The Florida Senate

235.175  SMART schools; Classrooms First; legislative purpose.--

(1)  SMART SCHOOLS.--"SMART schools" are schools that are soundly made, accountable, reasonable, and thrifty. It is the purpose of the Legislature to provide a balanced and principle-based plan for a functional, safe, adequate, and thrifty learning environment for Florida's K-12 students through SMART schools. The plan must be balanced in serving all school districts and must also be balanced between the operating and capital sides of the budget. The principles upon which the plan is based are less government, lower taxes, increased responsibility of school districts, increased freedom through local control, and family and community empowerment.

(2)  CLASSROOMS FIRST.--It is the purpose of the Legislature to increase substantially the state's investment in school construction in an equitable, fair, and reasonable way.

(3)  SCHOOL DISTRICT FACILITIES WORK PROGRAMS.--It is the purpose of the Legislature to create s. 235.185, requiring each school district annually to adopt a district facilities 5-year work program. The purpose of the district facilities work program is to keep the school board and the public fully informed as to whether the district is using sound policies and practices that meet the essential needs of students and that warrant public confidence in district operations. The district facilities work program will be monitored by the SMART Schools Clearinghouse, which will also apply performance standards pursuant to s. 235.218.

(4)  SMART SCHOOLS CLEARINGHOUSE.--It is the purpose of the Legislature to create s. 235.217, establishing the SMART Schools Clearinghouse to assist the school districts in building SMART schools utilizing functional and frugal practices. The SMART Schools Clearinghouse must review district facilities work programs and projects and identify districts qualified for incentive funding available through effort index grants and School Infrastructure Thrift Program awards; identify opportunities to maximize design and construction savings; develop school district facilities work program performance standards; and provide for review and recommendations to the Governor, the Legislature, and the State Board of Education.

(5)  EFFORT INDEX GRANTS.--It is the purpose of the Legislature to create s. 235.186, in order to provide grants from state funds to assist school districts that have provided a specified level of local effort funding and still have a need to build new student stations and associated core facility space to meet student membership requirements in K-12 programs. Districts must utilize state funds in accordance with statutory requirements and obligate from among all eligible sources an amount that is equivalent to the potential available for construction from PECO funds, capital outlay and debt service bond proceeds, Classrooms First funds, and the one-half cent local option school sales surtax. Effort index grants will be based upon recommendation of the SMART Schools Clearinghouse.

(6)  SCHOOL INFRASTRUCTURE THRIFT (SIT) PROGRAM AWARDS.--It is the purpose of the Legislature to convert the SIT Program established in ss. 235.2155 and 235.216 to an incentive award program to encourage functional, frugal facilities and practices. Districts that find ways to reduce the cost of, or eliminate the need for, constructing educational facilities can receive SIT Program awards equal to 50 percent of the amount saved. In addition, districts may submit new schools to receive a SIT Program SMART school of the year recognition award. SIT Program awards will be based upon recommendation of the SMART Schools Clearinghouse and may be used for any authorized capital expenditure.

History.--s. 2, ch. 97-384.