Senate Bill sb0508
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Florida Senate - 2004 SB 508
By Senator Wise
5-673-04
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to the Jobs for Florida's
3 Graduates Act; amending s. 446.609, F.S.;
4 deleting provisions authorizing the Department
5 of Education and the Commissioner of Education
6 to oversee the activities of the board of
7 directors of the Florida Endowment Foundation
8 for Florida's Graduates; revising the selection
9 criteria for schools chosen to participate in
10 the program; revising the goals of the Jobs for
11 Florida's Graduates Program; requiring the
12 board of directors to conduct an annual
13 financial audit of the foundation; deleting
14 provisions requiring the program to conduct a
15 review and deliver to the Office of Program
16 Policy Analysis and Government Accountability a
17 report of the program's activities; deleting
18 provisions requiring the Office of Economic and
19 Demographic Research to study the overall
20 efficacy of the program; providing an effective
21 date.
22
23 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
24
25 Section 1. Section 446.609, Florida Statutes, is
26 amended to read:
27 446.609 Jobs for Florida's Graduates Act.--
28 (1) SHORT TITLE.--This section may be cited as the
29 "Jobs for Florida's Graduates Act."
30 (2) DEFINITIONS.--For the purposes of this section:
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1 (a) "Board" means the board of directors of the
2 Florida Endowment Foundation for Florida's Graduates.
3 (b) "Department" means the Department of Education.
4 (b)(c) "Endowment fund" means an account established
5 within the Florida Endowment Foundation for Florida's
6 Graduates to provide a continuing and growing source of
7 revenue for school-to-work transition efforts.
8 (c)(d) "Foundation" means the Florida Endowment
9 Foundation for Florida's Graduates.
10 (d)(e) "Operating account" means an account
11 established under paragraph (7)(h) to carry out the purposes
12 of this section.
13 (3) LEGISLATIVE INTENT.--The Legislature recognizes
14 that it is in the best interest of the citizens of this state
15 that the state have a well-educated and skilled workforce to
16 be competitive in a changing economy. It is the intent of the
17 Legislature to meet the challenge of ensuring a skilled
18 workforce by creating a formal program to facilitate the
19 important school-to-work transition and to provide additional
20 funding to achieve this goal. Accordingly, the Legislature
21 finds and declares that:
22 (a) The purpose of this section is to broaden the
23 participation and funding potential for further significant
24 support for Florida students who are approaching the
25 transition from school to work.
26 (b) It is appropriate to encourage individual and
27 corporate support and involvement, as well as state support
28 and involvement, to promote employment opportunities for
29 Florida's students.
30 (4) PROGRAM.--There is hereby created a school-to-work
31 program, to be known as Jobs for Florida's Graduates, which
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1 shall, except as otherwise provided by law or by rule of the
2 Department of Education, be operated in accordance with the
3 process and outcome standards of Jobs for America's Graduates,
4 Inc. To that end, the board shall enter into a sponsoring
5 agreement with Jobs for America's Graduates, Inc., to carry
6 out the Jobs for America's Graduates model within the state.
7 (a) The goal of the program shall be to have a minimum
8 of 300 high schools participating in the program.
9 (a)(b) The schools chosen by the board to participate
10 in the program should must represent a demographically
11 balanced sample population, include both urban and rural
12 schools, and be comprised of schools in as many, including
13 charter schools, in all geographic areas of the state as
14 economically feasible. Each school selected to participate
15 shall enter into a formal written agreement with the board
16 which, at a minimum, details the responsibilities of each
17 party and the process and outcome goals of the Jobs for
18 Florida's Graduates Program.
19 (b)(c) Students shall be selected and approved for
20 participation in the program by the educational institutions
21 in which they are enrolled, and such selection and approval
22 shall be based on their being classified as at-risk students
23 pursuant to the Jobs for America's Graduates model.
24 (5) THE FLORIDA ENDOWMENT FOUNDATION FOR FLORIDA'S
25 GRADUATES.--
26 (a) The Florida Endowment Foundation for Florida's
27 Graduates is created to encourage public and private support
28 to enhance school-to-work transition and shall be:
29 1. A Florida corporation not for profit which is
30 incorporated under the provisions of chapter 617 and approved
31 by the Department of State.
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1 2. Organized and operated exclusively to do the
2 following: raise funds; submit requests and receive grants
3 from the Federal Government, the state, private foundations,
4 and individuals; receive, hold, and administer property; and
5 make expenditures to or for the benefit of school-to-work
6 transition programs approved by the board of directors of the
7 foundation.
8 (b) The foundation shall:
9 1. Develop articles of incorporation.
10 2. Create a board of directors appointed by the
11 Commissioner of Education.
12 3. Perform an annual financial and performance review
13 to determine if the foundation is operating in a manner
14 consistent with the goals of the Legislature in providing
15 assistance for school-to-work transitions.
16 4. Provide a mechanism for the reversion to the state
17 of moneys in the foundation and in any other funds and
18 accounts held in trust by the foundation if the foundation is
19 dissolved.
20 (6) BOARD OF DIRECTORS.--The foundation shall be
21 administered by a board of directors, as follows:
22 (a) The board shall consist of at least 15 members, a
23 majority of which shall be from the private sector. The chair
24 shall be from the private sector.
25 (b) All members shall have an interest in
26 school-to-work transition and, insofar as is practicable,
27 shall:
28 1. Have skills in foundation work or other fundraising
29 activities, financial consulting, or investment banking or
30 other related experience; or
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1 2. Have experience in policymaking or senior
2 management level positions or have distinguished themselves in
3 the fields of education, business, or industry.
4 (c) Initially, the chair and all board members shall
5 be appointed by the Commissioner of Education. Effective July
6 1, 2001, all reappointments shall be made by a membership
7 committee comprised of current board members.
8 1. The chair shall be appointed for a term of 2 years
9 and may be reappointed. However, no chair may serve more than
10 6 consecutive years.
11 2. Board members shall be appointed to serve for
12 3-year terms or until resignation or removal for cause, except
13 that members appointed to serve initial terms shall be
14 appointed for staggered terms of 1, 2, and 3 years,
15 respectively.
16 (d) In the event of a vacancy on the board caused by
17 an occurrence other than the expiration of a term, a new
18 member shall be appointed.
19 (e) Each member is accountable to the Commissioner of
20 Education for the proper performance of the duties of office.
21 The commissioner may remove any member from office for
22 malfeasance, misfeasance, neglect of duty, incompetence, or
23 permanent inability to perform official duties or for pleading
24 nolo contendere to, or being found guilty of, a crime.
25 (7) ORGANIZATION, POWERS, AND DUTIES.--Within the
26 limits prescribed in this section or by rule of the
27 department:
28 (a) Upon appointment, the board shall meet and
29 organize. Thereafter, The board shall hold such meetings as
30 are necessary to implement the provisions of this section and
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1 shall conduct its business in accordance with rules
2 promulgated by the department.
3 (b) The board may solicit and receive bequests, gifts,
4 grants, donations, goods, and services. When gifts are
5 restricted as to purpose, they may be used only for the
6 purpose or purposes stated by the donor.
7 (c) The board may enter into contracts with the
8 Federal Government, state or local agencies, private entities,
9 or individuals to carry out the purposes of this section.
10 (d) The board may identify, initiate, and fund Jobs
11 for Florida's Graduates programs to carry out the purposes of
12 this section.
13 (e) The board may make gifts or grants:
14 1. To the state, or any political subdivision thereof,
15 or any public agency of state or local government.
16 2. To a corporation, trust, association, or foundation
17 organized and operated exclusively for charitable,
18 educational, or scientific purposes.
19 3. To the department for purposes of program
20 recognition and marketing, public relations and education,
21 professional development, and technical assistance and
22 workshops for grant applicants and recipients and the business
23 community.
24 (f) The board may advertise and solicit applications
25 for funding and shall evaluate applications and program
26 proposals submitted thereto.
27 (g) The board shall monitor, review, and annually
28 evaluate funded programs to determine whether funding should
29 be continued, terminated, reduced, or increased.
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1 (h) The board shall establish an operating account for
2 the deposit of funds to be used in carrying out the purposes
3 of this section.
4 (i) The board shall operate the Jobs for Florida's
5 Graduates Program in such a way as, and shall recommend to the
6 Department of Education the adoption of such rules as may be
7 necessary, to ensure that the following outcome goals are met:
8 1. In year 1:
9 1.a. The statewide graduation rates, or GED test
10 completion rates, of participants in the Jobs for Florida's
11 Graduates Program shall be at least 82 percent by June 30 of
12 the year following the end of the academic year in which the
13 participants' respective high school classes graduated.
14 2.b. By June 30 of the year following the end of the
15 academic year in which the participants' respective high
16 school classes graduated, 70 to 75 percent of graduated
17 working participants in the Jobs for Florida's Graduates
18 Program shall be employed full time in the civilian sector or
19 the military or enrolled in postsecondary training education,
20 or any combination of these that together are equivalent to
21 full time.
22 3.c. By June 30 of the year following the end of the
23 academic year in which the participants' respective high
24 school classes graduated, the average wage of graduated
25 participants in the Jobs for Florida's Graduates Program who
26 are working shall be at or above the national average wage for
27 all participants in programs affiliated with Jobs for
28 America's Graduates, Inc.
29 2. In year 2:
30 a. The statewide graduation rates, or GED test
31 completion rates, of participants in the Jobs for Florida's
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1 Graduates Program shall be at least 85 percent by June 30 of
2 the year following the end of the academic year in which the
3 participants' respective high school classes graduated.
4 b. By June 30 of the year following the end of the
5 academic year in which the participants' respective high
6 school classes graduated, 75 to 78 percent of graduated
7 working participants in the Jobs for Florida's Graduates
8 Program shall be employed full time in the civilian sector or
9 the military or enrolled in postsecondary training education,
10 or any combination of these that together are equivalent to
11 full time.
12 c. By June 30 of the year following the end of the
13 academic year in which the participants' respective high
14 school classes graduated, the average wage of graduated
15 participants in the Jobs for Florida's Graduates Program who
16 are working shall be at or above the national average wage for
17 all participants in programs affiliated with Jobs for
18 America's Graduates, Inc.
19 3. In years 3 through 5:
20 a. The statewide graduation rates, or GED test
21 completion rates, of participants in the Jobs for Florida's
22 Graduates Program shall be at least 90 percent by June 30 of
23 the year following the end of the academic year in which the
24 participants' respective high school classes graduated.
25 b. By June 30 of the year following the end of the
26 academic year in which the participants' respective high
27 school classes graduated, 80 percent of graduated working
28 participants in the Jobs for Florida's Graduates Program shall
29 be employed full time in the civilian sector or the military
30 or enrolled in postsecondary training education, or any
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1 combination of these that together are equivalent to full
2 time.
3 c. By June 30 of the year following the end of the
4 academic year in which the participants' respective high
5 school classes graduated, the average wage of graduated
6 participants in the Jobs for Florida's Graduates Program who
7 are working shall be at or above the national average wage for
8 all participants in programs affiliated with Jobs for
9 America's Graduates, Inc.
10 (j) The board may take such additional actions,
11 including independently organizing and conducting hiring
12 practices, as are deemed necessary and appropriate to
13 administer the provisions of this section. To the maximum
14 extent possible, the board shall hire Jobs for Florida's
15 Graduates Program staff who operate in selected schools to
16 fill necessary staff positions and shall provide for salary,
17 benefits, discipline, evaluation, or discharge according to a
18 contractual agreement. These positions shall not be state
19 employee positions.
20 (8) ACCREDITATION.--The board shall request and
21 contract with the national accreditation process of Jobs for
22 America's Graduates, Inc., to ensure the viability and
23 efficacy of the individual school-based Jobs for Florida's
24 Graduates programs in the state.
25 (9) ANNUAL AUDIT.--The board shall conduct provide for
26 an annual financial audit of the foundation in accordance with
27 s. 215.981.
28 (10) ASSESSMENT OF PROGRAM RESULTS.--The success of
29 the Jobs for Florida's Graduates Program shall be assessed as
30 follows:
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1 (a) No later than November 1 of each year of the Jobs
2 for Florida's Graduates Program, Jobs for America's Graduates,
3 Inc., shall conduct and deliver to the Office of Program
4 Policy Analysis and Government Accountability a full review
5 and report of the program's activities. The Office of Program
6 Policy Analysis and Government Accountability shall audit and
7 review the report and deliver the report, along with its
8 analysis and any recommendations for expansion, curtailment,
9 modification, or continuation, to the board not later than
10 December 31 of the same year.
11 (b) Beginning in the first year of the Jobs for
12 Florida's Graduates Program, the Office of Economic and
13 Demographic Research shall undertake, during the initial
14 phase, an ongoing longitudinal study of participants to
15 determine the overall efficacy of the program. The division
16 shall transmit its findings each year to the Office of Program
17 Policy Analysis and Government Accountability for inclusion in
18 the report provided for in paragraph (a).
19 (10)(11) ANNUAL REPORT.--The board shall issue a
20 report to the Governor, the President of the Senate, the
21 Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the Commissioner
22 of Education by March 1, 2000, and each year thereafter,
23 summarizing the foundation's fundraising activities and
24 performance and detailing those activities and programs
25 supported by bequests, gifts, grants, donations, and other
26 valued goods and services received.
27 (12) RULES.--The department shall adopt rules to
28 implement this section.
29 Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2004.
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2 SENATE SUMMARY
3 Removes the authority of the Department of Education and
the Commissioner of Education to administer the Jobs for
4 Florida's Graduates Act. Revises the goals of the Jobs
for Florida's Graduates Program. Provides for an annual
5 financial audit of the foundation. Deletes requirements
for the program to conduct a full review of the program's
6 activities and deliver a report. Deletes requirements
that the Office of Economic and Demographic Research
7 undertake an ongoing study of the program.
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