Florida Senate - 2009 COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
Bill No. CS for SB 1978
Barcode 617468
LEGISLATIVE ACTION
Senate . House
Comm: RCS .
04/15/2009 .
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The Committee on Education Pre-K - 12 Appropriations (Detert)
recommended the following:
1 Senate Amendment (with title amendment)
2
3 Delete everything after the enacting clause
4 and insert:
5 Section 1. Section 1010.2155, Florida Statutes, is created
6 to read:
7 1010.2155 Expenditures for classroom instruction.—
8 (1) Effective July 1, 2009, school districts shall spend a
9 minimum of 70 percent of the district general fund on
10 expenditures in the classroom.
11 (2) Expenditures in the classroom shall consist of
12 expenditures for instruction and expenditures for instructional
13 support services.
14 (a) Expenditures for instruction shall include:
15 1. Salaries and benefits for instructional personnel
16 defined in s. 1012.01(2);
17 2. Substitute teachers;
18 3. Textbooks;
19 4. Library books;
20 5. Instruction-related materials and supplies;
21 6. Instruction-related audio-visual materials;
22 7. Instruction-related computer hardware and software; and
23 8. Compensation for persons on temporary appointment in
24 positions defined in s. 1012.01(2) who do not receive employee
25 benefits.
26 (b) Expenditures for instructional support services shall
27 include:
28 1. Salaries and benefits for instructional personnel
29 defined in s. 1012.01(2);
30 2. Pupil personnel services, including guidance counselors,
31 career specialists, and school psychologists;
32 3. Instructional media services, including school libraries
33 and media centers;
34 4. Aid to teachers in developing curriculum and
35 instruction;
36 5. Instructional staff training and professional
37 development services;
38 6. Reimbursement for instructional staff travel to
39 professional development activities outside the district; and
40 7. Compensation for persons on temporary appointment in
41 positions defined in s. 1012.01(2) who do not receive employee
42 benefits.
43 (3) School food services, student transportation, charter
44 schools, and debt service shall not be considered in calculating
45 the percentage of expenditures in the classroom.
46 (4) The Department of Education shall develop a uniform
47 calculation for determining classroom expenditure percentages
48 and shall develop a common format for district reporting. School
49 districts shall publish classroom expenditure information
50 annually in the financial report required in s. 1010.215 and
51 shall post the information on the home page of the school
52 district’s Internet site. Annual expenditure reports shall be
53 published no later than January 1 for the prior school year.
54 Effective May 1, 2012, school districts shall publish in each
55 school report card the most recent 3 years of the district-wide
56 percentage of general funds expended in the classroom.
57 (5) The Department of Education shall analyze the
58 expenditures of any school district that fails to meet required
59 classroom expenditure levels and receives a district grade of
60 “C” or lower and provide technical assistance in budget
61 preparation and analysis to the district. The department may
62 provide technical assistance regarding expenditures in the
63 classroom to any district, upon request. The Commissioner of
64 Education shall make written recommendations to the
65 superintendent of schools and school board regarding expenditure
66 redirections that may result in higher student achievement.
67 Effective July 1, 2011, the superintendent of schools of any
68 district that fails to meet the minimum classroom expenditures
69 and district grade shall appear before the State Board of
70 Education to explain the financial and academic performance
71 status of the district. Such appearance shall occur no later
72 than 60 days after the release of the district expenditure
73 report.
74 (6) The State Board of Education may adopt rules pursuant
75 to ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54 to administer the provisions of
76 this section.
77 Section 2. This act shall take effect upon becoming law.
78
79 ================= T I T L E A M E N D M E N T ================
80 And the title is amended as follows:
81 Delete everything before the enacting clause
82 and insert:
83 A bill to be entitled
84 An act relating to classroom expenditures; creating s.
85 1010.2155, F.S.; requiring that school districts spend
86 a minimum percentage of the district general fund on
87 expenditures in the classroom; requiring that the
88 Department of Education develop a uniform calculation
89 and a common format for district reporting; requiring
90 that school districts publish information regarding
91 classroom expenditures; requiring that the department
92 analyze the expenditures of school districts that fail
93 to meet required classroom expenditure levels;
94 authorizing the department to provide technical
95 assistance upon request by a school district;
96 requiring that the Commissioner of Education make
97 written recommendations to the superintendent of
98 schools and the school board; authorizing the State
99 Board of Education to adopt rules; providing an
100 effective date.