Florida Senate - 2024 SENATOR AMENDMENT
Bill No. CS for SB 7004
Ì573724/Î573724
LEGISLATIVE ACTION
Senate . House
.
.
.
Floor: 1/AD/2R .
01/10/2024 03:56 PM .
—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
Senator Simon moved the following:
1 Senate Amendment (with title amendment)
2
3 Delete lines 1004 - 1087
4 and insert:
5 Section 26. Paragraph (a) of subsection (2), paragraphs (a)
6 and (b) of subsection (3), paragraph (c) of subsection (4),
7 paragraphs (a), (b), and (d) of subsection (5), paragraphs (a),
8 (b), and (c) of subsection (6), paragraph (b) of subsection (7),
9 and subsection (9) of section 1008.25, Florida Statutes, are
10 amended, and paragraph (h) is added to subsection (2) of that
11 section, to read:
12 1008.25 Public school student progression; student support;
13 coordinated screening and progress monitoring; reporting
14 requirements.—
15 (2) STUDENT PROGRESSION PLAN.—Each district school board
16 shall establish a comprehensive plan for student progression
17 which must provide for a student’s progression from one grade to
18 another based on the student’s mastery of the standards in s.
19 1003.41, specifically English Language Arts, mathematics,
20 science, and social studies standards. The plan must:
21 (a) Include criteria that emphasize student reading
22 proficiency in kindergarten through grade 3 and provide targeted
23 instructional support for students with identified deficiencies
24 in English Language Arts, mathematics, science, and social
25 studies, including students who have been referred to the
26 district from the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program
27 consistent with paragraph (5)(b). High schools shall use all
28 available assessment results, including the results of
29 statewide, standardized English Language Arts assessments and
30 end-of-course assessments for Algebra I and Geometry, to advise
31 students of any identified deficiencies and to provide
32 appropriate postsecondary preparatory instruction before high
33 school graduation. The results of evaluations used to monitor a
34 student’s progress in grades K-12 must be provided to the
35 student’s teacher in a timely manner and as otherwise required
36 by law. Thereafter, evaluation results must be provided to the
37 student’s parent in a timely manner. When available,
38 instructional personnel must be provided with information on
39 student achievement of standards and benchmarks in order to
40 improve instruction.
41 (h) Specify retention requirements for students in
42 kindergarten through grade 2 based upon each student’s
43 performance in English Language Arts and mathematics. For
44 students who are retained in kindergarten through grade 2, the
45 plan must incorporate the parental notification requirements
46 provided in subsections (5) and (6), include an opportunity for
47 parental input on the retention decision, and include
48 information on the importance of students mastering early
49 literacy and communication skills in order to be reading at or
50 above grade level by the end of grade 3.
51 (3) ALLOCATION OF RESOURCES.—District school boards shall
52 allocate remedial and supplemental instruction resources to
53 students in the following priority:
54 (a) Students in the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education
55 Program kindergarten through grade 3 who have a substantial
56 deficiency in reading or the characteristics of dyslexia as
57 determined in paragraph (5)(a).
58 (b) Students in the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education
59 Program kindergarten through grade 4 who have a substantial
60 deficiency in mathematics or the characteristics of dyscalculia
61 as determined in paragraph (6)(a).
62 (4) ASSESSMENT AND SUPPORT.—
63 (c) A student who has a substantial reading deficiency as
64 determined in paragraph (5)(a) or a substantial mathematics
65 deficiency as determined in paragraph (6)(a) must be covered by
66 a federally required student plan, such as an individual
67 education plan or an individualized progress monitoring plan, or
68 both, as necessary. The individualized progress monitoring plan
69 must be developed within 30 days after the results of the
70 coordinated screening and progress monitoring system become
71 available. The plan must shall include, at a minimum, include:
72 1. The student’s specific, identified reading or
73 mathematics skill deficiency.
74 2. Goals and benchmarks for student growth in reading or
75 mathematics.
76 3. A description of the specific measures that will be used
77 to evaluate and monitor the student’s reading or mathematics
78 progress.
79 4. For a substantial reading deficiency, the specific
80 evidence-based literacy instruction grounded in the science of
81 reading which the student will receive.
82 5. Strategies, resources, and materials that will be
83 provided to the student’s parent to support the student to make
84 reading or mathematics progress.
85 6. Any additional services the student’s teacher deems
86 available and appropriate to accelerate the student’s reading or
87 mathematics skill development.
88 (5) READING DEFICIENCY AND PARENTAL NOTIFICATION.—
89 (a) Any student in a Voluntary Prekindergarten Education
90 Program provided by a public school kindergarten through grade 3
91 who exhibits a substantial deficiency in reading or the
92 characteristics of dyslexia based upon screening, diagnostic,
93 progress monitoring, or assessment data; statewide assessments;
94 or teacher observations must be provided intensive, explicit,
95 systematic, and multisensory reading interventions immediately
96 following the identification of the reading deficiency or the
97 characteristics of dyslexia to address his or her specific
98 deficiency or dyslexia. For the purposes of this subsection, a
99 Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program student is deemed to
100 exhibit a substantial deficiency in early literacy skills based
101 upon the results of the midyear or final administration of the
102 coordinated screening and progress monitoring under subsection
103 (9).
104 1. The department shall provide a list of state examined
105 and approved comprehensive reading and intervention programs.
106 The intervention programs shall be provided in addition to the
107 comprehensive core reading instruction that is provided to all
108 students in the general education classroom. Dyslexia-specific
109 interventions, as defined by rule of the State Board of
110 Education, shall be provided to students who have the
111 characteristics of dyslexia. The reading intervention programs
112 must do all of the following:
113 a. Provide explicit, direct instruction that is systematic,
114 sequential, and cumulative in language development, phonological
115 awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension, as
116 applicable.
117 b. Provide daily targeted small group reading interventions
118 based on student need in phonological awareness, phonics,
119 including decoding and encoding, sight words, vocabulary, or
120 comprehension.
121 c. Be implemented during regular school hours.
122 2. A school may not wait for a student to receive a failing
123 grade at the end of a grading period or wait until a plan under
124 paragraph (4)(b) is developed to identify the student as having
125 a substantial reading deficiency and initiate intensive reading
126 interventions. In addition, a school may not wait until an
127 evaluation conducted pursuant to s. 1003.57 is completed to
128 provide appropriate, evidence-based interventions for a student
129 whose parent submits documentation from a professional licensed
130 under chapter 490 which demonstrates that the student has been
131 diagnosed with dyslexia. Such interventions must be initiated
132 upon receipt of the documentation and based on the student’s
133 specific areas of difficulty as identified by the licensed
134 professional.
135 3. A student’s reading proficiency must be monitored and
136 the intensive interventions must continue until the student
137 demonstrates grade level proficiency in a manner determined by
138 the district, which may include achieving a Level 3 on the
139 statewide, standardized English Language Arts assessment. The
140 State Board of Education shall identify by rule guidelines for
141 determining whether a student in a Voluntary Prekindergarten
142 Education Program provided by a public school kindergarten
143 through grade 3 has a substantial deficiency in reading.
144 (b) A Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program student
145 who exhibits a substantial deficiency in early literacy skills
146 based upon the results of the administration of the mid-year or
147 final coordinated screening and progress monitoring under
148 subsection (9) shall be referred to the local school district
149 and may be eligible to receive instruction in early literacy
150 skills before participating in kindergarten. A student with an
151 individual education plan who has been retained pursuant to
152 paragraph (2)(g) and has demonstrated a substantial deficiency
153 in early literacy skills must receive instruction in early
154 literacy skills.
155 (d) The parent of any student who exhibits a substantial
156 deficiency in reading, as described in paragraph (a), must be
157 notified in writing, in a timely manner, of the following:
158 1. That his or her child has been identified as having a
159 substantial deficiency in reading, including a description and
160 explanation, in terms understandable to the parent, of the exact
161 nature of the student’s difficulty in learning and lack of
162 achievement in reading.
163 2. A description of the current services that are provided
164 to the child.
165 3. A description of the proposed intensive interventions
166 and supports that will be provided to the child that are
167 designed to remediate the identified area of reading deficiency.
168 4. The student progression requirements under paragraph
169 (2)(h) and that if the child’s reading deficiency is not
170 remediated by the end of grade 3, the child must be retained
171 unless he or she is exempt from mandatory retention for good
172 cause.
173 5. Strategies, including multisensory strategies and
174 programming, through a read-at-home plan the parent can use in
175 helping his or her child succeed in reading. The read-at-home
176 plan must provide access to the resources identified in
177 paragraph (f).
178 6. That the statewide, standardized English Language Arts
179 assessment is not the sole determiner of promotion and that
180 additional evaluations, portfolio reviews, and assessments are
181 available to the child to assist parents and the school district
182 in knowing when a child is reading at or above grade level and
183 ready for grade promotion.
184 7. The district’s specific criteria and policies for a
185 portfolio as provided in subparagraph (7)(b)4. and the evidence
186 required for a student to demonstrate mastery of Florida’s
187 academic standards for English Language Arts. A school must
188 immediately begin collecting evidence for a portfolio when a
189 student in grade 3 is identified as being at risk of retention
190 or upon the request of the parent, whichever occurs first.
191 8. The district’s specific criteria and policies for
192 midyear promotion. Midyear promotion means promotion of a
193 retained student at any time during the year of retention once
194 the student has demonstrated ability to read at grade level.
195 9. Information about the student’s eligibility for the New
196 Worlds Reading Initiative under s. 1003.485 and the New Worlds
197 Scholarship Accounts under s. 1002.411 and information on parent
198 training modules and other reading engagement resources
199 available through the initiative.
200
201 After initial notification, the school shall apprise the parent
202 at least monthly of the student’s progress in response to the
203 intensive interventions and supports. Such communications must
204 be in writing and must explain any additional interventions or
205 supports that will be implemented to accelerate the student’s
206 progress if the interventions and supports already being
207 implemented have not resulted in improvement. After receiving
208 the initial notification, a parent may request additional
209 meetings with the teacher or the school’s reading coach to
210 discuss the student’s progress and may request additional
211 services currently provided by the school district. The
212 additional services must include, but are not limited to, the
213 interventions in paragraph (8)(a).
214 (6) MATHEMATICS DEFICIENCY AND PARENTAL NOTIFICATION.—
215 (a) Any student in a Voluntary Prekindergarten Education
216 Program provided by a public school kindergarten through grade 4
217 who exhibits a substantial deficiency in mathematics or the
218 characteristics of dyscalculia based upon screening, diagnostic,
219 progress monitoring, or assessment data; statewide assessments;
220 or teacher observations must:
221 1. Immediately following the identification of the
222 mathematics deficiency, be provided systematic and explicit
223 mathematics instruction to address his or her specific
224 deficiencies through either:
225 a. Daily targeted small group mathematics intervention
226 based on student need; or
227 b. Supplemental, evidence-based mathematics interventions
228 before or after school, or both, delivered by a highly qualified
229 teacher of mathematics or a trained tutor.
230 2. The performance of a student receiving mathematics
231 instruction under subparagraph 1. must be monitored, and
232 instruction must be adjusted based on the student’s need.
233 3. The department shall provide a list of state examined
234 and approved mathematics intervention programs, curricula, and
235 high-quality supplemental materials that may be used to improve
236 a student’s mathematics deficiencies. In addition, the
237 department shall work, at a minimum, with the Florida Center for
238 Mathematics and Science Education Research established in s.
239 1004.86 to disseminate information to school districts and
240 teachers on effective evidence-based explicit mathematics
241 instructional practices, strategies, and interventions.
242 4. A school may not wait for a student to receive a failing
243 grade at the end of a grading period or wait until a plan under
244 paragraph (4)(b) is developed to identify the student as having
245 a substantial mathematics deficiency and initiate intensive
246 mathematics interventions. In addition, a school may not wait
247 until an evaluation conducted pursuant to s. 1003.57 is
248 completed to provide appropriate, evidence-based interventions
249 for a student whose parent submits documentation from a
250 professional licensed under chapter 490 which demonstrates that
251 the student has been diagnosed with dyscalculia. Such
252 interventions must be initiated upon receipt of the
253 documentation and based on the student’s specific areas of
254 difficulty as identified by the licensed professional.
255 5. The mathematics proficiency of a student receiving
256 additional mathematics supports must be monitored and the
257 intensive interventions must continue until the student
258 demonstrates grade level proficiency in a manner determined by
259 the district, which may include achieving a Level 3 on the
260 statewide, standardized Mathematics assessment. The State Board
261 of Education shall identify by rule guidelines for determining
262 whether a student in a Voluntary Prekindergarten Education
263 Program provided by a public school kindergarten through grade 4
264 has a substantial deficiency in mathematics.
265
266 For the purposes of this paragraph, a Voluntary Prekindergarten
267 Education Program student is deemed to exhibit a substantial
268 deficiency in mathematics skills based upon the results of the
269 mid-year or final administration of the coordinated screening
270 and progress monitoring under subsection (9).
271 (b) A Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program student
272 who exhibits a substantial deficiency in early math skills based
273 upon the results of the administration of the mid-year or final
274 coordinated screening and progress monitoring under subsection
275 (8) shall be referred to the local school district and may be
276 eligible to receive intensive mathematics interventions before
277 participating in kindergarten.
278 (c) The parent of a student who exhibits a substantial
279 deficiency in mathematics, as described in paragraph (a), must
280 be notified in writing of the following:
281 1. That his or her child has been identified as having a
282 substantial deficiency in mathematics, including a description
283 and explanation, in terms understandable to the parent, of the
284 exact nature of the student’s difficulty in learning and lack of
285 achievement in mathematics.
286 2. A description of the current services that are provided
287 to the child.
288 3. A description of the proposed intensive interventions
289 and supports that will be provided to the child that are
290 designed to remediate the identified area of mathematics
291 deficiency.
292 4. Strategies, including multisensory strategies and
293 programming, through a home-based plan the parent can use in
294 helping his or her child succeed in mathematics. The home-based
295 plan must provide access to the resources identified in
296 paragraph (e).
297
298 After the initial notification, the school shall apprise the
299 parent at least monthly of the student’s progress in response to
300 the intensive interventions and supports. Such communications
301 must be in writing and must explain any additional interventions
302 or supports that will be implemented to accelerate the student’s
303 progress if the interventions and supports already being
304 implemented have not resulted in improvement. After receiving
305 the initial notification, a parent may request additional
306 meetings with the teacher or school’s math coach to discuss the
307 student’s progress and may request additional services that are
308 currently provided by the school district.
309 (7) ELIMINATION OF SOCIAL PROMOTION.—
310 (b) The district school board may only exempt students from
311 mandatory retention, as provided in paragraph (5)(c), for good
312 cause. A student who is promoted to grade 4 with a good cause
313 exemption shall be provided intensive reading instruction and
314 intervention that include specialized diagnostic information and
315 specific reading strategies to meet the needs of each student so
316 promoted. The school district shall assist schools and teachers
317 with the implementation of explicit, systematic, and
318 multisensory reading instruction and intervention strategies for
319 students promoted with a good cause exemption which research has
320 shown to be successful in improving reading among students who
321 have reading difficulties. A parent may request additional
322 interventions that are currently provided by the school district
323 and can include, but are not limited, to the interventions
324 identified in paragraph (8)(a). Good cause exemptions are
325 limited to the following:
326 1. Limited English proficient students who have had less
327 than 2 years of instruction in an English for Speakers of Other
328 Languages program based on the initial date of entry into a
329 school in the United States.
330 2. Students with disabilities whose individual education
331 plan indicates that participation in the statewide assessment
332 program is not appropriate, consistent with the requirements of
333 s. 1008.212.
334 3. Students who demonstrate an acceptable level of
335 performance on the beginning or mid-year administration of the
336 English Language Arts coordinated screening and progress
337 monitoring system under subsection (9), or an alternative
338 standardized reading or English Language Arts assessment,
339 approved by the State Board of Education.
340 4. A student who demonstrates through a student portfolio
341 that he or she is performing at least at Level 2 on the
342 statewide, standardized English Language Arts assessment.
343 5. Students with disabilities who take the statewide,
344 standardized English Language Arts assessment and who have an
345 individual education plan or a Section 504 plan that reflects
346 that the student has received intensive instruction in reading
347 or English Language Arts for more than 2 years but still
348 demonstrates a deficiency and was previously retained in
349 prekindergarten, kindergarten, grade 1, grade 2, or grade 3.
350 6. Students who have received intensive reading
351 intervention for 2 or more years but still demonstrate a
352 deficiency in reading and who were previously retained in
353 kindergarten, grade 1, grade 2, or grade 3 for a total of 2
354 years. A student may not be retained more than once in grade 3.
355
356 ================= T I T L E A M E N D M E N T ================
357 And the title is amended as follows:
358 Delete lines 117 - 122
359 and insert:
360 course assessment; amending s. 1008.25, F.S.; revising
361 the criteria for the student progression plan to
362 include instructional support for students referred
363 from a specified program; requiring school districts
364 to specify retention requirements for students in
365 kindergarten through grade 2; requiring that the plan
366 incorporate specified parental notification
367 requirements, include an opportunity for parental
368 input on the retention decision, and include certain
369 information; requiring district school boards to
370 include the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education
371 Program in a certain allocation of resources;
372 requiring that the individualized progress monitoring
373 plan for specified students be developed within a
374 specified timeframe; providing conditions for parents
375 to request supports for students identified as having
376 a substantial deficiency in reading or mathematics;
377 requiring the department to adopt additional
378 alternative assessments for good cause promotion;
379 requiring two administrations of the coordinated
380 screening and progress monitoring system for students
381 in a summer prekindergarten program; conforming cross
382 references; amending s.