The Florida Senate

1004.95  Adult literacy centers.--

(1)  The Commissioner of Education shall select community colleges and public school districts to establish and operate adult literacy centers to complement existing public and private instructional adult literacy programs. The centers shall identify, contact, counsel, and refer persons considered to be lacking basic or functional literacy skills or competencies related to prose, document, and quantitative literacy skills to the appropriate private and public agencies, including human service agencies. The centers may not duplicate or supplant the existing services provided by public and private agencies operating within the district.

(2)  In selecting program participants, the Commissioner of Education shall, at a minimum, consider the extent to which:

(a)  Cooperative arrangements with other state and local agreements and innovative approaches will be used for carrying out the role of the center;

(b)  Similar services are provided within the service delivery area;

(c)  The program objectives may be accomplished within the budget request;

(d)  Provisions are made for monitoring program performance; and

(e)  Fiscal controls and fund accounting procedures exist to ensure proper use of, and accounting for, the program funds.

(3)  The activities and funding of center operations shall be reported in a separate and distinct manner.

(4)  The State Board of Education shall develop rules for implementing this section, including criteria for evaluating the performance of the centers, and shall submit an evaluation report of the centers to the Legislature on or before February 1 of each year.

History.--s. 238, ch. 2002-387.