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.