Senate Bill sb2326e1

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  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to juvenile justice education;

  3         amending s. 985.02, F.S.; requiring

  4         gender-specific programming within the

  5         Department of Juvenile Justice for children in

  6         this state; requiring the Office of Program

  7         Policy Analysis and Government Accountability

  8         to conduct an analysis of gender-specific

  9         programs in the Department of Juvenile Justice;

10         providing certain gender-specific information

11         to be included in the analysis; reenacting s.

12         985.3045(1) and (3), F.S., relating to

13         prevention service programs, for the purpose of

14         incorporating the amendment to s. 985.02, F.S.,

15         in references thereto; amending s. 1003.51,

16         F.S.; increasing the percentage of Florida

17         Education Finance Program funding generated by

18         students in juvenile justice programs which

19         must be spent on instructional costs; amending

20         s. 1003.52, F.S.; requiring each school

21         district to make the GED exit-option available

22         to students in a juvenile justice program;

23         requiring the Department of Education, by a

24         specified date, to select an assessment

25         instrument for use in juvenile justice

26         education programs; requiring the instrument

27         and protocol to be implemented statewide by a

28         specified date; requiring that students in

29         juvenile justice education programs have access

30         to Florida Virtual School courses; requiring

31         the department and the school districts to


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 1         adopt policies ensuring such access; providing

 2         that juvenile justice teachers are eligible for

 3         all teacher recruitment and retention programs;

 4         directing district school boards to provide

 5         juvenile justice education programs an

 6         equitable allocation of federal funds; deleting

 7         a reference to second chance schools; amending

 8         requirements for the plan for career and

 9         technical education; amending s. 1010.20, F.S.;

10         increasing the percentage of the funds

11         generated by juvenile justice programs which

12         the school district must expend on those

13         programs; requiring a workgroup to suggest

14         strategies for meeting the requirements of the

15         No Child Left Behind Act and for rewarding

16         juvenile justice education programs for high

17         performance; requiring the department to report

18         the findings of the workgroup to legislative

19         leaders by a specified date; amending ss.

20         985.412 and 1001.42, F.S., to conform;

21         providing an effective date.

22  

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

24  

25         Section 1.  Subsection (1) of section 985.02, Florida

26  Statutes, is amended, and subsection (8) is added to said

27  section, to read:

28         985.02  Legislative intent for the juvenile justice

29  system.--

30  

31  


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 1         (1)  GENERAL PROTECTIONS FOR CHILDREN.--It is a purpose

 2  of the Legislature that the children of this state be provided

 3  with the following protections:

 4         (a)  Protection from abuse, neglect, and exploitation.

 5         (b)  A permanent and stable home.

 6         (c)  A safe and nurturing environment which will

 7  preserve a sense of personal dignity and integrity.

 8         (d)  Adequate nutrition, shelter, and clothing.

 9         (e)  Effective treatment to address physical, social,

10  and emotional needs, regardless of geographical location.

11         (f)  Equal opportunity and access to quality and

12  effective education, which will meet the individual needs of

13  each child, and to recreation and other community resources to

14  develop individual abilities.

15         (g)  Access to preventive services.

16         (h)  An independent, trained advocate when intervention

17  is necessary, and a skilled guardian or caretaker in a safe

18  environment when alternative placement is necessary.

19         (i)  Gender-specific programming and gender-specific

20  program models and services that comprehensively address the

21  needs of a targeted gender group.

22         (8)  GENDER-SPECIFIC PROGRAMMING.--

23         (a)  The Legislature finds that the prevention,

24  treatment, and rehabilitation needs of youth served by the

25  juvenile justice system are gender-specific.

26         (b)  Gender-specific programming refers to unique

27  program models and services that comprehensively address the

28  needs of a targeted gender group. Gender-specific services

29  require the adherence to the principle of equity to ensure

30  that the different interests of young women and men are

31  recognized and varying needs are met, with equality as the


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 1  desired outcome. Gender-specific programming focuses on the

 2  differences between young females' and young males' roles and

 3  responsibilities, positions in society, access to and use of

 4  resources, and social codes governing behavior.

 5  Gender-specific programs increase the effectiveness of

 6  programs by making interventions more appropriate to the

 7  specific needs of young women and men and ensuring that these

 8  programs do not unknowingly create, maintain, or reinforce

 9  gender roles or relations that may be damaging.

10         (c)  The Office of Program Policy Analysis and

11  Government Accountability shall conduct an analysis of

12  programs for young females within the Department of Juvenile

13  Justice. The analysis shall address the nature of young female

14  offenders in this state, the percentage of young females who

15  are incarcerated in the juvenile justice system for status

16  offenses and violations of probation, and whether these young

17  females could be better served in less costly community-based

18  programs. In addition, the review shall analyze whether

19  existing juvenile justice programs are designed to meet the

20  gender-specific needs of young females and an analysis of the

21  true cost of providing gender-specific services to young

22  females.

23         Section 2.  For the purpose of incorporating the

24  amendment to section 985.02, Florida Statutes, in references

25  thereto, subsections (1) and (3) of section 985.3045, Florida

26  Statutes, are reenacted to read:

27         985.3045  Prevention service program; monitoring;

28  report; uniform performance measures.--

29         (1)  The department's prevention service program shall

30  monitor all state-funded programs, grants, appropriations, or

31  activities that are designed to prevent juvenile crime,


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 1  delinquency, gang membership, or status offense behaviors and

 2  all state-funded programs, grants, appropriations, or

 3  activities that are designed to prevent a child from becoming

 4  a "child in need of services," as defined in chapter 984, in

 5  order to inform the Governor and the Legislature concerning

 6  efforts designed to further the policy of the state concerning

 7  juvenile justice and delinquency prevention, consistent with

 8  ss. 984.02 and 985.02.

 9         (3)  The department shall expend funds related to the

10  prevention of juvenile delinquency in a manner consistent with

11  the policies expressed in ss. 984.02 and 985.02. The

12  department shall expend said funds in a manner that maximizes

13  public accountability and ensures the documentation of

14  outcomes.

15         (a)  All entities that receive or use state moneys to

16  fund juvenile delinquency prevention services through

17  contracts or grants with the department shall design the

18  programs providing such services to further one or more of the

19  strategies specified in paragraphs (2)(a)-(d).

20         (b)  The department shall develop an outcome measure

21  for each program strategy specified in paragraphs (2)(a)-(d)

22  that logically relates to the risk factor addressed by the

23  strategy.

24         (c)  All entities that receive or use state moneys to

25  fund the juvenile delinquency prevention services through

26  contracts or grants with the department shall, as a condition

27  of receipt of state funds, provide the department with

28  personal demographic information concerning all participants

29  in the service sufficient to allow the department to verify

30  criminal or delinquent history information, school attendance

31  


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 1  or academic information, employment information, or other

 2  requested performance information.

 3         Section 3.  Paragraph (g) of subsection (2) of section

 4  1003.51, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:

 5         1003.51  Other public educational services.--

 6         (2)  The State Board of Education shall adopt and

 7  maintain an administrative rule articulating expectations for

 8  effective education programs for youth in Department of

 9  Juvenile Justice programs, including, but not limited to,

10  education programs in juvenile justice commitment and

11  detention facilities. The rule shall articulate policies and

12  standards for education programs for youth in Department of

13  Juvenile Justice programs and shall include the following:

14         (g)  Funding requirements, which shall include the

15  requirement that at least 90 80 percent of the FEFP funds

16  generated by students in Department of Juvenile Justice

17  programs be spent on instructional costs for those students.

18  One hundred percent of the formula-based categorical funds

19  generated by students in Department of Juvenile Justice

20  programs must be spent on appropriate categoricals such as

21  instructional materials and public school technology for those

22  students.

23         Section 4.  Subsections (1), (2), (3), (4), (9), (10),

24  (12), (19), (20), (21), (22), and (23) of section 1003.52,

25  Florida Statutes, are amended to read:

26         1003.52  Educational services in Department of Juvenile

27  Justice programs.--

28         (1)  The Legislature finds that education is the single

29  most important factor in the rehabilitation of adjudicated

30  delinquent youth in the custody of the Department of Juvenile

31  Justice programs in detention or commitment facilities. It is


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 1  the goal of the Legislature that youth in the juvenile justice

 2  system continue to be allowed the opportunity to obtain a high

 3  quality education. The Department of Education shall serve as

 4  the lead agency for juvenile justice education programs,

 5  curriculum, support services, and resources. To this end, the

 6  Department of Education and the Department of Juvenile Justice

 7  shall each designate a Coordinator for Juvenile Justice

 8  Education Programs to serve as the point of contact for

 9  resolving issues not addressed by district school boards and

10  to provide each department's participation in the following

11  activities:

12         (a)  Training, collaborating, and coordinating with the

13  Department of Juvenile Justice, district school boards,

14  educational contract providers, and juvenile justice

15  providers, whether state operated or contracted.

16         (b)  Collecting information on the academic performance

17  of students in juvenile justice commitment and detention

18  programs and reporting on the results.

19         (c)  Developing academic and career and technical

20  protocols that provide guidance to district school boards and

21  providers in all aspects of education programming, including

22  records transfer and transition.

23         (d)  Prescribing the roles of program personnel and

24  interdepartmental district school board or provider

25  collaboration strategies.

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27  Annually, a cooperative agreement and plan for juvenile

28  justice education service enhancement shall be developed

29  between the Department of Juvenile Justice and the Department

30  of Education and submitted to the Secretary of Juvenile

31  Justice and the Commissioner of Education by June 30.


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 1         (2)  Students participating in Department of Juvenile

 2  Justice programs a detention, commitment, or rehabilitation

 3  program pursuant to chapter 985 which are is sponsored by a

 4  community-based agency or are is operated or contracted for by

 5  the Department of Juvenile Justice shall receive educational

 6  programs according to rules of the State Board of Education.

 7  These students shall be eligible for services afforded to

 8  students enrolled in programs pursuant to s. 1003.53 and all

 9  corresponding State Board of Education rules.

10         (3)  The district school board of the county in which

11  the residential or nonresidential care facility or juvenile

12  assessment facility is located shall provide appropriate

13  educational assessments and an appropriate program of

14  instruction and special education services.

15         (a)  The district school board shall make provisions

16  for each student to participate in basic, career and technical

17  education, and exceptional student education programs as

18  appropriate. Students served in Department of Juvenile Justice

19  programs shall have access to the appropriate courses and

20  instruction to prepare them for the GED test. Students

21  participating in GED preparation programs shall be funded at

22  the basic program cost factor for Department of Juvenile

23  Justice programs in the Florida Education Finance Program. A

24  school district shall make the GED exit option available to

25  any student in a juvenile justice program. Each program shall

26  be conducted according to applicable law providing for the

27  operation of public schools and rules of the State Board of

28  Education.

29         (b)  The Department of Education shall take the

30  necessary steps to identify and select a uniform entry and

31  


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 1  exit assessment instrument or instruments to use in juvenile

 2  justice education programs during the 2005-2006 school year.

 3         (4)  Educational services shall be provided at times of

 4  the day most appropriate for the juvenile justice program.

 5  School programming in juvenile justice detention, commitment,

 6  and rehabilitation programs shall be made available by the

 7  local school district during the juvenile justice school year,

 8  as defined in s. 1003.01(11)(12). In addition, students in

 9  juvenile justice education programs shall have access to

10  Florida Virtual School courses. The Department of Education

11  and the school districts shall adopt policies necessary to

12  ensure such access.

13         (9)  The Department of Education shall ensure that all

14  district school boards make provisions for high school level

15  committed youth to earn credits toward high school graduation

16  while in residential and nonresidential juvenile justice

17  facilities. Provisions must be made for the transfer of

18  credits and partial credits earned.

19         (10)  The district school board shall recruit and train

20  teachers who are interested, qualified, or experienced in

21  educating students in juvenile justice programs. Students in

22  juvenile justice programs shall be provided a wide range of

23  educational programs and opportunities including textbooks,

24  technology, instructional support, and other resources

25  available to students in public schools. Teachers assigned to

26  educational programs in juvenile justice settings in which the

27  district school board operates the educational program shall

28  be selected by the district school board in consultation with

29  the director of the juvenile justice facility. Educational

30  programs in juvenile justice facilities shall have access to

31  the substitute teacher pool utilized by the district school


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 1  board. Full-time teachers working in juvenile justice schools,

 2  whether employed by a district school board or a provider,

 3  shall be eligible for the critical teacher shortage tuition

 4  reimbursement program as defined by s. 1009.58 and other

 5  teacher recruitment and retention programs.

 6         (12)  The district school board shall fund the

 7  educational program in a Department of Juvenile Justice

 8  facility at the same or higher level of funding for equivalent

 9  students in the district school system based on the funds

10  generated by state funding through the Florida Education

11  Finance Program for such students. It is the intent of the

12  Legislature that the school district maximize its available

13  local, state, and federal funding to a juvenile justice

14  program.

15         (a)  Juvenile justice educational programs shall be

16  funded in the appropriate FEFP program based on the

17  educational services needed by the student for Department of

18  Juvenile Justice programs in accordance with s. 1011.62.

19         (b)  Juvenile justice educational programs to receive

20  the appropriate FEFP funding for Department of Juvenile

21  Justice programs shall include those operated through a

22  contract with the Department of Juvenile Justice and which are

23  under purview of the Department of Juvenile Justice quality

24  assurance standards for education.

25         (c)  Consistent with the rules of the State Board of

26  Education, district school boards are required to request an

27  alternative FTE survey for Department of Juvenile Justice

28  programs experiencing fluctuations in student enrollment.

29         (d)  FTE count periods shall be prescribed in rules of

30  the State Board of Education and shall be the same for

31  programs of the Department of Juvenile Justice as for other


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 1  public school programs. The summer school period for students

 2  in Department of Juvenile Justice programs shall begin on the

 3  day immediately following the end of the regular school year

 4  and end on the day immediately preceding the subsequent

 5  regular school year. Students shall be funded for no more than

 6  25 hours per week of direct instruction.

 7         (e)  When establishing priorities for the allocation of

 8  federal funds, the district school board must ensure that

 9  eligible students enrolled in juvenile justice education

10  programs receive an equitable allocation of those funds.

11         (19)  Department of Juvenile Justice detention and

12  commitment programs may be designated as second chance schools

13  pursuant to s. 1003.53(1)(d). Admission to such programs shall

14  be governed by chapter 985.

15         (19)(20)  The Department of Education and the

16  Department of Juvenile Justice, after consultation with and

17  assistance from local providers and district school boards,

18  shall report annually to the Legislature by February 1 on the

19  progress toward developing effective educational programs for

20  juvenile delinquents, including the amount of funding provided

21  by district school boards to juvenile justice programs, the

22  amount retained for administration including documenting the

23  purposes for such expenses, the status of the development of

24  cooperative agreements, the results of the quality assurance

25  reviews including recommendations for system improvement, and

26  information on the identification of, and services provided

27  to, exceptional students in juvenile justice commitment

28  facilities to determine whether these students are properly

29  reported for funding and are appropriately served.

30         (20)(21)  The educational programs at the Arthur Dozier

31  School for Boys in Jackson County and the Florida School for


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 1  Boys in Okeechobee shall be operated by the Department of

 2  Education, either directly or through grants or contractual

 3  agreements with other public or duly accredited education

 4  agencies approved by the Department of Education.

 5         (21)(22)  The State Board of Education may adopt any

 6  rules necessary to implement the provisions of this section,

 7  including uniform curriculum, funding, and second chance

 8  schools. Such rules must shall require the minimum amount of

 9  paperwork and reporting.

10         (22)(23)  The Department of Juvenile Justice and the

11  Department of Education shall, in consultation with Workforce

12  Florida, Inc., the statewide Workforce Development Youth

13  Council, district school boards, community colleges,

14  providers, and others, shall jointly develop a multiagency

15  plan for career and technical education which describes the

16  funding, curriculum, transfer of credits, goals, and outcome

17  measures for career and technical education programming in

18  juvenile commitment facilities, pursuant to s. 985.3155. The

19  plan must be reviewed annually.

20         Section 5.  Paragraph (a) of subsection (3) of section

21  1010.20, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:

22         1010.20  Cost accounting and reporting for school

23  districts.--

24         (3)  PROGRAM EXPENDITURE REQUIREMENTS.--

25         (a)  Each district shall expend at least the percent of

26  the funds generated by each of the programs listed in this

27  section on the aggregate total school costs for such programs:

28         1.  Kindergarten and grades 1, 2, and 3, 90 percent.

29         2.  Grades 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8, 80 percent.

30         3.  Grades 9, 10, 11, and 12, 80 percent.

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 1         4.  Programs for exceptional students, on an aggregate

 2  program basis, 90 percent.

 3         5.  Grades 7 through 12 career and technical education

 4  programs, on an aggregate program basis, 80 percent.

 5         6.  Students-at-risk programs, on an aggregate program

 6  basis, 80 percent.

 7         7.  Juvenile justice programs, on an aggregate program

 8  basis, 90 80 percent.

 9         8.  Any new program established and funded under s.

10  1011.62(1)(c), that is not included under subparagraphs 1.-7.

11  1.-6., on an aggregate basis as appropriate, 80 percent.

12         Section 6.  The Department of Education and the

13  Department of Juvenile Justice, in collaboration with the

14  school districts, juvenile justice education providers, and

15  the Florida Juvenile Justice Association, shall convene a

16  workgroup to suggest strategies for meeting the requirements

17  of the federal No Child Left Behind Act and for rewarding

18  juvenile justice education programs for high performance based

19  on positive student outcomes. The Department of Education

20  shall report the findings of the workgroup to the President of

21  the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives by

22  December 1, 2004.

23         Section 7.  Subsection (3) of section 985.412, Florida

24  Statutes, is amended to read:

25         985.412  Quality assurance and cost-effectiveness.--

26         (3)  The department shall annually collect and report

27  cost data for every program operated or contracted by the

28  department. The cost data shall conform to a format approved

29  by the department and the Legislature. Uniform cost data shall

30  be reported and collected for state-operated and contracted

31  programs so that comparisons can be made among programs. The


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 1  department shall ensure that there is accurate cost accounting

 2  for state-operated services including market-equivalent rent

 3  and other shared cost. The cost of the educational program

 4  provided to a residential facility shall be reported and

 5  included in the cost of a program. The department shall submit

 6  an annual cost report to the President of the Senate, the

 7  Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Minority Leader

 8  of each house of the Legislature, the appropriate substantive

 9  and fiscal committees of each house of the Legislature, and

10  the Governor, no later than December 1 of each year.

11  Cost-benefit analysis for educational programs will be

12  developed and implemented in collaboration with and in

13  cooperation with the Department of Education, local providers,

14  and local school districts. Cost data for the report shall

15  include data collected by the Department of Education for the

16  purposes of preparing the annual report required by s.

17  1003.52(19)(20).

18         Section 8.  Paragraph (e) of subsection (16) of section

19  1001.42, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:

20         1001.42  Powers and duties of district school

21  board.--The district school board, acting as a board, shall

22  exercise all powers and perform all duties listed below:

23         (16)  IMPLEMENT SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT AND

24  ACCOUNTABILITY.--Maintain a system of school improvement and

25  education accountability as provided by statute and State

26  Board of Education rule. This system of school improvement and

27  education accountability shall be consistent with, and

28  implemented through, the district's continuing system of

29  planning and budgeting required by this section and ss.

30  1008.385, 1010.01, and 1011.01. This system of school

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 1  improvement and education accountability shall include, but is

 2  not limited to, the following:

 3         (e)  Public disclosure.--Provide information regarding

 4  performance of students and educational programs as required

 5  pursuant to ss. 1008.22 and 1008.385 and implement a system of

 6  school reports as required by statute and State Board of

 7  Education rule that shall include schools operating for the

 8  purpose of providing educational services to youth in

 9  Department of Juvenile Justice programs, and for those

10  schools, report on the elements specified in s.

11  1003.52(19)(20). Annual public disclosure reports shall be in

12  an easy-to-read report card format and shall include the

13  school's student and school performance grade category

14  designation and performance data as specified in state board

15  rule.

16         Section 9.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2004.

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