Florida Senate - 2025 CONFERENCE COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
Bill No. SB 2510
Ì8258242Î825824
LEGISLATIVE ACTION
Senate . House
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The Conference Committee on SB 2510 recommended the following:
1 Senate Conference Committee Amendment (with title
2 amendment)
3
4 Delete everything after the enacting clause
5 and insert:
6 Section 1. Subsection (6) of section 402.22, Florida
7 Statutes, is amended to read:
8 402.22 Education program for students who reside in
9 residential care facilities operated by the Department of
10 Children and Families or the Agency for Persons with
11 Disabilities.—
12 (6) Notwithstanding the provisions of s. 1001.42(4)(m), the
13 educational program at the Marianna Sunland Center in Jackson
14 County shall be operated by the Department of Education, either
15 directly or through grants or contractual agreements with other
16 public educational agencies. The annual state allocation to any
17 such agency shall be computed pursuant to s. 1011.62(1), (2),
18 and (18) s. 1011.62(1), (2), and (17) and allocated in the
19 amount that would have been provided the local school district
20 in which the residential facility is located.
21 Section 2. Subsection (6) of section 1001.292, Florida
22 Statutes, is amended to read:
23 1001.292 Schools of Hope Revolving Loan Program.—
24 (6) All repayments of principal and interest shall be
25 returned to the loan fund and made available for loans to other
26 applicants. Beginning July 1, 2027, when the funds of the
27 Schools of Hope program established in s. 1002.333 fall below
28 $25 million, the third-party administrator shall transfer from
29 the loan fund to the program an amount that provides for
30 maintaining a balance of $25 million in the program.
31 Section 3. Paragraph (a) of subsection (9) of section
32 1002.32, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
33 1002.32 Developmental research (laboratory) schools.—
34 (9) FUNDING.—Funding for a lab school, including a charter
35 lab school, shall be provided as follows:
36 (a) Each lab school shall receive state funds for operating
37 purposes as provided in the Florida Education Finance Program as
38 defined in s. 1011.61(4) s. 1011.61(5) based on the county in
39 which the lab school is located and as specified in the General
40 Appropriations Act.
41 1. The nonvoted required local effort millage established
42 pursuant to s. 1011.71(1) that would otherwise be required for
43 lab schools shall be allocated from state funds.
44 2. An equivalent amount of funds for the operating
45 discretionary millage authorized pursuant to s. 1011.71(1) shall
46 be allocated to each lab school through a state-funded
47 discretionary contribution established pursuant to s.
48 1011.62(6).
49 Section 4. Paragraph (b) of subsection (17) of section
50 1002.33, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
51 1002.33 Charter schools.—
52 (17) FUNDING.—Students enrolled in a charter school,
53 regardless of the sponsorship, shall be funded based upon the
54 applicable program pursuant to s. 1011.62(1)(c), the same as
55 students enrolled in other public schools in a school district.
56 Funding for a charter lab school shall be as provided in s.
57 1002.32.
58 (b)1. Funding for students enrolled in a charter school
59 sponsored by a school district shall be the sum of the school
60 district’s operating funds from the Florida Education Finance
61 Program as defined in s. 1011.61(4) s. 1011.61(5) and the
62 General Appropriations Act, including gross state and local
63 funds, and funds from the school district’s current operating
64 discretionary millage levy; divided by total funded weighted
65 full-time equivalent students in the school district; and
66 multiplied by the weighted full-time equivalent students for the
67 charter school. Charter schools whose students or programs meet
68 the eligibility criteria in law are entitled to their
69 proportionate share of categorical program funds included in the
70 total funds available in the Florida Education Finance Program
71 by the Legislature, including the student transportation
72 allocation and the educational enrichment allocation. Total
73 funding for each charter school shall be recalculated during the
74 year to reflect the revised calculations under the Florida
75 Education Finance Program by the state and the actual weighted
76 full-time equivalent students reported by the charter school
77 during the full-time equivalent student survey periods
78 designated by the Commissioner of Education. For charter schools
79 operated by a not-for-profit or municipal entity, any
80 unrestricted current and capital assets identified in the
81 charter school’s annual financial audit may be used for other
82 charter schools operated by the not-for-profit or municipal
83 entity within the school district. For charter schools operated
84 by a not-for-profit entity, any unrestricted current or capital
85 assets identified in the charter school’s annual audit may be
86 used for other charter schools operated by the not-for-profit
87 entity which are located outside of the originating charter
88 school’s school district, but within the state, through an
89 unforgivable loan that must be repaid within 5 years to the
90 originating charter school by the receiving charter school.
91 Unrestricted current assets shall be used in accordance with s.
92 1011.62, and any unrestricted capital assets shall be used in
93 accordance with s. 1013.62(2).
94 2.a. Funding for students enrolled in a charter school
95 sponsored by a state university or Florida College System
96 institution pursuant to paragraph (5)(a) shall be provided in
97 the Florida Education Finance Program as defined in s.
98 1011.61(4) s. 1011.61(5) and as specified in the General
99 Appropriations Act. The calculation to determine the amount of
100 state funds includes the sum of the base Florida Education
101 Finance Program basic amount for current operations established
102 in s. 1011.62(1)(n) s. 1011.62(1)(s), the discretionary millage
103 compression supplement established in s. 1011.62(5), and the
104 state-funded discretionary contribution established in s.
105 1011.62(6). Charter schools whose students or programs meet the
106 eligibility criteria in law are entitled to their proportionate
107 share of categorical program funds included in the total funds
108 available in the Florida Education Finance Program. The Florida
109 College System institution or state university sponsoring the
110 charter school shall be the fiscal agent for these funds, and
111 all rules of the institution governing the budgeting and
112 expenditure of state funds shall apply to these funds unless
113 otherwise provided by law or rule of the State Board of
114 Education.
115 (I) The nonvoted required local millage established
116 pursuant to s. 1011.71(1) that would otherwise be required for
117 the charter schools shall be allocated from state funds.
118 (II) An equivalent amount of funds for the operating
119 discretionary millage authorized pursuant to s. 1011.71(1) shall
120 be allocated to each charter school through a state-funded
121 discretionary contribution established pursuant to s.
122 1011.62(6).
123 (III) The comparable wage factor as provided in s.
124 1011.62(2) shall be established as 1.000.
125 b. Total funding for each charter school shall be
126 recalculated during the year to reflect the revised calculations
127 under the Florida Education Finance Program by the state and the
128 actual weighted full-time equivalent students reported by the
129 charter school during the full-time equivalent student survey
130 periods designated by the Commissioner of Education.
131 c. The Department of Education shall develop a tool that
132 each state university or Florida College System institution
133 sponsoring a charter school shall use for purposes of
134 calculating the funding amount for each eligible charter school
135 student. The total amount obtained from the calculation must be
136 appropriated from state funds in the General Appropriations Act
137 to the charter school.
138 d. Capital outlay funding for a charter school sponsored by
139 a state university or Florida College System institution
140 pursuant to paragraph (5)(a) is determined as follows: multiply
141 the maximum allowable nonvoted discretionary millage under s.
142 1011.71(2) by 96 percent of the current year’s taxable value for
143 school purposes for the district in which the charter school is
144 located; divide the result by the total full-time equivalent
145 student membership; and multiply the result by the full-time
146 equivalent student membership of the charter school. The amount
147 obtained shall be the discretionary capital improvement funds
148 and shall be appropriated from state funds in the General
149 Appropriations Act.
150 Section 5. Present paragraph (b) of subsection (10) of
151 section 1002.333, Florida Statutes, is redesignated as paragraph
152 (c) of that subsection, present subsection (12) of that section
153 is redesignated as subsection (13), a new paragraph (b) is added
154 to subsection (10) of that section, a new subsection (12) is
155 added to that section, and paragraphs (c) and (d) of subsection
156 (1), subsection (4), paragraphs (d), (k), (l), and (m) of
157 subsection (5), paragraphs (a) and (h) of subsection (6),
158 paragraphs (a) and (d) of subsection (7), and paragraph (c) of
159 subsection (11) of that section are amended, to read:
160 1002.333 Persistently low-performing schools.—
161 (1) DEFINITIONS.—As used in this section, the term:
162 (c) “Persistently low-performing school” means a school
163 that meets at least one of the following criteria:
164 1. A school that has earned three grades lower than a “C,”
165 pursuant to s. 1008.34, in at least 3 of the previous 5 years
166 that the school received a grade and has not earned a grade of
167 “B” or higher in the most recent 2 school years;, and
168 2. A school that was closed pursuant to s. 1008.33(4)
169 within 2 years after the submission of a notice of intent; or
170 3. A school in the bottom 10 percent in at least 2 of the
171 previous 3 years for student performance on the end-of-year
172 administration of the coordinated screening and progress
173 monitoring system for grade 3 English Language Arts or grade 4
174 mathematics as prescribed in s. 1008.22(3)(a)2.
175 (d) “School of hope” means:
176 1. A charter school operated by a hope operator which:
177 a. Serves students from one or more persistently low
178 performing schools or and students who reside in a Florida
179 Opportunity Zone;
180 b. Is located in a Florida Opportunity Zone or in the
181 attendance zone of a persistently low-performing school or
182 within a 5-mile radius of such school, whichever is greater. A
183 school of hope may be located outside of a Florida Opportunity
184 Zone or persistently low-performing school attendance zone if
185 the school district does not have underused, vacant, or surplus
186 property available for the hope operator to use within a Florida
187 Opportunity Zone or persistently low-performing school
188 attendance zone; and
189 c. Is a Title I eligible school; or
190 2. A school operated by a hope operator pursuant to s.
191 1008.33(4)(b)3.
192 (4) ESTABLISHMENT OF SCHOOLS OF HOPE.—A hope operator
193 seeking to open a school of hope must submit an application to a
194 state university or a Florida College System institution or a
195 notice of intent to a school district to establish a school of
196 hope. If a hope operator seeks to open a school of hope through
197 an agreement with a state university or a Florida College System
198 institution, a notice of intent must be provided to the school
199 district in which a persistently low-performing school has been
200 identified by the State Board of Education pursuant to
201 subsection (10) or in which a Florida Opportunity Zone is
202 located.
203 (a) The notice of intent must include:
204 1. An academic focus and plan.
205 2. A financial plan.
206 3. Goals and objectives for increasing student achievement
207 for the students from low-income families.
208 4. A completed or planned community outreach plan.
209 5. The organizational history of success in working with
210 students with similar demographics.
211 6. The grade levels to be served and enrollment
212 projections.
213 7. The proposed location or geographic area proposed for
214 the school consistent with the requirements of sub-subparagraphs
215 (1)(d)1.a. and b.
216 8. A staffing plan.
217 (b) Notwithstanding the requirements of s. 1002.33, a
218 school district, state university, or Florida College System
219 institution, as applicable, shall enter into a performance-based
220 agreement with a hope operator to open schools to serve students
221 from persistently low-performing schools and students residing
222 in a Florida Opportunity Zone.
223 (5) PERFORMANCE-BASED AGREEMENT.—The following shall
224 comprise the entirety of the performance-based agreement:
225 (d) A plan of action and specific milestones for student
226 recruitment and the enrollment of students from persistently
227 low-performing schools and students residing in a Florida
228 Opportunity Zone, including enrollment preferences and
229 procedures for conducting transparent admissions lotteries that
230 are open to the public. For the entire validity period of the
231 performance agreement, students from persistently low-performing
232 schools and students residing in a Florida Opportunity Zone must
233 receive an enrollment preference and shall be exempt from any
234 enrollment lottery to the extent permitted by federal grant
235 requirements.
236 (k) A requirement that any arrangement entered into to
237 borrow or otherwise secure funds for the school of hope from a
238 source other than the state, a state university, a Florida
239 College System institution, or a school district shall indemnify
240 the state, state university, Florida College System institution,
241 and the school district from any and all liability, including,
242 but not limited to, financial responsibility for the payment of
243 the principal or interest.
244 (l) A provision that any loans, bonds, or other financial
245 agreements are not obligations of the state, state university,
246 Florida College System institution, or the school district but
247 are obligations of the school of hope and are payable solely
248 from the sources of funds pledged by such agreement.
249 (m) A prohibition on the pledge of credit or taxing power
250 of the state, state university, Florida College System
251 institution, or the school district.
252 (6) STATUTORY AUTHORITY.—
253 (a) A school of hope or a nonprofit entity that operates
254 more than one school of hope through a performance-based
255 agreement with a school district, state university, or Florida
256 College System institution, as applicable, may be designated as
257 a local education agency by the department, if requested, for
258 the purposes of receiving federal funds and, in doing so,
259 accepts the full responsibility for all local education agency
260 requirements and the schools for which it will perform local
261 education agency responsibilities.
262 1. A nonprofit entity designated as a local education
263 agency may directly report its students to the department in
264 accordance with the definitions in s. 1011.61 and pursuant to
265 the department’s procedures and timelines.
266 2. Students enrolled in a school established by a hope
267 operator designated as a local educational agency are not
268 eligible students for purposes of calculating the district grade
269 pursuant to s. 1008.34(5).
270 (h)1. A school of hope shall provide the school district,
271 state university, or Florida College System institution, as
272 applicable, with a concise, uniform, quarterly financial
273 statement summary sheet that contains a balance sheet and a
274 statement of revenue, expenditures, and changes in fund balance.
275 The balance sheet and the statement of revenue, expenditures,
276 and changes in fund balance shall be in the governmental fund
277 format prescribed by the Governmental Accounting Standards
278 Board. Additionally, a school of hope shall comply with the
279 annual audit requirement for charter schools in s. 218.39.
280 2. A school of hope is in compliance with subparagraph 1.
281 if it is operated by a nonprofit entity designated as a local
282 education agency and if the nonprofit submits to each school
283 district, state university, or Florida College System
284 institution, as applicable, in which it operates a school of
285 hope:
286 a. A concise, uniform, quarterly financial statement
287 summary sheet that contains a balance sheet summarizing the
288 revenue, expenditures, and changes in fund balance for the
289 entity and for its schools of hope within the school district.
290 b. An annual financial audit of the nonprofit which
291 includes all schools of hope it operates within this state and
292 which complies with s. 218.39 regarding audits of a school
293 board.
294 (7) FACILITIES.—
295 (a) A school of hope shall use facilities that comply with
296 the Florida Building Code, except for the State Requirements for
297 Educational Facilities. A school of hope that uses school
298 district facilities must comply with the State Requirements for
299 Educational Facilities only if the school district and the hope
300 operator have entered into a mutual management plan for the
301 reasonable maintenance of such facilities. The mutual management
302 plan shall contain a provision by which the district school
303 board agrees to maintain the school facilities in the same
304 manner as its other public schools within the district. A school
305 of hope may colocate with another school in a public school
306 facility. The school district must permit any school of hope to
307 use all or part of underused, vacant, or surplus school district
308 facilities, and receive facility-related services, pursuant to
309 State Board of Education rule. Students enrolled in the school
310 of hope shall be included in the district’s total capital outlay
311 full-time equivalent membership for the purpose of s. 1013.62
312 and for calculating the Public Education Capital Outlay
313 maintenance funds or any other maintenance funds for the
314 facility. The local governing authority shall not adopt or
315 impose any local building requirements or site-development
316 restrictions, such as parking and site-size criteria, student
317 enrollment, and occupant load, that are addressed by and more
318 stringent than those found in the State Requirements for
319 Educational Facilities of the Florida Building Code. A local
320 governing authority must treat schools of hope equitably in
321 comparison to similar requirements, restrictions, and site
322 planning processes imposed upon public schools. The agency
323 having jurisdiction for inspection of a facility and issuance of
324 a certificate of occupancy or use shall be the local
325 municipality or, if in an unincorporated area, the county
326 governing authority. If an official or employee of the local
327 governing authority refuses to comply with this paragraph, the
328 aggrieved school or entity has an immediate right to bring an
329 action in circuit court to enforce its rights by injunction. An
330 aggrieved party that receives injunctive relief may be awarded
331 reasonable attorney fees and court costs.
332 (d) No later than January 1, the department shall annually
333 provide to school districts a list of all underused, vacant, or
334 surplus facilities owned or operated by the school district as
335 reported in the Florida Inventory of School Houses. A school
336 district may provide evidence to the department that a facility
337 includes prekindergarten students who are not reported for
338 funding in the Florida Education Finance Program or that the
339 list contains errors or omissions within 30 days after receipt
340 of the list. By each April 1, the department shall update and
341 publish a final list of all underused, vacant, or surplus
342 facilities owned or operated by each school district, based upon
343 updated information provided by each school district. A hope
344 operator establishing a school of hope may use an educational
345 facility identified in this paragraph at no cost or at a
346 mutually agreeable cost not to exceed $600 per student. A hope
347 operator using a facility pursuant to this paragraph may not
348 sell or dispose of such facility without the written permission
349 of the school district. For purposes of this paragraph, the term
350 “underused, vacant, or surplus facility” means an entire
351 facility or portion thereof which is not fully used or is used
352 irregularly or intermittently by the school district for
353 instructional or program use.
354 (10) SCHOOLS OF HOPE PROGRAM.—The Schools of Hope Program
355 is created within the Department of Education.
356 (b) A school of hope may continue to receive funds after
357 its first 5 years of operation if the school of hope meets
358 performance metrics established pursuant to state board rule.
359 Funds received based upon performance may be used for any
360 operational expenditures.
361 (11) STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION AUTHORITY AND OBLIGATIONS.
362 Pursuant to Art. IX of the State Constitution, which prescribes
363 the duty of the State Board of Education to supervise the public
364 school system, the State Board of Education shall:
365 (c) Resolve disputes between a hope operator and a school
366 district, state university, or Florida College System
367 institution, as applicable, arising from a performance-based
368 agreement, mutual management plan, or a contract between a
369 charter operator and a school district under the requirements of
370 s. 1008.33. The Commissioner of Education shall appoint a
371 special magistrate who is a member of The Florida Bar in good
372 standing and who has at least 5 years’ experience in
373 administrative law. The special magistrate shall hold hearings
374 to determine facts relating to the dispute and to render a
375 recommended decision for resolution to the State Board of
376 Education. The recommendation may not alter in any way the
377 provisions of the performance-based agreement under subsection
378 (5). The special magistrate may administer oaths and issue
379 subpoenas on behalf of the parties to the dispute or on his or
380 her own behalf. Within 15 calendar days after the close of the
381 final hearing, the special magistrate shall transmit a
382 recommended decision to the State Board of Education and to the
383 representatives of both parties by registered mail, return
384 receipt requested. The State Board of Education must approve or
385 reject the recommended decision at its next regularly scheduled
386 meeting that is more than 7 calendar days and no more than 30
387 days after the date the recommended decision is transmitted. The
388 decision by the State Board of Education is a final agency
389 action that may be appealed to the District Court of Appeal,
390 First District in accordance with s. 120.68. A charter school
391 may recover attorney fees and costs if the State Board of
392 Education determines that the school district unlawfully
393 implemented or otherwise impeded implementation of the
394 performance-based agreement pursuant to this paragraph.
395 (12) SCHOOLS OF HOPE REPORTING.—
396 (a) In addition to the information reported in s.
397 1002.33(9)(k), each school of hope must report to its sponsor:
398 1. The number of students served, and the percentage of
399 overall school enrollment, who reside in the attendance zone of
400 the persistently low-performing school or in a Florida
401 Opportunity Zone.
402 2. Student year-to-year re-enrollment within kindergarten
403 through grade 5, grades 6-8, and grades 9-12.
404 (b) The department shall annually provide to the State
405 Board of Education, the Commissioner of Education, the Governor,
406 the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of
407 Representatives a report on schools of hope which includes the
408 information from paragraph (a) and the performance of school of
409 hope students on statewide assessments under s. 1008.22(3)
410 compared to assessment results of other Title I-eligible schools
411 in the district.
412 Section 6. Paragraphs (a) and (f) of subsection (3) and
413 paragraph (b) of subsection (9) of section 1002.37, Florida
414 Statutes, are amended to read:
415 1002.37 The Florida Virtual School.—
416 (3) Funding for the Florida Virtual School shall be
417 provided as follows:
418 (a)1. The calculation of “full-time equivalent student”
419 shall be as prescribed in s. 1011.61(1)(c)1.b.(V) and is subject
420 to s. 1011.61(3) s. 1011.61(4).
421 2. For a student in a home education program, funding shall
422 be provided in accordance with this subsection upon course
423 completion if the parent verifies, upon enrollment for each
424 course, that the student is registered with the school district
425 as a home education student pursuant to s. 1002.41(1)(a).
426 (f) The Florida Virtual School shall receive state funds
427 for operating purposes as provided in the General Appropriations
428 Act. The calculation to determine the amount of state funds
429 includes: the sum of the basic amount for current operations
430 established in s. 1011.62(1)(n) s. 1011.62(1)(s), the
431 discretionary millage compression supplement established in s.
432 1011.62(5), the state-funded discretionary contribution
433 established in s. 1011.62(6), a per-full-time equivalent share
434 of the exceptional student education guaranteed allocation
435 established in s. 1011.62(8), and the mental health assistance
436 allocation established in s. 1011.62(13).
437 (9)
438 (b) For students receiving part-time instruction in
439 kindergarten through grade 5 and students receiving full-time
440 instruction in kindergarten through grade 12 from the Florida
441 Virtual School, the full-time equivalent student enrollment
442 calculated under this subsection is subject to the requirements
443 in s. 1011.61(3) s. 1011.61(4).
444 Section 7. Section 1002.411, Florida Statutes, is amended
445 to read:
446 1002.411 New Worlds Scholarship Accounts.—
447 (1) NEW WORLDS SCHOLARSHIP ACCOUNTS.—New Worlds Scholarship
448 Accounts are established to provide educational options for
449 students.
450 (2) ELIGIBILITY.—Contingent upon available funds, and on a
451 first-come, first-served basis, each student who is enrolled in
452 the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program pursuant to s.
453 1002.53 or a Florida public school in kindergarten through grade
454 5 is eligible for a scholarship account if the student:
455 (a) Exhibits a substantial deficiency in early literacy
456 skills based upon the results of the most recent progress
457 monitoring administered pursuant to s. 1008.25(9), has a
458 substantial reading deficiency or exhibits characteristics of
459 dyslexia as identified under s. 1008.25(5)(a), or scored below a
460 Level 3 on the most recent statewide, standardized English
461 Language Arts (ELA) assessment. An eligible student who is
462 classified as an English Language Learner and is enrolled in a
463 program or receiving services that are specifically designed to
464 meet the instructional needs of English Language Learner
465 students shall receive priority.
466 (b) Exhibits a substantial deficiency in early mathematics
467 skills based upon the results of the most recent progress
468 monitoring administered pursuant to s. 1008.25(9), has a
469 substantial deficiency in mathematics or the characteristics of
470 dyscalculia as identified under s. 1008.25(6)(a), or scored
471 below a Level 3 on the most recent statewide, standardized
472 Mathematics assessment.
473 (3) PARENT AND STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES FOR PARTICIPATION.—
474 (a) For a an eligible student with to receive a scholarship
475 account, the student’s parent must:
476 1. Submit an application to an eligible nonprofit
477 scholarship-funding organization by the deadline established by
478 such organization; and
479 2. If available, utilize the administrator’s system to make
480 direct purchases of qualifying expenditures, which may include:
481 1.a. Instructional materials.
482 2.b. Curriculum. As used in this sub-subparagraph, the term
483 “curriculum” means a complete course of study for a particular
484 content area or grade level, including any required supplemental
485 materials and associated online instruction.
486 3.c. Tuition and fees for part-time tutoring services
487 provided by a person who holds a valid Florida educator’s
488 certificate pursuant to s. 1012.56, a person who holds a
489 baccalaureate or graduate degree in the subject area, a person
490 who holds an adjunct teaching certificate pursuant to s.
491 1012.57, a person who has demonstrated a mastery of subject area
492 knowledge pursuant to s. 1012.56(5), a person who holds a micro
493 credential under s. 1003.485, or, for a prekindergarten student,
494 a person who holds a credential under s. 1002.55(3)(c)1. or an
495 educational credential under s. 1002.55(4)(a) or (b).
496 4.d. Fees for summer education programs designed to improve
497 reading, literacy, or mathematics skills.
498 5.e. Fees for after-school education programs designed to
499 improve reading, literacy, or mathematics skills.
500
501 A provider of any services receiving payments pursuant to this
502 subparagraph may not share any moneys from the scholarship with,
503 or provide a refund or rebate of any moneys from such
504 scholarship to, the parent or participating student in any
505 manner. A parent, student, or provider of any services may not
506 bill an insurance company, Medicaid, or any other agency for the
507 same services that are paid for using scholarship funds.
508 (b) The parent is responsible for the payment of all
509 eligible expenses in excess of the amount in the account in
510 accordance with the terms agreed to between the parent and any
511 providers and may not receive any refund or rebate of any
512 expenditures made in accordance with paragraph (a).
513 (3)(4) ADMINISTRATOR.—An eligible nonprofit scholarship
514 funding organization as defined in s. 1002.395(2) shall be the
515 administrator and may establish scholarship accounts for
516 eligible students in accordance with the requirements of
517 eligible nonprofit scholarship-funding organizations under this
518 chapter.
519 (4)(5) DEPARTMENT OBLIGATIONS.—The department shall have
520 the same duties imposed by this chapter upon the department
521 regarding oversight of scholarship programs administered by an
522 eligible nonprofit scholarship-funding organization.
523 (6) SCHOOL DISTRICT AND PRIVATE PREKINDERGARTEN PROVIDER
524 OBLIGATIONS; PARENTAL OPTIONS.—
525 (a) Each school district and private prekindergarten
526 provider shall notify the parent of each eligible student of the
527 process to request and receive a scholarship, subject to
528 available funds, when providing results from the standardized
529 coordinated screening and progress monitoring pursuant to s.
530 1008.25(9)(c).
531 (b) A school district may not prohibit instructional
532 personnel from providing services pursuant to this section on
533 the instructional personnel’s school campus outside regular work
534 hours, subject to school district policies for safety and
535 security operations to protect students, instructional
536 personnel, and educational facilities.
537 (5)(7) ACCOUNT FUNDING AND PAYMENT.—
538 (a) The amount of the scholarship for an eligible student
539 shall be as provided in the General Appropriations Act.
540 (b) One hundred percent of the funds appropriated for the
541 scholarship accounts shall be released to the department at the
542 beginning of the first quarter of each fiscal year.
543 (c) Upon a student being determined eligible for a
544 scholarship, the department shall, within 45 days, release the
545 student’s scholarship funds to such organization to be deposited
546 into the student’s account.
547 (d) Accrued interest in the student’s account is in
548 addition to, and not part of, the awarded funds. Account funds
549 include both the awarded funds and accrued interest.
550 (d)(e) The eligible nonprofit scholarship-funding
551 organization may develop a system that permits eligible students
552 to use program funds to make direct purchases of qualifying
553 expenditures. Commodities or services related to the development
554 of such a system shall be procured by competitive solicitation
555 unless they are purchased from a state term contract pursuant to
556 s. 287.056.
557 (e)(f) Moneys received pursuant to this section do not
558 constitute taxable income to the qualified student or his or her
559 parent.
560 (f)(g) A student’s scholarship account must be closed and
561 any remaining funds shall revert to the state after:
562 1. Denial or revocation of scholarship eligibility by the
563 commissioner for fraud or abuse, including, but not limited to,
564 the student or student’s parent accepting any payment, refund,
565 or rebate, in any manner, from a provider of any services
566 received pursuant to subsection (2) (3); or
567 2. One Three consecutive fiscal year years in which an
568 account has been inactive.
569 (6)(8) LIABILITY.—No liability shall arise on the part of
570 the state based on the award or use of a scholarship account.
571 Section 8. Paragraphs (a) and (b) of subsection (6) of
572 section 1002.45, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
573 1002.45 Virtual instruction programs.—
574 (6) VIRTUAL INSTRUCTION PROGRAM AND VIRTUAL CHARTER SCHOOL
575 FUNDING.—
576 (a) All virtual instruction programs established pursuant
577 to paragraph (1)(b) are subject to the requirements of s.
578 1011.61(1)(c)1.b.(III), (IV), (VI), and (3) (4), and the school
579 district providing the virtual instruction program shall report
580 the full-time equivalent students in a manner prescribed by the
581 department. A school district may report a full-time equivalent
582 student for credit earned by a student who is enrolled in a
583 virtual instruction course provided by the district which was
584 completed after the end of the regular school year if the full
585 time equivalent student is reported no later than the deadline
586 for amending the final full-time equivalent student membership
587 report for that year.
588 (b) Students enrolled in a virtual instruction program
589 shall be funded in the Florida Education Finance Program as
590 provided in the General Appropriations Act. The calculation to
591 determine the amount of funds for each student through the
592 Florida Education Finance Program shall include the sum of the
593 basic amount for current operations established in s.
594 1011.62(1)(n) s. 1011.62(1)(s) and all categorical programs
595 except for the categorical programs established in ss.
596 1011.62(7), (12), and (16), 1011.68, and 1011.685. Students
597 residing outside of the school district reporting the full-time
598 equivalent virtual student shall be funded from state funds
599 only.
600 Section 9. Paragraph (a) of subsection (2) of section
601 1003.4201, Florida Statutes, as amended by chapter 2025-110,
602 Laws of Florida, is amended to read:
603 1003.4201 Comprehensive system of reading instruction.—Each
604 school district must implement a system of comprehensive reading
605 instruction for students enrolled in prekindergarten through
606 grade 12 and certain students who exhibit a substantial
607 deficiency in early literacy.
608 (2)(a) Components of the reading instruction plan may
609 include the following:
610 1. Additional time per day of evidence-based intensive
611 reading instruction for kindergarten through grade 12 students,
612 which may be delivered during or outside of the regular school
613 day.
614 2. Highly qualified reading coaches, who must be endorsed
615 in reading, to specifically support classroom teachers in making
616 instructional decisions based on progress monitoring data
617 collected pursuant to s. 1008.25(9) and improve classroom
618 teacher delivery of effective reading instruction, reading
619 intervention, and reading in the content areas based on student
620 need.
621 3. Professional learning to help instructional personnel
622 and certified prekindergarten teachers funded in the Florida
623 Education Finance Program earn a certification, a credential, an
624 endorsement, or an advanced degree in scientifically researched
625 and evidence-based reading instruction.
626 4. Summer reading camps, using only classroom teachers or
627 other district personnel who possess a micro-credential as
628 specified in s. 1003.485 or are certified or endorsed in reading
629 consistent with s. 1008.25(8)(b)3., for all students in
630 kindergarten through grade 5 exhibiting a reading deficiency as
631 determined by district and state assessments.
632 5. Intensive reading interventions, which must be delivered
633 by instructional personnel who possess a micro-credential as
634 defined in s. 1003.485(1) or are certified or endorsed in
635 reading as provided in s. 1012.586 and must incorporate
636 evidence-based strategies identified by the Just Read, Florida!
637 office pursuant to s. 1001.215(7). Instructional personnel who
638 possess a micro-credential as defined in s. 1003.485(1) and are
639 delivering intensive reading interventions must be supervised by
640 an individual certified or endorsed in reading. For the purposes
641 of this subparagraph, the term “supervised” means that
642 instructional personnel with a micro-credential are able,
643 through telecommunication or in person, to communicate and
644 consult with, and receive direction from, certified or endorsed
645 personnel. Incentives for instructional personnel and certified
646 prekindergarten teachers funded in the Florida Education Finance
647 Program who possess a reading certification or endorsement as
648 specified in s. 1012.586 or micro-credential as specified in s.
649 1003.485 and provide educational support to improve student
650 literacy.
651 6. Tutoring in reading.
652 7. A description of how the district prioritizes the
653 assignment of highly effective teachers, as identified in s.
654 1012.34(2)(e), from kindergarten to grade 2.
655 8. Providing resources that support informed parent
656 involvement in decision-making processes for students who have
657 difficulty in reading and for parents of students who are
658 reading below grade level, information about the students’
659 eligibility for the New Worlds Reading Initiative under s.
660 1003.485.
661 Section 10. Section 1003.4203, Florida Statutes, is amended
662 to read:
663 1003.4203 Digital materials, CAPE Digital Tool
664 certificates, CAPE industry certifications, and technical
665 assistance.—
666 (1) DIGITAL MATERIALS.—Each district school board, in
667 consultation with the district school superintendent, shall make
668 available digital materials, CAPE Digital Tool certificates, and
669 CAPE industry certifications for students in prekindergarten
670 through grade 12 in order to enable students to attain digital
671 skills. The digital materials, CAPE Digital Tool certificates,
672 and CAPE industry certifications may be integrated into subject
673 area curricula, offered as a separate course, made available
674 through open-access options, or deployed through online or
675 digital computer applications.
676 (2) CAPE DIGITAL TOOL CERTIFICATES.—The department shall
677 identify, in the CAPE Industry Certification Funding List under
678 ss. 1003.492 and 1008.44, CAPE Digital Tool certificates that
679 indicate a student’s digital skills. The department shall notify
680 each school district when the certificates are available. The
681 certificates shall be made available to all public elementary
682 and middle grades students.
683 (a) Targeted skills to be mastered for the certificate
684 include digital skills that are necessary to the student’s
685 academic work and skills the student may need in future
686 employment. CAPE Digital Tool certificates earned by students
687 are eligible for additional funding pursuant to s. 1011.62(17)
688 full-time equivalent membership under s. 1011.62(1)(o)1.a.
689 (b) The school district shall notify each middle school
690 advisory council of the methods of delivery of the open-access
691 content and assessments for the certificates. If there is no
692 middle school advisory council, notification must be provided to
693 the district advisory council.
694 (c) The Legislature intends that, on an annual basis, at
695 least 75 percent of public middle grades students earn at least
696 one CAPE Digital Tool certificate.
697 (3) BASIC CAPE INDUSTRY CERTIFICATIONS.—
698 (a) CAPE industry certifications, issued to middle school
699 and high school students, which do not articulate for college
700 credit, are eligible for additional funding full-time equivalent
701 membership pursuant to s. 1011.62(17) s. 1011.62(1)(o)1.b. Each
702 approved industry certification must be specifically identified
703 in the CAPE Industry Certification Funding List as a CAPE Basic
704 Non-articulated industry certification.
705 (b) CAPE industry certifications, issued to high school
706 students, which articulate for college credit, are eligible for
707 additional funding full-time equivalent membership pursuant to
708 s. 1011.62(17) s. 1011.62(1)(o)1.b. Each approved industry
709 certification must be specifically identified in the CAPE
710 Industry Certification Funding List as a CAPE Basic Articulated
711 industry certification.
712 (4) CAPE ACCELERATION.—Industry certifications that
713 articulate for 15 or more college credit hours and, if
714 successfully completed, are eligible for additional funding
715 full-time equivalent membership under pursuant to s. 1011.62(17)
716 s. 1011.62(1)(o)1.d. Each approved industry certification must
717 be specifically identified in the CAPE Industry Certification
718 Funding List as a CAPE Acceleration industry certification.
719 (5) CAPE PATHWAYS.—Industry certifications issued to high
720 school students who complete at least three courses and an
721 industry certification in a single career and technical
722 education program or program of study and who exit with a
723 standard high school diploma are eligible for additional funding
724 pursuant to s. 1011.62(17). Each approved industry certification
725 must be specifically identified in the CAPE Industry
726 Certification Funding List as a CAPE Pathways industry
727 certification.
728 (6)(5) GRADE POINT AVERAGE CALCULATION.—For purposes of
729 calculating grade point average, a grade in a course that is
730 level 3 or above and leads to an industry certification must be
731 weighted the same as a grade in an honors course.
732 (7)(6) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.—
733 (a) The Department of Education shall collaborate with
734 Florida educators and school leaders to provide technical
735 assistance to district school boards in the implementation of
736 this section. Technical assistance to districts shall include,
737 but is not limited to, identification of digital resources,
738 primarily open-access resources, including digital curriculum,
739 instructional materials, media assets, and other digital tools
740 and applications; training mechanisms for teachers and others to
741 facilitate integration of digital resources and technologies
742 into instructional strategies; and model policies and procedures
743 that support sustainable implementation practices.
744 (b) Public schools may provide students with access to
745 third-party assessment centers and career and professional
746 academy curricula in a digital format in support of CAPE Digital
747 Tool certificates and CAPE industry certifications, pursuant to
748 this section and s. 1008.44, to assist public schools and school
749 districts to establish Florida Digital Classrooms.
750 (8)(7) PARTNERSHIPS.—
751 (a) A district school board may seek partnerships with
752 other school districts, private businesses, postsecondary
753 institutions, or consultants to offer classes and instruction to
754 teachers and students to assist the school district in providing
755 digital materials, CAPE Digital Tool certificates, and CAPE
756 industry certifications established pursuant to this section.
757 (b) Third-party assessment providers and career and
758 professional academy curricula providers are encouraged to
759 provide annual training to staff of the Department of Education,
760 staff of school district offices, instructional staff of public
761 schools, including charter schools, and other appropriate
762 administrative staff through face-to-face training models;
763 through online, videoconferencing training models; and through
764 state, regional, or conference presentations.
765 (9)(8) RULES.—The State Board of Education shall adopt
766 rules to administer this section.
767 Section 11. Subsection (3) of section 1003.4935, Florida
768 Statutes, is amended to read:
769 1003.4935 Middle grades career and professional academy
770 courses and career-themed courses.—
771 (3) CAPE Digital Tool certificates and CAPE industry
772 certifications offered in the middle grades that are included on
773 the CAPE Industry Certification Funding List, if earned by
774 students, are eligible for additional funding full-time
775 equivalent membership pursuant to s. 1011.62(17) s.
776 1011.62(1)(o)1.a. and b.
777 Section 12. Subsection (2) of section 1003.498, Florida
778 Statutes, is amended to read:
779 1003.498 School district virtual course offerings.—
780 (2) School districts may offer virtual courses for students
781 enrolled in the school district. These courses must be
782 identified in the course code directory. Students may
783 participate in these virtual course offerings pursuant to s.
784 1002.455.
785 (a) Any student who is enrolled in a school district may
786 register and enroll in an online course offered by his or her
787 school district.
788 (b)1. Any student who is enrolled in a school district may
789 register and enroll in an online course offered by any other
790 school district in the state. The school district in which the
791 student completes the course shall report the student’s
792 completion of that course for funding pursuant to s.
793 1011.61(1)(c)1.b.(VI), and the home school district may shall
794 not report the student for funding for that course.
795 2. The full-time equivalent student membership calculated
796 under this subsection is subject to the requirements in s.
797 1011.61(3) s. 1011.61(4). The Department of Education shall
798 establish procedures to enable interdistrict coordination for
799 the delivery and funding of this online option.
800 3. Funding for virtual courses shall be as provided in s.
801 1002.45(6).
802 Section 13. Subsection (2) of section 1007.271, Florida
803 Statutes, is amended to read:
804 1007.271 Dual enrollment programs.—
805 (2) For the purpose of this section, an eligible secondary
806 student is a student who is enrolled in any of grades 6 through
807 12 in a Florida public school or in a Florida private school
808 that is in compliance with s. 1002.42(2) and provides a
809 secondary curriculum pursuant to s. 1003.4282. Students who are
810 eligible for dual enrollment pursuant to this section may enroll
811 in dual enrollment courses conducted during school hours, after
812 school hours, and during the summer term. However, if the
813 student is projected to graduate from high school before the
814 scheduled completion date of a postsecondary course, the student
815 may not register for that course through dual enrollment. The
816 student may apply to the postsecondary institution and pay the
817 required registration, tuition, and fees if the student meets
818 the postsecondary institution’s admissions requirements under s.
819 1007.263. Instructional time for dual enrollment may vary from
820 900 hours; however, the full-time equivalent student membership
821 value shall be subject to the provisions in s. 1011.61(3) s.
822 1011.61(4). A student enrolled as a dual enrollment student is
823 exempt from the payment of registration, tuition, and laboratory
824 fees. Applied academics for adult education instruction,
825 developmental education, and other forms of precollegiate
826 instruction, as well as physical education courses that focus on
827 the physical execution of a skill rather than the intellectual
828 attributes of the activity, are ineligible for inclusion in the
829 dual enrollment program. Recreation and leisure studies courses
830 shall be evaluated individually in the same manner as physical
831 education courses for potential inclusion in the program.
832 Section 14. Subsections (1) and (4) of section 1008.44,
833 Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
834 1008.44 CAPE Industry Certification Funding List.—
835 (1) The State Board of Education shall adopt, at least
836 annually, based upon recommendations by the Commissioner of
837 Education, the CAPE Industry Certification Funding List that
838 assigns categories of certificates and certifications as
839 provided for in s. 1003.4203 additional full-time equivalent
840 membership to certifications identified in the Master
841 Credentials List under s. 445.004(4) which meet that meets a
842 statewide, regional, or local demand. Supplemental Additional
843 full-time equivalent membership funding for regional and local
844 demand certifications may only be earned in those areas with
845 regional or local demand as identified by the Credentials Review
846 Committee. The CAPE Industry Certification Funding List may
847 include the following certificates and certifications:
848 (a) CAPE industry certifications identified as credentials
849 of value that meet the framework of quality under s. 445.004(4),
850 that must be applied in the distribution of funding to school
851 districts under s. 1011.62(1)(o). The CAPE Industry
852 Certification Funding List shall incorporate by reference the
853 industry certifications on the career pathways list approved for
854 the Florida Gold Seal CAPE Scholars award.
855 (b) CAPE Digital Tool certificates selected by the
856 department under s. 1003.4203(2) that do not articulate for
857 college credit. The certificates must be made available to
858 students in elementary school and middle school grades and, if
859 earned by a student, must be eligible for additional full-time
860 equivalent membership under s. 1011.62(1)(o)1. The department
861 shall annually review available assessments that meet the
862 requirements for inclusion on the list.
863 (c) CAPE Acceleration Industry Certifications that
864 articulate for 15 or more college credit hours under s.
865 1003.4203(4). Such certifications must, if successfully
866 completed, be eligible for additional full-time equivalent
867 membership under s. 1011.62(1)(o)1.
868 (d) The Commissioner of Education shall conduct a review of
869 the methodology used to determine additional full-time
870 equivalent membership weights assigned in s. 1011.62(1)(o) and,
871 if necessary, recommend revised weights. The weights must factor
872 in the prioritization of critical shortages of labor market
873 demand and middle-level to high-level wage earning outcomes as
874 identified by the Credentials Review Committee under s. 445.004.
875 The results of the review and the commissioner’s recommendations
876 must be submitted to the Governor, the President of the Senate,
877 and the Speaker of the House of Representatives no later than
878 December 1, 2023.
879 (4)(a) CAPE industry certifications and CAPE Digital Tool
880 certificates placed on the CAPE Industry Certification Funding
881 List must include the version of the certifications and
882 certificates available at the time of the adoption and, without
883 further review and approval, include the subsequent updates to
884 the certifications and certificates on the approved list, unless
885 the certifications and certificates are specifically removed
886 from the CAPE Industry Certification Funding List by the
887 Commissioner of Education.
888 (b) Effective for the 2026-2027 fiscal year, the
889 Commissioner of Education shall may limit CAPE industry
890 certifications placed on the CAPE Industry Certification Funding
891 List and CAPE Digital Tool certificates to students in certain
892 grades based upon the alignment of the industry certification to
893 career and technical education programs and the appropriate
894 grade level placement within those programs. The eligible grade
895 levels must be adopted annually on the funding list.
896 (c) The Articulation Coordinating Committee shall review
897 statewide articulation agreement proposals for industry
898 certifications and make recommendations to the State Board of
899 Education for approval. After an industry certification is
900 approved by CareerSource Florida, Inc., under s. 445.004(4), the
901 Chancellor of Career and Adult Education, within 90 days, must
902 provide to the Articulation Coordinating Committee
903 recommendations for articulation of postsecondary credit for
904 related degrees for the approved certifications.
905 Section 15. Section 1010.20, Florida Statutes, is amended
906 to read:
907 1010.20 Cost accounting and reporting for school
908 districts.—
909 (1) COST ACCOUNTING.—Each school district shall account for
910 expenditures of all state, local, and federal funds on a school
911 by-school and a district-aggregate basis in accordance with the
912 manual developed by the Department of Education or as provided
913 by law.
914 (2) COST REPORTING.—
915 (a) Each district shall report on a district-aggregate
916 basis expenditures for inservice training pursuant to s.
917 1011.62(3) and for categorical programs as provided in s.
918 1011.62(18) s. 1011.62(17).
919 (b) Each district shall report to the department on a
920 school-by-school and on an aggregate district basis expenditures
921 for:
922 1. Each program funded in s. 1011.62(1)(c).
923 2. Total operating costs as reported pursuant to s.
924 1010.215.
925 3. Expenditures for classroom instruction pursuant to the
926 calculation in s. 1010.215(4)(b)1. and 2.
927 (c) The department shall:
928 1. Categorize all public schools and districts into
929 appropriate groups based primarily on average full-time
930 equivalent student enrollment as reported on the most recent
931 student membership survey under s. 1011.62 and in state board
932 rule to determine groups of peer schools and districts.
933 2. Annually calculate for each public school, district, and
934 for the entire state, the percentage of classroom expenditures
935 to total operating expenditures reported in subparagraphs (b)2.
936 and 3. The results shall be categorized pursuant to this
937 paragraph.
938 3. Annually calculate for all public schools, districts,
939 and the state, the average percentage of classroom expenditures
940 to total operating expenditures reported in subparagraphs (b)2.
941 and 3. The results shall be categorized pursuant to this
942 paragraph.
943 4. Develop a web-based fiscal transparency tool that
944 identifies public schools and districts that produce high
945 academic achievement based on the ratio of classroom instruction
946 expenditures to total expenditures. The fiscal transparency tool
947 shall combine the data calculated pursuant to this paragraph
948 with the student performance measurements calculated pursuant to
949 s. 1012.34(7) to determine the financial efficiency of each
950 public school and district. The results shall be displayed in an
951 easy to use format that enables the user to compare performance
952 among public schools and districts.
953 (d) The Commissioner of Education shall present to the
954 Legislature, prior to the opening of the regular session each
955 year, a district-by-district report of the expenditures reported
956 pursuant to paragraphs (a) and (b). The report shall include
957 total expenditures, a detailed analysis showing expenditures for
958 each program, and such other data as may be useful for
959 management of the education system. The Commissioner of
960 Education shall also compute cost factors relative to the base
961 student allocation for each funded program in s. 1011.62(1)(c).
962 (3) PROGRAM EXPENDITURE REQUIREMENTS.—
963 (a) Each district shall expend at least the percent of the
964 funds generated by each of the programs listed in this section
965 on the aggregate total school costs for such programs:
966 1. Kindergarten and grades 1, 2, and 3, 90 percent.
967 2. Grades 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8, 80 percent.
968 3. Grades 9, 10, 11, and 12, 80 percent.
969 4. Programs for exceptional students, on an aggregate
970 program basis, 90 percent.
971 5. Grades 7 through 12 career education programs, on an
972 aggregate program basis, 80 percent.
973 6. Students-at-risk programs, on an aggregate program
974 basis, 80 percent.
975 7. Juvenile justice programs, on an aggregate program
976 basis, 95 percent.
977 8. Any new program established and funded under s.
978 1011.62(1)(c), that is not included under subparagraphs 1.-7.,
979 on an aggregate basis as appropriate, 80 percent.
980 (b) Funds for inservice training established in s.
981 1011.62(3) and for categorical programs established in s.
982 1011.62(18) s. 1011.62(17) shall be expended for the costs of
983 the identified programs as provided by law and in accordance
984 with the rules of the State Board of Education.
985 Section 16. Section 1011.61, Florida Statutes, is amended
986 to read:
987 1011.61 Definitions.—Notwithstanding the provisions of s.
988 1000.21, the following terms are defined as follows for the
989 purposes of the Florida Education Finance Program:
990 (1) A “full-time equivalent student” in each program of the
991 district is defined in terms of full-time students and part-time
992 students as follows:
993 (a) A “full-time student” is one student on the membership
994 roll of one school program or a combination of school programs
995 listed in s. 1011.62(1)(c) for the school year or the equivalent
996 for:
997 1. Instruction in a standard school, comprising not less
998 than 900 net hours for a student in or at the grade level of 4
999 through 12, or not less than 720 net hours for a student in or
1000 at the grade level of kindergarten through grade 3 or in an
1001 authorized prekindergarten exceptional program; or
1002 2. Instruction comprising the appropriate number of net
1003 hours set forth in subparagraph 1. for students who, within the
1004 past year, have moved with their parents for the purpose of
1005 engaging in the farm labor or fish industries, if a plan
1006 furnishing such an extended school day or week, or a combination
1007 thereof, has been approved by the commissioner. Such plan may be
1008 approved to accommodate the needs of migrant students only or
1009 may serve all students in schools having a high percentage of
1010 migrant students. The plan described in this subparagraph is
1011 optional for any school district and is not mandated by the
1012 state.
1013 (b) A “part-time student” is a student on the active
1014 membership roll of a school program or combination of school
1015 programs listed in s. 1011.62(1)(c) who is less than a full-time
1016 student. A student who receives instruction in a school that
1017 operates for less than the minimum term shall generate full-time
1018 equivalent student membership proportional to the amount of
1019 instructional hours provided by the school divided by the
1020 minimum term requirement as provided in s. 1011.60(2).
1021 (c)1. A “full-time equivalent student” is:
1022 a. A full-time student in any one of the programs listed in
1023 s. 1011.62(1)(c); or
1024 b. A combination of full-time or part-time students in any
1025 one of the programs listed in s. 1011.62(1)(c) which is the
1026 equivalent of one full-time student based on the following
1027 calculations:
1028 (I) A full-time student in a combination of programs listed
1029 in s. 1011.62(1)(c) shall be a fraction of a full-time
1030 equivalent membership in each special program equal to the
1031 number of net hours per school year for which he or she is a
1032 member, divided by the appropriate number of hours set forth in
1033 subparagraph (a)1. The difference between that fraction or sum
1034 of fractions and the maximum value as set forth in subsection
1035 (4) for each full-time student is presumed to be the balance of
1036 the student’s time not spent in a special program and shall be
1037 recorded as time in the appropriate basic program.
1038 (II) A prekindergarten student with a disability shall meet
1039 the requirements specified for kindergarten students.
1040 (III) A full-time equivalent student for students in
1041 kindergarten through grade 12 in a full-time virtual instruction
1042 program under s. 1002.45 or a virtual charter school under s.
1043 1002.33 shall consist of six full-credit completions or the
1044 prescribed level of content that counts toward promotion to the
1045 next grade in programs listed in s. 1011.62(1)(c). Credit
1046 completions may be a combination of full-credit courses or half
1047 credit courses.
1048 (IV) A full-time equivalent student for students in
1049 kindergarten through grade 12 in a part-time virtual instruction
1050 program under s. 1002.45 shall consist of six full-credit
1051 completions in programs listed in s. 1011.62(1)(c)1. and 3.
1052 Credit completions may be a combination of full-credit courses
1053 or half-credit courses.
1054 (V) A Florida Virtual School full-time equivalent student
1055 shall consist of six full-credit completions or the prescribed
1056 level of content that counts toward promotion to the next grade
1057 in the programs listed in s. 1011.62(1)(c)1. and 3. for students
1058 participating in kindergarten through grade 12 part-time virtual
1059 instruction and the programs listed in s. 1011.62(1)(c) for
1060 students participating in kindergarten through grade 12 full
1061 time virtual instruction. Credit completions may be a
1062 combination of full-credit courses or half-credit courses.
1063 (VI) Each successfully completed full-credit course earned
1064 through an online course delivered by a district other than the
1065 one in which the student resides shall be calculated as 1/6 FTE.
1066 (VII) A full-time equivalent student for courses requiring
1067 passage of a statewide, standardized end-of-course assessment
1068 under s. 1003.4282 to earn a standard high school diploma shall
1069 be defined and reported based on the number of instructional
1070 hours as provided in this subsection.
1071 (VIII) For students enrolled in a school district as a
1072 full-time student, the district may report 1/6 FTE for each
1073 student who passes a statewide, standardized end-of-course
1074 assessment without being enrolled in the corresponding course.
1075 2. A student in membership in a program scheduled for more
1076 or less than 180 school days or the equivalent on an hourly
1077 basis as specified by rules of the State Board of Education is a
1078 fraction of a full-time equivalent membership equal to the
1079 number of instructional hours in membership divided by the
1080 appropriate number of hours set forth in subparagraph (a)1.;
1081 however, for the purposes of this subparagraph, membership in
1082 programs scheduled for more than 180 days is limited to students
1083 enrolled in:
1084 a. Juvenile justice education programs.
1085 b. The Florida Virtual School.
1086 c. Virtual instruction programs and virtual charter schools
1087 for the purpose of course completion and credit recovery
1088 pursuant to ss. 1002.45 and 1003.498. Course completion applies
1089 only to a student who is reported during the second or third
1090 membership surveys and who does not complete a virtual education
1091 course by the end of the regular school year. The course must be
1092 completed no later than the deadline for amending the final
1093 student enrollment survey for that year. Credit recovery applies
1094 only to a student who has unsuccessfully completed a traditional
1095 or virtual education course during the regular school year and
1096 must retake the course in order to be eligible to graduate with
1097 the student’s class.
1098
1099 The full-time equivalent student enrollment calculated under
1100 this subsection is subject to the requirements in subsection
1101 (3)(4).
1102
1103 The department shall determine and implement an equitable method
1104 of equivalent funding for schools operating under emergency
1105 conditions, which schools have been approved by the department
1106 to operate for less than the minimum term as provided in s.
1107 1011.60(2).
1108 (2) A “full-time equivalent student” is a student in grades
1109 4 through 8 who is participating in a student-teacher adviser
1110 program conducted during homeroom period, who is a fraction of a
1111 full-time equivalent membership based on net hours in the
1112 program, with a maximum of 36 net hours in any fiscal year. Each
1113 district program shall be approved by the Department of
1114 Education.
1115 (2)(3) For the purpose of calculating the Florida Education
1116 Finance Program funds, “current operation program,” a student is
1117 in membership until he or she withdraws or until the close of
1118 the 11th consecutive school day of his or her absence, whichever
1119 comes first.
1120 (3)(4) The maximum value for funding a student in
1121 kindergarten through grade 12 or in a prekindergarten program
1122 for exceptional children as provided in s. 1003.21(1)(e) shall
1123 be the sum of the calculations in paragraphs (a), (b), and (c)
1124 as calculated by the department.
1125 (a) The sum of the student’s full-time equivalent student
1126 membership value for the school year or the equivalent derived
1127 from paragraphs (1)(a) and (b), subparagraph (1)(c)1., and sub
1128 subparagraphs (1)(c)2.b. and c., and subsection (2). If the sum
1129 is greater than 1.0, the full-time equivalent student membership
1130 value for each program or course shall be reduced by an equal
1131 proportion so that the student’s total full-time equivalent
1132 student membership value is equal to 1.0.
1133 (b) If the result in paragraph (a) is less than 1.0 full
1134 time equivalent student and the student has full-time equivalent
1135 student enrollment pursuant to sub-sub-subparagraph
1136 (1)(c)1.b.(VIII), calculate an amount that is the lesser of the
1137 value in sub-sub-subparagraph (1)(c)1.b.(VIII) or the value of
1138 1.0 less the value in paragraph (a).
1139 (c) The full-time equivalent student enrollment value in
1140 sub-subparagraph (1)(c)2.a.
1141 (4)(5) The “Florida Education Finance Program” includes all
1142 programs and costs as provided in ss. 1003.03, 1011.62, 1011.68,
1143 and 1011.685.
1144 (5)(6) “Basic programs” include, but are not limited to,
1145 language arts, mathematics, art, music, physical education,
1146 science, and social studies.
1147 Section 17. Present subsections (17) and (18) of section
1148 1011.62, Florida Statutes, are redesignated as subsection (18)
1149 and (19), a new subsection (17) is added to that section, and
1150 subsections (1), (2), (3), (5) through (10), (12), (13), (15),
1151 and (16) of that section are amended, to read:
1152 1011.62 Funds for operation of schools.—If the annual
1153 allocation from the Florida Education Finance Program to each
1154 district for operation of schools is not determined in the
1155 annual appropriations act or the substantive bill implementing
1156 the annual appropriations act, it shall be determined as
1157 follows:
1158 (1) COMPUTATION OF THE BASE FLORIDA EDUCATION FINANCE
1159 PROGRAM BASIC AMOUNT TO BE INCLUDED FOR OPERATION.—The following
1160 procedure shall be followed in determining the base Florida
1161 Education Finance Program funds for annual allocation to each
1162 district for operation:
1163 (a)1. Determination of full-time equivalent membership.
1164 During the fiscal year each of several school weeks, including
1165 scheduled intersessions of a year-round school program during
1166 the fiscal year, each district shall complete full-time
1167 equivalent surveys a program membership survey of each school
1168 shall be made by each district by aggregating the full-time
1169 equivalent student membership of each program by school and by
1170 district. The department shall establish the number and interval
1171 of membership calculations, except that for basic and special
1172 programs such calculations shall not exceed nine for any fiscal
1173 year. The district’s full-time equivalent membership shall be
1174 computed and currently maintained in accordance with regulations
1175 of the commissioner.
1176 2. All final reported full-time equivalent survey data must
1177 include the unduplicated count of both school district full-time
1178 equivalent students and full-time equivalent Family Empowerment
1179 Scholarship students.
1180 (b) Determination of base student allocation.—The base
1181 student allocation for the Florida Education Finance Program for
1182 kindergarten through grade 12 shall be determined annually by
1183 the Legislature and shall be that amount prescribed in the
1184 current year’s General Appropriations Act.
1185 (c) Determination of programs.—Cost factors based on
1186 desired relative cost differences between the following programs
1187 shall be established in the annual General Appropriations Act.
1188 The cost factor for secondary career education programs must be
1189 greater than the cost factor for basic programs grade 9 through
1190 12. The Commissioner of Education shall specify a matrix of
1191 services and intensity levels to be used by districts in the
1192 determination of the two weighted cost factors for exceptional
1193 students with the highest levels of need. For these students,
1194 the funding support level shall fund the exceptional students’
1195 education program, with the exception of extended school year
1196 services for students with disabilities.
1197 1. Basic programs.—
1198 a. Kindergarten and grades 1, 2, and 3.
1199 b. Grades 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8.
1200 c. Grades 9, 10, 11, and 12.
1201 2. Programs for exceptional students.—
1202 a. Support Level IV.
1203 b. Support Level V.
1204 3. Secondary career education programs.
1205 4. English for Speakers of Other Languages.
1206 (d) Funding model for exceptional student education
1207 programs.—The funding model for exceptional student education
1208 programs shall include all of the following:
1209 1. For programs for exceptional students in support levels
1210 IV and V as established in paragraph (c), the funding model
1211 shall include program cost factors.
1212 a. Exceptional education cost factors are determined by
1213 using a matrix of services to document the services that each
1214 support level IV and support level V exceptional student will
1215 receive. The nature and intensity of the services indicated on
1216 the matrix shall be consistent with the services described in
1217 each exceptional student’s individual educational plan.
1218 b. In order to generate funds using one of the two weighted
1219 cost factors, a matrix of services must be completed at the time
1220 of the student’s initial placement into an exceptional student
1221 education program and at least once every 3 years by personnel
1222 who have received approved training. Nothing listed in the
1223 matrix shall be construed as limiting the services a school
1224 district must provide in order to ensure that exceptional
1225 students are provided a free, appropriate public education.
1226 2. For students identified as exceptional in accordance
1227 with chapter 6A-6, Florida Administrative Code, who do not have
1228 a matrix of services as specified in subparagraph 1. and for
1229 students who are gifted in grades kindergarten through 8, the
1230 funding model shall include the funds generated on the basis of
1231 full-time equivalent student membership in the Florida Education
1232 Finance Program at the same funding level per student as
1233 provided for a basic student and additional funds provided by
1234 the exceptional student education guaranteed allocation
1235 established pursuant to subsection (8).
1236 (e) Calculation of additional full-time equivalent
1237 membership for small school district exceptional student
1238 education.—An additional value per full-time equivalent student
1239 membership is provided to school districts with a full-time
1240 equivalent student membership of fewer than 10,000 and fewer
1241 than three full-time equivalent students in exceptional student
1242 education support levels IV and V. The Department of Education
1243 shall set the amount of the additional value based on documented
1244 evidence of the difference between the cost of the school
1245 district’s exceptional student education support levels IV and V
1246 services and the applicable Florida Education Finance Program
1247 funds appropriated in the General Appropriations Act. The total
1248 statewide value may not exceed a value per weighted full-time
1249 equivalent student as specified in the General Appropriations
1250 Act. The additional value for an eligible school district shall
1251 not exceed three full-time equivalent students for each of the
1252 exceptional student education support levels IV and V.
1253 (f) Small district factor.—An additional value per full
1254 time equivalent student membership is provided to each school
1255 district with a full-time equivalent student membership of fewer
1256 than 20,000 full-time equivalent students which is in a fiscally
1257 constrained county as described in s. 218.67(1). The amount of
1258 the additional value shall be specified in the General
1259 Appropriations Act.
1260 (g) Education for speakers of other languages.—A school
1261 district or a full-time virtual instruction program is eligible
1262 to report full-time equivalent student membership in the ESOL
1263 program in the Florida Education Finance Program provided the
1264 following conditions are met:
1265 1. The school district or the full-time virtual instruction
1266 program has a plan approved by the Department of Education.
1267 2. The eligible student is identified and assessed as
1268 limited English proficient based on assessment criteria.
1269 3.a. An eligible student may be reported for funding in the
1270 ESOL program for a base period of 3 years. However, a student
1271 whose English competency does not meet the criteria for
1272 proficiency after 3 years in the ESOL program may be reported
1273 for a fourth, fifth, and sixth year of funding, provided his or
1274 her limited English proficiency is assessed and properly
1275 documented prior to his or her enrollment in each additional
1276 year beyond the 3-year base period.
1277 b. If a student exits the program and is later reclassified
1278 as limited English proficient, the student may be reported in
1279 the ESOL program for funding for an additional year, or extended
1280 annually for a period not to exceed a total of 6 years pursuant
1281 to this paragraph, based on an annual evaluation of the
1282 student’s status.
1283 4. An eligible student may be reported for funding in the
1284 ESOL program for membership in ESOL instruction in English and
1285 ESOL instruction or home language instruction in the basic
1286 subject areas of mathematics, science, social studies, and
1287 computer literacy.
1288 (h) Small, isolated schools.—Districts that levy the
1289 maximum nonvoted discretionary millage, exclusive of millage for
1290 capital outlay purposes levied pursuant to s. 1011.71(2), may
1291 calculate full-time equivalent students for small, isolated
1292 district-operated schools by multiplying the number of
1293 unweighted full-time equivalent students times 2.75. The
1294 following schools may be considered small, isolated schools
1295 under this paragraph:
1296 1. A high school that is located at least 28 miles by the
1297 shortest route from another high school; has been serving
1298 students primarily in basic studies provided by sub
1299 subparagraphs (c)1.b. and c. and may include subparagraph (c)4.;
1300 and has a membership of at least 28, but no more than 100,
1301 students in grades 9 through 12; or
1302 2. A district elementary school with a grade configuration
1303 of kindergarten through grade 5, but which may also include
1304 prekindergarten, grade 6, grade 7, or grade 8, that is located
1305 at least 35 miles by the shortest route from another elementary
1306 school within the district; has been serving students primarily
1307 in basic studies provided by sub-subparagraphs (c)1.a. and b.
1308 and may include subparagraph (c)4.; has a student population in
1309 which 75 percent or greater of students are eligible for free
1310 and reduced-price school lunch; and has a membership of at least
1311 28, but no more than 100, students.
1312 (i) Calculation of full-time equivalent membership with
1313 respect to dual enrollment instruction.—
1314 1. Full-time equivalent students.—Students enrolled in dual
1315 enrollment instruction pursuant to s. 1007.271 may be included
1316 in calculations of full-time equivalent student memberships for
1317 basic programs for grades 9 through 12 by a district school
1318 board. Instructional time for dual enrollment may vary from 900
1319 hours; however, the full-time equivalent student membership
1320 value shall be subject to the provisions in s. 1011.61(3) s.
1321 1011.61(4). Dual enrollment full-time equivalent student
1322 membership shall be calculated in an amount equal to the hours
1323 of instruction that would be necessary to earn the full-time
1324 equivalent student membership for an equivalent course if it
1325 were taught in the school district. Students in dual enrollment
1326 courses may also be calculated as the proportional shares of
1327 full-time equivalent enrollments they generate for a Florida
1328 College System institution or university conducting the dual
1329 enrollment instruction. Early admission students shall be
1330 considered dual enrollments for funding purposes. Students may
1331 be enrolled in dual enrollment instruction provided by an
1332 eligible independent college or university and may be included
1333 in calculations of full-time equivalent student memberships for
1334 basic programs for grades 9 through 12 by a district school
1335 board. However, those provisions of law which exempt dual
1336 enrolled and early admission students from payment of
1337 instructional materials and tuition and fees, including
1338 laboratory fees, shall not apply to students who select the
1339 option of enrolling in an eligible independent institution. An
1340 independent college or university, which is not for profit, is
1341 accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency
1342 recognized by the United States Department of Education, and
1343 confers degrees as defined in s. 1005.02 shall be eligible for
1344 inclusion in the dual enrollment or early admission program.
1345 Students enrolled in dual enrollment instruction shall be exempt
1346 from the payment of tuition and fees, including laboratory fees.
1347 No student enrolled in college credit mathematics or English
1348 dual enrollment instruction shall be funded as a dual enrollment
1349 unless the student has successfully completed the relevant
1350 section of the entry-level examination required pursuant to s.
1351 1008.30.
1352 2. Additional full-time equivalent student membership.—For
1353 students enrolled in an early college program pursuant to s.
1354 1007.273, a value of 0.16 full-time equivalent student
1355 membership shall be calculated for each student who completes a
1356 general education core course through the dual enrollment
1357 program with a grade of “A” or better. For students who are not
1358 enrolled in an early college program, a value of 0.08 full-time
1359 equivalent student membership shall be calculated for each
1360 student who completes a general education core course through
1361 the dual enrollment program with a grade of “A.” A value of 0.08
1362 full-time equivalent student membership must be calculated for
1363 each student who completes a career course through the dual
1364 enrollment program with a grade of “A” in a pathway that leads
1365 to an industry certification that is included on the CAPE
1366 Industry Certification Funding List. In addition, a value of 0.3
1367 full-time equivalent student membership shall be calculated for
1368 any student who receives an associate degree through the dual
1369 enrollment program with a 3.0 grade point average or better.
1370 This value shall be added to the total full-time equivalent
1371 student membership in basic programs for grades 9 through 12 in
1372 the subsequent fiscal year. This section shall be effective for
1373 credit earned by dually enrolled students for courses taken in
1374 the 2020-2021 school year and each school year thereafter. If
1375 the associate degree described in this paragraph is earned in
1376 2020-2021 following completion of courses taken in the 2020-2021
1377 school year, then courses taken toward the degree as part of the
1378 dual enrollment program before 2020-2021 may not preclude
1379 eligibility for the 0.3 additional full-time equivalent student
1380 membership bonus. Each school district shall allocate at least
1381 50 percent of the funds received from the dual enrollment bonus
1382 FTE funding, in accordance with this paragraph, to the schools
1383 that generated the funds to support student academic guidance
1384 and postsecondary readiness.
1385 3. Qualifying courses.—For the purposes of this paragraph,
1386 general education core courses are those that are identified in
1387 rule by the State Board of Education and in regulation by the
1388 Board of Governors pursuant to s. 1007.25(3).
1389 (j) Instruction in exploratory career education.—Students
1390 in grades 7 through 12 who are enrolled for more than four
1391 semesters in exploratory career education may not be counted as
1392 full-time equivalent students for this instruction.
1393 (k) Study hall.—A student who is enrolled in study hall may
1394 not be included in the calculation of full-time equivalent
1395 student membership for funding under this section.
1396 (l) Calculation of additional full-time equivalent
1397 membership based on International Baccalaureate examination
1398 scores of students.—A value of 0.16 full-time equivalent student
1399 membership shall be calculated for each student enrolled in an
1400 International Baccalaureate course who receives a score of 4 or
1401 higher on a subject examination. A value of 0.3 full-time
1402 equivalent student membership shall be calculated for each
1403 student who receives an International Baccalaureate diploma.
1404 Such value shall be added to the total full-time equivalent
1405 student membership in basic programs for grades 9 through 12 in
1406 the subsequent fiscal year. Each school district shall allocate
1407 80 percent of the funds received from International
1408 Baccalaureate bonus FTE funding to the school program whose
1409 students generate the funds and to school programs that prepare
1410 prospective students to enroll in International Baccalaureate
1411 courses. Funds shall be expended solely for the payment of
1412 allowable costs associated with the International Baccalaureate
1413 program. Allowable costs include International Baccalaureate
1414 annual school fees; International Baccalaureate examination
1415 fees; salary, benefits, and bonuses for teachers and program
1416 coordinators for the International Baccalaureate program and
1417 teachers and coordinators who prepare prospective students for
1418 the International Baccalaureate program; supplemental books;
1419 instructional supplies; instructional equipment or instructional
1420 materials for International Baccalaureate courses; other
1421 activities that identify prospective International Baccalaureate
1422 students or prepare prospective students to enroll in
1423 International Baccalaureate courses; and training or
1424 professional learning for International Baccalaureate teachers.
1425 School districts shall allocate the remaining 20 percent of the
1426 funds received from International Baccalaureate bonus FTE
1427 funding for programs that assist academically disadvantaged
1428 students to prepare for more rigorous courses. The school
1429 district shall distribute to each classroom teacher who provided
1430 International Baccalaureate instruction:
1431 1. A bonus in the amount of $50 for each student taught by
1432 the International Baccalaureate teacher in each International
1433 Baccalaureate course who receives a score of 4 or higher on the
1434 International Baccalaureate examination.
1435 2. An additional bonus of $500 to each International
1436 Baccalaureate teacher in a school designated with a grade of “D”
1437 or “F” who has at least one student scoring 4 or higher on the
1438 International Baccalaureate examination, regardless of the
1439 number of classes taught or of the number of students scoring a
1440 4 or higher on the International Baccalaureate examination.
1441
1442 Bonuses awarded under this paragraph shall be in addition to any
1443 regular wage or other bonus the teacher received or is scheduled
1444 to receive. For such courses, the teacher shall earn an
1445 additional bonus of $50 for each student who has a qualifying
1446 score.
1447 (m) Calculation of additional full-time equivalent
1448 membership based on Advanced International Certificate of
1449 Education examination scores of students.—A value of 0.16 full
1450 time equivalent student membership shall be calculated for each
1451 student enrolled in a full-credit Advanced International
1452 Certificate of Education course who receives a score of E or
1453 higher on a subject examination. A value of 0.08 full-time
1454 equivalent student membership shall be calculated for each
1455 student enrolled in a half-credit Advanced International
1456 Certificate of Education course who receives a score of E or
1457 higher on a subject examination. A value of 0.3 full-time
1458 equivalent student membership shall be calculated for each
1459 student who receives an Advanced International Certificate of
1460 Education diploma. Such value shall be added to the total full
1461 time equivalent student membership in basic programs for grades
1462 9 through 12 in the subsequent fiscal year. Each school district
1463 shall allocate at least 80 percent of the funds received from
1464 the Advanced International Certificate of Education bonus FTE
1465 funding, in accordance with this paragraph, to the school
1466 program that generated the funds and to school programs
1467 administered by the University of Cambridge Local Examinations
1468 Syndicate that prepare prospective students to enroll in
1469 Advanced International Certificate of Education courses. These
1470 funds shall be expended solely for the payment of costs
1471 associated with the application and registration process;
1472 program fees and site licenses; training, professional learning,
1473 salaries, benefits, and bonuses for instructional personnel and
1474 program coordinators; examination and diploma fees; membership
1475 fees; supplemental books; instructional supplies, materials, and
1476 equipment; and other activities that identify prospective
1477 Advanced International Certificate of Education students or
1478 prepare prospective students to enroll in Advanced International
1479 Certificate of Education courses. The school district shall
1480 distribute to each classroom teacher who provided Advanced
1481 International Certificate of Education or International General
1482 Certificate of Secondary Education (pre-AICE) instruction:
1483 1. A bonus in the amount of $50 for each student taught by
1484 the Advanced International Certificate of Education teacher in
1485 each Advanced International Certificate of Education course who
1486 receives a score of E or higher on the Advanced International
1487 Certificate of Education examination. A bonus in the amount of
1488 $25 for each student taught by the pre-AICE teacher in each pre
1489 AICE course who receives a score of E or higher on the pre-AICE
1490 examination.
1491 2. An additional bonus of $500 to each Advanced
1492 International Certificate of Education teacher in a school
1493 designated with a grade of “D” or “F” who has at least one
1494 student scoring E or higher on the Advanced International
1495 Certificate of Education examination, regardless of the number
1496 of classes taught or of the number of students scoring an E or
1497 higher on the Advanced International Certificate of Education
1498 examination.
1499 3. Additional bonuses of $250 each to teachers of pre-AICE
1500 classes in a school designated with a grade of “D” or “F” which
1501 has at least one student scoring an E or higher on the pre-AICE
1502 examination in that class. Teachers receiving an award under
1503 subparagraph 2. are not eligible for a bonus under this
1504 subparagraph.
1505
1506 Bonuses awarded to a teacher according to this paragraph shall
1507 be in addition to any regular wage or other bonus the teacher
1508 received or is scheduled to receive.
1509 (n) Calculation of additional full-time equivalent
1510 membership based on college board advanced placement scores of
1511 students and earning college board advanced placement capstone
1512 diplomas.—A value of 0.16 full-time equivalent student
1513 membership shall be calculated for each student in each advanced
1514 placement course who receives a score of 3 or higher on the
1515 College Board Advanced Placement Examination for the prior year
1516 and added to the total full-time equivalent student membership
1517 in basic programs for grades 9 through 12 in the subsequent
1518 fiscal year. A value of 0.3 full-time equivalent student
1519 membership shall be calculated for each student who receives a
1520 College Board Advanced Placement Capstone Diploma and meets the
1521 requirements for a standard high school diploma under s.
1522 1003.4282. Such value shall be added to the total full-time
1523 equivalent student membership in basic programs for grades 9
1524 through 12 in the subsequent fiscal year. Each district must
1525 allocate at least 80 percent of the funds provided to the
1526 district for advanced placement instruction, in accordance with
1527 this paragraph, to the high school that generates the funds. The
1528 school district shall distribute to each classroom teacher who
1529 provided advanced placement instruction:
1530 1. A bonus in the amount of $50 for each student taught by
1531 the Advanced Placement teacher in each advanced placement course
1532 who receives a score of 3 or higher on the College Board
1533 Advanced Placement Examination.
1534 2. An additional bonus of $500 to each Advanced Placement
1535 teacher in a school designated with a grade of “D” or “F” who
1536 has at least one student scoring 3 or higher on the College
1537 Board Advanced Placement Examination, regardless of the number
1538 of classes taught or of the number of students scoring a 3 or
1539 higher on the College Board Advanced Placement Examination.
1540
1541 Bonuses awarded under this paragraph shall be in addition to any
1542 regular wage or other bonus the teacher received or is scheduled
1543 to receive. For such courses, the teacher shall earn an
1544 additional bonus of $50 for each student who has a qualifying
1545 score.
1546 (o) Calculation of additional full-time equivalent
1547 membership based on successful completion of a career-themed
1548 course pursuant to ss. 1003.491-1003.493, or courses with
1549 embedded CAPE industry certifications or CAPE Digital Tool
1550 certificates, and issuance of industry certification identified
1551 on the CAPE Industry Certification Funding List pursuant to
1552 rules adopted by the State Board of Education or CAPE Digital
1553 Tool certificates pursuant to s. 1003.4203.—
1554 1.a. A value of 0.025 full-time equivalent student
1555 membership shall be calculated for CAPE Digital Tool
1556 certificates earned by students in elementary and middle school
1557 grades.
1558 b. A value of 0.1 or 0.2 full-time equivalent student
1559 membership shall be calculated for each student who completes a
1560 course as defined in s. 1003.493(1)(b) or courses with embedded
1561 CAPE industry certifications and who is issued an industry
1562 certification identified annually on the CAPE Industry
1563 Certification Funding List approved under rules adopted by the
1564 State Board of Education. A value of 0.2 full-time equivalent
1565 membership shall be calculated for each student who is issued a
1566 CAPE industry certification that has a statewide articulation
1567 agreement for college credit approved by the State Board of
1568 Education. For CAPE industry certifications that do not
1569 articulate for college credit, the Department of Education shall
1570 assign a full-time equivalent value of 0.1 for each
1571 certification. Middle grades students who earn additional FTE
1572 membership for a CAPE Digital Tool certificate pursuant to sub
1573 subparagraph a. may not rely solely on the previously funded
1574 examination to satisfy the requirements for earning an industry
1575 certification under this sub-subparagraph. The State Board of
1576 Education shall include the assigned values on the CAPE Industry
1577 Certification Funding List under rules adopted by the state
1578 board. Such value shall be added to the total full-time
1579 equivalent student membership for grades 6 through 12 in the
1580 subsequent year. CAPE industry certifications earned through
1581 dual enrollment must be reported and funded pursuant to s.
1582 1011.80. However, if a student earns a certification through a
1583 dual enrollment course and the certification is not a fundable
1584 certification on the postsecondary certification funding list,
1585 or the dual enrollment certification is earned as a result of an
1586 agreement between a school district and a nonpublic
1587 postsecondary institution, the bonus value shall be funded in
1588 the same manner as other nondual enrollment course industry
1589 certifications. In such cases, the school district may provide
1590 for an agreement between the high school and the technical
1591 center, or the school district and the postsecondary institution
1592 may enter into an agreement for equitable distribution of the
1593 bonus funds.
1594 c. A value of 0.3 full-time equivalent student membership
1595 shall be calculated for student completion of at least three
1596 courses and an industry certification in a single career and
1597 technical education program or program of study.
1598 d. A value of 0.5 full-time equivalent student membership
1599 shall be calculated for CAPE Acceleration Industry
1600 Certifications that articulate for 15 to 29 college credit
1601 hours, and 1.0 full-time equivalent student membership shall be
1602 calculated for CAPE Acceleration Industry Certifications that
1603 articulate for 30 or more college credit hours pursuant to CAPE
1604 Acceleration Industry Certifications approved by the
1605 commissioner pursuant to ss. 1003.4203(4) and 1008.44.
1606 2. Each district must allocate at least 80 percent of the
1607 funds provided for CAPE industry certification, in accordance
1608 with this paragraph, to the program that generated the funds,
1609 and any remaining funds provided for CAPE industry certification
1610 for school district career and technical education programs.
1611 This allocation may not be used to supplant funds provided for
1612 basic operation of the program.
1613 3. For CAPE industry certifications earned in the 2013-2014
1614 school year and in subsequent years, the school district shall
1615 distribute to each classroom teacher who provided direct
1616 instruction toward the attainment of a CAPE industry
1617 certification that qualified for additional full-time equivalent
1618 membership under subparagraph 1.:
1619 a. A bonus of $25 for each student taught by a teacher who
1620 provided instruction in a course that led to the attainment of a
1621 CAPE industry certification on the CAPE Industry Certification
1622 Funding List with a weight of 0.1.
1623 b. A bonus of $50 for each student taught by a teacher who
1624 provided instruction in a course that led to the attainment of a
1625 CAPE industry certification on the CAPE Industry Certification
1626 Funding List with a weight of 0.2.
1627 c. A bonus of $75 for each student taught by a teacher who
1628 provided instruction in a course that led to the attainment of a
1629 CAPE industry certification on the CAPE Industry Certification
1630 Funding List with a weight of 0.3.
1631 d. A bonus of $100 for each student taught by a teacher who
1632 provided instruction in a course that led to the attainment of a
1633 CAPE industry certification on the CAPE Industry Certification
1634 Funding List with a weight of 0.5 or 1.0.
1635
1636 Bonuses awarded pursuant to this paragraph shall be provided to
1637 teachers who are employed by the district in the year in which
1638 the additional FTE membership calculation is included in the
1639 calculation. Bonuses shall be calculated based upon the
1640 associated weight of a CAPE industry certification on the CAPE
1641 Industry Certification Funding List for the year in which the
1642 certification is earned by the student. Any bonus awarded to a
1643 teacher pursuant to this paragraph is in addition to any regular
1644 wage or other bonus the teacher received or is scheduled to
1645 receive. A bonus may not be awarded to a teacher who fails to
1646 maintain the security of any CAPE industry certification
1647 examination or who otherwise violates the security or
1648 administration protocol of any assessment instrument that may
1649 result in a bonus being awarded to the teacher under this
1650 paragraph.
1651 (p) Calculation of additional full-time equivalent
1652 membership based upon early high school graduation.—Each school
1653 district may receive funding for each student who graduates
1654 early pursuant to s. 1003.4281. A district may earn 0.25
1655 additional FTE for a student who graduates one semester in
1656 advance of the student’s cohort and 0.5 additional FTE for a
1657 student who graduates 1 year or more in advance of the student’s
1658 cohort. If the student was enrolled in the district as a full
1659 time high school student for at least 2 years, the district
1660 shall report the additional FTE for payment in the subsequent
1661 fiscal year. If the student was enrolled in the district for
1662 less than 2 years, the district of enrollment shall report the
1663 additional FTE and shall transfer a proportionate share of the
1664 funds earned for early graduation to the district in which the
1665 student was previously enrolled. Additional FTE included in the
1666 2014-2015 Florida Education Finance Program for early graduation
1667 shall be reported and funded pursuant to this paragraph.
1668 (l)(q) Year-round-school programs.—The Commissioner of
1669 Education is authorized to adjust student eligibility
1670 definitions, funding criteria, and reporting requirements of
1671 statutes and rules in order that year-round-school programs may
1672 achieve equivalent application of funding requirements with non
1673 year-round-school programs.
1674 (m)(r) Extended-school-year program.—It is the intent of
1675 the Legislature that students be provided additional instruction
1676 by extending the school year to 210 days or more. Districts may
1677 apply to the Commissioner of Education for funds to be used in
1678 planning and implementing an extended-school-year program.
1679 (n)(s) Determination of the base amount for the Florida
1680 Education Finance Program basic amount for current operation.
1681 The base amount for the basic amount for current operation to be
1682 included in the Florida Education Finance Program for
1683 kindergarten through grade 12 for each district shall be the
1684 product of the following:
1685 1. The full-time equivalent student membership in each
1686 program, multiplied by
1687 2. The cost factor for each program, as provided in
1688 adjusted for the maximum as provided by paragraph (c), added to
1689 multiplied by
1690 3. The additional full-time equivalent membership weights
1691 provided in paragraphs (e) and (h), multiplied by
1692 4.3. The comparable wage factor, if applicable, multiplied
1693 by
1694 5.4. The small district factor, if applicable, and
1695 multiplied by
1696 6.5. The base student allocation.
1697 (t) Computation for funding through the Florida Education
1698 Finance Program.—The State Board of Education may adopt rules
1699 establishing programs, industry certifications, and courses for
1700 which the student may earn credit toward high school graduation
1701 and the criteria under which a student’s industry certification
1702 or grade may be rescinded.
1703 (2) DETERMINATION OF COMPARABLE WAGE FACTOR.—
1704 (a) The Commissioner of Education shall annually compute
1705 for each district the current year’s comparable wage factor. The
1706 comparable wage factor shall be calculated by adding each
1707 district’s price level index as published in the Florida Price
1708 Level Index for the most recent 3 years and dividing the
1709 resulting sum by 3. The result for each district shall be
1710 multiplied by 0.008 and to the resulting product shall be added
1711 0.200; the sum thus obtained shall be the comparable wage factor
1712 for that district for that year.
1713 (b) The comparable wage factor for each school district is
1714 used in the calculation of the base Florida Education Finance
1715 Program basic amount for current operation pursuant to
1716 subsection (1) if the comparable wage factor is greater than
1717 1.000.
1718 (c) The limitation authorized in paragraph (b) applies to
1719 any categorical funding provided in the Florida Education
1720 Finance Program that has a calculation methodology that includes
1721 the comparable wage factor.
1722 (3) INSERVICE EDUCATIONAL PERSONNEL TRAINING EXPENDITURE.
1723 Of the amount computed in subsection (1), a percentage of the
1724 base Florida Education Finance Program basic amount for current
1725 operation or other funds shall be expended for educational
1726 training programs as determined by the district school board as
1727 provided in s. 1012.98.
1728 (5) DISCRETIONARY MILLAGE COMPRESSION SUPPLEMENT.—The
1729 Legislature shall prescribe in the General Appropriations Act,
1730 pursuant to s. 1011.71(1), the rate of nonvoted current
1731 operating discretionary millage that shall be used to calculate
1732 a discretionary millage compression supplement. If the
1733 prescribed millage generates an amount of funds per unweighted
1734 full-time equivalent student for the district that is less than
1735 the state average, the district shall receive an amount per
1736 full-time equivalent student that, when added to the funds per
1737 full-time equivalent student generated by the designated levy,
1738 shall equal the state average. The discretionary millage
1739 compression supplement shall be recalculated during the fiscal
1740 year based on actual full-time equivalent student membership.
1741 (6) STATE-FUNDED DISCRETIONARY CONTRIBUTION.—The state
1742 funded discretionary contribution is created to fund the
1743 nonvoted discretionary millage for operations pursuant to s.
1744 1011.71(1) and (3) for developmental research schools (lab
1745 schools) established in s. 1002.32, charter schools sponsored by
1746 a Florida College System institution or a state university
1747 pursuant to s. 1002.33(5), and the Florida Virtual School
1748 established in s. 1002.37.
1749 (a) To calculate the state-funded discretionary
1750 contribution for lab schools, multiply the maximum allowable
1751 nonvoted discretionary millage for operations pursuant to s.
1752 1011.71(1) and (3) by the value of 96 percent of the current
1753 year’s taxable value for school purposes for the school district
1754 in which the lab school is located; divide the result by the
1755 total full-time equivalent membership of the school district;
1756 and multiply the result by the full-time equivalent membership
1757 of the lab school. The amount obtained shall be appropriated in
1758 the General Appropriations Act.
1759 (b) To calculate the state-funded discretionary
1760 contribution for a charter school sponsored by a Florida College
1761 System institution or a state university and the Florida Virtual
1762 School, multiply the maximum allowable nonvoted discretionary
1763 millage for operations pursuant to s. 1011.71(1) and (3) by the
1764 value of 96 percent of the current year’s taxable value for
1765 school purposes for the state; divide the result by the total
1766 full-time equivalent membership of the state; and multiply the
1767 result by the full-time equivalent membership of the Florida
1768 Virtual School.
1769 (c) The state-funded discretionary contribution shall be
1770 recalculated during the fiscal year based on actual full-time
1771 equivalent student membership.
1772 (7) EDUCATIONAL ENRICHMENT ALLOCATION.—
1773 (a) The educational enrichment allocation is created to
1774 assist school districts in providing educational enrichment
1775 activities and services that support and increase the academic
1776 achievement of students in grades kindergarten through 12.
1777 Educational enrichment activities and services may be provided
1778 in a manner and at any time during or beyond the regular 180-day
1779 term identified by the school district as being the most
1780 effective and efficient way to best help the student progress
1781 from grade to grade and graduate from high school. For fiscal
1782 year 2023-2024, the educational enrichment allocation shall
1783 consist of a base amount as specified in the General
1784 Appropriations Act. Beginning in fiscal year 2024-2025, the
1785 educational enrichment allocation shall consist of the base
1786 amount that includes a workload adjustment based on changes in
1787 the unweighted full-time equivalent membership. Beginning in
1788 fiscal year 2025-2026, and each year thereafter, the statewide
1789 average base amount as specified in the General Appropriations
1790 Act shall be used for any new educational entity funded in the
1791 Florida Education Finance Program.
1792 (b) For district-managed turnaround schools as identified
1793 in s. 1008.33(4)(a), schools that earn three consecutive grades
1794 below a “C,” as identified in s. 1008.33(4)(b)3., and schools
1795 that have improved to a “C” and are no longer in turnaround
1796 status, as identified in s. 1008.33(4)(c), a supplemental amount
1797 shall be added to their educational enrichment allocation for
1798 purposes of implementing the intervention and support strategies
1799 identified in the turnaround plan submitted pursuant to s.
1800 1008.33.
1801 1. The supplemental amount shall be based on the unweighted
1802 full-time equivalent student enrollment at the eligible schools
1803 and a per full-time equivalent funding amount of $500 or as
1804 provided in the General Appropriations Act.
1805 2. Services funded by the allocation may include, but are
1806 not limited to, tutorial and afterschool programs, student
1807 counseling, nutrition education, parental counseling, and an
1808 extended school day and school year. In addition, services may
1809 include models that develop a culture that encourages students
1810 to complete high school and to attend college or career
1811 training, set high academic expectations, and inspire character
1812 development.
1813 3. A school district may enter into a formal agreement with
1814 a nonprofit organization that has tax-exempt status under s.
1815 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code to implement an
1816 integrated student support service model that provides students
1817 and families with access to wrap-around services, including, but
1818 not limited to, health services, after-school programs, drug
1819 prevention programs, college and career readiness programs, and
1820 food and clothing banks.
1821 (c) The educational enrichment allocation, to include the
1822 supplemental amount, shall be recalculated during the fiscal
1823 year based on actual full-time equivalent student membership
1824 pursuant to paragraph (1)(a). If the recalculated amount is
1825 greater than the amount provided in the General Appropriations
1826 Act, the allocation shall be prorated to the level provided to
1827 support the appropriation, based on each school district’s
1828 proportionate share of the total allocation.
1829 (d) Funding on the basis of full-time equivalent membership
1830 beyond the 180-day regular term shall be provided in the Florida
1831 Education Finance Program only for students enrolled in juvenile
1832 justice education programs or in education programs for
1833 juveniles placed in secure facilities or programs pursuant to s.
1834 985.19. Funding for instruction beyond the regular 180-day
1835 school year for all other kindergarten through grade 12 students
1836 shall be provided through the educational enrichment allocation
1837 and other state, federal, and local funding sources with
1838 flexibility for schools to provide educational enrichment
1839 activities and services to assist students in grades
1840 kindergarten through 12.
1841 (8) EXCEPTIONAL STUDENT EDUCATION GUARANTEED ALLOCATION.
1842 The exceptional student education guaranteed allocation is
1843 created to fund the additional costs of programs for exceptional
1844 students specified in subparagraph (1)(d)2. and shall be
1845 supplemental to the funds appropriated in the Florida Education
1846 Finance Program for the basic student funding level.
1847 (a) The amount of each school district’s exceptional
1848 student education guaranteed allocation shall be the greater of
1849 either the school district’s prior year exceptional student
1850 education guaranteed allocation funds per eligible full-time
1851 equivalent student or the exceptional student education
1852 guaranteed allocation factor as specified in the General
1853 Appropriations Act multiplied by the school district’s total
1854 number of eligible full-time equivalent students.
1855 (b) The exceptional student education guaranteed allocation
1856 shall be recalculated during the fiscal year based on actual
1857 full-time equivalent student membership. If the recalculated
1858 amount is greater than the amount provided in the General
1859 Appropriations Act, the total shall be prorated to the level of
1860 the appropriation based on each school district’s share of the
1861 total recalculated allocation amount.
1862 (9) CALCULATION OF SUPPLEMENTAL ALLOCATION FOR JUVENILE
1863 JUSTICE EDUCATION PROGRAMS.—
1864 (a) The total kindergarten through grade 12 weighted full
1865 time equivalent student membership in juvenile justice education
1866 programs in each school district shall be multiplied by the
1867 amount of the state average class-size-reduction factor
1868 multiplied by the comparable wage factor for the school district
1869 established in subsection (2). An amount equal to the sum of
1870 this calculation shall be allocated in the Florida Education
1871 Finance Program to each school district to supplement other
1872 sources of funding for students in juvenile justice education
1873 programs. The supplemental allocation for juvenile justice
1874 education programs shall be recalculated during the fiscal year
1875 based on actual full-time equivalent student membership.
1876 (b) Funds allocated under this subsection shall be used to
1877 provide the juvenile justice education programs pursuant to s.
1878 1003.52 and may be used to pay for the high school equivalency
1879 examination fees for juvenile justice students who pass the high
1880 school equivalency examination in full, or in part, while in a
1881 juvenile justice education program, the industry credentialing
1882 testing fees for such students, and the costs associated with
1883 such juvenile justice students enrolled in career and technical
1884 education courses that lead to industry-recognized
1885 certifications.
1886 (10) FEDERALLY CONNECTED STUDENT SUPPLEMENT.—The federally
1887 connected student supplement is created to provide supplemental
1888 funding for school districts to support the education of
1889 students connected with federally owned military installations,
1890 National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) real
1891 property, and Indian lands. To be eligible for this supplement,
1892 the district must be eligible for federal Impact Aid Program
1893 funds under s. 8003 of Title VIII of the Elementary and
1894 Secondary Education Act of 1965. The supplement shall be
1895 allocated annually to each eligible school district in the
1896 General Appropriations Act. The supplement shall be the sum of
1897 the student allocation and an exempt property allocation.
1898 (a) The student allocation shall be calculated based on the
1899 number of students reported for federal Impact Aid Program
1900 funds, including students with disabilities, who meet one of the
1901 following criteria:
1902 1. The student has a parent who is on active duty in the
1903 uniformed services or is an accredited foreign government
1904 official and military officer. Students with disabilities shall
1905 also be reported separately for this category.
1906 2. The student resides on eligible federally owned Indian
1907 land. Students with disabilities shall also be reported
1908 separately for this category.
1909 3. The student resides with a civilian parent who lives or
1910 works on eligible federal property connected with a military
1911 installation or NASA. The number of these students shall be
1912 multiplied by a factor of 0.5.
1913 (b) The total number of federally connected students
1914 calculated under paragraph (a) shall be multiplied by a
1915 percentage of the base student allocation as provided in the
1916 General Appropriations Act. The total of the number of students
1917 with disabilities as reported separately under subparagraphs
1918 (a)1. and 2. shall be multiplied by an additional percentage of
1919 the base student allocation as provided in the General
1920 Appropriations Act. The base amount and the amount for students
1921 with disabilities shall be summed to provide the student
1922 allocation.
1923 (c) The exempt property allocation shall be equal to the
1924 tax-exempt value of federal impact aid lands reserved as
1925 military installations, real property owned by NASA, or eligible
1926 federally owned Indian lands located in the district, multiplied
1927 by the millage authorized and levied under s. 1011.71(2).
1928 (d) The amount allocated for each eligible school district
1929 shall be recalculated during the year based on actual full-time
1930 equivalent using actual student membership, as amended, from the
1931 most recent February survey and the tax-exempt valuation from
1932 the most recent assessment roll.
1933 (12) SAFE SCHOOLS ALLOCATION.—A safe schools allocation is
1934 created to provide funding to assist school districts in their
1935 compliance with ss. 1006.07-1006.12, with priority given to
1936 safe-school officers pursuant to s. 1006.12. Each school
1937 district shall receive a minimum safe schools allocation in an
1938 amount provided in the General Appropriations Act. Of the
1939 remaining balance of the safe schools allocation, one-third
1940 shall be allocated to school districts based on the most recent
1941 official Florida Crime Index provided by the Department of Law
1942 Enforcement and two-thirds shall be allocated based on each
1943 school district’s proportionate share of the state’s total
1944 unweighted full-time equivalent student enrollment. If a
1945 district school board is required by s. 1006.12 to assign a
1946 school resource officer or school safety officer to a charter
1947 school, the charter school’s share of costs for such officer may
1948 not exceed the amount of funds allocated to the charter school
1949 under this subsection. The safe schools allocation shall be
1950 recalculated during the fiscal year based on actual full-time
1951 equivalent student membership.
1952 (13) MENTAL HEALTH ASSISTANCE ALLOCATION.—The mental health
1953 assistance allocation is created to provide funding to assist
1954 school districts in implementing their school-based mental
1955 health assistance program pursuant to s. 1006.041. These funds
1956 shall be allocated annually in the General Appropriations Act or
1957 other law to each eligible school district. Each school district
1958 shall receive a minimum of $100,000, with the remaining balance
1959 allocated based on each school district’s proportionate share of
1960 the state’s total unweighted full-time equivalent student
1961 enrollment. The mental health assistance allocation shall be
1962 recalculated during the fiscal year based on actual full-time
1963 equivalent student membership.
1964 (15) TOTAL ALLOCATION OF STATE FUNDS TO EACH DISTRICT FOR
1965 CURRENT OPERATION.—The total annual state allocation to each
1966 district for current operation for the Florida Education Finance
1967 Program shall be distributed to districts pursuant to s. 1011.66
1968 and based on the results of the full-time equivalent membership
1969 surveys established in paragraph (1)(a) periodically in the
1970 manner prescribed in the General Appropriations Act.
1971 (a) When the Florida Education Finance Program allocation
1972 is recalculated, if the gross state Florida Education Finance
1973 Program funds If the funds appropriated for current operation of
1974 the Florida Education Finance Program, including funds
1975 appropriated pursuant to subsection (18), are not sufficient to
1976 pay the state requirement in full, the department shall prorate
1977 the available state funds to each district in the following
1978 manner:
1979 1. To calculate the gross state and local Florida Education
1980 Finance Program funding, add the base Florida Education Finance
1981 Program and the categorical funds, except for the categorical
1982 funding provided in subsection (16) and s. 1011.685.
1983 2. To calculate the gross state Florida Education Finance
1984 Program funding, subtract the required local effort in
1985 subsection (4) from the gross and local Florida Education
1986 Finance Program funding.
1987 3. To determine the amount that must be prorated among all
1988 school districts, subtract the gross state Florida Education
1989 Finance Program and any prior year adjustments pursuant to
1990 paragraph (b) from the corresponding amount of state funds
1991 appropriated in the General Appropriations Act.
1992 4. Each school district’s amount of the proration is
1993 calculated based on its proportionate share of the gross state
1994 and local Florida Education Finance Program funding.
1995 1. Determine the percentage of proration by dividing the
1996 sum of the total amount for current operation, as provided in
1997 this paragraph for all districts collectively, and the total
1998 district required local effort into the sum of the state funds
1999 available for current operation and the total district required
2000 local effort.
2001 2. Multiply the percentage so determined by the sum of the
2002 total amount for current operation as provided in this paragraph
2003 and the required local effort for each individual district.
2004 3. From the product of such multiplication, subtract the
2005 required local effort of each district; and the remainder shall
2006 be the amount of state funds allocated to the district for
2007 current operation. However, no calculation subsequent to the
2008 appropriation shall result in negative state funds for any
2009 district.
2010 (b) The amount thus obtained shall be the net annual
2011 allocation to each school district. However, if it is determined
2012 that any school district received an under allocation or over
2013 allocation for any prior year because of an arithmetical error,
2014 assessment roll change required by final judicial decision,
2015 full-time equivalent student membership error, or any allocation
2016 error revealed in an audit report, the allocation to that
2017 district shall be appropriately adjusted. An under allocation in
2018 a prior year caused by a school district’s error may not be the
2019 basis for a positive allocation adjustment for the current year.
2020 Beginning with the 2011-2012 fiscal year, If a special program
2021 cost factor is less than the basic program cost factor, an audit
2022 adjustment may not result in the reclassification of the special
2023 program FTE to the basic program FTE. If the Department of
2024 Education audit adjustment recommendation is based upon
2025 controverted findings of fact, the Commissioner of Education is
2026 authorized to establish the amount of the adjustment based on
2027 the best interests of the state.
2028 (c) The amount thus obtained shall represent the net annual
2029 state allocation to each district; however, notwithstanding any
2030 of the provisions herein, each district shall be guaranteed a
2031 minimum level of funding in the amount and manner prescribed in
2032 the General Appropriations Act.
2033 (16) STATE-FUNDED DISCRETIONARY SUPPLEMENT.—
2034 (a) The state-funded discretionary supplement is created to
2035 fund the nonvoted discretionary millage for operations pursuant
2036 to s. 1011.71(1) and (3) for students awarded a Family
2037 Empowerment Scholarship in accordance with s. 1002.394. To
2038 calculate the state-funded discretionary supplement for
2039 inclusion in the amount of the scholarship funding:
2040 1. For fiscal year 2023-2024, multiply the maximum
2041 allowable nonvoted discretionary millage for operations pursuant
2042 to s. 1011.71(1) and (3) by the value of 96 percent of the
2043 current year’s taxable value for school purposes for the school
2044 district where the student is reported for purposes of the
2045 Florida Education Finance Program as appropriated in the General
2046 Appropriations Act; divide the result by the school district’s
2047 total unweighted full-time equivalent membership as appropriated
2048 in the General Appropriations Act; and multiply the result by
2049 the total unweighted full-time equivalent membership associated
2050 with the number of Family Empowerment Scholarship students
2051 included in the school district’s total unweighted full-time
2052 equivalent membership. A base amount as specified in the General
2053 Appropriations Act shall be added to this amount for purposes of
2054 calculating the total amount of the supplement.
2055 2. Beginning in fiscal year 2024-2025 and thereafter,
2056 multiply the maximum allowable nonvoted discretionary millage
2057 for operations pursuant to s. 1011.71(1) and (3) by the value of
2058 96 percent of the current year’s taxable value for school
2059 purposes for the school district where the student is reported
2060 for purposes of the Florida Education Finance Program as
2061 appropriated in the General Appropriations Act; divide the
2062 result by the school district’s total unweighted full-time
2063 equivalent membership as appropriated in the General
2064 Appropriations Act; and multiply the result by the total
2065 unweighted full-time equivalent membership associated with the
2066 number of Family Empowerment Scholarship students. The prior
2067 year’s base amount shall be adjusted based on changes in the
2068 eligible number of unweighted full-time equivalent membership
2069 associated with the number of Family Empowerment Scholarship
2070 students.
2071 (b) The state-funded discretionary supplement shall be
2072 recalculated during the fiscal year based on actual full-time
2073 equivalent student membership pursuant to paragraph (1)(a). If
2074 the recalculated amount is greater than the amount provided in
2075 the General Appropriations Act, the allocation shall be prorated
2076 to the level provided to support the appropriation, based on
2077 each school district’s proportionate share of the total
2078 allocation.
2079 (17) ACADEMIC ACCELERATION OPTIONS SUPPLEMENT.—The academic
2080 acceleration options supplement is created to assist school
2081 districts in providing academic acceleration options, career
2082 themed courses, and courses that lead to digital tool
2083 certificates and industry certifications for prekindergarten
2084 through grade 12 students and shall be allocated annually in the
2085 General Appropriations Act.
2086 (a)1. Each school district shall report its total number of
2087 academic acceleration values in a format prescribed by the
2088 Department of Education.
2089 2. The supplement shall be allocated based on each school
2090 district’s proportionate share of the state’s total academic
2091 acceleration values.
2092 3. For purposes of the amount of the supplement
2093 appropriated in the fiscal year 2025-2026 General Appropriations
2094 Act, an adjustment is included which will not be a part of the
2095 supplement when the Florida Education Finance Program is
2096 recalculated pursuant to paragraph (1)(a).
2097 (b)1. A value of 0.16 is assigned to a student enrolled in
2098 an early college program pursuant to s. 1007.273 who completes a
2099 general education core course through the dual enrollment
2100 program with a grade of “A” or better; however, the value is
2101 0.08 if the student is not enrolled in an early college program.
2102 A value of 0.08 shall be assigned to a student who completed a
2103 career course through the dual enrollment program with a grade
2104 of “A” in a pathway that leads to an industry certification that
2105 is included on the CAPE Industry Certification Funding List. A
2106 value of 0.3 shall be assigned to a student who receives an
2107 associate degree through the dual enrollment program with a 3.0
2108 grade point average or better.
2109 2. For the purposes of this paragraph, general education
2110 core courses are those that are identified in rule by the State
2111 Board of Education and in regulation by the Board of Governors
2112 pursuant to s. 1007.25(3).
2113 3. Each school district shall use the funds received from
2114 the supplement for expenses associated with the applicable
2115 courses; however, such funds may not be used by the school
2116 district to supplant the district’s base Florida Education
2117 Finance Program funds provided pursuant to paragraph (1)(n).
2118 (c)1. A value of 0.16 is assigned to a student enrolled in
2119 an Advanced Placement course who receives a score of 3 or higher
2120 on the College Board Advanced Placement examination. A value of
2121 0.3 is assigned to a student who receives an Advanced Placement
2122 Capstone diploma.
2123 2. From the funds received from the supplement, each school
2124 district shall award a $50 bonus to each Advanced Placement
2125 teacher for each student who achieves a score of 3 or higher on
2126 the College Board Advanced Placement examination. Each school
2127 district shall award an additional bonus of $500 to each
2128 Advanced Placement teacher in a school designated with a grade
2129 of “D” or “F” who has at least one student scoring 3 or higher
2130 on the College Board Advanced Placement examination. The school
2131 district shall use the remaining balance of funds for expenses
2132 associated with the Advanced Placement courses to include the
2133 cost for the Advanced Placement examination fee and for teacher
2134 professional learning; however, such funds may not be used to
2135 supplant the school district’s base Florida Education Finance
2136 Program funds provided pursuant to paragraph (1)(n).
2137 (d)1. A value of 0.16 is assigned to a student enrolled in
2138 a full-credit Advanced International Certificate of Education
2139 course and who receives a score of “E” or higher on the Advanced
2140 International Certificate of Education examination. A value of
2141 0.08 is assigned for a student enrolled in a half-credit
2142 Advanced International Certificate of Education course and who
2143 receives a score of “E” or higher on the Advanced International
2144 Certificate of Education examination. A value of 0.3 is assigned
2145 to a student who receives an Advanced International Certificate
2146 of Education diploma.
2147 2.a. From the funds received from the supplement, each
2148 school district shall award a $50 bonus to each Advanced
2149 International Certificate of Education teacher for each student
2150 who receives a score of “E” or higher on the Advanced
2151 International Certificate of Education examination or a $25
2152 bonus to a pre-Advanced International Certificate of Education
2153 teacher if the student received a score of “E” or higher on the
2154 pre-Advanced International Certificate of Education examination.
2155 Each school district shall award an additional bonus in the
2156 amount of $500 to each teacher of an Advanced International
2157 Certificate of Education course in a school designated with a
2158 grade of “D” or “F” which has at least one student scoring an
2159 “E” or higher on the applicable examination. Each school
2160 district shall award an additional bonus in the amount of $250
2161 to each teacher of a pre-Advanced International Certificate of
2162 Education course in a school designated with a grade of “D” or
2163 “F” which has at least one student scoring an “E” or higher on
2164 the applicable examination. A teacher receiving a $500 bonus is
2165 not eligible for the $250 bonus.
2166 b. The school district shall use the remaining funds for
2167 expenses associated with the applicable courses to include any
2168 student program and examination fees; however, such funds may
2169 not be used to supplant the district’s base Florida Education
2170 Finance Program funds provided pursuant to paragraph (1)(n).
2171 (e)1. A value of 0.16 is assigned to a student in an
2172 International Baccalaureate course who receives a score of 4 or
2173 higher on a subject examination or a score of “C” or higher on
2174 the Theory of Knowledge course. A value of 0.3 is assigned to a
2175 student who receives an International Baccalaureate diploma.
2176 2. From the funds received from the supplement, each school
2177 district shall award a $50 bonus to each International
2178 Baccalaureate teacher for each student who achieves a score of 4
2179 or higher on an International Baccalaureate examination or a “C”
2180 or higher in the Theory of Knowledge course. Each school
2181 district shall award an additional bonus of $500 if the
2182 International Baccalaureate teacher is in a school designated
2183 with a grade of “D” or “F” and has at least one student scoring
2184 4 or higher on the International Baccalaureate examination or a
2185 “C” or higher in the Theory of Knowledge course. The school
2186 district shall use the remaining funds for expenses associated
2187 with the applicable courses to include the cost of the
2188 assessment fee for the International Baccalaureate diploma;
2189 however, such funds may not be used to supplant the district’s
2190 base Florida Education Finance Program funds provided pursuant
2191 to paragraph (1)(n).
2192 (f)1. A value of 0.025 is assigned to each student who
2193 earns a CAPE Digital Tool certificate in elementary and middle
2194 school grades. Beginning with the 2025-2026 school year, this
2195 value shall apply only to students in the elementary school
2196 grades. A value of 0.1 is assigned to each student who completes
2197 a career-themed course pursuant to ss. 1003.491–1003.493, or a
2198 course with an embedded CAPE industry certification and is
2199 issued an approved industry certification specifically
2200 identified in the CAPE Industry Certification Funding List as a
2201 CAPE Basic Non-articulated industry certification. A value of
2202 0.2 is assigned to each student who completes a career-themed
2203 course pursuant to ss. 1003.491–1003.493, or a course with an
2204 embedded CAPE industry certification and is issued an approved
2205 industry certification specifically identified in the CAPE
2206 Industry Certification Funding List as a CAPE Basic Articulated
2207 industry certification. A value of 0.3 is assigned to a high
2208 school student who completes at least three courses and an
2209 industry certification in a single career and technical
2210 education program or program of study and who exits with a
2211 standard high school diploma. Each industry certification must
2212 be specifically identified in the CAPE Industry Certification
2213 Funding List as a CAPE Pathways industry certification. A value
2214 of 0.5 is assigned to a high school student who completes CAPE
2215 Acceleration industry certifications that articulate for 15 to
2216 29 college credit hours. A value of 1.0 is assigned to a high
2217 school student who completes CAPE Acceleration industry
2218 certifications that articulate for 30 or more college credit
2219 hours.
2220 2. From the funds received from the supplement, each school
2221 district shall award the following bonuses to teachers who
2222 provided instruction that led to the attainment of the assigned
2223 student value:
2224 a. A bonus of $25 for each student with an assigned value
2225 of 0.1.
2226 b. A bonus of $50 for each student with an assigned value
2227 of 0.2.
2228 c. A bonus of $75 for each student with an assigned value
2229 of 0.3.
2230 d. A bonus of $100 for each student with an assigned value
2231 of 0.5 or 1.0.
2232 3. The school district shall use the remaining funds for
2233 expenses associated with the applicable courses; however, such
2234 funds may not be used to supplant the district’s base Florida
2235 Education Finance Program funds provided pursuant to paragraph
2236 (1)(n).
2237 (g) Bonuses awarded under this subsection shall be in
2238 addition to any regular wage or other bonus the teacher received
2239 or is scheduled to receive. A bonus may not be awarded to a
2240 teacher who fails to maintain the security of any CAPE industry
2241 certification examination or who otherwise violates the security
2242 or administration protocol of any assessment instrument that may
2243 result in a bonus being awarded to the teacher under this
2244 subsection.
2245 (h)1. A value of 0.25 is assigned to each student who
2246 graduates one semester in advance of the student’s cohort and a
2247 value of 0.5 is assigned to each student who graduates 1 year or
2248 more in advance of the student’s cohort pursuant to s.
2249 1003.4281. If the student was enrolled in the district as a
2250 full-time high school student for at least 2 years, the district
2251 must report the student in the subsequent fiscal year. If the
2252 student was enrolled in the district for less than 2 years, the
2253 district of enrollment must report the students and must
2254 transfer a proportionate share of the funds earned for early
2255 graduation to the district in which the student was previously
2256 enrolled.
2257 2. Each school district shall use the funds received from
2258 the supplement for expenses associated with providing students
2259 with early graduation options established pursuant to s.
2260 1003.4281; however, such funds may not be used by the school
2261 district to supplant the district’s base Florida Education
2262 Finance Program funds provided pursuant to paragraph (1)(n).
2263 (i) Beginning September 1, 2026, and each year thereafter,
2264 each school district must report its prior year total
2265 expenditures of its academic acceleration supplement funds to
2266 the Legislature in a format prescribed by the Department of
2267 Education.
2268 Section 18. Section 1011.65, Florida Statutes, is amended
2269 to read:
2270 1011.65 Recalculation of the Florida Education Finance
2271 Program Appropriation Allocation Conference.—Prior to the
2272 distribution of any funds appropriated in the General
2273 Appropriations Act for the K-12 Florida Education Finance
2274 Program formula and for the formula-funded categorical programs,
2275 the Commissioner of Education shall conduct an allocation
2276 conference. Conference principals shall include representatives
2277 of the Department of Education, the Executive Office of the
2278 Governor, and the appropriations committees of the Senate and
2279 the House of Representatives. Conference principals shall
2280 discuss and agree to all conventions, including rounding
2281 conventions, and methods of computation to be used to calculate
2282 Florida Education Finance Program and categorical entitlements
2283 of the districts for the fiscal year for which the
2284 appropriations are made. These conventions and calculation
2285 methods shall remain in effect until further agreements are
2286 reached in subsequent allocation conferences called by the
2287 commissioner for that purpose. The commissioner shall also,
2288 prior to each recalculation of Florida Education Finance
2289 Program, the Department of Education shall and categorical
2290 allocations of the districts, provide to the Legislature and the
2291 Executive Office of the Governor conference principals with all
2292 data necessary for the Legislature and the Executive Office of
2293 the Governor to replicate the department’s recalculation of the
2294 Florida Education Finance Program. The recalculated Florida
2295 Education Finance Program may not be provided to school
2296 districts until the Legislature and the Executive Office of the
2297 Governor provide written notification to the department that the
2298 recalculated Florida Education Finance Program complies with law
2299 those allocations precisely. This data shall include a matrix by
2300 district by program of all full-time equivalent changes made by
2301 the department as part of its administration of state full-time
2302 equivalent caps.
2303 Section 19. (1) No later than July 1, 2028, the Department
2304 of Education shall recommend to the Legislature a Florida Title
2305 I performance incentive program to reward Title I schools that
2306 have demonstrated excellence in student achievement and learning
2307 gains.
2308 (2) Recommendations must include, but are not limited to:
2309 (a) A methodology to determine eligibility based on student
2310 achievement, learning gains, or comparisons to other Title I
2311 schools. The Department must consider:
2312 1. Additional weights for student learning gains.
2313 2. The percentage of economically disadvantaged students at
2314 the school and any other school attributes.
2315 (b) Uses of program funds.
2316 (c) Projection of award amounts and overall program costs
2317 based on the recommended methodology.
2318 Section 20. This act shall take effect July 1, 2025.
2319
2320 ================= T I T L E A M E N D M E N T ================
2321 And the title is amended as follows:
2322 Delete everything before the enacting clause
2323 and insert:
2324 A bill to be entitled
2325 An act relating to prekindergarten through grade 12
2326 education; amending s. 402.22, F.S.; conforming a
2327 cross-reference; amending s. 1001.292, F.S.; requiring
2328 a third-party administrator to transfer a specified
2329 amount of money from a loan fund to the Schools of
2330 Hope program under certain conditions, beginning on a
2331 specified date; amending s. 1002.32, F.S.; conforming
2332 a cross-reference; amending s. 1002.33, F.S.;
2333 conforming cross-references and provisions to changes
2334 made by the act; amending s. 1002.333, F.S.; revising
2335 definitions; revising requirements for the
2336 establishment of a school of hope; requiring that
2337 certain students receive an enrollment preference;
2338 providing that certain requirements apply to a state
2339 university or a Florida College System institution;
2340 authorizing a school of hope to colocate with another
2341 school in a public school facility; requiring a school
2342 district to permit a school of hope to use certain
2343 facilities and receive certain services; providing
2344 that a hope operator must be able to use certain
2345 facilities at no cost; authorizing a school of hope to
2346 receive funds after a specified period of operation if
2347 certain requirements are met; requiring a school of
2348 hope to report specified information to its sponsor;
2349 requiring the Department of Education to annually
2350 provide specified entities with a report; amending s.
2351 1002.37, F.S.; conforming cross-references; amending
2352 s. 1002.411, F.S.; deleting eligibility requirements
2353 for New Worlds Scholarship Accounts; revising parent
2354 and student responsibilities for participation;
2355 deleting school district and private prekindergarten
2356 provider obligations; revising account funding and
2357 payment requirements; amending s. 1002.45, F.S.;
2358 conforming a cross-reference; amending s. 1003.4201,
2359 F.S.; revising components that may be included in a
2360 reading instruction plan; amending s. 1003.4203, F.S.;
2361 requiring that CAPE digital tool certificates be made
2362 available to all public elementary grades students,
2363 but not middle grades students; requiring that
2364 approved industry certifications be identified in the
2365 CAPE Industry Certification Funding List; providing
2366 that certain industry certifications are eligible for
2367 additional funding; conforming provisions to changes
2368 made by the act; amending s. 1003.4935, F.S.; making
2369 conforming changes; amending s. 1003.498, F.S.;
2370 conforming a cross-reference; amending s. 1007.271,
2371 F.S.; conforming a cross-reference; amending s.
2372 1008.44, F.S.; revising requirements for the CAPE
2373 Industry Certification Funding List; amending s.
2374 1010.20, F.S.; conforming cross-references; amending
2375 s. 1011.61, F.S.; deleting the definition of “full
2376 time equivalent student”; providing that certain
2377 calculation methodologies apply to the Florida
2378 Education Finance Program rather than the “current
2379 operation program”; amending s. 1011.62, F.S.;
2380 revising the methodology to determine full-time
2381 equivalent student membership; requiring full-time
2382 equivalent survey data to include unduplicated counts
2383 of school district full-time equivalent students and
2384 full-time equivalent Family Empowerment Scholarship
2385 students; revising methodology for the calculation of
2386 full-time equivalent membership with respect to dual
2387 enrollment instruction; deleting requirements for the
2388 calculation of certain additional full-time equivalent
2389 student memberships; revising requirements for certain
2390 funding determinations; requiring that the
2391 discretionary millage compression supplement be
2392 recalculated based on actual full-time equivalent
2393 student membership; requiring that the state-funded
2394 discretionary contribution be recalculated based on
2395 actual full-time equivalent student membership;
2396 revising requirements for the recalculation of the
2397 educational enrichment allocation; deleting a
2398 requirement for the recalculation of the exceptional
2399 student allocation; requiring that the supplemental
2400 allocation for juvenile justice education programs be
2401 recalculated based on actual full-time equivalent
2402 student membership; requiring that the safe schools
2403 allocation be recalculated based on actual full-time
2404 equivalent student membership; requiring that the
2405 mental health assistance allocation be recalculated
2406 based on actual full-time equivalent student
2407 membership; requiring that the total allocation of
2408 state funds to each district be based on the results
2409 of full-time equivalent membership surveys; providing
2410 that if gross state Florida Education Finance Program
2411 funds are not sufficient, state funds must be prorated
2412 pursuant to a specified methodology; requiring that
2413 the state-funded discretionary supplement be based on
2414 actual full-time equivalent student membership;
2415 creating the Academic Acceleration Options Supplement;
2416 providing the purpose of the supplement; providing for
2417 the determination of the allocation of the supplement;
2418 requiring a school district to award a bonus from the
2419 supplement to certain teachers if specified
2420 requirements are met; providing requirements for the
2421 use of funds from the supplement; amending s. 1011.65,
2422 F.S.; revising requirements for the recalculation of
2423 the Florida Education Finance Program allocations;
2424 authorizing a school district to receive funding for
2425 students who graduate early; requiring the Department
2426 of Education to provide the Legislature and the
2427 Governor with certain data prior to the recalculation;
2428 requiring the Department of Education to recommend to
2429 the Legislature a Florida Title I performance
2430 incentive program by a specified date; requiring that
2431 the recommendations include a methodology to determine
2432 student eligibility; requiring the department to
2433 consider specified factors in its recommendations;
2434 providing an effective date.