Florida Senate - 2025 SENATOR AMENDMENT
Bill No. CS/CS/HB 1115, 1st Eng.
Ì151760ÈÎ151760
LEGISLATIVE ACTION
Senate . House
.
.
.
Floor: 1/AD/2R . Floor: CA
04/30/2025 05:30 PM . 05/02/2025 07:04 PM
—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
Senator Burgess moved the following:
1 Senate Amendment (with title amendment)
2
3 Delete everything after the enacting clause
4 and insert:
5 Section 1. Section 16.615, Florida Statutes, is
6 transferred, redesignated as section 1001.216, Florida Statutes,
7 and amended to read:
8 1001.216 16.615 Council on the Social Status of Black Men
9 and Boys.—
10 (1) The Council on the Social Status of Black Men and Boys
11 is established within Florida Memorial University the Department
12 of Legal Affairs and shall be composed consist of 19 members
13 appointed as follows:
14 (a) Two members of the Senate who are not members of the
15 same political party, appointed by the President of the Senate
16 with the advice of the Minority Leader of the Senate.
17 (b) Two members of the House of Representatives who are not
18 members of the same political party, appointed by the Speaker of
19 the House of Representatives with the advice of the Minority
20 Leader of the House of Representatives.
21 (c) The Secretary of Children and Families, or his or her
22 designee.
23 (d) The director of the Mental Health Program Office within
24 the Department of Children and Families, or his or her designee.
25 (e) The State Surgeon General, or his or her designee.
26 (f) The Commissioner of Education, or his or her designee.
27 (g) The Secretary of Corrections, or his or her designee.
28 (h) The Attorney General, or his or her designee.
29 (i) The Secretary of Management Services, or his or her
30 designee.
31 (j) The Secretary of Commerce, or his or her designee.
32 (k) A businessperson who is an African American, as defined
33 in s. 760.80(2)(a), appointed by the Governor.
34 (l) Two persons appointed by the President of the Senate
35 who are not members of the Legislature or employed by state
36 government. One of the appointees must be a clinical
37 psychologist.
38 (m) Two persons appointed by the Speaker of the House of
39 Representatives who are not members of the Legislature or
40 employed by state government. One of the appointees must be an
41 Africana studies professional.
42 (n) The deputy secretary for Medicaid in the Agency for
43 Health Care Administration, or his or her designee.
44 (o) The Secretary of Juvenile Justice, or his or her
45 designee.
46 (2) Each member of the council shall be appointed to a 4
47 year term; however, for the purpose of providing staggered
48 terms, of the initial appointments, 9 members shall be appointed
49 to 2-year terms and 10 members shall be appointed to 4-year
50 terms. A member of the council may be removed at any time by the
51 member’s appointing authority who shall fill the vacancy on the
52 council.
53 (3)(a) At the first meeting of the council each year, the
54 members shall elect a chair and a vice chair.
55 (b) A vacancy in the office of chair or vice chair must
56 shall be filled by vote of the remaining members.
57 (4)(a) The council shall make a systematic study of the
58 conditions affecting black men and boys, including, but not
59 limited to, homicide rates, arrest and incarceration rates,
60 poverty, violence, drug abuse, death rates, disparate annual
61 income levels, school performance in all grade levels including
62 postsecondary levels, and health issues.
63 (b) The council shall propose measures to alleviate and
64 correct the underlying causes of the conditions described in
65 paragraph (a). These measures may consist of changes to the law
66 or systematic changes that can be implemented without
67 legislative action.
68 (c) The council may study other topics suggested by the
69 Legislature or as directed by the chair of the council.
70 (d) The council shall receive suggestions or comments
71 pertinent to the applicable issues from members of the
72 Legislature, governmental agencies, public and private
73 organizations, and private citizens.
74 (e) The council shall develop a strategic program and
75 funding initiative to establish local Councils on the Social
76 Status of Black Men and Boys.
77 (5) The council may:
78 (a) Access data held by any state departments or agencies,
79 which data is otherwise a public record.
80 (b) Make requests directly to the Joint Legislative
81 Auditing Committee for assistance with research and monitoring
82 of outcomes by the Office of Program Policy Analysis and
83 Government Accountability.
84 (c) Request, through council members who are also
85 legislators, research assistance from the Office of Economic and
86 Demographic Research within the Florida Legislature.
87 (d) Request information and assistance from the state or
88 any political subdivision, municipal corporation, public
89 officer, or governmental department thereof.
90 (e) Apply for and accept funds, grants, gifts, and services
91 from the state, the Federal Government or any of its agencies,
92 or any other public or private source for the purpose of
93 defraying clerical and administrative costs as may be necessary
94 for carrying out its duties under this section.
95 (f) Work directly with, or request information and
96 assistance on issues pertaining to education from, Florida’s
97 historically black colleges and universities.
98 (6) Florida Memorial University The Office of the Attorney
99 General shall provide staff and administrative support to the
100 council.
101 (7) The council shall meet quarterly and at other times at
102 the call of the chair or as determined by a majority of council
103 members and approved by the president of Florida Memorial
104 University Attorney General.
105 (8) Nine Eleven of the members of the council constitute a
106 quorum, and an affirmative vote of a majority of the members
107 present is required for final action. Members may appear by
108 communications media technology as defined in s. 120.54(5)(b)2.
109 Members who appear by communications media technology are
110 considered present and may be counted toward the quorum
111 requirement. A notice for a public meeting or workshop must
112 state whether the meeting or workshop will be conducted using
113 communications media technology, how an interested person may
114 participate, and the location of facilities where communications
115 media technology will be available during the meeting or
116 workshop.
117 (9) The council shall issue its annual report by December
118 15 each year, stating the findings, conclusions, and
119 recommendations of the council. The council shall submit the
120 report to the Governor, the President of the Senate, the Speaker
121 of the House of Representatives, and the chairpersons of the
122 standing committees of jurisdiction in each chamber.
123 (10) Members of the council shall serve without
124 compensation. Members are entitled to reimbursement for per diem
125 and travel expenses as provided in s. 112.061. State officers
126 and employees shall be reimbursed from the budget of the agency
127 through which they serve. Other members may be reimbursed by
128 Florida Memorial University the Department of Legal Affairs.
129 (11) The council and any subcommittees it forms are subject
130 to the provisions of chapter 119, related to public records, and
131 the provisions of chapter 286, related to public meetings.
132 (12) Each member of the council who is not otherwise
133 required to file a financial disclosure statement pursuant to s.
134 8, Art. II of the State Constitution or s. 112.3144, must file a
135 disclosure of financial interests pursuant to s. 112.3145.
136 Section 2. Paragraph (a) of subsection (1) of section
137 120.81, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
138 120.81 Exceptions and special requirements; general areas.—
139 (1) EDUCATIONAL UNITS.—
140 (a) District school boards are not subject to the
141 requirements for rules in this chapter when making and adopting
142 rules with public input at a public meeting. Notwithstanding s.
143 120.536(1) and the flush left provisions of s. 120.52(8),
144 district school boards may adopt rules to implement their
145 general powers under s. 1001.41.
146 Section 3. Paragraphs (c) and (d) of subsection (2) of
147 section 212.055, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
148 212.055 Discretionary sales surtaxes; legislative intent;
149 authorization and use of proceeds.—It is the legislative intent
150 that any authorization for imposition of a discretionary sales
151 surtax shall be published in the Florida Statutes as a
152 subsection of this section, irrespective of the duration of the
153 levy. Each enactment shall specify the types of counties
154 authorized to levy; the rate or rates which may be imposed; the
155 maximum length of time the surtax may be imposed, if any; the
156 procedure which must be followed to secure voter approval, if
157 required; the purpose for which the proceeds may be expended;
158 and such other requirements as the Legislature may provide.
159 Taxable transactions and administrative procedures shall be as
160 provided in s. 212.054.
161 (2) LOCAL GOVERNMENT INFRASTRUCTURE SURTAX.—
162 (c) Pursuant to s. 212.054(4), the proceeds of the surtax
163 levied under this subsection shall be distributed to the county
164 and the municipalities within such county in which the surtax
165 was collected, according to:
166 1. An interlocal agreement between the county governing
167 authority and the governing bodies of the municipalities
168 representing a majority of the county’s municipal population,
169 which agreement may include a school district with the consent
170 of the county governing authority and the governing bodies of
171 the municipalities representing a majority of the county’s
172 municipal population; or
173 2. If there is no interlocal agreement, according to the
174 formula provided in s. 218.62.
175
176 Any change in the distribution formula must take effect on the
177 first day of any month that begins at least 60 days after
178 written notification of that change has been made to the
179 department. Any interlocal agreement that includes a school
180 district must require the surtax revenues allocated to the
181 school district to be shared with eligible charter schools, as
182 determined pursuant to s. 1013.62(1), based on the charter
183 school’s proportionate share of the total school district
184 enrollment, subject to the requirements of, and for purposes
185 provided in, subparagraph (d)4.
186 (d) The proceeds of the surtax authorized by this
187 subsection and any accrued interest shall be expended by the
188 school district, within the county and municipalities within the
189 county, or, in the case of a negotiated joint county agreement,
190 within another county, to finance, plan, and construct
191 infrastructure; to acquire any interest in land for public
192 recreation, conservation, or protection of natural resources or
193 to prevent or satisfy private property rights claims resulting
194 from limitations imposed by the designation of an area of
195 critical state concern; to provide loans, grants, or rebates to
196 residential or commercial property owners who make energy
197 efficiency improvements to their residential or commercial
198 property, if a local government ordinance authorizing such use
199 is approved by referendum; or to finance the closure of county
200 owned or municipally owned solid waste landfills that have been
201 closed or are required to be closed by order of the Department
202 of Environmental Protection. Any use of the proceeds or interest
203 for purposes of landfill closure before July 1, 1993, is
204 ratified. The proceeds and any interest may not be used for the
205 operational expenses of infrastructure, except that a county
206 that has a population of fewer than 75,000 and that is required
207 to close a landfill may use the proceeds or interest for long
208 term maintenance costs associated with landfill closure.
209 Counties, as defined in s. 125.011, and charter counties may, in
210 addition, use the proceeds or interest to retire or service
211 indebtedness incurred for bonds issued before July 1, 1987, for
212 infrastructure purposes, and for bonds subsequently issued to
213 refund such bonds. Any use of the proceeds or interest for
214 purposes of retiring or servicing indebtedness incurred for
215 refunding bonds before July 1, 1999, is ratified.
216 1. For the purposes of this paragraph, the term
217 “infrastructure” means:
218 a. Any fixed capital expenditure or fixed capital outlay
219 associated with the construction, reconstruction, or improvement
220 of public facilities that have a life expectancy of 5 or more
221 years, any related land acquisition, land improvement, design,
222 and engineering costs, and all other professional and related
223 costs required to bring the public facilities into service. For
224 purposes of this sub-subparagraph, the term “public facilities”
225 means facilities as defined in s. 163.3164(41), s. 163.3221(13),
226 or s. 189.012(5), and includes facilities that are necessary to
227 carry out governmental purposes, including, but not limited to,
228 fire stations, general governmental office buildings, and animal
229 shelters, regardless of whether the facilities are owned by the
230 local taxing authority or another governmental entity.
231 b. A fire department vehicle, an emergency medical service
232 vehicle, a sheriff’s office vehicle, a police department
233 vehicle, or any other vehicle, and the equipment necessary to
234 outfit the vehicle for its official use or equipment that has a
235 life expectancy of at least 5 years.
236 c. Any expenditure for the construction, lease, or
237 maintenance of, or provision of utilities or security for,
238 facilities, as defined in s. 29.008.
239 d. Any fixed capital expenditure or fixed capital outlay
240 associated with the improvement of private facilities that have
241 a life expectancy of 5 or more years and that the owner agrees
242 to make available for use on a temporary basis as needed by a
243 local government as a public emergency shelter or a staging area
244 for emergency response equipment during an emergency officially
245 declared by the state or by the local government under s.
246 252.38. Such improvements are limited to those necessary to
247 comply with current standards for public emergency evacuation
248 shelters. The owner must enter into a written contract with the
249 local government providing the improvement funding to make the
250 private facility available to the public for purposes of
251 emergency shelter at no cost to the local government for a
252 minimum of 10 years after completion of the improvement, with
253 the provision that the obligation will transfer to any
254 subsequent owner until the end of the minimum period.
255 e. Any land acquisition expenditure for a residential
256 housing project in which at least 30 percent of the units are
257 affordable to individuals or families whose total annual
258 household income does not exceed 120 percent of the area median
259 income adjusted for household size, if the land is owned by a
260 local government or by a special district that enters into a
261 written agreement with the local government to provide such
262 housing. The local government or special district may enter into
263 a ground lease with a public or private person or entity for
264 nominal or other consideration for the construction of the
265 residential housing project on land acquired pursuant to this
266 sub-subparagraph.
267 f. Instructional technology used solely in a school
268 district’s classrooms. As used in this sub-subparagraph, the
269 term “instructional technology” means an interactive device that
270 assists a teacher in instructing a class or a group of students
271 and includes the necessary hardware and software to operate the
272 interactive device. The term also includes support systems in
273 which an interactive device may mount and is not required to be
274 affixed to the facilities.
275 2. For the purposes of this paragraph, the term “energy
276 efficiency improvement” means any energy conservation and
277 efficiency improvement that reduces consumption through
278 conservation or a more efficient use of electricity, natural
279 gas, propane, or other forms of energy on the property,
280 including, but not limited to, air sealing; installation of
281 insulation; installation of energy-efficient heating, cooling,
282 or ventilation systems; installation of solar panels; building
283 modifications to increase the use of daylight or shade;
284 replacement of windows; installation of energy controls or
285 energy recovery systems; installation of electric vehicle
286 charging equipment; installation of systems for natural gas fuel
287 as defined in s. 206.9951; and installation of efficient
288 lighting equipment.
289 3. Notwithstanding any other provision of this subsection,
290 a local government infrastructure surtax imposed or extended
291 after July 1, 1998, may allocate up to 15 percent of the surtax
292 proceeds for deposit into a trust fund within the county’s
293 accounts created for the purpose of funding economic development
294 projects having a general public purpose of improving local
295 economies, including the funding of operational costs and
296 incentives related to economic development. The ballot statement
297 must indicate the intention to make an allocation under the
298 authority of this subparagraph.
299 4. Surtax revenues that are shared with eligible charter
300 schools pursuant to paragraph (c) shall be allocated among such
301 schools based on each school’s proportionate share of total
302 school district capital outlay full-time equivalent enrollment
303 as adopted by the education estimating conference established in
304 s. 216.136. Surtax revenues must be expended by the charter
305 school in a manner consistent with the allowable uses provided
306 in s. 1013.62(4). All revenues and expenditures shall be
307 accounted for in a charter school’s monthly or quarterly
308 financial statement pursuant to s. 1002.33(9). If a school’s
309 charter is not renewed or is terminated and the school is
310 dissolved under the provisions of law under which the school was
311 organized, any unencumbered funds received under this paragraph
312 shall revert to the sponsor.
313 Section 4. The amendment made by this act to s. 212.055(2),
314 Florida Statutes, which amends the allowable uses of the local
315 government infrastructure surtax, applies to levies authorized
316 by vote of the electors on or after July 1, 2025.
317 Section 5. Subsection (5) of section 810.097, Florida
318 Statutes, is amended, and subsection (6) is added to that
319 section, to read:
320 810.097 Trespass upon grounds or facilities of a school;
321 penalties; arrest.—
322 (5) As used in this section, the term:
323 (a) “School” means the grounds or any facility, including
324 school buses, of any kindergarten, elementary school, middle
325 school, junior high school, or secondary school, whether public
326 or nonpublic.
327 (b) “School bus” means any vehicle operated, owned, or
328 contracted by a school district for student transportation.
329 (6) For purposes of this section, a clearly posted sign or
330 a verbal warning provided by the school bus operator, the
331 principal, a school district employee, or law enforcement
332 personnel, indicating that unauthorized boarding or remaining on
333 a school bus is prohibited and violators will be prosecuted,
334 constitutes sufficient notice and satisfies the prior warning
335 requirement necessary for immediate arrest and prosecution of
336 any person who boards, enters, or remains upon a school bus
337 without authorization.
338 Section 6. Paragraph (g) is added to subsection (9) of
339 section 901.15, Florida Statutes, to read:
340 901.15 When arrest by officer without warrant is lawful.—A
341 law enforcement officer may arrest a person without a warrant
342 when:
343 (9) There is probable cause to believe that the person has
344 committed:
345 (g) Trespass upon school grounds or facilities, including
346 school buses as defined in s. 810.097(5)(b), in violation of
347 that section.
348 Section 7. Subsections (5) and (6) are added to section
349 1001.23, Florida Statutes, to read:
350 1001.23 Specific powers and duties of the Department of
351 Education.—In addition to all other duties assigned to it by law
352 or by rule of the State Board of Education, the department
353 shall:
354 (5) Annually by August 1, inform district school
355 superintendents that pursuant to s. 120.565, the superintendents
356 may receive a declaratory statement, within 90 days after
357 submitting a petition to receive such statement, regarding the
358 department’s opinion as to the applicability of a statutory or
359 rule provision to a school district as it applies to the
360 district’s particular set of circumstances.
361 (6) Annually maintain and make available to school
362 districts a list of all requirements in statute and rule
363 relating to required actions by district school boards or
364 superintendents. The list must include, but is not limited to,
365 required parent notifications; information that must be posted
366 to the district website; and reporting, filing, and
367 certification requirements.
368 Section 8. Paragraph (l) of subsection (12) of section
369 1001.42, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
370 1001.42 Powers and duties of district school board.—The
371 district school board, acting as a board, shall exercise all
372 powers and perform all duties listed below:
373 (12) FINANCE.—Take steps to assure students adequate
374 educational facilities through the financial procedure
375 authorized in chapters 1010 and 1011 and as prescribed below:
376 (l) Internal auditor.—May or, in the case of a school
377 district receiving annual federal, state, and local funds in
378 excess of $500 million, shall employ an internal auditor. The
379 scope of the internal auditor shall not be restricted and shall
380 include every functional and program area of the school system.
381 1. The internal auditor shall perform ongoing financial
382 verification of the financial records of the school district, a
383 comprehensive risk assessment of all areas of the school system
384 every 5 years, and other audits and reviews as the district
385 school board directs for determining:
386 a. The adequacy of internal controls designed to prevent
387 and detect fraud, waste, and abuse as defined in s. 11.45(1).
388 b. Compliance with applicable laws, rules, contracts, grant
389 agreements, district school board-approved policies, and best
390 practices.
391 c. The efficiency of operations.
392 d. The reliability of financial records and reports.
393 e. The safeguarding of assets.
394 f. Financial solvency.
395 g. Projected revenues and expenditures.
396 h. The rate of change in the general fund balance.
397 2. The internal auditor shall prepare audit reports of his
398 or her findings and report directly to the district school board
399 or its designee.
400 3. Any person responsible for furnishing or producing any
401 book, record, paper, document, data, or sufficient information
402 necessary to conduct a proper audit or examination which the
403 internal auditor is by law authorized to perform is subject to
404 the provisions of s. 11.47(3) and (4).
405 Section 9. Subsection (16) of section 1002.20, Florida
406 Statutes, is amended to read:
407 1002.20 K-12 student and parent rights.—Parents of public
408 school students must receive accurate and timely information
409 regarding their child’s academic progress and must be informed
410 of ways they can help their child to succeed in school. K-12
411 students and their parents are afforded numerous statutory
412 rights including, but not limited to, the following:
413 (16) SCHOOL ACCOUNTABILITY AND SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT RATING
414 REPORTS; FISCAL TRANSPARENCY.—Parents of public school students
415 have the right to an easy-to-read report card about the school’s
416 grade designation or, if applicable under s. 1008.341, the
417 school’s improvement rating, and the school’s accountability
418 report, including the school financial report as required under
419 s. 1010.215. The school financial report must be provided to the
420 parents and indicate the average amount of money expended per
421 student in the school, which must also be included in the
422 student handbook or a similar publication. The department shall
423 produce the reports required under this subsection and make the
424 reports for each school available on the department’s website in
425 a prominent location. Each public school district must provide a
426 link on its website to such reports for parent access.
427 Section 10. Paragraph (b) of subsection (5) and paragraph
428 (g) of subsection (18) of section 1002.33, Florida Statutes, are
429 amended, and paragraph (i) is added to subsection (17) of that
430 section, to read:
431 1002.33 Charter schools.—
432 (5) SPONSOR; DUTIES.—
433 (b) Sponsor duties.—
434 1.a. The sponsor shall monitor and review the charter
435 school, using the standard monitoring tool, in its progress
436 toward the goals established in the charter.
437 b. The sponsor shall monitor the revenues and expenditures
438 of the charter school and perform the duties provided in s.
439 1002.345.
440 c. The sponsor may approve a charter for a charter school
441 before the applicant has identified space, equipment, or
442 personnel, if the applicant indicates approval is necessary for
443 it to raise working funds.
444 d. The sponsor may not apply its policies to a charter
445 school unless mutually agreed to by both the sponsor and the
446 charter school. If the sponsor subsequently amends any agreed
447 upon sponsor policy, the version of the policy in effect at the
448 time of the execution of the charter, or any subsequent
449 modification thereof, shall remain in effect and the sponsor may
450 not hold the charter school responsible for any provision of a
451 newly revised policy until the revised policy is mutually agreed
452 upon.
453 e. The sponsor shall ensure that the charter is innovative
454 and consistent with the state education goals established by s.
455 1000.03(5).
456 f. The sponsor shall ensure that the charter school
457 participates in the state’s education accountability system. If
458 a charter school falls short of performance measures included in
459 the approved charter, the sponsor shall report such shortcomings
460 to the Department of Education.
461 g. The sponsor is not liable for civil damages under state
462 law for personal injury, property damage, or death resulting
463 from an act or omission of an officer, employee, agent, or
464 governing body of the charter school.
465 h. The sponsor is not liable for civil damages under state
466 law for any employment actions taken by an officer, employee,
467 agent, or governing body of the charter school.
468 i. The sponsor’s duties to monitor the charter school do
469 not constitute the basis for a private cause of action.
470 j. The sponsor may not impose additional reporting
471 requirements on a charter school as long as the charter school
472 has not been identified as having a deteriorating financial
473 condition or financial emergency pursuant to s. 1002.345.
474 k. The sponsor shall submit an annual report to the
475 Department of Education in a web-based format to be determined
476 by the department.
477 (I) The report shall include the following information:
478 (A) The number of applications received during the school
479 year and up to August 1 and each applicant’s contact
480 information.
481 (B) The date each application was approved, denied, or
482 withdrawn.
483 (C) The date each final contract was executed.
484 (II) Annually, by November 1, the sponsor shall submit to
485 the department the information for the applications submitted
486 the previous year.
487 (III) The department shall compile an annual report, by
488 sponsor, and post the report on its website by January 15 of
489 each year.
490 2. Immunity for the sponsor of a charter school under
491 subparagraph 1. applies only with respect to acts or omissions
492 not under the sponsor’s direct authority as described in this
493 section.
494 3. This paragraph does not waive a sponsor’s sovereign
495 immunity.
496 4. A Florida College System institution may work with the
497 school district or school districts in its designated service
498 area to develop charter schools that offer secondary education.
499 These charter schools must include an option for students to
500 receive an associate degree upon high school graduation. If a
501 Florida College System institution operates an approved teacher
502 preparation program under s. 1004.04 or s. 1004.85, the
503 institution may operate charter schools that serve students in
504 kindergarten through grade 12 in any school district within the
505 service area of the institution. District school boards shall
506 cooperate with and assist the Florida College System institution
507 on the charter application. Florida College System institution
508 applications for charter schools are not subject to the time
509 deadlines outlined in subsection (6) and may be approved by the
510 district school board at any time during the year. Florida
511 College System institutions may not report FTE for any students
512 participating under this subparagraph who receive FTE funding
513 through the Florida Education Finance Program.
514 5. For purposes of assisting the development of a charter
515 school, a school district may enter into nonexclusive interlocal
516 agreements with federal and state agencies, counties,
517 municipalities, and other governmental entities that operate
518 within the geographical borders of the school district to act on
519 behalf of such governmental entities in the inspection,
520 issuance, and other necessary activities for all necessary
521 permits, licenses, and other permissions that a charter school
522 needs in order for development, construction, or operation. A
523 charter school may use, but may not be required to use, a school
524 district for these services. The interlocal agreement must
525 include, but need not be limited to, the identification of fees
526 that charter schools will be charged for such services. The fees
527 must consist of the governmental entity’s fees plus a fee for
528 the school district to recover no more than actual costs for
529 providing such services. These services and fees are not
530 included within the services to be provided pursuant to
531 subsection (20). Notwithstanding any other provision of law, an
532 interlocal agreement or ordinance that imposes a greater
533 regulatory burden on charter schools than school districts or
534 that prohibits or limits the creation of a charter school is
535 void and unenforceable. An interlocal agreement entered into by
536 a school district for the development of only its own schools,
537 including provisions relating to the extension of
538 infrastructure, may be used by charter schools.
539 6. The board of trustees of a sponsoring state university
540 or Florida College System institution under paragraph (a) is the
541 local educational agency for all charter schools it sponsors for
542 purposes of receiving federal funds and accepts full
543 responsibility for all local educational agency requirements and
544 the schools for which it will perform local educational agency
545 responsibilities. A student enrolled in a charter school that is
546 sponsored by a state university or Florida College System
547 institution may not be included in the calculation of the school
548 district’s grade under s. 1008.34(5) for the school district in
549 which he or she resides.
550 (17) FUNDING.—Students enrolled in a charter school,
551 regardless of the sponsorship, shall be funded based upon the
552 applicable program pursuant to s. 1011.62(1)(c), the same as
553 students enrolled in other public schools in a school district.
554 Funding for a charter lab school shall be as provided in s.
555 1002.32.
556 (i)1. By July 1 of each year, school districts shall
557 provide charter schools the following information pertaining to
558 shared revenues generated by a discretionary half-cent sales
559 surtax, voted district school operating millage, and nonvoted
560 district school capital improvement millage:
561 a. The estimated total revenue to be received from each
562 tax.
563 b. The estimated per-student allocation to charter schools
564 from each tax and the methodology used to determine the
565 estimate.
566 c. The estimated timeframe within which the charter school
567 will receive funds from each tax.
568 d. A detailed explanation for each revenue transmission at
569 the time funds are transferred.
570 2. By March 31 of each year, each school district shall
571 provide to the department a summary report, by charter school,
572 of distributed revenues, by revenue source, and shall post the
573 report on its website.
574 (18) FACILITIES.—
575 (g) Each school district shall annually provide to the
576 Department of Education as part of its 5-year work plan the
577 number of existing vacant classrooms in each school that the
578 district does not intend to use or does not project will be
579 needed for educational purposes for the following school year.
580 The department may recommend that a district make such space
581 available to an appropriate charter school.
582 Section 11. Subsection (4), paragraphs (k), (l), and (m) of
583 subsection (5), paragraphs (a) and (h) of subsection (6), and
584 paragraphs (b) and (c) of subsection (11) of section 1002.333,
585 Florida Statutes, are amended, and paragraph (e) is added to
586 subsection (1) of that section, to read:
587 1002.333 Persistently low-performing schools.—
588 (1) DEFINITIONS.—As used in this section, the term:
589 (e) “Sponsoring entity” has the same meaning as in s.
590 1002.33(5), provided that a state university and Florida College
591 System institution has been approved by the Department of
592 Education and has solicited applications and accepted a notice
593 of intent for a school of hope.
594 (4) ESTABLISHMENT OF SCHOOLS OF HOPE.—A hope operator
595 seeking to open a school of hope must submit a notice of intent
596 to the sponsoring entity to operate a school of hope in a the
597 school district in which a persistently low-performing school
598 has been identified by the State Board of Education pursuant to
599 subsection (10) or in which a Florida Opportunity Zone is
600 located.
601 (a) The notice of intent must include:
602 1. An academic focus and plan.
603 2. A financial plan.
604 3. Goals and objectives for increasing student achievement
605 for the students from low-income families.
606 4. A completed or planned community outreach plan.
607 5. The organizational history of success in working with
608 students with similar demographics.
609 6. The grade levels to be served and enrollment
610 projections.
611 7. The proposed location or geographic area proposed for
612 the school consistent with the requirements of sub-subparagraphs
613 (1)(d)1.a. and b.
614 8. A staffing plan.
615 (b) Notwithstanding the requirements of s. 1002.33, a
616 sponsoring entity school district shall enter into a
617 performance-based agreement with a hope operator to open schools
618 to serve students from persistently low-performing schools and
619 students residing in a Florida Opportunity Zone.
620 (5) PERFORMANCE-BASED AGREEMENT.—The following shall
621 comprise the entirety of the performance-based agreement:
622 (k) A requirement that any arrangement entered into to
623 borrow or otherwise secure funds for the school of hope from a
624 source other than the state or a sponsoring entity school
625 district shall indemnify the state and the sponsoring entity
626 school district from any and all liability, including, but not
627 limited to, financial responsibility for the payment of the
628 principal or interest.
629 (l) A provision that any loans, bonds, or other financial
630 agreements are not obligations of the state or the sponsoring
631 entity school district but are obligations of the school of hope
632 and are payable solely from the sources of funds pledged by such
633 agreement.
634 (m) A prohibition on the pledge of credit or taxing power
635 of the state or the sponsoring entity school district.
636 (6) STATUTORY AUTHORITY.—
637 (a) A school of hope or a nonprofit entity that operates
638 more than one school of hope through a performance-based
639 agreement with a sponsoring entity school district may be
640 designated as a local education agency by the department, if
641 requested, for the purposes of receiving federal funds and, in
642 doing so, accepts the full responsibility for all local
643 education agency requirements and the schools for which it will
644 perform local education agency responsibilities.
645 1. A nonprofit entity designated as a local education
646 agency may directly report its students to the department in
647 accordance with the definitions in s. 1011.61 and pursuant to
648 the department’s procedures and timelines.
649 2. Students enrolled in a school established by a hope
650 operator designated as a local educational agency are not
651 eligible students for purposes of calculating the district grade
652 pursuant to s. 1008.34(5).
653 (h)1. A school of hope shall provide the sponsoring entity
654 school district with a concise, uniform, quarterly financial
655 statement summary sheet that contains a balance sheet and a
656 statement of revenue, expenditures, and changes in fund balance.
657 The balance sheet and the statement of revenue, expenditures,
658 and changes in fund balance shall be in the governmental fund
659 format prescribed by the Governmental Accounting Standards
660 Board. Additionally, a school of hope shall comply with the
661 annual audit requirement for charter schools in s. 218.39.
662 2. A school of hope is in compliance with subparagraph 1.
663 if it is operated by a nonprofit entity designated as a local
664 education agency and if the nonprofit submits to the sponsoring
665 entity each school district in which it operates a school of
666 hope:
667 a. A concise, uniform, quarterly financial statement
668 summary sheet that contains a balance sheet summarizing the
669 revenue, expenditures, and changes in fund balance for the
670 entity and for its schools of hope within the school district.
671 b. An annual financial audit of the nonprofit which includes all
672 schools of hope it operates within this state and which complies
673 with s. 218.39 regarding audits of a school board.
674 (11) STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION AUTHORITY AND OBLIGATIONS.
675 Pursuant to Art. IX of the State Constitution, which prescribes
676 the duty of the State Board of Education to supervise the public
677 school system, the State Board of Education shall:
678 (b) Adopt a standard notice of intent and performance-based
679 agreement that must be used by hope operators and sponsoring
680 entities district school boards to eliminate regulatory and
681 bureaucratic barriers that delay access to high quality schools
682 for students in persistently low-performing schools and students
683 residing in Florida Opportunity Zones.
684 (c) Resolve disputes between a hope operator and a
685 sponsoring entity school district arising from a performance
686 based agreement or a contract between a charter operator and a
687 school district under the requirements of s. 1008.33. The
688 Commissioner of Education shall appoint a special magistrate who
689 is a member of The Florida Bar in good standing and who has at
690 least 5 years’ experience in administrative law. The special
691 magistrate shall hold hearings to determine facts relating to
692 the dispute and to render a recommended decision for resolution
693 to the State Board of Education. The recommendation may not
694 alter in any way the provisions of the performance-based
695 agreement under subsection (5). The special magistrate may
696 administer oaths and issue subpoenas on behalf of the parties to
697 the dispute or on his or her own behalf. Within 15 calendar days
698 after the close of the final hearing, the special magistrate
699 shall transmit a recommended decision to the State Board of
700 Education and to the representatives of both parties by
701 registered mail, return receipt requested. The State Board of
702 Education must approve or reject the recommended decision at its
703 next regularly scheduled meeting that is more than 7 calendar
704 days and no more than 30 days after the date the recommended
705 decision is transmitted. The decision by the State Board of
706 Education is a final agency action that may be appealed to the
707 District Court of Appeal, First District in accordance with s.
708 120.68. A charter school may recover attorney fees and costs if
709 the State Board of Education determines that the sponsoring
710 entity school district unlawfully implemented or otherwise
711 impeded implementation of the performance-based agreement
712 pursuant to this paragraph.
713 Section 12. Subsection (16) of section 1002.394, Florida
714 Statutes, is amended to read:
715 1002.394 The Family Empowerment Scholarship Program.—
716 (16) TRANSITION-TO-WORK PROGRAM.—A student with a
717 disability who is determined eligible pursuant to paragraph
718 (3)(b) who is at least 17 years, but not older than 22 years of
719 age and who has not received a high school diploma or
720 certificate of completion is eligible for enrollment in his or
721 her participating private school’s transition-to-work program. A
722 transition-to-work program shall consist of academic
723 instruction, work skills training, and a volunteer or paid work
724 experience.
725 (a) To offer a transition-to-work program, a participating
726 private school must:
727 1. Develop a transition-to-work program plan, which must
728 include a written description of the academic instruction and
729 work skills training students will receive and the goals for
730 students in the program.
731 2. Submit the transition-to-work program plan to the Office
732 of Independent Education and Parental Choice and consider any
733 guidance provided by the department pursuant to paragraph (8)(d)
734 relating to the plan.
735 3. Develop a personalized transition-to-work program plan
736 for each student enrolled in the program. The student’s parent,
737 the student, and the school principal must sign the personalized
738 plan. The personalized plan must be submitted to the Office of
739 Independent Education and Parental Choice upon request by the
740 office.
741 4. Provide a release of liability form that must be signed
742 by the student’s parent, the student, and a representative of
743 the business offering the volunteer or paid work experience.
744 5. Assign a case manager or job coach to visit the
745 student’s job site on a weekly basis to observe the student and,
746 if necessary, provide support and guidance to the student.
747 6. Provide to the parent and student a quarterly report
748 that documents and explains the student’s progress and
749 performance in the program.
750 7. Maintain accurate attendance and performance records for
751 the student.
752 (b) A student enrolled in a transition-to-work program
753 must, at a minimum:
754 1. Receive 15 instructional hours at the participating
755 private school’s physical facility, which must include academic
756 instruction and work skills training.
757 2. Participate in 10 hours of work at the student’s
758 volunteer or paid work experience.
759 (c) To participate in a transition-to-work program, a
760 business must:
761 1. Maintain an accurate record of the student’s performance
762 and hours worked and provide the information to the
763 participating private school.
764 2. Comply with all state and federal child labor laws.
765 Section 13. Paragraph (c) is added to subsection (19) of
766 section 1002.42, Florida Statutes, to read:
767 1002.42 Private schools.—
768 (19) FACILITIES.—
769 (c) A private school located in a county with four
770 incorporated municipalities may construct new facilities, which
771 may be temporary or permanent, on property purchased from or
772 owned or leased by a library, community service organization,
773 museum, performing arts venue, theater, cinema, or church under
774 s. 170.201, which is or was actively used as such within 5 years
775 of any executed agreement with a private school; any land owned
776 by a Florida College System institution or university; and any
777 land recently used to house a school or child care facility
778 licensed under s. 402.305, under its preexisting zoning and land
779 use designations without rezoning or obtaining a special
780 exception or a land use change, and without complying with any
781 mitigation requirements or conditions. Any new facility must be
782 located on property used solely for purposes described in this
783 paragraph, and must meet applicable state and local health,
784 safety, and welfare laws, codes, and rules, including firesafety
785 and building safety.
786 Section 14. Paragraph (a) of subsection (5) of section
787 1002.451, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
788 1002.451 District innovation school of technology program.—
789 (5) EXEMPTION FROM STATUTES.—
790 (a) An innovation school of technology is exempt from
791 chapters 1000-1013. However, an innovation school of technology
792 shall comply with the following provisions of those chapters:
793 1. Laws pertaining to the following:
794 a. Schools of technology, including this section.
795 b. Student assessment program and school grading system.
796 c. Services to students who have disabilities.
797 d. Civil rights, including s. 1000.05, relating to
798 discrimination.
799 e. Student health, safety, and welfare.
800 2. Laws governing the election and compensation of district
801 school board members and election or appointment and
802 compensation of district school superintendents.
803 3. Section 1003.03, governing maximum class size, except
804 that the calculation for compliance pursuant to s. 1003.03 is
805 the average at the school level.
806 4. Sections 1012.22(1)(c) and 1012.27(2), relating to
807 compensation and salary schedules.
808 5. Section 1012.33(5), relating to workforce reductions,
809 for annual contracts for instructional personnel. This
810 subparagraph does not apply to at-will employees.
811 6. Section 1012.335, relating to contracts with
812 instructional personnel hired on or after July 1, 2011, for
813 annual or instructional multiyear contracts for instructional
814 personnel. This subparagraph does not apply to at-will
815 employees.
816 7. Section 1012.34, relating to requirements for
817 performance evaluations of instructional personnel and school
818 administrators.
819 Section 15. Paragraph (a) of subsection (10) of section
820 1002.61, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
821 1002.61 Summer prekindergarten program delivered by public
822 schools and private prekindergarten providers.—
823 (10)(a) Each early learning coalition shall verify that
824 each private prekindergarten provider and public school
825 delivering the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program
826 within the coalition’s county or multicounty region complies
827 with this part.
828 Section 16. Subsection (9) of section 1002.63, Florida
829 Statutes, is amended to read:
830 1002.63 School-year prekindergarten program delivered by
831 public schools.—
832 (9)(a) Each early learning coalition shall verify that each
833 public school delivering the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education
834 Program within the coalition’s service area complies with this
835 part.
836 (b) If a public school fails or refuses to comply with this
837 part or engages in misconduct, the department must shall require
838 that the school district to remove the school from eligibility
839 to deliver the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program and
840 receive state funds under this part for a period of at least 2
841 years but no more than 5 years.
842 Section 17. Paragraph (b) of subsection (6) and subsection
843 (7) of section 1002.71, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
844 1002.71 Funding; financial and attendance reporting.—
845 (6)
846 (b)1. Each private prekindergarten provider’s and district
847 school board’s attendance policy must require the parent of each
848 student in the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program to
849 verify, each month, the student’s attendance on the prior
850 month’s certified student attendance.
851 2. The parent must submit the verification of the student’s
852 attendance to the private prekindergarten provider or public
853 school on forms prescribed by the department. The forms must
854 include, in addition to the verification of the student’s
855 attendance, a certification, in substantially the following
856 form, that the parent continues to choose the private
857 prekindergarten provider or public school in accordance with s.
858 1002.53 and directs that payments for the program be made to the
859 provider or school:
860
861 VERIFICATION OF STUDENT’S ATTENDANCE
862 AND CERTIFICATION OF PARENTAL CHOICE
863
864 I, ...(Name of Parent)..., swear (or affirm) that my child,
865 ...(Name of Student)..., attended the Voluntary Prekindergarten
866 Education Program on the days listed above and certify that I
867 continue to choose ...(Name of Provider or School)... to deliver
868 the program for my child and direct that program funds be paid
869 to the provider or school for my child.
870 ...(Signature of Parent)...
871 ...(Date)...
872
873 3. The private prekindergarten provider or public school
874 must keep each original signed form for at least 2 years. Each
875 private prekindergarten provider must permit the early learning
876 coalition, and each public school must permit the school
877 district, to inspect the original signed forms during normal
878 business hours. The department shall adopt procedures for early
879 learning coalitions and school districts to review the original
880 signed forms against the certified student attendance. The
881 review procedures must shall provide for the use of selective
882 inspection techniques, including, but not limited to, random
883 sampling. Each early learning coalition and the school districts
884 must comply with the review procedures.
885 (7) The department shall require that administrative
886 expenditures be kept to the minimum necessary for efficient and
887 effective administration of the Voluntary Prekindergarten
888 Education Program. Administrative policies and procedures must
889 shall be revised, to the maximum extent practicable, be revised
890 to incorporate the use of automation and electronic submission
891 of forms, including those required for child eligibility and
892 enrollment, provider and class registration, and monthly
893 certification of attendance for payment. A school district may
894 use its automated daily attendance reporting system for the
895 purpose of maintaining and transmitting attendance records to
896 the early learning coalition in a mutually agreed-upon format.
897 Each school district shall certify the correctness of attendance
898 data submitted to the single point of entry system described in
899 paragraph (5)(a) as required by the department. In addition,
900 actions must shall be taken to reduce paperwork, eliminate the
901 duplication of reports, and eliminate other duplicative
902 activities. Each early learning coalition may retain and expend
903 no more than 5.0 percent of the funds paid by the coalition to
904 private prekindergarten providers and public schools under
905 paragraph (5)(b). Funds retained by an early learning coalition
906 under this subsection may be used only for administering the
907 Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program and may not be used
908 for the school readiness program or other programs.
909 Section 18. Subsection (17) of section 1002.84, Florida
910 Statutes, is amended to read:
911 1002.84 Early learning coalitions; school readiness powers
912 and duties.—Each early learning coalition shall:
913 (17)(a) Distribute the school readiness program funds as
914 allocated in the General Appropriations Act to each eligible
915 provider based upon the reimbursement rate by county, by
916 provider type, and by care level. All instructions to early
917 learning coalitions for distributing the school readiness
918 program funds to eligible providers shall emanate from the
919 department in accordance with the policies of the Legislature.
920 (b) All provider reimbursement rates shall be charged as
921 direct services pursuant to s. 1002.89.
922
923 Each early learning coalition and the Redlands Christian Migrant
924 Association with approved 2023-2024 prior year provider
925 reimbursement rates for the infant to age 5 care levels that are
926 higher than the provider reimbursement rates established in this
927 subsection may continue to implement its approved prior year
928 provider reimbursement rates until the rates established in this
929 subsection exceed its prior year rates.
930 Section 19. Subsection (4) of section 1003.03, Florida
931 Statutes, is amended to read:
932 1003.03 Maximum class size.—
933 (4) ACCOUNTABILITY.—Each district that has not complied
934 with the requirements in subsection (1), based on the October
935 student membership survey, shall submit to the commissioner by
936 February 1 a plan certified by the district school board that
937 describes the specific actions the district will take in order
938 to fully comply with the requirements in subsection (1) by
939 October of the following school year.
940 Section 20. Paragraph (b) of subsection (1) of section
941 1003.26, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
942 1003.26 Enforcement of school attendance.—The Legislature
943 finds that poor academic performance is associated with
944 nonattendance and that school districts must take an active role
945 in promoting and enforcing attendance as a means of improving
946 student performance. It is the policy of the state that each
947 district school superintendent be responsible for enforcing
948 school attendance of all students subject to the compulsory
949 school age in the school district and supporting enforcement of
950 school attendance by local law enforcement agencies. The
951 responsibility includes recommending policies and procedures to
952 the district school board that require public schools to respond
953 in a timely manner to every unexcused absence, and every absence
954 for which the reason is unknown, of students enrolled in the
955 schools. District school board policies shall require the parent
956 of a student to justify each absence of the student, and that
957 justification will be evaluated based on adopted district school
958 board policies that define excused and unexcused absences. The
959 policies must provide that public schools track excused and
960 unexcused absences and contact the home in the case of an
961 unexcused absence from school, or an absence from school for
962 which the reason is unknown, to prevent the development of
963 patterns of nonattendance. The Legislature finds that early
964 intervention in school attendance is the most effective way of
965 producing good attendance habits that will lead to improved
966 student learning and achievement. Each public school shall
967 implement the following steps to promote and enforce regular
968 school attendance:
969 (1) CONTACT, REFER, AND ENFORCE.—
970 (b) If a student has had at least five unexcused absences,
971 or absences for which the reasons are unknown, within a calendar
972 month or 10 unexcused absences, or absences for which the
973 reasons are unknown, within a 90-calendar-day period, or a
974 period of time less than 90 days as determined by the district
975 school board, the student’s primary teacher must shall report to
976 the school principal or his or her designee that the student may
977 be exhibiting a pattern of nonattendance. The principal shall,
978 unless there is clear evidence that the absences are not a
979 pattern of nonattendance, refer the case to the school’s child
980 study team to determine if early patterns of truancy are
981 developing. If the child study team finds that a pattern of
982 nonattendance is developing, whether the absences are excused or
983 not, a meeting with the parent must be scheduled to identify
984 potential remedies, and the principal must shall notify the
985 district school superintendent and the school district contact
986 for home education programs that the referred student is
987 exhibiting a pattern of nonattendance.
988 Section 21. Effective upon becoming a law, paragraphs (a),
989 (b), and (f) of subsection (3), paragraph (c) of subsection (5),
990 subsection (6), and paragraphs (a) and (d) of subsection (8) of
991 section 1003.4282, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
992 1003.4282 Requirements for a standard high school diploma.—
993 (3) STANDARD HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA; COURSE AND ASSESSMENT
994 REQUIREMENTS.—
995 (a) Four credits in English Language Arts (ELA).—The four
996 credits must be in ELA I, II, III, and IV. A student’s
997 performance on the statewide, standardized grade 10 ELA
998 assessment constitutes 30 percent of the student’s final course
999 grade A student must pass the statewide, standardized grade 10
1000 ELA assessment, or earn a concordant score, in order to earn a
1001 standard high school diploma.
1002 (b) Four credits in mathematics.—
1003 1. A student must earn one credit in Algebra I and one
1004 credit in Geometry. A student’s performance on the statewide,
1005 standardized Algebra I end-of-course (EOC) assessment
1006 constitutes 30 percent of the student’s final course grade. A
1007 student must pass the statewide, standardized Algebra I EOC
1008 assessment, or earn a comparative score, in order to earn a
1009 standard high school diploma. A student’s performance on the
1010 statewide, standardized Geometry EOC assessment constitutes 30
1011 percent of the student’s final course grade.
1012 2. A student who earns an industry certification for which
1013 there is a statewide college credit articulation agreement
1014 approved by the State Board of Education may substitute the
1015 certification for one mathematics credit. Substitution may occur
1016 for up to two mathematics credits, except for Algebra I and
1017 Geometry. A student may earn two mathematics credits by
1018 successfully completing Algebra I through two full-year courses.
1019 A certified school counselor or the principal’s designee shall
1020 must advise the student that admission to a state university may
1021 require the student to earn 3 additional mathematics credits
1022 that are at least as rigorous as Algebra I.
1023 3. A student who earns a computer science credit may
1024 substitute the credit for up to one credit of the mathematics
1025 requirement, with the exception of Algebra I and Geometry, if
1026 the commissioner identifies the computer science credit as being
1027 equivalent in rigor to the mathematics credit. An identified
1028 computer science credit may not be used to substitute for both a
1029 mathematics and a science credit. A student who earns an
1030 industry certification in 3D rapid prototype printing may
1031 satisfy up to two credits of the mathematics requirement, with
1032 the exception of Algebra I, if the commissioner identifies the
1033 certification as being equivalent in rigor to the mathematics
1034 credit or credits.
1035 (f) One credit in physical education.—Physical education
1036 must include the integration of health. Participation in an
1037 interscholastic sport at the junior varsity or varsity level for
1038 two full seasons shall satisfy the one-credit requirement in
1039 physical education. A district school board may not require that
1040 the one credit in physical education be taken during the 9th
1041 grade year. Completion of 2 years of marching band shall satisfy
1042 the one-credit requirement in physical education or the one
1043 credit requirement in performing arts. This credit may not be
1044 used to satisfy the personal fitness requirement or the
1045 requirement for adaptive physical education under an individual
1046 education plan (IEP) or 504 plan. Completion of one semester
1047 with a grade of “C” or better in a marching band class, in a
1048 physical activity class that requires participation in marching
1049 band activities as an extracurricular activity, or in a dance
1050 class shall satisfy one-half credit in physical education or
1051 one-half credit in performing arts. This credit may not be used
1052 to satisfy the personal fitness requirement or the requirement
1053 for adaptive physical education under an IEP individual
1054 education plan (IEP) or 504 plan. Completion of 2 years in a
1055 Reserve Officer Training Corps (R.O.T.C.) class, a significant
1056 component of which is drills, shall satisfy the one-credit
1057 requirement in physical education and the one-credit requirement
1058 in performing arts. This credit may not be used to satisfy the
1059 personal fitness requirement or the requirement for adaptive
1060 physical education under an IEP or 504 plan.
1061 (5) AWARD OF A STANDARD HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA.—
1062 (c)1. A student who earns the required 24 credits, or the
1063 required 18 credits under s. 1002.3105(5), but fails to pass the
1064 assessments required under s. 1008.22(3) or achieve a 2.0 GPA
1065 shall be awarded a certificate of completion in a form
1066 prescribed by the State Board of Education. However, a student
1067 who is otherwise entitled to a certificate of completion may
1068 elect to remain in high school either as a full-time student or
1069 a part-time student for up to 1 additional year and receive
1070 special instruction designed to remedy his or her identified
1071 deficiencies.
1072 2. No later than January 1, 2026, the department shall
1073 develop a document detailing options available to a student who
1074 fails to earn a standard diploma under this paragraph. The
1075 document must include, but is not limited to, career education
1076 or credit programs at a career center or Florida College System
1077 institution, adult education to earn a standard diploma or high
1078 school equivalency diploma, apprenticeship programs, and the
1079 Graduation Alternative to Traditional Education (GATE) Program.
1080 A school district shall provide this document to each such
1081 student along with his or her official transcript. The school
1082 district may add to the document information related to
1083 district-specific graduation and postsecondary options.
1084 (6) UNIFORM TRANSFER OF HIGH SCHOOL CREDITS.—Beginning with
1085 the 2012-2013 school year, if a student transfers to a Florida
1086 public high school from out of country, out of state, a private
1087 school, a personalized education program, or a home education
1088 program and the student’s transcript shows a credit in Algebra
1089 I, the student must pass the statewide, standardized Algebra I
1090 EOC assessment in order to earn a standard high school diploma
1091 unless the student earned a comparative score, passed a
1092 statewide assessment in Algebra I administered by the
1093 transferring entity, or passed the statewide mathematics
1094 assessment the transferring entity uses to satisfy the
1095 requirements of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, as
1096 amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), 20 U.S.C. ss.
1097 6301 et seq. If a student’s transcript shows a credit in high
1098 school reading or English Language Arts II or III, in order to
1099 earn a standard high school diploma, the student must take and
1100 pass the statewide, standardized grade 10 ELA assessment, or
1101 earn a concordant score. If a transfer student’s transcript
1102 shows a final course grade and course credit in Algebra I,
1103 Geometry, Biology I, or United States History, or the equivalent
1104 of a grade 10 ELA course, the transferring course final grade
1105 and credit must shall be honored without the student taking the
1106 requisite statewide, standardized EOC assessment and without the
1107 assessment results constituting 30 percent of the student’s
1108 final course grade.
1109 (8) STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES.—Beginning with students
1110 entering grade 9 in the 2014-2015 school year, this subsection
1111 applies to a student with a disability.
1112 (a) A parent of the student with a disability shall, in
1113 collaboration with the individual education plan (IEP) team
1114 during the transition planning process pursuant to s. 1003.5716,
1115 declare an intent for the student to graduate from high school
1116 with either a standard high school diploma If a student with a
1117 disability has declared an intent to earn a certificate of
1118 completion in the IEP, a school district must revise the
1119 student’s declared intent at the annual review of the IEP. A
1120 school district must provide the form referenced in subparagraph
1121 (5)(c)2. to a student with a disability who has not earned a
1122 standard high school diploma or a certificate of completion. A
1123 student with a disability who does not satisfy the standard high
1124 school diploma requirements pursuant to this section shall be
1125 awarded a certificate of completion.
1126 (d) A student with a disability who receives a certificate
1127 of completion and has an individual education plan that
1128 prescribes special education, transition planning, transition
1129 services, or related services through 21 years of age may
1130 continue to receive the specified instruction and services.
1131
1132 The State Board of Education shall adopt rules under ss.
1133 120.536(1) and 120.54 to implement this subsection, including
1134 rules that establish the minimum requirements for students
1135 described in this subsection to earn a standard high school
1136 diploma. The State Board of Education shall adopt emergency
1137 rules pursuant to ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54.
1138 Section 22. Effective upon becoming a law, section
1139 1003.433, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
1140 1003.433 Learning opportunities for out-of-state and out
1141 of-country transfer students and students needing additional
1142 instruction to meet high school graduation requirements.—
1143 (1) Students who enter a Florida public school at the 11th
1144 or 12th grade from out of state or out of country may shall not
1145 be required to spend additional time in a Florida public school
1146 in order to meet the high school course requirements if the
1147 student has met all requirements of the school district, state,
1148 or country from which he or she is transferring. Such students
1149 who are not proficient in English should receive immediate and
1150 intensive instruction in English language acquisition. However,
1151 to receive a standard high school diploma, a transfer student
1152 must earn a 2.0 grade point average and meet the requirements
1153 under s. 1008.22.
1154 (2) Students who earn the required 24 credits for the
1155 standard high school diploma except for passage of any must-pass
1156 assessment under s. 1003.4282 or s. 1008.22 or an alternate
1157 assessment by the end of grade 12 must be provided the following
1158 learning opportunities:
1159 (a) Participation in an accelerated high school equivalency
1160 diploma preparation program during the summer.
1161 (b) Upon receipt of a certificate of completion, be allowed
1162 to take the College Placement Test and be admitted to
1163 developmental education or credit courses at a Florida College
1164 System institution, as appropriate.
1165 (c) Participation in an adult general education program as
1166 provided in s. 1004.93 for such time as the student requires to
1167 master English, reading, mathematics, or any other subject
1168 required for high school graduation. A student attending an
1169 adult general education program shall have the opportunity to
1170 take any must-pass assessment under s. 1003.4282 or s. 1008.22
1171 an unlimited number of times in order to receive a standard high
1172 school diploma.
1173 (3) Students who have been enrolled in an ESOL program for
1174 less than 2 school years and have met all requirements for the
1175 standard high school diploma except for passage of any must-pass
1176 assessment under s. 1003.4282 or s. 1008.22 or alternate
1177 assessment may:
1178 (a) Receive immersion English language instruction during
1179 the summer following their senior year. Students receiving such
1180 instruction are eligible to take the required assessment or
1181 alternate assessment and receive a standard high school diploma
1182 upon passage of the required assessment or alternate assessment.
1183 This paragraph shall be implemented to the extent funding is
1184 provided in the General Appropriations Act.
1185 (b) Beginning with the 2022-2023 school year, meet the
1186 requirement to pass the statewide, standardized grade 10 English
1187 Language Arts assessment by satisfactorily demonstrating grade
1188 level expectations on formative assessments, in accordance with
1189 state board rule.
1190 Section 23. Present paragraphs (h) and (i) of subsection
1191 (3) of section 1006.15, Florida Statutes, are redesignated as
1192 paragraphs (i) and (j), respectively, a new paragraph (h) is
1193 added to that subsection, and paragraph (c) of that subsection
1194 is amended, to read:
1195 1006.15 Student standards for participation in
1196 interscholastic and intrascholastic extracurricular student
1197 activities; regulation.—
1198 (3)
1199 (c)1. An individual home education student is eligible to
1200 participate at the public school to which the student would be
1201 assigned according to district school board attendance area
1202 policies or which the student could choose to attend pursuant to
1203 s. 1002.31, or may develop an agreement to participate at a
1204 private school, in the interscholastic extracurricular
1205 activities of that school, provided the following conditions are
1206 met:
1207 a.1. The home education student must meet the requirements
1208 of the home education program pursuant to s. 1002.41.
1209 b.2. During the period of participation at a school, the
1210 home education student must demonstrate educational progress as
1211 required in paragraph (b) in all subjects taken in the home
1212 education program by a method of evaluation agreed upon by the
1213 parent and the school principal which may include: review of the
1214 student’s work by a certified teacher chosen by the parent;
1215 grades earned through correspondence; grades earned in courses
1216 taken at a Florida College System institution, university, or
1217 trade school; standardized test scores above the 35th
1218 percentile; or any other method designated in s. 1002.41.
1219 c.3. The home education student must meet the same
1220 residency requirements as other students in the school at which
1221 he or she participates.
1222 d.4. The home education student must meet the same
1223 standards of acceptance, behavior, and performance as required
1224 of other students in extracurricular activities.
1225 e.5. The student must register with the school his or her
1226 intent to participate in interscholastic extracurricular
1227 activities as a representative of the school before
1228 participation. A home education student must be able to
1229 participate in curricular activities if that is a requirement
1230 for an extracurricular activity.
1231 f.6. A student who transfers from a home education program
1232 to a public school before or during the first grading period of
1233 the school year is academically eligible to participate in
1234 interscholastic extracurricular activities during the first
1235 grading period provided the student has a successful evaluation
1236 from the previous school year, pursuant to sub-subparagraph b.
1237 subparagraph 2.
1238 g.7. Any public school or private school student who has
1239 been unable to maintain academic eligibility for participation
1240 in interscholastic extracurricular activities is ineligible to
1241 participate in such activities as a home education student until
1242 the student has successfully completed one grading period in
1243 home education pursuant to sub-subparagraph b. subparagraph 2.
1244 to become eligible to participate as a home education student.
1245 2. An individual home education student is eligible to
1246 participate on an interscholastic athletic team at any public
1247 school in the school district in which the student resides,
1248 provided the student meets the conditions specified in sub
1249 subparagraphs 1.a.-g.
1250 (h) A student in a full-time virtual instruction program
1251 under s. 1002.45, including the full-time Florida Virtual School
1252 program, a full-time school district virtual instruction
1253 program, or a full-time virtual charter school, is eligible to
1254 participate on an interscholastic athletic team at any public
1255 school in the school district in which the student resides, or
1256 may develop an agreement to participate at a private school,
1257 provided the student:
1258 1. During the period of participation in the
1259 interscholastic extracurricular activity, meets the requirements
1260 in paragraph (a);
1261 2. Meets any additional requirements as determined by the
1262 board of trustees of the Florida Virtual School, the district
1263 school board, or the governing board of the virtual charter
1264 school, as applicable;
1265 3. Meets the same residency requirements as other students
1266 in the school at which he or she participates;
1267 4. Meets the same standards of athletic team acceptance,
1268 behavior, and performance which are required of other students
1269 in extracurricular activities; and
1270 5. Registers his or her intent to participate in
1271 interscholastic extracurricular activities with the school
1272 before participation.
1273 Section 24. Paragraph (a) of subsection (1) of section
1274 1006.195, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
1275 1006.195 District school board, charter school authority
1276 and responsibility to establish student eligibility regarding
1277 participation in interscholastic and intrascholastic
1278 extracurricular activities.—Notwithstanding any provision to the
1279 contrary in ss. 1006.15, 1006.18, and 1006.20, regarding student
1280 eligibility to participate in interscholastic and
1281 intrascholastic extracurricular activities:
1282 (1)(a) A district school board must establish, through its
1283 code of student conduct, student eligibility standards and
1284 related student disciplinary actions regarding student
1285 participation in interscholastic and intrascholastic
1286 extracurricular activities. The code of student conduct must
1287 provide that:
1288 1. A student not currently suspended from interscholastic
1289 or intrascholastic extracurricular activities, or suspended or
1290 expelled from school, pursuant to a district school board’s
1291 suspension or expulsion powers provided in law, including ss.
1292 1006.07, 1006.08, and 1006.09, is eligible to participate in
1293 interscholastic and intrascholastic extracurricular activities.
1294 2. A student may not participate in a sport if the student
1295 participated in that same sport at another school during that
1296 school year, unless the student meets the criteria in s.
1297 1006.15(3)(j) s. 1006.15(3)(i).
1298 3. A student’s eligibility to participate in any
1299 interscholastic or intrascholastic extracurricular activity may
1300 not be affected by any alleged recruiting violation until final
1301 disposition of the allegation pursuant to s. 1006.20(2)(b).
1302 Section 25. Subsection (2) of section 1006.40, Florida
1303 Statutes, is amended to read:
1304 1006.40 Purchase of instructional materials.—
1305 (2) Each district school board must purchase current
1306 instructional materials to provide each student in kindergarten
1307 through grade 12 with a major tool of instruction in core
1308 courses of the subject areas of mathematics, language arts,
1309 science, social studies, reading, and literature. Such purchase
1310 must be made within the first 5 3 years after the effective date
1311 of the adoption cycle, subject to state board requirement for an
1312 earlier purchase date for a specific subject area, unless a
1313 district school board or a consortium of school districts has
1314 implemented an instructional materials program pursuant to s.
1315 1006.283.
1316 Section 26. Subsection (4) of section 1007.263, Florida
1317 Statutes, is amended to read:
1318 1007.263 Florida College System institutions; admissions of
1319 students.—Each Florida College System institution board of
1320 trustees is authorized to adopt rules governing admissions of
1321 students subject to this section and rules of the State Board of
1322 Education. These rules shall include the following:
1323 (4) A student who has earned the required 24 credits under
1324 s. 1003.4282, or the required 18 credits under s. 1002.3105(5),
1325 for the standard high school diploma, except for achievement of
1326 a 2.0 GPA, been awarded a certificate of completion under s.
1327 1003.4282 is eligible to enroll in certificate career education
1328 programs.
1329
1330 Each board of trustees shall establish policies that notify
1331 students about developmental education options for improving
1332 their communication or computation skills that are essential to
1333 performing college-level work, including tutoring, extended time
1334 in gateway courses, free online courses, adult basic education,
1335 adult secondary education, or private provider instruction.
1336 Section 27. Subsections (2) and (3) of section 1008.212,
1337 Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
1338 1008.212 Students with disabilities; extraordinary
1339 exemption.—
1340 (2) A student with a disability for whom the individual
1341 education plan (IEP) team determines is prevented by a
1342 circumstance or condition from physically demonstrating the
1343 mastery of skills that have been acquired and are measured by
1344 the statewide standardized assessment, a statewide standardized
1345 end-of-course assessment, or an alternate assessment pursuant to
1346 s. 1008.22(3)(d) shall be granted an extraordinary exemption
1347 from the administration of the assessment. A learning,
1348 emotional, behavioral, or significant cognitive disability, or
1349 the receipt of services through the homebound or hospitalized
1350 program in accordance with rule 6A-6.03020, Florida
1351 Administrative Code, is not, in and of itself, an adequate
1352 criterion for the granting of an extraordinary exemption. The
1353 first two administrations of the coordinated screening and
1354 progress monitoring system under s. 1008.25(9) or any alternate
1355 assessments used in lieu of such administrations are not subject
1356 to the requirements of this section.
1357 (3) The IEP team, which must include the parent, may submit
1358 to the district school superintendent a written request for an
1359 extraordinary exemption from the end-of-year or end-of-course
1360 statewide, standardized assessment at any time during the school
1361 year, but not later than 60 days before the current year’s
1362 assessment administration for which the request is made. A
1363 request must include all of the following:
1364 (a) A written description of the student’s disabilities,
1365 including a specific description of the student’s impaired
1366 sensory, manual, or speaking skills.
1367 (b) Written documentation of the most recent evaluation
1368 data.
1369 (c) Written documentation, if available, of the most recent
1370 administration of the statewide standardized assessment, an end
1371 of-course assessment, or an alternate assessment.
1372 (d) A written description of the condition’s effect on the
1373 student’s participation in the statewide standardized
1374 assessment, an end-of-course assessment, or an alternate
1375 assessment.
1376 (e) Written evidence that the student has had the
1377 opportunity to learn the skills being tested.
1378 (f) Written evidence that the student has been provided
1379 appropriate instructional accommodations.
1380 (g) Written evidence as to whether the student has had the
1381 opportunity to be assessed using the instructional
1382 accommodations on the student’s IEP which are allowable in the
1383 administration of the statewide standardized assessment, an end
1384 of-course assessment, or an alternate assessment in prior
1385 assessments.
1386 (h) Written evidence of the circumstance or condition as
1387 defined in subsection (1).
1388 Section 28. Paragraphs (a), (b), and (d) of subsection (7)
1389 of section 1008.22, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
1390 1008.22 Student assessment program for public schools.—
1391 (7) ASSESSMENT SCHEDULES AND REPORTING OF RESULTS.—
1392 (a) The Commissioner of Education shall establish schedules
1393 for the administration of statewide, standardized assessments
1394 and the reporting of student assessment results. The
1395 commissioner shall consider the observance of religious and
1396 school holidays when developing the schedules. By January 1 of
1397 each year, the commissioner shall notify each school district in
1398 writing and publish on the department’s website the assessment
1399 schedule for, at a minimum, the next 2 school years. The
1400 assessment and reporting schedules must provide the earliest
1401 possible reporting of student assessment results to the school
1402 districts. Assessment results for the statewide, standardized
1403 ELA and Mathematics assessments and all statewide, standardized
1404 EOC assessments must be made available no later than June 30,
1405 except for results for the grade 3 statewide, standardized ELA
1406 assessment, which must be made available no later than May 31.
1407 Beginning with the 2023-2024 school year, assessment results for
1408 the statewide, standardized ELA and Mathematics assessments must
1409 be available no later than May 31. School districts shall
1410 administer statewide, standardized assessments in accordance
1411 with the schedule established by the commissioner.
1412 (b) By January of each year, the commissioner shall publish
1413 on the department’s website a uniform calendar that includes the
1414 assessment and reporting schedules for, at a minimum, the next 2
1415 school years. The uniform calendar must be provided to school
1416 districts in an electronic format that allows each school
1417 district and public school to populate the calendar with, at
1418 minimum, the following information for reporting the district
1419 assessment schedules under paragraph (d):
1420 1. Whether the assessment is a district-required assessment
1421 or a state-required assessment.
1422 2. The specific date or dates that each assessment will be
1423 administered, including administrations of the coordinated
1424 screening and progress monitoring system under s. 1008.25(9)(b).
1425 3. The time allotted to administer each assessment.
1426 4. Whether the assessment is a computer-based assessment or
1427 a paper-based assessment.
1428 5. The grade level or subject area associated with the
1429 assessment.
1430 6. The date that the assessment results are expected to be
1431 available to teachers and parents.
1432 7. The type of assessment, the purpose of the assessment,
1433 and the use of the assessment results.
1434 8. A glossary of assessment terminology.
1435 9. Estimates of average time for administering state
1436 required and district-required assessments, by grade level.
1437 (c)(d) Each school district shall, by November 1 of each
1438 year, establish schedules for the administration of any
1439 statewide, standardized assessments and district-required
1440 assessments and approve the schedules as an agenda item at a
1441 district school board meeting. Each school district shall
1442 publish the testing schedules on its website which specify
1443 whether an assessment is a state-required or district-required
1444 assessment and the grade bands or subject areas associated with
1445 the assessments using the uniform calendar, including all
1446 information required under paragraph (b), and submit the
1447 schedules to the Department of Education by October 1 of each
1448 year. Each public school shall publish schedules for statewide,
1449 standardized assessments and district-required assessments on
1450 its website using the uniform calendar, including all
1451 information required under paragraph (b). The school board
1452 approved assessment uniform calendar must be included in the
1453 parent guide required by s. 1002.23(5).
1454 Section 29. Paragraph (b) of subsection (7) and paragraphs
1455 (b), (c), and (d) of subsection (9) of section 1008.25, Florida
1456 Statutes, are amended to read:
1457 1008.25 Public school student progression; student support;
1458 coordinated screening and progress monitoring; reporting
1459 requirements.—
1460 (7) ELIMINATION OF SOCIAL PROMOTION.—
1461 (b) The district school board may only exempt students from
1462 mandatory retention, as provided in paragraph (5)(c), for good
1463 cause. A student promoted to grade 4 with a good cause exemption
1464 shall be provided intensive reading instruction and intervention
1465 that include specialized diagnostic information and specific
1466 reading strategies to meet the needs of each student so
1467 promoted. The school district shall assist schools and teachers
1468 with the implementation of explicit, systematic, and
1469 multisensory reading instruction and intervention strategies for
1470 students promoted with a good cause exemption which research has
1471 shown to be successful in improving reading among students who
1472 have reading difficulties. Upon the request of the parent, the
1473 teacher or school administrator shall meet to discuss the
1474 student’s progress. The parent may request more frequent
1475 notification of the student’s progress, more frequent
1476 interventions or supports, and earlier implementation of the
1477 additional interventions or supports described in the initial
1478 notification. Good cause exemptions are limited to the
1479 following:
1480 1. Limited English proficient students who have had less
1481 than 2 years of instruction in an English for Speakers of Other
1482 Languages program based on the initial date of entry into a
1483 school in the United States.
1484 2. Students with disabilities whose individual education
1485 plan indicates that participation in the statewide assessment
1486 program is not appropriate, consistent with the requirements of
1487 s. 1008.212.
1488 3. Students who demonstrate an acceptable level of
1489 performance on an alternative standardized reading or English
1490 Language Arts assessment approved by the State Board of
1491 Education.
1492 4. Students who demonstrate through a student portfolio
1493 that they are performing at least at Level 2 on the statewide,
1494 standardized English Language Arts assessment.
1495 5. Students with disabilities who take the statewide,
1496 standardized English Language Arts assessment and who have an
1497 individual education plan or a Section 504 plan that reflects
1498 that the student has received intensive instruction in reading
1499 or English Language Arts for more than 2 years but still
1500 demonstrates a deficiency and was previously retained in
1501 prekindergarten, kindergarten, grade 1, grade 2, or grade 3.
1502 6. Students who have received intensive reading
1503 intervention for 2 or more years but still demonstrate a
1504 deficiency in reading and who were previously retained in
1505 kindergarten, grade 1, grade 2, or grade 3 for a total of 2
1506 years. A student may not be retained more than once in grade 3.
1507 7. Students who have scored a level 2 or higher on both the
1508 initial and midyear administrations of the coordinated screening
1509 and progress monitoring system.
1510 (9) COORDINATED SCREENING AND PROGRESS MONITORING SYSTEM.—
1511 (b) Beginning with the 2022-2023 school year, private
1512 Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program providers and public
1513 schools must participate in the coordinated screening and
1514 progress monitoring system pursuant to this paragraph.
1515 1. For students in the school-year Voluntary
1516 Prekindergarten Education Program through grade 2, the
1517 coordinated screening and progress monitoring system must be
1518 administered at least three times within a school year, with the
1519 first administration occurring no later than the first 30
1520 instructional days after a student’s enrollment or the start of
1521 the school year, the second administration occurring midyear,
1522 and the third administration occurring within the last 30 days
1523 of the school year pursuant to state board rule. The state board
1524 may adopt alternate timeframes to address nontraditional school
1525 year calendars to ensure the coordinated screening and progress
1526 monitoring program is administered a minimum of three times
1527 within a year.
1528 2. For students in the summer prekindergarten program, the
1529 coordinated screening and progress monitoring system must be
1530 administered two times, with the first administration occurring
1531 no later than the first 10 instructional days after a student’s
1532 enrollment or the start of the summer prekindergarten program,
1533 and the final administration occurring within the last 10 days
1534 of the summer prekindergarten program pursuant to state board
1535 rule.
1536 3. For grades 3 through 10 English Language Arts and grades
1537 3 through 8 Mathematics, the coordinated screening and progress
1538 monitoring system must be administered at the beginning, middle,
1539 and end of the school year pursuant to state board rule. The
1540 end-of-year administration of the coordinated screening and
1541 progress monitoring system must be a comprehensive progress
1542 monitoring assessment administered in accordance with the
1543 scheduling requirements under s. 1008.22(7)(b) s. 1008.22(7)(c).
1544 (c) To facilitate timely interventions and supports
1545 pursuant to subsection (4), the system must provide results from
1546 the first two administrations of the progress monitoring to a
1547 student’s teacher or prekindergarten instructor within 1 week
1548 and to the student’s parent within 2 weeks after the
1549 administration of the progress monitoring. Delivery of results
1550 from the comprehensive, end-of-year progress monitoring ELA
1551 assessment for grades 3 through 10 and Mathematics assessment
1552 for grades 3 through 8 must be in accordance with s.
1553 1008.22(7)(g) s. 1008.22(7)(h).
1554 1. A student’s results from the coordinated screening and
1555 progress monitoring system must be recorded in a written, easy
1556 to-comprehend individual student report. Each school district
1557 shall provide a parent secure access to his or her child’s
1558 individual student reports through a web-based portal as part of
1559 its student information system. Each early learning coalition
1560 shall provide parents the individual student report in a format
1561 determined by state board rule.
1562 2. In addition to the information under subparagraph (a)5.,
1563 the report must also include parent resources that explain the
1564 purpose of progress monitoring, assist the parent in
1565 interpreting progress monitoring results, and support informed
1566 parent involvement. Parent resources may include personalized
1567 video formats.
1568 3. The department shall annually update school districts
1569 and early learning coalitions on new system features and
1570 functionality and collaboratively identify with school districts
1571 and early learning coalitions strategies for meaningfully
1572 reporting to parents results from the coordinated screening and
1573 progress monitoring system. The department shall develop ways to
1574 increase the utilization, by instructional staff and parents, of
1575 student assessment data and resources.
1576 4. An individual student report must be provided in a
1577 printed format upon a parent’s request.
1578 (d) Screening and progress monitoring system results,
1579 including the number of students who demonstrate characteristics
1580 of dyslexia and dyscalculia, shall be reported to the department
1581 pursuant to state board rule and maintained in the department’s
1582 Education Data Warehouse. Results must be provided to a
1583 student’s teacher and parent in a timely manner as required in
1584 s. 1008.22(7)(f) s. 1008.22(7)(g).
1585 Section 30. Paragraph (c) of subsection (3) and subsection
1586 (5) of section 1008.33, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
1587 1008.33 Authority to enforce public school improvement.—
1588 (3)
1589 (c) The state board shall adopt by rule a differentiated
1590 matrix of intervention and support strategies for assisting
1591 traditional public schools identified under this section and
1592 rules for implementing s. 1002.33(9)(n), relating to charter
1593 schools. The intervention and support strategies must address
1594 student performance and may include improvement planning;
1595 leadership quality improvement; educator quality improvement;
1596 professional learning; curriculum review, pacing, and alignment
1597 across grade levels to improve background knowledge in social
1598 studies, science, and the arts; and the use of continuous
1599 improvement and monitoring plans and processes. In addition, the
1600 state board may prescribe reporting requirements to review and
1601 monitor the progress of the schools. The rule must define the
1602 intervention and support strategies for school improvement for
1603 schools earning a grade of “D” or “F” and the roles for the
1604 district and department. A school may not be required to use the
1605 measure of student learning growth in s. 1012.34(7) as the sole
1606 determinant to recruit instructional personnel. The rule must
1607 create a timeline for a school district’s school improvement
1608 plan or district-managed turnaround plan to be approved and for
1609 the school improvement funds under Title I to be released to the
1610 school district. The timeline established in rule for the
1611 release of school improvement funding under Title I may not
1612 exceed 20 calendar days after the approval of the school
1613 improvement plan or district-managed turnaround plan.
1614 (5) The state board shall adopt rules pursuant to ss. 120.536(1)
1615 and 120.54 to administer this section. The rules shall include
1616 timelines for submission of implementation plans, approval
1617 criteria for implementation plans, timelines for releasing Title
1618 I funding, implementing intervention and support strategies, a
1619 standard charter school turnaround contract, a standard facility
1620 lease, and a mutual management agreement. The state board shall
1621 consult with education stakeholders in developing the rules.
1622 Section 31. Paragraph (e) is added to subsection (2) of
1623 section 1010.20, Florida Statutes, to read:
1624 1010.20 Cost accounting and reporting for school
1625 districts.—
1626 (2) COST REPORTING.—
1627 (e) Each charter school shall receive and respond to
1628 monitoring questions from the department.
1629 Section 32. Subsections (2) and (4) of section 1011.035,
1630 Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
1631 1011.035 School district fiscal transparency.—
1632 (2) Each district school board shall post on its website:
1633 (a) A plain language version of each proposed, tentative,
1634 and official budget which describes each budget item in terms
1635 that are easily understandable to the public and includes:
1636 (a) Graphical representations, for each public school
1637 within the district and for the school district, of the
1638 following:
1639 1. Summary financial efficiency data.
1640 2. Fiscal trend information for the previous 3 years on:
1641 a. The ratio of full-time equivalent students to full-time
1642 equivalent instructional personnel.
1643 b. The ratio of full-time equivalent students to full-time
1644 equivalent administrative personnel.
1645 c. The total operating expenditures per full-time
1646 equivalent student.
1647 d. The total instructional expenditures per full-time
1648 equivalent student.
1649 e. The general administrative expenditures as a percentage
1650 of total budget.
1651 f. The rate of change in the general fund’s ending fund
1652 balance not classified as restricted.
1653 (b) A link to the web-based fiscal transparency tool
1654 developed by the department pursuant to s. 1010.20 to enable
1655 taxpayers to evaluate the financial efficiency of the school
1656 district and compare the financial efficiency of the school
1657 district with other similarly situated school districts.
1658
1659 This information must be prominently posted on the school
1660 district’s website in a manner that is readily accessible to the
1661 public.
1662 (4) The website should contain links to:
1663 (a) Help explain or provide background information on
1664 various budget items that are required by state or federal law.
1665 (b) Allow users to navigate to related sites to view
1666 supporting details.
1667 (c) enable taxpayers, parents, and education advocates to
1668 send e-mails asking questions about the budget and enable others
1669 to view the questions and responses.
1670 Section 33. Subsection (1) of section 1011.14, Florida
1671 Statutes, is amended to read:
1672 1011.14 Obligations for a period of 1 year.—District school
1673 boards are authorized only under the following conditions to
1674 create obligations by way of anticipation of budgeted revenues
1675 accruing on a current basis without pledging the credit of the
1676 district or requiring future levy of taxes for certain purposes
1677 for a period of 1 year; however, such obligations may be
1678 extended from year to year with the consent of the lender for a
1679 period not to exceed 4 years, or for a total of 5 years
1680 including the initial year of the loan:
1681 (1) PURPOSES.—The purposes for which such obligations may
1682 be incurred within the intent of this section shall include only
1683 the purchase of school buses, land, and equipment for
1684 educational purposes; the erection of, alteration to, or
1685 addition to educational plants, ancillary plants, and auxiliary
1686 facilities; and the adjustment of insurance on educational
1687 property on a 5-year plan, as provided by rules of the State
1688 Board of Education.
1689 Section 34. Subsection (2) of section 1011.60, Florida
1690 Statutes, is amended to read:
1691 1011.60 Minimum requirements of the Florida Education
1692 Finance Program.—Each district which participates in the state
1693 appropriations for the Florida Education Finance Program shall
1694 provide evidence of its effort to maintain an adequate school
1695 program throughout the district and shall meet at least the
1696 following requirements:
1697 (2) MINIMUM TERM.—Operate all schools for a term of 180
1698 actual teaching days or the equivalent on an hourly basis as
1699 specified by rules of the State Board of Education each school
1700 year. The State Board of Education may prescribe procedures for
1701 altering, and, upon written application, may alter, this
1702 requirement during a national, state, or local emergency as it
1703 may apply to an individual school or schools in any district or
1704 districts if the district school board certifies to the
1705 Commissioner of Education that if, in the opinion of the board,
1706 it is not necessary feasible to make up lost days or hours, and
1707 the apportionment may, at the discretion of the Commissioner of
1708 Education and if the board determines that the reduction of
1709 school days or hours is caused by the existence of a bona fide
1710 emergency, be reduced for such district or districts in
1711 proportion to the decrease in the length of term in any such
1712 school or schools. A strike, as defined in s. 447.203(6), by
1713 employees of the school district may not be considered an
1714 emergency.
1715 Section 35. Paragraph (o) of subsection (1) of section
1716 1011.62, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
1717 1011.62 Funds for operation of schools.—If the annual
1718 allocation from the Florida Education Finance Program to each
1719 district for operation of schools is not determined in the
1720 annual appropriations act or the substantive bill implementing
1721 the annual appropriations act, it shall be determined as
1722 follows:
1723 (1) COMPUTATION OF THE BASIC AMOUNT TO BE INCLUDED FOR
1724 OPERATION.—The following procedure shall be followed in
1725 determining the annual allocation to each district for
1726 operation:
1727 (o) Calculation of additional full-time equivalent
1728 membership based on successful completion of a career-themed
1729 course pursuant to ss. 1003.491-1003.493, or courses with
1730 embedded CAPE industry certifications or CAPE Digital Tool
1731 certificates, and issuance of industry certification identified
1732 on the CAPE Industry Certification Funding List pursuant to
1733 rules adopted by the State Board of Education or CAPE Digital
1734 Tool certificates pursuant to s. 1003.4203.—
1735 1.a. A value of 0.025 full-time equivalent student
1736 membership shall be calculated for CAPE Digital Tool
1737 certificates earned by students in elementary and middle school
1738 grades.
1739 b. A value of 0.1 or 0.2 full-time equivalent student
1740 membership shall be calculated for each student who completes a
1741 course as defined in s. 1003.493(1)(b) or courses with embedded
1742 CAPE industry certifications and who is issued an industry
1743 certification identified annually on the CAPE Industry
1744 Certification Funding List approved under rules adopted by the
1745 State Board of Education. A value of 0.2 full-time equivalent
1746 membership shall be calculated for each student who is issued a
1747 CAPE industry certification that has a statewide articulation
1748 agreement for college credit approved by the State Board of
1749 Education. For CAPE industry certifications that do not
1750 articulate for college credit, the Department of Education shall
1751 assign a full-time equivalent value of 0.1 for each
1752 certification. Middle grades students who earn additional FTE
1753 membership for a CAPE Digital Tool certificate pursuant to sub
1754 subparagraph a. may not rely solely on the previously funded
1755 examination to satisfy the requirements for earning an industry
1756 certification under this sub-subparagraph. The State Board of
1757 Education shall include the assigned values on the CAPE Industry
1758 Certification Funding List under rules adopted by the state
1759 board. Such value shall be added to the total full-time
1760 equivalent student membership for grades 6 through 12 in the
1761 subsequent year. CAPE industry certifications earned through
1762 dual enrollment must be reported and funded pursuant to s.
1763 1011.80. However, if a student earns a certification through a
1764 dual enrollment course and the certification is not a fundable
1765 certification on the postsecondary certification funding list,
1766 or the dual enrollment certification is earned as a result of an
1767 agreement between a school district and a nonpublic
1768 postsecondary institution, the bonus value shall be funded in
1769 the same manner as other nondual enrollment course industry
1770 certifications. In such cases, the school district may provide
1771 for an agreement between the high school and the technical
1772 center, or the school district and the postsecondary institution
1773 may enter into an agreement for equitable distribution of the
1774 bonus funds.
1775 c. A value of 0.3 full-time equivalent student membership
1776 shall be calculated for student completion of at least three
1777 courses and an industry certification in a single career and
1778 technical education program or program of study.
1779 d. A value of 0.5 full-time equivalent student membership
1780 shall be calculated for CAPE Acceleration Industry
1781 Certifications that articulate for 15 to 29 college credit
1782 hours, and 1.0 full-time equivalent student membership shall be
1783 calculated for CAPE Acceleration Industry Certifications that
1784 articulate for 30 or more college credit hours pursuant to CAPE
1785 Acceleration Industry Certifications approved by the
1786 commissioner pursuant to ss. 1003.4203(4) and 1008.44.
1787 2. Each district must allocate at least 80 percent of the
1788 funds provided for CAPE industry certification, in accordance
1789 with this paragraph, to the program that generated the funds,
1790 and any remaining funds provided for CAPE industry certification
1791 for school district career and technical education programs.
1792 This allocation may not be used to supplant funds provided for
1793 basic operation of the program.
1794 3. For CAPE industry certifications earned in the 2013-2014
1795 school year and in subsequent years, the school district shall
1796 distribute to each classroom teacher who provided direct
1797 instruction toward the attainment of a CAPE industry
1798 certification that qualified for additional full-time equivalent
1799 membership under subparagraph 1.:
1800 a. A bonus of $25 for each student taught by a teacher who
1801 provided instruction in a course that led to the attainment of a
1802 CAPE industry certification on the CAPE Industry Certification
1803 Funding List with a weight of 0.1.
1804 b. A bonus of $50 for each student taught by a teacher who
1805 provided instruction in a course that led to the attainment of a
1806 CAPE industry certification on the CAPE Industry Certification
1807 Funding List with a weight of 0.2.
1808 c. A bonus of $75 for each student taught by a teacher who
1809 provided instruction in a course that led to the attainment of a
1810 CAPE industry certification on the CAPE Industry Certification
1811 Funding List with a weight of 0.3.
1812 d. A bonus of $100 for each student taught by a teacher who
1813 provided instruction in a course that led to the attainment of a
1814 CAPE industry certification on the CAPE Industry Certification
1815 Funding List with a weight of 0.5 or 1.0.
1816
1817 Bonuses awarded pursuant to this paragraph shall be provided to
1818 teachers who are employed by the district in the year in which
1819 the additional FTE membership calculation is included in the
1820 calculation. Bonuses shall be calculated based upon the
1821 associated weight of a CAPE industry certification on the CAPE
1822 Industry Certification Funding List for the year in which the
1823 certification is earned by the student. Any bonus awarded to a
1824 teacher pursuant to this paragraph is in addition to any regular
1825 wage or other bonus the teacher received or is scheduled to
1826 receive. A bonus may not be awarded to a teacher who fails to
1827 maintain the security of any CAPE industry certification
1828 examination or who otherwise violates the security or
1829 administration protocol of any assessment instrument that may
1830 result in a bonus being awarded to the teacher under this
1831 paragraph.
1832 Section 36. Paragraph (b) of subsection (3) of section
1833 1011.6202, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
1834 1011.6202 Principal Autonomy Program Initiative.—The
1835 Principal Autonomy Program Initiative is created within the
1836 Department of Education. The purpose of the program is to
1837 provide a highly effective principal of a participating school
1838 with increased autonomy and authority to operate his or her
1839 school, as well as other schools, in a way that produces
1840 significant improvements in student achievement and school
1841 management while complying with constitutional requirements. The
1842 State Board of Education may, upon approval of a principal
1843 autonomy proposal, enter into a performance contract with the
1844 district school board for participation in the program.
1845 (3) EXEMPTION FROM LAWS.—
1846 (b) A participating school or a school operated by a
1847 principal pursuant to subsection (5) shall comply with the
1848 provisions of chapters 1000-1013, and rules of the state board
1849 that implement those provisions, pertaining to the following:
1850 1. Those laws relating to the election and compensation of
1851 district school board members, the election or appointment and
1852 compensation of district school superintendents, public meetings
1853 and public records requirements, financial disclosure, and
1854 conflicts of interest.
1855 2. Those laws relating to the student assessment program
1856 and school grading system, including chapter 1008.
1857 3. Those laws relating to the provision of services to
1858 students with disabilities.
1859 4. Those laws relating to civil rights, including s.
1860 1000.05, relating to discrimination.
1861 5. Those laws relating to student health, safety, and
1862 welfare.
1863 6. Section 1001.42(4)(f), relating to the uniform opening
1864 date for public schools.
1865 7. Section 1003.03, governing maximum class size, except
1866 that the calculation for compliance pursuant to s. 1003.03 is
1867 the average at the school level for a participating school.
1868 8. Sections 1012.22(1)(c) and 1012.27(2), relating to
1869 compensation and salary schedules.
1870 9. Section 1012.33(5), relating to workforce reductions for
1871 annual contracts for instructional personnel. This subparagraph
1872 does not apply to at-will employees.
1873 10. Section 1012.335, relating to annual or instructional
1874 multiyear contracts for instructional personnel hired on or
1875 after July 1, 2011. This subparagraph does not apply to at-will
1876 employees.
1877 11. Section 1012.34, relating to personnel evaluation
1878 procedures and criteria.
1879 12. Those laws pertaining to educational facilities,
1880 including chapter 1013, except that s. 1013.20, relating to
1881 covered walkways for relocatables, is eligible for exemption.
1882 13. Those laws pertaining to participating school
1883 districts, including this section and ss. 1011.69(2) and
1884 1012.28(8).
1885 Section 37. Subsection (4) of section 1011.69, Florida
1886 Statutes, is amended, and subsection (5) is added to that
1887 section, to read:
1888 1011.69 Equity in School-Level Funding Act.—
1889 (4) After providing Title I, Part A, Basic funds to schools
1890 above the 75 percent poverty threshold, which may include high
1891 schools above the 50 percent threshold as permitted by federal
1892 law, school districts shall provide any remaining Title I, Part
1893 A, Basic funds directly to all eligible schools as provided in
1894 this subsection. For purposes of this subsection, an eligible
1895 school is a school that is eligible to receive Title I funds,
1896 including a charter school. The threshold for identifying
1897 eligible schools may not exceed the threshold established by a
1898 school district for the 2016-2017 school year or the statewide
1899 percentage of economically disadvantaged students, as determined
1900 annually.
1901 (a) Prior to the allocation of Title I funds to eligible
1902 schools, a school district may withhold funds only as follows:
1903 1. One percent for parent involvement, in addition to the
1904 one percent the district must reserve under federal law for
1905 allocations to eligible schools for parent involvement;
1906 2. A necessary and reasonable amount for administration
1907 which includes the district’s indirect cost rate, not to exceed
1908 a total of 10 percent;
1909 3. A reasonable and necessary amount to provide:
1910 a. Homeless programs;
1911 b. Delinquent and neglected programs;
1912 c. Prekindergarten programs and activities;
1913 d. Private school equitable services; and
1914 e. Transportation for foster care children to their school
1915 of origin or choice programs;
1916 4. Up to 5 percent to provide financial incentives and
1917 rewards to teachers who serve students in eligible schools,
1918 including charter schools, identified for comprehensive support
1919 and improvement activities or targeted support and improvement
1920 activities, for the purpose of attracting and retaining
1921 qualified and effective teachers, including teachers of any
1922 subject or grade level for whom a measurement under s.
1923 1012.34(7) or a state-approved Alternative Student Growth Model
1924 is unavailable; and
1925 5.4. A necessary and reasonable amount, not to exceed 1
1926 percent, for eligible schools, including charter schools, to
1927 provide educational services in accordance with the approved
1928 Title I plan. Such educational services may include the
1929 provision of STEM curricula, instructional materials, and
1930 related learning technologies that support academic achievement
1931 in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics in Title I
1932 schools, including, but not limited to, technologies related to
1933 drones, coding, animation, artificial intelligence,
1934 cybersecurity, data science, the engineering design process,
1935 mobile development, and robotics. Funds may be reserved under
1936 this subparagraph only to the extent that all required
1937 reservations under federal law have been met and that such
1938 reservation does not reduce school-level allocations below the
1939 levels required under federal law.
1940 (b) All remaining Title I funds shall be distributed to all
1941 eligible schools in accordance with federal law and regulation.
1942 An eligible school may use funds under this subsection to
1943 participate in discretionary educational services provided by
1944 the school district. Any funds provided by an eligible school to
1945 participate in discretionary educational services provided by
1946 the school district are not subject to the requirements of this
1947 subsection.
1948 (c) Any funds carried forward by the school district are
1949 not subject to the requirements of this subsection.
1950 (5) The Department of Education shall make funds from Title
1951 I, Title II, and Title III programs available to local education
1952 agencies for the full period of availability provided in federal
1953 law.
1954 Section 38. Paragraphs (c), (e), and (h) of subsection (2)
1955 and paragraph (b) of subsection (5) of section 1011.71, Florida
1956 Statutes, are amended to read:
1957 1011.71 District school tax.—
1958 (2) In addition to the maximum millage levy as provided in
1959 subsection (1), each school board may levy not more than 1.5
1960 mills against the taxable value for school purposes for charter
1961 schools pursuant to s. 1013.62(1) and (3) and for district
1962 schools to fund:
1963 (c) The purchase, lease-purchase, or lease of school buses
1964 or other motor vehicles regularly used for the transportation of
1965 prekindergarten disability program and K-12 public school
1966 students to and from school or to and from school activities,
1967 and owned, operated, rented, contracted, or leased by any
1968 district school board.
1969 (e) Payments for educational plants, ancillary plants, and
1970 auxiliary facilities and sites due under a lease-purchase
1971 agreement entered into by a district school board pursuant to s.
1972 1003.02(1)(f) or s. 1013.15(2), not exceeding, in the aggregate,
1973 an amount equal to three-fourths of the proceeds from the
1974 millage levied by a district school board pursuant to this
1975 subsection. The three-fourths limit is waived for lease-purchase
1976 agreements entered into before June 30, 2009, by a district
1977 school board pursuant to this paragraph. If payments under
1978 lease-purchase agreements in the aggregate, including lease
1979 purchase agreements entered into before June 30, 2009, exceed
1980 three-fourths of the proceeds from the millage levied pursuant
1981 to this subsection, the district school board may not withhold
1982 the administrative fees authorized by s. 1002.33(20) from any
1983 charter school operating in the school district.
1984 (h) Payment of costs of leasing relocatable educational
1985 plants, ancillary plants, and auxiliary facilities, of renting
1986 or leasing educational plants, ancillary plants, and auxiliary
1987 facilities and sites pursuant to s. 1013.15(2), or of renting or
1988 leasing buildings or space within existing buildings pursuant to
1989 s. 1013.15(4).
1990 (5) A school district may expend, subject to s. 200.065, up
1991 to $200 per unweighted full-time equivalent student from the
1992 revenue generated by the millage levy authorized by subsection
1993 (2) to fund, in addition to expenditures authorized in
1994 paragraphs (2)(a)-(j), expenses for the following:
1995 (b) Payment of the cost of premiums, as defined in s.
1996 627.403, for property and casualty insurance necessary to insure
1997 school district educational and ancillary plants. As used in
1998 this paragraph, casualty insurance has the same meaning as in s.
1999 624.605(1)(b), (d), (f), (g), (h), and (m). Operating revenues
2000 that are made available through the payment of property and
2001 casualty insurance premiums from revenues generated under this
2002 subsection may be expended only for nonrecurring operational
2003 expenditures of the school district.
2004 Section 39. Paragraph (c) of subsection (1) and paragraph
2005 (a) of subsection (3) of section 1012.22, Florida Statutes, are
2006 amended to read:
2007 1012.22 Public school personnel; powers and duties of the
2008 district school board.—The district school board shall:
2009 (1) Designate positions to be filled, prescribe
2010 qualifications for those positions, and provide for the
2011 appointment, compensation, promotion, suspension, and dismissal
2012 of employees as follows, subject to the requirements of this
2013 chapter:
2014 (c) Compensation and salary schedules.—
2015 1. Definitions.—As used in this paragraph:
2016 a. “Adjustment” means an addition to the base salary
2017 schedule that is not a bonus and becomes part of the employee’s
2018 permanent base salary and shall be considered compensation under
2019 s. 121.021(22).
2020 b. “Grandfathered salary schedule” means the salary
2021 schedule or schedules adopted by a district school board before
2022 July 1, 2014, pursuant to subparagraph 4.
2023 c. “Instructional personnel” means instructional personnel
2024 as defined in s. 1012.01(2)(a)-(d), excluding substitute
2025 teachers.
2026 d. “Performance salary schedule” means the salary schedule
2027 or schedules adopted by a district school board pursuant to
2028 subparagraph 5.
2029 e. “Salary schedule” means the schedule or schedules used
2030 to provide the base salary for district school board personnel.
2031 f. “School administrator” means a school administrator as
2032 defined in s. 1012.01(3)(c).
2033 g. “Supplement” means an annual addition to the base salary
2034 for the term of the negotiated supplement as long as the
2035 employee continues his or her employment for the purpose of the
2036 supplement. A supplement does not become part of the employee’s
2037 continuing base salary but shall be considered compensation
2038 under s. 121.021(22).
2039 2. Cost-of-living adjustment.—A district school board may
2040 provide a cost-of-living salary adjustment if the adjustment:
2041 a. Does not discriminate among comparable classes of
2042 employees based upon the salary schedule under which they are
2043 compensated.
2044 b. Does not exceed 50 percent of the annual adjustment
2045 provided to instructional personnel rated as effective.
2046 3. Advanced degrees.—A district school board may use
2047 advanced degrees in setting a salary schedule for instructional
2048 personnel or school administrators if the advanced degree is
2049 held in the individual’s area of certification, a field related
2050 to their teaching assignment, or a related field of study. For
2051 the purposes of the salary schedule, an advanced degree may
2052 include a master’s degree or higher in the area of certification
2053 or teaching assignment, or an advanced degree in another field
2054 with a minimum of 18 graduate semester hours related to the area
2055 of certification or teaching assignment.
2056 4. Grandfathered salary schedule.—
2057 a. The district school board shall adopt a salary schedule
2058 or salary schedules to be used as the basis for paying all
2059 school employees hired before July 1, 2014. Instructional
2060 personnel on annual contract as of July 1, 2014, shall be placed
2061 on the performance salary schedule adopted under subparagraph 4.
2062 5. Instructional personnel on continuing contract or
2063 professional service contract may opt into the performance
2064 salary schedule if the employee relinquishes such contract and
2065 agrees to be employed on an annual contract under s. 1012.335.
2066 Such an employee shall be placed on the performance salary
2067 schedule and may not return to continuing contract or
2068 professional service contract status. Any employee who opts into
2069 the performance salary schedule may not return to the
2070 grandfathered salary schedule.
2071 b. In determining the grandfathered salary schedule for
2072 instructional personnel, a district school board must base a
2073 portion of each employee’s compensation upon performance
2074 demonstrated under s. 1012.34 and shall provide differentiated
2075 pay for both instructional personnel and school administrators
2076 based upon district-determined factors, including, but not
2077 limited to, additional responsibilities, school demographics,
2078 critical shortage areas, and level of job performance
2079 difficulties.
2080 5. Performance salary schedule.—By July 1, 2014, the
2081 district school board shall adopt a performance salary schedule
2082 that provides annual salary adjustments for instructional
2083 personnel and school administrators based upon performance
2084 determined under s. 1012.34. Employees hired on or after July 1,
2085 2014, or employees who choose to move from the grandfathered
2086 salary schedule to the performance salary schedule shall be
2087 compensated pursuant to the performance salary schedule once
2088 they have received the appropriate performance evaluation for
2089 this purpose.
2090 a. Base salary.—The base salary shall be established as
2091 follows:
2092 (I) The base salary for instructional personnel or school
2093 administrators who opt into the performance salary schedule
2094 shall be the salary paid in the prior year, including
2095 adjustments only.
2096 (II) Instructional personnel or school administrators new
2097 to the district, returning to the district after a break in
2098 service without an authorized leave of absence, or appointed for
2099 the first time to a position in the district in the capacity of
2100 instructional personnel or school administrator shall be placed
2101 on the performance salary schedule.
2102 b. Salary adjustments.—Salary adjustments for highly
2103 effective or effective performance shall be established as
2104 follows:
2105 (I) The annual salary adjustment under the performance
2106 salary schedule for an employee rated as highly effective must
2107 be at least 25 percent greater than the highest annual salary
2108 adjustment available to an employee of the same classification
2109 through any other salary schedule adopted by the district.
2110 (II) The annual salary adjustment under the performance
2111 salary schedule for an employee rated as effective must be equal
2112 to at least 50 percent and no more than 75 percent of the annual
2113 adjustment provided for a highly effective employee of the same
2114 classification.
2115 (III) A salary schedule may shall not provide an annual
2116 salary adjustment for an employee who receives a rating other
2117 than highly effective or effective for the year.
2118 c. Salary supplements.—In addition to the salary
2119 adjustments, each district school board shall provide for salary
2120 supplements for activities that must include, but are not
2121 limited to:
2122 (I) Assignment to a Title I eligible school.
2123 (II) Assignment to a school that earned a grade of “F” or
2124 three consecutive grades of “D” pursuant to s. 1008.34 such that
2125 the supplement remains in force for at least 1 year following
2126 improved performance in that school.
2127 (III) Certification and teaching in critical teacher
2128 shortage areas. Statewide critical teacher shortage areas shall
2129 be identified by the State Board of Education under s. 1012.07.
2130 However, the district school board may identify other areas of
2131 critical shortage within the school district for purposes of
2132 this sub-sub-subparagraph and may remove areas identified by the
2133 state board which do not apply within the school district.
2134 (IV) Assignment of additional academic responsibilities.
2135
2136 If budget constraints in any given year limit a district school
2137 board’s ability to fully fund all adopted salary schedules, the
2138 performance salary schedule may shall not be reduced on the
2139 basis of total cost or the value of individual awards in a
2140 manner that is proportionally greater than reductions to any
2141 other salary schedules adopted by the district. Any compensation
2142 for longevity of service awarded to instructional personnel who
2143 are on any other salary schedule must be included in calculating
2144 the salary adjustments required by sub-subparagraph b.
2145 (3)(a) Collective bargaining.—Notwithstanding provisions of
2146 chapter 447 related to district school board collective
2147 bargaining, collective bargaining may not preclude a district
2148 school board from carrying out its constitutional and statutory
2149 duties related to the following:
2150 1. Providing incentives to effective and highly effective
2151 teachers.
2152 2. Implementing intervention and support strategies under
2153 s. 1008.33 to address the causes of low student performance and
2154 improve student academic performance and attendance.
2155 3. Implementing student discipline provisions required by
2156 law, including a review of a student’s abilities, past
2157 performance, behavior, and needs.
2158 4. Implementing school safety plans and requirements.
2159 5. Implementing staff and student recognition programs.
2160 6. Distributing correspondence to parents, teachers, and
2161 community members related to the daily operation of schools and
2162 the district.
2163 7. Providing any required notice or copies of information
2164 related to the district school board or district operations
2165 which is readily available on the school district’s website.
2166 8. The school district’s calendar.
2167 9. Providing salary supplements pursuant to sub-sub
2168 subparagraph (1)(c)5.c.(III).
2169 Section 40. Present paragraphs (b) and (c) of subsection
2170 (1) of section 1012.335, Florida Statutes, are redesignated as
2171 paragraphs (c) and (d), respectively, a new paragraph (b) is
2172 added to that subsection, paragraphs (d), (e), and (f) are added
2173 to subsection (2) of that section, and subsections (3) and (4)
2174 of that section are amended, to read:
2175 1012.335 Contracts with instructional personnel hired on or
2176 after July 1, 2011.—
2177 (1) DEFINITIONS.—As used in this section, the term:
2178 (b) “Instructional multiyear contract,” beginning July 1,
2179 2026, means an employment contract for a period not to exceed 3
2180 years which the district school board may choose to award upon
2181 completion of a probationary contract and at least one annual
2182 contract.
2183 (2) EMPLOYMENT.—
2184 (d) An instructional multiyear contract may be awarded,
2185 beginning July 1, 2026, only if the employee:
2186 1. Holds an active professional certificate or temporary
2187 certificate issued pursuant to s. 1012.56 and rules of the State
2188 Board of Education;
2189 2. Has been recommended by the district school
2190 superintendent for the instructional multiyear contract based
2191 upon the individual’s evaluation under s. 1012.34 and approved
2192 by the district school board; and
2193 3. Has not received an annual performance evaluation rating
2194 of unsatisfactory or needs improvement under s. 1012.34.
2195 (e) An employee awarded an instructional multiyear contract
2196 who receives an annual performance evaluation rating of
2197 unsatisfactory or needs improvement under s. 1012.34 must be
2198 returned to an annual contract in the following school year.
2199 Such evaluation rating must be included with the evaluation
2200 ratings under subsequent annual contracts for determinations of
2201 just cause under s. 1012.33.
2202 (f) The award of an instructional multiyear contract does
2203 not remove the authority of the district school superintendent
2204 to reassign a teacher during the term of the contract.
2205 (3) VIOLATION OF ANNUAL OR INSTRUCTIONAL MULTIYEAR
2206 CONTRACT.—Instructional personnel who accept a written offer
2207 from the district school board and who leave their positions
2208 without prior release from the district school board are subject
2209 to the jurisdiction of the Education Practices Commission.
2210 (4) SUSPENSION OR DISMISSAL OF INSTRUCTIONAL PERSONNEL ON
2211 ANNUAL OR INSTRUCTIONAL MULTIYEAR CONTRACT.—Any instructional
2212 personnel with an annual or instructional multiyear contract may
2213 be suspended or dismissed at any time during the term of the
2214 contract for just cause as provided in subsection (5). The
2215 district school board shall notify the employee in writing
2216 whenever charges are made and may suspend such person without
2217 pay. However, if the charges are not sustained, the employee
2218 must shall be immediately reinstated and his or her back pay
2219 must shall be paid. If the employee wishes to contest the
2220 charges, he or she must, within 15 days after receipt of the
2221 written notice, submit a written request for a hearing to the
2222 district school board. A direct hearing must shall be conducted
2223 by the district school board or a subcommittee thereof within 60
2224 days after receipt of the written appeal. The hearing must shall
2225 be conducted in accordance with ss. 120.569 and 120.57. A
2226 majority vote of the membership of the district school board
2227 shall be required to sustain the district school
2228 superintendent’s recommendation. The district school board’s
2229 determination is final as to the sufficiency or insufficiency of
2230 the grounds for suspension without pay or dismissal. Any such
2231 decision adverse to the employee may be appealed by the employee
2232 pursuant to s. 120.68.
2233 Section 41. Paragraph (c) of subsection (1) of section
2234 1012.39, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
2235 1012.39 Employment of substitute teachers, teachers of
2236 adult education, nondegreed teachers of career education, and
2237 career specialists; students performing clinical field
2238 experience.—
2239 (1) Notwithstanding ss. 1012.32, 1012.55, 1012.56, and
2240 1012.57, or any other provision of law or rule to the contrary,
2241 each district school board shall establish the minimal
2242 qualifications for:
2243 (c) Part-time and full-time nondegreed teachers of career
2244 programs. Qualifications must be established for nondegreed
2245 teachers of career and technical education courses for program
2246 clusters that are recognized in the state and are based
2247 primarily on successful occupational experience rather than
2248 academic training. The qualifications for such teachers must
2249 require:
2250 1. The filing of a complete set of fingerprints in the same
2251 manner as required by s. 1012.32. Faculty employed solely to
2252 conduct postsecondary instruction may be exempted from this
2253 requirement.
2254 2. Documentation of education and successful occupational
2255 experience, including documentation of:
2256 a. A high school diploma or the equivalent.
2257 b. Completion of a minimum level, established by the
2258 district school board, 3 years of full-time successful
2259 occupational experience or the equivalent of part-time
2260 experience in the teaching specialization area. The district
2261 school board may establish alternative qualifications for
2262 teachers with an industry certification in the career area in
2263 which they teach.
2264 c. For full-time teachers, completion of professional
2265 education training in teaching methods, course construction,
2266 lesson planning and evaluation, and teaching special needs
2267 students. This training may be completed through coursework from
2268 an accredited or approved institution or an approved district
2269 teacher education program, or the local school district
2270 inservice master plan.
2271 d. Documentation of industry certification when state or
2272 national industry certifications are available and applicable.
2273 Section 42. Paragraphs (a), (b), (d), and (e) of subsection
2274 (2) of section 1012.555, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
2275 1012.555 Teacher Apprenticeship Program.—
2276 (2)(a) An individual must meet the following minimum
2277 eligibility requirements to participate in the apprenticeship
2278 program:
2279 1. Be enrolled in or have completed Have received an
2280 associate degree program at from an accredited postsecondary
2281 institution.
2282 2. Have earned a cumulative grade point average of 2.5 in
2283 that degree program.
2284 3. Have successfully passed a background screening as
2285 provided in s. 1012.32.
2286 4. Have received a temporary apprenticeship certificate as
2287 provided in s. 1012.56(7)(d).
2288 (b) As a condition of participating in the program, an
2289 apprentice teacher must commit to spending at least the first 2
2290 years in the classroom of a mentor teacher using team teaching
2291 strategies identified in s. 1003.03(4)(b) s. 1003.03(5)(b) and
2292 fulfilling the on-the-job training component of the registered
2293 apprenticeship and its associated standards.
2294 (d) An apprentice teacher must be appointed by the district
2295 school board or work in the district as an education
2296 paraprofessional and must be paid in accordance with s. 446.032
2297 and rules adopted by the State Board of Education.
2298 (e) An apprentice teacher may change schools or districts
2299 after the first year of his or her apprenticeship if the
2300 receiving hiring school or district has agreed to fund the
2301 remaining year of the apprenticeship.
2302 Section 43. Paragraph (g) of subsection (2) and paragraph
2303 (a) of subsection (8) of section 1012.56, Florida Statutes, are
2304 amended to read:
2305 1012.56 Educator certification requirements.—
2306 (2) ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA.—To be eligible to seek
2307 certification, a person must:
2308 (g) Demonstrate mastery of general knowledge pursuant to
2309 subsection (3), if the person serves as a classroom teacher as
2310 defined in s. 1012.01(2)(a).
2311 (8) PROFESSIONAL LEARNING CERTIFICATION PROGRAM.—
2312 (a) The Department of Education shall develop and each
2313 school district, charter school, and charter management
2314 organization may provide a cohesive competency-based
2315 professional learning certification program by which
2316 instructional staff may satisfy the mastery of professional
2317 preparation and education competence requirements specified in
2318 subsection (6) and rules of the State Board of Education.
2319 Participants must hold a state-issued temporary certificate. A
2320 school district, charter school, or charter management
2321 organization that implements the program shall provide a
2322 competency-based certification program developed by the
2323 Department of Education or developed by the district, charter
2324 school, or charter management organization and approved by the
2325 Department of Education. These entities may collaborate with
2326 other supporting agencies or educational entities for
2327 implementation. The program shall include the following:
2328 1. A teacher mentorship and induction component.
2329 a. Each individual selected by the district, charter
2330 school, or charter management organization as a mentor:
2331 (I) Must hold a valid professional certificate issued
2332 pursuant to this section;
2333 (II) Must have earned at least 3 years of teaching
2334 experience in prekindergarten through grade 12;
2335 (III) Must have completed training in clinical supervision
2336 and participate in ongoing mentor training provided through the
2337 coordinated system of professional learning under s. 1012.98(4);
2338 (IV) Must have earned an effective or highly effective
2339 rating on the prior year’s performance evaluation; and
2340 (V) May be a peer evaluator under the district’s evaluation
2341 system approved under s. 1012.34.
2342 b. The teacher mentorship and induction component must, at
2343 a minimum, provide routine opportunities for mentoring and
2344 induction activities, including ongoing professional learning as
2345 described in s. 1012.98 targeted to a teacher’s needs,
2346 opportunities for a teacher to observe other teachers, co
2347 teaching experiences, and reflection and follow-up followup
2348 discussions. Professional learning must meet the criteria
2349 established in s. 1012.98(3). Mentorship and induction
2350 activities must be provided for an applicant’s first year in the
2351 program and may be provided until the applicant attains his or
2352 her professional certificate in accordance with this section.
2353 2. An assessment of teaching performance aligned to the
2354 district’s, charter school’s, or charter management
2355 organization’s system for personnel evaluation under s. 1012.34
2356 which provides for:
2357 a. An initial evaluation of each educator’s competencies to
2358 determine an appropriate individualized professional learning
2359 plan.
2360 b. A summative evaluation to assure successful completion
2361 of the program.
2362 3. Professional education preparation content knowledge,
2363 which must be included in the mentoring and induction activities
2364 under subparagraph 1., that includes, but is not limited to, the
2365 following:
2366 a. The state academic standards provided under s. 1003.41,
2367 including scientifically researched and evidence-based reading
2368 instructional strategies grounded in the science of reading,
2369 content literacy, and mathematical practices, for each subject
2370 identified on the temporary certificate. Reading instructional
2371 strategies for foundational skills shall include phonics
2372 instruction for decoding and encoding as the primary
2373 instructional strategy for word reading. Instructional
2374 strategies may not employ the three-cueing system model of
2375 reading or visual memory as a basis for teaching word reading.
2376 Instructional strategies may include visual information and
2377 strategies which improve background and experiential knowledge,
2378 add context, and increase oral language and vocabulary to
2379 support comprehension, but may not be used to teach word
2380 reading.
2381 b. The educator-accomplished practices approved by the
2382 state board.
2383 4. Required achievement of passing scores on the subject
2384 area and professional education competency examination required
2385 by State Board of Education rule. Mastery of general knowledge
2386 must be demonstrated as described in subsection (3).
2387 5. Beginning with candidates entering a program in the
2388 2022-2023 school year, a candidate for certification in a
2389 coverage area identified pursuant to s. 1012.585(3)(g) s.
2390 1012.585(3)(f) must successfully complete all competencies for a
2391 reading endorsement, including completion of the endorsement
2392 practicum.
2393 Section 44. Paragraph (a) of subsection (2), subsection
2394 (3), and paragraph (b) of subsection (5) of section 1012.585,
2395 Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
2396 1012.585 Process for renewal of professional certificates.—
2397 (2)(a) All professional certificates, except a nonrenewable
2398 professional certificate, are shall be renewable for successive
2399 periods not to exceed 10 5 years after the date of submission of
2400 documentation of completion of the requirements for renewal
2401 provided in subsection (3). Only one renewal may be granted
2402 during each 5-year or 10-year validity period of a professional
2403 certificate.
2404 1. An applicant who is rated highly effective, pursuant to
2405 s. 1012.34, in the first 4 years of the 5-year validity period
2406 of his or her professional certificate is eligible for a
2407 professional certificate valid for 10 years. An applicant must
2408 be issued at least one 5-year professional certificate to be
2409 eligible for a 10-year professional certificate. An applicant
2410 who does not meet the requirement of this subparagraph is
2411 eligible only to renew his or her 5-year professional
2412 certificate.
2413 2. An applicant who is rated effective or highly effective,
2414 pursuant to s. 1012.34, for the first 9 years of the 10-year
2415 validity period of his or her professional certificate is
2416 eligible to renew a professional certificate valid for 10 years.
2417 An applicant issued a 10-year professional certificate who does
2418 not meet the requirement of this subparagraph is eligible only
2419 for renewal of a professional certificate valid for 5 years.
2420 (3) For the renewal of a professional certificate, the
2421 following requirements must be met:
2422 (a) The applicant must:
2423 1. Earn a minimum of 6 college credits or 120 inservice
2424 points or a combination thereof for a certificate valid for 5
2425 years.
2426 2. Earn a minimum of 12 college credits or 240 inservice
2427 points or a combination thereof for a professional certificate
2428 valid for 10 years. A minimum of 5 college credits or 100
2429 inservice points or a combination thereof must be earned within
2430 the first 5 years of a professional certificate valid for 10
2431 years.
2432 (b) For each area of specialization to be retained on a
2433 certificate, the applicant must earn at least 3 of the required
2434 credit hours or equivalent inservice points in the
2435 specialization area. Education in “clinical educator” training
2436 pursuant to s. 1004.04(5)(b); participation in mentorship and
2437 induction activities, including as a mentor, pursuant to s.
2438 1012.56(8)(a); and credits or points that provide training in
2439 the area of scientifically researched, knowledge-based reading
2440 literacy grounded in the science of reading, including explicit,
2441 systematic, and sequential approaches to reading instruction,
2442 developing phonemic awareness, and implementing multisensory
2443 intervention strategies, and computational skills acquisition,
2444 exceptional student education, normal child development, and the
2445 disorders of development may be applied toward any
2446 specialization area. Credits or points that provide training in
2447 the areas of drug abuse, child abuse and neglect, strategies in
2448 teaching students having limited proficiency in English, or
2449 dropout prevention, or training in areas identified in the
2450 educational goals and performance standards adopted pursuant to
2451 ss. 1000.03(5) and 1008.345 may be applied toward any
2452 specialization area, except specialization areas identified by
2453 State Board of Education rule that include reading instruction
2454 or intervention for any students in kindergarten through grade
2455 6. Each district school board shall include in its inservice
2456 master plan the ability for teachers to receive inservice points
2457 for supporting students in extracurricular career and technical
2458 education activities, such as career and technical student
2459 organization activities outside of regular school hours and
2460 training related to supervising students participating in a
2461 career and technical student organization. Credits or points
2462 earned through approved summer institutes may be applied toward
2463 the fulfillment of these requirements. Inservice points may also
2464 be earned by participation in professional growth components
2465 approved by the State Board of Education and specified pursuant
2466 to s. 1012.98 in the district’s approved master plan for
2467 inservice educational training; however, such points may not be
2468 used to satisfy the specialization requirements of this
2469 paragraph.
2470 (c)(b) In lieu of college course credit or inservice
2471 points, the applicant may renew a subject area specialization by
2472 passage of a state board approved Florida-developed subject area
2473 examination or, if a Florida subject area examination has not
2474 been developed, a standardized examination specified in state
2475 board rule.
2476 (d)(c) If an applicant wishes to retain more than two
2477 specialization areas on the certificate, the applicant must
2478 shall be permitted two successive validity periods for renewal
2479 of all specialization areas, but must earn no fewer than 6
2480 college course credit hours or the equivalent inservice points
2481 in any one validity period.
2482 (e)(d) The State Board of Education shall adopt rules for
2483 the expanded use of training for renewal of the professional
2484 certificate for educators who are required to complete training
2485 in teaching students of limited English proficiency or students
2486 with disabilities and training in the teaching of reading as
2487 follows:
2488 1. A teacher who holds a professional certificate may use
2489 college credits or inservice points earned through training in
2490 teaching students of limited English proficiency or students
2491 with disabilities and training in the teaching of reading in
2492 excess of 6 semester hours during one certificate-validity
2493 period toward renewal of the professional certificate during the
2494 subsequent validity periods.
2495 2. A teacher who holds a temporary certificate may use
2496 college credits or inservice points earned through training in
2497 teaching students of limited English proficiency or students
2498 with disabilities and training in the teaching of reading toward
2499 renewal of the teacher’s first professional certificate. Such
2500 training must not have been included within the degree program,
2501 and the teacher’s temporary and professional certificates must
2502 be issued for consecutive school years.
2503 (f)(e) Beginning July 1, 2014, an applicant for renewal of
2504 a professional certificate must earn a minimum of one college
2505 credit or the equivalent inservice points in the area of
2506 instruction for teaching students with disabilities. The
2507 requirement in this paragraph may not add to the total hours
2508 required by the department for continuing education or inservice
2509 training.
2510 (g)(f) An applicant for renewal of a professional
2511 certificate in any area of certification identified by State
2512 Board of Education rule that includes reading instruction or
2513 intervention for any students in kindergarten through grade 6,
2514 with a beginning validity date of July 1, 2020, or thereafter,
2515 must earn a minimum of 2 college credits or the equivalent
2516 inservice points in evidence-based instruction and interventions
2517 grounded in the science of reading specifically designed for
2518 students with characteristics of dyslexia, including the use of
2519 explicit, systematic, and sequential approaches to reading
2520 instruction, developing phonological and phonemic awareness,
2521 decoding, and implementing multisensory intervention strategies.
2522 Such training must be provided by teacher preparation programs
2523 under s. 1004.04 or s. 1004.85 or approved school district
2524 professional learning systems under s. 1012.98. The requirements
2525 in this paragraph may not add to the total hours required by the
2526 department for continuing education or inservice training.
2527 (h)(g) An applicant for renewal of a professional
2528 certificate in educational leadership from a Level I program
2529 under s. 1012.562(2) or Level II program under s. 1012.562(3),
2530 with a beginning validity date of July 1, 2025, or thereafter,
2531 must earn a minimum of 1 college credit or 20 inservice points
2532 in Florida’s educational leadership standards, as established in
2533 rule by the State Board of Education. The requirement in this
2534 paragraph may not add to the total hours required by the
2535 department for continuing education or inservice training.
2536 (i)(h) A teacher may earn inservice points only once during
2537 each 5-year validity period for any mandatory training topic
2538 that is not linked to student learning or professional growth.
2539 (5) The State Board of Education shall adopt rules to allow
2540 the reinstatement of expired professional certificates. The
2541 department may reinstate an expired professional certificate if
2542 the certificateholder:
2543 (b) Documents completion of 6 college credits during the 5
2544 years immediately preceding reinstatement of the expired
2545 certificate, completion of 120 inservice points, or a
2546 combination thereof, in an area specified in paragraph (3)(b)
2547 (3)(a) to include the credit required under paragraph (3)(f)
2548 (3)(e).
2549
2550 The requirements of this subsection may not be satisfied by
2551 subject area examinations or college credits completed for
2552 issuance of the certificate that has expired.
2553 Section 45. Section 1013.19, Florida Statutes, is amended
2554 to read:
2555 1013.19 Purchase, conveyance, or encumbrance of property
2556 interests above surface of land; joint-occupancy structures.—For
2557 the purpose of implementing jointly financed construction
2558 project agreements, or for the construction of combined
2559 occupancy structures, any board may purchase, own, convey, sell,
2560 lease, or encumber airspace or any other interests in property
2561 above the surface of the land, provided the lease of airspace
2562 for nonpublic use is for such reasonable rent, length of term,
2563 and conditions as the board in its discretion may determine. All
2564 proceeds from such sale or lease shall be used by a the board of
2565 trustees for a Florida College System institution or state
2566 university or boards receiving the proceeds solely for fixed
2567 capital outlay purposes. These purposes may include the
2568 renovation or remodeling of existing facilities owned by the
2569 board or the construction of new facilities; however, for a
2570 Florida College System institution board or university board,
2571 such new facility must be authorized by the Legislature. It is
2572 declared that the use of such rental by the board for public
2573 purposes in accordance with its statutory authority is a public
2574 use. Airspace or any other interest in property held by the
2575 Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund or the
2576 State Board of Education may not be divested or conveyed without
2577 approval of the respective board. Any building, including any
2578 building or facility component that is common to both nonpublic
2579 and educational portions thereof, constructed in airspace that
2580 is sold or leased for nonpublic use pursuant to this section is
2581 subject to all applicable state, county, and municipal
2582 regulations pertaining to land use, zoning, construction of
2583 buildings, fire protection, health, and safety to the same
2584 extent and in the same manner as such regulations would be
2585 applicable to the construction of a building for nonpublic use
2586 on the appurtenant land beneath the subject airspace. Any
2587 educational facility constructed or leased as a part of a joint
2588 occupancy facility is subject to all rules and requirements of
2589 the respective boards or departments having jurisdiction over
2590 educational facilities. Any contract executed by a university
2591 board of trustees pursuant to this section is subject to the
2592 provisions of s. 1010.62.
2593 Section 46. Section 1013.35, Florida Statutes, is amended
2594 to read:
2595 1013.35 School district educational facilities plan;
2596 definitions; preparation, adoption, and amendment; long-term
2597 work programs.—
2598 (1) DEFINITIONS.—As used in this section, the term:
2599 (a) “Adopted educational facilities plan” means the
2600 comprehensive planning document that is adopted annually by the
2601 district school board as provided in subsection (2) and that
2602 contains the educational plant survey.
2603 (b) “District facilities work program” means the 5-year
2604 listing of capital outlay projects adopted by the district
2605 school board as provided in subparagraph (2)(a)2. and paragraph
2606 (2)(b) as part of the district educational facilities plan,
2607 which is required in order to:
2608 1. Properly maintain the educational plant and ancillary
2609 facilities of the district.
2610 2. Provide an adequate number of satisfactory student
2611 stations for the projected student enrollment of the district in
2612 K-12 programs.
2613 (c) “Tentative educational facilities plan” means the
2614 comprehensive planning document prepared annually by the
2615 district school board and submitted to the Office of Educational
2616 Facilities and the affected general-purpose local governments.
2617 (2) PREPARATION OF TENTATIVE DISTRICT EDUCATIONAL
2618 FACILITIES PLAN.—
2619 (a) Annually, before prior to the adoption of the district
2620 school budget, each district school board shall prepare a
2621 tentative district educational facilities plan that includes
2622 long-range planning for facilities needs over 5-year, 10-year,
2623 and 20-year periods. The district school board shall submit the
2624 tentative facilities plan to the department The plan must be
2625 developed in coordination with the general-purpose local
2626 governments and be consistent with the local government
2627 comprehensive plans. The school board’s plan for provision of
2628 new schools must meet the needs of all growing communities in
2629 the district, ranging from small rural communities to large
2630 urban cities. The plan must include:
2631 1. Projected student populations apportioned geographically
2632 at the local level. The projections must be based on information
2633 produced by the demographic, revenue, and education estimating
2634 conferences pursuant to s. 216.136, where available, as modified
2635 by the district based on development data and agreement with the
2636 local governments and the Office of Educational Facilities. The
2637 projections must be apportioned geographically with assistance
2638 from the local governments using local development trend data
2639 and the school district student enrollment data.
2640 2. An inventory of existing school facilities. Any
2641 anticipated expansions or closures of existing school sites over
2642 the 5-year, 10-year, and 20-year periods must be identified. The
2643 inventory must include an assessment of areas proximate to
2644 existing schools and identification of the need for improvements
2645 to infrastructure, safety, including safe access routes, and
2646 conditions in the community. The plan must also provide a
2647 listing of major repairs and renovation projects anticipated
2648 over the period of the plan.
2649 3. Projections of facilities space needs, which may not
2650 exceed the norm space and occupant design criteria established
2651 in the State Requirements for Educational Facilities.
2652 4. Information on leased, loaned, and donated space and
2653 relocatables used for conducting the district’s instructional
2654 programs.
2655 5. The general location of public schools proposed to be
2656 constructed over the 5-year, 10-year, and 20-year time periods,
2657 including a listing of the proposed schools’ site acreage needs
2658 and anticipated capacity and maps showing the general locations.
2659 The school board’s identification of general locations of future
2660 school sites must be based on the school siting requirements of
2661 s. 163.3177(6)(a) and policies in the comprehensive plan which
2662 provide guidance for appropriate locations for school sites.
2663 6. The identification of options deemed reasonable and
2664 approved by the school board which reduce the need for
2665 additional permanent student stations. Such options may include,
2666 but need not be limited to:
2667 a. Acceptable capacity;
2668 b. Redistricting;
2669 c. Busing;
2670 d. Year-round schools;
2671 e. Charter schools;
2672 f. Magnet schools; and
2673 g. Public-private partnerships.
2674 7. The criteria and method, jointly determined by the local
2675 government and the school board, for determining the impact of
2676 proposed development to public school capacity.
2677 (b) The plan must also include a financially feasible
2678 district facilities work program for a 5-year period. The work
2679 program must include:
2680 1. A schedule of major repair and renovation projects
2681 necessary to maintain the educational facilities and ancillary
2682 facilities of the district.
2683 2. A schedule of capital outlay projects necessary to
2684 ensure the availability of satisfactory student stations for the
2685 projected student enrollment in K-12 programs. This schedule
2686 shall consider:
2687 a. The locations, capacities, and planned utilization rates
2688 of current educational facilities of the district. The capacity
2689 of existing satisfactory facilities, as reported in the Florida
2690 Inventory of School Houses must be compared to the capital
2691 outlay full-time-equivalent student enrollment as determined by
2692 the department, including all enrollment used in the calculation
2693 of the distribution formula in s. 1013.64.
2694 b. The proposed locations of planned facilities, whether
2695 those locations are consistent with the comprehensive plans of
2696 all affected local governments, and recommendations for
2697 infrastructure and other improvements to land adjacent to
2698 existing facilities. The provisions of ss. 1013.33(6), (7), and
2699 (8) and 1013.36 must be addressed for new facilities planned
2700 within the first 3 years of the work plan, as appropriate.
2701 c. Plans for the use and location of relocatable
2702 facilities, leased facilities, and charter school facilities.
2703 d. Plans for multitrack scheduling, grade level
2704 organization, block scheduling, or other alternatives that
2705 reduce the need for additional permanent student stations.
2706 e. Information concerning average class size and
2707 utilization rate by grade level within the district which will
2708 result if the tentative district facilities work program is
2709 fully implemented.
2710 f. The number and percentage of district students planned
2711 to be educated in relocatable facilities during each year of the
2712 tentative district facilities work program. For determining
2713 future needs, student capacity may not be assigned to any
2714 relocatable classroom that is scheduled for elimination or
2715 replacement with a permanent educational facility in the current
2716 year of the adopted district educational facilities plan and in
2717 the district facilities work program adopted under this section.
2718 Those relocatable classrooms clearly identified and scheduled
2719 for replacement in a school-board-adopted, financially feasible,
2720 5-year district facilities work program shall be counted at zero
2721 capacity at the time the work program is adopted and approved by
2722 the school board. However, if the district facilities work
2723 program is changed and the relocatable classrooms are not
2724 replaced as scheduled in the work program, the classrooms must
2725 be reentered into the system and be counted at actual capacity.
2726 Relocatable classrooms may not be perpetually added to the work
2727 program or continually extended for purposes of circumventing
2728 this section. All relocatable classrooms not identified and
2729 scheduled for replacement, including those owned, lease
2730 purchased, or leased by the school district, must be counted at
2731 actual student capacity. The district educational facilities
2732 plan must identify the number of relocatable student stations
2733 scheduled for replacement during the 5-year survey period and
2734 the total dollar amount needed for that replacement.
2735 g. Plans for the closure of any school, including plans for
2736 disposition of the facility or usage of facility space, and
2737 anticipated revenues.
2738 h. Projects for which capital outlay and debt service funds
2739 accruing under s. 9(d), Art. XII of the State Constitution are
2740 to be used shall be identified separately in priority order on a
2741 project priority list within the district facilities work
2742 program.
2743 3. The projected cost for each project identified in the
2744 district facilities work program. For proposed projects for new
2745 student stations, a schedule shall be prepared comparing the
2746 planned cost and square footage for each new student station, by
2747 elementary, middle, and high school levels, to the low, average,
2748 and high cost of facilities constructed throughout the state
2749 during the most recent fiscal year for which data is available
2750 from the Department of Education.
2751 4. A schedule of estimated capital outlay revenues from
2752 each currently approved source which is estimated to be
2753 available for expenditure on the projects included in the
2754 district facilities work program.
2755 5. A schedule indicating which projects included in the
2756 district facilities work program will be funded from current
2757 revenues projected in subparagraph 4.
2758 6. A schedule of options for the generation of additional
2759 revenues by the district for expenditure on projects identified
2760 in the district facilities work program which are not funded
2761 under subparagraph 5. Additional anticipated revenues may
2762 include Classrooms First funds.
2763 (c) To the extent available, the tentative district
2764 educational facilities plan shall be based on information
2765 produced by the demographic, revenue, and education estimating
2766 conferences pursuant to s. 216.136.
2767 (2)(d) Provision must shall be made for public comment
2768 concerning the tentative district educational facilities plan.
2769 (e) The district school board shall coordinate with each
2770 affected local government to ensure consistency between the
2771 tentative district educational facilities plan and the local
2772 government comprehensive plans of the affected local governments
2773 during the development of the tentative district educational
2774 facilities plan.
2775 (3)(f) Not less than once every 5 years, the district
2776 school board shall have an audit conducted of the district’s
2777 educational planning and construction activities. An operational
2778 audit conducted by the Auditor General pursuant to s. 11.45
2779 satisfies this requirement.
2780 (4)(3) SUBMITTAL OF TENTATIVE DISTRICT EDUCATIONAL
2781 FACILITIES PLAN TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT.—The district school board
2782 shall submit a copy of its tentative district educational
2783 facilities plan to all affected local governments before prior
2784 to adoption by the board. The affected local governments may
2785 shall review the tentative district educational facilities plan
2786 and comment to the district school board on the consistency of
2787 the plan with the local comprehensive plan, whether a
2788 comprehensive plan amendment will be necessary for any proposed
2789 educational facility, and whether the local government supports
2790 a necessary comprehensive plan amendment. If the local
2791 government does not support a comprehensive plan amendment for a
2792 proposed educational facility, the matter must shall be resolved
2793 pursuant to the interlocal agreement when required by ss.
2794 163.3177(6)(h), 163.31777, and 1013.33(2). The process for the
2795 submittal and review must shall be detailed in the interlocal
2796 agreement when required pursuant to ss. 163.3177(6)(h),
2797 163.31777, and 1013.33(2).
2798 (5)(4) ADOPTED DISTRICT EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES PLAN.
2799 Annually, the district school board shall consider and adopt the
2800 tentative district educational facilities plan completed
2801 pursuant to subsection (2). Upon giving proper notice to the
2802 public and local governments and opportunity for public comment,
2803 the district school board may amend the plan to revise the
2804 priority of projects, to add or delete projects, to reflect the
2805 impact of change orders, or to reflect the approval of new
2806 revenue sources which may become available. The district school
2807 board shall submit the revised plan to the department. The
2808 adopted district educational facilities plan must shall:
2809 (a) Be a complete, balanced, and financially feasible
2810 capital outlay financial plan for the district.
2811 (b) Set forth the proposed commitments and planned
2812 expenditures of the district to address the educational
2813 facilities needs of its students and to adequately provide for
2814 the maintenance of the educational plant and ancillary
2815 facilities, including safe access ways from neighborhoods to
2816 schools.
2817 (6)(5) EXECUTION OF ADOPTED DISTRICT EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES
2818 PLAN.—The first year of the adopted district educational
2819 facilities plan constitutes shall constitute the capital outlay
2820 budget required in s. 1013.61. The adopted district educational
2821 facilities plan shall include the information required in
2822 subparagraphs (2)(b)1., 2., and 3., based upon projects actually
2823 funded in the plan.
2824 Section 47. Subsections (3) and (4) of section 1013.41,
2825 Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
2826 1013.41 SMART schools; Classrooms First; legislative
2827 purpose.—
2828 (3) SCHOOL DISTRICT EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES PLAN.—It is the
2829 purpose of the Legislature to create s. 1013.35, requiring each
2830 school district annually to adopt an educational facilities plan
2831 that provides an integrated long-range facilities plan,
2832 including the survey of projected needs and the 5-year work
2833 program. The purpose of the educational facilities plan is to
2834 keep the district school board, local governments, and the
2835 public fully informed as to whether the district is using sound
2836 policies and practices that meet the essential needs of students
2837 and that warrant public confidence in district operations. The
2838 educational facilities plan will be monitored by the Office of
2839 Educational Facilities, which will also apply performance
2840 standards pursuant to s. 1013.04.
2841 (4) OFFICE OF EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES.—It is the purpose of
2842 the Legislature to require the Office of Educational Facilities
2843 to assist school districts in building SMART schools utilizing
2844 functional and frugal practices. The Office of Educational
2845 Facilities shall must review district facilities work programs
2846 and projects and identify opportunities to maximize design and
2847 construction savings; develop school district facilities work
2848 program performance standards; and provide for review and
2849 recommendations to the Governor, the Legislature, and the State
2850 Board of Education.
2851 Section 48. Subsection (4) of section 1013.45, Florida
2852 Statutes, is amended to read:
2853 1013.45 Educational facilities contracting and construction
2854 techniques for school districts and Florida College System
2855 institutions.—
2856 (4) Except as otherwise provided in this section and s.
2857 481.229, the services of a registered architect must be used by
2858 Florida College System institution and state university boards
2859 of trustees for the development of plans for the erection,
2860 enlargement, or alteration of any educational facility. The
2861 services of a registered architect are not required for a minor
2862 renovation project for which the construction cost is less than
2863 $50,000 or for the placement or hookup of relocatable
2864 educational facilities that conform to standards adopted under
2865 s. 1013.37. However, boards must provide compliance with
2866 building code requirements and ensure that these structures are
2867 adequately anchored for wind resistance as required by law. A
2868 district school board shall reuse existing construction
2869 documents or design criteria packages if such reuse is feasible
2870 and practical. If a school district’s 5-year educational
2871 facilities work plan includes the construction of two or more
2872 new schools for students in the same grade group and program,
2873 such as elementary, middle, or high school, the district school
2874 board must require that prototype design and construction be
2875 used for the construction of these schools. Notwithstanding s.
2876 287.055, a board may purchase the architectural services for the
2877 design of educational or ancillary facilities under an existing
2878 contract agreement for professional services held by a district
2879 school board in the State of Florida, provided that the purchase
2880 is to the economic advantage of the purchasing board, the
2881 services conform to the standards prescribed by rules of the
2882 State Board of Education, and such reuse is not without notice
2883 to, and permission from, the architect of record whose plans or
2884 design criteria are being reused. Plans must be reviewed for
2885 compliance with the State Requirements for Educational
2886 Facilities. Rules adopted under this section must establish
2887 uniform prequalification, selection, bidding, and negotiation
2888 procedures applicable to construction management contracts and
2889 the design-build process. This section does not supersede any
2890 small, woman-owned, or minority-owned business enterprise
2891 preference program adopted by a board. Except as otherwise
2892 provided in this section, the negotiation procedures applicable
2893 to construction management contracts and the design-build
2894 process must conform to the requirements of s. 287.055. A board
2895 may not modify any rules regarding construction management
2896 contracts or the design-build process.
2897 Section 49. Paragraph (e) of subsection (1), paragraph (a)
2898 of subsection (2), paragraph (d) of subsection (3), and
2899 paragraph (b) of subsection (5) of section 1013.64, Florida
2900 Statutes, are amended, and paragraph (f) is added to subsection
2901 (6) of that section, to read:
2902 1013.64 Funds for comprehensive educational plant needs;
2903 construction cost maximums for school district capital
2904 projects.—Allocations from the Public Education Capital Outlay
2905 and Debt Service Trust Fund to the various boards for capital
2906 outlay projects shall be determined as follows:
2907 (1)
2908 (e) Remodeling projects must shall be based on the
2909 recommendations of a survey pursuant to s. 1013.31 or, for
2910 district school boards, as indicated by the relative need as
2911 determined by the Florida Inventory of School Houses and the
2912 capital outlay full-time equivalent enrollment in the district.
2913 (2)(a) The department shall establish, as a part of the
2914 Public Education Capital Outlay and Debt Service Trust Fund, a
2915 separate account, in an amount determined by the Legislature, to
2916 be known as the “Special Facility Construction Account.” The
2917 Special Facility Construction Account shall be used to provide
2918 necessary construction funds to school districts which have
2919 urgent construction needs but which lack sufficient resources at
2920 present, and cannot reasonably anticipate sufficient resources
2921 within the period of the next 3 years, for these purposes from
2922 currently authorized sources of capital outlay revenue. A school
2923 district requesting funding from the Special Facility
2924 Construction Account shall submit one specific construction
2925 project, not to exceed one complete educational plant, to the
2926 Special Facility Construction Committee. A district may not
2927 receive funding for more than one approved project in any 3-year
2928 period or while any portion of the district’s participation
2929 requirement is outstanding. The first year of the 3-year period
2930 shall be the first year a district receives an appropriation.
2931 The department shall encourage a construction program that
2932 reduces the average size of schools in the district. The request
2933 must meet the following criteria to be considered by the
2934 committee:
2935 1. The project must be deemed a critical need and must be
2936 recommended for funding by the Special Facility Construction
2937 Committee. Before developing construction plans for the proposed
2938 facility, the district school board must request a
2939 preapplication review by the Special Facility Construction
2940 Committee or a project review subcommittee convened by the chair
2941 of the committee to include two representatives of the
2942 department and two staff members from school districts not
2943 eligible to participate in the program. A school district may
2944 request a preapplication review at any time; however, if the
2945 district school board seeks inclusion in the department’s next
2946 annual capital outlay legislative budget request, the
2947 preapplication review request must be made before February 1.
2948 Within 90 days after receiving the preapplication review
2949 request, the committee or subcommittee must meet in the school
2950 district to review the project proposal and existing facilities.
2951 To determine whether the proposed project is a critical need,
2952 the committee or subcommittee shall consider, at a minimum, the
2953 capacity of all existing facilities within the district as
2954 determined by the Florida Inventory of School Houses; the
2955 district’s pattern of student growth; the district’s existing
2956 and projected capital outlay full-time equivalent student
2957 enrollment as determined by the demographic, revenue, and
2958 education estimating conferences established in s. 216.136; the
2959 district’s existing satisfactory student stations; the use of
2960 all existing district property and facilities; grade level
2961 configurations; and any other information that may affect the
2962 need for the proposed project.
2963 2. The construction project must be recommended in the most
2964 recent survey or survey amendment cooperatively prepared by the
2965 district school board and the department, and approved by the
2966 department under the rules of the State Board of Education. If a
2967 district school board employs a consultant in the preparation of
2968 a survey or survey amendment, the consultant may not be employed
2969 by or receive compensation from a third party that designs or
2970 constructs a project recommended by the survey.
2971 3. The construction project must appear on the district’s
2972 approved project priority list under the rules of the State
2973 Board of Education.
2974 4. The district must have selected and had approved a site
2975 for the construction project in compliance with s. 1013.36 and
2976 the rules of the State Board of Education.
2977 5. The district shall have developed a district school
2978 board adopted list of facilities that do not exceed the norm for
2979 net square feet occupancy requirements under the State
2980 Requirements for Educational Facilities, using all possible
2981 programmatic combinations for multiple use of space to obtain
2982 maximum daily use of all spaces within the facility under
2983 consideration.
2984 6. Upon construction, the total cost per student station,
2985 including change orders, must not exceed the cost per student
2986 station as provided in subsection (6) unless approved by the
2987 Special Facility Construction Committee. At the discretion of
2988 the committee, costs that exceed the cost per student station
2989 for special facilities may include legal and administrative
2990 fees, the cost of site improvements or related offsite
2991 improvements, the cost of complying with public shelter and
2992 hurricane hardening requirements, cost overruns created by a
2993 disaster as defined in s. 252.34(2), costs of security
2994 enhancements approved by the school safety specialist, and
2995 unforeseeable circumstances beyond the district’s control.
2996 7. There shall be an agreement signed by the district
2997 school board stating that it will advertise for bids within 30
2998 days of receipt of its encumbrance authorization from the
2999 department.
3000 8. For construction projects for which Special Facilities
3001 Construction Account funding is sought before the 2019-2020
3002 fiscal year, the district shall, at the time of the request and
3003 for a continuing period necessary to meet the district’s
3004 participation requirement, levy the maximum millage against its
3005 nonexempt assessed property value as allowed in s. 1011.71(2) or
3006 shall raise an equivalent amount of revenue from the school
3007 capital outlay surtax authorized under s. 212.055(6). Beginning
3008 with construction projects for which Special Facilities
3009 Construction Account funding is sought in the 2019-2020 fiscal
3010 year, the district shall, for a minimum of 3 years before
3011 submitting the request and for a continuing period necessary to
3012 meet its participation requirement, levy the maximum millage
3013 against the district’s nonexempt assessed property value as
3014 authorized under s. 1011.71(2) or shall raise an equivalent
3015 amount of revenue from the school capital outlay surtax
3016 authorized under s. 212.055(6). Any district with a new or
3017 active project, funded under the provisions of this subsection,
3018 shall be required to budget no more than the value of 1 mill per
3019 year to the project until the district’s participation
3020 requirement relating to the local discretionary capital
3021 improvement millage or the equivalent amount of revenue from the
3022 school capital outlay surtax is satisfied.
3023 9. If a contract has not been signed 90 days after the
3024 advertising of bids, the funding for the specific project shall
3025 revert to the Special Facility New Construction Account to be
3026 reallocated to other projects on the list. However, an
3027 additional 90 days may be granted by the commissioner.
3028 10. The department shall certify the inability of the
3029 district to fund the survey-recommended project over a
3030 continuous 3-year period using projected capital outlay revenue
3031 derived from s. 9(d), Art. XII of the State Constitution, as
3032 amended, paragraph (3)(a) of this section, and s. 1011.71(2).
3033 11. The district shall have on file with the department an
3034 adopted resolution acknowledging its commitment to satisfy its
3035 participation requirement, which is equivalent to all
3036 unencumbered and future revenue acquired from s. 9(d), Art. XII
3037 of the State Constitution, as amended, paragraph (3)(a) of this
3038 section, and s. 1011.71(2), in the year of the initial
3039 appropriation and for the 2 years immediately following the
3040 initial appropriation.
3041 12. Phase I plans must be approved by the district school
3042 board as being in compliance with the building and life safety
3043 codes before June 1 of the year the application is made.
3044 (3)
3045 (d) Funds accruing to a district school board from the
3046 provisions of this section shall be expended on needed projects
3047 as shown by survey or surveys under the rules of the State Board
3048 of Education.
3049 (5) District school boards shall identify each fund source
3050 and the use of each proportionate to the project cost, as
3051 identified in the bid document, to assure compliance with this
3052 section. The data shall be submitted to the department, which
3053 shall track this information as submitted by the boards. PECO
3054 funds shall not be expended as indicated in the following:
3055 (b) PECO funds may shall not be used for the construction
3056 of football fields, bleachers, site lighting for athletic
3057 facilities, tennis courts, stadiums, racquetball courts, or any
3058 other competition-type facilities not required for physical
3059 education curriculum. Regional or intradistrict football
3060 stadiums may be constructed with these funds provided a minimum
3061 of two high schools and two middle schools are assigned to the
3062 facility and the stadiums are survey recommended. Sophisticated
3063 auditoria shall be limited to magnet performing arts schools,
3064 with all other schools using basic lighting and sound systems as
3065 determined by rule. Local funds shall be used for enhancement of
3066 athletic and performing arts facilities.
3067 (6)
3068 (f)1. The Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government
3069 Accountability (OPPAGA) shall review the cost per student
3070 station levels and annual adjustments provided for in this
3071 section. The review must include:
3072 a. An evaluation of the estimate required under this
3073 paragraph.
3074 b. Recommendations for additional costs that should be
3075 factored into the cost per student station, and other costs that
3076 should be excluded.
3077 c. A recommendation for changes to the annual adjustment of
3078 the cost per student station or repeal of the requirements of
3079 this subsection.
3080 2. OPPAGA shall submit its review to the President of the
3081 Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the
3082 Commissioner of Education no later than September 1, 2026.
3083 Section 50. Paragraph (e) of subsection (6) of section
3084 163.3180, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
3085 163.3180 Concurrency.—
3086 (6)
3087 (e) A school district that includes relocatable facilities
3088 in its inventory of student stations shall include the capacity
3089 of such relocatable facilities as provided in s.
3090 1013.35(2)(b)2.f., provided the relocatable facilities were
3091 purchased after 1998 and the relocatable facilities meet the
3092 standards for long-term use pursuant to s. 1013.20.
3093 Section 51. Paragraph (a) of subsection (5) of section
3094 1002.68, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
3095 1002.68 Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program
3096 accountability.—
3097 (5)(a) If a public school’s or private prekindergarten
3098 provider’s program assessment composite score for its
3099 prekindergarten classrooms fails to meet the minimum program
3100 assessment composite score for contracting adopted in rule by
3101 the department, the private prekindergarten provider or public
3102 school may not participate in the Voluntary Prekindergarten
3103 Education Program beginning in the consecutive program year and
3104 thereafter until the public school or private prekindergarten
3105 provider meets the minimum composite score for contracting. A
3106 public school or private prekindergarten provider may request
3107 one program assessment per program year in order to requalify
3108 for participation in the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education
3109 Program, provided that the public school or private
3110 prekindergarten provider is not excluded from participation
3111 under ss. 1002.55(6), 1002.61(10)(b), 1002.63(9) 1002.63(9)(b),
3112 or paragraph (5)(b) of this section. If a public school or
3113 private prekindergarten provider would like an additional
3114 program assessment completed within the same program year, the
3115 public school or private prekindergarten provider shall be
3116 responsible for the cost of the program assessment.
3117 Section 52. Paragraphs (c) and (e) of subsection (2) of
3118 section 1003.631, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
3119 1003.631 Schools of Excellence.—The Schools of Excellence
3120 Program is established to provide administrative flexibility to
3121 the state’s top schools so that the instructional personnel and
3122 administrative staff at such schools can continue to serve their
3123 communities and increase student learning to the best of their
3124 professional ability.
3125 (2) ADMINISTRATIVE FLEXIBILITIES.—A School of Excellence
3126 must be provided the following administrative flexibilities:
3127 (c) For instructional personnel, the substitution of 1
3128 school year of employment at a School of Excellence for 20
3129 inservice points toward the renewal of a professional
3130 certificate, up to 60 inservice points in a 5-year cycle,
3131 pursuant to s. 1012.585(3).
3132 (e) Calculation for compliance with maximum class size
3133 pursuant to s. 1003.03(4) based on the average number of
3134 students at the school level.
3135 Section 53. Paragraph (c) of subsection (2) and paragraph
3136 (b) of subsection (5) of section 1004.04, Florida Statutes, are
3137 amended to read:
3138 1004.04 Public accountability and state approval for
3139 teacher preparation programs.—
3140 (2) UNIFORM CORE CURRICULA AND CANDIDATE ASSESSMENT.—
3141 (c) Each candidate must receive instruction and be assessed
3142 on the uniform core curricula in the candidate’s area or areas
3143 of program concentration during course work and field
3144 experiences. Beginning with candidates entering a teacher
3145 preparation program in the 2022-2023 school year, a candidate
3146 for certification in a coverage area identified pursuant to s.
3147 1012.585(3)(g) s. 1012.585(3)(f) must successfully complete all
3148 competencies for a reading endorsement, including completion of
3149 the endorsement practicum through the candidate’s field
3150 experience under subsection (5), in order to graduate from the
3151 program.
3152 (5) PRESERVICE FIELD EXPERIENCE.—All postsecondary
3153 instructors, school district personnel and instructional
3154 personnel, and school sites preparing instructional personnel
3155 through preservice field experience courses and internships
3156 shall meet special requirements. District school boards may pay
3157 student teachers during their internships.
3158 (b)1. All school district personnel and instructional
3159 personnel who supervise or direct teacher preparation students
3160 during field experience courses or internships taking place in
3161 this state in which candidates demonstrate an impact on student
3162 learning growth must have:
3163 a. Evidence of “clinical educator” training;
3164 b. A valid professional certificate issued pursuant to s.
3165 1012.56;
3166 c. At least 3 years of teaching experience in
3167 prekindergarten through grade 12;
3168 d. Earned an effective or highly effective rating on the
3169 prior year’s performance evaluation under s. 1012.34 or be a
3170 peer evaluator under the district’s evaluation system approved
3171 under s. 1012.34; and
3172 e. Beginning with the 2022-2023 school year, for all such
3173 personnel who supervise or direct teacher preparation students
3174 during internships in kindergarten through grade 3 or who are
3175 enrolled in a teacher preparation program for a certificate area
3176 identified pursuant to s. 1012.585(3)(g) s. 1012.585(3)(f), a
3177 certificate or endorsement in reading.
3178
3179 The State Board of Education shall approve the training
3180 requirements.
3181 2. All instructional personnel who supervise or direct
3182 teacher preparation students during field experience courses or
3183 internships in another state, in which a candidate demonstrates
3184 his or her impact on student learning growth, through a Florida
3185 online or distance program must have received “clinical
3186 educator” training or its equivalent in that state, hold a valid
3187 professional certificate issued by the state in which the field
3188 experience takes place, and have at least 3 years of teaching
3189 experience in prekindergarten through grade 12.
3190 3. All instructional personnel who supervise or direct
3191 teacher preparation students during field experience courses or
3192 internships, in which a candidate demonstrates his or her impact
3193 on student learning growth, on a United States military base in
3194 another country through a Florida online or distance program
3195 must have received “clinical educator” training or its
3196 equivalent, hold a valid professional certificate issued by the
3197 United States Department of Defense or a state or territory of
3198 the United States, and have at least 3 years teaching experience
3199 in prekindergarten through grade 12.
3200 Section 54. Paragraph (b) of subsection (3) of section
3201 1004.85, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
3202 1004.85 Postsecondary educator preparation institutes.—
3203 (3) Educator preparation institutes approved pursuant to
3204 this section may offer competency-based certification programs
3205 specifically designed for noneducation major baccalaureate
3206 degree holders to enable program participants to meet the
3207 educator certification requirements of s. 1012.56. An educator
3208 preparation institute choosing to offer a competency-based
3209 certification program pursuant to the provisions of this section
3210 must implement a program developed by the institute and approved
3211 by the department for this purpose. Approved programs shall be
3212 available for use by other approved educator preparation
3213 institutes.
3214 (b) Each program participant must:
3215 1. Meet certification requirements pursuant to s.
3216 1012.56(1) by obtaining a statement of status of eligibility in
3217 the certification subject area of the educational plan and meet
3218 the requirements of s. 1012.56(2)(a)-(f) before participating in
3219 field experiences.
3220 2. Demonstrate competency and participate in field
3221 experiences that are appropriate to his or her educational plan
3222 prepared under paragraph (a). Beginning with candidates entering
3223 an educator preparation institute in the 2022-2023 school year,
3224 a candidate for certification in a coverage area identified
3225 pursuant to s. 1012.585(3)(g) s. 1012.585(3)(f) must
3226 successfully complete all competencies for a reading
3227 endorsement, including completion of the endorsement practicum
3228 through the candidate’s field experience, in order to graduate
3229 from the program.
3230 3. Before completion of the program, fully demonstrate his
3231 or her ability to teach the subject area for which he or she is
3232 seeking certification by documenting a positive impact on
3233 student learning growth in a prekindergarten through grade 12
3234 setting and, except as provided in s. 1012.56(7)(a)3., achieving
3235 a passing score on the professional education competency
3236 examination, the basic skills examination, and the subject area
3237 examination for the subject area certification which is required
3238 by state board rule.
3239 Section 55. Paragraph (b) of subsection (2) of section
3240 1012.586, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
3241 1012.586 Additions or changes to certificates; duplicate
3242 certificates; reading endorsement pathways.—
3243 (2)
3244 (b) As part of adopting a pathway pursuant to paragraph
3245 (a), the department shall review the competencies for the
3246 reading endorsement and subject area examinations for educator
3247 certificates identified pursuant to s. 1012.585(3)(g) s.
3248 1012.585(3)(f) for alignment with evidence-based instructional
3249 and intervention strategies rooted in the science of reading and
3250 identified pursuant to s. 1001.215(7) and recommend changes to
3251 the State Board of Education. Recommended changes must address
3252 identification of the characteristics of conditions such as
3253 dyslexia, implementation of evidence-based classroom instruction
3254 and interventions, including evidence-based reading instruction
3255 and interventions specifically for students with characteristics
3256 of dyslexia, and effective progress monitoring. By July 1, 2023,
3257 each school district reading endorsement add-on program must be
3258 resubmitted for approval by the department consistent with this
3259 paragraph.
3260 Section 56. Paragraph (b) of subsection (5) of section
3261 1012.98, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
3262 1012.98 School Community Professional Learning Act.—
3263 (5) The Department of Education, school districts, schools,
3264 Florida College System institutions, and state universities
3265 share the responsibilities described in this section. These
3266 responsibilities include the following:
3267 (b) Each school district shall develop a professional
3268 learning system as specified in subsection (4). The system shall
3269 be developed in consultation with teachers, teacher-educators of
3270 Florida College System institutions and state universities,
3271 business and community representatives, and local education
3272 foundations, consortia, and professional organizations. The
3273 professional learning system must:
3274 1. Be reviewed and approved by the department for
3275 compliance with s. 1003.42(3) and this section. Effective March
3276 1, 2024, the department shall establish a calendar for the
3277 review and approval of all professional learning systems. A
3278 professional learning system must be reviewed and approved every
3279 5 years. Any substantial revisions to the system must be
3280 submitted to the department for review and approval. The
3281 department shall establish a format for the review and approval
3282 of a professional learning system.
3283 2. Be based on analyses of student achievement data and
3284 instructional strategies and methods that support rigorous,
3285 relevant, and challenging curricula for all students. Schools
3286 and districts, in developing and refining the professional
3287 learning system, shall also review and monitor school discipline
3288 data; school environment surveys; assessments of parental
3289 satisfaction; performance appraisal data of teachers, managers,
3290 and administrative personnel; and other performance indicators
3291 to identify school and student needs that can be met by improved
3292 professional performance.
3293 3. Provide inservice activities coupled with follow-up
3294 followup support appropriate to accomplish district-level and
3295 school-level improvement goals and standards. The inservice
3296 activities for instructional and school administrative personnel
3297 shall focus on analysis of student achievement data; ongoing
3298 formal and informal assessments of student achievement;
3299 identification and use of enhanced and differentiated
3300 instructional strategies that emphasize rigor, relevance, and
3301 reading in the content areas; enhancement of subject content
3302 expertise; integrated use of classroom technology that enhances
3303 teaching and learning; classroom management; parent involvement;
3304 and school safety.
3305 4. Provide inservice activities and support targeted to the
3306 individual needs of new teachers participating in the
3307 professional learning certification and education competency
3308 program under s. 1012.56(8)(a).
3309 5. Include a professional learning catalog for inservice
3310 activities, pursuant to rules of the State Board of Education,
3311 for all district employees from all fund sources. The catalog
3312 must be updated annually by September 1, must be based on input
3313 from teachers and district and school instructional leaders, and
3314 must use the latest available student achievement data and
3315 research to enhance rigor and relevance in the classroom. Each
3316 district inservice catalog must be aligned to and support the
3317 school-based inservice catalog and school improvement plans
3318 pursuant to s. 1001.42(18). Each district inservice catalog must
3319 provide a description of the training that middle grades
3320 instructional personnel and school administrators receive on the
3321 district’s code of student conduct adopted pursuant to s.
3322 1006.07; integrated digital instruction and competency-based
3323 instruction and CAPE Digital Tool certificates and CAPE industry
3324 certifications; classroom management; student behavior and
3325 interaction; extended learning opportunities for students; and
3326 instructional leadership. District plans must be approved by the
3327 district school board annually in order to ensure compliance
3328 with subsection (1) and to allow for dissemination of research
3329 based best practices to other districts. District school boards
3330 shall submit verification of their approval to the Commissioner
3331 of Education no later than October 1, annually. Each school
3332 principal may establish and maintain an individual professional
3333 learning plan for each instructional employee assigned to the
3334 school as a seamless component to the school improvement plans
3335 developed pursuant to s. 1001.42(18). An individual professional
3336 learning plan must be related to specific performance data for
3337 the students to whom the teacher is assigned, define the
3338 inservice objectives and specific measurable improvements
3339 expected in student performance as a result of the inservice
3340 activity, and include an evaluation component that determines
3341 the effectiveness of the professional learning plan.
3342 6. Include inservice activities for school administrative
3343 personnel, aligned to the state’s educational leadership
3344 standards, which address updated skills necessary for
3345 instructional leadership and effective school management
3346 pursuant to s. 1012.986.
3347 7. Provide for systematic consultation with regional and
3348 state personnel designated to provide technical assistance and
3349 evaluation of local professional learning programs.
3350 8. Provide for delivery of professional learning by
3351 distance learning and other technology-based delivery systems to
3352 reach more educators at lower costs.
3353 9. Provide for the continuous evaluation of the quality and
3354 effectiveness of professional learning programs in order to
3355 eliminate ineffective programs and strategies and to expand
3356 effective ones. Evaluations must consider the impact of such
3357 activities on the performance of participating educators and
3358 their students’ achievement and behavior.
3359 10. For all grades, emphasize:
3360 a. Interdisciplinary planning, collaboration, and
3361 instruction.
3362 b. Alignment of curriculum and instructional materials to
3363 the state academic standards adopted pursuant to s. 1003.41.
3364 c. Use of small learning communities; problem-solving,
3365 inquiry-driven research and analytical approaches for students;
3366 strategies and tools based on student needs; competency-based
3367 instruction; integrated digital instruction; and project-based
3368 instruction.
3369
3370 Each school that includes any of grades 6, 7, or 8 shall include
3371 in its school improvement plan, required under s. 1001.42(18), a
3372 description of the specific strategies used by the school to
3373 implement each item listed in this subparagraph.
3374 11. Provide training to reading coaches, classroom
3375 teachers, and school administrators in effective methods of
3376 identifying characteristics of conditions such as dyslexia and
3377 other causes of diminished phonological processing skills;
3378 incorporating instructional techniques into the general
3379 education setting which are proven to improve reading
3380 performance for all students; and using predictive and other
3381 data to make instructional decisions based on individual student
3382 needs. The training must help teachers integrate phonemic
3383 awareness; phonics, word study, and spelling; reading fluency;
3384 vocabulary, including academic vocabulary; and text
3385 comprehension strategies into an explicit, systematic, and
3386 sequential approach to reading instruction, including
3387 multisensory intervention strategies. Such training for teaching
3388 foundational skills must be based on the science of reading and
3389 include phonics instruction for decoding and encoding as the
3390 primary instructional strategy for word reading. Instructional
3391 strategies included in the training may not employ the three
3392 cueing system model of reading or visual memory as a basis for
3393 teaching word reading. Such instructional strategies may include
3394 visual information and strategies which improve background and
3395 experiential knowledge, add context, and increase oral language
3396 and vocabulary to support comprehension, but may not be used to
3397 teach word reading. Each district must provide all elementary
3398 grades instructional personnel access to training sufficient to
3399 meet the requirements of s. 1012.585(3)(g) s. 1012.585(3)(f).
3400 Section 57. (1) The Commissioner of Education shall
3401 coordinate with six districts selected by the Department of
3402 Education which represent two small, two medium, and two large
3403 counties that currently implement, or will implement in the
3404 2025-2026 school year, a policy that prohibits the use of cell
3405 phones and other personal electronic devices by students during
3406 the entire school day, while on school grounds, or while engaged
3407 in school activities off school grounds during the school day.
3408 The department shall provide a report to the President of the
3409 Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives before
3410 December 1, 2026, summarizing the effect of each district policy
3411 on student achievement and behavior. The report must also
3412 include a model policy that school districts and charter schools
3413 may adopt.
3414 (2) The report and model policy must address the authorized
3415 use of cell phones or other electronic devices during the school
3416 day by students:
3417 (a) With disabilities or who are English Language Learners
3418 who may need such electronic devices to access curriculum or
3419 other required activities.
3420 (b) When necessary for health reasons, for emergency
3421 medical issues, or for natural or manmade disasters.
3422 (c) On school buses, before or after school hours.
3423 (d) Engaged in extracurricular activities outside of the
3424 school day.
3425 (3) The report must also include student code of conduct
3426 provisions for violations of the policy restricting the use of
3427 cell phones and other electronic devices, including, but not
3428 limited to, those violations that:
3429 (a) Constitute illegal behavior and may result in a
3430 referral to law enforcement.
3431 (b) Facilitate bullying, harassing, or threatening other
3432 students.
3433 (c) Facilitate cheating or otherwise violating a school’s
3434 policy for academic integrity.
3435 (d) Capture or display any picture or video of any student
3436 during a medical issue or engaged in misconduct.
3437 Section 58. By August 1, 2026, the Department of Education
3438 shall establish competencies for a mathematics endorsement
3439 aligned with evidence-based mathematics instructional and
3440 intervention strategies. The competencies must include numbers
3441 and operations, fractions, algebraic reasoning, measurement,
3442 geometric reasoning, and data analysis and probabilities at the
3443 elementary and secondary level. The competencies must be
3444 approved by the State Board of Education.
3445 Section 59. Except as otherwise expressly provided in this
3446 act and except for this section, which shall take effect upon
3447 becoming a law, this act shall take effect July 1, 2025.
3448
3449 ================= T I T L E A M E N D M E N T ================
3450 And the title is amended as follows:
3451 Delete everything before the enacting clause
3452 and insert:
3453 A bill to be entitled
3454 An act relating to education; transferring,
3455 renumbering, and amending s. 16.615, F.S.;
3456 establishing the Council on the Social Status of Black
3457 Men and Boys within Florida Memorial University,
3458 rather than the Department of Legal Affairs; requiring
3459 Florida Memorial University, rather than the Office of
3460 the Attorney General, to provide staff and
3461 administrative support to the council; providing that
3462 the council’s meeting times are approved by the
3463 president of Florida Memorial University, rather than
3464 the Attorney General; revising the number of members
3465 required for a quorum; authorizing members to appear
3466 by communications media technology; providing that
3467 members who appear by such technology are considered
3468 present and may be counted toward the quorum
3469 requirement; providing notice requirements for public
3470 meetings or workshops conducted by means of
3471 communications media technology; providing that
3472 members of the council may be reimbursed for certain
3473 expenses by Florida Memorial University, rather than
3474 the Department of Legal Affairs; amending s. 120.81,
3475 F.S.; exempting district school boards from
3476 requirements for adopting certain rules; amending s.
3477 212.055, F.S.; requiring that certain surtax revenues
3478 that are shared with school districts must also be
3479 shared with eligible charter schools on a
3480 proportionate basis in accordance with certain
3481 provisions; requiring that such surtax revenues be
3482 expended by charter schools for specified uses;
3483 requiring that such revenues and expenditures be
3484 accounted for in certain financial statements;
3485 providing that unencumbered funds revert to the
3486 sponsor under certain circumstances; providing
3487 applicability; amending s. 810.097, F.S.; defining the
3488 term “school bus”; specifying sufficient notice and
3489 prior warning for immediate arrest and prosecution for
3490 school bus trespassing; amending s. 901.15, F.S.;
3491 authorizing a law enforcement officer to arrest a
3492 person without a warrant when there is probable cause
3493 to believe that the person has trespassed upon school
3494 grounds or facilities; amending s. 1001.23, F.S.;
3495 requiring the Department of Education to annually
3496 inform district school superintendents by a specified
3497 date that they are authorized to petition to receive a
3498 specified declaratory statement; requiring the
3499 department to annually maintain and provide school
3500 districts with a list of statutory and rule
3501 requirements; providing requirements for such list;
3502 amending s. 1001.42, F.S.; deleting a requirement for
3503 a district school board to employ an internal auditor
3504 in certain circumstances; amending s. 1002.20, F.S.;
3505 deleting a requirement that the school financial
3506 report be included in the student handbook; requiring
3507 the department to produce specified reports relating
3508 to school accountability and make such reports
3509 available on the department’s website; requiring each
3510 school district to provide a link to such reports;
3511 amending s. 1002.33, F.S.; requiring a charter school
3512 sponsor to use a standard monitoring tool to monitor
3513 and review a charter school; requiring school
3514 districts to provide charter schools with specified
3515 information relating to public school funding by a
3516 specified date annually; requiring school districts to
3517 provide a summary report of specified revenues to the
3518 department and post such report on their websites by a
3519 specified date annually; conforming a provision
3520 relating to a 5-year facilities plan; amending s.
3521 1002.333, F.S.; defining the term “sponsoring entity”;
3522 providing that a hope operator must submit a notice of
3523 intent to open a school of hope to the sponsoring
3524 entity, rather than the school district; requiring the
3525 sponsoring entity, rather than the school district, to
3526 enter into a performance-based agreement with a hope
3527 operator; authorizing certain entities to report their
3528 students directly to the department; requiring a
3529 school of hope to provide the sponsoring entity,
3530 rather than the school district, with a financial
3531 statement summary sheet; making a technical change;
3532 providing that specified provisions relating to
3533 performance-based agreements and disputes apply to
3534 sponsoring entities, rather than district school
3535 boards and school districts; amending s. 1002.394,
3536 F.S.; revising the transition-to-work program under
3537 the Family Empowerment Scholarship Program; amending
3538 s. 1002.42, F.S.; authorizing a private school in a
3539 county that meets certain criteria to construct new
3540 facilities on certain property; specifying that such
3541 construction is not subject to certain zoning or land
3542 use conditions; requiring such construction to meet
3543 certain health and safety requirements; amending s.
3544 1002.451, F.S.; requiring innovation schools of
3545 technology to comply with specified provisions
3546 relating to instructional multiyear contracts, in
3547 addition to annual contracts, for instructional
3548 personnel in addition to annual contracts; amending s.
3549 1002.61, F.S.; removing public schools from a
3550 requirement for early learning coalitions to verify
3551 compliance with a certain law; amending s. 1002.63,
3552 F.S.; deleting a requirement for an early learning
3553 coalition to verify that certain public schools comply
3554 with specified provisions; amending s. 1002.71, F.S.;
3555 revising requirements relating to district school
3556 board attendance policies for Voluntary
3557 Prekindergarten Education Programs; requiring a school
3558 district to certify its attendance records for a
3559 Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program; amending
3560 s. 1002.84, F.S.; authorizing the Redlands Christian
3561 Migrant Association to use certain school readiness
3562 reimbursement rates; requiring school districts to
3563 provide public charter schools with specified
3564 information relating to public school funding by
3565 specified dates; amending s. 1003.03, F.S.; deleting a
3566 requirement for district school boards to provide an
3567 accountability plan to the Commissioner of Education
3568 under certain conditions; amending s. 1003.26, F.S.;
3569 authorizing a district school board to determine a
3570 timeframe for purposes of addressing a student’s
3571 absences; amending s. 1003.4282, F.S.; revising
3572 requirements for assessments needed for a student to
3573 earn a high school diploma; specifying that certain
3574 participation in marching band satisfies the physical
3575 education or performing arts credit requirement for a
3576 standard high school diploma; revising provisions
3577 providing for the award of a certificate of completion
3578 to certain students; requiring the Department of
3579 Education to develop a document for certain students
3580 who fail to earn a standard high school diploma;
3581 requiring certain information in the document;
3582 deleting a requirement for a student who transfers
3583 into a public high school to take specified
3584 assessments; revising the courses for which the
3585 transferring course final grade must be honored for a
3586 transfer student under certain conditions; providing
3587 school district responsibilities; requiring a school
3588 district to revise an Individual Education Plan under
3589 certain circumstances; conforming provisions to
3590 changes made by the act; amending s. 1003.433, F.S.;
3591 deleting requirements that must be met by students who
3592 transfer to a public school for 11th or 12th grade;
3593 deleting a requirement that certain students be
3594 provided with certain learning opportunities; amending
3595 s. 1006.15, F.S.; specifying conditions for a home
3596 education student to participate in interscholastic
3597 athletics; authorizing a student in a full-time
3598 virtual instruction program to participate on an
3599 interscholastic athletic team at a public school in
3600 the school district in which the student resides or to
3601 develop an agreement to participate at a private
3602 school; specifying requirements for such
3603 participation; amending s. 1006.195, F.S.; conforming
3604 a cross-reference; amending s. 1006.40, F.S.; revising
3605 the timeframe within which certain instructional
3606 materials must be purchased; authorizing the State
3607 Board of Education to modify the timeframe; amending
3608 s. 1007.263, F.S.; revising the student eligibility
3609 criteria for enrollment in certificate career
3610 education programs; amending s. 1008.212, F.S.;
3611 providing that certain assessments are not subject to
3612 specified requirements; specifying the assessments
3613 from which IEP teams must submit requests for
3614 extraordinary exemptions; amending s. 1008.22, F.S.;
3615 requiring the Commissioner of Education to notify
3616 school districts of the assessment schedule for a
3617 specified time interval; deleting requirements
3618 relating to a uniform calendar that must be published
3619 by the commissioner each year; revising an annual
3620 timeframe for each school district to establish
3621 schedules for the administration of statewide,
3622 standardized assessments; requiring each school
3623 district to publish certain information regarding such
3624 schedules on its website; conforming provisions to
3625 changes made by the act; amending s. 1008.25, F.S.;
3626 providing an additional good cause exemption for a
3627 student to be promoted to grade 4; conforming cross
3628 references; amending s. 1008.33, F.S.; prohibiting a
3629 school from being required to use a certain parameter
3630 as the sole determining factor to recruit
3631 instructional personnel; providing requirements for a
3632 rule adopted by the State Board of Education; amending
3633 s. 1010.20, F.S.; requiring charter schools to receive
3634 and respond to monitoring questions from the
3635 department; amending s. 1011.035, F.S.; deleting a
3636 requirement that each district school board budget
3637 posted on the school board’s website include a
3638 graphical representation of specified information;
3639 revising website requirements; amending s. 1011.14,
3640 F.S.; revising the types of facilities for which
3641 district school boards may incur certain financial
3642 obligations; amending s. 1011.60, F.S.; revising
3643 circumstances under which the State Board of Education
3644 may alter the length of school terms for certain
3645 school districts; amending s. 1011.62, F.S.; deleting
3646 a requirement that certain full-time equivalent
3647 bonuses under the Florida Education Finance Program be
3648 paid only to teachers who are employed by the district
3649 when the bonus is calculated; amending s. 1011.6202,
3650 F.S.; requiring schools participating in the Principal
3651 Autonomy Program Initiative to comply with specified
3652 provisions relating to instructional multiyear
3653 contracts, in addition to annual contracts, for
3654 instructional personnel; amending s. 1011.69, F.S.;
3655 deleting a requirement relating to Title I fund
3656 allocations to schools; providing a new category of
3657 funding school districts are authorized to withhold;
3658 revising a category of funding a school district is
3659 authorized to withhold; requiring the department to
3660 make certain funds available to local education
3661 agencies; amending s. 1011.71, F.S.; revising
3662 specified vehicles that may be purchased or leased
3663 using specified revenue; revising the types of
3664 facilities payments that may be made from such
3665 revenue; authorizing the use of certain school
3666 district tax revenue for liability insurance; amending
3667 s. 1012.22, F.S.; providing requirements for advanced
3668 degrees which may be used to set salary schedules for
3669 instructional personnel and school administrators
3670 hired after a specified date; specifying district
3671 school board activities that may not be precluded by
3672 collective bargaining; amending s. 1012.335, F.S.;
3673 defining the term “instructional multiyear contract”;
3674 providing requirements for the award of an
3675 instructional multiyear contract; requiring that an
3676 employee awarded an instructional multiyear contract
3677 be returned to an annual contract under certain
3678 conditions; specifying district school superintendent
3679 authority; making conforming and technical changes;
3680 amending s. 1012.39, F.S.; revising an occupational
3681 experience qualification requirement for nondegreed
3682 teachers of career programs; deleting a training
3683 requirement for full-time nondegreed teachers of
3684 career programs; amending s. 1012.555, F.S.; revising
3685 eligibility requirements for individuals to
3686 participate in the Teacher Apprenticeship Program;
3687 amending employment requirements for paraprofessionals
3688 to serve as an apprentice teacher; amending s.
3689 1012.56, F.S.; specifying individuals who must
3690 demonstrate mastery of general knowledge for educator
3691 certification; conforming a cross-reference; amending
3692 s. 1012.585, F.S.; revising the validity period for
3693 professional certificates; providing eligibility
3694 requirements for 5-year and 10-year professional
3695 certificates; establishing requirements for the
3696 renewal of a 10-year professional certificate;
3697 amending s. 1013.19, F.S.; requiring that proceeds
3698 from certain sales or leases of property be used for
3699 specified purposes by boards of trustees for Florida
3700 College System institutions or state universities;
3701 amending s. 1013.35, F.S.; deleting definitions;
3702 requiring a district school board to submit a
3703 tentative district educational facilities plan to the
3704 department; revising requirements for the contents of
3705 such plan; deleting provisions relating to district
3706 school boards coordinating with local governments to
3707 ensure consistency between school district and local
3708 government plans; authorizing, rather than requiring,
3709 local governments to review tentative district
3710 educational facilities plans; requiring a district
3711 school board to submit a revised facilities plan;
3712 making conforming changes; amending s. 1013.41, F.S.;
3713 revising requirements for an educational facilities
3714 plan; revising the duties of the Office of Educational
3715 Facilities; amending s. 1013.45, F.S.; requiring
3716 Florida College System institution and state
3717 university boards of trustees to use an architect for
3718 the development of certain plans; deleting district
3719 school board requirements for certain construction
3720 plans; amending s. 1013.64, F.S.; providing
3721 appropriations for specified purposes; revising
3722 district school board requirements relating to
3723 educational plant construction; revising
3724 determinations of allocations from the Public
3725 Education Capital Outlay and Debt Service Trust Fund;
3726 requiring the Office of Program Policy Analysis and
3727 Government Accountability (OPPAGA) to review cost per
3728 student station levels and make certain
3729 recommendations; requiring OPPAGA to submit its review
3730 to the Legislature and the Commissioner of Education
3731 by a specified date; amending ss. 163.3180, 1002.68,
3732 1003.631, 1004.04, 1004.85, 1012.586, and 1012.98,
3733 F.S.; conforming cross-references and provisions to
3734 changes made by the act; requiring the Commissioner of
3735 Education to coordinate with school districts selected
3736 by the department to implement a policy for a
3737 specified school year prohibiting the use of cell
3738 phones while on school grounds or engaged in certain
3739 activities off school grounds; requiring the
3740 department to provide a report to the Legislature
3741 before a specified date; providing requirements for
3742 the report; requiring that the report include a model
3743 policy that school districts and charter schools may
3744 adopt; requiring that the report and model policy
3745 address the authorized use of cell phones and
3746 electronic devices during the school day by certain
3747 students; requiring that the report include specified
3748 student code of conduct provisions; requiring the
3749 department, by a specified date, to establish
3750 competencies for a mathematics endorsement aligned
3751 with certain strategies; providing requirements for
3752 the competencies; providing effective dates.