Senate Bill sb1690

    Florida Senate - 2003                                  SB 1690

    By Senator Cowin





    20-241-03

  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to education; creating s.

  3         1007.273, F.S.; authorizing the Commissioner of

  4         Education to encourage the use of accelerated

  5         education mechanisms, including dual

  6         enrollment, to help achieve class-size

  7         reduction; requiring the commissioner to

  8         include in his budget request specified funds

  9         for community colleges; requiring the

10         commissioner to submit an annual report to the

11         Legislature; providing an effective date.

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

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15         Section 1.  Section 1007.273, Florida Statutes, is

16  created to read:

17         1007.273  Accelerated education to assist in class-size

18  reduction.--

19         (1)  In an effort to assist in class-size reduction,

20  the Commissioner of Education is authorized to encourage the

21  use of accelerated education mechanisms, including dual

22  enrollment as authorized under ss. 1007.271 and 1007.272. The

23  commissioner shall include in his budget request funds for

24  community colleges, including:

25         (a)  Weighted full-time-equivalent funding for

26  college-credit and vocational dual enrollment courses offered

27  by community colleges. The Articulation Coordinating Committee

28  of the department shall provide recommendations for weighted

29  funding to the commissioner.

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    Florida Senate - 2003                                  SB 1690
    20-241-03




  1         (b)  Funding to reimburse the community college for the

  2  tuition and laboratory fees for dual enrollment and vocational

  3  dual enrollment students.

  4         (c)  Vouchers to cover the cost of instructional

  5  materials for home education students.

  6         (2)  The Commissioner of Education shall submit to the

  7  Legislature an annual report on the performance of students in

  8  accelerated education. The report must include, but need not

  9  be limited to, information on grade point averages, retention,

10  credits earned, demographic characteristics of students

11  served, and other measures that the commissioner considers

12  relevant.

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

14  law.

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17                          SENATE SUMMARY

18    Authorizes the Commissioner of Education to encourage the
      use of accelerated education mechanisms, including dual
19    enrollment, to help achieve class-size reduction.
      Requires the commissioner to include in his budget
20    request specified funds for community colleges. Requires
      the commissioner to submit an annual report to the
21    Legislature.

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