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





                                                  SENATE AMENDMENT

    Bill No. CS/HB 701, 2nd Eng.

    Amendment No.    

                            CHAMBER ACTION
              Senate                               House
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11  Senator Horne moved the following amendment:

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13         Senate Amendment (with title amendment) 

14         Delete everything after the enacting clause

15

16  and insert:

17         Section 1.  (1)  The Task Force on Public School

18  Funding is created to examine and make recommendations to the

19  Governor and the Legislature on the funding of the state

20  system of public schools.  The task force is assigned to the

21  Office of Legislative Services, created by section 11.147,

22  Florida Statutes, for administrative and fiscal accountability

23  purposes.

24         (2)  The task force shall consist of 15 members

25  selected from among business and community leaders and the

26  Lieutenant Governor and Commissioner of Education, who shall

27  serve as voting ex officio members.  By June 30, 2000, the

28  Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the

29  House of Representatives shall each appoint 5 members to serve

30  for the duration of the task force.  If a vacancy occurs, the

31  official who had appointment jurisdiction for the vacated

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                                                  SENATE AMENDMENT

    Bill No. CS/HB 701, 2nd Eng.

    Amendment No.    





 1  position shall appoint a member to fill the vacancy.  Each

 2  appointing authority may remove his or her appointee for

 3  cause, and shall remove an appointee who, without cause, fails

 4  to attend three consecutive meetings. Members of the task

 5  force shall serve without compensation but are entitled to

 6  reimbursement for per diem and travel expenses incurred in the

 7  performance of their duties as provided in section 112.061,

 8  Florida Statutes.

 9         (3)  The task force shall hold its organizational

10  meeting by September 1, 2000; and, thereafter, shall meet at

11  the call of the chair, but shall meet at least monthly before

12  submitting its final recommendations.  The task force shall be

13  chaired by a member designated by the Governor.  The task

14  force shall elect a vice chair to serve in the absence of the

15  chair.  The task force shall adopt procedures or bylaws

16  necessary for its efficient operation and may appoint

17  subcommittees from its membership.

18         (4)  The task force shall examine the funding of the

19  state system of public schools as provided by the Florida

20  Education Finance Program created by section 236.081, Florida

21  Statutes, and implemented by the general appropriations acts.

22  The task force shall consider at least the following:

23         (a)  The funding of public schools based on their

24  performance in educating students as evidenced by the

25  achieving of equitable outcomes that meet the state academic

26  achievement standards for all students.

27         (b)  The relationship between state funding and local

28  funding for public schools.

29         (c)  The maintenance of funding equity in the

30  allocation of dollars among school districts and schools.

31         (d)  The acquisition and support of technology to

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                                                  SENATE AMENDMENT

    Bill No. CS/HB 701, 2nd Eng.

    Amendment No.    





 1  assist in the instructional process.

 2         (e)  The funding support for parental choice in the

 3  selection of educational services for children.

 4         (f)  The results and recommendations of public school

 5  funding studies conducted by nationally recognized experts,

 6  groups, and other states.

 7         (5)  The task force:

 8         (a)  Shall appoint an executive director, who shall

 9  serve under its direction, supervision, and control.  The

10  executive director shall be the chief administrative officer

11  of the task force.  Subject to approval by the task force, the

12  executive director shall employ, direct, and control research

13  and support staff to serve the task force and its

14  subcommittees.  All employees of the task force are exempt

15  from the Career Service System.  The Commissioner of Education

16  shall designate personnel of the Department of Education to

17  assist the task force until its staff is employed.

18         (b)  May enter into contracts or agreements with

19  nationally recognized school-finance experts to serve in a

20  consulting and advisory capacity.

21         (c)  May apply for and accept funds, grants, donations,

22  expenses, in-kind services, and other valued goods or services

23  from the government of the United States or any of its

24  agencies or any other public or private sources.  Funds or

25  services acquired or accepted under this paragraph must be

26  used to carry out the task force's duties and

27  responsibilities.

28         (d)  Shall keep full, detailed, and accurate records

29  pursuant to chapter 119, Florida Statutes.

30         (e)  By September 1, 2001, shall submit draft

31  recommendations and, by February 1, 2002, shall submit final

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                                                  SENATE AMENDMENT

    Bill No. CS/HB 701, 2nd Eng.

    Amendment No.    





 1  recommendations to the Governor, the President of the Senate,

 2  and the Speaker of the House of Representatives.  Before

 3  adopting final recommendations, the task force shall conduct

 4  at least one public hearing in each of the five service

 5  regions of the Department of Education.

 6         (6)  This section expires June 30, 2003.

 7         Section 2.  Section 236.081, Florida Statutes, is

 8  repealed effective June 30, 2004, subject to prior review by

 9  the Task Force on Public School Funding.

10         Section 3.  Section 236.025, Florida Statutes, is

11  amended to read:

12         236.025  Revised funding model for exceptional student

13  education programs.--

14         (1)  The revised funding model for exceptional student

15  education programs is designed to:  be better for students

16  than the existing funding system by encouraging school

17  districts and schools to identify and implement educationally

18  effective instructional delivery models; simplify funding by

19  utilizing two five weighted cost factors and a guaranteed

20  allocation; provide fiscal support for exceptional students in

21  general education classes; be outcome driven; and be revenue

22  neutral; and reduce the paperwork burden associated with state

23  funding. This funding model is designed to support both

24  traditional and new service delivery models along the

25  continuum of services required for exceptional students. It is

26  the intent of the Legislature, through the General

27  Appropriations Act, to minimize the fiscal impact on school

28  districts of the implementation of this funding model.

29         (2)(a)  The revised funding model uses existing basic,

30  at-risk, and vocational five Florida Education Finance Program

31  cost factors, two exceptional education cost factors, and a

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                                                  SENATE AMENDMENT

    Bill No. CS/HB 701, 2nd Eng.

    Amendment No.    





 1  guaranteed allocation for exceptional student education

 2  programs. Exceptional education cost factors are determined by

 3  using a matrix of services to document the services that each

 4  exceptional student will receive. The nature and intensity of

 5  the services indicated on the matrix shall be consistent with

 6  the services described in each exceptional student's

 7  individual education plan.

 8         (b)  In order to generate funds using one of the two

 9  weighted cost factors, a matrix of services must be completed

10  at the time of the student's initial placement into an

11  exceptional student education program and at least once every

12  3 years least once each year by public school personnel who

13  have received approved training. Additionally, each time an

14  exceptional student's individual education plan, family

15  support plan, or education plan is reviewed, the matrix of

16  services must also be reviewed. Nothing listed in the matrix

17  shall be construed as limiting the services a school district

18  must provide in order to ensure that exceptional students are

19  provided a free, appropriate public education.

20         (c)  Students identified as exceptional, in accordance

21  with chapter 6A-6, Florida Administrative Code, who do not

22  have a matrix of services as specified in paragraph (b) shall

23  generate funds on the basis of full-time-equivalent student

24  membership in the Florida Education Finance Program at the

25  same funding level per student as provided for basic students.

26  Additional funds for these exceptional students will be

27  provided through the guaranteed allocation designated in

28  subsection (3).

29         (3)(a)  For students identified as exceptional who do

30  not have a matrix of services, there is created a guaranteed

31  allocation to provide these students with a free appropriate

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                                                  SENATE AMENDMENT

    Bill No. CS/HB 701, 2nd Eng.

    Amendment No.    





 1  public education, in accordance with s. 230.23(4)(m) and rules

 2  of the state board, which shall be allocated annually to each

 3  school district in the amount provided in the General

 4  Appropriations Act. These funds shall be in addition to the

 5  funds appropriated on the basis of full-time-equivalent

 6  student membership in the Florida Education Finance Program,

 7  and the amount allocated for each school district shall not be

 8  recalculated during the year. These funds shall be used to

 9  provide special education and related services for exceptional

10  students.

11         (b)  The exceptional student education guaranteed

12  allocation shall be determined annually by the Legislature

13  based upon district's program enrollment and program costs.

14         (4)(3)  The Department of Education shall revise its

15  monitoring systems for exceptional student education programs

16  to include a review of delivery of services as indicated on

17  the matrix of services.

18         (5)(4)  The Department of Education shall adopt

19  promulgate rules necessary to implement the revised funding

20  model.

21         (5)  The funding level in the 1997-1998 FEFP for

22  exceptional student education shall be guaranteed for 3 years

23  so that no district will have a financial uncertainty during

24  the initial implementation of the revised funding model.

25         Section 4.  This act shall take effect upon becoming a

26  law.

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29  ================ T I T L E   A M E N D M E N T ===============

30  And the title is amended as follows:

31         Delete everything before the enacting clause

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                                                  SENATE AMENDMENT

    Bill No. CS/HB 701, 2nd Eng.

    Amendment No.    





 1  and insert:

 2                  A bill to be entitled

 3         An act relating to public school funding;

 4         creating the Task Force on Public School

 5         Funding; providing for the appointment and

 6         organization of the task force; specifying

 7         powers and duties; specifying duties of the

 8         Department of Education; requiring certain

 9         reports and public hearings; repealing s.

10         236.081, F.S., relating to the Florida

11         Education Finance; amending s. 236.025, F.S.;

12         revising funding for exceptional student

13         education programs; providing an effective

14         date.

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