Florida Senate - 2016                                     SB 138
       
       
        
       By Senator Ring
       
       
       
       
       
       29-00065-16                                            2016138__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to disability history and awareness
    3         instruction; amending s. 1003.4205, F.S.; requiring,
    4         rather than authorizing, each district school board to
    5         provide disability history and awareness instruction
    6         in all K-12 public schools beginning in a specified
    7         school year; requiring presentations by certain
    8         individuals to be included in the disability history
    9         and awareness instruction; requiring an annual report
   10         by a certain date; specifying the contents of the
   11         annual report; providing an effective date.
   12          
   13  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   14  
   15         Section 1. Section 1003.4205, Florida Statutes, is amended
   16  to read:
   17         1003.4205 Disability history and awareness instruction.—
   18         (1) Beginning with the 2017-2018 school year, each district
   19  school board shall may provide disability history and awareness
   20  instruction in all K-12 public schools in the district during
   21  the first 2 weeks in October each year. The district school
   22  board shall designate these 2 weeks as “Disability History and
   23  Awareness Weeks.”
   24         (2)(a) During this 2-week period, students shall may be
   25  provided intensive instruction to expand their knowledge,
   26  understanding, and awareness of individuals who had or have with
   27  disabilities;, the history of disability;, and the disability
   28  rights movement. Disability history must may include the events
   29  and timelines of the development and evolution of services to,
   30  and the civil rights of, individuals who had or have with
   31  disabilities. Disability history must may also include the
   32  contributions of specific individuals who had or have with
   33  disabilities, including the contributions of acknowledged
   34  national leaders.
   35         (b) Beginning with the 2017-2018 school year, the
   36  instruction shall may be integrated into the existing school
   37  curriculum in ways including, but not limited to, supplementing
   38  lesson plans, holding school assemblies, or providing other
   39  school-related activities. The instruction shall may be
   40  augmented by presentations from individuals who have
   41  disabilities, who have been approved by the school or school
   42  district as presenters, and who the school or school district
   43  has ensured meet the appropriate background screening
   44  requirements of s. 1012.465 to enter schools and interact with
   45  students delivered by qualified school personnel or by
   46  knowledgeable guest speakers, with a particular focus on
   47  including individuals with disabilities.
   48         (c) Each public school in the state shall submit an annual
   49  report to the superintendent of the school district in which the
   50  school is located by August 1, 2016, and each year thereafter.
   51  The report must include, but need not be limited to,
   52  recommendations and policy alternatives regarding the state of
   53  disability awareness at the school.
   54         (3) The goals of disability history and awareness
   55  instruction include:
   56         (a) Better treatment for individuals who have with
   57  disabilities, especially for youth in school, and increased
   58  attention to preventing the bullying or harassment of students
   59  who have with disabilities.
   60         (b) Encouragement to individuals who have with disabilities
   61  to develop increased self-esteem, resulting in more individuals
   62  who have with disabilities gaining pride in being an individual
   63  with a disability, obtaining postsecondary education, entering
   64  the workforce, and contributing to their communities.
   65         (c) Reaffirmation of the local, state, and federal
   66  commitment to the full inclusion in society of, and the equal
   67  opportunity for, all individuals who have with disabilities.
   68         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2016.