| 1 | A bill to be entitled |
| 2 | An act relating to the John M. McKay Scholarships for |
| 3 | Students with Disabilities Program; amending s. 1002.39, |
| 4 | F.S.; authorizing a John M. McKay Scholarship to fund a |
| 5 | home-based early intervention program for a child with an |
| 6 | Autism Spectrum Disorder; providing an exemption from an |
| 7 | attendance requirement; providing program requirements; |
| 8 | specifying uses for scholarship funds; authorizing a John |
| 9 | M. McKay Scholarship to fund certain community-based |
| 10 | services for a public school student with an Autism |
| 11 | Spectrum Disorder; defining the term "Autism Spectrum |
| 12 | Disorder"; providing an effective date. |
| 13 |
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| 14 | Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: |
| 15 |
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| 16 | Section 1. Subsection (8) of section 1002.39, Florida |
| 17 | Statutes, is renumbered as subsection (9) and a new subsection |
| 18 | (8) is added to said section to read: |
| 19 | 1002.39 The John M. McKay Scholarships for Students with |
| 20 | Disabilities Program.--There is established a program that is |
| 21 | separate and distinct from the Opportunity Scholarship Program |
| 22 | and is named the John M. McKay Scholarships for Students with |
| 23 | Disabilities Program, pursuant to this section. |
| 24 | (8)(a) Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, the |
| 25 | parent of a child with an Autism Spectrum Disorder may receive a |
| 26 | John M. McKay Scholarship to fund a home-based Early Intensive |
| 27 | Behavioral Intervention (EIBI) Program for the child. Such child |
| 28 | shall not be required to have spent the prior school year in |
| 29 | attendance at a Florida public school for receipt of a |
| 30 | scholarship. |
| 31 | (b) The EIBI Program must be: |
| 32 | 1. Recommended by a physician or the Early Steps Family |
| 33 | Support Team for EIBI as the most effective treatment option for |
| 34 | the child. |
| 35 | 2. Planned and regularly supervised by a person who is, at |
| 36 | minimum, a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA). |
| 37 | 3. Provided in the family home with a weekly schedule of |
| 38 | educational activities. |
| 39 | (c) A John M. McKay Scholarship may be used to pay for or |
| 40 | reimburse the following: |
| 41 | 1. Assessment, program planning, staff and parent |
| 42 | training, and supervision by the BCBA. |
| 43 | 2. Direct intervention with the child by the BCBA. |
| 44 | 3. Services of a person who possesses an associate degree |
| 45 | or higher and who has completed 15 hours of training in the EIBI |
| 46 | Program. |
| 47 | 4. Training manuals and books and teaching and learning |
| 48 | materials essential for establishing and maintaining the EIBI |
| 49 | Program. |
| 50 | (d) A student with an Autism Spectrum Disorder who is at |
| 51 | least 14 but not more than 22 years of age and in the public |
| 52 | school system is eligible for a John M. McKay Scholarship to pay |
| 53 | for services provided by a community-based organization for or |
| 54 | related to career or life skills preparation. |
| 55 | (e) The term "Autism Spectrum Disorder" means one of the |
| 56 | five specific diagnoses enumerated in the DSM-IV for Pervasive |
| 57 | Developmental Disorders which are: Autistic Disorder; Asperger's |
| 58 | Disorder; Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise |
| 59 | Specified (PDDNOS); Childhood Disintegrative Disorder; and |
| 60 | Rett's Disorder. |
| 61 | Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2005. |