Skip to Navigation | Skip to Main Content | Skip to Site Map

MyFloridaHouse.gov | Mobile Site

Senate Tracker: Sign Up | Login

The Florida Senate

2022 Florida Statutes (including 2022C, 2022D, 2022A, and 2023B)

Title XLVIII EARLY LEARNING-20 EDUCATION CODE
Chapter 1006 SUPPORT FOR LEARNING Entire Chapter
SECTION 061
Child abuse, abandonment, and neglect policy.
F.S. 1006.061
1006.061 Child abuse, abandonment, and neglect policy.—Each district school board, charter school, and private school that accepts scholarship students who participate in a state scholarship program under chapter 1002 shall:
(1) Post in a prominent place in each school a notice that, pursuant to chapter 39, all employees and agents of the district school board, charter school, or private school have an affirmative duty to report all actual or suspected cases of child abuse, abandonment, or neglect; have immunity from liability if they report such cases in good faith; and have a duty to comply with child protective investigations and all other provisions of law relating to child abuse, abandonment, and neglect. The notice shall also include the statewide toll-free telephone number of the central abuse hotline.
(2) Post in a prominent place at each school site and on each school’s website, if available, the policies and procedures for reporting alleged misconduct by educational support employees, instructional personnel, or school administrators which affects the health, safety, or welfare of a student; the contact person to whom the report is made; and the penalties imposed on educational support employees, instructional personnel, or school administrators who fail to report suspected or actual child abuse or alleged misconduct by other educational support employees, instructional personnel, or school administrators.
(3) Require the principal of the charter school or private school, or the district school superintendent, or the superintendent’s designee, at the request of the Department of Children and Families, to act as a liaison to the Department of Children and Families and the Child Protection Team, as defined in s. 39.01, when in a case of suspected child abuse, abandonment, or neglect or an unlawful sexual offense involving a child the case is referred to such a team; except that this does not relieve or restrict the Department of Children and Families from discharging its duty and responsibility under the law to investigate and report every suspected or actual case of child abuse, abandonment, or neglect or unlawful sexual offense involving a child.
(4)(a) Post in a prominent place in a clearly visible location and public area of the school which is readily accessible to and widely used by students a sign in English and Spanish that contains:
1. The statewide toll-free telephone number of the central abuse hotline as provided in chapter 39.
2. Instructions to call 911 for emergencies.
3. Directions for accessing the Department of Children and Families Internet website for more information on reporting abuse, neglect, and exploitation.
4. Directions for accessing the Department of Education’s website for more information on reporting acts that violate s. 800.101.
(b) The information in paragraph (a) must be put on at least one poster in each school, on a sheet that measures at least 11 inches by 17 inches, produced in large print, and placed at student eye level for easy viewing.

The Department of Education shall develop, and publish on the department’s Internet website, sample notices suitable for posting in accordance with subsections (1), (2), and (4).

History.—s. 273, ch. 2002-387; s. 20, ch. 2008-108; s. 17, ch. 2010-24; s. 375, ch. 2014-19; s. 11, ch. 2015-79; s. 25, ch. 2018-6; s. 124, ch. 2019-3; s. 6, ch. 2021-138.