HB 1001 2003
1	A bill to be entitled
2	An act relating to students with disabilities; providing
3	for creation of an Interagency Cooperative Agreement for
4	the Transition of Students with Disabilities; providing
5	principles on which the agreement shall be based;
6	providing components of the agreement related to the
7	provision of state-of-the-art transition services for
8	students with disabilities; providing for an annual
9	report; providing an effective date.
10
11	Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
12
13	Section 1. The following agencies shall join to create an
14	Interagency Cooperative Agreement for the Transition of Students
15	with Disabilities: the Department of Education representing the
16	Bureau of Instructional Support and Community Services, the
17	Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, the Division of Blind
18	Services, and the Office of Workforce and Economic Development;
19	the Department of Children and Family Services representing the
20	Developmental Disabilities Program Office and the Mental Health
21	Program Office; and the Department of Health representing
22	Children’s Medical Services. The agreement shall provide a
23	framework for a coordinated process and effort among the
24	specified agencies so that supports and services can be provided
25	to individuals with disabilities in an efficient manner that
26	enhances the pursuit of a vocation or gainful employment,
27	postsecondary opportunities, and the quality of life for each
28	participant.
29	(1) The cooperative agreement shall be based on the
30	following principles:
31	(a) Provision of supports and services must be based on
32	informed choice, valued community roles, community employment
33	opportunities, and awareness of the value that every person can
34	contribute to society and his or her community regardless of the
35	severity of the disability.
36	(b) Cooperation, collaboration, and communication will
37	lead to better coordinated supports and services for individuals
38	with disabilities.
39	(c) Clearly defined roles and responsibilities of each
40	agency that are reviewed and updated annually will lead to
41	increased communication, increased quality of programs, and
42	improved efficiency in the delivery of services for individuals
43	with disabilities.
44	(2) The cooperative agreement shall address, at a minimum,
45	the following related to the provision of state-of-the-art
46	transition services for students with disabilities:
47	(a) A unified plan for policy and budget development and
48	implementation at state and local levels.
49	(b) A unified plan for training and technical assistance
50	to local agencies concerning each agency’s eligibility, scope of
51	services, opportunities for collaboration, and best practices,
52	including the Department of Education self-determination IEP
53	initiative.
54	(c) Coordinated outreach and technical assistance to
55	families and students with disabilities concerning quality
56	transition planning, availability of services, and agencies’
57	eligibility requirements.
58	(d) Provision of assistive technology devices and services
59	and coordination of continuation and transfer of assistive
60	technology devices and services for transitioning students from
61	middle school to high school to postsecondary education, into
62	the community, or into gainful employment.
63	(e) Provision that assistive technology devices and
64	services shall be available to students during and after the
65	school day, for extended school year periods, for
66	extracurricular activities, and at home for homework and
67	activities of daily living and within the community, including,
68	but not limited to, recreational activities, periods during
69	which there is no structured school schedule, and employment.
70	(f) Provision for enforcement of the cooperative agreement
71	that will ensure successful implementation at the state and
72	local levels.
73	(g) Provision of education with timely and appropriate
74	services to students with disabilities in which the Department
75	of Education, the public school districts, and the public
76	schools comply with the Individuals with Disabilities Education
77	Act, 20 U.S.C. ss. 1401(30) and 1414 (d)(1)(A)(vii)(II), and the
78	Americans with Disabilities Act, Title II, C.F.R. ss. 35.104-
79	35.141.
80	(h) Provision of speech and/or language therapy if such
81	therapy is required for a student to benefit from special
82	education.
83	(i) Provision of occupational and/or physical therapy if
84	such therapy is required for a student to benefit from special
85	education.
86	(j) Provision that the determination of eligibility, need,
87	frequency, nature, or duration of therapy pursuant to paragraph
88	(h) or paragraph (i) may not be made by using cognitive ability
89	or developmental delay or disability as a disqualifier for such
90	services.
91	(3) The cooperative agreement shall be created and
92	submitted to the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the
93	Speaker of the House of Representatives by October 1, 2003. An
94	annual report from that day forward shall be submitted to the
95	Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the
96	House of Representatives which will provide information on the
97	status of development and implementation of the agreement at the
98	state and local levels and an assessment of the impact on
99	students with disabilities including, but not limited to, trends
100	in the number of students accessing vocational rehabilitation
101	services; post-transition services on an individual longitudinal
102	data analysis focused upon gainful employment or postsecondary
103	settings; and examination of real and perceived barriers to
104	graduation with a standard diploma.
105	Section 2. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.