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The Committee on Education Pre-K - 12 (Wilson) recommended the

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following amendment:

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     Senate Amendment (with title amendment)

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     Between line(s) 379 and 380

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insert:

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     Section 7.  Subsection (1) of section 1003.621, Florida

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Statutes, is amended to read:

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     1003.621  Academically high-performing school

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districts.--It is the intent of the Legislature to recognize and

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reward school districts that demonstrate the ability to

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consistently maintain or improve their high-performing status.

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The purpose of this section is to provide high-performing school

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districts with flexibility in meeting the specific requirements

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in statute and rules of the State Board of Education.

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     (1)  ACADEMICALLY HIGH-PERFORMING SCHOOL DISTRICT.--

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     (a)  A school district is an academically high-performing

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school district if it meets the following criteria:

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     1.a. Beginning with the 2004-2005 school year, is

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designated as making excellent progress earns a grade of "A"

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under s. 1008.34(7) for 2 consecutive years; and

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     b. Has no district-operated school that is designated as

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failing to make adequate progress earns a grade of "F" under s.

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1008.34;

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     2.  Complies with all class size requirements in s. 1, Art.

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IX of the State Constitution and s. 1003.03; and

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     3.  Has no material weaknesses or instances of material

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noncompliance noted in the annual financial audit conducted

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pursuant to s. 218.39.

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     (b)  Each school district that satisfies the eligibility

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criteria in this subsection shall be designated by the State

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Board of Education as an academically high-performing school

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district. With the exception of the statutes listed in

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subsection (2), upon designation as an academically high-

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performing school district, each such district is exempt from

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the provisions in chapters 1000-1013 which pertain to school

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districts and rules of the State Board of Education which

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implement these exempt provisions. This exemption remains in

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effect during the time of the designation if the district

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continues to meet all eligibility criteria.

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     (c)  The academically high-performing school district shall

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retain the designation as a high-performing school district for

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3 years, at the end of which time the district may renew the

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designation if the district meets the requirements in this

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section. A school district that fails to meet the requirements

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in this section shall provide written notification to the State

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Board of Education that the district is no longer eligible to be

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designated as an academically high-performing school district.

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     (d)  In order to maintain the designation as an

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academically high-performing school district pursuant to this

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section, a school district must meet the following requirements:

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     1.  Comply with the provisions of subparagraphs(a)2. and

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3.; and

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     2. Earn a designation as making excellent progress grade

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of "A" under s. 1008.34(7) for 2 years within a 3-year period.

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However, a district in which a district-operated school is

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designated as failing to make adequate progress earns a grade of

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"F" under s. 1008.34 during the 3-year period may not continue

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to be designated as an academically high-performing school

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district during the remainder of that 3-year period. The

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district must meet the criteria in paragraph (a) in order to be

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redesignated as an academically high-performing school district.

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================ T I T L E  A M E N D M E N T ================

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And the title is amended as follows:

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     Delete line(s) 7

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and insert:

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1001.42, 1002.33, 1002.38, 1002.415, 1003.62, 1003.621,

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1008.33,

1/18/2008  5:23:00 PM     581-02585-08