Florida Senate - 2020 PROPOSED COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE
Bill No. SB 62
Ì545546=Î545546
576-02853-20
Proposed Committee Substitute by the Committee on Appropriations
(Appropriations Subcommittee on Education)
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to education; amending s. 212.055,
3 F.S.; requiring that a resolution to levy a
4 discretionary sales tax include a statement containing
5 certain information; requiring surtax revenues shared
6 with charter schools to be expended by the charter
7 schools in a certain manner; requiring all revenues
8 and expenditures be accounted for in a monthly or
9 quarterly charter school financial report; amending s.
10 1007.271, F.S.; clarifying that secondary students
11 eligible for dual enrollment programs include students
12 who are enrolled in home education programs; providing
13 for exceptions to grade point average requirements
14 relating to student eligibility; requiring that
15 exceptions to required grade point averages be
16 specified in the dual enrollment articulation
17 agreement; prohibiting postsecondary institutions from
18 establishing additional initial student academic
19 eligibility requirements; prohibiting district school
20 boards and Florida College System institutions from
21 denying students who have met eligibility requirements
22 from participating in dual enrollment except under
23 specified circumstances; revising the date by which
24 career centers are required to annually complete and
25 submit specified agreements to the Department of
26 Education; requiring district school boards to inform
27 secondary students and their parents or legal
28 guardians of specified information; prohibiting
29 schools from enrolling students in dual enrollment
30 courses under certain circumstances; deleting a
31 requirement that the State Board of Education adopt
32 rules for any dual enrollment programs involving
33 requirements for high school graduation; revising the
34 date by which eligible postsecondary institutions are
35 required to annually complete and submit home
36 education articulation agreements to the department;
37 revising requirements for home education students
38 enrolled in dual enrollment courses; conforming a
39 provision to changes made by the act; requiring that
40 instructional materials assigned for use within dual
41 enrollment courses be made available to dual
42 enrollment students from public schools, private
43 schools, and home education programs free of charge;
44 revising the date by which district school
45 superintendents and public postsecondary institution
46 presidents are required to develop the enrollment
47 articulation agreement; revising the date by which the
48 postsecondary institutions are required complete and
49 submit to the department a dual enrollment
50 articulation agreement; revising requirements for the
51 articulation agreement; revising provisions relating
52 to funding for dual enrollment; providing that certain
53 independent colleges and universities are eligible for
54 inclusion in the dual enrollment and early admission
55 programs; revising the date by which certain district
56 school boards and Florida College System institutions
57 are required to annually complete and submit a dual
58 enrollment articulation agreement to the department;
59 revising the date by which certain postsecondary
60 institutions are required to annually complete and
61 submit a private school articulation agreement to the
62 department; revising requirements for such agreements;
63 conforming provisions to changes made by the act;
64 requiring the Commissioner of Education to annually
65 report the status of dual enrollment programs to the
66 Governor and the Legislature by a specified date;
67 requiring the State Board of Education to adopt
68 certain rules; amending s. 1007.273, F.S.; changing
69 the term “collegiate high school program” to “early
70 college program”; defining the term “early college
71 program”; requiring early college programs to
72 prioritize certain courses; deleting requirements
73 relating to collegiate high school programs; revising
74 provisions relating to contracts executed between
75 district school boards and their local Florida College
76 System institutions to establish early college
77 programs; revising provisions relating to student
78 performance contracts for students participating in
79 early college programs; authorizing charter schools to
80 execute contracts to establish an early college
81 program with specified institutions; requiring the
82 commissioner to annually report the status of early
83 college programs to the Governor and the Legislature
84 by a specified date; creating s. 1009.31, F.S.;
85 providing legislative findings; establishing the Dual
86 Enrollment Scholarship Program; providing for the
87 administration of the program; providing for the
88 reimbursement of tuition and costs to eligible
89 postsecondary institutions; requiring students
90 participating in dual enrollment programs to meet
91 minimum eligibility requirements in order for
92 institutions to receive reimbursements; requiring
93 participating institutions to annually report
94 specified information to the department by certain
95 dates; providing a reimbursement schedule for tuition
96 and instructional materials costs; requiring the
97 department to reimburse institutions by specified
98 dates; providing that reimbursement for dual
99 enrollment courses is contingent upon appropriations;
100 providing for the prorating of reimbursements under
101 certain circumstances; requiring the State Board of
102 Education to adopt rules; amending s. 1011.62, F.S.;
103 deleting a provision relating to certain colleges and
104 universities eligible for inclusion in the dual
105 enrollment program; changing the calculation of full
106 time equivalent student membership for dual enrollment
107 purposes; revising the calculation of the virtual
108 education contribution; requiring that before
109 distribution of the mental health assistance
110 allocation occurs, a school district submit a detailed
111 plan that includes the input of school and community
112 stakeholders; requiring school board mental health
113 policies and procedures to include certain items;
114 requiring each school district to submit a report to
115 the department which reflects certain program outcomes
116 and expenditures for all charter schools in the
117 district; requiring the department to submit a report
118 to the Governor and the Legislature by a specified
119 date; requiring the report to include certain
120 information; abrogating the scheduled expiration of
121 provisions relating to the annual funding compression
122 allocation; establishing the Teacher Salary Increase
123 Allocation to be allocated from the Florida Education
124 Finance Program; defining the term “minimum base
125 salary”; amending s. 1013.62, F.S; requiring state
126 funds and revenue from a certain millage be used to
127 fund charter school capital outlays if state funds
128 appropriated in a given fiscal year are below a
129 certain level; providing additional requirements for
130 charter school eligibility for a funding allocation;
131 requiring a certification for the use of funds;
132 prohibiting the personal enrichment of owners,
133 operators, managers, and other affiliated parties of
134 charter schools; defining the term “affiliated party
135 of the charter school”; requiring the department to
136 use certain methodology to the determine the amount of
137 revenue that a school district must distribute to each
138 eligible charter school if charter school capital
139 outlay funding in any given fiscal year is less than a
140 specified amount; amending s. 1013.64, F.S.; providing
141 an exception for educational facilities and sites
142 subject to a lease-purchase agreement or funded solely
143 through local impact fees; amending s. 1003.4282,
144 F.S.; conforming a provision to changes made by the
145 act; amending s. 1003.436, F.S.; conforming a cross
146 reference; providing an effective date.
147
148 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
149
150 Section 1. Subsection (6) of section 212.055, Florida
151 Statutes, is amended to read:
152 212.055 Discretionary sales surtaxes; legislative intent;
153 authorization and use of proceeds.—It is the legislative intent
154 that any authorization for imposition of a discretionary sales
155 surtax shall be published in the Florida Statutes as a
156 subsection of this section, irrespective of the duration of the
157 levy. Each enactment shall specify the types of counties
158 authorized to levy; the rate or rates which may be imposed; the
159 maximum length of time the surtax may be imposed, if any; the
160 procedure which must be followed to secure voter approval, if
161 required; the purpose for which the proceeds may be expended;
162 and such other requirements as the Legislature may provide.
163 Taxable transactions and administrative procedures shall be as
164 provided in s. 212.054.
165 (6) SCHOOL CAPITAL OUTLAY SURTAX.—
166 (a) The school board in each county may levy, pursuant to
167 resolution conditioned to take effect only upon approval by a
168 majority vote of the electors of the county voting in a
169 referendum, a discretionary sales surtax at a rate that may not
170 exceed 0.5 percent.
171 (b) The resolution must shall include a statement that
172 provides a brief and general description of the school capital
173 outlay projects to be funded by the surtax. The resolution must
174 also include a statement that the revenues collected must be
175 shared with charter schools based on their proportionate share
176 of total school district enrollment. The statement must shall
177 conform to the requirements of s. 101.161 and shall be placed on
178 the ballot by the governing body of the county. The following
179 question shall be placed on the ballot:
180
181 ....FOR THE ....CENTS TAX
182 ....AGAINST THE ....CENTS TAX
183
184
185
186 (c) The resolution providing for the imposition of the
187 surtax must shall set forth a plan for use of the surtax
188 proceeds for fixed capital expenditures or fixed capital costs
189 associated with the construction, reconstruction, or improvement
190 of school facilities and campuses which have a useful life
191 expectancy of 5 or more years, and any land acquisition, land
192 improvement, design, and engineering costs related thereto.
193 Additionally, the plan shall include the costs of retrofitting
194 and providing for technology implementation, including hardware
195 and software, for the various sites within the school district.
196 Surtax revenues may be used for the purpose of servicing bond
197 indebtedness to finance projects authorized by this subsection,
198 and any interest accrued thereto may be held in trust to finance
199 such projects. Neither the proceeds of the surtax nor any
200 interest accrued thereto shall be used for operational expenses.
201 Surtax revenues shared with charter schools shall be expended by
202 the charter school in a manner consistent with the allowable
203 uses in s.1013.62(4). All revenues and expenditures shall be
204 accounted for in a charter school’s monthly or quarterly
205 financial report pursuant to s. 1002.33(9).
206 (d) Surtax revenues collected by the Department of Revenue
207 pursuant to this subsection shall be distributed to the school
208 board imposing the surtax in accordance with law.
209 Section 2. Section 1007.271, Florida Statutes, is amended
210 to read:
211 1007.271 Dual enrollment programs.—
212 (1) The dual enrollment program is the enrollment of an
213 eligible secondary student or home education student in a
214 postsecondary course creditable toward high school completion
215 and a career certificate or an associate or baccalaureate
216 degree. A student who is enrolled in postsecondary instruction
217 that is not creditable toward a high school diploma may not be
218 classified as a dual enrollment student.
219 (2) For the purpose of this section, an eligible secondary
220 student is a student who is enrolled in any of grades 6 through
221 12 in a Florida public school or in a Florida private school
222 that is in compliance with s. 1002.42(2) and provides a
223 secondary curriculum pursuant to s. 1003.4282, or who is
224 enrolled in a home education program pursuant to s. 1002.41.
225 Students who are eligible for dual enrollment pursuant to this
226 section may enroll in dual enrollment courses conducted during
227 school hours, after school hours, and during the summer term.
228 However, if the student is projected to graduate from high
229 school before the scheduled completion date of a postsecondary
230 course, the student may not register for that course through
231 dual enrollment. The student may apply to the postsecondary
232 institution and pay the required registration, tuition, and fees
233 if the student meets the postsecondary institution’s admissions
234 requirements under s. 1007.263. Instructional time for dual
235 enrollment may vary from 900 hours; however, the full-time
236 equivalent student membership value shall be subject to the
237 provisions in s. 1011.61(4). A student enrolled as a dual
238 enrollment student is exempt from the payment of registration,
239 tuition, and laboratory fees. Applied academics for adult
240 education instruction, developmental education, and other forms
241 of precollegiate instruction, as well as physical education
242 courses that focus on the physical execution of a skill rather
243 than the intellectual attributes of the activity, are ineligible
244 for inclusion in the dual enrollment program. Recreation and
245 leisure studies courses shall be evaluated individually in the
246 same manner as physical education courses for potential
247 inclusion in the program.
248 (3) Student eligibility requirements For initial enrollment
249 in college credit dual enrollment courses, a student must
250 achieve include a 3.0 unweighted high school grade point average
251 and the minimum score on a common placement test adopted by the
252 State Board of Education which indicates that the student is
253 ready for college-level coursework. Student eligibility
254 requirements For continued enrollment in college credit dual
255 enrollment courses, a student must maintain a minimum must
256 include the maintenance of a 3.0 unweighted high school grade
257 point average and the minimum postsecondary grade point average
258 established by the postsecondary institution. Regardless of
259 meeting student eligibility requirements for continued
260 enrollment, a student may lose the opportunity to participate in
261 a dual enrollment course if the student is disruptive to the
262 learning process such that the progress of other students or the
263 efficient administration of the course is hindered. Student
264 eligibility requirements for initial and continued enrollment in
265 career certificate dual enrollment courses must include a 2.0
266 unweighted high school grade point average. An exception
267 Exceptions to the required grade point average for career
268 certificate dual enrollment averages may be granted on an
269 individual student basis. An exception to the required grade
270 point average for college credit dual enrollment may be granted
271 for students who achieve higher scores than the established
272 minimum on the common placement test adopted by the State Board
273 of Education. Any exception to the required grade point average
274 must be specified in if the educational entities agree and the
275 terms of the agreement are contained within the dual enrollment
276 articulation agreement established pursuant to subsection (21).
277 A postsecondary institution Florida College System institution
278 boards of trustees may not establish additional initial student
279 academic eligibility requirements, which shall be included in
280 the dual enrollment articulation agreement, to ensure student
281 readiness for postsecondary instruction. Additional requirements
282 included in the agreement may not arbitrarily prohibit students
283 who have demonstrated the ability to master advanced courses
284 from participating in dual enrollment courses or limit the
285 number of dual enrollment courses in which a student may enroll
286 based solely upon enrollment by the student at an independent
287 postsecondary institution.
288 (4) District school boards may not refuse to enter into a
289 dual enrollment articulation agreement with a local Florida
290 College System institution if that Florida College System
291 institution has the capacity to offer dual enrollment courses.
292 (5) A district school board or Florida College System
293 institution may not deny a student who has met the state
294 eligibility requirements from participating in dual enrollment
295 unless the institution documents that it does not have the
296 capacity to accommodate all eligible students seeking to
297 participate in the dual enrollment program. If the institution
298 documents that it does not have the capacity to accommodate all
299 eligible students, participation must be based on a first-come,
300 first-served basis.
301 (6)(5)(a) Each faculty member providing instruction in
302 college credit dual enrollment courses must:
303 1. Meet the qualifications required by the entity
304 accrediting the postsecondary institution offering the course.
305 The qualifications apply to all faculty members regardless of
306 the location of instruction. The postsecondary institution
307 offering the course must require compliance with these
308 qualifications.
309 2. Provide the institution offering the dual enrollment
310 course a copy of his or her postsecondary transcript.
311 3. Provide a copy of the current syllabus for each course
312 taught to the discipline chair or department chair of the
313 postsecondary institution before the start of each term. The
314 content of each syllabus must meet the same standards required
315 for all college-level courses offered by that postsecondary
316 institution.
317 4. Adhere to the professional rules, guidelines, and
318 expectations stated in the postsecondary institution’s faculty
319 or adjunct faculty handbook. Any exceptions must be included in
320 the dual enrollment articulation agreement.
321 5. Adhere to the rules, guidelines, and expectations stated
322 in the postsecondary institution’s student handbook which apply
323 to faculty members. Any exceptions must be noted in the dual
324 enrollment articulation agreement.
325 (b) Each president, or designee, of a postsecondary
326 institution offering a college credit dual enrollment course
327 must:
328 1. Provide a copy of the institution’s current faculty or
329 adjunct faculty handbook to all faculty members teaching a dual
330 enrollment course.
331 2. Provide to all faculty members teaching a dual
332 enrollment course a copy of the institution’s current student
333 handbook, which may include, but is not limited to, information
334 on registration policies, the student code of conduct, grading
335 policies, and critical dates.
336 3. Designate an individual or individuals to observe all
337 faculty members teaching a dual enrollment course, regardless of
338 the location of instruction.
339 4. Use the same criteria to evaluate faculty members
340 teaching a dual enrollment course as the criteria used to
341 evaluate all other faculty members.
342 5. Provide course plans and objectives to all faculty
343 members teaching a dual enrollment course.
344 (7)(6) The following curriculum standards apply to college
345 credit dual enrollment:
346 (a) Dual enrollment courses taught on the high school
347 campus must meet the same competencies required for courses
348 taught on the postsecondary institution campus. To ensure
349 equivalent rigor with courses taught on the postsecondary
350 institution campus, the postsecondary institution offering the
351 course is responsible for providing in a timely manner a
352 comprehensive, cumulative end-of-course assessment or a series
353 of assessments of all expected learning outcomes to the faculty
354 member teaching the course. Completed, scored assessments must
355 be returned to the postsecondary institution and held for 1
356 year.
357 (b) Instructional materials used in dual enrollment courses
358 must be the same as or comparable to those used in courses
359 offered by the postsecondary institution with the same course
360 prefix and number. The postsecondary institution must advise the
361 school district of instructional materials requirements as soon
362 as that information becomes available but no later than one term
363 before a course is offered.
364 (c) Course requirements, such as tests, papers, or other
365 assignments, for dual enrollment students must be at the same
366 level of rigor or depth as those for all nondual enrollment
367 postsecondary students. All faculty members teaching dual
368 enrollment courses must observe the procedures and deadlines of
369 the postsecondary institution for the submission of grades. A
370 postsecondary institution must advise each faculty member
371 teaching a dual enrollment course of the institution’s grading
372 guidelines before the faculty member begins teaching the course.
373 (d) Dual enrollment courses taught on a high school campus
374 may not be combined with any noncollege credit high school
375 course.
376 (8)(7) Career dual enrollment shall be provided as a
377 curricular option for secondary students to pursue in order to
378 earn industry certifications adopted pursuant to s. 1008.44,
379 which count as credits toward the high school diploma. Career
380 dual enrollment shall be available for secondary students
381 seeking a degree and industry certification through a career
382 education program or course. Each career center established
383 under s. 1001.44 shall enter into an agreement with each high
384 school in any school district it serves. Beginning with the
385 2019-2020 school year, the agreement must be completed annually
386 and submitted by the career center to the Department of
387 Education by October August 1. The agreement must:
388 (a) Identify the courses and programs that are available to
389 students through career dual enrollment and the clock hour
390 credits that students will earn upon completion of each course
391 and program.
392 (b) Delineate the high school credit earned for the
393 completion of each career dual enrollment course.
394 (c) Identify any college credit articulation agreements
395 associated with each clock hour program.
396 (d) Describe how students and their parents or legal
397 guardians will be informed of career dual enrollment
398 opportunities and related workforce demand, how students can
399 apply to participate in a career dual enrollment program and
400 register for courses through his or her high school, and the
401 postsecondary career education expectations for participating
402 students.
403 (e) Establish any additional eligibility requirements for
404 participation and a process for determining eligibility and
405 monitoring the progress of participating students.
406 (f) Delineate costs incurred by each entity and determine
407 how transportation will be provided for students who are unable
408 to provide their own transportation.
409 (9)(8) Each district school board shall inform all
410 secondary students and their parents or legal guardians of dual
411 enrollment as an educational option and mechanism for
412 acceleration. Students and their parents or legal guardians
413 shall be informed of student eligibility requirements, the
414 option for taking dual enrollment courses beyond the regular
415 school year, and the minimum academic credits required for
416 graduation. In addition, students and their parents or legal
417 guardians shall be informed that dual enrollment course grades
418 are included in the student’s college grade point average,
419 become a part of the student’s permanent academic record, and
420 may affect the student’s future financial aid eligibility. A
421 school may not enroll a student in a dual enrollment course
422 without an acknowledgment form on file, which must be signed by
423 both the student and the student’s parent or legal guardian,
424 indicating they have been informed of the dual enrollment
425 educational option and its provisions. District school boards
426 shall annually assess the demand for dual enrollment and provide
427 that information to each partnering postsecondary institution.
428 Alternative grade calculation, weighting systems, and
429 information regarding student education options that
430 discriminate against dual enrollment courses are prohibited.
431 (10)(9) The Commissioner of Education shall appoint faculty
432 committees representing public school, Florida College System
433 institution, and university faculties to identify postsecondary
434 courses that meet the high school graduation requirements of s.
435 1003.4282 and to establish the number of postsecondary semester
436 credit hours of instruction and equivalent high school credits
437 earned through dual enrollment pursuant to this section that are
438 necessary to meet high school graduation requirements. Such
439 equivalencies shall be determined solely on comparable course
440 content and not on seat time traditionally allocated to such
441 courses in high school. The Commissioner of Education shall
442 recommend to the State Board of Education those postsecondary
443 courses identified to meet high school graduation requirements,
444 based on mastery of course outcomes, by their course numbers,
445 and all high schools shall accept these postsecondary education
446 courses toward meeting the requirements of s. 1003.4282.
447 (11)(10) Early admission is a form of dual enrollment
448 through which eligible secondary students enroll in a
449 postsecondary institution on a full-time basis in courses that
450 are creditable toward the high school diploma and the associate
451 or baccalaureate degree. A student must enroll in a minimum of
452 12 college credit hours per semester or the equivalent to
453 participate in the early admission program; however, a student
454 may not be required to enroll in more than 15 college credit
455 hours per semester or the equivalent. Students enrolled pursuant
456 to this subsection are exempt from the payment of registration,
457 tuition, and laboratory fees.
458 (12)(11) Career early admission is a form of career dual
459 enrollment through which eligible secondary students enroll full
460 time in a career center or a Florida College System institution
461 in postsecondary programs leading to industry certifications, as
462 listed in the CAPE Postsecondary Industry Certification Funding
463 List pursuant to s. 1008.44, which are creditable toward the
464 high school diploma and the certificate or associate degree.
465 Participation in the career early admission program is limited
466 to students who have completed a minimum of 4 semesters of full
467 time secondary enrollment, including studies undertaken in the
468 ninth grade. Students enrolled pursuant to this section are
469 exempt from the payment of registration, tuition, and laboratory
470 fees.
471 (12) The State Board of Education shall adopt rules for any
472 dual enrollment programs involving requirements for high school
473 graduation.
474 (13)(a) The dual enrollment program for a home education
475 student, including, but not limited to, students with
476 disabilities, consists of the enrollment of an eligible home
477 education secondary student in a postsecondary course creditable
478 toward an associate degree, a career certificate, or a
479 baccalaureate degree. To participate in the dual enrollment
480 program, an eligible home education secondary student must:
481 1. Provide proof of enrollment in a home education program
482 pursuant to s. 1002.41.
483 2. Be responsible for his or her own transportation unless
484 provided for in the articulation agreement.
485 3. Sign a home education articulation agreement pursuant to
486 paragraph (b).
487 (b) Each public postsecondary institution eligible to
488 participate in the dual enrollment program pursuant to s.
489 1011.62(1)(i) must enter into a home education articulation
490 agreement with each home education student seeking enrollment in
491 a dual enrollment course and the student’s parent or legal
492 guardian. By October August 1 of each year, the eligible
493 postsecondary institution shall complete and submit the home
494 education articulation agreement to the Department of Education.
495 The home education articulation agreement must include, at a
496 minimum:
497 1. A delineation of courses and programs available to
498 dually enrolled home education students. Courses and programs
499 may be added, revised, or deleted at any time by the
500 postsecondary institution. Any course or program limitations may
501 not exceed the limitations for other dually enrolled students.
502 2. The initial and continued eligibility requirements for
503 home education student participation, not to exceed those
504 required of other dually enrolled students. A home education
505 student must meet the same minimum score requirement on a common
506 placement test which is required of other dually enrolled
507 students. A high school grade point average may not be required
508 for home education students who meet the minimum score on a
509 common placement test adopted by the State Board of Education
510 which indicates that the student is ready for college-level
511 coursework; however, home education student eligibility
512 requirements for continued enrollment in dual enrollment courses
513 must include the maintenance of the minimum postsecondary grade
514 point average established by the postsecondary institution for
515 other dually enrolled students.
516 3. The student’s responsibilities for providing his or her
517 own transportation.
518 4. A copy of the statement on transfer guarantees developed
519 by the Department of Education under subsection (15).
520 (14) The Department of Education shall approve any course
521 for inclusion in the dual enrollment program that is contained
522 within the statewide course numbering system. However,
523 developmental education and physical education and other courses
524 that focus on the physical execution of a skill rather than the
525 intellectual attributes of the activity, may not be so approved
526 but must be evaluated individually for potential inclusion in
527 the dual enrollment program. This subsection may not be
528 construed to mean that an independent postsecondary institution
529 eligible for inclusion in a dual enrollment or early admission
530 program pursuant to subsection (23) s. 1011.62 must participate
531 in the statewide course numbering system developed pursuant to
532 s. 1007.24 to participate in a dual enrollment program.
533 (15) The Department of Education shall develop a statement
534 on transfer guarantees to inform students and their parents or
535 legal guardians, prior to enrollment in a dual enrollment
536 course, of the potential for the dual enrollment course to
537 articulate as an elective or a general education course into a
538 postsecondary education certificate or degree program. The
539 statement shall be provided to each district school
540 superintendent, who shall include the statement in the
541 information provided to all secondary students and their parents
542 or legal guardians as required pursuant to this subsection. The
543 statement may also include additional information, including,
544 but not limited to, dual enrollment options, guarantees,
545 privileges, and responsibilities.
546 (16) Students who meet the eligibility requirements of this
547 section and who choose to participate in dual enrollment
548 programs are exempt from the payment of registration, tuition,
549 and laboratory fees.
550 (17) Instructional materials assigned for use within dual
551 enrollment courses shall be made available to dual enrollment
552 students from Florida public high schools, private schools, and
553 home education programs free of charge. This subsection does not
554 prohibit a Florida College System institution from providing
555 instructional materials at no cost to a home education student
556 or student from a private school. Instructional materials
557 purchased by a district school board or Florida College System
558 institution board of trustees on behalf of dual enrollment
559 students shall be the property of the board against which the
560 purchase is charged.
561 (18) School districts and Florida College System
562 institutions must weigh dual enrollment courses the same as
563 advanced placement, International Baccalaureate, and Advanced
564 International Certificate of Education courses when grade point
565 averages are calculated. Alternative grade calculation systems,
566 alternative grade weighting systems, and information regarding
567 student education options that discriminate against dual
568 enrollment courses are prohibited.
569 (19) The Commissioner of Education may approve dual
570 enrollment agreements for limited course offerings that have
571 statewide appeal. Such programs shall be limited to a single
572 site with multiple county participation.
573 (20) A postsecondary institution shall assign letter grades
574 to each student enrolled in a dual enrollment course. The letter
575 grade assigned by the postsecondary institution shall be posted
576 to the student’s high school transcript by the school district.
577 (21) Each district school superintendent and each public
578 postsecondary institution president shall develop a
579 comprehensive dual enrollment articulation agreement for the
580 respective school district and postsecondary institution. The
581 superintendent and president shall establish an articulation
582 committee for the purpose of developing the agreement. Each
583 state university president may designate a university
584 representative to participate in the development of a dual
585 enrollment articulation agreement. A dual enrollment
586 articulation agreement shall be completed and submitted annually
587 by the postsecondary institution to the Department of Education
588 on or before October August 1. The agreement must include, but
589 is not limited to:
590 (a) A ratification or modification of all existing
591 articulation agreements.
592 (b) A description of the process by which students and
593 their parents are informed about opportunities for student
594 participation in the dual enrollment program.
595 (c) A delineation of courses and programs available to
596 students eligible to participate in dual enrollment.
597 (d) A description of the process by which students and
598 their parents exercise options to participate in the dual
599 enrollment program.
600 (e) The agreed-upon common placement test scores and
601 corresponding grade point average that may be accepted for
602 initial student eligibility if an exception to the minimum grade
603 point average is authorized pursuant to subsection (3) A list of
604 any additional initial student eligibility requirements for
605 participation in the dual enrollment program.
606 (f) A delineation of the high school credit earned for the
607 passage of each dual enrollment course.
608 (g) A description of the process for informing students and
609 their parents of college-level course expectations.
610 (h) The policies and procedures, if any, for determining
611 exceptions to the required grade point averages on an individual
612 student basis.
613 (i) The registration policies for dual enrollment courses
614 as determined by the postsecondary institution.
615 (j) Exceptions, if any, to the professional rules,
616 guidelines, and expectations stated in the faculty or adjunct
617 faculty handbook for the postsecondary institution.
618 (k) Exceptions, if any, to the rules, guidelines, and
619 expectations stated in the student handbook of the postsecondary
620 institution which apply to faculty members.
621 (l) The responsibilities of the school district regarding
622 the determination of student eligibility before participating in
623 the dual enrollment program and the monitoring of student
624 performance while participating in the dual enrollment program.
625 (m) The responsibilities of the postsecondary institution
626 regarding the transmission of student grades in dual enrollment
627 courses to the school district.
628 (n) A funding provision that delineates costs incurred by
629 each entity.
630 1. School districts shall pay public postsecondary
631 institutions the in-state resident standard tuition rate per
632 credit hour from funds provided in the Florida Education Finance
633 Program when dual enrollment course instruction takes place on
634 the postsecondary institution’s campus and the course is taken
635 during the fall or spring term. When dual enrollment is provided
636 on the high school site by postsecondary institution faculty,
637 the school district shall reimburse the costs associated with
638 the postsecondary institution’s proportion of salary and
639 benefits to provide the instruction. When dual enrollment course
640 instruction is provided on the high school site by school
641 district faculty, the school district is not responsible for
642 payment to the postsecondary institution. A postsecondary
643 institution may enter into an agreement with the school district
644 to authorize teachers to teach dual enrollment courses at the
645 high school site or the postsecondary institution. A school
646 district may not deny a student access to dual enrollment unless
647 the student is ineligible to participate in the program subject
648 to provisions specifically outlined in this section.
649 2. Subject to annual appropriation in the General
650 Appropriations Act, a public postsecondary institution shall
651 receive an amount of funding equivalent to the standard tuition
652 rate per credit hour for each dual enrollment course taken by a
653 private school or home education student at the postsecondary
654 institution during the fall and spring terms, pursuant to s.
655 1009.31.
656 3.2. Subject to annual appropriation in the General
657 Appropriations Act, a public postsecondary institution shall
658 receive an amount of funding equivalent to the standard tuition
659 rate per credit hour for each dual enrollment course taken by a
660 student during the summer term, pursuant to s. 1009.31.
661 (o) Any institutional responsibilities for student
662 transportation, if provided.
663 (22) The Department of Education shall develop an
664 electronic submission system for dual enrollment articulation
665 agreements and shall review, for compliance, each dual
666 enrollment articulation agreement submitted pursuant to
667 subsections (13), (21), and (24). The Commissioner of Education
668 shall notify the district school superintendent and the Florida
669 College System institution president if the dual enrollment
670 articulation agreement does not comply with statutory
671 requirements and shall submit any dual enrollment articulation
672 agreement with unresolved issues of noncompliance to the State
673 Board of Education.
674 (23) District school boards and Florida College System
675 institutions may enter into additional dual enrollment
676 articulation agreements with state universities for the purposes
677 of this section. School districts may also enter into dual
678 enrollment articulation agreements with eligible independent
679 colleges and universities pursuant to s. 1011.62(1)(i). An
680 independent college or university that is not for profit, is
681 accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency
682 recognized by the United States Department of Education, and
683 confers degrees as defined in s. 1005.02 shall be eligible for
684 inclusion in the dual enrollment or early admission program. By
685 October August 1 of each year, the district school board and the
686 Florida College System institution shall complete and submit the
687 dual enrollment articulation agreement with the state university
688 or an eligible independent college or university, as applicable,
689 to the Department of Education.
690 (24)(a) The dual enrollment program for a private school
691 student consists of the enrollment of an eligible private school
692 student in a postsecondary course creditable toward an associate
693 degree, a career certificate, or a baccalaureate degree. In
694 addition, a private school in which a student, including, but
695 not limited to, students with disabilities, is enrolled must
696 award credit toward high school completion for the postsecondary
697 course under the dual enrollment program. To participate in the
698 dual enrollment program, an eligible private school student
699 must:
700 1. Provide proof of enrollment in a private school pursuant
701 to subsection (2).
702 2. Be responsible for his or her own instructional
703 materials and transportation unless provided for in the
704 articulation agreement.
705 3. Sign a private school articulation agreement pursuant to
706 paragraph (b).
707 (b) Each public postsecondary institution eligible to
708 participate in the dual enrollment program pursuant to s.
709 1011.62(1)(i) must enter into a private school articulation
710 agreement with each eligible private school in its geographic
711 service area seeking to offer dual enrollment courses to its
712 students, including, but not limited to, students with
713 disabilities. By October August 1 of each year, the eligible
714 postsecondary institution shall complete and submit the private
715 school articulation agreement to the Department of Education.
716 The private school articulation agreement must include, at a
717 minimum:
718 1. A delineation of courses and programs available to the
719 private school student. The postsecondary institution may add,
720 revise, or delete courses and programs at any time.
721 2. The initial and continued eligibility requirements for
722 private school student participation, not to exceed those
723 required of other dual enrollment students.
724 3. The student’s responsibilities for providing his or her
725 own instructional materials and transportation.
726 4. A provision clarifying that the private school will
727 award appropriate credit toward high school completion for the
728 postsecondary course under the dual enrollment program.
729 5. A provision expressing that the private school of
730 enrollment is exempt from the payment of costs associated with
731 tuition and fees, including registration, and laboratory fees,
732 will not be passed along to the student.
733 (25) For students with disabilities, a postsecondary
734 institution eligible to participate in dual enrollment pursuant
735 to s. 1011.62(1)(i) shall include in its dual enrollment
736 articulation agreement, services and resources that are
737 available to students with disabilities who register in a dual
738 enrollment course at the eligible institution and provide
739 information regarding such services and resources to the Florida
740 Center for Students with Unique Abilities. The Department of
741 Education shall provide to the center the Internet website link
742 to dual enrollment articulation agreements specific to students
743 with disabilities. The center shall include in the information
744 that it is responsible for disseminating to students with
745 disabilities and their parents or legal guardians pursuant to s.
746 1004.6495, dual enrollment articulation agreements and
747 opportunities for meaningful campus experience through dual
748 enrollment.
749 (26) By November 30, 2021, and annually thereafter, the
750 commissioner must report to the Governor, the President of the
751 Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives the
752 status of dual enrollment programs, including, at a minimum, a
753 summary of student enrollment and completion for public school,
754 private school, and home education program students enrolled at
755 public and private postsecondary institutions.
756 (27) The State Board of Education shall adopt rules for any
757 dual enrollment programs involving requirements for high school
758 graduation.
759 Section 3. Section 1007.273, Florida Statutes, is amended
760 to read:
761 1007.273 Early college program Collegiate high school
762 program.—
763 (1) Each Florida College System institution shall work with
764 each district school board in its designated service area to
765 establish one or more early college collegiate high school
766 programs. As used in this section, the term “early college
767 program” means a structured high school acceleration program in
768 which a cohort of students is taking postsecondary courses full
769 time toward an associate degree. The early college program must
770 prioritize courses applicable as general education core courses
771 under s. 1007.25 for an associate degree or a baccalaureate
772 degree.
773 (2) At a minimum, collegiate high school programs must
774 include an option for public school students in grade 11 or
775 grade 12 participating in the program, for at least 1 full
776 school year, to earn CAPE industry certifications pursuant to s.
777 1008.44 and to successfully complete 30 credit hours through the
778 dual enrollment program under s. 1007.271 toward the first year
779 of college for an associate degree or baccalaureate degree while
780 enrolled in the program.
781 (2)(3) Each district school board and its local Florida
782 College System institution shall execute a contract to establish
783 one or more early college collegiate high school programs at a
784 mutually agreed-upon agreed upon location or locations.
785 Beginning with the 2015-2016 school year, If the Florida College
786 System institution does not establish an early college a program
787 with a district school board in its designated service area,
788 another Florida College System institution may execute a
789 contract with that district school board to establish the early
790 college program. The contract must be executed by January 1 of
791 each school year for implementation of the program during the
792 next school year. The contract must:
793 (a) Identify the grade levels to be included in the early
794 college program collegiate high school program which must, at a
795 minimum, include grade 12.
796 (b) Describe the early college collegiate high school
797 program, including the delineation of courses that must, at a
798 minimum, include general education core courses pursuant to s.
799 1007.25; and industry certifications offered, including online
800 course availability; the high school and college credits earned
801 for each postsecondary course completed and industry
802 certification earned; student eligibility criteria; and the
803 enrollment process and relevant deadlines.
804 (c) Describe the methods, medium, and process by which
805 students and their parents or legal guardians are annually
806 informed about the availability of the early college collegiate
807 high school program, the return on investment associated with
808 participation in the early college program, and the information
809 described in paragraphs (a) and (b).
810 (d) Identify the delivery methods for instruction and the
811 instructors for all courses.
812 (e) Identify student advising services and progress
813 monitoring mechanisms.
814 (f) Establish a program review and reporting mechanism
815 regarding student performance outcomes.
816 (g) Describe the terms of funding arrangements to implement
817 the early college collegiate high school program pursuant to
818 subsection (5).
819 (3)(4) Each student participating in an early college a
820 collegiate high school program must enter into a student
821 performance contract, which must be signed by the student, the
822 parent or legal guardian, and a representative of the school
823 district and the applicable Florida College System institution
824 partner, state university, or other eligible postsecondary
825 institution partner participating pursuant to subsection (4)
826 (5). The performance contract must, at a minimum, specify
827 include the schedule of courses, by semester, and industry
828 certifications to be taken by the student, if any; student
829 attendance requirements;, and course grade requirements; and the
830 applicability of such courses to an associate degree or a
831 baccalaureate degree.
832 (4)(5) In addition to executing a contract with the local
833 Florida College System institution under this section, a
834 district school board may execute a contract to establish an
835 early college a collegiate high school program with a state
836 university or an institution that is eligible to participate in
837 the William L. Boyd, IV, Effective Access to Student Education
838 Grant Program, that is a nonprofit independent college or
839 university located and chartered in this state, and that is
840 accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern
841 Association of Colleges and Schools to grant baccalaureate
842 degrees. Such university or institution must meet the
843 requirements specified under subsections (2) and (3) subsections
844 (3) and (4). A charter school may execute a contract directly
845 with the local Florida College System institution or another
846 institution as authorized under this section to establish an
847 early college program at a mutually agreed-upon location.
848 (5)(6) The early college collegiate high school program
849 shall be funded pursuant to ss. 1007.271 and 1011.62. The State
850 Board of Education shall enforce compliance with this section by
851 withholding the transfer of funds for the school districts and
852 the Florida College System institutions in accordance with s.
853 1008.32.
854 (6) By November 30, 2021, and annually thereafter, the
855 commissioner must report the status of early college programs,
856 including, at a minimum, a summary of student enrollment in
857 public and private postsecondary institutions and completion
858 information, to the Governor, the President of the Senate, and
859 the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
860 Section 4. Section 1009.31, Florida Statutes, is created to
861 read:
862 1009.31 Dual Enrollment Scholarship Program.—
863 (1) The Legislature finds and declares that dual enrollment
864 is an integral part of the education system in this state and
865 should be available for all eligible secondary students without
866 cost to the student. There is established the Dual Enrollment
867 Scholarship Program to support postsecondary institutions in
868 providing dual enrollment.
869 (2) The department shall administer the Dual Enrollment
870 Scholarship Program in accordance with rules of the State Board
871 of Education.
872 (3)(a) Beginning in the 2020 fall term, the program shall
873 reimburse eligible postsecondary institutions for tuition and
874 related instructional materials costs for dual enrollment
875 courses taken by private school or home education program
876 secondary students during the fall or spring terms.
877 (b) Beginning in the 2021 summer term, the program shall
878 reimburse eligible postsecondary institutions for tuition and
879 related instructional materials costs for dual enrollment
880 courses taken by public school, private school, or home
881 education program secondary students during the summer term.
882 (4) A student participating in a dual enrollment program
883 must meet the minimum eligibility requirements specified in s.
884 1007.271 in order for the institution to receive a
885 reimbursement.
886 (5) Annually, by March 15, each participating institution
887 must report to the department its eligible secondary students
888 from private schools or home education programs who were
889 enrolled during the previous fall or spring terms. Annually, by
890 July 15, each participating institution must report to the
891 department its eligible public school, private school, or home
892 education program students who were enrolled during the summer
893 term. For each dual enrollment course in which the student is
894 enrolled, the report must include a unique student identifier,
895 the postsecondary institution name, the postsecondary course
896 number, the postsecondary course name, and the number of
897 postsecondary course credits earned by the student.
898 (6)(a) Florida College System institutions shall be
899 reimbursed for college credit instruction at the in-state
900 resident tuition rate established in s. 1009.23(3)(a).
901 (b) State universities and independent postsecondary
902 institutions shall be reimbursed at the standard tuition rate
903 established in s. 1009.24(4)(a).
904 (c) Workforce education instruction leading to a career
905 certificate or an applied technology diploma shall be reimbursed
906 at the standard tuition rate established in s. 1009.22(3)(c).
907 (d) Institutions shall be reimbursed for instructional
908 materials costs based on a rate as specified in the General
909 Appropriations Act.
910 (7) For dual enrollment courses taken during the fall and
911 spring terms, the department must reimburse institutions by
912 April 15 of the same year. For dual enrollment courses taken
913 during the summer term, the department must reimburse
914 institutions by August 15 of the same year, before the beginning
915 of the next academic year.
916 (8) Reimbursement for dual enrollment courses is contingent
917 upon an appropriation in the General Appropriations Act each
918 year. If the statewide reimbursement amount is greater than the
919 appropriation, the institutional reimbursement amounts specified
920 in subsection (6) shall be prorated among the institutions that
921 have reported eligible students to the department by the
922 deadlines specified in subsection (5).
923 (9) The State Board of Education shall adopt rules to
924 implement this section.
925 Section 5. Paragraph (i) of subsection (1) and subsections
926 (11), (16), and (17) of section 1011.62, Florida Statutes, are
927 amended, and subsection (22) is added to that section, to read:
928 1011.62 Funds for operation of schools.—If the annual
929 allocation from the Florida Education Finance Program to each
930 district for operation of schools is not determined in the
931 annual appropriations act or the substantive bill implementing
932 the annual appropriations act, it shall be determined as
933 follows:
934 (1) COMPUTATION OF THE BASIC AMOUNT TO BE INCLUDED FOR
935 OPERATION.—The following procedure shall be followed in
936 determining the annual allocation to each district for
937 operation:
938 (i) Calculation of full-time equivalent membership with
939 respect to dual enrollment instruction.—
940 1. Full-time equivalent students.—Students enrolled in dual
941 enrollment instruction pursuant to s. 1007.271 may be included
942 in calculations of full-time equivalent student memberships for
943 basic programs for grades 9 through 12 by a district school
944 board. Instructional time for dual enrollment may vary from 900
945 hours; however, the full-time equivalent student membership
946 value shall be subject to the provisions in s. 1011.61(4). Dual
947 enrollment full-time equivalent student membership shall be
948 calculated in an amount equal to the hours of instruction that
949 would be necessary to earn the full-time equivalent student
950 membership for an equivalent course if it were taught in the
951 school district. Students in dual enrollment courses may also be
952 calculated as the proportional shares of full-time equivalent
953 enrollments they generate for a Florida College System
954 institution or university conducting the dual enrollment
955 instruction. Early admission students shall be considered dual
956 enrollments for funding purposes. Students may be enrolled in
957 dual enrollment instruction provided by an eligible independent
958 college or university and may be included in calculations of
959 full-time equivalent student memberships for basic programs for
960 grades 9 through 12 by a district school board. However, those
961 provisions of law which exempt dual enrolled and early admission
962 students from payment of instructional materials and tuition and
963 fees, including laboratory fees, shall not apply to students who
964 select the option of enrolling in an eligible independent
965 institution. An independent college or university, which is not
966 for profit, is accredited by a regional or national accrediting
967 agency recognized by the United States Department of Education,
968 and confers degrees as defined in s. 1005.02 shall be eligible
969 for inclusion in the dual enrollment or early admission program.
970 Students enrolled in dual enrollment instruction shall be exempt
971 from the payment of tuition and fees, including laboratory fees.
972 No student enrolled in college credit mathematics or English
973 dual enrollment instruction shall be funded as a dual enrollment
974 unless the student has successfully completed the relevant
975 section of the entry-level examination required pursuant to s.
976 1008.30.
977 2. Additional full-time equivalent student membership.—For
978 students enrolled in an early college program pursuant to s.
979 1007.273, a value of 0.16 full-time equivalent student
980 membership shall be calculated for each student who completes a
981 general education core course through the dual enrollment
982 program with a grade of “C” or better. For students who are not
983 enrolled in an early college program, a value of 0.08 full-time
984 equivalent student membership shall be calculated for each
985 student who completes a general education core course through
986 the dual enrollment program with a grade of “C” or better. In
987 addition, a value of 0.3 full-time equivalent student membership
988 shall be calculated for any student who receives an associate
989 degree through the dual enrollment program with a 3.0 grade
990 point average or better. This value shall be added to the total
991 full-time equivalent student membership in basic programs for
992 grades 9 through 12 in the subsequent fiscal year. This section
993 shall be effective for credit earned by dually enrolled students
994 for courses taken in the 2020-2021 school year and each school
995 year thereafter. If the associate degree described in this
996 paragraph is earned in 2020-2021 following completion of courses
997 taken in the 2020-2021 school year, then courses taken toward
998 the degree as part of the dual enrollment program before 2020
999 2021 may not preclude eligibility for the 0.3 additional full
1000 time equivalent student membership bonus. Each school district
1001 shall allocate at least 50 percent of the funds received from
1002 the dual enrollment bonus FTE funding, in accordance with this
1003 paragraph, to the schools that generated the funds to support
1004 student academic guidance and postsecondary readiness.
1005 3. Qualifying courses.—For the purposes of this paragraph,
1006 general education core courses are those that are identified in
1007 rule by the State Board of Education and in regulation by the
1008 Board of Governors pursuant to s. 1007.25(3).
1009 (11) VIRTUAL EDUCATION CONTRIBUTION.—The Legislature may
1010 annually provide in the Florida Education Finance Program a
1011 virtual education contribution. The amount of the virtual
1012 education contribution shall be the difference between the
1013 amount per FTE established in the General Appropriations Act for
1014 virtual education and the amount per FTE for each district and
1015 the Florida Virtual School, which may be calculated by taking
1016 the sum of the base FEFP allocation, the discretionary local
1017 effort, the state-funded discretionary contribution, the
1018 discretionary millage compression supplement, the research-based
1019 reading instruction allocation, the teacher salary increase
1020 allocation best and brightest teacher and principal allocation,
1021 and the instructional materials allocation, and then dividing by
1022 the total unweighted FTE. This difference shall be multiplied by
1023 the virtual education unweighted FTE for programs and options
1024 identified in s. 1002.455 and the Florida Virtual School and its
1025 franchises to equal the virtual education contribution and shall
1026 be included as a separate allocation in the funding formula.
1027 (16) MENTAL HEALTH ASSISTANCE ALLOCATION.—The mental health
1028 assistance allocation is created to provide funding to assist
1029 school districts in establishing or expanding school-based
1030 mental health care; train educators and other school staff in
1031 detecting and responding to mental health issues; and connect
1032 children, youth, and families who may experience behavioral
1033 health issues with appropriate services. These funds shall be
1034 allocated annually in the General Appropriations Act or other
1035 law to each eligible school district. Each school district shall
1036 receive a minimum of $100,000, with the remaining balance
1037 allocated based on each school district’s proportionate share of
1038 the state’s total unweighted full-time equivalent student
1039 enrollment. Charter schools that submit a plan separate from the
1040 school district are entitled to a proportionate share of
1041 district funding. The allocated funds may not supplant funds
1042 that are provided for this purpose from other operating funds
1043 and may not be used to increase salaries or provide bonuses.
1044 School districts are encouraged to maximize third-party health
1045 insurance benefits and Medicaid claiming for services, where
1046 appropriate.
1047 (a) Before the distribution of the allocation:
1048 1. The school district shall must develop and submit a
1049 detailed plan outlining the local program and planned
1050 expenditures to the district school board for approval. The This
1051 plan, which must include input from school and community
1052 stakeholders, applies to all district schools, including charter
1053 schools, unless a charter school elects to submit a plan
1054 independently from the school district pursuant to subparagraph
1055 2.
1056 2. A charter school may develop and submit a detailed plan
1057 outlining the local program and planned expenditures to its
1058 governing body for approval. After the plan is approved by the
1059 governing body, it must be provided to the charter school’s
1060 sponsor.
1061 (b) The plans required under paragraph (a) must be focused
1062 on a multitiered system of supports to deliver evidence-based
1063 mental health care assessment, diagnosis, intervention,
1064 treatment, and recovery services to students with one or more
1065 mental health or co-occurring substance abuse diagnoses and to
1066 students at high risk of such diagnoses. The provision of these
1067 services must be coordinated with a student’s primary mental
1068 health care provider and with other mental health providers
1069 involved in the student’s care. At a minimum, the plans must
1070 include the following elements:
1071 1. Direct employment of school-based mental health services
1072 providers to expand and enhance school-based student services
1073 and to reduce the ratio of students to staff in order to better
1074 align with nationally recommended ratio models. These providers
1075 include, but are not limited to, certified school counselors,
1076 school psychologists, school social workers, and other licensed
1077 mental health professionals. The plan also must establish
1078 identify strategies to increase the amount of time that school
1079 based student services personnel spend providing direct services
1080 to students, which may include the review and revision of
1081 district staffing resource allocations based on school or
1082 student mental health assistance needs.
1083 2. Contracts or interagency agreements with one or more
1084 local community behavioral health providers or providers of
1085 Community Action Team services to provide a behavioral health
1086 staff presence and services at district schools. Services may
1087 include, but are not limited to, mental health screenings and
1088 assessments, individual counseling, family counseling, group
1089 counseling, psychiatric or psychological services, trauma
1090 informed care, mobile crisis services, and behavior
1091 modification. These behavioral health services may be provided
1092 on or off the school campus and may be supplemented by
1093 telehealth.
1094 3. Policies and procedures, including contracts with
1095 service providers, which will ensure that students who are
1096 referred to a school-based or community-based mental health
1097 service provider for mental health screening for the
1098 identification of mental health concerns and ensure that the
1099 assessment of students at risk for mental health disorders
1100 occurs within 15 days of referral. School-based mental health
1101 services must be initiated within 15 days after identification
1102 and assessment, and support by community-based mental health
1103 service providers for students who are referred for community
1104 based mental health services must be initiated within 30 days
1105 after the school or district makes a referral.
1106 4. Mental health policies and procedures that implement and
1107 support all of the following elements:
1108 a. Universal supports to promote psychological well-being
1109 and safe and supportive environments.
1110 b. Evidence-based strategies or programs to reduce the
1111 likelihood of at-risk students developing social, emotional, or
1112 behavioral health problems, depression, anxiety disorders,
1113 suicidal tendencies, or substance use disorders.
1114 c.5. Strategies to improve the early identification of
1115 social, emotional, or behavioral problems or substance use
1116 disorders; provide, to improve the provision of early
1117 intervention services;, and to assist students in dealing with
1118 trauma and violence.
1119 d. Methods for responding to a student with suicidal
1120 ideation, including training in suicide risk assessment and the
1121 use of suicide awareness, prevention, and screening instruments
1122 developed under s. 1012.583; adoption of guidelines for
1123 informing parents of suicide risk; and implementation of board
1124 policies for initiating involuntary examination of students at
1125 risk of suicide.
1126 e. A school crisis response plan that includes strategies
1127 for the prevention of, preparation for, response to, and
1128 recovery from a range of school crises. The plan must establish
1129 or coordinate the implementation of district-level and school
1130 level crisis response teams whose membership includes, but is
1131 not limited to, representatives of school administration and
1132 school-based mental health service providers.
1133 (c) School districts shall submit approved plans, including
1134 approved plans of each charter school in the district, to the
1135 commissioner by August 1 of each fiscal year.
1136 (d) By September 30 of each year Beginning September 30,
1137 2019, and annually by September 30 thereafter, each school
1138 district shall submit its district report to the department. By
1139 November 1 of each year, the department shall submit a state
1140 summary report to the Governor, the President of the Senate, and
1141 the Speaker of the House of Representatives on Department of
1142 Education a report on its program outcomes and expenditures for
1143 the previous fiscal year. The school district report must
1144 include program outcomes and expenditures for all public schools
1145 in the district, including charter schools that submitted a
1146 separate plan pursuant to subparagraph (16)(a)2. At a minimum,
1147 the district and state reports also must that, at a minimum,
1148 must include school district-level and school-level information,
1149 including charter schools, which gives multiple-year trend data,
1150 when available, for each of the number of each of the following
1151 indicators:
1152 1. The number of students who receive screenings or
1153 assessments.
1154 2. The number of students who are referred to either
1155 school-based or community-based providers for services or
1156 assistance.
1157 3. The number of students who receive either school-based
1158 or community-based interventions, services, or assistance.
1159 4. The number of school-based and community-based mental
1160 health providers, including licensure type, paid for from funds
1161 provided through the allocation.
1162 5. The number and ratio to students of school social
1163 workers, school psychologists, and certified school counselors
1164 employed by the district or charter school and the total number
1165 of licensed mental health professionals directly employed by the
1166 district or charter school.
1167 6. Contract-based collaborative efforts or partnerships
1168 with community mental health programs, agencies, or providers.
1169 (17) FUNDING COMPRESSION ALLOCATION.—The Legislature may
1170 provide an annual funding compression allocation in the General
1171 Appropriations Act. The allocation is created to provide
1172 additional funding to school districts and developmental
1173 research schools whose total funds per FTE in the prior year
1174 were less than the statewide average. Using the most recent
1175 prior year FEFP calculation for each eligible school district,
1176 the total funds per FTE shall be subtracted from the state
1177 average funds per FTE, not including any adjustments made
1178 pursuant to paragraph (19)(b). The resulting funds per FTE
1179 difference, or a portion thereof, as designated in the General
1180 Appropriations Act, shall then be multiplied by the school
1181 district’s total unweighted FTE to provide the allocation. If
1182 the calculated funds are greater than the amount included in the
1183 General Appropriations Act, they must be prorated to the
1184 appropriation amount based on each participating school
1185 district’s share. This subsection expires July 1, 2020.
1186 (22) TEACHER SALARY INCREASE ALLOCATION.—The Teacher Salary
1187 Increase Allocation is created to increase teacher salaries and
1188 improve this state’s relative teacher salary position when
1189 compared with teacher salaries in other states.
1190 (a) Subject to annual appropriation, funds may be provided
1191 for each school district to increase the minimum base salary for
1192 full-time classroom teachers as defined in s. 1012.01(2)(a) or
1193 all instructional personnel as defined in s. 1012.01(2)(a)-(d),
1194 plus certified prekindergarten teachers, but not including
1195 substitute teachers, by no less than the amount designated in
1196 the General Appropriations Act. In addition, funds may also be
1197 provided in an amount designated in the General Appropriations
1198 Act for salary increases for all full-time instructional
1199 personnel as determined by the school board and the local
1200 bargaining unit.
1201 (b) Funds for this purpose shall be allocated on each
1202 district’s share of the base FEFP allocation. Funds for the
1203 minimum base salary increase may be provided in multiple years
1204 in order to achieve a particular salary goal. As used in this
1205 subsection, the term “minimum base salary” means the base annual
1206 salary before payroll deductions and excluding additional
1207 supplements.
1208 Section 6. Subsections (1) and (3) of section 1013.62,
1209 Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
1210 1013.62 Charter schools capital outlay funding.—
1211 (1) For the 2018-2019 fiscal year, Charter school capital
1212 outlay funding shall consist of state funds appropriated in the
1213 2018-2019 General Appropriations Act; however, if the amount of
1214 state funds appropriated for charter school capital outlay in a
1215 given fiscal year is less than $165 million, charter school
1216 capital outlay funding for that fiscal year shall consist of the
1217 appropriated state funds and revenue resulting from the
1218 discretionary millage authorized in s. 1011.71(2). Beginning in
1219 fiscal year 2019-2020, charter school capital outlay funding
1220 shall consist of state funds when such funds are appropriated in
1221 the General Appropriations Act and revenue resulting from the
1222 discretionary millage authorized in s. 1011.71(2) if the amount
1223 of state funds appropriated for charter school capital outlay in
1224 any fiscal year is less than the average charter school capital
1225 outlay funds per unweighted full-time equivalent student for the
1226 2018-2019 fiscal year, multiplied by the estimated number of
1227 charter school students for the applicable fiscal year, and
1228 adjusted by changes in the Consumer Price Index issued by the
1229 United States Department of Labor from the previous fiscal year.
1230 Nothing in this subsection prohibits a school district from
1231 distributing to charter schools funds resulting from the
1232 discretionary millage authorized in s. 1011.71(2).
1233 (a) To be eligible to receive capital outlay funds, a
1234 charter school must:
1235 1.a. Have been in operation for 2 or more years;
1236 b. Be governed by a governing board established in the
1237 state for 2 or more years which operates both charter schools
1238 and conversion charter schools within the state;
1239 c. Be an expanded feeder chain of a charter school within
1240 the same school district that is currently receiving charter
1241 school capital outlay funds;
1242 d. Have been accredited by a regional accrediting
1243 association as defined by State Board of Education rule; or
1244 e. Serve students in facilities that are provided by a
1245 business partner for a charter school-in-the-workplace pursuant
1246 to s. 1002.33(15)(b).
1247 2. Have an annual audit that does not reveal any of the
1248 financial emergency conditions provided in s. 218.503(1) for the
1249 most recent fiscal year for which such audit results are
1250 available.
1251 3. Have satisfactory student achievement based on state
1252 accountability standards applicable to the charter school.
1253 4. Have received final approval from its sponsor pursuant
1254 to s. 1002.33 for operation during that fiscal year.
1255 5. Serve students in facilities that are not provided by
1256 the charter school’s sponsor.
1257 (b) A charter school is not eligible to receive capital
1258 outlay funds if it was created by the conversion of a public
1259 school and operates in facilities provided by the charter
1260 school’s sponsor for a nominal fee, or at no charge, or if it is
1261 directly or indirectly operated by the school district.
1262 (c) A charter school additionally is not eligible for a
1263 funding allocation unless the chair of the governing board and
1264 the chief administrative officer of the charter school annually
1265 certify under oath that the funds will be used solely and
1266 exclusively for constructing, renovating, leasing, purchasing,
1267 financing or improving charter school facilities that are:
1268 1. Owned by a school district, political subdivision of the
1269 state, municipality, Florida College System institution, or
1270 state university; or
1271 2. Owned by an organization, qualified as an exempt
1272 organization under s.501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or
1273 a tax support organization under section 509 of the Internal
1274 Revenue Code, whose articles of incorporation specify that upon
1275 the organization’s dissolution, the subject property, subject
1276 to any indebtedness secured thereby and the satisfaction of the
1277 organization’s other debts, will be transferred as indicated in
1278 the articles of incorporation to:
1279 a. Another such exempt organization, including one
1280 organized for educational purposes.
1281 b. A school district or other political subdivision of the
1282 state.
1283 c. A municipality.
1284 d. A Florida College System institution.
1285 e. A state university; or
1286 3. Owned by and leased from, at a fair market value, a
1287 person or entity that is not an affiliated party of the charter
1288 school. For purposes of this subparagraph, the term “affiliated
1289 party of the charter school” means the applicant for the charter
1290 school pursuant to s. 1002.33; the governing board of the
1291 charter school or a member of the governing board; the charter
1292 school principal; an individual employed by the charter school;
1293 or a relative, as defined in s. 1002.33(24)(a)2., of a charter
1294 school governing board member, a charter school principal or a
1295 charter school employee.
1296 (3) If the school board levies the discretionary millage
1297 authorized in s. 1011.71(2), and the state funds appropriated
1298 for charter school capital outlay in any fiscal year are less
1299 than $165 million the average charter school capital outlay
1300 funds per unweighted full-time equivalent student for the 2018
1301 2019 fiscal year, multiplied by the estimated number of charter
1302 school students for the applicable fiscal year, and adjusted by
1303 changes in the Consumer Price Index issued by the United States
1304 Department of Labor from the previous fiscal year, the
1305 department shall use the following calculation methodology to
1306 determine the amount of revenue that a school district must
1307 distribute to each eligible charter school:
1308 (a) Reduce the total discretionary millage revenue by the
1309 school district’s annual debt service obligation incurred as of
1310 March 1, 2017, which has not been subsequently retired, and any
1311 amount of participation requirement pursuant to s.
1312 1013.64(2)(a)8. that is being satisfied by revenues raised by
1313 the discretionary millage.
1314 (b) Divide the school district’s adjusted discretionary
1315 millage revenue by the district’s total capital outlay full-time
1316 equivalent membership and the total number of unweighted full
1317 time equivalent students of each eligible charter school to
1318 determine a capital outlay allocation per full-time equivalent
1319 student.
1320 (c) Multiply the capital outlay allocation per full-time
1321 equivalent student by the total number of full-time equivalent
1322 students of each eligible charter school to determine the
1323 capital outlay allocation for each charter school.
1324 (d) If applicable, reduce the capital outlay allocation
1325 identified in paragraph (c) by the total amount of state funds
1326 allocated to each eligible charter school in subsection (2) to
1327 determine the maximum calculated capital outlay allocation.
1328 (e) School districts shall distribute capital outlay funds
1329 to charter schools no later than February 1 of each year, as
1330 required by this subsection, based on the amount of funds
1331 received by the district school board. School districts shall
1332 distribute any remaining capital outlay funds, as required by
1333 this subsection, upon the receipt of such funds until the total
1334 amount calculated pursuant to this subsection is distributed.
1335
1336 By October 1 of each year, each school district shall certify to
1337 the department the amount of debt service and participation
1338 requirement that complies with the requirement of paragraph (a)
1339 and can be reduced from the total discretionary millage revenue.
1340 The Auditor General shall verify compliance with the
1341 requirements of paragraph (a) and s. 1011.71(2)(e) during
1342 scheduled operational audits of school districts.
1343 Section 7. Paragraph (b) of subsection (6) of section
1344 1013.64, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
1345 1013.64 Funds for comprehensive educational plant needs;
1346 construction cost maximums for school district capital
1347 projects.—Allocations from the Public Education Capital Outlay
1348 and Debt Service Trust Fund to the various boards for capital
1349 outlay projects shall be determined as follows:
1350 (6)
1351 (b)1. A district school board may not use funds from the
1352 following sources: Public Education Capital Outlay and Debt
1353 Service Trust Fund; School District and Community College
1354 District Capital Outlay and Debt Service Trust Fund; Classrooms
1355 First Program funds provided in s. 1013.68; nonvoted 1.5-mill
1356 levy of ad valorem property taxes provided in s. 1011.71(2);
1357 Classrooms for Kids Program funds provided in s. 1013.735;
1358 District Effort Recognition Program funds provided in s.
1359 1013.736; or High Growth District Capital Outlay Assistance
1360 Grant Program funds provided in s. 1013.738 to pay for any
1361 portion of the cost of any new construction of educational plant
1362 space with a total cost per student station, including change
1363 orders, which exceeds:
1364 a. $17,952 for an elementary school;
1365 b. $19,386 for a middle school; or
1366 c. $25,181 for a high school,
1367
1368 (January 2006) as adjusted annually to reflect increases or
1369 decreases in the Consumer Price Index. The department, in
1370 conjunction with the Office of Economic and Demographic
1371 Research, shall review and adjust the cost per student station
1372 limits to reflect actual construction costs by January 1, 2020,
1373 and annually thereafter. The adjusted cost per student station
1374 shall be used by the department for computation of the statewide
1375 average costs per student station for each instructional level
1376 pursuant to paragraph (d). The department shall also collaborate
1377 with the Office of Economic and Demographic Research to select
1378 an industry-recognized construction index to replace the
1379 Consumer Price Index by January 1, 2020, adjusted annually to
1380 reflect changes in the construction index.
1381 2. School districts shall maintain accurate documentation
1382 related to the costs of all new construction of educational
1383 plant space reported to the Department of Education pursuant to
1384 paragraph (d). The Auditor General shall review the
1385 documentation maintained by the school districts and verify
1386 compliance with the limits under this paragraph during its
1387 scheduled operational audits of the school district.
1388 3. Except for educational facilities and sites subject to a
1389 lease-purchase agreement entered pursuant to s. 1011.71(2)(e),
1390 or funded solely through local impact fees, in addition to the
1391 funding sources listed in subparagraph 1., a district school
1392 board may not use funds from any sources for new construction of
1393 educational plant space with a total cost per student station,
1394 including change orders, which equals more than the current
1395 adjusted amounts provided in sub-subparagraphs 1.a.-c. However,
1396 if a contract has been executed for architectural and design
1397 services or for construction management services before July 1,
1398 2017, a district school board may use funds from any source for
1399 the new construction of educational plant space and such funds
1400 are exempt from the total cost per student station requirements.
1401 4. A district school board must not use funds from the
1402 Public Education Capital Outlay and Debt Service Trust Fund or
1403 the School District and Community College District Capital
1404 Outlay and Debt Service Trust Fund for any new construction of
1405 an ancillary plant that exceeds 70 percent of the average cost
1406 per square foot of new construction for all schools.
1407 Section 8. Paragraph (c) of subsection (10) of section
1408 1003.4282, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
1409 1003.4282 Requirements for a standard high school diploma.—
1410 (10) STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES.—Beginning with students
1411 entering grade 9 in the 2014-2015 school year, this subsection
1412 applies to a student with a disability.
1413 (c) A student with a disability who meets the standard high
1414 school diploma requirements in this section may defer the
1415 receipt of a standard high school diploma if the student:
1416 1. Has an individual education plan that prescribes special
1417 education, transition planning, transition services, or related
1418 services through age 21; and
1419 2. Is enrolled in accelerated college credit instruction
1420 pursuant to s. 1007.27, industry certification courses that lead
1421 to college credit, an early college a collegiate high school
1422 program, courses necessary to satisfy the Scholar designation
1423 requirements, or a structured work-study, internship, or
1424 preapprenticeship program.
1425
1426 The State Board of Education shall adopt rules under ss.
1427 120.536(1) and 120.54 to implement this subsection, including
1428 rules that establish the minimum requirements for students
1429 described in this subsection to earn a standard high school
1430 diploma. The State Board of Education shall adopt emergency
1431 rules pursuant to ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54.
1432 Section 9. Paragraph (a) of subsection (1) of section
1433 1003.436, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
1434 1003.436 Definition of “credit.”—
1435 (1)(a) For the purposes of requirements for high school
1436 graduation, one full credit means a minimum of 135 hours of bona
1437 fide instruction in a designated course of study that contains
1438 student performance standards, except as otherwise provided
1439 through the Credit Acceleration Program (CAP) under s.
1440 1003.4295(3). One full credit means a minimum of 120 hours of
1441 bona fide instruction in a designated course of study that
1442 contains student performance standards for purposes of meeting
1443 high school graduation requirements in a district school that
1444 has been authorized to implement block scheduling by the
1445 district school board. The State Board of Education shall
1446 determine the number of postsecondary credit hours earned
1447 through dual enrollment pursuant to s. 1007.271 that satisfy the
1448 requirements of a dual enrollment articulation agreement
1449 according to s. 1007.271(21) and that equal one full credit of
1450 the equivalent high school course identified pursuant to s.
1451 1007.271(10) s. 1007.271(9).
1452 Section 10. This act shall take effect July 1, 2020.