Florida Senate - 2009 SB 530
By Senator Lynn
7-00414-09 2009530__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to the Florida Education Finance
3 Program; amending s. 1011.60, F.S.; revising
4 provisions relating to the minimum requirements that
5 each school district must meet to participate in the
6 Florida Education Finance Program; amending s.
7 1011.61, F.S.; revising the term “full-time equivalent
8 student” to conform to changes made by the act;
9 providing an effective date.
10
11 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
12
13 Section 1. Subsection (2) and paragraphs (d) and (f) of
14 subsection (3) of section 1011.60, Florida Statutes, are amended
15 to read:
16 1011.60 Minimum requirements of the Florida Education
17 Finance Program.—Each district which participates in the state
18 appropriations for the Florida Education Finance Program shall
19 provide evidence of its effort to maintain an adequate school
20 program throughout the district and shall meet at least the
21 following requirements:
22 (2) MINIMUM TERM.—Operate all schools for a term of at
23 least 180 actual teaching days or the equivalent on an hourly
24 basis as specified by rules of the State Board of Education each
25 school year. The State Board of Education may prescribe
26 procedures for altering, and, upon written application, may
27 alter, this requirement during a national, state, or local
28 emergency as it may apply to an individual school or schools in
29 any district or districts if, in the opinion of the board, it is
30 not feasible to make up lost days or hours, and the
31 apportionment may, at the discretion of the Commissioner of
32 Education and if the board determines that the reduction of
33 school days or hours is caused by the existence of a bona fide
34 emergency, be reduced for such district or districts in
35 proportion to the decrease in the length of term in any such
36 school or schools. A strike, as defined in s. 447.203(6), by
37 employees of the school district may not be considered an
38 emergency.
39 (3) EMPLOYMENT POLICIES.—Adopt rules relating to the
40 appointment, promotion, transfer, suspension, and dismissal of
41 personnel.
42 (d) District school boards may authorize a maximum of six
43 paid legal holidays which shall apply to the 196 days or the
44 equivalent hours of service.
45 (f) Such rules must require 12 calendar months of service
46 for such principals as prescribed by rules of the State Board of
47 Education and must require 10 months to include not less than
48 196 days or the equivalent hours of service, excluding Sundays
49 and other holidays, for all members of the instructional staff,
50 with any such service on a 12-month basis to include reasonable
51 allowance for vacation or further study as prescribed by the
52 school board in accordance with rules of the State Board of
53 Education.
54 Section 2. Paragraph (c) of subsection (1) of section
55 1011.61, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
56 1011.61 Definitions.—Notwithstanding the provisions of s.
57 1000.21, the following terms are defined as follows for the
58 purposes of the Florida Education Finance Program:
59 (1) A “full-time equivalent student” in each program of the
60 district is defined in terms of full-time students and part-time
61 students as follows:
62 (c)1. A “full-time equivalent student” is:
63 a. A full-time student in any one of the programs listed in
64 s. 1011.62(1)(c); or
65 b. A combination of full-time or part-time students in any
66 one of the programs listed in s. 1011.62(1)(c) which is the
67 equivalent of one full-time student based on the following
68 calculations:
69 (I) A full-time student, except a postsecondary or adult
70 student or a senior high school student enrolled in adult
71 education when such courses are required for high school
72 graduation, in a combination of programs listed in s.
73 1011.62(1)(c) shall be a fraction of a full-time equivalent
74 membership in each special program equal to the number of net
75 hours per school year for which he or she is a member, divided
76 by the appropriate number of hours set forth in subparagraph
77 (a)1. or subparagraph (a)2. The difference between that fraction
78 or sum of fractions and the maximum value as set forth in
79 subsection (4) for each full-time student is presumed to be the
80 balance of the student's time not spent in such special
81 education programs and shall be recorded as time in the
82 appropriate basic program.
83 (II) A prekindergarten handicapped student shall meet the
84 requirements specified for kindergarten students.
85 (III) A full-time equivalent student for students in grades
86 K-8 in a school district virtual instruction program as provided
87 in s. 1002.45 shall consist of a student who has successfully
88 completed a basic program listed in s. 1011.62(1)(c)1.a. or b.,
89 and who is promoted to a higher grade level.
90 (IV) A full-time equivalent student for students in grades
91 9-12 in a school district virtual instruction program as
92 provided in s. 1002.45 shall consist of six full credit
93 completions in programs listed in s. 1011.62(1)(c)1. and 4.
94 Credit completions can be a combination of either full credits
95 or half credits.
96 (V) A Florida Virtual School full-time equivalent student
97 shall consist of six full credit completions in the programs
98 listed in s. 1011.62(1)(c)1. and 4. Credit completions can be a
99 combination of either full credits or half credits.
100 (VI) Each successfully completed credit earned under the
101 alternative high school course credit requirements authorized in
102 s. 1002.375, which is not reported as a portion of the 900 net
103 hours of instruction pursuant to subparagraph (1)(a)1., shall be
104 calculated as 1/6 FTE.
105 2. A student in membership in a program scheduled for more
106 or less than 180 school days or the equivalent hours is a
107 fraction of a full-time equivalent membership equal to the
108 number of instructional hours in membership divided by the
109 appropriate number of hours set forth in subparagraph (a)1.;
110 however, for the purposes of this subparagraph, membership in
111 programs scheduled for more than 180 days or the equivalent
112 hours is limited to students enrolled in juvenile justice
113 education programs and the Florida Virtual School.
114 The department shall determine and implement an equitable method
115 of equivalent funding for experimental schools and for schools
116 operating under emergency conditions, which schools have been
117 approved by the department to operate for less than the minimum
118 school day.
119 Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2009.