Florida Senate - 2026 SENATOR AMENDMENT
Bill No. CS for CS for HB 1279
Ì476262+Î476262
LEGISLATIVE ACTION
Senate . House
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Floor: 1/AD/2R .
03/13/2026 10:24 AM .
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Senator Calatayud moved the following:
1 Senate Amendment (with title amendment)
2
3 Delete everything after the enacting clause
4 and insert:
5 Section 1. Section 413.0114, Florida Statutes, is created
6 to read:
7 413.0114 Consumer disclosure for blind-related services.—
8 (1) An individual, a business, a nonprofit, or other entity
9 offering fee-based services to individuals who are blind or
10 visually impaired shall, before entering into a contract or
11 accepting payment, disclose in writing whether equivalent or
12 substantially similar services may be available at no cost
13 through the Division of Blind Services or another public agency.
14 (2) The written disclosure must:
15 (a) Be provided in plain language and, upon request, in an
16 accessible format, such as braille, large print, or audio.
17 (b) Include contact information for the Division of Blind
18 Services.
19 (c) Be signed or electronically acknowledged by the
20 consumer or his or her representative.
21 (3) A violation of this section constitutes an unfair or
22 deceptive trade practice under part II of chapter 501 and is
23 subject to penalties and enforcement as provided therein.
24 (4) The State Board of Education may adopt rules to
25 implement this section.
26 Section 2. Subsection (1) of section 413.208, Florida
27 Statutes, is amended to read:
28 413.208 Service providers; quality assurance; fitness for
29 responsibilities; background screening.—
30 (1) Service providers must apply to register with the
31 division. To qualify for approval, a registration, the division
32 must ensure that the service provider must maintain maintains an
33 internal system of quality assurance, have has proven functional
34 systems, meet the minimum qualifications, and be is subject to a
35 due-diligence inquiry as to its fitness to undertake service
36 responsibilities.
37 (a) The division shall establish minimum qualifications for
38 service providers. The division shall establish an annual
39 application period for service providers to submit applications.
40 The division may approve or deny any service provider
41 application. Beginning January 1, 2027, only service providers
42 that meet the minimum qualifications established by the division
43 and that have been approved to provide employment-related
44 services to individuals with disabilities may participate in the
45 vocational rehabilitation program.
46 (b) The division shall develop and make publicly available
47 an annual report of service provider effectiveness, which
48 includes an evaluation system measuring the effectiveness of all
49 service providers that are approved by the division to provide
50 employment-related services to individuals with disabilities.
51 (c) In order to maintain approved status with the division,
52 service providers must meet minimum standards of effectiveness
53 in the provision of vocational rehabilitation services,
54 including placement of individuals in competitive and integrated
55 employment.
56 (d) Rates for vocational rehabilitation services must be
57 allocable, reasonable, and necessary, as determined by the
58 division.
59 Section 3. Paragraph (c) of subsection (3) of section
60 491.005, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
61 491.005 Licensure by examination.—
62 (3) MARRIAGE AND FAMILY THERAPY.—Upon verification of
63 documentation and payment of a fee not to exceed $200, as set by
64 board rule, the department shall issue a license as a marriage
65 and family therapist to an applicant whom the board certifies
66 has met all of the following criteria:
67 (c)1. Attained one of the following:
68 a. A minimum of a master’s degree in marriage and family
69 therapy from a program accredited by the Commission on
70 Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education.
71 b. A minimum of a master’s degree with a major emphasis in
72 marriage and family therapy or a closely related field from a
73 university program accredited by the Council on Accreditation of
74 Counseling and Related Educational Programs and graduate courses
75 approved by the board.
76 c. A minimum of a master’s degree with an emphasis in
77 marriage and family therapy or a closely related field, with a
78 degree conferred before September 1, 2032 2027, from an
79 institutionally accredited college or university and graduate
80 courses approved by the board.
81 2. If the course title that appears on the applicant’s
82 transcript does not clearly identify the content of the
83 coursework, the applicant provided additional documentation,
84 including, but not limited to, a syllabus or catalog description
85 published for the course. The required master’s degree must have
86 been received in an institution of higher education that, at the
87 time the applicant graduated, was fully accredited by an
88 institutional accrediting body recognized by the Council for
89 Higher Education Accreditation or its successor organization or
90 was a member in good standing with Universities Canada, or an
91 institution of higher education located outside the United
92 States and Canada which, at the time the applicant was enrolled
93 and at the time the applicant graduated, maintained a standard
94 of training substantially equivalent to the standards of
95 training of those institutions in the United States which are
96 accredited by an institutional accrediting body recognized by
97 the Council for Higher Education Accreditation or its successor
98 organization. Such foreign education and training must have been
99 received in an institution or program of higher education
100 officially recognized by the government of the country in which
101 it is located as an institution or program to train students to
102 practice as professional marriage and family therapists or
103 psychotherapists. The applicant has the burden of establishing
104 that the requirements of this provision have been met, and the
105 board shall require documentation, such as an evaluation by a
106 foreign equivalency determination service, as evidence that the
107 applicant’s graduate degree program and education were
108 equivalent to an accredited program in this country. An
109 applicant with a master’s degree from a program that did not
110 emphasize marriage and family therapy may complete the
111 coursework requirement in a training institution fully
112 accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and
113 Family Therapy Education recognized by the United States
114 Department of Education.
115
116 For the purposes of dual licensure, the department shall license
117 as a marriage and family therapist any person who meets the
118 requirements of s. 491.0057. Fees for dual licensure may not
119 exceed those stated in this subsection.
120 Section 4. Paragraph (a) of subsection (17) and subsections
121 (21) and (23) of section 1001.42, Florida Statutes, are amended
122 to read:
123 1001.42 Powers and duties of district school board.—The
124 district school board, acting as a board, shall exercise all
125 powers and perform all duties listed below:
126 (17) PUBLIC INFORMATION AND PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT PROGRAM.—
127 (a) Adopt procedures whereby the general public can be
128 adequately informed of the educational programs, needs, and
129 objectives of public education within the district, including
130 educational opportunities available through approved virtual
131 instruction program providers under s. 1002.45 or the school
132 district’s virtual instruction program the Florida Virtual
133 School.
134 (21) EDUCATIONAL EMERGENCY.—To free schools that have with
135 a school grade of “D” or “F” or are persistently low-performing
136 schools as described in s. 1002.333 from contract restrictions
137 that limit the school district’s school’s ability to implement
138 programs and strategies needed to improve student performance, a
139 district school board may adopt salary incentives or other
140 strategies that address the selection, placement, compensation,
141 and expectations of instructional personnel and provide
142 principals with the autonomy described in s. 1012.28(8). For
143 purposes of this subsection, an educational emergency exists in
144 a school district if one or more schools in the district have a
145 school grade of “D” or “F” or are persistently low-performing
146 schools as described in s. 1002.333. “F.” Notwithstanding
147 chapter 447, relating to collective bargaining, a district
148 school board may:
149 (a) Provide salary incentives that differentiate based on a
150 teacher’s certification, subject area taught, or grade level
151 taught. Such incentives are not subject to collective bargaining
152 requirements.
153 (b) Notwithstanding s. 1012.2315, relating to assignment of
154 teachers, adopt strategies to assign high-quality teachers more
155 equitably across schools in the district to low-performing
156 schools as a management right. Such strategies are not subject
157 to collective bargaining requirements.
158 (23) VIRTUAL INSTRUCTION.—Provide students with access to
159 courses, based on the students’ choice, available through the
160 school district’s a virtual instruction program option or an
161 approved virtual instruction program provider under s. 1002.45,
162 including the Florida Virtual School and other approved
163 providers, and award credit for successful completion of such
164 courses.
165 Section 5. Subsection (1) of section 1001.92, Florida
166 Statutes, is amended to read:
167 1001.92 State University System Performance-Based
168 Incentive.—
169 (1) A State University System Performance-Based Incentive
170 shall be awarded to state universities using performance-based
171 metrics adopted by the Board of Governors of the State
172 University System. Beginning with the Board of Governors’
173 determination of each university’s performance improvement and
174 achievement ratings, and the related distribution of annual
175 fiscal year appropriation, the performance-based metrics must
176 include:
177 (a) The 4-year graduation rate and adjusted cohort
178 graduation rate for engineering programs for first-time-in
179 college students;
180 (b) Beginning in fiscal year 2022-2023, the 3-year
181 graduation rate for associate in arts transfer students;
182 (c) Retention rates;
183 (d) Postgraduation education rates;
184 (e) Degree production;
185 (f) Affordability;
186 (g) Postgraduation employment and salaries, including wage
187 thresholds that reflect the added value of a baccalaureate
188 degree;
189 (h) Access rate, based on the percentage of first-year
190 undergraduate students enrolled during the fall term who
191 received a Pell Grant during the fall term; and
192 (i) Beginning in fiscal year 2021-2022, the 6-year
193 graduation rate for students who are awarded a Pell Grant in
194 their first year.
195
196 The Board of Governors may approve other metrics in a publicly
197 noticed meeting. The board shall adopt benchmarks to evaluate
198 each state university’s performance on the metrics to measure
199 the state university’s achievement of institutional excellence
200 or need for improvement and minimum requirements for eligibility
201 to receive performance funding. Benchmarks and metrics may not
202 be adjusted after university performance data has been received
203 by the Board of Governors.
204 Section 6. Paragraph (i) of subsection (3) of section
205 1002.20, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
206 1002.20 K-12 student and parent rights.—Parents of public
207 school students must receive accurate and timely information
208 regarding their child’s academic progress and must be informed
209 of ways they can help their child to succeed in school. K-12
210 students and their parents are afforded numerous statutory
211 rights including, but not limited to, the following:
212 (3) HEALTH ISSUES.—
213 (i) Epinephrine use and supply.—
214 1. A student who has experienced or is at risk for life
215 threatening allergic reactions may carry a United States Food
216 and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved an epinephrine delivery
217 device auto-injector and self-administer epinephrine by such
218 FDA-approved delivery device auto-injector while in school,
219 participating in school-sponsored activities, or in transit to
220 or from school or school-sponsored activities if the school has
221 been provided with parental and physician authorization. The
222 State Board of Education, in cooperation with the Department of
223 Health, shall adopt rules for such use of FDA-approved
224 epinephrine delivery devices which must auto-injectors that
225 shall include provisions to protect the safety of all students
226 from the misuse or abuse of such delivery devices auto
227 injectors. A school district, county health department, public
228 private partner, and their employees and volunteers shall be
229 indemnified by the parent of a student authorized to carry an
230 FDA-approved epinephrine delivery device auto-injector for any
231 and all liability with respect to the student’s use of an FDA
232 approved epinephrine delivery device auto-injector pursuant to
233 this paragraph.
234 2. A public school may purchase a supply of FDA-approved
235 epinephrine delivery devices auto-injectors from a wholesale
236 distributor as defined in s. 499.003 or may enter into an
237 arrangement with a wholesale distributor or manufacturer as
238 defined in s. 499.003 for the FDA-approved epinephrine delivery
239 devices auto-injectors at fair-market, free, or reduced prices
240 for use in the event a student has an anaphylactic reaction. The
241 FDA-approved epinephrine delivery devices auto-injectors must be
242 maintained in a secure location on the public school’s premises.
243 The participating school district shall adopt a protocol
244 developed by a licensed physician for the administration by
245 school personnel who are trained to recognize an anaphylactic
246 reaction and to administer an epinephrine by an FDA-approved
247 delivery device auto-injection. The supply of FDA-approved
248 epinephrine delivery devices auto-injectors may be provided to
249 and used by a student authorized to self-administer epinephrine
250 by FDA-approved delivery device auto-injector under subparagraph
251 1. or trained school personnel.
252 3. The school district and its employees, agents, and the
253 physician who provides the standing protocol for school FDA
254 approved epinephrine delivery devices auto-injectors are not
255 liable for any injury arising from the use of such an
256 epinephrine delivery device auto-injector administered by
257 trained school personnel who follow the adopted protocol and
258 whose professional opinion is that the student is having an
259 anaphylactic reaction:
260 a. Unless the trained school personnel’s action is willful
261 and wanton;
262 b. Notwithstanding that the parents or guardians of the
263 student to whom the epinephrine is administered have not been
264 provided notice or have not signed a statement acknowledging
265 that the school district is not liable; and
266 c. Regardless of whether authorization has been given by
267 the student’s parents or guardians or by the student’s
268 physician, physician assistant, or advanced practice registered
269 nurse.
270 Section 7. Subsection (17) of section 1002.42, Florida
271 Statutes, is amended to read:
272 1002.42 Private schools.—
273 (17) EPINEPHRINE SUPPLY.—
274 (a) A private school may purchase a supply of United States
275 Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved epinephrine delivery
276 devices auto-injectors from a wholesale distributor as defined
277 in s. 499.003 or may enter into an arrangement with a wholesale
278 distributor or manufacturer as defined in s. 499.003 for the
279 FDA-approved epinephrine delivery devices auto-injectors at
280 fair-market, free, or reduced prices for use in the event a
281 student has an anaphylactic reaction. The FDA-approved
282 epinephrine delivery devices auto-injectors must be maintained
283 in a secure location on the private school’s premises. The
284 participating private school shall adopt a protocol developed by
285 a licensed physician for the administration by private school
286 personnel who are trained to recognize an anaphylactic reaction
287 and to administer epinephrine by an FDA-approved epinephrine
288 delivery device auto-injection. The supply of FDA-approved
289 epinephrine delivery devices auto-injectors may be provided to
290 and used by a student authorized to self-administer epinephrine
291 by an FDA-approved delivery device auto-injector under s.
292 1002.20(3)(i) or trained school personnel.
293 (b) The private school and its employees, agents, and the
294 physician who provides the standing protocol for school FDA
295 approved epinephrine delivery devices auto-injectors are not
296 liable for any injury arising from the use of an FDA-approved
297 epinephrine delivery device auto-injector administered by
298 trained school personnel who follow the adopted protocol and
299 whose professional opinion is that the student is having an
300 anaphylactic reaction:
301 1. Unless the trained school personnel’s action is willful
302 and wanton;
303 2. Notwithstanding that the parents or guardians of the
304 student to whom the epinephrine is administered have not been
305 provided notice or have not signed a statement acknowledging
306 that the school district is not liable; and
307 3. Regardless of whether authorization has been given by
308 the student’s parents or guardians or by the student’s
309 physician, physician assistant, or advanced practice registered
310 nurse.
311 Section 8. Paragraph (i) of subsection (1) of section
312 1002.421, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
313 1002.421 State school choice scholarship program
314 accountability and oversight.—
315 (1) PRIVATE SCHOOL ELIGIBILITY AND OBLIGATIONS.—A private
316 school participating in an educational scholarship program
317 established pursuant to this chapter must be a private school as
318 defined in s. 1002.01 in this state, be registered, and be in
319 compliance with all requirements of this section in addition to
320 private school requirements outlined in s. 1002.42, specific
321 requirements identified within respective scholarship program
322 laws, and other provisions of Florida law that apply to private
323 schools, and must:
324 (i) Maintain a physical location in the state at which each
325 student has regular and direct contact with teachers. Regular
326 and direct contact with teachers may be satisfied for students
327 enrolled in a personalized education program or for students
328 eligible for a scholarship under s. 1002.394(3)(b) if students
329 have regular and direct contact with teachers at the physical
330 location at least 2 school days per week and the student
331 learning plan addresses the remaining instructional time.
332
333 The department shall suspend the payment of funds to a private
334 school that knowingly fails to comply with this subsection, and
335 shall prohibit the school from enrolling new scholarship
336 students, for 1 fiscal year and until the school complies. If a
337 private school fails to meet the requirements of this subsection
338 or has consecutive years of material exceptions listed in the
339 report required under paragraph (q), the commissioner may
340 determine that the private school is ineligible to participate
341 in a scholarship program.
342 Section 9. Subsection (3), paragraph (e) of subsection (4),
343 paragraph (a) of subsection (5), and paragraph (e) of subsection
344 (6) of section 1002.68, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
345 1002.68 Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program
346 accountability.—
347 (3)(a) For the 2020-2021 program year, the department shall
348 calculate a kindergarten readiness rate for each private
349 prekindergarten provider and public school participating in the
350 Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program based upon learning
351 gains and the percentage of students assessed as ready for
352 kindergarten. The department shall require that each school
353 district administer the statewide kindergarten screening in use
354 before the 2021-2022 school year to each kindergarten student in
355 the school district within the first 30 school days of the 2021
356 2022 school year. Private schools may administer the statewide
357 kindergarten screening to each kindergarten student in a private
358 school who was enrolled in the Voluntary Prekindergarten
359 Education Program. Learning gains shall be determined using a
360 value-added measure based on growth demonstrated by the results
361 of the preassessment and postassessment in use before the 2021
362 2022 program year. However, a provider may not be newly placed
363 on probationary status under this paragraph. A provider
364 currently on probationary status may only be removed from such
365 status if the provider earns the minimum rate, determined
366 pursuant to subsection (5). The methodology for calculating a
367 provider’s readiness rate may not include students who are not
368 administered the statewide kindergarten screening.
369 (b) For the 2021-2022 program year, kindergarten screening
370 results may not be used in the calculation of readiness rates.
371 Any private prekindergarten provider or public school
372 participating in the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program
373 which fails to meet the minimum kindergarten readiness rate for
374 the 2021-2022 program year is subject to the probation
375 requirements of subsection (5).
376 (3)(4)
377 (e) Subject to an appropriation, the department shall
378 provide for a differential payment to a private prekindergarten
379 provider and public school based on the provider’s designation.
380 The maximum differential payment may not exceed a total of 15
381 percent of the base student allocation per full-time equivalent
382 student under s. 1002.71 attending in the consecutive program
383 year for that program. A private prekindergarten provider or
384 public school may not receive a differential payment if it
385 receives a designation of “proficient” or lower. Before the
386 adoption of the methodology, the department shall confer with
387 the Council for Early Grade Success under s. 1008.2125 before
388 receiving approval from the State Board of Education for the
389 final recommendations on the designation system and differential
390 payments.
391 (4)(a)(5)(a) If a public school’s or private
392 prekindergarten provider’s program assessment composite score
393 for its prekindergarten classrooms fails to meet the minimum
394 program assessment composite score for contracting adopted in
395 rule by the department, the private prekindergarten provider or
396 public school may not participate in the Voluntary
397 Prekindergarten Education Program beginning in the consecutive
398 program year and thereafter until the public school or private
399 prekindergarten provider meets the minimum composite score for
400 contracting. A public school or private prekindergarten provider
401 may request one program assessment per program year in order to
402 requalify for participation in the Voluntary Prekindergarten
403 Education Program, provided that the public school or private
404 prekindergarten provider is not excluded from participation
405 under ss. 1002.55(6), 1002.61(10)(b), 1002.63(9)(b), or
406 paragraph (b) (5)(b) of this section. If a public school or
407 private prekindergarten provider would like an additional
408 program assessment completed within the same program year, the
409 public school or private prekindergarten provider shall be
410 responsible for the cost of the program assessment.
411 (5)(6)
412 (e) A private prekindergarten provider or public school
413 granted a good cause exemption shall continue to implement its
414 improvement plan and continue the corrective actions required
415 under paragraph (4)(b) (5)(b) until the provider or school meets
416 the minimum performance metric.
417 Section 10. Paragraphs (a) and (d) of subsection (4) of
418 section 1002.945, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
419 1002.945 Gold Seal Quality Care Program.—
420 (4) In order to obtain and maintain a designation as a Gold
421 Seal Quality Care provider, a child care facility, large family
422 child care home, or family day care home must meet the following
423 additional criteria:
424 (a) The child care provider must not have had any class I
425 violations, as defined by rule of the Department of Children and
426 Families, for which the Department of Children and Families
427 determines that the child care provider is the primary cause of
428 the violation within the 2 years preceding its application for
429 designation as a Gold Seal Quality Care provider. Commission of
430 a class I violation for which the Department of Children and
431 Families determines that the child care provider is the primary
432 cause of the violation shall be grounds for termination of the
433 designation as a Gold Seal Quality Care provider until the
434 provider has no class I violations for a period of 2 years.
435 (d) Notwithstanding paragraph (a), if the Department of
436 Education determines through a formal process that a provider
437 has been in business for at least 5 years and has no other class
438 I violations recorded, the department may recommend to the state
439 board that the provider maintain its Gold Seal Quality Care
440 status. The state board’s determination regarding such
441 provider’s status is final.
442 Section 11. Subsection (2) of section 1003.4203, Florida
443 Statutes, is amended to read:
444 1003.4203 Digital materials, CAPE Digital Tool
445 certificates, CAPE industry certifications, and technical
446 assistance.—
447 (2) CAPE DIGITAL TOOL CERTIFICATES.—The department shall
448 identify, in the CAPE Industry Certification Funding List under
449 ss. 1003.492 and 1008.44, CAPE Digital Tool certificates that
450 indicate a student’s digital skills. The department shall notify
451 each school district when the certificates are available. The
452 certificates shall be made available to all public elementary
453 and middle grades students. Targeted skills to be mastered for
454 the certificate include digital skills that are necessary to the
455 student’s academic work and skills the student may need in
456 future employment. CAPE Digital Tool certificates earned by
457 students are eligible for additional funding pursuant to s.
458 1011.62(17). Middle grade students may not earn more than two
459 CAPE Digital Tools certificates per school year.
460 Section 12. Paragraph (f) of subsection (3) and subsection
461 (10) of section 1003.4282, Florida Statutes, are amended to
462 read:
463 1003.4282 Requirements for a standard high school diploma.—
464 (3) STANDARD HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA; COURSE AND ASSESSMENT
465 REQUIREMENTS.—
466 (f) One credit in physical education.—Physical education
467 must include the integration of health. Participation in an
468 interscholastic sport at the junior varsity or varsity level for
469 two full seasons shall satisfy the one-credit requirement in
470 physical education. A district school board may not require that
471 the one credit in physical education be taken during the 9th
472 grade year. Completion of 2 years of marching band shall satisfy
473 the one-credit requirement in physical education and or the one
474 credit requirement in performing arts. This credit may not be
475 used to satisfy the personal fitness requirement or the
476 requirement for adaptive physical education under an individual
477 education plan (IEP) or 504 plan. Completion of 1.0 credit with
478 a grade of “C” or better in a dance techniques course, a
479 significant component of which is activities designed to
480 maintain or improve health-related fitness and lifelong fitness,
481 shall satisfy the one-credit requirement in physical education
482 or the one-credit requirement in performing arts. This credit
483 may not be used to satisfy the personal fitness requirement or
484 the requirement for adaptive physical education under an IEP or
485 504 plan. Completion of one semester with a grade of “C” or
486 better in a marching band class, in a physical activity class
487 that requires participation in marching band activities as an
488 extracurricular activity, or in a dance class shall satisfy one
489 half credit in physical education or one-half credit in
490 performing arts. This credit may not be used to satisfy the
491 personal fitness requirement or the requirement for adaptive
492 physical education under an IEP or 504 plan. Completion of 2
493 years in a Reserve Officer Training Corps (R.O.T.C.) class, a
494 significant component of which is drills, shall satisfy the one
495 credit requirement in physical education and the one-credit
496 requirement in performing arts. This credit may not be used to
497 satisfy the personal fitness requirement or the requirement for
498 adaptive physical education under an IEP or 504 plan.
499 (10) CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION CREDIT.—The Department
500 of Education shall convene a workgroup, no later than December
501 1, 2024, to:
502 (a) Identify best practices in career and technical
503 education pathways from middle school to high school to aid
504 middle school students in career planning and facilitate their
505 transition to high school programs. The career pathway must be
506 linked to postsecondary programs.
507 (b) Establish three mathematics pathways for students
508 enrolled in secondary grades by aligning mathematics courses to
509 programs, postsecondary education, and careers. The workgroup
510 shall collaborate to identify the three mathematics pathways and
511 the mathematics course sequence within each pathway that which
512 align to the mathematics skills needed for success in the
513 corresponding academic programs, postsecondary education, and
514 careers.
515 1. The mathematics pathways must be identified no later
516 than September 1, 2026. The Department of Education shall submit
517 identified mathematics pathways to the Governor, the President
518 of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
519 2. The mathematics pathways must incorporate an applied
520 algebra course that aligns with established career and technical
521 education career clusters.
522 3. The Department of Education shall develop applied
523 algebra courses aligned with the identified mathematics pathways
524 and the established career and technical education career
525 clusters by January 1, 2027, with availability for district
526 implementation in the 2029-2030 school year.
527 a. The applied algebra for engineering and technology
528 course must incorporate content and contexts that apply to the
529 following career clusters: energy, engineering and technology
530 education, and information technology.
531 b. The applied algebra for health science course must
532 incorporate content and contexts that apply to the health
533 science career cluster.
534 c. The applied algebra for business and finance course must
535 incorporate content and contexts that apply to the following
536 career clusters: business management and administration;
537 finance; government and public administration; and marketing,
538 sales, and service.
539 d. The applied algebra for industrial pathways course must
540 incorporate content and contexts that apply to the following
541 career clusters: architecture and construction; manufacturing;
542 and transportation, distribution, and logistics.
543 e. The applied algebra for agriculture and natural
544 resources course must incorporate content and contexts that
545 apply to the agriculture, food, and natural resources career
546 cluster.
547 4. Each mathematics pathway must offer flexibility and the
548 ability to move between pathways if necessary.
549 5. Mathematics pathways must create clear links between
550 secondary mathematics and postsecondary mathematics pathways, as
551 established in State Board of Education rule, and support
552 student progression into postsecondary academic programs, state
553 college career and technical education programs, career center
554 programs, industry certification programs, and high-skill, high
555 wage occupations.
556 6. Each applied algebra course must prepare students to
557 take the statewide, standardized Algebra I end-of-course
558 assessment required under s. 1008.22.
559 7. Each applied algebra course must meet all requirements
560 for a mathematics credit required for high school graduation
561 under s. 1003.4282(3)(b) or for middle grades promotion pursuant
562 to s. 1003.4156(1)(b).
563 8. The Department of Education shall collaborate with the
564 Board of Governors of the State University System to ensure that
565 each applied algebra course is accepted as a mathematics credit
566 for state university admissions.
567 9. The Department of Education shall provide professional
568 learning, instructional resources, and technical assistance to
569 support district implementation for the 2029-2030 school year.
570 Section 13. Section 1003.437, Florida Statutes, is amended
571 to read:
572 1003.437 Middle and high school grading system.—The grading
573 system and interpretation of letter grades used to measure
574 student success in grade 6 through grade 12 courses for students
575 in public schools shall be as follows:
576 (1) Grade “A” equals 90 percent through 100 percent, has a
577 grade point average value of 4, and is defined as “outstanding
578 progress.”
579 (2) Grade “B” equals 80 percent through 89 percent, has a
580 grade point average value of 3, and is defined as “above average
581 progress.”
582 (3) Grade “C” equals 70 percent through 79 percent, has a
583 grade point average value of 2, and is defined as “average
584 progress.”
585 (4) Grade “D” equals 60 percent through 69 percent, has a
586 grade point average value of 1, and is defined as “lowest
587 acceptable progress.”
588 (5) Grade “F” equals zero percent through 59 percent, has a
589 grade point average value of zero, and is defined as “failure.”
590 (6) Grade “I” equals zero percent, has a grade point
591 average value of zero, and is defined as “incomplete.”
592
593 The State Board of Education shall establish a statewide uniform
594 weighted grading system for honors courses and articulated
595 acceleration mechanisms identified in s. 1007.27. For the
596 purposes of class ranking, District school boards shall use the
597 may exercise a weighted grading system to calculate weighted
598 high school grade point averages pursuant to s. 1007.271.
599 Section 14. Subsection (5) is added to section 1003.5716,
600 Florida Statutes, to read:
601 1003.5716 Transition to postsecondary education and career
602 opportunities.—All students with disabilities who are 3 years of
603 age to 21 years of age have the right to a free, appropriate
604 public education. As used in this section, the term “IEP” means
605 individual education plan.
606 (5)
607 (a) If a related service identified in a student’s IEP is
608 not provided as scheduled, the school district must notify the
609 parent or guardian in writing or by electronic means within 10
610 school days, explain the reason the service was not provided,
611 and discuss a plan for make-up services.
612 (b) A parent or guardian has the right to access, upon
613 request, all service provider logs or progress notes within 15
614 school days after such service is provided. The school district
615 shall inform parents of this right at each IEP meeting.
616
617 Section 15. Subsections (5) and (6) of section 1004.343,
618 Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
619 1004.343 Statewide Data Repository for Anonymous Human
620 Trafficking Data.—
621 (5) Beginning January 31, 2027 July 1, 2025, and annually
622 thereafter, the University of South Florida Trafficking in
623 Persons - Risk to Resilience Lab, in consultation with the
624 Department of Law Enforcement, shall submit an annual report and
625 analysis on its findings to the Governor, the Attorney General,
626 the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of
627 Representatives.
628 (6) This section is repealed July 1, 2027 2026, unless
629 reviewed and reenacted by the Legislature before that date.
630 Section 16. Subsections (3), (4), and (5) of section
631 1004.39, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
632 1004.39 College of Law at Florida International
633 University.—
634 (3) The College of Law at Florida International University,
635 to the extent consistent with the standards required by a the
636 American Bar Association or any other nationally recognized
637 association for the accreditation of colleges of law, shall
638 develop a law library collection utilizing electronic formats
639 and mediums.
640 (4) The College of Law at Florida International University
641 shall develop and institute a program that is consistent with
642 sound legal education principles as determined by a the American
643 Bar Association or any other nationally recognized association
644 for the accreditation of colleges of law and that, to the extent
645 consistent with such sound legal education principles, is
646 structured to serve the legal needs of traditionally underserved
647 portions of the population by providing an opportunity for
648 participation in a legal clinic program or pro bono legal
649 service.
650 (5) The Florida International University Board of Trustees
651 and the Board of Governors may accept grants, donations, gifts,
652 and moneys available for this purpose, including moneys for
653 planning and constructing the college. The Florida International
654 University Board of Trustees may procure and accept any federal
655 funds that are available for the planning, creation, and
656 establishment of the college of law. If a the American Bar
657 Association or any other nationally recognized association for
658 the accreditation of colleges of law issues a third disapproval
659 of an application for provisional approval or for full approval
660 or fails to grant, within 5 years following the graduation of
661 the first class, a provisional approval, to the College of Law
662 at Florida International University, the Board of Governors
663 shall make recommendations to the Governor and the Legislature
664 as to whether the college of law will cease operations at the
665 end of the full academic year subsequent to the receipt by the
666 college of law of any such third disapproval, or whether the
667 college of law will continue operations and any conditions for
668 continued operations. If the college of law ceases operations
669 pursuant to this section, the following conditions apply:
670 (a) The authority for the College of Law at Florida
671 International University and the authority of the Florida
672 International University Board of Trustees and the Board of
673 Governors provided in this section shall terminate upon the
674 cessation of operations of the College of Law at Florida
675 International University. The College of Law at Florida
676 International University shall receive no moneys allocated for
677 the planning, construction, or operation of the college of law
678 after its cessation of operations other than moneys to be
679 expended for the cessation of operations of the college of law.
680 Any moneys allocated to the College of Law at Florida
681 International University not expended prior to or scheduled to
682 be expended after the date of the cessation of the college of
683 law shall be appropriated for other use by the Legislature of
684 the State of Florida.
685 (b) Any buildings of the College of Law at Florida
686 International University constructed from the expenditure of
687 capital outlay funds appropriated by the Legislature shall be
688 owned by the Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust
689 Fund and managed by the Florida International University Board
690 of Trustees upon the cessation of the college of law.
691 Section 17. Subsections (3), (4), and (5) of section
692 1004.40, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
693 1004.40 College of Law at Florida Agricultural and
694 Mechanical University.—
695 (3) The College of Law at Florida Agricultural and
696 Mechanical University, to the extent consistent with the
697 standards required by a the American Bar Association or any
698 other nationally recognized association for the accreditation of
699 colleges of law, shall develop a law library collection
700 utilizing electronic formats and mediums.
701 (4) The College of Law at Florida Agricultural and
702 Mechanical University shall develop and institute a program that
703 is consistent with sound legal education principles as
704 determined by a the American Bar Association or any other
705 nationally recognized association for the accreditation of
706 colleges of law and that, to the extent consistent with such
707 sound legal education principles, is structured to serve the
708 legal needs of traditionally underserved portions of the
709 population by providing an opportunity for participation in a
710 legal clinic program or pro bono legal service.
711 (5) The Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University
712 Board of Trustees and the Board of Governors may accept grants,
713 donations, gifts, and moneys available for this purpose,
714 including moneys for planning and constructing the college. The
715 Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University Board of Trustees
716 may procure and accept any federal funds that are available for
717 the planning, creation, and establishment of the college of law.
718 If a the American Bar Association or any other nationally
719 recognized association for the accreditation of colleges of law
720 issues a third disapproval of an application for provisional
721 approval or for full approval or fails to grant, within 5 years
722 following the graduation of the first class, a provisional
723 approval, to the College of Law at Florida Agricultural and
724 Mechanical University, the Board of Governors shall make
725 recommendations to the Governor and Legislature as to whether
726 the college of law will cease operations at the end of the full
727 academic year subsequent to the receipt by the college of law of
728 any such third disapproval, or whether the college of law will
729 continue operations and any conditions for continued operations.
730 If the college of law ceases operations of the college of law
731 pursuant to this section, the following conditions apply:
732 (a) The authority for the College of Law at Florida
733 Agricultural and Mechanical University and the authority of the
734 Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University Board of Trustees
735 and the Board of Governors provided in this section shall
736 terminate upon the cessation of operations of the College of Law
737 at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University. The College
738 of Law at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University shall
739 receive no moneys allocated for the planning, construction, or
740 operation of the college of law after its cessation of
741 operations other than moneys to be expended for the cessation of
742 operations of the college of law. Any moneys allocated to the
743 College of Law at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University
744 not expended prior to or scheduled to be expended after the date
745 of the cessation of the college of law shall be appropriated for
746 other use by the Legislature of the State of Florida.
747 (b) Any buildings of the College of Law at Florida
748 Agricultural and Mechanical University constructed from the
749 expenditure of capital outlay funds appropriated by the
750 Legislature shall be owned by the Board of Trustees of the
751 Internal Improvement Trust Fund and managed by the Florida
752 Agricultural and Mechanical University Board of Trustees upon
753 the cessation of the college of law.
754 Section 18. Paragraph (b) of subsection (1) of section
755 1005.06, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
756 1005.06 Institutions not under the jurisdiction or purview
757 of the commission.—
758 (1) Except as otherwise provided in law, the following
759 institutions are not under the jurisdiction or purview of the
760 commission and are not required to obtain licensure:
761 (b) Any college or, school, or course licensed or approved
762 as an institution for establishment and operation by another
763 state agency. A college or school, or any of its programs or
764 courses, does not qualify for exemption from the commission’s
765 jurisdiction under this paragraph solely because another state
766 agency licenses or approves one or more of its programs or
767 courses. Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed to limit
768 or affect the exemptions for contract training, continuing
769 education, or professional development programs or courses under
770 paragraph (d), even if such programs or courses are approved
771 under chapter 466 for establishment and operation under part I
772 of chapter 464, chapter 466, or chapter 475, or any other
773 chapter of the Florida Statutes requiring licensing or approval
774 as defined in this chapter.
775 Section 19. Section 1006.12, Florida Statutes, is amended
776 to read:
777 1006.12 Safe-school officers at each public school.—For the
778 protection and safety of school personnel, property, students,
779 and visitors, each district school board and school district
780 superintendent shall partner with law enforcement agencies or
781 security agencies to establish or assign one or more safe-school
782 officers at each school facility within the district, including
783 charter schools. A district school board must collaborate with
784 charter school governing boards to facilitate charter school
785 access to all safe-school officer options available under this
786 section. Notwithstanding any local ordinance or development
787 order, the school district or charter school may implement any
788 combination of the options in subsections (1)-(4) to best meet
789 the needs of the school district and charter schools.
790 (1) SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER.—A school district may
791 establish school resource officer programs through a cooperative
792 agreement with law enforcement agencies.
793 (a) School resource officers shall undergo criminal
794 background checks, drug testing, and a psychological evaluation
795 and be certified law enforcement officers, as defined in s.
796 943.10(1), who are employed by a law enforcement agency as
797 defined in s. 943.10(4). The powers and duties of a law
798 enforcement officer shall continue throughout the employee’s
799 tenure as a school resource officer.
800 (b) School resource officers shall abide by district school
801 board policies and shall consult with and coordinate activities
802 through the school principal, but shall be responsible to the
803 law enforcement agency in all matters relating to employment,
804 subject to agreements between a district school board and a law
805 enforcement agency. The agreements shall identify the entity
806 responsible for maintaining records relating to training.
807 Activities conducted by the school resource officer which are
808 part of the regular instructional program of the school shall be
809 under the direction of the school principal.
810 (2) SCHOOL SAFETY OFFICER.—A school district may commission
811 one or more school safety officers for the protection and safety
812 of school personnel, property, and students within the school
813 district. The district school superintendent may recommend, and
814 the district school board may appoint, one or more school safety
815 officers.
816 (a) School safety officers shall undergo criminal
817 background checks, drug testing, and a psychological evaluation
818 and be law enforcement officers, as defined in s. 943.10(1),
819 certified under chapter 943 and employed by either a law
820 enforcement agency or by the district school board. If the
821 officer is employed by the district school board, the district
822 school board is the employing agency for purposes of chapter
823 943, and must comply with that chapter.
824 (b) A school safety officer has and shall exercise the
825 power to make arrests for violations of law on district school
826 board property or on property owned or leased by a charter
827 school under a charter contract, as applicable, and to arrest
828 persons, whether on or off such property, who violate any law on
829 such property under the same conditions that deputy sheriffs are
830 authorized to make arrests. A school safety officer has the
831 authority to carry weapons when performing his or her official
832 duties.
833 (c) School safety officers must complete mental health
834 crisis intervention training using a curriculum developed by a
835 national organization with expertise in mental health crisis
836 intervention. The training shall improve officers’ knowledge and
837 skills as first responders to incidents involving students with
838 emotional disturbance or mental illness, including de-escalation
839 skills to ensure student and officer safety.
840 (d) A district school board may enter into mutual aid
841 agreements with one or more law enforcement agencies as provided
842 in chapter 23. A school safety officer’s salary may be paid
843 jointly by the district school board and the law enforcement
844 agency, as mutually agreed to.
845 (3) SCHOOL GUARDIAN.—
846 (a) At the school district’s or the charter school
847 governing board’s discretion, as applicable, pursuant to s.
848 30.15, a school district or charter school governing board may
849 participate in the Chris Hixon, Coach Aaron Feis, and Coach
850 Scott Beigel Guardian Program to meet the requirement of
851 establishing a safe-school officer. The following individuals
852 may serve as a school guardian, in support of school-sanctioned
853 activities for purposes of s. 790.115, upon satisfactory
854 completion of the requirements under s. 30.15(1)(k) and
855 certification by a sheriff:
856 1. A school district employee or personnel, as defined
857 under s. 1012.01, or a charter school employee, as provided
858 under s. 1002.33(12)(a), who volunteers to serve as a school
859 guardian in addition to his or her official job duties; or
860 2. An employee of a school district or a charter school who
861 is hired for the specific purpose of serving as a school
862 guardian.
863 (b) Before appointing an individual as a school guardian,
864 the school district or charter school shall contact the
865 Department of Law Enforcement and review all information
866 maintained under s. 30.15(1)(k)3.c. related to the individual.
867 (c) The department shall provide to the Department of Law
868 Enforcement any information relating to a school guardian
869 received pursuant to subsection (5).
870 (4) SCHOOL SECURITY GUARD.—A school district or charter
871 school governing board may contract with a security agency as
872 defined in s. 493.6101(18) to employ as a school security guard
873 an individual who holds a Class “D” and Class “G” license
874 pursuant to chapter 493, provided the following training and
875 contractual conditions are met:
876 (a) An individual who serves as a school security guard,
877 for purposes of satisfying the requirements of this section,
878 must:
879 1. Demonstrate completion of 144 hours of required training
880 conducted by a sheriff pursuant to s. 30.15(1)(k)2.
881 2. Pass a psychological evaluation administered by a
882 psychologist licensed under chapter 490 and designated by the
883 Department of Law Enforcement and submit the results of the
884 evaluation to the sheriff’s office and school district, charter
885 school governing board, or employing security agency, as
886 applicable. The Department of Law Enforcement is authorized to
887 provide the sheriff’s office, school district, charter school
888 governing board, or employing security agency with mental health
889 and substance abuse data for compliance with this paragraph.
890 3. Submit to and pass an initial drug test and subsequent
891 random drug tests in accordance with the requirements of s.
892 112.0455 and the sheriff’s office, school district, charter
893 school governing board, or employing security agency, as
894 applicable.
895 4. Be approved to work as a school security guard by the
896 sheriff of each county in which the school security guard will
897 be assigned to a school before commencing work at any school in
898 that county. The sheriff’s approval authorizes the security
899 agency to assign the school security guard to any school in the
900 county, and the sheriff’s approval is not limited to any
901 particular school.
902 5. Successfully complete ongoing training, weapon
903 inspection, and firearm qualification conducted by a sheriff
904 pursuant to s. 30.15(1)(k)2.e. on at least an annual basis and
905 provide documentation to the sheriff’s office, school district,
906 charter school governing board, or employing security agency, as
907 applicable.
908 (b) The contract between a security agency and a school
909 district or a charter school governing board regarding
910 requirements applicable to school security guards serving in the
911 capacity of a safe-school officer for purposes of satisfying the
912 requirements of this section shall define the entity or entities
913 responsible for maintaining records relating to training,
914 inspection, and firearm qualification.
915 (c) School security guards serving in the capacity of a
916 safe-school officer pursuant to this subsection are in support
917 of school-sanctioned activities for purposes of s. 790.115, and
918 must aid in the prevention or abatement of active assailant
919 incidents on school premises.
920 (d) The Office of Safe Schools shall provide the Department
921 of Law Enforcement any information related to a school security
922 guard that the office receives pursuant to subsection (5).
923 (5) NOTIFICATION.—The district school superintendent or
924 charter school administrator, or a respective designee shall
925 notify the county sheriff and the Office of Safe Schools
926 immediately after, but no later than 72 hours after:
927 (a) A safe-school officer is dismissed for misconduct or is
928 otherwise disciplined.
929 (b) A safe-school officer discharges his or her firearm in
930 the exercise of the safe-school officer’s duties, other than for
931 training purposes.
932 (6) CRISIS INTERVENTION TRAINING.—Each safe-school officer
933 who is also a sworn law enforcement officer shall complete
934 mental health crisis intervention training using a curriculum
935 developed by a national organization with expertise in mental
936 health crisis intervention. The training must improve the
937 officer’s knowledge and skills as a first responder to incidents
938 involving students with emotional disturbance or mental illness,
939 including de-escalation skills to ensure student and officer
940 safety.
941 (7) LIMITATIONS.—An individual must satisfy the background
942 screening, psychological evaluation, and drug test requirements
943 and be approved by the sheriff before participating in any
944 training required by s. 30.15(1)(k), which may be conducted only
945 by a sheriff.
946 (8) EXEMPTION.—Any information that would identify whether
947 a particular individual has been appointed as a safe-school
948 officer pursuant to this section held by a law enforcement
949 agency, school district, or charter school is exempt from s.
950 119.07(1) and s. 24(a), Art. I of the State Constitution.
951
952 If a district school board, through its adopted policies,
953 procedures, or actions, denies a charter school access to any
954 safe-school officer options pursuant to this section, the school
955 district must assign a school resource officer or school safety
956 officer to the charter school. Under such circumstances, the
957 charter school’s share of the costs of the school resource
958 officer or school safety officer may not exceed the safe school
959 allocation funds provided to the charter school pursuant to s.
960 1011.62(12) and shall be retained by the school district.
961 Section 20. Paragraph (b) of subsection (9) of section
962 1007.25, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
963 1007.25 General education courses; common prerequisites;
964 other degree requirements.—
965 (9)
966 (b) An associate in arts specialized transfer degree must
967 include 36 semester hours of general education coursework and
968 require 60 semester hours or more of college credit. Specialized
969 transfer degrees are designed for Florida College System
970 institution students who need supplemental lower-level
971 coursework in preparation for transfer to another institution.
972 The State Board of Education shall establish criteria for the
973 review and approval of new specialized transfer degrees. The
974 approval process must require:
975 1. A Florida College System institution to submit a notice
976 of its intent to propose a new associate in arts specialized
977 degree program to the Division of Florida Colleges. The notice
978 must include the recommended credit hours, the rationale for the
979 specialization, the demand for students entering the field, and
980 the coursework being proposed to be included beyond the 60
981 semester hours required for the general transfer degree, if
982 applicable. Notices of intent may be submitted by a Florida
983 College System institution at any time.
984 2. The Division of Florida Colleges to forward the notice
985 of intent within 10 business days after receipt to all Florida
986 College System institutions and to the Chancellor of the State
987 University System, who shall forward the notice to all state
988 universities. State universities and Florida College System
989 institutions shall have 30 60 days after receipt of the notice
990 to submit comments to the proposed associate in arts specialized
991 transfer degree.
992 3. After the submission of comments pursuant to
993 subparagraph 2., the requesting Florida College System
994 institution to submit a proposal that, at a minimum, includes:
995 a. Evidence that the coursework for the associate in arts
996 specialized transfer degree includes demonstration of competency
997 in a foreign language pursuant to s. 1007.262 and demonstration
998 of civic literacy competency as provided in subsection (5).
999 b. Demonstration that all required coursework will count
1000 toward the associate in arts degree or the baccalaureate degree.
1001 c. An analysis of demand and unmet need for students
1002 entering the specialized field of study at the baccalaureate
1003 level.
1004 d. Justification for the program length if it exceeds 60
1005 credit hours, including references to the common prerequisite
1006 manual or other requirements for the baccalaureate degree. This
1007 includes documentation of alignment between the exit
1008 requirements of a Florida College System institution and the
1009 admissions requirements of a baccalaureate program at a state
1010 university to which students would typically transfer.
1011 e. Articulation agreements for graduates of the associate
1012 in arts specialized transfer degree.
1013 f. Responses to the comments received under subparagraph 2.
1014 Section 21. Subsections (1) and (16) of section 1007.271,
1015 Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
1016 1007.271 Dual enrollment programs.—
1017 (1) The dual enrollment program is the enrollment of an
1018 eligible secondary student in this state or home education
1019 student in this state in a postsecondary course creditable
1020 toward high school completion and a career certificate or an
1021 associate or baccalaureate degree. Postsecondary institutions
1022 that are eligible to participate in the dual enrollment program
1023 are Florida public postsecondary institutions and eligible not
1024 for-profit independent colleges and universities pursuant to s.
1025 1011.62(1)(i). A student who is enrolled in postsecondary
1026 instruction that is not creditable toward a high school diploma
1027 may not be classified as a dual enrollment student.
1028 (16) Students who meet the eligibility requirements of this
1029 section and who choose to participate in dual enrollment
1030 programs are exempt from the payment of registration, tuition,
1031 and laboratory fees.
1032 Section 22. Paragraph (a) of subsection (1) of section
1033 1008.2125, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
1034 1008.2125 The Council for Early Grade Success.—
1035 (1) The Council for Early Grade Success, a council as
1036 defined in s. 20.03(7), is created within the Department of
1037 Education to oversee the coordinated screening and progress
1038 monitoring program under s. 1008.25(9) for students in the
1039 Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program through grade 3 and,
1040 except as otherwise provided in this section, shall operate
1041 consistent with s. 20.052.
1042 (a) The council shall be responsible for reviewing the
1043 implementation of, training for, and outcomes from the
1044 coordinated screening and progress monitoring program to provide
1045 recommendations to the department that support grade 3 students
1046 reading at or above grade level. The council, at a minimum,
1047 shall:
1048 1. Provide recommendations on the implementation of the
1049 coordinated screening and progress monitoring program, including
1050 reviewing any procurement solicitation documents and criteria
1051 before being published.
1052 2. Develop training plans and timelines for such training.
1053 3. Identify appropriate personnel, processes, and
1054 procedures required for the administration of the coordinated
1055 screening and progress monitoring program.
1056 4. Provide input on the methodology for calculating a
1057 provider’s or school’s performance metric and designations under
1058 s. 1002.68(3) s. 1002.68(4).
1059 5. Work with the department to review the methodology for
1060 determining a child’s kindergarten readiness.
1061 6. Review data on age-appropriate learning gains by grade
1062 level that a student would need to attain in order to
1063 demonstrate proficiency in reading by grade 3.
1064 7. Continually review anonymized data from the results of
1065 the coordinated screening and progress monitoring program for
1066 students in the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program
1067 through grade 3 to help inform recommendations to the department
1068 that support practices that will enable grade 3 students to read
1069 at or above grade level.
1070 Section 23. Paragraph (c) of subsection (4), paragraphs (b)
1071 and (d) of subsection (5), and paragraph (a) of subsection (9)
1072 of section 1008.25, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
1073 1008.25 Public school student progression; student support;
1074 coordinated screening and progress monitoring; reporting
1075 requirements.—
1076 (4) ASSESSMENT AND SUPPORT.—
1077 (c) A student who has a substantial reading deficiency as
1078 determined in paragraph (5)(a) or a substantial mathematics
1079 deficiency as determined in paragraph (6)(a) must be covered by
1080 a federally required student plan, such as an individual
1081 education plan or an individualized progress monitoring plan, or
1082 both, as necessary. The individualized progress monitoring plan
1083 must be developed within 45 days after the results of the
1084 coordinated screening and progress monitoring system become
1085 available. The plan must, at a minimum, include:
1086 1. The student’s specific, identified reading or
1087 mathematics skill deficiency.
1088 2. Goals and benchmarks for student growth in reading or
1089 mathematics.
1090 3. A description of the specific measures that will be used
1091 to evaluate and monitor the student’s reading or mathematics
1092 progress.
1093 4. For a substantial reading deficiency, the specific
1094 evidence-based literacy instruction grounded in the science of
1095 reading which the student will receive.
1096 5. Strategies, resources, and materials that will be
1097 provided to the student’s parent to support the student to make
1098 reading or mathematics progress. For a student with a
1099 substantial reading deficiency, resources must include
1100 information about the student’s eligibility for the New Worlds
1101 Reading Initiative under s. 1003.485.
1102 6. Any additional services the student’s teacher deems
1103 available and appropriate to accelerate the student’s reading or
1104 mathematics skill development.
1105 (5) READING DEFICIENCY AND PARENTAL NOTIFICATION.—
1106 (b) A Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program student
1107 who exhibits a substantial deficiency in early literacy skills
1108 based upon the results of the administration of the midyear or
1109 final coordinated screening and progress monitoring under
1110 subsection (9) shall be referred to the local school district
1111 and may be eligible to receive instruction in early literacy
1112 skills before participating in kindergarten. A Voluntary
1113 Prekindergarten Education Program student who scores below the
1114 25th 10th percentile on the final administration of the
1115 coordinated screening and progress monitoring under subsection
1116 (9) shall be referred to the local school district and is
1117 eligible to receive early literacy skill instructional support
1118 through a summer bridge program the summer before participating
1119 in kindergarten. The summer bridge program must meet
1120 requirements adopted by the department and shall consist of 4
1121 hours of instruction per day for a minimum of 100 total hours. A
1122 student with an individual education plan who has been retained
1123 pursuant to paragraph (2)(g) and has demonstrated a substantial
1124 deficiency in early literacy skills must receive instruction in
1125 early literacy skills.
1126 (d) The parent of any student who exhibits a substantial
1127 deficiency in reading, as described in paragraph (a), must be
1128 immediately notified in writing of the following:
1129 1. That his or her child has been identified as having a
1130 substantial deficiency in reading, including a description and
1131 explanation, in terms understandable to the parent, of the exact
1132 nature of the student’s difficulty in learning and lack of
1133 achievement in reading.
1134 2. A description of the current services that are provided
1135 to the child.
1136 3. A description of the proposed intensive interventions
1137 and supports that will be provided to the child that are
1138 designed to remediate the identified area of reading deficiency.
1139 4. The student progression requirements under paragraph
1140 (2)(h) and that if the child’s reading deficiency is not
1141 remediated by the end of grade 3, the child must be retained
1142 unless he or she is exempt from mandatory retention for good
1143 cause.
1144 5. Strategies, including multisensory strategies and
1145 programming, through a read-at-home plan the parent can use in
1146 helping his or her child succeed in reading. The read-at-home
1147 plan must provide access to the resources identified in
1148 paragraph (e).
1149 6. That the statewide, standardized English Language Arts
1150 assessment is not the sole determiner of promotion and that
1151 additional evaluations, portfolio reviews, and assessments are
1152 available to the child to assist parents and the school district
1153 in knowing when a child is reading at or above grade level and
1154 ready for grade promotion.
1155 7. The district’s specific criteria and policies for a
1156 portfolio as provided in subparagraph (7)(b)4. and the evidence
1157 required for a student to demonstrate mastery of Florida’s
1158 academic standards for English Language Arts. A school must
1159 immediately begin collecting evidence for a portfolio when a
1160 student in grade 3 is identified as being at risk of retention
1161 or upon the request of the parent, whichever occurs first.
1162 8. The district’s specific criteria and policies for
1163 midyear promotion. Midyear promotion means promotion of a
1164 retained student at any time during the year of retention once
1165 the student has demonstrated ability to read at grade level.
1166 9. Information about the student’s eligibility for the New
1167 Worlds Reading Initiative under s. 1003.485 and the New Worlds
1168 Scholarship Accounts under s. 1002.411 and information on parent
1169 training modules and other reading engagement resources
1170 available through the initiative.
1171
1172 After initial notification, the school shall apprise the parent
1173 at least monthly of the student’s progress in response to the
1174 intensive interventions and supports and the student’s
1175 eligibility for the New Worlds Reading Initiative under s.
1176 1003.485. Such communications must be in writing and must
1177 explain any additional interventions or supports that will be
1178 implemented to accelerate the student’s progress if the
1179 interventions and supports already being implemented have not
1180 resulted in improvement. Upon the request of the parent, the
1181 teacher or school administrator shall meet to discuss the
1182 student’s progress. The parent may request more frequent
1183 notification of the student’s progress, more frequent
1184 interventions or supports, and earlier implementation of the
1185 additional interventions or supports described in the initial
1186 notification.
1187 (9) COORDINATED SCREENING AND PROGRESS MONITORING SYSTEM.—
1188 (a) The Department of Education, in collaboration with the
1189 Office of Early Learning, shall procure and require the use of a
1190 statewide, standardized coordinated screening and progress
1191 monitoring system for the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education
1192 Program and public schools. The system must:
1193 1. Measure student progress in meeting the appropriate
1194 expectations in early literacy and mathematics skills and in
1195 English Language Arts and mathematics standards as required by
1196 ss. 1002.67(1)(a) and 1003.41 and identify the educational
1197 strengths and needs of students.
1198 2. For students in the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education
1199 Program through grade 3, measure student performance in oral
1200 language development, phonological and phonemic awareness,
1201 knowledge of print and letters, decoding, fluency, vocabulary,
1202 and comprehension, as applicable by grade level, and, at a
1203 minimum, provide interval level and norm-referenced data that
1204 measures equivalent levels of growth.
1205 3. Be a valid, reliable, and developmentally appropriate
1206 computer-based direct instrument that provides screening and
1207 diagnostic capabilities for monitoring student progress;
1208 identifies students who have a substantial deficiency in reading
1209 or mathematics, including identifying students with
1210 characteristics of dyslexia, dyscalculia, and other learning
1211 disorders; and informs instruction. Any student identified by
1212 the system as having characteristics of dyslexia or dyscalculia
1213 shall undergo further screening. Beginning with the 2023-2024
1214 school year, the coordinated screening and progress monitoring
1215 system must be computer-adaptive.
1216 4. Provide data for Voluntary Prekindergarten Education
1217 Program accountability as required under s. 1002.68.
1218 5. Provide Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program
1219 providers, school districts, schools, teachers, and parents with
1220 data and resources that enhance differentiated instruction and
1221 parent communication.
1222 6. Provide baseline data to the department of each
1223 student’s readiness for kindergarten. The determination of
1224 kindergarten readiness must be based on the results of each
1225 student’s initial progress monitoring assessment in
1226 kindergarten. The methodology for determining a student’s
1227 readiness for kindergarten must be developed by the department
1228 and aligned to the methodology adopted pursuant to s. 1002.68(3)
1229 s. 1002.68(4).
1230 7. Assess how well educational goals and curricular
1231 standards are met at the provider, school, district, and state
1232 levels and provide information to the department to aid in the
1233 development of educational programs, policies, and supports for
1234 providers, districts, and schools.
1235 Section 24. Subsection (2) of section 1008.47, Florida
1236 Statutes, is amended to read:
1237 1008.47 Postsecondary education institution accreditation.—
1238 (2) ACCREDITATION.—
1239 (a) By September 1, 2022, The Board of Governors or the
1240 State Board of Education, as applicable, shall identify and
1241 determine the accrediting agencies or associations best suited
1242 to serve as an accreditor for public postsecondary institutions.
1243 Such accrediting agencies or associations must be recognized by
1244 the database created and maintained by the United States
1245 Department of Education. Within 3 years In the year following
1246 reaffirmation or fifth-year review by its accrediting agencies
1247 or associations, each public postsecondary institution must seek
1248 and obtain accreditation from an accrediting agency or
1249 association identified by the Board of Governors or State Board
1250 of Education, respectively, before its next reaffirmation or
1251 fifth-year review date. The requirements in this section are
1252 limited to a one-time change in accreditation. The requirements
1253 of this subsection are not applicable to those professional,
1254 graduate, departmental, or certificate programs at public
1255 postsecondary institutions that have specific accreditation
1256 requirements or best practices, including, but not limited to,
1257 law, pharmacy, engineering, or other similarly situated
1258 educational programs.
1259 (b) Once a public postsecondary institution is required to
1260 seek and obtain accreditation from an agency or association
1261 identified pursuant to paragraph (a), the institution shall seek
1262 accreditation from an a regional accrediting agency or
1263 association and provide quarterly reports of its progress to the
1264 Board of Governors or State Board of Education, as applicable.
1265 If each regional accreditation agency or association identified
1266 pursuant to paragraph (a) has refused to grant candidacy status
1267 to an institution, the institution must seek and obtain
1268 accreditation from any accrediting agency or association that is
1269 different from its current accrediting agency or association and
1270 is recognized by the database created and maintained by the
1271 United States Department of Education. If a public postsecondary
1272 institution is not granted candidacy status before its next
1273 reaffirmation or fifth-year review date, the institution may
1274 remain with its current accrediting agency or association.
1275 (c) This subsection expires December 31, 2032.
1276 Section 25. Subsection (7) of section 1009.21, Florida
1277 Statutes, is amended to read:
1278 1009.21 Determination of resident status for tuition
1279 purposes.—Students shall be classified as residents or
1280 nonresidents for the purpose of assessing tuition in
1281 postsecondary educational programs offered by charter technical
1282 career centers or career centers operated by school districts,
1283 in Florida College System institutions, and in state
1284 universities.
1285 (7) A person may shall not lose his or her resident status
1286 for tuition purposes solely by reason of his or her serving, or,
1287 if such person is a dependent child, by reason of his or her
1288 parent’s or parents’ serving outside this state as active duty
1289 or civilian personnel:,
1290 (a) In the Armed Forces outside this state.
1291 (b) On assignment for the United States Department of State
1292 or Department of Defense.
1293 (c) Teaching at a Department of Defense Dependent School.
1294 Section 26. Paragraph (e) of subsection (1) of section
1295 1009.25, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
1296 1009.25 Fee exemptions.—
1297 (1) The following students are exempt from the payment of
1298 tuition and fees, including lab fees, at a school district that
1299 provides workforce education programs, Florida College System
1300 institution, or state university:
1301 (e) A student who meets the definition of homeless children
1302 and youths in s. 725 of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance
1303 Act, 42 U.S.C. s. 11434a(2), as previously determined by a
1304 public school in this state. This includes a student who would
1305 otherwise meet the requirements of this paragraph, as determined
1306 by a college or university, but for his or her residence in
1307 college or university dormitory housing. The State Board of
1308 Education may adopt rules and the Board of Governors may adopt
1309 regulations regarding documentation and procedures to implement
1310 this paragraph. Such rules and regulations must consider
1311 documentation of a student’s circumstance to be adequate if such
1312 documentation meets the standards under 20 U.S.C. s. 1087uu
1313 2(a). Any student who is determined to be a homeless child or
1314 youth for a preceding award year is presumed to be a homeless
1315 child or youth for each subsequent year unless the student
1316 informs the institution that the student’s circumstances have
1317 changed or the institution has specific conflicting information
1318 about the student’s independence, and has informed the student
1319 of this information. A distance learning student residing out
1320 of-state is ineligible for the exemption in this paragraph.
1321 Section 27. Paragraph (a) of subsection (4) of section
1322 1009.893, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
1323 1009.893 Benacquisto Scholarship Program.—
1324 (4) In order to be eligible for an initial award under the
1325 scholarship program, a student must meet the requirements of
1326 paragraph (a) or paragraph (b).
1327 (a) A student who is a resident of this state, as
1328 determined in s. 1009.40 and rules of the State Board of
1329 Education, must:
1330 1. Earn a standard Florida high school diploma or its
1331 equivalent pursuant to s. 1002.3105, s. 1003.4281, s. 1003.4282,
1332 or s. 1003.435 unless:
1333 a. The student completes a home education program according
1334 to s. 1002.41; or
1335 b. The student earns a high school diploma from a non
1336 Florida school while living with a parent who is on military or
1337 public service assignment out of this state;
1338 2. Be accepted by and enroll in a Florida public or
1339 independent postsecondary educational institution that is
1340 regionally accredited; and
1341 3. Be enrolled full-time in a baccalaureate degree program
1342 at an eligible regionally accredited Florida public or
1343 independent postsecondary educational institution during the
1344 fall academic term following high school graduation. A student
1345 may defer the initial scholarship award for up to 1 year.
1346 Section 28. Subsection (5) of section 1009.983, Florida
1347 Statutes, is amended to read:
1348 1009.983 Direct-support organization; authority.—
1349 (5) The chair of the board or a designee who possesses
1350 knowledge, skill, and experience in the areas of accounting,
1351 risk management, or investment management shall serve as a
1352 director of the direct-support organization. The chair and the
1353 executive director of the board shall jointly name, at a
1354 minimum, four other individuals to serve as directors of the
1355 organization.
1356 Section 29. Paragraph (d) of subsection (3) of section
1357 1009.986, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
1358 1009.986 Florida ABLE program.—
1359 (3) DIRECT-SUPPORT ORGANIZATION; FLORIDA ABLE, INC.—
1360 (d)1. The board of directors of Florida ABLE, Inc., shall
1361 consist of:
1362 a. The chair of the Florida Prepaid College Board, or a his
1363 or her designee who possesses knowledge, skill, and experience
1364 in the areas of accounting, risk management, or investment
1365 management.
1366 b. Up to three individuals who possess knowledge, skill,
1367 and experience in the areas of accounting, risk management, or
1368 investment management, one of whom may be a current member of
1369 the Florida Prepaid College Board, who shall be appointed by the
1370 Florida Prepaid College Board.
1371 c. One individual who possesses knowledge, skill, and
1372 experience in the areas of accounting, risk management, or
1373 investment management, who shall be appointed by the Governor.
1374 d. Two individuals who are advocates of persons with
1375 disabilities, one of whom shall be appointed by the President of
1376 the Senate and one of whom shall be appointed by the Speaker of
1377 the House of Representatives. At least one of the individuals
1378 appointed under this sub-subparagraph must be an advocate of
1379 persons with developmental disabilities, as that term is defined
1380 in s. 393.063.
1381 2.a. The term of the appointees under sub-subparagraph 1.b.
1382 shall be up to 3 years as determined by the Florida Prepaid
1383 College Board. Such appointees may be reappointed.
1384 b. The term of the appointees under sub-subparagraphs 1.c.
1385 and d. shall be 3 years. Such appointees may be reappointed.
1386 3. Unless authorized by the board of directors of Florida
1387 ABLE, Inc., an individual director has no authority to control
1388 or direct the operations of Florida ABLE, Inc., or the actions
1389 of its officers and employees.
1390 4. The board of directors of Florida ABLE, Inc.:
1391 a. Shall meet at least quarterly and at other times upon
1392 the call of the chair.
1393 b. May use any method of telecommunications to conduct, or
1394 establish a quorum at, its meetings or the meetings of a
1395 subcommittee or other subdivision if the public is given proper
1396 notice of the telecommunications meeting and provided reasonable
1397 access to observe and, if appropriate, to participate.
1398 c. Shall annually elect a board member to serve as chair.
1399 5. A majority of the total current membership of the board
1400 of directors of Florida ABLE, Inc., constitutes a quorum of the
1401 board.
1402 6. Members of the board of directors of Florida ABLE, Inc.,
1403 and the board’s subcommittees or other subdivisions shall serve
1404 without compensation; however, the members may be reimbursed for
1405 reasonable, necessary, and actual travel expenses pursuant to s.
1406 112.061.
1407 Section 30. Present paragraphs (h) and (i) of subsection
1408 (17) of section 1011.62, Florida Statutes, are redesignated as
1409 paragraphs (i) and (j), respectively, and a new paragraph (h) is
1410 added to that subsection, to read:
1411 1011.62 Funds for operation of schools.—If the annual
1412 allocation from the Florida Education Finance Program to each
1413 district for operation of schools is not determined in the
1414 annual appropriations act or the substantive bill implementing
1415 the annual appropriations act, it shall be determined as
1416 follows:
1417 (17) ACADEMIC ACCELERATION OPTIONS SUPPLEMENT.—The academic
1418 acceleration options supplement is created to assist school
1419 districts in providing academic acceleration options, career
1420 themed courses, and courses that lead to digital tool
1421 certificates and industry certifications for prekindergarten
1422 through grade 12 students and shall be allocated annually in the
1423 General Appropriations Act.
1424 (h) Calculation of additional full-time equivalent
1425 membership based on Florida advanced courses and tests scores of
1426 students.—A value of 0.16 full-time equivalent student
1427 membership shall be calculated for each student in a Florida
1428 advanced course who achieves a minimum score on an assessment
1429 identified by the Department of Education pursuant to s.
1430 1007.27(2) and added to the total full-time equivalent student
1431 membership in basic programs for grades 9 through 12 in the
1432 subsequent fiscal year. Each district shall allocate at least 80
1433 percent of the funds provided to the district for advanced
1434 course instruction, in accordance with this paragraph, to the
1435 high school that generates the funds. The school district shall
1436 distribute to each classroom teacher who provided the advanced
1437 course instruction:
1438 1. A bonus in the amount of $50 for each student taught by
1439 the Florida advanced course teacher in each Florida advanced
1440 course who achieves a minimum score on an assessment identified
1441 by the Department of Education pursuant to s. 1007.27(2).
1442 2. An additional bonus of $500 to each Florida advanced
1443 course teacher in a school designated with a grade of “D” or “F”
1444 who has at least one student who achieves a minimum score on an
1445 assessment identified by the Department of Education pursuant to
1446 s. 1007.27(2), regardless of the number of classes taught or of
1447 the number of students who achieve a minimum score on an
1448 assessment identified by the Department of Education pursuant to
1449 s. 1007.27(2).
1450 Section 31. Paragraph (a) of subsection (4) of section
1451 1011.69, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
1452 1011.69 Equity in School-Level Funding Act.—
1453 (4) After providing Title I, Part A, Basic funds to schools
1454 above the 75 percent poverty threshold, which may include high
1455 schools above the 50 percent threshold as permitted by federal
1456 law, school districts shall provide any remaining Title I, Part
1457 A, Basic funds directly to all eligible schools as provided in
1458 this subsection. For purposes of this subsection, an eligible
1459 school is a school that is eligible to receive Title I funds,
1460 including a charter school. The threshold for identifying
1461 eligible schools may not exceed the threshold established by a
1462 school district for the 2016-2017 school year or the statewide
1463 percentage of economically disadvantaged students, as determined
1464 annually.
1465 (a) Prior to the allocation of Title I funds to eligible
1466 schools, a school district may withhold funds only as follows:
1467 1. One percent for parent involvement, in addition to the
1468 one percent the district must reserve under federal law for
1469 allocations to eligible schools for parent involvement;
1470 2. A necessary and reasonable amount for administration
1471 which includes the district’s indirect cost rate, not to exceed
1472 a total of 10 percent;
1473 3. A reasonable and necessary amount to provide:
1474 a. Homeless programs;
1475 b. Delinquent and neglected programs;
1476 c. Prekindergarten programs and activities;
1477 d. Private school equitable services; and
1478 e. Transportation for foster care children to their school
1479 of origin or choice programs; and
1480 4. A necessary and reasonable amount, not to exceed 1
1481 percent, for eligible schools to provide educational services in
1482 accordance with the approved Title I plan. Such educational
1483 services may include the provision of STEM curricula,
1484 instructional materials, and related learning technologies that
1485 support academic achievement in science, technology,
1486 engineering, and mathematics in Title I schools, including, but
1487 not limited to, technologies related to drones, coding,
1488 animation, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, data science,
1489 the engineering design process, mobile development, and
1490 robotics. Funds may be reserved under this subparagraph only to
1491 the extent that all required reservations under federal law have
1492 been met and that such reservation does not reduce school-level
1493 allocations below the levels required under federal law.
1494 Section 32. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.
1495
1496 ================= T I T L E A M E N D M E N T ================
1497 And the title is amended as follows:
1498 Delete everything before the enacting clause
1499 and insert:
1500
1501 An act relating to education; creating s. 413.0114,
1502 F.S.; requiring entities that offer fee-based services
1503 to individuals who are blind or visually impaired to
1504 disclose in writing whether the services may be
1505 obtained elsewhere at no cost; specifying requirements
1506 for the disclosure; providing penalties for
1507 violations; authorizing the State Board of Education
1508 to adopt rules; amending s. 413.208, F.S.; requiring
1509 certain service providers to apply to, rather than
1510 register with, the Division of Vocational
1511 Rehabilitation; requiring the division to establish
1512 minimum qualifications for service providers;
1513 requiring the division to establish an annual
1514 application period; authorizing the division to
1515 approve or deny any service provider application;
1516 providing that, as of a specified date, only certain
1517 service providers may participate in the vocational
1518 rehabilitation program; requiring the division to
1519 develop and make publicly available a certain annual
1520 report; requiring service providers to meet certain
1521 standards to maintain approved status; requiring that
1522 the rates for vocational rehabilitation services meet
1523 certain criteria; amending s. 491.005, F.S.; revising
1524 the date for a requirement to obtain a license as a
1525 marriage and family therapist; amending s. 1001.42,
1526 F.S.; revising public information requirements
1527 relating to virtual instruction options; removing
1528 certain schools from specified contract restrictions;
1529 revising the conditions considered an educational
1530 emergency; revising virtual instruction requirements;
1531 amending s. 1001.92, F.S.; revising certain
1532 performance-based metrics; amending s. 1002.20, F.S.;
1533 authorizing a student to carry a United States Food
1534 and Drug Administration-approved epinephrine delivery
1535 device; making conforming changes; amending s.
1536 1002.42, F.S.; authorizing private schools to purchase
1537 a supply of Food and Drug Administration-approved
1538 epinephrine delivery devices, rather than epinephrine
1539 auto-injectors; making conforming changes; amending s.
1540 1002.421, F.S.; revising circumstances under which
1541 regular and direct contact with teachers is satisfied
1542 for certain scholarship students; amending s. 1002.68,
1543 F.S.; deleting obsolete provisions relating to
1544 calculation of kindergarten readiness rates; revising
1545 cross-references and program accountability provisions
1546 for the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program;
1547 amending s. 1002.945, F.S.; requiring the Department
1548 of Children and Families to determine whether a child
1549 care provider is the primary cause of certain class I
1550 violations; deleting an exception; amending s.
1551 1003.4203, F.S.; requiring that the Department of
1552 Education make CAPE Digital Tool certificates
1553 available to middle grades students; limiting the
1554 number of such certificates a middle grades student
1555 may earn each school year; amending s. 1003.4282,
1556 F.S.; providing that completion of 2 years of marching
1557 band satisfies specified credit requirements;
1558 authorizing a dance techniques course to satisfy
1559 specified graduation credit requirements; revising
1560 requirements for mathematics pathways established by a
1561 Department of Education workgroup; requiring the
1562 department to develop identified mathematics pathways
1563 and applied algebra courses by specified dates;
1564 requiring the department to collaborate with the Board
1565 of Governors of the State University System to ensure
1566 the courses are accepted as mathematics credits for
1567 state university admissions; amending s. 1003.437,
1568 F.S.; requiring the State Board of Education to
1569 establish a uniform weighted grading system for
1570 specified courses and articulated acceleration
1571 mechanisms; requiring district school boards to use
1572 the system for a specified purpose; amending s.
1573 1003.5716, F.S.; requiring school districts to provide
1574 notice and a make-up plan when a related service in a
1575 student’s individual education program is not provided
1576 as scheduled; authorizing parents or guardians to
1577 access certain service logs and progress notes within
1578 a specified timeframe; amending s. 1004.343, F.S.;
1579 revising the date the University of South Florida
1580 Trafficking in Persons - Risk to Resilience Lab must
1581 begin submitting a specified report relating to human
1582 trafficking; requiring consultation with the
1583 Department of Law Enforcement in the submission of
1584 such report; extending the date of the scheduled
1585 repeal of the Statewide Data Repository for Anonymous
1586 Human Trafficking Data; amending s. 1004.39, F.S.;
1587 revising provisions relating to the College of Law at
1588 Florida International University; deleting a specified
1589 association from certain provisions; amending s.
1590 1004.40, F.S.; revising provisions relating to the
1591 College of Law at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical
1592 University; deleting a specified association from
1593 certain provisions; amending s. 1005.06, F.S.;
1594 revising the list of institutions that are not under
1595 the jurisdiction of the Commission for Independent
1596 Education; amending s. 1006.12, F.S.; revising
1597 requirements for safe-school officers; authorizing
1598 charter schools to implement safe-school officer
1599 options notwithstanding certain local ordinances or
1600 development orders; amending s. 1007.25, F.S.;
1601 revising the timeframe for Florida College System
1602 institutions and state universities to submit comments
1603 in response to a specified notice of intent; amending
1604 s. 1007.271, F.S.; revising the list of postsecondary
1605 institutions that are eligible to participate in a
1606 dual enrollment program; amending s. 1008.2125, F.S.;
1607 conforming a cross-reference; amending s. 1008.25,
1608 F.S.; requiring specified parent resources to include
1609 information about eligibility for the New Worlds
1610 Reading Initiative; revising the score threshold for
1611 Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program summer
1612 bridge eligibility; requiring certain monthly written
1613 communications to include specified eligibility
1614 information; conforming a cross-reference; amending s.
1615 1008.47, F.S.; revising the timeframe for a public
1616 postsecondary institution to seek and obtain
1617 accreditation; amending s. 1009.21, F.S.; providing
1618 that a person may not lose his or her resident status
1619 for tuition purposes due to his or her parent serving
1620 outside this state in certain capacities; amending s.
1621 1009.25, F.S.; revising the requirements for a student
1622 to meet the definition of “homeless children and
1623 youths”; providing that certain distance learning
1624 students are ineligible for specified fee exemptions;
1625 amending s. 1009.893, F.S.; authorizing a student to
1626 defer an award under the Benacquisto Scholarship
1627 Program; amending s. 1009.983, F.S.; authorizing a
1628 specified designee with certain credentials to serve
1629 as director of the direct-support organization for the
1630 Florida Prepaid College Foundation, Inc.; amending s.
1631 1009.986, F.S.; revising the membership of the board
1632 of directors of Florida ABLE, Inc.; amending s.
1633 1011.62, F.S.; revising the academic acceleration
1634 options supplement in the Florida Education Finance
1635 Program to include a method for calculating additional
1636 full-time equivalent membership based on a specified
1637 course and test score; requiring school districts to
1638 allocate at least a specified percentage of certain
1639 funds for a certain purpose; providing specified
1640 bonuses; amending s. 1011.69, F.S.; revising a
1641 category of Title I funds that a school district may
1642 withhold; authorizing a school district to reserve
1643 funds for certain STEM-related educational services;
1644 providing an effective date.
1645