Senate Bill sb1688
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Florida Senate - 2006 SB 1688
By Senator Hill
1-322B-06
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to education; creating the
3 Minority or Underrepresented Student
4 Achievement Council; providing for the
5 appointment and qualification of members;
6 providing requirements for meetings; providing
7 for reimbursement for per diem and travel
8 expenses; providing the duties of the council;
9 requiring the Commissioner of Education to
10 organize the initial meeting of the council;
11 requiring the council to submit an annual
12 report to the Governor and Legislature;
13 requiring the Department of Education to
14 provide administrative support; requiring each
15 school board to discuss the number of high
16 school students taking advanced-placement
17 courses; providing an appropriation; providing
18 an effective date.
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20 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
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22 Section 1. Minority or Underrepresented Student
23 Achievement Council.--
24 (1) There is created the Minority or Underrepresented
25 Student Achievement Council for the purpose of identifying and
26 recruiting minority or underrepresented high school students
27 who are eligible to participate in advanced-placement courses.
28 (a) The council shall consist of the following
29 members:
30 1. The Commissioner of Education or his or her
31 designee.
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Florida Senate - 2006 SB 1688
1-322B-06
1 2. One public high school teacher.
2 3. One community-based representative.
3 4. One representative from a school district.
4 5. One representative from a community college.
5 6. One representative from a college or university.
6 7. A parent.
7 (b) The President of the Senate and the Speaker of the
8 House of Representatives shall jointly appoint the members of
9 the council described in subparagraphs (a)2.-7. by July 15,
10 2006. Four of the seven members must be persons of
11 African-American or Hispanic origin.
12 (c) The council shall hold its first meeting by August
13 1, 2006, at which time the members shall select by majority
14 vote a chairperson from among the council members.
15 (d) All recommendations of the council shall be by
16 majority vote.
17 (e) The council shall meet quarterly and additional
18 meetings may be held at the call of the chairperson and at
19 other times as determined by a majority of members of the
20 council.
21 (f) Members of the council shall serve without
22 compensation, but are entitled to reimbursement for per diem
23 and travel expenses in accordance with s. 112.061, Florida
24 Statutes.
25 (2) The members of the council shall:
26 (a) Work to recruit minority or underrepresented high
27 school students who are eligible to participate in
28 advanced-placement courses by identifying students who perform
29 above average academically according to their grades or SAT or
30 ACT scores and whose assessments indicate the potential to
31 earn a bachelor's degree in 4 years or less.
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Florida Senate - 2006 SB 1688
1-322B-06
1 (b) Identify each minority or underrepresented student
2 who receives the grade of "A" or "B" in the majority of his or
3 her core courses during the first semester of the student's
4 freshman year and notify his or her parents in writing that
5 the student is eligible to take advanced-placement courses
6 beginning in the second semester of the student's freshman
7 year.
8 (c) Examine best practices from high-performing public
9 high schools across the United States to learn how to close
10 the achievement gap between minority or underrepresented
11 students and nonminority students.
12 (3) The Commissioner of Education or his or her
13 designee shall:
14 (a) Notify each member of the council of the time,
15 date, and place where the initial meeting will be held;
16 (b) Make any other arrangements concerning the initial
17 meeting of the council; and
18 (c) Serve as the presiding officer at the initial
19 meeting of the council until a chairperson is elected.
20 (4) The council shall issue its initial annual report
21 by December 15, 2007, and by December 15th of each following
22 year, stating the findings, conclusions, and recommendations
23 of the council. This report shall be submitted to the
24 Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the
25 House of Representatives and placed on the Department of
26 Education's website.
27 (5) The Department of Education shall provide staff
28 and administrative support to the council.
29 Section 2. Each school board in this state shall
30 annually discuss during a meeting of the school board the
31 number of students, by ethnicity, gender, and zip code, who
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Florida Senate - 2006 SB 1688
1-322B-06
1 have taken two or more advanced-placement courses by their
2 junior year in high school.
3 Section 3. The sum of $50,000 is appropriated from the
4 General Revenue Fund for the Minority or Underrepresented
5 Student Achievement Council.
6 Section 4. This act shall take effect July 1, 2006.
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9 SENATE SUMMARY
10 Creates the Minority or Underrepresented Student
Achievement Council. Requires the Commissioner of
11 Education to organize the initial meeting of the council.
Requires the Department of Education to provide
12 administrative support. Requires each school board to
discuss the number of high school students taking
13 advanced-placement courses. Provides an appropriation.
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