Florida Senate - 2026 SB 630
By Senator Simon
3-00772A-26 2026630__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to administrative efficiency in public
3 schools; amending s. 120.81, F.S.; exempting district
4 school boards from requirements for adopting certain
5 rules; amending s. 1001.23, F.S.; requiring the
6 Department of Education to annually inform district
7 school superintendents by a specified date that they
8 are authorized to petition to receive a specified
9 declaratory statement; requiring the department to
10 annually maintain and provide school districts with a
11 list of certain statutory and rule requirements;
12 specifying requirements for such list; amending s.
13 1001.42, F.S.; deleting a requirement for a district
14 school board to employ an internal auditor in certain
15 circumstances; amending s. 1002.20, F.S.; deleting a
16 requirement that the school financial report be
17 included in the student handbook; requiring the
18 department to produce specified reports relating to
19 school accountability and make them available on the
20 department’s website; requiring each school district
21 to provide a link to such reports; amending s.
22 1002.33, F.S.; conforming a provision relating to a 5
23 year facilities plan; amending s. 1002.451, F.S.;
24 requiring innovation schools of technology to comply
25 with specified provisions relating to instructional
26 multiyear contracts, in addition to annual contracts,
27 for instructional personnel; amending s. 1002.61,
28 F.S.; deleting public schools from a requirement for
29 early learning coalitions to verify compliance with
30 certain law; amending s. 1002.63, F.S.; deleting a
31 requirement for an early learning coalition to verify
32 that certain public schools comply with specified
33 provisions; amending s. 1002.71, F.S.; revising
34 requirements relating to district school board
35 attendance policies for Voluntary Prekindergarten
36 Education Programs; requiring a school district to
37 certify its attendance records for a Voluntary
38 Prekindergarten Education Program; amending s.
39 1006.40, F.S.; revising the timeframe within which
40 certain instructional materials must be purchased;
41 authorizing the State Board of Education to modify the
42 timeframe; amending s. 1008.212, F.S.; providing that
43 certain assessments are not subject to specified
44 requirements; specifying the assessments from which
45 IEP teams are authorized to submit requests for
46 extraordinary exemptions; amending s. 1008.22, F.S.;
47 requiring the Commissioner of Education to notify
48 school districts of the assessment schedule for a
49 specified time interval and to publish such schedule
50 on the department’s website; deleting requirements
51 relating to a uniform calendar that must be published
52 by the commissioner each year; revising an annual
53 timeframe for each school district to establish
54 schedules for the administration of statewide,
55 standardized assessments; requiring each school
56 district to publish certain information regarding such
57 schedules on its website; conforming provisions to
58 changes made by the act; amending s. 1008.25, F.S.;
59 conforming cross-references; amending s. 1008.33,
60 F.S.; prohibiting a school from being required to use
61 a certain parameter as the sole determining factor to
62 recruit instructional personnel; specifying
63 requirements for a rule adopted by the State Board of
64 Education; amending s. 1010.20, F.S.; requiring
65 charter schools to respond to monitoring questions
66 from the department; amending s. 1011.035, F.S.;
67 deleting a requirement that each district school board
68 budget posted on the school board’s website include a
69 graphical representation of specified information;
70 revising website requirements; amending s. 1011.14,
71 F.S.; revising the types of facilities for which
72 district school boards may incur certain financial
73 obligations; amending s. 1011.60, F.S.; revising
74 circumstances under which the State Board of Education
75 may alter the length of school terms for certain
76 school districts; amending s. 1011.6202, F.S.;
77 requiring schools participating in the Principal
78 Autonomy Program Initiative to comply with specified
79 provisions relating to instructional multiyear
80 contracts, in addition to annual contracts, for
81 instructional personnel; amending s. 1011.69, F.S.;
82 deleting a requirement relating to Title I fund
83 allocations to schools; providing a new category of
84 funding school districts are authorized to withhold;
85 revising a category of funding a school district is
86 authorized to withhold; requiring the department to
87 make certain funds available to local education
88 agencies; amending s. 1011.71, F.S.; revising how
89 specified revenue may be expended by a district school
90 board; deleting a penalty for violating specified
91 provisions; amending s. 1012.22, F.S.; specifying
92 requirements for advanced degrees that may be used to
93 set salary schedules for instructional personnel and
94 school administrators hired after a specified date;
95 specifying district school board activities that may
96 not be precluded by collective bargaining; amending s.
97 1012.335, F.S.; defining the term “instructional
98 multiyear contract”; providing requirements for the
99 award of an instructional multiyear contract;
100 requiring that an employee awarded an instructional
101 multiyear contract be returned to an annual contract
102 under certain conditions; specifying district school
103 superintendent authority; making conforming and
104 technical changes; amending s. 1012.39, F.S.; revising
105 an occupational experience qualification requirement
106 for nondegreed teachers of career programs; deleting a
107 training requirement for full-time nondegreed teachers
108 of career programs; amending s. 1012.555, F.S.;
109 revising eligibility requirements for individuals to
110 participate in the Teacher Apprenticeship Program;
111 amending employment requirements for paraprofessionals
112 to serve as an apprentice teacher; conforming a cross
113 reference; amending s. 1012.56, F.S.; specifying
114 individuals who must demonstrate mastery of general
115 knowledge for educator certification; authorizing
116 school districts and consortia of school districts to
117 issue temporary certificates under certain conditions;
118 specifying Education Practices Commission authority;
119 conforming a cross-reference; amending s. 1012.585,
120 F.S.; revising the validity period for professional
121 certificates; providing eligibility requirements for
122 5-year and 10-year professional certificates;
123 establishing requirements for the renewal of a 10-year
124 professional certificate; amending s. 1013.19, F.S.;
125 requiring that proceeds from certain sales or leases
126 of property be used for specified purposes by boards
127 of trustees for Florida College System institutions or
128 state universities; amending s. 1013.35, F.S.;
129 deleting definitions; revising requirements for the
130 contents of such plan; deleting provisions relating to
131 district school boards coordinating with local
132 governments to ensure consistency between school
133 district and local government plans; authorizing,
134 rather than requiring, local governments to review
135 tentative district educational facilities plans;
136 requiring a district school board to submit a revised
137 facilities plan to the department; making conforming
138 changes; amending s. 1013.41, F.S.; revising
139 requirements for an educational facilities plan;
140 revising the duties of the Office of Educational
141 Facilities; amending s. 1013.45, F.S.; specifying that
142 Florida College System institution and state
143 university boards of trustees are required to use an
144 architect for the development of certain plans;
145 deleting district school board requirements for
146 certain construction plans; repealing s. 1013.451,
147 F.S., relating to life-cycle costs comparisons;
148 amending s. 1013.64, F.S.; revising district school
149 board requirements relating to educational plant
150 construction; conforming a provision to changes made
151 by the act; amending ss. 163.3180, 200.065, 1002.68,
152 1003.631, 1004.04, 1004.85, 1012.552, 1012.586,
153 1012.98, and 1013.62, F.S.; conforming cross
154 references and provisions to changes made by the act;
155 providing an effective date.
156
157 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
158
159 Section 1. Paragraph (a) of subsection (1) of section
160 120.81, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
161 120.81 Exceptions and special requirements; general areas.—
162 (1) EDUCATIONAL UNITS.—
163 (a) District school boards are not subject to the
164 requirements for rules in this chapter when making and adopting
165 rules with public input at a public meeting. Notwithstanding s.
166 120.536(1) and the flush left provisions of s. 120.52(8),
167 district school boards may adopt rules to implement their
168 general powers under s. 1001.41.
169 Section 2. Subsections (5) and (6) are added to section
170 1001.23, Florida Statutes, to read:
171 1001.23 Specific powers and duties of the Department of
172 Education.—In addition to all other duties assigned to it by law
173 or by rule of the State Board of Education, the department
174 shall:
175 (5) Annually by August 1, inform district school
176 superintendents that pursuant to s. 120.565, the superintendents
177 may receive a declaratory statement, within 90 days after
178 submitting a petition to receive such statement, regarding the
179 department’s opinion as to the applicability of a statutory or
180 rule provision to a school district as it applies to the
181 district’s particular set of circumstances.
182 (6) Annually maintain and make available to school
183 districts a list of all requirements in statute and rule
184 relating to required actions by district school boards or
185 superintendents. The list must include, but is not limited to,
186 required parent notifications; information that must be posted
187 on the district website; and reporting, filing, and
188 certification requirements.
189 Section 3. Paragraph (l) of subsection (12) of section
190 1001.42, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
191 1001.42 Powers and duties of district school board.—The
192 district school board, acting as a board, shall exercise all
193 powers and perform all duties listed below:
194 (12) FINANCE.—Take steps to assure students adequate
195 educational facilities through the financial procedure
196 authorized in chapters 1010 and 1011 and as prescribed below:
197 (l) Internal auditor.—May or, in the case of a school
198 district receiving annual federal, state, and local funds in
199 excess of $500 million, shall employ an internal auditor. The
200 scope of the internal auditor shall not be restricted and shall
201 include every functional and program area of the school system.
202 1. The internal auditor shall perform ongoing financial
203 verification of the financial records of the school district, a
204 comprehensive risk assessment of all areas of the school system
205 every 5 years, and other audits and reviews as the district
206 school board directs for determining:
207 a. The adequacy of internal controls designed to prevent
208 and detect fraud, waste, and abuse as defined in s. 11.45(1).
209 b. Compliance with applicable laws, rules, contracts, grant
210 agreements, district school board-approved policies, and best
211 practices.
212 c. The efficiency of operations.
213 d. The reliability of financial records and reports.
214 e. The safeguarding of assets.
215 f. Financial solvency.
216 g. Projected revenues and expenditures.
217 h. The rate of change in the general fund balance.
218 2. The internal auditor shall prepare audit reports of his
219 or her findings and report directly to the district school board
220 or its designee.
221 3. Any person responsible for furnishing or producing any
222 book, record, paper, document, data, or sufficient information
223 necessary to conduct a proper audit or examination which the
224 internal auditor is by law authorized to perform is subject to
225 the provisions of s. 11.47(3) and (4).
226 Section 4. Subsection (16) of section 1002.20, Florida
227 Statutes, is amended to read:
228 1002.20 K-12 student and parent rights.—Parents of public
229 school students must receive accurate and timely information
230 regarding their child’s academic progress and must be informed
231 of ways they can help their child to succeed in school. K-12
232 students and their parents are afforded numerous statutory
233 rights including, but not limited to, the following:
234 (16) SCHOOL ACCOUNTABILITY AND SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT RATING
235 REPORTS; FISCAL TRANSPARENCY.—Parents of public school students
236 have the right to an easy-to-read report card about the school’s
237 grade designation or, if applicable under s. 1008.341, the
238 school’s improvement rating, and the school’s accountability
239 report, including the school financial report as required under
240 s. 1010.215. The school financial report must be provided to the
241 parents and indicate the average amount of money expended per
242 student in the school, which must also be included in the
243 student handbook or a similar publication. The department shall
244 produce the reports required under this subsection and make the
245 reports for each school available on the department’s website in
246 a prominent location. Each public school district shall provide
247 a link on its website to such reports for parent access.
248 Section 5. Paragraph (g) of subsection (18) of section
249 1002.33, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
250 1002.33 Charter schools.—
251 (18) FACILITIES.—
252 (g) Each school district shall annually provide to the
253 Department of Education as part of its 5-year work plan the
254 number of existing vacant classrooms in each school that the
255 district does not intend to use or does not project will be
256 needed for educational purposes for the following school year.
257 The department may recommend that a district make such space
258 available to an appropriate charter school.
259 Section 6. Paragraph (a) of subsection (5) of section
260 1002.451, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
261 1002.451 District innovation school of technology program.—
262 (5) EXEMPTION FROM STATUTES.—
263 (a) An innovation school of technology is exempt from
264 chapters 1000-1013. However, an innovation school of technology
265 shall comply with the following provisions of those chapters:
266 1. Laws pertaining to the following:
267 a. Schools of technology, including this section.
268 b. Student assessment program and school grading system.
269 c. Services to students who have disabilities.
270 d. Civil rights, including s. 1000.05, relating to
271 discrimination.
272 e. Student health, safety, and welfare.
273 2. Laws governing the election and compensation of district
274 school board members and election or appointment and
275 compensation of district school superintendents.
276 3. Section 1003.03, governing maximum class size, except
277 that the calculation for compliance pursuant to s. 1003.03 is
278 the average at the school level.
279 4. Sections 1012.22(1)(c) and 1012.27(2), relating to
280 compensation and salary schedules.
281 5. Section 1012.33(5), relating to workforce reductions,
282 for annual contracts for instructional personnel. This
283 subparagraph does not apply to at-will employees.
284 6. Section 1012.335, relating to contracts with
285 instructional personnel hired on or after July 1, 2011, for
286 annual or instructional multiyear contracts for instructional
287 personnel. This subparagraph does not apply to at-will
288 employees.
289 7. Section 1012.34, relating to requirements for
290 performance evaluations of instructional personnel and school
291 administrators.
292 Section 7. Paragraph (a) of subsection (10) of section
293 1002.61, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
294 1002.61 Summer prekindergarten program delivered by public
295 schools and private prekindergarten providers.—
296 (10)(a) Each early learning coalition shall verify that
297 each private prekindergarten provider and public school
298 delivering the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program
299 within the coalition’s county or multicounty region complies
300 with this part.
301 Section 8. Subsection (9) of section 1002.63, Florida
302 Statutes, is amended to read:
303 1002.63 School-year prekindergarten program delivered by
304 public schools.—
305 (9)(a) Each early learning coalition shall verify that each
306 public school delivering the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education
307 Program within the coalition’s service area complies with this
308 part.
309 (b) If a public school fails or refuses to comply with this
310 part or engages in misconduct, the department must shall require
311 that the school district to remove the school from eligibility
312 to deliver the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program and
313 receive state funds under this part for a period of at least 2
314 years but no more than 5 years.
315 Section 9. Paragraph (b) of subsection (6) and subsection
316 (7) of section 1002.71, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
317 1002.71 Funding; financial and attendance reporting.—
318 (6)
319 (b)1. Each private prekindergarten provider’s and district
320 school board’s attendance policy must require the parent of each
321 student in the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program to
322 verify, each month, the student’s attendance on the prior
323 month’s certified student attendance.
324 2. The parent must submit the verification of the student’s
325 attendance to the private prekindergarten provider or public
326 school on forms prescribed by the department. The forms must
327 include, in addition to the verification of the student’s
328 attendance, a certification, in substantially the following
329 form, that the parent continues to choose the private
330 prekindergarten provider or public school in accordance with s.
331 1002.53 and directs that payments for the program be made to the
332 provider or school:
333
334 VERIFICATION OF STUDENT’S ATTENDANCE
335 AND CERTIFICATION OF PARENTAL CHOICE
336
337 I, ...(Name of Parent)..., swear (or affirm) that my child,
338 ...(Name of Student)..., attended the Voluntary Prekindergarten
339 Education Program on the days listed above and certify that I
340 continue to choose ...(Name of Provider or School)... to deliver
341 the program for my child and direct that program funds be paid
342 to the provider or school for my child.
343 ...(Signature of Parent)...
344 ...(Date)...
345
346 3. The private prekindergarten provider or public school
347 must keep each original signed form for at least 2 years. Each
348 private prekindergarten provider must permit the early learning
349 coalition, and each public school must permit the school
350 district, to inspect the original signed forms during normal
351 business hours. The department shall adopt procedures for early
352 learning coalitions and school districts to review the original
353 signed forms against the certified student attendance. The
354 review procedures must shall provide for the use of selective
355 inspection techniques, including, but not limited to, random
356 sampling. Each early learning coalition and the school districts
357 must comply with the review procedures.
358 (7) The department shall require that administrative
359 expenditures be kept to the minimum necessary for efficient and
360 effective administration of the Voluntary Prekindergarten
361 Education Program. Administrative policies and procedures must
362 shall be revised, to the maximum extent practicable, be revised
363 to incorporate the use of automation and electronic submission
364 of forms, including those required for child eligibility and
365 enrollment, provider and class registration, and monthly
366 certification of attendance for payment. A school district may
367 use its automated daily attendance reporting system for the
368 purpose of maintaining and transmitting attendance records to
369 the early learning coalition in a mutually agreed-upon format.
370 Each school district shall certify the correctness of attendance
371 data submitted to the single point of entry system described in
372 paragraph (5)(a) as required by the department. In addition,
373 actions must shall be taken to reduce paperwork, eliminate the
374 duplication of reports, and eliminate other duplicative
375 activities. Each early learning coalition may retain and expend
376 no more than 5.0 percent of the funds paid by the coalition to
377 private prekindergarten providers and public schools under
378 paragraph (5)(b). Funds retained by an early learning coalition
379 under this subsection may be used only for administering the
380 Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program and may not be used
381 for the school readiness program or other programs.
382 Section 10. Subsection (2) of section 1006.40, Florida
383 Statutes, is amended to read:
384 1006.40 Purchase of instructional materials.—
385 (2) Each district school board must purchase current
386 instructional materials to provide each student in kindergarten
387 through grade 12 with a major tool of instruction in core
388 courses of the subject areas of mathematics, language arts,
389 science, social studies, reading, and literature. Such purchase
390 must be made within the first 5 3 years after the effective date
391 of the adoption cycle, subject to state board requirement for an
392 earlier purchase date for a specific subject area, unless a
393 district school board or a consortium of school districts has
394 implemented an instructional materials program pursuant to s.
395 1006.283.
396 Section 11. Subsections (2) and (3) of section 1008.212,
397 Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
398 1008.212 Students with disabilities; extraordinary
399 exemption.—
400 (2) A student with a disability for whom the individual
401 education plan (IEP) team determines is prevented by a
402 circumstance or condition from physically demonstrating the
403 mastery of skills that have been acquired and are measured by
404 the statewide standardized assessment, a statewide standardized
405 end-of-course assessment, or an alternate assessment pursuant to
406 s. 1008.22(3)(d) shall be granted an extraordinary exemption
407 from the administration of the assessment. A learning,
408 emotional, behavioral, or significant cognitive disability, or
409 the receipt of services through the homebound or hospitalized
410 program in accordance with rule 6A-6.03020, Florida
411 Administrative Code, is not, in and of itself, an adequate
412 criterion for the granting of an extraordinary exemption. The
413 first two administrations of the coordinated screening and
414 progress monitoring system under s. 1008.25(9) or any alternate
415 assessments used in lieu of such administrations are not subject
416 to the requirements of this section.
417 (3) The IEP team, which must include the parent, may submit
418 to the district school superintendent a written request for an
419 extraordinary exemption from the end-of-year or end-of-course
420 statewide, standardized assessment at any time during the school
421 year, but not later than 60 days before the current year’s
422 assessment administration for which the request is made. A
423 request must include all of the following:
424 (a) A written description of the student’s disabilities,
425 including a specific description of the student’s impaired
426 sensory, manual, or speaking skills.
427 (b) Written documentation of the most recent evaluation
428 data.
429 (c) Written documentation, if available, of the most recent
430 administration of the statewide standardized assessment, an end
431 of-course assessment, or an alternate assessment.
432 (d) A written description of the condition’s effect on the
433 student’s participation in the statewide standardized
434 assessment, an end-of-course assessment, or an alternate
435 assessment.
436 (e) Written evidence that the student has had the
437 opportunity to learn the skills being tested.
438 (f) Written evidence that the student has been provided
439 appropriate instructional accommodations.
440 (g) Written evidence as to whether the student has had the
441 opportunity to be assessed using the instructional
442 accommodations on the student’s IEP which are allowable in the
443 administration of the statewide standardized assessment, an end
444 of-course assessment, or an alternate assessment in prior
445 assessments.
446 (h) Written evidence of the circumstance or condition as
447 defined in subsection (1).
448 Section 12. Paragraphs (a), (b), and (d) of subsection (7)
449 of section 1008.22, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
450 1008.22 Student assessment program for public schools.—
451 (7) ASSESSMENT SCHEDULES AND REPORTING OF RESULTS.—
452 (a) The Commissioner of Education shall establish schedules
453 for the administration of statewide, standardized assessments
454 and the reporting of student assessment results. The
455 commissioner shall consider the observance of religious and
456 school holidays when developing the schedules. By January 1 of
457 each year, the commissioner shall notify each school district in
458 writing and publish on the department’s website the assessment
459 schedule for, at a minimum, the next 2 school years. The
460 assessment and reporting schedules must provide the earliest
461 possible reporting of student assessment results to the school
462 districts. Assessment results for the statewide, standardized
463 ELA and Mathematics assessments and all statewide, standardized
464 EOC assessments must be made available no later than June 30,
465 except for results for the grade 3 statewide, standardized ELA
466 assessment, which must be made available no later than May 31.
467 Beginning with the 2023-2024 school year, assessment results for
468 the statewide, standardized ELA and Mathematics assessments must
469 be available no later than May 31. School districts shall
470 administer statewide, standardized assessments in accordance
471 with the schedule established by the commissioner.
472 (b) By January of each year, the commissioner shall publish
473 on the department’s website a uniform calendar that includes the
474 assessment and reporting schedules for, at a minimum, the next 2
475 school years. The uniform calendar must be provided to school
476 districts in an electronic format that allows each school
477 district and public school to populate the calendar with, at
478 minimum, the following information for reporting the district
479 assessment schedules under paragraph (d):
480 1. Whether the assessment is a district-required assessment
481 or a state-required assessment.
482 2. The specific date or dates that each assessment will be
483 administered, including administrations of the coordinated
484 screening and progress monitoring system under s. 1008.25(9)(b).
485 3. The time allotted to administer each assessment.
486 4. Whether the assessment is a computer-based assessment or
487 a paper-based assessment.
488 5. The grade level or subject area associated with the
489 assessment.
490 6. The date that the assessment results are expected to be
491 available to teachers and parents.
492 7. The type of assessment, the purpose of the assessment,
493 and the use of the assessment results.
494 8. A glossary of assessment terminology.
495 9. Estimates of average time for administering state
496 required and district-required assessments, by grade level.
497 (c)(d) Each school district shall, by November 1 of each
498 year, establish schedules for the administration of any
499 statewide, standardized assessments and district-required
500 assessments and approve the schedules as an agenda item at a
501 district school board meeting. Each school district shall
502 publish the testing schedules on its website which specify
503 whether an assessment is a state-required or district-required
504 assessment and the grade bands or subject areas associated with
505 the assessments using the uniform calendar, including all
506 information required under paragraph (b), and submit the
507 schedules to the Department of Education by October 1 of each
508 year. Each public school shall publish schedules for statewide,
509 standardized assessments and district-required assessments on
510 its website using the uniform calendar, including all
511 information required under paragraph (b). The school board
512 approved assessment uniform calendar must be included in the
513 parent guide required by s. 1002.23(5).
514 Section 13. Paragraphs (b), (c), and (d) of subsection (9)
515 of section 1008.25, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
516 1008.25 Public school student progression; student support;
517 coordinated screening and progress monitoring; reporting
518 requirements.—
519 (9) COORDINATED SCREENING AND PROGRESS MONITORING SYSTEM.—
520 (b) Beginning with the 2022-2023 school year, private
521 Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program providers and public
522 schools must participate in the coordinated screening and
523 progress monitoring system pursuant to this paragraph.
524 1. For students in the school-year Voluntary
525 Prekindergarten Education Program through grade 2, the
526 coordinated screening and progress monitoring system must be
527 administered at least three times within a school year, with the
528 first administration occurring no later than the first 30
529 instructional days after a student’s enrollment or the start of
530 the school year, the second administration occurring midyear,
531 and the third administration occurring within the last 30 days
532 of the school year pursuant to state board rule. The state board
533 may adopt alternate timeframes to address nontraditional school
534 year calendars to ensure the coordinated screening and progress
535 monitoring program is administered a minimum of three times
536 within a year.
537 2. For students in the summer prekindergarten program, the
538 coordinated screening and progress monitoring system must be
539 administered two times, with the first administration occurring
540 no later than the first 10 instructional days after a student’s
541 enrollment or the start of the summer prekindergarten program,
542 and the final administration occurring within the last 10 days
543 of the summer prekindergarten program pursuant to state board
544 rule.
545 3. For grades 3 through 10 English Language Arts and grades
546 3 through 8 Mathematics, the coordinated screening and progress
547 monitoring system must be administered at the beginning, middle,
548 and end of the school year pursuant to state board rule. The
549 end-of-year administration of the coordinated screening and
550 progress monitoring system must be a comprehensive progress
551 monitoring assessment administered in accordance with the
552 scheduling requirements under s. 1008.22(7)(b) s. 1008.22(7)(c).
553 (c) To facilitate timely interventions and supports
554 pursuant to subsection (4), the system must provide results from
555 the first two administrations of the progress monitoring to a
556 student’s teacher or prekindergarten instructor within 1 week
557 and to the student’s parent within 2 weeks after the
558 administration of the progress monitoring. Delivery of results
559 from the comprehensive, end-of-year progress monitoring ELA
560 assessment for grades 3 through 10 and Mathematics assessment
561 for grades 3 through 8 must be in accordance with s.
562 1008.22(7)(g) s. 1008.22(7)(h).
563 1. A student’s results from the coordinated screening and
564 progress monitoring system must be recorded in a written, easy
565 to-comprehend individual student report. Each school district
566 shall provide a parent secure access to his or her child’s
567 individual student reports through a web-based portal as part of
568 its student information system. Each early learning coalition
569 shall provide parents the individual student report in a format
570 determined by state board rule.
571 2. In addition to the information under subparagraph (a)5.,
572 the report must also include parent resources that explain the
573 purpose of progress monitoring, assist the parent in
574 interpreting progress monitoring results, and support informed
575 parent involvement. Parent resources may include personalized
576 video formats.
577 3. The department shall annually update school districts
578 and early learning coalitions on new system features and
579 functionality and collaboratively identify with school districts
580 and early learning coalitions strategies for meaningfully
581 reporting to parents results from the coordinated screening and
582 progress monitoring system. The department shall develop ways to
583 increase the utilization, by instructional staff and parents, of
584 student assessment data and resources.
585 4. An individual student report must be provided in a
586 printed format upon a parent’s request.
587 (d) Screening and progress monitoring system results,
588 including the number of students who demonstrate characteristics
589 of dyslexia and dyscalculia, shall be reported to the department
590 pursuant to state board rule and maintained in the department’s
591 Education Data Warehouse. Results must be provided to a
592 student’s teacher and parent in a timely manner as required in
593 s. 1008.22(7)(f) s. 1008.22(7)(g).
594 Section 14. Paragraph (c) of subsection (3) and subsection
595 (5) of section 1008.33, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
596 1008.33 Authority to enforce public school improvement.—
597 (3)
598 (c) The state board shall adopt by rule a differentiated
599 matrix of intervention and support strategies for assisting
600 traditional public schools identified under this section and
601 rules for implementing s. 1002.33(9)(n), relating to charter
602 schools. The intervention and support strategies must address
603 student performance and may include improvement planning;
604 leadership quality improvement; educator quality improvement;
605 professional learning; curriculum review, pacing, and alignment
606 across grade levels to improve background knowledge in social
607 studies, science, and the arts; and the use of continuous
608 improvement and monitoring plans and processes. In addition, the
609 state board may prescribe reporting requirements to review and
610 monitor the progress of the schools. The rule must define the
611 intervention and support strategies for school improvement for
612 schools earning a grade of “D” or “F” and the roles for the
613 district and department. A school may not be required to use the
614 measure of student learning growth in s. 1012.34(7) as the sole
615 determinant to recruit instructional personnel. The rule must
616 create a timeline for a school district’s school improvement
617 plan or district-managed turnaround plan to be approved and for
618 the school improvement funds under Title I to be released to the
619 school district. The timeline established in rule for the
620 release of school improvement funding under Title I may not
621 exceed 20 calendar days after the approval of the school
622 improvement plan or district-managed turnaround plan.
623 (5) The state board shall adopt rules pursuant to ss.
624 120.536(1) and 120.54 to administer this section. The rules
625 shall include timelines for submission of implementation plans,
626 approval criteria for implementation plans, timelines for
627 releasing Title I funding, timelines for implementing
628 intervention and support strategies, a standard charter school
629 turnaround contract, a standard facility lease, and a mutual
630 management agreement. The state board shall consult with
631 education stakeholders in developing the rules.
632 Section 15. Paragraph (e) is added to subsection (2) of
633 section 1010.20, Florida Statutes, to read:
634 1010.20 Cost accounting and reporting for school
635 districts.—
636 (2) COST REPORTING.—
637 (e) Each charter school shall receive and respond to
638 monitoring questions from the department.
639 Section 16. Subsections (2) and (4) of section 1011.035,
640 Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
641 1011.035 School district fiscal transparency.—
642 (2) Each district school board shall post on its website:
643 (a) A plain language version of each proposed, tentative,
644 and official budget which describes each budget item in terms
645 that are easily understandable to the public and includes:
646 (a) Graphical representations, for each public school
647 within the district and for the school district, of the
648 following:
649 1. Summary financial efficiency data.
650 2. Fiscal trend information for the previous 3 years on:
651 a. The ratio of full-time equivalent students to full-time
652 equivalent instructional personnel.
653 b. The ratio of full-time equivalent students to full-time
654 equivalent administrative personnel.
655 c. The total operating expenditures per full-time
656 equivalent student.
657 d. The total instructional expenditures per full-time
658 equivalent student.
659 e. The general administrative expenditures as a percentage
660 of total budget.
661 f. The rate of change in the general fund’s ending fund
662 balance not classified as restricted.
663 (b) A link to the web-based fiscal transparency tool
664 developed by the department pursuant to s. 1010.20 to enable
665 taxpayers to evaluate the financial efficiency of the school
666 district and compare the financial efficiency of the school
667 district with other similarly situated school districts.
668
669 This information must be prominently posted on the school
670 district’s website in a manner that is readily accessible to the
671 public.
672 (4) The website should contain links to:
673 (a) Help explain or provide background information on
674 various budget items that are required by state or federal law.
675 (b) Allow users to navigate to related sites to view
676 supporting details.
677 (c) enable taxpayers, parents, and education advocates to
678 send e-mails asking questions about the budget and enable others
679 to view the questions and responses.
680 Section 17. Subsection (1) of section 1011.14, Florida
681 Statutes, is amended to read:
682 1011.14 Obligations for a period of 1 year.—District school
683 boards are authorized only under the following conditions to
684 create obligations by way of anticipation of budgeted revenues
685 accruing on a current basis without pledging the credit of the
686 district or requiring future levy of taxes for certain purposes
687 for a period of 1 year; however, such obligations may be
688 extended from year to year with the consent of the lender for a
689 period not to exceed 4 years, or for a total of 5 years
690 including the initial year of the loan:
691 (1) PURPOSES.—The purposes for which such obligations may
692 be incurred within the intent of this section shall include only
693 the purchase of school buses, land, and equipment for
694 educational purposes; the erection of, alteration to, or
695 addition to educational plants, ancillary plants, and auxiliary
696 facilities; and the adjustment of insurance on educational
697 property on a 5-year plan, as provided by rules of the State
698 Board of Education.
699 Section 18. Subsection (2) of section 1011.60, Florida
700 Statutes, is amended to read:
701 1011.60 Minimum requirements of the Florida Education
702 Finance Program.—Each district which participates in the state
703 appropriations for the Florida Education Finance Program shall
704 provide evidence of its effort to maintain an adequate school
705 program throughout the district and shall meet at least the
706 following requirements:
707 (2) MINIMUM TERM.—Operate all schools for a term of 180
708 actual teaching days or the equivalent on an hourly basis as
709 specified by rules of the State Board of Education each school
710 year. The State Board of Education may prescribe procedures for
711 altering, and, upon written application, may alter, this
712 requirement during a national, state, or local emergency as it
713 may apply to an individual school or schools in any district or
714 districts if the district school board certifies to the
715 Commissioner of Education that, in the opinion of the board, it
716 is not necessary feasible to make up lost days or hours, and the
717 apportionment may, at the discretion of the Commissioner of
718 Education and if the board determines that the reduction of
719 school days or hours is caused by the existence of a bona fide
720 emergency, be reduced for such district or districts in
721 proportion to the decrease in the length of term in any such
722 school or schools. A strike, as defined in s. 447.203(6), by
723 employees of the school district may not be considered an
724 emergency.
725 Section 19. Paragraph (b) of subsection (3) of section
726 1011.6202, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
727 1011.6202 Principal Autonomy Program Initiative.—The
728 Principal Autonomy Program Initiative is created within the
729 Department of Education. The purpose of the program is to
730 provide a highly effective principal of a participating school
731 with increased autonomy and authority to operate his or her
732 school, as well as other schools, in a way that produces
733 significant improvements in student achievement and school
734 management while complying with constitutional requirements. The
735 State Board of Education may, upon approval of a principal
736 autonomy proposal, enter into a performance contract with the
737 district school board for participation in the program.
738 (3) EXEMPTION FROM LAWS.—
739 (b) A participating school or a school operated by a
740 principal pursuant to subsection (5) shall comply with the
741 provisions of chapters 1000-1013, and rules of the state board
742 that implement those provisions, pertaining to the following:
743 1. Those laws relating to the election and compensation of
744 district school board members, the election or appointment and
745 compensation of district school superintendents, public meetings
746 and public records requirements, financial disclosure, and
747 conflicts of interest.
748 2. Those laws relating to the student assessment program
749 and school grading system, including chapter 1008.
750 3. Those laws relating to the provision of services to
751 students with disabilities.
752 4. Those laws relating to civil rights, including s.
753 1000.05, relating to discrimination.
754 5. Those laws relating to student health, safety, and
755 welfare.
756 6. Section 1001.42(4)(f), relating to the uniform opening
757 date for public schools.
758 7. Section 1003.03, governing maximum class size, except
759 that the calculation for compliance pursuant to s. 1003.03 is
760 the average at the school level for a participating school.
761 8. Sections 1012.22(1)(c) and 1012.27(2), relating to
762 compensation and salary schedules.
763 9. Section 1012.33(5), relating to workforce reductions for
764 annual contracts for instructional personnel. This subparagraph
765 does not apply to at-will employees.
766 10. Section 1012.335, relating to annual or instructional
767 multiyear contracts for instructional personnel hired on or
768 after July 1, 2011. This subparagraph does not apply to at-will
769 employees.
770 11. Section 1012.34, relating to personnel evaluation
771 procedures and criteria.
772 12. Those laws pertaining to educational facilities,
773 including chapter 1013, except that s. 1013.20, relating to
774 covered walkways for relocatables, is eligible for exemption.
775 13. Those laws pertaining to participating school
776 districts, including this section and ss. 1011.69(2) and
777 1012.28(8).
778 Section 20. Subsection (4) of section 1011.69, Florida
779 Statutes, is amended, and subsection (5) is added to that
780 section, to read:
781 1011.69 Equity in School-Level Funding Act.—
782 (4) After providing Title I, Part A, Basic funds to schools
783 above the 75 percent poverty threshold, which may include high
784 schools above the 50 percent threshold as permitted by federal
785 law, school districts shall provide any remaining Title I, Part
786 A, Basic funds directly to all eligible schools as provided in
787 this subsection. For purposes of this subsection, an eligible
788 school is a school that is eligible to receive Title I funds,
789 including a charter school. The threshold for identifying
790 eligible schools may not exceed the threshold established by a
791 school district for the 2016-2017 school year or the statewide
792 percentage of economically disadvantaged students, as determined
793 annually.
794 (a) Prior to the allocation of Title I funds to eligible
795 schools, a school district may withhold funds only as follows:
796 1. One percent for parent involvement, in addition to the
797 one percent the district must reserve under federal law for
798 allocations to eligible schools for parent involvement;
799 2. A necessary and reasonable amount for administration
800 which includes the district’s indirect cost rate, not to exceed
801 a total of 10 percent;
802 3. A reasonable and necessary amount to provide:
803 a. Homeless programs;
804 b. Delinquent and neglected programs;
805 c. Prekindergarten programs and activities;
806 d. Private school equitable services; and
807 e. Transportation for foster care children to their school
808 of origin or choice programs;
809 4. Up to 5 percent to provide financial incentives and
810 rewards to teachers who serve students in eligible schools,
811 including charter schools, identified for comprehensive support
812 and improvement activities or targeted support and improvement
813 activities, for the purpose of attracting and retaining
814 qualified and effective teachers, including teachers of any
815 subject or grade level for whom a measurement under s.
816 1012.34(7) or a state-approved Alternative Student Growth Model
817 is unavailable; and
818 5.4. A necessary and reasonable amount, not to exceed 1
819 percent, for eligible schools, including charter schools, to
820 provide educational services in accordance with the approved
821 Title I plan. Such educational services may include the
822 provision of STEM curricula, instructional materials, and
823 related learning technologies that support academic achievement
824 in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics in Title I
825 schools, including, but not limited to, technologies related to
826 drones, coding, animation, artificial intelligence,
827 cybersecurity, data science, the engineering design process,
828 mobile development, and robotics. Funds may be reserved under
829 this subparagraph only to the extent that all required
830 reservations under federal law have been met and that such
831 reservation does not reduce school-level allocations below the
832 levels required under federal law.
833 (b) All remaining Title I funds shall be distributed to all
834 eligible schools in accordance with federal law and regulation.
835 An eligible school may use funds under this subsection to
836 participate in discretionary educational services provided by
837 the school district. Any funds provided by an eligible school to
838 participate in discretionary educational services provided by
839 the school district are not subject to the requirements of this
840 subsection.
841 (c) Any funds carried forward by the school district are
842 not subject to the requirements of this subsection.
843 (5) The Department of Education shall make funds from Title
844 I, Title II, and Title III programs available to local education
845 agencies for the full period of availability provided in federal
846 law.
847 Section 21. Subsections (2) through (6) of section 1011.71,
848 Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
849 1011.71 District school tax.—
850 (2) In addition to the maximum millage levy as provided in
851 subsection (1), each school board may levy not more than 1.5
852 mills against the taxable value for school purposes for charter
853 schools pursuant to s. 1013.62(1) and (3) and for district
854 schools for operational or capital purposes. to fund:
855 (a) New construction, remodeling projects, sites and site
856 improvement or expansion to new sites, existing sites, auxiliary
857 facilities, athletic facilities, or ancillary facilities.
858 (b) Maintenance, renovation, and repair of existing school
859 plants or of leased facilities to correct deficiencies pursuant
860 to s. 1013.15(2).
861 (c) The purchase, lease-purchase, or lease of school buses.
862 (d) The purchase, lease-purchase, or lease of new and
863 replacement equipment; computer and device hardware and
864 operating system software necessary for gaining access to or
865 enhancing the use of electronic and digital instructional
866 content and resources; and enterprise resource software
867 applications that are classified as capital assets in accordance
868 with definitions of the Governmental Accounting Standards Board,
869 have a useful life of at least 5 years, and are used to support
870 districtwide administration or state-mandated reporting
871 requirements. Enterprise resource software may be acquired by
872 annual license fees, maintenance fees, or lease agreements.
873 (e) Payments for educational facilities and sites due under
874 a lease-purchase agreement entered into by a district school
875 board pursuant to s. 1003.02(1)(f) or s. 1013.15(2), not
876 exceeding, in the aggregate, an amount equal to three-fourths of
877 the proceeds from the millage levied by a district school board
878 pursuant to this subsection. The three-fourths limit is waived
879 for lease-purchase agreements entered into before June 30, 2009,
880 by a district school board pursuant to this paragraph. If
881 payments under lease-purchase agreements in the aggregate,
882 including lease-purchase agreements entered into before June 30,
883 2009, exceed three-fourths of the proceeds from the millage
884 levied pursuant to this subsection, the district school board
885 may not withhold the administrative fees authorized by s.
886 1002.33(20) from any charter school operating in the school
887 district.
888 (f) Payment of loans approved pursuant to ss. 1011.14 and
889 1011.15.
890 (g) Payment of costs directly related to complying with
891 state and federal environmental statutes, rules, and regulations
892 governing school facilities.
893 (h) Payment of costs of leasing relocatable educational
894 facilities, of renting or leasing educational facilities and
895 sites pursuant to s. 1013.15(2), or of renting or leasing
896 buildings or space within existing buildings pursuant to s.
897 1013.15(4).
898 (i) Payment of the cost of school buses when a school
899 district contracts with a private entity to provide student
900 transportation services if the district meets the requirements
901 of this paragraph.
902 1. The district’s contract must require that the private
903 entity purchase, lease-purchase, or lease, and operate and
904 maintain, one or more school buses of a specific type and size
905 that meet the requirements of s. 1006.25.
906 2. Each such school bus must be used for the daily
907 transportation of public school students in the manner required
908 by the school district.
909 3. Annual payment for each such school bus may not exceed
910 10 percent of the purchase price of the state pool bid.
911 4. The proposed expenditure of the funds for this purpose
912 must have been included in the district school board’s notice of
913 proposed tax for school capital outlay as provided in s.
914 200.065(10).
915 (j) Payment of the cost of the opening day collection for
916 the library media center of a new school.
917 (k) Payment of salaries and benefits for employees whose
918 job duties support activities funded by this subsection.
919 (3) Notwithstanding subsection (2), if the revenue from 1.5
920 mills is insufficient to meet the payments due under a lease
921 purchase agreement entered into before June 30, 2009, by a
922 district school board pursuant to paragraph (2)(e), or to meet
923 other critical district fixed capital outlay needs, the board,
924 in addition to the 1.5 mills, may levy up to 0.25 mills for
925 fixed capital outlay in lieu of levying an equivalent amount of
926 the discretionary mills for operations as provided in the
927 General Appropriations Act. Millage levied pursuant to this
928 subsection is subject to the provisions of s. 200.065 and,
929 combined with the 1.5 mills authorized in subsection (2), may
930 not exceed 1.75 mills. If the district chooses to use up to 0.25
931 mills for fixed capital outlay, the compression adjustment
932 pursuant to s. 1011.62(5) shall be calculated for the standard
933 discretionary millage that is not eligible for transfer to
934 capital outlay.
935 (4) If the revenue from the millage authorized in
936 subsection (2) is insufficient to make payments due under a
937 lease-purchase agreement entered into prior to June 30, 2008, by
938 a district school board pursuant to paragraph (2)(e), an amount
939 up to 0.5 mills of the taxable value for school purposes within
940 the school district shall be legally available for such
941 payments, notwithstanding other restrictions on the use of such
942 revenues imposed by law.
943 (5) A school district may expend, subject to s. 200.065, up
944 to $200 per unweighted full-time equivalent student from the
945 revenue generated by the millage levy authorized by subsection
946 (2) to fund, in addition to expenditures authorized in
947 paragraphs (2)(a)-(j), expenses for the following:
948 (a) The purchase, lease-purchase, or lease of driver’s
949 education vehicles; motor vehicles used for the maintenance or
950 operation of plants and equipment; security vehicles; or
951 vehicles used in storing or distributing materials and
952 equipment.
953 (b) Payment of the cost of premiums, as defined in s.
954 627.403, for property and casualty insurance necessary to insure
955 school district educational and ancillary plants. As used in
956 this paragraph, casualty insurance has the same meaning as in s.
957 624.605(1)(b), (d), (f), (g), (h), and (m). Operating revenues
958 that are made available through the payment of property and
959 casualty insurance premiums from revenues generated under this
960 subsection may be expended only for nonrecurring operational
961 expenditures of the school district.
962 (6) Violations of the expenditure provisions in subsection
963 (2) or subsection (5) shall result in an equal dollar reduction
964 in the Florida Education Finance Program (FEFP) funds for the
965 violating district in the fiscal year following the audit
966 citation.
967 Section 22. Paragraph (c) of subsection (1) and paragraph
968 (a) of subsection (3) of section 1012.22, Florida Statutes, are
969 amended to read:
970 1012.22 Public school personnel; powers and duties of the
971 district school board.—The district school board shall:
972 (1) Designate positions to be filled, prescribe
973 qualifications for those positions, and provide for the
974 appointment, compensation, promotion, suspension, and dismissal
975 of employees as follows, subject to the requirements of this
976 chapter:
977 (c) Compensation and salary schedules.—
978 1. Definitions.—As used in this paragraph:
979 a. “Adjustment” means an addition to the base salary
980 schedule that is not a bonus and becomes part of the employee’s
981 permanent base salary and shall be considered compensation under
982 s. 121.021(22).
983 b. “Grandfathered salary schedule” means the salary
984 schedule or schedules adopted by a district school board before
985 July 1, 2014, pursuant to subparagraph 4.
986 c. “Instructional personnel” means instructional personnel
987 as defined in s. 1012.01(2)(a)-(d), excluding substitute
988 teachers.
989 d. “Performance salary schedule” means the salary schedule
990 or schedules adopted by a district school board pursuant to
991 subparagraph 5.
992 e. “Salary schedule” means the schedule or schedules used
993 to provide the base salary for district school board personnel.
994 f. “School administrator” means a school administrator as
995 defined in s. 1012.01(3)(c).
996 g. “Supplement” means an annual addition to the base salary
997 for the term of the negotiated supplement as long as the
998 employee continues his or her employment for the purpose of the
999 supplement. A supplement does not become part of the employee’s
1000 continuing base salary but shall be considered compensation
1001 under s. 121.021(22).
1002 2. Cost-of-living adjustment.—A district school board may
1003 provide a cost-of-living salary adjustment if the adjustment:
1004 a. Does not discriminate among comparable classes of
1005 employees based upon the salary schedule under which they are
1006 compensated.
1007 b. Does not exceed 50 percent of the annual adjustment
1008 provided to instructional personnel rated as effective.
1009 3. Advanced degrees.—A district school board may use
1010 advanced degrees in setting a salary schedule for instructional
1011 personnel or school administrators if the advanced degree is
1012 held in the individual’s area of certification, a field related
1013 to his or her teaching assignment, or a related field of study.
1014 For the purposes of the salary schedule, an advanced degree may
1015 include a master’s degree or higher in the area of certification
1016 or teaching assignment, or an advanced degree in another field
1017 with a minimum of 18 graduate semester hours related to the area
1018 of certification or teaching assignment.
1019 4. Grandfathered salary schedule.—
1020 a. The district school board shall adopt a salary schedule
1021 or salary schedules to be used as the basis for paying all
1022 school employees hired before July 1, 2014. Instructional
1023 personnel on annual contract as of July 1, 2014, shall be placed
1024 on the performance salary schedule adopted under subparagraph 4.
1025 5. Instructional personnel on continuing contract or
1026 professional service contract may opt into the performance
1027 salary schedule if the employee relinquishes such contract and
1028 agrees to be employed on an annual contract under s. 1012.335.
1029 Such an employee shall be placed on the performance salary
1030 schedule and may not return to continuing contract or
1031 professional service contract status. Any employee who opts into
1032 the performance salary schedule may not return to the
1033 grandfathered salary schedule.
1034 b. In determining the grandfathered salary schedule for
1035 instructional personnel, a district school board must base a
1036 portion of each employee’s compensation upon performance
1037 demonstrated under s. 1012.34 and shall provide differentiated
1038 pay for both instructional personnel and school administrators
1039 based upon district-determined factors, including, but not
1040 limited to, additional responsibilities, school demographics,
1041 high-demand teacher needs areas, and level of job performance
1042 difficulties.
1043 5. Performance salary schedule.—By July 1, 2014, the
1044 district school board shall adopt a performance salary schedule
1045 that provides annual salary adjustments for instructional
1046 personnel and school administrators based upon performance
1047 determined under s. 1012.34. Employees hired on or after July 1,
1048 2014, or employees who choose to move from the grandfathered
1049 salary schedule to the performance salary schedule shall be
1050 compensated pursuant to the performance salary schedule once
1051 they have received the appropriate performance evaluation for
1052 this purpose.
1053 a. Base salary.—The base salary shall be established as
1054 follows:
1055 (I) The base salary for instructional personnel or school
1056 administrators who opt into the performance salary schedule
1057 shall be the salary paid in the prior year, including
1058 adjustments only.
1059 (II) Instructional personnel or school administrators new
1060 to the district, returning to the district after a break in
1061 service without an authorized leave of absence, or appointed for
1062 the first time to a position in the district in the capacity of
1063 instructional personnel or school administrator shall be placed
1064 on the performance salary schedule.
1065 b. Salary adjustments.—Salary adjustments for highly
1066 effective or effective performance shall be established as
1067 follows:
1068 (I) The annual salary adjustment under the performance
1069 salary schedule for an employee rated as highly effective must
1070 be at least 25 percent greater than the highest annual salary
1071 adjustment available to an employee of the same classification
1072 through any other salary schedule adopted by the district.
1073 (II) The annual salary adjustment under the performance
1074 salary schedule for an employee rated as effective must be equal
1075 to at least 50 percent and no more than 75 percent of the annual
1076 adjustment provided for a highly effective employee of the same
1077 classification.
1078 (III) A salary schedule may shall not provide an annual
1079 salary adjustment for an employee who receives a rating other
1080 than highly effective or effective for the year.
1081 c. Salary supplements.—In addition to the salary
1082 adjustments, each district school board shall provide for salary
1083 supplements for activities that must include, but are not
1084 limited to:
1085 (I) Assignment to a Title I eligible school.
1086 (II) Assignment to a school that earned a grade of “F” or
1087 three consecutive grades of “D” pursuant to s. 1008.34 such that
1088 the supplement remains in force for at least 1 year following
1089 improved performance in that school.
1090 (III) Certification and teaching in high-demand teacher
1091 needs areas. Statewide high-demand teacher needs areas shall be
1092 identified by the State Board of Education under s. 1012.07.
1093 However, the district school board may identify other areas of
1094 high-demand needs within the school district for purposes of
1095 this sub-sub-subparagraph and may remove areas identified by the
1096 state board which do not apply within the school district.
1097 (IV) Assignment of additional academic responsibilities.
1098
1099 If budget constraints in any given year limit a district school
1100 board’s ability to fully fund all adopted salary schedules, the
1101 performance salary schedule may shall not be reduced on the
1102 basis of total cost or the value of individual awards in a
1103 manner that is proportionally greater than reductions to any
1104 other salary schedules adopted by the district. Any compensation
1105 for longevity of service awarded to instructional personnel who
1106 are on any other salary schedule must be included in calculating
1107 the salary adjustments required by sub-subparagraph b.
1108 (3)(a) Collective bargaining.—Notwithstanding provisions of
1109 chapter 447 related to district school board collective
1110 bargaining, collective bargaining may not preclude a district
1111 school board from carrying out its constitutional and statutory
1112 duties related to the following:
1113 1. Providing incentives to effective and highly effective
1114 teachers.
1115 2. Implementing intervention and support strategies under
1116 s. 1008.33 to address the causes of low student performance and
1117 improve student academic performance and attendance.
1118 3. Implementing student discipline provisions required by
1119 law, including a review of a student’s abilities, past
1120 performance, behavior, and needs.
1121 4. Implementing school safety plans and requirements.
1122 5. Implementing staff and student recognition programs.
1123 6. Distributing correspondence to parents, teachers, and
1124 community members related to the daily operation of schools and
1125 the district.
1126 7. Providing any required notice or copies of information
1127 related to the district school board or district operations
1128 which is readily available on the school district’s website.
1129 8. The school district’s calendar.
1130 9. Providing salary supplements pursuant to sub-sub
1131 subparagraph (1)(c)5.c.(III).
1132 Section 23. Present paragraphs (b) and (c) of subsection
1133 (1) of section 1012.335, Florida Statutes, are redesignated as
1134 paragraphs (c) and (d), respectively, a new paragraph (b) is
1135 added to that subsection, paragraphs (d), (e), and (f) are added
1136 to subsection (2) of that section, and subsections (3) and (4)
1137 of that section are amended, to read:
1138 1012.335 Contracts with instructional personnel hired on or
1139 after July 1, 2011.—
1140 (1) DEFINITIONS.—As used in this section, the term:
1141 (b) “Instructional multiyear contract,” beginning July 1,
1142 2026, means an employment contract for a period not to exceed 3
1143 years which the district school board may choose to award to
1144 instructional personnel upon completion of a probationary
1145 contract and at least one annual contract.
1146 (2) EMPLOYMENT.—
1147 (d) An instructional multiyear contract may be awarded,
1148 beginning July 1, 2026, only if the employee:
1149 1. Holds an active professional certificate issued pursuant
1150 to s. 1012.56 and rules of the State Board of Education;
1151 2. Has been recommended by the district school
1152 superintendent for the instructional multiyear contract based
1153 upon the individual’s evaluation under s. 1012.34 and approved
1154 by the district school board; and
1155 3. Has not received an annual performance evaluation rating
1156 of unsatisfactory or needs improvement in the past 3 years under
1157 s. 1012.34.
1158 (e) An employee awarded an instructional multiyear contract
1159 who receives an annual performance evaluation rating of
1160 unsatisfactory or needs improvement under s. 1012.34 must be
1161 returned to an annual contract in the following school year.
1162 Such evaluation rating must be included with the evaluation
1163 ratings under subsequent annual contracts for determinations of
1164 just cause under s. 1012.33.
1165 (f) The award of an instructional multiyear contract does
1166 not remove the authority of the district school superintendent
1167 to reassign a teacher during the term of the contract.
1168 (3) VIOLATION OF ANNUAL OR INSTRUCTIONAL MULTIYEAR
1169 CONTRACT.—Instructional personnel who accept a written offer
1170 from the district school board and who leave their positions
1171 without prior release from the district school board are subject
1172 to the jurisdiction of the Education Practices Commission.
1173 (4) SUSPENSION OR DISMISSAL OF INSTRUCTIONAL PERSONNEL ON
1174 ANNUAL OR INSTRUCTIONAL MULTIYEAR CONTRACT.—Any instructional
1175 personnel with an annual or instructional multiyear contract may
1176 be suspended or dismissed at any time during the term of the
1177 contract for just cause as provided in subsection (5). The
1178 district school board shall notify the employee in writing
1179 whenever charges are made and may suspend such person without
1180 pay. However, if the charges are not sustained, the employee
1181 must shall be immediately reinstated and his or her back pay
1182 must shall be paid. If the employee wishes to contest the
1183 charges, he or she must, within 15 days after receipt of the
1184 written notice, submit a written request for a hearing to the
1185 district school board. A direct hearing must shall be conducted
1186 by the district school board or a subcommittee thereof within 60
1187 days after receipt of the written appeal. The hearing must shall
1188 be conducted in accordance with ss. 120.569 and 120.57. A
1189 majority vote of the membership of the district school board
1190 shall be required to sustain the district school
1191 superintendent’s recommendation. The district school board’s
1192 determination is final as to the sufficiency or insufficiency of
1193 the grounds for suspension without pay or dismissal. Any such
1194 decision adverse to the employee may be appealed by the employee
1195 pursuant to s. 120.68.
1196 Section 24. Paragraph (c) of subsection (1) of section
1197 1012.39, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
1198 1012.39 Employment of substitute teachers, teachers of
1199 adult education, nondegreed teachers of career education, and
1200 career specialists and nondegreed teachers of fine and
1201 performing arts; students performing clinical field experience.—
1202 (1) Notwithstanding ss. 1012.32, 1012.55, 1012.56, and
1203 1012.57, or any other provision of law or rule to the contrary,
1204 each district school board shall establish the minimal
1205 qualifications for:
1206 (c) Part-time and full-time nondegreed teachers of career
1207 programs. Qualifications must be established for nondegreed
1208 teachers of career and technical education courses for program
1209 clusters that are recognized in the state and are based
1210 primarily on successful occupational experience rather than
1211 academic training. The qualifications for such teachers must
1212 require:
1213 1. The filing of a complete set of fingerprints in the same
1214 manner as required by s. 1012.32. Faculty employed solely to
1215 conduct postsecondary instruction may be exempted from this
1216 requirement.
1217 2. Documentation of education and successful occupational
1218 experience, including documentation of:
1219 a. A high school diploma or the equivalent.
1220 b. Completion of a minimum level, established by the
1221 district school board, 3 years of full-time successful
1222 occupational experience or the equivalent of part-time
1223 experience in the teaching specialization area. The district
1224 school board may establish alternative qualifications for
1225 teachers with an industry certification in the career area in
1226 which they teach.
1227 c. For full-time teachers, completion of professional
1228 education training in teaching methods, course construction,
1229 lesson planning and evaluation, and teaching special needs
1230 students. This training may be completed through coursework from
1231 an accredited or approved institution or an approved district
1232 teacher education program, or the local school district
1233 inservice master plan.
1234 d. Documentation of industry certification when state or
1235 national industry certifications are available and applicable.
1236 Section 25. Paragraphs (a), (b), (d), and (e) of subsection
1237 (2) of section 1012.555, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
1238 1012.555 Teacher Apprenticeship Program.—
1239 (2)(a) An individual must meet the following minimum
1240 eligibility requirements to participate in the apprenticeship
1241 program:
1242 1. Be enrolled in or have completed Have received an
1243 associate degree program at from an accredited postsecondary
1244 institution.
1245 2. Have earned a cumulative grade point average of 2.5 in
1246 that degree program.
1247 3. Have successfully passed a background screening as
1248 provided in s. 1012.32.
1249 4. Have received a temporary apprenticeship certificate as
1250 provided in s. 1012.56(7)(d).
1251 (b) As a condition of participating in the program, an
1252 apprentice teacher must commit to spending at least the first 2
1253 years in the classroom of a mentor teacher using team teaching
1254 strategies identified in s. 1003.03(4)(b) s. 1003.03(5)(b) and
1255 fulfilling the on-the-job training component of the registered
1256 apprenticeship and its associated standards.
1257 (d) An apprentice teacher must be appointed by the district
1258 school board or work in the district as an education
1259 paraprofessional and must be paid in accordance with s. 446.032
1260 and rules adopted by the State Board of Education.
1261 (e) An apprentice teacher may change schools or districts
1262 after the first year of his or her apprenticeship if the
1263 receiving hiring school or district has agreed to fund the
1264 remaining year of the apprenticeship.
1265 Section 26. Paragraph (g) of subsection (2), subsection
1266 (7), and paragraph (a) of subsection (8) of section 1012.56,
1267 Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
1268 1012.56 Educator certification requirements.—
1269 (2) ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA.—To be eligible to seek
1270 certification, a person must:
1271 (g) Demonstrate mastery of general knowledge pursuant to
1272 subsection (3), if the person serves as a classroom teacher as
1273 defined in s. 1012.01(2)(a).
1274 (7) TYPES AND TERMS OF CERTIFICATION.—
1275 (a) The Department of Education shall issue a professional
1276 certificate for a period not to exceed 5 years to any applicant
1277 who fulfills one of the following:
1278 1. Meets all the applicable requirements outlined in
1279 subsection (2).
1280 2. For a professional certificate covering grades 6 through
1281 12:
1282 a. Meets the applicable requirements of paragraphs (2)(a)
1283 (h).
1284 b. Holds a master’s or higher degree in the area of
1285 science, technology, engineering, or mathematics.
1286 c. Teaches a high school course in the subject of the
1287 advanced degree.
1288 d. Is rated highly effective as determined by the teacher’s
1289 performance evaluation under s. 1012.34, based in part on
1290 student performance as measured by a statewide, standardized
1291 assessment or an Advanced Placement, Advanced International
1292 Certificate of Education, or International Baccalaureate
1293 examination.
1294 e. Achieves a passing score on the Florida professional
1295 education competency examination required by state board rule.
1296 3. Meets the applicable requirements of paragraphs (2)(a)
1297 (h) and completes a professional learning certification program
1298 approved by the department pursuant to paragraph (8)(c) or an
1299 educator preparation institute approved by the department
1300 pursuant to s. 1004.85. An applicant who completes one of these
1301 programs and is rated highly effective as determined by his or
1302 her performance evaluation under s. 1012.34 is not required to
1303 take or achieve a passing score on the professional education
1304 competency examination in order to be awarded a professional
1305 certificate.
1306 (b) The department shall issue a temporary certificate to
1307 any applicant who:
1308 1. Completes the requirements outlined in paragraphs
1309 (2)(a)-(f) and completes the subject area content requirements
1310 specified in state board rule or demonstrates mastery of subject
1311 area knowledge pursuant to subsection (5) and holds an
1312 accredited degree or a degree approved by the Department of
1313 Education at the level required for the subject area
1314 specialization in state board rule;
1315 2. For a subject area specialization for which the state
1316 board otherwise requires a bachelor’s degree, documents 48
1317 months of active-duty military service with an honorable
1318 discharge or a medical separation; completes the requirements
1319 outlined in paragraphs (2)(a), (b), and (d)-(f); completes the
1320 subject area content requirements specified in state board rule
1321 or demonstrates mastery of subject area knowledge pursuant to
1322 subsection (5); and documents completion of 60 college credits
1323 with a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.5 on a 4.0
1324 scale, as provided by one or more accredited institutions of
1325 higher learning or a nonaccredited institution of higher
1326 learning identified by the Department of Education as having a
1327 quality program resulting in a bachelor’s degree or higher; or
1328 3. Is enrolled in a state-approved teacher preparation
1329 program under s. 1004.04; is actively completing the required
1330 program field experience or internship at a public school;
1331 completes the requirements outlined in paragraphs (2)(a), (b),
1332 and (d)-(f); completes the subject area content requirements
1333 specified in state board rule or demonstrates mastery of subject
1334 area knowledge pursuant to subsection (5); and documents
1335 completion of 60 college credits with a minimum cumulative grade
1336 point average of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale, as provided by one or more
1337 accredited institutions of higher learning or a nonaccredited
1338 institution of higher learning identified by the Department of
1339 Education as having a quality program resulting in a bachelor’s
1340 degree or higher.
1341 (c) The department shall issue one nonrenewable 2-year
1342 temporary certificate and one nonrenewable 5-year professional
1343 certificate to a qualified applicant who holds a bachelor’s
1344 degree in the area of speech-language impairment to allow for
1345 completion of a master’s degree program in speech-language
1346 impairment.
1347 (d) The department shall issue a temporary apprenticeship
1348 certificate to any applicant who meets the requirements of
1349 paragraphs (2)(a), (b), and (d)-(f).
1350 (e) A person who is issued a temporary certificate under
1351 paragraph (b) must be assigned a teacher mentor for a minimum of
1352 2 school years after commencing employment. Each teacher mentor
1353 selected by the school district, charter school, or charter
1354 management organization must:
1355 1. Hold a valid professional certificate issued pursuant to
1356 this section;
1357 2. Have earned at least 3 years of teaching experience in
1358 prekindergarten through grade 12; and
1359 3. Have earned an effective or highly effective rating on
1360 the prior year’s performance evaluation under s. 1012.34.
1361 (f)1. A temporary certificate is valid for 5 school fiscal
1362 years, is limited to a one-time issuance, and is nonrenewable.
1363 2. A temporary apprenticeship certificate issued under
1364 paragraph (d) is valid for 5 school years, may be issued only
1365 once, and is nonrenewable.
1366 (g) A certificateholder may request that her or his
1367 certificate be placed in an inactive status. A certificate that
1368 has been inactive may be reactivated upon application to the
1369 department. The department shall prescribe, by rule,
1370 professional learning requirements as a condition of
1371 reactivating a certificate that has been inactive for more than
1372 1 year.
1373 (h) A school district or a regional education consortium
1374 may issue temporary certificates, based on the requirements in
1375 paragraph (b). School districts and regional education consortia
1376 shall report the number of such certificates issued, and any
1377 additional information, to the department, based on reporting
1378 requirements adopted by the State Board of Education. Such
1379 certificates are subject to the authority of the Education
1380 Practices Commission under s. 1012.795.
1381
1382 At least 1 year before an individual’s department-issued
1383 temporary certificate is set to expire, the department shall
1384 electronically notify the individual of the date on which his or
1385 her certificate will expire and provide a list of each method by
1386 which the qualifications for a professional certificate can be
1387 completed.
1388 (8) PROFESSIONAL LEARNING CERTIFICATION PROGRAM.—
1389 (a) The Department of Education shall develop and each
1390 school district, charter school, and charter management
1391 organization may provide a cohesive competency-based
1392 professional learning certification program by which
1393 instructional staff may satisfy the mastery of professional
1394 preparation and education competence requirements specified in
1395 subsection (6) and rules of the State Board of Education.
1396 Participants must hold a state-issued temporary certificate. A
1397 school district, charter school, or charter management
1398 organization that implements the program shall provide a
1399 competency-based certification program developed by the
1400 Department of Education or developed by the district, charter
1401 school, or charter management organization and approved by the
1402 Department of Education. These entities may collaborate with
1403 other supporting agencies or educational entities for
1404 implementation. The program shall include the following:
1405 1. A teacher mentorship and induction component.
1406 a. Each individual selected by the district, charter
1407 school, or charter management organization as a mentor:
1408 (I) Must hold a valid professional certificate issued
1409 pursuant to this section;
1410 (II) Must have earned at least 3 years of teaching
1411 experience in prekindergarten through grade 12;
1412 (III) Must have completed training in clinical supervision
1413 and participate in ongoing mentor training provided through the
1414 coordinated system of professional learning under s. 1012.98(4);
1415 (IV) Must have earned an effective or highly effective
1416 rating on the prior year’s performance evaluation; and
1417 (V) May be a peer evaluator under the district’s evaluation
1418 system approved under s. 1012.34.
1419 b. The teacher mentorship and induction component must, at
1420 a minimum, provide routine opportunities for mentoring and
1421 induction activities, including ongoing professional learning as
1422 described in s. 1012.98 targeted to a teacher’s needs,
1423 opportunities for a teacher to observe other teachers, co
1424 teaching experiences, and reflection and follow-up followup
1425 discussions. Professional learning must meet the criteria
1426 established in s. 1012.98(3). Mentorship and induction
1427 activities must be provided for an applicant’s first year in the
1428 program and may be provided until the applicant attains his or
1429 her professional certificate in accordance with this section.
1430 2. An assessment of teaching performance aligned to the
1431 district’s, charter school’s, or charter management
1432 organization’s system for personnel evaluation under s. 1012.34
1433 which provides for:
1434 a. An initial evaluation of each educator’s competencies to
1435 determine an appropriate individualized professional learning
1436 plan.
1437 b. A summative evaluation to assure successful completion
1438 of the program.
1439 3. Professional education preparation content knowledge,
1440 which must be included in the mentoring and induction activities
1441 under subparagraph 1., that includes, but is not limited to, the
1442 following:
1443 a. The state academic standards provided under s. 1003.41,
1444 including scientifically researched and evidence-based reading
1445 instructional strategies grounded in the science of reading,
1446 content literacy, and mathematical practices, for each subject
1447 identified on the temporary certificate. Reading instructional
1448 strategies for foundational skills shall include phonics
1449 instruction for decoding and encoding as the primary
1450 instructional strategy for word reading. Instructional
1451 strategies may not employ the three-cueing system model of
1452 reading or visual memory as a basis for teaching word reading.
1453 Instructional strategies may include visual information and
1454 strategies which improve background and experiential knowledge,
1455 add context, and increase oral language and vocabulary to
1456 support comprehension, but may not be used to teach word
1457 reading.
1458 b. The educator-accomplished practices approved by the
1459 state board.
1460 4. Required achievement of passing scores on the subject
1461 area and professional education competency examination required
1462 by State Board of Education rule. Mastery of general knowledge
1463 must be demonstrated as described in subsection (3).
1464 5. Beginning with candidates entering a program in the
1465 2022-2023 school year, a candidate for certification in a
1466 coverage area identified pursuant to s. 1012.585(3)(g) s.
1467 1012.585(3)(f) must successfully complete all competencies for a
1468 reading endorsement, including completion of the endorsement
1469 practicum.
1470 Section 27. Paragraph (a) of subsection (2), subsection
1471 (3), and paragraph (b) of subsection (5) of section 1012.585,
1472 Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
1473 1012.585 Process for renewal of professional certificates.—
1474 (2)(a) All professional certificates, except a nonrenewable
1475 professional certificate, are shall be renewable for successive
1476 periods not to exceed 10 5 years after the date of submission of
1477 documentation of completion of the requirements for renewal
1478 provided in subsection (3). Only one renewal may be granted
1479 during each 5-year or 10-year validity period of a professional
1480 certificate.
1481 1. An applicant who is rated highly effective, pursuant to
1482 s. 1012.34, in the first 4 years of the 5-year validity period
1483 of his or her professional certificate is eligible for a
1484 professional certificate valid for 10 years. An applicant must
1485 be issued at least one 5-year professional certificate to be
1486 eligible for a 10-year professional certificate. An applicant
1487 who does not meet the requirement of this subparagraph is
1488 eligible only to renew his or her 5-year professional
1489 certificate.
1490 2. An applicant who is rated effective or highly effective,
1491 pursuant to s. 1012.34, for the first 9 years of the 10-year
1492 validity period of his or her professional certificate is
1493 eligible to renew a professional certificate valid for 10 years.
1494 An applicant issued a 10-year professional certificate who does
1495 not meet the requirement of this subparagraph is eligible only
1496 for renewal of a professional certificate valid for 5 years.
1497 (3) For the renewal of a professional certificate, the
1498 following requirements must be met:
1499 (a) The applicant must:
1500 1. Earn a minimum of 6 college credits or 120 inservice
1501 points or a combination thereof for a certificate valid for 5
1502 years.
1503 2. Earn a minimum of 12 college credits or 240 inservice
1504 points or a combination thereof for a professional certificate
1505 valid for 10 years. A minimum of 5 college credits or 100
1506 inservice points or a combination thereof must be earned within
1507 the first 5 years of a professional certificate valid for 10
1508 years.
1509 (b) For each area of specialization to be retained on a
1510 certificate, the applicant must earn at least 3 of the required
1511 credit hours or equivalent inservice points in the
1512 specialization area. Education in “clinical educator” training
1513 pursuant to s. 1004.04(5)(b); participation in mentorship and
1514 induction activities, including as a mentor, pursuant to s.
1515 1012.56(8)(a); credits or points that provide training in the
1516 knowledge and skills required to support students with autism;
1517 and credits or points that provide training in the area of
1518 scientifically researched, knowledge-based reading literacy
1519 grounded in the science of reading, including explicit,
1520 systematic, and sequential approaches to reading instruction,
1521 developing phonemic awareness, and implementing multisensory
1522 intervention strategies, and computational skills acquisition,
1523 exceptional student education, normal child development, and the
1524 disorders of development may be applied toward any
1525 specialization area. Credits or points that provide training in
1526 the areas of drug abuse, child abuse and neglect, strategies in
1527 teaching students having limited proficiency in English, or
1528 dropout prevention, or training in areas identified in the
1529 educational goals and performance standards adopted pursuant to
1530 ss. 1000.03(5) and 1008.345 may be applied toward any
1531 specialization area, except specialization areas identified by
1532 State Board of Education rule that include reading instruction
1533 or intervention for any students in kindergarten through grade
1534 6. Each district school board shall include in its inservice
1535 master plan the ability for teachers to receive inservice points
1536 for supporting students in extracurricular career and technical
1537 education activities, such as career and technical student
1538 organization activities outside of regular school hours and
1539 training related to supervising students participating in a
1540 career and technical student organization. Credits or points
1541 earned through approved summer institutes may be applied toward
1542 the fulfillment of these requirements. Inservice points may also
1543 be earned by participation in professional growth components
1544 approved by the State Board of Education and specified pursuant
1545 to s. 1012.98 in the district’s approved master plan for
1546 inservice educational training; however, such points may not be
1547 used to satisfy the specialization requirements of this
1548 paragraph.
1549 (c)(b) In lieu of college course credit or inservice
1550 points, the applicant may renew a subject area specialization by
1551 passage of a state board approved Florida-developed subject area
1552 examination or, if a Florida subject area examination has not
1553 been developed, a standardized examination specified in state
1554 board rule.
1555 (d)(c) If an applicant wishes to retain more than two
1556 specialization areas on the certificate, the applicant must
1557 shall be permitted two successive validity periods for renewal
1558 of all specialization areas, but must earn no fewer than 6
1559 college course credit hours or the equivalent inservice points
1560 in any one validity period.
1561 (e)(d) The State Board of Education shall adopt rules for
1562 the expanded use of training for renewal of the professional
1563 certificate for educators who are required to complete training
1564 in teaching students of limited English proficiency or students
1565 with disabilities and training in the teaching of reading as
1566 follows:
1567 1. A teacher who holds a professional certificate may use
1568 college credits or inservice points earned through training in
1569 teaching students of limited English proficiency or students
1570 with disabilities and training in the teaching of reading in
1571 excess of 6 semester hours during one certificate-validity
1572 period toward renewal of the professional certificate during the
1573 subsequent validity periods.
1574 2. A teacher who holds a temporary certificate may use
1575 college credits or inservice points earned through training in
1576 teaching students of limited English proficiency or students
1577 with disabilities and training in the teaching of reading toward
1578 renewal of the teacher’s first professional certificate. Such
1579 training must not have been included within the degree program,
1580 and the teacher’s temporary and professional certificates must
1581 be issued for consecutive school years.
1582 (f)(e) Beginning July 1, 2014, an applicant for renewal of
1583 a professional certificate must earn a minimum of one college
1584 credit or the equivalent inservice points in the area of
1585 instruction for teaching students with disabilities. The
1586 requirement in this paragraph may not add to the total hours
1587 required by the department for continuing education or inservice
1588 training.
1589 (g)(f) An applicant for renewal of a professional
1590 certificate in any area of certification identified by State
1591 Board of Education rule that includes reading instruction or
1592 intervention for any students in kindergarten through grade 6,
1593 with a beginning validity date of July 1, 2020, or thereafter,
1594 must earn a minimum of 2 college credits or the equivalent
1595 inservice points in evidence-based instruction and interventions
1596 grounded in the science of reading specifically designed for
1597 students with characteristics of dyslexia, including the use of
1598 explicit, systematic, and sequential approaches to reading
1599 instruction, developing phonological and phonemic awareness,
1600 decoding, and implementing multisensory intervention strategies.
1601 Such training must be provided by teacher preparation programs
1602 under s. 1004.04 or s. 1004.85 or approved school district
1603 professional learning systems under s. 1012.98. The requirements
1604 in this paragraph may not add to the total hours required by the
1605 department for continuing education or inservice training.
1606 (h)(g) An applicant for renewal of a professional
1607 certificate in educational leadership from a Level I program
1608 under s. 1012.562(2) or Level II program under s. 1012.562(3),
1609 with a beginning validity date of July 1, 2025, or thereafter,
1610 must earn a minimum of 1 college credit or 20 inservice points
1611 in Florida’s educational leadership standards, as established in
1612 rule by the State Board of Education. The requirement in this
1613 paragraph may not add to the total hours required by the
1614 department for continuing education or inservice training.
1615 (i)(h) A teacher may earn inservice points only once during
1616 each 5-year validity period for any mandatory training topic
1617 that is not linked to student learning or professional growth.
1618 (5) The State Board of Education shall adopt rules to allow
1619 the reinstatement of expired professional certificates. The
1620 department may reinstate an expired professional certificate if
1621 the certificateholder:
1622 (b) Documents completion of 6 college credits during the 5
1623 years immediately preceding reinstatement of the expired
1624 certificate, completion of 120 inservice points, or a
1625 combination thereof, in an area specified in paragraph (3)(b)
1626 (3)(a) to include the credit required under paragraph (3)(f)
1627 (3)(e).
1628
1629 The requirements of this subsection may not be satisfied by
1630 subject area examinations or college credits completed for
1631 issuance of the certificate that has expired.
1632 Section 28. Section 1013.19, Florida Statutes, is amended
1633 to read:
1634 1013.19 Purchase, conveyance, or encumbrance of property
1635 interests above surface of land; joint-occupancy structures.—For
1636 the purpose of implementing jointly financed construction
1637 project agreements, or for the construction of combined
1638 occupancy structures, any board may purchase, own, convey, sell,
1639 lease, or encumber airspace or any other interests in property
1640 above the surface of the land, provided the lease of airspace
1641 for nonpublic use is for such reasonable rent, length of term,
1642 and conditions as the board in its discretion may determine. All
1643 proceeds from such sale or lease shall be used by a the board of
1644 trustees for a Florida College System institution or state
1645 university or boards receiving the proceeds solely for fixed
1646 capital outlay purposes. These purposes may include the
1647 renovation or remodeling of existing facilities owned by the
1648 board or the construction of new facilities; however, for a
1649 Florida College System institution board or university board,
1650 such new facility must be authorized by the Legislature. It is
1651 declared that the use of such rental by the board for public
1652 purposes in accordance with its statutory authority is a public
1653 use. Airspace or any other interest in property held by the
1654 Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund or the
1655 State Board of Education may not be divested or conveyed without
1656 approval of the respective board. Any building, including any
1657 building or facility component that is common to both nonpublic
1658 and educational portions thereof, constructed in airspace that
1659 is sold or leased for nonpublic use pursuant to this section is
1660 subject to all applicable state, county, and municipal
1661 regulations pertaining to land use, zoning, construction of
1662 buildings, fire protection, health, and safety to the same
1663 extent and in the same manner as such regulations would be
1664 applicable to the construction of a building for nonpublic use
1665 on the appurtenant land beneath the subject airspace. Any
1666 educational facility constructed or leased as a part of a joint
1667 occupancy facility is subject to all rules and requirements of
1668 the respective boards or departments having jurisdiction over
1669 educational facilities. Any contract executed by a university
1670 board of trustees pursuant to this section is subject to the
1671 provisions of s. 1010.62.
1672 Section 29. Section 1013.35, Florida Statutes, is amended
1673 to read:
1674 1013.35 School district educational facilities plan;
1675 definitions; preparation, adoption, and amendment; long-term
1676 work programs.—
1677 (1) DEFINITIONS.—As used in this section, the term:
1678 (a) “Adopted educational facilities plan” means the
1679 comprehensive planning document that is adopted annually by the
1680 district school board as provided in subsection (2) and that
1681 contains the educational plant survey.
1682 (b) “District facilities work program” means the 5-year
1683 listing of capital outlay projects adopted by the district
1684 school board as provided in subparagraph (2)(a)2. and paragraph
1685 (2)(b) as part of the district educational facilities plan,
1686 which is required in order to:
1687 1. Properly maintain the educational plant and ancillary
1688 facilities of the district.
1689 2. Provide an adequate number of satisfactory student
1690 stations for the projected student enrollment of the district in
1691 K-12 programs.
1692 (c) “Tentative educational facilities plan” means the
1693 comprehensive planning document prepared annually by the
1694 district school board and submitted to the Office of Educational
1695 Facilities and the affected general-purpose local governments.
1696 (2) PREPARATION OF TENTATIVE DISTRICT EDUCATIONAL
1697 FACILITIES PLAN.—
1698 (a) Annually, before prior to the adoption of the district
1699 school budget, each district school board shall prepare a
1700 tentative district educational facilities plan that includes
1701 long-range planning for facilities needs over 5-year, 10-year,
1702 and 20-year periods. The district school board shall submit the
1703 tentative facilities plan to the department The plan must be
1704 developed in coordination with the general-purpose local
1705 governments and be consistent with the local government
1706 comprehensive plans. The school board’s plan for provision of
1707 new schools must meet the needs of all growing communities in
1708 the district, ranging from small rural communities to large
1709 urban cities. The plan must include:
1710 1. Projected student populations apportioned geographically
1711 at the local level. The projections must be based on information
1712 produced by the demographic, revenue, and education estimating
1713 conferences pursuant to s. 216.136, where available, as modified
1714 by the district based on development data and agreement with the
1715 local governments and the Office of Educational Facilities. The
1716 projections must be apportioned geographically with assistance
1717 from the local governments using local development trend data
1718 and the school district student enrollment data.
1719 2. An inventory of existing school facilities. Any
1720 anticipated expansions or closures of existing school sites over
1721 the 5-year, 10-year, and 20-year periods must be identified. The
1722 inventory must include an assessment of areas proximate to
1723 existing schools and identification of the need for improvements
1724 to infrastructure, safety, including safe access routes, and
1725 conditions in the community. The plan must also provide a
1726 listing of major repairs and renovation projects anticipated
1727 over the period of the plan.
1728 3. Projections of facilities space needs, which may not
1729 exceed the norm space and occupant design criteria established
1730 in the State Requirements for Educational Facilities.
1731 4. Information on leased, loaned, and donated space and
1732 relocatables used for conducting the district’s instructional
1733 programs.
1734 5. The general location of public schools proposed to be
1735 constructed over the 5-year, 10-year, and 20-year time periods,
1736 including a listing of the proposed schools’ site acreage needs
1737 and anticipated capacity and maps showing the general locations.
1738 The school board’s identification of general locations of future
1739 school sites must be based on the school siting requirements of
1740 s. 163.3177(6)(a) and policies in the comprehensive plan which
1741 provide guidance for appropriate locations for school sites.
1742 6. The identification of options deemed reasonable and
1743 approved by the school board which reduce the need for
1744 additional permanent student stations. Such options may include,
1745 but need not be limited to:
1746 a. Acceptable capacity;
1747 b. Redistricting;
1748 c. Busing;
1749 d. Year-round schools;
1750 e. Charter schools;
1751 f. Magnet schools; and
1752 g. Public-private partnerships.
1753 7. The criteria and method, jointly determined by the local
1754 government and the school board, for determining the impact of
1755 proposed development to public school capacity.
1756 (b) The plan must also include a financially feasible
1757 district facilities work program for a 5-year period. The work
1758 program must include:
1759 1. A schedule of major repair and renovation projects
1760 necessary to maintain the educational facilities and ancillary
1761 facilities of the district.
1762 2. A schedule of capital outlay projects necessary to
1763 ensure the availability of satisfactory student stations for the
1764 projected student enrollment in K-12 programs. This schedule
1765 shall consider:
1766 a. The locations, capacities, and planned utilization rates
1767 of current educational facilities of the district. The capacity
1768 of existing satisfactory facilities, as reported in the Florida
1769 Inventory of School Houses must be compared to the capital
1770 outlay full-time-equivalent student enrollment as determined by
1771 the department, including all enrollment used in the calculation
1772 of the distribution formula in s. 1013.64.
1773 b. The proposed locations of planned facilities, whether
1774 those locations are consistent with the comprehensive plans of
1775 all affected local governments, and recommendations for
1776 infrastructure and other improvements to land adjacent to
1777 existing facilities. The provisions of ss. 1013.33(6), (7), and
1778 (8) and 1013.36 must be addressed for new facilities planned
1779 within the first 3 years of the work plan, as appropriate.
1780 c. Plans for the use and location of relocatable
1781 facilities, leased facilities, and charter school facilities.
1782 d. Plans for multitrack scheduling, grade level
1783 organization, block scheduling, or other alternatives that
1784 reduce the need for additional permanent student stations.
1785 e. Information concerning average class size and
1786 utilization rate by grade level within the district which will
1787 result if the tentative district facilities work program is
1788 fully implemented.
1789 f. The number and percentage of district students planned
1790 to be educated in relocatable facilities during each year of the
1791 tentative district facilities work program. For determining
1792 future needs, student capacity may not be assigned to any
1793 relocatable classroom that is scheduled for elimination or
1794 replacement with a permanent educational facility in the current
1795 year of the adopted district educational facilities plan and in
1796 the district facilities work program adopted under this section.
1797 Those relocatable classrooms clearly identified and scheduled
1798 for replacement in a school-board-adopted, financially feasible,
1799 5-year district facilities work program shall be counted at zero
1800 capacity at the time the work program is adopted and approved by
1801 the school board. However, if the district facilities work
1802 program is changed and the relocatable classrooms are not
1803 replaced as scheduled in the work program, the classrooms must
1804 be reentered into the system and be counted at actual capacity.
1805 Relocatable classrooms may not be perpetually added to the work
1806 program or continually extended for purposes of circumventing
1807 this section. All relocatable classrooms not identified and
1808 scheduled for replacement, including those owned, lease
1809 purchased, or leased by the school district, must be counted at
1810 actual student capacity. The district educational facilities
1811 plan must identify the number of relocatable student stations
1812 scheduled for replacement during the 5-year survey period and
1813 the total dollar amount needed for that replacement.
1814 g. Plans for the closure of any school, including plans for
1815 disposition of the facility or usage of facility space, and
1816 anticipated revenues.
1817 h. Projects for which capital outlay and debt service funds
1818 accruing under s. 9(d), Art. XII of the State Constitution are
1819 to be used shall be identified separately in priority order on a
1820 project priority list within the district facilities work
1821 program.
1822 3. The projected cost for each project identified in the
1823 district facilities work program. For proposed projects for new
1824 student stations, a schedule shall be prepared comparing the
1825 planned cost and square footage for each new student station, by
1826 elementary, middle, and high school levels, to the low, average,
1827 and high cost of facilities constructed throughout the state
1828 during the most recent fiscal year for which data is available
1829 from the Department of Education.
1830 4. A schedule of estimated capital outlay revenues from
1831 each currently approved source which is estimated to be
1832 available for expenditure on the projects included in the
1833 district facilities work program.
1834 5. A schedule indicating which projects included in the
1835 district facilities work program will be funded from current
1836 revenues projected in subparagraph 4.
1837 6. A schedule of options for the generation of additional
1838 revenues by the district for expenditure on projects identified
1839 in the district facilities work program which are not funded
1840 under subparagraph 5. Additional anticipated revenues may
1841 include Classrooms First funds.
1842 (c) To the extent available, the tentative district
1843 educational facilities plan shall be based on information
1844 produced by the demographic, revenue, and education estimating
1845 conferences pursuant to s. 216.136.
1846 (2)(d) Provision must shall be made for public comment
1847 concerning the tentative district educational facilities plan.
1848 (e) The district school board shall coordinate with each
1849 affected local government to ensure consistency between the
1850 tentative district educational facilities plan and the local
1851 government comprehensive plans of the affected local governments
1852 during the development of the tentative district educational
1853 facilities plan.
1854 (3)(f) Not less than once every 5 years, the district
1855 school board shall have an audit conducted of the district’s
1856 educational planning and construction activities. An operational
1857 audit conducted by the Auditor General pursuant to s. 11.45
1858 satisfies this requirement.
1859 (4)(3) SUBMITTAL OF TENTATIVE DISTRICT EDUCATIONAL
1860 FACILITIES PLAN TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT.—The district school board
1861 shall submit a copy of its tentative district educational
1862 facilities plan to all affected local governments before prior
1863 to adoption by the board. The affected local governments may
1864 shall review the tentative district educational facilities plan
1865 and comment to the district school board on the consistency of
1866 the plan with the local comprehensive plan, whether a
1867 comprehensive plan amendment will be necessary for any proposed
1868 educational facility, and whether the local government supports
1869 a necessary comprehensive plan amendment. If the local
1870 government does not support a comprehensive plan amendment for a
1871 proposed educational facility, the matter must shall be resolved
1872 pursuant to the interlocal agreement when required by ss.
1873 163.3177(6)(h), 163.31777, and 1013.33(2). The process for the
1874 submittal and review must shall be detailed in the interlocal
1875 agreement when required pursuant to ss. 163.3177(6)(h),
1876 163.31777, and 1013.33(2).
1877 (5)(4) ADOPTED DISTRICT EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES PLAN.
1878 Annually, the district school board shall consider and adopt the
1879 tentative district educational facilities plan completed
1880 pursuant to subsection (2). Upon giving proper notice to the
1881 public and local governments and opportunity for public comment,
1882 the district school board may amend the plan to revise the
1883 priority of projects, to add or delete projects, to reflect the
1884 impact of change orders, or to reflect the approval of new
1885 revenue sources which may become available. The district school
1886 board shall submit the revised plan to the department. The
1887 adopted district educational facilities plan must shall:
1888 (a) Be a complete, balanced, and financially feasible
1889 capital outlay financial plan for the district.
1890 (b) Set forth the proposed commitments and planned
1891 expenditures of the district to address the educational
1892 facilities needs of its students and to adequately provide for
1893 the maintenance of the educational plant and ancillary
1894 facilities, including safe access ways from neighborhoods to
1895 schools.
1896 (6)(5) EXECUTION OF ADOPTED DISTRICT EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES
1897 PLAN.—The first year of the adopted district educational
1898 facilities plan constitutes shall constitute the capital outlay
1899 budget required in s. 1013.61. The adopted district educational
1900 facilities plan shall include the information required in
1901 subparagraphs (2)(b)1., 2., and 3., based upon projects actually
1902 funded in the plan.
1903 Section 30. Subsections (3) and (4) of section 1013.41,
1904 Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
1905 1013.41 SMART schools; Classrooms First; legislative
1906 purpose.—
1907 (3) SCHOOL DISTRICT EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES PLAN.—It is the
1908 purpose of the Legislature to create s. 1013.35, requiring each
1909 school district annually to adopt an educational facilities plan
1910 that provides an integrated long-range facilities plan,
1911 including the survey of projected needs and the 5-year work
1912 program. The purpose of the educational facilities plan is to
1913 keep the district school board, local governments, and the
1914 public fully informed as to whether the district is using sound
1915 policies and practices that meet the essential needs of students
1916 and that warrant public confidence in district operations. The
1917 educational facilities plan will be monitored by the Office of
1918 Educational Facilities, which will also apply performance
1919 standards pursuant to s. 1013.04.
1920 (4) OFFICE OF EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES.—It is the purpose of
1921 the Legislature to require the Office of Educational Facilities
1922 to assist school districts in building SMART schools utilizing
1923 functional and frugal practices. The Office of Educational
1924 Facilities shall must review district facilities work programs
1925 and projects and identify opportunities to maximize design and
1926 construction savings; develop school district facilities work
1927 program performance standards; and provide for review and
1928 recommendations to the Governor, the Legislature, and the State
1929 Board of Education.
1930 Section 31. Subsection (4) of section 1013.45, Florida
1931 Statutes, is amended to read:
1932 1013.45 Educational facilities contracting and construction
1933 techniques for school districts and Florida College System
1934 institutions.—
1935 (4) Except as otherwise provided in this section and s.
1936 481.229, the services of a registered architect must be used by
1937 Florida College System institution and state university boards
1938 of trustees for the development of plans for the erection,
1939 enlargement, or alteration of any educational facility. The
1940 services of a registered architect are not required for a minor
1941 renovation project for which the construction cost is less than
1942 $50,000 or for the placement or hookup of relocatable
1943 educational facilities that conform to standards adopted under
1944 s. 1013.37. However, boards must provide compliance with
1945 building code requirements and ensure that these structures are
1946 adequately anchored for wind resistance as required by law. A
1947 district school board shall reuse existing construction
1948 documents or design criteria packages if such reuse is feasible
1949 and practical. If a school district’s 5-year educational
1950 facilities work plan includes the construction of two or more
1951 new schools for students in the same grade group and program,
1952 such as elementary, middle, or high school, the district school
1953 board must require that prototype design and construction be
1954 used for the construction of these schools. Notwithstanding s.
1955 287.055, a board may purchase the architectural services for the
1956 design of educational or ancillary facilities under an existing
1957 contract agreement for professional services held by a district
1958 school board in the State of Florida, provided that the purchase
1959 is to the economic advantage of the purchasing board, the
1960 services conform to the standards prescribed by rules of the
1961 State Board of Education, and such reuse is not without notice
1962 to, and permission from, the architect of record whose plans or
1963 design criteria are being reused. Plans must be reviewed for
1964 compliance with the State Requirements for Educational
1965 Facilities. Rules adopted under this section must establish
1966 uniform prequalification, selection, bidding, and negotiation
1967 procedures applicable to construction management contracts and
1968 the design-build process. This section does not supersede any
1969 small, woman-owned, or minority-owned business enterprise
1970 preference program adopted by a board. Except as otherwise
1971 provided in this section, the negotiation procedures applicable
1972 to construction management contracts and the design-build
1973 process must conform to the requirements of s. 287.055. A board
1974 may not modify any rules regarding construction management
1975 contracts or the design-build process.
1976 Section 32. Section 1013.451, Florida Statutes, is
1977 repealed.
1978 Section 33. Paragraph (e) of subsection (1) and paragraph
1979 (b) of subsection (6) of section 1013.64, Florida Statutes, are
1980 amended to read:
1981 1013.64 Funds for comprehensive educational plant needs;
1982 construction cost maximums for school district capital
1983 projects.—Allocations from the Public Education Capital Outlay
1984 and Debt Service Trust Fund to the various boards for capital
1985 outlay projects shall be determined as follows:
1986 (1)
1987 (e) Remodeling projects must shall be based on the
1988 recommendations of a survey pursuant to s. 1013.31, or, for
1989 district school boards, as indicated by the relative need as
1990 determined by the Florida Inventory of School Houses and the
1991 capital outlay full-time equivalent enrollment in the district.
1992 (6)
1993 (b)1. A district school board may not use funds from the
1994 following sources: Public Education Capital Outlay and Debt
1995 Service Trust Fund; School District and Community College
1996 District Capital Outlay and Debt Service Trust Fund; Classrooms
1997 First Program funds provided in s. 1013.68; nonvoted 1.5-mill
1998 levy of ad valorem property taxes provided in s. 1011.71(2);
1999 Classrooms for Kids Program funds provided in s. 1013.735;
2000 District Effort Recognition Program funds provided in s.
2001 1013.736; or High Growth District Capital Outlay Assistance
2002 Grant Program funds provided in s. 1013.738 to pay for any
2003 portion of the cost of any new construction of educational plant
2004 space with a total cost per student station, including change
2005 orders, which exceeds:
2006 a. $17,952 for an elementary school;
2007 b. $19,386 for a middle school; or
2008 c. $25,181 for a high school,
2009
2010 (January 2006) as adjusted annually to reflect increases or
2011 decreases in the Consumer Price Index. The department, in
2012 conjunction with the Office of Economic and Demographic
2013 Research, shall review and adjust the cost per student station
2014 limits to reflect actual construction costs by January 1, 2020,
2015 and annually thereafter. The adjusted cost per student station
2016 shall be used by the department for computation of the statewide
2017 average costs per student station for each instructional level
2018 pursuant to paragraph (d). The department shall also collaborate
2019 with the Office of Economic and Demographic Research to select
2020 an industry-recognized construction index to replace the
2021 Consumer Price Index by January 1, 2020, adjusted annually to
2022 reflect changes in the construction index.
2023 2. School districts shall maintain accurate documentation
2024 related to the costs of all new construction of educational
2025 plant space reported to the Department of Education pursuant to
2026 paragraph (d). The Auditor General shall review the
2027 documentation maintained by the school districts and verify
2028 compliance with the limits under this paragraph during its
2029 scheduled operational audits of the school district.
2030 3. Except for educational facilities and sites subject to a
2031 lease-purchase agreement entered pursuant to s. 1011.71(2)(e) or
2032 funded solely through local impact fees, in addition to the
2033 funding sources listed in subparagraph 1., a district school
2034 board may not use funds from any sources for new construction of
2035 educational plant space with a total cost per student station,
2036 including change orders, which equals more than the current
2037 adjusted amounts provided in sub-subparagraphs 1.a.-c. However,
2038 if a contract has been executed for architectural and design
2039 services or for construction management services before July 1,
2040 2017, a district school board may use funds from any source for
2041 the new construction of educational plant space and such funds
2042 are exempt from the total cost per student station requirements.
2043 4. A district school board must not use funds from the
2044 Public Education Capital Outlay and Debt Service Trust Fund or
2045 the School District and Community College District Capital
2046 Outlay and Debt Service Trust Fund for any new construction of
2047 an ancillary plant that exceeds 70 percent of the average cost
2048 per square foot of new construction for all schools.
2049 Section 34. Paragraph (e) of subsection (6) of section
2050 163.3180, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
2051 163.3180 Concurrency.—
2052 (6)
2053 (e) A school district that includes relocatable facilities
2054 in its inventory of student stations shall include the capacity
2055 of such relocatable facilities as provided in s.
2056 1013.35(2)(b)2.f., provided the relocatable facilities were
2057 purchased after 1998 and the relocatable facilities meet the
2058 standards for long-term use pursuant to s. 1013.20.
2059 Section 35. Paragraph (a) of subsection (10) of section
2060 200.065, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
2061 200.065 Method of fixing millage.—
2062 (10)(a) In addition to the notice required in subsection
2063 (3), a district school board shall publish a second notice of
2064 intent to levy additional taxes under s. 1011.71(2) or (3). The
2065 notice shall specify the projects or number of school buses
2066 anticipated to be funded by the additional taxes and shall be
2067 published in the size, within the time periods, adjacent to, and
2068 in substantial conformity with the advertisement required under
2069 subsection (3). The projects shall be listed in priority within
2070 each category as follows: construction and remodeling;
2071 maintenance, renovation, and repair; motor vehicle purchases;
2072 new and replacement equipment; payments for educational
2073 facilities and sites due under a lease-purchase agreement;
2074 payments for renting and leasing educational facilities and
2075 sites; payments of loans approved pursuant to ss. 1011.14 and
2076 1011.15; payment of costs of compliance with environmental
2077 statutes and regulations; payment of premiums for property and
2078 casualty insurance necessary to insure the educational and
2079 ancillary plants of the school district; payment of costs of
2080 leasing relocatable educational facilities; and payments to
2081 private entities to offset the cost of school buses pursuant to
2082 s. 1011.71(2)(i). The additional notice shall be in the
2083 following form, except that if the district school board is
2084 proposing to levy the same millage under s. 1011.71(2) or (3)
2085 which it levied in the prior year, the words “continue to” shall
2086 be inserted before the word “impose” in the first sentence, and
2087 except that the second sentence of the second paragraph shall be
2088 deleted if the district is advertising pursuant to paragraph
2089 (3)(e):
2090
2091 NOTICE OF TAX FOR SCHOOL
2092 CAPITAL OUTLAY
2093
2094 The ...(name of school district)... will soon consider a
2095 measure to impose a ...(number)... mill property tax for the
2096 capital outlay projects listed herein.
2097 This tax is in addition to the school board’s proposed tax
2098 of ...(number)... mills for operating expenses and is proposed
2099 solely at the discretion of the school board. THE PROPOSED
2100 COMBINED SCHOOL BOARD TAX INCREASE FOR BOTH OPERATING EXPENSES
2101 AND CAPITAL OUTLAY IS SHOWN IN THE ADJACENT NOTICE.
2102 The capital outlay tax will generate approximately
2103 $...(amount)..., to be used for the following projects:
2104
2105 ...(list of capital outlay projects)...
2106
2107 All concerned citizens are invited to a public hearing to
2108 be held on ...(date and time)... at ...(meeting place)....
2109 A DECISION on the proposed CAPITAL OUTLAY TAXES will be
2110 made at this hearing.
2111
2112 Section 36. Paragraph (a) of subsection (5) of section
2113 1002.68, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
2114 1002.68 Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program
2115 accountability.—
2116 (5)(a) If a public school’s or private prekindergarten
2117 provider’s program assessment composite score for its
2118 prekindergarten classrooms fails to meet the minimum program
2119 assessment composite score for contracting adopted in rule by
2120 the department, the private prekindergarten provider or public
2121 school may not participate in the Voluntary Prekindergarten
2122 Education Program beginning in the consecutive program year and
2123 thereafter until the public school or private prekindergarten
2124 provider meets the minimum composite score for contracting. A
2125 public school or private prekindergarten provider may request
2126 one program assessment per program year in order to requalify
2127 for participation in the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education
2128 Program, provided that the public school or private
2129 prekindergarten provider is not excluded from participation
2130 under s. 1002.55(6), s. 1002.61(10)(b), s. 1002.63(9) ss.
2131 1002.55(6), 1002.61(10)(b), 1002.63(9)(b), or paragraph (5)(b)
2132 of this section. If a public school or private prekindergarten
2133 provider would like an additional program assessment completed
2134 within the same program year, the public school or private
2135 prekindergarten provider is shall be responsible for the cost of
2136 the program assessment.
2137 Section 37. Paragraph (c) of subsection (2) of section
2138 1003.631, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
2139 1003.631 Schools of Excellence.—The Schools of Excellence
2140 Program is established to provide administrative flexibility to
2141 the state’s top schools so that the instructional personnel and
2142 administrative staff at such schools can continue to serve their
2143 communities and increase student learning to the best of their
2144 professional ability.
2145 (2) ADMINISTRATIVE FLEXIBILITIES.—A School of Excellence
2146 must be provided the following administrative flexibilities:
2147 (c) For instructional personnel, the substitution of 1
2148 school year of employment at a School of Excellence for 20
2149 inservice points toward the renewal of a professional
2150 certificate, up to 60 inservice points in a 5-year cycle,
2151 pursuant to s. 1012.585(3).
2152 Section 38. Paragraph (c) of subsection (2) and paragraph
2153 (b) of subsection (5) of section 1004.04, Florida Statutes, are
2154 amended to read:
2155 1004.04 Public accountability and state approval for
2156 teacher preparation programs.—
2157 (2) UNIFORM CORE CURRICULA AND CANDIDATE ASSESSMENT.—
2158 (c) Each candidate must receive instruction and be assessed
2159 on the uniform core curricula in the candidate’s area or areas
2160 of program concentration during course work and field
2161 experiences. Beginning with candidates entering a teacher
2162 preparation program in the 2022-2023 school year, a candidate
2163 for certification in a coverage area identified pursuant to s.
2164 1012.585(3)(g) s. 1012.585(3)(f) must successfully complete all
2165 competencies for a reading endorsement, including completion of
2166 the endorsement practicum through the candidate’s field
2167 experience under subsection (5), in order to graduate from the
2168 program.
2169 (5) PRESERVICE FIELD EXPERIENCE.—All postsecondary
2170 instructors, school district personnel and instructional
2171 personnel, and school sites preparing instructional personnel
2172 through preservice field experience courses and internships
2173 shall meet special requirements. District school boards may pay
2174 student teachers during their internships.
2175 (b)1. All school district personnel and instructional
2176 personnel who supervise or direct teacher preparation students
2177 during field experience courses or internships taking place in
2178 this state in which candidates demonstrate an impact on student
2179 learning growth must have:
2180 a. Evidence of “clinical educator” training;
2181 b. A valid professional certificate issued pursuant to s.
2182 1012.56;
2183 c. At least 3 years of teaching experience in
2184 prekindergarten through grade 12;
2185 d. Earned an effective or highly effective rating on the
2186 prior year’s performance evaluation under s. 1012.34 or be a
2187 peer evaluator under the district’s evaluation system approved
2188 under s. 1012.34; and
2189 e. Beginning with the 2022-2023 school year, for all such
2190 personnel who supervise or direct teacher preparation students
2191 during internships in kindergarten through grade 3 or who are
2192 enrolled in a teacher preparation program for a certificate area
2193 identified pursuant to s. 1012.585(3)(g) s. 1012.585(3)(f), a
2194 certificate or endorsement in reading.
2195
2196 The State Board of Education shall approve the training
2197 requirements.
2198 2. All instructional personnel who supervise or direct
2199 teacher preparation students during field experience courses or
2200 internships in another state, in which a candidate demonstrates
2201 his or her impact on student learning growth, through a Florida
2202 online or distance program must have received “clinical
2203 educator” training or its equivalent in that state, hold a valid
2204 professional certificate issued by the state in which the field
2205 experience takes place, and have at least 3 years of teaching
2206 experience in prekindergarten through grade 12.
2207 3. All instructional personnel who supervise or direct
2208 teacher preparation students during field experience courses or
2209 internships, in which a candidate demonstrates his or her impact
2210 on student learning growth, on a United States military base in
2211 another country through a Florida online or distance program
2212 must have received “clinical educator” training or its
2213 equivalent, hold a valid professional certificate issued by the
2214 United States Department of Defense or a state or territory of
2215 the United States, and have at least 3 years teaching experience
2216 in prekindergarten through grade 12.
2217 Section 39. Paragraph (b) of subsection (3) of section
2218 1004.85, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
2219 1004.85 Postsecondary educator preparation institutes.—
2220 (3) Educator preparation institutes approved pursuant to
2221 this section may offer competency-based certification programs
2222 specifically designed for noneducation major baccalaureate
2223 degree holders to enable program participants to meet the
2224 educator certification requirements of s. 1012.56. An educator
2225 preparation institute choosing to offer a competency-based
2226 certification program pursuant to the provisions of this section
2227 must implement a program developed by the institute and approved
2228 by the department for this purpose. Approved programs shall be
2229 available for use by other approved educator preparation
2230 institutes.
2231 (b) Each program participant must:
2232 1. Meet certification requirements pursuant to s.
2233 1012.56(1) by obtaining a statement of status of eligibility in
2234 the certification subject area of the educational plan and meet
2235 the requirements of s. 1012.56(2)(a)-(f) before participating in
2236 field experiences.
2237 2. Demonstrate competency and participate in field
2238 experiences that are appropriate to his or her educational plan
2239 prepared under paragraph (a). Beginning with candidates entering
2240 an educator preparation institute in the 2022-2023 school year,
2241 a candidate for certification in a coverage area identified
2242 pursuant to s. 1012.585(3)(g) s. 1012.585(3)(f) must
2243 successfully complete all competencies for a reading
2244 endorsement, including completion of the endorsement practicum
2245 through the candidate’s field experience, in order to graduate
2246 from the program.
2247 3. Before completion of the program, fully demonstrate his
2248 or her ability to teach the subject area for which he or she is
2249 seeking certification by documenting a positive impact on
2250 student learning growth in a prekindergarten through grade 12
2251 setting and, except as provided in s. 1012.56(7)(a)3., achieving
2252 a passing score on the professional education competency
2253 examination, the basic skills examination, and the subject area
2254 examination for the subject area certification which is required
2255 by state board rule.
2256 Section 40. Paragraph (e) of subsection (2) of section
2257 1012.552, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
2258 1012.552 The Coaching for Educator Readiness and Teaching
2259 (CERT) Certification Program.—
2260 (2) PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS.—A CERT program must include all
2261 of the following:
2262 (e) Required successful completion of all competencies for
2263 a reading endorsement, including completion of the endorsement
2264 practicum, for a candidate certification in a coverage area
2265 identified pursuant to s. 1012.585(3)(g) s. 1012.585(3)(f).
2266 Section 41. Paragraph (b) of subsection (2) of section
2267 1012.586, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
2268 1012.586 Additions or changes to certificates; duplicate
2269 certificates; reading endorsement pathways.—
2270 (2)
2271 (b) As part of adopting a pathway pursuant to paragraph
2272 (a), the department shall review the competencies for the
2273 reading endorsement and subject area examinations for educator
2274 certificates identified pursuant to s. 1012.585(3)(g) s.
2275 1012.585(3)(f) for alignment with evidence-based instructional
2276 and intervention strategies rooted in the science of reading and
2277 identified pursuant to s. 1001.215(7) and recommend changes to
2278 the State Board of Education. Recommended changes must address
2279 identification of the characteristics of conditions such as
2280 dyslexia, implementation of evidence-based classroom instruction
2281 and interventions, including evidence-based reading instruction
2282 and interventions specifically for students with characteristics
2283 of dyslexia, and effective progress monitoring. By July 1, 2023,
2284 each school district reading endorsement add-on program must be
2285 resubmitted for approval by the department consistent with this
2286 paragraph.
2287 Section 42. Paragraph (b) of subsection (5) of section
2288 1012.98, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
2289 1012.98 School Community Professional Learning Act.—
2290 (5) The Department of Education, school districts, schools,
2291 Florida College System institutions, and state universities
2292 share the responsibilities described in this section. These
2293 responsibilities include the following:
2294 (b) Each school district shall develop a professional
2295 learning system as specified in subsection (4). The system shall
2296 be developed in consultation with teachers, teacher-educators of
2297 Florida College System institutions and state universities,
2298 business and community representatives, and local education
2299 foundations, consortia, and professional organizations. The
2300 professional learning system must:
2301 1. Be reviewed and approved by the department for
2302 compliance with s. 1003.42(3) and this section. Effective March
2303 1, 2024, the department shall establish a calendar for the
2304 review and approval of all professional learning systems. A
2305 professional learning system must be reviewed and approved every
2306 5 years. Any substantial revisions to the system must be
2307 submitted to the department for review and approval. The
2308 department shall establish a format for the review and approval
2309 of a professional learning system.
2310 2. Be based on analyses of student achievement data and
2311 instructional strategies and methods that support rigorous,
2312 relevant, and challenging curricula for all students. Schools
2313 and districts, in developing and refining the professional
2314 learning system, shall also review and monitor school discipline
2315 data; school environment surveys; assessments of parental
2316 satisfaction; performance appraisal data of teachers, managers,
2317 and administrative personnel; and other performance indicators
2318 to identify school and student needs that can be met by improved
2319 professional performance.
2320 3. Provide inservice activities coupled with follow-up
2321 followup support appropriate to accomplish district-level and
2322 school-level improvement goals and standards. The inservice
2323 activities for instructional and school administrative personnel
2324 shall focus on analysis of student achievement data; ongoing
2325 formal and informal assessments of student achievement;
2326 identification and use of enhanced and differentiated
2327 instructional strategies that emphasize rigor, relevance, and
2328 reading in the content areas; enhancement of subject content
2329 expertise; integrated use of classroom technology that enhances
2330 teaching and learning; classroom management; parent involvement;
2331 and school safety.
2332 4. Provide inservice activities and support targeted to the
2333 individual needs of new teachers participating in the
2334 professional learning certification and education competency
2335 program under s. 1012.56(8)(a).
2336 5. Include a professional learning catalog for inservice
2337 activities, pursuant to rules of the State Board of Education,
2338 for all district employees from all fund sources. The catalog
2339 must be updated annually by September 1, must be based on input
2340 from teachers and district and school instructional leaders, and
2341 must use the latest available student achievement data and
2342 research to enhance rigor and relevance in the classroom. Each
2343 district inservice catalog must be aligned to and support the
2344 school-based inservice catalog and school improvement plans
2345 pursuant to s. 1001.42(18). Each district inservice catalog must
2346 provide a description of the training that middle grades
2347 instructional personnel and school administrators receive on the
2348 district’s code of student conduct adopted pursuant to s.
2349 1006.07; integrated digital instruction and competency-based
2350 instruction and CAPE Digital Tool certificates and CAPE industry
2351 certifications; classroom management; student behavior and
2352 interaction; extended learning opportunities for students; and
2353 instructional leadership. District plans must be approved by the
2354 district school board annually in order to ensure compliance
2355 with subsection (1) and to allow for dissemination of research
2356 based best practices to other districts. District school boards
2357 shall submit verification of their approval to the Commissioner
2358 of Education no later than October 1, annually. Each school
2359 principal may establish and maintain an individual professional
2360 learning plan for each instructional employee assigned to the
2361 school as a seamless component to the school improvement plans
2362 developed pursuant to s. 1001.42(18). An individual professional
2363 learning plan must be related to specific performance data for
2364 the students to whom the teacher is assigned, define the
2365 inservice objectives and specific measurable improvements
2366 expected in student performance as a result of the inservice
2367 activity, and include an evaluation component that determines
2368 the effectiveness of the professional learning plan.
2369 6. Include inservice activities for school administrative
2370 personnel, aligned to the state’s educational leadership
2371 standards, which address updated skills necessary for
2372 instructional leadership and effective school management
2373 pursuant to s. 1012.986.
2374 7. Provide for systematic consultation with regional and
2375 state personnel designated to provide technical assistance and
2376 evaluation of local professional learning programs.
2377 8. Provide for delivery of professional learning by
2378 distance learning and other technology-based delivery systems to
2379 reach more educators at lower costs.
2380 9. Provide for the continuous evaluation of the quality and
2381 effectiveness of professional learning programs in order to
2382 eliminate ineffective programs and strategies and to expand
2383 effective ones. Evaluations must consider the impact of such
2384 activities on the performance of participating educators and
2385 their students’ achievement and behavior.
2386 10. For all grades, emphasize:
2387 a. Interdisciplinary planning, collaboration, and
2388 instruction.
2389 b. Alignment of curriculum and instructional materials to
2390 the state academic standards adopted pursuant to s. 1003.41.
2391 c. Use of small learning communities; problem-solving,
2392 inquiry-driven research and analytical approaches for students;
2393 strategies and tools based on student needs; competency-based
2394 instruction; integrated digital instruction; and project-based
2395 instruction.
2396
2397 Each school that includes any of grades 6, 7, or 8 shall include
2398 in its school improvement plan, required under s. 1001.42(18), a
2399 description of the specific strategies used by the school to
2400 implement each item listed in this subparagraph.
2401 11. Provide training to reading coaches, classroom
2402 teachers, and school administrators in effective methods of
2403 identifying characteristics of conditions such as dyslexia and
2404 other causes of diminished phonological processing skills;
2405 incorporating instructional techniques into the general
2406 education setting which are proven to improve reading
2407 performance for all students; and using predictive and other
2408 data to make instructional decisions based on individual student
2409 needs. The training must help teachers integrate phonemic
2410 awareness; phonics, word study, and spelling; reading fluency;
2411 vocabulary, including academic vocabulary; and text
2412 comprehension strategies into an explicit, systematic, and
2413 sequential approach to reading instruction, including
2414 multisensory intervention strategies. Such training for teaching
2415 foundational skills must be based on the science of reading and
2416 include phonics instruction for decoding and encoding as the
2417 primary instructional strategy for word reading. Instructional
2418 strategies included in the training may not employ the three
2419 cueing system model of reading or visual memory as a basis for
2420 teaching word reading. Such instructional strategies may include
2421 visual information and strategies which improve background and
2422 experiential knowledge, add context, and increase oral language
2423 and vocabulary to support comprehension, but may not be used to
2424 teach word reading. Each district shall must provide all
2425 elementary grades instructional personnel access to training
2426 sufficient to meet the requirements of s. 1012.585(3)(g) s.
2427 1012.585(3)(f).
2428 Section 43. Subsection (3) of section 1013.62, Florida
2429 Statutes, is amended to read:
2430 1013.62 Charter schools capital outlay funding.—
2431 (3) If the school board levies the discretionary millage
2432 authorized in s. 1011.71(2), the department must shall use the
2433 following calculation methodology to determine the amount of
2434 revenue that a school district must distribute to each eligible
2435 charter school:
2436 (a) Reduce the total discretionary millage revenue by the
2437 school district’s annual debt service obligation incurred as of
2438 March 1, 2017, which has not been subsequently retired, and any
2439 amount of participation requirement pursuant to s.
2440 1013.64(2)(a)8. that is being satisfied by revenues raised by
2441 the discretionary millage.
2442 (b) Divide the school district’s adjusted discretionary
2443 millage revenue by the district’s total capital outlay full-time
2444 equivalent membership and the total number of full-time
2445 equivalent students of each eligible charter school to determine
2446 a capital outlay allocation per full-time equivalent student.
2447 (c) Multiply the capital outlay allocation per full-time
2448 equivalent student by the total number of full-time equivalent
2449 students of each eligible charter school to determine the
2450 capital outlay allocation for each charter school.
2451 (d) If applicable, reduce the capital outlay allocation
2452 identified in paragraph (c) by the total amount of state funds
2453 allocated to each eligible charter school in subsection (2) to
2454 determine the maximum calculated capital outlay allocation. The
2455 amount of funds a school district must distribute to charter
2456 schools shall be as follows:
2457 1. For fiscal year 2023-2024, the amount is 20 percent of
2458 the amount calculated under this paragraph.
2459 2. For fiscal year 2024-2025, the amount is 40 percent of
2460 the amount calculated under this paragraph.
2461 3. For fiscal year 2025-2026, the amount is 60 percent of
2462 the amount calculated under this paragraph.
2463 4. For fiscal year 2026-2027, the amount is 80 percent of
2464 the amount calculated under this paragraph.
2465 5. For fiscal year 2027-2028, and each fiscal year
2466 thereafter, the amount is 100 percent of the amount calculated
2467 under this paragraph.
2468 (e) School districts shall distribute capital outlay funds
2469 to eligible charter schools no later than February 1 of each
2470 year, as required by this subsection, based on the amount of
2471 funds received by the district school board. School districts
2472 shall distribute any remaining capital outlay funds, as required
2473 by this subsection, upon the receipt of such funds until the
2474 total amount calculated pursuant to this subsection is
2475 distributed.
2476
2477 By October 1 of each year, each school district shall certify to
2478 the department the amount of debt service and participation
2479 requirement that complies with the requirement of paragraph (a)
2480 and can be reduced from the total discretionary millage revenue.
2481 The Auditor General shall verify compliance with the
2482 requirements of paragraph (a) and s. 1011.71(2)(e) during
2483 scheduled operational audits of school districts.
2484 Section 44. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.