Florida Senate - 2026 COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
Bill No. CS for SB 182
Ì756360"Î756360
LEGISLATIVE ACTION
Senate . House
Comm: RCS .
02/26/2026 .
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The Appropriations Committee on Pre-K - 12 Education (Jones)
recommended the following:
1 Senate Amendment (with title amendment)
2
3 Delete everything after the enacting clause
4 and insert:
5 Section 1. Section 1012.988, Florida Statutes, is created
6 to read:
7 1012.988 School Teacher Training and Mentoring Program.—
8 (1) The School Teacher Training and Mentoring Program is
9 established within the Department of Education. The purpose of
10 the program is to increase the effectiveness and involvement of
11 classroom teachers and improve student achievement, classroom
12 management, and excellence in the state’s public schools.
13 (2)(a) School districts and charter schools may place
14 retired classroom teachers or current classroom teachers in
15 schools earning a grade of “D” or “F” to act as teacher mentors
16 to:
17 1. New classroom teachers;
18 2. Classroom teachers who are rated as needs improvement,
19 developing, or unsatisfactory on the prior year’s performance
20 evaluation under s. 1012.34; or
21 3. Classroom teachers identified by the school
22 administrator as struggling with behavior management within the
23 classroom.
24 (b) Each teacher mentor selected by the school district,
25 charter school, or charter management organization must have:
26 1. At least 3 years of teaching experience in
27 prekindergarten through grade 12.
28 2. Earned a highly effective rating on his or her most
29 recent performance evaluation under s. 1012.34.
30 (c) Each teacher mentor may receive a stipend of up to
31 $3,000.
32 (d) Each mentor and mentee relationship through the program
33 shall be for one grading period.
34 (e)1. A retired classroom teacher serving as a teacher
35 mentor may not have more than five mentees at a time.
36 2. A classroom teacher serving as a teacher mentor may not
37 have more than one mentee at a time.
38 (3) The Department of Education shall establish program
39 standards and a standard contract template for the teacher
40 mentor and mentee which outlines the responsibilities of each
41 person and establishes the framework and goals of the program.
42 (4) Each teacher mentor must:
43 (a) Present significant historical events with accuracy and
44 integrity, grounded in verifiable evidence and scholarly rigor.
45 (b) If a curriculum is used, use a curriculum that affirms
46 the principles of fairness and equal opportunity reflected in
47 the Florida Educational Equity Act and encourages respectful
48 dialogue across diverse perspectives.
49 (c) Maintain confidentiality, unless prohibited by law.
50 (d) Not have a personal agenda other than assisting his or
51 her mentee in developing and reaching the mentee’s goals.
52 (e) Help his or her mentee in developing skills and
53 expertise, including drawing upon the teacher mentor’s own
54 personal experiences.
55 (5) The State Board of Education may adopt rules to
56 administer this section.
57 Section 2. Paragraph (a) of subsection (7) of section
58 1011.62, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
59 1011.62 Funds for operation of schools.—If the annual
60 allocation from the Florida Education Finance Program to each
61 district for operation of schools is not determined in the
62 annual appropriations act or the substantive bill implementing
63 the annual appropriations act, it shall be determined as
64 follows:
65 (7) EDUCATIONAL ENRICHMENT ALLOCATION.—
66 (a) The educational enrichment allocation is created to
67 assist school districts in providing educational enrichment
68 activities and services that support and increase the academic
69 achievement of students in grades kindergarten through 12.
70 Educational enrichment activities and services may be provided
71 in a manner and at any time during or beyond the regular 180-day
72 term identified by the school district as being the most
73 effective and efficient way to best help the student progress
74 from grade to grade and graduate from high school. Funds from
75 the educational enrichment allocation may be used for the School
76 Teacher Training and Mentoring Program under s. 1012.988 if
77 funds are available. For fiscal year 2023-2024, the educational
78 enrichment allocation shall consist of a base amount as
79 specified in the General Appropriations Act. Beginning in fiscal
80 year 2024-2025, the educational enrichment allocation shall
81 consist of the base amount that includes a workload adjustment
82 based on changes in the unweighted full-time equivalent
83 membership. Beginning in fiscal year 2025-2026, and each year
84 thereafter, the statewide average base amount as specified in
85 the General Appropriations Act shall be used for any new
86 educational entity funded in the Florida Education Finance
87 Program.
88 Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.
89
90 ================= T I T L E A M E N D M E N T ================
91 And the title is amended as follows:
92 Delete everything before the enacting clause
93 and insert:
94 A bill to be entitled
95 An act relating to the School Teacher Training and
96 Mentoring Program; creating s. 1012.988, F.S.;
97 establishing the School Teacher Training and Mentoring
98 Program within the Department of Education; providing
99 the purpose of the program; authorizing school
100 districts and charter schools to place certain
101 classroom teachers as teacher mentors in specified
102 schools for specified purposes; providing requirements
103 for teacher mentors and mentees; authorizing teacher
104 mentors to receive a stipend; providing the time
105 period for each mentor and mentee relationship through
106 the program; providing limitations on the number of
107 mentees teacher mentors may work with; providing
108 department and teacher mentor responsibilities;
109 authorizing the State Board of Education to adopt
110 rules; amending s. 1011.62, F.S.; authorizing
111 specified funds to be used for the School Teacher
112 Training and Mentoring Program; providing an effective
113 date.