Florida Senate - 2019              PROPOSED COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE
       Bill No. SB 7070
       
       
       
       
       
                               Ì813072~Î813072                          
       
       576-03224-19                                                    
       Proposed Committee Substitute by the Committee on Appropriations
       (Appropriations Subcommittee on Education)
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to K-12 education; amending s.
    3         1002.333, F.S.; deleting the authorization for a
    4         traditional public school to receive funds from the
    5         Schools of Hope Program; deleting a requirement for
    6         the State Board of Education to provide awards and
    7         annually report certain information; creating s.
    8         1002.394, F.S.; establishing the Family Empowerment
    9         Scholarship Program; providing the purpose of the
   10         program; providing scholarship eligibility
   11         requirements; providing for the term of such
   12         scholarships; prohibiting certain students from
   13         scholarship eligibility; requiring school districts to
   14         inform specified households within their respective
   15         districts of their eligibility to receive a Family
   16         Empowerment Scholarship; requiring the Department of
   17         Education to provide the form to be used by school
   18         districts for that purpose; requiring school districts
   19         to notify certain students of specified information
   20         relating to statewide assessments; requiring school
   21         districts, upon the request of the department, to
   22         provide statewide assessments and related materials to
   23         certain private schools; providing requirements for
   24         the administration of statewide assessments at certain
   25         private schools; requiring school districts to publish
   26         information relating to the scholarship program on
   27         their respective websites; providing requirements for
   28         the published information; requiring the department to
   29         publish and update information relating to the program
   30         on the department website; requiring the department to
   31         cross-check specified information; providing
   32         requirements for private school participation in the
   33         program; providing requirements for participating
   34         students and their parents; providing the maximum
   35         number of students who may participate in the
   36         scholarship program, beginning with a specified school
   37         year; providing for subsequent increases in the
   38         authorized number of participating students; providing
   39         for the calculation of school district funding
   40         entitlement under the program; requiring school
   41         districts to report all students who attend a private
   42         school under the program; providing that such students
   43         must be reported separately for certain purposes;
   44         requiring the department to transfer funds from the
   45         General Revenue Fund to an account for the program;
   46         requiring that program funds for students entering a
   47         Department of Juvenile Justice commitment program be
   48         transferred from the school district in which the
   49         student last attended school before commitment;
   50         providing that the department must receive specified
   51         information relating to such students; requiring the
   52         Chief Financial Officer to make scholarship payments
   53         to the department; providing requirements for such
   54         payments; requiring the department to request from the
   55         Department of Financial Services a sample of certain
   56         endorsed warrants for a specified purpose; providing
   57         immunity of the state from liability; providing a
   58         scope of authority with regard to the regulation of
   59         private schools; authorizing the state board to adopt
   60         rules; providing an implementation schedule for a
   61         specified school year; providing additional
   62         eligibility requirements; requiring the Department of
   63         Education to expedite the publication of specified
   64         information on the department’s website; providing a
   65         deadline for a specified payment by the Chief
   66         Financial Officer; providing for the expiration of
   67         provisions related to a specified school year;
   68         amending s. 1002.40, F.S.; authorizing certain funds
   69         relating to the Hope Scholarship Program to be used to
   70         fund the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship Program, under
   71         specified conditions; expanding the language required
   72         to be included on the contribution election form
   73         relating to the Hope Scholarship Program, as of a
   74         specified date; creating part VII of ch. 1003, F.S.,
   75         entitled “Public School Innovation”; creating s.
   76         1003.64, F.S.; providing legislative intent; creating
   77         the Community School Grant Program within the
   78         department; providing the purpose of the program;
   79         defining terms; requiring community schools to
   80         designate a community school program director;
   81         providing duties of community school program
   82         directors; establishing the Center for Community
   83         Schools within the University of Central Florida;
   84         requiring that the center be headed by a director;
   85         providing the duties of the center director; requiring
   86         community school program directors to annually submit
   87         a report to the center by a specified date; providing
   88         requirements for the report; requiring the center
   89         director to annually submit, by a specified date, a
   90         summary of such report and recommendations to the
   91         Commissioner of Education; requiring the commissioner
   92         to review the summary and recommendations; requiring
   93         the commissioner to annually submit, by a specified
   94         date, a report based on such summary and
   95         recommendations to the Governor and the Legislature;
   96         amending s. 1008.33, F.S.; authorizing a district
   97         managed turnaround plan to include a proposal
   98         regarding the length and number of planned school
   99         days; making a technical change; amending s. 1011.62,
  100         F.S.; creating the Florida Best and Brightest Teacher
  101         and Principal Allocation; providing the purpose of the
  102         allocation; requiring that, subject to the
  103         appropriation of funds, each school district receive
  104         an allocation based on its proportional share of
  105         Florida Education Finance Program base funding;
  106         authorizing the Legislature to specify a minimum
  107         allocation; requiring school districts to provide
  108         specified awards to eligible teachers and principals
  109         from allocated funds; requiring school districts to
  110         prorate awards under certain circumstances; creating
  111         the turnaround school supplemental services
  112         allocation; providing a purpose; providing for
  113         services that may be funded by the allocation;
  114         requiring a school district to submit a plan to its
  115         school board before distribution of the allocation;
  116         specifying requirements for such plans; requiring each
  117         school district to annually submit approved plans to
  118         the commissioner by a specified date; specifying the
  119         basis for each school district’s funding allocation;
  120         providing for a school’s continued eligibility for
  121         funding; amending s. 1011.71, F.S.; conforming
  122         provisions to changes made by the act; amending s.
  123         1012.56, F.S.; deleting obsolete language; requiring
  124         school districts to provide test support information
  125         to individuals who do not meet passing scores on any
  126         subtest of the general knowledge examination; deleting
  127         the requirement that an individual who holds a
  128         temporary certificate demonstrate mastery of general
  129         knowledge within a specified timeframe; removing the
  130         prohibition on employment for an individual who has
  131         not met specified requirements; amending s. 1012.59,
  132         F.S.; revising requirements for rulemaking by the
  133         state board relating to certification fees; deleting a
  134         requirement that an examination fee be sufficient to
  135         cover the actual cost of developing and administering
  136         the examination; amending s. 1012.731, F.S.; renaming
  137         the Florida Best and Brightest Teacher Scholarship
  138         Program as the Florida Best and Brightest Teacher
  139         Program; revising legislative intent relating to the
  140         program; deleting authority for the Department of
  141         Education to administer the program; specifying the
  142         funding source for the program; providing for
  143         recruitment, retention, and bonus awards; providing
  144         eligibility requirements; deleting a requirement for
  145         school districts to submit certain information to the
  146         department; deleting a requirement for the department
  147         to disburse scholarship funds to certain school
  148         districts; deleting a requirement for school districts
  149         to award specified scholarships; deleting a
  150         definition; amending s. 1012.732, F.S.; renaming the
  151         Florida Best and Brightest Principal Scholarship
  152         Program as the Florida Best and Brightest Principal
  153         Program; revising legislative intent relating to
  154         program; deleting authority for the department to
  155         administer the program; specifying the funding source
  156         for the program; providing eligibility requirements;
  157         deleting a requirement for the department to identify
  158         eligible school principals and disburse funds;
  159         deleting a requirement for school districts to award
  160         scholarships to specified school principals; deleting
  161         a requirement for school districts to provide certain
  162         principals with additional authority and
  163         responsibilities; deleting a definition; amending s.
  164         1013.31, F.S.; authorizing a school district, in the
  165         absence of a survey recommendation, to use funds from
  166         a taxpayer-approved bond referendum to fund
  167         construction of educational, auxiliary, or ancillary
  168         facilities and to use funds from a specified district
  169         school tax for certain capital outlay purposes;
  170         authorizing the commissioner to direct specified
  171         capital outlay funds to be withheld from school
  172         districts until a specified time; amending s. 1013.64,
  173         F.S.; revising the information required to be included
  174         in a school district’s request to receive certain
  175         funding; prohibiting a district school board from
  176         using funds from state sources for certain new
  177         construction of educational plant space; providing
  178         exceptions; requiring the department, in conjunction
  179         with the Office of Economic and Demographic Research,
  180         to review and revise the limits on the cost per
  181         student station, based on certain factors; requiring
  182         the department to use the adjusted cost per student
  183         station for a each instructional level; requiring the
  184         department to collaborate with the office to select a
  185         certain index by a specified date; deleting a
  186         requirement for the department to make final
  187         determinations on district compliance; removing a
  188         prohibition on the use of funds for certain new
  189         construction; revising the costs that may be included
  190         and that may not be included in calculating the cost
  191         per student station; providing an effective date.
  192          
  193  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
  194  
  195         Section 1. Subsection (10) of section 1002.333, Florida
  196  Statutes, is amended to read:
  197         1002.333 Persistently low-performing schools.—
  198         (10) SCHOOLS OF HOPE PROGRAM.—The Schools of Hope Program
  199  is created within the Department of Education.
  200         (a) A school of hope is eligible to receive funds from the
  201  Schools of Hope Program for the following expenditures:
  202         1. Preparing teachers, school leaders, and specialized
  203  instructional support personnel, including costs associated
  204  with:
  205         a. Providing professional development.
  206         b. Hiring and compensating teachers, school leaders, and
  207  specialized instructional support personnel for services beyond
  208  the school day and year.
  209         2. Acquiring supplies, training, equipment, and educational
  210  materials, including developing and acquiring instructional
  211  materials.
  212         3. Providing one-time startup costs associated with
  213  providing transportation to students to and from the charter
  214  school.
  215         4. Carrying out community engagement activities, which may
  216  include paying the cost of student and staff recruitment.
  217         5. Providing funds to cover the nonvoted ad valorem millage
  218  that would otherwise be required for schools and the required
  219  local effort funds calculated pursuant to s. 1011.62 when the
  220  state board enters into an agreement with a hope operator
  221  pursuant to subsection (5).
  222         (b) A traditional public school that is required to submit
  223  a plan for implementation pursuant to s. 1008.33(4) is eligible
  224  to receive up to $2,000 per full-time equivalent student from
  225  the Schools of Hope Program based upon the strength of the
  226  school’s plan for implementation and its focus on evidence-based
  227  interventions that lead to student success by providing wrap
  228  around services that leverage community assets, improve school
  229  and community collaboration, and develop family and community
  230  partnerships. Wrap-around services include, but are not limited
  231  to, tutorial and after-school programs, student counseling,
  232  nutrition education, parental counseling, and adult education.
  233  Plans for implementation may also include models that develop a
  234  culture of attending college, high academic expectations,
  235  character development, dress codes, and an extended school day
  236  and school year. At a minimum, a plan for implementation must:
  237         1. Establish wrap-around services that develop family and
  238  community partnerships.
  239         2. Establish clearly defined and measurable high academic
  240  and character standards.
  241         3. Increase parental involvement and engagement in the
  242  child’s education.
  243         4. Describe how the school district will identify, recruit,
  244  retain, and reward instructional personnel. The state board may
  245  waive the requirements of s. 1012.22(1)(c)5., and suspend the
  246  requirements of s. 1012.34, to facilitate implementation of the
  247  plan.
  248         5. Identify a knowledge-rich curriculum that the school
  249  will use that focuses on developing a student’s background
  250  knowledge.
  251         6. Provide professional development that focuses on
  252  academic rigor, direct instruction, and creating high academic
  253  and character standards.
  254         (c)The state board shall:
  255         1. Provide awards for up to 25 schools and prioritize
  256  awards for plans submitted pursuant to paragraph (b) that are
  257  based on whole school transformation and that are developed in
  258  consultation with the school’s principal.
  259         2. Annually report on the implementation of this subsection
  260  in the report required by s. 1008.345(5), and provide summarized
  261  academic performance reports of each traditional public school
  262  receiving funds.
  263         (d) Notwithstanding s. 216.301 and pursuant to s. 216.351,
  264  funds allocated for the purpose of this subsection which are not
  265  disbursed by June 30 of the fiscal year in which the funds are
  266  allocated may be carried forward for up to 5 years after the
  267  effective date of the original appropriation.
  268         Section 2. Section 1002.394, Florida Statutes, is created
  269  to read:
  270         1002.394The Family Empowerment Scholarship Program.—
  271         (1) PURPOSE.—The Family Empowerment Scholarship Program is
  272  established to provide children of families in this state that
  273  have limited financial resources with educational options to
  274  achieve success in their education.
  275         (2) SCHOLARSHIP ELIGIBILITY.—A student is eligible for a
  276  Family Empowerment Scholarship under this section if the student
  277  meets the following criteria:
  278         (a)1.The student is on the direct certification list
  279  pursuant to s. 1002.395(2)(c) or the student’s household income
  280  level does not exceed 260 percent of the federal poverty level;
  281  or
  282         2. The student is currently placed, or during the previous
  283  state fiscal year was placed, in foster care or in out-of-home
  284  care as defined in s. 39.01.
  285  
  286  A student who initially receives a scholarship based on
  287  eligibility under subparagraph 2. remains eligible to
  288  participate until the student graduates from high school or
  289  attains the age of 21 years, whichever occurs first, regardless
  290  of the student’s household income level. A sibling of a student
  291  who is participating in the scholarship program under this
  292  subsection is eligible for a scholarship if the student resides
  293  in the same household as the sibling.
  294         (b)The student is eligible to enroll in kindergarten or
  295  has spent the prior school year in attendance at a Florida
  296  public school. For purposes of this paragraph, prior school year
  297  in attendance means that the student was enrolled and reported
  298  by a school district for funding during the preceding October
  299  and February Florida Education Finance Program surveys in
  300  kindergarten through grade 12, which includes time spent in a
  301  Department of Juvenile Justice commitment program if funded
  302  under the Florida Education Finance Program.
  303  
  304  However, a dependent child of a member of the United States
  305  Armed Forces who transfers to a school in this state from out of
  306  state or from a foreign country due to a parent’s permanent
  307  change of station orders or a foster child is exempt from the
  308  prior public school attendance requirement under this paragraph,
  309  but must meet the other eligibility requirements specified under
  310  this section to participate in the program.
  311         (c) The parent has obtained acceptance for admission of the
  312  student to a private school that is eligible for the program
  313  under subsection (7) and the parent has requested a scholarship
  314  from the Department of Education at least 60 days before the
  315  date of the first scholarship payment. The request must be
  316  communicated directly to the department in a manner that creates
  317  a written or electronic record of the request and the date of
  318  receipt of the request. The department must notify the school
  319  district of the parent’s intent upon receipt of the parent’s
  320  request.
  321         (3) TERM OF SCHOLARSHIP.—
  322         (a) For purposes of continuity of educational choice, a
  323  Family Empowerment Scholarship shall remain in force until the
  324  student returns to a public school, graduates from high school,
  325  or reaches the age of 21, whichever occurs first. A scholarship
  326  student who enrolls in a public school or public school program
  327  is considered to have returned to a public school for the
  328  purpose of determining the end of the scholarship’s term.
  329  However, if a student enters a Department of Juvenile Justice
  330  detention center for a period of no more than 21 days, the
  331  student is not considered to have returned to a public school
  332  for that purpose.
  333         (b) Upon reasonable notice to the department and the school
  334  district, the student’s parent may remove the student from the
  335  private school and place the student in a public school in
  336  accordance with this section.
  337         (c) Upon reasonable notice to the department, the student’s
  338  parent may move the student from one participating private
  339  school to another participating private school.
  340         (4) SCHOLARSHIP PROHIBITIONS.—A student is not eligible for
  341  a Family Empowerment Scholarship while he or she is:
  342         (a) Enrolled in a public school, including, but not limited
  343  to, the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind; the College
  344  Preparatory Boarding Academy; a developmental research school
  345  authorized under s. 1002.32; or a charter school authorized
  346  under chapter 1002;
  347         (b) Enrolled in a school operating for the purpose of
  348  providing educational services to youth in a Department of
  349  Juvenile Justice commitment program;
  350         (c) Receiving any other educational scholarship pursuant to
  351  this chapter;
  352         (d) Participating in a home education program as defined in
  353  s. 1002.01(1);
  354         (e) Participating in a private tutoring program pursuant to
  355  s. 1002.43; or
  356         (f) Participating in a virtual school, correspondence
  357  school, or distance learning program that receives state funding
  358  pursuant to the student’s participation.
  359         (5) SCHOOL DISTRICT OBLIGATIONS.—
  360         (a) By July 15, 2019, and by April 1 of each year
  361  thereafter, a school district shall inform all households within
  362  the district receiving free or reduced-priced meals under the
  363  National School Lunch Act of their eligibility to apply to the
  364  department for a Family Empowerment Scholarship. The form of
  365  such notice shall be provided by the department, and the school
  366  district shall include the provided form in any normal
  367  correspondence with eligible households. Such notice is limited
  368  to once a year.
  369         (b) The school district in which a participating student
  370  resides must notify the student and his or her parent about the
  371  locations and times to take all statewide assessments under s.
  372  1008.22 if the student chooses to participate in such
  373  assessments. Upon the request of the department, a school
  374  district shall coordinate with the department to provide to a
  375  participating private school the statewide assessments
  376  administered under s. 1008.22 and any related materials for
  377  administering the assessments. For a student who participates in
  378  the Family Empowerment Scholarship Program whose parent requests
  379  that the student take the statewide assessments under s.
  380  1008.22, the district in which the student attends a private
  381  school shall provide locations and times to take all statewide
  382  assessments. A school district is responsible for implementing
  383  test administrations at a participating private school,
  384  including the:
  385         1. Provision of training for private school staff on test
  386  security and assessment administration procedures;
  387         2. Distribution of testing materials to a private school;
  388         3. Retrieval of testing materials from a private school;
  389         4. Provision of the required format for a private school to
  390  submit information to the district for test administration and
  391  enrollment purposes; and
  392         5. Provision of any required assistance, monitoring, or
  393  investigation at a private school.
  394         (c) Each school district must publish information about the
  395  Family Empowerment Scholarship Program on the district’s website
  396  homepage. At a minimum, the published information must include a
  397  website link to the Family Empowerment Scholarship Program
  398  published on the Department of Education website as well as a
  399  telephone number and e-mail that students and parents may use to
  400  contact relevant personnel in the school district to obtain
  401  information about the scholarship.
  402         (6) DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION OBLIGATIONS.—The department
  403  shall:
  404         (a) Publish and update, as necessary, information on the
  405  department website about the Family Empowerment Scholarship
  406  Program, including, but not limited to, student eligibility
  407  criteria, parental responsibilities, and relevant data.
  408         (b)Cross-check the list of participating scholarship
  409  students with the public school enrollment lists before each
  410  scholarship payment to avoid duplication.
  411         (7) PRIVATE SCHOOL ELIGIBILITY AND OBLIGATIONS.—To be
  412  eligible to participate in the Family Empowerment Scholarship
  413  Program, a private school may be sectarian or nonsectarian and
  414  must:
  415         (a) Comply with all requirements for private schools
  416  participating in state school choice scholarship programs
  417  pursuant to s. 1002.421.
  418         (b) Provide to the department all documentation required
  419  for a student’s participation, including the private school’s
  420  and student’s fee schedules, at least 30 days before any
  421  quarterly scholarship payment is made for the student pursuant
  422  to paragraph (9)(f). A student is not eligible to receive a
  423  quarterly scholarship payment if the private school fails to
  424  meet this deadline.
  425         (c)1.Annually administer or make provision for students
  426  participating in the program in grades 3 through 10 to take one
  427  of the nationally norm-referenced tests identified by the
  428  department or to take the statewide assessments pursuant to s.
  429  1008.22. Students with disabilities for whom standardized
  430  testing is not appropriate are exempt from this requirement. A
  431  participating private school shall report a student’s scores to
  432  his or her parent.
  433         2.Administer the statewide assessments pursuant to s.
  434  1008.22 if the private school chooses to offer the statewide
  435  assessments. A participating private school may choose to offer
  436  and administer the statewide assessments to all students who
  437  attend the private school in grades 3 through 10 and must submit
  438  a request in writing to the department by March 1 of each year
  439  in order to administer the statewide assessments in the
  440  subsequent school year.
  441  
  442  If a private school fails to meet the requirements of this
  443  subsection or s. 1002.421, the commissioner may determine that
  444  the private school is ineligible to participate in the
  445  scholarship program.
  446         (8) PARENT AND STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES FOR PROGRAM
  447  PARTICIPATION.—A parent who applies for a Family Empowerment
  448  Scholarship is exercising his or her parental option to place
  449  his or her child in a private school.
  450         (a) The parent must select the private school and apply for
  451  the admission of his or her student.
  452         (b) The parent must request the scholarship at least 60
  453  days before the date of the first scholarship payment.
  454         (c)The parent must inform the applicable school district
  455  when the parent withdraws his or her student from a public
  456  school to attend an eligible private school.
  457         (d) Any student participating in the program must remain in
  458  attendance throughout the school year unless excused by the
  459  school for illness or other good cause.
  460         (e) Each parent and each student has an obligation to the
  461  private school to comply with the private school’s published
  462  policies.
  463         (f) The parent shall ensure that the student participating
  464  in the scholarship program takes the norm-referenced assessment
  465  offered by the private school. The parent may also choose to
  466  have the student participate in the statewide assessments
  467  pursuant to paragraph (5)(b).
  468         (g) If the parent requests that the student participating
  469  in the program take all statewide assessments required pursuant
  470  to s. 1008.22, the parent is responsible for transporting the
  471  student to the assessment site designated by the school
  472  district.
  473         (h) Upon receipt of a scholarship warrant, the parent to
  474  whom the warrant is issued must restrictively endorse the
  475  warrant to the private school for deposit into the private
  476  school’s account. The parent may not designate any entity or
  477  individual associated with the participating private school as
  478  the parent’s attorney in fact to endorse a scholarship warrant.
  479  A participant who fails to comply with this paragraph forfeits
  480  the scholarship.
  481         (9) SCHOLARSHIP FUNDING AND PAYMENT.—
  482         (a) The scholarship is established for up to 15,000
  483  students annually on a first-come, first-served basis beginning
  484  with the 2019-2020 school year. Beginning in the 2020-2021
  485  school year, the number of students participating in the
  486  scholarship program under this section may increase in
  487  accordance with the percentage increase in the state’s public
  488  school student enrollment.
  489         (b) The scholarship amount provided to a student for any
  490  single school year shall be for tuition and fees for an eligible
  491  private school, not to exceed annual limits, which shall be
  492  determined in accordance with this paragraph. The calculated
  493  amount for a student to attend an eligible private school shall
  494  be 95 percent of the unweighted FTE funding amount at the
  495  district level for that state fiscal year and shall be adjusted
  496  with each FEFP calculation through the calculation based on the
  497  October survey.
  498         (c) The amount of the Family Empowerment Scholarship shall
  499  be the calculated amount or the amount of the private school’s
  500  tuition and fees, whichever is less. The amount of any
  501  assessment fee required by the participating private school may
  502  be paid from the total amount of the scholarship.
  503         (d) The school district shall report all students who are
  504  attending a private school under this program. The students
  505  attending private schools on Family Empowerment Scholarships
  506  shall be reported separately from other students reported for
  507  purposes of the Florida Education Finance Program.
  508         (e) Following notification on July 1, September 1, December
  509  1, or February 1 of the number of program participants, the
  510  department shall transfer, from general revenue funds only, the
  511  amount calculated under paragraph (c) from the school district’s
  512  total funding entitlement under the Florida Education Finance
  513  Program to a separate account for the scholarship program for
  514  quarterly disbursement to parents of participating students. For
  515  a student exiting a Department of Juvenile Justice commitment
  516  program who chooses to participate in the scholarship program,
  517  the amount of the Family Empowerment Scholarship calculated
  518  pursuant to paragraph (c) must be transferred from the school
  519  district in which the student last attended a public school
  520  before commitment to the Department of Juvenile Justice. When a
  521  student enters the scholarship program, the department must
  522  receive all documentation required for the student’s
  523  participation, including the private school’s and the student’s
  524  fee schedules, at least 30 days before the first quarterly
  525  scholarship payment is made for the student.
  526         (f) Upon notification by the department that it has
  527  received the documentation required under paragraph (e), the
  528  Chief Financial Officer shall make scholarship payments in four
  529  equal amounts no later than September 1, November 1, February 1,
  530  and April 1 of each school year in which the scholarship is in
  531  force. The initial payment shall be made after department
  532  verification of admission acceptance, and subsequent payments
  533  shall be made upon verification of continued enrollment and
  534  attendance at the private school. Payment must be by individual
  535  warrant made payable to the student’s parent and mailed by the
  536  department to the private school of the parent’s choice, and the
  537  parent shall restrictively endorse the warrant to the private
  538  school for deposit into the account of the private school.
  539         (g) Subsequent to each scholarship payment, the department
  540  shall request from the Department of Financial Services a sample
  541  of endorsed warrants to review and confirm compliance with
  542  endorsement requirements.
  543         (10) LIABILITY.—No liability shall arise on the part of the
  544  state based on the award or use of a Family Empowerment
  545  Scholarship.
  546         (11) SCOPE OF AUTHORITY.—The inclusion of eligible private
  547  schools within the options available to Florida public school
  548  students does not expand the regulatory authority of the state,
  549  its officers, or any school district to impose any additional
  550  regulation of private schools beyond those reasonably necessary
  551  to enforce requirements expressly set forth in this section.
  552         (12) RULES.—The State Board of Education shall adopt rules
  553  pursuant to ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54 to administer this
  554  section.
  555         (13)IMPLEMENTATION SCHEDULE FOR THE 2019-2020 SCHOOL
  556  YEAR.—Notwithstanding the provisions of this section related to
  557  notification requirements and eligibility timelines, for the
  558  2019-2020 school year:
  559         (a) A student is eligible for a Family Empowerment
  560  Scholarship under this section if the student’s parent has
  561  obtained acceptance of the student’s admission to a private
  562  school that is eligible for the program under subsection (7) and
  563  the parent has requested a scholarship from the Department of
  564  Education no later than August 15, 2019. The request must be
  565  communicated directly to the department in a manner that creates
  566  a written or electronic record of the request and the date of
  567  receipt of the request.
  568         (b) The department shall expedite the publication of
  569  information relevant to the Family Empowerment Scholarship
  570  Program on the department’s website, including, but not limited
  571  to, the eligibility criteria for students to qualify for the
  572  scholarship under this section and how parents may request the
  573  scholarship. The department must immediately notify the school
  574  district of the parent’s intent upon receipt of the parent’s
  575  request.
  576         (c) Upon notification by the department that it has
  577  received the documentation required under paragraph (9)(e), the
  578  Chief Financial Officer shall make the first quarter payment of
  579  scholarships no later than October 1, 2019.
  580  
  581  This subsection shall expire June 30, 2020.
  582         Section 3. Paragraph (i) is added to subsection (11) of
  583  section 1002.40, Florida Statutes, and paragraph (a) of
  584  subsection (13) of that section is amended, to read:
  585         1002.40 The Hope Scholarship Program.—
  586         (11) FUNDING AND PAYMENT.—
  587         (i)1.Beginning in the 2019-2020 fiscal year, up to 50
  588  percent of available prior fiscal year contributions received by
  589  a scholarship-funding organization under s. 212.1832 which have
  590  not been allocated for a scholarship under this section may be
  591  used to fund the program established under s. 1002.395.
  592         2.The available prior year contributions may be used to
  593  fund scholarships for students eligible pursuant to s.
  594  1002.395(3)(b)1. or 2. if the eligible contributions received
  595  for that program in a state fiscal year are insufficient to fund
  596  the students eligible for that program.
  597         3. The eligible nonprofit scholarship-funding organization
  598  shall separately account for each eligible student who receives
  599  the scholarship under s. 1002.395, which is funded pursuant to
  600  this paragraph and s. 1002.395.
  601         (13) SCHOLARSHIP FUNDING TAX CREDITS.—
  602         (a) A tax credit is available under s. 212.1832(1) for use
  603  by a person that makes an eligible contribution. Each eligible
  604  contribution is limited to a single payment of $105 per motor
  605  vehicle purchased at the time of purchase of a motor vehicle or
  606  a single payment of $105 per motor vehicle purchased at the time
  607  of registration of a motor vehicle that was not purchased from a
  608  dealer, except that a contribution may not exceed the state tax
  609  imposed under chapter 212 that would otherwise be collected from
  610  the purchaser by a dealer, designated agent, or private tag
  611  agent. Payments of contributions shall be made to a dealer at
  612  the time of purchase of a motor vehicle or to a designated agent
  613  or private tag agent at the time of registration of a motor
  614  vehicle that was not purchased from a dealer. An eligible
  615  contribution shall be accompanied by a contribution election
  616  form provided by the Department of Revenue. The form shall
  617  include, at a minimum, the following brief description of the
  618  Hope Scholarship Program: “THE HOPE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM PROVIDES
  619  A PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENT WHO WAS SUBJECTED TO AN INCIDENT OF
  620  VIOLENCE OR BULLYING AT SCHOOL THE OPPORTUNITY TO APPLY FOR A
  621  SCHOLARSHIP TO ATTEND AN ELIGIBLE PRIVATE SCHOOL RATHER THAN
  622  REMAIN IN AN UNSAFE SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT.” No later than July 1,
  623  2019, the form shall also include the following statement: “IN
  624  THE EVENT THAT THE HOPE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM HAS SURPLUS
  625  CONTRIBUTIONS AFTER FUNDING SCHOLARSHIPS FOR ALL ELIGIBLE
  626  STUDENTS, THE SURPLUS CONTRIBUTIONS MAY BE USED FOR FLORIDA TAX
  627  CREDIT SCHOLARSHIPS. The form shall also include, at a minimum,
  628  a section allowing the consumer to designate, from all
  629  participating scholarship funding organizations, which
  630  organization will receive his or her donation. For purposes of
  631  this subsection, the term “purchase” does not include the lease
  632  or rental of a motor vehicle.
  633         Section 4. Part VII of chapter 1003, Florida Statutes,
  634  consisting of s. 1003.64, Florida Statutes, is created and
  635  entitled “Public School Innovation.”
  636         1003.64Community School Grant Program.—It is the intent of
  637  the Legislature to improve student success and well-being by
  638  engaging and supporting parents and community organizations in
  639  their efforts to positively impact student learning and
  640  development.
  641         (1) PURPOSE.—The Community School Grant Program is
  642  established within the Department of Education to fund and
  643  support the planning and implementation of community school
  644  programs, subject to legislative appropriation.
  645         (2) DEFINITIONS.—As used in this section, the term:
  646         (a)“Center for Community Schools” means the center
  647  established within the University of Central Florida.
  648         (b) “Community organization” means a nonprofit organization
  649  that has been in existence for at least 3 years and serves
  650  individuals within the county in which a community school is
  651  located.
  652         (3) COMMUNITY SCHOOL.—
  653         (a) A community school is a public school that receives a
  654  grant under this section and partners with a community
  655  organization, a university or college, and a health care
  656  provider to implement programs beyond the standard hours of
  657  instruction which may include, but are not limited to, student
  658  enrichment activities such as job training, internship
  659  opportunities, and career counseling services; wellness
  660  services; and family engagement programs.
  661         (b) Each community school must designate a person of its
  662  choosing as the community school program director. A community
  663  school program director shall coordinate with the partners
  664  specified under paragraph (a) to:
  665         1. Facilitate the implementation of a community school
  666  program.
  667         2. Comply with the reporting requirements under paragraph
  668  (5)(a).
  669         (4) CENTER FOR COMMUNITY SCHOOLS.—The Center for Community
  670  Schools is established within the University of Central Florida.
  671  A center director shall head the Center for Community Schools.
  672  At a minimum, the center director shall:
  673         (a) Disseminate information about community schools to
  674  community organizations; district school boards; state
  675  universities and Florida College System institutions; and
  676  independent, not-for-profit colleges and universities located
  677  and chartered in this state which are accredited by the
  678  Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges
  679  and Schools and are eligible to participate in the William L.
  680  Boyd, IV, Effective Access to Student Education Grant Program.
  681         (b) Coordinate, facilitate, and oversee the implementation
  682  of community schools that receive a grant under this section,
  683  and submit an annual report to the commissioner pursuant to
  684  paragraph (5)(b).
  685         (c)Publish on the center’s website the application form
  686  for:
  687         1. Implementing a community school program.
  688         2. Certification by the center as a community school.
  689         (d)Publish on the center’s website the process and
  690  criteria for:
  691         1. Approving the application for implementing a community
  692  school program under subparagraph (c)1.
  693         2. Awarding the certification under subparagraph (c)2.
  694         (e) Establish a process to administer grant funds awarded
  695  under this section.
  696         (f)Promote best practices and provide technical assistance
  697  about community schools to community school program directors.
  698         (5) REPORTS.—
  699         (a) By July 1 of each year, each community school program
  700  director shall submit to the center a report that includes, at a
  701  minimum, the following information:
  702         1. An assessment of the effectiveness of the community
  703  school program in improving student success outcomes;
  704         2.Any issues encountered in the design and execution of
  705  the community school program;
  706         3. Recommendations for improving the delivery of services
  707  to students, families, and community members under the program;
  708         4.The number of students, families, and community members
  709  served under the program; and
  710         5. Any other information requested by the center director.
  711         (b) The center director shall review the reports submitted
  712  under paragraph (a) and, by August 15 of each year, shall
  713  provide to the commissioner:
  714         1. A summary of the information reported by each community
  715  school that receives a grant under this section; and
  716         2. Recommendations for policy and funding investments to
  717  improve the implementation and oversight of community school
  718  programs and to remove any barriers to the expansion of
  719  community schools.
  720         (c) The commissioner shall review the summary and
  721  recommendations submitted by the center director under paragraph
  722  (b) and, by September 30 of each year, shall submit a report to
  723  the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of
  724  the House of Representatives. The annual report submitted by the
  725  commissioner must, at a minimum, include information on the
  726  status of community schools and his or her recommendations for
  727  policy and funding investments to improve and expand community
  728  schools.
  729         Section 5. Subsection (4) of section 1008.33, Florida
  730  Statutes, is amended to read:
  731         1008.33 Authority to enforce public school improvement.—
  732         (4)(a) The state board shall apply intensive intervention
  733  and support strategies tailored to the needs of schools earning
  734  two consecutive grades of “D” or a grade of “F.” In the first
  735  full school year after a school initially earns two consecutive
  736  grades of “D” or a grade of “F,” the school district must
  737  immediately implement intervention and support strategies
  738  prescribed in rule under paragraph (3)(c) and, by September 1,
  739  provide the department with the memorandum of understanding
  740  negotiated pursuant to s. 1001.42(21) and, by October 1, a
  741  district-managed turnaround plan for approval by the state
  742  board. The district-managed turnaround plan may include a
  743  proposal for the district to implement an extended school day, a
  744  summer program, or a combination of an extended school day and a
  745  summer program. Upon approval by the state board, the school
  746  district must implement the plan for the remainder of the school
  747  year and continue the plan for 1 full school year. The state
  748  board may allow a school an additional year of implementation
  749  before the school must implement a turnaround option required
  750  under paragraph (b) if it determines that the school is likely
  751  to improve to a grade of “C” or higher after the first full
  752  school year of implementation.
  753         (b) Unless an additional year of implementation is provided
  754  pursuant to paragraph (a), a school that earns three consecutive
  755  grades below a “C” must implement one of the following:
  756         1. Reassign students to another school and monitor the
  757  progress of each reassigned student;
  758         2. Close the school and reopen the school as one or more
  759  charter schools, each with a governing board that has a
  760  demonstrated record of effectiveness; or
  761         3. Contract with an outside entity that has a demonstrated
  762  record of effectiveness to operate the school. An outside entity
  763  may include a district-managed charter school in which all
  764  instructional personnel are not employees of the school
  765  district, but are employees of an independent governing board
  766  composed of members who did not participate in the review or
  767  approval of the charter.
  768         (c) Implementation of the turnaround option is no longer
  769  required if the school improves to a grade of “C” or higher.
  770         (d) If a school earning two consecutive grades of “D” or a
  771  grade of “F” does not improve to a grade of “C” or higher after
  772  2 full school years of implementing the turnaround option
  773  selected by the school district under paragraph (b), the school
  774  district must implement another turnaround option.
  775  Implementation of the turnaround option must begin the school
  776  year following the implementation period of the existing
  777  turnaround option, unless the state board determines that the
  778  school is likely to improve to a grade of “C” or higher if
  779  additional time is provided to implement the existing turnaround
  780  option.
  781         Section 6. Present subsections (18) and (19) of section
  782  1011.62, Florida Statutes, are redesignated as subsections (19)
  783  and (20), respectively, a new subsection (18) and subsection
  784  (21) are added to that section, and paragraph (a) of subsection
  785  (4) and subsection (14) of that section are amended, to read:
  786         1011.62 Funds for operation of schools.—If the annual
  787  allocation from the Florida Education Finance Program to each
  788  district for operation of schools is not determined in the
  789  annual appropriations act or the substantive bill implementing
  790  the annual appropriations act, it shall be determined as
  791  follows:
  792         (4) COMPUTATION OF DISTRICT REQUIRED LOCAL EFFORT.—The
  793  Legislature shall prescribe the aggregate required local effort
  794  for all school districts collectively as an item in the General
  795  Appropriations Act for each fiscal year. The amount that each
  796  district shall provide annually toward the cost of the Florida
  797  Education Finance Program for kindergarten through grade 12
  798  programs shall be calculated as follows:
  799         (a) Estimated taxable value calculations.—
  800         1.a. Not later than 2 working days before July 19, the
  801  Department of Revenue shall certify to the Commissioner of
  802  Education its most recent estimate of the taxable value for
  803  school purposes in each school district and the total for all
  804  school districts in the state for the current calendar year
  805  based on the latest available data obtained from the local
  806  property appraisers. The value certified shall be the taxable
  807  value for school purposes for that year, and no further
  808  adjustments shall be made, except those made pursuant to
  809  paragraphs (c) and (d), or an assessment roll change required by
  810  final judicial decisions as specified in paragraph (19)(b)
  811  (18)(b). Not later than July 19, the Commissioner of Education
  812  shall compute a millage rate, rounded to the next highest one
  813  one-thousandth of a mill, which, when applied to 96 percent of
  814  the estimated state total taxable value for school purposes,
  815  would generate the prescribed aggregate required local effort
  816  for that year for all districts. The Commissioner of Education
  817  shall certify to each district school board the millage rate,
  818  computed as prescribed in this subparagraph, as the minimum
  819  millage rate necessary to provide the district required local
  820  effort for that year.
  821         b. The General Appropriations Act shall direct the
  822  computation of the statewide adjusted aggregate amount for
  823  required local effort for all school districts collectively from
  824  ad valorem taxes to ensure that no school district’s revenue
  825  from required local effort millage will produce more than 90
  826  percent of the district’s total Florida Education Finance
  827  Program calculation as calculated and adopted by the
  828  Legislature, and the adjustment of the required local effort
  829  millage rate of each district that produces more than 90 percent
  830  of its total Florida Education Finance Program entitlement to a
  831  level that will produce only 90 percent of its total Florida
  832  Education Finance Program entitlement in the July calculation.
  833         2. On the same date as the certification in sub
  834  subparagraph 1.a., the Department of Revenue shall certify to
  835  the Commissioner of Education for each district:
  836         a. Each year for which the property appraiser has certified
  837  the taxable value pursuant to s. 193.122(2) or (3), if
  838  applicable, since the prior certification under sub-subparagraph
  839  1.a.
  840         b. For each year identified in sub-subparagraph a., the
  841  taxable value certified by the appraiser pursuant to s.
  842  193.122(2) or (3), if applicable, since the prior certification
  843  under sub-subparagraph 1.a. This is the certification that
  844  reflects all final administrative actions of the value
  845  adjustment board.
  846         (14) QUALITY ASSURANCE GUARANTEE.—The Legislature may
  847  annually in the General Appropriations Act determine a
  848  percentage increase in funds per K-12 unweighted FTE as a
  849  minimum guarantee to each school district. The guarantee shall
  850  be calculated from prior year base funding per unweighted FTE
  851  student which shall include the adjusted FTE dollars as provided
  852  in subsection (19) (18), quality guarantee funds, and actual
  853  nonvoted discretionary local effort from taxes. From the base
  854  funding per unweighted FTE, the increase shall be calculated for
  855  the current year. The current year funds from which the
  856  guarantee shall be determined shall include the adjusted FTE
  857  dollars as provided in subsection (19) (18) and potential
  858  nonvoted discretionary local effort from taxes. A comparison of
  859  current year funds per unweighted FTE to prior year funds per
  860  unweighted FTE shall be computed. For those school districts
  861  which have less than the legislatively assigned percentage
  862  increase, funds shall be provided to guarantee the assigned
  863  percentage increase in funds per unweighted FTE student. Should
  864  appropriated funds be less than the sum of this calculated
  865  amount for all districts, the commissioner shall prorate each
  866  district’s allocation. This provision shall be implemented to
  867  the extent specifically funded.
  868         (18) THE FLORIDA BEST AND BRIGHTEST TEACHER AND PRINCIPAL
  869  ALLOCATION.—
  870         (a)The Florida Best and Brightest Teacher and Principal
  871  Allocation is created to recruit, retain, and recognize
  872  classroom teachers who meet the criteria established in s.
  873  1012.731 and reward principals who meet the criteria established
  874  in s. 1012.732. Subject to annual appropriation, each school
  875  district shall receive an allocation based on the district’s
  876  proportionate share of FEFP base funding. The Legislature may
  877  specify a minimum allocation for all districts in the General
  878  Appropriations Act.
  879         (b) From the allocation, each district shall provide the
  880  following for eligible classroom teachers:
  881         1. A one-time recruitment award, as provided in s.
  882  1012.731(3)(a);
  883         2. A retention award, as provided in s. 1012.731(3)(b); and
  884         3. A recognition award, as provided in s. 1012.731(3)(c)
  885  from the remaining balance of the appropriation after the
  886  payment of all other awards authorized under ss. 1012.731 and
  887  1012.732.
  888         (c) From the allocation, each district shall provide
  889  eligible principals an award as provided in s. 1012.732(3).
  890  
  891  If a district’s calculated awards exceed the allocation, the
  892  district may prorate the awards.
  893         (21) TURNAROUND SCHOOL SUPPLEMENTAL SERVICES ALLOCATION.
  894  The turnaround school supplemental services allocation is
  895  created to provide district-managed turnaround schools, as
  896  identified in s. 1008.33(4)(a), schools that earn three
  897  consecutive grades below a “C”, as identified in s.
  898  1008.33(4)(b)3., and schools that have improved to a “C” and are
  899  no longer in turnaround status, as identified in s.
  900  1008.33(4)(c), with funds to offer services designed to improve
  901  the overall academic and community welfare of the schools’
  902  students and their families.
  903         (a) Services funded by the allocation may include, but are
  904  not limited to, tutorial and after-school programs, student
  905  counseling, nutrition education, parental counseling, and an
  906  extended school day and school year. In addition, services may
  907  include models that develop a culture that encourages students
  908  to complete high school and to attend college or career
  909  training, set high academic expectations, and inspire character
  910  development.
  911         (b) Before distribution of the allocation, the school
  912  district shall develop and submit a plan for implementation to
  913  its school board for approval no later than August 1 of each
  914  fiscal year.
  915         (c) At a minimum, the plans required under paragraph (b)
  916  must:
  917         1. Establish comprehensive support services that develop
  918  family and community partnerships;
  919         2. Establish clearly defined and measurable high academic
  920  and character standards;
  921         3. Increase parental involvement and engagement in the
  922  child’s education;
  923         4. Describe how instructional personnel will be identified,
  924  recruited, retained, and rewarded;
  925         5. Provide professional development that focuses on
  926  academic rigor, direct instruction, and creating high academic
  927  and character standards;
  928         6. Provide focused instruction to improve student academic
  929  proficiency, which may include additional instruction time
  930  beyond the normal school day or school year; and
  931         7. Include a strategy for continuing to provide services
  932  after the school is no longer in turnaround status by virtue of
  933  achieving a grade of “C” or higher.
  934         (d) Each school district shall submit its approved plans to
  935  the commissioner by September 1 of each fiscal year.
  936         (e) Subject to legislative appropriation, each school
  937  district’s allocation must be based on the unweighted FTE
  938  student enrollment at the eligible schools and a per-FTE funding
  939  amount of $500 or as provided in the General Appropriations Act.
  940  The supplement provided in the General Appropriations Act shall
  941  be based on the most recent school grades and shall serve as a
  942  proxy for the official calculation. Once school grades are
  943  available for the school year immediately preceding the fiscal
  944  year coinciding with the appropriation, the supplement shall be
  945  recalculated for the official participating schools as part of
  946  the subsequent FEFP calculation. The commissioner may prepare a
  947  preliminary calculation so that districts may proceed with
  948  timely planning and use of the funds. If the calculated funds
  949  for the statewide allocation exceed the funds appropriated, the
  950  allocation of funds to each school district must be prorated
  951  based on each school district’s share of the total unweighted
  952  FTE student enrollment for the eligible schools.
  953         (f) Subject to legislative appropriation, each school shall
  954  remain eligible for the allocation for a maximum of 4 continuous
  955  fiscal years while implementing a turnaround option pursuant to
  956  s. 1008.33(4). In addition, a school that improves to a grade of
  957  “C” or higher shall remain eligible to receive the allocation
  958  for a maximum of 2 continuous fiscal years after exiting
  959  turnaround status.
  960         Section 7. Subsection (1) and paragraph (a) of subsection
  961  (2) of section 1011.71, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
  962         1011.71 District school tax.—
  963         (1) If the district school tax is not provided in the
  964  General Appropriations Act or the substantive bill implementing
  965  the General Appropriations Act, each district school board
  966  desiring to participate in the state allocation of funds for
  967  current operation as prescribed by s. 1011.62(19) s. 1011.62(18)
  968  shall levy on the taxable value for school purposes of the
  969  district, exclusive of millage voted under s. 9(b) or s. 12,
  970  Art. VII of the State Constitution, a millage rate not to exceed
  971  the amount certified by the commissioner as the minimum millage
  972  rate necessary to provide the district required local effort for
  973  the current year, pursuant to s. 1011.62(4)(a)1. In addition to
  974  the required local effort millage levy, each district school
  975  board may levy a nonvoted current operating discretionary
  976  millage. The Legislature shall prescribe annually in the
  977  appropriations act the maximum amount of millage a district may
  978  levy.
  979         (2) In addition to the maximum millage levy as provided in
  980  subsection (1), each school board may levy not more than 1.5
  981  mills against the taxable value for school purposes for charter
  982  schools pursuant to s. 1013.62(1) and (3) and for district
  983  schools to fund:
  984         (a) New construction, and remodeling projects, as set forth
  985  in s. 1013.64(6)(b) and included in the district’s educational
  986  plant survey pursuant to s. 1013.31, without regard to
  987  prioritization, sites and site improvement or expansion to new
  988  sites, existing sites, auxiliary facilities, athletic
  989  facilities, or ancillary facilities.
  990         Section 8. Subsections (3) and (7) of section 1012.56,
  991  Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
  992         1012.56 Educator certification requirements.—
  993         (3) MASTERY OF GENERAL KNOWLEDGE.—Acceptable means of
  994  demonstrating mastery of general knowledge are:
  995         (a) Achievement of passing scores on the general knowledge
  996  examination required by state board rule;
  997         (b) Documentation of a valid professional standard teaching
  998  certificate issued by another state;
  999         (c) Documentation of a valid certificate issued by the
 1000  National Board for Professional Teaching Standards or a national
 1001  educator credentialing board approved by the State Board of
 1002  Education;
 1003         (d) Documentation of two semesters of successful, full-time
 1004  or part-time teaching in a Florida College System institution,
 1005  state university, or private college or university that awards
 1006  an associate or higher degree and is an accredited institution
 1007  or an institution of higher education identified by the
 1008  Department of Education as having a quality program; or
 1009         (e) Effective July 1, 2015, Achievement of passing scores,
 1010  identified in state board rule, on national or international
 1011  examinations that test comparable content and relevant standards
 1012  in verbal, analytical writing, and quantitative reasoning
 1013  skills, including, but not limited to, the verbal, analytical
 1014  writing, and quantitative reasoning portions of the Graduate
 1015  Record Examination. Passing scores identified in state board
 1016  rule must be at approximately the same level of rigor as is
 1017  required to pass the general knowledge examinations.
 1018  
 1019  A school district that employs an individual who does not
 1020  achieve passing scores on any subtest of the general knowledge
 1021  examination must provide information regarding the availability
 1022  of state-level and district-level supports and instruction to
 1023  assist him or her in achieving a passing score. Such information
 1024  must include, but need not be limited to, state-level test
 1025  information guides, school district test preparation resources,
 1026  and preparation courses offered by state universities and
 1027  Florida College System institutions.
 1028         (7) TYPES AND TERMS OF CERTIFICATION.—
 1029         (a) The Department of Education shall issue a professional
 1030  certificate for a period not to exceed 5 years to any applicant
 1031  who fulfills one of the following:
 1032         1. Meets all the requirements outlined in subsection (2).
 1033         2. For a professional certificate covering grades 6 through
 1034  12:
 1035         a. Meets the requirements of paragraphs (2)(a)-(h).
 1036         b. Holds a master’s or higher degree in the area of
 1037  science, technology, engineering, or mathematics.
 1038         c. Teaches a high school course in the subject of the
 1039  advanced degree.
 1040         d. Is rated highly effective as determined by the teacher’s
 1041  performance evaluation under s. 1012.34, based in part on
 1042  student performance as measured by a statewide, standardized
 1043  assessment or an Advanced Placement, Advanced International
 1044  Certificate of Education, or International Baccalaureate
 1045  examination.
 1046         e. Achieves a passing score on the Florida professional
 1047  education competency examination required by state board rule.
 1048         3. Meets the requirements of paragraphs (2)(a)-(h) and
 1049  completes a professional preparation and education competence
 1050  program approved by the department pursuant to paragraph (8)(c).
 1051  An applicant who completes the program and is rated highly
 1052  effective as determined by his or her performance evaluation
 1053  under s. 1012.34 is not required to take or achieve a passing
 1054  score on the professional education competency examination in
 1055  order to be awarded a professional certificate.
 1056         (b) The department shall issue a temporary certificate to
 1057  any applicant who completes the requirements outlined in
 1058  paragraphs (2)(a)-(f) and completes the subject area content
 1059  requirements specified in state board rule or demonstrates
 1060  mastery of subject area knowledge pursuant to subsection (5) and
 1061  holds an accredited degree or a degree approved by the
 1062  Department of Education at the level required for the subject
 1063  area specialization in state board rule.
 1064         (c) The department shall issue one nonrenewable 2-year
 1065  temporary certificate and one nonrenewable 5-year professional
 1066  certificate to a qualified applicant who holds a bachelor’s
 1067  degree in the area of speech-language impairment to allow for
 1068  completion of a master’s degree program in speech-language
 1069  impairment.
 1070  
 1071  Each temporary certificate is valid for 3 school fiscal years
 1072  and is nonrenewable. However, the requirement in paragraph
 1073  (2)(g) must be met within 1 calendar year of the date of
 1074  employment under the temporary certificate. Individuals who are
 1075  employed under contract at the end of the 1 calendar year time
 1076  period may continue to be employed through the end of the school
 1077  year in which they have been contracted. A school district shall
 1078  not employ, or continue the employment of, an individual in a
 1079  position for which a temporary certificate is required beyond
 1080  this time period if the individual has not met the requirement
 1081  of paragraph (2)(g). At least 1 year before an individual’s
 1082  temporary certificate is set to expire, the department shall
 1083  electronically notify the individual of the date on which his or
 1084  her certificate will expire and provide a list of each method by
 1085  which the qualifications for a professional certificate can be
 1086  completed. The State Board of Education shall adopt rules to
 1087  allow the department to extend the validity period of a
 1088  temporary certificate for 2 years when the requirements for the
 1089  professional certificate, not including the requirement in
 1090  paragraph (2)(g), were not completed due to the serious illness
 1091  or injury of the applicant, the military service of an
 1092  applicant’s spouse, or other extraordinary extenuating
 1093  circumstances. The rules must authorize the department to extend
 1094  the validity period of a temporary certificate for 1 year if the
 1095  certificateholder is rated effective or highly effective based
 1096  solely on a student learning growth formula approved by the
 1097  Commissioner of Education pursuant to s. 1012.34(8). The
 1098  department shall reissue the temporary certificate for 2
 1099  additional years upon approval by the Commissioner of Education.
 1100  A written request for reissuance of the certificate shall be
 1101  submitted by the district school superintendent, the governing
 1102  authority of a university lab school, the governing authority of
 1103  a state-supported school, or the governing authority of a
 1104  private school.
 1105         Section 9. Subsection (1) of section 1012.59, Florida
 1106  Statutes, is amended to read:
 1107         1012.59 Certification fees.—
 1108         (1) The State Board of Education, by rule, shall establish
 1109  by rule separate fees for applications, examinations,
 1110  certification, certification renewal, late renewal,
 1111  recordmaking, and recordkeeping, and may establish procedures
 1112  for scheduling and administering an examination upon an
 1113  applicant’s request. Unless otherwise specified in this
 1114  subsection, each fee shall be based on department estimates of
 1115  the revenue required to implement the provisions of law with
 1116  respect to certification of school personnel. The application
 1117  fee is shall be nonrefundable. The rule must specify an Each
 1118  examination fee for the following:
 1119         (a) Initial registration for first-time test takers.
 1120         (b) Retake of the full battery of subtests of an
 1121  examination, if applicable. The retake fee for the full battery
 1122  of subtests may not exceed the fee for the initial registration.
 1123         (c) Retake for each subtest of an examination. The retake
 1124  fee for each subtest must be prorated based on the number of
 1125  subtests within the examination shall be sufficient to cover the
 1126  actual cost of developing and administering the examination.
 1127         Section 10. Section 1012.731, Florida Statutes, is amended
 1128  to read:
 1129         1012.731 The Florida Best and Brightest Teacher Scholarship
 1130  Program.—
 1131         (1) The Legislature recognizes that, second only to
 1132  parents, teachers play the most critical role within schools in
 1133  preparing students to achieve a high level of academic
 1134  performance. The Legislature further recognizes that research
 1135  has linked student outcomes to a teacher’s own academic
 1136  achievement. Therefore, it is the intent of the Legislature to
 1137  recruit, retain, and recognize designate teachers who meet the
 1138  needs of this state and have achieved success in the classroom
 1139  high academic standards during their own education as Florida’s
 1140  best and brightest teacher scholars.
 1141         (2) There is created The Florida Best and Brightest Teacher
 1142  Scholarship Program is created to be administered by the
 1143  Department of Education. The scholarship program shall provide
 1144  categorical funding for scholarships to recruitment, retention,
 1145  and recognition awards be awarded to classroom teachers, as
 1146  defined in s. 1012.01(2)(a), to be funded as provided in s.
 1147  1011.62(18) who have demonstrated a high level of academic
 1148  achievement.
 1149         (3)(a) To be eligible for a one-time recruitment award as
 1150  specified in the General Appropriations Act, a newly hired
 1151  teacher must be a content expert, based on criteria established
 1152  by the department, in mathematics, science, computer science,
 1153  reading, or civics scholarship in the amount of $6,000, a
 1154  classroom teacher must:
 1155         1. Have achieved a composite score at or above the 80th
 1156  percentile on either the SAT or the ACT based on the National
 1157  Percentile Ranks in effect when the classroom teacher took the
 1158  assessment and have been evaluated as highly effective pursuant
 1159  to s. 1012.34 in the school year immediately preceding the year
 1160  in which the scholarship will be awarded, unless the classroom
 1161  teacher is newly hired by the district school board and has not
 1162  been evaluated pursuant to s. 1012.34.
 1163         2. Beginning with the 2020-2021 school year, have achieved
 1164  a composite score at or above the 77th percentile or, if the
 1165  classroom teacher graduated cum laude or higher with a
 1166  baccalaureate degree, the 71st percentile on either the SAT,
 1167  ACT, GRE, LSAT, GMAT, or MCAT based on the National Percentile
 1168  Ranks in effect when the classroom teacher took the assessment;
 1169  and have been evaluated as highly effective pursuant to s.
 1170  1012.34, or have been evaluated as highly effective based on a
 1171  commissioner-approved student learning growth formula pursuant
 1172  to s. 1012.34(8), in the school year immediately preceding the
 1173  year in which the scholarship will be awarded, unless the
 1174  classroom teacher is newly hired by the district school board
 1175  and has not been evaluated pursuant to s. 1012.34.
 1176         (b) To be eligible for a retention award as specified in
 1177  the General Appropriations Act, a teacher must have been rated
 1178  as highly effective or effective the preceding year pursuant to
 1179  s. 1012.34, and teach in a school for 2 consecutive school
 1180  years, including the current year, that has improved an average
 1181  of 3 percentage points or more in the percentage of total
 1182  possible points achieved for determining school grades over the
 1183  prior 3 years
 1184         1.In order to demonstrate eligibility for an award, an
 1185  eligible classroom teacher must submit to the school district,
 1186  no later than November 1, an official record of his or her
 1187  qualifying assessment score and, beginning with the 2020-2021
 1188  school year, an official transcript demonstrating that he or she
 1189  graduated cum laude or higher with a baccalaureate degree, if
 1190  applicable. Once a classroom teacher is deemed eligible by the
 1191  school district, the teacher shall remain eligible as long as he
 1192  or she remains employed by the school district as a classroom
 1193  teacher at the time of the award and receives an annual
 1194  performance evaluation rating of highly effective pursuant to s.
 1195  1012.34 or is evaluated as highly effective based on a
 1196  commissioner-approved student learning growth formula pursuant
 1197  to s. 1012.34(8) for the 2019-2020 school year or thereafter.
 1198         2. A school district employee who is no longer a classroom
 1199  teacher may receive an award if the employee was a classroom
 1200  teacher in the prior school year, was rated highly effective,
 1201  and met the requirements of this section as a classroom teacher.
 1202         (c) To be eligible for a recognition award, a teacher must
 1203  be rated as highly effective and be selected by his or her
 1204  school principal, based on performance criteria and policies
 1205  adopted by the district school board. Recognition awards must be
 1206  provided from funds remaining under the allocation provided in
 1207  s. 1011.62(18) after the payment of all teacher recruitment and
 1208  retention awards and principal awards authorized under this
 1209  section and the General Appropriations Act Notwithstanding the
 1210  requirements of this subsection, for the 2017-2018, 2018-2019,
 1211  and 2019-2020 school years, any classroom teacher who:
 1212         1. Was evaluated as highly effective pursuant to s. 1012.34
 1213  in the school year immediately preceding the year in which the
 1214  scholarship will be awarded shall receive a scholarship of
 1215  $1200, including a classroom teacher who received an award
 1216  pursuant to paragraph (a).
 1217         2. Was evaluated as effective pursuant to s. 1012.34 in the
 1218  school year immediately preceding the year in which the
 1219  scholarship will be awarded a scholarship of up to $800. If the
 1220  number of eligible classroom teachers under this subparagraph
 1221  exceeds the total allocation, the department shall prorate the
 1222  per-teacher scholarship amount.
 1223  
 1224  This paragraph expires July 1, 2020.
 1225         (4) Annually, by December 1, each school district shall
 1226  submit to the department:
 1227         (a) The number of eligible classroom teachers who qualify
 1228  for the scholarship.
 1229         (b) The name and master school identification number (MSID)
 1230  of each school in the district to which an eligible classroom
 1231  teacher is assigned.
 1232         (c) The name of the school principal of each eligible
 1233  classroom teacher’s school if he or she has served as the
 1234  school’s principal for at least 2 consecutive school years
 1235  including the current school year.
 1236         (5) Annually, by February 1, the department shall disburse
 1237  scholarship funds to each school district for each eligible
 1238  classroom teacher to receive a scholarship in accordance with
 1239  this section.
 1240         (6) Annually, by April 1, each school district shall award
 1241  the scholarship to each eligible classroom teacher.
 1242         (7) For purposes of this section, the term “school
 1243  district” includes the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind
 1244  and charter school governing boards.
 1245         Section 11. Section 1012.732, Florida Statutes, is amended
 1246  to read:
 1247         1012.732 The Florida Best and Brightest Principal
 1248  Scholarship Program.—
 1249         (1) The Legislature recognizes that the most effective
 1250  school principals establish a safe and supportive school
 1251  environment for students and faculty. Research shows that these
 1252  principals increase student learning by providing opportunities
 1253  for the professional growth, collaboration, and autonomy that
 1254  classroom teachers need to become and remain highly effective
 1255  educational professionals. As a result, these principals are
 1256  able to recruit and retain more of the best classroom teachers
 1257  and improve student outcomes at their schools, including schools
 1258  serving low-income and high-need student populations. Therefore,
 1259  it is the intent of the Legislature to designate school
 1260  principals whose schools make noticeable academic improvement
 1261  school faculty has a high percentage of classroom teachers who
 1262  are designated as Florida’s best and brightest teacher scholars
 1263  pursuant to s. 1012.731 as Florida’s best and brightest
 1264  principals.
 1265         (2) There is created The Florida Best and Brightest
 1266  Principal Scholarship Program is created to be administered by
 1267  the Department of Education. The program shall provide awards to
 1268  categorical funding for scholarships to be awarded to school
 1269  principals, as defined in s. 1012.01(3)(c)1., to be funded as
 1270  provided in s. 1011.62(18) who have recruited and retained a
 1271  high percentage of best and brightest teachers.
 1272         (3) A school principal identified pursuant to s.
 1273  1012.731(4)(c) is eligible to receive an award, as specified in
 1274  the General Appropriations Act, a scholarship under this section
 1275  if he or she has served as school principal at his or her school
 1276  for at least 4 2 consecutive school years including the current
 1277  school year and the school has improved an average of 3
 1278  percentage points or more in the percentage of total possible
 1279  points achieved for determining school grades over the prior 3
 1280  years his or her school has a ratio of best and brightest
 1281  teachers to other classroom teachers that is at the 80th
 1282  percentile or higher for schools within the same grade group,
 1283  statewide, including elementary schools, middle schools, high
 1284  schools, and schools with a combination of grade levels.
 1285         (4) Annually, by February 1, the department shall identify
 1286  eligible school principals and disburse funds to each school
 1287  district for each eligible school principal to receive a
 1288  scholarship. A scholarship of $5,000 must be awarded to every
 1289  eligible school principal assigned to a Title I school and a
 1290  scholarship of $4,000 to every eligible school principal who is
 1291  not assigned to a Title I school.
 1292         (5) Annually, by April 1, each school district must award a
 1293  scholarship to each eligible school principal.
 1294         (6)A school district must provide a best and brightest
 1295  principal with the additional authority and responsibilities
 1296  provided in s. 1012.28(8) for a minimum of 2 years.
 1297         (7) For purposes of this section, the term “school
 1298  district” includes the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind
 1299  and charter school governing boards.
 1300         Section 12. Paragraphs (a) and (d) of subsection (1) of
 1301  section 1013.31, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
 1302         1013.31 Educational plant survey; localized need
 1303  assessment; PECO project funding.—
 1304         (1) At least every 5 years, each board shall arrange for an
 1305  educational plant survey, to aid in formulating plans for
 1306  housing the educational program and student population, faculty,
 1307  administrators, staff, and auxiliary and ancillary services of
 1308  the district or campus, including consideration of the local
 1309  comprehensive plan. The Department of Education shall document
 1310  the need for additional career and adult education programs and
 1311  the continuation of existing programs before facility
 1312  construction or renovation related to career or adult education
 1313  may be included in the educational plant survey of a school
 1314  district or Florida College System institution that delivers
 1315  career or adult education programs. Information used by the
 1316  Department of Education to establish facility needs must
 1317  include, but need not be limited to, labor market data, needs
 1318  analysis, and information submitted by the school district or
 1319  Florida College System institution.
 1320         (a) Educational plant survey and localized need assessment
 1321  for capital outlay purposes.—A survey recommendation is not
 1322  required when a district uses may only use funds from the
 1323  following sources for educational, auxiliary, and ancillary
 1324  plant capital outlay purposes without needing a survey
 1325  recommendation:
 1326         1. The local capital outlay improvement fund, consisting of
 1327  funds that come from and are a part of the district’s basic
 1328  operating budget;
 1329         2. A taxpayer-approved bond referendum, to fund
 1330  construction of If a board decides to build an educational,
 1331  auxiliary, or ancillary plant facility without a survey
 1332  recommendation and the taxpayers approve a bond referendum, the
 1333  voted bond referendum;
 1334         3. One-half cent sales surtax revenue;
 1335         4. One cent local governmental surtax revenue;
 1336         5. Impact fees; and
 1337         6. Private gifts or donations; and
 1338         7. The district school tax levied pursuant to s.
 1339  1011.71(2).
 1340         (d) Review and validation.—The Department of Education
 1341  shall review and validate the surveys of school districts and
 1342  Florida College System institutions, and the Chancellor of the
 1343  State University System shall review and validate the surveys of
 1344  universities, and any amendments thereto for compliance with the
 1345  requirements of this chapter and shall recommend those in
 1346  compliance for approval by the State Board of Education or the
 1347  Board of Governors, as appropriate. Annually, the department
 1348  shall perform an in-depth analysis of a representative sample of
 1349  each survey of recommended needs for five districts selected by
 1350  the commissioner from among districts with the largest need-to
 1351  revenue ratio. For the purpose of this subsection, the need-to
 1352  revenue ratio is determined by dividing the total 5-year cost of
 1353  projects listed on the district survey by the total 5-year fixed
 1354  capital outlay revenue projections from state and local sources
 1355  as determined by the department. The commissioner may direct
 1356  fixed capital outlay funds provided from general revenue or from
 1357  state trust funds to be withheld from districts until such time
 1358  as the survey accurately projects facilities needs.
 1359         Section 13. Paragraph (a) of subsection (2) and paragraphs
 1360  (b), (c), and (d) of subsection (6) of section 1013.64, Florida
 1361  Statutes, are amended to read:
 1362         1013.64 Funds for comprehensive educational plant needs;
 1363  construction cost maximums for school district capital
 1364  projects.—Allocations from the Public Education Capital Outlay
 1365  and Debt Service Trust Fund to the various boards for capital
 1366  outlay projects shall be determined as follows:
 1367         (2)(a) The department shall establish, as a part of the
 1368  Public Education Capital Outlay and Debt Service Trust Fund, a
 1369  separate account, in an amount determined by the Legislature, to
 1370  be known as the “Special Facility Construction Account.” The
 1371  Special Facility Construction Account shall be used to provide
 1372  necessary construction funds to school districts which have
 1373  urgent construction needs but which lack sufficient resources at
 1374  present, and cannot reasonably anticipate sufficient resources
 1375  within the period of the next 3 years, for these purposes from
 1376  currently authorized sources of capital outlay revenue. A school
 1377  district requesting funding from the Special Facility
 1378  Construction Account shall submit one specific construction
 1379  project, not to exceed one complete educational plant, to the
 1380  Special Facility Construction Committee. A district may not
 1381  receive funding for more than one approved project in any 3-year
 1382  period or while any portion of the district’s participation
 1383  requirement is outstanding. The first year of the 3-year period
 1384  shall be the first year a district receives an appropriation.
 1385  The department shall encourage a construction program that
 1386  reduces the average size of schools in the district. The request
 1387  must meet the following criteria to be considered by the
 1388  committee:
 1389         1. The project must be deemed a critical need and must be
 1390  recommended for funding by the Special Facility Construction
 1391  Committee. Before developing construction plans for the proposed
 1392  facility, the district school board must request a
 1393  preapplication review by the Special Facility Construction
 1394  Committee or a project review subcommittee convened by the chair
 1395  of the committee to include two representatives of the
 1396  department and two staff members from school districts not
 1397  eligible to participate in the program. A school district may
 1398  request a preapplication review at any time; however, if the
 1399  district school board seeks inclusion in the department’s next
 1400  annual capital outlay legislative budget request, the
 1401  preapplication review request must be made before February 1.
 1402  Within 90 days after receiving the preapplication review
 1403  request, the committee or subcommittee must meet in the school
 1404  district to review the project proposal and existing facilities.
 1405  To determine whether the proposed project is a critical need,
 1406  the committee or subcommittee shall consider, at a minimum, the
 1407  capacity of all existing facilities within the district as
 1408  determined by the Florida Inventory of School Houses; the
 1409  district’s pattern of student growth; the district’s existing
 1410  and projected capital outlay full-time equivalent student
 1411  enrollment as determined by the demographic, revenue, and
 1412  education estimating conferences established in s. 216.136; the
 1413  district’s existing satisfactory student stations; the use of
 1414  all existing district property and facilities; grade level
 1415  configurations; and any other information that may affect the
 1416  need for the proposed project.
 1417         2. The construction project must be recommended in the most
 1418  recent survey or survey amendment cooperatively prepared by the
 1419  district and the department, and approved by the department
 1420  under the rules of the State Board of Education. If a district
 1421  employs a consultant in the preparation of a survey or survey
 1422  amendment, the consultant may not be employed by or receive
 1423  compensation from a third party that designs or constructs a
 1424  project recommended by the survey.
 1425         3. The construction project must appear on the district’s
 1426  approved project priority list under the rules of the State
 1427  Board of Education.
 1428         4. The district must have selected and had approved a site
 1429  for the construction project in compliance with s. 1013.36 and
 1430  the rules of the State Board of Education.
 1431         5. The district shall have developed a district school
 1432  board adopted list of facilities that do not exceed the norm for
 1433  net square feet occupancy requirements under the State
 1434  Requirements for Educational Facilities, using all possible
 1435  programmatic combinations for multiple use of space to obtain
 1436  maximum daily use of all spaces within the facility under
 1437  consideration.
 1438         6. Upon construction, the total cost per student station,
 1439  including change orders, must not exceed the cost per student
 1440  station as provided in subsection (6) except for cost overruns
 1441  created by a disaster as defined in s. 252.34 or an
 1442  unforeseeable circumstance beyond the district’s control as
 1443  determined by the Special Facility Construction Committee.
 1444         7. There shall be an agreement signed by the district
 1445  school board stating that it will advertise for bids within 30
 1446  days of receipt of its encumbrance authorization from the
 1447  department.
 1448         8. For construction projects for which Special Facilities
 1449  Construction Account funding is sought before the 2019-2020
 1450  fiscal year, the district shall, at the time of the request and
 1451  for a continuing period necessary to meet the district’s
 1452  participation requirement, levy the maximum millage against its
 1453  nonexempt assessed property value as allowed in s. 1011.71(2) or
 1454  shall raise an equivalent amount of revenue from the school
 1455  capital outlay surtax authorized under s. 212.055(6). Beginning
 1456  with construction projects for which Special Facilities
 1457  Construction Account funding is sought in the 2019-2020 fiscal
 1458  year, the district shall, for a minimum of 3 years before
 1459  submitting the request and for a continuing period necessary to
 1460  meet its participation requirement, levy the maximum millage
 1461  against the district’s nonexempt assessed property value as
 1462  authorized under s. 1011.71(2) or shall raise an equivalent
 1463  amount of revenue from the school capital outlay surtax
 1464  authorized under s. 212.055(6). Any district with a new or
 1465  active project, funded under the provisions of this subsection,
 1466  shall be required to budget no more than the value of 1 mill per
 1467  year to the project until the district’s participation
 1468  requirement relating to the local discretionary capital
 1469  improvement millage or the equivalent amount of revenue from the
 1470  school capital outlay surtax is satisfied.
 1471         9. If a contract has not been signed 90 days after the
 1472  advertising of bids, the funding for the specific project shall
 1473  revert to the Special Facility New Construction Account to be
 1474  reallocated to other projects on the list. However, an
 1475  additional 90 days may be granted by the commissioner.
 1476         10. The department shall certify the inability of the
 1477  district to fund the survey-recommended project over a
 1478  continuous 3-year period using projected capital outlay revenue
 1479  derived from s. 9(d), Art. XII of the State Constitution, as
 1480  amended, paragraph (3)(a) of this section, and s. 1011.71(2).
 1481         11. The district shall have on file with the department an
 1482  adopted resolution acknowledging its commitment to satisfy its
 1483  participation requirement, which is equivalent to all
 1484  unencumbered and future revenue acquired from s. 9(d), Art. XII
 1485  of the State Constitution, as amended, paragraph (3)(a) of this
 1486  section, and s. 1011.71(2), in the year of the initial
 1487  appropriation and for the 2 years immediately following the
 1488  initial appropriation.
 1489         12. Phase I Final phase III plans must be approved
 1490  certified by the district school board as being complete and in
 1491  compliance with the building and life safety codes before June 1
 1492  of the year the application is made.
 1493         (6)
 1494         (b)1. A district school board may not use funds from state
 1495  sources the following sources: Public Education Capital Outlay
 1496  and Debt Service Trust Fund; School District and Community
 1497  College District Capital Outlay and Debt Service Trust Fund;
 1498  Classrooms First Program funds provided in s. 1013.68; nonvoted
 1499  1.5-mill levy of ad valorem property taxes provided in s.
 1500  1011.71(2); Classrooms for Kids Program funds provided in s.
 1501  1013.735; District Effort Recognition Program funds provided in
 1502  s. 1013.736; or High Growth District Capital Outlay Assistance
 1503  Grant Program funds provided in s. 1013.738 for any new
 1504  construction of educational plant space with a total cost per
 1505  student station, including change orders, which exceeds that
 1506  equals more than:
 1507         a. $17,952 for an elementary school,
 1508         b. $19,386 for a middle school, or
 1509         c. $25,181 for a high school,
 1510  
 1511  (January 2006) as adjusted annually to reflect increases or
 1512  decreases in the Consumer Price Index. These restrictions do not
 1513  apply to local funds as specified in s. 1013.31(1)(a). The
 1514  department, in conjunction with the Office of Economic and
 1515  Demographic Research, shall review and revise the cost per
 1516  student station limits to reflect actual construction costs by
 1517  December 1, 2019, and every 3 years thereafter. The adjusted
 1518  cost per student station shall be used by the department for
 1519  computation of the statewide average costs per student station
 1520  for each instructional level pursuant to paragraph (d). The
 1521  department shall also collaborate with the Office of Economic
 1522  and Demographic Research to select an industry-recognized
 1523  construction index to replace the Consumer Price Index by
 1524  December 1, 2019, adjusted annually to reflect changes in the
 1525  construction index.
 1526         2. School districts shall maintain accurate documentation
 1527  related to the costs of all new construction of educational
 1528  plant space reported to the Department of Education pursuant to
 1529  paragraph (d). The Auditor General shall review the
 1530  documentation maintained by the school districts and verify
 1531  compliance with the limits under this paragraph during its
 1532  scheduled operational audits of the school district. The
 1533  department shall make the final determination on district
 1534  compliance based on the recommendation of the Auditor General.
 1535         3. Effective July 1, 2017, in addition to the funding
 1536  sources listed in subparagraph 1., a district school board may
 1537  not use funds from any sources for new construction of
 1538  educational plant space with a total cost per student station,
 1539  including change orders, which equals more than the current
 1540  adjusted amounts provided in sub-subparagraphs 1.a.-c. which
 1541  shall subsequently be adjusted annually to reflect increases or
 1542  decreases in the Consumer Price Index. However, if a contract
 1543  has been executed for architectural and design services or for
 1544  construction management services before July 1, 2017, a district
 1545  school board may use funds from any source for the new
 1546  construction of educational plant space and such funds are
 1547  exempt from the total cost per student station requirements.
 1548         4. A district school board must not use funds from the
 1549  Public Education Capital Outlay and Debt Service Trust Fund or
 1550  the School District and Community College District Capital
 1551  Outlay and Debt Service Trust Fund for any new construction of
 1552  an ancillary plant that exceeds 70 percent of the average cost
 1553  per square foot of new construction for all schools.
 1554         (c) Except as otherwise provided, new construction for
 1555  which a contract has been executed for architectural and design
 1556  services or for construction management services by a district
 1557  school board on or after July 1, 2017, may not exceed the cost
 1558  per student station as provided in paragraph (b). A school
 1559  district that exceeds the cost per student station provided in
 1560  paragraph (b), as determined by the Auditor General, shall be
 1561  subject to sanctions. If the Auditor General determines that the
 1562  cost per student station overage is de minimus or due to
 1563  extraordinary circumstances outside the control of the district,
 1564  the sanctions shall not apply. The sanctions are as follows:
 1565         1. The school district shall be ineligible for allocations
 1566  from the Public Education Capital Outlay and Debt Service Trust
 1567  Fund for the next 3 years in which the school district would
 1568  have received allocations had the violation not occurred.
 1569         2. The school district shall be subject to the supervision
 1570  of a district capital outlay oversight committee. The oversight
 1571  committee is authorized to approve all capital outlay
 1572  expenditures of the school district, including new construction,
 1573  renovations, and remodeling, for 3 fiscal years following the
 1574  violation.
 1575         a. Each oversight committee shall be composed of the
 1576  following:
 1577         (I) One appointee of the Commissioner of Education who has
 1578  significant financial management, school facilities
 1579  construction, or related experience.
 1580         (II) One appointee of the office of the state attorney with
 1581  jurisdiction over the district.
 1582         (III) One appointee of the Chief Financial Officer who is a
 1583  licensed certified public accountant.
 1584         b. An appointee to the oversight committee may not be
 1585  employed by the school district; be a relative, as defined in s.
 1586  1002.33(24)(a)2., of any school district employee; or be an
 1587  elected official. Each appointee must sign an affidavit
 1588  attesting to these conditions and affirming that no conflict of
 1589  interest exists in his or her oversight role.
 1590         (d) The department shall:
 1591         1. Compute for each calendar year the statewide average
 1592  construction costs for facilities serving each instructional
 1593  level, for relocatable educational facilities, for
 1594  administrative facilities, and for other ancillary and auxiliary
 1595  facilities. The department shall compute the statewide average
 1596  costs per student station for each instructional level.
 1597         2. Annually review the actual completed construction costs
 1598  of educational facilities in each school district. For any
 1599  school district in which the total actual cost per student
 1600  station, including change orders, exceeds the statewide limits
 1601  established in paragraph (b), the school district shall report
 1602  to the department the actual cost per student station and the
 1603  reason for the school district’s inability to adhere to the
 1604  limits established in paragraph (b). The department shall
 1605  collect all such reports and shall provide these reports to the
 1606  Auditor General for verification purposes.
 1607  
 1608  Cost per student station includes contract costs, legal and
 1609  administrative costs, fees of architects and engineers,
 1610  furniture and equipment, and site improvement costs, related
 1611  offsite improvement costs, the cost of complying with public
 1612  shelter and hurricane hardening requirements, and the cost of
 1613  any security enhancements, including, but not limited to, the
 1614  cost for securing entries, checkpoint construction, lighting
 1615  specifically designed for entry point security, security
 1616  cameras, automatic locks and locking devices, electronic
 1617  security systems, fencing designed to prevent intruder entry
 1618  into a building, bullet-proof glass, or other capital
 1619  construction items approved by the school safety specialist to
 1620  ensure building security for new educational, auxiliary, or
 1621  ancillary facilities. Cost per student station does not include
 1622  the cost of purchasing or leasing the site for the construction
 1623  or the cost of related offsite improvements. Cost per student
 1624  station also does not include the cost for securing entries,
 1625  checkpoint construction, lighting specifically designed for
 1626  entry point security, security cameras, automatic locks and
 1627  locking devices, electronic security systems, fencing designed
 1628  to prevent intruder entry into a building, bullet-proof glass,
 1629  or other capital construction items approved by the school
 1630  safety specialist to ensure building security for new
 1631  educational, auxiliary, or ancillary facilities; costs for these
 1632  items must be below 2 percent per student station.
 1633         Section 14. This act shall take effect July 1, 2019.