Florida Senate - 2012                                     SB 472
       
       
       
       By Senator Norman
       
       
       
       
       12-00538-12                                            2012472__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to student involvement in educational
    3         governance; providing a short title; creating s.
    4         1001.205, F.S.; creating the Florida Educational
    5         Student Advisory Council within the Department of
    6         Education; establishing an application process for
    7         membership on the council; providing for the
    8         appointment, membership, terms, and meetings of the
    9         council; requiring the State Board of Education to
   10         establish council regions; providing council powers
   11         and duties; providing for reimbursement for per diem
   12         and travel expenses of council members; creating s.
   13         1001.454, F.S.; requiring each district school board
   14         to establish a student advisory program and designate
   15         a districtwide association of student councils;
   16         providing for the election of student advisors to the
   17         district school board; providing powers and duties of
   18         district school boards, district school
   19         superintendents, and the association of student
   20         councils; providing an effective date.
   21  
   22  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   23  
   24         Section 1. This act may be cited as the “Student Advisory
   25  in Educational Governance Act.”
   26         Section 2. Section 1001.205, Florida Statutes, is created
   27  to read:
   28         1001.205 Florida Educational Student Advisory Council.—
   29         (1) The Florida Educational Student Advisory Council
   30  (FESAC) is created within the Department of Education.
   31         (2) Each district school board shall establish a screening
   32  committee to select five applicants from its respective school
   33  district who are capable of serving on the FESAC. A student
   34  interested in serving on the FESAC shall submit an application,
   35  developed by the State Board of Education, and all of the
   36  following to the school district screening committee:
   37         (a) A resume.
   38         (b) Letters of endorsement from the student’s high school
   39  advisory council and from a local governmental official.
   40         (c) A 10-page portfolio of community service projects
   41  performed since the student’s first year in high school.
   42         (d) A 1,000-word essay on what the student will do as a
   43  member of the FESAC.
   44         (e) A 5-page proposal on any issue affecting the Florida
   45  public school system.
   46         (3) Each school district screening committee, upon approval
   47  of the district school board, shall submit five student
   48  applications along with the information required in paragraphs
   49  (2)(a)-(e) to the Department of Education by April 1.
   50         (4)(a) The FESAC shall be composed of the following:
   51         1. Five students appointed by the Governor from nominees
   52  submitted by the school district screening committees.
   53         2. Five students appointed by the President of the Senate
   54  from nominees submitted by the school district screening
   55  committees.
   56         3. Five students appointed by the Speaker of the House of
   57  Representatives from nominees submitted by the school district
   58  screening committees.
   59         4. Five students appointed by the President of the Florida
   60  School Boards Association, Inc., from district school board
   61  student advisors, pursuant to s. 1001.454, who have submitted to
   62  the association an application that is developed by the
   63  association.
   64         5. Five students appointed by the President of the Florida
   65  Association of Student Councils from applicants who have
   66  submitted to the association an application that is developed by
   67  the association.
   68         (b) Each applicant must be enrolled in a Florida public
   69  high school and maintain his or her enrollment throughout
   70  service on the FESAC.
   71         (c) Members appointed by the Governor, the President of the
   72  Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall
   73  serve 2-year terms and may not be reappointed. Members appointed
   74  by the President of the Florida School Boards Association, Inc.,
   75  and the President of the Florida Association of Student Councils
   76  shall serve 1-year terms and may be reappointed for one
   77  additional term.
   78         (d) Vacancies shall be filled by the respective appointing
   79  authority from the applications previously submitted for that
   80  term.
   81         (5) The FESAC shall elect a chair and vice chair from its
   82  membership at its first quarterly meeting each term.
   83         (a) The chair shall preside over all meetings of the FESAC
   84  and attend all State Board of Education meetings. The chair
   85  shall advise the State Board of Education on behalf of the FESAC
   86  at state board meetings.
   87         (b) In the chair’s absence, the vice chair shall perform
   88  the duties described in paragraph (a).
   89         (6) The FESAC shall:
   90         (a) Meet quarterly in Tallahassee and hold regional
   91  meetings once a month in regions established by the State Board
   92  of Education.
   93         (b) Advise the Governor, the State Board of Education, and
   94  the Commissioner of Education on educational issues and student
   95  concerns.
   96         (c) Annually make policy recommendations to the President
   97  of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives
   98  prior to the regular legislative session.
   99         (7) The FESAC may adopt bylaws to govern its operations.
  100         (8) The regions established by the State Board of Education
  101  shall operate as committees of the FESAC.
  102         (a) Each region shall elect a chair and vice chair at the
  103  first monthly meeting each term. The chair shall preside over
  104  all meetings of the respective region. The vice chair shall
  105  preside in the absence of the chair.
  106         (b) Each region may adopt bylaws to govern its operations.
  107         (9) A term of the FESAC shall begin on July 1 and end on
  108  June 30 each year. The first term of the FESAC shall begin on
  109  July 1, 2013.
  110         (10) Members of the FESAC shall serve without compensation
  111  but are entitled to reimbursement for per diem and travel
  112  expenses as provided in s. 112.061.
  113         Section 3. Section 1001.454, Florida Statutes, is created
  114  to read:
  115         1001.454 Student advisory program; association of student
  116  councils.—
  117         (1) By July 1, 2013, each district school board shall:
  118         (a) Establish a student advisory program which shall
  119  include a student advisor to the district school board and may
  120  include an assistant student advisor to the district school
  121  board, collectively known as the student advisors to the
  122  district school board.
  123         (b) Designate a districtwide association of student
  124  councils to voice the views and opinions of the students in the
  125  school district and to conduct districtwide projects. The
  126  association shall consist of all secondary schools in the
  127  district, represented by their student councils or student
  128  governments. The association shall elect the student advisors to
  129  the district school board at a meeting of the association
  130  designated by the district school board, with each school in
  131  attendance casting one vote. The district school superintendent
  132  shall assign one staff member to work with the association.
  133         (2) District school boards and district school
  134  superintendents are encouraged to include students on school
  135  district advisory councils, pursuant to s. 1001.452, who shall
  136  be appointed by the student advisors to the district school
  137  board.
  138         (3) A district school board and the association of student
  139  councils may adopt rules governing the district’s student
  140  advisory program and the participation of student advisors in
  141  school district activities and decisionmaking.
  142         Section 4. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.