Florida Senate - 2017 SB 1710
By Senator Stargel
22-01277A-17 20171710__
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 adopted
80 in rule by the State Board of Education or in regulation by the
81 Board of Governors, as applicable. The chair of the State Board
82 of Education and the chair of the Board of Governors, or their
83 respective designees, shall jointly appoint a faculty committee
84 to:
85 (a) Develop a new course in civic literacy or revise an
86 existing general education core course; and
87 (b) Establish course competencies and identify outcomes
88 that include, at a minimum, an understanding of the basic
89 principles of American democracy and how they are applied in our
90 republican form of government, an understanding of the United
91 States Constitution, knowledge of the founding documents and how
92 they have shaped the nature and functions of our institutions of
93 self-governance, and an understanding of landmark Supreme Court
94 cases and their impact on law and society.
95 Section 6. Paragraph (c) of subsection (1) of section
96 943.22, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
97 943.22 Salary incentive program for full-time officers.—
98 (1) For the purpose of this section, the term:
99 (c) “Community college degree or equivalent” means
100 graduation from an accredited community college or having been
101 granted a degree pursuant to s. 1007.25(11) s. 1007.25(10) or
102 successful completion of 60 semester hours or 90 quarter hours
103 and eligibility to receive an associate degree from an
104 accredited college, university, or community college.
105 Section 7. Subsection (7) and paragraph (d) of subsection
106 (8) of section 1001.64, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
107 1001.64 Florida College System institution boards of
108 trustees; powers and duties.—
109 (7) Each board of trustees has responsibility for: ensuring
110 that students have access to general education courses as
111 identified in rule; requiring no more than 60 semester hours of
112 degree program coursework, including 36 semester hours of
113 general education coursework, for an associate in arts degree;
114 notifying students that earned hours in excess of 60 semester
115 hours may not be accepted by state universities; notifying
116 students of unique program prerequisites; and ensuring that
117 degree program coursework beyond general education coursework is
118 consistent with degree program prerequisite requirements adopted
119 pursuant to s. 1007.25(6) s. 1007.25(5).
120 (8) Each board of trustees has authority for policies
121 related to students, enrollment of students, student records,
122 student activities, financial assistance, and other student
123 services.
124 (d) Boards of trustees shall identify their general
125 education curricula pursuant to s. 1007.25(7) s. 1007.25(6).
126 Section 8. This act shall take effect July 1, 2017.