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A bill to be entitled |
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An act relating to education finance; creating s. 1011.63, |
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F.S.; authorizing school districts to opt out of the |
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restrictions applied to allocations for formula-funded |
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categorical programs and to use such funds at their |
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discretion; providing requirements to obtain such |
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discretionary spending authority; requiring school |
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districts to meet certain performance standards; requiring |
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public notice in local newspapers; requiring reporting; |
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providing an effective date. |
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Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: |
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Section 1. Section 1011.63, Florida Statutes, is created |
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to read: |
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1011.63 Local option for categorical funding.-- |
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(1) Notwithstanding s. 1011.62 or any other provision of |
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law to the contrary, any school district receiving funds |
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appropriated in the General Appropriations Act for formula- |
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funded categorical programs may, upon request submitted to the |
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Commissioner of Education before the convening of the initial |
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Florida Education Finance Program Appropriation Allocation |
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Conference as provided in s. 1011.65 and approval by the |
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commissioner, receive those categorical funds in a lump sum and |
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use the funds for any or all of the purposes for which the funds |
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were appropriated or apply the funds to other classroom |
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education purposes, as determined by the district school board |
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after meeting performance standards determined by the Department |
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of Education. Such performance standards must ensure that the |
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purpose for which the categorical funds were appropriated is |
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otherwise provided for prior to diverting those funds to another |
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purpose. The district school board must provide public notice in |
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a local newspaper of general circulation when such approval is |
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granted. In addition, within 14 business days after receiving |
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such funds, the district school board must provide public notice |
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in a local newspaper of general circulation of the purposes for |
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which the funds will be used and the necessity for reallocating |
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the funds. |
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(2) In reporting its expenditures under s. 1010.20, a |
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school district granted discretionary spending authority under |
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this section shall report on a school-by-school and a district- |
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aggregate basis how all funds, including federal funds, |
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allocated to the district for formula-funded categorical |
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programs were expended. |
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Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2003. |
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