HB 0009 2003
   
1 A bill to be entitled
2         An act relating to public school attendance; amending ss.
3   1002.20, 1003.21, and 1003.51, F.S.; raising the age of
4   compulsory school attendance from 16 years of age to 17
5   years of age; conforming provisions relating to a
6   student’s right to file a formal declaration of intent to
7   terminate school enrollment; providing an effective date.
8         
9         Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
10         
11         Section 1. Paragraphs (a) and (b) of subsection (2) of
12   section 1002.20, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
13         1002.20 K-12 student and parent rights.--K-12 students and
14   their parents are afforded numerous statutory rights including,
15   but not limited to, the following:
16         (2) ATTENDANCE.--
17         (a) Compulsory school attendance.--The compulsory school
18   attendance laws apply to all children between the ages of 6 and
19   1716years, as provided in s. 1003.21(1) and (2)(a), and, in
20   accordance with the provisions of s. 1003.21(1) and (2)(a):
21         1. A student who attains the age of1716years during the
22   school year has the right to file a formal declaration of intent
23   to terminate school enrollment if the declaration is signed by
24   the parent. The parent has the right to be notified by the
25   school district of the district's receipt of the student's
26   declaration of intent to terminate school enrollment.
27         2. Students who become or have become married or who are
28   pregnant and parenting have the right to attend school and
29   receive the same or equivalent educational instruction as other
30   students.
31         (b) Regular school attendance.--Parents of students who
32   have attained the age of 6 years by February 1 of any school
33   year but who have not attained the age of1716years must
34   comply with the compulsory school attendance laws. Parents have
35   the option to comply with the school attendance laws by
36   attendance of the student in a public school; a parochial,
37   religious, or denominational school; a private school; a home
38   education program; or a private tutoring program, in accordance
39   with the provisions of s. 1003.01(13)(14).
40         Section 2. Paragraphs (a) and (c) of subsection (1) of
41   section 1003.21, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
42         1003.21 School attendance.--
43         (1)(a)1. All children who have attained the age of 6 years
44   or who will have attained the age of 6 years by February 1 of
45   any school year or who are older than 6 years of age but who
46   have not attained the age of1716years, except as otherwise
47   provided, are required to attend school regularly during the
48   entire school term.
49         2. Children who will have attained the age of 5 years on
50   or before September 1 of the school year are eligible for
51   admission to public kindergartens during that school year under
52   rules adopted by the district school board.
53         (c) A student who attains the age of1716years during
54   the school year is not subject to compulsory school attendance
55   beyond the date upon which he or she attains that age if the
56   student files a formal declaration of intent to terminate school
57   enrollment with the district school board. The declaration must
58   acknowledge that terminating school enrollment is likely to
59   reduce the student's earning potential and must be signed by the
60   student and the student's parent. The school district must
61   notify the student's parent of receipt of the student's
62   declaration of intent to terminate school enrollment.
63         Section 3. Subsection (4) of section 1003.51, Florida
64   Statutes, is amended to read:
65         1003.51 Other public educational services.--
66         (4) The Department of Education shall ensure that district
67   school boards notify students in juvenile justice residential or
68   nonresidential facilities who attain the age of1716years of
69   the provisions of law regarding compulsory school attendance and
70   make available the option of enrolling in a program to attain a
71   Florida high school diploma by taking the general educational
72   development test prior to release from the facility. District
73   school boards or community colleges, or both, shall waive GED
74   testing fees for youth in Department of Juvenile Justice
75   residential programs and shall, upon request, designate schools
76   operating for the purpose of providing educational services to
77   youth in Department of Juvenile Justice programs as GED testing
78   centers, subject to GED testing center requirements. The
79   administrative fees for the general education development test
80   required by the Department of Education are the responsibility
81   of district school boards and may be required of providers by
82   contractual agreement.
83         Section 4. This act shall take effect July 1, 2003.
84