Florida Senate - 2016                                     SB 806
       
       
        
       By Senator Legg
       
       
       
       
       
       17-00160-16                                            2016806__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to instruction for homebound and
    3         hospitalized students; amending s. 1003.57, F.S.;
    4         requiring school districts to provide instruction to
    5         homebound or hospitalized students; requiring the
    6         State Board of Education to adopt rules related to
    7         student eligibility, methods of providing instruction
    8         to homebound or hospitalized students, and the
    9         initiation of services; requiring the department to
   10         develop a standard agreement for school districts;
   11         requiring each school district to enter into an
   12         agreement with certain hospitals within its district
   13         by a specified date; providing an effective date.
   14          
   15  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   16  
   17         Section 1. Paragraph (b) of subsection (1) of section
   18  1003.57, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
   19         1003.57 Exceptional students instruction.—
   20         (1)
   21         (b) Each district school board shall provide for an
   22  appropriate program of special instruction, facilities, and
   23  services for exceptional students as prescribed by the State
   24  Board of Education as acceptable. Each district program must,
   25  including provisions that:
   26         1. The district school board Provide the necessary
   27  professional services for diagnosis and evaluation of
   28  exceptional students. At least once every 3 years, the district
   29  school board shall submit to the department its proposed
   30  procedures for the provision of special instruction and services
   31  for exceptional students.
   32         2. The district school board Provide the special
   33  instruction, classes, and services, either within the district
   34  school system, in cooperation with other district school
   35  systems, or through contractual arrangements with approved
   36  private schools or community facilities that meet standards
   37  established by the commissioner.
   38         3. The district school board Annually provide information
   39  describing the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind and all
   40  other programs and methods of instruction available to the
   41  parent of a sensory-impaired student.
   42         4. Provide instruction to homebound or hospitalized
   43  students in accordance with this section and rules adopted by
   44  the state board.
   45         a. The rules adopted by the state board must establish, at
   46  a minimum, the following:
   47         (I) Criteria to be used in determining the eligibility of
   48  K-12 homebound or hospitalized students for specially designed
   49  instruction.
   50         (II) Procedures for determining student eligibility.
   51         (III) A list of appropriate methods for providing
   52  instruction to homebound or hospitalized students.
   53         (IV) Requirements for providing instructional services for
   54  a homebound or hospitalized student once the student is
   55  determined to be eligible for such services. A school district
   56  must provide educational instruction to an eligible student who
   57  receives treatment in a children’s specialty hospital that is
   58  licensed under part I of chapter 395 and that is located within
   59  its district until the district is able to enter into an
   60  agreement with the school district where the student resides.
   61  The department shall develop a standard agreement for school
   62  districts to use in providing seamless educational instruction
   63  to a student who transitions between school districts while
   64  receiving services from a children’s specialty hospital.
   65         b. No later than August 15, 2016, each school district
   66  shall enter into an agreement with any children’s specialty
   67  hospital licensed under part I of chapter 395 and that is
   68  located within its district to establish a process by which the
   69  hospital must notify the school district of students who may be
   70  eligible for instruction consistent with this subparagraph and
   71  to establish the timelines for determining student eligibility
   72  and for providing educational instruction to eligible students
   73  The district school board, once every 3 years, submit to the
   74  department its proposed procedures for the provision of special
   75  instruction and services for exceptional students.
   76         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2016.