Petitioner: DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES
Respondent: RISE UP LEARNING CENTER
Judges: YOLONDA Y. GREEN
Agency: Department of Children and Family Services
Locations: Daytona Beach, Florida
Filed: May 14, 2019
Status: Closed
Settled and/or Dismissed prior to entry of RO/FO on Wednesday, July 3, 2019.
Latest Update: Oct. 14, 2019
South Daytona, Florida 32119
posi DeSantis
PS Form 3800, April 2015 PSN 7590-02-000- See Reverse tor instructions
ADMINISTRATIVE COMPLAINT
YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED the Department of Children and Families
(Department) intends to revoke the child care facility license issued to Rise Up Learning
Center (License # CO7VO0387). The Department's authority and grounds to impose this
sanction are explained below.
hs
Rise Up Learning Center is licensed by the Department to operate as a child care
facility located at: 707 North Street, Daytona Beach, FL 32114.
Pursuant to s. 402.3055 (2)(g), Fla. Stat., the Department is authorized to revoke
a license for failure to comply with s. 402.302(2), Fla. Stat.
Child care personnel are defined as “all owners, operators, employees, and
volunteers working in a child care facility”, s. 402.302 (3), Fla. Stat.
An operator is defined as “any onsite person ultimately responsible for the overall
operation of a child care facility, whether or not he or she is the owner or
administrator of such facility’, S. 402.302(13), Fla. Stat.
An owner “means the person who is licensed to operate the child care facility”, s.
402.302(14), Fla. Stat.
Section 402.305(2)(a), Fla. Stat., lists minimum standards for child care
personnel which include screening as defined in s. 402.302(15), Fla. Stat., and
that “screening shall be conducted as provided in chapter 435, using the level 2
standards for screening set forth in that chapter’.
NORTHEAST REGION
Circuit 7(Flagler, Putnam, St. Johns, and Volusia Counties)
210 N Palmetto Avenue, Suite 430, Daytona Beach, Florida 32114
Mission: Protect the Vulnerable, Promote Strong and Economically Self-Sufficient Families, and
Advance Personal and Family Recovery and Resiliency
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Director
7. Level 2 screening standards are listed in s. 435.05, Fla. Stat. Pursuant to s.
435.04 (2), Fla. Stat., “The security background investigations under this section
must ensure that no persons subject to the provisions of this section have been
arrested for and are awaiting final disposition of, have been found guilty of,
regardless of adjudication, or entered a plea of nolo contendere or guilty to, or
have been adjudicated delinquent and the record has not been sealed or
expunged for, any offense prohibited under any of the following provisions of
state law or similar law of another jurisdiction”.
8. Pursuant to s. 402.305 (2) (g), Fla. Stat., the Department is authorized to grant
exemptions from disqualification from working with children as provided in s.
435.07, Fla. Stat.
9. However, “[d]isqualification from employment under [Chapter 435] may not be
removed from, and an exemption may not be granted to, any current or
prospective child care personnel, as defined in s. 402.302(3), and such a person
is disqualified from employment as child care personnel, regardless of any
previous exemptions from disqualification , if the person has been registered as a
sex offender as described in 42 U.S.C. s. 9858f(c)(1)(C) or has been arrested for
and is awaiting final disposition of, has been convicted or found guilty of, or
entered a plea of guilty or nolo contendere to, regardless of adjudication, or has
been adjudicated delinquent and the record has not been sealed or expunged
for” specified offenses, s. 435.07(4)(b), Fla. Stat. In EJ. v. Department of
Children and Families, the Third District Court of Appeal found that the statute
“prohibited DCF from granting exemptions for current or prospective child care
workers who were charged with or convicted of enumerated offenses, of which
aggravated battery is one.” 219 So.3d 946 (2017).
10.Sharon Hawkins-Holden, as the owner and/or operator of Rise Up Learning
Center, (1995 and 1996 aggravated assault convictions out of Broward County)
has two convictions of aggravated assault from 1995 and 1996. These are
permanent disqualifying offenses pursuant to ss. 435.04(2)(i), and 435.07(4)(c)1.
d, Fla.Stat.
11.Ms. Hawkins challenged the denial of her exemption in accordance with Chapter
120, Fla. Stat., and lost. A final order was rendered by the Department on April
17; 2017,
RIGHT TO ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEEDING
IF YOU BELIEVE THE PROPOSED ACTION DESCRIBED IN THIS
ADMINISTRATIVE COMPLAINT IS IN ERROR, YOU MAY REQUEST AN
ADMINISTRATIVE HEARING IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE ENCLOSED
“NOTIFICATION OF RIGHTS UNDER CHAPTER 120, FLORIDA STATUTES.”
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me, Betsy Lewis, at (386)
481-9195. Thank you for your cooperation.
Sincerely,
Family Services Counselor Supervisor
Child Care Regulation
Enclosure: Notification of Rights Under Chapter 120, Florida Statutes
NOTIFICATION OF RIGHTS UNDER CHAPTER 120, FLORIDA STATUTES
IF YOU BELIEVE THE DEPARTMENT'S DECISION IS IN ERROR, YOU MAY
REQUEST AN ADMINISTRATIVE HEARING UNDER SECTIONS 120.569 AND
120.57, FLORIDA STATUTES, TO CONTEST THE DECISION. YOUR REQUEST
FOR AN ADMINISTRATIVE HEARING MUST BE RECEIVED BY THE DEPARTMENT
BY 5:00, P.M., NO LATER THAN 21 CALENDAR DAYS AFTER YOU RECEIVED THE
DEPARTMENT'S ADMINISTRATIVE COMPLAINT.
You must submit your request for an administrative hearing to the Department at the
following address:
Agency Clerk
Department of Children and Families
1317 Winewood Blvd, Bidg. 2, Rm. 204
Tallahassee, FL 32399-0700
IF YOUR REQUEST FOR AN ADMINISTRATIVE HEARING IS NOT RECEIVED BY
THE DEPARTMENT BY THE ABOVE DEADLINE, YOU WILL HAVE WAIVED YOUR
RIGHTS TO A HEARING AND THE DEPARTMENT'S PROPOSED ACTION WILL BE
FINAL. ANY DENIAL, SUSPENSION, REVOCATION OR OTHER ACTION
CONCERNING YOUR LICENSE OR REGISTRATION WILL BE EFFECTIVE ON THAT
DATE OR ON ANY LATER EFFECTIVE DATE STATED IN THE ADMINISTRATIVE
COMPLAINT, AND ANY PENALTY OR FINE IMPOSED MUST BE PAID WITHIN 30
DAYS THEREAFTER OR ANY EARLIER TIME PROVIDED IN THE ADMINISTRATIVE
COMPLAINT.
If you disagree with the facts stated in the Department's administrative complaint, you
may request a formal administrative hearing under section 120.57(1), Florida Statutes.
At a formal hearing, you may present evidence and arguments on all issues involved,
and question the witnesses called by the Department. You have the right to be
represented by counsel or other qualified representative.
If you do not disagree with the facts stated in the Department's administrative complaint,
you may request an informal administrative hearing under section 120.57(2), Florida
Statutes. At an informal hearing, you may present your argument or a written statement
for consideration by the Department. You have the right to be represented by counsel or
other qualified representative.
Your request for an administrative hearing must meet the requirements of Rule 28-
106.2015(5), ‘Florida Administrative Code, must be prepared legibly on 8% by 11 inch
white paper, and include all of the following items:
(a) Your name, address, email address (if any) and telephone
number.
(b) The name, address, email address (if any) and telephone
number of your attorney or qualified representative, if any.
(c) A statement requesting an administrative hearing.
(d) A statement of all facts in the administrative complaint with
which you disagree. If you do not disagree with any of the
facts stated in the administrative complaint, you must say so.
(e) A statement of when and how you received the
administrative complaint.
(f) A statement identifying the file number of the administrative
complaint, if shown on the administrative complaint.
Section 120.569, Florida Statutes, require the Department to dismiss your request for
hearing if it is not in substantial compliance with the requirements above.
Mediation as described in section 120.573, Florida Statutes, is not available. However,
other forms of mediation or informal dispute resolution may be available after a timely
request for an administrative hearing has been received, if agreed to by all parties, and
on such terms as agreed to by all parties. The right to an administrative proceeding is
not affected when mediation or informal dispute resolution does not result in a
settlement.
Docket for Case No: 19-002514
Issue Date |
Proceedings |
Oct. 14, 2019 |
Final Order of Dismissal filed.
|
Jul. 09, 2019 |
Transmittal letter from Claudia Llado forwarding Exhibit to Respondent.
|
Jul. 09, 2019 |
Transmittal letter from Claudia Llado forwarding Exhibits to Petitioner.
|
Jul. 03, 2019 |
Order of Dismissal and Relinquishing Jurisdiction. CASE CLOSED.
|
Jul. 03, 2019 |
CASE STATUS: Hearing Held. |
Jun. 21, 2019 |
Petitioner's Witness List filed.
|
Jun. 21, 2019 |
Petitioner's Proposed Exhibits filed (exhibits not available for viewing). |
Jun. 19, 2019 |
Notice of Filing DCF's Exhibits filed.
|
May 29, 2019 |
Respondent's Exhibits filed (Sharon record; confidential information, not available for viewing). 
 Confidential document; not available for viewing. |
May 21, 2019 |
Order of Pre-hearing Instructions.
|
May 21, 2019 |
Notice of Hearing by Video Teleconference (hearing set for July 3, 2019; 9:30 a.m.; Daytona Beach and Tallahassee, FL).
|
May 20, 2019 |
Joint Response to Initial Order filed.
|
May 14, 2019 |
Initial Order.
|
May 14, 2019 |
Administrative Complaint filed.
|
May 14, 2019 |
Request for Administrative Hearing filed.
|
May 14, 2019 |
Order Relinquishing Jurisdiction filed.
|
May 14, 2019 |
Notice (of Agency referral) filed.
|
Orders for Case No: 19-002514