Florida Senate - 2014 SB 1206
By Senator Montford
3-01149A-14 20141206__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to agricultural industry
3 certifications; amending s. 570.07, F.S.; requiring
4 the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to
5 annually provide to the State Board of Education and
6 the Department of Education information and industry
7 certifications for farm occupations to be placed on
8 industry certification funding lists; amending s.
9 1003.492, F.S.; defining industry certification as
10 part of career education programs; requiring the state
11 board to adopt rules for implementing an industry
12 certification process for farm occupations; requiring
13 placement on funding lists to determine annual funding
14 distributions to school districts and postsecondary
15 institutions; amending s. 1003.4935, F.S.; conforming
16 a cross-reference; providing an effective date.
17
18 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
19
20 Section 1. Subsection (43) is added to section 570.07,
21 Florida Statutes, to read:
22 570.07 Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services;
23 functions, powers, and duties.—The department shall have and
24 exercise the following functions, powers, and duties:
25 (43) In cooperation with the Institute of Food and
26 Agricultural Sciences of the University of Florida, Florida
27 Agricultural and Mechanical University, secondary schools, and
28 other appropriate agencies, to annually provide to the State
29 Board of Education and the Department of Education information
30 and industry certifications for farm occupations to be placed on
31 the Industry Certification Funding List and the Postsecondary
32 Industry Certification Funding List pursuant to s. 1008.44. The
33 information and industry certifications provided by the
34 department must be based upon the best available data. In
35 determining the best available data, the department may consult
36 with the agricultural industry, the Institute of Food and
37 Agricultural Sciences at the University of Florida, Florida
38 Agricultural and Mechanical University, secondary schools, and
39 other appropriate agencies.
40 Section 2. Section 1003.492, Florida Statutes, is amended
41 to read:
42 1003.492 Industry-certified career education programs.—
43 (1) Secondary schools offering career-themed courses, as
44 defined in s. 1003.493(1)(b), and career and professional
45 academies shall be coordinated with the relevant and appropriate
46 industry to prepare a student for further education or for
47 employment in that industry.
48 (2) As used in this section, the term “industry
49 certification” means a voluntary process through which students
50 are assessed by an independent, third-party certifying entity
51 using predetermined standards for knowledge, skills, and
52 competencies, and resulting in the award of a time-limited
53 credential that is nationally recognized and applicable to an
54 occupation that is included in the workforce system’s targeted
55 occupation list or determined to be an occupation that is
56 critical or emerging or addresses a local need.
57 (3)(2) The State Board of Education shall use the expertise
58 of Workforce Florida, Inc., to develop and adopt rules pursuant
59 to ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54 for implementing an industry
60 certification process for nonfarm occupations. Industry
61 certification shall be defined by the Department of Economic
62 Opportunity, based upon the highest available national standards
63 for specific industry certification, to ensure student skill
64 proficiency and to address emerging labor market and industry
65 trends. A regional workforce board or a school principal may
66 apply to Workforce Florida, Inc., to request additions to the
67 approved list of industry certifications based on high-skill,
68 high-wage, and high-demand job requirements in the regional
69 economy. The list of industry certifications approved by
70 Workforce Florida, Inc., and the Department of Education shall
71 be published and updated annually by a date certain, to be
72 included in the adopted rule.
73 (4) The Legislature finds that the agricultural industry is
74 critical to the state’s economy and declares that industry
75 certification for farm occupations is critical, addresses a
76 local need, and is required for job growth. The State Board of
77 Education shall use the expertise of the Department of
78 Agriculture and Consumer Services to develop and adopt rules by
79 July 1, 2015, pursuant to ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54 for
80 implementing an industry certification process for farm
81 occupations. Industry certifications for farm occupations
82 meeting the rules adopted by the State Board of Education shall
83 annually be placed on the Industry Certification Funding List
84 and the Postsecondary Industry Certification Funding List
85 pursuant to s. 1008.44.
86 (5)(3) The Department of Education shall collect student
87 achievement and performance data in industry-certified career
88 education programs and career-themed courses and shall work with
89 Workforce Florida, Inc., and the Department of Agriculture and
90 Consumer Services in the analysis of collected data. The data
91 collection and analyses shall examine the performance of
92 participating students over time. Performance factors shall
93 include, but not be limited to, graduation rates, retention
94 rates, Florida Bright Futures Scholarship awards, additional
95 educational attainment, employment records, earnings, industry
96 certification, and employer satisfaction. The results of this
97 study shall be submitted to the President of the Senate and the
98 Speaker of the House of Representatives annually by December 31.
99 Section 3. Subsection (3) of section 1003.4935, Florida
100 Statutes, is amended to read:
101 1003.4935 Middle grades career and professional academy
102 courses and career-themed courses.—
103 (3) Beginning with the 2012-2013 school year, if a school
104 district implements a middle school career and professional
105 academy or a career-themed course, the Department of Education
106 shall collect and report student achievement data pursuant to
107 performance factors identified under s. 1003.492(5) s.
108 1003.492(3) for students enrolled in an academy or a career
109 themed course.
110 Section 4. This act shall take effect July 1, 2014.