Senate Bill sb2480c2

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    Florida Senate - 2005                    CS for CS for SB 2480

    By the Committees on Education Appropriations; Education; and
    Senators Lynn, Haridopolos, Baker, Sebesta, Peaden and Bennett




    602-2383-05

  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to education; amending s.

  3         1001.03, F.S., relating to the powers of the

  4         State Board of Education; requiring the State

  5         Board of Education to periodically review the

  6         Sunshine State Standards; creating s. 1001.215,

  7         F.S.; creating the Just Read, Florida! Office

  8         within the Department of Education; providing

  9         duties of the office; amending s. 1001.42,

10         F.S., relating to powers and duties of a

11         district school board; revising the

12         requirements for school improvement plans;

13         creating s. 1002.385, F.S.; creating the

14         Reading Compact Scholarships Program; providing

15         scholarships to attend a public or private

16         school to students who have scored at Level 1

17         on the reading portion of the Florida

18         Comprehensive Assessment Test for 3 consecutive

19         years; providing an opportunity for screening

20         to identify reading disabilities; providing

21         scholarship eligibility requirements;

22         specifying scholarship obligations for

23         participating public and private schools and

24         parents and students; providing for scholarship

25         funding and payment; directing the Department

26         of Education and the Commissioner of Education

27         to administer the scholarship program; limiting

28         the liability of the state; providing

29         rulemaking authority; creating s. 1002.421,

30         F.S.; prescribing requirements of private

31         schools participating in state school choice

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 1         scholarship programs; requiring compliance with

 2         requirements relating to notice, student

 3         enrollment and attendance verification, fiscal

 4         soundness, academic assessment, and

 5         criminal-background checks and to applicable

 6         state and local health, safety, and welfare

 7         laws, codes, and rules; providing grounds for

 8         ineligibility to participate in certain

 9         scholarship programs; providing rulemaking

10         authority to the State Board of Education;

11         creating s. 1002.423, F.S.; prescribing

12         obligations of the Department of Education for

13         education scholarship programs; requiring the

14         department to identify certain assessments;

15         requiring the department to select a private

16         research organization to which private schools

17         report student scores; providing reporting

18         requirements; amending s. 1003.03, F.S.;

19         revising dates for implementation of class size

20         maximums; creating s. 1003.035, F.S.; providing

21         for the contingent application of the section

22         upon the adoption of an amendment to the State

23         Constitution; prescribing district average

24         class size limitations for grades

25         prekindergarten through 3, grades 4 through 8,

26         and grades 9 through 12; requiring the

27         Department of Education to annually calculate

28         class size measures based on a specified

29         student-membership survey; providing

30         implementation options; providing for

31         accountability and for transfer of funds in

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 1         certain circumstances; providing for the

 2         department redrawing attendance zones in

 3         certain circumstances; amending s. 1003.05,

 4         F.S.; relating to military families; limiting

 5         certain enrollment opportunities; creating s.

 6         1003.413, F.S.; requiring school districts to

 7         adopt certain reading policies in high schools;

 8         requiring that certain high schools offer

 9         specific support services for students scoring

10         at Level 1 on the FCAT reading test; creating a

11         high school task force; providing membership;

12         providing reporting requirements; amending s.

13         1003.415, F.S., relating to the Middle School

14         Grades Reform Act; revising legislative intent;

15         deleting obsolete references; creating s.

16         1003.4155, F.S.; establishing a grading system

17         for middle schools; creating s. 1003.4156,

18         F.S.; establishing general requirements for

19         promotion from middle school; requiring the

20         successful completion of 12 academic credits in

21         certain courses; requiring an intensive reading

22         course under certain circumstances; defining a

23         middle school academic credit for purposes of

24         the section; requiring district school boards

25         to adopt policies for alternatives to obtain

26         credits; amending s. 1003.42, F.S., relating to

27         required instruction; revising and increasing

28         the requirements for studying U.S. history and

29         free enterprise; providing rulemaking authority

30         to the State Board of Education; amending s.

31         1003.52, F.S.; requiring the Department of

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 1         Education to develop procedures for reporting

 2         performance and participation data of students

 3         in juvenile justice education programs;

 4         amending s. 1003.57, F.S.; providing guidelines

 5         for determining the residency of a student who

 6         receives instruction as an exceptional student

 7         with a disability; requiring the student's

 8         placing authority or parent to pay the cost of

 9         such instruction, facilities, and services;

10         providing responsibilities of the Department of

11         Education; providing responsibilities of

12         residential facilities that educate exceptional

13         students with disabilities; providing

14         applicability; creating s. 1003.575, F.S.;

15         requiring the Department of Education to devise

16         an individual education plan form for use in

17         developing and implementing individual

18         education plans for exceptional students;

19         requiring school districts to use the form;

20         amending s. 1003.58, F.S.; conforming a

21         cross-reference; amending s. 1004.04, F.S.;

22         requiring the Council for Education Policy

23         Research and Improvement to review and report

24         on the effectiveness of the graduates of

25         state-approved teacher preparation programs and

26         alternative certification programs; creating s.

27         1004.64, F.S.; establishing the Florida Center

28         for Reading Research; specifying duties of the

29         center; amending s. 1008.22, F.S., relating to

30         student assessment; expressing legislative

31         intent; identifying grade levels for state

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 1         assessment administration; eliminating obsolete

 2         references; requiring certain reports; amending

 3         s. 1008.25, F.S., relating to public school

 4         student progression; eliminating obsolete

 5         references; directing the Department of

 6         Education to establish a uniform format for

 7         reporting student progression information;

 8         requiring certain reports; amending s. 1008.31,

 9         F.S., relating to education accountability;

10         expressing legislative intent relating to

11         performance measures established by the Board

12         of Governors with respect to the state

13         universities; eliminating certain

14         performance-based funding requirements;

15         providing guiding principles for the

16         accountability system; revising the goals of

17         the accountability system; requiring certain

18         reports; providing rulemaking authority to the

19         State Board of Education; amending s. 1008.33,

20         F.S., relating to the authority to enforce

21         public school improvement; authorizing transfer

22         of certain teachers to low-performing schools;

23         amending s. 1008.34, F.S., relating to the

24         school grading system; requiring all schools to

25         receive a school grade except certain

26         alternative schools; requiring that achievement

27         scores and learning gains be calculated in

28         alternative schools that provide certain

29         services; requiring that student test scores be

30         calculated in the alternative school in which

31         the student is enrolled and in the school

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 1         previously attended by the student; providing

 2         exceptions; requiring the Department of

 3         Education to develop a school report card;

 4         creating s. 1008.341, F.S.; requiring school

 5         improvement ratings for alternative schools;

 6         providing definitions; requiring that the

 7         Commissioner of Education prepare an annual

 8         report; specifying the data to be used in

 9         determining school improvement ratings;

10         requiring the department to identify student

11         learning gains annually; requiring that a

12         school report card be delivered to parents;

13         requiring the State Board of Education to adopt

14         rules; amending s. 1008.36, F.S., relating to

15         the Florida School Recognition Program;

16         providing that certain feeder schools are

17         eligible to participate in the program;

18         providing a definition; requiring certain

19         feeder schools to be subject to the Opportunity

20         Scholarship Program, as defined in s. 1002.38,

21         F.S.; providing for the disposition of school

22         recognition funds; defining eligibility for the

23         receipt of school recognition funds; amending

24         s. 1011.62, F.S., relating to funds for the

25         operation of schools; providing for additional

26         funding for students enrolled in education

27         programs for juveniles; providing a methodology

28         to calculate full-time equivalent student

29         membership of the Florida Virtual School;

30         creating a research-based reading-instruction

31         allocation for students in kindergarten through

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 1         grade 12; providing for the use of the funds;

 2         providing for fund disbursement; amending ss.

 3         1011.685, and 1011.71, F.S., to conform;

 4         creating s. 1011.6855, F.S.; providing for the

 5         contingent application of the section upon the

 6         adoption of an amendment to the State

 7         Constitution; establishing an operating

 8         categorical fund; providing a minimum

 9         instructional personnel salary; requiring the

10         use of certain funds for class size reduction;

11         amending s. 1012.21, F.S., relating to the

12         duties of the Department of Education;

13         requiring the department to annually post

14         school district collective bargaining

15         agreements on-line; amending s. 1012.22, F.S.,

16         relating to public school personnel; requiring

17         school boards to adopt differentiated-pay

18         policies for school administrators and

19         instructional personnel; specifying factors to

20         be included in differentiated-pay policies;

21         providing for the withholding of funds for

22         failure to comply; creating s. 1012.2305, F.S.;

23         expressing legislative intent regarding minimum

24         instructional personnel pay; providing for

25         contingent application of the section upon the

26         adoption of an amendment to the State

27         Constitution; establishing minimum pay for

28         certain instructional personnel; creating s.

29         1012.2315, F.S.; establishing legislative

30         findings; expressing legislative intent;

31         providing criteria for the assignment of

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 1         teachers to certain schools; authorizing

 2         certain salary incentives; limiting certain

 3         collective bargaining provisions relating to

 4         assignment of teachers at certain schools;

 5         amending s. 1012.72, F.S., relating to the Dale

 6         Hickam Excellent Teaching Program; requiring

 7         that the Department of Education administer the

 8         Dale Hickam Excellent Teaching Program Trust

 9         Fund; requiring the Council for Education

10         Policy Research and Improvement to evaluate the

11         benefits and effectiveness of the program;

12         creating s. 1012.986, F.S.; establishing a

13         statewide system for the professional

14         development of school leaders; providing a

15         short title; providing program purposes and

16         legislative intent; requiring the Department of

17         Education to annually determine criteria for

18         school leadership designations based on certain

19         factors; requiring certain program components;

20         providing for a program delivery system;

21         providing rulemaking authority to the State

22         Board of Education; amending s. 1013.512, F.S.;

23         requiring the release of funds remaining in

24         reserve relating to school district land

25         acquisition and facilities operations;

26         specifying when a Land Acquisition and

27         Facilities Advisory Board shall be disbanded;

28         approving a transfer of an endowment from the

29         Appleton Cultural Center, Inc., to the Central

30         Florida Community College Foundation; providing

31         restrictions on the management of the

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 1         endowment; releasing the foundation from

 2         certain trust agreement and statutory

 3         requirements; repealing s. 1012.987, F.S.,

 4         relating to education leadership development;

 5         repealing s. 1012.231, F.S., relating to the

 6         BEST Florida Teaching Salary career ladder

 7         program; providing for severability; providing

 8         contingent effective dates.

 9  

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

11  

12         Section 1.  Subsection (1) of section 1001.03, Florida

13  Statutes, is amended to read:

14         1001.03  Specific powers of State Board of Education.--

15         (1)  PUBLIC K-12 STUDENT PERFORMANCE STANDARDS.--The

16  State Board of Education shall approve the student performance

17  standards known as the Sunshine State Standards in key

18  academic subject areas and grade levels. The board shall

19  periodically review the standards to ensure adequate rigor,

20  logical pupil progression, and articulation from grade to

21  grade, and shall evaluate the extent to which the standards

22  are being taught at each grade level.

23         Section 2.  Section 1001.215, Florida Statutes, is

24  created to read:

25         1001.215  Just Read, Florida! Office.--There is created

26  within the Department of Education the Just Read, Florida!

27  Office.  The office shall:

28         (1)  Train professionally certified teachers to become

29  certified reading coaches.

30         (2)  Train K-12 teachers, school principals, and

31  parents on research-based strategies for reading instruction.

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 1         (3)  Provide technical assistance to districts in the

 2  development and implementation of, and annually review and

 3  approve district plans for use of, the Research-based Reading

 4  Instruction Allocation pursuant to s. 1011.62(9).

 5         (4)  Work with the Florida Center for Reading Research

 6  created under s. 1004.64 to provide information on

 7  research-based reading programs.

 8         (5)  Periodically review the Sunshine State Standards

 9  for reading at all grade levels.

10         (6)  Periodically review the teacher certification

11  examinations to ensure that they reflect proficiency in

12  research-based strategies for reading instruction.

13         (7)  Work with teacher preparation programs approved

14  under s. 1004.04 to ensure the integration of research-based

15  strategies for reading instruction into teacher preparation

16  programs.

17         (8)  Administer grants and perform other functions

18  necessary to assist with meeting the goal that all students

19  are reading on grade level.

20         Section 3.  Subsection (16) of section 1001.42, Florida

21  Statutes, is amended to read:

22         1001.42  Powers and duties of district school

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

24  exercise all powers and perform all duties listed below:

25         (16)  IMPLEMENT SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT AND

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

27  education accountability as provided by statute and State

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

29  education accountability shall be consistent with, and

30  implemented through, the district's continuing system of

31  planning and budgeting required by this section and ss.

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 1  1008.385, 1010.01, and 1011.01. This system of school

 2  improvement and education accountability shall include, but is

 3  not limited to, the following:

 4         (a)  School improvement plans.--Annually approve and

 5  require implementation of a new, amended, or continuation

 6  school improvement plan for each school in the district,

 7  except that a district school board may establish a district

 8  school improvement plan that includes all schools in the

 9  district operating for the purpose of providing educational

10  services to youth in Department of Juvenile Justice programs.

11  Such plan shall be designed to achieve the state education

12  priorities pursuant to s. 1000.03(5) and student performance

13  standards. In addition, any school required to implement a

14  rigorous reading requirement pursuant to s. 1003.415 must

15  include such component in its school improvement plan. Each

16  plan shall also address issues relative to budget, training,

17  instructional materials, technology, staffing, student support

18  services, specific school safety and discipline strategies,

19  student health and fitness, including physical fitness,

20  parental information on student health and fitness, and indoor

21  environmental air quality, and other matters of resource

22  allocation, as determined by district school board policy, and

23  shall be based on an analysis of student achievement and other

24  school performance data.

25         (b)  Improvement plan requirements.--Each district

26  school board's system of school improvement and student

27  progression must be designed to provide frequent and accurate

28  information to the teacher and student regarding each

29  student's progress toward mastering the Sunshine State

30  Standards. The system must demonstrate the alignment of the

31  Sunshine State Standards, instructional strategies,

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 1  assessment, and professional development. Each school's school

 2  improvement plan must identify the strategies for monitoring

 3  the progress of each student. The process used by each school

 4  to monitor student progression must, at a minimum, contain the

 5  following components that are aimed at increasing student

 6  achievement:

 7         1.  Disaggregated student achievement data related to

 8  student performance which are used to identify each individual

 9  student's strengths and weaknesses and to determine the

10  effectiveness of the teaching and learning strategies that are

11  being used in the classroom;

12         2.  The Sunshine State Standards instructional calendar

13  and timeline, using disaggregated student performance data to

14  focus instruction on the Sunshine State Standards, manage

15  instructional time, and allocate resources;

16         3.  Prioritized instructional focus to facilitate

17  explicit and systematic instruction using research-based

18  effective practices in the classroom;

19         4.  Mini-assessments of targeted Sunshine State

20  Standards benchmarks to monitor students' progress and

21  generate data to redesign instruction, if needed;

22         5.  Alternative in-school, tutorial, remediation, or

23  enrichment strategies for students which are based on each

24  student's individual academic needs as defined by the

25  mini-assessments; and

26         6.  Systematic monitoring of each teacher's

27  implementation of the comprehensive program for student

28  progression as described in subparagraphs 1.-5.

29         (c)(b)  Approval process.--Develop a process for

30  approval of a school improvement plan presented by an

31  individual school and its advisory council. In the event a

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 1  district school board does not approve a school improvement

 2  plan after exhausting this process, the Department of

 3  Education shall be notified of the need for assistance.

 4         (d)(c)  Assistance and intervention.--

 5         1.  Develop a 2-year plan of increasing individualized

 6  assistance and intervention for each school in danger of not

 7  meeting state standards or making adequate progress, as

 8  defined pursuant to statute and State Board of Education rule,

 9  toward meeting the goals and standards of its approved school

10  improvement plan.

11         2.  Provide assistance and intervention to a school

12  that is identified as being in performance grade category "D"

13  pursuant to s. 1008.34 and is in danger of failing.

14         3.  Develop a plan to encourage teachers with

15  demonstrated mastery in improving student performance to

16  remain at or transfer to a school designated as performance

17  grade category "D" or "F" or to an alternative school that

18  serves disruptive or violent youths. If a classroom teacher,

19  as defined by s. 1012.01(2)(a), who meets the definition of

20  teaching mastery developed according to the provisions of this

21  paragraph, requests assignment to a school designated as

22  performance grade category "D" or "F" or to an alternative

23  school that serves disruptive or violent youths, the district

24  school board shall make every practical effort to grant the

25  request.

26         4.  Prioritize, to the extent possible, the

27  expenditures of funds received from the supplemental academic

28  instruction categorical fund under s. 1011.62(1)(f) to improve

29  student performance in schools that receive a performance

30  grade category designation of "D" or "F."

31  

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 1         (e)(d)  After 2 years.--Notify the Commissioner of

 2  Education and the State Board of Education in the event any

 3  school does not make adequate progress toward meeting the

 4  goals and standards of a school improvement plan by the end of

 5  2 years of failing to make adequate progress and proceed

 6  according to guidelines developed pursuant to statute and

 7  State Board of Education rule. School districts shall provide

 8  intervention and assistance to schools in danger of being

 9  designated as performance grade category "F," failing to make

10  adequate progress.

11         (f)(e)  Public disclosure.--Provide information

12  regarding performance of students and educational programs as

13  required pursuant to ss. 1008.22 and 1008.385 and implement a

14  system of school reports as required by statute and State

15  Board of Education rule that shall include schools operating

16  for the purpose of providing educational services to youth in

17  Department of Juvenile Justice programs, and for those

18  schools, report on the elements specified in s. 1003.52(19).

19  Annual public disclosure reports shall be in an easy-to-read

20  report card format and shall include the school's student and

21  school performance grade category designation and performance

22  data as specified in state board rule.

23         (g)(f)  School improvement funds.--Provide funds to

24  schools for developing and implementing school improvement

25  plans. Such funds shall include those funds appropriated for

26  the purpose of school improvement pursuant to s. 24.121(5)(c).

27         Section 4.  Section 1002.385, Florida Statutes, is

28  created to read:

29         1002.385  The Reading Compact Scholarships

30  Program.--There is established the Reading Compact

31  Scholarships Program, a program designed to offer parents of

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 1  students who have not attained reading proficiency beyond

 2  Level 1 an educational choice to further the students'

 3  progress in reading.

 4         (1)  PURPOSE.--The purpose of the Reading Compact

 5  Scholarships Program is to provide to each student who has

 6  scored at Level 1 on the reading portion of the FCAT for 3

 7  consecutive years the option to attend a public or private

 8  school of choice.

 9         (2)  ELIGIBILITY.--The parent of a public school

10  student may request and receive from the state a Reading

11  Compact Scholarship for the student to enroll in and attend a

12  private school in accordance with this section if:

13         (a)  The student has scored at Level 1 on the reading

14  portion of the FCAT for a period of 3 consecutive years.

15  However, a student shall be recommended for screening and

16  evaluation, with parental consent, to determine the student's

17  eligibility for exceptional student services if the student:

18         1.  Has scored at Level 1 on the reading portion of the

19  FCAT for two consecutive years; and

20         2.  Has not previously been identified as an

21  exceptional student having a disability that interferes with

22  his or her academic progress in reading.

23         (b)  The parent has obtained acceptance for admission

24  of the student to a private school eligible for the program

25  under subsection (8) and has requested from the Department of

26  Education a Reading Compact Scholarship at least 60 days

27  before the date of the first scholarship payment. The parental

28  request must be made through a direct communication to the

29  Department of Education in a manner that creates a written or

30  electronic record of the request and the date of receipt of

31  the request.

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 1         (3)  PROHIBITIONS.--A student is ineligible to receive

 2  a Reading Compact Scholarship if the student is:

 3         (a)  Enrolled in a school operating for the purpose of

 4  providing educational services to youth in Department of

 5  Juvenile Justice commitment programs.

 6         (b)  Receiving a scholarship from an eligible nonprofit

 7  scholarship-funding organization under s. 220.187.

 8         (c)  Receiving an educational scholarship under chapter

 9  1002.

10         (d)  Participating in a home education program as

11  defined in s. 1002.01(1).

12         (e)  Participating in a private tutoring program under

13  s. 1002.43.

14         (f)  Participating in a virtual school, correspondence

15  school, or distance learning program that receives state

16  funding pursuant to the student's participation.

17         (g)  Not receiving regular and direct contact with his

18  or her private school teachers at the school's physical

19  location.

20         (4)  TERM OF SCHOLARSHIP.--

21         (a)  For purposes of continuity of educational choice,

22  a Reading Compact Scholarship shall remain in force until the

23  student returns to a public school or graduates from high

24  school.

25         (b)  Upon reasonable notice to the Department of

26  Education and the school district, the student's parent may

27  remove the student from the private school and place the

28  student in a public school, as provided in subsection (5).

29         (c)  Upon reasonable notice to the Department of

30  Education, the student's parent may move the student from one

31  

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 1  participating private school to another participating private

 2  school.

 3         (5)  SCHOOL DISTRICT OBLIGATIONS; PARENTAL OPTIONS.--

 4         (a)1.  A school district shall notify the parent of

 5  each eligible student of all options available under this

 6  section and shall offer the parent an opportunity to enroll

 7  the student in another public school within the district.

 8         2.  The parent need not accept the offer of enrolling

 9  the student in another public school in lieu of requesting a

10  Reading Compact Scholarship to a private school. However, if

11  the parent chooses the public-school option, the student may

12  continue attending a public school chosen by the parent until

13  the student graduates from high school.

14         3.  If the parent chooses a public school consistent

15  with the district school board's choice plan under s. 1002.31,

16  the school district shall provide transportation to the public

17  school selected by the parent. The parent is responsible for

18  providing transportation to a public school that the parent

19  has chosen if the choice is not consistent with the district

20  school board's choice plan under s. 1002.31.

21         (b)  If the parent chooses the private-school option

22  and the student is accepted by the private school, pending the

23  availability of a space for the student, the parent of the

24  student must notify the department 60 days before the first

25  scholarship payment and before entering the private school in

26  order to be eligible for the scholarship when a space becomes

27  available for the student in the private school.

28         (c)  The parent of a student may choose, as an

29  alternative, to enroll the student in and transport the

30  student to a public school in an adjacent school district

31  which has available space, and that school district shall

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 1  accept the student and report the student for purposes of the

 2  district's funding under the Florida Education Finance

 3  Program.

 4         (d)  For a student in the district who participates in

 5  the Reading Compact Scholarships Program and whose parent

 6  requests that the student take the statewide assessments under

 7  s. 1008.22, the district shall provide locations and times to

 8  take all statewide assessments.

 9         (6)  DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION; OBLIGATIONS.--The

10  Department of Education shall:

11         (a)  Establish a toll-free hotline that provides

12  parents and private schools with information on participation

13  in the Reading Compact Scholarships Program.

14         (b)  Establish a procedure by which individuals may

15  notify the department of any violation by a parent, private

16  school, or school district of state laws relating to program

17  participation. The department shall refer or conduct an

18  investigation of any written complaint of a violation of this

19  section if the complaint is signed by the complainant and is

20  legally sufficient. A complaint is legally sufficient if it

21  contains ultimate facts that show that a violation of this

22  section or of any rule adopted by the State Board of Education

23  has occurred. In order to determine legal sufficiency, the

24  Department of Education may require supporting information or

25  documentation from the complainant. The Department of

26  Education may investigate anonymous complaints.

27         (c)  Require an annual notarized sworn compliance

28  statement by participating private schools certifying

29  compliance with state laws and shall retain such records.

30         (d)  Cross-check the list of participating scholarship

31  students with the public school enrollment lists and other

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 1  education scholarship program lists before the first

 2  scholarship payment to avoid duplication.

 3         (7)  COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION; AUTHORITY AND

 4  OBLIGATIONS.--

 5         (a)  The Commissioner of Education shall deny, suspend,

 6  or revoke a private school's participation in the scholarship

 7  program if it is determined that the private school has failed

 8  to comply with this section. However, if the noncompliance is

 9  correctable within a reasonable amount of time and if the

10  health, safety, and welfare of the students is not threatened,

11  the commissioner may issue a notice of noncompliance which

12  provides the private school with a timeframe within which to

13  provide evidence of compliance before the commissioner takes

14  action to suspend or revoke the private school's continued

15  participation in the scholarship program.

16         (b)  The commissioner's determination is subject to the

17  following conditions:

18         1.  If the commissioner intends to deny, suspend, or

19  revoke a private school's participation in the scholarship

20  program, the department shall notify the private school of

21  such proposed action in writing by certified and regular mail

22  to the private school's address of record with the Department

23  of Education. The notification must include the reasons for

24  the proposed action and notice of the timelines and procedures

25  set forth in this paragraph.

26         2.  A private school that is adversely affected by the

27  proposed action has 15 days after its receipt of the notice of

28  proposed action to file with the agency clerk of the

29  Department of Education a request for a proceeding under ss.

30  120.569 and 120.57. If the private school is entitled to a

31  

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 1  hearing under s. 120.57(1), the department shall forward the

 2  request to the Division of Administrative Hearings.

 3         3.  Upon receipt of a request referred under this

 4  subsection, the director of the Division of Administrative

 5  Hearings shall expedite the hearing and assign an

 6  administrative law judge who shall commence a hearing within

 7  30 days after the receipt of the formal written protest by the

 8  division and shall enter a recommended order within 30 days

 9  after the hearing or within 30 days after receipt of the

10  hearing transcript, whichever is later. Each party has 10 days

11  in which to submit written exceptions to the recommended

12  order. The agency must enter a final order within 30 days

13  after the entry of a recommended order. The provisions of this

14  paragraph may be waived upon stipulation by all parties.

15         (c)  The commissioner shall immediately suspend payment

16  if it is determined that there is probable cause to believe

17  that there is:

18         1.  An imminent threat to the health, safety, and

19  welfare of the students; or

20         2.  Fraudulent activity on the part of the private

21  school.

22  

23  The commissioner's order suspending payment under this

24  paragraph is subject to the same procedures and timelines as

25  the notice of proposed action set forth in paragraph (b).

26         (8)  PRIVATE SCHOOLS; ELIGIBILITY AND OBLIGATIONS.--To

27  be eligible to participate in the Reading Compact Scholarships

28  Program, a private school may be sectarian or nonsectarian,

29  and must:

30  

31  

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 1         (a)  Comply with all requirements for private schools

 2  participating in state school choice programs under s.

 3  1002.421.

 4         (b)  Provide to the department all documentation

 5  required for the student's participation, including the

 6  private school's and student's fee schedules, at least 30 days

 7  before the first quarterly scholarship payment is made for the

 8  student.

 9         (c)  Be academically accountable to the parent for

10  meeting the educational needs of the student by:

11         1.  At a minimum, annually providing to the parent a

12  written explanation of the student's progress.

13         2.  Cooperating with the scholarship student whose

14  parent chooses to participate in the statewide assessments

15  under s. 1008.32.

16         3.  Demonstrating fiscal soundness and accountability.

17  

18  The inability of a private school to meet the requirements of

19  this subsection constitutes a basis for the ineligibility of

20  the private school to participate in the scholarship program

21  as determined by the department.

22         (9)  OBLIGATIONS OF PARENTS AND STUDENTS.--A parent who

23  applies for a Reading Compact Scholarship is exercising his or

24  her parental option to place his or her child in a private

25  school.

26         (a)  The parent must select the private school and

27  apply for the admission of his or her child.

28         (b)  The parent must have requested the scholarship at

29  least 60 days before the date of the first scholarship

30  payment.

31  

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 1         (c)  Any student participating in the Reading Compact

 2  Scholarships Program must remain in attendance throughout the

 3  school year unless excused by the school for illness or other

 4  good cause.

 5         (d)  The parent of each student participating in the

 6  Reading Compact Scholarships Program must comply fully with

 7  the private school's requirements for parental involvement

 8  unless excused by the school for illness or other good cause.

 9         (e)  The parent shall ensure that the student

10  participating in the scholarship program takes the

11  norm-referenced assessment offered by the private school or

12  the statewide assessments required under s. 1008.22. The

13  parent may also choose to have the student participate in all

14  statewide assessments under s. 1008.22, and, if the parent

15  chooses such optional participation, he or she is responsible

16  for transporting the student to the assessment site designated

17  by the school district.

18         (f)  Upon receipt of a scholarship warrant, the parent

19  to whom the warrant is made must restrictively endorse the

20  warrant to the private school for deposit into the account of

21  the private school. The parent may not designate any entity or

22  individual associated with the participating private school as

23  the parent's attorney in fact to sign a scholarship warrant. A

24  participant who fails to comply with this paragraph forfeits

25  the scholarship.

26         (10)  FUNDING AND PAYMENT.--

27         (a)  The maximum amount of a Reading Compact

28  Scholarship granted to an eligible student shall be a

29  calculated amount equivalent to the base student allocation in

30  the Florida Education Finance Program multiplied by the

31  appropriate cost factor for the educational program that would

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 1  have been provided for the student in the district school to

 2  which he or she was assigned, multiplied by the district cost

 3  differential. In addition, the calculated amount shall include

 4  the per-student share of instructional materials funds,

 5  technology funds, and other categorical funds as provided for

 6  this purpose in the General Appropriations Act.

 7         (b)  The amount of the Reading Compact Scholarship

 8  shall be the calculated amount or the amount of the private

 9  school's tuition and fees, whichever is less. Eligible fees

10  include textbook fees, lab fees, and other fees related to

11  instruction, including transportation fees.

12         (c)  The school district shall report all students who

13  are attending a private school under this program. Students

14  who attend private schools on Reading Compact Scholarships

15  shall be reported separately from those students reported for

16  purposes of the Florida Education Finance Program.

17         (d)  A public or private school that provides services

18  to students with disabilities shall receive the weighted

19  funding for such services at the appropriate funding level

20  consistent with s. 1011.62(1)(e).

21         (e)  For purposes of calculating the amount of a

22  Reading Compact Scholarship, a student is eligible for the

23  amount of the appropriate basic cost factor if:

24         1.  The student currently participates in a Group I

25  program funded at the basic cost factor and is not

26  subsequently identified as having a disability; or

27         2.  The student currently participates in a Group II

28  program, and the parent has chosen a private school that does

29  not provide the additional services funded by the Group II

30  program.

31  

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 1         (f)  Following notification on July 1, September 1,

 2  December 1, or February 1 of the number of program

 3  participants, the Department of Education shall transfer, from

 4  general revenue funds only, the calculated amount from the

 5  Florida Education Finance Program and authorized categorical

 6  accounts to a separate account for the Reading Compact

 7  Scholarships Program for quarterly disbursement to the parents

 8  of participating students. When a student enters the

 9  scholarship program, the Department of Education must receive

10  all documentation required for the student's participation,

11  including the private school's and student's fee schedules, at

12  least 30 days before the first quarterly scholarship payment

13  is made for the student.

14         (g)  The Chief Financial Officer shall make Reading

15  Compact Scholarship payments in four equal amounts no later

16  than September 1, November 1, February 1, and April 1 of each

17  academic year in which the Reading Compact Scholarship is in

18  force. The initial payment shall be made after the Department

19  of Education's verification of admission acceptance, and

20  subsequent payments shall be made upon verification of

21  continued enrollment and attendance at the private school.

22  Payment must be by individual warrant made payable to the

23  student's parent and mailed by the Department of Education to

24  the private school of the parent's choice, and the parent

25  shall restrictively endorse the warrant to the private school.

26         (h)  Subsequent to each scholarship payment, the

27  Department of Financial Services shall randomly review

28  endorsed warrants to confirm compliance with endorsement

29  requirements. The Department of Financial Services shall

30  immediately report inconsistencies or irregularities to the

31  Department of Education.

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 1         (11)  LIABILITY.--Liability on the part of the state

 2  may not arise on the basis of the award or use of a Reading

 3  Compact Scholarship.

 4         (12)  RULES.--The State Board of Education shall adopt

 5  rules under ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54 to administer this

 6  section. The rules must include penalties for noncompliance

 7  with subsection (8) or subsection (9). However, the inclusion

 8  of eligible private schools in the options available to public

 9  school students in this state does not expand the regulatory

10  authority of the state, its officers, or any school district

11  to impose any additional regulations upon private schools

12  beyond those that are reasonably necessary to enforce

13  requirements expressly set forth in this section.

14         Section 5.  Section 1002.421, Florida Statutes, is

15  created to read:

16         1002.421  Rights and obligations of private schools

17  participating in state school choice scholarship

18  programs.--The requirements imposed under this section on

19  private schools that participate in state school choice

20  scholarship programs are in addition to the requirements for

21  private schools which are outlined in s. 1002.42, specific

22  requirements under laws relating to various scholarship

23  programs, and other laws of this state which apply to private

24  schools.

25         (1)  A private school in this state which participates

26  in the Corporate Tax Credit Scholarship Program, as defined in

27  s. 220.187, or in an educational scholarship program

28  established under chapter 1002 must comply with all

29  requirements of this section.

30         (2)  A private school participating in a scholarship

31  program in this state:

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 1         (a)  Must be a Florida private school as defined in s.

 2  1002.01(2).

 3         (b)  Must comply with all state laws pertaining to

 4  private schools.

 5         (c)  Must be a registered Florida private school in

 6  accordance with s. 1002.42.

 7         (d)  Must maintain a physical location in this state

 8  where each scholarship student regularly attends classes.

 9         (e)  May not be a correspondence school or distance

10  learning school.

11         (f)  May not direct or provide scholarship funds to a

12  parent of a scholarship student who receives instruction under

13  the program at home.

14         (g)  May not be a home education program as defined in

15  s. 1002.01(1).

16         (h)  May not be a private tutoring program as described

17  in s. 1002.43.

18         (i)  Must comply with the anti-discrimination

19  provisions of 42 U.S.C. s. 2000d.

20         (j)  Must notify the department of its intent to

21  participate in a scholarship program.

22         (k)  Must notify the department of any change in the

23  school's name, school director, mailing address, or physical

24  location within 15 days after the change occurs.

25         (l)  Must complete student-enrollment and

26  attendance-verification requirements, including an on-line

27  attendance-verification form, before a scholarship payment is

28  made.

29         (m)  Must annually complete and submit to the

30  department a notarized scholarship compliance statement

31  

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 1  certifying compliance with state laws relating to the

 2  participation of private schools in the scholarship program.

 3         (n)  Must demonstrate fiscal soundness and

 4  accountability by:

 5         1.  Having been in operation for at least 3 school

 6  years or obtaining a surety bond or letter of credit for the

 7  amount equal to the scholarship funds for any quarter and

 8  filing the surety bond or letter of credit with the

 9  department.

10         2.  Requiring the parent of each scholarship student to

11  personally restrictively endorse the scholarship warrant to

12  the school. The school may not act as the attorney in fact for

13  parents of a scholarship student under the authority of a

14  power of attorney executed by the parents, or under any other

15  authority, to endorse scholarship warrants on behalf of

16  parents.

17         (o)  Must meet applicable state and local laws, codes,

18  and rules relating to health, safety, and welfare, including

19  those relating to firesafety and building safety.

20         (p)  Must employ or contract with teachers who hold

21  baccalaureate or higher degrees, have at least 3 years of

22  teaching experience in public or private schools, or have at

23  least a high school diploma and special skills, knowledge, or

24  expertise that qualifies them to provide instruction in the

25  subjects that are being taught.

26         (q)  Annually administer or make provisions for

27  scholarship students to take one of the nationally

28  norm-referenced tests identified by the State Board of

29  Education under s. 1002.423. Students with disabilities for

30  whom standardized testing is not appropriate are exempt from

31  this requirement. However, a private school must require each

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 1  student with a disability, for whom standardized testing is

 2  not appropriate, to participate at least annually in a student

 3  assessment which, as determined by the private school in

 4  consultation with the student's parent, will demonstrate the

 5  student's skill level to the student's parent. A private

 6  school must report a student's scores to the parent and to the

 7  independent private research organization selected by the

 8  Department of Education under s. 1002.423.

 9         (r)  Must ensure that each individual who has

10  unsupervised access to a scholarship student for whom the

11  private school is responsible, prior to employment, engagement

12  of services, or appointment, undergo background screening

13  under s. 435.04 by filing with the Department of Education a

14  complete set of fingerprints taken by an authorized law

15  enforcement agency or an employee of the private school who is

16  trained to take fingerprints. However, the complete set of

17  fingerprints for an owner of an eligible private school must

18  be taken by an authorized law enforcement agency. These

19  fingerprints must be submitted to the Department of Law

20  Enforcement for state processing, which shall in turn submit

21  the fingerprints to the Federal Bureau of Investigation for

22  federal processing. The Department of Education shall screen

23  the background results and report to the private school any

24  person described in this paragraph who fails to meet level 2

25  screening standards under s. 435.04. Any individual described

26  in this paragraph who fails the level 2 background screening

27  under s. 435.04 may not have unsupervised access to a

28  scholarship student. For purposes of this paragraph:

29         1.  The cost of the fingerprinting and the background

30  check shall not be borne by the state.

31  

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 1         2.  A private school that allows an individual to have

 2  unsupervised access to a scholarship student who failed the

 3  level 2 background screening under s. 435.04 is ineligible to

 4  participate in the scholarship program.

 5         3.  An individual holding a valid teaching certificate

 6  in this state who has been fingerprinted pursuant to s.

 7  1012.32 need not comply with this paragraph.

 8         (3)  The inability of a private school to meet the

 9  requirements of this section constitutes a basis for the

10  ineligibility of the private school to participate in a

11  scholarship program as determined by the department.

12         (4)(a)  The State Board of Education shall adopt rules

13  under ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54 to administer this section.

14         (b)  The inclusion of eligible private schools in the

15  options available to public school students in this state does

16  not expand the regulatory authority of the state, its

17  officers, or any school district to impose any additional

18  regulations upon private schools beyond those reasonably

19  necessary to enforce requirements expressly set forth in this

20  section.

21         Section 6.  Section 1002.423, Florida Statutes, is

22  created to read:

23         1002.423  Department of Education; obligations for

24  state school choice scholarship programs.--The requirements

25  imposed under this section apply to all state choice

26  scholarship programs, including the Corporate Tax Credit

27  Scholarship Program, as defined in s. 220.187, or an

28  educational scholarship program established under this

29  chapter.

30         (a)  The Department of Education must identify all

31  nationally norm-referenced tests that are comparable to the

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 1  norm-referenced test portions of the Florida Comprehensive

 2  Assessment Test (FCAT).

 3         (b)  The Department of Education must select an

 4  independent private research organization to which each

 5  participating private school must report the scores of

 6  participating students on the nationally norm-referenced tests

 7  administered by the private school. The independent private

 8  research organization must annually report to the Department

 9  of Education on the year-to-year improvements of the

10  participating students. The independent private research

11  organization must analyze and report student performance data

12  in a manner that protects the rights of students and parents

13  as mandated in the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act

14  requirements of 20 U.S.C. s. 1232g and must not disaggregate

15  data to a level that will disclose the academic level of

16  students. To the maximum extent possible, the independent

17  private research organization must accumulate historical

18  performance data for students from the Department of Education

19  and private schools to describe baseline performance and to

20  conduct longitudinal studies. To minimize costs and reduce the

21  time required for third-party analysis and evaluation, the

22  Department of Education shall conduct analyses of matched

23  students from public school assessment data and calculate

24  control group learning gains using an agreed-upon methodology

25  outlined in the contract with the third-party evaluator. The

26  sharing of student data must be in accordance with the Family

27  Educational Rights and Privacy Act requirements of 20 U.S.C.

28  s. 1232g and must be for the sole purpose of conducting the

29  evaluation. All parties must preserve the confidentiality of

30  such information as otherwise required under state and federal

31  law.

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 1         Section 7.  Paragraph (b) of subsection (2) of section

 2  1003.03, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:

 3         1003.03  Maximum class size.--

 4         (2)  IMPLEMENTATION.--

 5         (b)  Determination of the number of students per

 6  classroom in paragraph (a) shall be calculated as follows:

 7         1.  For fiscal years 2003-2004 through 2006-2007

 8  2005-2006, the calculation for compliance for each of the 3

 9  grade groupings shall be the average at the district level.

10         2.  For fiscal year years 2006-2007 through 2007-2008,

11  the calculation for compliance for each of the 3 grade

12  groupings shall be the average at the school level.

13         3.  For fiscal years 2008-2009, 2009-2010, and

14  thereafter, the calculation for compliance shall be at the

15  individual classroom level.

16         Section 8.  Section 1003.035, Florida Statutes, is

17  created to read:

18         1003.035  District average class size requirements.--

19         (1)  CONSTITUTIONAL CLASS SIZE REQUIREMENTS.--Pursuant

20  to s. 1, Art. IX of the State Constitution, beginning in the

21  2007-2008 school year:

22         (a)  The district average number of students assigned

23  to each teacher who is teaching core-curricula courses in

24  public school classrooms for prekindergarten through grade 3

25  may not exceed 18 students.

26         (b)  The district average number of students assigned

27  to each teacher who is teaching core-curricula courses in

28  public school classrooms for grades 4 through 8 may not exceed

29  22 students.

30         (c)  The district average number of students assigned

31  to each teacher who is teaching core-curricula courses in

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 1  public school classrooms for grades 9 through 12 may not

 2  exceed 25 students.

 3  

 4  However, in no event shall any such classroom exceed five

 5  students over the district average allowable maximum.

 6         (2)  IMPLEMENTATION.--

 7         (a)  Beginning with the 2006-2007 fiscal year, each

 8  school district that is not in compliance with the

 9  requirements in subsection (1) shall reduce the district

10  average class size in each of the following grade groupings:

11  prekindergarten through grade 3, grade 4 through grade 8, and

12  grade 9 through grade 12, by at least two students each year

13  until the district average class size does not exceed the

14  requirements in subsection (1).

15         (b)  The Department of Education shall annually

16  calculate each school district's average class size for each

17  of the grade groupings specified in paragraph (a) based upon

18  the October student membership survey.

19         (3)  IMPLEMENTATION OPTIONS.--District school boards

20  must consider, but are not limited to, implementing the

21  following items in order to meet the constitutional district

22  average class size requirements described in subsection (1)

23  and the two-student-per-year reduction required in subsection

24  (2):

25         (a)  Adopt policies to encourage qualified students to

26  take dual enrollment courses.

27         (b)  Adopt policies to encourage students to take

28  courses from the Florida Virtual School.

29         (c)1.  Repeal district school board policies that

30  require students to have more than 24 credits to graduate from

31  high school.

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 1         2.  Adopt policies to allow students to graduate from

 2  high school as soon as they pass the grade 10 FCAT and

 3  complete the courses required for high school graduation.

 4         (d)  Use methods to maximize use of instructional

 5  staff, such as changing required teaching loads and scheduling

 6  of planning periods, deploying district employees that have

 7  professional certification to the classroom, using adjunct

 8  educators, or any other method not prohibited by law.

 9         (e)  Use innovative methods to reduce the cost of

10  school construction by using prototype school designs, using

11  SMART Schools designs, participating in the School

12  Infrastructure Thrift Program, or any other method not

13  prohibited by law.

14         (f)  Use joint-use facilities through partnerships with

15  community colleges, state universities, and private colleges

16  and universities. Joint-use facilities available for use as

17  K-12 classrooms that do not meet the K-12 State Regulations

18  for Educational Facilities in the Florida Building Code may be

19  used at the discretion of the district school board if such

20  facilities meet all other health, life, safety, and fire

21  codes.

22         (g)  Adopt alternative methods of class scheduling,

23  such as block scheduling.

24         (h)  Redraw school attendance zones to maximize use of

25  facilities while minimizing the additional use of

26  transportation.

27         (i)  Operate schools beyond the normal operating hours

28  to provide classes in the evening or operate more than one

29  session of school during the day.

30  

31  

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 1         (j)  Use year-round schools and other nontraditional

 2  calendars that do not adversely impact annual assessment of

 3  student achievement.

 4         (k)  Review and consider amending any collective

 5  bargaining contracts that hinder the implementation of class

 6  size reduction.

 7         (l)  Use any other approach not prohibited by law.

 8         (4)  ACCOUNTABILITY.--

 9         (a)  If the department determines for any year that a

10  school district has not reduced average class size as required

11  in subsection (2) at the time of the third FEFP calculation,

12  the department shall calculate an amount from the class size

13  reduction operating categorical which is proportionate to the

14  amount of class size reduction not accomplished. Upon

15  verification of the department's calculation by the Florida

16  Education Finance Program Appropriation Allocation Conference,

17  the Executive Office of the Governor shall transfer

18  undistributed funds equivalent to the calculated amount from

19  the district's class size reduction operating categorical to

20  an approved fixed capital outlay appropriation for class size

21  reduction in the affected district pursuant to s. 216.292(13).

22  The amount of funds transferred shall be the lesser of the

23  amount verified by the Florida Education Finance Program

24  Appropriation Allocation Conference or the undistributed

25  balance of the district's class size reduction operating

26  categorical. However, based upon a recommendation by the

27  Commissioner of Education that the State Board of Education

28  has reviewed evidence indicating that a district has been

29  unable to meet class size reduction requirements despite

30  appropriate efforts to do so, the Legislative Budget

31  Commission may approve an alternative amount of funds to be

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 1  transferred from the district's class size reduction operating

 2  categorical to its approved fixed capital outlay account for

 3  class size reduction.

 4         (b)  Beginning in the 2007-2008 school year, the

 5  department shall determine by January 15 of each year which

 6  districts do not meet the requirements of subsection (1) based

 7  upon the district's October student membership survey for the

 8  current school year. The department shall report such

 9  districts to the Legislature. Each district that has not met

10  the requirements of subsection (1) shall be required to

11  implement one of the following policies in the subsequent

12  school year unless the department finds that the district

13  comes into compliance based upon the February student

14  membership survey:

15         1.  Year-round schools;

16         2.  Double sessions;

17         3.  Rezoning; or

18         4.  Maximizing use of instructional staff by changing

19  required teacher loads and scheduling of planning periods,

20  deploying school district employees who have professional

21  certification to the classroom, using adjunct educators,

22  operating schools beyond the normal operating hours to provide

23  classes in the evening, or operating more than one session

24  during the day.

25  

26  A school district that is required to implement one of the

27  policies outlined in subparagraphs 1. through 4. shall correct

28  in the year of implementation any past deficiencies and bring

29  the district into compliance with the requirements of

30  subsection (1). A school district may choose to implement more

31  than one of these policies. The district school superintendent

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 1  shall report to the Commissioner of Education the extent to

 2  which the district implemented any of the policies outlined in

 3  subparagraphs 1. through 4. in a format to be specified by the

 4  Commissioner of Education. The Department of Education shall

 5  use the enforcement authority provided in s. 1008.32 to ensure

 6  that districts comply with the provisions of this paragraph.

 7         (c)  Beginning in the 2008-2009 school year, the

 8  department shall annually determine which districts do not

 9  meet the requirements described in subsection (1) based upon

10  the October student membership survey. In addition to

11  enforcement authority provided in s. 1008.32, the Department

12  of Education shall develop a constitutional compliance plan

13  for each such district which includes, but is not limited to,

14  redrawing school attendance zones to maximize use of

15  facilities while minimizing the additional use of

16  transportation and the other accountability policies listed in

17  paragraph (b). Each district school board shall implement the

18  constitutional compliance plan developed by the state board in

19  the subsequent school year until the district complies with

20  the constitutional district average class size requirements.

21         Section 9.  Subsection (3) of section 1003.05, Florida

22  Statutes, is amended to read:

23         1003.05  Assistance to transitioning students from

24  military families.--

25         (3)  Dependent children of active duty military

26  personnel who otherwise meet the eligibility criteria for

27  special academic programs offered through public schools shall

28  be given first preference for admission to such programs even

29  if the program is being offered through a public school other

30  than the school to which the student would generally be

31  assigned and the school at which the program is being offered

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 1  has reached its maximum enrollment. If such a program is

 2  offered through a public school other than the school to which

 3  the student would generally be assigned, the parent or

 4  guardian of the student must assume responsibility for

 5  transporting the student to that school. For purposes of this

 6  subsection, special academic programs include charter schools,

 7  magnet schools, advanced studies programs, advanced placement,

 8  dual enrollment, and International Baccalaureate.

 9         Section 10.  Section 1003.413, Florida Statutes, is

10  created to read:

11         1003.413  High school reform.--

12         (1)  This section may be cited as the "High School

13  Reform Act."

14         (2)  Beginning with the 2005-2006 school year, each

15  school district shall establish policies to assist high school

16  students to remain in school, graduate on time, and be

17  prepared for postsecondary education and the workforce. The

18  policies must address:

19         (a)  Intensive reading remediation for students in

20  grades 9 through 12 scoring below Level 3 on FCAT Reading.

21         (b)  Credit recovery options and course scheduling

22  designed to allow high school students to earn credit for

23  failed courses so that they are able to graduate on time.

24         (c)  Immediate and frequent notification to parents of

25  students who are in danger of not graduating from high school.

26         (d)  Placement in alternative programs, such as

27  programs that emphasize applied integrated curricula, small

28  learning communities, support services, increased discipline,

29  or other strategies documented to improve student achievement.

30         (e)  Summer reading institutes for rising ninth graders

31  scoring below Level 3 on FCAT Reading.

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 1  

 2  A student's participation in an instructional or remediation

 3  program prior to or immediately following entering grade 9 for

 4  the first time shall not affect that student's classification

 5  as a first-time ninth grader for reporting purposes, including

 6  calculation of graduation and dropout rates.

 7         Section 11.  High School Reform Task Force.--

 8         (1)  There is created the High School Reform Task

 9  Force.  The task force shall work in conjunction with the

10  Southern Regional Education Board and shall be

11  administratively supported by the office of the Chancellor for

12  K-12 Public Schools in the Department of Education and the

13  Just Read, Florida! Office. Appointments to the task force

14  shall be coordinated to ensure that the membership reflects

15  the geographic and cultural diversity of Florida's school age

16  population. The task force shall be abolished upon submission

17  of its report.

18         (2)(a)  The Commissioner of Education shall appoint

19  members of the task force from the following categories and

20  shall appoint the chair of the task force from its membership.

21         1.  Two district school superintendents, one who is

22  from a large urban school district and one who is from a

23  small, rural school district.

24         2.  One school board member who is from a medium size

25  school district.

26         3.  Three public school principals, one from a large

27  high performing high school, one from a vocational technical

28  high school, and one from a lower performing high school.

29         4.  Three public high school teachers, one who is an

30  experienced reading teacher, one who is from a school graded

31  "F," and one who is from a high performing school.

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 1         5.  Three parents of public high school students who

 2  represent the demographic, racial, and ethnic diversity of the

 3  state.

 4         6.  Three public high school students who represent the

 5  demographic, racial and ethnic diversity of the state.

 6         7.  One representative of the business community.

 7         8.  One administrator from a charter high school

 8  serving students who are at risk of dropping out of school.

 9         9.  One expert on the subject of high school reform who

10  does not otherwise fall inside one of the enumerated

11  categories.

12         (b)  The President of the Senate shall appoint one

13  member of the Senate to serve on the task force and the

14  Speaker of the House of Representatives shall appoint one

15  member of the House of Representatives to serve on the task

16  force.

17         (3)  Not later than January 1, 2006, the task force

18  shall vote on the final report incorporating recommendations

19  and a long-term plan for high school reform.

20         (4)  Not later than February 1, 2006, the task force

21  shall recommend to the Governor, the President of the Senate,

22  and the Speaker of the House of Representatives a long-term

23  plan for revisions to statutes, rules, and policies that will

24  improve Florida's grade 9 retention rate, graduation rate,

25  dropout rate, and college remediation rate, and align high

26  school requirements with the needs of Florida's employers and

27  postsecondary educational institution requirements. The plan

28  must address, but is not limited to addressing:  graduation

29  requirements; course redesign; remediation strategies; credit

30  recovery; use of alternative programs including programs

31  emphasizing applied integrated curricula, small learning

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 1  communities, support services, or increased discipline; the

 2  use of technology; adjustments to the school grading system to

 3  reflect learning gains by high school students; middle school

 4  systemic alignment; transition from middle school to high

 5  school; alignment with postsecondary and workforce education

 6  requirements; and alignment with employer expectations.

 7         Section 12.  Subsection (6) of section 1003.415,

 8  Florida Statutes, is repealed, and subsection (2), paragraph

 9  (a) of subsection (5), and paragraph (a) of present subsection

10  (7) of that section are amended, to read:

11         1003.415  The Middle Grades Reform Act.--

12         (2)  PURPOSE AND INTENT.--

13         (a)  The purpose of this section is to provide added

14  focus and rigor to academics in the middle grades. Using

15  reading as the foundation, all middle grade students should

16  receive rigorous academic instruction through challenging

17  curricula delivered by highly qualified teachers in schools

18  with outstanding leadership, which schools are supported by

19  engaged and informed parents.

20         (b)  It is the intent of the Legislature that students

21  promoted from the eighth grade will be ready for success in

22  high school and that the mission of the middle grades is to

23  prepare students for the successful completion of rigorous

24  courses in high school.

25         (5)  RIGOROUS READING REQUIREMENT.--

26         (a)  Beginning with the 2004-2005 school year, Each

27  public school serving middle grade students, including charter

28  schools, with fewer than 75 percent of its students reading at

29  or above grade level in grade 6, grade 7, or grade 8 as

30  measured by a student scoring at Level 3 or above on the FCAT

31  during the prior school year, must incorporate by October 1 a

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 1  rigorous reading requirement for reading and language arts

 2  programs as the primary component of its school improvement

 3  plan. The department shall annually provide to each district

 4  school board by June 30 a list of its schools that are

 5  required to incorporate a rigorous reading requirement as the

 6  primary component of the school's improvement plan. The

 7  department shall provide technical assistance to school

 8  districts and school administrators required to implement the

 9  rigorous reading requirement.

10         (6)  COMPREHENSIVE REFORM STUDY ON THE ACADEMIC

11  PERFORMANCE OF STUDENTS AND SCHOOLS.--

12         (a)  The department shall conduct a study on how the

13  overall academic performance of middle grade students and

14  schools can be improved. The department must consult with the

15  Florida Center for Reading Research at Florida State

16  University, the Just Read, Florida! Office, and key education

17  stakeholders, including district school board members,

18  district school superintendents, principals, parents,

19  teachers, district supervisors of curriculum, and students

20  across the state, in the development of its findings and

21  recommendations. The department shall review, at a minimum,

22  each of the following elements:

23         1.  Academic expectations, which include, but are not

24  limited to:

25         a.  Alignment of middle school expectations with

26  elementary and high school graduation requirements.

27         b.  Best practices to improve reading and language arts

28  courses based on research-based programs for middle school

29  students in alignment with the Sunshine State Standards.

30         c.  Strategies that focus on improving academic success

31  for low-performing students.

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 1         d.  Rigor of curricula and courses.

 2         e.  Instructional materials.

 3         f.  Course enrollment by middle school students.

 4         g.  Student support services.

 5         h.  Measurement and reporting of student achievement.

 6         2.  Attendance policies and student mobility issues.

 7         3.  Teacher quality, which includes, but is not limited

 8  to:

 9         a.  Preparedness of teachers to teach rigorous courses

10  to middle school students.

11         b.  Teacher evaluations.

12         c.  Substitute teachers.

13         d.  Certification and recertification requirements.

14         e.  Staff development requirements.

15         f.  Availability of effective staff development

16  training.

17         g.  Teacher recruitment and vacancy issues.

18         h.  Federal requirements for highly qualified teachers

19  pursuant to the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001.

20         4.  Identification and availability of diagnostic

21  testing.

22         5.  Availability of personnel and scheduling issues.

23         6.  Middle school leadership and performance.

24         7.  Parental and community involvement.

25         (b)  By December 1, 2004, the Commissioner of Education

26  shall submit to the President of the Senate, the Speaker of

27  the House of Representatives, the chairs of the education

28  committees in the Senate and the House of Representatives, and

29  the State Board of Education recommendations to increase the

30  academic performance of middle grade students and schools.

31         (6)(7)  PERSONALIZED MIDDLE SCHOOL SUCCESS PLAN.--

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 1         (a)  Beginning with the 2004-2005 school year, Each

 2  principal of a school with a middle grade shall designate

 3  certified staff members at the school to develop and

 4  administer a personalized middle school success plan for each

 5  entering sixth grade student who scored below Level 3 in

 6  reading on the most recently administered FCAT. The purpose of

 7  the success plan is to assist the student in meeting state and

 8  school district expectations in academic proficiency and to

 9  prepare the student for a rigorous high school curriculum. The

10  success plan shall be developed in collaboration with the

11  student and his or her parent and must be implemented until

12  the student completes the eighth grade or achieves a score at

13  Level 3 or above in reading on the FCAT, whichever occurs

14  first. The success plan must minimize paperwork and may be

15  incorporated into a parent/teacher conference, included as

16  part of a progress report or report card, included as part of

17  a general orientation at the beginning of the school year, or

18  provided by electronic mail or other written correspondence.

19         Section 13.  Section 1003.4155, Florida Statutes, is

20  created to read:

21         1003.4155  Middle school grading system.--The grading

22  system and interpretation of letter grades used in grades 6

23  through 8 shall be as follows:

24         (1)  Grade "A" equals 90 percent through 100 percent,

25  has a grade point average value of 4, and is defined as

26  "outstanding progress."

27         (2)  Grade "B" equals 80 percent through 89 percent,

28  has a grade point average value of 3, and is defined as "above

29  average progress."

30  

31  

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 1         (3)  Grade "C" equals 70 percent through 79 percent,

 2  has a grade point average value of 2, and is defined as

 3  "average progress."

 4         (4)  Grade "D" equals 60 percent through 69 percent,

 5  has a grade point average value of 1, and is defined as

 6  "lowest acceptable progress."

 7         (5)  Grade "F" equals zero percent through 59 percent,

 8  has a grade point average value of zero, and is defined as

 9  "failure."

10         (6)  Grade "I" equals zero percent, has a grade point

11  average value of zero, and is defined as "incomplete."

12         Section 14.  Section 1003.4156, Florida Statutes, is

13  created to read:

14         1003.4156  General requirements for middle school

15  promotion.--

16         (1)  Beginning with students entering grade 6 in the

17  2005-2006 school year, promotion from a middle school, grades

18  6 through 8, requires the successful completion of 12 academic

19  credits, including:

20         (a)  Three middle school or higher credits in

21  English/language arts.

22         (b)  Three middle school or higher credits in

23  mathematics.

24         (c)  Three middle school or higher credits in social

25  studies.

26         (d)  Three middle school or higher credits in science.

27  

28  Other courses offered in middle school, including music, band,

29  physical education, and art, shall be considered electives.

30         (2)  In addition to the credits required under

31  subsection (1), for each year a student scores at Level 1 or 2

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 1  on the reading portion of the FCAT, the student must be

 2  enrolled the following year in a full-year intensive reading

 3  course for which the student may earn up to three credits. The

 4  intensive reading course must be based on frameworks developed

 5  by the Florida Center for Reading Research, or a comparable

 6  course as identified by the Department of Education, which

 7  includes an emphasis on integration of core curriculum

 8  standards and incorporation of informational and expository

 9  text.

10         (3)  In addition to the credits required under

11  subsection (1), for each year a student scores at Level 3 on

12  the reading portion of the FCAT, the student must be enrolled

13  the following year in a one-semester intensive reading course.

14  The reading course must be based on frameworks developed by

15  the Florida Center for Reading Research, or a comparable

16  course as identified by the Department of Education, which

17  includes an emphasis on integration of core curriculum

18  standards and incorporation of informational and expository

19  text.

20         (4)  One full credit must entail completing a minimum

21  of 135 hours of instruction in a designated course of study

22  which contains standards for student performance.  For schools

23  authorized by the district school board to implement block

24  scheduling, one full credit must entail completing a minimum

25  of 120 hours of instruction in a designated course of study

26  which contains standards for student performance.

27         (5)  District school boards shall establish policies to

28  allow alternative methods for students to earn the credits

29  required by this section. The alternative methods must

30  include, but are not limited to, opportunities for students

31  to:

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 1         (a)  Recover credits;

 2         (b)  Be promoted on time to high school; and

 3         (c)  Be placed in programs that emphasize applied

 4  integrated curricula, small learning communities, support

 5  services, increased discipline, or other strategies documented

 6  to improve student achievement.

 7  

 8  The district's policy, or amendments to the policy, shall be

 9  submitted to the State Board of Education for approval. If the

10  State Board of Education does not take action within 60 days

11  following receipt of the proposed policy, the policy shall

12  stand approved.

13         (6)  The State Board of Education shall adopt rules

14  under ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54 to provide for alternative

15  middle school promotion standards for students in grade 6,

16  grade 7, or grade 8 who are not enrolled in a school that has

17  a grade 6 through grade 8 middle school configuration.

18         Section 15.  Section 1003.42, Florida Statutes, is

19  amended to read:

20         1003.42  Required instruction.--

21         (1)  Each district school board shall provide all

22  courses required for high school graduation and appropriate

23  instruction designed to ensure that students meet State Board

24  of Education adopted standards in the following subject areas:

25  reading and other language arts, mathematics, science, social

26  studies, foreign languages, health and physical education, and

27  the arts.

28         (2)  Members of the instructional staff of the public

29  schools, subject to the rules of the State Board of Education

30  and the district school board, shall teach efficiently and

31  faithfully, using the books and materials required that meet

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 1  the highest standards for professionalism and historic

 2  accuracy, following the prescribed courses of study, and

 3  employing approved methods of instruction, the following:

 4         (a)  The history and content of the Declaration of

 5  Independence, including national sovereignty, natural law,

 6  self-evident truth, equality of all persons, limited

 7  government, popular sovereignty, and inalienable rights of

 8  life, liberty, and property, and how they form it forms the

 9  philosophical foundation of our government.

10         (b)  The history, meaning, significance, and effect of

11  the provisions of the Constitution of the United States and

12  amendments thereto, with emphasis on each of the 10 amendments

13  that make up the Bill of Rights and how the constitution

14  provides the structure of our government.

15         (c)(b)  The arguments in support of adopting our

16  republican form of government, as they are embodied in the

17  most important of the Federalist Papers.

18         (c)  The essentials of the United States Constitution

19  and how it provides the structure of our government.

20         (d)  Flag education, including proper flag display and

21  flag salute.

22         (e)  The elements of civil government, including the

23  primary functions of and interrelationships between the

24  Federal Government, the state, and its counties,

25  municipalities, school districts, and special districts.

26         (f)  The history of the United States, including the

27  period of discovery, early colonies, the War for Independence,

28  the Civil War, the expansion of the United States to its

29  present boundaries, the world wars, and the civil rights

30  movement to the present. American history shall be viewed as

31  factual, not as constructed, shall be viewed as knowable,

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 1  teachable, and testable, and shall be defined as the creation

 2  of a new nation based largely on the universal principles

 3  stated in the Declaration of Independence.

 4         (g)(f)  The history of the Holocaust (1933-1945), the

 5  systematic, planned annihilation of European Jews and other

 6  groups by Nazi Germany, a watershed event in the history of

 7  humanity, to be taught in a manner that leads to an

 8  investigation of human behavior, an understanding of the

 9  ramifications of prejudice, racism, and stereotyping, and an

10  examination of what it means to be a responsible and

11  respectful person, for the purposes of encouraging tolerance

12  of diversity in a pluralistic society and for nurturing and

13  protecting democratic values and institutions.

14         (h)(g)  The history of African Americans, including the

15  history of African peoples before the political conflicts that

16  led to the development of slavery, the passage to America, the

17  enslavement experience, abolition, and the contributions of

18  African Americans to society.

19         (i)(h)  The elementary principles of agriculture.

20         (j)(i)  The true effects of all alcoholic and

21  intoxicating liquors and beverages and narcotics upon the

22  human body and mind.

23         (k)(j)  Kindness to animals.

24         (l)(k)  The history of the state.

25         (m)(l)  The conservation of natural resources.

26         (n)(m)  Comprehensive health education that addresses

27  concepts of community health; consumer health; environmental

28  health; family life, including an awareness of the benefits of

29  sexual abstinence as the expected standard and the

30  consequences of teenage pregnancy; mental and emotional

31  health; injury prevention and safety; nutrition; personal

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 1  health; prevention and control of disease; and substance use

 2  and abuse.

 3         (o)(n)  Such additional materials, subjects, courses,

 4  or fields in such grades as are prescribed by law or by rules

 5  of the State Board of Education and the district school board

 6  in fulfilling the requirements of law.

 7         (p)(o)  The study of Hispanic contributions to the

 8  United States.

 9         (q)(p)  The study of women's contributions to the

10  United States.

11         (r)  The nature and importance of free enterprise to

12  the United States economy.

13         (s)(q)  A character-development program in the

14  elementary schools, similar to Character First or Character

15  Counts, which is secular in nature and stresses such character

16  qualities as attentiveness, patience, and initiative.

17  Beginning in school year 2004-2005, the character-development

18  program shall be required in kindergarten through grade 12.

19  Each district school board shall develop or adopt a curriculum

20  for the character-development program that shall be submitted

21  to the department for approval. The character-development

22  curriculum shall stress the qualities of patriotism;,

23  responsibility;, citizenship;, kindness;, respect for

24  authority, life, liberty, and personal property;, honesty;

25  charity;, self-control;, racial, ethnic, and religious

26  tolerance;, and cooperation.

27         (t)(r)  In order to encourage patriotism, the

28  sacrifices that veterans have made in serving our country and

29  protecting democratic values worldwide. Such instruction must

30  occur on or before Veterans' Day and Memorial Day. Members of

31  

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 1  the instructional staff are encouraged to use the assistance

 2  of local veterans when practicable.

 3  

 4  The State Board of Education is encouraged to adopt standards

 5  and pursue assessment of the requirements of this subsection.

 6         (3)  Any student whose parent makes written request to

 7  the school principal shall be exempted from the teaching of

 8  reproductive health or any disease, including HIV/AIDS, its

 9  symptoms, development, and treatment. A student so exempted

10  may not be penalized by reason of that exemption. Course

11  descriptions for comprehensive health education shall not

12  interfere with the local determination of appropriate

13  curriculum which reflects local values and concerns.

14         Section 16.  Subsection (15) of section 1003.52,

15  Florida Statutes, is amended to read:

16         1003.52  Educational services in Department of Juvenile

17  Justice programs.--

18         (15)(a)  The Department of Education shall, for

19  students in juvenile justice education programs, develop

20  procedures to accurately report student academic performance

21  data and the assessment participation rates that are used to

22  determine adequate yearly progress under Pub. L. No. 107-110.

23  The procedures must include an opportunity for validation of

24  the data by schools that provide educational services to

25  students in programs of the Department of Juvenile Justice.

26         (b)  The Department of Education in consultation with

27  the Department of Juvenile Justice, district school boards,

28  and providers shall establish objective and measurable quality

29  assurance standards for the educational component of

30  residential and nonresidential juvenile justice facilities.

31  These standards shall rate the district school board's

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 1  performance both as a provider and contractor. The quality

 2  assurance rating for the educational component shall be

 3  disaggregated from the overall quality assurance score and

 4  reported separately.

 5         (c)(b)  The Department of Education shall develop a

 6  comprehensive quality assurance review process and schedule

 7  for the evaluation of the educational component in juvenile

 8  justice programs. The Department of Juvenile Justice quality

 9  assurance site visit and the education quality assurance site

10  visit shall be conducted during the same visit.

11         (d)(c)  The Department of Education, in consultation

12  with district school boards and providers, shall establish

13  minimum thresholds for the standards and key indicators for

14  educational programs in juvenile justice facilities. If a

15  district school board fails to meet the established minimum

16  standards, it will be given 6 months to achieve compliance

17  with the standards. If after 6 months, the district school

18  board's performance is still below minimum standards, the

19  Department of Education shall exercise sanctions as prescribed

20  by rules adopted by the State Board of Education. If a

21  provider, under contract with the district school board, fails

22  to meet minimum standards, such failure shall cause the

23  district school board to cancel the provider's contract unless

24  the provider achieves compliance within 6 months or unless

25  there are documented extenuating circumstances.

26         Section 17.  Section 1003.57, Florida Statutes, is

27  amended to read:

28         1003.57  Exceptional students instruction.--

29         (1)  Each district school board shall provide for an

30  appropriate program of special instruction, facilities, and

31  

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 1  services for exceptional students as prescribed by the State

 2  Board of Education as acceptable, including provisions that:

 3         (a)(1)  The district school board provide the necessary

 4  professional services for diagnosis and evaluation of

 5  exceptional students.

 6         (b)(2)  The district school board provide the special

 7  instruction, classes, and services, either within the district

 8  school system, in cooperation with other district school

 9  systems, or through contractual arrangements with approved

10  private schools or community facilities that meet standards

11  established by the commissioner.

12         (c)(3)  The district school board annually provide

13  information describing the Florida School for the Deaf and the

14  Blind and all other programs and methods of instruction

15  available to the parent of a sensory-impaired student.

16         (d)(4)  The district school board, once every 3 years,

17  submit to the department its proposed procedures for the

18  provision of special instruction and services for exceptional

19  students.

20         (e)(5)  A No student may not be given special

21  instruction or services as an exceptional student until after

22  he or she has been properly evaluated, classified, and placed

23  in the manner prescribed by rules of the State Board of

24  Education. The parent of an exceptional student evaluated and

25  placed or denied placement in a program of special education

26  shall be notified of each such evaluation and placement or

27  denial. Such notice shall contain a statement informing the

28  parent that he or she is entitled to a due process hearing on

29  the identification, evaluation, and placement, or lack

30  thereof. Such hearings shall be exempt from the provisions of

31  ss. 120.569, 120.57, and 286.011, except to the extent that

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 1  the State Board of Education adopts rules establishing other

 2  procedures and any records created as a result of such

 3  hearings shall be confidential and exempt from the provisions

 4  of s. 119.07(1). The hearing must be conducted by an

 5  administrative law judge from the Division of Administrative

 6  Hearings of the Department of Management Services. The

 7  decision of the administrative law judge shall be final,

 8  except that any party aggrieved by the finding and decision

 9  rendered by the administrative law judge shall have the right

10  to bring a civil action in the circuit court. In such an

11  action, the court shall receive the records of the

12  administrative hearing and shall hear additional evidence at

13  the request of either party. In the alternative, any party

14  aggrieved by the finding and decision rendered by the

15  administrative law judge shall have the right to request an

16  impartial review of the administrative law judge's order by

17  the district court of appeal as provided by s. 120.68.

18  Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, during the pendency

19  of any proceeding conducted pursuant to this section, unless

20  the district school board and the parents otherwise agree, the

21  student shall remain in his or her then-current educational

22  assignment or, if applying for initial admission to a public

23  school, shall be assigned, with the consent of the parents, in

24  the public school program until all such proceedings have been

25  completed.

26         (f)(6)  In providing for the education of exceptional

27  students, the district school superintendent, principals, and

28  teachers shall utilize the regular school facilities and adapt

29  them to the needs of exceptional students to the maximum

30  extent appropriate. Segregation of exceptional students shall

31  occur only if the nature or severity of the exceptionality is

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 1  such that education in regular classes with the use of

 2  supplementary aids and services cannot be achieved

 3  satisfactorily.

 4         (g)(7)  In addition to the services agreed to in a

 5  student's individual education plan, the district school

 6  superintendent shall fully inform the parent of a student

 7  having a physical or developmental disability of all available

 8  services that are appropriate for the student's disability.

 9  The superintendent shall provide the student's parent with a

10  summary of the student's rights.

11         (2)(a)  An exceptional student with a disability who

12  resides in a residential facility and receives special

13  instruction or services is considered a resident of the state

14  in which the student's parent or guardian is a resident. The

15  cost of such instruction, facilities, and services for a

16  nonresident student with a disability shall be provided by the

17  placing authority in the student's state of residence, such as

18  a public school entity, other placing authority, or parent. A

19  nonresident student with a disability may not be reported by

20  any school district for FTE funding in the Florida Education

21  Finance Program.

22         (b)  The Department of Education shall provide to each

23  school district a statement of the specific limitations of the

24  district's financial obligation for exceptional students with

25  disabilities under federal and state law. The department shall

26  also provide to each school district technical assistance as

27  necessary for developing a local plan to impose on a student's

28  home state the fiscal responsibility for educating a

29  nonresident exceptional student with a disability.

30         (c)  The Department of Education shall develop a

31  process by which a school district must, before providing

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 1  services to an exceptional student with a disability who

 2  resides in a residential facility in this state, review the

 3  residency of the student. The residential facility, not the

 4  district, is responsible for billing and collecting from a

 5  nonresidential student's home state payment for the student's

 6  educational and related services.

 7         (d)  This subsection applies to any nonresident student

 8  with a disability who resides in a residential facility and

 9  who receives instruction as an exceptional student with a

10  disability in any type of residential facility in this state,

11  including, but not limited to, a public school, a private

12  school, a group home facility as defined in s. 393.063, an

13  intensive residential treatment program for children and

14  adolescents as defined in s. 395.002, a facility as defined in

15  s. 394.455, an intermediate care facility for the

16  developmentally disabled or ICF/DD as defined in s. 393.063 or

17  s. 400.960, or a community residential home as defined in s.

18  419.001.

19         Section 18.  Section 1003.575, Florida Statutes, is

20  created to read:

21         1003.575  Individual education plans for exceptional

22  students.--The Department of Education shall devise an

23  individual education plan (IEP) form for use in developing and

24  implementing individual education plans for exceptional

25  students. The IEP form must have a streamlined format; and, to

26  provide for the use of an existing IEP form when a student

27  transfers from one school district to another, the IEP form

28  developed by the department shall be used in each school

29  district in the state.

30         Section 19.  Section 1003.58, Florida Statutes, is

31  amended to read:

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 1         1003.58  Students in residential care facilities.--Each

 2  district school board shall provide educational programs

 3  according to rules of the State Board of Education to students

 4  who reside in residential care facilities operated by the

 5  Department of Children and Family Services.

 6         (1)  The district school board shall not be charged any

 7  rent, maintenance, utilities, or overhead on such facilities.

 8  Maintenance, repairs, and remodeling of existing facilities

 9  shall be provided by the Department of Children and Family

10  Services.

11         (2)  If additional facilities are required, the

12  district school board and the Department of Children and

13  Family Services shall agree on the appropriate site based on

14  the instructional needs of the students.  When the most

15  appropriate site for instruction is on district school board

16  property, a special capital outlay request shall be made by

17  the commissioner in accordance with s. 1013.60. When the most

18  appropriate site is on state property, state capital outlay

19  funds shall be requested by the Department of Children and

20  Family Services as provided by s. 216.043 and shall be

21  submitted as specified by s. 216.023. Any instructional

22  facility to be built on state property shall have educational

23  specifications jointly developed by the school district and

24  the Department of Children and Family Services and approved by

25  the Department of Education. The size of space and occupant

26  design capacity criteria as provided by state board rules

27  shall be used for remodeling or new construction whether

28  facilities are provided on state property or district school

29  board property. The planning of such additional facilities

30  shall incorporate current Department of Children and Family

31  Services deinstitutionalization plans.

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 1         (3)  The district school board shall have full and

 2  complete authority in the matter of the assignment and

 3  placement of such students in educational programs. The parent

 4  of an exceptional student shall have the same due process

 5  rights as are provided under s. 1003.57(1)(e) s. 1003.57(5).

 6         (4)  The district school board shall have a written

 7  agreement with the Department of Children and Family Services

 8  outlining the respective duties and responsibilities of each

 9  party.

10  

11  Notwithstanding the provisions herein, the educational program

12  at the Marianna Sunland Center in Jackson County shall be

13  operated by the Department of Education, either directly or

14  through grants or contractual agreements with other public or

15  duly accredited educational agencies approved by the

16  Department of Education.

17         Section 20.  Present subsection (13) of section

18  1004.04, Florida Statutes, is redesignated as subsection (14),

19  and a new subsection (13) is added to that section, to read:

20         1004.04  Public accountability and state approval for

21  teacher preparation programs.--

22         (13)  RESEARCH.--The Council for Education Policy

23  Research and Improvement shall review and report on the

24  effectiveness of the graduates of state-approved teacher

25  preparation programs and state-approved alternative

26  certification programs as demonstrated by the progress of

27  their students on statewide assessments.

28         Section 21.  Section 1004.64, Florida Statutes, is

29  created to read:

30         1004.64  Florida Center for Reading Research.--There is

31  created, as a joint project between the College of Arts and

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 1  Sciences and the Learning Systems Institute (LSI) at the

 2  Florida State University, the Florida Center for Reading

 3  Research (FCRR). The center is administratively housed within

 4  the LSI and shall:

 5         (1)  Provide technical assistance and support to all

 6  school districts and schools in this state in the

 7  implementation of evidence-based literacy instruction,

 8  assessments, and programs.

 9         (2)  Conduct applied research that will have an

10  immediate impact on policy and practices related to literacy

11  instruction and assessment in this state.

12         (3)  Conduct basic research on reading, reading growth,

13  reading assessment, and reading instruction which will

14  contribute to scientific knowledge about reading.

15         (4)  Develop frameworks for comprehensive reading

16  intervention courses for possible use in middle schools and

17  secondary schools.

18         (5)  Disseminate information about research-based

19  practices related to literacy instruction, assessment, and

20  programs for students in preschool through grade 12.

21         (6)  Collect, manage, and report on assessment

22  information from screening, progress monitoring, and outcome

23  assessments through the Florida Progress Monitoring and

24  Reporting Network. The network is a statewide resource that is

25  operated to provide valid and timely reading assessment data

26  for parents, teachers, principals, and district-level and

27  state-level staff in the management of instruction at the

28  individual, classroom, and school levels.

29         Section 22.  Section 1008.22, Florida Statutes, is

30  amended to read:

31  

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 1         1008.22  Student assessment program for public

 2  schools.--

 3         (1)  PURPOSE.--The primary purposes of the student

 4  assessment program are to provide information needed to

 5  improve the public schools by enhancing the learning gains of

 6  all students and to inform parents of the educational progress

 7  of their public school children.  The program must be designed

 8  to:

 9         (a)  Assess the annual learning gains of each student

10  toward achieving the Sunshine State Standards appropriate for

11  the student's grade level.

12         (b)  Provide data for making decisions regarding school

13  accountability and recognition.

14         (c)  Identify the educational strengths and needs of

15  students and the readiness of students to be promoted to the

16  next grade level or to graduate from high school with a

17  standard high school diploma.

18         (d)  Assess how well educational goals and performance

19  standards are met at the school, district, and state levels.

20         (e)  Provide information to aid in the evaluation and

21  development of educational programs and policies.

22         (f)  Provide information on the performance of Florida

23  students in this state compared with other students others

24  across the United States.

25         (2) INTENT.--

26         (a)  It is the intent of the Legislature that the

27  Department of Education pursue innovations in technology and

28  assessment to allow the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test

29  (FCAT) to be administered as late as possible in the school

30  year with scores received before the end of the school year.

31  The department shall pursue such innovations to the extent

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 1  funded by the Legislature. Annually, the Commissioner of

 2  Education shall report to the Governor, the President of the

 3  Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives on the

 4  state of the art in large-scale on-line assessment

 5  capabilities of the industry and of the capacity of the public

 6  schools in this state to implement a statewide program.

 7         (b)  It is the further intent of the Legislature that

 8  the Department of Education make accessible to the public

 9  copies of actual scored FCAT test items when sufficient items

10  are available through the test-item databank to ensure the

11  security and validity of the test. The department shall

12  provide such FCAT test items to the extent that sufficient

13  items are funded by the Legislature. However, this paragraph

14  does not apply to those provisions of the FCAT to which the

15  department does not hold the copyright.

16         (3)(2)  NATIONAL EDUCATION COMPARISONS.--It is

17  Florida's intent to participate in the measurement of national

18  educational goals. The Commissioner of Education shall direct

19  Florida school districts to participate in the administration

20  of the National Assessment of Educational Progress, or a

21  similar national assessment program, both for the national

22  sample and for any state-by-state comparison programs which

23  may be initiated. Such assessments must be conducted using the

24  data collection procedures, the student surveys, the educator

25  surveys, and other instruments included in the National

26  Assessment of Educational Progress or similar program being

27  administered in Florida. The results of these assessments

28  shall be included in the annual report of the Commissioner of

29  Education specified in this section. The administration of the

30  National Assessment of Educational Progress or similar program

31  

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 1  shall be in addition to and separate from the administration

 2  of the statewide assessment program.

 3         (4)(3)  STATEWIDE ASSESSMENT PROGRAM.--The commissioner

 4  shall design and implement a statewide program of educational

 5  assessment that provides information for the improvement of

 6  the operation and management of the public schools, including

 7  schools operating for the purpose of providing educational

 8  services to youth in Department of Juvenile Justice programs.

 9  The commissioner may enter into contracts for the continued

10  administration of the assessment, testing, and evaluation

11  programs authorized and funded by the Legislature. Contracts

12  may be initiated in 1 fiscal year and continue into the next

13  and may be paid from the appropriations of either or both

14  fiscal years. The commissioner is authorized to negotiate for

15  the sale or lease of tests, scoring protocols, test scoring

16  services, and related materials developed pursuant to law.

17  Pursuant to the statewide assessment program, the commissioner

18  shall:

19         (a)  Submit to the State Board of Education a list that

20  specifies student skills and competencies to which the goals

21  for education specified in the state plan apply, including,

22  but not limited to, reading, writing, science, and

23  mathematics. The skills and competencies must include

24  problem-solving and higher-order skills as appropriate and

25  shall be known as the Sunshine State Standards as defined in

26  s. 1000.21. The commissioner shall select such skills and

27  competencies after receiving recommendations from educators,

28  citizens, and members of the business community. The

29  commissioner shall submit to the State Board of Education

30  revisions to the list of student skills and competencies in

31  

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 1  order to maintain continuous progress toward improvements in

 2  student proficiency.

 3         (b)  Develop and implement a uniform system of

 4  indicators to describe the performance of public school

 5  students and the characteristics of the public school

 6  districts and the public schools. These indicators must

 7  include, without limitation, information gathered by the

 8  comprehensive management information system created pursuant

 9  to s. 1008.385 and student achievement information obtained

10  pursuant to this section.

11         (c)  Develop and implement a student achievement

12  testing program known as the Florida Comprehensive Assessment

13  Test (FCAT) as part of the statewide assessment program, to be

14  administered annually in grades 3 through 10 to measure

15  reading, writing, science, and mathematics. Other content

16  areas may be included as directed by the commissioner. The

17  assessment of reading and math shall be administered annually

18  in grades 3 through 10. The assessment of writing and science

19  shall be administered at least once at the elementary school

20  level, at least once at the middle school level, and at least

21  once at the high school level. The testing program must be

22  designed so that:

23         1.  The tests measure student skills and competencies

24  adopted by the State Board of Education as specified in

25  paragraph (a). The tests must measure and report student

26  proficiency levels in reading, writing, mathematics, and

27  science. The commissioner shall provide for the tests to be

28  developed or obtained, as appropriate, through contracts and

29  project agreements with private vendors, public vendors,

30  public agencies, postsecondary educational institutions, or

31  school districts. The commissioner shall obtain input with

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 1  respect to the design and implementation of the testing

 2  program from state educators and the public.

 3         2.  The testing program will include a combination of

 4  norm-referenced and criterion-referenced tests and include, to

 5  the extent determined by the commissioner, questions that

 6  require the student to produce information or perform tasks in

 7  such a way that the skills and competencies he or she uses can

 8  be measured.

 9         3.  Each testing program, whether at the elementary,

10  middle, or high school level, includes a test of writing in

11  which students are required to produce writings that are then

12  scored by appropriate methods.

13         4.  A score is designated for each subject area tested,

14  below which score a student's performance is deemed

15  inadequate. The school districts shall provide appropriate

16  remedial instruction to students who score below these levels.

17         5.  Except as provided in s. 1003.43(11)(b), students

18  must earn a passing score on the grade 10 assessment test

19  described in this paragraph or on an alternate assessment as

20  described in subsection (9) in reading, writing, and

21  mathematics to qualify for a regular high school diploma. The

22  State Board of Education shall designate a passing score for

23  each part of the grade 10 assessment test. In establishing

24  passing scores, the state board shall consider any possible

25  negative impact of the test on minority students. All students

26  who took the grade 10 FCAT during the 2000-2001 school year

27  shall be required to earn the passing scores in reading and

28  mathematics established by the State Board of Education for

29  the March 2001 test administration. Such students who did not

30  earn the established passing scores and must repeat the grade

31  10 FCAT are required to earn the passing scores established

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 1  for the March 2001 test administration. All students who take

 2  the grade 10 FCAT for the first time in March 2002 shall be

 3  required to earn the passing scores in reading and mathematics

 4  established by the State Board of Education for the March 2002

 5  test administration. The State Board of Education shall adopt

 6  rules that which specify the passing scores for the grade 10

 7  FCAT. Any such rules, which have the effect of raising the

 8  required passing scores, shall only apply only to students

 9  taking the grade 10 FCAT for the first time after such rules

10  are adopted by the State Board of Education.

11         6.  Participation in the testing program is mandatory

12  for all students attending public school, including students

13  served in Department of Juvenile Justice programs, except as

14  otherwise prescribed by the commissioner. If a student does

15  not participate in the statewide assessment, the district must

16  notify the student's parent and provide the parent with

17  information regarding the implications of such

18  nonparticipation. If modifications are made in the student's

19  instruction to provide accommodations that would not be

20  permitted on the statewide assessment tests, the district must

21  notify the student's parent of the implications of such

22  instructional modifications. A parent must provide signed

23  consent for a student to receive instructional modifications

24  that would not be permitted on the statewide assessments and

25  must acknowledge in writing that he or she understands the

26  implications of such accommodations. The State Board of

27  Education shall adopt rules, based upon recommendations of the

28  commissioner, for the provision of test accommodations and

29  modifications of procedures as necessary for students in

30  exceptional education programs and for students who have

31  

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 1  limited English proficiency. Accommodations that negate the

 2  validity of a statewide assessment are not allowable.

 3         7.  A student seeking an adult high school diploma must

 4  meet the same testing requirements that a regular high school

 5  student must meet.

 6         8.  District school boards must provide instruction to

 7  prepare students to demonstrate proficiency in the skills and

 8  competencies necessary for successful grade-to-grade

 9  progression and high school graduation. If a student is

10  provided with accommodations or modifications that are not

11  allowable in the statewide assessment program, as described in

12  the test manuals, the district must inform the parent in

13  writing and must provide the parent with information regarding

14  the impact on the student's ability to meet expected

15  proficiency levels in reading, writing, and math. The

16  commissioner shall conduct studies as necessary to verify that

17  the required skills and competencies are part of the district

18  instructional programs.

19         9.  The Department of Education must develop, or

20  select, and implement a common battery of assessment tools

21  that will be used in all juvenile justice programs in the

22  state. These tools must accurately measure the skills and

23  competencies established in the Florida Sunshine State

24  Standards.

25  

26  The commissioner may design and implement student testing

27  programs, for any grade level and subject area, necessary to

28  effectively monitor educational achievement in the state.

29         (d)  Conduct ongoing research to develop improved

30  methods of assessing student performance, including, without

31  limitation, the use of technology to administer tests, score,

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 1  or report the results of, the use of electronic transfer of

 2  data, the development of work-product assessments, and the

 3  development of process assessments.

 4         (e)  Conduct ongoing research into and analysis of

 5  student achievement data, including, without limitation,

 6  monitoring trends in student achievement by grade level and

 7  overall student achievement, identifying school programs that

 8  are successful, and analyzing correlates of school

 9  achievement.

10         (f)  Provide technical assistance to school districts

11  in the implementation of state and district testing programs

12  and the use of the data produced pursuant to such programs.

13         (5)(4)  DISTRICT TESTING PROGRAMS.--Each district

14  school board shall periodically assess student performance and

15  achievement within each school of the district. The assessment

16  programs must be based upon local goals and objectives that

17  are compatible with the state plan for education and that

18  supplement the skills and competencies adopted by the State

19  Board of Education. All school districts must participate in

20  the statewide assessment program designed to measure annual

21  student learning and school performance. All district school

22  boards shall report assessment results as required by the

23  state management information system.

24         (6)(5)  SCHOOL TESTING PROGRAMS.--Each public school

25  shall participate in the statewide assessment program, unless

26  specifically exempted by state board rule based on serving a

27  specialized population for which standardized testing is not

28  appropriate. Student performance data shall be analyzed and

29  reported to parents, the community, and the state. Student

30  performance data shall be used in developing objectives of the

31  school improvement plan, evaluation of instructional

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 1  personnel, evaluation of administrative personnel, assignment

 2  of staff, allocation of resources, acquisition of

 3  instructional materials and technology, performance-based

 4  budgeting, and promotion and assignment of students into

 5  educational programs. The analysis of student performance data

 6  also must identify strengths and needs in the educational

 7  program and trends over time.  The analysis must be used in

 8  conjunction with the budgetary planning processes developed

 9  pursuant to s. 1008.385 and the development of the programs of

10  remediation.

11         (7)(6)  REQUIRED ANALYSES.--The commissioner shall

12  provide, at a minimum, for the following analyses of data

13  produced by the student achievement testing program:

14         (a)  The statistical system for the annual assessments

15  shall use measures of student learning, such as the FCAT, to

16  determine teacher, school, and school district statistical

17  distributions, which shall be determined using available data

18  from the FCAT, and other data collection as deemed appropriate

19  by the Department of Education, to measure the differences in

20  student prior year achievement compared to the current year

21  achievement for the purposes of accountability and

22  recognition.

23         (b)  The statistical system shall provide the best

24  estimates of teacher, school, and school district effects on

25  student progress. The approach used by the department shall be

26  approved by the commissioner before implementation.

27         (c)  The annual testing program shall be administered

28  to provide for valid statewide comparisons of learning gains

29  to be made for purposes of accountability and recognition. The

30  commissioner shall establish a schedule for the administration

31  of the statewide assessments. In establishing such schedule,

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 1  the commissioner is charged with the duty to accomplish the

 2  latest possible administration of the statewide assessments

 3  and the earliest possible provision of the results to the

 4  school districts feasible within available technology and

 5  specific appropriation.  District school boards shall not

 6  establish school calendars that jeopardize or limit the valid

 7  testing and comparison of student learning gains.

 8         (8)(7)  LOCAL ASSESSMENTS.--Measurement of the learning

 9  gains of students in all subjects and grade levels other than

10  subjects and grade levels required for the state student

11  achievement testing program is the responsibility of the

12  school districts.

13         (9)(8)  APPLICABILITY OF TESTING STANDARDS.--A student

14  must meet the testing requirements for high school graduation

15  that were in effect at the time the student entered 9th grade,

16  provided the student's enrollment was continuous.

17         (10)(9)  EQUIVALENCIES FOR STANDARDIZED TESTS.--

18         (a)  The Commissioner of Education shall approve the

19  use of the SAT and ACT tests as alternative assessments to the

20  grade 10 FCAT for the 2003-2004 school year. Students who

21  attain scores on the SAT or ACT which equate to the passing

22  scores on the grade 10 FCAT for purposes of high school

23  graduation shall satisfy the assessment requirement for a

24  standard high school diploma as provided in s. 1003.429(6)(a)

25  or s. 1003.43(5)(a) for the 2003-2004 school year if the

26  students meet the requirement in paragraph (b).

27         (b)  A student shall be required to take the grade 10

28  FCAT a total of three times without earning a passing score in

29  order to use the scores on an alternative assessment pursuant

30  to paragraph (a). This requirement shall not apply to a

31  

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 1  student who is a new student to the public school system in

 2  grade 12.

 3         (11)(10)  RULES.--The State Board of Education shall

 4  adopt rules under pursuant to ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54 to

 5  implement the provisions of this section.

 6         Section 23.  Subsection (8) of section 1008.25, Florida

 7  Statutes, is amended, and subsection (11) is added to that

 8  section, to read:

 9         1008.25  Public school student progression; remedial

10  instruction; reporting requirements.--

11         (8)  ANNUAL REPORT.--

12         (a)  In addition to the requirements in paragraph

13  (5)(b), each district school board must annually report to the

14  parent of each student the progress of the student toward

15  achieving state and district expectations for proficiency in

16  reading, writing, science, and mathematics. The district

17  school board must report to the parent the student's results

18  on each statewide assessment test. The evaluation of each

19  student's progress must be based upon the student's classroom

20  work, observations, tests, district and state assessments, and

21  other relevant information. Progress reporting must be

22  provided to the parent in writing in a format adopted by the

23  district school board.

24         (b)  Beginning with the 2001-2002 school year, Each

25  district school board must annually publish in the local

26  newspaper, and report in writing to the State Board of

27  Education by September 1 of each year, the following

28  information on the prior school year:

29         1.  The provisions of this section relating to public

30  school student progression and the district school board's

31  policies and procedures on student retention and promotion.

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 1         2.  By grade, the number and percentage of all students

 2  in grades 3 through 10 performing at Levels 1 and 2 on the

 3  reading portion of the FCAT.

 4         3.  By grade, the number and percentage of all students

 5  retained in grades 3 through 10.

 6         4.  Information on the total number of students who

 7  were promoted for good cause, by each category of good cause

 8  as specified in paragraph (6)(b).

 9         5.  Any revisions to the district school board's policy

10  on student retention and promotion from the prior year.

11         (c)  The Department of Education shall establish a

12  uniform format in which school districts must report such

13  information. The department shall annually compile the

14  information required under subparagraphs (b)2., 3., and 4.,

15  along with state-level summary information, and shall report

16  the information to the Governor, the President of the Senate,

17  and the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

18         (11) REPORTS.--The Department of Education shall

19  annually provide to the Governor, the President of the Senate,

20  and the Speaker of the House of Representatives a report on:

21         (a)  The longitudinal performance of students in math

22  and reading.

23         (b)  The longitudinal performance of students by grade

24  level in math and reading.

25         (c)  The longitudinal performance regarding efforts to

26  close the achievement gap.

27         (d)  The longitudinal performance of students on the

28  norm-referenced component of the FCAT.

29         (e)  Other student performance data based on national

30  norm-referenced and criterion-referenced tests, when

31  available.

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 1         Section 24.  Section 1008.31, Florida Statutes, is

 2  amended to read:

 3         1008.31  Florida's K-20 education performance

 4  accountability system; legislative intent; public

 5  accountability and reporting performance-based funding;

 6  mission, goals, and systemwide measures.--

 7         (1)  LEGISLATIVE INTENT.--It is the intent of the

 8  Legislature that:

 9         (a)  The performance accountability system implemented

10  to assess the effectiveness of Florida's seamless K-20

11  education delivery system provide answers to the following

12  questions in relation to its mission and goals:

13         1.  What is the public receiving in return for funds it

14  invests in education?

15         2.  How effectively is Florida's K-20 education system

16  educating its students?

17         3.  How effectively are the major delivery sectors

18  promoting student achievement?

19         4.  How are individual schools and postsecondary

20  education institutions performing their responsibility to

21  educate their students as measured by how students are

22  exhibiting performing and how much they are learning?

23         (b)  The K-20 education performance accountability

24  system be established as a single, unified accountability

25  system with multiple components, including, but not limited

26  to, measures of adequate yearly progress, individual student

27  learning gains in public schools, school grades, and return on

28  investment.

29         (c)  The K-20 education performance accountability

30  system comply with the accountability requirements of the "No

31  Child Left Behind Act of 2001," Pub. L. No. 107-110.

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 1         (d)  The State Board of Education recommend to the

 2  Legislature systemwide performance standards; the Legislature

 3  establish systemwide performance measures and standards; and

 4  the systemwide measures and standards provide Floridians with

 5  information on what the public is receiving in return for the

 6  funds it invests in education and how well the K-20 system

 7  educates its students.

 8         (e)  The State Board of Education establish performance

 9  measures and set performance standards for individual

10  components of the public education system, including

11  individual schools and community colleges postsecondary

12  educational institutions, with measures and standards based

13  primarily on student achievement.

14         (f)  The Board of Governors establish performance

15  measures and set performance standards for state universities,

16  with measures and standards based primarily on student access

17  and achievement. Measures should encourage the seamless

18  transition of students from one educational level to the next

19  and be consistent with other educational accountability

20  measures.

21         (2)  PERFORMANCE-BASED FUNDING.--

22         (a)  The State Board of Education shall cooperate with

23  each delivery system to develop proposals for

24  performance-based funding, using performance measures adopted

25  pursuant to this section.

26         (b)  The State Board of Education proposals must

27  provide that at least 10 percent of the state funds

28  appropriated for the K-20 education system are conditional

29  upon meeting or exceeding established performance standards.

30         (c)  The State Board of Education shall adopt

31  guidelines required to implement performance-based funding

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 1  that allow 1 year to demonstrate achievement of specified

 2  performance standards prior to a reduction in appropriations

 3  pursuant to this section.

 4         (d)  By December 1, 2003, the State Board of Education

 5  shall adopt common definitions, measures, standards, and

 6  performance improvement targets required to:

 7         1.  Use the state core measures and the sector-specific

 8  measures to evaluate the progress of each sector of the

 9  educational delivery system toward meeting the systemwide

10  goals for public education.

11         2.  Notify the sectors of their progress in achieving

12  the specified measures so that they may develop improvement

13  plans that directly influence decisions about policy, program

14  development, and management.

15         3.  Implement the performance-based budgeting system

16  described in this section.

17         (e)  During the 2003-2004 fiscal year, the Department

18  of Education shall collect data required to establish

19  progress, rewards, and sanctions.

20         (f)  By December 1, 2004, the Department of Education

21  shall recommend to the Legislature a formula for

22  performance-based funding that applies accountability

23  standards for the individual components of the public

24  education system at every level, kindergarten through graduate

25  school. Effective for the 2004-2005 fiscal year and

26  thereafter, subject to annual legislative approval in the

27  General Appropriations Act, performance-based funds shall be

28  allocated based on the progress, rewards, and sanctions

29  established pursuant to this section.

30         (2)(3)  MISSION, GOALS, AND SYSTEMWIDE MEASURES.--

31  

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 1         (a)  The mission of Florida's K-20 education system

 2  shall be to increase the proficiency of all students within

 3  one seamless, efficient system, by allowing them the

 4  opportunity to expand their knowledge and skills through

 5  learning opportunities and research valued by students,

 6  parents, and communities.

 7         (b)  The State Board of Education shall adopt guiding

 8  principles for establishing state and sector-specific

 9  standards and measures must assure that the process is:.

10         1.  Focused on student success;

11         2.  Actionable, in that an educational entity can

12  affect the outcomes through policy and program changes;

13         3.  High-quality and efficient;

14         4.  Measurable over time;

15         5.  Simple to explain and display to the public; and

16         6.  Aligned with other measures and other sectors to

17  support a coordinated K-20 education system.

18         (c)  The Department State Board of Education shall

19  maintain an accountability system that measures student

20  progress toward the following goals:

21         1.  Highest student achievement, as indicated by

22  evidence of student learning gains at all levels measured by:

23  student FCAT performance and annual learning gains; the number

24  and percentage of schools that improve at least one school

25  performance grade designation or maintain a school performance

26  grade designation of "A" pursuant to s. 1008.34; graduation or

27  completion rates at all learning levels; and other measures

28  identified in law or rule.

29         2.  Seamless articulation and maximum access, as

30  measured by evidence of progression and readiness and evidence

31  of access by targeted groups of students identified by the

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 1  commissioner: the percentage of students who demonstrate

 2  readiness for the educational level they are entering, from

 3  kindergarten through postsecondary education and into the

 4  workforce; the number and percentage of students needing

 5  remediation; the percentage of Floridians who complete

 6  associate, baccalaureate, graduate, professional, and

 7  postgraduate degrees; the number and percentage of credits

 8  that articulate; the extent to which each set of exit-point

 9  requirements matches the next set of entrance-point

10  requirements; the degree to which underserved populations

11  access educational opportunity; the extent to which access is

12  provided through innovative educational delivery strategies;

13  and other measures identified in law or rule.

14         3.  Skilled workforce and economic development, as

15  measured by evidence of employment and earnings: the number

16  and percentage of graduates employed in their areas of

17  preparation; the percentage of Floridians with high school

18  diplomas and postsecondary education credentials; the

19  percentage of business and community members who find that

20  Florida's graduates possess the skills they need; national

21  rankings; and other measures identified in law or rule.

22         4.  Quality efficient services, as measured by evidence

23  of return on investment: cost per completer or graduate;

24  average cost per noncompleter at each educational level; cost

25  disparity across institutions offering the same degrees; the

26  percentage of education customers at each educational level

27  who are satisfied with the education provided; and other

28  measures identified in law or rule.

29         (3)(4)  K-20 EDUCATION DATA QUALITY IMPROVEMENT.--To

30  provide data required to implement education performance

31  accountability measures in state and federal law, the

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 1  commissioner shall initiate and maintain strategies to improve

 2  data quality and timeliness.

 3         (a)  SYSTEMWIDE DATA COLLECTION.--School districts and

 4  public postsecondary educational institutions shall maintain

 5  information systems that will provide the State Board of

 6  Education, the Board of Governors, and the Legislature with

 7  information and reports necessary to address the

 8  specifications of the accountability system. The State Board

 9  of Education shall determine the standards for the required

10  data. The level of comprehensiveness and quality shall be no

11  less than that which was available as of June 30, 2001.

12         (b)  The Commissioner of Education shall determine the

13  standards for the required data, monitor data quality, and

14  measure improvements. The commissioner shall report annually

15  to the Legislature, the State Board of Education, and the

16  Board of Governors data quality indicators and ratings for all

17  public postsecondary education institutions and school

18  districts.

19         (4)  RULES.--The State Board of Education shall adopt

20  rules under ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54 to implement this

21  section.

22         Section 25.  Section 1008.33, Florida Statutes, is

23  amended to read:

24         1008.33  Authority to enforce public school

25  improvement.--It is the intent of the Legislature that all

26  public schools be held accountable for students performing at

27  acceptable levels. A system of school improvement and

28  accountability that assesses student performance by school,

29  identifies schools in which students are not making adequate

30  progress toward state standards, institutes appropriate

31  measures for enforcing improvement, and provides rewards and

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 1  sanctions based on performance shall be the responsibility of

 2  the State Board of Education.

 3         (1)  Pursuant to Art. IX of the State Constitution

 4  prescribing the duty of the State Board of Education to

 5  supervise Florida's public school system and notwithstanding

 6  any other statutory provisions to the contrary, the State

 7  Board of Education shall intervene in the operation of a

 8  district school system when one or more schools in the school

 9  district have failed to make adequate progress for 2 school

10  years in a 4-year period. For purposes of determining when a

11  school is eligible for state board action and opportunity

12  scholarships for its students, the terms "2 years in any

13  4-year period" and "2 years in a 4-year period" mean that in

14  any year that a school has a grade of "F," the school is

15  eligible for state board action and opportunity scholarships

16  for its students if it also has had a grade of "F" in any of

17  the previous 3 school years. The State Board of Education may

18  determine that the school district or school has not taken

19  steps sufficient for students in the school to be academically

20  well served. Considering recommendations of the Commissioner

21  of Education, the State Board of Education shall recommend

22  action to a district school board intended to improve

23  educational services to students in each school that is

24  designated with a grade of as performance grade category "F."

25  Recommendations for actions to be taken in the school district

26  shall be made only after thorough consideration of the unique

27  characteristics of a school, which shall include student

28  mobility rates, the number and type of exceptional students

29  enrolled in the school, and the availability of options for

30  improved educational services. The state board shall adopt by

31  rule steps to follow in this process.  Such steps shall

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 1  provide school districts sufficient time to improve student

 2  performance in schools and the opportunity to present evidence

 3  of assistance and interventions that the district school board

 4  has implemented.

 5         (2)  The State Board of Education may recommend one or

 6  more of the following actions to district school boards to

 7  enable students in schools designated with a grade of as

 8  performance grade category "F" to be academically well served

 9  by the public school system:

10         (a)  Provide additional resources, change certain

11  practices, and provide additional assistance if the state

12  board determines the causes of inadequate progress to be

13  related to school district policy or practice;

14         (b)  Implement a plan that satisfactorily resolves the

15  education equity problems in the school;

16         (c)  Contract for the educational services of the

17  school, or reorganize the school at the end of the school year

18  under a new school principal who is authorized to hire new

19  staff and implement a plan that addresses the causes of

20  inadequate progress;

21         (d)  Transfer high-quality teachers, faculty, and staff

22  to improve the performance of students in any low-performing

23  school;

24         (e)(d)  Allow parents of students in the school to send

25  their children to another district school of their choice; or

26         (f)(e)  Other action appropriate to improve the

27  school's performance.

28         (3)  In recommending actions to district school boards,

29  the State Board of Education shall specify the length of time

30  available to implement the recommended action.  The State

31  Board of Education may adopt rules to further specify how it

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 1  may respond in specific circumstances. No Action taken by the

 2  State Board of Education does not shall relieve a school from

 3  state accountability requirements.

 4         (4)  The State Board of Education may require the

 5  Department of Education or Chief Financial Officer to withhold

 6  any transfer of state funds to the school district if, within

 7  the timeframe specified in state board action, the school

 8  district has failed to comply with the action ordered to

 9  improve the district's low-performing schools. Withholding The

10  transfer of funds may be withheld shall occur only after all

11  other recommended actions for school improvement have failed

12  to improve performance. The State Board of Education may

13  impose the same penalty on any district school board that

14  fails to develop and implement a plan for assistance and

15  intervention for low-performing schools as specified in s.

16  1001.42(16)(c).

17         Section 26.  Section 1008.34, Florida Statutes, is

18  amended to read:

19         1008.34  School grading system; school report cards;

20  district performance grade.--

21         (1)  ANNUAL REPORTS.--The Commissioner of Education

22  shall prepare annual reports of the results of the statewide

23  assessment program which describe student achievement in the

24  state, each district, and each school. The commissioner shall

25  prescribe the design and content of these reports, which must

26  include, without limitation, descriptions of the performance

27  of all schools participating in the assessment program and all

28  of their major student populations as determined by the

29  Commissioner of Education, and must also include the median

30  scores of all eligible students who scored at or in the lowest

31  25th percentile of the state in the previous school year;

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 1  provided, however, that the provisions of s. 1002.22

 2  pertaining to student records apply to this section.

 3         (2)  SCHOOL GRADES PERFORMANCE GRADE CATEGORIES.--The

 4  annual report shall identify schools as having one of the

 5  following grades being in one of the following grade

 6  categories defined according to rules of the State Board of

 7  Education:

 8         (a)  "A," schools making excellent progress.

 9         (b)  "B," schools making above average progress.

10         (c)  "C," schools making satisfactory progress.

11         (d)  "D," schools making less than satisfactory

12  progress.

13         (e)  "F," schools failing to make adequate progress.

14  

15  Each school designated with a grade of in performance grade

16  category "A," making excellent progress, or having improved at

17  least two grade levels performance grade categories, shall

18  have greater authority over the allocation of the school's

19  total budget generated from the FEFP, state categoricals,

20  lottery funds, grants, and local funds, as specified in state

21  board rule. The rule must provide that the increased budget

22  authority shall remain in effect until the school's

23  performance grade declines.

24         (3)  DESIGNATION OF SCHOOL GRADES PERFORMANCE GRADE

25  CATEGORIES.--School grades performance grade category

26  designations itemized in subsection (2) shall be based on the

27  following:

28         (a)  Criteria Timeframes.--

29         1.  School performance grade category designations

30  shall be based on the school's current year performance and

31  the school's annual learning gains.

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 1         2.  A school's grade performance grade category

 2  designation shall be based on a combination of:

 3         1.  Student achievement scores;,

 4         2.  Student learning gains as measured by annual FCAT

 5  assessments in grades 3 through 10;, and

 6         3.  Improvement of the lowest 25th percentile of

 7  students in the school in reading, math, or writing on the

 8  FCAT, unless these students are exhibiting performing above

 9  satisfactory performance.

10         (b)  Schools to be graded.--All schools shall receive a

11  school grade except those alternative schools that receive a

12  school improvement rating pursuant to s. 1008.341. Alternative

13  schools may choose to receive a school grade pursuant to the

14  provisions of this section in lieu of a school improvement

15  rating described in s. 1008.341.

16         (c)(b)  Student assessment data.--Student assessment

17  data used in determining school grades performance grade

18  categories shall include:

19         1.  The aggregate scores of all eligible students

20  enrolled in the school who have been assessed on the FCAT.

21         2.  The aggregate scores of all eligible students

22  enrolled in the school who have been assessed on the FCAT,

23  including Florida Writes, and who have scored at or in the

24  lowest 25th percentile of students in the school in reading,

25  math, or writing, unless these students are exhibiting

26  performing above satisfactory performance.

27         3.  The achievement scores and learning gains of

28  eligible students attending alternative schools that provide

29  dropout prevention and academic intervention services pursuant

30  to s. 1003.53. The term "eligible students" as used in this

31  subparagraph does not include students attending an

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 1  alternative school who are subject to district school board

 2  policies for expulsion for repeated or serious offenses, who

 3  are in dropout retrieval programs serving students who have

 4  officially been designated as dropouts, and who are in the

 5  programs operated or contracted by the Department of Juvenile

 6  Justice. The student performance data for eligible students

 7  identified in this subparagraph shall be included in

 8  calculating the originating school's grade. For purposes of

 9  this section and s. 1008.341, the term "originating school"

10  means the school that the student was attending when assigned

11  to an alternative school. If an alternative school chooses to

12  be graded pursuant to this section, student performance data

13  for eligible students identified in this subparagraph may not

14  be included in the originating school's grade, but shall be

15  included only in the calculation of the alternative school's

16  grade. School districts must ensure collaboration between the

17  originating school and the alternative school in order to

18  promote student success.

19  

20  The Department of Education shall study the effects of

21  mobility on the performance of highly mobile students and

22  recommend programs to improve the performance of such

23  students. The State Board of Education shall adopt appropriate

24  criteria for each school grade performance grade category. The

25  criteria must also give added weight to student achievement in

26  reading. Schools designated with a grade of as performance

27  grade category "C," making satisfactory progress, shall be

28  required to demonstrate that adequate progress has been made

29  by students in the school who are in the lowest 25th

30  percentile in reading, math, or writing on the FCAT, including

31  

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 1  Florida Writes, unless these students are exhibiting

 2  performing above satisfactory performance.

 3         (4)  SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT RATINGS.--The annual report

 4  shall identify each school's performance as having improved,

 5  remained the same, or declined. This school improvement rating

 6  shall be based on a comparison of the current year's and

 7  previous year's student and school performance data. Schools

 8  that improve at least one performance grade category are

 9  eligible for school recognition awards pursuant to s. 1008.36.

10         (5)  SCHOOL REPORT CARD.--The Department of Education

11  shall annually develop in collaboration with the school

12  districts a school report card to be delivered to parents

13  throughout each school district. The report card must include

14  the school's grade, information regarding school improvement,

15  an explanation of school performance as evaluated by the

16  federal No Child Left Behind Act, and indicators of return on

17  investment. PERFORMANCE GRADE CATEGORY AND IMPROVEMENT RATING

18  REPORTS.--School performance grade category designations and

19  improvement ratings shall apply to each school's performance

20  for the year in which performance is measured. Each school's

21  report card designation and rating shall be published annually

22  by the Department of Education on the department's website,

23  and the school district shall provide the report card to each

24  parent. Parents shall be entitled to an easy-to-read report

25  card about the designation and rating of the school in which

26  their child is enrolled.

27         (6)  RULES.--The State Board of Education shall adopt

28  rules pursuant to ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54 to implement the

29  provisions of this section.

30         (6)(7)  PERFORMANCE-BASED FUNDING.--The Legislature may

31  factor in the performance of schools in calculating any

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 1  performance-based funding policy that is provided for annually

 2  in the General Appropriations Act.

 3         (7)(8)  DISTRICT PERFORMANCE GRADE.--The annual report

 4  required by subsection (1) shall include district performance

 5  grades, which shall consist of weighted district average

 6  grades, by level, for all elementary schools, middle schools,

 7  and high schools in the district. A district's weighted

 8  average grade shall be calculated by weighting individual

 9  school grades determined pursuant to subsection (2) by school

10  enrollment.

11         (8)  The State Board of Education shall adopt rules

12  under ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54 to administer this section.

13         Section 27.  Section 1008.341, Florida Statutes, is

14  created to read:

15         1008.341  School improvement rating for alternative

16  schools.--

17         (1)  ANNUAL REPORTS.--The Commissioner of Education

18  shall prepare an annual report on the performance of each

19  school receiving a school improvement rating pursuant to this

20  section if the provisions of s. 1002.22 pertaining to student

21  records apply.

22         (2)  SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT RATING.--Alternative schools

23  that provide dropout prevention and academic intervention

24  services pursuant to s. 1003.53 may not receive a school grade

25  as described in s. 1008.34, but shall receive a school

26  improvement rating pursuant to this section. The school

27  improvement rating shall identify schools as having one of the

28  following ratings defined according to rules of the State

29  Board of Education:

30  

31  

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 1         (a)  "Improving" schools with students making more

 2  academic progress than when the students were served in their

 3  home school.

 4         (b)  "Maintaining" schools with students making the

 5  equivalent progress as when the students were served in their

 6  home school.

 7         (c)  "Declining" schools with students making less

 8  academic progress than when the students were served in their

 9  home school.

10  

11  The school improvement rating shall be based on a comparison

12  of the current year's and previous year's students and school

13  performance data. Schools that improve at least one level

14  pursuant to this section are eligible for school recognition

15  awards pursuant to s. 1008.36.

16         (3)  DESIGNATION OF SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT RATING.--Student

17  assessment data used in determining an alternative school's

18  school improvement rating shall include:

19         (a)  The aggregate scores of all eligible students who

20  were assigned to and enrolled in the school during the October

21  or February FTE counts, who have been assessed on the FCAT,

22  and who have FCAT or comparable scores for the preceding

23  school year.

24         (b)  The aggregate scores of all eligible students who

25  were assigned to and enrolled in the school during the October

26  or February FTE counts, who have been assessed on the FCAT,

27  including Florida Writes, and who have scored at or in the

28  lowest 25th percentile of students in the state on FCAT

29  Reading.

30  

31  

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 1  The scores of students who are subject to district school

 2  board policies for expulsion for repeated or serious offenses,

 3  who are in dropout retrieval programs serving students who

 4  have officially been designated as dropouts, and who are in

 5  programs operated and contracted by the Department of Juvenile

 6  Justice may not be included in an alternative school's

 7  improvement rating.

 8         (4)  IDENTIFICATION OF STUDENT LEARNING GAINS.--For all

 9  alternative schools receiving a school improvement rating, the

10  Department of Education shall annually identify the percent of

11  students making learning gains as compared to the percent of

12  the same students making learning gains at their originating

13  school in the year before being assigned to the alternative

14  school.

15         (5)  SCHOOL REPORT CARD.--The Department of Education

16  shall annually develop, in collaboration with the school

17  districts, a school report card for alternative schools to be

18  delivered to parents through each school district. The report

19  card shall include the school improvement rating,

20  identification of student learning gains, information

21  regarding school improvement, an explanation of school

22  performance as evaluated by the federal No Child Left Behind

23  Act of 2001, and indicators of return on investment.

24         (6)  RULES.--The State Board of Education shall adopt

25  rules pursuant to ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54 to administer the

26  provisions of this section.

27         Section 28.  Section 1008.36, Florida Statutes, is

28  amended to read:

29         1008.36  Florida School Recognition Program.--

30         (1)  The Legislature finds that there is a need for a

31  performance incentive program for outstanding faculty and

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 1  staff in highly productive schools. The Legislature further

 2  finds that performance-based incentives are commonplace in the

 3  private sector and should be infused into the public sector as

 4  a reward for productivity.

 5         (2)  The Florida School Recognition Program is created

 6  to provide financial awards to public schools that:

 7         (a)  Sustain high performance by receiving a school

 8  grade of "A," making excellent progress; or

 9         (b)  Demonstrate exemplary improvement due to

10  innovation and effort by improving a letter grade.

11         (3)  All public schools, including charter schools,

12  that receive a school grade pursuant to s. 1008.34 are

13  eligible to participate in the program. For purposes of this

14  section, a school serving any combination of kindergarten

15  through grade 3 students which does not receive a school grade

16  under s. 1008.34 shall be assigned the school performance

17  grade of the feeder pattern school designated by the

18  Department of Education and verified by the school district

19  and shall be eligible to participate in the program based upon

20  that feeder. A feeder school pattern is defined where at least

21  60 percent of the students in the school or schools servicing

22  a combination of kindergarten through grade 3 students are

23  scheduled to be assigned to the school receiving the school

24  grade. In addition, the feeder pattern school shall be subject

25  to the Opportunity Scholarship Program as defined in s.

26  1002.38.

27         (4)  All selected schools shall receive financial

28  awards depending on the availability of funds appropriated and

29  the number and size of schools selected to receive an award.

30  Funds must be distributed to the school's fiscal agent and

31  placed in the school's account and must be used for purposes

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 1  listed in subsection (5) as determined jointly by the school's

 2  staff and school advisory council. If school staff and the

 3  school advisory council cannot reach agreement by November 1,

 4  the awards must be equally distributed to all classroom

 5  teachers currently teaching in the school.

 6         (5)  School recognition awards must be used for the

 7  following:

 8         (a)  Nonrecurring bonuses to the faculty and staff who

 9  presently are employed at the school or who were employed at

10  the school during the year of improved performance;

11         (b)  Nonrecurring expenditures for educational

12  equipment or materials to assist in maintaining and improving

13  student performance; or

14         (c)  Temporary personnel for the school to assist in

15  maintaining and improving student performance.

16  

17  Notwithstanding statutory provisions to the contrary,

18  incentive awards are not subject to collective bargaining.

19         Section 29.  Paragraph (f) of subsection (1),

20  paragraphs (a) and (b) of subsection (4), and subsection (8)

21  of section 1011.62, Florida Statutes, are amended, present

22  paragraphs (o) through (r) of subsection (1) are redesignated

23  as paragraphs (p) through (s), respectively and a new

24  paragraph (o) is added to subsection (1), and present

25  subsection (9) of that section is redesignated as subsection

26  (10), and a new subsection (9) is added to that section, to

27  read:

28         1011.62  Funds for operation of schools.--If the annual

29  allocation from the Florida Education Finance Program to each

30  district for operation of schools is not determined in the

31  annual appropriations act or the substantive bill implementing

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 1  the annual appropriations act, it shall be determined as

 2  follows:

 3         (1)  COMPUTATION OF THE BASIC AMOUNT TO BE INCLUDED FOR

 4  OPERATION.--The following procedure shall be followed in

 5  determining the annual allocation to each district for

 6  operation:

 7         (f)  Supplemental academic instruction; categorical

 8  fund.--

 9         1.  There is created a categorical fund to provide

10  supplemental academic instruction to students in kindergarten

11  through grade 12.  This paragraph may be cited as the

12  "Supplemental Academic Instruction Categorical Fund."

13         2.  Categorical funds for supplemental academic

14  instruction shall be allocated annually to each school

15  district in the amount provided in the General Appropriations

16  Act.  These funds shall be in addition to the funds

17  appropriated on the basis of FTE student membership in the

18  Florida Education Finance Program and shall be included in the

19  total potential funds of each district.  These funds shall be

20  used to provide supplemental academic instruction to students

21  enrolled in the K-12 program. Supplemental instruction

22  strategies may include, but are not limited to: modified

23  curriculum, reading instruction, after-school instruction,

24  tutoring, mentoring, class size reduction, extended school

25  year, intensive skills development in summer school, and other

26  methods for improving student achievement. Supplemental

27  instruction may be provided to a student in any manner and at

28  any time during or beyond the regular 180-day term identified

29  by the school as being the most effective and efficient way to

30  best help that student progress from grade to grade and to

31  graduate.

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 1         3.  Effective with the 1999-2000 fiscal year, funding

 2  on the basis of FTE membership beyond the 180-day regular term

 3  shall be provided in the FEFP only for students enrolled in

 4  juvenile justice education programs or in an education program

 5  for juveniles under s. 985.223. Funding for instruction beyond

 6  the regular 180-day school year for all other K-12 students

 7  shall be provided through the supplemental academic

 8  instruction categorical fund and other state, federal, and

 9  local fund sources with ample flexibility for schools to

10  provide supplemental instruction to assist students in

11  progressing from grade to grade and graduating.

12         4.  The Florida State University School, as a lab

13  school, is authorized to expend from its FEFP or Lottery

14  Enhancement Trust Fund allocation the cost to the student of

15  remediation in reading, writing, or mathematics for any

16  graduate who requires remediation at a postsecondary

17  educational institution.

18         5.  Beginning in the 1999-2000 school year, dropout

19  prevention programs as defined in ss. 1003.52, 1003.53(1)(a),

20  (b), and (c), and 1003.54 shall be included in group 1

21  programs under subparagraph (d)3.

22         (o)  Calculation of additional full-time equivalent

23  membership for the Florida Virtual School.--The total reported

24  full-time equivalent student membership shall be multiplied by

25  0.118, and the value shall be added to the total full-time

26  equivalent student membership.

27         (4)  COMPUTATION OF DISTRICT REQUIRED LOCAL

28  EFFORT.--The Legislature shall prescribe the aggregate

29  required local effort for all school districts collectively as

30  an item in the General Appropriations Act for each fiscal

31  year. The amount that each district shall provide annually

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 1  toward the cost of the Florida Education Finance Program for

 2  kindergarten through grade 12 programs shall be calculated as

 3  follows:

 4         (a)  Estimated taxable value calculations.--

 5         1.a.  Not later than 2 working days prior to July 19,

 6  the Department of Revenue shall certify to the Commissioner of

 7  Education its most recent estimate of the taxable value for

 8  school purposes in each school district and the total for all

 9  school districts in the state for the current calendar year

10  based on the latest available data obtained from the local

11  property appraisers. Not later than July 19, the Commissioner

12  of Education shall compute a millage rate, rounded to the next

13  highest one one-thousandth of a mill, which, when applied to

14  95 percent of the estimated state total taxable value for

15  school purposes, would generate the prescribed aggregate

16  required local effort for that year for all districts. The

17  Commissioner of Education shall certify to each district

18  school board the millage rate, computed as prescribed in this

19  subparagraph, as the minimum millage rate necessary to provide

20  the district required local effort for that year.

21         b.  The General Appropriations Act shall direct the

22  computation of the statewide adjusted aggregate amount for

23  required local effort for all school districts collectively

24  from ad valorem taxes to ensure that no school district's

25  revenue from required local effort millage will produce more

26  than 90 percent of the district's total Florida Education

27  Finance Program calculation, and the adjustment of the

28  required local effort millage rate of each district that

29  produces more than 90 percent of its total Florida Education

30  Finance Program entitlement to a level that will produce only

31  

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 1  90 percent of its total Florida Education Finance Program

 2  entitlement in the July calculation.

 3         2.  As revised data are received from property

 4  appraisers, the Department of Revenue shall amend the

 5  certification of the estimate of the taxable value for school

 6  purposes.  The Commissioner of Education, in administering the

 7  provisions of subparagraph (10)(a)2. subparagraph (9)(a)2.,

 8  shall use the most recent taxable value for the appropriate

 9  year.

10         (b)  Final calculation.--

11         1.  The Department of Revenue shall, upon receipt of

12  the official final assessed value of property from each of the

13  property appraisers, certify to the Commissioner of Education

14  the taxable value total for school purposes in each school

15  district, subject to the provisions of paragraph (d). The

16  commissioner shall use the official final taxable value for

17  school purposes for each school district in the final

18  calculation of the annual Florida Education Finance Program

19  allocations.

20         2.  For the purposes of this paragraph, the official

21  final taxable value for school purposes shall be the taxable

22  value for school purposes on which the tax bills are computed

23  and mailed to the taxpayers, adjusted to reflect final

24  administrative actions of value adjustment boards and judicial

25  decisions pursuant to part I of chapter 194. By September 1 of

26  each year, the Department of Revenue shall certify to the

27  commissioner the official prior year final taxable value for

28  school purposes. For each county that has not submitted a

29  revised tax roll reflecting final value adjustment board

30  actions and final judicial decisions, the Department of

31  Revenue shall certify the most recent revision of the official

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 1  taxable value for school purposes. The certified value shall

 2  be the final taxable value for school purposes, and no further

 3  adjustments shall be made, except those made pursuant to

 4  subparagraph (10)(a)2 subparagraph (9)(a)2.

 5         (8)  QUALITY ASSURANCE GUARANTEE.--The Legislature may

 6  annually in the General Appropriations Act determine a

 7  percentage increase in funds per K-12 unweighted FTE as a

 8  minimum guarantee to each school district. The guarantee shall

 9  be calculated from prior year base funding per unweighted FTE

10  student which shall include the adjusted FTE dollars as

11  provided in subsection (10)(9), quality guarantee funds, and

12  actual nonvoted discretionary local effort from taxes. From

13  the base funding per unweighted FTE, the increase shall be

14  calculated for the current year. The current year funds from

15  which the guarantee shall be determined shall include the

16  adjusted FTE dollars as provided in subsection (10) (9) and

17  potential nonvoted discretionary local effort from taxes. A

18  comparison of current year funds per unweighted FTE to prior

19  year funds per unweighted FTE shall be computed. For those

20  school districts which have less than the legislatively

21  assigned percentage increase, funds shall be provided to

22  guarantee the assigned percentage increase in funds per

23  unweighted FTE student. Should appropriated funds be less than

24  the sum of this calculated amount for all districts, the

25  commissioner shall prorate each district's allocation. This

26  provision shall be implemented to the extent specifically

27  funded.

28         (9)  RESEARCH-BASED READING-INSTRUCTION ALLOCATION.--

29         (a)  There is created the Research-Based

30  Reading-Instruction Allocation to provide comprehensive

31  

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 1  reading instruction to students in kindergarten through grade

 2  12.

 3         (b)  Funds for comprehensive, research-based reading

 4  instruction shall be allocated annually to each school

 5  district in the amount provided in the General Appropriations

 6  Act. Each school district may be allocated a minimum amount as

 7  specified in the General Appropriations Act with the balance

 8  of funds being allocated by prorating on each district's share

 9  of Florida Education Finance Program base funding.

10         (c)  Funds allocated under this subsection must be used

11  to provide a system of comprehensive reading instruction to

12  students enrolled in K-12 programs, which may include the

13  provision of:

14         1.  Highly qualified reading coaches;

15         2.  Professional development for district teachers in

16  scientifically based reading instruction;

17         3.  Summer reading camps for students who score at

18  Level 1 on the FCAT;

19         4.  Supplemental instructional materials that are

20  grounded in scientifically based reading research; and

21         5.  Intensive interventions for middle-school and

22  secondary-school students who are reading below grade level.

23         (d)  Annually, by a date determined by the Department

24  of Education but before May 1, school districts shall submit a

25  plan for the specific use of the research-based reading

26  instruction allocation in the format prescribed by the

27  department for review and approval by the Just Read, Florida!

28  Office created pursuant to s. 1001.215.  The plan annually

29  submitted by school districts shall be deemed approved unless

30  the department rejects the plan on or before June 1.  If a

31  school district and the Just Read, Florida! Office cannot

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 1  agree on the contents of the plan, the school district may

 2  appeal to the State Board of Education.  The plan format shall

 3  be developed with input from school district personnel,

 4  including teachers and principals, and shall allow courses in

 5  core, career, and alternative programs that deliver intensive

 6  reading remediation through integrated curricula.  No later

 7  than July 1 annually, the department shall release the school

 8  district's allocation of appropriated funds to those districts

 9  with approved plans.  A school district that spends 100

10  percent of this allocation on its approved plan shall be

11  deemed to have been in compliance with the plan.  The

12  department may withhold funds upon a determination that

13  reading instruction allocation funds are not being used to

14  implement the approved plan.

15         Section 30.  Paragraph (b) of subsection (2) of section

16  1011.685, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:

17         1011.685  Class size reduction; operating categorical

18  fund.--

19         (2)  Class size reduction operating categorical funds

20  shall be used by school districts for the following:

21         (b)  For any lawful operating expenditure, if the

22  district has met the constitutional maximums identified in s.

23  1003.03(1) or the reduction of two students per year required

24  by s. 1003.03(2); however, priority shall be given to increase

25  salaries of classroom teachers as defined in s. 1012.01(2)(a)

26  and to implement the differentiated-pay provisions detailed in

27  s. 1012.22 salary career ladder defined in s. 1012.231.

28         Section 31.  Subsection (1) of section 1011.71, Florida

29  Statutes, is amended to read:

30         1011.71  District school tax.--

31  

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 1         (1)  If the district school tax is not provided in the

 2  General Appropriations Act or the substantive bill

 3  implementing the General Appropriations Act, each district

 4  school board desiring to participate in the state allocation

 5  of funds for current operation as prescribed by s. 1011.62(10)

 6  s. 1011.62(9) shall levy on the taxable value for school

 7  purposes of the district, exclusive of millage voted under the

 8  provisions of s. 9(b) or s. 12, Art. VII of the State

 9  Constitution, a millage rate not to exceed the amount

10  certified by the commissioner as the minimum millage rate

11  necessary to provide the district required local effort for

12  the current year, pursuant to s. 1011.62(4)(a)1. In addition

13  to the required local effort millage levy, each district

14  school board may levy a nonvoted current operating

15  discretionary millage. The Legislature shall prescribe

16  annually in the appropriations act the maximum amount of

17  millage a district may levy. The millage rate prescribed shall

18  exceed zero mills but shall not exceed the lesser of 1.6 mills

19  or 25 percent of the millage which is required pursuant to s.

20  1011.62(4), exclusive of millage levied pursuant to subsection

21  (2).

22         Section 32.  Section 1011.6855, Florida Statutes, is

23  created to read:

24         1011.6855  Minimum instructional personnel salary and

25  class size reduction; operating categorical fund.--

26         (1)  Effective upon the passage of an amendment to s.

27  1, Art. IX of the State Constitution to create district

28  average maximum class sizes, there is created an operating

29  categorical fund for implementing the average maximum class

30  sizes and implementing the provisions of this section relating

31  to instructional personnel salary.

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 1         (2)  The funds appropriated to the operating

 2  categorical fund created under subsection (1) shall be used to

 3  provide:

 4         (a)  Minimum salary of $35,000 or more as specified by

 5  the General Appropriations Act for all full-time, certified

 6  instructional personnel identified in s. 1012.01(2)(a)-(d).

 7         (b)  Elevation funds of at least $2,000 or as specified

 8  in the General Appropriations Act to increase the salary of

 9  all full-time, certified instructional personnel identified in

10  s. 1012.01(2)(a)-(d) to a level at or above the minimum

11  salary.

12         (3)  After the obligations set forth in paragraphs

13  (2)(a) and (b) have been met, the remaining funds must be used

14  to reduce the district average class size until it meets the

15  requirements specified in the State Constitution.

16         Section 33.  Subsection (6) is added to section

17  1012.21, Florida Statutes, to read:

18         1012.21  Department of Education duties; K-12

19  personnel.--

20         (6)  REPORTING.--The Department of Education shall

21  annually post on-line the collective bargaining contracts of

22  each school district in the state which the department has

23  received under s. 1012.22.

24         Section 34.  Paragraph (c) of subsection (1) of section

25  1012.22, Florida Statutes, is amended read:

26         1012.22  Public school personnel; powers and duties of

27  the district school board.--The district school board shall:

28         (1)  Designate positions to be filled, prescribe

29  qualifications for those positions, and provide for the

30  appointment, compensation, promotion, suspension, and

31  

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 1  dismissal of employees as follows, subject to the requirements

 2  of this chapter:

 3         (c)  Compensation and salary schedules.--

 4         1.  The district school board shall adopt a salary

 5  schedule or salary schedules designed to furnish incentives

 6  for improvement in training and for continued efficient

 7  service to be used as a basis for paying all school employees

 8  and fix and authorize the compensation of school employees on

 9  the basis thereof.

10         2.  A district school board, in determining the salary

11  schedule for instructional personnel, must base a portion of

12  each employee's compensation on performance demonstrated under

13  s. 1012.34, must consider the prior teaching experience of a

14  person who has been designated state teacher of the year by

15  any state in the United States, and must consider prior

16  professional experience in the field of education gained in

17  positions in addition to district level instructional and

18  administrative positions.

19         3.  In developing the salary schedule, the district

20  school board shall seek input from parents, teachers, and

21  representatives of the business community.

22         4.a.  Beginning with the 2002-2003 fiscal year, Each

23  district school board must adopt a performance-pay policy for

24  school administrators and instructional personnel. The

25  district's performance-pay policy is subject to negotiation as

26  provided in chapter 447; however, the adopted salary schedule

27  must allow school administrators and instructional personnel

28  who demonstrate outstanding performance, as measured under s.

29  1012.34, to earn a 5-percent supplement in addition to their

30  individual, negotiated salary. The supplements shall be funded

31  from the performance-pay reserve funds adopted in the salary

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 1  schedule. Beginning with the 2004-2005 academic year, The

 2  district's 5-percent performance-pay policy must provide for

 3  the evaluation of classroom teachers based on the level of

 4  their responsibilities within each level of the salary career

 5  ladder provided in s. 1012.231.

 6         b.  The Commissioner of Education shall determine

 7  whether the district school board's adopted salary schedule

 8  complies with the requirement for performance-based pay. If

 9  the district school board fails to comply with this section,

10  the commissioner shall recommend to the State Board of

11  Education that the board withhold disbursements from the

12  Educational Enhancement Trust Fund to the district until

13  compliance is verified, and the board may do so.

14         5.a.  Beginning with the 2005-2006 fiscal year, each

15  district school board shall adopt a differentiated-pay policy

16  for school administrators and instructional personnel. The

17  policy with respect to instructional personnel is subject to

18  negotiation as provided in chapter 447; however, the adopted

19  salary schedule must allow school administrators and

20  instructional personnel to receive differentiated pay based

21  upon factors including, but not limited to:

22         (I)  The subject areas taught, with classroom teachers

23  who teach in critical shortage areas receiving higher pay;

24         (II)  The economic demographics of the school, with

25  school administrators and instructional personnel in schools

26  that have a majority of students who qualify for free or

27  reduced-price lunches receiving higher pay;

28         (III)  The performance of school administrators and

29  instructional personnel as provided in subparagraph 4.; and

30         (IV)  The responsibilities of the classroom teacher.

31  

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 1         b.  The district school board must hold a public

 2  hearing at which the board must present its proposed

 3  differentiated-pay policy and the rationale supporting the

 4  differentiated-pay classifications as proposed, consistent

 5  with this subparagraph's differentiated-pay factors.

 6         c.  The Commissioner of Education shall determine

 7  whether the district school board's adopted salary schedule

 8  complies with the requirement for differentiated pay.  If the

 9  district school board does not adopt a differentiated-pay

10  scale, the commissioner shall recommend to the State Board of

11  Education that the board withhold disbursements from the

12  Educational Enhancement Trust Fund to the district until

13  compliance is verified, and the board may do so.

14         Section 35.  Section 1012.2305, Florida Statutes, is

15  created to read:

16         1012.2305  Minimum instructional personnel salary.--

17         (1)  LEGISLATIVE INTENT.--The Legislature recognizes

18  that higher pay does not guarantee high-quality performance in

19  education.  The Legislature also recognizes that competitive

20  pay, differential pay, and performance incentives are

21  necessary to attract and retain the highest-quality teachers

22  and that the prospects of higher pay and career opportunities

23  are important to attract talented individuals into the field

24  of teaching.

25         (2)  MINIMUM SALARY FOR INSTRUCTIONAL

26  PERSONNEL.--Contingent upon the passage of an amendment to s.

27  1, Art. IX of the State Constitution to create district

28  average maximum class sizes and establish minimum salary for

29  instructional personnel, the minimum salary for full-time

30  instructional personnel as defined in s. 1012.01(2)(a)-(d) in

31  this state shall be $35,000 and shall be established by the

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 1  Legislature to remain above the national average public school

 2  teacher beginning salary.

 3         Section 36.  Section 1012.2315, Florida Statutes, is

 4  created to read:

 5         1012.2315  Assignment of teachers.--

 6         (1)  LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS AND INTENT.--The Legislature

 7  finds disparity between teachers assigned to teach in a

 8  majority of "A" schools compared with those assigned to teach

 9  in a majority of "F" schools.  The disparity can be found in

10  the average years of experience, the median salary, and the

11  performance of the teachers on teacher certification exams.

12  It is the intent of the Legislature that district school

13  boards have flexibility through the collective bargaining

14  process to assign teachers more equitably to schools

15  throughout the district.

16         (2)  ASSIGNMENT TO "D" AND "F" SCHOOLS.--School

17  districts may not assign a higher percentage than the school

18  district average of first-time teachers, temporarily certified

19  teachers, teachers in need of improvement, or out-of-field

20  teachers to schools that have more than the school district

21  average of minority and economically disadvantaged students or

22  to schools that are graded "D" or "F." Each school district

23  shall annually certify to the Commissioner of Education that

24  this requirement has been met.  If the commissioner determines

25  that a school district is not in compliance with this section,

26  the State Board of Education shall be notified and shall take

27  action in the next regularly scheduled meeting to require

28  compliance.

29         (3)  SALARY INCENTIVES.--District school boards may

30  provide salary incentives to meet this requirement.

31  

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 1         (4)  COLLECTIVE BARGAINING.--Notwithstanding chapter

 2  447, no provision of collective bargaining may preclude a

 3  school district from assigning high-quality teachers to teach

 4  in low-performing schools.

 5         Section 37.  Section 1012.72, Florida Statutes, is

 6  amended to read:

 7         1012.72  Dale Hickam Excellent Teaching Program.--

 8         (1)  The Legislature recognizes that teachers play a

 9  critical role in preparing students to achieve the high levels

10  of academic performance expected by the Sunshine State

11  Standards. The Legislature further recognizes the importance

12  of identifying and rewarding teaching excellence and of

13  encouraging good teachers to become excellent teachers. The

14  Legislature finds that the National Board of Professional

15  Teaching Standards (NBPTS) has established high and rigorous

16  standards for accomplished teaching and has developed a

17  national voluntary system for assessing and certifying

18  teachers who demonstrate teaching excellence by meeting those

19  standards. It is therefore the Legislature's intent to provide

20  incentives for teachers to seek NBPTS certification and to

21  reward teachers who demonstrate teaching excellence by

22  attaining NBPTS certification and sharing their expertise with

23  other teachers.

24         (2)  The Dale Hickam Excellent Teaching Program is

25  created to provide categorical funding for monetary incentives

26  and bonuses for teaching excellence. The Department of

27  Education shall distribute to each school district or to the

28  NBPTS an amount as prescribed annually by the Legislature for

29  the Dale Hickam Excellent Teaching Program. For purposes of

30  this section, the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind

31  shall be considered a school district. Unless otherwise

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 1  provided in the General Appropriations Act, each distribution

 2  shall be the sum of the amounts earned for the following

 3  incentives and bonuses:

 4         (a)  A fee subsidy to be paid by the Department of

 5  Education to the NBPTS on behalf of each individual who is an

 6  employee of a district school board or a public school within

 7  the school district, who is certified by the district to have

 8  demonstrated satisfactory teaching performance pursuant to s.

 9  1012.34 and who satisfies the prerequisites for participating

10  in the NBPTS certification program, and who agrees, in

11  writing, to pay 10 percent of the NBPTS participation fee and

12  to participate in the NBPTS certification program during the

13  school year for which the fee subsidy is provided. The fee

14  subsidy for each eligible participant shall be an amount equal

15  to 90 percent of the fee charged for participating in the

16  NBPTS certification program. The fee subsidy is a one-time

17  award and may not be duplicated for any individual.

18         (b)  A portfolio-preparation incentive of $150 paid by

19  the Department of Education to each teacher employed by a

20  district school board or a public school within a school

21  district who is participating in the NBPTS certification

22  program. The portfolio-preparation incentive is a one-time

23  award paid during the school year for which the NBPTS fee

24  subsidy is provided.

25         (c)  An annual bonus equal to 10 percent of the prior

26  fiscal year's statewide average salary for classroom teachers

27  to be distributed to the school district to be paid to each

28  individual who holds NBPTS certification and is employed by

29  the district school board or by a public school within the

30  school district. The district school board shall distribute

31  the annual bonus to each individual who meets the requirements

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 1  of this paragraph and who is certified annually by the

 2  district to have demonstrated satisfactory teaching

 3  performance pursuant to s. 1012.34. The annual bonus may be

 4  paid as a single payment or divided into not more than three

 5  payments.

 6         (d)  An annual bonus equal to 10 percent of the prior

 7  fiscal year's statewide average salary for classroom teachers

 8  to be distributed to the school district to be paid to each

 9  individual who meets the requirements of paragraph (c) and

10  agrees, in writing, to provide the equivalent of 12 workdays

11  of mentoring and related services to public school teachers

12  within the state who do not hold NBPTS certification. Related

13  services must include instruction in helping teachers work

14  more effectively with the families of their students. The

15  district school board shall distribute the annual bonus in a

16  single payment following the completion of all required

17  mentoring and related services for the year. It is not the

18  intent of the Legislature to remove excellent teachers from

19  their assigned classrooms; therefore, credit may not be

20  granted by a school district or public school for mentoring or

21  related services provided during student contact time during

22  the 196 days of required service for the school year.

23         (e)  The employer's share of social security and

24  Medicare taxes and Florida Retirement System contributions for

25  those teachers who qualify for NBPTS certification and receive

26  bonus amounts.

27  

28  A teacher for whom the state pays the certification fee and

29  who does not complete the certification program or does not

30  teach in a public school of this state for at least 1 year

31  after completing the certification program must repay the

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 1  amount of the certification fee to the state. However, a

 2  teacher who completes the certification program but fails to

 3  be awarded NBPTS certification is not required to repay the

 4  amount of the certification fee if the teacher meets the

 5  1-year teaching requirement. Repayment is not required of a

 6  teacher who does not complete the certification program or

 7  fails to fulfill the teaching requirement because of the

 8  teacher's death or disability or because of other extenuating

 9  circumstances as determined by the State Board of Education.

10         (3)(a)  In addition to any other remedy available under

11  the law, any person who is a recipient of a certification fee

12  subsidy paid to the NBPTS and who is an employee of the state

13  or any of its political subdivisions is considered to have

14  consented, as a condition of employment, to the voluntary or

15  involuntary withholding of wages to repay to the state the

16  amount of such a certification fee subsidy awarded under this

17  section. Any such employee who defaults on the repayment of

18  such a certification fee subsidy must, within 60 days after

19  service of a notice of default by the Department of Education

20  to the employee, establish a repayment schedule which must be

21  agreed to by the department and the employee, for repaying the

22  defaulted sum through payroll deductions. The department may

23  not require the employee to pay more than 10 percent of the

24  employee's pay per pay period under such a repayment schedule

25  or plan. If the employee fails to establish a repayment

26  schedule within the specified period of time or fails to meet

27  the terms and conditions of the agreed upon or approved

28  repayment schedule as authorized by this subsection, the

29  employee has breached an essential condition of employment and

30  is considered to have consented to the involuntary withholding

31  

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 1  of wages or salary for the repayment of the certification fee

 2  subsidy.

 3         (b)  A person who is employed by the state, or any of

 4  its political subdivisions, may not be dismissed for having

 5  defaulted on the repayment of the certification fee subsidy to

 6  the state.

 7         (4)  The Dale Hickam Excellent Teaching Program Trust

 8  Fund shall be administered by the Department of Education

 9  pursuant to s. 1010.72.

10         (5)  The Council for Education Policy Research and

11  Improvement shall conduct research to evaluate the benefits

12  and effectiveness of the program.

13         (6)(4)  The State Board of Education may adopt rules

14  pursuant to ss. 120.536 and 120.54 as necessary to administer

15  the provisions for payment of the fee subsidies, incentives,

16  and bonuses and for the repayment of defaulted certification

17  fee subsidies under this section.

18         (5)  The Dale Hickam Excellent Teaching Program Trust

19  Fund shall be administered by the Department of Education

20  pursuant to s. 1010.72.

21         Section 38.  Section 1012.986, Florida Statutes, is

22  created to read:

23         1012.986  Professional development for school

24  leaders.--

25         (1)  SHORT TITLE.--This section may be cited as the

26  DELTA (Developing Educational Leaders for Tomorrow's

27  Achievers) Act.

28         (2)  CREATION OF PROGRAM.--There is created the DELTA

29  Program which shall be administered by the Department of

30  Education. The program shall be a high-quality,

31  competency-based, customized, comprehensive, and coordinated

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 1  statewide professional development program to provide

 2  leadership training opportunities for school leaders to enable

 3  them to be more effective instructional leaders, especially in

 4  the area of reading. The program shall provide school leaders

 5  with the opportunity to attain a school leadership designation

 6  pursuant to subsection (4).

 7         (3)  DEFINITION.--As used in this section, the term

 8  "school leader" means a school principal or assistant

 9  principal who holds a valid Florida certificate in educational

10  leadership.

11         (4)  LEADERSHIP DESIGNATIONS.--The Department of

12  Education shall determine annually, in collaboration with

13  school principals, thresholds for different leadership

14  designations. Criteria for school leadership designations

15  shall be based on the following point system:

16         (a)  One point for each percent increase over the

17  previous year, by grade, of students who score at or above

18  FCAT Level 3 in reading;

19         (b)  One point for each percent increase over the

20  previous year, by grade, of students who score at or above

21  FCAT Level 3 in math;

22         (c)  One point for each percent increase over the

23  previous year, by school, of students who score 3.5 or higher

24  on FCAT writing;

25         (d)  One point for each percent increase over the

26  previous year of students making learning gains in reading;

27         (e)  One point for each percent increase over the

28  previous year of students making learning gains in math;

29         (f)  One point for each percent increase over the

30  previous year of the lowest quartile making learning gains in

31  reading.

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 1         (5)  DELTA PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS.--

 2         (a)  The DELTA Program shall be based upon the

 3  leadership standards adopted by the State Board of Education,

 4  the standards of the National Staff Development Council, and

 5  the federal requirements for high-quality professional

 6  development under the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001.

 7         (b)  The DELTA Program shall provide a competency-based

 8  approach that uses prediagnostic and post-diagnostic

 9  evaluations that shall be used to create an individualized

10  professional development plan approved by the district school

11  superintendent. The plan must be structured to support the

12  school leader's attainment of the leadership standards adopted

13  by the State Board of Education.

14         (c)  The DELTA Program shall incorporate training in

15  instructional leadership and effective business practices for

16  efficient school operations in school leadership training

17  based on best practices of current effective leadership

18  training in school districts.

19         (6)  DELIVERY SYSTEM.--The Department of Education

20  shall deliver the DELTA Program through multiple delivery

21  systems, including:

22         (a)  Approved school district training programs;

23         (b)  Interactive technology-based instruction; and

24         (c)  State, regional, or local leadership academies.

25         (7)  RULES.--The State Board of Education shall adopt

26  rules under ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54 to administer this

27  section.

28         Section 39.  Subsection (6) of section 1013.512,

29  Florida Statutes, is amended to read:

30         1013.512  Land Acquisition and Facilities Advisory

31  Board.--

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 1         (6)  Upon certification by the advisory board that

 2  corrective action has been taken, the Legislative Budget

 3  Commission shall release all funds remaining in reserve. Upon

 4  such release, each Land Acquisition and Facilities Advisory

 5  Board shall be disbanded.

 6         Section 40.  Approval is granted for the endowment for

 7  the Appleton Museum of Art, currently held by the Appleton

 8  Cultural Center, Inc., to be transferred to the Central

 9  Florida Community College Foundation. The endowment to be

10  transferred, which includes state matching funds, was

11  established in 1987 through the Cultural Arts Endowment

12  Program. By this provision, the Central Florida Community

13  College Foundation is authorized to manage the endowment only

14  for the support of the educational program at the Appleton

15  Museum of Art and is released from all other provisions of the

16  Trust Agreement dated July 17, 1987, by and between the State

17  of Florida and the Appleton Cultural Center, Inc., and

18  sections 265.601 through 265.607, Florida Statutes.

19         Section 41.  Sections 1012.987 and 1012.231, Florida

20  Statutes, are repealed.

21         Section 42.  If any provision of this act or the

22  application thereof to any person or circumstance is held

23  invalid, the invalidity does not affect other provisions or

24  applications of the act which can be given effect without the

25  invalid provision or application, and to this end the

26  provisions of this act are declared severable.

27         Section 43.  Except as otherwise expressly provided in

28  this act, this act shall take effect upon becoming a law,

29  except that sections 1003.035, 1011.6855, and 1012.2305,

30  Florida Statutes, as created by this act, shall take effect on

31  the effective date of an amendment to Section 1, Article IX of

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 1  the State Constitution approved by the electors which requires

 2  district average maximum class sizes and minimum pay for

 3  teachers.

 4  

 5          STATEMENT OF SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES CONTAINED IN
                       COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR
 6                       CS Senate Bill 2480

 7                                 

 8  This committee substitute:

 9       Conforms the bill to Senate Joint Resolution 2090 by
         delaying implementation of school level class size
10       requirements until the 2007-2008 school year;

11       Restores the class size accountability mechanisms;

12       Provides that the number of students in any classroom may
         not exceed the maximum district average by more than five
13       students;

14       Restores the accelerated high school graduation options
         to current law;
15  
         Provides a schedule for school districts to submit their
16       plans for approval to receive the reading instruction
         allocation;
17  
         Authorizes the transfer of the Appleton Museum of Art
18       endowment to the Central Florida Community College
         Foundation, which shall manage the endowment for support
19       of the museum educational program;

20       Requires the release of all funds remaining in reserve
         and the disbanding of a land acquisition and facilities
21       advisory board upon certification by the board that
         corrective action has been taken;
22  
         Authorizes FEFP funding of FTE membership beyond the
23       180-day regular term for students enrolled in an
         education program for juveniles under s. 985.223, F.S.;
24       and

25       Provides for the calculation of additional FTE for the
         Florida Virtual School.
26  

27  

28  

29  

30  

31  

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