The Florida Senate

1012.21  Department of Education duties; K-12 personnel.--

(1)  PERIODIC CRIMINAL HISTORY RECORD CHECKS.--In cooperation with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Department of Education may periodically perform criminal history record checks on individuals who hold a certificate pursuant to s. 1012.56 or s. 1012.57

(2)  COMPUTER DATABASE OF CERTAIN PERSONS WHOSE EMPLOYMENT WAS TERMINATED.--

(a)  The Department of Education shall establish a computer database containing the names of persons whose employment is terminated under s. 1012.33(1)(a) or (4)(c), which information shall be available to the district school superintendents and their designees.

(b)  Each district school superintendent shall report to the Department of Education the name of any person terminated under s. 1012.33(1)(a) or (4)(c) within 10 working days after the date of final action by the district school board on the termination, and the department shall immediately enter the information in the computer records.

(3)  SUSPENSION OR DENIAL OF TEACHING CERTIFICATE DUE TO CHILD SUPPORT DELINQUENCY.--The Department of Education shall allow applicants for new or renewal certificates and renewal certificateholders to be screened by the Title IV-D child support agency pursuant to s. 409.2598 to assure compliance with an obligation for support, as defined in s. 409.2554 The purpose of this section is to promote the public policy of this state as established in s. 409.2551 The department shall, when directed by the court, deny the application of any applicant found to have a delinquent support obligation. The department shall issue or reinstate the certificate without additional charge to the certificateholder when notified by the court that the certificateholder has complied with the terms of the court order. The department shall not be held liable for any certificate denial or suspension resulting from the discharge of its duties under this section.

(4)  CONFERENCES OF PUBLIC SCHOOL PERSONNEL.--As a means of stimulating the professional improvement of personnel in service, the Department of Education may call conferences of personnel of the public schools on matters relating solely to education, which conferences, if held on a school day within the period of time covered by a contract, shall be attended with pay by all who may be designated in the call of the Department of Education, provided that the call of the Department of Education may indicate that attendance is optional, and that in any case of those absent from their usual duties during the time of the conference, only those actually in attendance at the conference shall be entitled to pay for time covered by the conference.

(5)  SCHOOL-RELATED EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR PROGRAM.--The Department of Education shall, by rule, provide for a School-Related Employee of the Year Program. In addition to any other provision, the department shall include in such rules that:

(a)  The program shall apply to school-related employees.

(b)  The program shall be modeled after the Teacher of the Year Program.

(c)  One school-related employee of the year shall be nominated by each district school board in the state.

(d)  A selection process shall be instituted to select the school-related employee of the year so that the top five finalists receive awards under the program.

History.--s. 696, ch. 2002-387.