Senate Bill 0896

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    Florida Senate - 1999                                   SB 896

    By Senator Sullivan





    22-600B-99

  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to education; creating s.

  3         231.6015, F.S.; authorizing a mathematics and

  4         science teacher education program; requiring

  5         demonstration of certain uses of funds;

  6         providing a program purpose, required

  7         components, and resource allocation; requiring

  8         collaborative planning and implementation;

  9         authorizing incentives and certification;

10         creating s. 240.149, F.S.; creating a

11         nongovernmental organization to plan and

12         implement a program for mathematics and science

13         teacher education; requiring a board of

14         directors, a chief executive officer, other

15         staff, and an advisory council; providing for

16         membership, terms of office, and an

17         appointments process; providing responsibility

18         and authority to conduct certain activities;

19         requiring a budget request; amending s. 229.57,

20         F.S.; adding a science component to the

21         statewide assessment program; amending s.

22         229.592, F.S.; requiring a report; amending s.

23         231.600, F.S.; requiring certain additions to

24         professional development programs; amending s.

25         232.245, F.S.; adding a science component to

26         the requirements for pupil progression;

27         amending s. 236.08106, F.S.; authorizing a

28         salary bonus for teachers who complete certain

29         training programs; amending s. 236.685, F.S.;

30         requiring a report to include certain

31         information; providing an effective date.

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  1  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

  2

  3         Section 1.  Section 231.6015, Florida Statutes, is

  4  created to read:

  5         231.6015  Mathematics and science teacher education

  6  program.--

  7         (1)  The Legislature intends to establish an inservice

  8  professional development program to improve the teaching of

  9  mathematics and science in Florida's public schools, with an

10  initial emphasis on students in kindergarten through grade 8.

11  The program may be conducted separately or in conjunction with

12  other inservice professional development programs provided by

13  a school district. The funds are directed to supplement but

14  not to supplant current professional development in

15  mathematics and science education. If a school district wishes

16  to substitute funds provided by the program for other state or

17  local professional development funds, the district must

18  demonstrate significant modifications designed to implement

19  the program.

20         (2)  As used in this section, the term "teacher" has

21  the meaning ascribed to "instructional personnel" in s.

22  236.685.

23         (3)  The purpose of the program is to improve the

24  ability of teachers to deliver instruction that:

25         (a)  Concentrates learning on the Sunshine State

26  Standards and the subject matter content standards adopted by

27  the Education Standards Commission;

28         (b)  Includes content in sequences designed to prepare

29  students for the state assessments of progress; and

30         (c)  Demonstrates its quality by improvement in

31  students' classroom achievement.

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  1         (4)  The program must be designed to improve a

  2  teacher's command of content knowledge and teaching skills. If

  3  resources are insufficient to provide adequate instruction for

  4  all teachers, the program design should allocate those

  5  resources so as to produce a measurable, systemic change in

  6  student learning, rather than only to reach as many teachers

  7  as possible.

  8         (5)  The program must:

  9         (a)  Employ strategies that have proved effective;

10         (b)  Exploit current knowledge and research on

11  professional staff development and standards;

12         (c)  Include a component for school board members and

13  administrators at the school level, school district

14  administration level, and state level;

15         (d)  Involve the expertise of public and independent

16  universities, colleges, and community colleges in planning and

17  implementation;

18         (e)  Provide for an incentive plan as authorized in s.

19  236.08106; and

20         (f)  Include an evaluation of effectiveness as

21  determined by the Alliance for Improving Mathematics and

22  Science in Florida's Education Programs. The evaluation

23  component of the program must provide data capable of allowing

24  an analysis of the achievement of students before and after

25  the program was implemented and for an analysis of students

26  whose teachers participated in the program compared to a

27  cohort of students whose teachers did not. As much as

28  possible, the cohort must be selected from students of similar

29  demographic characteristics and selected measures of academic

30  achievement.

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  1         (6)  The Legislature shall determine annually in the

  2  General Appropriations Act the funds to be available for this

  3  program. Under s. 240.149, the Alliance for Improving

  4  Mathematics and Science in Florida's Education Programs may

  5  operate the delivery mechanisms for the program or may

  6  delegate that authority to a school district, a consortium of

  7  school districts, or a group operating under a charter

  8  arranged by a district or consortium. The administrators of

  9  each component of the program shall work collaboratively with

10  the Alliance for Improvement in Mathematics and Science in

11  Florida's Education Programs to plan programs and activities

12  provided by the professional development program, including

13  follow-up support for the teachers.

14         (7)  Teachers participating in the program may receive

15  compensation from the school district for their participation

16  and  may use successful participation in the program for

17  extension of a certificate or for adding a new certification

18  area if the district has an approved add-on certification

19  program as provided by the State Board of Education. In

20  addition to a stipend for the workdays allocated to the

21  training, a teacher may be eligible for a salary bonus upon

22  successful completion of the program, under s. 236.08106.

23         (8)  Delivery sites used in the program are joint-use

24  facilities and may be on property belonging to a school

25  district; a public or independent university, college, or

26  community college; or any other group under a contract

27  approved by the alliance.

28         (9)  A community college or state university may not

29  report full-time equivalent students as a result of providing

30  instruction for the program.

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  1         (10)  This section shall be implemented only to the

  2  extent funded by the General Appropriations Act.

  3         Section 2.  Section 240.149, Florida Statutes, is

  4  created to read:

  5         240.149  Mathematics and science teacher education

  6  organization; responsibility for program planning and

  7  implementation.--

  8         (1)  An organization is established to plan and

  9  implement the mathematics and science teacher education

10  program created in s. 231.6015. The organization will be known

11  as the Alliance for Improving Mathematics and Science in

12  Florida's Education Programs; must be registered,

13  incorporated, organized, and operated in compliance with

14  chapter 617; and is not a unit or entity of state government.

15         (a)  The organization shall execute its

16  responsibilities independently but is assigned to the

17  Postsecondary Education Planning Commission for administrative

18  purposes.

19         (b)  In the interest of sound public policy, the

20  Legislature determines that the organization is subject to the

21  provisions of chapter 119 that relate to public records, and

22  to the provisions of chapter 286 that relate to public

23  meetings and records.

24         (2)  A board of directors shall govern the

25  organization. The members of the board shall be appointed by

26  the Commissioner of Education from recommendations provided by

27  the Postsecondary Education Planning Commission, the Education

28  Standards Commission, the Workforce Development Board of

29  Enterprise Florida, or other public or private organizations

30  with expertise in education or technology upon invitation of

31  the commissioner.

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  1         (a)  Four members shall be employees of postsecondary

  2  education institutions and must have expertise in science and

  3  science education, mathematics and mathematics education, or a

  4  related technical field.

  5         (b)  Four members shall be employees of Florida

  6  district school boards.

  7         (c)  Four members shall be from the private sector or

  8  from another state and must have expertise in professional

  9  staff development programs.

10         (d)  One member shall serve ex-officio as a

11  representative of the Department of Education. An ex-officio

12  member may participate in all deliberations of the alliance

13  but may not vote.

14         (e)  Members shall serve 4-year staggered terms, with

15  four of the members having initial terms of 2 years, 3 years,

16  and 4 years, respectively. The commissioner shall appoint a

17  new member to fill the remainder of a vacant, unexpired term

18  and may reappoint a member.

19         (f)  Members are entitled to reimbursement for travel

20  and per diem expenses, as provided in s. 112.061.

21         (3)  The board of directors shall employ a chief

22  executive officer, who shall direct and supervise the

23  administrative affairs of the board of directors. The board of

24  directors may delegate to the chief executive officer any

25  powers and duties it finds appropriate. The chief executive

26  officer may contract with or employ legal and technical

27  experts and other employees as authorized by the board of

28  directors. The chief executive officer shall administer the

29  professional development grant program assigned to the

30  organization and other finances of the organization to ensure

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  1  appropriate accountability and the prudent use of public and

  2  private funds.

  3         (4)  A council is created to assist the organization

  4  and to apprise decision makers of its activities.

  5         (a)  The council shall be composed of six members who

  6  represent the following governmental branches or sectors: one

  7  member of the Florida Senate appointed by the President of the

  8  Senate; one member of the Florida House of Representatives

  9  appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives; a

10  representative of the Executive Office of the Governor

11  appointed by the Governor; a representative of the Department

12  of Education appointed by the Commissioner of Education; a

13  representative of the Florida Community College System

14  appointed by the executive director; and a representative of

15  the State University System appointed by the chancellor.

16         (b)  The council shall meet at least 4 times a year,

17  with one meeting conducted jointly with the board of

18  directors.

19         (5)  The Alliance for Improving Mathematics and Science

20  in Florida's Educational Programs shall plan and oversee

21  implementation of the program created in s. 231.6015 and has

22  the responsibility and authority to conduct the following

23  activities:

24         (a)  Establish and maintain a system of mathematics and

25  science education professional development programs as

26  provided in the General Appropriations Act.

27         (b)  Provide for involvement of postsecondary education

28  in planning and implementation.

29         (c)  Produce specialized professional development

30  program guidelines. These guidelines may include curricula and

31  instructional methods and must assure that the programs focus

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  1  on content learning, employ tested strategies, reflect the

  2  nature of science and mathematics, and base their design on

  3  current knowledge and research concerning professional

  4  development.

  5         (d)  Provide for the selection and preparation of staff

  6  to implement professional development in mathematics and

  7  science.

  8         (e)  Establish priorities that school districts and

  9  centers for educational enhancement shall use in selecting the

10  teachers to participate in the program. If the plan does not

11  provide for all teachers of kindergarten through grade 8 to

12  participate during a 4-year cycle, the selection priorities

13  must implement a rationale for disseminating the program's

14  benefits.

15         (f)  Design strategies for providing follow-up support

16  for each participating teacher. The follow-up strategies must

17  provide for integration of the principles learned in the

18  program into the teacher's workday for at least 1 year with

19  continuing follow-up for 3 additional years or more, as

20  provided in the General Appropriations Act.

21         (g)  Design and oversee an incentive plan that will

22  encourage the participation of public school teachers and

23  administrators in the professional development program. The

24  incentive plan must provide for access to any merit-pay plans

25  developed by school districts and may provide for a stipend

26  and a salary bonus for participating teachers, under s.

27  236.08106. Such a bonus must be in addition to the teacher's

28  regular earnings from a school district and may not be awarded

29  until a teacher has successfully completed the program and

30  demonstrated through prescribed follow-up activities in the

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  1  classroom an improvement in student achievement in mathematics

  2  or science.

  3         (h)  Measure the effectiveness of the professional

  4  development program on learning and teaching in mathematics

  5  and science. This impact assessment must assure state and

  6  local quality control of the improvement of mathematics and

  7  science teaching.

  8         (6)  By December 1, 1999, the board shall submit to the

  9  Postsecondary Education Planning Commission a proposed budget

10  for implementing the program in 2000-2003. The budget must

11  contain alternative plans for the participation of 100

12  percent, 50 percent, and 25 percent of the state's teachers at

13  the elementary and middle school levels by 2003.

14         Section 3.  Paragraphs (a) and (c) of subsection (3) of

15  section 229.57, Florida Statutes, 1998 Supplement, are amended

16  to read:

17         229.57  Student assessment program.--

18         (3)  STATEWIDE ASSESSMENT PROGRAM.--The commissioner is

19  directed to design and implement a statewide program of

20  educational assessment that provides information for the

21  improvement of the operation and management of the public

22  schools. The program must be designed, as far as possible, so

23  as not to conflict with ongoing district assessment programs

24  and so as to use information obtained from district programs.

25  Pursuant to the statewide assessment program, the commissioner

26  shall:

27         (a)  Submit to the state board a list that specifies

28  student skills and competencies to which the goals for

29  education specified in the state plan apply, including, but

30  not limited to, reading, writing, science, and mathematics.

31  The skills and competencies must include problem-solving and

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  1  higher-order skills as appropriate.  The commissioner shall

  2  select such skills and competencies after receiving

  3  recommendations from educators, citizens, and members of the

  4  business community.  The commissioner shall submit to the

  5  state board revisions to the list of student skills and

  6  competencies in order to maintain continuous progress toward

  7  improvements in student proficiency.

  8         (c)  Develop and implement a student achievement

  9  testing program as part of the statewide assessment program,

10  to be administered at designated times at the elementary,

11  middle, and high school levels to measure reading, writing,

12  science, and mathematics.  The testing program must be

13  designed so that:

14         1.  The tests measure student skills and competencies

15  adopted by the state board as specified in paragraph (a).

16  Science proficiency must be measured statewide beginning in

17  2003.   The tests must measure and report student proficiency

18  levels in reading, writing, science, and mathematics.  Other

19  content areas may be included as directed by the commissioner.

20  The commissioner shall provide for the tests to be developed

21  or obtained, as appropriate, through contracts and project

22  agreements with private vendors, public vendors, public

23  agencies, postsecondary institutions, or school districts.

24  The commissioner shall obtain input with respect to the design

25  and implementation of the testing program from state educators

26  and the public.

27         2.  The tests are criterion-referenced and include, to

28  the extent determined by the commissioner, items that require

29  the student to produce information or perform tasks in such a

30  way that the skills and competencies he or she uses can be

31  measured.

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  1         3.  Each testing program, whether at the elementary,

  2  middle, or high school level, includes a test of writing in

  3  which students are required to produce writings which are then

  4  scored by appropriate methods.

  5         4.  A score is designated for each subject area tested,

  6  below which score a student's performance is deemed

  7  inadequate.  The school districts shall provide appropriate

  8  remedial instruction to students who score below these levels.

  9         5.  All 11th grade students take a high school

10  competency test developed by the state board to test minimum

11  student performance skills and competencies in reading,

12  writing, science, and mathematics. The test must be based on

13  the skills and competencies adopted by the state board

14  pursuant to paragraph (a). Upon recommendation of the

15  commissioner, the state board shall designate a passing score

16  for each part of the high school competency test. In

17  establishing passing scores, the state board shall consider

18  any possible negative impact of the test on minority students.

19  The commissioner may establish criteria whereby a student who

20  successfully demonstrates proficiency in either reading or

21  mathematics or both may be exempted from taking the

22  corresponding section of the high school competency test or

23  the college placement test.  A student must earn a passing

24  score or have been exempted from each part of the high school

25  competency test in order to qualify for a regular high school

26  diploma. The school districts shall provide appropriate

27  remedial instruction to students who do not pass part of the

28  competency test.

29         6.  Participation in the testing program is mandatory

30  for all students, except as otherwise prescribed by the

31  commissioner.  The commissioner shall recommend rules to the

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  1  state board for the provision of test adaptations and

  2  modifications of procedures as necessary for students in

  3  exceptional education programs and for students who have

  4  limited English proficiency.

  5         7.  A student seeking an adult high school diploma must

  6  meet the same testing requirements that a regular high school

  7  student must meet.

  8

  9  The commissioner may design and implement student testing

10  programs for any grade level and subject area, based on

11  procedures designated by the commissioner to monitor

12  educational achievement in the state.

13         Section 4.  Subsection (5) of section 229.592, Florida

14  Statutes, 1998 Supplement, is amended to read:

15         229.592  Implementation of state system of school

16  improvement and education accountability.--

17         (5)  STATE BOARD.--The State Board of Education shall

18  adopt rules necessary to implement a state system of school

19  improvement and education accountability.  Such rules must be

20  based on recommendations of the Commission on Education Reform

21  and Accountability and must include, but need not be limited

22  to, a requirement that each school report identify the annual

23  Education Enhancement Trust Fund allocations to the district

24  and the school and how those allocations were used for

25  educational enhancement and supporting school improvement. The

26  rules must also require each school to report the number and

27  percentage of teachers who have achieved certification by the

28  National Board of Professional Teaching Standards and, for

29  schools that contain a kindergarten or grade 1 through 8, the

30  number and proportion of teachers who have successfully

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  1  completed the program to improve mathematics and science

  2  teaching, under s. 236.08106.

  3         Section 5.  Subsection (3) of section 231.600, Florida

  4  Statutes, 1998 Supplement, is amended to read:

  5         231.600  School Community Professional Development

  6  Act.--

  7         (3)  The activities designed to implement this section

  8  must:

  9         (a)  Increase the success of educators in guiding

10  student learning and development so as to implement state and

11  local educational initiatives;

12         (b)  Assist the school community in developing in

13  school children the dispositions that will motivate them to be

14  active learners; and

15         (c)  Provide continuous support, rather than temporary

16  intervention, for improving the performance of teachers and

17  others who assist children in their learning; and.

18         (d)  Assure that teacher education programs in science,

19  mathematics, and technology education will be fully aligned

20  with the content of science tasks included in statewide

21  testing scheduled for 2003. These education programs must

22  assure that all teachers, especially teachers of kindergarten

23  through grade 8, are proficient in science and mathematics

24  standards included in the Sunshine State Standards and the

25  Subject Matter Content Standards adopted by the Education

26  Standards Commission.

27         Section 6.  Subsections (1), (2), (3), and (6) of

28  section 232.245, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:

29         232.245  Pupil progression; remedial instruction;

30  reporting requirements.--

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  1         (1)  It is the intent of the Legislature that each

  2  student's progression from one grade to another be determined,

  3  in part, upon proficiency in reading, writing, science, and

  4  mathematics; that school district policies facilitate such

  5  proficiency; and that each student and his or her parent or

  6  legal guardian be informed of that student's academic

  7  progress.

  8         (2)  Each district school board shall establish a

  9  comprehensive program for pupil progression which must

10  include:

11         (a)  Standards for evaluating each pupil's performance,

12  including how well he or she masters the performance standards

13  approved by the state board according to s. 229.565; and

14         (b)  Specific levels of performance in reading,

15  writing, science, and mathematics for each grade level,

16  including the levels of performance on statewide assessments

17  at selected grade levels in elementary school, middle school,

18  and high school as defined by the Commissioner of Education,

19  below which a student must receive remediation and may be

20  retained.

21         (3)  Each student must participate in the statewide

22  assessment tests required by s. 229.57. Each student who does

23  not meet specific levels of performance as determined by the

24  district school board in reading, writing, science, and

25  mathematics for each grade level, or who does not meet

26  specific levels of performance, determined by the Commissioner

27  of Education, on statewide assessments at selected grade

28  levels, must be provided with additional diagnostic

29  assessments to determine the nature of the student's

30  difficulty and areas of academic need. The school in which the

31  student is enrolled must develop, in consultation with the

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  1  student's parent or legal guardian, and implement an academic

  2  improvement plan designed to assist the student in meeting

  3  state and district expectations for proficiency. Each plan

  4  must include the provision of intensive remedial instruction

  5  in the areas of weakness through one or more of the following

  6  activities, as considered appropriate by the school

  7  administration:

  8         (a)  Summer school coursework;

  9         (b)  Extended-day services;

10         (c)  Parent tutorial programs;

11         (d)  Contracted academic services;

12         (e)  Exceptional education services; or

13         (f)  Suspension of curriculum other than reading,

14  writing, science, and mathematics. Remedial instruction

15  provided during high school may not be in lieu of English and

16  mathematics credits required for graduation.

17

18  Upon subsequent evaluation, if the documented deficiency has

19  not been corrected in accordance with the academic improvement

20  plan, the student may be retained. Each student who does not

21  meet the minimum performance expectations defined by the

22  Commissioner of Education for the statewide assessment tests

23  in reading, writing, science, and mathematics must retake the

24  state assessment test in the subject area of deficiency and

25  must continue remedial instruction until the expectations are

26  met or the student graduates from high school or is not

27  subject to compulsory school attendance.

28         (6)  Each district must annually report to the parent

29  or legal guardian of each student the progress of the student

30  towards achieving state and district expectations for

31  proficiency in reading, writing, science, and mathematics. The

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  1  district must report to the parent or legal guardian the

  2  student's results on each statewide assessment test. The

  3  evaluation of each student's progress must be based upon the

  4  student's classroom work, observations, tests, district and

  5  state assessments, and other relevant information. Progress

  6  reporting must be provided to the parent or legal guardian in

  7  writing in a format adopted by the district school board.

  8         Section 7.  Subsection (2) of section 236.08106,

  9  Florida Statutes, 1998 Supplement, is amended to read:

10         236.08106  Excellent Teaching Program.--

11         (2)  The Excellent Teaching Program is created to

12  provide categorical funding for monetary incentives and

13  bonuses for teaching excellence. The Department of Education

14  shall allocate and distribute to each school district an

15  amount as prescribed annually by the Legislature for the

16  Excellent Teaching Program. Unless otherwise provided in the

17  General Appropriations Act, each school district's annual

18  allocation shall be the sum of the amounts earned for the

19  following incentives and bonuses:

20         (a)  A salary bonus or increased stipend for teachers

21  who successfully complete the program to improve the teaching

22  of mathematics and science in Florida, under s. 231.6015. The

23  criteria for successful completion of the program must be

24  established by the Alliance for Improving Mathematics and

25  Science in Florida's Education Programs and must include a

26  demonstration through prescribed follow-up activities in the

27  classroom of an improvement in student achievement in

28  mathematics or science.

29         (b)(a)  A fee subsidy to be paid by the school district

30  to the NBPTS on behalf of each individual who is an employee

31  of the district school board or a public school within that

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  1  school district, who is certified by the district to have

  2  demonstrated satisfactory teaching performance pursuant to s.

  3  231.29 and who satisfies the prerequisites for participating

  4  in the NBPTS certification program, and who agrees, in

  5  writing, to pay 10 percent of the NBPTS participation fee and

  6  to participate in the NBPTS certification program during the

  7  school year for which the fee subsidy is provided. The fee

  8  subsidy for each eligible participant shall be an amount equal

  9  to 90 percent of the fee charged for participating in the

10  NBPTS certification program, but not more than $1,800 per

11  eligible participant. The fee subsidy is a one-time award and

12  may not be duplicated for any individual.

13         (c)(d)  A portfolio-preparation incentive of $150 for

14  each teacher employed by the district school board or a public

15  school within the district who is participating in the NBPTS

16  certification program. The portfolio-preparation incentive is

17  a one-time award paid during the school year for which the

18  NBPTS fee subsidy is provided.

19         (d)(c)  An annual bonus equal to 10 percent of the

20  prior fiscal year's statewide average salary for classroom

21  teachers to be paid to each individual who holds NBPTS

22  certification and is employed by the district school board or

23  by a public school within that school district. The district

24  school board shall distribute the annual bonus to each

25  individual who meets the requirements of this paragraph and

26  who is certified annually by the district to have demonstrated

27  satisfactory teaching performance pursuant to s. 231.29. The

28  annual bonus may be paid as a single payment or divided into

29  not more than three payments.

30         (e)(d)  An annual bonus equal to 10 percent of the

31  prior fiscal year's statewide average salary for classroom

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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    Florida Senate - 1999                                   SB 896
    22-600B-99




  1  teachers to be paid to each individual who meets the

  2  requirements of paragraph (d)(c) and agrees, in writing, to

  3  provide the equivalent of 12 workdays of mentoring and related

  4  services to public school teachers within the district who do

  5  not hold NBPTS certification. The district school board shall

  6  distribute the annual bonus in a single payment following the

  7  completion of all required mentoring and related services for

  8  the year. It is not the intent of the Legislature to remove

  9  excellent teachers from their assigned classrooms; therefore,

10  credit may not be granted by a school district or public

11  school for mentoring or related services provided during the

12  regular school day or during the 196 days of required service

13  for the school year.

14         (f)(e)  The district shall receive an amount equal to

15  50 percent of the teacher bonuses provided under paragraphs

16  (d) (c) and (e) (d), which shall be used by the district for

17  professional development of teachers. The district must give

18  priority to using all funds received pursuant to this

19  paragraph for professional development of teachers employed at

20  schools identified as performing at critically low levels.

21

22  A teacher for whom the state pays the certification fee and

23  who does not complete the certification program or does not

24  teach in a public school of this state for a least 1 year

25  after completing the certification program must repay the

26  amount of the certification fee to the state. However, a

27  teacher who completes the certification program but fails to

28  be awarded NBPTS certification is not required to repay the

29  amount of the certification fee if the teacher meets the

30  1-year teaching requirement. Repayment is not required of a

31  teacher who does not complete the certification program or

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    Florida Senate - 1999                                   SB 896
    22-600B-99




  1  fails to fulfill the teaching requirement because of the

  2  teacher's death or disability or because of other extenuating

  3  circumstances as determined by the State Board of Education.

  4         Section 8.  Paragraph (a) of subsection (4) of section

  5  236.685, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:

  6         236.685  Educational funding accountability.--

  7         (4)(a)  The school public accountability report to

  8  parents must include the number of employees in each of the

  9  categories listed in subsection (3), by work location.

10  However, this does not include the number of temporary

11  substitute employees. The report must also include the number

12  and proportion of instructional personnel in kindergarten

13  through grade 8 who have achieved certification by the

14  National Board of Professional Teaching Standards or have

15  completed the program to improve mathematics and science

16  teaching in Florida under s. 236.08106.

17         Section 9.  This act shall take effect July 1, 1999.

18

19            *****************************************

20                          SENATE SUMMARY

21    Provides for a mathematics and science teacher education
      program to be established and governed by a
22    nongovernmental organization named the Alliance for
      Improving Mathematics and Science in Florida's Education
23    Programs. Requires collaborative planning to achieve the
      goals of the program. Creates incentives and bonuses for
24    teachers.

25

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