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