Florida Senate - 2017 SB 806
By Senator Stargel
22-01096-17 2017806__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to the Committee on Early Grade
3 Success; creating the Committee on Early Grade Success
4 within the Department of Education; specifying
5 committee purpose; requiring the committee to develop
6 a proposal for specified purposes; providing proposal
7 requirements; providing for membership of the
8 committee; providing requirements for electing a
9 committee chair and vice chair; providing committee
10 meeting requirements; requiring the University of
11 Florida Lastinger Center for Learning to provide
12 necessary staff for the committee; requiring the
13 committee to submit a report by a specified date;
14 providing for the expiration of the committee;
15 authorizing rulemaking; providing an effective date.
16
17 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
18
19 Section 1. Committee on Early Grade Success.—The Committee
20 on Early Grade Success, a committee as defined in s. 20.03,
21 Florida Statutes, is created within the Department of Education
22 to develop a proposal for establishing and implementing a
23 coordinated child assessment system for the School Readiness
24 Program, the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program, and
25 the Kindergarten Readiness Assessment and, except as otherwise
26 provided in this section, shall operate consistent with s.
27 20.052, Florida Statutes.
28 (1) The committee’s proposal must include legislative
29 recommendations for the design and implementation of a
30 coordinated child assessment system, including, but not limited
31 to:
32 (a) The purpose of a child assessment, with a focus on
33 developmentally appropriate learning gains.
34 (b) Attributes for tool selection that provide guidance on
35 procurement policies.
36 (c) An implementation schedule and protocols, including the
37 frequency of data collection and a timeline for training to
38 ensure reliability of the system.
39 (d) The methodology for collecting and analyzing data that
40 define reporting requirements.
41 (e) A budget for the system, including cost analyses for
42 purchasing materials and the necessary technology, training to
43 ensure reliability, and data system management.
44 (f) Considerations for student privacy and tracking child
45 development over time.
46 (2) The committee is composed of 15 members who are
47 residents of the state and appointed as follows:
48 (a) Three members appointed by the Governor:
49 1. One representative from the Office of Early Learning.
50 2. One representative from the Department of Education.
51 3. One parent of a child who is 3 to 6 years of age.
52 (b) Twelve members jointly appointed by the President of
53 the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives:
54 1. One representative of an urban school district.
55 2. One representative of a rural school district.
56 3. One representative of an urban early learning coalition.
57 4. One representative of a rural early learning coalition.
58 5. One representative of an early learning provider.
59 6. One representative of a faith-based early learning
60 provider.
61 7. One representative who is a kindergarten teacher with at
62 least 5 years of teaching experience.
63 8. One representative who is a school principal.
64 9. Four representatives with subject matter expertise in
65 early learning, early grade success, or child assessments. The
66 four representatives may not be direct stakeholders within the
67 early learning or public school systems or potential recipients
68 of a contract resulting from the committee’s proposal.
69 (3) The committee shall elect a chair and vice chair. The
70 chair must be one of the four members with subject matter
71 expertise in early learning, early grade success, or child
72 assessments. The vice chair must be a member appointed by the
73 President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of
74 Representatives, who is not one of the four members who are
75 subject matter experts in early learning, early grade success,
76 or child assessments. Members of the committee shall serve
77 without compensation but are entitled to reimbursement for per
78 diem and travel expenses pursuant to s. 112.061, Florida
79 Statutes.
80 (4) The committee must meet at least three times and shall
81 meet by teleconference or other electronic means, if possible,
82 to reduce costs.
83 (5) A majority of the members constitutes a quorum.
84 (6) The University of Florida Lastinger Center for Learning
85 shall provide the committee with staff necessary to assist the
86 committee in the performance of its duties.
87 (7) The committee shall submit a report of its findings and
88 recommendations to the Governor, the President of the Senate,
89 and the Speaker of the House of Representatives by December 1,
90 2017. Upon submission of the report, the committee shall expire.
91 (8) The State Board of Education may adopt rules to
92 implement and administer this section.
93 Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2017.