HB 445

1
A bill to be entitled
2An act relating to education; creating the Minority or
3Underrepresented Student Achievement Council; providing
4for the appointment and qualification of members;
5providing requirements for meetings; providing for
6reimbursement for per diem and travel expenses; providing
7the duties of the council; requiring the Commissioner of
8Education to organize the initial meeting of the council;
9requiring the council to submit an annual report to the
10Governor and Legislature; requiring the Department of
11Education to provide administrative support; requiring
12each school board to discuss the number of high school
13students taking advanced placement courses; providing an
14appropriation; providing an effective date.
15
16Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
17
18     Section 1.  Minority or Underrepresented Student
19Achievement Council.--
20     (1)  There is created the Minority or Underrepresented
21Student Achievement Council for the purpose of identifying and
22recruiting minority or underrepresented high school students who
23are eligible to participate in advanced placement courses.
24     (a)  The council shall consist of the following members:
25     1.  The Commissioner of Education or his or her designee.
26     2.  One public high school teacher.
27     3.  One community-based representative.
28     4.  One representative from a school district.
29     5.  One representative from a community college.
30     6.  One representative from a college or university.
31     7.  A parent.
32     (b)  The President of the Senate and the Speaker of the
33House of Representatives shall jointly appoint the members of
34the council described in subparagraphs (a)2.-7. by July 15,
352006. Four of the seven members must be persons of African-
36American or Hispanic origin.
37     (c)  The council shall hold its first meeting by August 1,
382006, at which time the members shall select by majority vote a
39chairperson from among the council members.
40     (d)  All recommendations of the council shall be by
41majority vote.
42     (e)  The council shall meet quarterly and additional
43meetings may be held at the call of the chairperson and at other
44times as determined by a majority of members of the council.
45     (f)  Members of the council shall serve without
46compensation but are entitled to reimbursement for per diem and
47travel expenses in accordance with s. 112.061, Florida Statutes.
48     (2)  The members of the council shall:
49     (a)  Work to recruit minority or underrepresented high
50school students who are eligible to participate in advanced
51placement courses by identifying students who perform above
52average academically according to their grades and SAT or ACT
53scores and whose assessments indicate the potential to earn a
54bachelor's degree in 4 years or less.
55     (b)  Identify each minority or underrepresented student who
56receives the grade of "A" or "B" in the majority of his or her
57core courses during the first semester of the student's freshman
58year and notify his or her parents in writing that the student
59is eligible to take advanced placement courses beginning in the
60second semester of the student's freshman year.
61     (c)  Examine best practices from high-performing public
62high schools across the United States to learn how to close the
63achievement gap between minority or underrepresented students
64and nonminority students.
65     (3)  The Commissioner of Education or his or her designee
66shall:
67     (a)  Notify each member of the council of the time, date,
68and place where the initial meeting will be held;
69     (b)  Make any other arrangements concerning the initial
70meeting of the council; and
71     (c)  Serve as the presiding officer at the initial meeting
72of the council until a chairperson is elected.
73     (4)  The council shall issue its initial annual report by
74December 15, 2007, and by December 15th of each following year,
75stating the findings, conclusions, and recommendations of the
76council. This report shall be submitted to the Governor, the
77President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of
78Representatives and placed on the Department of Education's
79website.
80     (5)  The Department of Education shall provide staff and
81administrative support to the council.
82     Section 2.  Each school board in this state shall annually
83discuss during a meeting of the school board the number of
84students, by ethnicity, gender, and zip code, who have taken two
85or more advanced placement courses by their junior year in high
86school.
87     Section 3.  The sum of $50,000 is appropriated from the
88General Revenue Fund for the Minority or Underrepresented
89Student Achievement Council.
90     Section 4.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2006.


CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.