HB 439

1	A bill to be entitled
2	An act relating to disability awareness; amending s.
3	1003.4205, F.S.; requiring district school boards to
4	provide disability history and awareness instruction in
5	all K-12 public schools; requiring certification of
6	individuals delivering the instruction; requiring the
7	Governor's Commission on Disabilities to initiate a study
8	on disability awareness training to be conducted by a
9	private nonprofit entity; providing requirements for the
10	study and submission of findings to the commission;
11	requiring the commission to oversee a statewide disability
12	awareness training provider and certification program;
13	providing program components to include requirements for
14	approval of providers and certification of individuals to
15	provide disability awareness instruction; providing for
16	the payment of certain fees; requiring the commission to
17	promote disability awareness training in all public
18	entities in the state; requiring rulemaking; providing an
19	effective date.
20
21	Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
22
23	Section 1.  Section 1003.4205, Florida Statutes, is amended
24	to read:
25	1003.4205  Disability history and awareness instruction.-
26	(1)  Each district school board shall may provide
27	disability history and awareness instruction in all K-12 public
28	schools in the district during the first 2 weeks in October each
29	year. The district school board shall designate these 2 weeks as
30	"Disability History and Awareness Weeks."
31	(2)(a)  During this 2-week period, students shall may be
32	provided intensive instruction to expand their knowledge,
33	understanding, and awareness of individuals with disabilities,
34	the history of disability, and the disability rights movement.
35	Disability history shall may include the events and timelines of
36	the development and evolution of services to, and the civil
37	rights of, individuals with disabilities. Disability history
38	shall may also include the contributions of specific individuals
39	with disabilities, including the contributions of acknowledged
40	national leaders.
41	(b)  The instruction shall may be integrated into the
42	existing school curriculum in ways including, but not limited
43	to, supplementing lesson plans, holding school assemblies, or
44	providing other school-related activities. Beginning with the
45	2011-2012 school year, the instruction shall may be delivered by
46	individuals who are certified to provide disability awareness
47	instruction qualified school personnel or by knowledgeable guest
48	speakers, with a particular focus on including individuals with
49	disabilities as instructors.
50	(3)  The goals of disability history and awareness
51	instruction include:
52	(a)  Better treatment for individuals with disabilities,
53	especially for youth in school, and increased attention to
54	preventing the bullying or harassment of students with
55	disabilities.
56	(b)  Encouragement to individuals with disabilities to
57	develop increased self-esteem, resulting in more individuals
58	with disabilities gaining pride in being an individual with a
59	disability, obtaining postsecondary education, entering the
60	workforce, and contributing to their communities.
61	(c)  Reaffirmation of the local, state, and federal
62	commitment to the full inclusion in society of, and the equal
63	opportunity for, all individuals with disabilities.
64	Section 2.  Disability awareness training standards,
65	protocol, and curriculum; certification.-
66	(1)  The Governor's Commission on Disabilities shall
67	initiate a study on disability awareness training beginning July
68	1, 2010, to be conducted by a private nonprofit entity that
69	promotes disability awareness in the classroom and the community
70	at large and provides disability awareness training. State
71	agencies and programs shall cooperate with the private nonprofit
72	entity as it conducts the study to establish disability
73	awareness training standards, protocol, and curriculum. The
74	study shall:
75	(a)  Evaluate and recommend to the commission standards and
76	criteria necessary for authorizing providers to conduct
77	disability awareness training.
78	(b)  Establish guidelines and curriculum for a
79	certification program for disability awareness instructors.
80	(c)  Provide to the commission a summary of the current
81	trends in disability awareness training.
82
83	The private nonprofit entity conducting the study shall submit
84	its findings to the commission by July 1, 2011.
85	(2)  Beginning July 1, 2011, the commission shall oversee a
86	statewide disability awareness training provider and
87	certification program which shall include, but not be limited
88	to, the following components:
89	(a)  Disability awareness training providers must meet all
90	criteria established and published by the commission to be
91	approved to conduct continuing education courses to certify
92	individuals as disability awareness training instructors. A
93	provider may charge a service fee for the continuing education
94	courses in an amount that is sufficient to cover its costs in
95	providing the courses.
96	(b)  To be approved by the commission, a disability
97	awareness training provider must have a minimum of 5 years of
98	experience working in the field of disabilities, submit an
99	application to the commission to provide disability awareness
100	training, pay an application or renewal fee set by the
101	commission not to exceed $200, and submit an annual report to
102	the commission documenting the provider's training activities.
103	An approved provider shall be required to renew its approved
104	status with the commission every 3 years.
105	(c)  Approved providers must use the commission's approved
106	training methods and curriculum materials for conducting
107	continuing education courses.
108	(d)  A list of providers approved to offer disability
109	awareness training for certification shall be published and made
110	available to the public by the commission.
111	(e)  Individuals seeking certification to provide
112	disability awareness instruction shall participate in continuing
113	education courses conducted by commission-approved providers.
114	Individuals who successfully complete the required disability
115	awareness continuing education courses shall be certified by the
116	commission to provide disability awareness instruction in the
117	state and shall pay a certification or certification renewal fee
118	set by the commission not to exceed $100. Certified individuals
119	shall be required to renew certification with the commission
120	every 3 years.
121	(3)  The commission shall promote the inclusion in society
122	of, and the equal opportunity for, individuals with disabilities
123	through disability awareness training in all public entities in
124	the state. Activities that provide instruction to expand
125	knowledge, understanding, and awareness of individuals with
126	disabilities, the history of disability, and the disability
127	rights movement shall be encouraged.
128	(4)  The commission shall adopt rules pursuant to ss.
129	120.536(1) and 120.54, Florida Statutes, to implement the
130	provisions of this section.
131	Section 3.  This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.