Florida Senate - 2014 CS for SB 790
By the Committee on Education; and Senator Legg
581-01852-14 2014790c1
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to education; amending s. 1011.62,
3 F.S.; providing the purpose for the Florida digital
4 classrooms allocation; requiring a school district to
5 adopt a district digital classrooms plan and submit
6 the plan to the Department of Education for approval;
7 providing requirements for the plan; requiring that
8 allocated funds be used for a specified purpose;
9 requiring a district school board to submit to the
10 department the district’s digital classrooms plan;
11 providing requirements for the district’s plan;
12 requiring the State Board of Education to adopt a
13 Florida digital classrooms plan that establishes
14 certain protocols, parameters, requirements, and
15 digital tools; authorizing the Department of Education
16 to consult with qualified experts to develop the
17 Florida digital classrooms plan; providing
18 requirements for the plan; providing calculations for
19 funding; requiring the commissioner to support
20 statewide, coordinated partnerships and efforts of
21 education practitioners to identify and share best
22 practices, corrective actions, and other identified
23 needs; requiring each district school board to report
24 by a specified date to the department the district’s
25 use of funds and student performance outcomes;
26 requiring the Auditor General to verify the use of
27 Florida digital classrooms allocation funds; requiring
28 the commissioner to provide by a specified date to the
29 Governor and the Legislature a summary of each
30 district’s use of funds, student performance outcomes,
31 and progress toward meeting statutory requirements and
32 timelines; authorizing the State Board of Education to
33 adopt rules; amending s. 1002.33, F.S.; conforming
34 provisions to changes made by the act; providing
35 legislative findings and intent regarding the
36 collaboration of the State Board of Education,
37 Commissioner of Education, military installation
38 commanders, and school districts to address the needs
39 of children of military families; creating s.
40 1007.2616, F.S.; authorizing public schools to provide
41 students in grades K-12 opportunities for learning
42 computer coding and programming; authorizing grade
43 specific instruction in specified areas; authorizing
44 elementary schools and middle schools to establish
45 digital classrooms for specified purposes; authorizing
46 high schools to provide students with opportunities to
47 take certain computer programming courses to satisfy
48 requirements for high school graduation; providing
49 exceptions for certain course requirements for high
50 school graduation; authorizing the State Board of
51 Education to adopt rules; providing an effective date.
52
53 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
54
55 Section 1. Subsection (15) is added to section 1011.62,
56 Florida Statutes, to read:
57 1011.62 Funds for operation of schools.—If the annual
58 allocation from the Florida Education Finance Program to each
59 district for operation of schools is not determined in the
60 annual appropriations act or the substantive bill implementing
61 the annual appropriations act, it shall be determined as
62 follows:
63 (15) FLORIDA DIGITAL CLASSROOMS.—
64 (a) The Florida digital classrooms allocation is created to
65 support district and school efforts and strategies to improve
66 outcomes related to student performance by integrating
67 technology in classroom teaching and learning. The outcomes must
68 be measurable and may also be unique to the needs of individual
69 schools and school districts within the general parameters
70 established by the Department of Education.
71 (b) Each district school board shall adopt a district
72 digital classrooms plan that meets the unique needs of students,
73 schools, and personnel and submit the plan for approval to the
74 department. In addition, each district school board must, at a
75 minimum, seek input from the district’s instructional,
76 curriculum, and information technology staff to develop the
77 district digital classrooms plan. The district’s plan must be
78 within the general parameters established in the Florida digital
79 classrooms plan pursuant to paragraph (c). In addition, if the
80 district participates in federal technology initiatives and
81 grant programs, the district digital classrooms plan must
82 include a plan for meeting requirements of such initiatives and
83 grant programs. Funds allocated under this subsection must be
84 used to support implementation of district digital classrooms
85 plans. By October 1, 2014, and by March 1 of each year
86 thereafter, on a date determined by the department, each
87 district school board shall submit to the department, in a
88 format prescribed by the department, a digital classrooms plan.
89 At a minimum, such plan must include, and be annually updated to
90 reflect, the following:
91 1. Measurable student performance outcomes. Outcomes
92 related to student performance, including outcomes for students
93 with disabilities, must be tied to the efforts and strategies to
94 improve outcomes related to student performance by integrating
95 technology in classroom teaching and learning. Results of the
96 outcomes shall be reported at least annually for the current
97 school year and subsequent 3 years and be accompanied by an
98 independent evaluation and validation of the reported results.
99 2. Digital learning and technology infrastructure purchases
100 and operational activities. Such purchases and activities must
101 be tied to the measurable outcomes under subparagraph 1.,
102 including, but not limited to, connectivity, broadband access,
103 wireless capacity, Internet speed, and data security, all of
104 which must meet or exceed minimum requirements and protocols
105 established by the department. For each year that the district
106 uses funds for infrastructure, a third-party, independent
107 evaluation of the district’s technology inventory and
108 infrastructure needs must accompany the district’s plan.
109 3. Professional development purchases and operational
110 activities. Such purchases and activities must be tied to the
111 measurable outcomes under subparagraph 1., including, but not
112 limited to, using technology in the classroom and improving
113 digital literacy and competency.
114 4. Digital tool purchases and operational activities. Such
115 purchases and activities must be tied to the measurable outcomes
116 under subparagraph 1., including, but not limited to,
117 competency-based credentials that measure and demonstrate
118 digital competency and certifications; third-party assessments
119 that demonstrate acquired knowledge and use of digital
120 applications; and devices that meet or exceed minimum
121 requirements and protocols established by the department.
122 5. Online assessment-related purchases and operational
123 activities. Such purchases and activities must be tied to the
124 measurable outcomes under subparagraph 1., including, but not
125 limited to, expanding the capacity to administer assessments and
126 compatibility with minimum assessment protocols and requirements
127 established by the department.
128 (c) The State Board of Education shall adopt a Florida
129 digital classrooms plan that, at a minimum, establishes minimum
130 protocols, parameters, and requirements for district-level
131 infrastructure, school-level infrastructure, and digital tools
132 that accommodate statutory requirements and timelines for
133 instruction, learning, assessments, and accountability. The
134 Department of Education may consult with qualified experts to
135 develop the Florida digital classrooms plan. The Florida digital
136 classrooms plan shall be prepared for the current school year
137 and the subsequent 5 years. The plan shall be reviewed and
138 updated annually and must specify the criteria for the annual
139 review and approval of the districts’ digital classrooms plans.
140 (d) The Legislature shall annually provide in the General
141 Appropriations Act a Florida Education Finance Program (FEFP)
142 allocation for implementation of the digital classrooms plan to
143 be calculated in an amount up to 1 percent of the base student
144 allocation multiplied by the total K-12 full-time equivalent
145 student enrollment included in the FEFP calculations for the
146 legislative appropriation or as provided in the General
147 Appropriations Act. Each school district shall be provided a
148 minimum of $100,000, with the remaining balance of the
149 allocation to be distributed based on each district’s proportion
150 of the total K-12 full-time equivalent student enrollment.
151 Distribution of funds for the Florida digital classrooms
152 allocation shall begin following submittal of each district’s
153 digital classrooms plan, which must include formal verification
154 of the superintendent’s approval of the digital classrooms plan
155 of each charter school in the district, and approval of the plan
156 by the department. Prior to the distribution of the Florida
157 digital classrooms allocation funds, each district school
158 superintendent shall certify to the Commissioner of Education
159 that the district school board has approved a comprehensive
160 district digital classrooms plan that supports the fidelity of
161 implementation of the Florida digital classrooms allocation.
162 District allocations shall be recalculated during the fiscal
163 year consistent with the periodic recalculation of the FEFP.
164 School districts shall provide a proportionate share of the
165 digital classrooms allocation to each charter school in the
166 district, as required for categorical programs in s.
167 1002.33(17)(b). A school district may use a competitive process
168 to distribute funds for the Florida digital classrooms
169 allocation to the schools within the school district.
170 (e) To facilitate the implementation of the district
171 digital classrooms plans and charter school digital classrooms
172 plans, the commissioner shall support statewide, coordinated
173 partnerships and efforts of this state’s education practitioners
174 in the field, including, but not limited to, superintendents,
175 principals, and teachers, to identify and share best practices,
176 corrective actions, and other identified needs.
177 (f) Beginning in the 2015-2016 fiscal year and each year
178 thereafter, each district school board shall report to the
179 department its use of funds provided through the Florida digital
180 classrooms allocation and student performance outcomes in
181 accordance with the district’s digital classrooms plan. The
182 Auditor General shall, during scheduled operational audits of
183 the school districts, verify compliance of the use of Florida
184 digital classrooms allocation funds in accordance with the
185 district’s digital classrooms plan. No later than October 1 of
186 each year, beginning in the 2015-2016 fiscal year, the
187 commissioner shall provide to the Governor, the President of the
188 Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives a
189 summary of each district’s use of funds, student performance
190 outcomes, and progress toward meeting statutory requirements and
191 timelines.
192 (g) The State Board of Education may adopt rules pursuant
193 to ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54 to administer this subsection.
194 Section 2. Paragraph (b) of subsection (17) of section
195 1002.33, Florida Statutes, is amended, and present subsection
196 (27) of that section is renumbered as subsection (28), and a new
197 subsection (27) is added to that section, to read:
198 1002.33 Charter schools.—
199 (17) FUNDING.—Students enrolled in a charter school,
200 regardless of the sponsorship, shall be funded as if they are in
201 a basic program or a special program, the same as students
202 enrolled in other public schools in the school district. Funding
203 for a charter lab school shall be as provided in s. 1002.32.
204 (b) The basis for the agreement for funding students
205 enrolled in a charter school shall be the sum of the school
206 district’s operating funds from the Florida Education Finance
207 Program as provided in s. 1011.62 and the General Appropriations
208 Act, including gross state and local funds, discretionary
209 lottery funds, and funds from the school district’s current
210 operating discretionary millage levy; divided by total funded
211 weighted full-time equivalent students in the school district;
212 multiplied by the weighted full-time equivalent students for the
213 charter school. Charter schools whose students or programs meet
214 the eligibility criteria in law are shall be entitled to their
215 proportionate share of categorical program funds included in the
216 total funds available in the Florida Education Finance Program
217 by the Legislature, including transportation and the Florida
218 digital classrooms allocation. Total funding for each charter
219 school shall be recalculated during the year to reflect the
220 revised calculations under the Florida Education Finance Program
221 by the state and the actual weighted full-time equivalent
222 students reported by the charter school during the full-time
223 equivalent student survey periods designated by the Commissioner
224 of Education.
225 (27) FINDINGS AND INTENT REGARDING CHILDREN OF MILITARY
226 FAMILIES.—
227 (a) The Legislature finds that:
228 1. Military families face unique challenges due to the
229 highly mobile nature of military service.
230 2. Among the many challenges military families face is
231 providing a high-quality education for their children without
232 disruption.
233 3. The state has a compelling interest in assisting the
234 development and enhancement of learning opportunities for
235 children of military families and addressing their unique needs.
236 (b) It is the intent of the Legislature that:
237 1. A framework is established to address the needs of
238 children of military families who, along with their families,
239 face unique challenges due to the highly mobile nature of
240 military service.
241 2. In establishing this framework, the Legislature finds it
242 necessary to encourage military installation commanders to
243 collaboratively work with the Commissioner of Education to
244 increase military family student achievement, which may include
245 the establishment of charter schools on military installations.
246 3. While the State Board of Education, through the
247 Commissioner of Education, shall supervise this collaboration,
248 the applicable school district shall operate and maintain
249 control over any school that is established on the military
250 installation.
251 Section 3. Section 1007.2616, Florida Statutes, is created
252 to read:
253 1007.2616 Computer and technology-related coding,
254 programming, and rapid prototype printing instruction.—
255 (1) Public schools may provide students in grades K-12
256 opportunities for learning computer coding and computer
257 programming. Such opportunities may include coding instruction
258 in elementary school and middle school, instruction to develop
259 students’ computer usage and digital literacy skills in middle
260 school, and courses in computer coding and computer programming
261 in high school, including earning related industry
262 certifications.
263 (2) Elementary schools and middle schools may establish
264 digital classrooms in which students are provided opportunities
265 to improve digital literacy and competency; to learn digital
266 skills, such as coding, multiple media presentation, and the
267 manipulation of multiple digital graphic images; and to earn
268 digital tools, such as recognitions and certifications pursuant
269 to s. 1003.4203 and grade-appropriate, technology-related
270 industry certifications.
271 (3) High schools may provide students with opportunities to
272 take computer programming courses to satisfy high school
273 graduation requirements, including, but not limited to, the
274 following:
275 (a) High school computer programming courses of sufficient
276 rigor, as identified by the commissioner, such that one credit
277 in computer programming language and the earning of related
278 industry certifications constitute the equivalent of one credit
279 of mathematics requirement, with the exception of Algebra I, or
280 science requirement, with the exception of Biology I, for high
281 school graduation. Computer programming language courses and
282 technology-related industry certifications which are identified
283 as eligible for meeting mathematics or science requirements for
284 high school graduation shall be included in the Course Code
285 Directory.
286 (b) High school computer technology courses in 3D rapid
287 prototype printing of sufficient rigor, as identified by the
288 commissioner, such that one or more credits in such courses and
289 related industry certifications earned may satisfy up to two
290 credits of mathematics required for high school graduation.
291 Computer technology courses in 3D rapid prototype printing and
292 related industry certifications which are identified as eligible
293 for meeting mathematics requirements for high school graduation
294 shall be included in the Course Code Directory.
295 (c) Courses in computer programming language, such that one
296 credit, at the discretion of the local district school board,
297 may satisfy one credit in physical education which is required
298 for high school graduation.
299 (4) The State Board of Education may adopt rules pursuant
300 to ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54 to administer this section.
301 Section 4. This act shall take effect July 1, 2014.