Florida Senate - 2021 CS for CS for SB 52
By the Committees on Appropriations; and Education; and Senators
Rodrigues and Baxley
576-02737-21 202152c2
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to postsecondary education; amending
3 s. 1004.6495, F.S.; revising grant specifications;
4 requiring funds appropriated for the Florida
5 Postsecondary Comprehensive Transition Program to only
6 be used for certain grants as specifically authorized
7 in the General Appropriations Act; removing a cap on
8 grant awards; amending s. 1007.273, F.S.; renaming
9 collegiate high school programs as early college
10 programs; defining the term “early college program”;
11 requiring early college programs to prioritize certain
12 courses; deleting obsolete language; conforming
13 provisions to changes made by the act; authorizing
14 charter schools to execute contracts with certain
15 institutions to establish an early college program;
16 amending s. 1009.25, F.S.; clarifying fee exemptions
17 for the Department of Children and Families; creating
18 s. 1009.30, F.S.; providing legislative findings;
19 establishing the Dual Enrollment Scholarship Program;
20 providing for the administration of the program;
21 providing for the reimbursement of tuition and costs
22 to eligible postsecondary institutions; requiring
23 students participating in dual enrollment programs to
24 meet specified minimum eligibility requirements in
25 order for institutions to receive reimbursements;
26 requiring participating institutions to annually
27 report specified information to the Department of
28 Education by certain dates; providing a reimbursement
29 schedule for tuition and instructional materials
30 costs; requiring the Department of Education to
31 reimburse institutions by specified dates; providing
32 that reimbursement for dual enrollment courses is
33 contingent upon appropriations; providing for the
34 prorating of reimbursements under certain
35 circumstances; requiring the State Board of Education
36 to adopt rules; creating s. 1012.978, F.S.;
37 authorizing state university boards of trustees to
38 implement a bonus scheme for state university system
39 employees based on awards for work performance or
40 employee recruitment and retention; requiring a board
41 of trustees to submit the bonus scheme to the Board of
42 Governors; requiring the Board of Governors to approve
43 such bonus scheme before its implementation; amending
44 ss. 1002.20 and 1003.4282, F.S.; conforming provisions
45 to changes made by the act; providing an effective
46 date.
47
48 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
49
50 Section 1. Paragraph (b) of subsection (5) of section
51 1004.6495, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
52 1004.6495 Florida Postsecondary Comprehensive Transition
53 Program and Florida Center for Students with Unique Abilities.—
54 (5) CENTER RESPONSIBILITIES.—The Florida Center for
55 Students with Unique Abilities is established within the
56 University of Central Florida. At a minimum, the center shall:
57 (b) Coordinate, facilitate, and oversee the statewide
58 implementation of this section. At a minimum, the director
59 shall:
60 1. Consult and collaborate with the National Center and the
61 Coordinating Center, as identified in 20 U.S.C. s. 1140q,
62 regarding guidelines established by the center for the effective
63 implementation of the programs for students with disabilities
64 and for students with intellectual disabilities which align with
65 the federal requirements and with standards, quality indicators,
66 and benchmarks identified by the National Center and the
67 Coordinating Center.
68 2. Consult and collaborate with the Florida Talent
69 Development Council to identify meaningful credentials for
70 FPCTPs and to engage businesses and stakeholders to promote
71 experiential training and employment opportunities for students
72 with intellectual disabilities.
73 3. Establish requirements and timelines for the:
74 a. Submission and review of an application.
75 b. Approval or disapproval of an initial or renewal
76 application.
77 c. Implementation of an FPCTP, which must begin no later
78 than the academic year immediately following the academic year
79 during which the approval is granted.
80 4. Administer scholarship funds.
81 5. Administer FPCTP start-up and enhancement grants. From
82 funds appropriated in the 2016-2017 fiscal year for the FPCTP,
83 $3 million shall be used for such grants. Thereafter, funds
84 appropriated for the FPCTP may only be used for such grants as
85 if specifically authorized in the General Appropriations Act.
86 The maximum annual start-up and enhancement grant award shall be
87 $300,000 per institution.
88 6. Report on the implementation and administration of this
89 section by planning, advising, and evaluating approved degree,
90 certificate, and nondegree programs and the performance of
91 students and programs pursuant to subsection (8).
92 Section 2. Section 1007.273, Florida Statutes, is amended
93 to read:
94 1007.273 Early college Collegiate high school program.—
95 (1) Each Florida College System institution shall work with
96 each district school board in its designated service area to
97 establish one or more early college collegiate high school
98 programs. As used in this section, the term “early college
99 program” means a structured high school acceleration program in
100 which a cohort of students is enrolled full time in
101 postsecondary courses toward an associate degree. The early
102 college program must prioritize courses applicable as general
103 education core courses under s. 1007.25 for an associate degree
104 or a baccalaureate degree.
105 (2) At a minimum, collegiate high school programs must
106 include an option for public school students in grade 11 or
107 grade 12 participating in the program, for at least 1 full
108 school year, to earn CAPE industry certifications pursuant to s.
109 1008.44 and to successfully complete 30 credit hours through the
110 dual enrollment program under s. 1007.271 toward the first year
111 of college for an associate degree or baccalaureate degree while
112 enrolled in the program.
113 (3) Each district school board and its local Florida
114 College System institution shall execute a contract to establish
115 one or more early college collegiate high school programs at a
116 mutually agreed upon location or locations. Beginning with the
117 2015-2016 school year, If the institution does not establish a
118 program with a district school board in its designated service
119 area, another Florida College System institution may execute a
120 contract with that district school board to establish the
121 program. The contract must be executed by January 1 of each
122 school year for implementation of the program during the next
123 school year. The contract must:
124 (a) Identify the grade levels to be included in the early
125 college collegiate high school program which must, at a minimum,
126 include grade 12.
127 (b) Describe the early college collegiate high school
128 program, including the delineation of courses and industry
129 certifications offered, including online course availability;
130 the high school and college credits earned for each
131 postsecondary course completed and industry certification
132 earned; student eligibility criteria; and the enrollment process
133 and relevant deadlines.
134 (c) Describe the methods, medium, and process by which
135 students and their parents are annually informed about the
136 availability of the early college collegiate high school
137 program, the return on investment associated with participation
138 in the program, and the information described in paragraphs (a)
139 and (b).
140 (d) Identify the delivery methods for instruction and the
141 instructors for all courses.
142 (e) Identify student advising services and progress
143 monitoring mechanisms.
144 (f) Establish a program review and reporting mechanism
145 regarding student performance outcomes.
146 (g) Describe the terms of funding arrangements to implement
147 the early college collegiate high school program.
148 (3)(4) Each student participating in an early college a
149 collegiate high school program must enter into a student
150 performance contract which must be signed by the student, the
151 parent, and a representative of the school district and the
152 applicable Florida College System institution, state university,
153 or other institution participating pursuant to subsection (4)
154 (5). The performance contract must include the schedule of
155 courses, by semester, and industry certifications to be taken by
156 the student, student attendance requirements, and course grade
157 requirements.
158 (4)(5) In addition to executing a contract with the local
159 Florida College System institution under this section, a
160 district school board may execute a contract to establish an
161 early college a collegiate high school program with a state
162 university or an institution that is eligible to participate in
163 the William L. Boyd, IV, Effective Access to Student Education
164 Grant Program, that is a nonprofit independent college or
165 university located and chartered in this state, and that is
166 accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern
167 Association of Colleges and Schools to grant baccalaureate
168 degrees. Such university or institution must meet the
169 requirements specified under subsections (2) and (3) (3) and
170 (4).
171 (5) A charter school may execute a contract directly with
172 the local Florida College System institution or another
173 institution as authorized under this section to establish an
174 early college program at a mutually agreed upon location.
175 (6) The early college collegiate high school program must
176 shall be funded pursuant to ss. 1007.271 and 1011.62. The State
177 Board of Education shall enforce compliance with this section by
178 withholding the transfer of funds for the school districts and
179 the Florida College System institutions in accordance with s.
180 1008.32.
181 Section 3. Paragraphs (c) and (d) of subsection (1) of
182 section 1009.25, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
183 1009.25 Fee exemptions.—
184 (1) The following students are exempt from the payment of
185 tuition and fees, including lab fees, at a school district that
186 provides workforce education programs, Florida College System
187 institution, or state university:
188 (c) A student who is, or was at the time he or she reached
189 18 years of age, in the custody of the Department of Children
190 and Families or who, after spending at least 6 months in the
191 custody of the department after reaching 16 years of age, was
192 placed in a guardianship by the court. Such exemption includes
193 fees associated with enrollment in applied academics for adult
194 education instruction. The exemption remains valid until the
195 student reaches 28 years of age.
196 (d) A student who is, or was at the time he or she reached
197 18 years of age, in the custody of a relative or nonrelative
198 under s. 39.5085 or s. 39.6225 or who was adopted from the
199 Department of Children and Families after May 5, 1997. Such
200 exemption includes fees associated with enrollment in applied
201 academics for adult education instruction. The exemption remains
202 valid until the student reaches 28 years of age.
203 Section 4. Section 1009.30, Florida Statutes, is created to
204 read:
205 1009.30 Dual Enrollment Scholarship Program.—
206 (1) The Legislature finds and declares that dual enrollment
207 is an integral part of the education system in this state and
208 should be available for all eligible secondary students without
209 cost to the student. There is established the Dual Enrollment
210 Scholarship Program to support postsecondary institutions in
211 providing dual enrollment.
212 (2) The Department of Education shall administer the Dual
213 Enrollment Scholarship Program in accordance with rules adopted
214 by the State Board of Education pursuant to subsection (9).
215 (3)(a) Beginning in the 2021 fall term, the program shall
216 reimburse eligible postsecondary institutions for tuition and
217 related instructional materials costs for dual enrollment
218 courses taken by private school or home education program
219 secondary students during the fall or spring terms.
220 (b) Beginning in the 2022 summer term, the program shall
221 reimburse institutions for tuition and related instructional
222 materials costs for dual enrollment courses taken by public
223 school, private school, or home education program secondary
224 students during the summer term.
225 (4) A student participating in a dual enrollment program
226 must meet the minimum eligibility requirements specified in s.
227 1007.271 in order for the institution to receive a
228 reimbursement.
229 (5) Annually, by March 15, each participating institution
230 must report to the department any eligible secondary students
231 from private schools or home education programs who were
232 enrolled during the previous fall or spring terms. Annually, by
233 July 15, each participating institution must report to the
234 department any eligible public school, private school, or home
235 education program students who were enrolled during the summer
236 term. For each dual enrollment course in which the student is
237 enrolled, the report must include a unique student identifier,
238 the postsecondary institution name, the postsecondary course
239 number, and the postsecondary course name.
240 (6)(a) Florida College System institutions shall be
241 reimbursed at the in-state resident tuition rate established in
242 s. 1009.23(3)(a).
243 (b) State University System institutions and independent
244 postsecondary institutions shall be reimbursed at the standard
245 tuition rate established in s. 1009.24(4)(a).
246 (c) Institutions shall be reimbursed for instructional
247 materials costs based on a rate specified in the General
248 Appropriations Act.
249 (7) For dual enrollment courses taken during the fall and
250 spring terms, the department must reimburse institutions by
251 April 15 of the same year. For dual enrollment courses taken
252 during the summer term, the department must reimburse
253 institutions by August 15 of the same year, before the beginning
254 of the next academic year.
255 (8) Reimbursement for dual enrollment courses is contingent
256 upon an appropriation in the General Appropriations Act each
257 year. If the statewide reimbursement amount is greater than the
258 appropriation, the institutional reimbursement amounts specified
259 in subsection (6) shall be prorated among the institutions that
260 have reported eligible students to the department by the
261 deadlines specified in subsection (5).
262 (9) The State Board of Education shall adopt rules to
263 implement this section.
264 Section 5. Section 1012.978, Florida Statutes, is created
265 to read:
266 1012.978 Bonuses for state university system employees.
267 Notwithstanding s. 215.425(3), a university board of trustees
268 may implement a bonus scheme based on awards for work
269 performance or employee recruitment and retention. The board of
270 trustees must submit to the Board of Governors the bonus scheme,
271 including the evaluation criteria by which a bonus will be
272 awarded. The Board of Governors must approve any bonus scheme
273 created under this section before its implementation.
274 Section 6. Paragraph (a) of subsection (6) of section
275 1002.20, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
276 1002.20 K-12 student and parent rights.—Parents of public
277 school students must receive accurate and timely information
278 regarding their child’s academic progress and must be informed
279 of ways they can help their child to succeed in school. K-12
280 students and their parents are afforded numerous statutory
281 rights including, but not limited to, the following:
282 (6) EDUCATIONAL CHOICE.—
283 (a) Public educational school choices.—Parents of public
284 school students may seek any public educational school choice
285 options that are applicable and available to students throughout
286 the state. These options may include controlled open enrollment,
287 single-gender programs, lab schools, virtual instruction
288 programs, charter schools, charter technical career centers,
289 magnet schools, alternative schools, special programs, auditory
290 oral education programs, advanced placement, dual enrollment,
291 International Baccalaureate, International General Certificate
292 of Secondary Education (pre-AICE), CAPE digital tools, CAPE
293 industry certifications, early college collegiate high school
294 programs, Advanced International Certificate of Education, early
295 admissions, credit by examination or demonstration of
296 competency, the New World School of the Arts, the Florida School
297 for the Deaf and the Blind, and the Florida Virtual School.
298 These options may also include the public educational choice
299 options of the Opportunity Scholarship Program and the McKay
300 Scholarships for Students with Disabilities Program.
301 Section 7. Paragraph (c) of subsection (10) of section
302 1003.4282, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
303 1003.4282 Requirements for a standard high school diploma.—
304 (10) STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES.—Beginning with students
305 entering grade 9 in the 2014-2015 school year, this subsection
306 applies to a student with a disability.
307 (c) A student with a disability who meets the standard high
308 school diploma requirements in this section may defer the
309 receipt of a standard high school diploma if the student:
310 1. Has an individual education plan that prescribes special
311 education, transition planning, transition services, or related
312 services through age 21; and
313 2. Is enrolled in accelerated college credit instruction
314 pursuant to s. 1007.27, industry certification courses that lead
315 to college credit, an early college a collegiate high school
316 program, courses necessary to satisfy the Scholar designation
317 requirements, or a structured work-study, internship, or
318 preapprenticeship program.
319
320 The State Board of Education shall adopt rules under ss.
321 120.536(1) and 120.54 to implement this subsection, including
322 rules that establish the minimum requirements for students
323 described in this subsection to earn a standard high school
324 diploma. The State Board of Education shall adopt emergency
325 rules pursuant to ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54.
326 Section 8. This act shall take effect July 1, 2021.