Senate Bill 0852
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Florida Senate - 2000 SB 852
By the Committee on Education
304-598D-00
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to school safety and security;
3 amending s. 229.57, F.S.; revising criteria for
4 determining a school's performance grade
5 category for specified school years; creating
6 s. 229.8347, F.S.; establishing the Partnership
7 for School Safety and Security; providing
8 responsibilities of the partnership; assigning
9 the partnership to the Department of Education
10 for administrative purposes; providing for
11 membership, meetings, and reimbursement for
12 expenses; providing for the partnership to be
13 funded through the General Appropriations Act;
14 providing for staff support and technical
15 assistance; requiring that the partnership
16 prepare annual reports; requiring the
17 Department of Education to develop an
18 individualized school safety and environment
19 assessment instrument; requiring that the
20 department expand performance standards for
21 school safety; amending s. 230.23, F.S.;
22 providing for additional notice requirements in
23 the code of student conduct of each school
24 district relating to firearms, knives, other
25 weapons, and bomb threats involving school
26 property, school transportation, or a school
27 function; limiting the school superintendent's
28 discretion to consider expulsion on a
29 case-by-case basis for bringing a firearm to
30 certain functions; amending s. 230.235, F.S.;
31 requiring additional contents for school
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1 district zero-tolerance policies; requiring
2 expulsion for students committing certain
3 offenses; requiring due-process procedures
4 prior to taking certain actions; requiring the
5 State Board of Education to adopt rules to
6 implement the provisions of the act; amending
7 s. 230.23025, F.S.; requiring that safety and
8 security be included as part of the factors
9 reviewed as best financial management practices
10 for school districts; creating s. 231.0851,
11 F.S.; requiring that school principals report
12 and verify data concerning school safety and
13 discipline; requiring that the State Board of
14 Education adopt a form for such reports;
15 requiring the Department of Education to
16 improve reporting concerning school safety;
17 requiring that the department develop
18 indicators of safe schools; amending s.
19 232.24521, F.S.; prohibiting the use of a
20 student's attendance record as the basis of an
21 exemption from academic performance
22 requirements; creating s. 235.192, F.S.;
23 requiring school districts, community colleges,
24 and the Board of Regents to provide blueprints
25 of educational facilities to certain agencies;
26 requiring that the school district, community
27 college, and Board of Regents provide a revised
28 blueprint following modification of a facility;
29 requiring the Department of Education to assess
30 safety and security initiatives and make
31 certain reports; establishing a pilot program
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1 to assess teams that meet the optimal ratios of
2 certain school professionals to students;
3 requiring that the school district evaluate the
4 program and make certain reports; requiring a
5 plan for school transportation safety;
6 providing an effective date.
7
8 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
9
10 Section 1. Subsection (8) of section 229.57, Florida
11 Statutes, is amended to read:
12 229.57 Student assessment program.--
13 (8) DESIGNATION OF SCHOOL PERFORMANCE GRADE
14 CATEGORIES.--School performance grade category designations
15 itemized in subsection (7) shall be based on the following:
16 (a) Timeframes.--
17 1. School performance grade category designations
18 shall be based on one school year of performance.
19 2. In school year years 1998-1999 and 1999-2000, a
20 school's performance grade category designation shall be
21 determined by the student achievement levels on the FCAT, and
22 on other appropriate performance data, including, but not
23 limited to, attendance, dropout rate, school discipline data,
24 and student readiness for college, in accordance with state
25 board rule.
26 3. In school year 1999-2000, a school's performance
27 grade category designation shall be determined by the student
28 achievement levels on the FCAT and on other appropriate
29 performance data, including, but not limited to, attendance,
30 dropout rate, and student readiness for college, in accordance
31 with state board rule.
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1 4.3. Beginning with the 2000-2001 school year, a
2 school's performance grade category designation shall be based
3 on a combination of student achievement scores as measured by
4 the FCAT, on the degree of measured learning gains of the
5 students, and on other appropriate performance data,
6 including, but not limited to, attendance, dropout rate,
7 school discipline data, and student readiness for college.
8 5.4. Beginning with the 2001-2002 school year and
9 thereafter, a school's performance grade category designation
10 shall be based on student learning gains as measured by annual
11 FCAT assessments in grades 3 through 10, and on other
12 appropriate performance data, including, but not limited to,
13 attendance, dropout rate, school discipline data, cohort
14 graduation rate, and student readiness for college.
15
16 For the purpose of implementing ss. 229.0535 and 229.0537, if
17 any of the four schools that were identified as critically low
18 performing, based on both 1996-1997 and 1997-1998 school
19 performance data and state board adopted criteria, receives a
20 performance grade category designation of "F," based on
21 1998-1999 school performance data, that school shall be
22 considered as having failed to make adequate progress for 2
23 years in a 4-year period. All other schools that receive a
24 performance grade category designation of "F," based on
25 1998-1999 school performance data, shall be considered as
26 having failed to make adequate progress for 1 year.
27 (b) Student assessment data.--Student assessment data
28 used in determining school performance grade categories shall
29 include:
30 1. The median scores of all eligible students enrolled
31 in the school who have been assessed on the FCAT.
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1 2. The median scores of all eligible students enrolled
2 in the school who have been assessed on the FCAT and who have
3 scored at or in the lowest 25th percentile of the state in the
4 previous school year.
5
6 The Department of Education shall study the effects of
7 mobility on the performance of highly mobile students and
8 recommend programs to improve the performance of such
9 students. The state board shall adopt appropriate criteria for
10 each school performance grade category. The criteria must also
11 give added weight to student achievement in reading. Schools
12 designated as performance grade category "C," making
13 satisfactory progress, shall be required to demonstrate that
14 adequate progress has been made by students who have scored
15 among the lowest 25 percent of students in the state as well
16 as by the overall population of students in the school.
17 Section 2. Section 229.8347, Florida Statutes, is
18 created to read:
19 229.8347 Partnership for School Safety and Security.--
20 (1) CREATION AND DUTIES.--There is created a
21 Partnership for School Safety and Security to perform the
22 following responsibilities:
23 (a) Evaluate school safety and security programs and
24 strategies, based on controlled scientific research; recommend
25 information to be included in the electronic clearinghouse of
26 safety and security information; and make recommendations for
27 inclusion in the clearinghouse of safety and security
28 information and to the Legislature for funding school safety
29 and security programs.
30 (b) Create an electronic clearinghouse of safety and
31 security information that includes best practices, model
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1 programs, and construction prototypes that are compatible with
2 the requirements for frugal schools.
3 (c) Assess the extent to which best practices for
4 school safety and security are being followed, including, but
5 not limited to, best practices for placing and training new
6 teachers; providing incentives for teachers of demonstrated
7 mastery to remain in or transfer to low-performing schools;
8 providing incentives for teachers based on their willingness
9 to teach at schools that serve low-income areas; and providing
10 support systems, such as mentors or specialized training, for
11 teachers who are willing to teach in schools that serve large
12 populations of students from low-income families.
13 (d) Train and offer technical assistance to school
14 district staff and others on how to create a safe school
15 environment.
16 (e) Foster coordination among schools, law enforcement
17 personnel, and crisis-management teams.
18 (2) ORGANIZATION; MEMBERSHIP; MEETINGS; COMPENSATION
19 AND TRAVEL EXPENSES; BUDGET.--The partnership is an
20 independent, nonpartisan body that is assigned to the
21 Department of Education for administrative purposes. The
22 partnership shall be composed of 11 members who are appointed
23 by the Governor and confirmed by the Senate. Three members
24 must be consumers who are not, and never have been, providers
25 of school safety or security services.
26 (a) Members shall be appointed to 4-year, staggered
27 terms of office.
28 (b) The partnership shall annually elect a chairperson
29 and vice chairperson from among its members.
30 (c) The partnership shall meet at least once each year
31 and the chairperson or a quorum of the members of the
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1 partnership may call additional meetings as often as necessary
2 to transact business. A majority of the membership constitutes
3 a quorum, and the vote of a majority of the quorum is
4 necessary to take official action or conduct official business
5 of the partnership. The position of any member who has three
6 consecutive, unexcused absences or who is absent for 50
7 percent or more of the partnership's meetings within any
8 12-month period shall be considered vacant.
9 (d) A vacancy on the partnership shall be filled in
10 the same manner as the original appointment. Any appointment
11 to fill a vacancy shall be only for the remainder of the
12 unexpired term.
13 (e) Members of the partnership shall serve without
14 compensation, but are entitled to reimbursement for per diem
15 and travel expenses incurred in the performance of their
16 duties as provided in s. 112.061, and are entitled to
17 reimbursement for other reasonable, necessary, and actual
18 expenses.
19 (3) BUDGET.--The partnership shall have a budget and
20 shall be funded to the extent provided for in the General
21 Appropriations Act.
22 (4) ANNUAL REPORT.--The partnership shall submit an
23 annual report to the Governor, the President of the Senate,
24 the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the minority
25 leaders of the Senate and House of Representatives, and the
26 Commissioner of Education. The report must contain an
27 independent analysis of best practices for school safety and
28 security in the state; a summary of programs evaluated; a
29 summary of progress made in developing, maintaining, and
30 refining the electronic clearinghouse of safety and security
31
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1 information; and recommendations for legislative changes or
2 budget requests.
3 (5) STAFF AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.--The Department of
4 Education shall provide or contract for staff support and
5 technical assistance for the partnership.
6 Section 3. By December 1, 2000, the Department of
7 Education shall develop an individualized school safety and
8 environment assessment instrument that each school may use to
9 assess its needs with respect to the state education goal for
10 safety specified in section 229.591(3)(e), Florida Statutes.
11 In addition, by December 1, 2000, the Department of Education
12 shall expand the current performance standards for the state
13 education goal for safety to comprehensively address district
14 and school safety.
15 Section 4. Paragraph (d) of subsection (6) of section
16 230.23, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
17 230.23 Powers and duties of school board.--The school
18 board, acting as a board, shall exercise all powers and
19 perform all duties listed below:
20 (6) CHILD WELFARE.--Provide for the proper accounting
21 for all children of school age, for the attendance and control
22 of pupils at school, and for proper attention to health,
23 safety, and other matters relating to the welfare of children
24 in the following fields, as prescribed in chapter 232.
25 (d) Code of student conduct.--Adopt a code of student
26 conduct for elementary schools and a code of student conduct
27 for secondary schools and distribute the appropriate code to
28 all teachers, school personnel, students, and parents or
29 guardians, at the beginning of every school year. Each code
30 shall be organized and written in language that which is
31 understandable to students and parents and shall be discussed
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1 at the beginning of every school year in student classes,
2 school advisory councils, and parent and teacher association
3 meetings associations. Each code shall be based on the rules
4 governing student conduct and discipline adopted by the school
5 board and must be made available in the student handbook or
6 similar publication. Each code shall include, but not be
7 limited to:
8 1. Consistent policies and specific grounds for
9 disciplinary action, including in-school suspension,
10 out-of-school suspension, expulsion, and any disciplinary
11 action that may be imposed for the possession or use of
12 alcohol on school property or while attending a school
13 function or for the illegal use, sale, or possession of
14 controlled substances as defined in chapter 893.
15 2. Procedures to be followed for acts requiring
16 discipline, including corporal punishment.
17 3. An explanation of the responsibilities and rights
18 of students with regard to attendance, respect for persons and
19 property, knowledge and observation of rules of conduct, the
20 right to learn, free speech and student publications,
21 assembly, privacy, and participation in school programs and
22 activities.
23 4. Notice that illegal use, possession, or sale of
24 controlled substances, as defined in chapter 893, or
25 possession of electronic telephone pagers, by any student
26 while such student is upon school property or in attendance at
27 a school function is grounds for disciplinary action by the
28 school and may also result in criminal penalties being
29 imposed.
30 5. Notice that the possession of a firearm, a knife, a
31 weapon, or an item that which can be used as a weapon by any
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1 student while the student is on school property, on school
2 transportation, or in attendance at a school function will
3 result in expulsion, with or without continuing educational
4 services, from the student's regular school for a period of
5 not less than 1 full year is grounds for disciplinary action
6 and will may also result in criminal prosecution. A school
7 board may assign the student to a disciplinary program or
8 second chance school for the purpose of continuing educational
9 services during the period of expulsion.
10 6. Notice that violence against any school district
11 personnel by a student is grounds for in-school suspension,
12 out-of-school suspension, expulsion, or imposition of other
13 disciplinary action by the school and may also result in
14 criminal penalties being imposed.
15 7. Notice that violation of school board
16 transportation policies, including disruptive behavior on a
17 school bus or at a school bus stop, by a student is grounds
18 for suspension of the student's privilege of riding on a
19 school bus and may be grounds for disciplinary action by the
20 school and may also result in criminal penalties being
21 imposed.
22 8. Notice that violation of the school board's sexual
23 harassment policy by a student is grounds for in-school
24 suspension, out-of-school suspension, expulsion, or imposition
25 of other disciplinary action by the school and may also result
26 in criminal penalties being imposed.
27 9. Policies to be followed for the assignment of
28 violent or disruptive students to an alternative educational
29 program.
30 10. Notice that any student who is determined to have
31 brought a firearm, as defined in 18 U.S.C. s. 921, to school,
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1 to any school function, or onto on any school-sponsored
2 transportation will be expelled, with or without continuing
3 educational services, from the student's regular school for a
4 period of not less than 1 full year and referred for criminal
5 prosecution. School boards may assign the student to a
6 disciplinary program or second chance school for the purpose
7 of continuing educational services during the period of
8 expulsion. Superintendents may consider the 1-year expulsion
9 requirement on a case-by-case basis and request the school
10 board to modify the requirement by assigning the student to a
11 disciplinary program or second chance school if to do so is
12 determined to be in the best interest of the student and the
13 school system.
14 11. Notice that any student who is determined to have
15 made a threat, as defined in s. 790.162, involving school
16 property, school transportation, or a school-sponsored
17 activity will be expelled, with or without continuing
18 educational services, from the student's regular school for a
19 period of not less than 1 full year and referred for criminal
20 prosecution. School boards may assign the student to a
21 disciplinary program or second chance school for the purpose
22 of continuing educational services during the period of
23 expulsion.
24 Section 5. Section 230.235, Florida Statutes, is
25 amended to read:
26 230.235 Policy of zero tolerance for crime.--
27 (1) Each school district shall adopt a policy of zero
28 tolerance for crime and substance abuse pursuant to this
29 section. Such a policy shall include the reporting of
30 delinquent acts and crimes occurring whenever and wherever
31 students are under the jurisdiction of the school district.
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1 (2) The policy shall ensure that students found to
2 have committed one of the following offenses will be expelled,
3 with or without continuing educational services, from the
4 student's regular school for a period of not less than 1 full
5 year:
6 (a) Possession of a firearm, a knife, a weapon, or an
7 item that can be used as a weapon by any student while the
8 student is on school property, on school transportation, or in
9 attendance at a school function.
10 (b) Bringing a firearm, as defined in 18 U.S.C. s.
11 921, to school, to any school function, or onto any
12 school-sponsored transportation.
13 (c) Making a threat, as defined in s. 790.162,
14 involving school property, school transportation, or a
15 school-sponsored activity.
16
17 Prior to taking such action against any student, the school
18 board shall ensure that appropriate due-process procedures are
19 followed. If a student committing any of the offenses in this
20 subsection is identified as disabled and participates in a
21 program for exceptional students, school personnel shall
22 follow the appropriate procedures.
23 (3)(2) Each school district shall enter into an
24 agreement with the county sheriff's office or local police
25 department specifying guidelines for ensuring that felonies
26 and violent misdemeanors, whether committed by a student or
27 adult, and delinquent acts that would be felonies or violent
28 misdemeanors if committed by an adult, are reported to law
29 enforcement. Such agreements shall include the role of school
30 resource officers, if applicable, in handling reported
31 incidents, special circumstances in which school officials may
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1 handle incidents without filing a report to law enforcement,
2 and a procedure for ensuring that school personnel properly
3 report appropriate delinquent acts and crimes. The school
4 principal shall be responsible for ensuring that all school
5 personnel are properly informed as to their responsibilities
6 regarding crime reporting, that appropriate delinquent acts
7 and crimes are properly reported, and that actions taken in
8 cases with special circumstances are properly taken and
9 documented.
10 Section 6. The State Board of Education shall adopt
11 rules to implement sections 4 and 5 of this act.
12 Section 7. Subsection (1) of section 230.23025,
13 Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
14 230.23025 Best financial management practices;
15 standards; reviews; designation of districts.--
16 (1) The Office of Program Policy Analysis and
17 Government Accountability (OPPAGA) and the Office of the
18 Auditor General are directed to develop a system for reviewing
19 the financial management practices of school districts. In
20 this system, OPPAGA and the Auditor General shall jointly
21 examine district operations to determine whether they meet
22 "best financial management practices." The best financial
23 management practices adopted by the Commissioner of Education
24 may be updated periodically after consultation with the
25 Legislature, the Governor, the SMART Schools Clearinghouse,
26 OPPAGA, and the Auditor General. The best financial management
27 practices, at a minimum, must instill public confidence by
28 addressing the following areas:
29 (a) Efficient use of resources, use of lottery
30 proceeds, student transportation and food service operations,
31
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1 management structures, and personnel systems and benefits, and
2 safety and security;
3 (b) Compliance with generally accepted accounting
4 principles and state and federal laws relating to financial
5 management;
6 (c) Performance accountability systems, including
7 performance measurement reports to the public, internal
8 auditing, financial auditing, and information made available
9 to support decisionmaking; and
10 (d) Cost control systems, including asset, risk, and
11 financial management;, purchasing;, and information system
12 controls.
13 Section 8. Section 231.0851, Florida Statutes, is
14 created to read:
15 231.0851 Reports of school safety and
16 discipline.--Each principal must ensure that standardized
17 forms prescribed by rule of the State Board of Education are
18 used to report data concerning school safety and discipline to
19 the Department of Education. The principal must develop a plan
20 to verify the accuracy of reported incidents.
21 Section 9. The State Board of Education shall adopt by
22 rule a standardized form to be used by each school to report
23 data concerning school safety and discipline.
24 Section 10. By October 1, 2000, the Department of
25 Education shall establish a mechanism to improve the
26 reliability and accuracy of reports concerning school safety,
27 including a means for improving the reliability and accuracy
28 of the School Environmental Safety Incident Reporting System.
29 Section 11. By December 1, 2000, the Department of
30 Education shall develop additional indicators of safe schools,
31 including indicators based on the number of students involved
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1 in extracurricular activities; the effectiveness of
2 student-developed plans for school safety; and an optimal
3 school psychologist-to-student ratio,
4 guidance-counselor-to-student ratio, and school
5 social-worker-to-student ratio. The department shall use the
6 National Standards for School Counseling Programs in
7 developing the guidance-counselor-to-student ratio.
8 Section 12. Section 232.24521, Florida Statutes, is
9 amended to read:
10 232.24521 Report cards; end-of-the-year status.--
11 (1) Each school district shall establish and publish
12 policies requiring the content and regular issuance of student
13 report cards for all elementary school, middle school, and
14 high school students. These report cards must clearly depict
15 and grade:
16 (a) The student's academic performance in each class
17 or course, which in grades 1 through 12 must be based upon
18 examinations as well as written papers, class participation,
19 and other academic performance criteria.
20 (b) The student's conduct and behavior.
21 (c) The student's attendance, including absences and
22 tardiness.
23 (2) A student's final report card for a school year
24 shall contain a statement indicating end-of-the-year status
25 regarding performance or nonperformance at grade level,
26 acceptable or unacceptable behavior and attendance, and
27 promotion or nonpromotion.
28
29 School districts shall not allow schools to exempt students
30 from academic performance requirements based on practices or
31 policies designed to encourage student attendance. A student's
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1 attendance record may not be used in whole or in part to
2 provide an exemption from any academic performance
3 requirement.
4 Section 13. Section 235.192, Florida Statutes, is
5 created to read:
6 235.192 Coordination of school safety information.--
7 (1) Beginning October 1, 2000, each district school
8 superintendent must provide to the Department of Education,
9 the State Board of Education, and the law enforcement agency
10 that has jurisdiction over each educational facility a copy of
11 the blueprint for each educational facility in the district,
12 as defined in s. 235.011(6). After the initial submission of
13 the blueprint, the district school superintendent shall
14 submit, by October 1 of each year, a revised blueprint for
15 each district educational facility that was modified during
16 the preceding year.
17 (2) Beginning October 1, 2000, each community college
18 president must provide to the Department of Education, the
19 State Board of Education, and the law enforcement agency that
20 has jurisdiction over the community college a copy of the
21 blueprint for each educational facility as defined in s.
22 235.011(6). After the initial submission of the blueprint, the
23 community college president shall submit, by October 1 of each
24 year, a revised blueprint for each educational facility that
25 was modified during the preceding year.
26 (3) Beginning October 1, 2000, the Board of Regents
27 must provide to the Department of Education, the State Board
28 of Education, and the law enforcement agency that has
29 jurisdiction over each state university a copy of the
30 blueprint for each state university facility. After the
31 initial submission of the blueprint, the Board of Regents
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1 shall submit, by October 1 of each year, a revised blueprint
2 for each state university facility that was modified during
3 the preceding year.
4 Section 14. By October 1, 2000, the Department of
5 Education shall assess the effectiveness of current school
6 safety and security initiatives, including the impact of state
7 funding for safe schools in this state, and shall provide a
8 report to the Governor, the President of the Senate, the
9 Speaker of the House of Representatives, the minority leaders
10 of the Senate and House of Representatives, and the
11 Partnership for School Safety and Security.
12 Section 15. Pilot program to assess teams that meet
13 optimal ratios.--
14 (1) An elementary school, middle school, junior high
15 school, and a high school within each of the three school
16 districts identified in the 2000-2001 General Appropriations
17 Act shall establish a 3-year pilot program to assess the use
18 of a team composed of school psychologists, guidance
19 counselors, and school social workers which meets the optimal
20 school psychologist-to-student ratio,
21 guidance-counselor-to-student ratio, and school
22 social-worker-to-student ratio.
23 (2) To be eligible to participate in the pilot
24 program, each school district identified in the 2000-2001
25 General Appropriations Act must ensure that each school
26 participating in the pilot program meets the optimal ratio of
27 school psychologists, guidance counselors, and school social
28 workers to students which is developed by the Department of
29 Education.
30
31
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1 (3) Each school that participates in the pilot program
2 must have a plan that is based on national standards and must
3 agree to achieve and document the outcomes for:
4 (a) Truancy.
5 (b) School disciplinary referrals.
6 (c) Academic performance.
7 (d) Parent, teacher, and school administration
8 satisfaction.
9 (4)(a) The school district shall evaluate the
10 consequences of achieving the optimal ratio of school
11 psychologists, guidance counselors, and school social workers
12 to students for each school that participates in the pilot
13 program. By August 1 following each school year during which
14 the pilot program is operated, the school district shall
15 report its findings to the Governor, the President of the
16 Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the
17 minority leaders of the Senate and the House of
18 Representatives, the Commissioner of Education, and the
19 Partnership for School Safety and Security.
20 Section 16. Each school district and the state or
21 local governmental entity having jurisdiction shall develop a
22 school safety transportation plan. The plan shall be submitted
23 to the Department of Education by July 1, 2000.
24 (1) Each school district and the state or local
25 governmental entity having jurisdiction shall jointly develop
26 a priority list of hazardous-walking-conditions projects that
27 have not yet been corrected. Each school district shall use
28 this part of the plan to monitor school transportation safety.
29 The plan must include the following for the hazardous walking
30 conditions determined under the provisions of section 234.021,
31 Florida Statutes:
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1 (a) The number of hazardous walking conditions which
2 have not been corrected by the state or local governmental
3 entity having jurisdiction within 5 years after identification
4 of the hazard; and
5 (b) For each hazardous walking condition that has not
6 been corrected, a statement of the reason given for the
7 deficiency by the state or local governmental entity having
8 jurisdiction.
9 (2) The plan must also include recommendations and
10 fiscal estimates for:
11 (a) Any changes to current law for expanding the
12 definition of a student in section 234.021(1), Florida
13 Statutes, to include students in grades 7 through 12.
14 (b) Any changes to current law for identifying
15 hazardous walking conditions for walkways parallel to the
16 road, including, but not limited to:
17 1. Increasing the size of the walk area adjacent to
18 the road from 4 feet or making changes to the walk area
19 surface;
20 2. Increasing the size of the current set-off
21 requirement for uncurbed walkways or decreasing the posted
22 speed limit of 50 miles per hour; or
23 3. Amending the current exceptions to the criteria for
24 determining hazardous walking conditions for certain
25 residential areas and roads that have a certain volume of
26 traffic and a posted speed limit of 30 miles per hour or less.
27 (c) Any changes to current law for identifying
28 hazardous walking conditions for walkways perpendicular to the
29 road, including, but not limited to:
30 1. Limitations in the volume of traffic for the road
31 or the direction of traffic; and
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1 2. The definition of an uncontrolled crossing site.
2 (d) Any other recommendations, including, but not
3 limited to, the consideration of additional criteria for
4 determining hazardous walking conditions, procedures for
5 identifying hazardous walking conditions, and procedures for
6 locating bus stops.
7 (3) The plan must also identify, by district, the
8 number of schools that:
9 (a) Separate the school bus loading and departure
10 locations from the loading and departure locations for
11 parents, guardians, or others who provide transportation to
12 children.
13 (b) Provide transportation to students whose grade
14 level exceeds grade 6 and who live within the 2-mile limit of
15 an identified hazardous walking condition.
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17 The identification of schools under this subsection may be
18 used as a basis for providing incentive funds to specific
19 school districts in the 2000-2001 legislative session.
20 Section 17. This act shall take effect July 1, 2000.
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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida Senate - 2000 SB 852
304-598D-00
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2 SENATE SUMMARY
3 Revises the factors used to designate a school's
performance grade category for the 1999-2000 school year.
4 Creates the Partnership for School Safety and Security,
the members of which shall be appointed by the Governor
5 and confirmed by the Senate. Requires that the
partnership evaluate school safety and assist schools in
6 creating a safe school environment. Requires the
Department of Education to develop an individualized
7 school safety and environment assessment instrument.
Provides additional notice requirements in the code of
8 student conduct for school district zero-tolerance
policies. Requires due-process procedures prior to taking
9 certain action. Requires school principals to report data
concerning school safety and discipline on a form adopted
10 by the State Board of Education. Requires school
districts, community colleges, and the Board of Regents
11 to provide blueprints of educational facilities to the
department and law enforcement agencies. Establishes a
12 3-year pilot program to assess the optimal ratios of
certain school professionals to students. Prohibits the
13 use of a student's attendance record for certain
exemptions. Requires a school safety transportation plan.
14 (See bill for details.)
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