Florida Senate - 2015                                    SB 1474
       
       
        
       By Senator Legg
       
       
       
       
       
       17-01180A-15                                          20151474__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to district school boards; amending s.
    3         1001.41, F.S.; requiring district school boards to
    4         adopt a strategic plan; amending s. 1001.42, F.S.;
    5         revising standards of ethical conduct for
    6         instructional personnel and school administrators to
    7         apply to certain administrative personnel and school
    8         officers; providing an effective date.
    9          
   10  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   11  
   12         Section 1. Subsection (8) is added to section 1001.41,
   13  Florida Statutes, to read:
   14         1001.41 General powers of district school board.—The
   15  district school board, after considering recommendations
   16  submitted by the district school superintendent, shall exercise
   17  the following general powers:
   18         (8) Adopt a strategic plan consistent with the school
   19  board’s mission and long-term goals.
   20         Section 2. Subsection (6) of section 1001.42, Florida
   21  Statutes, is amended to read:
   22         1001.42 Powers and duties of district school board.—The
   23  district school board, acting as a board, shall exercise all
   24  powers and perform all duties listed below:
   25         (6) STANDARDS OF ETHICAL CONDUCT FOR INSTRUCTIONAL
   26  PERSONNEL, ADMINISTRATIVE PERSONNEL, AND SCHOOL OFFICERS
   27  ADMINISTRATORS.—Adopt policies establishing standards of ethical
   28  conduct for instructional personnel and school administrators.
   29  The policies must require all instructional personnel,
   30  administrative personnel and school administrators, and school
   31  officers, as defined in s. 1012.01, to complete training on the
   32  standards; establish the duty of instructional personnel,
   33  administrative personnel, and school officers administrators to
   34  report, and procedures for reporting, alleged misconduct by
   35  other instructional or administrative personnel and school
   36  officers school administrators which affects the health, safety,
   37  or welfare of a student; and include an explanation of the
   38  liability protections provided under ss. 39.203 and 768.095. A
   39  district school board, or any of its employees, may not enter
   40  into a confidentiality agreement regarding terminated or
   41  dismissed instructional or administrative personnel or school
   42  officers administrators, or personnel, or administrators, or
   43  school officers who resign in lieu of termination, based in
   44  whole or in part on misconduct that affects the health, safety,
   45  or welfare of a student, and may not provide instructional or
   46  administrative personnel or school officers administrators with
   47  employment references or discuss the personnel’s or school
   48  officers’ administrators’ performance with prospective employers
   49  in another educational setting, without disclosing the
   50  personnel’s or school officers’ administrators’ misconduct. Any
   51  part of an agreement or contract that has the purpose or effect
   52  of concealing misconduct by instructional or administrative
   53  personnel or school officers administrators which affects the
   54  health, safety, or welfare of a student is void, is contrary to
   55  public policy, and may not be enforced.
   56         Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2015.