House Bill 1917
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Florida House of Representatives - 1999 HB 1917
By Representative Ryan
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to teacher training centers;
3 creating s. 231.6015, F.S., relating to teacher
4 training centers; providing legislative intent;
5 defining terms; establishing procedures for
6 center approval; providing for funding;
7 requiring each teacher training center to be
8 operated by a board of directors; providing
9 membership requirements and duties; requiring
10 the adoption of rules; requiring an annual
11 report; providing an effective date.
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13 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
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15 Section 1. Section 231.6015, Florida Statutes, is
16 created to read:
17 231.6015 Teacher training centers.--In order to
18 provide the school districts and teachers of the state with an
19 opportunity to develop systematic, ongoing inservice training
20 programs, to assure the dissemination and application of
21 educational research developments to classroom instruction,
22 and to develop new curricula and curricular materials
23 specifically designed to meet the educational needs of the
24 students served, the Commissioner of Education shall, from
25 funds appropriated for this purpose and subject to the
26 procedures established in this section, provide funds to
27 school boards to plan, establish, and operate teacher training
28 centers.
29 (1) As used in this section, the term:
30 (a) "Teacher training center" means any site
31 established by a school board, or consortium of school boards,
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1 pursuant to this section to provide professional support
2 services to teachers within the state in order to:
3 1. Assist teachers in diagnosing learning needs,
4 experimenting with the use of multiple instructional
5 approaches, assessing student outcomes, assessing staff
6 development needs and plans, and training other school
7 personnel in effective pedagogical approaches.
8 2. Provide demonstration and training sites where
9 instructional personnel are trained specifically in the use of
10 computers as teaching aides and as delivery systems.
11 3. Develop and produce curricula and curricular
12 material designed to meet the educational needs of the
13 students being served through the application of educational
14 research, and new or improved teaching methods, practices, and
15 techniques.
16 4. Provide training to enable teachers improve skills
17 in order to meet the educational needs of the pupils they
18 serve.
19 5. Provide a location for collaboration and the
20 sharing of resources, ideas, methods, and approaches related
21 to classroom instruction and management.
22 6. Retrain teachers and other education personnel to
23 become better qualified to teach in rapidly evolving, high
24 technology disciplines including mathematics, science, and
25 computer technology.
26 (b) "Site" means the location or locations where the
27 curriculum development and training activities of the teacher
28 training center take place.
29 (2) Pursuant to this section and State Board of
30 Education rule, any school board, or consortium of school
31 boards, requesting funds for the planning, establishment, or
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1 operation of a teacher training center shall apply to the
2 Commissioner of Education. The State Board of Education shall
3 adopt rules which establish criteria and standards by which
4 each application shall be evaluated which must include the
5 following:
6 (a) Compliance with requirements set forth in law.
7 (b) The extent of participation by the teacher
8 training center board in the preparation of the application.
9 (c) The existence of formally established policies to
10 guide the work of the board in an effective and efficient
11 manner.
12 (d) The extent to which activities fulfill the
13 purposes set forth in this section.
14 (e) The strength of linkages with institutions of
15 higher education and with other cultural and educational
16 institutions which provide learning technology inservice
17 training.
18 (f) The adequacy of the resources and facilities to
19 carry out the proposed activities.
20 (g) Whether the proposed cost is reasonable in
21 relation to expected outcomes.
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23 The commissioner shall review each application and recommend
24 to the state board the approval of those centers meeting the
25 requirements of this section; however, the regional
26 distribution of sites may be considered as a factor in
27 recommendation for approval. Based on the recommendations of
28 the commissioner, the state board shall approve the
29 establishment of teacher training centers. The state board
30 must notify the applicant of reasons for denial of an
31 application. A school district may submit a revised
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Florida House of Representatives - 1999 HB 1917
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1 application for further consideration by the commissioner and
2 the state board.
3 (3) The State Board of Education shall provide funding
4 for the planning establishment, or operation of a teacher
5 training center to each school board, or consortium of school
6 boards, whose application is approved according to subsection
7 (2), to the extent specifically provided annually by the
8 Legislature in the General Appropriations Act.
9 (4) Each teacher training center shall be operated by
10 a board of directors, the powers and duties of which shall
11 include conducting training needs assessments; formulating
12 policy; employing a center director and staff or consultants;
13 conducting training activities including workshops, seminars,
14 and teacher "exchanges"; developing a budget and controlling
15 the expenditure of funds; making recommendations for
16 subcontracting to secure technical and other kinds of
17 assistance; and managing and supervising the activities of the
18 teacher training center. Each board must include:
19 (a) A majority of members who are elementary and
20 secondary school teachers representative of teachers served by
21 the training center.
22 (b) Individuals designated by the school board.
23 (c) At least one individual designated by the
24 institutions of higher education located in the area served by
25 the center.
26 (d) At least one parent of an elementary or secondary
27 pupil.
28 (e) At least one representative of a business or
29 industry.
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Florida House of Representatives - 1999 HB 1917
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1 The board of directors shall elect a chairperson from its
2 membership by majority vote.
3 (5) The State Board of Education shall adopt rules
4 necessary to implement the provisions of this section.
5 (6) By January 1, annually, the board of directors of
6 each teacher training center shall submit to the Commissioner
7 of Education a report which includes a summary of the
8 activities of the teacher training center and an evaluation of
9 the effectiveness of these activities in providing
10 high-quality, cost-effective inservice professional
11 development.
12 Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 1999.
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15 HOUSE SUMMARY
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Creates provisions relating to the establishment of
17 teacher training centers. Defines terms. Establishes
procedures for center approval and funding. Requires
18 each center to be operated by a board of directors.
Provides membership requirements and duties. Requires
19 the adoption of rules. Requires an annual report.
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