Florida Senate - 2022 SB 2524
By the Committee on Appropriations
576-02896-22 20222524__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to education; amending s. 1002.394,
3 F.S.; revising the maximum number of students for whom
4 scholarships are established under the Family
5 Empowerment Scholarship Program, beginning in
6 specified school years; repealing s. 1002.411, F.S.,
7 relating to reading scholarship accounts; amending s.
8 1002.995, F.S.; requiring the Department of Education
9 to provide incentives to school readiness personnel
10 and prekindergarten instructors who meet specified
11 requirements, subject to the appropriation of funds
12 for that purpose; amending s. 1007.271, F.S.; revising
13 requirements for materials assigned for use within
14 dual enrollment courses; deleting a requirement that
15 certain students be responsible for their own
16 instructional materials as a prerequisite to
17 participation in the dual enrollment program;
18 requiring that private school articulation agreements
19 entered into by public postsecondary institutions
20 eligible to participate in the dual enrollment program
21 include a provision specifying the private school’s
22 payment obligation for certain dual enrollment
23 courses; creating s. 1007.36, F.S.; creating the
24 Inclusive Transition and Employment Management
25 Program; providing the purpose of the program;
26 creating s. 1008.3651, F.S.; providing a legislative
27 finding; creating the Seal of Excellence in Advancing
28 Literacy; providing the purpose of the seal; requiring
29 the State Board of Education to adopt rules by a
30 specified date; establishing the criteria for earning
31 the seal; specifying requirements for such criteria;
32 requiring that schools that meet the criteria receive
33 financial awards, subject to the availability of
34 funds; specifying how awards must be distributed;
35 specifying allowable uses of awards; providing that
36 awards are not subject to collective bargaining;
37 amending s. 1009.30, F.S.; revising the criteria for
38 reimbursement of eligible postsecondary institutions
39 for tuition and related instructional materials costs
40 for dual enrollment courses; revising participating
41 institution reporting requirements under the program;
42 requiring the department to reimburse each
43 participating institution within a specified
44 timeframe; amending s. 1011.48, F.S.; revising the
45 manner in which certain fees charged by educational
46 research centers for child development are determined;
47 amending s. 1011.62, F.S.; revising full-time
48 equivalent student membership amounts for purposes
49 related to the sparsity supplement under the Florida
50 Education Finance Program; revising the requirements
51 of the evidence-based reading instruction allocation
52 under the Florida Education Finance Program; defining
53 the term “supervision”; conforming provisions to
54 changes made by the act; creating s. 1012.5861, F.S.;
55 providing a legislative finding; requiring the
56 department to create a statewide early literacy micro
57 credential focused on certain readers; authorizing
58 district school boards and lab school boards of
59 trustees to use certain programs; providing for
60 reciprocity for micro-credentials; requiring that
61 charter schools are provided access to all approved
62 micro-credentials; requiring the department to make
63 the micro-credential available to certain persons by a
64 specified date; specifying the requirements for the
65 micro-credential; requiring the state board to adopt
66 rules; amending s. 1003.621, F.S.; conforming a cross
67 reference; providing an effective date.
68
69 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
70
71 Section 1. Paragraph (b) of subsection (12) of section
72 1002.394, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
73 1002.394 The Family Empowerment Scholarship Program.—
74 (12) SCHOLARSHIP FUNDING AND PAYMENT.—
75 (b)1. Scholarships for students determined eligible
76 pursuant to paragraph (3)(b) are established for up to 26,500
77 20,000 students annually beginning in the 2022-2023 2021-2022
78 school year. Beginning in the 2023-2024 2022-2023 school year,
79 the maximum number of students participating in the scholarship
80 program under this section shall annually increase by 1.0
81 percent of the state’s total exceptional student education full
82 time equivalent student enrollment, not including gifted
83 students. An eligible student who meets any of the following
84 requirements shall be excluded from the maximum number of
85 students if the student:
86 a. Received specialized instructional services under the
87 Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program pursuant to s.
88 1002.66 during the previous school year and the student has a
89 current IEP developed by the local school board in accordance
90 with rules of the State Board of Education;
91 b. Is a dependent child of a member of the United States
92 Armed Forces, a foster child, or an adopted child;
93 c. Spent the prior school year in attendance at a Florida
94 public school or the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind.
95 For purposes of this subparagraph, the term “prior school year
96 in attendance” means that the student was enrolled and reported
97 by:
98 (I) A school district for funding during either the
99 preceding October or February Florida Education Finance Program
100 surveys in kindergarten through grade 12, which includes time
101 spent in a Department of Juvenile Justice commitment program if
102 funded under the Florida Education Finance Program;
103 (II) The Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind during
104 the preceding October or February student membership surveys in
105 kindergarten through grade 12;
106 (III) A school district for funding during the preceding
107 October or February Florida Education Finance Program surveys,
108 was at least 4 years of age when enrolled and reported, and was
109 eligible for services under s. 1003.21(1)(e); or
110 (IV) Received a John M. McKay Scholarship for Students with
111 Disabilities in the 2021-2022 school year.
112 2. For a student who has a Level I to Level III matrix of
113 services or a diagnosis by a physician or psychologist, the
114 calculated scholarship amount for a student participating in the
115 program must be based upon the grade level and school district
116 in which the student would have been enrolled as the total funds
117 per unweighted full-time equivalent in the Florida Education
118 Finance Program for a student in the basic exceptional student
119 education program pursuant to s. 1011.62(1)(c)1. and (e)1.c.,
120 plus a per full-time equivalent share of funds for all
121 categorical programs, as funded in the General Appropriations
122 Act, except that for the exceptional student education
123 guaranteed allocation as provided in s. 1011.62(1)(e)1.c. and
124 2., the funds must be allocated based on the school district’s
125 average exceptional student education guaranteed allocation
126 funds per exceptional student education full-time equivalent
127 student.
128 3. For a student with a Level IV or Level V matrix of
129 services, the calculated scholarship amount must be based upon
130 the school district to which the student would have been
131 assigned as the total funds per full-time equivalent for the
132 Level IV or Level V exceptional student education program
133 pursuant to s. 1011.62(1)(c)2.a. or b., plus a per-full time
134 equivalent share of funds for all categorical programs, as
135 funded in the General Appropriations Act.
136 4. For a student who received a Gardiner Scholarship
137 pursuant to s. 1002.385 in the 2020-2021 school year, the amount
138 shall be the greater of the amount calculated pursuant to
139 subparagraph 2. or the amount the student received for the 2020
140 2021 school year.
141 5. For a student who received a John M. McKay Scholarship
142 pursuant to s. 1002.39 in the 2020-2021 school year, the amount
143 shall be the greater of the amount calculated pursuant to
144 subparagraph 2. or the amount the student received for the 2020
145 2021 school year.
146 6. Upon notification from an organization on July 1,
147 September 1, December 1, and February 1 that an application has
148 been approved for the program, the department shall verify that
149 the student is not prohibited from receiving a scholarship
150 pursuant to subsection (6). The organization must provide the
151 department with the documentation necessary to verify the
152 student’s participation.
153 7. Upon verification, the department shall release, from
154 state funds only, the student’s scholarship funds to the
155 organization, to be deposited into the student’s account in four
156 equal amounts no later than September 1, November 1, February 1,
157 and April 1 of each school year in which the scholarship is in
158 force.
159 8. Accrued interest in the student’s account is in addition
160 to, and not part of, the awarded funds. Program funds include
161 both the awarded funds and accrued interest.
162 9. The organization may develop a system for payment of
163 benefits by funds transfer, including, but not limited to, debit
164 cards, electronic payment cards, or any other means of payment
165 which the department deems to be commercially viable or cost
166 effective. A student’s scholarship award may not be reduced for
167 debit card or electronic payment fees. Commodities or services
168 related to the development of such a system must be procured by
169 competitive solicitation unless they are purchased from a state
170 term contract pursuant to s. 287.056.
171 10. Moneys received pursuant to this section do not
172 constitute taxable income to the qualified student or the parent
173 of the qualified student.
174 Section 2. Section 1002.411, Florida Statutes, is repealed.
175 Section 3. Paragraph (c) is added to subsection (1) of
176 section 1002.995, Florida Statutes, to read:
177 1002.995 Early learning professional development standards
178 and career pathways.—
179 (1) The department shall:
180 (c) Subject to the appropriation of funds by the
181 Legislature, provide incentives to school readiness personnel
182 who meet the requirements of s. 1002.88(1)(e) and
183 prekindergarten instructors who meet the requirements specified
184 in s. 1002.55, s. 1002.61, or s. 1002.63 and who possess a
185 reading certification or endorsement or an early literacy micro
186 credential as specified in s. 1012.5861 and teach students in
187 the school readiness program or the voluntary prekindergarten
188 education program.
189 Section 4. Subsections (17) and (24) of section 1007.271,
190 Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
191 1007.271 Dual enrollment programs.—
192 (17) Instructional materials assigned for use within dual
193 enrollment courses shall be made available to dual enrollment
194 students from Florida public high schools free of charge. A
195 postsecondary institution may not require payment for
196 instructional materials costs eligible for reimbursement under
197 s. 1009.30 This subsection does not prohibit a Florida College
198 System institution from providing instructional materials at no
199 cost to a home education student or student from a private
200 school. Instructional materials purchased by a district school
201 board or Florida College System institution board of trustees on
202 behalf of dual enrollment students shall be the property of the
203 board against which the purchase is charged.
204 (24)(a) The dual enrollment program for a private school
205 student consists of the enrollment of an eligible private school
206 student in a postsecondary course creditable toward an associate
207 degree, a career certificate, or a baccalaureate degree. In
208 addition, a private school in which a student, including, but
209 not limited to, students with disabilities, is enrolled must
210 award credit toward high school completion for the postsecondary
211 course under the dual enrollment program. To participate in the
212 dual enrollment program, an eligible private school student
213 must:
214 1. Provide proof of enrollment in a private school pursuant
215 to subsection (2).
216 2. Be responsible for his or her own instructional
217 materials and transportation unless provided for in the
218 articulation agreement.
219 3. Sign a private school articulation agreement pursuant to
220 paragraph (b).
221 (b) Each public postsecondary institution eligible to
222 participate in the dual enrollment program pursuant to s.
223 1011.62(1)(i) must enter into a private school articulation
224 agreement with each eligible private school in its geographic
225 service area seeking to offer dual enrollment courses to its
226 students, including, but not limited to, students with
227 disabilities. By August 1 of each year, the eligible
228 postsecondary institution shall complete and submit the private
229 school articulation agreement to the Department of Education.
230 The private school articulation agreement must include, at a
231 minimum:
232 1. A delineation of courses and programs available to the
233 private school student. The postsecondary institution may add,
234 revise, or delete courses and programs at any time.
235 2. The initial and continued eligibility requirements for
236 private school student participation, not to exceed those
237 required of other dual enrollment students.
238 3. The student’s responsibilities for providing his or her
239 own instructional materials and transportation.
240 4. A provision clarifying that the private school will
241 award appropriate credit toward high school completion for the
242 postsecondary course under the dual enrollment program.
243 5. A provision relating to payment for dual enrollment
244 courses, which must specify that:
245 a. The private school shall pay an amount specified by the
246 postsecondary institution for dual enrollment courses taken
247 during the scheduled school hours of the private school. The
248 amount charged per credit hour may not exceed the postsecondary
249 institution standard tuition rate per credit hour; and
250 b. The private school is not required to pay for dual
251 enrollment courses taken by its students outside of the
252 scheduled school hours of the private school, or during the
253 summer term.
254 6. A provision expressing that costs associated with
255 tuition and fees, including registration, and laboratory fees,
256 will not be passed along to the student.
257 Section 5. Section 1007.36, Florida Statutes, is created to
258 read:
259 1007.36 Inclusive Transition and Employment Management
260 Program.—As authorized by and consistent with funding
261 appropriated in the General Appropriations Act, the Inclusive
262 Transition and Employment Management Program is created for the
263 purpose of providing young adults with disabilities who are
264 between the ages of 16 years and 28 years with transitional
265 skills, education, and on-the-job experience to allow them to
266 acquire and retain permanent employment.
267 Section 6. Section 1008.3651, Florida Statutes, is created
268 to read:
269 1008.3651 The Seal of Excellence in Advancing Literacy.—
270 (1) The Legislature finds that there is a need for a
271 performance incentive program for outstanding faculty and staff
272 in schools that demonstrate growth in early literacy attainment.
273 (2) The Seal of Excellence in Advancing Literacy is created
274 to provide financial awards to public schools, including charter
275 schools, which demonstrate growth in early literacy. By October
276 1, 2022, the State Board of Education shall adopt rules
277 establishing the criteria for earning the seal. The criteria
278 must include metrics for schools to earn the seal by
279 demonstrating exemplary performance with respect to reading
280 instruction for students enrolled in kindergarten through grade
281 2. The criteria must:
282 (a) Prioritize advancing the abilities of the lowest
283 performing students at least one grade level in each grade; and
284 (b) Allow schools to earn the seal by advancing the
285 abilities of students at least one grade level in each grade.
286 (3) All schools that meet the criteria established under
287 subsection (2) shall receive financial awards depending on the
288 availability of funds as appropriated in the General
289 Appropriations Act. Funds must be distributed to the school’s
290 fiscal agent and placed in the school’s account and must be used
291 for the purposes specified in subsection (4), as determined
292 jointly by the school’s staff and the school advisory council.
293 If the school staff and the school advisory council cannot reach
294 agreement regarding the use of the funds by February 1 of the
295 school year for which they are allocated, the awards must be
296 distributed equally to all instructional personnel, as defined
297 in s. 1012.01(2), teaching in the school at that time. If a
298 school that earned a seal is no longer in existence at the time
299 the award is paid, the district school superintendent must
300 distribute the funds in the form of a bonus to instructional
301 personnel who taught at the school in the previous year.
302 (4) Awards must be used for one or more of the following:
303 (a) Nonrecurring financial incentives to instructional
304 personnel and staff.
305 (b) Nonrecurring expenditures for educational equipment or
306 materials to assist in maintaining and improving student
307 performance.
308 (c) Other personnel for the school to assist in maintaining
309 and improving student performance.
310
311 Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary,
312 incentive awards are not subject to collective bargaining.
313 Section 7. Subsection (2), paragraph (a) of subsection (3),
314 and subsections (5), (7), (8), and (9) of section 1009.30,
315 Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
316 1009.30 Dual Enrollment Scholarship Program.—
317 (2) The Department of Education shall administer the Dual
318 Enrollment Scholarship Program in accordance with rules adopted
319 by the State Board of Education pursuant to subsection (8) (9).
320 (3)(a) Beginning in the 2021 fall term, The program shall
321 reimburse eligible postsecondary institutions for tuition and
322 related instructional materials costs for dual enrollment
323 courses taken during the fall or spring terms by eligible
324 students, consisting of:
325 1. Private school students who take dual enrollment courses
326 pursuant to s. 1007.271(24)(b)5.b.; or
327 2. Home education program secondary students during the
328 fall or spring terms.
329 (5) Annually, by March 15, Each participating institution
330 must report to the department any eligible secondary students
331 from private schools or home education programs who were
332 enrolled during the previous fall or spring terms within 30 days
333 after the end of regular registration. Annually, by July 15,
334 Each participating institution must report to the department any
335 eligible public school, private school, or home education
336 program students who were enrolled during the summer term within
337 30 days after the end of regular registration. For each dual
338 enrollment course in which the student is enrolled, the report
339 must include a unique student identifier, the postsecondary
340 institution name, the postsecondary course number, and the
341 postsecondary course name. The department shall reimburse each
342 participating institution no later than 30 days after the
343 institution has reported enrollment for that term.
344 (7) For dual enrollment courses taken during the fall and
345 spring terms, the department must reimburse institutions by
346 April 15 of the same year. For dual enrollment courses taken
347 during the summer term, the department must reimburse
348 institutions by August 15 of the same year, before the beginning
349 of the next academic year.
350 (8) Reimbursement for dual enrollment courses is contingent
351 upon an appropriation in the General Appropriations Act each
352 year. If the statewide reimbursement amount is greater than the
353 appropriation, the institutional reimbursement amounts specified
354 in subsection (6) shall be prorated among the institutions that
355 have reported eligible students to the department by the
356 deadlines specified in subsection (5).
357 (8)(9) The State Board of Education shall adopt rules to
358 implement this section.
359 Section 8. Subsection (3) of section 1011.48, Florida
360 Statutes, is amended to read:
361 1011.48 Establishment of educational research centers for
362 child development.—
363 (3) Each center is authorized to charge fees for the care
364 and services it provides, subject to the fees authorized by s.
365 1009.24(14). Such fees must be approved by the Board of
366 Governors and may be imposed on a sliding scale based on ability
367 to pay or any other factors deemed relevant by the board.
368 Section 9. Paragraph (d) of subsection (6), paragraphs (a)
369 and (b) of subsection (7), and subsection (8) of section
370 1011.62, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
371 1011.62 Funds for operation of schools.—If the annual
372 allocation from the Florida Education Finance Program to each
373 district for operation of schools is not determined in the
374 annual appropriations act or the substantive bill implementing
375 the annual appropriations act, it shall be determined as
376 follows:
377 (6) CATEGORICAL FUNDS.—
378 (d) If a district school board transfers funds from its
379 evidence-based reading instruction allocation, the board must
380 also submit to the Department of Education an amendment
381 describing the changes that the district is making to its
382 reading plan approved pursuant to paragraph (8)(e) (8)(d).
383 (7) DETERMINATION OF SPARSITY SUPPLEMENT.—
384 (a) Annually, in an amount to be determined by the
385 Legislature through the General Appropriations Act, there shall
386 be added to the basic amount for current operation of the FEFP
387 qualified districts a sparsity supplement which shall be
388 computed as follows:
389
390 Sparsity Factor = 1101.8918 – 0.1101
391 2700 + districtsparsityindex
392 except that districts with a sparsity index of 1,000 or less
393 shall be computed as having a sparsity index of 1,000, and
394 districts having a sparsity index of 7,308 and above shall be
395 computed as having a sparsity factor of zero. A qualified
396 district’s full-time equivalent student membership shall equal
397 or be less than that prescribed annually by the Legislature in
398 the appropriations act. The amount prescribed annually by the
399 Legislature shall be no less than 17,000, but no more than
400 30,000 24,000.
401 (b) The district sparsity index shall be computed by
402 dividing the total number of full-time equivalent students in
403 all programs in the district by the number of senior high school
404 centers in the district, not in excess of three, which centers
405 are approved as permanent centers by a survey made by the
406 Department of Education. For districts with a full-time
407 equivalent student membership of at least 20,000, but no more
408 than 30,000 24,000, the index shall be computed by dividing the
409 total number of full-time equivalent students in all programs by
410 the number of permanent senior high school centers in the
411 district, not in excess of four.
412 (8) EVIDENCE-BASED READING INSTRUCTION ALLOCATION.—
413 (a) The evidence-based reading instruction allocation is
414 created to provide comprehensive reading instruction to students
415 in prekindergarten kindergarten through grade 12, with priority
416 given to students including certain students who have completed
417 the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program and who are at
418 risk of being identified as having a substantial deficiency in
419 early literacy skills under s. 1008.25(8)(c). Each school
420 district that has one or more of the 300 lowest-performing
421 elementary schools based on a 3-year average of the state
422 reading assessment data must use the school’s portion of the
423 allocation to provide an additional hour per day of intensive
424 reading instruction for the students in each school. The
425 additional hour may be provided within the school day. Students
426 enrolled in these schools who earned a level 4 or level 5 score
427 on the statewide, standardized English Language Arts assessment
428 for the previous school year may participate in the additional
429 hour of instruction. Exceptional student education centers may
430 not be included in the 300 schools. The
431 (b) Intensive reading instruction for students who have
432 reading deficiencies must delivered in this additional hour
433 shall include: evidence-based reading instruction that has been
434 proven to accelerate progress of students exhibiting a reading
435 deficiency; differentiated instruction based on screening,
436 diagnostic, progress monitoring, or student assessment data to
437 meet students’ specific reading needs; explicit and systematic
438 reading strategies to develop phonemic awareness, phonics,
439 fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension, with more extensive
440 opportunities for guided practice, error correction, and
441 feedback; and the coordinated integration of civic literacy,
442 science, and mathematics-text reading, text discussion, and
443 writing in response to reading.
444 (c)(b) Funds for comprehensive, evidence-based reading
445 instruction shall be allocated annually to each school district
446 in the amount provided in the General Appropriations Act. Each
447 eligible school district shall receive the same minimum amount
448 as specified in the General Appropriations Act, and any
449 remaining funds shall be distributed to eligible school
450 districts based on each school district’s proportionate share of
451 K-12 base funding.
452 (d)(c) Funds allocated under this subsection must be used
453 to provide a system of comprehensive reading instruction to
454 students enrolled in the K-12 programs and certain students who
455 exhibit a substantial deficiency in early literacy and completed
456 the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program pursuant to s.
457 1008.25(5)(b), which may include the following:
458 1. Additional time An additional hour per day of evidence
459 based intensive reading instruction to students, which may be
460 delivered during or outside of the regular school day in the 300
461 lowest-performing elementary schools by teachers and reading
462 specialists who have demonstrated effectiveness in teaching
463 reading as required in paragraph (a).
464 2. Kindergarten through grade 12 5 evidence-based intensive
465 reading interventions provided by reading intervention teachers
466 during the school day and in the required extra hour for
467 students identified as having a substantial reading deficiency.
468 3. Highly qualified reading coaches, who must be certified
469 or endorsed in reading, to specifically support teachers in
470 making instructional decisions based on student data, and
471 improve teacher delivery of effective reading instruction,
472 intervention, and reading in the content areas based on student
473 need.
474 4. Professional development for school district teachers in
475 scientifically researched and evidence-based reading
476 instruction, including strategies to teach reading in content
477 areas and with an emphasis on technical and informational text,
478 to help instructional personnel and certified prekindergarten
479 teachers funded in the Florida Education Finance Program school
480 district teachers earn a certification, a credential, or an
481 endorsement, or an advanced degree in scientifically researched
482 and evidence-based reading instruction.
483 5. Summer reading camps, using only teachers or other
484 district personnel who possess an early literacy micro
485 credential as specified in s. 1012.5861 or are certified or
486 endorsed in reading consistent with s. 1008.25(7)(b)3., for all
487 students in kindergarten through grade 5 2 who demonstrate a
488 reading deficiency as determined by district and state
489 assessments, students in grades 3 through 5 who score at Level 1
490 on the statewide, standardized English Language Arts assessment,
491 and certain students who exhibit a substantial deficiency in
492 early literacy and completed the Voluntary Prekindergarten
493 Education Program under s. 1008.25(5)(b).
494 6. Scientifically researched and evidence-based
495 supplemental instructional materials as identified by the Just
496 Read, Florida! Office pursuant to s. 1001.215(8).
497 7. Incentives for instructional personnel and certified
498 prekindergarten teachers funded in the Florida Education Finance
499 Program who possess a reading certification or endorsement or an
500 early literacy micro-credential as specified in s. 1012.5861 and
501 provide educational support to improve student literacy
502 Evidence-based intensive reading interventions for students in
503 kindergarten through grade 12 who have been identified as having
504 a substantial reading deficiency or who are reading below grade
505 level as determined by the statewide, standardized English
506 Language Arts assessment or for certain students who exhibit a
507 substantial deficiency in early literacy and completed the
508 Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program under s.
509 1008.25(5)(b).
510 8. Tutoring in reading.
511 (e)1.(d)1. Annually, by a date determined by the Department
512 of Education but before May 1, school districts shall submit a
513 comprehensive reading plan, approved by the applicable district
514 school board, charter school governing board, or lab school
515 board of trustees, for the specific use of the evidence-based
516 reading instruction allocation in the format prescribed by the
517 department for review and approval by the Just Read, Florida!
518 Office created pursuant to s. 1001.215. The plan format shall be
519 developed with input from school district personnel, including
520 teachers and principals, and shall provide for intensive reading
521 interventions identified through a root-cause analysis of
522 student performance data and reflection tool developed by the
523 department to evaluate the effectiveness of interventions
524 implemented in the prior year.
525 2. Intensive reading interventions must be delivered by
526 instructional personnel who possess the early literacy
527 intervention micro-credential as provided in s. 1012.5861 or are
528 certified or endorsed in reading and must incorporate evidence
529 based strategies identified by the Just Read, Florida! Office
530 pursuant to s. 1001.215(8). Instructional personnel who possess
531 an early literacy micro-credential as specified in s. 1012.5861
532 and are delivering intensive reading interventions must be
533 supervised by an individual certified or endorsed in reading.
534 For the purposes of this subsection, the term “supervision”
535 means the ability to communicate by way of telecommunication
536 with or physical presence of the certified or endorsed personnel
537 for consultation and direction of the actions of the personnel
538 with the micro-credential.
539 3.2. By July 1 of each year, the department shall release
540 to each school district with an approved plan its allocation of
541 appropriated funds. If a school district and the Just Read,
542 Florida! Office cannot reach agreement on the contents of the
543 plan, the school district may appeal to the State Board of
544 Education for resolution. School districts shall be allowed
545 reasonable flexibility in designing their plans and shall be
546 encouraged to offer reading intervention through innovative
547 methods, including career academies. The department shall
548 withhold funds upon a determination that reading instruction
549 allocation funds are not being used to implement the approved
550 plan. The department shall evaluate the implementation of each
551 district plan, including conducting site visits and collecting
552 specific data on expenditures and reading improvement results.
553 By February 1 of each year, the department shall report its
554 findings to the Legislature and the State Board of Education,
555 including any recommendations for improving implementation of
556 evidence-based reading and intervention strategies in
557 classrooms.
558 3. Each school district that has a school designated as one
559 of the 300 lowest-performing elementary schools as specified in
560 paragraph (a) shall specifically delineate in the comprehensive
561 reading plan, or in an addendum to the comprehensive reading
562 plan, the implementation design and reading intervention
563 strategies that will be used for the required additional hour of
564 reading instruction. The term “reading intervention” includes
565 evidence-based strategies frequently used to remediate reading
566 deficiencies and also includes individual instruction, tutoring,
567 mentoring, or the use of technology that targets specific
568 reading skills and abilities.
569
570 For purposes of this subsection, the term “evidence-based” means
571 demonstrating a statistically significant effect on improving
572 student outcomes or other relevant outcomes as provided in 20
573 U.S.C. s. 8101(21)(A)(i).
574 Section 10. Section 1012.5861, Florida Statutes, is created
575 to read:
576 1012.5861 Early Literacy Micro-Credential.—
577 (1) The Legislature finds that providing academically
578 rigorous early literacy instruction that prepares all students
579 to be analytical readers, skillful writers, and effective
580 communicators is paramount for student success. Therefore,
581 district school boards and lab school boards of trustees may
582 establish an early literacy micro-credential as an instructional
583 model that emphasizes strong core instruction and a tiered model
584 of reading interventions for struggling prekindergarten through
585 grade 3 readers.
586 (2) The Department of Education shall create a statewide
587 early literacy micro-credential focused on prekindergarten
588 through grade 3 readers. District school boards and lab school
589 boards of trustees may use their own micro-credential or the
590 micro-credential created by another district school board, lab
591 school board of trustees, or the department. Reciprocity for
592 micro-credentials created by district school boards, lab school
593 boards, and the department is required across all 67 districts.
594 Charter schools must be provided access to all approved micro
595 credentials. By December 31, 2022, the department shall make the
596 micro-credential available, at no cost, to instructional
597 personnel as defined in s. 1012.01(2); prekindergarten
598 instructors as specified in ss. 1002.55, 1002.61, and 1002.63;
599 and child care personnel as defined in ss. 1002.88(1)(e) and
600 402.302(3).
601 (a) The micro-credential must include components on
602 content, student learning, pedagogy, and professional
603 development and must build on a strong foundation of
604 scientifically researched and evidence-based reading
605 instructional and intervention programs that incorporate
606 explicit, systematic, and sequential approaches to teaching
607 phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency, and text
608 comprehension and incorporate decodable or phonetic text
609 instructional strategies, as identified by the Just Read,
610 Florida! Office, pursuant to s. 1001.215(8).
611 (b) The micro-credential curriculum must be designed
612 specifically for instructional personnel in prekindergarten
613 through grade 3 and must be transferable through all grades from
614 prekindergarten through grade 3.
615 (c) The micro-credential must require teachers to
616 demonstrate competency to:
617 1. Diagnose reading difficulties and determine the
618 appropriate range of reading interventions;
619 2. Use evidence-based instructional and intervention
620 practices, including strategies identified by the Just Read,
621 Florida! Office pursuant to s. 1001.215(8); and
622 3. Effectively use progress monitoring and intervention
623 materials.
624 (d) The credentialing process must employ a professional
625 development model that requires participants to engage in a job
626 embedded credentialing process, which must include:
627 1. A combination of virtual and face-to-face sessions
628 focused on building content knowledge, instructional pedagogy,
629 data analysis, and reflective practice.
630 2. Professional learning modules implemented over multiple
631 cycles, during which participants will engage in planning and
632 implementing instruction based on course content, followed by a
633 period of data collection, data analysis, and reflection.
634 (e) The micro-credential must be designed for eligible
635 instructional personnel to complete the credentialing process
636 through a maximum of 40 hours in an online format. The
637 department may also provide for the micro-credential to be
638 delivered in an in-person format.
639 (f) The department must collaborate with, at a minimum,
640 school district reading experts and the early learning
641 coalitions in the development of the micro-credential. The
642 Lastinger Center at the University of Florida and the Florida
643 Center for Reading Research created under s. 1004.645 shall
644 provide technical assistance to the department and district
645 school boards in developing micro-credentials.
646 (g) Each district school board, lab school board of
647 trustees, charter school, school readiness provider, and
648 voluntary prekindergarten education program provider must
649 annually complete and submit to the department a notarized
650 compliance statement certifying that the micro-credential in use
651 in the district or lab school meets the requirements of this
652 section and specifying the agency that developed and approved
653 the micro-credential.
654 (3) The State Board of Education shall adopt rules to
655 implement this section.
656 Section 11. Paragraph (g) of subsection (2) of section
657 1003.621, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
658 1003.621 Academically high-performing school districts.—It
659 is the intent of the Legislature to recognize and reward school
660 districts that demonstrate the ability to consistently maintain
661 or improve their high-performing status. The purpose of this
662 section is to provide high-performing school districts with
663 flexibility in meeting the specific requirements in statute and
664 rules of the State Board of Education.
665 (2) COMPLIANCE WITH STATUTES AND RULES.—Each academically
666 high-performing school district shall comply with all of the
667 provisions in chapters 1000-1013, and rules of the State Board
668 of Education which implement these provisions, pertaining to the
669 following:
670 (g) Those statutes pertaining to planning and budgeting,
671 including chapter 1011, except s. 1011.62(8)(e) s.
672 1011.62(8)(d), relating to the requirement for a comprehensive
673 reading plan. A district that is exempt from submitting a
674 comprehensive reading plan shall be deemed approved to receive
675 the evidence-based reading instruction allocation. Each
676 academically high-performing school district may provide up to 2
677 days of virtual instruction as part of the required 180 actual
678 teaching days or the equivalent on an hourly basis each school
679 year, as specified by rules of the State Board of Education.
680 Virtual instruction that is conducted in accordance with the
681 plan approved by the department, is teacher-developed, and is
682 aligned with the standards for enrolled courses complies with s.
683 1011.60(2). The day or days must be indicated on the calendar
684 approved by the school board. The district shall submit a plan
685 for each day of virtual instruction to the department for
686 approval, in a format prescribed by the department, with
687 assurances of alignment to statewide student standards as
688 described in s. 1003.41 before the start of each school year.
689 Section 12. This act shall take effect July 1, 2022.