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2021 Florida Statutes (Including 2021B Session)

Title XLVIII EARLY LEARNING-20 EDUCATION CODE
Chapter 1008 ASSESSMENT AND ACCOUNTABILITY Entire Chapter
SECTION 2125
Coordinated screening and progress monitoring program for students in the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program through grade 3.
F.S. 1008.2125
1008.2125 Coordinated screening and progress monitoring program for students in the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program through grade 3.—
(1) The primary purpose of the coordinated screening and progress monitoring program for students in the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program through grade 3 is to provide information on students’ progress in mastering the appropriate grade-level standards and to provide information on their progress to parents, teachers, and school and program administrators. Data shall be used by Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program providers and school districts to improve instruction, by parents and teachers to guide learning objectives and provide timely and appropriate supports and interventions to students not meeting grade-level expectations, and by the public to assess the cost benefit of the expenditure of taxpayer dollars. The coordinated screening and progress monitoring program must:
(a) Measure student progress in the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program through grade 3 in meeting the appropriate expectations in early literacy and math skills and in English Language Arts and mathematics, as required by ss. 1002.67(1)(a) and 1003.41.
(b) Provide data for accountability of the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program, as required by s. 1002.68.
(c) Provide baseline data to the department of each student’s readiness for kindergarten, which must be based on each kindergarten student’s progress monitoring results that was administered no later than the first 30 instructional days in accordance with paragraph (2)(a). The methodology for determining a student’s readiness for kindergarten shall be developed by the department and aligned to the methodology adopted pursuant to s. 1002.68(4).
(d) Identify the educational strengths and needs of students in the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program through grade 3.
(e) Provide teachers with progress monitoring data to provide timely interventions and supports pursuant to s. 1008.25(4).
(f) Assess how well educational goals and curricular standards are met at the provider, school, district, and state levels.
(g) Provide information to aid in the evaluation and development of educational programs and policies.
(2) The Commissioner of Education shall design a statewide, standardized coordinated screening and progress monitoring program to assess early literacy and mathematics skills and the English Language Arts and mathematics standards established in ss. 1002.67(1)(a) and 1003.41, respectively. The coordinated screening and progress monitoring program must provide interval level and norm-referenced data that measures equivalent levels of growth; be a developmentally appropriate, valid, and reliable direct assessment; be able to capture data on students who may be performing below grade or developmental level and which may enable the identification of early indicators of dyslexia or other developmental delays; accurately measure the core content in the applicable grade level standards; document learning gains for the achievement of these standards; and provide teachers with progress monitoring supports and materials that enhance differentiated instruction and parent communication. Participation in the coordinated screening and progress monitoring program is mandatory for all students in the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program and enrolled in a public school in kindergarten through grade 3. The coordinated screening and progress monitoring program shall be implemented beginning in the 2022-2023 school year for students in the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program and kindergarten students, as follows:
(a) The coordinated screening and progress monitoring program shall be administered within the first 30 days after enrollment, midyear, and within the last 30 days of the program or school year, in accordance with the rules adopted by the State Board of Education. The state board may adopt alternate timeframes to address nontraditional school year calendars or summer programs to ensure the coordinated screening and progress monitoring program is administered a minimum of three times within a year or program.
(b) The results of the coordinated screening and progress monitoring program shall be reported to the department, in accordance with the rules adopted by the state board, and maintained in the department’s educational data warehouse.
(3) The Commissioner of Education shall:
(a) Develop a plan, in coordination with the Council for Early Grade Success, for implementing the coordinated screening and progress monitoring program in consideration of timelines for implementing new early literacy and mathematics skills and the English Language Arts and mathematics standards established in ss. 1002.67(1)(a) and 1003.41, as appropriate.
(b) Provide data, reports, and information as requested to the Council for Early Grade Success.
(4) The Council for Early Grade Success, a council as defined in s. 20.03(7), is created within the Department of Education to oversee the coordinated screening and progress monitoring program and, except as otherwise provided in this section, shall operate consistent with s. 20.052.
(a) The council shall be responsible for reviewing the implementation of, training for, and outcomes from the coordinated screening and progress monitoring program to provide recommendations to the department that support grade 3 students reading at or above grade level. The council, at a minimum, shall:
1. Provide recommendations on the implementation of the coordinated screening and progress monitoring program, including reviewing any procurement solicitation documents and criteria before being published.
2. Develop training plans and timelines for such training.
3. Identify appropriate personnel, processes, and procedures required for the administration of the coordinated screening and progress monitoring program.
4. Provide input on the methodology for calculating a provider’s or school’s performance metric and designations under s. 1002.68(4).
5. Work with the department to review the methodology for determining a child’s kindergarten readiness.
6. Review data on age-appropriate learning gains by grade level that a student would need to attain in order to demonstrate proficiency in reading by grade 3.
7. Continually review anonymized data from the results of the coordinated screening and progress monitoring program for students in the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program through grade 3 to help inform recommendations to the department that support practices that will enable grade 3 students to read at or above grade level.
(b) The council shall be composed of 17 members who are residents of the state and appointed as follows:
1. Three members appointed by the Governor, as follows:
a. One representative from the Department of Education.
b. One parent of a child who is 4 to 9 years of age.
c. One representative that is an elementary school administrator.
2. Seven members appointed by the President of the Senate, as follows:
a. One senator who serves at the pleasure of the President of the Senate.
b. One representative of an urban school district.
c. One representative of a rural early learning coalition.
d. One representative of a faith-based early learning provider who offers the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program.
e. One representative who is a second grade teacher who has at least 5 years of teaching experience.
f. Two representatives with subject matter expertise in early learning, early grade success, or child assessments.
3. Seven members appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, as follows:
a. One member of the House of Representatives who serves at the pleasure of the Speaker of the House.
b. One representative of a rural school district.
c. One representative of an urban early learning coalition.
d. One representative of an early learning provider who offers the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program.
e. One member who is a kindergarten teacher who has at least 5 years of teaching experience.
f. Two representatives with subject matter expertise in early learning, early grade success, or child assessment.
4. The four representatives with subject matter expertise in sub-subparagraphs 2.f. and 3.f. may not be direct stakeholders within the early learning or public school systems.
(5) The council shall elect a chair and vice chair, one of whom must be a member who has subject matter expertise in early learning, early grade success, or child assessments. The vice chair must be a member appointed by the President of the Senate or the Speaker of the House of Representatives who is not one of the four members with subject matter expertise in early learning, early grade success, or child assessments appointed pursuant to sub-subparagraphs (4)(b)2.f. and 3.f. Members of the council shall serve without compensation but are entitled to reimbursement for per diem and travel expenses pursuant to s. 112.061.
(6) The council must meet at least biannually and may meet by teleconference or other electronic means, if possible, to reduce costs.
(7) A majority of the members constitutes a quorum.
History.—s. 65, ch. 2021-10.