Florida Senate - 2020                        COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
       Bill No. CS for SB 1220
       
       
       
       
       
       
                                Ì181396FÎ181396                         
       
                              LEGISLATIVE ACTION                        
                    Senate             .             House              
                  Comm: RCS            .                                
                  02/26/2020           .                                
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       Appropriations Subcommittee on Education (Diaz) recommended the
       following:
       
    1         Senate Amendment (with title amendment)
    2  
    3         Delete everything after the enacting clause
    4  and insert:
    5         Section 1. Paragraph (b) of subsection (6) and paragraph
    6  (e) of subsection (10) of section 1002.33, Florida Statutes, is
    7  amended to read:
    8         1002.33 Charter schools.—
    9         (6) APPLICATION PROCESS AND REVIEW.—Charter school
   10  applications are subject to the following requirements:
   11         (b) A sponsor shall receive and review all applications for
   12  a charter school using the evaluation instrument developed by
   13  the Department of Education. A sponsor shall receive and
   14  consider charter school applications received during on or
   15  before August 1 of each calendar year for charter schools to be
   16  opened at the beginning of the school district’s next school
   17  year, or to be opened at a time determined agreed to by the
   18  applicant and the sponsor. A sponsor may not refuse to receive a
   19  charter school application submitted by an applicant during the
   20  calendar year. before August 1 and may receive an application
   21  submitted later than August 1 if it chooses. Beginning in 2018
   22  and thereafter, a sponsor shall receive and consider charter
   23  school applications received on or before February 1 of each
   24  calendar year for charter schools to be opened 18 months later
   25  at the beginning of the school district’s school year, or to be
   26  opened at a time determined by the applicant. A sponsor may not
   27  refuse to receive a charter school application submitted before
   28  February 1 and may receive an application submitted later than
   29  February 1 if it chooses. A sponsor may not charge an applicant
   30  for a charter any fee for the processing or consideration of an
   31  application, and a sponsor may not base its consideration or
   32  approval of a final application upon the promise of future
   33  payment of any kind. Before approving or denying any
   34  application, the sponsor shall allow the applicant, upon receipt
   35  of written notification, at least 7 calendar days to make
   36  technical or nonsubstantive corrections and clarifications,
   37  including, but not limited to, corrections of grammatical,
   38  typographical, and like errors or missing signatures, if such
   39  errors are identified by the sponsor as cause to deny the final
   40  application.
   41         1. In order to facilitate an accurate budget projection
   42  process, a sponsor shall be held harmless for FTE students who
   43  are not included in the FTE projection due to approval of
   44  charter school applications after the FTE projection deadline.
   45  In a further effort to facilitate an accurate budget projection,
   46  within 15 calendar days after receipt of a charter school
   47  application, a sponsor shall report to the Department of
   48  Education the name of the applicant entity, the proposed charter
   49  school location, and its projected FTE.
   50         2. In order to ensure fiscal responsibility, an application
   51  for a charter school shall include a full accounting of expected
   52  assets, a projection of expected sources and amounts of income,
   53  including income derived from projected student enrollments and
   54  from community support, and an expense projection that includes
   55  full accounting of the costs of operation, including start-up
   56  costs.
   57         3.a. A sponsor shall by a majority vote approve or deny an
   58  application no later than 90 calendar days after the application
   59  is received, unless the sponsor and the applicant mutually agree
   60  in writing to temporarily postpone the vote to a specific date,
   61  at which time the sponsor shall by a majority vote approve or
   62  deny the application. If the sponsor fails to act on the
   63  application, an applicant may appeal to the State Board of
   64  Education as provided in paragraph (c). If an application is
   65  denied, the sponsor shall, within 10 calendar days after such
   66  denial, articulate in writing the specific reasons, based upon
   67  good cause, supporting its denial of the application and shall
   68  provide the letter of denial and supporting documentation to the
   69  applicant and to the Department of Education.
   70         b. An application submitted by a high-performing charter
   71  school identified pursuant to s. 1002.331 or a high-performing
   72  charter school system identified pursuant to s. 1002.332 may be
   73  denied by the sponsor only if the sponsor demonstrates by clear
   74  and convincing evidence that:
   75         (I) The application of a high-performing charter school
   76  does not materially comply with the requirements in paragraph
   77  (a) or, for a high-performing charter school system, the
   78  application does not materially comply with s. 1002.332(2)(b);
   79         (II) The charter school proposed in the application does
   80  not materially comply with the requirements in paragraphs
   81  (9)(a)-(f);
   82         (III) The proposed charter school’s educational program
   83  does not substantially replicate that of the applicant or one of
   84  the applicant’s high-performing charter schools;
   85         (IV) The applicant has made a material misrepresentation or
   86  false statement or concealed an essential or material fact
   87  during the application process; or
   88         (V) The proposed charter school’s educational program and
   89  financial management practices do not materially comply with the
   90  requirements of this section.
   91  
   92  Material noncompliance is a failure to follow requirements or a
   93  violation of prohibitions applicable to charter school
   94  applications, which failure is quantitatively or qualitatively
   95  significant either individually or when aggregated with other
   96  noncompliance. An applicant is considered to be replicating a
   97  high-performing charter school if the proposed school is
   98  substantially similar to at least one of the applicant’s high
   99  performing charter schools and the organization or individuals
  100  involved in the establishment and operation of the proposed
  101  school are significantly involved in the operation of replicated
  102  schools.
  103         c. If the sponsor denies an application submitted by a
  104  high-performing charter school or a high-performing charter
  105  school system, the sponsor must, within 10 calendar days after
  106  such denial, state in writing the specific reasons, based upon
  107  the criteria in sub-subparagraph b., supporting its denial of
  108  the application and must provide the letter of denial and
  109  supporting documentation to the applicant and to the Department
  110  of Education. The applicant may appeal the sponsor’s denial of
  111  the application in accordance with paragraph (c).
  112         4. For budget projection purposes, the sponsor shall report
  113  to the Department of Education the approval or denial of an
  114  application within 10 calendar days after such approval or
  115  denial. In the event of approval, the report to the Department
  116  of Education shall include the final projected FTE for the
  117  approved charter school.
  118         5. Upon approval of an application, the initial startup
  119  shall commence with the beginning of the public school calendar
  120  for the district in which the charter is granted. A charter
  121  school may defer the opening of the school’s operations for up
  122  to 3 years to provide time for adequate facility planning. The
  123  charter school must provide written notice of such intent to the
  124  sponsor and the parents of enrolled students at least 30
  125  calendar days before the first day of school.
  126         (10) ELIGIBLE STUDENTS.—
  127         (e) A charter school may limit the enrollment process only
  128  to target the following student populations:
  129         1. Students within specific age groups or grade levels.
  130         2. Students considered at risk of dropping out of school or
  131  academic failure. Such students shall include exceptional
  132  education students.
  133         3. Students enrolling in a charter school-in-the-workplace
  134  or charter school-in-a-municipality established pursuant to
  135  subsection (15).
  136         4. Students residing within a reasonable distance of the
  137  charter school, as described in paragraph (20)(c). Such students
  138  shall be subject to a random lottery and to the racial/ethnic
  139  balance provisions described in subparagraph (7)(a)8. or any
  140  federal provisions that require a school to achieve a
  141  racial/ethnic balance reflective of the community it serves or
  142  within the racial/ethnic range of other public schools in the
  143  same school district.
  144         5. Students who meet reasonable academic, artistic, or
  145  other eligibility standards established by the charter school
  146  and included in the charter school application and charter or,
  147  in the case of existing charter schools, standards that are
  148  consistent with the school’s mission and purpose. Such standards
  149  shall be in accordance with current state law and practice in
  150  public schools and may not discriminate against otherwise
  151  qualified individuals.
  152         6. Students articulating from one charter school to another
  153  pursuant to an articulation agreement between the charter
  154  schools that has been approved by the sponsor.
  155         7. Students living in a development in which a developer,
  156  including any affiliated business entity or charitable
  157  foundation, contributes to the formation, acquisition,
  158  construction, or operation of one or more charter schools or
  159  charter provides the school facilities facility and related
  160  property in an amount equal to or having a total an appraised
  161  value of at least $5 million to be used as a charter schools
  162  school to mitigate the educational impact created by the
  163  development of new residential dwelling units. Students living
  164  in the development are shall be entitled to no more than 50
  165  percent of the student stations in the charter schools school.
  166  The students who are eligible for enrollment are subject to a
  167  random lottery, the racial/ethnic balance provisions, or any
  168  federal provisions, as described in subparagraph 4. The
  169  remainder of the student stations must shall be filled in
  170  accordance with subparagraph 4.
  171         Section 2. Paragraph (b) of subsection (3), subsection (5),
  172  and paragraph (a) of subsection (11) of section 1002.394,
  173  Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
  174         1002.394 The Family Empowerment Scholarship Program.—
  175         (3) INITIAL SCHOLARSHIP ELIGIBILITY.—A student is eligible
  176  for a Family Empowerment Scholarship under this section if the
  177  student meets the following criteria:
  178         (b)1. The student is eligible to enroll in kindergarten or
  179  has spent the prior school year in attendance at a Florida
  180  public school; or
  181         2.Beginning with the 2020-2021 school year, the student
  182  received a scholarship pursuant to s. 1002.395 during the
  183  previous school year and, before initial receipt of such
  184  scholarship, spent the prior school year in attendance at a
  185  Florida public school.
  186  
  187  For purposes of this paragraph, the term prior school year in
  188  attendance means that the student was enrolled and reported by
  189  a school district for funding during the preceding October and
  190  February Florida Education Finance Program surveys in
  191  kindergarten through grade 12, which includes time spent in a
  192  Department of Juvenile Justice commitment program if funded
  193  under the Florida Education Finance Program. However, a
  194  dependent child of a member of the United States Armed Forces
  195  who transfers to a school in this state from out of state or
  196  from a foreign country due to a parent’s permanent change of
  197  station orders or a foster child is exempt from the prior public
  198  school attendance requirement under this paragraph, but must
  199  meet the other eligibility requirements specified under this
  200  section to participate in the program.
  201         (5) SCHOLARSHIP PROHIBITIONS.—A student is not eligible for
  202  a Family Empowerment Scholarship while he or she is:
  203         (a) Enrolled in a public school, including, but not limited
  204  to, the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind, the College
  205  Preparatory Boarding Academy, a developmental research school
  206  authorized under s. 1002.32, or a charter school authorized
  207  under this chapter;
  208         (b) Enrolled in a school operating for the purpose of
  209  providing educational services to youth in a Department of
  210  Juvenile Justice commitment program;
  211         (c) Receiving any other educational scholarship pursuant to
  212  this chapter;
  213         (d) Participating in a home education program as defined in
  214  s. 1002.01(1);
  215         (e) Participating in a private tutoring program pursuant to
  216  s. 1002.43; or
  217         (f) Participating in a virtual school, correspondence
  218  school, or distance learning program that receives state funding
  219  pursuant to the student’s participation, unless the
  220  participation is limited to no more than two courses per school
  221  year.
  222         (11) SCHOLARSHIP FUNDING AND PAYMENT.—
  223         (a) The scholarship is established for up to 18,000
  224  students annually on a first-come, first-served basis beginning
  225  in with the 2019-2020 school year. Beginning in the 2020-2021
  226  school year, the maximum number of students participating in the
  227  scholarship program under this section shall may annually
  228  increase by 1.0 0.25 percent of the state’s total public school
  229  student enrollment.
  230         Section 3. Subsection (3) and paragraph (e) of subsection
  231  (6) of section 1002.395, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
  232         1002.395 Florida Tax Credit Scholarship Program.—
  233         (3) PROGRAM; INITIAL SCHOLARSHIP ELIGIBILITY.—
  234         (a) The Florida Tax Credit Scholarship Program is
  235  established.
  236         (b) A student is eligible for a Florida tax credit
  237  scholarship under this section if the student meets one or more
  238  of the following criteria:
  239         1. The student is on the direct certification list or the
  240  student’s household income level does not exceed 260 185 percent
  241  of the federal poverty level; or
  242         2. The student is currently placed, or during the previous
  243  state fiscal year was placed, in foster care or in out-of-home
  244  care as defined in s. 39.01.
  245         3. The student’s household income level is greater than 185
  246  percent of the federal poverty level but does not exceed 260
  247  percent of the federal poverty level.
  248  
  249  Priority must be given to students whose household income levels
  250  do not exceed 185 percent of the federal poverty level or who
  251  are in foster care or out-of-home care. A student who initially
  252  receives a scholarship based on eligibility under this paragraph
  253  subparagraph (b)2. remains eligible to participate until he or
  254  she the student graduates from high school or attains the age of
  255  21 years, whichever occurs first, regardless of the student’s
  256  household income level. A student who initially received a
  257  scholarship based on income eligibility before the 2019-2020
  258  school year remains eligible to participate until he or she
  259  graduates from high school, attains the age of 21 years, or the
  260  student’s household income level exceeds 260 percent of the
  261  federal poverty level, whichever occurs first. A sibling of a
  262  student who is participating in the scholarship program under
  263  this subsection is eligible for a scholarship if the student
  264  resides in the same household as the sibling.
  265         (6) OBLIGATIONS OF ELIGIBLE NONPROFIT SCHOLARSHIP-FUNDING
  266  ORGANIZATIONS.—An eligible nonprofit scholarship-funding
  267  organization:
  268         (e) Must give first priority to eligible students who
  269  received a scholarship from an eligible nonprofit scholarship
  270  funding organization or from the State of Florida during the
  271  previous school year. Beginning in the 2016-2017 school year, an
  272  eligible nonprofit scholarship-funding organization shall give
  273  priority to new applicants whose household income levels do not
  274  exceed 185 percent of the federal poverty level or who are in
  275  foster care or out-of-home care.
  276  
  277  Information and documentation provided to the Department of
  278  Education and the Auditor General relating to the identity of a
  279  taxpayer that provides an eligible contribution under this
  280  section shall remain confidential at all times in accordance
  281  with s. 213.053.
  282         Section 4. Paragraph (b) of subsection (2) of section
  283  1004.04, Florida Statutes, is amended, paragraph (b) of
  284  subsection (3) of that section is amended, paragraphs (d) and
  285  (e) of subsection (3) of that section are added, and paragraph
  286  (a) of subsection (4) of that section is amended, to read:
  287         1004.04 Public accountability and state approval for
  288  teacher preparation programs.—
  289         (2) UNIFORM CORE CURRICULA AND CANDIDATE ASSESSMENT.—
  290         (b) The rules to establish uniform core curricula for each
  291  state-approved teacher preparation program must include, but are
  292  not limited to, the following:
  293         1. Candidate instruction and assessment in the Florida
  294  Educator Accomplished Practices across content areas.
  295         2. The use of state-adopted content standards to guide
  296  curricula and instruction.
  297         3. Evidence-based Scientifically researched and evidence
  298  based reading instructional strategies that improve reading
  299  performance for all students, including explicit, systematic,
  300  and sequential approaches to teaching phonemic awareness,
  301  phonics, vocabulary, fluency, and text comprehension and
  302  multisensory intervention strategies.
  303         4. Content literacy and mathematics practices.
  304         5. Strategies appropriate for the instruction of English
  305  language learners.
  306         6. Strategies appropriate for the instruction of students
  307  with disabilities.
  308         7. Strategies to differentiate instruction based on student
  309  needs.
  310         8. The use of character-based classroom management.
  311         9.Mental health strategies and support.
  312         (3) INITIAL STATE PROGRAM APPROVAL.—
  313         (b) Each teacher preparation program approved by the
  314  Department of Education, as provided for by this section, shall
  315  require students, at a minimum, to meet, at a minimum, the
  316  following as prerequisites for admission into the program:
  317         1. Have a grade point average of at least 2.5 on a 4.0
  318  scale for the general education component of undergraduate
  319  studies or have completed the requirements for a baccalaureate
  320  degree with a minimum grade point average of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale
  321  from any college or university accredited by a regional
  322  accrediting association as defined by State Board of Education
  323  rule or any college or university otherwise approved pursuant to
  324  State Board of Education rule.
  325         2. Demonstrate mastery of general knowledge sufficient for
  326  entry into the program, including the ability to read, write,
  327  and perform in mathematics, by passing the General Knowledge
  328  Test of the Florida Teacher Certification Examination or, for a
  329  graduate level program, obtain a baccalaureate degree from an
  330  institution that is accredited or approved pursuant to the rules
  331  of the State Board of Education.
  332  
  333  Each teacher preparation program may waive these admissions
  334  requirements for up to 10 percent of the students admitted.
  335  Programs shall implement strategies to ensure that students
  336  admitted under a waiver receive assistance to demonstrate
  337  competencies to successfully meet requirements for certification
  338  and shall annually report to the Department of Education the
  339  status of each candidate admitted under such a waiver.
  340         (d) Each program must include the opportunity for the
  341  candidate to complete coursework to obtain a required
  342  endorsement in the candidate’s chosen teaching field.
  343         (e) Each program must include, in addition to the core
  344  standards for effective education, instruction in the training
  345  required of certified instructional personnel, including, but
  346  not limited to:
  347         1.Identification, intervention, and prevention of child
  348  abuse, abandonment, and neglect;
  349         2.Integration of technology into classroom teaching;
  350         3.Management, assessment, and monitoring of student
  351  learning and performance;
  352         4.Skills in classroom management, violence prevention,
  353  conflict resolution, and related areas;
  354         5.Developmental disabilities pursuant to s. 1012.582;
  355         6.Youth suicide awareness and prevention pursuant to s.
  356  1012.583; and
  357         7.Youth mental health awareness and assistance pursuant to
  358  s. 1012.584.
  359         (4) CONTINUED PROGRAM APPROVAL.—Continued approval of a
  360  teacher preparation program shall be based upon evidence that
  361  the program continues to implement the requirements for initial
  362  approval and upon significant, objective, and quantifiable
  363  measures of the program and the performance of the program
  364  completers.
  365         (a) The criteria for continued approval must include each
  366  of the following:
  367         1. Documentation from the program that each program
  368  candidate met the admission requirements provided in subsection
  369  (3).
  370         2. Documentation from the program that the program and each
  371  program completer have met the requirements provided in
  372  subsection (2).
  373         3. Evidence of performance in each of the following areas:
  374         a. Placement rate of program completers into instructional
  375  positions in Florida public schools and private schools, if
  376  available.
  377         b. Rate of retention for employed program completers in
  378  instructional positions in Florida public schools.
  379         c. Performance of students in prekindergarten through grade
  380  12 who are assigned to in-field program completers on statewide
  381  assessments using the results of the student learning growth
  382  formula adopted under s. 1012.34.
  383         d. Performance of students in prekindergarten through grade
  384  12 who are assigned to in-field program completers aggregated by
  385  student subgroup, as defined in the federal Elementary and
  386  Secondary Education Act (ESEA), 20 U.S.C. s.
  387  6311(b)(2)(C)(v)(II), as a measure of how well the program
  388  prepares teachers to work with a diverse population of students
  389  in a variety of settings in Florida public schools.
  390         e. Results of program completers’ annual evaluations in
  391  accordance with the timeline as set forth in s. 1012.34.
  392         f. Production of program completers in statewide critical
  393  teacher shortage areas as identified in s. 1012.07.
  394         4. Results of the program completers’ survey measuring
  395  their satisfaction with preparation for the realities of the
  396  classroom.
  397         5. Results of the employers’ survey measuring satisfaction
  398  with the program and the program’s responsiveness to local
  399  school districts. The survey must include the employer’s
  400  assessment of the student’s proficiency in the use of state
  401  adopted content standards and general preparation for the
  402  classroom.
  403         Section 5. Paragraph (a) of subsection (3) and subsection
  404  (5) of section 1004.85, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
  405         1004.85 Postsecondary educator preparation institutes.—
  406         (3) Educator preparation institutes approved pursuant to
  407  this section may offer competency-based certification programs
  408  specifically designed for noneducation major baccalaureate
  409  degree holders to enable program participants to meet the
  410  educator certification requirements of s. 1012.56. An educator
  411  preparation institute choosing to offer a competency-based
  412  certification program pursuant to the provisions of this section
  413  must implement a program previously approved by the Department
  414  of Education for this purpose or a program developed by the
  415  institute and approved by the department for this purpose.
  416  Approved programs shall be available for use by other approved
  417  educator preparation institutes.
  418         (a) Within 90 days after receipt of a request for approval,
  419  the Department of Education shall approve a preparation program
  420  pursuant to the requirements of this subsection or issue a
  421  statement of the deficiencies in the request for approval. The
  422  department shall approve a certification program if the
  423  institute provides evidence of the institute’s capacity to
  424  implement a competency-based program that includes each of the
  425  following:
  426         1.a. Participant instruction and assessment in the Florida
  427  Educator Accomplished Practices across content areas.
  428         b. The use of state-adopted student content standards to
  429  guide curriculum and instruction.
  430         c. Scientifically researched and evidence-based reading
  431  instructional strategies that improve reading performance for
  432  all students, including explicit, systematic, and sequential
  433  approaches to teaching phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary,
  434  fluency, and text comprehension and multisensory intervention
  435  strategies.
  436         d. Content literacy and mathematical practices.
  437         e. Strategies appropriate for instruction of English
  438  language learners.
  439         f. Strategies appropriate for instruction of students with
  440  disabilities.
  441         g. Strategies to differentiate instruction based on student
  442  needs.
  443         h. The use of character-based classroom management.
  444         2. An educational plan for each participant to meet
  445  certification requirements and demonstrate his or her ability to
  446  teach the subject area for which the participant is seeking
  447  certification, which is based on an assessment of his or her
  448  competency in the areas listed in subparagraph 1.
  449         3. Field experiences appropriate to the certification
  450  subject area specified in the educational plan with a diverse
  451  population of students in a variety of challenging environments,
  452  including, but not limited to, high-poverty schools, urban
  453  schools, and rural schools, under the supervision of qualified
  454  educators.
  455         4. A certification ombudsman to facilitate the process and
  456  procedures required for participants who complete the program to
  457  meet any requirements related to the background screening
  458  pursuant to s. 1012.32 and educator professional or temporary
  459  certification pursuant to s. 1012.56.
  460         5.The opportunity for a candidate to complete coursework
  461  to obtain a required endorsement in the candidate’s chosen
  462  teaching field.
  463         6. In addition to the core standards for effective
  464  education, instruction in the training required of certified
  465  instructional personnel, including, but not limited to:
  466         a.Identification, intervention, and prevention of child
  467  abuse, abandonment, and neglect;
  468         b.Integration of technology into classroom teaching;
  469         c.Management, assessment, and monitoring of student
  470  learning and performance;
  471         d.Skills in classroom management, violence prevention,
  472  conflict resolution, and related areas;
  473         e.Developmental disabilities pursuant to s. 1012.582;
  474         f.Youth suicide awareness and prevention pursuant to s.
  475  1012.583; and
  476         g.Youth mental health awareness and assistance pursuant to
  477  s. 1012.584.
  478         (5) Each institute approved pursuant to this section shall
  479  submit to the Department of Education annual performance
  480  evaluations that measure the effectiveness of the programs,
  481  including the pass rates of participants on all examinations
  482  required for teacher certification, employment rates,
  483  longitudinal retention rates, and satisfaction surveys of
  484  employers and candidates. The satisfaction surveys must be
  485  designed to measure the sufficient preparation of the educator
  486  for the student’s proficiency in the use of state-adopted
  487  content standards, the realities of the classroom, and the
  488  institute’s responsiveness to local school districts. These
  489  evaluations shall be used by the Department of Education for
  490  purposes of continued approval of an educator preparation
  491  institute’s certification program.
  492         Section 6. Paragraph (c) is added to subsection (3), and
  493  paragraphs (c) through (g) of that subsection are redesignated
  494  as paragraphs (d) through (h) of section 1008.22, to read:
  495         1008.22 Student assessment program for public schools.—
  496         (3) STATEWIDE, STANDARDIZED ASSESSMENT PROGRAM.—The
  497  Commissioner of Education shall design and implement a
  498  statewide, standardized assessment program aligned to the core
  499  curricular content established in the Next Generation Sunshine
  500  State Standards. The commissioner also must develop or select
  501  and implement a common battery of assessment tools that will be
  502  used in all juvenile justice education programs in the state.
  503  These tools must accurately measure the core curricular content
  504  established in the Next Generation Sunshine State Standards.
  505  Participation in the assessment program is mandatory for all
  506  school districts and all students attending public schools,
  507  including adult students seeking a standard high school diploma
  508  under s. 1003.4282 and students in Department of Juvenile
  509  Justice education programs, except as otherwise provided by law.
  510  If a student does not participate in the assessment program, the
  511  school district must notify the student's parent and provide the
  512  parent with information regarding the implications of such
  513  nonparticipation. The statewide, standardized assessment program
  514  shall be designed and implemented as follows:
  515         (c)Nationally recognized high school assessments.—
  516         1.Beginning with the 2020-2021 school year, each school
  517  district shall provide for the administration of the SAT or ACT
  518  to each public school student in grade 11 in the district,
  519  including students attending public high schools, alternative
  520  schools, and centers of the Department of Juvenile Justice.
  521         2.School districts must choose either the SAT or ACT for
  522  districtwide administration.
  523         3.Funding for the SAT and the ACT for all grade 11
  524  students shall be as provided in the General Appropriations Act.
  525         Section 7. Subsection (4) of section 1011.61, Florida
  526  Statutes, is amended to read:
  527         1011.61 Definitions.—Notwithstanding the provisions of s.
  528  1000.21, the following terms are defined as follows for the
  529  purposes of the Florida Education Finance Program:
  530         (4) The maximum value for funding a student in kindergarten
  531  through grade 12 or in a prekindergarten program for exceptional
  532  children as provided in s. 1003.21(1)(e) shall be the sum of the
  533  calculations in paragraphs (a), (b), and (c) as calculated by
  534  the department.
  535         (a) The sum of the student’s full-time equivalent student
  536  membership value for the school year or the equivalent derived
  537  from paragraphs (1)(a) and (b), subparagraph (1)(c)1., sub
  538  subparagraphs (1)(c)2.b. and c., subparagraph (1)(c)3., and
  539  subsection (2). If the sum is greater than 1.0, the full-time
  540  equivalent student membership value for each program or course
  541  shall be reduced by an equal proportion so that the student’s
  542  total full-time equivalent student membership value is equal to
  543  1.0.
  544         (b) If the result in paragraph (a) is less than 1.0 full
  545  time equivalent student and the student has full-time equivalent
  546  student enrollment pursuant to sub-sub-subparagraph
  547  (1)(c)1.b.(VIII), calculate an amount that is the lesser of the
  548  value in sub-sub-subparagraph (1)(c)1.b.(VIII) or the value of
  549  1.0 less the value in paragraph (a).
  550         (c) The full-time equivalent student enrollment value in
  551  sub-subparagraph (1)(c)2.a.
  552  
  553  A scholarship award provided to a student enrolled in the John
  554  M. McKay Scholarships for Students with Disabilities Program
  555  pursuant to s. 1002.39 or the Family Empowerment Scholarship
  556  Program pursuant to s. 1002.394 is not subject to the maximum
  557  value for funding a student under this subsection.
  558         Section 8. Paragraph (i) of subsection (1) of section
  559  1011.62, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
  560         1011.62 Funds for operation of schools.—If the annual
  561  allocation from the Florida Education Finance Program to each
  562  district for operation of schools is not determined in the
  563  annual appropriations act or the substantive bill implementing
  564  the annual appropriations act, it shall be determined as
  565  follows:
  566         (1) COMPUTATION OF THE BASIC AMOUNT TO BE INCLUDED FOR
  567  OPERATION.—The following procedure shall be followed in
  568  determining the annual allocation to each district for
  569  operation:
  570         (i) Calculation of full-time equivalent membership with
  571  respect to dual enrollment instruction.—
  572         1.Full-time equivalent students.—Students enrolled in dual
  573  enrollment instruction pursuant to s. 1007.271 may be included
  574  in calculations of full-time equivalent student memberships for
  575  basic programs for grades 9 through 12 by a district school
  576  board. Instructional time for dual enrollment may vary from 900
  577  hours; however, the full-time equivalent student membership
  578  value shall be subject to the provisions in s. 1011.61(4). Dual
  579  enrollment full-time equivalent student membership shall be
  580  calculated in an amount equal to the hours of instruction that
  581  would be necessary to earn the full-time equivalent student
  582  membership for an equivalent course if it were taught in the
  583  school district. Students in dual enrollment courses may also be
  584  calculated as the proportional shares of full-time equivalent
  585  enrollments they generate for a Florida College System
  586  institution or university conducting the dual enrollment
  587  instruction. Early admission students shall be considered dual
  588  enrollments for funding purposes. Students may be enrolled in
  589  dual enrollment instruction provided by an eligible independent
  590  college or university and may be included in calculations of
  591  full-time equivalent student memberships for basic programs for
  592  grades 9 through 12 by a district school board. However, those
  593  provisions of law which exempt dual enrolled and early admission
  594  students from payment of instructional materials and tuition and
  595  fees, including laboratory fees, shall not apply to students who
  596  select the option of enrolling in an eligible independent
  597  institution. An independent college or university, which is not
  598  for profit, is accredited by a regional or national accrediting
  599  agency recognized by the United States Department of Education,
  600  and confers degrees as defined in s. 1005.02 shall be eligible
  601  for inclusion in the dual enrollment or early admission program.
  602  Students enrolled in dual enrollment instruction shall be exempt
  603  from the payment of tuition and fees, including laboratory fees.
  604  No student enrolled in college credit mathematics or English
  605  dual enrollment instruction shall be funded as a dual enrollment
  606  unless the student has successfully completed the relevant
  607  section of the entry-level examination required pursuant to s.
  608  1008.30.
  609         2.Additional full-time equivalent student membership.—For
  610  students enrolled in a program pursuant to s. 1007.273, a value
  611  of 0.16 full-time equivalent student membership shall be
  612  calculated for each student who completes a general education
  613  core course through the dual enrollment program with a grade of
  614  “B” or better. For students who are not enrolled in a program
  615  pursuant to s. 1007.273, a value of 0.08 full-time equivalent
  616  student membership shall be calculated for each student who
  617  completes a general education core course through the dual
  618  enrollment program with a grade of “B” or better. In addition, a
  619  value of 0.3 full-time equivalent student membership shall be
  620  calculated for any student who receives an associate degree
  621  through the dual enrollment program with a 3.0 grade point
  622  average or better. This value shall be added to the total full
  623  time equivalent student membership in basic programs for grades
  624  9 through 12 in the subsequent fiscal year. This section shall
  625  be effective for credit earned by dually enrolled students for
  626  courses taken in the 2020-2021 school year and each school year
  627  thereafter. If the associate degree pursuant to this paragraph
  628  is earned in 2020-2021 following completion of courses taken in
  629  the 2020-2021 school year, then courses taken towards the degree
  630  as part of the dual enrollment program prior to 2020-2021 may
  631  not preclude eligibility for the 0.3 additional full-time
  632  equivalent student membership bonus. Each school district shall
  633  allocate at least 50 percent of the funds received from the dual
  634  enrollment bonus FTE funding, in accordance with this paragraph,
  635  to the schools that generated the funds to support student
  636  academic guidance and postsecondary readiness.
  637         3.Qualifying courses.—For the purposes of this paragraph,
  638  general education core courses are those that are identified in
  639  rule by the State Board of Education and in regulation by the
  640  Board of Governors pursuant to s. 1007.25(3).
  641         Section 9. Subsection (5) of section 1012.56, Florida
  642  Statutes, is amended to read:
  643         1012.56 Educator certification requirements.—
  644         (5) MASTERY OF SUBJECT AREA KNOWLEDGE.—Acceptable means of
  645  demonstrating mastery of subject area knowledge are:
  646         (a)For a subject requiring only a baccalaureate degree, a
  647  baccalaureate degree with a major in the subject area, conferred
  648  within the last 10 years from an accredited or approved
  649  institution as defined in rule 6A-4.003, Florida Administrative
  650  Code;
  651         (b)(a) For a subject requiring only a baccalaureate degree
  652  for which a Florida subject area examination has been developed,
  653  achievement of a passing score on the Florida-developed subject
  654  area examination specified in state board rule;
  655         (c)(b) For a subject for which a Florida subject area
  656  examination has not been developed, achievement of a passing
  657  score on a standardized examination specified in state board
  658  rule, including, but not limited to, passing scores on both the
  659  oral proficiency and written proficiency examinations
  660  administered by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign
  661  Languages;
  662         (d)(c) For a subject for which a Florida subject area
  663  examination has not been developed or a standardized examination
  664  has not been specified in state board rule, completion of the
  665  subject area specialization requirements specified in state
  666  board rule and verification of the attainment of the essential
  667  subject matter competencies by the district school
  668  superintendent of the employing school district or chief
  669  administrative officer of the employing state-supported or
  670  private school;
  671         (e)(d) For a subject requiring a master’s or higher degree,
  672  completion of the subject area specialization requirements
  673  specified in state board rule and achievement of a passing score
  674  on the Florida-developed subject area examination or a
  675  standardized examination specified in state board rule;
  676         (f)(e) Documentation of a valid professional standard
  677  teaching certificate issued by another state;
  678         (g)(f) Documentation of a valid certificate issued by the
  679  National Board for Professional Teaching Standards or a national
  680  educator credentialing board approved by the State Board of
  681  Education;
  682         (h)(g) Documentation of successful completion of a United
  683  States Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center
  684  program; or
  685         (i)(h) Documentation of a passing score on the Defense
  686  Language Proficiency Test (DLPT).
  687  
  688  School districts are encouraged to provide mechanisms for middle
  689  grades teachers holding only a K-6 teaching certificate to
  690  obtain a subject area coverage for middle grades through
  691  postsecondary coursework or district add-on certification.
  692         Section 10. Paragraph (g) is added to subsection (3) of
  693  section 1012.585, Florida Statutes, to read:
  694         1012.585 Process for renewal of professional certificates.—
  695         (3) For the renewal of a professional certificate, the
  696  following requirements must be met:
  697         (g)A teacher may earn inservice points only once during
  698  each 5-year validity period for any mandatory training topic
  699  that is not linked to student learning or professional growth.
  700         Section 11. Subsections (5), (6), and (9) of section
  701  1012.79, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
  702         1012.79 Education Practices Commission; organization.—
  703         (5) The Commissioner of Education, with the advice and
  704  consent of the commission chair, is responsible for appointing,
  705  and may remove, commission, by a vote of three-fourths of the
  706  membership, shall employ an executive director, who shall be
  707  exempt from career service. The executive director shall have
  708  administrative duties, as determined by the Commissioner of
  709  Education. The executive director may not impact or influence
  710  decisions of the commission. The executive director may be
  711  dismissed by a majority vote of the membership.
  712         (6)(a) The commission shall be assigned to the Department
  713  of Education for administrative and fiscal accountability
  714  purposes. The commission, in the performance of its powers and
  715  duties, shall not be subject to control, supervision, or
  716  direction by the Department of Education.
  717         (b) The property, personnel, and appropriations related to
  718  the specified authority, powers, duties, and responsibilities of
  719  the commission shall be provided to the commission by the
  720  Department of Education.
  721         (9) The commission shall make such expenditures as may be
  722  necessary in exercising its authority and powers and carrying
  723  out its duties and responsibilities, including expenditures for
  724  personal services, legal services general counsel or access to
  725  counsel, and rent at the seat of government and elsewhere; for
  726  books of reference, periodicals, furniture, equipment, and
  727  supplies; and for printing and binding. The expenditures of the
  728  commission shall be subject to the powers and duties of the
  729  Department of Financial Services as provided in s. 17.03.
  730         Section 12. Subsection (5) of section 1012.98, Florida
  731  Statutes, is amended, and subsections (13), (14), and (15) are
  732  added to that section, to read:
  733         1012.98 School Community Professional Development Act.—
  734         (5) Each district school board shall provide funding for
  735  the professional development system as required by s. 1011.62
  736  and the General Appropriations Act, and shall direct
  737  expenditures from other funding sources to continuously
  738  strengthen the system in order to increase student achievement
  739  and support instructional staff in enhancing rigor and relevance
  740  in the classroom. Each district school board shall calculate a
  741  proportionate share of professional development funds for each
  742  classroom teacher and allow each classroom teacher to use up to
  743  25 percent of the proportionate share on professional
  744  development that addresses the academic needs of students or an
  745  identified area of professional growth for the classroom
  746  teacher. The department shall identify professional development
  747  opportunities that require the classroom teacher to demonstrate
  748  proficiency in a specific classroom practice. A school district
  749  may coordinate its professional development program with that of
  750  another district, with an educational consortium, or with a
  751  Florida College System institution or university, especially in
  752  preparing and educating personnel. Each district school board
  753  shall make available inservice activities to instructional
  754  personnel of nonpublic schools in the district and the state
  755  certified teachers who are not employed by the district school
  756  board on a fee basis not to exceed the cost of the activity per
  757  all participants.
  758         (13) To assist school district planning for required
  759  teacher professional development, by August 1, 2020, the
  760  department shall develop a model annual and 5-year calendar that
  761  incorporates all state-required professional development. No
  762  later than January 1, 2021, school districts shall develop an
  763  annual and a 5-year calendar of professional development for
  764  inclusion in the professional development system approved by the
  765  department pursuant to subsection (4).
  766         (14)The department shall develop and maintain a statewide
  767  registry of approved professional development providers and
  768  professional development activities for use by teachers in this
  769  state. The registry is intended to provide educators with high
  770  quality professional development opportunities in addition to
  771  those offered by an entity specified in subsection (1).
  772         (a) Any professional development provider seeking to be
  773  added to the registry must complete an application developed by
  774  the department. Approved providers are responsible for notifying
  775  the department of any changes to the provider or approved
  776  activities using an update form developed by the department. The
  777  approval form must include, but is not limited to, requirements
  778  that the provider specify:
  779         1. Compliance with this section.
  780         2. The alignment of professional development activities
  781  with professional development standards adopted by the state
  782  board in rule and standards adopted by the National Staff
  783  Development Council.
  784         3.Professional development activities offered by the
  785  provider.
  786         4.Qualifications of instructors for the professional
  787  development activities to be approved.
  788         (b)Providers specified in subsection (1), as well as
  789  providers approved by such entities, are not required to seek
  790  department approval to offer professional development activities
  791  and are not required to be added to the registry. However, such
  792  providers that wish to offer statewide professional development
  793  opportunities may seek department approval and be added to the
  794  registry.
  795         (c)Providers approved by the department must maintain
  796  information that includes, but is not limited to, the
  797  professional development activity, date of the activity, hours
  798  of instruction, and instructor, if applicable. The approved
  799  provider must provide such information to each participant.
  800         (d)The department shall review the professional
  801  development provider application for compliance with
  802  requirements. The department must inform the provider in writing
  803  within 90 days after submission of an application regarding the
  804  approval or denial of the provider. The approval is valid for a
  805  period not to exceed 5 years, after which the provider must
  806  reapply.
  807         1.Each school district shall accept an approved
  808  professional development activity on the registry toward meeting
  809  the requirements of s. 1012.585(3).
  810         2.The department shall determine the number of inservice
  811  hours to be awarded for completion of each specified
  812  professional development activity.
  813         (15)There is created the Professional Development Choice
  814  Pilot Program to be administered by the department for a period
  815  of 3 years, subject to legislative appropriation. The purpose of
  816  the pilot program is to provide grants to eligible teachers to
  817  select professional learning opportunities that best meet each
  818  teacher’s individual needs.
  819         (a)A teacher may use a pilot program grant for
  820  professional development approved by a school district or by a
  821  provider approved by the department pursuant to subsection (14).
  822         1.Professional development must be aligned with the
  823  standards adopted by the state board in rule and standards
  824  adopted by the National Staff Development Council.
  825         2.Training completed under this subsection must comply
  826  with and satisfy the requirements of s. 1012.585(3).
  827         3. Professional learning activities may include, but are
  828  not limited to, in-person or online training; travel and
  829  registration for conferences or workshops; college credit
  830  courses; and district professional development certification and
  831  education competency programs.
  832         (b)To be eligible for a pilot program grant, an individual
  833  must:
  834         1.Hold a professional certificate issued pursuant to s.
  835  1012.56(7)(a);
  836         2. Be employed as a classroom teacher, as defined in s.
  837  1012.01(2)(a), excluding substitute teachers, by a district
  838  school board or by a charter school; and
  839         3.Apply for a grant in a format determined by the
  840  department. The application must require an applicant to
  841  describe how the professional development activity relates to
  842  and will improve instruction in the classroom.
  843         (c)Each classroom teacher eligible under paragraph (b) may
  844  receive a reimbursement for training pursuant to paragraph (a).
  845  The reimbursement for each teacher participating in the pilot
  846  program may not exceed $500 per school year. Each classroom
  847  teacher is eligible for one grant per school year. The pilot
  848  program grants must be awarded on a first-come, first-served
  849  basis.
  850         (d)Each school district shall:
  851         1.Review a proposed professional development activity to
  852  determine alignment with district and individual professional
  853  development plans and determine the number of inservice credit
  854  hours to be awarded; and
  855         2. Approve any professional development opportunity
  856  included on the department’s registry pursuant to subsection
  857  (13).
  858         (e)The department shall:
  859         1.Maintain a registry of approved providers and
  860  professional development activities pursuant to subsection (14).
  861         2.Establish, no later than August 1, 2020, a grant
  862  application form.
  863         Section 13. Section 1012.981, Florida Statutes, is created
  864  to read:
  865         1012.981 Professional Education Excellence Resources Pilot
  866  Program.—
  867         (1)There is established the Professional Education
  868  Excellence Resources (PEER) Pilot Program, administered by the
  869  department, to provide school district flexibility to increase
  870  opportunities for professional learning, collaboration with
  871  teachers and leaders, and teacher leadership.
  872         (2) The PEER Pilot Program is established in Clay, Palm
  873  Beach, Pinellas, and Walton Counties.
  874         (3)Participating school districts implementing the PEER
  875  Pilot Program may:
  876         (a)Extend the contract day or the contract year, or both,
  877  for participating teachers for professional development,
  878  collaboration with colleagues, or instructional coaching. A
  879  participating school district that chooses to extend the
  880  contract day or year must, before the start of the 2020-2021
  881  school year, negotiate with the certified collective bargaining
  882  unit for instructional personnel a memorandum of understanding
  883  that addresses the additional duty hours in a week or duty days
  884  in a school year and additional payments based on the salary
  885  scale of the district to teachers who participate in the pilot
  886  program.
  887         (b)Use program funds to:
  888         1.Compensate teachers who are assigned to an extended
  889  school day or school year pursuant to paragraph (a).
  890         2.Hire additional instructional personnel to provide
  891  teachers with additional planning periods or other release time
  892  to complete professional development, collaborate with
  893  colleagues, or perform other appropriate activities.
  894         3.Provide content area specialists to provide support for
  895  teachers’ individual needs and professional growth.
  896         4.Provide instructional coaches for participating
  897  teachers.
  898         5.Provide professional development opportunities.
  899         (4)School districts participating in the pilot program
  900  must collaborate with the department, postsecondary educational
  901  institutions, regional education consortia, the University of
  902  Florida Lastinger Center, or other appropriate organizations to
  903  develop high-quality online professional development
  904  opportunities accessible to instructional personnel statewide.
  905  Such online professional development must:
  906         (a)Be self-paced and available to teachers at any time.
  907         (b)Align with standards for professional development as
  908  described in state board rule.
  909         (c)Protect the private information of participants.
  910         (d)Satisfy requirements for renewal of an educator
  911  certificate.
  912         (e)Include online assessments with timely feedback to
  913  evaluate participant learning measured against program goals.
  914         (5)Participating school districts may use program funds to
  915  establish a master teacher program. The master teacher program
  916  provides accomplished teachers the opportunity to innovate and
  917  improve classroom practices, facilitate improved professional
  918  development, and improve instructional quality through
  919  collaboration with teachers and leaders. School districts shall
  920  determine the specific roles assigned to a master teacher.
  921         (a) Each master teacher program must include, but is not
  922  limited to:
  923         1. Providing release time for planning and meeting with
  924  teachers and leaders;
  925         2. Additional professional development opportunities, to
  926  include participation in local and national conferences or
  927  payments for college credit courses to increase skills or obtain
  928  a higher university degree; and
  929         3. Monetary compensation.
  930         (b)School districts may select for the master teacher
  931  program teachers who were rated highly effective in the previous
  932  school year and may determine other selection criteria, which
  933  may include, but are not limited to, information in performance
  934  evaluations, peer reviews, demonstration of content expertise,
  935  principal recommendation, or candidate interviews.
  936         (c)Each participating school district must collaborate
  937  with the department and with the University of Florida Lastinger
  938  Center to develop a master teacher academy to support
  939  instructional personnel statewide. The master teacher academy
  940  must:
  941         1. Provide recommendations for the selection, training, and
  942  support of district master teachers.
  943         2.Create a bank of online professional development tools
  944  that serve as exemplars for instructional best practices. Such
  945  content may include pedagogy, instructional delivery,
  946  professional learning communities, collaboration, personalized
  947  learning, teacher and student or parent conferencing, positive
  948  behavior supports, and using data to improve instruction.
  949         3.Provide instructional coaching for school-based leaders
  950  and principal supervisors. The content must focus on providing
  951  teachers with actionable feedback on performance.
  952         (6) Each school district participating in the PEER Pilot
  953  Program must annually, by August 1, report to the Governor, the
  954  President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of
  955  Representatives, and the department on the performance of the
  956  pilot program. Each report must include, but is not limited to:
  957         (a) The use of the pilot program funds.
  958         (b) The impact of the pilot program on student achievement.
  959         (c) The impact of the pilot program on teacher annual
  960  evaluations.
  961         (d) The results of satisfaction surveys given to pilot
  962  program participants.
  963         (e) Recommendations for continuation of the pilot program
  964  and for scaling the pilot program for statewide implementation.
  965         (7) The State Board of Education shall adopt rules to
  966  administer this section.
  967         (8) This section shall be implemented only to the extent
  968  specifically funded and authorized by law.
  969         Section 14.Pathways in Technology Early College High
  970  School (P-TECH) program.—
  971         (1)By December 1, 2020, the Commissioner of Education
  972  shall submit to the Governor, the President of the Senate, the
  973  Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Board of Governors,
  974  and the State Board of Education a report with recommendations
  975  that address the feasibility of implementing the Pathways in
  976  Technology Early College High School (P-TECH) program, or a
  977  similar program, in Florida. The P-TECH program must:
  978         (a)Incorporate secondary and postsecondary education with
  979  workforce education and work experience through a flexible 6
  980  year integrated model.
  981         (b) Allow students to earn a high school diploma, an
  982  associate degree, and applicable industry certifications and
  983  gain work experience within 6 years after enrolling in the 9th
  984  grade.
  985         (c) Have an open enrollment policy that encourages a
  986  diverse student body, including students from low-income
  987  families and first-generation college students.
  988         (d) Support student success through flexible class
  989  scheduling, advising and mentoring components, and other wrap
  990  around services.
  991         (e) Provide seamless articulation with Florida's
  992  postsecondary institutions.
  993         (2) The report must, at a minimum, include the following:
  994         (a) Timelines for implementing a P-TECH program, or a
  995  similar program, as described in subsection (1), including
  996  courses of study which support program completion in 4 to 6
  997  years and which meet regional workforce demand.
  998         (b) A funding model that provides the P-TECH program, or a
  999  similar program, at no cost to students. The funding model may
 1000  incorporate K-12, postsecondary, and workforce funding, grants,
 1001  scholarships, and other funding options.
 1002         (c) Partnerships with industries and businesses, which
 1003  include private investment, work-based training, internships,
 1004  and priority placement for job opportunities upon graduation.
 1005         (d) Recommendations for modifications, if any, to the
 1006  school and school district accountability requirements of s.
 1007  1008.34, Florida Statutes.
 1008         (3) This section shall take effect upon this act becoming a
 1009  law and shall expire on December 1, 2020.
 1010         Section 15. Subsection (1) of section 1012.586, Florida
 1011  Statutes, is amended to read:
 1012         1012.586 Additions or changes to certificates; duplicate
 1013  certificates.—A school district may process via a Department of
 1014  Education website certificates for the following applications of
 1015  public school employees:
 1016         (1) Addition of a subject coverage or endorsement to a
 1017  valid Florida certificate on the basis of the completion of the
 1018  appropriate subject area testing requirements of s.
 1019  1012.56(5)(b) s. 1012.56(5)(a) or the completion of the
 1020  requirements of an approved school district program or the
 1021  inservice components for an endorsement.
 1022         (a) To reduce duplication, the department may recommend the
 1023  consolidation of endorsement areas and requirements to the State
 1024  Board of Education.
 1025         (b) By July 1, 2018, and at least once every 5 years
 1026  thereafter, the department shall conduct a review of existing
 1027  subject coverage or endorsement requirements in the elementary,
 1028  reading, and exceptional student educational areas. The review
 1029  must include reciprocity requirements for out-of-state
 1030  certificates and requirements for demonstrating competency in
 1031  the reading instruction professional development topics listed
 1032  in s. 1012.98(4)(b)11. The review must also consider the award
 1033  of an endorsement to an individual who holds a certificate
 1034  issued by an internationally recognized organization that
 1035  establishes standards for providing evidence-based interventions
 1036  to struggling readers or who completes a postsecondary program
 1037  that is accredited by such organization. Any such certificate or
 1038  program must require an individual who completes the certificate
 1039  or program to demonstrate competence in reading intervention
 1040  strategies through clinical experience. At the conclusion of
 1041  each review, the department shall recommend to the state board
 1042  changes to the subject coverage or endorsement requirements
 1043  based upon any identified instruction or intervention strategies
 1044  proven to improve student reading performance. This paragraph
 1045  does not authorize the state board to establish any new
 1046  certification subject coverage.
 1047  
 1048         The employing school district shall charge the employee a
 1049  fee not to exceed the amount charged by the Department of
 1050  Education for such services. Each district school board shall
 1051  retain a portion of the fee as defined in the rules of the State
 1052  Board of Education. The portion sent to the department shall be
 1053  used for maintenance of the technology system, the web
 1054  application, and posting and mailing of the certificate.
 1055         Section 16. This act shall take effect July 1, 2020.
 1056  
 1057  ================= T I T L E  A M E N D M E N T ================
 1058  And the title is amended as follows:
 1059         Delete everything before the enacting clause
 1060  and insert:
 1061                        A bill to be entitled                      
 1062         An act relating to education; amending s. 1002.33,
 1063         F.S.; prohibiting sponsors from refusing to receive a
 1064         charter school application submitted during the
 1065         calendar year; authorizing charter schools to limit
 1066         the enrollment process to target certain additional
 1067         student populations; amending s. 1002.394, F.S.;
 1068         revising initial scholarship eligibility criteria for
 1069         the Family Empowerment Scholarship Program, beginning
 1070         with a specified school year; providing that
 1071         participation in certain virtual schools,
 1072         correspondence schools, or distance learning programs
 1073         does not make a student ineligible for a scholarship
 1074         under the program in certain circumstances; requiring,
 1075         rather than authorizing, an annual specified increase
 1076         in the maximum number of students participating in
 1077         such program; amending s. 1002.395, F.S.; revising
 1078         eligibility criteria for the Florida Tax Credit
 1079         Scholarship Program and applying the criteria only to
 1080         initial eligibility; requiring that priority be given
 1081         to students whose household incomes do not exceed a
 1082         specified amount; amending s. 1004.04, F.S.; requiring
 1083         that the rules to establish uniform core curricula for
 1084         each state-approved teacher preparation program
 1085         include evidence-based reading instructional
 1086         strategies and mental health strategies and support;
 1087         requiring state-approved teacher preparation programs
 1088         include opportunities to complete endorsements and
 1089         complete training required of instructional personnel;
 1090         removing admission requirements, and deleting a
 1091         provision allowing teacher preparation programs to
 1092         waive admission requirements for up to 10 percent of
 1093         the students admitted; requiring an assessment of
 1094         student proficiency is employer surveys; amending s.
 1095         1004.85, F.S.; expanding requirements for the
 1096         certification program of a postsecondary educator
 1097         preparation institute to be approved by the Department
 1098         of Education; amending s. 1008.22, F.S.; requiring
 1099         school districts to provide the SAT or ACT to grade 11
 1100         students beginning in a specified school year;
 1101         requiring school districts to choose which assessment
 1102         to administer; amending s. 1011.61, F.S.; providing
 1103         that a certain scholarship award is not subject to the
 1104         maximum value for funding a student under the Florida
 1105         Education Finance Program; amending s. 1011.62, F.S.;
 1106         changing the calculation of full-time equivalent
 1107         student membership for dual enrollment purposes;
 1108         amending s. 1012.56, F.S.; providing that for a
 1109         subject requiring only a baccalaureate degree, a
 1110         baccalaureate degree with a major in the subject area,
 1111         conferred within the last 10 years, is an acceptable
 1112         means of demonstrating mastery of subject area
 1113         knowledge; amending s. 1012.585, F.S.; specifying that
 1114         teachers may earn inservice points only once during a
 1115         certain time period for any mandatory training topic
 1116         not linked to student learning or professional growth;
 1117         amending s. 1012.79, F.S.; directing the Commissioner
 1118         of Education, with the advice and consent of the chair
 1119         of the Education Practices Commission, to appoint an
 1120         executive director who is exempt from career service
 1121         and may be removed by the commissioner; specifying
 1122         that the executive director will have administrative
 1123         duties, as determined by the commissioner; making a
 1124         technical change; amending s. 1012.98, F.S.; requiring
 1125         district school boards to calculate a proportionate
 1126         share of professional development funds for each
 1127         classroom teacher; authorizing classroom teachers to
 1128         use up to a certain amount of such funds for certain
 1129         purposes; requiring the Department of Education to
 1130         identify professional development opportunities for
 1131         classroom teachers to demonstrate proficiency in a
 1132         specific classroom practice; requiring the department
 1133         to create and develop a model annual and 5-year
 1134         calendar of professional development by a specified
 1135         date; requiring school districts to develop annual and
 1136         5-year calendars of professional development for
 1137         inclusion in the department’s professional development
 1138         system by a specified date; requiring the department
 1139         to maintain a statewide registry of approved
 1140         professional development providers and professional
 1141         development activities for use by teachers; requiring
 1142         professional development providers to be approved by
 1143         the department; specifying requirements for
 1144         professional development providers; requiring the
 1145         department to review professional development provider
 1146         applications for compliance and to approve or deny an
 1147         application within a certain timeframe; providing for
 1148         provider reapplication; requiring each school district
 1149         to accept an approved professional development
 1150         activity for a certain purpose; requiring the
 1151         department to determine the number of inservice hours
 1152         to be awarded for completion of an activity; creating
 1153         the Professional Development Choice Pilot Program to
 1154         be administered by the department for a specified
 1155         period; providing the pilot program’s purpose;
 1156         authorizing the use of pilot program grants for
 1157         specified purposes; providing requirements for the use
 1158         of such grants; providing eligibility requirements for
 1159         receiving pilot program grants; providing requirements
 1160         and limits for grant disbursements; providing certain
 1161         duties of each school district; requiring the
 1162         department to maintain a registry of approved provider
 1163         and professional development activities; requiring the
 1164         department to establish an application form by a
 1165         specified date; creating s. 1012.981, F.S.; creating
 1166         the Professional Education Excellence Resources (PEER)
 1167         Pilot Program in specified counties; authorizing
 1168         school districts implementing the pilot program to
 1169         engage in certain activities; authorizing school
 1170         districts to use program funds for certain purposes;
 1171         requiring school districts participating in the
 1172         program to collaborate with the department and other
 1173         entities to develop high-quality online professional
 1174         development opportunities accessible to instructional
 1175         personnel statewide; providing requirements for such
 1176         professional online development opportunities;
 1177         authorizing participating school districts to use
 1178         program funds to establish a master teacher program;
 1179         providing requirements for the master teacher program;
 1180         requiring participating school districts to
 1181         collaborate with the department and the University of
 1182         Florida Lastinger Center to develop a master teacher
 1183         academy; providing duties for the master teacher
 1184         academy; requiring each school district participating
 1185         in the PEER Pilot Program to report annually to the
 1186         Governor, the Legislature, and the department on the
 1187         performance of the pilot program; requiring the annual
 1188         report to contain certain information; requiring the
 1189         State Board of Education to adopt rules; specifying
 1190         that the pilot program be implemented only to the
 1191         extent specifically funded and authorized by law;
 1192         requiring the Commissioner of Education to submit to
 1193         certain entities by a specified date a report with
 1194         recommendations relating to the implementation of the
 1195         Pathways in Technology Early College High School
 1196         program, or a similar program; providing requirements
 1197         for such program and report; providing for expiration;
 1198         amending s. 1012.586, F.S.; conforming a cross
 1199         reference; providing an effective date.