The Florida Senate

229.591  Comprehensive revision of Florida's system of school improvement and education accountability.--

(1)  INTENT.--The Legislature recognizes that the children and youth of the state are its future and its most precious resource. To provide these developing citizens with the sound education needed to grow to a satisfying and productive adulthood, the Legislature intends that Florida establish a system of school improvement and education accountability based on the performance of students and educational programs. The intent of the Legislature is to provide clear guidelines for achieving this purpose and for returning the responsibility for education to those closest to the students, their schools, teachers, and parents. The Legislature recognizes, however, its ultimate responsibility and that of the Governor, the Commissioner of Education, and the State Board of Education and other state policymaking bodies in providing the strong leadership needed to forge a new concept of school improvement and in making adequate provision by law for a uniform, efficient, safe, secure, and high-quality system of free public schools as required by s. 1, Art. IX of the State Constitution. It is further the intent of the Legislature to build upon the foundation established by the Educational Accountability Act of 1976 and to implement a program of education accountability and school improvement based upon the achievement of state goals, recognizing the State Board of Education as the body corporate responsible for the supervision of the system of public education, the district school board as responsible for school and student performance, and the individual school as the unit for education accountability.

(2)  REQUIREMENTS.--Florida's system for school improvement and education accountability shall:

(a)  Establish state and local educational goals.

(b)  Increase the use of educational outcomes over educational processes in assessing educational programs.

(c)  Redirect state fiscal and human resources to assist school districts and schools to meet state and local goals for student success in school and in later life.

(d)  Provide methods for measuring, and public reporting of, state, school district, and individual school progress toward the education goals.

(e)  Recognize successful schools.

(f)  Provide for schools designated as performance grade category "D" or "F" to receive assistance and intervention sufficient to attain adequate improvement and provide action that should occur when schools do not improve.

(g)  Provide that parents or guardians are not required to send their children to schools that have been designated in performance grade category "F," as defined in state board rule, for two school years in a 4-year period.

(3)  EDUCATION GOALS.--The state as a whole shall work toward the following goals:

(a)  Readiness to start school.--Communities and schools collaborate in a statewide comprehensive school readiness program to prepare children and families for children's success in school.

(b)  Graduation rate and readiness for postsecondary education and employment.--Students graduate and are prepared to enter the workforce and postsecondary education.

(c)  Student performance.--Students make annual learning gains sufficient to acquire the knowledge, skills, and competencies needed to master state standards; successfully compete at the highest levels nationally and internationally; and be prepared to make well-reasoned, thoughtful, and healthy lifelong decisions.

(d)  Learning environment.--School boards provide a learning environment conducive to teaching and learning, in which education programs are based on student performance data, and which strive to eliminate achievement gaps by improving the learning of all students.

(e)  School safety and environment.--Communities and schools provide an environment that is drug-free and protects students' health, safety, and civil rights.

(f)  Teachers and staff.--The schools, district, all postsecondary institutions, and state work collaboratively to provide professional teachers and staff who possess the competencies and demonstrate the performance needed to maximize learning among all students.

(g)  Adult literacy.--Adult Floridians are literate and have the knowledge and skills needed to compete in a global economy, prepare their children for success in school, and exercise the rights and responsibilities of citizenship.

(h)  Parental, family, and community involvement.--Communities, school boards, and schools provide opportunities for involving parents, families, guardians, and other community stakeholders as collaborative partners in achieving school improvement and education accountability.

History.--s. 64, ch. 90-288; s. 2, ch. 91-283; s. 1, ch. 93-198; s. 1, ch. 96-329; s. 93, ch. 97-190; s. 22, ch. 98-281; s. 9, ch. 99-398.