Senate Bill sb1640e1

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  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to education; providing

  3         legislative intent for certain career and

  4         technical education programs within

  5         comprehensive programs of study in high

  6         schools; providing for industry-certification,

  7         for certain required courses and activities;

  8         authorizing an endorsement and funding;

  9         authorizing rules of the Department of

10         Education; requiring certain programs and

11         career-development activities to assist

12         counselors; amending ss. 228.041, 229.601,

13         229.602, 239.121, F.S.; revising a personnel

14         classification title; amending s. 236.081,

15         F.S.; providing for funding of certain

16         programs; prohibiting certain courses and

17         programs from being reported for funding or

18         from being substituted for other courses or

19         programs; providing for certain

20         professional-development activities; amending

21         s. 239.229, F.S.; providing certain

22         responsibilities for school boards and

23         superintendents; amending s. 231.6135, F.S.;

24         exempting regional educational consortia from

25         certain requirements to become eligible for

26         grants to create professional development

27         academies; providing an effective date.

28

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

30

31


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  1         Section 1.  (1)  The Legislature intends to ensure that

  2  all high schools provide supportive services to students and

  3  their parents to determine the comprehensive program of study

  4  that will best meet the needs and goals of each student. At a

  5  minimum, these services must include access to a guidance

  6  counselor and assistance in developing an educational and

  7  career plan. Each high school shall provide a variety of

  8  comprehensive, relevant programs of study which will meet the

  9  needs of all students and enable each student to pursue his or

10  her individual educational and career goals.

11         (2)  Key components of this process are:

12         (a)  A variety of programs of study which are based on

13  individual educational and career goals.

14         (b)  Parental involvement in the identification of the

15  appropriate program of study.

16         (c)  Assurance that all programs of study are designed

17  to provide a seamless transition to an appropriate

18  postsecondary education and employment.

19         Section 2.  (1)  A career and technical education

20  program within a comprehensive high school program of study

21  must be certified or endorsed by the appropriate industry to

22  ensure that all components of the program are relevant and

23  appropriate to prepare the student for further education and

24  employment in that industry.

25         (2)  Effective July 1, 2006, each career and technical

26  program preparing for postsecondary education and employment

27  offered as part of a comprehensive program of study in a high

28  school must be industry-certified or endorsed, except for

29  courses classified as exploratory, orientation, or practical

30  arts. A student enrolled in a course within a career and

31  technical program that is not industry-certified may not be


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  1  reported for full-time equivalent funding through the Florida

  2  Education Finance Program unless the course is classified as

  3  exploratory, orientation, or practical arts. The Department of

  4  Education shall assure that each program is certified by July

  5  1, 2006, and recertified at least every 5 years. The

  6  department shall adopt rules for the certification process,

  7  and the rules must establish any necessary procedures for

  8  obtaining appropriate business partners and requirements for

  9  business and industry involvement in curriculum oversight and

10  equipment procurement.

11         (3)  Each full-time equivalent student in an

12  industry-certified or endorsed career and technical program

13  generates 1.15 times the cost factor for students enrolled in

14  the basic program for grades 9-12, as provided by section

15  236.081, Florida Statutes, and the annual General

16  Appropriations Act.

17         (4)  Effective July 1, 2006, each career and technical

18  education program offered by a high school and able to be

19  articulated to a postsecondary level must also have an

20  articulation agreement with one or more appropriate

21  postsecondary education institutions to ensure a seamless

22  transition to a related postsecondary program without a loss

23  of credit for the student. Students enrolled in a program that

24  is not articulated to a postsecondary program may not be

25  reported for full-time equivalent student funding through the

26  Florida Education Finance Program unless the course is

27  classified as exploratory, orientation, or practical arts or

28  terminates at the high school level.

29         Section 3.  (1)  A comprehensive program of study in

30  career and technical education must be designed to ensure

31  that, upon completion of the program of study and graduation


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  1  from high school, a student is prepared to continue his or her

  2  education at a postsecondary education institution and obtain

  3  employment. Therefore, a comprehensive career and technical

  4  program of study must require of each student:

  5         (a)  Completion of academic courses with a designation

  6  from the Department of Education of level two or above. All

  7  credits earned to meet graduation requirements in mathematics,

  8  science, and communication must have that designation.

  9         (b)  Attainment of at least one occupational completion

10  point in an industry-certified or endorsed career and

11  technical education program or completion of at least two

12  courses in a technology education program.

13         (c)  Completion of a one-credit core course addressing

14  workplace-readiness skills. The Department of Education shall

15  define in rule the content of the course and shall assure that

16  the course meets graduation requirements for performing arts

17  or practical arts. The course requirement may be satisfied

18  through infusing course content into existing select career

19  and technical education course.

20         (d)  Participation in work-based learning experiences,

21  as defined in rule by the Department of Education.

22         (e)  Participation in a capstone activity that includes

23  a project related to a career. This activity is designed to

24  apply and demonstrate the competencies and concepts attained

25  in the student's program of study. The Department of Education

26  may specify in rule characteristics of capstone activities

27  that meet the intent of this paragraph.

28         (2)  The Legislature intends to recognize with an

29  endorsement on the high school diploma a student who:

30         (a)  Completes the requirements for high school

31  graduation as provided in section 232.246, Florida Statutes,


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  1  and the additional requirements for a comprehensive career and

  2  technical program of study provided in subsection (1).

  3         (b)  Passes the college entry-level placement test or

  4  an equivalent test identified by the department with a score

  5  adequate to enroll in a public postsecondary education program

  6  without the need for college preparatory or vocational

  7  preparatory instruction.

  8         (3)  The endorsement indicates that the student is

  9  prepared to continue into postsecondary education without the

10  need for remediation and that the student has marketable

11  employment skills. The Department of Education may adopt by

12  rule a standard format for the endorsement.

13         (4)  For each student who receives the endorsement on

14  his or her diploma, the school district shall receive

15  incentive funding, as provided in section 236.081, Florida

16  Statutes, and the annual General Appropriations Act.

17         (5)  A school district that generates funds as a result

18  of industry-certified programs or incentive funding for

19  student achievement of the endorsement must expend the total

20  amount on the comprehensive career and technical program of

21  study. The district may not apply indirect charges to

22  incentive funds earned.

23         Section 4.  The Legislature finds that, to adequately

24  assist students in advanced technical and academic career

25  planning, high school guidance counselors and career

26  specialists require preservice and inservice professional

27  development programs that contain sufficient information on

28  career education.

29         (1)  Each guidance counselor and career specialist in a

30  school with technical education programs certified as provided

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  1  in section 2 of this act shall complete 12 inservice points in

  2  technical education and career development which include:

  3         (a)  An emphasis on labor-market trends and

  4  projections;

  5         (b)  A practicum that focuses on development of a

  6  career-awareness program; and

  7         (c)  Content related to a career or employment within

  8  the counselor's work experience.

  9         (2)  The Department of Education shall assist guidance

10  counselors and career specialists in attaining the additional

11  inservice required. The State Board of Education shall revise

12  rules governing the certification and recertification of

13  guidance counselors to allow substitution of personal

14  work-based experiences and temporary-employment opportunities

15  in business and industry for the required classroom

16  instruction. A minimum of 12 hours of inservice in career and

17  technical education will be required for each 5-year period.

18         (3)  To implement the requirements of this act through

19  preservice education, the Legislature encourages colleges of

20  education to provide for the additional courses required

21  without increasing the total number of credit hours needed to

22  complete a program. Instead, the colleges are encouraged to

23  infuse course content required for ethics courses into courses

24  required for introduction, theory, and practicum.

25         Section 5.  Paragraph (b) of subsection (9) of section

26  228.041, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:

27         228.041  Definitions.--Specific definitions shall be as

28  follows, and wherever such defined words or terms are used in

29  the Florida School Code, they shall be used as follows:

30         (9)  INSTRUCTIONAL PERSONNEL.--"Instructional

31  personnel" means any staff member whose function includes the


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  1  provision of direct instructional services to students.

  2  Instructional personnel also includes personnel whose

  3  functions provide direct support in the learning process of

  4  students.  Included in the classification of instructional

  5  personnel are:

  6         (b)  Pupil personnel services.--Pupil personnel

  7  services include staff members responsible for:  advising

  8  students with regard to their abilities and aptitudes,

  9  educational and occupational opportunities, and personal and

10  social adjustments; providing placement services; performing

11  educational evaluations; and similar functions.  Included in

12  this classification are guidance counselors, social workers,

13  career occupational/placement specialists, and school

14  psychologists.

15         Section 6.  Paragraph (c) of subsection (2) of section

16  229.601, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:

17         229.601  Career education program.--

18         (2)  There is hereby established a career education

19  program in the state educational system.  The Commissioner of

20  Education and his or her designated staff shall administer

21  this program. In developing and administering the career

22  education program, the purpose of which is to promote positive

23  career opportunities for all students regardless of their

24  race, color, creed, national origin, ancestry, socioeconomic

25  status, or gender, the commissioner shall:

26         (c)  Develop programs for preservice and inservice

27  training for the purpose of infusing career education concepts

28  into the basic curricula of public schools and core curricula

29  of community colleges and state universities and programs for

30  preservice and inservice training for counselors and career

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  1  occupational and placement specialists to assist in career

  2  counseling and placement and followup activities.

  3         Section 7.  Paragraph (a) of subsection (5) of section

  4  229.602, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:

  5         229.602  Florida private sector and education

  6  partnerships.--

  7         (5)  Each school district shall designate one or more

  8  persons to coordinate local private sector and education

  9  partnership activities.  The general activities of these

10  coordinators shall be to enhance private sector and education

11  partnership activities.  The specific duties of the district

12  coordinators shall include, but not be limited to, the

13  following:

14         (a)  Maintaining contact with local businesses and

15  industries, local chamber of commerce organizations, regional

16  workforce boards private industry councils with Job Training

17  Partnership Act programs, district, career occupational

18  specialists, guidance personnel, economics educators,

19  volunteer coordinators, community education coordinators,

20  appropriate governmental personnel, and any others interested

21  in private sector and education partnerships.

22         Section 8.  Paragraphs (c), (d), and (l) of subsection

23  (1) of section 236.081, Florida Statutes, are amended, present

24  paragraphs (m) through (p) of that subsection are redesignated

25  as paragraphs (n) through (q), respectively, and a new

26  paragraph (m) is added to that subsection, and paragraph (a)

27  of subsection (5) of that section is amended, to read:

28         236.081  Funds for operation of schools.--If the annual

29  allocation from the Florida Education Finance Program to each

30  district for operation of schools is not determined in the

31  annual appropriations act or the substantive bill implementing


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  1  the annual appropriations act, it shall be determined as

  2  follows:

  3         (1)  COMPUTATION OF THE BASIC AMOUNT TO BE INCLUDED FOR

  4  OPERATION.--The following procedure shall be followed in

  5  determining the annual allocation to each district for

  6  operation:

  7         (c)  Determination of programs.--Cost factors based on

  8  desired relative cost differences between the following

  9  programs shall be established in the annual General

10  Appropriations Act. A secondary career or technical education

11  program certified as required by section 2 of this act

12  generates funding as provided in paragraph (m). Effective July

13  1, 2006, a full-time equivalent student in a career or

14  technical education program that is not industry-certified or

15  endorsed shall not generate any state funding unless the

16  student is in a course classified as exploration, orientation,

17  or practical arts and the General Appropriations Act contains

18  a cost factor for such courses. The Department of Education

19  shall complete a study by January 2002 to determine if career

20  and technical education programs should have differentiated

21  funding weights. The Commissioner of Education shall specify a

22  matrix of services and intensity levels to be used by

23  districts in the determination of the two weighted cost

24  factors for exceptional students with the highest levels of

25  need. For these students, the funding support level shall fund

26  the exceptional students' education program, with the

27  exception of extended school year services for students with

28  disabilities.

29         1.  Basic programs.--

30         a.  Kindergarten and grades 1, 2, and 3.

31         b.  Grades 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8.


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  1         c.  Grades 9, 10, 11, and 12.

  2         2.  Programs for exceptional students.--

  3         a.  Support Level IV.

  4         b.  Support Level V.

  5         3.  Secondary career and technical education programs,

  6  industry-certified or endorsed.--

  7         4.  Career and technical education programs, all other

  8  programs.--

  9         5.4.  English for Speakers of Other Languages.--

10         (d)  Annual allocation calculation.--

11         1.  The Department of Education shall is authorized and

12  directed to review all district programs and enrollment

13  projections and calculate a maximum total weighted full-time

14  equivalent student enrollment for each district for the K-12

15  FEFP.

16         2.  Maximum enrollments calculated by the department

17  shall be derived from enrollment estimates used by the

18  Legislature to calculate the FEFP.  If two or more districts

19  enter into an agreement under the provisions of s.

20  230.23(4)(d), after the final enrollment estimate is agreed

21  upon, the amount of FTE specified in the agreement, not to

22  exceed the estimate for the specific program as identified in

23  paragraph (c), may be transferred from the participating

24  districts to the district providing the program.

25         3.  As part of its calculation of each district's

26  maximum total weighted full-time equivalent student

27  enrollment, the department shall establish separate enrollment

28  ceilings for each of two program groups. Group 1 shall be

29  composed of grades K-3, grades 4-8, and grades 9-12. Group 2

30  shall be composed of students in exceptional student education

31  programs, English for Speakers of Other Languages programs,


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  1  all basic programs other than the programs in group 1, and all

  2  vocational programs in grades 6-12 7-12.

  3         a.  The weighted enrollment ceiling for group 2

  4  programs shall be calculated by multiplying the final

  5  enrollment conference estimate for each program by the

  6  appropriate program weight.  The weighted enrollment ceiling

  7  for program group 2 shall be the sum of the weighted

  8  enrollment ceilings for each program in the program group,

  9  plus the increase in weighted full-time equivalent student

10  membership from the prior year for clients of the Department

11  of Children and Family Services and the Department of Juvenile

12  Justice.

13         b.  If, for any calculation of the FEFP, the weighted

14  enrollment for program group 2, derived by multiplying actual

15  enrollments by appropriate program weights, exceeds the

16  enrollment ceiling for that group, the following procedure

17  shall be followed to reduce the weighted enrollment for that

18  group to equal the enrollment ceiling:

19         (I)  The weighted enrollment ceiling for each program

20  in the program group shall be subtracted from the weighted

21  enrollment for that program derived from actual enrollments.

22         (II)  If the difference calculated under

23  sub-sub-subparagraph (I) is greater than zero for any program,

24  a reduction proportion shall be computed for the program by

25  dividing the absolute value of the difference by the total

26  amount by which the weighted enrollment for the program group

27  exceeds the weighted enrollment ceiling for the program group.

28         (III)  The reduction proportion calculated under

29  sub-sub-subparagraph (II) shall be multiplied by the total

30  amount of the program group's enrollment over the ceiling as

31  calculated under sub-sub-subparagraph (I).


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  1         (IV)  The prorated reduction amount calculated under

  2  sub-sub-subparagraph (III) shall be subtracted from the

  3  program's weighted enrollment.  For any calculation of the

  4  FEFP, the enrollment ceiling for group 1 shall be calculated

  5  by multiplying the actual enrollment for each program in the

  6  program group by its appropriate program weight.

  7         c.  For program group 2, the weighted enrollment

  8  ceiling shall be a number not less than the sum obtained by:

  9         (I)  Multiplying the sum of reported FTE for all

10  programs in the program group that have a cost factor of 1.0

11  or more by 1.0, and

12         (II)  By adding this number to the sum obtained by

13  multiplying the projected FTE for all programs with a cost

14  factor less than 1.0 by the actual cost factor.

15         4.  Following completion of the weighted enrollment

16  ceiling calculation as provided in subparagraph 3., a

17  supplemental capping calculation shall be employed for those

18  districts that are over their weighted enrollment ceiling. For

19  each such district, the total reported unweighted FTE

20  enrollment for group 2 programs shall be compared with the

21  total appropriated unweighted FTE enrollment for group 2

22  programs. If the total reported unweighted FTE for group 2 is

23  greater than the appropriated unweighted FTE, then the excess

24  unweighted FTE up to the unweighted FTE transferred from group

25  2 to group 1 for each district by the Public School FTE

26  Estimating Conference shall be funded at a weight of 1.0 and

27  added to the funded weighted FTE computed in subparagraph 3.

28  This adjustment shall be calculated beginning with the third

29  calculation of the 1998-1999 FEFP.

30         (l)  Instruction in career education.--Effective for

31  the 1985-1986 school year and thereafter, District pupil


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  1  progression plans shall provide for the substitution of

  2  vocational courses for the nonelective courses required for

  3  high school graduation pursuant to s. 232.246. Beginning July

  4  1, 2006, a career and technical course may not be substituted

  5  for another required course unless it is part of an

  6  industry-certified or endorsed program certified as provided

  7  in section 2 of this act. A student in grades 9 through 12 who

  8  enrolls in and satisfactorily completes a job-preparatory

  9  course program may substitute credit for a portion of the

10  required four credits in English, three credits in

11  mathematics, any credits in social studies, and three credits

12  in science. The credit substituted for English, mathematics,

13  social studies, or science earned through the vocational

14  job-preparatory course program shall be on a curriculum

15  equivalency basis as provided for in the State Course Code

16  Directory. The State Board of Education shall authorize by

17  rule vocational course substitutions not to exceed two credits

18  in each of the nonelective academic subject areas of English,

19  mathematics, social studies, and science.  School districts

20  shall provide for vocational course substitutions not to

21  exceed two credits in each of the nonelective academic subject

22  areas of English, mathematics, social studies, and science,

23  upon adoption of vocational student performance standards by

24  the school board pursuant to s. 232.2454.  A career and

25  technical course vocational program which has been used as a

26  substitute for a nonelective academic credit in one subject

27  area may not be used as a substitute for any other subject

28  area. The credit in practical arts or exploratory career

29  education required for high school graduation pursuant to s.

30  232.246(1) shall be funded as a career education course. Such

31  a course is eligible for funding at 1.15 times the cost factor


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  1  for students enrolled in the basic program for grades 9-12

  2  only if it is part of a program certified or endorsed as

  3  required by section 2 of this act.

  4         (m)  Calculation of full-time equivalent membership for

  5  an industry-certified or endorsed technical program.--Funding

  6  for students enrolled in an industry-certified program as

  7  provided in section 2 of this act is calculated at 1.15 times

  8  the cost factor for students enrolled in the program for

  9  grades 9-12 and multiplying that number by the number of

10  full-time equivalent students in an industry-certified or

11  endorsed career and technical program. A student who earns the

12  endorsement authorized by section 3 of this act generates

13  additional incentive funding for the program, as provided in

14  subsection (5). During the transition from the 2001-2002

15  school year until July 1, 2006, all career and technical

16  education programs not industry-certified or endorsed or

17  articulated to postsecondary institutions will continue to

18  earn weighted funding as determined in the General

19  Appropriations Act.

20         (5)  CATEGORICAL PROGRAMS.--The Legislature hereby

21  provides for the establishment of selected categorical

22  programs to assist in the development and maintenance of

23  activities giving indirect support to the programs previously

24  funded.  These categorical appropriations may be funded as

25  general and transitional categorical programs.  It is the

26  intent of the Legislature that no transitional categorical

27  program be funded for more than 4 fiscal years from the date

28  of original authorization. Such programs are as follows:

29         (a)  General.--

30         1.  Comprehensive school construction and debt service

31  as provided by law.


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  1         2.  Community schools as provided by law.

  2         3.  School lunch programs as provided by law.

  3         4.  Instructional material funds as provided by law.

  4         5.  Student transportation as provided by law.

  5         6.  Student development services as provided by law.

  6         7.  Diagnostic and learning resource centers as

  7  provided by law.

  8         8.  Comprehensive health education as provided by law.

  9         9.  Excellent Teaching Program as provided by law.

10         10.  Attainment of the high school career and technical

11  endorsement authorized by section 3 of this act and rules of

12  the State Board of Education.

13         Section 9.  Section 239.121, Florida Statutes, is

14  amended to read:

15         239.121  Career Occupational specialists.--

16         (1)  District school boards and community college

17  boards of trustees may employ career occupational specialists

18  to provide student counseling services and occupational

19  information to students and to provide information to local

20  business and industry regarding the availability of vocational

21  programs through local educational institutions.  Under the

22  supervision of a certified counselor, career occupational

23  specialists may undertake special assignments that include,

24  but are not limited to, the identification and intensive

25  counseling of current and former students and the parents of

26  such students, as well as counseling students and all

27  education personnel regarding job and career opportunities.

28         (2)  Career Occupational specialists shall receive

29  certification pursuant to State Board of Education rule and s.

30  231.1725.  A career No occupational specialist may not be paid

31  less than any other member of the instructional personnel who


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  1  has equivalent qualifications and provides similar services.

  2  Career Occupational specialists may receive salary supplements

  3  upon documentation that such supplements are necessary for

  4  recruiting or retaining suitable personnel.

  5         (3)  The Department of Education and each school

  6  district that employs a career specialist shall assist that

  7  person in preparing a professional development plan designed

  8  to provide the skills necessary to perform the duties

  9  associated with implementing a comprehensive technical

10  education program of study. 

11         Section 10.  Paragraph (a) of subsection (2) of section

12  239.229, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:

13         239.229  Vocational standards.--

14         (2)(a)  Each school board and superintendent shall

15  direct the smooth transition of high school career and

16  technical education programs to industry-certified or endorsed

17  programs of study included in a comprehensive course of study.

18  Each school board and superintendent shall also direct the

19  implementation of all components required to obtain the

20  endorsement authorized in section 3 of this act if the

21  district chooses to offer the endorsement. School board,

22  superintendent, and school accountability for career education

23  within elementary and secondary schools includes, but is not

24  limited to:

25         1.  Student exposure to a variety of careers and

26  provision of instruction to explore specific careers in

27  greater depth.

28         2.  Student awareness of available vocational programs

29  and the corresponding occupations into which such programs

30  lead.

31         3.  Student development of individual career plans.


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  1         4.  Integration of academic and vocational skills in

  2  the secondary curriculum.

  3         5.  Student preparation to enter the workforce and

  4  enroll in postsecondary education without being required to

  5  complete college-preparatory or vocational-preparatory

  6  instruction.

  7         6.  Student retention in school through high school

  8  graduation.

  9         7.  Career and technical Vocational curriculum

10  articulation with corresponding postsecondary programs in the

11  local area technical center or community college, or both.

12         Section 11.  Subsections (5) and (6) of section

13  231.6135, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:

14         231.6135  Statewide system for inservice professional

15  development.--The intent of this section is to establish a

16  statewide system of professional development that provides a

17  wide range of targeted inservice training to teachers,

18  managers, and administrative personnel designed to upgrade

19  skills and knowledge needed to reach world class standards in

20  education.  The system shall consist of a network of

21  professional development academies in each region of the state

22  that are operated in partnership with area business partners

23  to develop and deliver high-quality training programs

24  purchased by school districts.  The academies shall be

25  established to meet the human resource development needs of

26  professional educators, schools, and school districts. Funds

27  appropriated for the initiation of professional development

28  academies shall be allocated by the Commissioner of Education,

29  unless otherwise provided in an appropriations act. To be

30  eligible for startup funds, the academy must:

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    CS for SB 1640                                 First Engrossed



  1         (5)  Be operated under contract with its public

  2  partners and governed by an independent board of directors,

  3  which should include at least one superintendent of schools

  4  and one district school board chair from the participating

  5  school districts, the president of the collective bargaining

  6  unit that represents the majority of the region's teachers,

  7  and at least three individuals who are not employees or

  8  elected or appointed officials of the participating school

  9  districts. Regional educational consortia as defined in s.

10  228.0857 satisfy the requirements of this subsection.

11         (6)  Be financed during the first year of operation by

12  an equal or greater match from private funding sources and

13  demonstrate the ability to be self-supporting within 1 year

14  after opening through fees for services, grants, or private

15  contributions. Regional educational consortia as defined in s.

16  228.0857 are exempt from the funding match required by this

17  subsection.

18         Section 12.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2001.

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