Gold Seal Quality Care

In 1996, the Florida Legislature established the Gold Seal Quality Care program to acknowledge child care facilities and family day care homes that are accredited by nationally recognized agencies and whose standards reflect quality in the level of care and supervision provided to children. In addition, the Legislature established provisions for Gold Seal providers participating in the subsidized child care program, a.k.a. school readiness and early Learning, to receive a higher reimbursement per child, than providers not receiving a Gold Seal designation.

In 1999, the Legislature revised the program to provide tax incentives through the Department of Revenue or county tax appraiser for participating in the Gold Seal Quality Care Program. Since then, the Legislature has revised the maximum amount of the reimbursement. Currently, the rate differential cannot exceed 20% above the reimbursement rate established by the local early learning coalition, a.k.a. the local school readiness coalition.

In December 2004, Voluntary Prekindergarten ( VPK ) legislation was passed and signed into law. This bill requires participating child care facilities and homes to maintain quality care accreditation and higher education standards for staff. The Gold Seal Quality Care Program is an approved accreditation for child care providers to be eligible to participate in VPK. For other VPK eligibility options, please click here for information on the Voluntary Prekindergarten Program.

The following is a current list of approved agencies participating in the Gold Seal Quality Care Program. You can obtain more information about a particular agency by clicking on any of the agency acronyms upon opening the list.
ACSI - Association of Christian Schools International
ACTS - Association of Christian Teachers and Schools
APPLE - Accredited Professional Preschool Learning Environment
COA - Council On Accreditation ( multi-site, multi-program organizations only )
MSAC - Montessori School Accreditation Commission
NAA - National After-School Association
NAC - National Accreditation Commission for Early Care and Education Programs
NAEYC - National Association for the Education of Young Children
NAFCC - National Association for Family Child Care
NCPSA - National Council for Private School Accreditation
NECPA - National Early Childhood Program Accreditation
SACS - Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
UMAP - United Methodist Association of Preschools
Accrediting Agency Side-By-Side Comparison Updated 03/09

To be recognized as a Gold Seal Quality Care Program provider, please follow the steps below:

1. Review the List of Approved Accrediting Agencies located above and contact the agency that best meets your needs and the needs of your program.
2. Review the agency's accreditation requirements and follow procedures for accreditation. Many child care providers are surprised to learn that they already meet some or many of the accrediting standards.
3. Once a provider has achieved accreditation from an approved accrediting agency, the agency will forward the following information to the DCF Child Care Program Office:
• A copy of the accreditation certificate or letter from the association verifying that the provider is accredited.
• The child care provider's validation/expiration/renewal date.
• The child care provider's complete mailing address.
4. Upon receipt of the information above, the department will award a Gold Seal Certificate to the child care provider, recognizing their achievement. The certificate will be mailed directly to the child care provider. If you are accredited by one of the department's approved accrediting agencies and have not received a Gold Seal certificate within 90 days of the accreditation date, please contact us at 1-888-352-4453 or fax your accreditation certificate to 866-596-9513, attention Christian Winterbottom.
5. Proof of the Gold Seal Quality Care accreditation is required for Voluntary Prekindergarten and tied to increased payments to child care providers participating in the early learning program. It is also required proof for tax incentives outlined in s. 212.08, F.S.

Accreditation typically takes between 9 and 24 months.

If you are interested in becoming a Gold Seal Quality Care accrediting agency, please follow the steps below:

1. Download and complete the Gold Seal Quality Care Accrediting Association Application for accrediting agencies. Applications will only be accepted during the months of January and July.
2. Mail 5 copies of the completed application and all supporting documentation to the following address:
   

   Department of Children and Families
   Child Care Program Office
   C/O Gold Seal Program
   1317 Winewood Blvd
   Building 6 - Room 386
   Tallahassee, FL 32399-0700

3. Upon receipt of the completed application and supporting documentation, the Child Care Program Office along with a committee of early childhood professionals and representatives from the Department of Children and Families and the Department of Education, will review the documentation to determine if it meets or exceeds the standards of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), the National Association of Family Child Care, and the National Early Childhood Program Accreditation Commission.
4. Based on the review, the applicant will receive a letter from the Child Care Program Office either awarding approval, making recommendations of changes that need to be made before approval can be granted, or denying approval of the application. The Child Care Program Office will work with the applicants through conference calls, meetings or other viable mechanisms to assist them in reaching the Gold Seal standard. Assuming the applicant meets the standards or has only a few changes, this process takes a minimum of 8 weeks upon receipt of the application to the Child Care program office.
5. If approved, the new Gold Seal accrediting agency will be listed on our web site as an approved accrediting agency for 5 years. It is the responsibility of the accrediting agencies to update the Child Care Program Office on a quarterly basis as to their accredited child care providers. This includes, but it not limited to: new providers, renewed providers, terminated providers, and providers on provisional accreditation.
6. Each approved Gold Seal Quality Care accrediting agency is required to complete the renewal application and submit any updated documentation for review 6 months prior to their accreditation expiration date.

Child Care Educational Materials Tax Exemption

Certain educational materials purchased by a qualified Gold Seal child care facility are exempt from taxation. If your child care facility meets all 3 requirements listed within the application below and you have not submitted the appropriate tax exemption information, please complete and mail the attached form, Application for Sales and Use Tax Exemption for Gold Seal Quality Care Facilities, so that we may accurately reflect your information within our system. Tax exemption data will be updated and exchanged with DOR on a monthly basis, therefore, please allow 2 months to receive your Gold Seal tax exemption certificate by mail. Once received, present this card to retailers for tax exemption of qualified educational materials. Please remember that your tax exemption card is only valid during your Gold Seal accreditation period.

GS Tax Exempt Application
Child Care Facility Tax Credits

Application for Child Care Facility Tax Credits:
Call 1-800-352-3671 for more information.

For more information on the GS Tax Exempt Application, please call 1-888-352-2842.

For more information on Tax Credits, visit the links above or contact the Department of Revenue at 1-800-352-3671.

The Florida Enterprise Zone is a specific geographic area targeted for economic revitalizing. They encourage economic growth and investment in distressed areas by offering tax advantages and incentives to businesses locating within the zone boundaries. For more information visit the links below.

Florida Enterprise Zone
Enterprise Zone Contact List

Section 402.281 Gold Seal Quality Care program
(1) Child care facilities, large family child care homes, or family day care homes that are accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting association whose standards substantially meet or exceed the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), the National Association of Family Child Care, and the National Early Childhood Program Accreditation Commission shall receive a separate "Gold Seal Quality Care" designation to operate as a gold seal child care facility, large family child care home, or family day care home.

(2) In developing the Gold Seal Quality Care program standards, the department shall consult with the Department of Education, the Florida Head Start Directors Association, the Florida Association of Child Care Management, the Florida Family Day Care Association, the Florida Children's Forum, the State Coordinating Council for School Readiness Programs, the Early Childhood Association of Florida, the National Association for Child Development Education, providers receiving exemptions under s. 402.316, and parents, for the purpose of approving the accrediting associations.

(3) In order to obtain and maintain a designation as a Gold Seal Quality Care provider, a child care facility, large family child care home, or family day care home must meet the following additional criteria:

(a) The child care provider must not have had any class I violations, as defined by rule, within the 2 years preceding its application for designation as a Gold Seal Quality Care provider. Commission of a class I violation shall be grounds for termination of the designation as a Gold Seal Quality Care provider until the provider has no class I violations for a period of 2 years.

(b) The child care provider must not have had three or more class II violations, as defined by rule, within the 2 years preceding its application for designation as a Gold Seal Quality Care provider. Commission of three or more class II violations within a 2-year period shall be grounds for termination of the designation as a Gold Seal Quality Care provider until the provider has no class II violations for a period of 1 year.

(c) The child care provider must not have been cited for the same class III violation, as defined by rule, three or more times within the 2 years preceding its application for designation as a Gold Seal Quality Care provider. Commission of the same class III violation three or more times during a 2-year period shall be grounds for termination of the designation as a Gold Seal Quality Care provider until the provider has no class III violations for a period of 1 year.

(4) The Department of Children and Family Services shall adopt rules under ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54 which provide criteria and procedures for reviewing and approving accrediting associations for participation in the Gold Seal Quality Care program, conferring and revoking designations of Gold Seal Quality Care providers, and classifying violations.
(History) s. 72, ch. 96-175; s. 5, ch. 99-304; s. 17, ch. 2000-337; s. 26, ch. 2001-170; s. 1, ch. 2006-91.

402.26 Child care; legislative intent

(6) It is the intent of the Legislature that a child care facility licensed pursuant to s. 402.305 or a child care facility exempt from licensing pursuant to s. 402.316, that achieves Gold Seal Quality status pursuant to s. 402.281, be considered an educational institution for the purpose of qualifying for exemption from ad valorem tax pursuant to s. 196.198.
(History) s. 32, ch. 90-306; s. 70, ch. 96-175; s. 4, ch. 99-304.

402.3051 Child care market rate reimbursement; child care grants

(2) The department shall establish procedures to reimburse licensed, exempt, or registered child care providers who hold a Gold Seal Quality Care designation at the market rate for child care services for children who are eligible to receive subsidized child care; and licensed, exempt, or registered child care providers at the prevailing market rate for child care services for children who are eligible to receive subsidized child care, unless prohibited by federal law under [1]s. 402.3015. The department shall establish procedures to reimburse providers of unregulated child care at not more than 50 percent of the market rate. The payment system may not interfere with the parents' decision as to the appropriate child care arrangement, regardless of the level of available funding for child care. The child care program assessment tool may not be used to determine reimbursement rates.

(5) The department may adopt rules and other policy provisions necessary to implement this section.

(6) This section shall be implemented only to the extent that funding is available.
(History) s. 4, ch. 91-300; s. 78, ch. 96-175; s. 11, ch. 99-304.

VPK - 1002.55 School-year prekindergarten program delivered by private prekindergarten providers

( 3 ) ( b ) 2. Hold a current Gold Seal Quality Care designation under s. 402.281; 323

212.08 Sales, rental, use, consumption, distribution, and storage tax; specified exemptions

The sale at retail, the rental, the use, the consumption, the distribution, and the storage to be used or consumed in this state of the following are hereby specifically exempt from the tax imposed by this chapter.

(5)(m) EXEMPTIONS; ACCOUNT OF USE - Educational materials purchased by certain child care facilities. - Educational materials, such as glue, paper, paints, crayons, unique craft items, scissors, books, and educational toys, purchased by a child care facility that meets the standards delineated in s. 402.305, is licensed under s. 402.308, holds a current Gold Seal Quality Care designation pursuant to s. 402.281, and provides basic health insurance to all employees are exempt from the taxes imposed by this chapter. For purposes of this paragraph, the term "basic health insurance" shall be defined and promulgated in rules developed jointly by the Department of Children and Family Services, the Agency for Health Care Administration, and the Financial Services Commission.
(History) s. 3, ch. 99-304; s. 186, ch. 2003-261.

2004-2005 General Appropriations Act Specific Appropriation 2122F

Managed by Agency for Workforce Innovation Office of Early Learning
Funds in Specific Appropriations 2122F, 2122G, and 2122H, from the Child Care and Development Block Grant Trust Fund may be used to provide a rate differential or stipend to programs which reach the Gold Seal Quality Care designation. The rate differential shall not exceed 20 percent of the reimbursement rate.

Each report listed below is a "snap-shot" of all recorded Gold Seal child care providers as of the date generated. If you need to verify the Gold Seal status as of today, please click the "Provider Search" link below and search for the specific provider. All reports listed below and Gold Seal certificates issued to providers are generated based on data located within the "Provider Search".