Senate Bill sb2598
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Florida Senate - 2007 SB 2598
By Senator Wise
5-1379A-07
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to the Governor's School for
3 Science and Technology; creating s. 1002.371,
4 F.S.; creating the Governor's School for
5 Science and Technology; requiring the Florida
6 Virtual School to manage and control the
7 Governor's School for Science and Technology;
8 providing criteria governing such management
9 and control; providing that the Governor's
10 School for Science and Technology is a public
11 school for selected students in grades 9
12 through 12 who enroll in the school and reside
13 on the school's premises; providing for
14 location of the school in Brevard County;
15 providing for commencement of the school's
16 classes; requiring the school to offer
17 specified programs; stating the mission of the
18 school; requiring the Florida Virtual School to
19 appoint a director of the Governor's School for
20 Science and Technology and adopt rules
21 concerning operation of the school and
22 selection of individuals who are eligible to
23 enroll in that school; authorizing rulemaking
24 by the Florida Virtual School; creating the
25 Governor's School for Science and Technology
26 Advisory Council; providing for purpose,
27 membership, duties, and operation of the
28 council; exempting the Governor's School for
29 Science and Technology from certain
30 requirements concerning curriculum and
31 operations in the Florida School Code;
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Florida Senate - 2007 SB 2598
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1 providing for the Florida Virtual School to be
2 the fiscal agent of the Governor's School for
3 Science and Technology and to submit certain
4 budget requests; providing for funding the
5 Governor's School for Science and Technology;
6 amending ss. 1000.04, 1002.20, and 1003.02,
7 F.S., relating to the components for the
8 delivery of public education, the rights of
9 students and parents concerning public school
10 choice, and parental notice of acceleration
11 mechanisms by district school boards;
12 conforming provisions to changes made by the
13 act; providing an appropriation; providing an
14 effective date.
15
16 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
17
18 Section 1. Section 1002.371, Florida Statutes, is
19 created to read:
20 1002.371 Governor's School for Science and
21 Technology.--The Governor's School for Science and Technology
22 is established and shall be managed and controlled by the
23 Florida Virtual School in a manner that conforms to this
24 section.
25 (1) The Governor's School for Science and Technology
26 is a public school for grades 9 through 12. The attendance
27 area for the school is the entire state; however, admission to
28 the school is a privilege reserved for those qualified
29 students who are selected and is not a right afforded to the
30 general population of students in this state. The school shall
31 be located in Brevard County and be situated where connections
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Florida Senate - 2007 SB 2598
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1 between the school and the Kennedy Space Center may most
2 readily be established. Students enrolled in the school must
3 reside on the school's premises. The school's first classes
4 must commence in the 2009-2010 academic year. The school shall
5 offer:
6 (a) Accelerated programs in the areas of math,
7 science, and technology to qualified students in grades 9
8 through 12.
9 (b) Summer programs for elementary, middle, or high
10 school teachers.
11 (2) The mission of the Governor's School for Science
12 and Technology is to provide students in grades 9 through 12
13 with advanced educational opportunities in the areas of
14 science, math, and technology in order to gain the knowledge
15 and skills necessary to succeed in those areas. The Florida
16 Virtual School shall administer and operate the Governor's
17 School for Science and Technology and shall:
18 (a) Appoint a director; and
19 (b) Adopt rules specifying:
20 1. The requirements that an individual must meet in
21 order to be qualified for admission to the Governor's School
22 for Science and Technology and the standards by which
23 applicants will be selected for admission to the school.
24 Priority must be given to individuals who excel or demonstrate
25 interest in the areas of math, science, or technology. The
26 requirements and standards may include, but are not limited
27 to, scores on tests or favorable recommendations from teachers
28 or other school officials.
29 2. The number of students that may be enrolled at the
30 school given the resources that are available.
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Florida Senate - 2007 SB 2598
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1 3. The procedures by which an individual may apply for
2 admission to the school or appeal a decision concerning an
3 application to attend the school. Such procedures must conform
4 to applicable standards concerning the adequacy of due
5 process.
6 4. The procedures by which the school must operate so
7 as to maximize achievement of its mission.
8 (3) The Florida Virtual School may adopt rules under
9 ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54 to administer this section.
10 (4)(a) The Governor's School for Science and
11 Technology Advisory Council is created within the Florida
12 Virtual School. The purpose of the advisory council is to
13 provide the Florida Virtual School with insight, expertise,
14 and recommendations concerning the development and
15 implementation of a plan for the Governor's School for Science
16 and Technology.
17 (b) The advisory council consists of 13 members who
18 shall be appointed by the board of trustees of the Florida
19 Virtual School as follows:
20 1. One member representing the Technological Research
21 and Development Authority.
22 2. Two members representing the Sunshine State
23 Scholars Recognition Program.
24 3. One member representing the Florida Institute of
25 Technology.
26 4. One member representing the Department of
27 Education.
28 5. Two members representing the Florida Center for
29 Mathematics and Science Research created under s. 1004.86.
30 6. One member representing the Embry-Riddle
31 Aeronautical University.
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Florida Senate - 2007 SB 2598
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1 7. One member representing the University of Central
2 Florida.
3 8. One member representing the University of Florida.
4 9. One member representing the National Aeronautics
5 and Space Administration.
6 10. Two members representing the faculty of the
7 Florida Virtual School.
8 (c) Initial appointments shall be made by August 1,
9 2007. Advisory council members shall be appointed to 5-year
10 terms, except that the initial terms shall be staggered so
11 that five members are appointed to 3-year terms, four other
12 members are appointed to 4-year terms, and four other members
13 are appointed to 5-year terms. An advisory council member who
14 is absent from three consecutive meetings of the council is
15 automatically removed from the council. Any vacancy on the
16 advisory council must be filled for the remainder of the
17 unexpired term. An advisory council member may not serve more
18 than two consecutive terms.
19 (d) The advisory council shall meet at least once each
20 quarter. A majority of the members of the advisory council
21 constitutes a quorum.
22 (e) Members of the advisory council shall serve
23 without compensation, but are entitled to reimbursement for
24 per diem and travel expenses in accordance with s. 112.061
25 while performing their duties.
26 (4) In order to facilitate innovative practices, the
27 Governor's School for Science and Technology is exempt from
28 each requirement of the Florida School Code which relates to
29 curriculum and operations unless the requirement also relates
30 to civil rights or student health, safety, and welfare. This
31
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1 subsection does not exempt the school from chapter 119 or s.
2 286.011.
3 (5) The Florida Virtual School is the fiscal agent of
4 the Governor's School for Science and Technology and shall
5 annually prepare and submit a legislative budget request for
6 the Governor's School for Science and Technology in accordance
7 with chapter 216.
8 (6) Funding for room, board, and transportation of
9 students of the Governor's School for Science and Technology
10 shall be as authorized in the General Appropriations Act.
11 Other funding for the Governor's School for Science and
12 Technology shall be provided from:
13 (a) Appropriations from the Legislature or a state
14 agency;
15 (b) Contributions or endowments from private entities;
16 and
17 (c) Moneys generated through the Florida Education
18 Finance Program or a categorical fund by virtue of a student's
19 enrollment in a public school. Moneys so generated must be
20 provided for each student who is enrolled in the Governor's
21 School for Science and Technology in the same manner and
22 amount that such moneys would be provided to a district school
23 board if the same student were enrolled in a standard public
24 school.
25 Section 2. Subsection (5) is added to section 1000.04,
26 Florida Statutes, to read:
27 1000.04 Components for the delivery of public
28 education within the Florida K-20 education system.--Florida's
29 K-20 education system provides for the delivery of public
30 education through publicly supported and controlled K-12
31 schools, community colleges, state universities and other
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Florida Senate - 2007 SB 2598
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1 postsecondary educational institutions, other educational
2 institutions, and other educational services as provided or
3 authorized by the Constitution and laws of the state.
4 (5) THE GOVERNOR'S SCHOOL FOR SCIENCE AND
5 TECHNOLOGY.--The Governor's School for Science and Technology
6 is a component of the delivery of public education within
7 Florida's K-20 education system.
8 Section 3. Paragraph (a) of subsection (6) of section
9 1002.20, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
10 1002.20 K-12 student and parent rights.--Parents of
11 public school students must receive accurate and timely
12 information regarding their child's academic progress and must
13 be informed of ways they can help their child to succeed in
14 school. K-12 students and their parents are afforded numerous
15 statutory rights including, but not limited to, the following:
16 (6) EDUCATIONAL CHOICE.--
17 (a) Public school choices.--Parents of public school
18 students may seek whatever public school choice options that
19 are applicable to their students and are available to students
20 in their school districts. These options may include
21 controlled open enrollment, lab schools, charter schools,
22 charter technical career centers, magnet schools, alternative
23 schools, special programs, advanced placement, dual
24 enrollment, International Baccalaureate, International General
25 Certificate of Secondary Education (pre-AICE), Advanced
26 International Certificate of Education, early admissions,
27 credit by examination or demonstration of competency, the New
28 World School of the Arts, the Florida School for the Deaf and
29 the Blind, the Governor's School for Science and Technology,
30 and the Florida Virtual School. These options may also include
31 the public school choice options of the Opportunity
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1 Scholarship Program and the McKay Scholarships for Students
2 with Disabilities Program.
3 Section 4. Paragraph (i) of subsection (1) of section
4 1003.02, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
5 1003.02 District school board operation and control of
6 public K-12 education within the school district.--As provided
7 in part II of chapter 1001, district school boards are
8 constitutionally and statutorily charged with the operation
9 and control of public K-12 education within their school
10 district. The district school boards must establish, organize,
11 and operate their public K-12 schools and educational
12 programs, employees, and facilities. Their responsibilities
13 include staff development, public K-12 school student
14 education including education for exceptional students and
15 students in juvenile justice programs, special programs, adult
16 education programs, and career education programs.
17 Additionally, district school boards must:
18 (1) Provide for the proper accounting for all students
19 of school age, for the attendance and control of students at
20 school, and for proper attention to health, safety, and other
21 matters relating to the welfare of students in the following
22 fields:
23 (i) Parental notification of acceleration
24 mechanisms.--At the beginning of each school year, notify
25 parents of students in or entering high school of the
26 opportunity and benefits of advanced placement, International
27 Baccalaureate, Advanced International Certificate of
28 Education, dual enrollment, the Governor's School for Science
29 and Technology, and Florida Virtual School courses.
30 Section 5. The sum of $1 million is appropriated from
31 the General Revenue Fund to the Florida Virtual School for the
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1 purpose of paying salaries and other administrative expenses
2 necessary to develop a plan, secure facilities, develop the
3 sequence of courses for each grade level, and undertake other
4 activities necessary to commence operation of the Governor's
5 School for Science and Technology in the 2009-2010 academic
6 year.
7 Section 6. This act shall take effect July 1, 2007.
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10 SENATE SUMMARY
11 Creates the Governor's School for Science and Technology
as a public school for selected students in grades 9
12 through 12 who reside on the school's premises. Requires
the Florida Virtual School to manage and control the
13 Governor's School for Science and Technology. Requires
that the Governor's School for Science and Technology be
14 located in Brevard County, commence operation in the
2009-2010 school year, and offer specified programs.
15 States the mission of the school. Requires that the
Florida Virtual School appoint a director of the
16 Governor's School for Science and Technology and adopt
rules concerning operation of, and the selection of
17 individuals who may be enrolled in, that school.
Authorizes rulemaking by the Florida Virtual School.
18 Creates and provides for the purpose, membership, duties,
and operation of the Governor's School for Science and
19 Technology Advisory Council. Exempts the Governor's
School for Science and Technology from certain
20 requirements concerning curriculum and operations in the
Florida School Code. Provides for the Florida Virtual
21 School to be the fiscal agent of the Governor's School
for Science and Technology and to submit certain budget
22 requests. Provides for funding of the Governor's School
for Science and Technology. Amends various other
23 statutory provisions to conform.
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