Florida Senate - 2021 PROPOSED COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE
Bill No. CS for SB 934
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576-03911-21
Proposed Committee Substitute by the Committee on Appropriations
(Appropriations Subcommittee on Education)
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to education; amending s. 1001.43,
3 F.S.; authorizing district school boards to conduct
4 daily business in person or through the use of
5 telecommunication networks; amending s. 1003.621,
6 F.S.; exempting academically high-performing school
7 districts from complying with a specified provision
8 relating to the operation of all schools for a term of
9 180 actual teaching days; authorizing academically
10 high-performing school districts to provide up to 2
11 days of virtual instruction; specifying requirements
12 for the virtual instruction; amending s. 1004.04,
13 F.S.; requiring additional specified strategies to be
14 included in rules establishing uniform core curricula
15 for each state-approved teacher preparation program;
16 requiring that certain teacher preparation programs
17 require students to demonstrate mastery of general
18 knowledge by passing the General Knowledge Test of the
19 Florida Teacher Certification Examination by the time
20 of graduation; deleting a provision authorizing a
21 teacher preparation program to waive certain
22 admissions requirements for up to 10 percent of
23 admitted students; amending s. 1004.85, F.S.;
24 expanding the instruction that an educator preparation
25 institute may provide to include instruction and
26 professional development for part-time and full-time
27 nondegreed teachers of career programs; requiring the
28 Department of Education to approve a certification
29 program if an institute provides evidence of its
30 capacity to implement a competency-based program that
31 includes specified strategies; amending s. 1012.39,
32 F.S.; revising the minimum qualifications for part
33 time and full-time nondegreed teachers of career
34 programs; amending s. 1012.56, F.S.; revising the
35 acceptable means of demonstrating mastery of general
36 knowledge to include documentation of receipt of a
37 master’s or higher degree from certain postsecondary
38 institutions; revising the criteria for the Department
39 of Education to issue a professional certificate;
40 amending s. 1012.575, F.S.; authorizing an
41 organization of private schools or a consortium of
42 charter schools with an approved professional
43 development system to design alternative teacher
44 preparation programs; amending s. 1012.986, F.S.;
45 defining the term “educational leader”; providing that
46 the William Cecil Golden Professional Development
47 Program for School Leaders must consist of a network
48 of specified entities; revising the goals of the
49 program; requiring the department to offer program
50 components through university or educational
51 leadership academies and through educational
52 leadership coaching and mentoring; making technical
53 changes; providing an effective date.
54
55 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
56
57 Section 1. Subsection (10) of section 1001.43, Florida
58 Statutes, is amended to read:
59 1001.43 Supplemental powers and duties of district school
60 board.—The district school board may exercise the following
61 supplemental powers and duties as authorized by this code or
62 State Board of Education rule.
63 (10) DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD GOVERNANCE AND OPERATIONS.—The
64 district school board may adopt policies and procedures
65 necessary for the daily business operation of the district
66 school board, including, but not limited to, the provision of
67 legal services for the district school board; conducting a
68 district legislative program; district school board member
69 participation at conferences, conventions, and workshops,
70 including member compensation and reimbursement for expenses;
71 district school board policy development, adoption, and repeal;
72 district school board meeting procedures, including
73 participation via telecommunications networks, use of technology
74 at meetings, and presentations by nondistrict personnel; citizen
75 communications with the district school board and with
76 individual district school board members; collaboration with
77 local government and other entities as required by law; and
78 organization of the district school board, including special
79 committees and advisory committees. Notwithstanding s. 1001.372,
80 members of special committees and advisory committees may
81 conduct meetings in person or through the use of
82 telecommunications networks such as telephonic and video
83 conferencing. The committee is not required to meet at a
84 physical public place, and public access may be provided through
85 the use of telecommunications technology.
86 Section 2. Paragraph (g) of subsection (2) of section
87 1003.621, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
88 1003.621 Academically high-performing school districts.—It
89 is the intent of the Legislature to recognize and reward school
90 districts that demonstrate the ability to consistently maintain
91 or improve their high-performing status. The purpose of this
92 section is to provide high-performing school districts with
93 flexibility in meeting the specific requirements in statute and
94 rules of the State Board of Education.
95 (2) COMPLIANCE WITH STATUTES AND RULES.—Each academically
96 high-performing school district shall comply with all of the
97 provisions in chapters 1000-1013, and rules of the State Board
98 of Education which implement these provisions, pertaining to the
99 following:
100 (g) Those statutes pertaining to planning and budgeting,
101 including chapter 1011, except s. 1011.62(9)(d), relating to the
102 requirement for a comprehensive reading plan, and s. 1011.60(2),
103 relating to the operation of all schools for a term of 180
104 actual teaching days. A district that is exempt from submitting
105 a comprehensive reading this plan shall be deemed approved to
106 receive the research-based reading instruction allocation. Each
107 academically high-performing school district may provide up to 2
108 days of virtual instruction as part of the required 180 actual
109 teaching days or the equivalent on an hourly basis each school
110 year, as specified by rules of the State Board of Education, and
111 shall be deemed in compliance with s. 1011.60(2). This virtual
112 instruction shall be teacher-developed and aligned with enrolled
113 courses.
114 Section 3. Paragraph (b) of subsection (2) and paragraph
115 (b) of subsection (3) of section 1004.04, Florida Statutes, are
116 amended to read:
117 1004.04 Public accountability and state approval for
118 teacher preparation programs.—
119 (2) UNIFORM CORE CURRICULA AND CANDIDATE ASSESSMENT.—
120 (b) The rules to establish uniform core curricula for each
121 state-approved teacher preparation program must include, but are
122 not limited to, the following:
123 1. Candidate instruction and assessment in the Florida
124 Educator Accomplished Practices across content areas.
125 2. The use of state-adopted content standards to guide
126 curricula and instruction.
127 3. Scientifically researched and evidence-based reading
128 instructional strategies that improve reading performance for
129 all students, including explicit, systematic, and sequential
130 approaches to teaching phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary,
131 fluency, and text comprehension and multisensory intervention
132 strategies.
133 4. Content literacy and mathematics practices.
134 5. Strategies appropriate for the instruction of English
135 language learners.
136 6. Strategies appropriate for the instruction of students
137 with disabilities.
138 7. Strategies to differentiate instruction based on student
139 needs.
140 8. The use of character-based classroom management.
141 9. Strategies appropriate for the early identification of
142 students in crisis or experiencing a mental health challenge and
143 the referral of such students to a mental health professional
144 for support.
145 10. Strategies to support the use of technology in
146 education and distance learning.
147 (3) INITIAL STATE PROGRAM APPROVAL.—
148 (b) Each teacher preparation program approved by the
149 Department of Education, as provided for by this section, shall
150 require students to meet, at a minimum, the following
151 requirements as prerequisites for admission into the program:
152 1. For admission into the program, have a grade point
153 average of at least 2.5 on a 4.0 scale for the general education
154 component of undergraduate studies or have completed the
155 requirements for a baccalaureate degree with a minimum grade
156 point average of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale from any college or
157 university accredited by a regional accrediting association as
158 defined by State Board of Education rule or any college or
159 university otherwise approved pursuant to State Board of
160 Education rule.
161 2. Demonstrate mastery of general knowledge sufficient for
162 entry into the program, including the ability to read, write,
163 and perform in mathematics, by passing the General Knowledge
164 Test of the Florida Teacher Certification Examination by the
165 time of graduation or, for a graduate level program, obtain a
166 baccalaureate degree from an institution that is accredited or
167 approved pursuant to the rules of the State Board of Education.
168
169 Each teacher preparation program may waive these admissions
170 requirements for up to 10 percent of the students admitted.
171 Programs shall implement strategies to ensure that students
172 admitted under a waiver receive assistance to demonstrate
173 competencies to successfully meet requirements for certification
174 and shall annually report to the Department of Education the
175 status of each candidate admitted under such a waiver.
176 Section 4. Paragraph (a) of subsection (2) and paragraphs
177 (a) and (b) of subsection (3) of section 1004.85, Florida
178 Statutes, are amended to read:
179 1004.85 Postsecondary educator preparation institutes.—
180 (2)(a) Postsecondary institutions that are accredited or
181 approved as described in State Board of Education rule may seek
182 approval from the Department of Education to create educator
183 preparation institutes for the purpose of providing any or all
184 of the following:
185 1. Professional development instruction to assist teachers
186 in improving classroom instruction and in meeting certification
187 or recertification requirements.
188 2. Instruction to assist potential and existing substitute
189 teachers in performing their duties.
190 3. Instruction to assist paraprofessionals in meeting
191 education and training requirements.
192 4. Instruction for baccalaureate degree holders to become
193 certified teachers as provided in this section in order to
194 increase routes to the classroom for mid-career professionals
195 who hold a baccalaureate degree and college graduates who were
196 not education majors.
197 5. Instruction and professional development for part-time
198 and full-time nondegreed teachers of career programs under s.
199 1012.39(1)(c).
200 (3) Educator preparation institutes approved pursuant to
201 this section may offer competency-based certification programs
202 specifically designed for noneducation major baccalaureate
203 degree holders to enable program participants to meet the
204 educator certification requirements of s. 1012.56. An educator
205 preparation institute choosing to offer a competency-based
206 certification program pursuant to the provisions of this section
207 must implement a program previously approved by the Department
208 of Education for this purpose or a program developed by the
209 institute and approved by the department for this purpose.
210 Approved programs shall be available for use by other approved
211 educator preparation institutes.
212 (a) Within 90 days after receipt of a request for approval,
213 the Department of Education shall approve a preparation program
214 pursuant to the requirements of this subsection or issue a
215 statement of the deficiencies in the request for approval. The
216 department shall approve a certification program if the
217 institute provides evidence of the institute’s capacity to
218 implement a competency-based program that includes each of the
219 following:
220 1.a. Participant instruction and assessment in the Florida
221 Educator Accomplished Practices across content areas.
222 b. The use of state-adopted student content standards to
223 guide curriculum and instruction.
224 c. Scientifically researched and evidence-based reading
225 instructional strategies that improve reading performance for
226 all students, including explicit, systematic, and sequential
227 approaches to teaching phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary,
228 fluency, and text comprehension and multisensory intervention
229 strategies.
230 d. Content literacy and mathematical practices.
231 e. Strategies appropriate for instruction of English
232 language learners.
233 f. Strategies appropriate for instruction of students with
234 disabilities.
235 g. Strategies to differentiate instruction based on student
236 needs.
237 h. The use of character-based classroom management.
238 i. Strategies appropriate for the early identification of
239 students in crisis or experiencing a mental health challenge and
240 the referral of such students to a mental health professional
241 for support.
242 j. Strategies to support the use of technology in education
243 and distance learning.
244 2. An educational plan for each participant to meet
245 certification requirements and demonstrate his or her ability to
246 teach the subject area for which the participant is seeking
247 certification, which is based on an assessment of his or her
248 competency in the areas listed in subparagraph 1.
249 3. Field experiences appropriate to the certification
250 subject area specified in the educational plan with a diverse
251 population of students in a variety of challenging environments,
252 including, but not limited to, high-poverty schools, urban
253 schools, and rural schools, under the supervision of qualified
254 educators.
255 4. A certification ombudsman to facilitate the process and
256 procedures required for participants who complete the program to
257 meet any requirements related to the background screening
258 pursuant to s. 1012.32 and educator professional or temporary
259 certification pursuant to s. 1012.56.
260 (b) Each program participant must:
261 1. Meet certification requirements pursuant to s.
262 1012.56(1) by obtaining a statement of status of eligibility in
263 the certification subject area of the educational plan and meet
264 the requirements of s. 1012.56(2)(a)-(f).
265 2. Participate in coursework and field experiences that are
266 appropriate to his or her educational plan prepared under
267 paragraph (a).
268 3. Before completion of the program, fully demonstrate his
269 or her ability to teach the subject area for which he or she is
270 seeking certification by documenting a positive impact on
271 student learning growth in a prekindergarten through grade 12
272 setting and, except as provided in s. 1012.56(7)(a)3., achieving
273 a passing score on the professional education competency
274 examination, the basic skills examination, and the subject area
275 examination for the subject area certification which is required
276 by state board rule.
277 Section 5. Paragraph (c) of subsection (1) of section
278 1012.39, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
279 1012.39 Employment of substitute teachers, teachers of
280 adult education, nondegreed teachers of career education, and
281 career specialists; students performing clinical field
282 experience.—
283 (1) Notwithstanding ss. 1012.32, 1012.55, 1012.56, and
284 1012.57, or any other provision of law or rule to the contrary,
285 each district school board shall establish the minimal
286 qualifications for:
287 (c) Part-time and full-time nondegreed teachers of career
288 programs. Qualifications shall be established for nondegreed
289 teachers of career and technical education courses for program
290 clusters that are recognized in the state and are based
291 primarily on successful occupational experience rather than
292 academic training. The qualifications for such teachers shall
293 require:
294 1. The filing of a complete set of fingerprints in the same
295 manner as required by s. 1012.32. Faculty employed solely to
296 conduct postsecondary instruction may be exempted from this
297 requirement.
298 2. Documentation of education and successful occupational
299 experience including documentation of:
300 a. A high school diploma or the equivalent.
301 b. Completion of 6 years of full-time successful
302 occupational experience or the equivalent of part-time
303 experience in the teaching specialization area. The district
304 school board may establish alternative qualifications for
305 teachers with an industry certification in the career area in
306 which they teach.
307 c. Completion of career education training conducted
308 through the local school district inservice master plan or
309 through an educator preparation institute approved by the State
310 Board of Education pursuant to s. 1004.85.
311 d. For full-time teachers, completion of professional
312 education training in teaching methods, course construction,
313 lesson planning and evaluation, and teaching special needs
314 students. This training may be completed through coursework from
315 an accredited or approved institution or an approved district
316 teacher education program.
317 e. Demonstration of successful teaching performance.
318 f. Documentation of industry certification when state or
319 national industry certifications are available and applicable.
320 Section 6. Subsection (3) and paragraph (a) of subsection
321 (7) of section 1012.56, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
322 1012.56 Educator certification requirements.—
323 (3) MASTERY OF GENERAL KNOWLEDGE.—Acceptable means of
324 demonstrating mastery of general knowledge are:
325 (a) Achievement of passing scores on the general knowledge
326 examination required by state board rule;
327 (b) Documentation of a valid professional standard teaching
328 certificate issued by another state;
329 (c) Documentation of a valid certificate issued by the
330 National Board for Professional Teaching Standards or a national
331 educator credentialing board approved by the State Board of
332 Education;
333 (d) Documentation of two semesters of successful, full-time
334 or part-time teaching in a Florida College System institution,
335 state university, or private college or university that awards
336 an associate or higher degree and is an accredited institution
337 or an institution of higher education identified by the
338 Department of Education as having a quality program; or
339 (e) Achievement of passing scores, identified in state
340 board rule, on national or international examinations that test
341 comparable content and relevant standards in verbal, analytical
342 writing, and quantitative reasoning skills, including, but not
343 limited to, the verbal, analytical writing, and quantitative
344 reasoning portions of the Graduate Record Examination. Passing
345 scores identified in state board rule must be at approximately
346 the same level of rigor as is required to pass the general
347 knowledge examinations; or
348 (f) Documentation of receipt of a master’s or higher degree
349 from an accredited postsecondary educational institution that
350 the Department of Education has identified as having a quality
351 program resulting in a baccalaureate degree or higher.
352
353 A school district that employs an individual who does not
354 achieve passing scores on any subtest of the general knowledge
355 examination must provide information regarding the availability
356 of state-level and district-level supports and instruction to
357 assist him or her in achieving a passing score. Such information
358 must include, but need not be limited to, state-level test
359 information guides, school district test preparation resources,
360 and preparation courses offered by state universities and
361 Florida College System institutions.
362 (7) TYPES AND TERMS OF CERTIFICATION.—
363 (a) The Department of Education shall issue a professional
364 certificate for a period not to exceed 5 years to any applicant
365 who fulfills one of the following:
366 1. Meets all the applicable requirements outlined in
367 subsection (2).
368 2. For a professional certificate covering grades 6 through
369 12:
370 a. Meets the applicable requirements of paragraphs (2)(a)
371 (h).
372 b. Holds a master’s or higher degree in the area of
373 science, technology, engineering, or mathematics.
374 c. Teaches a high school course in the subject of the
375 advanced degree.
376 d. Is rated highly effective as determined by the teacher’s
377 performance evaluation under s. 1012.34, based in part on
378 student performance as measured by a statewide, standardized
379 assessment or an Advanced Placement, Advanced International
380 Certificate of Education, or International Baccalaureate
381 examination.
382 e. Achieves a passing score on the Florida professional
383 education competency examination required by state board rule.
384 3. Meets the applicable requirements of paragraphs (2)(a)
385 (h) and completes a professional preparation and education
386 competence program approved by the department pursuant to
387 paragraph (8)(c) or an educator preparation institute approved
388 by the department pursuant to s. 1004.85. An applicant who
389 completes one of these programs the program and is rated highly
390 effective as determined by his or her performance evaluation
391 under s. 1012.34 is not required to take or achieve a passing
392 score on the professional education competency examination in
393 order to be awarded a professional certificate.
394
395 Each temporary certificate is valid for 3 school fiscal years
396 and is nonrenewable. At least 1 year before an individual’s
397 temporary certificate is set to expire, the department shall
398 electronically notify the individual of the date on which his or
399 her certificate will expire and provide a list of each method by
400 which the qualifications for a professional certificate can be
401 completed. The State Board of Education shall adopt rules to
402 allow the department to extend the validity period of a
403 temporary certificate for 2 years when the requirements for the
404 professional certificate were not completed due to the serious
405 illness or injury of the applicant, the military service of an
406 applicant’s spouse, other extraordinary extenuating
407 circumstances, or if the certificateholder is rated highly
408 effective in the immediate prior year’s performance evaluation
409 pursuant to s. 1012.34 or has completed a 2-year mentorship
410 program pursuant to s. 1012.56(8). The department shall extend
411 the temporary certificate upon approval by the Commissioner of
412 Education. A written request for extension of the certificate
413 shall be submitted by the district school superintendent, the
414 governing authority of a university lab school, the governing
415 authority of a state-supported school, or the governing
416 authority of a private school.
417 Section 7. Section 1012.575, Florida Statutes, is amended
418 to read:
419 1012.575 Alternative preparation programs for certified
420 teachers to add additional coverage.—A district school board, or
421 an organization of private schools or a consortium of charter
422 schools with an approved professional development system as
423 described in s. 1012.98(6), may design alternative teacher
424 preparation programs to enable persons already certificated to
425 add an additional coverage to their certificates. Each
426 alternative teacher preparation program shall be reviewed and
427 approved by the Department of Education to assure that persons
428 who complete the program are competent in the necessary areas of
429 subject matter specialization. Two or more school districts may
430 jointly participate in an alternative preparation program for
431 teachers.
432 Section 8. Subsections (1) and (2) of section 1012.986,
433 Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
434 1012.986 William Cecil Golden Professional Development
435 Program for School Leaders.—
436 (1) There is established the William Cecil Golden
437 Professional Development Program for School Leaders to provide
438 high-quality high standards and sustained support for
439 educational principals as instructional leaders. For purposes of
440 this section, “educational leader” means teacher leaders,
441 assistant principals, principals, or school district leaders.
442 The program shall consist of a collaborative network of school
443 districts, state-approved educational leadership programs,
444 regional consortia, charter management organizations, and state
445 and national professional leadership organizations to respond to
446 educational instructional leadership needs throughout the state.
447 The network shall support the human-resource development needs
448 of educational leaders principals, principal leadership teams,
449 and candidates for principal leadership positions using the
450 framework of leadership standards adopted by the State Board of
451 Education, the Southern Regional Education Board, and the
452 National Staff Development Council. The goal of the network
453 leadership program is to:
454 (a) Provide resources to support and enhance the roles of
455 educational leaders principal’s role as the instructional
456 leader.
457 (b) Maintain a clearinghouse and disseminate data-supported
458 information related to the continued enhancement of enhanced
459 student achievement and learning, civic education, coaching and
460 mentoring, mental health awareness, technology in education,
461 distance learning, and school safety, based on educational
462 research and best practices.
463 (c) Build the capacity to Increase the quality and capacity
464 of educational leadership development programs for preservice
465 education for aspiring principals and inservice professional
466 development for principals and principal leadership teams.
467 (d) Support evidence-based leadership best teaching and
468 research-based instructional practices through dissemination and
469 modeling at the preservice and inservice levels for educational
470 leaders both teachers and principals.
471 (2) The Department of Education shall coordinate through
472 the network identified in subsection (1) to offer the program
473 components through multiple delivery systems, including:
474 (a) Approved school district training programs.
475 (b) Interactive technology-based instruction.
476 (c) Regional consortium service organizations pursuant to
477 s. 1001.451.
478 (d) State, regional, university, or local educational
479 leadership academies.
480 (e) Educational leadership coaching and mentoring.
481 Section 9. This act shall take effect July 1, 2021.