| 1 | Representative Legg offered the following: |
| 2 |
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| 3 | Amendment (with title amendment) |
| 4 | Remove line 674 and insert: |
| 5 |
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| 6 | Section 10. Effective July 1, 2010, section 1003.572, |
| 7 | Florida Statutes, is created to read: |
| 8 | 1003.572 Gifted student education.-- |
| 9 | (1) For students in grades K through 12, each district |
| 10 | school board shall annually: |
| 11 | (a) Provide written notice to each student's parent of the |
| 12 | eligibility criteria for gifted student classification and the |
| 13 | procedures for requesting an evaluation of a student to |
| 14 | determine his or her eligibility for such classification. |
| 15 | (b) Report to the department by school and grade level: |
| 16 | 1. The number of students classified as gifted. Such |
| 17 | reporting shall separately identify the number of students |
| 18 | classified as gifted under generally applicable criteria set |
| 19 | forth in State Board of Education rule and under a department- |
| 20 | approved school district plan for increasing the participation |
| 21 | of underrepresented groups. |
| 22 | 2. The types of gifted student education services that it |
| 23 | provides and the number of students receiving each service. Such |
| 24 | reporting shall: |
| 25 | a. Separately identify gifted student education services |
| 26 | that provide: direct instruction to a class consisting only of |
| 27 | gifted students; differentiated instruction for gifted students |
| 28 | within a class that also includes students who are not gifted; |
| 29 | and noninstructional consultation services. |
| 30 | b. Indicate the number of hours per week that each service |
| 31 | identified under sub-subparagraph a. is provided to each gifted |
| 32 | student and whether the service is provided by a teacher who has |
| 33 | received the gifted endorsement under State Board of Education |
| 34 | rule. |
| 35 | 3. Performance data for students receiving gifted student |
| 36 | education services. |
| 37 | |
| 38 | When reporting the number of students under this paragraph, |
| 39 | district school boards shall classify students according to |
| 40 | race, ethnicity, limited English proficient status, and free or |
| 41 | reduced-price lunch eligibility status under the National School |
| 42 | Lunch Act. |
| 43 | (2) The department shall develop data elements to |
| 44 | facilitate district school board reporting under paragraph |
| 45 | (1)(b). |
| 46 | (3) The State Board of Education shall adopt rules |
| 47 | pursuant to ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54 to implement this section. |
| 48 | Section 11. Effective July 1, 2010, section 1003.573, |
| 49 | Florida Statutes, is created to read: |
| 50 | 1003.573 Whole-grade and subject matter acceleration.-- |
| 51 | (1) For students in grades K through 12, the department |
| 52 | shall develop, and district school boards shall implement, |
| 53 | statewide policies that set forth procedures and eligibility |
| 54 | criteria for whole-grade and subject matter acceleration. |
| 55 | (2) Each district school board shall report annually to |
| 56 | the department by school and grade level: the number of, and |
| 57 | performance data for, students who were accelerated one or more |
| 58 | whole grades; the types of subject matter acceleration programs |
| 59 | offered; and the number of, and performance data for, students |
| 60 | who participated in subject matter acceleration programs. When |
| 61 | reporting the number of students, district school boards shall |
| 62 | classify students according to race, ethnicity, limited English |
| 63 | proficient status, and free or reduced-price lunch eligibility |
| 64 | status under the National School Lunch Act. |
| 65 | (3) The department shall develop data elements to |
| 66 | facilitate district school board reporting under subsection (2). |
| 67 | (4) The State Board of Education shall adopt rules |
| 68 | pursuant to ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54 to implement this section. |
| 69 | Section 12. Effective July 1, 2010, paragraph (c) of |
| 70 | subsection (3) of section 1004.04, Florida Statutes, is amended |
| 71 | to read: |
| 72 | 1004.04 Public accountability and state approval for |
| 73 | teacher preparation programs.-- |
| 74 | (3) DEVELOPMENT OF TEACHER PREPARATION PROGRAMS.--A system |
| 75 | developed by the Department of Education in collaboration with |
| 76 | postsecondary educational institutions shall assist departments |
| 77 | and colleges of education in the restructuring of their programs |
| 78 | in accordance with this section to meet the need for producing |
| 79 | quality teachers now and in the future. |
| 80 | (c) State-approved teacher preparation programs must |
| 81 | incorporate: |
| 82 | 1. Appropriate English for Speakers of Other Languages |
| 83 | instruction so that program graduates will have completed the |
| 84 | requirements for teaching limited English proficient students in |
| 85 | Florida public schools. |
| 86 | 2. Scientifically researched, knowledge-based reading |
| 87 | literacy and computational skills instruction so that program |
| 88 | graduates will be able to provide the necessary academic |
| 89 | foundations for their students at whatever grade levels they |
| 90 | choose to teach. |
| 91 | 3. Gifted student instruction so that program graduates |
| 92 | will: |
| 93 | a. Be able to recognize the characteristics of gifted |
| 94 | students. |
| 95 | b. Have knowledge of the eligibility criteria for gifted |
| 96 | student classification and the procedures for referring a |
| 97 | student for an evaluation to determine his or her eligibility |
| 98 | for such classification. |
| 99 | c. Have knowledge of how to differentiate the general |
| 100 | education curriculum for gifted students. |
| 101 | Section 13. Effective July 1, 2010, paragraph (e) of |
| 102 | subsection (1) of section 1011.62, Florida Statutes, is amended |
| 103 | to read: |
| 104 | 1011.62 Funds for operation of schools.--If the annual |
| 105 | allocation from the Florida Education Finance Program to each |
| 106 | district for operation of schools is not determined in the |
| 107 | annual appropriations act or the substantive bill implementing |
| 108 | the annual appropriations act, it shall be determined as |
| 109 | follows: |
| 110 | (1) COMPUTATION OF THE BASIC AMOUNT TO BE INCLUDED FOR |
| 111 | OPERATION.--The following procedure shall be followed in |
| 112 | determining the annual allocation to each district for |
| 113 | operation: |
| 114 | (e) Funding model for exceptional student education |
| 115 | programs.-- |
| 116 | 1.a. The funding model uses basic, at-risk, support levels |
| 117 | IV and V for exceptional students and career Florida Education |
| 118 | Finance Program cost factors, and a guaranteed allocation for |
| 119 | exceptional student education programs. Exceptional education |
| 120 | cost factors are determined by using a matrix of services to |
| 121 | document the services that each exceptional student will |
| 122 | receive. The nature and intensity of the services indicated on |
| 123 | the matrix shall be consistent with the services described in |
| 124 | each exceptional student's individual educational plan. |
| 125 | b. In order to generate funds using one of the two |
| 126 | weighted cost factors, a matrix of services must be completed at |
| 127 | the time of the student's initial placement into an exceptional |
| 128 | student education program and at least once every 3 years by |
| 129 | personnel who have received approved training. Nothing listed in |
| 130 | the matrix shall be construed as limiting the services a school |
| 131 | district must provide in order to ensure that exceptional |
| 132 | students are provided a free, appropriate public education. |
| 133 | c. Students identified as exceptional, in accordance with |
| 134 | chapter 6A-6, Florida Administrative Code, who do not have a |
| 135 | matrix of services as specified in sub-subparagraph b. shall |
| 136 | generate funds on the basis of full-time-equivalent student |
| 137 | membership in the Florida Education Finance Program at the same |
| 138 | funding level per student as provided for basic students. |
| 139 | Additional funds for these exceptional students will be provided |
| 140 | through the guaranteed allocation designated in subparagraph 2. |
| 141 | 2. For students identified as exceptional who do not have |
| 142 | a matrix of services and students who are gifted in grades K |
| 143 | through 8, there is created a guaranteed allocation to provide |
| 144 | these students with a free appropriate public education, in |
| 145 | accordance with s. 1001.42(4)(l)(m) and rules of the State Board |
| 146 | of Education, which shall be allocated annually to each school |
| 147 | district in the amount provided in the General Appropriations |
| 148 | Act. These funds shall be in addition to the funds appropriated |
| 149 | on the basis of FTE student membership in the Florida Education |
| 150 | Finance Program, and the amount allocated for each school |
| 151 | district shall not be recalculated during the year. These funds |
| 152 | shall be used to provide special education and related services |
| 153 | for exceptional students and students who are gifted in grades K |
| 154 | through 8. Beginning with the 2007-2008 fiscal year, a |
| 155 | district's expenditure of funds from the guaranteed allocation |
| 156 | for students in grades 9 through 12 who are gifted may not be |
| 157 | greater than the amount expended during the 2006-2007 fiscal |
| 158 | year for gifted students in grades 9 through 12. Each district |
| 159 | school board in its annual financial report to the department |
| 160 | shall separately identify the following amounts expended from |
| 161 | the guaranteed allocation: |
| 162 | a. The amount expended for students identified as |
| 163 | exceptional who do not have a matrix of services. |
| 164 | b. The amount expended for gifted students in grades K |
| 165 | through 12 according to grade level. |
| 166 | Section 14. Gifted and Academically Talented Student Task |
| 167 | Force.-- |
| 168 | (1) There is created the Gifted and Academically Talented |
| 169 | Student Task Force. The task force is composed of the following |
| 170 | seven members: |
| 171 | (a) The chair of the State Board of Education or his or |
| 172 | her designee, who shall serve as chair. |
| 173 | (b) The Commissioner of Education or his or her designee, |
| 174 | who shall serve as vice chair. |
| 175 | (c) Four members who collectively have experience in |
| 176 | gifted and academically talented student screening, |
| 177 | identification, and education, one of whom shall be appointed by |
| 178 | the Governor, one of whom shall be appointed by the President of |
| 179 | the Senate, one of whom shall be appointed by the Speaker of the |
| 180 | House of Representatives, and one of whom shall be appointed by |
| 181 | the chair of the State Board of Education. |
| 182 | (d) One member who represents an advocacy group for |
| 183 | parents of gifted children who shall be appointed by the |
| 184 | Governor. |
| 185 | (2) The members of the task force shall be appointed by |
| 186 | October 1, 2009, and shall convene the initial meeting of the |
| 187 | task force by November 1, 2009. |
| 188 | (3) The task force is assigned to the Department of |
| 189 | Education for administrative purposes. Members of the task force |
| 190 | shall serve without compensation and are not entitled to receive |
| 191 | reimbursement for per diem and travel expenses under s. 112.061. |
| 192 | Meetings may be held via teleconference or other electronic |
| 193 | means. Members of the task force are subject to the Code of |
| 194 | Ethics for Public Officers and Employees under part III of |
| 195 | chapter 112, Florida Statutes. |
| 196 | (4) By February 1, 2010, the task force shall submit a |
| 197 | report to the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the |
| 198 | Speaker of the House of Representatives that includes, but is |
| 199 | not limited to, recommendations, based upon peer-reviewed |
| 200 | research and the members' collective expertise, for the |
| 201 | following: |
| 202 | (a) Revisions to statute and rule governing eligibility |
| 203 | criteria for gifted student classification generally and in |
| 204 | underrepresented groups. |
| 205 | (b) Eligibility criteria for academically talented student |
| 206 | classification. Such criteria shall identify students who are |
| 207 | not classified as gifted but who possess high achievement |
| 208 | capability in one or more academic subject areas and who would |
| 209 | benefit from participation in accelerated or differentiated |
| 210 | curricula learning opportunities. |
| 211 | (c) Annual screening procedures for the determination of |
| 212 | students who should be further evaluated for identification as |
| 213 | gifted or academically talented students. These procedures, at a |
| 214 | minimum, shall identify: |
| 215 | 1. The most appropriate grade or grades within each of the |
| 216 | elementary, middle, and high school levels to administer such |
| 217 | screenings for all students. |
| 218 | 2. One or more recommended screening instruments. |
| 219 | (d) Model gifted and academically talented student |
| 220 | education programs. The programs must include, but are not |
| 221 | limited to: |
| 222 | 1. Classroom-based, school-based, and district-based |
| 223 | implementation options. |
| 224 | 2. Subject matter acceleration opportunities, |
| 225 | differentiated curricula that address the exceptional learning |
| 226 | needs of gifted and academically talented students, and |
| 227 | enrichment activities that extend learning opportunities |
| 228 | available in the classroom. |
| 229 | (e) Procedures for annually evaluating the effectiveness |
| 230 | of model gifted and academically talented student education |
| 231 | programs. |
| 232 | (f) Procedures for evaluating students participating in |
| 233 | gifted or academically talented student education programs to |
| 234 | determine student performance and whether the students are |
| 235 | benefiting from, and continue to be eligible to participate in, |
| 236 | the programs. |
| 237 | (5) Upon delivery of its final report and recommendations, |
| 238 | the task force is abolished. |
| 239 | Section 15. Except as otherwise expressly provided in this |
| 240 | act, this act shall take effect July 1, 2009. |
| 241 |
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| 242 | ----------------------------------------------------- |
| 243 | T I T L E A M E N D M E N T |
| 244 | Remove line 40 and insert: |
| 245 | creating s. 1003.572, F.S.; requiring district school boards to |
| 246 | provide parental notice of requirements and procedures for |
| 247 | requesting evaluations for gifted student classification; |
| 248 | requiring district school board reporting of gifted student |
| 249 | classification, services, and performance data; requiring the |
| 250 | Department of Education to develop data elements for district |
| 251 | reporting; requiring rulemaking; creating s. 1003.573, F.S.; |
| 252 | requiring the department to develop procedures and eligibility |
| 253 | criteria for whole-grade and subject matter acceleration; |
| 254 | requiring district school boards to implement procedures and |
| 255 | eligibility criteria; requiring district school board reporting |
| 256 | of student acceleration data; requiring the department to |
| 257 | develop data elements for district reporting; requiring |
| 258 | rulemaking; amending s. 1004.04, F.S.; requiring state-approved |
| 259 | teacher preparation programs to incorporate specified gifted |
| 260 | student instruction; amending s. 1011.62, F.S.; requiring |
| 261 | certain school district guaranteed allocation expenditures to be |
| 262 | reported separately; creating the Gifted and Academically |
| 263 | Talented Student Task Force within the department; designating |
| 264 | members; requiring members to serve without compensation or |
| 265 | reimbursement for per diem and travel expenses; requiring the |
| 266 | task force to submit a report to the Governor and Legislature; |
| 267 | providing report requirements; providing for the future |
| 268 | abolishment of the task force; providing effective dates. |