Senate Bill sb1274
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida Senate - 2003 SB 1274
By Senator Wise
5-386A-03
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to a residential mathematics,
3 science, and technology high school; creating
4 the Planning Task Force for the Columbia
5 Residential Mathematics, Science, and
6 Technology High School, which will be located
7 in close proximity to Kennedy Space Center;
8 providing task force membership, subcommittees,
9 and duties; providing that the Technological
10 Research and Development Authority (TRDA)
11 Education Programs Office shall administer the
12 residential high school; providing for a summer
13 pilot program; providing deadlines; providing
14 requirements for admission to the pilot
15 program; providing an appropriation; providing
16 an effective date.
17
18 WHEREAS, the Governor and the Legislature seek to
19 strengthen and improve the economy of Florida and diversify
20 the tax base to lessen reliance on tourism and agriculture,
21 and
22 WHEREAS, it is the desire of the Governor and the
23 Legislature that high-technology companies locate in Florida,
24 and
25 WHEREAS, the preparation of high school and college
26 graduates directly affects the location of such companies and
27 the future of Florida as a science and technology center, and
28 WHEREAS, research shows that high school students learn
29 mathematics and science more quickly and with a deeper
30 understanding when they can use facilities and equipment to
31
1
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida Senate - 2003 SB 1274
5-386A-03
1 design and conduct experiments that illustrate these concepts,
2 and
3 WHEREAS, Florida has a strong interest in improving the
4 performance of students in the areas of math and science, as
5 measured by standardized testing such as the FCAT, and
6 WHEREAS, Florida has an incomparable resource in
7 scientific and mathematically related activities and
8 facilities located at NASA and the Space Coast, and the Space
9 Experiment Research and Processing Laboratory (SERPL) offers
10 the opportunity for college students and college professors to
11 interact with high school students in the residential program,
12 and
13 WHEREAS, outstanding students in mathematics and
14 science can benefit greatly from intense learning and research
15 experiences led by master teachers working with mathematicians
16 and scientists from our universities and corporate partners,
17 and
18 WHEREAS, in recognition of the contributions and
19 sacrifice of the crew of the Space Shuttle Columbia, it is
20 fitting to designate a Florida residential mathematics,
21 science, and technology high school as the Columbia
22 Residential Mathematics, Science, and Technology High School,
23 NOW, THEREFORE,
24
25 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
26
27 Section 1. Columbia Residential Mathematics, Science,
28 and Technology High School.--
29 (1) There is created the Planning Task Force for the
30 Columbia Residential Mathematics, Science, and Technology High
31 School, which school shall be located in close proximity to
2
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida Senate - 2003 SB 1274
5-386A-03
1 the John F. Kennedy Space Center. The task force shall consist
2 of 12 members, of whom the Governor shall appoint four, the
3 President of the Senate shall appoint four, and the Speaker of
4 the House of Representatives shall appoint four.
5 (2) The subcommittees within the task force are:
6 (a) Facilities subcommittee.--The facilities
7 subcommittee shall:
8 1. Assess the facilities formerly occupied by the
9 space camp;
10 2. Determine the best configuration for student
11 housing;
12 3. Determine whether any modifications are needed to
13 accommodate the school and the projected cost of such
14 modifications; and
15 4. Review the potential for future program expansion
16 and determine the best course for such expansion.
17 (b) Program configuration subcommittee.--The program
18 configuration subcommittee shall:
19 1. Determine the subject content that is to be offered
20 to students, the length of the program, and the number of
21 students to be admitted;
22 2. Investigate methods of delivering instruction, such
23 as a distance-learning component, internships, and mentoring;
24 and
25 3. Explore alternative methods for the delivery of
26 K-12 educational opportunities for the children of employees
27 working at Kennedy Space Center.
28 (c) Teacher-training subcommittee.--The
29 teacher-training subcommittee shall:
30
31
3
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida Senate - 2003 SB 1274
5-386A-03
1 1. Determine the role of the school in providing
2 teacher training, in conjunction with The Endeavour Academy;
3 and
4 2. Devise ways in which the school can contribute to
5 the preparation of teachers for public schools in the areas of
6 mathematics, science, and technology, including delivering
7 teacher training by using the expertise of the teaching staff
8 of the residential school.
9 (3) In order to launch the project properly and
10 determine funding requirements:
11 (a) A comprehensive plan must be created;
12 (b) Preliminary programs must be tested;
13 (c) Private funding efforts must be explored;
14 (d) Facility designs must be developed; and
15 (e) Program costs must be determined.
16 (4) As prerequisites to accomplishing the goals set
17 forth in subsection (3), the planning task force shall
18 determine:
19 (a) The predicted cost of the program.
20 (b) Ways in which the program will interface with the
21 Space Experiment Research and Processing Laboratory (SERPL),
22 the Kennedy Space Center, universities, and other regional and
23 national organizations, and with astronauts and engineers.
24 (c) How students will be selected.
25 (d) To what extent and in what ways business and
26 industry are to be involved.
27 (e) Criteria for the selection of faculty and staff.
28 (f) Timelines.
29 (g) Critical decision points that must be met.
30 (5) The Technological Research and Development
31 Authority (TRDA) Education Programs Office shall administer
4
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida Senate - 2003 SB 1274
5-386A-03
1 the program. By March 1, 2004, the office shall hire an
2 experienced administrative team to manage the day-to-day
3 operations of the school and shall hire a sufficient number of
4 highly qualified teachers to conduct a 9-week summer pilot
5 program beginning in June 2004. By May 1, 2004, up to 50
6 applicants who have completed grade 8 or higher shall be
7 selected as enrollees in the pilot program. The parent or
8 guardian of each enrollee must sign a contract stating that
9 the enrollee intends to complete the summer program, and each
10 parent or guardian must pay a reasonable tuition to cover the
11 cost of the 9-week program.
12 Section 2. The sum of $100,000 is appropriated from
13 the General Revenue Fund to the planning task force for the
14 Columbia Residential Mathematics, Science, and Technology High
15 School, to be used in completing the development phase of the
16 high school, including developing the overall plan; conducting
17 a summer pilot program; creating a development-fundraising
18 program; completing preliminary architectural assessments,
19 costs, and renditions; and administering the task force.
20 Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2003.
21
22 *****************************************
23 SENATE SUMMARY
24 Creates the Planning Task Force for the Columbia
Residential Mathematics, Science, and Technology High
25 School, which is to be located in close proximity to the
Kennedy Space Center. Provides task force membership,
26 subcommittees, and duties. Provides that the
Technological Research and Development Authority (TRDA)
27 Education Programs Office shall administer the
residential high school. Provides for a summer pilot
28 program. Provides deadlines. Provides requirements for
admission to the pilot program. Provides an
29 appropriation.
30
31
5
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.