The Florida Senate

1001.11  Commissioner of Education; other duties.--

(1)  The Commissioner of Education must independently perform the following duties:

(a)  Cooperate with and coordinate responses to requests from the members of the Legislature.

(b)  Serve as the primary source of information to the Legislature, including the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, concerning the State Board of Education and the K-20 education system.

(c)  Develop and implement a process for receiving and processing requests, in conjunction with the Legislature, for the allocation of PECO funds for qualified postsecondary education projects.

(d)  Integrally work with the boards of trustees of the state universities and community colleges.

(e)  Monitor the activities of the State Board of Education and provide information related to current and pending policies to the members of the boards of trustees of the community colleges and state universities.

(f)  Ensure the timely provision of information requested by the Legislature from the State Board of Education, the commissioner's office, and the Department of Education.

(2)(a)  The Commissioner of Education shall recommend to the State Board of Education performance goals addressing the educational needs of the state for the K-20 education system. The Council for Education Policy Research and Improvement, as an independent entity, shall develop a report card assigning grades to indicate Florida's progress toward meeting those goals. The annual report card shall contain information showing Florida's performance relative to other states on selected measures, as well as Florida's ability to meet the need for postsecondary degrees and programs and how well the Legislature has provided resources to meet this need. The information shall include the results of the National Assessment of Educational Progress or a similar national assessment program administered to students in Florida. By January 1 of each year, the Council for Education Policy Research and Improvement shall submit the report card to the Legislature, the Governor, and the public.

(b)  Prior to the regular legislative session, the Commissioner of Education shall present to the Legislature a plan for correcting any deficiencies identified in the report card.

(3)  Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, the Commissioner of Education, in conjunction with the Legislature, must recommend funding priorities for the distribution of capital outlay funds for public postsecondary educational institutions, based on priorities that include, but are not limited to, the following criteria:

(a)  Growth at the institutions.

(b)  Need for specific skills statewide.

(c)  Need for maintaining and repairing existing facilities.

(4)  The commissioner shall develop and implement an integrated K-20 information system for educational management in accordance with the requirements of chapter 1008.

(5)  The commissioner shall design and implement a statewide program of educational assessment that provides information for the improvement of the operation and management of the public schools, including schools operating for the purpose of providing educational services to youth in Department of Juvenile Justice programs, in accordance with the requirements of chapter 1008.

(6)  The commissioner is responsible for implementing and maintaining a system of intensive school improvement and stringent education accountability, in accordance with the requirements of chapter 1008.

History.--s. 24, ch. 2002-387.