The Florida Senate

236.02  Minimum requirements of the Florida Education Finance Program.--Each district which participates in the state appropriations for the Florida Education Finance Program shall provide evidence of its effort to maintain an adequate school program throughout the district and shall meet at least the following requirements:

(1)  ACCOUNTS AND REPORTS.--Maintain adequate and accurate records, including a system of internal accounts for individual schools, and file with the Department of Education, in correct and proper form on or before the date due as fixed by law or regulation, each annual or periodic report that is required by regulations of the commissioner.

(2)  MINIMUM TERM.--Operate all schools for a term of at least 180 actual teaching days as prescribed in s. 228.041(13) or the equivalent on an hourly basis as specified by rules of the Commissioner of Education each school year. The commissioner may prescribe procedures for altering, and, upon written application, may alter, this requirement during a national, state, or local emergency as it may apply to an individual school or schools in any district or districts if, in the opinion of the board, it is not feasible to make up lost days, and the apportionment may, at the discretion of the Commissioner of Education and if the board determines that the reduction of school days is caused by the existence of a bona fide emergency, be reduced for such district or districts in proportion to the decrease in the length of term in any such school or schools. A strike, as defined in s. 447.203(6), by employees of the school district may not be considered an emergency.

(3)  EMPLOYMENT POLICIES.--Adopt rules relating to the appointment, promotion, transfer, suspension, and dismissal of personnel.

(a)  Such rules must conform to applicable law and rules of the commissioner and must include the duties and responsibilities of the superintendent and school board pertaining to these and other personnel matters.

(b)  All personnel shall be paid in accordance with payroll period schedules adopted by the school board and included in the official salary schedule.

(c)  No salary payment shall be paid to any employee in advance of service being rendered.

(d)  District school boards may authorize a maximum of six paid legal holidays which shall apply to the 196 days of service.

(e)  Such rules may include reasonable time for vacation and absences for further professional studies for personnel employed on a 12-month basis.

(f)  Such rules must require 12 calendar months of service for such principals as prescribed by regulations of the commissioner and must require 10 months to include not less than 196 days of service, excluding Sundays and other holidays, for all members of the instructional staff, with any such service on a 12-month basis to include reasonable allowance for vacation or further study as prescribed by the school board in accordance with regulations of the commissioner.

(4)  SALARY SCHEDULES.--Expend funds for salaries in accordance with a salary schedule or schedules adopted by the school board in accordance with the provisions of law and regulations of the commissioner. Expenditures for salaries of instructional personnel must include compensation based on employee performance demonstrated under s. 231.29.

(5)  BUDGETS.--Observe fully at all times all requirements of law and regulations of the commissioner relating to the preparation, adoption, and execution of budgets for the district school system.

(6)  MINIMUM FINANCIAL EFFORT REQUIRED.--Make the minimum financial effort required for the support of the Florida Education Finance Program as prescribed in the current year's General Appropriations Act.

(7)  DISTRICT EDUCATIONAL PLANNING.--Maintain a system of planning and evaluation as required by law.

History.--s. 1002, ch. 19355, 1939; CGL Supp. 892(321); s. 27, ch. 23726, 1947; s. 3, ch. 25363, 1949; s. 10, ch. 26484, 1951; s. 27, ch. 29754, 1955; s. 1, ch. 57-297; s. 7, ch. 59-339; s. 4, ch. 61-263; s. 1, ch. 63-401; s. 2, ch. 63-463; s. 126, ch. 65-239; s. 1, ch. 67-296; s. 1, ch. 67-330; s. 3, ch. 68-18; ss. 15, 35, ch. 69-106; s. 1, ch. 69-206; s. 1, ch. 69-300; ss. 118, 119, ch. 72-221; ss. 13, 14, ch. 73-345; s. 2, ch. 74-227; s. 27, ch. 75-284; s. 1, ch. 75-306; s. 16, ch. 76-223; s. 1, ch. 76-259; s. 1, ch. 77-80; s. 10, ch. 80-295; ss. 3, 10, ch. 80-378; ss. 16, 23, ch. 83-327; s. 6, ch. 83-348; s. 52, ch. 85-80; s. 2, ch. 85-109; s. 4, ch. 88-317; s. 15, ch. 88-557; s. 25, ch. 89-278; s. 49, ch. 92-136; s. 65, ch. 94-232; s. 148, ch. 97-190; s. 4, ch. 97-212.