House Bill hb1259

    Florida House of Representatives - 2001                HB 1259

        By Representative Mack






  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to education; creating s.

  3         228.507, F.S.; directing the Commissioner of

  4         Education to make recommendations to the

  5         Legislature for funding off-site learning

  6         grants; providing funding requirements;

  7         providing for a review panel; providing for the

  8         adoption of criteria for reviewing grant

  9         applications; requiring the Commissioner of

10         Education to include funding for the grants in

11         the department's legislative budget request;

12         providing requirements for grant recipients;

13         requiring compliance with certain statutes;

14         requiring the adoption of rules; providing an

15         effective date.

16

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

18

19         Section 1.  Section 228.507, Florida Statutes, is

20  created to read:

21         228.507  Off-site learning grants.--

22         (1)(a)  The Commissioner of Education shall annually

23  make recommendations to the Legislature for funding off-site

24  learning grants to nonprofit and community-based

25  organizations, including mathematics, science, and

26  environmental facilities that provide educational programs and

27  learning opportunities for elementary and secondary public

28  school students in nontraditional settings. The commissioner

29  shall adopt required eligibility criteria for types of

30  organizations that may be considered to receive such grants,

31  including a requirement that the program demonstrates the

                                  1

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






    Florida House of Representatives - 2001                HB 1259

    780-101-01






  1  educational components required to receive a grant. Funding

  2  from the Public Education Capital Outlay and Debt Service

  3  Trust Fund as authorized in s. 235.42, the Classrooms First

  4  Program as authorized in s. 235.187, the effort index grants

  5  as authorized in s. 235.186, the School Infrastructure Thrift

  6  Program as authorized in ss. 235.2155 and 235.216, and the

  7  Public Education Capital Outlay and Debt Service Trust Fund as

  8  authorized in s. 9, Art. XII of the State Constitution may not

  9  be used for off-site learning grants.

10         (b)  In making recommendations, the commissioner shall

11  annually appoint a review panel to assist in the grant review

12  process. Review panel members shall be appointed to serve for

13  1-year terms. The panel shall review grant applications and

14  make recommendations to the commissioner concerning the

15  relative merits of the applications. The department shall, by

16  rule, establish criteria for reviewing grant applications to

17  ensure compliance with applicable federal and state laws

18  relating to discrimination and conflicts of interest.

19         (c)  The review panel shall provide a forum for public

20  comment before voting on any grant application.

21         (2)  The commissioner shall annually include in the

22  department's legislative budget request a recommendation for

23  funding off-site learning grants. The recommendation must

24  include the panel's ranking of applicants and recommended

25  funding levels for each grant.

26         (3)(a)  Funding for the off-site learning grants shall

27  be subject to legislative appropriation in the General

28  Appropriations Act. Upon appropriation by the Legislature of

29  funding for these grants, the department shall execute a

30  project grant award to each organization. The grant must

31  contain information relating to the program, the projected

                                  2

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






    Florida House of Representatives - 2001                HB 1259

    780-101-01






  1  operating income and expenses, and other provisions considered

  2  necessary by the department for the administration of the

  3  program.

  4         (b)  Each recipient organization must submit an annual

  5  report to the department detailing the expenditure of the

  6  funds, data on the impact of the project on student

  7  achievement, and other information as required by the

  8  department. The annual report is subject to the auditing

  9  provisions and rules of the department.

10         (c)  Each grant recipient shall comply with all

11  provisions of statute and rule as outlined in the grant.

12         (d)  The department shall adopt rules pursuant to ss.

13  120.536(1) and 120.54 necessary to administer this section.

14         Section 2.  This act shall take effect upon becoming a

15  law.

16

17            *****************************************

18                          HOUSE SUMMARY

19
      Creates the Florida Offsite Learning Grant Program to
20    provide funding to enable nonprofit and community-based
      organizations to provide learning opportunities for
21    public school students in nontraditional settings.
      Provides a grant application and review process. Requires
22    the Commissioner of Education to annually appoint a
      review panel to review and rank grant applications.
23    Provides for the review panel to be reimbursed for travel
      and expenses. Provides for the award of grants. Provides
24    for funding of the program. Requires an annual report and
      postaudit of each grant recipient. Provides for the
25    adoption of rules.

26

27

28

29

30

31

                                  3

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