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A bill to be entitled

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An act relating to education; authorizing district school

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boards to establish a school, class, or educational

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program in which enrollment is limited to pupils of a

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single gender; providing conditions to such authorization;

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requiring that pupils' participation in single-gender

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classes be voluntary; requiring review by the district

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school board; providing an effective date.

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

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     Section 1. Single-gender schools, classes, and programs

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authorized.--

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     (1) Subject to subsection (2), a district school board may

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establish and maintain a school, class, or program within a

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school in which enrollment is limited to pupils of a single

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gender if the school district also makes available to pupils a

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coeducational school, class, or program that has equal academic

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standards and a school, class, or program for pupils of the other

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gender which has equal academic standards.

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     (2) If a district school board establishes a single-gender

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school, class, or program as described in subsection (1), the

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school district may not require participation by any of its

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pupils in the single-gender school, class, or program. The school

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board must ensure that participation by pupils in a single-gender

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school, class, or program is voluntary.

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     (3) Each district school board shall evaluate all single-

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gender schools, classes, or programs established by the district

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at least once every 2 years in order to ensure that the school,

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class, or program is in compliance with federal requirements.

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     Section 2.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2008.