HB 0563 2004
1	A bill to be entitled
2	An act relating to education; creating the Harnessing the
3	Power of Education Technology Advisory Council; providing
4	for membership, powers, and duties; requiring a report;
5	providing an effective date.
6
7	Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
8
9	Section 1. (1) The Harnessing the Power of Education
10	Technology Advisory Council is created, for administrative
11	purposes, within the Department of Education.
12	(2) The purpose of the council is to recommend policies
13	and actions regarding the use of technology in public education,
14	how technology can be leveraged to positively impact student
15	academic achievement, and how school-based deployments can
16	effectively bridge the digital divide.
17	(3) The council shall be composed of 15 members as
18	follows:
19	(a) The Commissioner of Education, who shall serve as
20	chair.
21	(b) Two representatives appointed by the Governor.
22	(c) Three members of the Senate, including the chair of
23	the Education Committee, a member of the minority party
24	recommended by the minority leader, and a member chosen by the
25	President of the Senate.
26	(d) Three members of the House of Representatives,
27	including the chair of the Education Committee, a member of the
28	minority party recommended by the minority leader, and a member
29	chosen by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
30	(e) The President of the Florida Association of District
31	School Superintendents.
32	(f) The President of the Florida Education Association.
33	(g) Two representatives who are education/technology
34	coordinators for local school districts. One representative must
35	be from an urban district and one must be from a rural district.
36	(h) The President of the Florida Chamber of Commerce.
37	(i) The President of the Florida School Boards
38	Association.
39
40	Each member may appoint a designee to serve on his or her
41	behalf. However, any designee must be in a position that reports
42	directly to the member.
43	(4) Members of the council shall be appointed to terms
44	beginning July 1, 2004, and ending December 31, 2005. A member
45	may be removed by the appointing officer for cause or for being
46	absent from three consecutive meetings. Any member appointed to
47	fill a vacancy shall serve for the unexpired term of his or her
48	predecessor.
49	(5) The council shall meet at least quarterly, but may
50	meet upon the call of the chair. All actions taken by the
51	council shall be based upon approval by a simple majority of
52	those members present.
53	(6) Members of the council shall be reimbursed for per
54	diem and travel expenses as provided in section 112.061, Florida
55	Statutes. Members who are state officers or employees may be
56	reimbursed for such expenses by their respective agencies.
57	(7) The council shall:
58	(a) Examine large-scale, innovative education technology
59	initiatives, specifically regarding wireless mobile computing
60	devices, and shall analyze the impact that such initiatives have
61	on teaching, learning, and student achievement, including
62	standardized testing.
63	(b) Study the impact that the initiatives have had on
64	bridging the digital divide.
65	(c) Develop effective methods of measuring student
66	achievement and learning using technology.
67	(d) Recommend a statewide public-private initiative to the
68	Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the
69	House of Representatives regarding the effective use of
70	technology to improve student academic achievement.
71	(e) Create ad hoc issue-oriented workgroups to make
72	recommendations to the council and the Governor. Such workgroups
73	may include representatives of the private sector and of the
74	public sector.
75	(f) Identify and recommend to the Governor, the President
76	of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives
77	sources for funding the initiative.
78	Section 2. The council shall submit a report to the
79	Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the
80	House of Representatives by October 15, 2005.
81	Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2004.