Florida Senate - 2017 PROPOSED COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE
Bill No. SB 1710
Ì613868TÎ613868
576-04123-17
Proposed Committee Substitute by the Committee on Appropriations
(Appropriations Subcommittee on Pre-K - 12 Education)
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to education; creating s. 683.1455,
3 F.S.; designating the month of September as “American
4 Founders’ Month”; amending s. 1000.03, F.S.; revising
5 the priorities of Florida’s K-20 education system;
6 amending s. 1001.215, F.S.; revising the duties of the
7 Just Read, Florida! Office to include developing and
8 providing access to certain resources for elementary
9 schools; amending s. 1003.44, F.S.; encouraging
10 schools to provide certain instruction; amending s.
11 1007.25, F.S.; requiring postsecondary students to
12 demonstrate civic literacy; requiring the chairs of
13 the State Board of Education and the Board of
14 Governors to jointly appoint a faculty committee to
15 develop a civic literacy course, or revise an existing
16 general education core course, and establish the
17 course competencies; amending ss. 943.22 and 1001.64,
18 F.S.; conforming cross-references; providing an
19 effective date.
20
21 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
22
23 Section 1. Section 683.1455, Florida Statutes, is created
24 to read:
25 683.1455 American Founders’ Month.—
26 (1) The month of September of each year is designated as
27 “American Founders’ Month.”
28 (2) The Governor may annually issue a proclamation
29 designating the month of September as “American Founders’ Month”
30 and urging all civic, fraternal, and religious organizations and
31 public and private educational institutions to recognize and
32 observe this occasion through appropriate programs, meetings,
33 services, or celebrations in which state, county, and local
34 governmental officials are invited to participate.
35 Section 2. Present paragraphs (c) through (g) of subsection
36 (5) of section 1000.03, Florida Statutes, are redesignated as
37 paragraphs (d) through (h), respectively, and a new paragraph
38 (c) is added to that subsection, to read:
39 1000.03 Function, mission, and goals of the Florida K-20
40 education system.—
41 (5) The priorities of Florida’s K-20 education system
42 include:
43 (c) Civic literacy.—Students are prepared to become
44 civically engaged and knowledgeable adults who make positive
45 contributions to their communities.
46 Section 3. Present subsections (4) through (11) of section
47 1001.215, Florida Statutes, are redesignated as subsections (5)
48 through (12), respectively, and a new subsection (4) is added to
49 that section, to read:
50 1001.215 Just Read, Florida! Office.—There is created in
51 the Department of Education the Just Read, Florida! Office. The
52 office shall be fully accountable to the Commissioner of
53 Education and shall:
54 (4) Develop and provide access to sequenced, content-rich
55 curriculum programming, instructional practices, and resources
56 that help elementary schools use state-adopted instructional
57 materials to increase students’ core knowledge and literacy
58 skills, including student attainment of the Next Generation
59 Sunshine State Standards for social studies, science, and the
60 arts.
61 Section 4. Subsection (3) is added to section 1003.44,
62 Florida Statutes, to read:
63 1003.44 Patriotic programs; rules.—
64 (3) All public schools in the state are encouraged to
65 coordinate, at all grade levels, instruction related to our
66 nation’s Founding Fathers with “American Founders’ Month”
67 pursuant to s. 683.1455.
68 Section 5. Present subsections (4) through (11) of section
69 1007.25, Florida Statutes, are redesignated as subsections (5)
70 through (12), respectively, and a new subsection (4) is added to
71 that section, to read:
72 1007.25 General education courses; common prerequisites;
73 other degree requirements.—
74 (4) Beginning with students initially entering a Florida
75 College System institution or state university in 2018-2019 and
76 thereafter, each student must demonstrate competency in civic
77 literacy. A student must have the option to demonstrate
78 competency through successful completion of a civic literacy
79 course or by achieving a passing score on an assessment. The
80 State Board of Education must adopt in rule and the Board of
81 Governors must adopt in regulation at least one existing
82 assessment that measures competencies consistent with the
83 required course competencies outlined in paragraph (b). The
84 chair of the State Board of Education and the chair of the Board
85 of Governors, or their respective designees, shall jointly
86 appoint a faculty committee to:
87 (a) Develop a new course in civic literacy or revise an
88 existing general education core course in American History or
89 American Government to include civic literacy; and
90 (b) Establish course competencies and identify outcomes
91 that include, at a minimum, an understanding of the basic
92 principles of American democracy and how they are applied in our
93 republican form of government, an understanding of the United
94 States Constitution, knowledge of the founding documents and how
95 they have shaped the nature and functions of our institutions of
96 self-governance, and an understanding of landmark Supreme Court
97 cases and their impact on law and society.
98 Section 6. Paragraph (c) of subsection (1) of section
99 943.22, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
100 943.22 Salary incentive program for full-time officers.—
101 (1) For the purpose of this section, the term:
102 (c) “Community college degree or equivalent” means
103 graduation from an accredited community college or having been
104 granted a degree pursuant to s. 1007.25(11) s. 1007.25(10) or
105 successful completion of 60 semester hours or 90 quarter hours
106 and eligibility to receive an associate degree from an
107 accredited college, university, or community college.
108 Section 7. Subsection (7) and paragraph (d) of subsection
109 (8) of section 1001.64, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
110 1001.64 Florida College System institution boards of
111 trustees; powers and duties.—
112 (7) Each board of trustees has responsibility for: ensuring
113 that students have access to general education courses as
114 identified in rule; requiring no more than 60 semester hours of
115 degree program coursework, including 36 semester hours of
116 general education coursework, for an associate in arts degree;
117 notifying students that earned hours in excess of 60 semester
118 hours may not be accepted by state universities; notifying
119 students of unique program prerequisites; and ensuring that
120 degree program coursework beyond general education coursework is
121 consistent with degree program prerequisite requirements adopted
122 pursuant to s. 1007.25(6) s. 1007.25(5).
123 (8) Each board of trustees has authority for policies
124 related to students, enrollment of students, student records,
125 student activities, financial assistance, and other student
126 services.
127 (d) Boards of trustees shall identify their general
128 education curricula pursuant to s. 1007.25(7) s. 1007.25(6).
129 Section 8. This act shall take effect July 1, 2017.