Florida Senate - 2015 CS for SB 1264
By the Committee on Education Pre-K - 12; and Senator Legg
581-02517-15 20151264c1
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to digital classrooms; creating s.
3 282.0052, F.S.; establishing requirements for digital
4 classrooms technology infrastructure planning by the
5 Agency for State Technology or a contracted
6 organization; requiring the agency or contracted
7 organization to annually submit a report to the
8 Governor and the Legislature; prescribing report
9 requirements; requiring the agency to annually update
10 the Commissioner of Education on the status of
11 technology infrastructure; amending s. 1001.20, F.S.;
12 requiring the Office of Technology and Information
13 Services of the Department of Education to consult
14 with the Agency for State Technology in developing the
15 5-year strategic plan for Florida digital classrooms;
16 removing an obsolete date; revising requirements for
17 the 5-year strategic plan; expanding the list of
18 responsibilities of the Office of Technology and
19 Information Services; amending s. 1011.62, F.S.;
20 revising the date by which district school boards must
21 annually submit a digital classrooms plan to the
22 Department of Education; requiring a charter school to
23 submit the school’s digital classrooms plan to the
24 applicable school district; specifying required format
25 for the plan; specifying conditions for a school
26 district to maintain eligibility for Florida digital
27 classrooms allocation funds; requiring the
28 Commissioner of Education to implement an online
29 portal for electronic submission of digital classrooms
30 plans by a specified date; requiring a charter school
31 to annually report to the department regarding the use
32 of specified funds; revising requirements for the
33 commissioner’s annual report to the Governor and the
34 Legislature regarding the digital classrooms plan;
35 providing an effective date.
36
37 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
38
39 Section 1. Section 282.0052, Florida Statutes, is created
40 to read:
41 282.0052 Digital classrooms technology infrastructure
42 planning.—
43 (1) The Agency for State Technology, or an independent
44 third-party professional organization that the agency contracts
45 with, shall:
46 (a) Consult with the Department of Education to identify
47 technology infrastructure standards and targets for the
48 successful implementation of digital classrooms, pursuant to s.
49 1011.62(12), in public schools within the state beginning in the
50 2016-2017 school year.
51 (b) Perform retrospective analyses of the state 5-year
52 strategic plan developed pursuant to s. 1001.20 and school
53 district digital classrooms plan adopted pursuant to s.
54 1011.62(12) for the 2014-2015 and 2015-2016 school years to
55 determine the status of technology infrastructure and digital
56 readiness of school districts relative to the standards and
57 targets identified under paragraph (a). The digital readiness of
58 school districts must be assessed using the digital readiness
59 scorecard established under s. 1001.20(4)(a).
60 (c) Provide prospective planning guidance and technical
61 assistance to the Department of Education, school districts, and
62 public schools regarding identified gaps in technology
63 infrastructure and recommended improvements to meet the
64 standards and targets identified under paragraph (a).
65 (d) Summarize and report, by October 1 of each year, to the
66 Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the
67 House of Representatives:
68 1. The status of technology infrastructure of school
69 districts and public schools within the state.
70 2. Recommendations for improving cost efficiencies and
71 maximizing investments in technology by the state and school
72 districts to establish digital classrooms.
73 (2) The Agency for State Technology must provide the status
74 of technology infrastructure information to the Commissioner of
75 Education by September 1 of each year.
76 Section 2. Paragraph (a) of subsection (4) of section
77 1001.20, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
78 1001.20 Department under direction of state board.—
79 (4) The Department of Education shall establish the
80 following offices within the Office of the Commissioner of
81 Education which shall coordinate their activities with all other
82 divisions and offices:
83 (a) Office of Technology and Information Services.—
84 1. Responsible for developing a 5-year strategic plan, in
85 consultation with the Agency for State Technology, to establish
86 technology infrastructure standards and targets for the
87 successful implementation of digital classrooms to improve
88 student performance outcomes under s. 1011.62(12) for
89 establishing Florida digital classrooms by October 1, 2014, and
90 annually updating the plan by January 1 each year thereafter.
91 The Florida digital classrooms plan shall be provided to each
92 school district and published on the department’s website. The
93 plan must:
94 a. Describe how technology will be integrated into
95 classroom teaching and learning to assist the state in improving
96 student performance outcomes and enable all students in Florida
97 to be digital learners with access to digital tools and
98 resources.
99 b. Identify minimum technology infrastructure requirements,
100 which that include specifications for hardware, software,
101 devices, networking, security, and bandwidth capacity and
102 guidelines for the ratio of students per device. The Office of
103 Technology and Information Services shall consult with the
104 Agency for State Technology in identifying minimum technology
105 infrastructure requirements.
106 c. Establish minimum requirements for professional
107 development opportunities and training to assist district
108 instructional personnel and staff with the integration of
109 technology into classroom teaching.
110 d. Identify the types of digital tools and resources that
111 can assist district instructional personnel and staff in the
112 management, assessment, and monitoring of student learning and
113 performance.
114 2. Responsible for making budget recommendations to the
115 commissioner, providing data collection and management for the
116 system, assisting school districts in securing Internet access
117 and telecommunications services, including those eligible for
118 funding under the Schools and Libraries Program of the federal
119 Universal Service Fund, and coordinating services with other
120 state, local, and private agencies.
121 3. Responsible for coordinating with the Agency for State
122 Technology to facilitate school districts’ access to statewide
123 procurement service agreements.
124 4. Responsible for consulting with the Agency for State
125 Technology to establish uniform definitions of technology
126 infrastructure components which must be incorporated into the
127 department’s 5-year strategic plan. The uniform definitions must
128 be incorporated by each charter school that seeks Florida
129 digital classrooms allocation funds and by each district school
130 board in technology information annually submitted to the
131 department which includes, but is not limited to, digital
132 classroom plans and technology resources inventory.
133 5. Responsible for consulting with the Agency for State
134 Technology to create a digital readiness scorecard to compare
135 the digital readiness of school districts within the state. The
136 scorecard must use the uniform definitions identified under this
137 section and technology infrastructure standards and targets
138 identified under s. 282.0052(1)(a). At a minimum, the scorecard
139 must include the student-to-device ratio, the percentage of
140 schools within each district that meet bandwidth standards, the
141 percentage of classrooms within each district that meet wireless
142 standards, the refresh rate of devices, network capacity,
143 information storage capacity, and information security services.
144 Section 3. Paragraphs (b) through (e) of subsection (12) of
145 section 1011.62, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
146 1011.62 Funds for operation of schools.—If the annual
147 allocation from the Florida Education Finance Program to each
148 district for operation of schools is not determined in the
149 annual appropriations act or the substantive bill implementing
150 the annual appropriations act, it shall be determined as
151 follows:
152 (12) FLORIDA DIGITAL CLASSROOMS ALLOCATION.—
153 (b) Each district school board shall adopt a district
154 digital classrooms plan that meets the unique needs of students,
155 schools, and personnel and submit the plan for approval to the
156 Department of Education. In addition, each district school board
157 must, at a minimum, seek input from the district’s
158 instructional, curriculum, and information technology staff to
159 develop the district digital classrooms plan. The district’s
160 plan must be within the general parameters established in the
161 Florida digital classrooms plan pursuant to s. 1001.20. In
162 addition, if the district participates in federal technology
163 initiatives and grant programs, the district digital classrooms
164 plan must include a plan for meeting requirements of such
165 initiatives and grant programs. Funds allocated under this
166 subsection must be used to support implementation of district
167 digital classrooms plans. By September October 1, 2014, and by
168 March 1 of each year thereafter, on a date determined by the
169 department, each district school board shall submit to the
170 department, in a format prescribed by the department, a digital
171 classrooms plan. At a minimum, such plan must include, and be
172 annually updated to reflect, the following:
173 1. Measurable student performance outcomes. Outcomes
174 related to student performance, including outcomes for students
175 with disabilities, must be tied to the efforts and strategies to
176 improve outcomes related to student performance by integrating
177 technology in classroom teaching and learning. Results of the
178 outcomes shall be reported at least annually for the current
179 school year and subsequent 3 years and be accompanied by an
180 independent evaluation and validation of the reported results.
181 2. Digital learning and technology infrastructure purchases
182 and operational activities. Such purchases and activities must
183 be tied to the measurable outcomes under subparagraph 1.,
184 including, but not limited to, connectivity, broadband access,
185 wireless capacity, Internet speed, and data security, all of
186 which must meet or exceed minimum requirements and protocols
187 established by the department. For each year that the district
188 uses funds for infrastructure, a third-party, independent
189 evaluation of the district’s technology inventory and
190 infrastructure needs must accompany the district’s plan.
191 3. Professional development purchases and operational
192 activities. Such purchases and activities must be tied to the
193 measurable outcomes under subparagraph 1., including, but not
194 limited to, using technology in the classroom and improving
195 digital literacy and competency.
196 4. Digital tool purchases and operational activities. Such
197 purchases and activities must be tied to the measurable outcomes
198 under subparagraph 1., including, but not limited to,
199 competency-based credentials that measure and demonstrate
200 digital competency and certifications; third-party assessments
201 that demonstrate acquired knowledge and use of digital
202 applications; and devices that meet or exceed minimum
203 requirements and protocols established by the department.
204 5. Online assessment-related purchases and operational
205 activities. Such purchases and activities must be tied to the
206 measurable outcomes under subparagraph 1., including, but not
207 limited to, expanding the capacity to administer assessments and
208 compatibility with minimum assessment protocols and requirements
209 established by the department.
210 (c) The Legislature shall annually provide in the General
211 Appropriations Act the FEFP allocation for implementation of the
212 Florida digital classrooms plan to be calculated in an amount up
213 to 1 percent of the base student allocation multiplied by the
214 total K-12 full-time equivalent student enrollment included in
215 the FEFP calculations for the legislative appropriation or as
216 provided in the General Appropriations Act. Each school district
217 shall be provided a minimum of $250,000, with the remaining
218 balance of the allocation to be distributed based on each
219 district’s proportion of the total K-12 full-time equivalent
220 student enrollment. Distribution of funds for the Florida
221 digital classrooms allocation shall begin following submittal of
222 each district’s digital classrooms plan, which must include
223 formal verification of the superintendent’s approval of the
224 digital classrooms plan of each charter school in the district,
225 and approval of the plan by the department. A charter school
226 shall submit the school’s digital classrooms plan, in a
227 streamlined format prescribed by the department, to the
228 applicable school district. Prior to the distribution of the
229 Florida digital classrooms allocation funds, each district
230 school superintendent shall certify to the Commissioner of
231 Education that the district school board has approved a
232 comprehensive district digital classrooms plan that supports the
233 fidelity of implementation of the Florida digital classrooms
234 allocation. District allocations shall be recalculated during
235 the fiscal year consistent with the periodic recalculation of
236 the FEFP. School districts shall provide a proportionate share
237 of the digital classrooms allocation to each charter school in
238 the district, as required for categorical programs in s.
239 1002.33(17)(b). A school district may use a competitive process
240 to distribute funds for the Florida digital classrooms
241 allocation to the schools within the school district. Beginning
242 in the 2016-2017 school year, to be eligible to receive Florida
243 digital classrooms allocation funds, a school district must
244 undergo retrospective and prospective analyses pursuant to s.
245 282.0052 and an annual independent verification of its use of
246 Florida digital classrooms allocation funds pursuant to
247 paragraph (e).
248 (d) To facilitate the implementation of the district
249 digital classrooms plans and charter school digital classrooms
250 plans, the commissioner shall support statewide, coordinated
251 partnerships and efforts of this state’s education practitioners
252 in the field, including, but not limited to, superintendents,
253 principals, and teachers, to identify and share best practices,
254 corrective actions, and other identified needs. By August 1,
255 2016, the commissioner shall implement an online, web-based
256 portal for school districts and charter schools to submit their
257 digital classrooms plan.
258 (e) Beginning in the 2015-2016 fiscal year and each year
259 thereafter, each district school board and charter school shall
260 report to the department its use of funds provided through the
261 Florida digital classrooms allocation and student performance
262 outcomes in accordance with the district’s digital classrooms
263 plan. The department may contract with an independent third
264 party entity to conduct an annual independent verification of
265 the district’s use of Florida digital classrooms allocation
266 funds in accordance with the district’s digital classrooms plan.
267 In the event an independent third-party verification is not
268 conducted, the Auditor General shall, during scheduled
269 operational audits of the school districts, verify compliance of
270 the use of Florida digital classrooms allocation funds in
271 accordance with the district’s digital classrooms plan. No later
272 than October 1 of each year, beginning in the 2015-2016 fiscal
273 year, the commissioner shall provide to the Governor, the
274 President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of
275 Representatives a summary of each district’s student performance
276 goals and outcomes, use of funds, in support of such student
277 performance goals and outcomes, and progress toward meeting
278 statutory requirements and timelines.
279 Section 4. This act shall take effect July 1, 2015.