Covid-19 Updates
For Families
Resources for Families
We continue to serve families and providers via email, telephone, and The Department of Education, Office of Early Learning, and Early Learning Coalition of Lake County are committed to providing up-to-date information and guidance to our early learning community to address concerns. The health and safety of our School Readiness (SR) and Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK) students, families, providers and staff is of utmost importance. This information will be updated as necessary while our communities mitigate the effects of COVID-19.online.
Contact staff with questions or concerns at 352-435-0566 or info@elclc.org.
Policy Waivers Include:
- Suspending ALL terminations of School Readiness eligibility, effective March 15 until further notice. This will be evaluated every two weeks.
- Granting 60-day extensions for ALL re-determinations and waitlist renewals for School Readiness eligibility, from the clients’ re-determination date, effective March 15. This will be evaluated every two weeks.
- Waiving parent co-pays for School Readiness families, regardless of income. Providers may still charge applicable differentials. This will go into effect April 1 until further notice. This will be reevaluated every two weeks.
- Redeterminations will be processed with correct parent fees. Fees will not be applied during waiver period.
- Waiving required documentation for School Readiness child absences, effective March 1 until further notice. This will be reevaluated every two weeks.
MORE RESOURCES
General Information [Florida Department of Health]
Up-to-date facts and figures about the Coronavirus in Florida. Includes this interactive map to examine specific counties and track progression over time.
Fact-Checking Misinformation [World Health Organization]
The World Health Organization (WHO) corrects many of the misconceptions surrounding the Coronavirus such as interaction with the weather, potential causes, and dietary interactions.
Compiled below are a variety of different services, resources, and guides to help ease discomfort for the duration of the Coronavirus pandemic. We will continue to update this information in the coming days and weeks as the situation evolves.
Internet & Phone Services [FL Department of Education]
To help families access various resources, a number of companies are offering heavily discounted or free services for individuals that qualify. AT&T is offering new customers 2 months of free home WiFi service. T-Mobile has suspended data-limits and late-fees. These and offerings from Microsoft, Verizon, Comcast, Spectrum, and more are listed here.
For Providers
COVID-19 EXPOSURE REPORTING FORM
Resources for Providers
We continue to serve families and providers via email, telephone, and online.
The Department of Education, Office of Early Learning, and Early Learning Coalition of Lake County are committed to providing up-to-date information and guidance to our Early Learning Community to address concerns. The health and safety of our School Readiness (SR) and Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK) students, families, providers and staff is of utmost importance. This information will be updated as necessary while our communities mitigate the effects of COVID-19.
Contact staff with questions or concerns at 352-435-0566 or info@elclc.org.
Policy Waivers Include:
- Reimbursing for Voluntary Prekindergarten and School Readiness. Effective March 1, until further notice.
- Providers will be paid for active enrollments in SR and VPK unless a child transfers to different provider.
- Child Absences – The absence rules for SR and VPK have been temporarily waived. That means providers do not have to worry about the 10 day limit for SR and 20% limit for VPK. Additionally, absence documentation will not be required during this time. Providers should not change their VPK calendar or they won’t be paid for closures.
- Provider Closures – The Temporary Closure Rules are being waived to allow for longer closures. Providers will be paid for all active SR & VPK enrollments during temporary closures related to the COVID-19 virus emergency.
- Parents do not need to sign in/out if a provider is closed or their child is absent.
- Report all closures to Joy Flynn at jflynn@elclc.org
- Waiving parent co-pays for all eligible School Readiness families, regardless of their income, effective April 1.
- Providers will be reimbursed the full rate; parent fees will not be deducted from a provider’s payment.
- This includes children both absent and present at providers both open and closed.
- This does not affect rate differentials charged by some providers.
- Providers will be reimbursed at the full SR rate; parent fees will not be deducted from payment.
- Starting April 1, SR and VPK providers will receive the full SR reimbursement rate without parent fees deducted.
- Eliminating all remaining requirements for remaining child screenings/assessments (SR child assessment, VPK assessments and ASQ screening) and provider program assessments for the 2019-20 program year (June 30).
- Extending timelines for provider quality improvement plans and reports.
- Extending deadline for application for Good Cause Exemption for VPK POP3 to April 15.
- Waiving accountability implications of the Fall 2020 kindergarten screening for VPK providers. In turn, 2019-20 VPK Readiness Rates will not be calculated.
GENERAL RESOURCES
General Information [Florida Department of Health]
Up-to-date facts and figures about the Coronavirus in Florida. Includes this interactive map to examine specific counties and track progression over time.
Fact-Checking Misinformation [World Health Organization]
The World Health Organization (WHO) corrects many of the misconceptions surrounding the Coronavirus such as interaction with the weather, potential causes, and dietary interactions.
Compiled below are a variety of different services, resources, and guides to help ease discomfort for the duration of the Coronavirus pandemic. We will continue to update this information in the coming days and weeks as the situation evolves.
Price Gouging Hotline [State of Florida]
If you experience a case of someone charging drastically inflated prices for items such as hand sanitizer or medical masks, reports can be made by calling 866-966-7226. More info here.
Cleaning and Disinfection for Community Facilities [CDC]
Exceptionally detailed information about sanitization best practices. Most disinfectants are currently believed to kill the Coronavirus, meaning that “most common EPA-registered household disinfectants should be effective.
General Resources
General Resources
Important Announcements
IMPORTANT NUMBERS
24/7 CDC Call Center: (800) 232-4636
Lake County Covid-19 Call Center (24/7): (866) 779-6121
General Information [Florida Department of Health]
Fact-Checking Misinformation [World Health Organization]