Family child care homes licensed or registered under s. 402.313.

(3) The market rate schedule must differentiate rates by care level that includes infants, toddlers, 2-year-old children, 3-year-old children, 4-year-old children, 5-year-old children, and school-age children.

(4) The market rate schedule must differentiate rates between full-time and part-time child care services.

(5) The market rate schedule must be based exclusively on the prices charged for child care services.

(6) The department may contract with one or more qualified entities to administer this section and provide support and technical assistance for child care providers.

(7) The department may adopt rules for establishing procedures for the collection of child care providers’ market rate, the calculation of the prevailing market rate by program care level and provider type in a predetermined geographic market, and the publication of the market rate schedule.