CS for SB 1048                                   First Engrossed
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       20221048e1
       
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to student assessments; amending s.
    3         411.227, F.S.; conforming provisions to changes made
    4         by the act; amending s. 1000.21, F.S.; renaming “Next
    5         Generation Sunshine State Standards” as “state
    6         academic standards”; amending ss. 1002.37, 1002.45,
    7         1002.53, 1002.67, 1002.68, 1003.41, and 1003.53, F.S.;
    8         conforming provisions to changes made by the act;
    9         providing a directive to the Division of Law Revision;
   10         amending s. 1008.2125, F.S.; deleting provisions
   11         relating to the coordinated screening and progress
   12         monitoring program; conforming provisions to changes
   13         made by the act; amending s. 1008.22, F.S.; conforming
   14         provisions to changes made by the act; providing that
   15         certain end-of-year comprehensive progress monitoring
   16         assessments are the statewide, standardized ELA and
   17         Mathematics assessments for certain students;
   18         providing that achievement levels on specified
   19         assessments shall measure grade-level performance
   20         rather than satisfactory performance; requiring
   21         certain assessment results to be provided by a
   22         specified date beginning with a certain school year;
   23         including the coordinated screening and progress
   24         monitoring system in the limitation on the school
   25         hours authorized for testing; revising the timeframe
   26         for providing district-required local assessments
   27         results to a student’s parent; requiring such results
   28         to be provided in specified formats; requiring
   29         specified information to be included on individual
   30         student reports; requiring the Commissioner of
   31         Education to provide specified recommendations from an
   32         independent review of the coordinated screening and
   33         progress monitoring system to the Governor and
   34         Legislature by a specified date; providing
   35         requirements for the review and recommendations;
   36         providing for the future repeal of such requirements;
   37         amending s. 1008.25, F.S.; conforming provisions to
   38         changes made by the act; requiring the coordinated
   39         screening and progress monitoring system to identify
   40         the educational strengths and needs of students;
   41         revising requirements for such system; providing
   42         requirements for the administration of the coordinated
   43         screenings and progress monitoring and the reporting
   44         of results; requiring a specified annual report to be
   45         accessible through certain web-based options; deleting
   46         a requirement that district school boards print
   47         specified information in a local newspaper; amending
   48         s. 1008.34, F.S.; requiring 2022-2023 school and
   49         school district grades to serve as an informal
   50         baseline for schools and school districts; requiring
   51         baseline grades to be set so that the percentage of
   52         schools that earn specified letter grades is
   53         statistically equivalent to the 2021-2022 school grade
   54         results; requiring the State Board of Education to
   55         review the school grading scale and determine if the
   56         scale should be adjusted after certain data becomes
   57         available; prohibiting a school from being required to
   58         select and implement a turnaround option based on the
   59         school’s grades in a specified school year; providing
   60         applicability; providing that certain public schools
   61         and approved providers that receive the same or lower
   62         school grade in a specified school year are not
   63         subject to sanctions; providing that a charter school
   64         system or school district designated as high
   65         performing may not lose the designation based on the
   66         school grades received during a certain school year by
   67         any of the schools within the charter school system or
   68         school district or based on a certain school year’s
   69         district grade, as applicable; providing a transition
   70         for the calculation of school and district grades for
   71         the 2022-2023 school year; providing requirements for
   72         the calculation of such grades and exempting schools
   73         from specified provisions; providing requirements for
   74         determining grade 3 retention and high school
   75         graduation for such school year; providing for the
   76         future repeal of specified provisions; amending s.
   77         1008.341, F.S.; providing that school improvement
   78         ratings will not be calculated for the 2022-2023
   79         school year; providing for the future repeal of
   80         specified provisions; providing specified
   81         authorizations and requirements for the Department of
   82         Education; providing effective dates.
   83          
   84  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   85  
   86         Section 1. Paragraph (d) of subsection (1) and paragraph
   87  (b) of subsection (3) of section 411.227, Florida Statutes, are
   88  amended to read:
   89         411.227 Components of the Learning Gateway.—The Learning
   90  Gateway system consists of the following components:
   91         (1) COMMUNITY EDUCATION STRATEGIES AND FAMILY-ORIENTED
   92  ACCESS.—
   93         (d) In collaboration with other local resources, the
   94  demonstration projects shall develop public awareness strategies
   95  to disseminate information about developmental milestones,
   96  precursors of learning problems and other developmental delays,
   97  and the service system that is available. The information should
   98  target parents of children from birth through age 9 and should
   99  be distributed to parents, health care providers, and caregivers
  100  of children from birth through age 9. A variety of media should
  101  be used as appropriate, such as print, television, radio, and a
  102  community-based Internet website, as well as opportunities such
  103  as those presented by parent visits to physicians for well-child
  104  checkups. The Learning Gateway Steering Committee shall provide
  105  technical assistance to the local demonstration projects in
  106  developing and distributing educational materials and
  107  information.
  108         1. Public awareness strategies targeting parents of
  109  children from birth through age 5 shall be designed to provide
  110  information to public and private preschool programs, child care
  111  providers, pediatricians, parents, and local businesses and
  112  organizations. These strategies should include information on
  113  the school readiness performance standards adopted by the
  114  Department of Education.
  115         2. Public awareness strategies targeting parents of
  116  children from ages 6 through 9 must be designed to disseminate
  117  training materials and brochures to parents and public and
  118  private school personnel, and must be coordinated with the local
  119  school board and the appropriate school advisory committees in
  120  the demonstration projects. The materials should contain
  121  information on state and district achievement proficiency levels
  122  for grades K-3.
  123         (3) EARLY EDUCATION, SERVICES AND SUPPORTS.—
  124         (b) Demonstration projects shall develop strategies to
  125  increase the use of appropriate intervention practices with
  126  children who have learning problems and learning disabilities
  127  within public and private early care and education programs and
  128  K-3 public and private school settings. Strategies may include
  129  training and technical assistance teams. Intervention must be
  130  coordinated and must focus on providing effective supports to
  131  children and their families within their regular education and
  132  community environment. These strategies must incorporate, as
  133  appropriate, school and district activities related to the
  134  student’s progress monitoring plan and must provide parents with
  135  greater access to community-based services that should be
  136  available beyond the traditional school day. Academic
  137  expectations for public school students in grades K-3 must be
  138  based upon the local school board’s adopted achievement
  139  proficiency levels. When appropriate, school personnel shall
  140  consult with the local Learning Gateway to identify other
  141  community resources for supporting the child and the family.
  142         Section 2. Subsection (7) of section 1000.21, Florida
  143  Statutes, is amended to read:
  144         1000.21 Systemwide definitions.—As used in the Florida
  145  Early Learning-20 Education Code:
  146         (7) “Next Generation Sunshine State academic standards”
  147  means the state’s public K-12 curricular standards adopted under
  148  s. 1003.41.
  149         Section 3. Paragraph (f) of subsection (3) and paragraphs
  150  (a) and (d) of subsection (10) of section 1002.37, Florida
  151  Statutes, are amended to read:
  152         1002.37 The Florida Virtual School.—
  153         (3) Funding for the Florida Virtual School shall be
  154  provided as follows:
  155         (f) The Florida Virtual School shall receive state funds
  156  for operating purposes as provided in the General Appropriations
  157  Act. The calculation to determine the amount of state funds
  158  includes: the sum of the base Florida Education Finance Program
  159  funding, the state-funded discretionary contribution and a per
  160  full-time equivalent share of the discretionary millage
  161  compression supplement, the exceptional student education
  162  guaranteed allocation, the instructional materials allocation,
  163  the evidence-based research-based reading instruction
  164  allocation, the mental health assistance allocation, and the
  165  teacher salary increase allocation. For the purpose of
  166  calculating the state-funded discretionary contribution,
  167  multiply the maximum allowable nonvoted discretionary millage
  168  for operations pursuant to s. 1011.71(1) and (3) by the value of
  169  96 percent of the current year’s taxable value for school
  170  purposes for the state; divide the result by the total full-time
  171  equivalent membership of the state; and multiply the result by
  172  the full-time equivalent membership of the school. Funds may not
  173  be provided for the purpose of fulfilling the class size
  174  requirements in ss. 1003.03 and 1011.685.
  175         (10)(a) Public school students receiving full-time
  176  instruction in kindergarten through grade 12 by the Florida
  177  Virtual School must take all statewide assessments required
  178  pursuant to s. 1008.22 and participate in the coordinated
  179  screening and progress monitoring system under s. 1008.25(8).
  180         (d) Unless an alternative testing site is mutually agreed
  181  to by the Florida Virtual School and the school district or as
  182  contracted under s. 1008.24, all industry certification
  183  examinations, national assessments, progress monitoring under s.
  184  1008.25(8), and statewide assessments must be taken at the
  185  school to which the student would be assigned according to
  186  district school board attendance areas. A school district must
  187  provide the student with access to the school’s testing
  188  facilities and the date and time of the administration of
  189  progress monitoring and each examination or assessment.
  190         Section 4. Paragraph (b) of subsection (6) of section
  191  1002.45, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
  192         1002.45 Virtual instruction programs.—
  193         (6) STUDENT PARTICIPATION REQUIREMENTS.—Each student
  194  enrolled in a virtual instruction program or virtual charter
  195  school must:
  196         (b) Take statewide assessments pursuant to s. 1008.22 and
  197  participate in the coordinated screening and progress monitoring
  198  system under s. 1008.25(8). Statewide assessments and progress
  199  monitoring may be administered within the school district in
  200  which such student resides, or as specified in the contract in
  201  accordance with s. 1008.24(3). If requested by the approved
  202  provider or virtual charter school, the district of residence
  203  must provide the student with access to the district’s testing
  204  facilities.
  205         Section 5. Paragraph (d) of subsection (6) of section
  206  1002.53, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
  207         1002.53 Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program;
  208  eligibility and enrollment.—
  209         (6)
  210         (d) Each parent who enrolls his or her child in the
  211  Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program must allow his or
  212  her child to participate in the coordinated screening and
  213  progress monitoring program under s. 1008.25(8) s. 1008.2125.
  214         Section 6. Paragraph (b) of subsection (2) of section
  215  1002.67, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
  216         1002.67 Performance standards and curricula.—
  217         (2)
  218         (b) Each private prekindergarten provider’s and public
  219  school’s curriculum must be developmentally appropriate and
  220  must:
  221         1. Be designed to prepare a student for early literacy and
  222  provide for instruction in early math skills;
  223         2. Enhance the age-appropriate progress of students in
  224  attaining the performance standards adopted by the department
  225  under subsection (1); and
  226         3. Support student learning gains through differentiated
  227  instruction that shall be measured by the coordinated screening
  228  and progress monitoring program under s. 1008.25(8) s.
  229  1008.2125.
  230         Section 7. Paragraphs (a) and (b) of subsection (1),
  231  paragraphs (b) and (e) of subsection (4), and paragraph (c) of
  232  subsection (6) of section 1002.68, Florida Statutes, are amended
  233  to read:
  234         1002.68 Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program
  235  accountability.—
  236         (1)(a) Beginning with the 2022-2023 program year, each
  237  private prekindergarten provider and public school participating
  238  in the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program must
  239  participate in the coordinated screening and progress monitoring
  240  program in accordance with s. 1008.25(8) s. 1008.2125. The
  241  coordinated screening and progress monitoring program results
  242  shall be used by the department to identify student learning
  243  gains, index development learning outcomes upon program
  244  completion relative to the performance standards established
  245  under s. 1002.67 and representative norms, and inform a private
  246  prekindergarten provider’s and public school’s performance
  247  metric.
  248         (b) At a minimum, the initial and final progress monitoring
  249  or screening must be administered by individuals meeting
  250  requirements adopted by the department under s. 1008.25(8) s.
  251  1008.2125.
  252         (4)
  253         (b) The methodology for calculating a provider’s
  254  performance metric may not include students who are not
  255  administered the coordinated screening and progress monitoring
  256  program under s. 1008.25(8) s. 1008.2125.
  257         (e) Subject to an appropriation, the department shall
  258  provide for a differential payment to a private prekindergarten
  259  provider and public school based on the provider’s designation.
  260  The maximum differential payment may not exceed a total of 15
  261  percent of the base student allocation per full-time equivalent
  262  student under s. 1002.71 attending in the consecutive program
  263  year for that program. A private prekindergarten provider or
  264  public school may not receive a differential payment if it
  265  receives a designation of “proficient” or lower. Before the
  266  adoption of the methodology, the department shall confer with
  267  the Council for Early Grade Success under s. 1008.2125 before
  268  receiving approval from the State Board of Education for the
  269  final recommendations on the designation system and differential
  270  payments.
  271         (6)
  272         (c) The department shall adopt criteria for granting good
  273  cause exemptions. Such criteria must include, but are not
  274  limited to, all of the following:
  275         1. Child demographic data that evidences a private
  276  prekindergarten provider or public school serves a statistically
  277  significant population of children with special needs who have
  278  individual education plans and can demonstrate progress toward
  279  meeting the goals outlined in the students’ individual education
  280  plans.
  281         2. Learning gains of children served in the Voluntary
  282  Prekindergarten Education Program by the private prekindergarten
  283  provider or public school on an alternative measure that has
  284  comparable validity and reliability of the coordinated screening
  285  and progress monitoring program in accordance with s. 1008.25(8)
  286  s. 1008.2125.
  287         3. Program assessment data under subsection (2) which
  288  demonstrates effective teaching practices as recognized by the
  289  tool developer.
  290         4. Verification that local and state health and safety
  291  requirements are met.
  292         Section 8. Section 1003.41, Florida Statutes, is amended to
  293  read:
  294         1003.41 Next Generation Sunshine State academic standards.—
  295         (1) The Next Generation Sunshine state academic standards
  296  establish the core content of the curricula to be taught in the
  297  state and specify the core content knowledge and skills that K
  298  12 public school students are expected to acquire. Standards
  299  must be rigorous and relevant and provide for the logical,
  300  sequential progression of core curricular content that
  301  incrementally increases a student’s core content knowledge and
  302  skills over time. Curricular content for all subjects must
  303  integrate critical-thinking, problem-solving, and workforce
  304  literacy skills; communication, reading, and writing skills;
  305  mathematics skills; collaboration skills; contextual and
  306  applied-learning skills; technology-literacy skills; information
  307  and media-literacy skills; and civic-engagement skills. The
  308  standards must include distinct grade-level expectations for the
  309  core content knowledge and skills that a student is expected to
  310  have acquired by each individual grade level from kindergarten
  311  through grade 8. The standards for grades 9 through 12 may be
  312  organized by grade clusters of more than one grade level except
  313  as otherwise provided for visual and performing arts, physical
  314  education, health, and foreign language standards.
  315         (2) The Next Generation Sunshine state academic standards
  316  must meet the following requirements:
  317         (a) English Language Arts standards must establish specific
  318  curricular content for, at a minimum, reading, writing, speaking
  319  and listening, and language.
  320         (b) Science standards must establish specific curricular
  321  content for, at a minimum, the nature of science, earth and
  322  space science, physical science, and life science.
  323         (c) Mathematics standards must establish specific
  324  curricular content for, at a minimum, algebra, geometry,
  325  statistics and probability, number and quantity, functions, and
  326  modeling.
  327         (d) Social Studies standards must establish specific
  328  curricular content for, at a minimum, geography, United States
  329  and world history, government, civics, humanities, economics,
  330  and financial literacy.
  331         (e) Visual and performing arts, physical education, health,
  332  and foreign language standards must establish specific
  333  curricular content and include distinct grade level expectations
  334  for the core content knowledge and skills that a student is
  335  expected to have acquired by each individual grade level from
  336  kindergarten through grade 5. The standards for grades 6 through
  337  12 may be organized by grade clusters of more than one grade
  338  level.
  339         (3) The Commissioner of Education, as needed, shall develop
  340  and submit proposed revisions to the standards for review and
  341  comment by Florida educators, school administrators,
  342  representatives of the Florida College System institutions and
  343  state universities who have expertise in the content knowledge
  344  and skills necessary to prepare a student for postsecondary
  345  education and careers, business and industry leaders, and the
  346  public. The commissioner, after considering reviews and
  347  comments, shall submit the proposed revisions to the State Board
  348  of Education for adoption.
  349         (4) The State Board of Education shall adopt rules to
  350  administer this section.
  351         Section 9. Paragraph (c) of subsection (1) of section
  352  1003.53, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
  353         1003.53 Dropout prevention and academic intervention.—
  354         (1)
  355         (c) A student shall be identified as being eligible to
  356  receive services funded through the dropout prevention and
  357  academic intervention program based upon one of the following
  358  criteria:
  359         1. The student is academically unsuccessful as evidenced by
  360  low test scores, retention, failing grades, low grade point
  361  average, falling behind in earning credits, or not meeting the
  362  state or district achievement proficiency levels in reading,
  363  mathematics, or writing.
  364         2. The student has a pattern of excessive absenteeism or
  365  has been identified as a habitual truant.
  366         3. The student has a history of disruptive behavior in
  367  school or has committed an offense that warrants out-of-school
  368  suspension or expulsion from school according to the district
  369  school board’s code of student conduct. For the purposes of this
  370  program, “disruptive behavior” is behavior that:
  371         a. Interferes with the student’s own learning or the
  372  educational process of others and requires attention and
  373  assistance beyond that which the traditional program can provide
  374  or results in frequent conflicts of a disruptive nature while
  375  the student is under the jurisdiction of the school either in or
  376  out of the classroom; or
  377         b. Severely threatens the general welfare of students or
  378  others with whom the student comes into contact.
  379         4. The student is identified by a school’s early warning
  380  system pursuant to s. 1001.42(18)(b).
  381         Section 10. The Division of Law Revision is directed to
  382  prepare a reviser’s bill for the 2023 Regular Session of the
  383  Legislature to change the term “Next Generation Sunshine State
  384  Standards” to “state academic standards” wherever the term
  385  appears in the Florida Statutes.
  386         Section 11. Section 1008.2125, Florida Statutes, is amended
  387  to read:
  388         1008.2125 The Council for Early Grade Success Coordinated
  389  screening and progress monitoring program for students in the
  390  Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program through grade 3.—
  391         (1)The primary purpose of the coordinated screening and
  392  progress monitoring program for students in the Voluntary
  393  Prekindergarten Education Program through grade 3 is to provide
  394  information on students’ progress in mastering the appropriate
  395  grade-level standards and to provide information on their
  396  progress to parents, teachers, and school and program
  397  administrators. Data shall be used by Voluntary Prekindergarten
  398  Education Program providers and school districts to improve
  399  instruction, by parents and teachers to guide learning
  400  objectives and provide timely and appropriate supports and
  401  interventions to students not meeting grade-level expectations,
  402  and by the public to assess the cost benefit of the expenditure
  403  of taxpayer dollars. The coordinated screening and progress
  404  monitoring program must:
  405         (a)Measure student progress in the Voluntary
  406  Prekindergarten Education Program through grade 3 in meeting the
  407  appropriate expectations in early literacy and math skills and
  408  in English Language Arts and mathematics, as required by ss.
  409  1002.67(1)(a) and 1003.41.
  410         (b)Provide data for accountability of the Voluntary
  411  Prekindergarten Education Program, as required by s. 1002.68.
  412         (c)Provide baseline data to the department of each
  413  student’s readiness for kindergarten, which must be based on
  414  each kindergarten student’s progress monitoring results that was
  415  administered no later than the first 30 instructional days in
  416  accordance with paragraph (2)(a). The methodology for
  417  determining a student’s readiness for kindergarten shall be
  418  developed by the department and aligned to the methodology
  419  adopted pursuant to s. 1002.68(4).
  420         (d)Identify the educational strengths and needs of
  421  students in the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program
  422  through grade 3.
  423         (e)Provide teachers with progress monitoring data to
  424  provide timely interventions and supports pursuant to s.
  425  1008.25(4).
  426         (f)Assess how well educational goals and curricular
  427  standards are met at the provider, school, district, and state
  428  levels.
  429         (g)Provide information to aid in the evaluation and
  430  development of educational programs and policies.
  431         (2)The Commissioner of Education shall design a statewide,
  432  standardized coordinated screening and progress monitoring
  433  program to assess early literacy and mathematics skills and the
  434  English Language Arts and mathematics standards established in
  435  ss. 1002.67(1)(a) and 1003.41, respectively. The coordinated
  436  screening and progress monitoring program must provide interval
  437  level and norm-referenced data that measures equivalent levels
  438  of growth; be a developmentally appropriate, valid, and reliable
  439  direct assessment; be able to capture data on students who may
  440  be performing below grade or developmental level and which may
  441  enable the identification of early indicators of dyslexia or
  442  other developmental delays; accurately measure the core content
  443  in the applicable grade level standards; document learning gains
  444  for the achievement of these standards; and provide teachers
  445  with progress monitoring supports and materials that enhance
  446  differentiated instruction and parent communication.
  447  Participation in the coordinated screening and progress
  448  monitoring program is mandatory for all students in the
  449  Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program and enrolled in a
  450  public school in kindergarten through grade 3. The coordinated
  451  screening and progress monitoring program shall be implemented
  452  beginning in the 2022-2023 school year for students in the
  453  Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program and kindergarten
  454  students, as follows:
  455         (a)The coordinated screening and progress monitoring
  456  program shall be administered within the first 30 days after
  457  enrollment, midyear, and within the last 30 days of the program
  458  or school year, in accordance with the rules adopted by the
  459  State Board of Education. The state board may adopt alternate
  460  timeframes to address nontraditional school year calendars or
  461  summer programs to ensure the coordinated screening and progress
  462  monitoring program is administered a minimum of three times
  463  within a year or program.
  464         (b)The results of the coordinated screening and progress
  465  monitoring program shall be reported to the department, in
  466  accordance with the rules adopted by the state board, and
  467  maintained in the department’s educational data warehouse.
  468         (3) The Commissioner of Education shall:
  469         (a) Develop a plan, in coordination with the Council for
  470  Early Grade Success, for implementing the coordinated screening
  471  and progress monitoring program in consideration of timelines
  472  for implementing new early literacy and mathematics skills and
  473  the English Language Arts and mathematics standards established
  474  in ss. 1002.67(1)(a) and 1003.41, as appropriate.
  475         (b) Provide data, reports, and information as requested to
  476  the Council for Early Grade Success.
  477         (1)(4) The Council for Early Grade Success, a council as
  478  defined in s. 20.03(7), is created within the Department of
  479  Education to oversee the coordinated screening and progress
  480  monitoring program under s. 1008.25(8) for students in the
  481  Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program through grade 3 and,
  482  except as otherwise provided in this section, shall operate
  483  consistent with s. 20.052.
  484         (a) The council shall be responsible for reviewing the
  485  implementation of, training for, and outcomes from the
  486  coordinated screening and progress monitoring program to provide
  487  recommendations to the department that support grade 3 students
  488  reading at or above grade level. The council, at a minimum,
  489  shall:
  490         1. Provide recommendations on the implementation of the
  491  coordinated screening and progress monitoring program, including
  492  reviewing any procurement solicitation documents and criteria
  493  before being published.
  494         2. Develop training plans and timelines for such training.
  495         3. Identify appropriate personnel, processes, and
  496  procedures required for the administration of the coordinated
  497  screening and progress monitoring program.
  498         4. Provide input on the methodology for calculating a
  499  provider’s or school’s performance metric and designations under
  500  s. 1002.68(4).
  501         5. Work with the department to review the methodology for
  502  determining a child’s kindergarten readiness.
  503         6. Review data on age-appropriate learning gains by grade
  504  level that a student would need to attain in order to
  505  demonstrate proficiency in reading by grade 3.
  506         7. Continually review anonymized data from the results of
  507  the coordinated screening and progress monitoring program for
  508  students in the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program
  509  through grade 3 to help inform recommendations to the department
  510  that support practices that will enable grade 3 students to read
  511  at or above grade level.
  512         (b) The council shall be composed of 17 members who are
  513  residents of this the state and appointed as follows:
  514         1. Three members appointed by the Governor, as follows:
  515         a. One representative from the Department of Education.
  516         b. One parent of a child who is 4 to 9 years of age.
  517         c. One representative that is an elementary school
  518  administrator.
  519         2. Seven members appointed by the President of the Senate,
  520  as follows:
  521         a. One senator who serves at the pleasure of the President
  522  of the Senate.
  523         b. One representative of an urban school district.
  524         c. One representative of a rural early learning coalition.
  525         d. One representative of a faith-based early learning
  526  provider who offers the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education
  527  Program.
  528         e. One representative who is a second grade teacher who has
  529  at least 5 years of teaching experience.
  530         f. Two representatives with subject matter expertise in
  531  early learning, early grade success, or child assessments.
  532         3. Seven members appointed by the Speaker of the House of
  533  Representatives, as follows:
  534         a. One member of the House of Representatives who serves at
  535  the pleasure of the Speaker of the House.
  536         b. One representative of a rural school district.
  537         c. One representative of an urban early learning coalition.
  538         d. One representative of an early learning provider who
  539  offers the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program.
  540         e. One member who is a kindergarten teacher who has at
  541  least 5 years of teaching experience.
  542         f. Two representatives with subject matter expertise in
  543  early learning, early grade success, or child assessment.
  544         4. The four representatives with subject matter expertise
  545  in sub-subparagraphs 2.f. and 3.f. may not be direct
  546  stakeholders within the early learning or public school systems.
  547         (2)The Commissioner of Education shall:
  548         (a)Develop a plan, in coordination with the Council for
  549  Early Grade Success, for implementing the coordinated screening
  550  and progress monitoring program in consideration of timelines
  551  for implementing new early literacy and mathematics skills and
  552  the English Language Arts and mathematics standards established
  553  in ss. 1002.67(1)(a) and 1003.41, as appropriate.
  554         (b)Provide data, reports, and information as requested to
  555  the Council for Early Grade Success.
  556         (3)(5) The council shall elect a chair and vice chair, one
  557  of whom must be a member who has subject matter expertise in
  558  early learning, early grade success, or child assessments. The
  559  vice chair must be a member appointed by the President of the
  560  Senate or the Speaker of the House of Representatives who is not
  561  one of the four members with subject matter expertise in early
  562  learning, early grade success, or child assessments appointed
  563  pursuant to sub-subparagraphs (1)(b)2.f. and 3.f. (4)(b)2.f. and
  564  3.f. Members of the council shall serve without compensation but
  565  are entitled to reimbursement for per diem and travel expenses
  566  pursuant to s. 112.061.
  567         Section 12. Present subsection (13) of section 1008.22,
  568  Florida Statutes, is redesignated as subsection (14), a new
  569  subsection (13) is added to that section, and subsections (3)
  570  and (6) and paragraphs (a), (b), (c), (e), (g), (h), and (i) of
  571  subsection (7) of that section are amended, to read:
  572         1008.22 Student assessment program for public schools.—
  573         (3) STATEWIDE, STANDARDIZED ASSESSMENT PROGRAM.—The
  574  Commissioner of Education shall design and implement a
  575  statewide, standardized assessment program aligned to the core
  576  curricular content established in the Next Generation Sunshine
  577  state academic standards. The commissioner also must develop or
  578  select and implement a common battery of assessment tools that
  579  will be used in all juvenile justice education programs in the
  580  state. These tools must accurately measure the core curricular
  581  content established in the Next Generation Sunshine state
  582  academic standards. Participation in the assessment program is
  583  mandatory for all school districts and all students attending
  584  public schools, including adult students seeking a standard high
  585  school diploma under s. 1003.4282 and students in Department of
  586  Juvenile Justice education programs, except as otherwise
  587  provided by law. If a student does not participate in the
  588  assessment program, the school district must notify the
  589  student’s parent and provide the parent with information
  590  regarding the implications of such nonparticipation. The
  591  statewide, standardized assessment program shall be designed and
  592  implemented as follows:
  593         (a) Statewide, standardized comprehensive assessments.—
  594         1. The statewide, standardized English Language Arts (ELA)
  595  assessments shall be administered to students in grades 3
  596  through 10. Retake opportunities for the grade 10 ELA assessment
  597  must be provided. Reading passages and writing prompts for ELA
  598  assessments shall incorporate grade-level core curricula content
  599  from social studies. The statewide, standardized Mathematics
  600  assessments shall be administered annually in grades 3 through
  601  8. The statewide, standardized Science assessment shall be
  602  administered annually at least once at the elementary and middle
  603  grades levels. In order to earn a standard high school diploma,
  604  a student who has not earned a passing score on the grade 10 ELA
  605  assessment must earn a passing score on the assessment retake or
  606  earn a concordant score as authorized under subsection (9).
  607  Statewide, standardized ELA and Mathematics assessments in
  608  grades 3 through 6 must be delivered in a paper-based format.
  609         2.Beginning with the 2022-2023 school year, the end-of
  610  year comprehensive progress monitoring assessment administered
  611  pursuant to s. 1008.25(8)(b)2. is the statewide, standardized
  612  ELA assessment for students in grades 3 through 10 and the
  613  statewide, standardized Mathematics assessment for students in
  614  grades 3 through 8.
  615         (b) End-of-course (EOC) assessments.—EOC assessments must
  616  be statewide, standardized, and developed or approved by the
  617  Department of Education as follows:
  618         1. EOC assessments for Algebra I, Geometry, Biology I,
  619  United States History, and Civics shall be administered to
  620  students enrolled in such courses as specified in the course
  621  code directory.
  622         2. Students enrolled in a course, as specified in the
  623  course code directory, with an associated statewide,
  624  standardized EOC assessment must take the EOC assessment for
  625  such course and may not take the corresponding subject or grade
  626  level statewide, standardized assessment pursuant to paragraph
  627  (a). Sections 1003.4156 and 1003.4282 govern the use of
  628  statewide, standardized EOC assessment results for students.
  629         3. The commissioner may select one or more nationally
  630  developed comprehensive examinations, which may include
  631  examinations for a College Board Advanced Placement course,
  632  International Baccalaureate course, or Advanced International
  633  Certificate of Education course, or industry-approved
  634  examinations to earn national industry certifications identified
  635  in the CAPE Industry Certification Funding List, for use as EOC
  636  assessments under this paragraph if the commissioner determines
  637  that the content knowledge and skills assessed by the
  638  examinations meet or exceed the grade-level expectations for the
  639  core curricular content established for the course in the Next
  640  Generation Sunshine state academic standards. Use of any such
  641  examination as an EOC assessment must be approved by the state
  642  board in rule.
  643         4. Contingent upon funding provided in the General
  644  Appropriations Act, including the appropriation of funds
  645  received through federal grants, the commissioner may establish
  646  an implementation schedule for the development and
  647  administration of additional statewide, standardized EOC
  648  assessments that must be approved by the state board in rule. If
  649  approved by the state board, student performance on such
  650  assessments constitutes 30 percent of a student’s final course
  651  grade.
  652         5. All statewide, standardized EOC assessments must be
  653  administered online except as otherwise provided in paragraph
  654  (d).
  655         6. A student enrolled in an Advanced Placement (AP),
  656  International Baccalaureate (IB), or Advanced International
  657  Certificate of Education (AICE) course who takes the respective
  658  AP, IB, or AICE assessment and earns the minimum score necessary
  659  to earn college credit, as identified in s. 1007.27(2), meets
  660  the requirements of this paragraph and does not have to take the
  661  EOC assessment for the corresponding course.
  662         (c) Nationally recognized high school assessments.—Each
  663  school district shall, by the 2021-2022 school year and subject
  664  to appropriation, select either the SAT or ACT for districtwide
  665  administration to each public school student in grade 11,
  666  including students attending public high schools, alternative
  667  schools, and Department of Juvenile Justice education programs.
  668         (d) Students with disabilities; Florida Alternate
  669  Assessment.—
  670         1. Each district school board must provide instruction to
  671  prepare students with disabilities in the core content knowledge
  672  and skills necessary for successful grade-to-grade progression
  673  and high school graduation.
  674         2. A student with a disability, as defined in s. 1007.02,
  675  for whom the individual education plan (IEP) team determines
  676  that the statewide, standardized assessments under this section
  677  cannot accurately measure the student’s abilities, taking into
  678  consideration all allowable accommodations, shall have
  679  assessment results waived for the purpose of receiving a course
  680  grade and a standard high school diploma. Such waiver shall be
  681  designated on the student’s transcript. The statement of waiver
  682  shall be limited to a statement that performance on an
  683  assessment was waived for the purpose of receiving a course
  684  grade or a standard high school diploma, as applicable.
  685         3. The State Board of Education shall adopt rules, based
  686  upon recommendations of the commissioner, for the provision of
  687  assessment accommodations for students with disabilities and for
  688  students who have limited English proficiency.
  689         a. Accommodations that negate the validity of a statewide,
  690  standardized assessment are not allowed during the
  691  administration of the assessment. However, instructional
  692  accommodations are allowed in the classroom if identified in a
  693  student’s IEP. Students using instructional accommodations in
  694  the classroom that are not allowed on a statewide, standardized
  695  assessment may have assessment results waived if the IEP team
  696  determines that the assessment cannot accurately measure the
  697  student’s abilities.
  698         b. If a student is provided with instructional
  699  accommodations in the classroom that are not allowed as
  700  accommodations for statewide, standardized assessments, the
  701  district must inform the parent in writing and provide the
  702  parent with information regarding the impact on the student’s
  703  ability to meet expected performance levels. A parent must
  704  provide signed consent for a student to receive classroom
  705  instructional accommodations that would not be available or
  706  permitted on a statewide, standardized assessment and
  707  acknowledge in writing that he or she understands the
  708  implications of such instructional accommodations.
  709         c. If a student’s IEP states that online administration of
  710  a statewide, standardized assessment will significantly impair
  711  the student’s ability to perform, the assessment shall be
  712  administered in hard copy.
  713         4. For students with significant cognitive disabilities,
  714  the Department of Education shall provide for implementation of
  715  the Florida Alternate Assessment to accurately measure the core
  716  curricular content established in the Next Generation Sunshine
  717  state academic standards.
  718         (e) Assessment scores and achievement levels.—
  719         1. All statewide, standardized EOC assessments and ELA,
  720  Mathematics, and Science assessments shall use scaled scores and
  721  achievement levels. Achievement levels shall range from 1
  722  through 5, with level 1 being the lowest achievement level,
  723  level 5 being the highest achievement level, and level 3
  724  indicating grade-level satisfactory performance on an
  725  assessment.
  726         2. The state board shall designate by rule a passing score,
  727  indicating grade-level performance, for each statewide,
  728  standardized assessment.
  729         3. If the commissioner seeks to revise a statewide,
  730  standardized assessment and the revisions require the state
  731  board to modify performance level scores, including the passing
  732  score, the commissioner shall provide a copy of the proposed
  733  scores and implementation plan to the President of the Senate
  734  and the Speaker of the House of Representatives at least 45 90
  735  days before submission to the state board for review. Until the
  736  state board adopts the modifications by rule, the commissioner
  737  shall use calculations for scoring the assessment that adjust
  738  student scores on the revised assessment for statistical
  739  equivalence to student scores on the former assessment. The
  740  state board shall adopt by rule the passing score for the
  741  revised assessment that is statistically equivalent to the
  742  passing score on the discontinued assessment for a student who
  743  is required to attain a passing score on the discontinued
  744  assessment. The commissioner may, with approval of the state
  745  board, discontinue administration of the former assessment upon
  746  the graduation, based on normal student progression, of students
  747  participating in the final regular administration of the former
  748  assessment. If the commissioner revises a statewide,
  749  standardized assessment and the revisions require the state
  750  board to modify the passing score, only students taking the
  751  assessment for the first time after the rule is adopted are
  752  affected.
  753         (f) Prohibited activities.—A district school board shall
  754  prohibit each public school from suspending a regular program of
  755  curricula for purposes of administering practice assessments or
  756  engaging in other assessment-preparation activities for a
  757  statewide, standardized assessment. However, a district school
  758  board may authorize a public school to engage in the following
  759  assessment-preparation activities:
  760         1. Distributing to students sample assessment books and
  761  answer keys published by the Department of Education.
  762         2. Providing individualized instruction in assessment
  763  taking strategies, without suspending the school’s regular
  764  program of curricula, for a student who scores Level 1 or Level
  765  2 on a prior administration of an assessment.
  766         3. Providing individualized instruction in the content
  767  knowledge and skills assessed, without suspending the school’s
  768  regular program of curricula, for a student who scores Level 1
  769  or Level 2 on a prior administration of an assessment or a
  770  student who, through a diagnostic assessment administered by the
  771  school district, is identified as having a deficiency in the
  772  content knowledge and skills assessed.
  773         4. Administering a practice assessment or engaging in other
  774  assessment-preparation activities that are determined necessary
  775  to familiarize students with the organization of the assessment,
  776  the format of assessment items, and the assessment directions or
  777  that are otherwise necessary for the valid and reliable
  778  administration of the assessment, as set forth in rules adopted
  779  by the State Board of Education with specific reference to this
  780  paragraph.
  781         (g) Contracts for assessments.—The commissioner shall
  782  provide for the assessments to be developed or obtained, as
  783  appropriate, through contracts and project agreements with
  784  private vendors, public vendors, public agencies, postsecondary
  785  educational institutions, or school districts. The commissioner
  786  may enter into contracts for the continued administration of the
  787  assessments authorized and funded by the Legislature. Contracts
  788  may be initiated in 1 fiscal year and continue into the next
  789  fiscal year and may be paid from the appropriations of either or
  790  both fiscal years. The commissioner may negotiate for the sale
  791  or lease of tests, scoring protocols, test scoring services, and
  792  related materials developed pursuant to law.
  793         (6) LOCAL ASSESSMENT OF STUDENT PERFORMANCE ON STATE
  794  STANDARDS.—Measurement of student performance is the
  795  responsibility of school districts except in those subjects and
  796  grade levels measured under the statewide, standardized
  797  assessment program described in this section and the coordinated
  798  screening and progress monitoring system under s. 1008.25(8).
  799  When available, instructional personnel must be provided with
  800  information on student achievement of standards and benchmarks
  801  in order to improve instruction.
  802         (7) ASSESSMENT SCHEDULES AND REPORTING OF RESULTS.—
  803         (a) The Commissioner of Education shall establish schedules
  804  for the administration of statewide, standardized assessments
  805  and the reporting of student assessment results. The
  806  commissioner shall consider the observance of religious and
  807  school holidays when developing the schedules. The assessment
  808  and reporting schedules must provide the earliest possible
  809  reporting of student assessment results to the school districts.
  810  Assessment results for the statewide, standardized ELA and
  811  Mathematics assessments and all statewide, standardized EOC
  812  assessments must be made available no later than June 30, except
  813  for results for the grade 3 statewide, standardized ELA
  814  assessment, which must be made available no later than May 31.
  815  Beginning with the 2023-2024 school year, assessment results for
  816  the statewide, standardized ELA and Mathematics assessments must
  817  be available no later than May 31. School districts shall
  818  administer statewide, standardized assessments in accordance
  819  with the schedule established by the commissioner.
  820         (b) By January of each year, the commissioner shall publish
  821  on the department’s website a uniform calendar that includes the
  822  assessment and reporting schedules for, at a minimum, the next 2
  823  school years. The uniform calendar must be provided to school
  824  districts in an electronic format that allows each school
  825  district and public school to populate the calendar with, at
  826  minimum, the following information for reporting the district
  827  assessment schedules under paragraph (d):
  828         1. Whether the assessment is a district-required assessment
  829  or a state-required assessment.
  830         2. The specific date or dates that each assessment will be
  831  administered, including administrations of the coordinated
  832  screening and progress monitoring system under s. 1008.25(8)(b).
  833         3. The time allotted to administer each assessment.
  834         4. Whether the assessment is a computer-based assessment or
  835  a paper-based assessment.
  836         5. The grade level or subject area associated with the
  837  assessment.
  838         6. The date that the assessment results are expected to be
  839  available to teachers and parents.
  840         7. The type of assessment, the purpose of the assessment,
  841  and the use of the assessment results.
  842         8. A glossary of assessment terminology.
  843         9. Estimates of average time for administering state
  844  required and district-required assessments, by grade level.
  845         (c) The spring administration of the statewide,
  846  standardized assessments in paragraphs (3)(a) and (b), excluding
  847  assessment retakes, must be in accordance with the following
  848  schedule:
  849         1. The grade 3 statewide, standardized ELA assessment and
  850  the writing portion of the statewide, standardized ELA
  851  assessment must be administered no earlier than April 1 each
  852  year within an assessment window not to exceed 2 weeks.
  853         2. With the exception of assessments identified in
  854  subparagraph 1., any statewide, standardized assessment that is
  855  delivered in a paper-based format must be administered no
  856  earlier than May 1 each year within an assessment window not to
  857  exceed 2 weeks.
  858         3. With the exception of assessments identified in
  859  subparagraphs 1. and 2., any statewide, standardized assessment
  860  must be administered within a 4-week assessment window that
  861  opens no earlier than May 1 each year.
  862         (e) A school district may not schedule more than 5 percent
  863  of a student’s total school hours in a school year to administer
  864  statewide, standardized assessments, the coordinated screening
  865  and progress monitoring system under s. 1008.25(8)(b)2., and
  866  district-required local assessments. The district must secure
  867  written consent from a student’s parent before administering
  868  district-required local assessments that, after applicable
  869  statewide, standardized assessments and coordinated screening
  870  and progress monitoring are scheduled, exceed the 5 percent test
  871  administration limit for that student under this paragraph. The
  872  5 percent test administration limit for a student under this
  873  paragraph may be exceeded as needed to provide test
  874  accommodations that are required by an IEP or are appropriate
  875  for an English language learner who is currently receiving
  876  services in a program operated in accordance with an approved
  877  English language learner district plan pursuant to s. 1003.56.
  878  Notwithstanding this paragraph, a student may choose within a
  879  school year to take an examination or assessment adopted by
  880  State Board of Education rule pursuant to this section and ss.
  881  1007.27, 1008.30, and 1008.44.
  882         (g) A school district must provide a student’s performance
  883  results on district-required local assessments to the student’s
  884  teachers and parent within 1 week and to the student’s parents
  885  no later than 30 days after administering such assessments,
  886  unless the superintendent determines in writing that extenuating
  887  circumstances exist and reports the extenuating circumstances to
  888  the district school board. Results must be made available
  889  through a web-based portal as part of the school district’s
  890  student information system and in a printed format upon request
  891  by a student’s parent.
  892         (h) The results of statewide, standardized assessment in
  893  ELA and mathematics, science, and social studies, including
  894  assessment retakes, shall be reported in an easy-to-read and
  895  understandable format and delivered in time to provide useful,
  896  actionable information to students, parents, and each student’s
  897  current teacher of record and teacher of record for the
  898  subsequent school year; however, in any case, the district shall
  899  provide the results pursuant to this paragraph within 1 week
  900  after receiving the results from the department. A report of
  901  student assessment results must, at a minimum, contain:
  902         1. A clear explanation of the student’s performance on the
  903  applicable statewide, standardized assessments.
  904         2. Information identifying the student’s areas of strength
  905  and areas in need of improvement.
  906         3. Specific actions that may be taken, and the available
  907  resources that may be used, by the student’s parent to assist
  908  his or her child based on the student’s areas of strength and
  909  areas in need of improvement.
  910         4. Longitudinal information, if available, on the student’s
  911  progress in each subject area based on previous statewide,
  912  standardized assessment data.
  913         5. Comparative information showing the student’s score
  914  compared to other students in the school district, in the state,
  915  or, if available, in other states.
  916         6. Predictive information, if available, showing the
  917  linkage between the scores attained by the student on the
  918  statewide, standardized assessments and the scores he or she may
  919  potentially attain on nationally recognized college entrance
  920  examinations.
  921  
  922  The information included under this paragraph relating to
  923  results from the statewide, standardized ELA assessments for
  924  grades 3 through 10 and Mathematics assessments for grades 3
  925  through 8 must be included in individual student reports under
  926  s. 1008.25(8)(c).
  927         (i) The State Board of Education shall adopt rules for the
  928  development of the uniform calendar that, at minimum, define
  929  terms that must be used in the calendar to describe various
  930  assessments, including the terms “progress monitoring,”
  931  “summative assessment,” “formative assessment,” and “interim
  932  assessment.”
  933         (13)INDEPENDENT REVIEW.—By January 31, 2025, the
  934  Commissioner of Education shall provide recommendations to the
  935  Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the
  936  House of Representatives based on an independent review of the
  937  coordinated screening and progress monitoring system under s.
  938  1008.25(8). At a minimum, the review and recommendations must
  939  address:
  940         (a)The feasibility and validity of using results from
  941  either the first or second administration of progress
  942  monitoring, or both, in lieu of using the comprehensive, end-of
  943  year progress monitoring assessment for purposes of
  944  demonstrating a passing score, promotion to grade 4, meeting
  945  graduation requirements, and calculating school grades in
  946  accordance with s. 1008.34.
  947         (b)Options for further reducing the statewide,
  948  standardized assessment footprint while maintaining valid and
  949  reliable data for purposes of school accountability and
  950  providing school and student supports, including the use of
  951  computer-adaptive assessments, consistent with the requirements
  952  of the federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act, 20 U.S.C.
  953  ss. 6301 et seq. and its implementing regulations.
  954         (c)The feasibility and validity of remotely administering
  955  statewide, standardized assessments and the coordinated
  956  screening and progress monitoring system.
  957         (d)Accelerating student progression based on results from
  958  the coordinated screening and progress monitoring system, as
  959  academically and developmentally appropriate.
  960         (e)The incorporation of content from ELA instructional
  961  materials adopted by the Commissioner of Education pursuant to
  962  s. 1006.34 in test items within the coordinated screening and
  963  progress monitoring system under s. 1008.25(8).
  964         (f)The impact of the coordinated screening and progress
  965  monitoring system on student learning growth data as measured by
  966  the formula approved under s. 1012.34(7).
  967  
  968  This subsection is repealed July 1, 2025.
  969         Section 13. Section 1008.25, Florida Statutes, is amended
  970  to read:
  971         1008.25 Public school student progression; student support;
  972  coordinated screening and progress monitoring; reporting
  973  requirements.—
  974         (1) INTENT.—It is the intent of the Legislature that each
  975  student’s progression from one grade to another be determined,
  976  in part, upon satisfactory performance in English Language Arts,
  977  social studies, science, and mathematics; that district school
  978  board policies facilitate student achievement; that each student
  979  and his or her parent be informed of that student’s academic
  980  progress; and that students have access to educational options
  981  that provide academically challenging coursework or accelerated
  982  instruction pursuant to s. 1002.3105.
  983         (2) STUDENT PROGRESSION PLAN.—Each district school board
  984  shall establish a comprehensive plan for student progression
  985  which must provide for a student’s progression from one grade to
  986  another based on the student’s mastery of the standards in s.
  987  1003.41, specifically English Language Arts, mathematics,
  988  science, and social studies standards. The plan must:
  989         (a) Include criteria that emphasize student reading
  990  proficiency in kindergarten through grade 3 and provide targeted
  991  instructional support for students with identified deficiencies
  992  in English Language Arts, mathematics, science, and social
  993  studies. High schools shall use all available assessment
  994  results, including the results of statewide, standardized
  995  English Language Arts assessments and end-of-course assessments
  996  for Algebra I and Geometry, to advise students of any identified
  997  deficiencies and to provide appropriate postsecondary
  998  preparatory instruction before high school graduation. The
  999  results of evaluations used to monitor a student’s progress in
 1000  grades K-12 must be provided to the student’s teacher in a
 1001  timely manner and as otherwise required by law. Thereafter,
 1002  evaluation results must be provided to the student’s parent in a
 1003  timely manner. When available, instructional personnel must be
 1004  provided with information on student achievement of standards
 1005  and benchmarks in order to improve instruction.
 1006         (b)1. List the student eligibility and procedural
 1007  requirements established by the school district for whole-grade
 1008  promotion, midyear promotion, and subject-matter acceleration
 1009  that would result in a student attending a different school,
 1010  pursuant to s. 1002.3105(2)(b).
 1011         2. Notify parents and students of the school district’s
 1012  process by which a parent may request student participation in
 1013  whole-grade promotion, midyear promotion, or subject-matter
 1014  acceleration that would result in a student attending a
 1015  different school, pursuant to s. 1002.3105(4)(b)2.
 1016         (c)1. Advise parents and students that additional ACCEL
 1017  options may be available at the student’s school, pursuant to s.
 1018  1002.3105.
 1019         2. Advise parents and students to contact the principal at
 1020  the student’s school for information related to student
 1021  eligibility requirements for whole-grade promotion, midyear
 1022  promotion, and subject-matter acceleration when the promotion or
 1023  acceleration occurs within the principal’s school; virtual
 1024  instruction in higher grade level subjects; and any other ACCEL
 1025  options offered by the principal, pursuant to s.
 1026  1002.3105(2)(a).
 1027         3. Advise parents and students to contact the principal at
 1028  the student’s school for information related to the school’s
 1029  process by which a parent may request student participation in
 1030  whole-grade promotion, midyear promotion, and subject-matter
 1031  acceleration when the promotion or acceleration occurs within
 1032  the principal’s school; virtual instruction in higher grade
 1033  level subjects; and any other ACCEL options offered by the
 1034  principal, pursuant to s. 1002.3105(4)(b)1.
 1035         (d) Advise parents and students of the early graduation
 1036  options under s. 1003.4281.
 1037         (e) List, or incorporate by reference, all dual enrollment
 1038  courses contained within the dual enrollment articulation
 1039  agreement established pursuant to s. 1007.271(21).
 1040         (f) Provide instructional sequences by which students in
 1041  kindergarten through high school may attain progressively higher
 1042  levels of skill in the use of digital tools and applications.
 1043  The instructional sequences must include participation in
 1044  curricular and instructional options and the demonstration of
 1045  competence of standards required pursuant to ss. 1003.41 and
 1046  1003.4203 through attainment of industry certifications and
 1047  other means of demonstrating credit requirements identified
 1048  under ss. 1002.3105, 1003.4203, and 1003.4282.
 1049         (3) ALLOCATION OF RESOURCES.—District school boards shall
 1050  allocate remedial and supplemental instruction resources to
 1051  students in the following priority:
 1052         (a) Students in kindergarten through grade 3 who have a
 1053  substantial deficiency in reading as determined in paragraph
 1054  (5)(a).
 1055         (b) Students who fail to meet performance levels required
 1056  for promotion consistent with the district school board’s plan
 1057  for student progression required in subsection (2).
 1058         (4) ASSESSMENT AND SUPPORT.—
 1059         (a) Each student must participate in the statewide,
 1060  standardized assessment program required under s. 1008.22 and
 1061  the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program through grade 8
 1062  coordinated screening and progress monitoring system required
 1063  under subsection (8). Each student who does not achieve a Level
 1064  3 or above on the statewide, standardized English Language Arts
 1065  assessment, the statewide, standardized Mathematics assessment,
 1066  or the Algebra I EOC assessment must be evaluated to determine
 1067  the nature of the student’s difficulty, the areas of academic
 1068  need, and strategies for providing academic supports to improve
 1069  the student’s performance.
 1070         (b) A student who is not meeting the school district or
 1071  state requirements for satisfactory performance in English
 1072  Language Arts and mathematics must be covered by one of the
 1073  following plans:
 1074         1. A federally required student plan such as an individual
 1075  education plan;
 1076         2. A schoolwide system of progress monitoring for all
 1077  students, except a student who scores Level 4 or above on the
 1078  English Language Arts and Mathematics assessments may be
 1079  exempted from participation by the principal; or
 1080         3. An individualized progress monitoring plan.
 1081         (c) A student who has a substantial reading deficiency as
 1082  determined in paragraph (5)(a) must be covered by a federally
 1083  required student plan, such as an individual education plan or
 1084  an individualized progress monitoring plan, or both, as
 1085  necessary.
 1086         (5) READING DEFICIENCY AND PARENTAL NOTIFICATION.—
 1087         (a) Any student in kindergarten through grade 3 who
 1088  exhibits a substantial deficiency in reading based upon
 1089  screening, diagnostic, progress monitoring, or assessment data;
 1090  statewide assessments; or teacher observations must be provided
 1091  intensive, explicit, systematic, and multisensory reading
 1092  interventions immediately following the identification of the
 1093  reading deficiency. A school may not wait for a student to
 1094  receive a failing grade at the end of a grading period to
 1095  identify the student as having a substantial reading deficiency
 1096  and initiate intensive reading interventions. In addition, a
 1097  school may not wait until an evaluation conducted pursuant to s.
 1098  1003.57 is completed to provide appropriate, evidence-based
 1099  interventions for a student whose parent submits documentation
 1100  from a professional licensed under chapter 490 which
 1101  demonstrates that the student has been diagnosed with dyslexia.
 1102  Such interventions must be initiated upon receipt of the
 1103  documentation and based on the student’s specific areas of
 1104  difficulty as identified by the licensed professional. A
 1105  student’s reading proficiency must be monitored and the
 1106  intensive interventions must continue until the student
 1107  demonstrates grade level proficiency in a manner determined by
 1108  the district, which may include achieving a Level 3 on the
 1109  statewide, standardized English Language Arts assessment. The
 1110  State Board of Education shall identify by rule guidelines for
 1111  determining whether a student in kindergarten through grade 3
 1112  has a substantial deficiency in reading.
 1113         (b) A Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program student
 1114  who exhibits a substantial deficiency in early literacy skills
 1115  in accordance with the standards under s. 1002.67(1)(a) and
 1116  based upon the results of the administration of the final
 1117  coordinated screening and progress monitoring under subsection
 1118  (8) s. 1008.2125 shall be referred to the local school district
 1119  and may be eligible to receive intensive reading interventions
 1120  before participating in kindergarten. Such intensive reading
 1121  interventions shall be paid for using funds from the district’s
 1122  evidence-based research-based reading instruction allocation in
 1123  accordance with s. 1011.62(8) s. 1011.62(9).
 1124         (c) To be promoted to grade 4, a student must score a Level
 1125  2 or higher on the statewide, standardized English Language Arts
 1126  assessment required under s. 1008.22 for grade 3. If a student’s
 1127  reading deficiency is not remedied by the end of grade 3, as
 1128  demonstrated by scoring Level 2 or higher on the statewide,
 1129  standardized assessment required under s. 1008.22 for grade 3,
 1130  the student must be retained.
 1131         (d) The parent of any student who exhibits a substantial
 1132  deficiency in reading, as described in paragraph (a), must be
 1133  notified in writing of the following:
 1134         1. That his or her child has been identified as having a
 1135  substantial deficiency in reading, including a description and
 1136  explanation, in terms understandable to the parent, of the exact
 1137  nature of the student’s difficulty in learning and lack of
 1138  achievement in reading.
 1139         2. A description of the current services that are provided
 1140  to the child.
 1141         3. A description of the proposed intensive interventions
 1142  and supports that will be provided to the child that are
 1143  designed to remediate the identified area of reading deficiency.
 1144         4. That if the child’s reading deficiency is not remediated
 1145  by the end of grade 3, the child must be retained unless he or
 1146  she is exempt from mandatory retention for good cause.
 1147         5. Strategies, including multisensory strategies, through a
 1148  read-at-home plan the parent can use in helping his or her child
 1149  succeed in reading. The read-at-home plan must provide access to
 1150  the resources identified in paragraph (e) paragraph (d).
 1151         6. That the statewide, standardized English Language Arts
 1152  assessment is not the sole determiner of promotion and that
 1153  additional evaluations, portfolio reviews, and assessments are
 1154  available to the child to assist parents and the school district
 1155  in knowing when a child is reading at or above grade level and
 1156  ready for grade promotion.
 1157         7. The district’s specific criteria and policies for a
 1158  portfolio as provided in subparagraph (6)(b)4. and the evidence
 1159  required for a student to demonstrate mastery of Florida’s
 1160  academic standards for English Language Arts. A school must
 1161  immediately begin collecting evidence for a portfolio when a
 1162  student in grade 3 is identified as being at risk of retention
 1163  or upon the request of the parent, whichever occurs first.
 1164         8. The district’s specific criteria and policies for
 1165  midyear promotion. Midyear promotion means promotion of a
 1166  retained student at any time during the year of retention once
 1167  the student has demonstrated ability to read at grade level.
 1168         9. Information about the student’s eligibility for the New
 1169  Worlds Reading Initiative under s. 1003.485 and information on
 1170  parent training modules and other reading engagement resources
 1171  available through the initiative.
 1172  
 1173  After initial notification, the school shall apprise the parent
 1174  at least monthly of the student’s progress in response to the
 1175  intensive interventions and supports. Such communications must
 1176  be in writing and must explain any additional interventions or
 1177  supports that will be implemented to accelerate the student’s
 1178  progress if the interventions and supports already being
 1179  implemented have not resulted in improvement.
 1180         (e) The Department of Education shall compile resources
 1181  that each school district must incorporate into a read-at-home
 1182  plan provided to the parent of a student who is identified as
 1183  having a substantial reading deficiency pursuant to paragraph
 1184  (d) paragraph (c). The resources must be made available in an
 1185  electronic format that is accessible online and must include the
 1186  following:
 1187         1. Developmentally appropriate, evidence-based strategies
 1188  and programming, including links to video training modules and
 1189  opportunities to sign up for at-home reading tips delivered
 1190  periodically via text and e-mail, which a parent can use to help
 1191  improve his or her child’s literacy skills.
 1192         2. An overview of the types of assessments used to identify
 1193  reading deficiencies and what those assessments measure or do
 1194  not measure, the frequency with which the assessments are
 1195  administered, and the requirements for interventions and
 1196  supports that districts must provide to students who do not make
 1197  adequate academic progress.
 1198         3. An overview of the process for initiating and conducting
 1199  evaluations for exceptional education eligibility. The overview
 1200  must include an explanation that a diagnosis of a medical
 1201  condition alone is not sufficient to establish exceptional
 1202  education eligibility but may be used to document how that
 1203  condition relates to the student’s eligibility determination and
 1204  may be disclosed in an eligible student’s individual education
 1205  plan when necessary to inform school personnel responsible for
 1206  implementing the plan.
 1207         4. Characteristics of conditions associated with learning
 1208  disorders, including dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, and
 1209  developmental aphasia.
 1210         5. A list of resources that support informed parent
 1211  involvement in decisionmaking processes for students who have
 1212  difficulty in learning.
 1213  
 1214  Upon the request of a parent, resources meeting the requirements
 1215  of this paragraph must be provided to the parent in a hardcopy
 1216  format.
 1217         (6) ELIMINATION OF SOCIAL PROMOTION.—
 1218         (a) No student may be assigned to a grade level based
 1219  solely on age or other factors that constitute social promotion.
 1220         (b) The district school board may only exempt students from
 1221  mandatory retention, as provided in paragraph (5)(c), for good
 1222  cause. A student who is promoted to grade 4 with a good cause
 1223  exemption shall be provided intensive reading instruction and
 1224  intervention that include specialized diagnostic information and
 1225  specific reading strategies to meet the needs of each student so
 1226  promoted. The school district shall assist schools and teachers
 1227  with the implementation of explicit, systematic, and
 1228  multisensory reading instruction and intervention strategies for
 1229  students promoted with a good cause exemption which research has
 1230  shown to be successful in improving reading among students who
 1231  have reading difficulties. Good cause exemptions are limited to
 1232  the following:
 1233         1. Limited English proficient students who have had less
 1234  than 2 years of instruction in an English for Speakers of Other
 1235  Languages program based on the initial date of entry into a
 1236  school in the United States.
 1237         2. Students with disabilities whose individual education
 1238  plan indicates that participation in the statewide assessment
 1239  program is not appropriate, consistent with the requirements of
 1240  s. 1008.212.
 1241         3. Students who demonstrate an acceptable level of
 1242  performance on an alternative standardized reading or English
 1243  Language Arts assessment approved by the State Board of
 1244  Education.
 1245         4. A student who demonstrates through a student portfolio
 1246  that he or she is performing at least at Level 2 on the
 1247  statewide, standardized English Language Arts assessment.
 1248         5. Students with disabilities who take the statewide,
 1249  standardized English Language Arts assessment and who have an
 1250  individual education plan or a Section 504 plan that reflects
 1251  that the student has received intensive instruction in reading
 1252  or English Language Arts for more than 2 years but still
 1253  demonstrates a deficiency and was previously retained in
 1254  kindergarten, grade 1, grade 2, or grade 3.
 1255         6. Students who have received intensive reading
 1256  intervention for 2 or more years but still demonstrate a
 1257  deficiency in reading and who were previously retained in
 1258  kindergarten, grade 1, grade 2, or grade 3 for a total of 2
 1259  years. A student may not be retained more than once in grade 3.
 1260         (c) Requests for good cause exemptions for students from
 1261  the mandatory retention requirement as described in
 1262  subparagraphs (b)3. and 4. shall be made consistent with the
 1263  following:
 1264         1. Documentation shall be submitted from the student’s
 1265  teacher to the school principal that indicates that the
 1266  promotion of the student is appropriate and is based upon the
 1267  student’s academic record. In order to minimize paperwork
 1268  requirements, such documentation shall consist only of the
 1269  existing progress monitoring plan, individual educational plan,
 1270  if applicable, report card, or student portfolio.
 1271         2. The school principal shall review and discuss such
 1272  recommendation with the teacher and make the determination as to
 1273  whether the student should be promoted or retained. If the
 1274  school principal determines that the student should be promoted,
 1275  the school principal shall make such recommendation in writing
 1276  to the district school superintendent. The district school
 1277  superintendent shall accept or reject the school principal’s
 1278  recommendation in writing.
 1279         (7) SUCCESSFUL PROGRESSION FOR RETAINED THIRD GRADE
 1280  STUDENTS.—
 1281         (a) Students retained under paragraph (5)(c) must be
 1282  provided intensive interventions in reading to ameliorate the
 1283  student’s specific reading deficiency and prepare the student
 1284  for promotion to the next grade. These interventions must
 1285  include:
 1286         1. Evidence-based, explicit, systematic, and multisensory
 1287  reading instruction in phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency,
 1288  vocabulary, and comprehension and other strategies prescribed by
 1289  the school district.
 1290         2. Participation in the school district’s summer reading
 1291  camp, which must incorporate the instructional and intervention
 1292  strategies under subparagraph 1.
 1293         3. A minimum of 90 minutes of daily, uninterrupted reading
 1294  instruction incorporating the instructional and intervention
 1295  strategies under subparagraph 1. This instruction may include:
 1296         a. Coordinated integration of content-rich texts in science
 1297  and civic literacy within the 90-minute block.
 1298         b. Small group instruction.
 1299         c. Reduced teacher-student ratios.
 1300         d. More frequent progress monitoring.
 1301         e. Tutoring or mentoring.
 1302         f. Transition classes containing 3rd and 4th grade
 1303  students.
 1304         g. Extended school day, week, or year.
 1305         (b) Each school district shall:
 1306         1. Provide written notification to the parent of a student
 1307  who is retained under paragraph (5)(c) that his or her child has
 1308  not met the achievement proficiency level required for promotion
 1309  and the reasons the child is not eligible for a good cause
 1310  exemption as provided in paragraph (6)(b). The notification must
 1311  comply with paragraph (5)(d) and must include a description of
 1312  proposed interventions and supports that will be provided to the
 1313  child to remediate the identified areas of reading deficiency.
 1314         2. Implement a policy for the midyear promotion of a
 1315  student retained under paragraph (5)(c) who can demonstrate that
 1316  he or she is a successful and independent reader and performing
 1317  at or above grade level in reading or, upon implementation of
 1318  English Language Arts assessments, performing at or above grade
 1319  level in English Language Arts. Tools that school districts may
 1320  use in reevaluating a student retained may include subsequent
 1321  assessments, alternative assessments, and portfolio reviews, in
 1322  accordance with rules of the State Board of Education. Students
 1323  promoted during the school year after November 1 must
 1324  demonstrate achievement proficiency levels in reading equivalent
 1325  to the level necessary for the beginning of grade 4. The rules
 1326  adopted by the State Board of Education must include standards
 1327  that provide a reasonable expectation that the student’s
 1328  progress is sufficient to master appropriate grade 4 level
 1329  reading skills.
 1330         3. Provide students who are retained under paragraph
 1331  (5)(c), including students participating in the school
 1332  district’s summer reading camp under subparagraph (a)2., with a
 1333  highly effective teacher who is certified or endorsed in reading
 1334  and is rated highly effective as determined by the teacher’s
 1335  performance evaluation under s. 1012.34, and, beginning July 1,
 1336  2020, the teacher must also be certified or endorsed in reading.
 1337         4. Establish at each school, when applicable, an intensive
 1338  reading acceleration course for any student retained in grade 3
 1339  who was previously retained in kindergarten, grade 1, or grade
 1340  2. The intensive reading acceleration course must provide the
 1341  following:
 1342         a. Uninterrupted reading instruction for the majority of
 1343  student contact time each day and opportunities to master the
 1344  grade 4 Next Generation Sunshine state academic standards in
 1345  other core subject areas through content-rich texts.
 1346         b. Small group instruction.
 1347         c. Reduced teacher-student ratios.
 1348         d. The use of explicit, systematic, and multisensory
 1349  reading interventions, including intensive language, phonics,
 1350  and vocabulary instruction, and use of a speech-language
 1351  therapist if necessary, that have proven results in accelerating
 1352  student reading achievement within the same school year.
 1353         e. A read-at-home plan.
 1354         (8) COORDINATED SCREENING AND PROGRESS MONITORING SYSTEM.—
 1355         (a) The Department of Education, in collaboration with the
 1356  Office of Early Learning, shall procure and require the use of a
 1357  statewide, standardized coordinated screening and progress
 1358  monitoring system for the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education
 1359  Program and public schools serving kindergarten through grade 8
 1360  students. The system must:
 1361         1. Measure student progress in the Voluntary
 1362  Prekindergarten Education Program through grade 8 in meeting the
 1363  appropriate expectations in early literacy and mathematics
 1364  skills and in English Language Arts and mathematics standards as
 1365  required by ss. 1002.67(1)(a) and 1003.41 and identify the
 1366  educational strengths and needs of students.
 1367         2. For students in the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education
 1368  Program through grade 3, measure student performance in oral
 1369  language development, phonological and phonemic awareness,
 1370  knowledge of print and letters, decoding, fluency, vocabulary,
 1371  and comprehension, as applicable by grade level, and, at a
 1372  minimum, provide interval level and norm-referenced data that
 1373  measures equivalent levels of growth.
 1374         3. Be a valid, reliable, and developmentally appropriate
 1375  computer-based computer-adaptive direct instrument that provides
 1376  screening and diagnostic capabilities for monitoring student
 1377  progress; identifies students who have a substantial deficiency
 1378  in reading, including identifying students with characteristics
 1379  of dyslexia and other learning disorders; and informs
 1380  instruction. Beginning with the 2023-2024 school year, the
 1381  coordinated screening and progress monitoring system must be
 1382  computer-adaptive.
 1383         4. Provide data for Voluntary Prekindergarten Education
 1384  Program accountability as required under s. 1002.68 s. 1002.67.
 1385         5. Provide Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program
 1386  providers, school districts, schools, and teachers, and parents
 1387  with data and resources that enhance differentiated instruction
 1388  and parent communication.
 1389         6. Provide baseline data to the department of each
 1390  student’s readiness for kindergarten. The determination of
 1391  kindergarten readiness must be based on the results of each
 1392  student’s initial progress monitoring assessment in
 1393  kindergarten. The methodology for determining a student’s
 1394  readiness for kindergarten must be developed by the department
 1395  and aligned to the methodology adopted pursuant to s.
 1396  1002.68(4).
 1397         7.Assess how well educational goals and curricular
 1398  standards are met at the provider, school, district, and state
 1399  levels and provide information to the department to aid in the
 1400  development of educational programs, policies, and supports for
 1401  providers, districts, and schools.
 1402         (b) Beginning with the 2022-2023 school year, private
 1403  Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program providers and public
 1404  schools must participate in the coordinated screening and
 1405  progress monitoring system pursuant to this paragraph.
 1406         1.For students in the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education
 1407  Program through grade 2, the coordinated screening and progress
 1408  monitoring system must be administered at least three times
 1409  within a program year or school year, as applicable, with the
 1410  first administration occurring no later than the first 30
 1411  instructional days after a student’s enrollment or the start of
 1412  the program year or school year, the second administration
 1413  occurring midyear, and the third administration occurring within
 1414  the last 30 days of the program or school year pursuant to state
 1415  board rule. The state board may adopt alternate timeframes to
 1416  address nontraditional school year calendars or summer programs
 1417  to ensure the coordinated screening and progress monitoring
 1418  program is administered a minimum of three times within a year
 1419  or program.
 1420         2.For grades 3 through 10 English Language Arts and grades
 1421  3 through 8 Mathematics, the coordinated screening and progress
 1422  monitoring system must be administered at the beginning, middle,
 1423  and end of the school year pursuant to state board rule. The
 1424  end-of-year administration of the coordinated screening and
 1425  progress monitoring system must be a comprehensive progress
 1426  monitoring assessment administered in accordance with the
 1427  scheduling requirements under s. 1008.22(7)(c).
 1428         (c)To facilitate timely interventions and supports
 1429  pursuant to subsection (4), the system must provide results from
 1430  the first two administrations of the progress monitoring to a
 1431  student’s teacher within 1 week and to the student’s parent
 1432  within 2 weeks of the administration of the progress monitoring.
 1433  Delivery of results from the comprehensive, end-of-year progress
 1434  monitoring ELA assessment for grades 3 through 10 and
 1435  Mathematics assessment for grades 3 through 8 must be in
 1436  accordance with s. 1008.22(7)(h).
 1437         1.A student’s results from the coordinated screening and
 1438  progress monitoring system must be recorded in a written, easy
 1439  to-comprehend individual student report. Each school district
 1440  shall provide a parent secure access to his or her child’s
 1441  individual student reports through a web-based portal as part of
 1442  its student information system. Each early learning coalition
 1443  shall provide parents the individual student report in a format
 1444  determined by state board rule.
 1445         2.In addition to the information under subparagraph (a)5.,
 1446  the report must also include parent resources that explain the
 1447  purpose of progress monitoring, assist the parent in
 1448  interpreting progress monitoring results, and support informed
 1449  parent involvement. Parent resources may include personalized
 1450  video formats.
 1451         3.The department shall annually update school districts
 1452  and early learning coalitions on new system features and
 1453  functionality and collaboratively identify with school districts
 1454  and early learning coalitions strategies for meaningfully
 1455  reporting to parents results from the coordinated screening and
 1456  progress monitoring system.
 1457         4.An individual student report must be provided in a
 1458  printed format upon a parent’s request
 1459         (c)A Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program student
 1460  who is at risk of being identified as having a substantial
 1461  deficiency in early literacy skills, based upon results under
 1462  this subsection, must be referred to the school district in
 1463  which he or she resides and may be eligible to receive early
 1464  literacy instruction and interventions after program completion
 1465  and before participating in kindergarten. Such instruction and
 1466  interventions may be paid for using funds from the school
 1467  district’s evidence-based reading instruction allocation in
 1468  accordance with s. 1011.62(9).
 1469         (d) Screening and progress monitoring system results,
 1470  including the number of students who demonstrate characteristics
 1471  of dyslexia, shall be reported to the department pursuant to
 1472  state board rule and maintained in the department’s Education
 1473  Data Warehouse. Results must be provided to a student’s teacher
 1474  and parent in a timely manner as required in s. 1008.22(7)(g).
 1475         (e) The department, in collaboration with the Office of
 1476  Early Learning, shall provide training and support for effective
 1477  implementation of the screening and progress monitoring system.
 1478         (9) ANNUAL REPORT.—
 1479         (a) In addition to the requirements in paragraph (5)(c),
 1480  each district school board must annually report to the parent of
 1481  each student the progress of the student toward achieving state
 1482  and district expectations for proficiency in English Language
 1483  Arts, science, social studies, and mathematics. The district
 1484  school board must report to the parent the student’s results on
 1485  each statewide, standardized assessment and the coordinated
 1486  screening and progress monitoring system under subsection (8).
 1487  The evaluation of each student’s progress must be based upon the
 1488  student’s classroom work, observations, tests, district and
 1489  state assessments, response to intensive interventions provided
 1490  under paragraph (5)(a), and other relevant information. Progress
 1491  reporting must be provided to the parent in writing in a format
 1492  adopted by the district school board and must be accessible
 1493  through secure, web-based options.
 1494         (b) Each district school board must annually publish on the
 1495  district website and in the local newspaper the following
 1496  information on the prior school year:
 1497         1. The provisions of this section relating to public school
 1498  student progression and the district school board’s policies and
 1499  procedures on student retention and promotion.
 1500         2. By grade, the number and percentage of all students in
 1501  grades 3 through 10 performing at Levels 1 and 2 on the
 1502  statewide, standardized English Language Arts assessment.
 1503         3. By grade, the number and percentage of all students
 1504  retained in kindergarten through grade 10.
 1505         4. Information on the total number of students who were
 1506  promoted for good cause, by each category of good cause as
 1507  specified in paragraph (6)(b).
 1508         5. Any revisions to the district school board’s policies
 1509  and procedures on student retention and promotion from the prior
 1510  year.
 1511         (10) RULEMAKING.—The State Board of Education shall adopt
 1512  rules pursuant to ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54 for the
 1513  administration of this section.
 1514         Section 14. Subsection (7) is added to section 1008.34,
 1515  Florida Statutes, to read:
 1516         1008.34 School grading system; school report cards;
 1517  district grade.—
 1518         (7)TRANSITION.—To assist in the transition to 2022-2023
 1519  school grades and district grades calculated based on the
 1520  comprehensive, end-of-year progress monitoring assessment under
 1521  s. 1008.25(8), the 2022-2023 school grades and district grades
 1522  shall serve as an informational baseline for schools and
 1523  districts to work toward improved performance in future years.
 1524  Accordingly, notwithstanding any other provision of law:
 1525         (a)Due to the absence of learning gains data in the 2022
 1526  2023 school year, the initial school grading scale for the 2022
 1527  2023 informational baseline grades shall be set so that the
 1528  percentage of schools that earn an “A,” “B,” “C,” “D,” and “F”
 1529  is statistically equivalent to the 2021-2022 school grades
 1530  results. When learning gains data becomes available in the 2023
 1531  2024 school year, the State Board of Education shall review the
 1532  school grading scale and determine if the scale should be
 1533  adjusted.
 1534         (b)A school may not be required to select and implement a
 1535  turnaround option pursuant to s. 1008.33 in the 2023-2024 school
 1536  year based on the school’s 2022-2023 grade. The benefits of s.
 1537  1008.33(4)(c), relating to a school being released from
 1538  implementation of the turnaround option, and s. 1008.33(4)(d),
 1539  relating to a school implementing strategies identified in its
 1540  school improvement plan, apply to a school using turnaround
 1541  options pursuant to s. 1008.33 which improves to a grade of “C”
 1542  or higher during the 2022-2023 school year.
 1543         (c)A school or approved provider under s. 1002.45 which
 1544  receives the same or lower school grade for the 2022-2023 school
 1545  year compared to the 2021-2022 school year is not subject to
 1546  sanctions or penalties that would otherwise occur as a result of
 1547  the 2022-2023 school grade or rating. A charter school system or
 1548  school district designated as high performing may not lose the
 1549  designation based on the 2022-2023 school grades of any of the
 1550  schools within the charter school system or school district or
 1551  based on the 2022-2023 district grade, as applicable.
 1552         (d)For purposes of determining grade 3 retention pursuant
 1553  to s. 1008.25(5) and high school graduation pursuant to s.
 1554  1003.4282, student performance on the 2022-2023 comprehensive,
 1555  end-of-year progress monitoring assessment under s. 1008.25(8)
 1556  shall be linked to 2021-2022 student performance expectations.
 1557  In addition to the good cause exemptions under s. 1008.25(6), a
 1558  student may be promoted to grade 4 for the 2023-2024 school year
 1559  if the student demonstrates an acceptable level of performance
 1560  through means reasonably calculated by the school district to
 1561  provide reliable evidence of the student’s performance.
 1562  
 1563  This subsection is repealed July 1, 2025.
 1564         Section 15. Subsection (7) is added to section 1008.341,
 1565  Florida Statutes, to read:
 1566         1008.341 School improvement rating for alternative
 1567  schools.—
 1568         (7)TRANSITION.—Due to the absence of learning gains data
 1569  in the 2022-2023 school year, school improvement ratings will
 1570  not be calculated for the 2022-2023 school year. When learning
 1571  gains data becomes available in the 2023-2024 school year, the
 1572  State Board of Education shall set the scale for the
 1573  “Commendable,” “Maintaining,” and “Unsatisfactory” ratings
 1574  pursuant to rule. This subsection is repealed July 1, 2025.
 1575         Section 16. Effective upon becoming a law, the Department
 1576  of Education may initiate new assessment systems and close out
 1577  old assessment systems and shall amend contracts in order to
 1578  implement this act.
 1579         Section 17. Except as otherwise expressly provided in this
 1580  act, and except for this section which shall take effect upon
 1581  this act becoming a law, this act shall take effect July 1,
 1582  2022.