Florida Senate - 2021                        COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
       Bill No. PCS (629046) for CS for SB 726
       
       
       
       
       
       
                                Ì366332ÈÎ366332                         
       
                              LEGISLATIVE ACTION                        
                    Senate             .             House              
                  Comm: RCS            .                                
                  04/20/2021           .                                
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       The Committee on Appropriations (Taddeo) recommended the
       following:
       
    1         Senate Amendment (with title amendment)
    2  
    3         Delete everything after the enacting clause
    4  and insert:
    5         Section 1. Subsections (1) and (2) of section 1003.5716,
    6  Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
    7         1003.5716 Transition to postsecondary education and career
    8  opportunities.—All students with disabilities who are 3 years of
    9  age to 21 years of age have the right to a free, appropriate
   10  public education. As used in this section, the term “IEP” means
   11  individual education plan.
   12         (1) To ensure quality planning for a successful transition
   13  of a student with a disability to postsecondary education and
   14  career opportunities, during the student’s 7th grade year or
   15  when the student attains the age of 12, whichever occurs first,
   16  an IEP team shall begin the process of, and develop an IEP for,
   17  identifying the need for transition services before the student
   18  with a disability enters high school or attains the age of 14
   19  years, whichever occurs first, in order for his or her
   20  postsecondary goals and career goals to be identified. The plan
   21  must be operational and in place to begin implementation on the
   22  first day of the student’s first year in high school when he or
   23  she attains the age of 16 years. This process must include, but
   24  is not limited to:
   25         (a) Consideration of the student’s need for instruction in
   26  the area of self-determination and self-advocacy to assist the
   27  student’s active and effective participation in an IEP meeting;
   28  and
   29         (b) Preparation for the student to graduate from high
   30  school with a standard high school diploma pursuant to s.
   31  1003.4282 with a Scholar designation unless the parent chooses a
   32  Merit designation; and
   33         (c)Provision of the information to the student and his or
   34  her parent of the school district’s high school-level transition
   35  services, career and technical education, and collegiate
   36  programs available to students with disabilities and how to
   37  access such programs. Information shall also be provided on
   38  school-based transition programs and programs and services
   39  available through Florida’s Center for Students with Unique
   40  Abilities, the Florida Centers for Independent Living, the
   41  Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, the Agency for Persons
   42  with Disabilities, and the Division of Blind Services. Referral
   43  forms, links, and technical support contacts for these services
   44  must be provided to students and parents at IEP meetings.
   45         (2) Beginning not later than the first IEP to be in effect
   46  when the student enters high school, attains the age of 14 16,
   47  or when younger if determined appropriate by the parent and the
   48  IEP team, whichever occurs first, the IEP must include the
   49  following statements that must be updated annually:
   50         (a) A statement of intent to pursue a standard high school
   51  diploma and a Scholar or Merit designation, pursuant to s.
   52  1003.4285, as determined by the parent.
   53         1.The statement must document discussion of the process
   54  for a student with a disability who meets the requirements for a
   55  standard high school diploma to defer the receipt of such
   56  diploma pursuant to s. 1003.4282(10)(c).
   57         2.For the IEP in effect at the beginning of the school
   58  year the student is expected to graduate, the statement must
   59  include a signed statement by the parent or guardian, or the
   60  student if the student has reached the age of majority and
   61  rights have transferred to the student, that he or she
   62  understands the process for deferment and identifying if the
   63  student will defer the receipt of his or her standard high
   64  school diploma.
   65         (b) A statement of intent to receive a standard high school
   66  diploma before the student attains the age of 22 and a
   67  description of how the student will fully meet the requirements
   68  in s. 1003.4282, including, but not limited to, a portfolio
   69  pursuant to s. 1003.4282(10)(b) which meets the criteria
   70  specified in State Board of Education rule. The IEP must also
   71  specify the outcomes and additional benefits expected by the
   72  parent and the IEP team at the time of the student’s graduation.
   73         (c) A statement of appropriate measurable long-term
   74  postsecondary education and career goals based upon age
   75  appropriate transition assessments related to training,
   76  education, employment, and, if appropriate, independent living
   77  skills and the transition services, including preemployment
   78  transition services and courses of study needed to assist the
   79  student in reaching those goals.
   80         Section 2. The Department of Education, in conjunction with
   81  the Project 10: Transition Education Network, shall conduct a
   82  review of existing transition services and programs for students
   83  with disabilities to establish uniform best practices for such
   84  programs to deliver appropriate employment, pre-employment, and
   85  independent living skills education to students enrolled in such
   86  transition programs. The department must establish and publish
   87  on its website such uniform best practices no later than July 1,
   88  2022.
   89         Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2021.
   90  
   91  ================= T I T L E  A M E N D M E N T ================
   92  And the title is amended as follows:
   93         Delete everything before the enacting clause
   94  and insert:
   95                        A bill to be entitled                      
   96         An act relating to individual education plan
   97         requirements for students with disabilities; amending
   98         s. 1003.5716, F.S.; revising the timeline for the
   99         development and implementation of an individual
  100         education plan (IEP) for transition services for a
  101         student with disabilities to a postsecondary education
  102         and career opportunities; revising the requirements
  103         for an IEP for the transitions to a postsecondary
  104         education and career opportunities; requiring certain
  105         information to be provided at IEP meetings; revising
  106         when a certain statement of intent must be included in
  107         the IEP; providing requirements for such statement;
  108         requiring a specified party to provide a signed
  109         statement relating to the deferment of a standard high
  110         school diploma; requiring the Department of Education
  111         to conduct a review of specified services and
  112         programs; requiring the department to establish and
  113         publish on its website uniform best practices for such
  114         services and programs by a specified date; providing
  115         an effective date.