ENROLLED
2008 LegislatureCS for SB 1908, 1st Engrossed
20081908er
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An act relating to education; amending s. 1003.41, F.S.;
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requiring that the State Board of Education replace the
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Sunshine State Standards with the Next Generation Sunshine
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State Standards; providing requirements for the content
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and organization of the standards; requiring that the
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standards establish core curricular content in specified
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areas for certain grades or grade clusters; requiring that
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the state board establish schedules for the adoption and
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revision of the Next Generation Sunshine State Standards;
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requiring that the state board adopt the standards by a
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specified date; requiring the Commissioner of Education to
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provide proposed Next Generation Sunshine State Standards
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or proposed revisions of such standards to the state
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board; providing requirements for the commissioner's
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development of the proposed standards or revisions;
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requiring consultation with certain experts; requiring
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distribution of a proposal developed by the commissioner
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for review and comment by certain experts; requiring a
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written evaluation of the proposal developed by the
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commissioner by certain experts; requiring provision of
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the commissioner's proposed standards and the written
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evaluation and comments to the Governor, the President of
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the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of
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Representatives; authorizing rulemaking by the State Board
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of Education; amending s. 220.187, F.S.; revising
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requirements for the selection of norm-referenced tests
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administered by private schools for purposes of the
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Corporate Income Tax Credit Scholarship Program; amending
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s. 1000.21, F.S.; providing and revising definitions;
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providing for application of the Sunshine State Standards
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pending adoption of the Next Generation Sunshine State
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Standards; amending s. 1001.03, F.S.; requiring the State
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Board of Education to periodically review and revise state
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curriculum standards; eliminating provisions requiring
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that the state board report proposed revisions to the
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Governor and the Legislature; amending s. 1001.452, F.S.;
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revising provisions relating to membership of school
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advisory councils; amending s. 1003.413, F.S.; requiring
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policies of each district school board to address an
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annual review of student education plans; amending s.
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1003.428, F.S.; revising courses that are acceptable for
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high school graduation; conforming provisions and a cross-
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reference; creating s. 1003.4285, F.S.; providing for high
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school diploma designations; amending ss. 1003.429,
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cross-references; amending s. 1003.63, F.S.; revising the
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type of assessment tests reported to the Governor and the
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Legislature relating to the deregulated public schools
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pilot program; amending s. 1004.85, F.S.; conforming
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cross-references; amending s. 1004.91, F.S.; providing an
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exemption relating to career-preparatory instruction;
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amending s. 1004.99, F.S.; providing designations of
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Florida Ready to Work credentials; amending s. 1007.21,
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F.S., relating to postsecondary placement tests for high
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school students; authorizing the common placement test to
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be administered to high school students meeting certain
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criteria; amending s. 1007.235, F.S.; requiring district
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interinstitutional articulation agreements to include
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responsibility for assignment of grades for dual
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enrollment courses; amending s. 1008.22, F.S.; revising
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provisions governing application of testing requirements
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for high school graduation; providing criteria concerning
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the testing and scores required for a continuously
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enrolled student to earn a standard high school diploma;
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authorizing the commissioner to administer end-of-course
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assessments; providing requirements for comprehensive
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assessments and end-of-course assessments; authorizing the
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commissioner to select a nationally developed
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comprehensive examination for use as an end-of-course
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assessment; revising the design of the testing program;
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authorizing the commissioner to collaborate with the
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American Diploma Project to develop end-of-course
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assessments; deleting requirements for norm-referenced
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tests; revising assessments of writing; requiring the
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commissioner to establish schedules for the administration
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of statewide assessments and the reporting of student test
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results; providing requirements for the testing and
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reporting schedules; requiring district school boards to
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prohibit public schools from suspending a program of
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curricula for the administration of practice tests or
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certain test-preparation activities; authorizing a
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district school board to permit a school to engage in
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certain test-preparation activities; requiring public
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schools to comply with statewide assessment and reporting
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schedules; revising the applicability of testing standards
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under certain conditions; establishing requirements for
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calculating student scores on revised statewide
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assessments; authorizing the commissioner to discontinue
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administration of an outdated assessment under certain
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circumstances; requiring the state board to adopt rules
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establishing passing scores on revised assessments
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required for a standard high school diploma; clarifying
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determination of concordant scores for the FCAT; revising
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the requirements contained in the annual report by the
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department to the Governor and the Legislature; amending
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s. 1008.30, F.S.; revising provisions relating to
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administration and use of the results of the common
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placement test; requiring the State Board of Education to
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adopt rules requiring high school evaluation of student
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college readiness and establishing minimum test scores for
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such readiness; authorizing the purchase or development of
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assessments; providing for remedial instruction; amending
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s. 1008.31, F.S.; declaring the legislative intent that
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the K-20 education system comply with the Individuals with
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Disabilities Education Act; amending s. 1008.34, F.S.;
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revising the exceptions for a school to receive a school
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grade; providing for a revised high school grading system
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beginning with the 2009-2010 school year which includes
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the statewide standardized assessment, graduation rates,
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performance and participation in certain courses,
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postsecondary readiness as measured by certain
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examinations, and the change in these factors from year to
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year; specifying the data components to be used in
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determining the revised high school grading system;
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requiring that the criteria for school grades give added
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weight to the graduation rate of all eligible at-risk
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students; revising the student assessment data used in
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determining school grades; requiring a school district
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that fails to assign FCAT scores to students' schools to
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forfeit Florida School Recognition Program funds for a
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specified time; requiring the collaboration between a home
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school and alternative school to be between the principals
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of each school in order to promote student success;
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authorizing the state board to adopt rules; amending s.
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1008.341, F.S.; revising provisions for a school
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improvement rating for an alternative school; authorizing
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the state board to adopt rules; amending s. 1008.345,
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F.S.; conforming provisions; amending s. 1008.36, F.S.;
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revising criteria for financial awards under the Florida
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School Recognition Program; amending s. 1012.56, F.S.;
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requiring teacher certification examinations to be aligned
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to the Next Generation Sunshine State Standards; revising
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provisions relating to the means for demonstrating mastery
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of subject area knowledge; specifying world languages for
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which subject area examinations may be required by State
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Board of Education rule; authorizing degree completion and
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attainment of foreign language proficiency on specified
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conforming cross-reference; amending s. 1012.71, F.S.,
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relating to the Florida Teachers Lead Program; revising
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requirements for use of program funds by classroom
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teachers; providing for disbursement of funds to school
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districts; specifying means for providing a classroom
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teacher with his or her proportionate share of program
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funds and providing that funds received are not subject to
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collective bargaining; providing for retroactive effect;
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providing requirements for accounting of expenditures;
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amending s. 1013.12, F.S.; requiring that a school
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cafeteria post certain information concerning its
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sanitation certificate and inspection; providing effective
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dates.
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Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
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Section 1. Section 1003.41, Florida Statutes, is amended to
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read:
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1003.41 Sunshine State Standards.--
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(1) Public K-12 educational instruction in Florida is based
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on the "Sunshine State Standards." The State Board of Education
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shall review the Sunshine State Standards and replace them with
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the Next Generation Sunshine State Standards that establish the
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core content of the curricula to be taught in this state and that
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specify the core content knowledge and skills that K-12 public
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school students are expected to acquire. The Next Generation
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Sunshine State Standards must, at a minimum:
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(a) Establish the core curricular content for language
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arts, science, mathematics, and social studies, as follows:
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1. Language arts standards must establish specific
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curricular content for, at a minimum, the reading process,
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literary analysis, the writing process, writing applications,
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communication, and information and media literacy. The standards
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must include distinct grade-level expectations for the core
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content knowledge and skills that a student is expected to have
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acquired by each individual grade level from kindergarten through
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grade 8. The language arts standards for grades 9 through 12 may
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be organized by grade clusters of more than one grade level. The
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language arts standards must also identify significant literary
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genres and authors that encompass a comprehensive range of
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historical periods. The State Board of Education shall, in
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accordance with the expedited schedule established under
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subsection (2), review and replace the language arts standards
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adopted by the state board in 2007 with Next Generation Sunshine
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State Standards that comply with this subparagraph.
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2. Science standards must establish specific curricular
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content for, at a minimum, the nature of science, earth and space
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science, physical science, and life science. The standards must
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include distinct grade-level expectations for the core content
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knowledge and skills that a student is expected to have acquired
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by each individual grade level from kindergarten through grade 8.
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The science standards for grades 9 through 12 may be organized by
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grade clusters of more than one grade level.
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3. Mathematics standards must establish specific curricular
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content for, at a minimum, algebra, geometry, probability,
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statistics, calculus, discrete mathematics, financial literacy,
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and trigonometry. The standards must include distinct grade-level
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expectations for the core content knowledge and skills that a
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student is expected to have acquired by each individual grade
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level from kindergarten through grade 8. The mathematics
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standards for grades 9 through 12 may be organized by grade
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clusters of more than one grade level.
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4. Social studies standards must establish specific
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curricular content for, at a minimum, geography, United States
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and world history, government, civics, economics, and humanities.
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The standards must include distinct grade-level expectations for
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the core content knowledge and skills that a student is expected
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to have acquired by each individual grade level from kindergarten
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through grade 8. The social studies standards for grades 9
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through 12 may be organized by grade clusters of more than one
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grade level.
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(b) Establish the core curricular content for visual and
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performing arts, physical education, health, and foreign
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languages. Standards for these subjects must establish specific
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curricular content and include distinct grade-level expectations
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for the core content knowledge and skills that a student is
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expected to have acquired by each individual grade level from
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kindergarten through grade 5. The standards for grades 6 through
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12 may be organized by grade clusters of more than one grade
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level.
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(c) Identify the core curricular content that a student is
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expected to learn for each subject at each individual grade level
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in order to acquire the broad background knowledge needed for
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reading comprehension.
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(d) Be rigorous and relevant and provide for the logical,
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sequential progression of core curricular content that
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incrementally increases a student's core content knowledge and
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skills over time.
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(e) Integrate critical-thinking and problem-solving skills;
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communication, reading, and writing skills; mathematics skills;
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collaboration skills; contextual and applied-learning skills;
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technology-literacy skills; information and media-literacy
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skills; and civic-engagement skills.
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(f) Be organized according to a uniform structure and
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format that is consistent for each subject. The Next Generation
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Sunshine State Standards shall, for each subject and grade level,
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use the same alphanumeric coding system.
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(g) Be aligned to expectations for success in postsecondary
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education and high-skill, high-wage employment.
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(2) By December 31, 2008, the State Board of Education
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shall establish an expedited schedule for adoption of the Next
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Generation Sunshine State Standards and shall establish by rule a
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schedule for the periodic review and revision of the standards.
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The state board shall adopt the Next Generation Sunshine State
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Standards for each subject by December 31, 2011.
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(3)(a) The Commissioner of Education shall develop and
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submit to the State Board of Education proposed Next Generation
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Sunshine State Standards, and periodically submit proposed
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revisions to the standards, for adoption by the state board
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according to the schedules established under subsection (2). The
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commissioner, in developing the proposed standards, shall consult
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with renowned experts on K-12 curricular standards and content in
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each subject listed in paragraphs (1)(a) and (b) and shall
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consider standards that are implemented by other states or
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nations and regarded as exceptionally rigorous by the curricular
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and content experts. The commissioner may also consult with
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curricular and content experts in other subjects.
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(b) The commissioner shall submit the proposed standards
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for review and comment by Florida educators, school
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administrators, representatives of community colleges and state
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universities who have expertise in the content knowledge and
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skills necessary to prepare a student for postsecondary
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education, and leaders in business and industry. The
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commissioner, after considering any comments and making any
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revisions to the proposed standards, shall submit the standards
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for written evaluation by renowned experts on K-12 curricular
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standards and content.
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(c) The commissioner, upon finalizing the proposed
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standards, shall submit the standards and evaluations by the
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curricular and content experts to the Governor, the President of
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the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives at
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least 21 days before the State Board of Education considers
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adoption of the proposed standards.
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(4) The State Board of Education may adopt rules under ss.
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have been adopted by the State Board of Education and delineate
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the academic achievement of students, for which the state will
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hold schools accountable, in grades K-2, 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12 in
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the subjects of language arts, mathematics, science, social
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studies, the arts, health and physical education, and foreign
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languages. They include standards in reading, writing, history,
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government, geography, economics, and computer literacy.
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Section 2. Paragraph (i) of subsection (9) of section
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220.187, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
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220.187 Credits for contributions to nonprofit scholarship-
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funding organizations.--
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(9) DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION OBLIGATIONS.--The Department of
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Education shall:
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(i) Maintain a list of In accordance with State Board of
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Education rule, identify and select the nationally norm-
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referenced tests identified for purposes of satisfying the
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testing requirement in subparagraph (8)(c)2. The tests must meet
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that are comparable to the norm-referenced provisions of the
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Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) provided that the
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FCAT may be one of the tests selected. However, the Department of
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Education may approve the use of an additional assessment by the
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school if the assessment meets industry standards of quality in
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accordance with State Board of Education rule and comparability.
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Section 3. Subsection (7) of section 1000.21, Florida
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Statutes, is amended to read:
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1000.21 Systemwide definitions.--As used in the Florida K-
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20 Education Code:
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(7) "Sunshine State Standards" or the "Next Generation
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Sunshine State Standards" means the state's public K-12
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curricular are standards adopted under s. 1003.41. The term
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includes the Sunshine State Standards that are in place for a
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subject until the standards for that subject are replaced under
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s. 1003.41 by the Next Generation Sunshine State Standards. that
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identify what public school students should know and be able to
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do. These standards delineate the academic achievement of
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students for which the state will hold its public schools
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accountable in grades K-2, 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12, in the subjects of
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language arts, mathematics, science, social studies, the arts,
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health and physical education, foreign languages, reading,
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writing, history, government, geography, economics, and computer
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literacy.
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Section 4. Subsection (1) of section 1001.03, Florida
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Statutes, is amended to read:
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1001.03 Specific powers of State Board of Education.--
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(1) PUBLIC K-12 CURRICULAR STUDENT PERFORMANCE
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STANDARDS.--The State Board of Education shall adopt and
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periodically review and revise approve the student performance
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standards known as the Sunshine State Standards in accordance
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with s. 1003.41 key academic subject areas and grade levels. The
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state board shall establish a schedule to facilitate the periodic
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review of the standards to ensure adequate rigor, relevance,
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logical student progression, and integration of reading, writing,
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and mathematics across all subject areas. The standards review by
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subject area must include participation of curriculum leaders in
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other content areas, including the arts, to ensure valid content
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area integration and to address the instructional requirements of
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different learning styles. The process for review and proposed
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revisions must include leadership and input from the state's
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classroom teachers, school administrators, and community colleges
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and universities, and from representatives from business and
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industry who are identified by local education foundations. A
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report including proposed revisions must be submitted to the
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Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the
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House of Representatives annually to coincide with the
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established review schedule. The review schedule and an annual
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status report must be submitted to the Governor, the President of
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the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives
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annually not later than January 1.
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Section 5. Paragraph (a) of subsection (1) of section
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1001.452, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
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1001.452 District and school advisory councils.--
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(1) ESTABLISHMENT.--
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(a) The district school board shall establish an advisory
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council for each school in the district and shall develop
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procedures for the election and appointment of advisory council
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members. Each school advisory council shall include in its name
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the words "school advisory council." The school advisory council
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shall be the sole body responsible for final decisionmaking at
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the school relating to implementation of the provisions of ss.
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school advisory council must be persons who are not employed by
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the school district. Each advisory council shall be composed of
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the principal and an appropriately balanced number of teachers,
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education support employees, students, parents, and other
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business and community citizens who are representative of the
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ethnic, racial, and economic community served by the school.
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Career center and high school advisory councils shall include
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students, and middle and junior high school advisory councils may
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include students. School advisory councils of career centers and
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adult education centers are not required to include parents as
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members. Council members representing teachers, education support
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employees, students, and parents shall be elected by their
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respective peer groups at the school in a fair and equitable
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manner as follows:
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1. Teachers shall be elected by teachers.
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2. Education support employees shall be elected by
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education support employees.
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3. Students shall be elected by students.
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4. Parents shall be elected by parents.
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The district school board shall establish procedures for use by
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schools in selecting business and community members that include
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means of ensuring wide notice of vacancies and of taking input on
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possible members from local business, chambers of commerce,
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community and civic organizations and groups, and the public at
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large. The district school board shall review the membership
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composition of each advisory council. If the district school
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board determines that the membership elected by the school is not
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representative of the ethnic, racial, and economic community
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served by the school, the district school board shall appoint
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additional members to achieve proper representation. The
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commissioner shall determine if schools have maximized their
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efforts to include on their advisory councils minority persons
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and persons of lower socioeconomic status. Although schools are
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strongly encouraged to establish school advisory councils, the
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district school board of any school district that has a student
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population of 10,000 or fewer may establish a district advisory
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council which shall include at least one duly elected teacher
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from each school in the district. For the purposes of school
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advisory councils and district advisory councils, the term
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"teacher" shall include classroom teachers, certified student
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services personnel, and media specialists. For purposes of this
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paragraph, "education support employee" means any person employed
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by a school who is not defined as instructional or administrative
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personnel pursuant to s. 1012.01 and whose duties require 20 or
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more hours in each normal working week.
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Section 6. Paragraph (i) of subsection (3) of section
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1003.413, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
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1003.413 Florida Secondary School Redesign Act.--
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(3) Based on these guiding principles, district school
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boards shall establish policies to implement the requirements of
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(i) An annual review of each high school student's
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electronic personal education plan created pursuant to s.
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1003.4156 and procedures for high school students who have not
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prepared an electronic personal education plan pursuant to s.
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1003.4156 to prepare such plan.
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Section 7. Paragraph (a) of subsection (2), paragraph (b)
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of subsection (4), and paragraph (a) of subsection (8) of section
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1003.428, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
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1003.428 General requirements for high school graduation;
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revised.--
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(2) The 24 credits may be earned through applied,
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integrated, and combined courses approved by the Department of
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Education and shall be distributed as follows:
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(a) Sixteen core curriculum credits:
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1. Four credits in English, with major concentration in
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composition, reading for information, and literature.
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2. Four credits in mathematics, one of which must be
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Algebra I, a series of courses equivalent to Algebra I, or a
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higher-level mathematics course. School districts are encouraged
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to set specific goals to increase enrollments in, and successful
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completion of, geometry and Algebra II.
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3. Three credits in science, two of which must have a
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laboratory component.
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4. Three credits in social studies as follows: one credit
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in American history; one credit in world history; one-half credit
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in economics; and one-half credit in American government.
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5. One credit in fine or performing arts, which may include
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speech and debate, or a practical arts course that incorporates
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artistic content and techniques of creativity, interpretation,
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and imagination. Eligible practical arts courses shall be
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identified through the Course Code Directory.
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6. One credit in physical education to include integration
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of health. Participation in an interscholastic sport at the
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junior varsity or varsity level for two full seasons shall
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satisfy the one-credit requirement in physical education if the
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student passes a competency test on personal fitness with a score
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of "C" or better. The competency test on personal fitness must be
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developed by the Department of Education. A district school board
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may not require that the one credit in physical education be
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taken during the 9th grade year. Completion of one semester with
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a grade of "C" or better in a marching band class, in a physical
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activity class that requires participation in marching band
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activities as an extracurricular activity, or in a dance class
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shall satisfy one-half credit in physical education or one-half
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credit in performing arts. This credit may not be used to satisfy
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the personal fitness requirement or the requirement for adaptive
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physical education under an individual education plan (IEP) or
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504 plan. Completion of 2 years in a Reserve Officer Training
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Corps (R.O.T.C.) class, a significant component of which is
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drills, shall satisfy the one-credit requirement in physical
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education and the one-credit requirement in performing arts. This
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credit may not be used to satisfy the personal fitness
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requirement or the requirement for adaptive physical education
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under an individual education plan (IEP) or 504 plan.
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(4) Each district school board shall establish standards
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for graduation from its schools, which must include:
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(b) Earning passing scores on the FCAT, as defined in s.
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1008.22(3)(c), or scores on a standardized test that are
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concordant with passing scores on the FCAT as defined in s.
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Each district school board shall adopt policies designed to
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assist students in meeting the requirements of this subsection.
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These policies may include, but are not limited to: forgiveness
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policies, summer school or before or after school attendance,
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special counseling, volunteers or peer tutors, school-sponsored
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help sessions, homework hotlines, and study skills classes.
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Forgiveness policies for required courses shall be limited to
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replacing a grade of "D" or "F," or the equivalent of a grade of
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"D" or "F," with a grade of "C" or higher, or the equivalent of a
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grade of "C" or higher, earned subsequently in the same or
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comparable course. Forgiveness policies for elective courses
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shall be limited to replacing a grade of "D" or "F," or the
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equivalent of a grade of "D" or "F," with a grade of "C" or
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higher, or the equivalent of a grade of "C" or higher, earned
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subsequently in another course. The only exception to these
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forgiveness policies shall be made for a student in the middle
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grades who takes any high school course for high school credit
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and earns a grade of "C," "D," or "F" or the equivalent of a
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grade of "C," "D," or "F." In such case, the district forgiveness
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policy must allow the replacement of the grade with a grade of
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"C" or higher, or the equivalent of a grade of "C" or higher,
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earned subsequently in the same or comparable course. In all
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cases of grade forgiveness, only the new grade shall be used in
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the calculation of the student's grade point average. Any course
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grade not replaced according to a district school board
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forgiveness policy shall be included in the calculation of the
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cumulative grade point average required for graduation.
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(8)(a) Each district school board must provide instruction
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to prepare students with disabilities to demonstrate proficiency
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in the core content knowledge and skills and competencies
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necessary for successful grade-to-grade progression and high
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school graduation.
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Section 8. Section 1003.4285, Florida Statutes, is created
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to read:
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1003.4285 Standard high school diploma designations.--By
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the 2008-2009 school year, each standard high school diploma
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shall include, as applicable:
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(1) A designation of the student's major area of interest
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pursuant to the student's completion of credits as provided in s.
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(2) A designation reflecting completion of four or more
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accelerated college credit courses if the student is eligible for
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Placement, International Baccalaureate, Advanced International
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Certificate of Education, or dual enrollment courses. The
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Commissioner of Education shall establish guidelines for
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successful passage of examinations or coursework in each of the
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accelerated college credit options for purposes of this
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subsection.
517
(3) A designation reflecting career education certification
518
in accordance with s. 1003.431.
519
(4) A designation reflecting a Florida Ready to Work
520
Credential in accordance with s. 1004.99.
521
Section 9. Paragraph (a) of subsection (6) of section
522
1003.429, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
523
1003.429 Accelerated high school graduation options.--
524
(6) Students pursuing accelerated 3-year high school
525
graduation options pursuant to paragraph (1)(b) or paragraph
526
(1)(c) are required to:
527
(a) Earn passing scores on the FCAT as defined in s.
528
1008.22(3)(c) or scores on a standardized test that are
529
concordant with passing scores on the FCAT as defined in s.
531
532
Weighted grades referred to in paragraphs (b), (c), and (d) shall
533
be applied to those courses specifically listed or identified by
534
the department as rigorous pursuant to s. 1009.531(3) or weighted
535
by the district school board for class ranking purposes.
536
Section 10. Paragraph (a) of subsection (5) and paragraph
537
(a) of subsection (11) of section 1003.43, Florida Statutes, are
538
amended to read:
539
1003.43 General requirements for high school graduation.--
540
(5) Each district school board shall establish standards
541
for graduation from its schools, and these standards must
542
include:
543
(a) Earning passing scores on the FCAT, as defined in s.
544
1008.22(3)(c), or scores on a standardized test that are
545
concordant with passing scores on the FCAT as defined in s.
547
548
The standards required in this subsection, and any subsequent
549
modifications, shall be reprinted in the Florida Administrative
550
Code even though not defined as "rules."
551
(11)(a) Each district school board must provide instruction
552
to prepare students with disabilities to demonstrate proficiency
553
in the core content knowledge and skills and competencies
554
necessary for successful grade-to-grade progression and high
555
school graduation.
556
Section 11. Subsection (1) of section 1003.433, Florida
557
Statutes, is amended to read:
558
1003.433 Learning opportunities for out-of-state and out-
559
of-country transfer students and students needing additional
560
instruction to meet high school graduation requirements.--
561
(1) Students who enter a Florida public school at the
562
eleventh or twelfth grade from out of state or from a foreign
563
country shall not be required to spend additional time in a
564
Florida public school in order to meet the high school course
565
requirements if the student has met all requirements of the
566
school district, state, or country from which he or she is
567
transferring. Such students who are not proficient in English
568
should receive immediate and intensive instruction in English
569
language acquisition. However, to receive a standard high school
570
diploma, a transfer student must earn a 2.0 grade point average
571
and pass the grade 10 FCAT required in s. 1008.22(3) or an
572
alternate assessment as described in s. 1008.22(10) s.
573
1008.22(9).
574
Section 12. Paragraph (d) of subsection (6) of section
575
1003.63, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
576
1003.63 Deregulated public schools pilot program.--
577
(6) ELEMENTS OF THE PROPOSAL.--The major issues involving
578
the operation of a deregulated public school shall be considered
579
in advance and written into the proposal.
580
(d) Upon receipt of the annual report required by paragraph
581
(b), the Department of Education shall provide the State Board of
582
Education, the Commissioner of Education, the President of the
583
Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives with a
584
copy of each report and an analysis and comparison of the overall
585
performance of students, to include all students in deregulated
586
public schools whose scores are counted as part of the statewide
587
assessment tests, versus comparable public school students in the
588
district as determined by statewide assessments administered
589
under s. 1008.22(3) FCAT and district assessment tests and, as
590
appropriate, the Florida Writes Assessment Test, and other
591
assessments administered pursuant to s. 1008.22(3).
592
Section 13. Paragraphs (c) and (d) of subsection (3) of
593
section 1004.85, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
594
1004.85 Postsecondary educator preparation institutes.--
595
(3) Educator preparation institutes approved pursuant to
596
this section may offer alternative certification programs
597
specifically designed for noneducation major baccalaureate degree
598
holders to enable program participants to meet the educator
599
certification requirements of s. 1012.56. Such programs shall be
600
competency-based educator certification preparation programs that
601
prepare educators through an alternative route. An educator
602
preparation institute choosing to offer an alternative
603
certification program pursuant to the provisions of this section
604
must implement a program previously approved by the Department of
605
Education for this purpose or a program developed by the
606
institute and approved by the department for this purpose.
607
Approved programs shall be available for use by other approved
608
educator preparation institutes.
609
(c) Upon completion of an alternative certification program
610
approved pursuant to this subsection, a participant shall receive
611
a credential from the sponsoring institution signifying
613
relating to mastery of professional preparation and education
614
competence. A participant shall be eligible for educator
615
certification through the Department of Education upon
616
satisfaction of all requirements for certification set forth in
617
s. 1012.56(2), including demonstration of mastery of general
618
knowledge, subject area knowledge, and professional preparation
619
and education competence, through testing or other statutorily
620
authorized means.
621
(d) If an institution offers an alternative certification
622
program approved pursuant to this subsection, such program may be
623
used by the school district or districts served by that
624
institution in addition to the alternative certification program
626
Section 14. Subsection (3) of section 1004.91, Florida
627
Statutes, is amended to read:
628
1004.91 Career-preparatory instruction.--
629
(3) An adult student with a disability may be exempted from
630
the provisions of this section. A student who possesses a college
631
degree at the associate in applied science level or higher is
632
exempt from this section. A student who has completed or who is
633
exempt from the college-level communication and computation
634
skills examination pursuant to s. 1008.29, or who is exempt from
635
the college entry-level examination pursuant to s. 1008.29, is
636
exempt from the provisions of this section. Students who have
637
passed a state, national, or industry licensure exam are exempt
638
from this section. An adult student who is enrolled in an
639
apprenticeship program that is registered with the Department of
640
Education in accordance with the provisions of chapter 446 is
641
exempt from the provisions of this section.
642
Section 15. Paragraph (d) of subsection (3) of section
643
1004.99, Florida Statutes, is amended, present subsection (4) of
644
that section is renumbered as subsection (5), and a new
645
subsection (4) is added to that section, to read:
646
1004.99 Florida Ready to Work Certification Program.--
647
(3) The Florida Ready to Work Certification Program shall
648
be composed of:
649
(d) A Florida Ready to Work Credential certificate and
650
portfolio awarded to students upon successful completion of the
651
instruction. Each portfolio must delineate the skills
652
demonstrated by the student as evidence of the student's
653
preparation for employment.
654
(4) A Florida Ready to Work Credential shall be awarded to
655
a student who successfully passes assessments in Reading for
656
Information, Applied Mathematics, and Locating Information or any
657
other assessments of comparable rigor. Each assessment shall be
658
scored on a scale of 3 to 7. The level of the credential each
659
student receives is based on the following:
660
(a) A bronze-level credential requires a minimum score of 3
661
or above on each of the assessments.
662
(b) A silver-level credential requires a minimum score of 4
663
or above on each of the assessments.
664
(c) A gold-level credential requires a minimum score of 5
665
or above on each of the assessments.
666
Section 16. Paragraph (c) of subsection (2) of section
667
1007.21, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
668
1007.21 Readiness for postsecondary education and the
669
workplace.--
670
(2)
671
(c) The common placement test authorized in ss. 1001.03(10)
672
and 1008.30 or a similar test may be administered to all high
673
school students second semester sophomores who have chosen one of
674
the four destinations. The results of the placement test shall be
675
used to target additional instructional needs in reading,
676
writing, and mathematics prior to graduation.
677
Section 17. Paragraph (b) of subsection (2) of section
678
1007.235, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
679
1007.235 District interinstitutional articulation
680
agreements.--
681
(2) The district interinstitutional articulation agreement
682
for each school year must be completed before high school
683
registration for the fall term of the following school year. The
684
agreement must include, but is not limited to, the following
685
components:
686
(b)1. A delineation of courses and programs available to
687
students eligible to participate in dual enrollment. This
688
delineation must include a plan for the community college to
689
provide guidance services to participating students on the
690
selection of courses in the dual enrollment program. The process
691
of community college guidance should make maximum use of the
692
automated advisement system for community colleges. The plan must
693
assure that each dual enrollment student is encouraged to
694
identify a postsecondary education objective with which to guide
695
the course selection. At a minimum, each student's plan should
696
include a list of courses that will result in an Applied
697
Technology Diploma, an Associate in Science degree, or an
698
Associate in Arts degree. If the student identifies a
699
baccalaureate degree as the objective, the plan must include
700
courses that will meet the general education requirements and any
701
prerequisite requirements for entrance into a selected
702
baccalaureate degree program.
703
2. A delineation of the process by which students and their
704
parents are informed about opportunities to participate in
705
articulated acceleration programs.
706
3. A delineation of the process by which students and their
707
parents exercise their option to participate in an articulated
708
acceleration program.
709
4. A delineation of high school credits earned for
710
completion of each dual enrollment course.
711
5. Provision for postsecondary courses that meet the
712
criteria for inclusion in a district articulated acceleration
713
program to be counted toward meeting the graduation requirements
714
of s. 1003.43.
715
6. An identification of eligibility criteria for student
716
participation in dual enrollment courses and programs.
717
7. A delineation of institutional responsibilities
718
regarding student screening prior to enrollment and monitoring
719
student performance subsequent to enrollment in dual enrollment
720
courses and programs.
721
8. An identification of the criteria by which the quality
722
of dual enrollment courses and programs are to be judged and a
723
delineation of institutional responsibilities for the maintenance
724
of instructional quality.
725
9. A delineation of institutional responsibilities for
726
assuming the cost of dual enrollment courses and programs that
727
includes such responsibilities for student instructional
728
materials.
729
10. An identification of responsibility for providing
730
student transportation if the dual enrollment instruction is
731
conducted at a facility other than the high school campus.
732
11. A delineation of the process for converting college
733
credit hours earned through dual enrollment and early admission
734
programs to high school credit based on mastery of course
735
outcomes as determined by the Department of Education in
736
accordance with s. 1007.271(6).
737
12. An identification of the responsibility of the
738
postsecondary educational institution for assigning letter grades
739
for dual enrollment courses and the responsibility of school
740
districts for posting dual enrollment course grades to the high
741
school transcript as assigned by the postsecondary institution
742
awarding the credit.
743
Section 18. Section 1008.22, Florida Statutes, is amended
744
to read:
745
1008.22 Student assessment program for public schools.--
746
(1) PURPOSE.--The primary purposes of the student
747
assessment program are to provide information needed to improve
748
the public schools by enhancing the learning gains of all
749
students and to inform parents of the educational progress of
750
their public school children. The program must be designed to:
751
(a) Assess the annual learning gains of each student toward
752
achieving the Sunshine State Standards appropriate for the
753
student's grade level.
754
(b) Provide data for making decisions regarding school
755
accountability and recognition.
756
(c) Identify the educational strengths and needs of
757
students and the readiness of students to be promoted to the next
758
grade level or to graduate from high school with a standard or
759
special high school diploma.
760
(d) Assess how well educational goals and curricular
761
performance standards are met at the school, district, and state
762
levels.
763
(e) Provide information to aid in the evaluation and
764
development of educational programs and policies.
765
(f) Provide information on the performance of Florida
766
students compared with that of other students across the United
767
States.
768
(2) NATIONAL EDUCATION COMPARISONS.--It is Florida's intent
769
to participate in the measurement of national educational goals.
770
The Commissioner of Education shall direct Florida school
771
districts to participate in the administration of the National
772
Assessment of Educational Progress, or a similar national
773
assessment program, both for the national sample and for any
774
state-by-state comparison programs which may be initiated. The
775
Such assessments must be conducted using the data collection
776
procedures, the student surveys, the educator surveys, and other
777
instruments included in the National Assessment of Educational
778
Progress or similar program being administered in Florida. The
779
results of these assessments shall be included in the annual
780
report of the Commissioner of Education specified in this
781
section. The administration of the National Assessment of
782
Educational Progress or similar program shall be in addition to
783
and separate from the administration of the statewide assessment
784
program.
785
(3) STATEWIDE ASSESSMENT PROGRAM.--The commissioner shall
786
design and implement a statewide program of educational
787
assessment that provides information for the improvement of the
788
operation and management of the public schools, including schools
789
operating for the purpose of providing educational services to
790
youth in Department of Juvenile Justice programs. The
791
commissioner may enter into contracts for the continued
792
administration of the assessment, testing, and evaluation
793
programs authorized and funded by the Legislature. Contracts may
794
be initiated in 1 fiscal year and continue into the next and may
795
be paid from the appropriations of either or both fiscal years.
796
The commissioner is authorized to negotiate for the sale or lease
797
of tests, scoring protocols, test scoring services, and related
798
materials developed pursuant to law. Pursuant to the statewide
799
assessment program, the commissioner shall:
800
(a) Submit proposed Next Generation Sunshine State
801
Standards to the State Board of Education for adoption and
802
periodic review and revision under s. 1003.41 a list that
803
specifies student skills and competencies to which the goals for
804
education specified in the state plan apply, including, but not
805
limited to, reading, writing, science, and mathematics. The
806
skills and competencies must include problem-solving and higher-
807
order skills as appropriate and shall be known as the Sunshine
808
State Standards as defined in s. 1000.21. The commissioner shall
809
select such skills and competencies after receiving
810
recommendations from educators, citizens, and members of the
811
business community. The commissioner shall submit to the State
812
Board of Education revisions to the list of student skills and
813
competencies in order to maintain continuous progress toward
814
improvements in student proficiency.
815
(b) Develop and implement a uniform system of indicators to
816
describe the performance of public school students and the
817
characteristics of the public school districts and the public
818
schools. These indicators must include, without limitation,
819
information gathered by the comprehensive management information
820
system created pursuant to s. 1008.385 and student achievement
821
information obtained pursuant to this section.
822
(c) Develop and implement a student achievement testing
823
program known as the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT)
824
as part of the statewide assessment program to measure a
825
student's content knowledge and skills in reading, writing,
826
science, and mathematics. Other content areas may be included as
827
directed by the commissioner. Comprehensive assessments The
828
assessment of reading and mathematics shall be administered
829
annually in grades 3 through 10. Comprehensive assessments The
830
assessment of writing and science shall be administered at least
831
once at the elementary, middle, and high school levels. End-of-
832
course assessments for a subject may be administered in addition
833
to the comprehensive assessments required for that subject under
834
this paragraph. An end-of-course assessment must be rigorous,
835
statewide, standardized, and developed or approved by the
836
department. The content knowledge and skills assessed by
837
comprehensive and end-of-course assessments must be aligned to
838
the core curricular content established in the Sunshine State
839
Standards. The commissioner may select one or more nationally
840
developed comprehensive examinations, which may include, but need
841
not be limited to, examinations for a College Board Advanced
842
Placement course, International Baccalaureate course, or Advanced
843
International Certificate of Education course or industry-
844
approved examinations to earn national industry certifications as
845
defined in s. 1003.492, for use as end-of-course assessments
846
under this paragraph, if the commissioner determines that the
847
content knowledge and skills assessed by the examinations meet or
848
exceed the grade-level expectations for the core curricular
849
content established for the course in the Next Generation
850
Sunshine State Standards. The commissioner may collaborate with
851
the American Diploma Project in the adoption or development of
852
rigorous end-of-course assessments that are aligned to the Next
853
Generation Sunshine State Standards The commissioner must
854
document the procedures used to ensure that the versions of the
855
FCAT which are taken by students retaking the grade 10 FCAT are
856
equally as challenging and difficult as the tests taken by
857
students in grade 10 which contain performance tasks. The testing
858
program must be designed as follows so that:
859
1. The tests shall measure student skills and competencies
860
adopted by the State Board of Education as specified in paragraph
861
(a). The tests must measure and report student proficiency levels
862
of all students assessed in reading, writing, mathematics, and
863
science. The commissioner shall provide for the tests to be
864
developed or obtained, as appropriate, through contracts and
865
project agreements with private vendors, public vendors, public
866
agencies, postsecondary educational institutions, or school
867
districts. The commissioner shall obtain input with respect to
868
the design and implementation of the testing program from state
869
educators, assistive technology experts, and the public.
870
2. The testing program shall be composed will include a
871
combination of norm-referenced and criterion-referenced tests
872
that shall and include, to the extent determined by the
873
commissioner, include test items questions that require the
874
student to produce information or perform tasks in such a way
875
that the core content knowledge and skills and competencies he or
876
she uses can be measured.
877
3. Beginning with the 2008-2009 school year, the
878
commissioner shall discontinue administration of the selected-
879
response test items on the comprehensive assessments of writing.
880
Beginning with the 2012-2013 school year, the comprehensive
881
assessments of writing shall be composed of a combination of
882
selected-response test items, short-response performance tasks,
883
and extended-response performance tasks, which shall measure a
884
student's content knowledge of writing, including, but not
885
limited to, paragraph and sentence structure, sentence
886
construction, grammar and usage, punctuation, capitalization,
887
spelling, parts of speech, verb tense, irregular verbs, subject-
888
verb agreement, and noun-pronoun agreement. Each testing program,
889
whether at the elementary, middle, or high school level, includes
890
a test of writing in which students are required to produce
891
writings that are then scored by appropriate and timely methods.
892
4. A score shall be is designated for each subject area
893
tested, below which score a student's performance is deemed
894
inadequate. The school districts shall provide appropriate
895
remedial instruction to students who score below these levels.
896
5. Except as provided in s. 1003.428(8)(b) or s.
897
1003.43(11)(b), students must earn a passing score on the grade
898
10 assessment test described in this paragraph or attain
899
concordant scores as described in subsection (9) in reading,
900
writing, and mathematics to qualify for a standard high school
901
diploma. The State Board of Education shall designate a passing
902
score for each part of the grade 10 assessment test. In
903
establishing passing scores, the state board shall consider any
904
possible negative impact of the test on minority students. The
905
State Board of Education shall adopt rules which specify the
906
passing scores for the grade 10 FCAT. Any such rules, which have
907
the effect of raising the required passing scores, shall only
908
apply only to students taking the grade 10 FCAT for the first
909
time after such rules are adopted by the State Board of
910
Education.
911
6. Participation in the testing program is mandatory for
912
all students attending public school, including students served
913
in Department of Juvenile Justice programs, except as otherwise
914
prescribed by the commissioner. If a student does not participate
915
in the statewide assessment, the district must notify the
916
student's parent and provide the parent with information
917
regarding the implications of such nonparticipation. A parent
918
must provide signed consent for a student to receive classroom
919
instructional accommodations that would not be available or
920
permitted on the statewide assessments and must acknowledge in
921
writing that he or she understands the implications of such
922
instructional accommodations. The State Board of Education shall
923
adopt rules, based upon recommendations of the commissioner, for
924
the provision of test accommodations for students in exceptional
925
education programs and for students who have limited English
926
proficiency. Accommodations that negate the validity of a
927
statewide assessment are not allowable in the administration of
928
the FCAT. However, instructional accommodations are allowable in
929
the classroom if included in a student's individual education
930
plan. Students using instructional accommodations in the
931
classroom that are not allowable as accommodations on the FCAT
932
may have the FCAT requirement waived pursuant to the requirements
934
7. A student seeking an adult high school diploma must meet
935
the same testing requirements that a regular high school student
936
must meet.
937
8. District school boards must provide instruction to
938
prepare students to demonstrate proficiency in the core
939
curricular content established in the Next Generation Sunshine
940
State Standards adopted under s. 1003.41, including the core
941
content knowledge and skills and competencies necessary for
942
successful grade-to-grade progression and high school graduation.
943
If a student is provided with instructional accommodations in the
944
classroom that are not allowable as accommodations in the
945
statewide assessment program, as described in the test manuals,
946
the district must inform the parent in writing and must provide
947
the parent with information regarding the impact on the student's
948
ability to meet expected proficiency levels in reading, writing,
949
and mathematics math. The commissioner shall conduct studies as
950
necessary to verify that the required core curricular content is
951
skills and competencies are part of the district instructional
952
programs.
953
9. District school boards must provide opportunities for
954
students to demonstrate an acceptable level of performance on an
955
alternative standardized assessment approved by the State Board
956
of Education following enrollment in summer academies.
957
10. The Department of Education must develop, or select,
958
and implement a common battery of assessment tools that will be
959
used in all juvenile justice programs in the state. These tools
960
must accurately measure the core curricular content skills and
961
competencies established in the Sunshine State Standards.
962
11. For students seeking a special diploma pursuant to s.
963
1003.438, the Department of Education must develop or select and
964
implement an alternate assessment tool that accurately measures
965
the core curricular content skills and competencies established
966
in the Sunshine State Standards for students with disabilities
967
under s. 1003.438.
968
12. The Commissioner of Education shall establish schedules
969
for the administration of statewide assessments and the reporting
970
of student test results. The commissioner shall, by August 1 of
971
each year, notify each school district in writing and publish on
972
the department's Internet website the testing and reporting
973
schedules for, at a minimum, the school year following the
974
upcoming school year. The testing and reporting schedules shall
975
require that:
976
a. There is the latest possible administration of statewide
977
assessments and the earliest possible reporting to the school
978
districts of student test results which is feasible within
979
available technology and specific appropriations; however, test
980
results must be made available no later than the final day of the
981
regular school year for students.
982
b. Beginning with the 2010-2011 school year, a
983
comprehensive statewide assessment of writing is not administered
984
earlier than the week of March 1 and a comprehensive statewide
985
assessment of any other subject is not administered earlier than
986
the week of April 15.
987
c. A statewide standardized end-of-course assessment is
988
administered within the last 2 weeks of the course.
989
990
The commissioner may, based on collaboration and input from
991
school districts, design and implement student testing programs,
992
for any grade level and subject area, necessary to effectively
993
monitor educational achievement in the state, including the
994
measurement of educational achievement of the Sunshine State
995
Standards for students with disabilities. Development and
996
refinement of assessments shall include universal design
997
principles and accessibility standards that will prevent any
998
unintended obstacles for students with disabilities while
999
ensuring the validity and reliability of the test. These
1000
principles should be applicable to all technology platforms and
1001
assistive devices available for the assessments. The field
1002
testing process and psychometric analyses for the statewide
1003
assessment program must include an appropriate percentage of
1004
students with disabilities and an evaluation or determination of
1005
the effect of test items on such students.
1006
(d) Conduct ongoing research to develop improved methods of
1007
assessing student performance, including, without limitation, the
1008
use of technology to administer tests, score, or report the
1009
results of, the use of electronic transfer of data, the
1010
development of work-product assessments, and the development of
1011
process assessments.
1012
(e) Conduct ongoing research and analysis of student
1013
achievement data, including, without limitation, monitoring
1014
trends in student achievement by grade level and overall student
1015
achievement, identifying school programs that are successful, and
1016
analyzing correlates of school achievement.
1017
(f) Provide technical assistance to school districts in the
1018
implementation of state and district testing programs and the use
1019
of the data produced pursuant to such programs.
1020
(g) Study the cost and student achievement impact of
1021
secondary end-of-course assessments, including web-based and
1022
performance formats, and report to the Legislature prior to
1023
implementation.
1024
(4) STATEWIDE ASSESSMENT PREPARATION; PROHIBITED
1025
ACTIVITIES.--Beginning with the 2008-2009 school year, a district
1026
school board shall prohibit each public school from suspending a
1027
regular program of curricula for purposes of administering
1028
practice tests or engaging in other test-preparation activities
1029
for a statewide assessment. However, a district school board may
1030
authorize a public school to engage in the following test-
1031
preparation activities for a statewide assessment:
1032
(a) Distributing to students the sample test books and
1033
answer keys published by the Department of Education.
1034
(b) Providing individualized instruction in test-taking
1035
strategies, without suspending the school's regular program of
1036
curricula, for a student who scores at Level 1 or Level 2 on a
1037
prior administration of the statewide assessment.
1038
(c) Providing individualized instruction in the content
1039
knowledge and skills assessed, without suspending the school's
1040
regular program of curricula, for a student who scores at Level 1
1041
or Level 2 on a prior administration of the statewide assessment
1042
or a student who, through a diagnostic assessment administered by
1043
the school district, is identified as having a deficiency in the
1044
content knowledge and skills assessed.
1045
(d) Incorporating test-taking exercises and strategies
1046
into curricula for intensive reading and mathematics intervention
1047
courses.
1048
(e) Administering a practice test or engaging in other
1049
test-preparation activities for the statewide assessment which
1050
are determined necessary to familiarize students with the
1051
organization of the assessment, the format of the test items, and
1052
the test directions, or which are otherwise necessary for the
1053
valid and reliable administration of the assessment, as set forth
1054
in rules adopted by the State Board of Education with specific
1055
reference to this paragraph.
1056
(5)(4) DISTRICT TESTING PROGRAMS.--Each district school
1057
board shall periodically assess student performance and
1058
achievement within each school of the district. The assessment
1059
programs must be based on the core curricular content established
1060
in the Next Generation Sunshine State Standards and any upon
1061
local goals and objectives that are compatible with the state
1062
plan for education and that supplement the core content knowledge
1063
and skills necessary for successful grade-to-grade progression
1064
and high school graduation and competencies adopted by the State
1065
Board of Education. All school districts must participate in the
1066
statewide assessment program designed to measure annual student
1067
learning and school performance. All district school boards shall
1068
report assessment results as required by the state management
1069
information system.
1070
(6)(5) SCHOOL TESTING PROGRAMS.--Each public school shall
1071
participate in the statewide assessment program in accordance
1072
with the testing and reporting schedules published by the
1073
Commissioner of Education under subparagraph (3)(c)12., unless
1074
specifically exempted by state board rule based on serving a
1075
specialized population for which standardized testing is not
1076
appropriate. Student performance data shall be analyzed and
1077
reported to parents, the community, and the state. Student
1078
performance data shall be used in developing objectives of the
1079
school improvement plan, evaluation of instructional personnel,
1080
evaluation of administrative personnel, assignment of staff,
1081
allocation of resources, acquisition of instructional materials
1082
and technology, performance-based budgeting, and promotion and
1083
assignment of students into educational programs. The analysis of
1084
student performance data also must identify strengths and needs
1085
in the educational program and trends over time. The analysis
1086
must be used in conjunction with the budgetary planning processes
1087
developed pursuant to s. 1008.385 and the development of the
1088
programs of remediation.
1089
(7)(6) REQUIRED ANALYSES.--The commissioner shall provide,
1090
at a minimum, for the following analyses of data produced by the
1091
student achievement testing program:
1092
(a) The statistical system for the annual assessments shall
1093
use measures of student learning, such as the FCAT, to determine
1094
teacher, school, and school district statistical distributions,
1095
which shall be determined using available data from the FCAT, and
1096
other data collection as deemed appropriate by the Department of
1097
Education, to measure the differences in student prior year
1098
achievement compared to the current year achievement for the
1099
purposes of accountability and recognition.
1100
(b) The statistical system shall provide the best estimates
1101
of teacher, school, and school district effects on student
1102
progress. The approach used by the department shall be approved
1103
by the commissioner before implementation.
1104
(c) The annual testing program shall be administered to
1105
provide for valid statewide comparisons of learning gains to be
1106
made for purposes of accountability and recognition. The
1107
commissioner shall establish a schedule for the administration of
1108
the statewide assessments. In establishing such schedule, the
1109
commissioner is charged with the duty to accomplish the latest
1110
possible administration of the statewide assessments and the
1111
earliest possible provision of the results to the school
1112
districts feasible within available technology and specific
1113
appropriation. District school boards shall not establish school
1114
calendars that jeopardize or limit the valid testing and
1115
comparison of student learning gains.
1116
(8)(7) LOCAL ASSESSMENTS.--Measurement of the learning
1117
gains of students in all subjects and grade levels other than
1118
subjects and grade levels required for the state student
1119
achievement testing program is the responsibility of the school
1120
districts.
1121
(9)(8) APPLICABILITY OF TESTING STANDARDS.--
1122
(a) If the Commissioner of Education revises a statewide
1123
assessment and the revisions require the State Board of Education
1124
to modify the assessment's proficiency levels or modify the
1125
passing scores required for a standard high school diploma, until
1126
the state board adopts the modifications by rule, the
1127
commissioner shall use calculations for scoring the assessment
1128
which adjust student scores on the revised assessment for
1129
statistical equivalence to student scores on the former
1130
assessment.
1131
(b) A student must attain meet the passing scores on the
1132
statewide assessment required testing requirements for a standard
1133
high school diploma which are graduation that were in effect at
1134
the time the student enters entered 9th grade 9 if, provided the
1135
student's enrollment is was continuous.
1136
(c) If the commissioner revises a statewide assessment and
1137
the revisions require the State Board of Education to modify the
1138
passing scores required for a standard high school diploma, the
1139
commissioner may, with approval of the state board, discontinue
1140
administration of the former assessment upon the graduation,
1141
based on normal student progression, of students participating in
1142
the final regular administration of the former assessment. The
1143
state board shall adopt by rule passing scores for the revised
1144
assessment which are statistically equivalent to passing scores
1145
on the discontinued assessment for a student required under
1146
paragraph (b) to attain passing scores on the discontinued
1147
assessment.
1148
(10)(9) CONCORDANT SCORES FOR THE FCAT.--
1149
(a) The State Board of Education shall analyze the content
1150
and concordant data sets for widely used high school achievement
1151
tests, including, but not limited to, the PSAT, PLAN, SAT, ACT,
1152
and College Placement Test, to assess if concordant scores for
1153
FCAT scores can be determined for high school graduation, college
1154
placement, and scholarship awards. In cases where content
1155
alignment and concordant scores can be determined, the
1156
Commissioner of Education shall adopt those scores as meeting the
1157
graduation requirement in lieu of achieving the FCAT passing
1158
score and may adopt those scores as being sufficient to achieve
1159
additional purposes as determined by rule. Each time that test
1160
content or scoring procedures change are changed for the FCAT or
1161
for a high school achievement test for which a concordant score
1162
is determined one of the identified tests, new concordant scores
1163
must be determined.
1164
(b) In order to use a concordant subject area score
1165
pursuant to this subsection to satisfy the assessment requirement
1166
for a standard high school diploma as provided in s.
1168
take each subject area of the grade 10 FCAT a total of three
1169
times without earning a passing score. The requirements of this
1170
paragraph shall not apply to a new student who enters the Florida
1171
public school system in grade 12, who may either achieve a
1172
passing score on the FCAT or use an approved subject area
1173
concordant score to fulfill the graduation requirement.
1174
(c) The State Board of Education may define by rule the
1175
allowable uses, other than to satisfy the high school graduation
1176
requirement, for concordant scores as described in this
1177
subsection. Such uses may include, but need not be limited to,
1178
achieving appropriate standardized test scores required for the
1179
awarding of Florida Bright Futures Scholarships and college
1180
placement.
1181
(11)(10) REPORTS.--The Department of Education shall
1182
annually provide a report to the Governor, the President of the
1183
Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives on the
1184
following:
1185
(a) Longitudinal performance of students in mathematics and
1186
reading.
1187
(b) Longitudinal performance of students by grade level in
1188
mathematics and reading.
1189
(c) Longitudinal performance regarding efforts to close the
1190
achievement gap.
1191
(d) Longitudinal performance of students on the norm-
1192
referenced component of the FCAT.
1193
(d)(e) Other student performance data based on national
1194
norm-referenced and criterion-referenced tests, when available,
1195
and numbers of students who after 8th grade enroll in adult
1196
education rather than other secondary education.
1197
(12)(11) RULES.--The State Board of Education shall adopt
1199
provisions of this section.
1200
Section 19. Subsection (3) of section 1008.30, Florida
1201
Statutes, is amended to read:
1202
1008.30 Common placement testing for public postsecondary
1203
education.--
1204
(3) The State Board of Education shall adopt rules that
1205
would require high schools to evaluate before the beginning of
1206
grade 12 the college readiness of each student who indicates an
1207
interest in postsecondary education and scores at Level 2 or
1208
Level 3 on the reading portion of the grade 10 FCAT or Level 2,
1209
Level 3, or Level 4 on the mathematics portion of the grade 10
1210
FCAT. High schools shall perform this evaluation using results
1211
from give the corresponding component of the common placement
1212
test prescribed in this section, or an equivalent test identified
1213
by the State Board of Education. The Department of Education
1214
shall purchase or develop the assessments necessary to perform
1215
the evaluations required by this subsection and shall work with
1216
the school districts to administer the assessments. The State
1217
Board of Education shall establish by rule the minimum test
1218
scores a student must achieve to demonstrate readiness. Students
1219
who demonstrate readiness by achieving the minimum test scores
1220
established by the state board and enroll in a community college
1221
within 2 years of achieving such scores shall not be required to
1222
enroll in remediation courses as a condition of acceptance to any
1223
community college. The high school shall use the results of the
1224
test to advise the students of any identified deficiencies and to
1225
the maximum extent practicable provide 12th grade students access
1226
to appropriate remedial instruction prior to high school
1227
graduation. The remedial instruction provided under this
1228
subsection shall be a collaborative effort between secondary and
1229
postsecondary educational institutions. To the extent courses are
1230
available, the Florida Virtual School may be used to provided the
1231
remedial instruction required by this subsection, at the
1232
beginning of the tenth grade year before enrollment in the
1233
eleventh grade year in public high school for the purpose of
1234
obtaining remedial instruction prior to entering public
1235
postsecondary education.
1236
Section 20. Paragraph (c) of subsection (1) of section
1237
1008.31, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
1238
1008.31 Florida's K-20 education performance accountability
1239
system; legislative intent; mission, goals, and systemwide
1240
measures; data quality improvements.--
1241
(1) LEGISLATIVE INTENT.--It is the intent of the
1242
Legislature that:
1243
(c) The K-20 education performance accountability system
1244
comply with the accountability requirements of the "No Child Left
1245
Behind Act of 2001," Pub. L. No. 107-110, and the Individuals
1246
with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
1247
Section 21. Subsection (3) of section 1008.34, Florida
1248
Statutes, is amended, and subsection (8) is added to that
1249
section, to read:
1250
1008.34 School grading system; school report cards;
1251
district grade.--
1252
(3) DESIGNATION OF SCHOOL GRADES.--
1253
(a) Each school that has students who are tested and
1254
included in the school grading system, except an alternative
1255
school that receives a school improvement rating pursuant to s.
1256
1008.341, shall receive a school grade, except as follows:
1257
1. A school shall not receive a school grade if the number
1258
of its students tested and included in the school grading system
1259
are fewer than the minimum sample size necessary, based on
1260
accepted professional practice, for statistical reliability and
1261
prevention of the unlawful release of personally identifiable
1262
student data under s. 1002.22 or 20 U.S.C. s. 1232g.; however,
1263
2. An alternative school may choose to receive a school
1264
grade under this section or in lieu of a school improvement
1265
rating under s. 1008.341.
1266
3. Additionally, A school that serves any combination of
1267
students in kindergarten through grade 3 which does not receive a
1268
school grade because its students are not tested and included in
1269
the school grading system shall receive the school grade
1270
designation of a K-3 feeder pattern school identified by the
1271
Department of Education and verified by the school district. A
1272
school feeder pattern exists if at least 60 percent of the
1273
students in the school serving a combination of students in
1274
kindergarten through grade 3 are scheduled to be assigned to the
1275
graded school. School grades itemized in subsection (2) shall be
1276
based on the following:
1277
(b)1.(a) Criteria.--A school's grade shall be based on a
1278
combination of:
1279
a.1. Student achievement scores, including achievement
1280
scores for students seeking a special diploma.
1281
b.2. Student learning gains as measured by annual FCAT
1282
assessments in grades 3 through 10; learning gains for students
1283
seeking a special diploma, as measured by an alternate assessment
1284
tool, shall be included not later than the 2009-2010 school year.
1285
c.3. Improvement of the lowest 25th percentile of students
1286
in the school in reading, mathematics math, or writing on the
1287
FCAT, unless these students are exhibiting satisfactory
1288
performance.
1289
2. Beginning with the 2009-2010 school year for schools
1290
comprised of high school grades 9, 10, 11, and 12, or grades 10,
1291
11, and 12, 50 percent of the school grade shall be based on a
1292
combination of the factors listed in sub-subparagraphs 1.a.-c.
1293
and the remaining 50 percent on the following factors:
1294
a. The high school graduation rate of the school;
1295
b. As valid data becomes available, the performance and
1296
participation of the school's students in College Board Advanced
1297
Placement courses, International Baccalaureate courses, dual
1298
enrollment courses, and Advanced International Certificate of
1299
Education courses; and the students' achievement of industry
1300
certification, as determined by the Agency for Workforce
1301
Innovation under s. 1003.492(2) in a career and professional
1302
academy, as described in s. 1003.493;
1303
c. Postsecondary readiness of the school's students as
1304
measured by the SAT, ACT, or the common placement test;
1305
d. The high school graduation rate of at-risk students who
1306
scored at Level 2 or lower on the grade 8 FCAT Reading and
1307
Mathematics examinations;
1308
e. As valid data becomes available, the performance of the
1309
school's students on statewide standardized end-of-course
1310
assessments administered under s. 1008.22; and
1311
f. The growth or decline in the components listed in sub-
1312
subparagraphs a.-e. from year to year.
1313
(c)(b) Student assessment data.--Student assessment data
1314
used in determining school grades shall include:
1315
1. The aggregate scores of all eligible students enrolled
1316
in the school who have been assessed on the FCAT.
1317
2. The aggregate scores of all eligible students enrolled
1318
in the school who have been assessed on the FCAT, including
1319
Florida Writes, and who have scored at or in the lowest 25th
1320
percentile of students in the school in reading, mathematics
1321
math, or writing, unless these students are exhibiting
1322
satisfactory performance.
1323
3. Effective with the 2005-2006 school year, the
1324
achievement scores and learning gains of eligible students
1325
attending alternative schools that provide dropout prevention and
1326
academic intervention services pursuant to s. 1003.53. The term
1327
"eligible students" in this subparagraph does not include
1328
students attending an alternative school who are subject to
1329
district school board policies for expulsion for repeated or
1330
serious offenses, who are in dropout retrieval programs serving
1331
students who have officially been designated as dropouts, or who
1332
are in programs operated or contracted by the Department of
1333
Juvenile Justice. The student performance data for eligible
1334
students identified in this subparagraph shall be included in the
1335
calculation of the home school's grade. As used in For purposes
1336
of this section and s. 1008.341, the term "home school" means the
1337
school to which the student would be assigned if the student were
1338
not was attending when assigned to an alternative school. If an
1339
alternative school chooses to be graded under pursuant to this
1340
section, student performance data for eligible students
1341
identified in this subparagraph shall not be included in the home
1342
school's grade but shall be included only in the calculation of
1343
the alternative school's grade. A school district that fails to
1344
assign the FCAT scores of each of its students to his or her home
1345
school or to the alternative school that receives a grade shall
1346
forfeit Florida School Recognition Program funds for 1 fiscal
1347
year. School districts must require collaboration between the
1348
home school and the alternative school in order to promote
1349
student success. This collaboration must include an annual
1350
discussion between the principal of the alternative school and
1351
the principal of each student's home school concerning the most
1352
appropriate school assignment of the student.
1353
4. Beginning with the 2009-2010 school year for schools
1354
comprised of high school grades 9, 10, 11, and 12, or grades 10,
1355
11, and 12, the data listed in subparagraphs 1.-3. and the
1356
following data as the Department of Education determines such
1357
data are valid and available:
1358
a. The high school graduation rate of the school as
1359
calculated by the Department of Education;
1360
b. The participation rate of all eligible students enrolled
1361
in the school and enrolled in College Board Advanced Placement
1362
courses; International Baccalaureate courses; dual enrollment
1363
courses; Advanced International Certificate of Education courses;
1364
and courses or sequence of courses leading to industry
1365
certification, as determined by the Agency for Workforce
1366
Innovation under s. 1003.492(2) in a career and professional
1367
academy, as described in s. 1003.493;
1368
c. The aggregate scores of all eligible students enrolled
1369
in the school in College Board Advanced Placement courses,
1370
International Baccalaureate courses, and Advanced International
1371
Certificate of Education courses;
1372
d. Earning of college credit by all eligible students
1373
enrolled in the school in dual enrollment programs under s.
1374
1375
e. Earning of an industry certification, as determined by
1376
the Agency for Workforce Innovation under s. 1003.492(2) in a
1377
career and professional academy, as described in s. 1003.493;
1378
f. The aggregate scores of all eligible students enrolled
1379
in the school in reading, mathematics, and other subjects as
1380
measured by the SAT, the ACT, and the common placement test for
1381
postsecondary readiness;
1382
g. The high school graduation rate of all eligible at-risk
1383
students enrolled in the school who scored at Level 2 or lower on
1384
the grade 8 FCAT Reading and Mathematics examinations;
1385
h. The performance of the school's students on statewide
1386
standardized end-of-course assessments administered under s.
1387
1008.22; and
1388
i. The growth or decline in the data components listed in
1389
sub-subparagraphs a.-h. from year to year.
1390
1391
The State Board of Education shall adopt appropriate criteria for
1392
each school grade. The criteria must also give added weight to
1393
student achievement in reading. Schools designated with a grade
1394
of "C," making satisfactory progress, shall be required to
1395
demonstrate that adequate progress has been made by students in
1396
the school who are in the lowest 25th percentile in reading,
1397
mathematics math, or writing on the FCAT, including Florida
1398
Writes, unless these students are exhibiting satisfactory
1399
performance. Beginning with the 2009-2010 school year for schools
1400
comprised of high school grades 9, 10, 11, and 12, or grades 10,
1401
11, and 12, the criteria for school grades must also give added
1402
weight to the graduation rate of all eligible at-risk students,
1403
as defined in this paragraph. Beginning in the 2009-2010 school
1404
year, in order for a high school to be designated as having a
1405
grade of "A," making excellent progress, the school must
1406
demonstrate that at-risk students, as defined in this paragraph,
1407
in the school are making adequate progress.
1408
(8) RULES.--The State Board of Education shall adopt rules
1410
Section 22. Subsection (2) and paragraph (b) of subsection
1411
(3) of section 1008.341, Florida Statutes, are amended, and
1412
subsection (6) is added to that section, to read:
1413
1008.341 School improvement rating for alternative
1414
schools.--
1415
(2) SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT RATING.--An alternative school
1416
schools that provides provide dropout prevention and academic
1417
intervention services pursuant to s. 1003.53 shall receive a
1418
school improvement rating pursuant to this section. However, an
1419
alternative school shall not receive a school improvement rating
1420
if the number of its students for whom student performance data
1421
is available for the current year and previous year are fewer
1422
than the minimum sample size necessary, based on accepted
1423
professional practice, for statistical reliability and prevention
1424
of the unlawful release of personally identifiable student data
1425
under s. 1002.22 or 20 U.S.C. s. 1232g. The school improvement
1426
rating shall identify an alternative school schools as having one
1427
of the following ratings defined according to rules of the State
1428
Board of Education:
1429
(a) "Improving" means the schools with students attending
1430
the school are making more academic progress than when the
1431
students were served in their home schools.
1432
(b) "Maintaining" means the schools with students attending
1433
the school are making progress equivalent to the progress made
1434
when the students were served in their home schools.
1435
(c) "Declining" means the schools with students attending
1436
the school are making less academic progress than when the
1437
students were served in their home schools.
1438
1439
The school improvement rating shall be based on a comparison of
1440
student performance data for the current year and previous year.
1441
Schools that improve at least one level or maintain an
1442
"improving" rating pursuant to this section are eligible for
1443
school recognition awards pursuant to s. 1008.36.
1444
(3) DESIGNATION OF SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT RATING.--Student data
1445
used in determining an alternative school's school improvement
1446
rating shall include:
1447
(b) The aggregate scores of all eligible students who were
1448
assigned to and enrolled in the school during the October or
1449
February FTE count, who have been assessed on the FCAT, including
1450
Florida Writes, and who have scored in the lowest 25th percentile
1451
of students in the state on FCAT Reading.
1452
1453
The assessment scores of students who are subject to district
1454
school board policies for expulsion for repeated or serious
1455
offenses, who are in dropout retrieval programs serving students
1456
who have officially been designated as dropouts, or who are in
1457
programs operated or contracted by the Department of Juvenile
1458
Justice may not be included in an alternative school's school
1459
improvement rating.
1460
(6) RULES.--The State Board of Education shall adopt rules
1462
Section 23. Paragraph (a) of subsection (8) of section
1463
1008.345, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
1464
1008.345 Implementation of state system of school
1465
improvement and education accountability.--
1466
(8) As a part of the system of educational accountability,
1467
the Department of Education shall:
1468
(a) Develop minimum performance standards for various
1470
and 1008.34.
1471
Section 24. Subsection (2) of section 1008.36, Florida
1472
Statutes, is amended to read:
1473
1008.36 Florida School Recognition Program.--
1474
(2) The Florida School Recognition Program is created to
1475
provide financial awards to public schools that:
1476
(a) Sustain high performance by receiving a school grade of
1477
"A," making excellent progress; or
1478
(b) Demonstrate exemplary improvement due to innovation and
1479
effort by improving at least one a letter grade or by improving
1480
more than one letter grade and sustaining the improvement the
1481
following school year.
1482
1483
Notwithstanding statutory provisions to the contrary, incentive
1484
awards are not subject to collective bargaining.
1485
Section 25. Subsection (4) of section 1012.56, Florida
1486
Statutes, is renumbered as subsection (5) and amended, present
1487
subsections (5) through (16) are renumbered as subsections (6)
1488
through (17), respectively, and a new subsection (4) is added to
1489
that section, to read:
1490
1012.56 Educator certification requirements.--
1491
(4) ALIGNMENT OF SUBJECT AREAS.--As the Sunshine State
1492
Standards are replaced by the Next Generation Sunshine State
1493
Standards under s. 1003.41, the State Board of Education shall
1494
align the subject area examinations to the Next Generation
1495
Sunshine State Standards.
1496
(5)(4) MASTERY OF SUBJECT AREA KNOWLEDGE.--Acceptable means
1497
of demonstrating mastery of subject area knowledge are:
1498
(a) Achievement of passing scores on subject area
1499
examinations required by state board rule, which may include, but
1500
need not be limited to, world languages in Arabic, Chinese,
1501
Farsi, French, German, Greek, Haitian Creole, Hebrew, Hindi,
1502
Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish;
1503
(b) Completion of a bachelor's degree or higher and
1504
verification of the attainment of an oral proficiency interview
1505
score above the intermediate level and a written proficiency
1506
score above the intermediate level on a test administered by the
1507
American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages for which
1508
there is no Florida-developed examination;
1509
(c)(b) Completion of the subject area specialization
1510
requirements specified in state board rule and verification of
1511
the attainment of the essential subject matter competencies by
1512
the district school superintendent of the employing school
1513
district or chief administrative officer of the employing state-
1514
supported or private school for a subject area for which a
1515
subject area examination has not been developed and required by
1516
state board rule;
1517
(d)(c) Completion of the subject area specialization
1518
requirements specified in state board rule for a subject coverage
1519
requiring a master's or higher degree and achievement of a
1520
passing score on the subject area examination specified in state
1521
board rule;
1522
(e)(d) A valid professional standard teaching certificate
1523
issued by another state; or
1524
(f)(e) A valid certificate issued by the National Board for
1525
Professional Teaching Standards or a national educator
1526
credentialing board approved by the State Board of Education.
1527
1528
School districts are encouraged to provide mechanisms for those
1529
middle school teachers holding only a K-6 teaching certificate to
1530
obtain a subject area coverage for middle grades through
1531
postsecondary coursework or district add-on certification.
1532
Section 26. Subsection (1) of section 1012.57, Florida
1533
Statutes, is amended to read:
1534
1012.57 Certification of adjunct educators.--
1536
and 1012.56, or any other provision of law or rule to the
1537
contrary, district school boards shall adopt rules to allow for
1538
the issuance of an adjunct teaching certificate to any applicant
1539
who fulfills the requirements of s. 1012.56(2)(a)-(f) and (10)
1540
(9) and who has expertise in the subject area to be taught. An
1541
applicant shall be considered to have expertise in the subject
1542
area to be taught if the applicant demonstrates sufficient
1543
subject area mastery through passage of a subject area test. The
1544
adjunct teaching certificate shall be used for part-time teaching
1545
positions. The intent of this provision is to allow school
1546
districts to tap the wealth of talent and expertise represented
1547
in Florida's citizens who may wish to teach part-time in a
1548
Florida public school by permitting school districts to issue
1549
adjunct certificates to qualified applicants. Adjunct
1550
certificateholders should be used as a strategy to reduce the
1551
teacher shortage; thus, adjunct certificateholders should
1552
supplement a school's instructional staff, not supplant it. Each
1553
school principal shall assign an experienced peer mentor to
1554
assist the adjunct teaching certificateholder during the
1555
certificateholder's first year of teaching, and an adjunct
1556
certificateholder may participate in a district's new teacher
1557
training program. District school boards shall provide the
1558
adjunct teaching certificateholder an orientation in classroom
1559
management prior to assigning the certificateholder to a school.
1560
Each adjunct teaching certificate is valid for 5 school years and
1561
is renewable if the applicant has received satisfactory
1562
performance evaluations during each year of teaching under
1563
adjunct teaching certification.
1564
Section 27. Subsection (1) of section 1012.586, Florida
1565
Statutes, is amended to read:
1566
1012.586 Additions or changes to certificates; duplicate
1567
certificates.--A school district may process via a Department of
1568
Education website certificates for the following applications of
1569
public school employees:
1570
(1) Addition of a subject coverage or endorsement to a
1571
valid Florida certificate on the basis of the completion of the
1572
appropriate subject area testing requirements of s. 1012.56(5)(a)
1573
s. 1012.56(4)(a) or the completion of the requirements of an
1574
approved school district program or the inservice components for
1575
an endorsement.
1576
1577
The employing school district shall charge the employee a fee not
1578
to exceed the amount charged by the Department of Education for
1579
such services. Each district school board shall retain a portion
1580
of the fee as defined in the rules of the State Board of
1581
Education. The portion sent to the department shall be used for
1582
maintenance of the technology system, the web application, and
1583
posting and mailing of the certificate.
1584
Section 28. Effective upon this act becoming a law, section
1585
1012.71, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
1586
(Substantial rewording of section. See
1587
s. 1012.71, F.S., for present text.)
1588
1012.71 The Florida Teachers Lead Program.--
1589
(1) For purposes of the Florida Teachers Lead Program, the
1590
term "classroom teacher" means a certified teacher employed by a
1591
public school district or a public charter school in that
1592
district on or before September 1 of each year whose full-time or
1593
job-share responsibility is the classroom instruction of students
1594
in prekindergarten through grade 12, including full-time media
1595
specialists and guidance counselors serving students in
1596
prekindergarten through grade 12, who are funded through the
1597
Florida Education Finance Program. A "job-share" classroom
1598
teacher is one of two teachers whose combined full-time
1599
equivalent employment for the same teaching assignment equals one
1600
full-time classroom teacher.
1601
(2) The Legislature, in the General Appropriations Act,
1602
shall determine funding for the Florida Teachers Lead Program.
1603
The funds appropriated are for classroom teachers to purchase, on
1604
behalf of the school district or charter school, classroom
1605
materials and supplies for the public school students assigned to
1606
them and may not be used to purchase equipment. The funds
1607
appropriated shall be used to supplement the materials and
1608
supplies otherwise available to classroom teachers. From the
1609
funds appropriated for the Florida Teachers Lead Program, the
1610
Commissioner of Education shall calculate an amount for each
1611
school district based upon each school district's proportionate
1612
share of the state's total unweighted FTE student enrollment and
1613
shall disburse the funds to the school districts by July 15.
1614
(3) From the funds allocated to each school district for
1615
the Florida Teachers Lead Program, the district school board
1616
shall calculate an identical amount for each classroom teacher,
1617
which is that teacher's proportionate share of the total amount
1618
allocated to the district. A job-share classroom teacher may
1619
receive a prorated share of the amount provided to a full-time
1620
classroom teacher. The district school board and each charter
1621
school board shall provide each classroom teacher with his or her
1622
total proportionate share by September 30 of each year by any
1623
means determined appropriate by the district school board or
1624
charter school board, including, but not limited to, direct
1625
deposit, check, debit card, or purchasing card, notwithstanding
1626
any law to the contrary. Expenditures under the program are not
1627
subject to state or local competitive bidding requirements. Funds
1628
received by a classroom teacher do not affect wages, hours, or
1629
terms and conditions of employment and, therefore, are not
1630
subject to collective bargaining. Any classroom teacher may
1631
decline receipt of or return the funds without explanation or
1632
cause. This subsection shall apply retroactively to July 1, 2007.
1633
(4) Each classroom teacher must sign a statement
1634
acknowledging receipt of the funds, keep receipts for no less
1635
than 4 years to show that funds expended meet the requirements of
1636
this section, and return any unused funds to the district school
1637
board at the end of the regular school year. Any unused funds
1638
that are returned to the district school board shall be deposited
1639
into the school advisory council account of the school at which
1640
the classroom teacher returning the funds was employed when that
1641
teacher received the funds or deposited into the Florida Teachers
1642
Lead Program account of the school district in which a charter
1643
school is sponsored, as applicable.
1644
(5) The statement must be signed and dated by each
1645
classroom teacher before receipt of the Florida Teachers Lead
1646
Program funds and shall include the wording: "I, (name of
1647
teacher) , am employed by the County District School Board
1648
or by the Charter School as a full-time classroom teacher. I
1649
acknowledge that Florida Teachers Lead Program funds are
1650
appropriated by the Legislature for the sole purpose of
1651
purchasing classroom materials and supplies to be used in the
1652
instruction of students assigned to me. In accepting custody of
1653
these funds, I agree to keep the receipts for all expenditures
1654
for no less than 4 years. I understand that if I do not keep the
1655
receipts, it will be my personal responsibility to pay any
1656
federal taxes due on these funds. I also agree to return any
1657
unexpended funds to the district school board at the end of the
1658
regular school year for deposit into the school advisory council
1659
account of the school where I was employed at the time I received
1660
the funds or for deposit into the Florida Teachers Lead Program
1661
account of the school district in which the charter school is
1662
sponsored, as applicable."
1663
Section 29. Paragraphs (b) and (c) of subsection (2) of
1664
section 1013.12, Florida Statutes, are redesignated as paragraphs
1665
(c) and (d), respectively, and a new paragraph (b) is added to
1666
that subsection to read:
1667
1013.12 Casualty, safety, sanitation, and firesafety
1668
standards and inspection of property.--
1669
(2) PERIODIC INSPECTION OF PROPERTY BY DISTRICT SCHOOL
1670
BOARDS.--
1671
(b) Each school cafeteria must post in a visible location
1672
and on the school website the school's semiannual sanitation
1673
certificate and a copy of its most recent sanitation inspection
1674
report.
1675
Section 30. Except as otherwise expressly provided in this
1676
act, this act shall take effect July 1, 2008.
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.