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2013 Florida Statutes

Title XLVIII K-20 EDUCATION CODE
Chapter 1003 PUBLIC K-12 EDUCATION Entire Chapter
SECTION 4203
Digital materials, recognitions, certificates, and technical assistance.
F.S. 1003.4203
1003.4203 Digital materials, recognitions, certificates, and technical assistance.—
(1) Each district school board, in consultation with the district school superintendent, shall make available digital materials for students in prekindergarten through grade 12 in order to enable students to attain digital skills. The digital materials may be integrated into subject area curricula, offered as a separate course, made available through open-access options, or deployed through online or digital computer applications, subject to available funding.
(2) Beginning with the 2013-2014 school year, each district school board, in consultation with the district school superintendent, shall make available digital and instructional materials, including software applications, to students with disabilities who are in prekindergarten through grade 12.
(3) Subject to available funding, by December 1, 2013, the department shall contract with one or more technology companies, or affiliated nonprofit organizations, that have approved industry certifications identified on the Industry Certification Funding List or the Postsecondary Industry Certification Funding List, pursuant to s. 1003.492 or s. 1008.44, to develop a Florida Cyber Security Recognition and a Florida Digital Arts Recognition. The department shall notify each school district when the recognitions are developed and available. The recognitions shall be made available to all public elementary school students at no cost to the districts or charter schools.
(a) Targeted knowledge and skills to be mastered for each recognition shall be identified by the department. Knowledge and skills may be demonstrated through student attainment of the below recognitions in particular content areas:
1. The Florida Cyber Security Recognition must be based upon an understanding of computer processing operations and, in most part, on cyber security skills that increase a student’s cyber-safe practices.
2. The Florida Digital Arts Recognition must reflect a balance of skills in technology and the arts.
(b) The technology companies or affiliated nonprofit organizations that provide the recognition must provide open access to materials for teaching and assessing the skills a student must acquire in order to earn a Florida Cyber Security Recognition or a Florida Digital Arts Recognition. The school district shall notify each elementary school advisory council of the methods of delivery of the open-access content and assessments. If there is no elementary school advisory council, notification must be provided to the district advisory council.
(4) Subject to available funding, by December 1, 2013, the department shall contract with one or more technology companies that have approved industry certifications identified on the Industry Certification Funding List or the Postsecondary Industry Certification Funding List, pursuant to s. 1003.492 or s. 1008.44, to develop a Florida Digital Tools Certificate to indicate a student’s digital skills. The department shall notify each school district when the certificate is developed and available. The certificate shall be made available to all public middle grades students at no cost to the districts or charter schools.
(a) Targeted skills to be mastered for the certificate include digital skills that are necessary to the student’s academic work and skills the student may need in future employment. The skills must include, but are not limited to, word processing, spreadsheet display, and creation of presentations, including sound, text, and graphic presentations, consistent with industry certifications that are listed on the Industry Certification Funding List, pursuant to s. 1003.492.
(b) A technology company that provides the certificate must provide open access to materials for teaching and assessing the skills necessary to earn the certificate. The school district shall notify each middle school advisory council of the methods of delivery of the open-access content and assessments for the certificate. If there is no middle school advisory council, notification must be provided to the district advisory council.
(c) The Legislature intends that by July 1, 2018, on an annual basis, at least 75 percent of public middle grades students earn a Florida Digital Tools Certificate.
(5) The Department of Education or a company contracted with under subsection (4) shall provide technical assistance to district school boards in the implementation of this section. Technical assistance to districts shall include, but is not limited to, identification of digital resources, primarily open-access resources, including digital curriculum, instructional materials, media assets, and other digital tools and applications; training mechanisms for teachers and others to facilitate integration of digital resources and technologies into instructional strategies; and model policies and procedures that support sustainable implementation practices.
(6) A district school board may seek partnerships with other school districts, private businesses, postsecondary institutions, or consultants to offer classes and instruction to teachers and students to assist the school district in providing digital materials, recognitions, and certificates established pursuant to this section.
(7) The State Board of Education shall adopt rules to administer this section.
History.—s. 17, ch. 2011-175; s. 14, ch. 2013-27.