Bill Text: FL S7002 | 2024 | Regular Session | Enrolled


Bill Title: Deregulation of Public Schools

Spectrum:

Status: (Passed) 2024-05-13 - Chapter No. 2024-159, companion bill(s) passed, see CS/CS/HB 1285 (Ch. 2024-101), CS/CS/SB 994 (Ch. 2024-190) [S7002 Detail]

Download: Florida-2024-S7002-Enrolled.html
       ENROLLED
       2024 Legislature                   CS for SB 7002, 1st Engrossed
       
       
       
       
       
       
                                                             20247002er
    1  
    2         An act relating to deregulation of public schools;
    3         amending s. 200.065, F.S.; requiring a district school
    4         board to advertise its intent to adopt a tentative
    5         budget on a publicly available website if the district
    6         school board does not advertise such intent in a
    7         newspaper of general circulation; defining the term
    8         “publicly accessible website”; requiring certain
    9         information relating to a postponed hearing to be
   10         posted on a school district website under certain
   11         circumstances; amending s. 252.38, F.S.; revising the
   12         requirements for certain district school boards during
   13         declared state or local emergencies and at the request
   14         of specified entities; amending s. 316.173, F.S.;
   15         revising requirements for signage that must be posted
   16         on certain school buses; providing an additional use
   17         for specified civil penalties; amending s. 1001.372,
   18         F.S.; revising the ways due public notice may be met
   19         for district school board meetings; amending s.
   20         1001.49, F.S.; revising the general powers of district
   21         school superintendents to include establishing a
   22         process for the review and approval of certain
   23         policies and procedures through the delegated
   24         authority of district school boards; amending s.
   25         1002.20, F.S.; revising a requirement relating to how
   26         a parent is informed of placement of a student in a
   27         specified program; revising a requirement relating to
   28         how a parent is informed of a student’s suspension;
   29         deleting a requirement that an economic security
   30         report of employment and earning outcomes be provided
   31         to students; amending s. 1002.55, F.S.; requiring
   32         newly hired prekindergarten instructors to complete
   33         specified training within a certain timeframe;
   34         deleting obsolete language; amending s. 1003.53, F.S.;
   35         authorizing district school boards to adopt a policy
   36         relating to parental notification methods; providing
   37         requirements for such policy; amending s. 1004.85,
   38         F.S.; revising the requirements for participants in
   39         certain educator preparation programs; amending s.
   40         1004.88, F.S.; authorizing the Florida Institute for
   41         Charter School Innovation to develop a professional
   42         learning system; repealing s. 1006.025, F.S., relating
   43         to guidance services; amending s. 1006.09, F.S.;
   44         authorizing district school boards to adopt a policy
   45         relating to parental notification methods; providing
   46         requirements for such policy; amending s. 1010.02,
   47         F.S.; providing financial reporting requirements for
   48         certain school districts; amending s. 1010.11, F.S.;
   49         providing that school districts are exempt from
   50         certain requirements relating to electronic transfer
   51         of funds; amending s. 1011.03, F.S.; requiring a
   52         district school board to publish its tentative budget
   53         on a publicly accessible website; deleting a
   54         requirement for a district school board to publish its
   55         tentative budget in a newspaper or at a courthouse
   56         under certain circumstances; amending s. 1011.68,
   57         F.S.; requiring certain school districts to request
   58         specified assistance from the Department of Education
   59         relating to the purchase of transportation equipment
   60         and supplies; authorizing such school districts to
   61         purchase such equipment and supplies at specified
   62         prices under certain circumstances; amending s.
   63         1011.71, F.S.; revising the amount of funds school
   64         districts may expend from specified revenue and for
   65         certain purposes; amending s. 1012.05, F.S.;
   66         authorizing, rather than requiring, district school
   67         boards to base certain policies on guidelines from the
   68         department; revising the frequency with which school
   69         districts must submit certain information to the
   70         department; amending s. 1012.07, F.S.; requiring the
   71         State Board of Education to develop strategies to
   72         address critical teacher shortages; amending s.
   73         1012.22, F.S.; authorizing district school boards to
   74         use advanced degrees in setting salary schedules for
   75         specified personnel; providing that collective
   76         bargaining may not preclude a district school board
   77         from carrying out specified duties; providing that if
   78         a superintendent appears before the State Board of
   79         Education for a specified purpose, the president of
   80         the school district bargaining unit also must appear;
   81         amending s. 1012.56, F.S.; authorizing specified
   82         assessments to be used to demonstrate mastery of
   83         general knowledge for certain educator certification
   84         requirements; providing for the placement of an
   85         educator certificate in an inactive status; providing
   86         requirements for returning an educator certificate to
   87         active status; amending s. 1012.2315, F.S.; revising
   88         legislative findings and intent; revising school
   89         district prohibitions relating to the assignment of
   90         certain teachers; defining the term “inexperienced
   91         teacher”; providing that certain prohibitions relating
   92         to the provision of school district incentives apply
   93         to incentives using federal funds; amending s.
   94         1012.555, F.S.; revising requirements for individuals
   95         to participate in the Teacher Apprenticeship Program;
   96         amending s. 1012.57, F.S.; revising provisions
   97         relating to the validity period of adjunct teaching
   98         certificates; amending s. 1012.575, F.S.; providing
   99         that certain provisions relating to alternative
  100         teacher preparation programs also apply to the Florida
  101         Institute for Charter School Innovation; amending s.
  102         1012.59, F.S.; providing examination and certification
  103         fee waivers for certain teachers; by a specified date,
  104         requiring the Commissioner of Education to make
  105         certain recommendations relating to the development
  106         and retention of exceptional student education
  107         instructional personnel to the Governor and
  108         Legislature; repealing s. 1012.72, F.S., relating to
  109         the Dale Hickam Excellent Teaching Program; repealing
  110         s. 1012.86, F.S., relating to the Florida College
  111         System institution employment equity accountability
  112         program; amending s. 1012.98, F.S.; providing that
  113         provisions relating to the development of a
  114         professional learning system apply to the Florida
  115         Institute for Charter School Innovation; amending s.
  116         1013.15, F.S.; authorizing district school boards to
  117         rent or lease specified plants and facilities and
  118         sites; providing that the lease-purchase of certain
  119         plants and facilities and sites is exempt from certain
  120         requirements; amending s. 1013.16, F.S.; revising
  121         minimum lease term requirements for land for certain
  122         construction projects; amending s. 1013.20, F.S.;
  123         deleting a district school board requirement to plan
  124         for the use of relocatables; deleting a requirement
  125         for the commissioner to provide a progress report to
  126         the Legislature; repealing s. 1013.21, F.S., relating
  127         to reduction of relocatable facilities in use;
  128         amending s. 1013.31, F.S.; requiring each Florida
  129         College System institution board of trustees and state
  130         university board of trustees to arrange for
  131         educational plant surveys; deleting provisions
  132         relating to when an educational plant survey
  133         recommendation is not required; requiring Florida
  134         College System institution and state university
  135         boards, but not district school boards, to participate
  136         in specified surveys; deleting a requirement for
  137         school districts to submit certain data to the
  138         department; revising requirements for what a survey
  139         report must include; deleting a requirement that a
  140         school district’s survey must be submitted as part of
  141         the district educational facilities plan; deleting a
  142         requirement for the department to perform an analysis
  143         of such surveys; revising requirements for a
  144         facilities needs survey submitted by a district school
  145         board; requiring that the release of funds for a PECO
  146         project be subject to certain authorizations; amending
  147         s. 1013.385, F.S.; deleting requirements for a
  148         resolution relating to educational facilities
  149         construction which may be adopted by district school
  150         boards; providing that exceptions to requirements for
  151         public shelter design criteria remain subject to
  152         certain emergency management provisions; providing
  153         that a school board may not be required to build more
  154         emergency-shelter space than identified as needed;
  155         amending s. 1013.45, F.S.; revising the limit for
  156         specified day-labor contracts that district school
  157         boards and boards of trustees of Florida College
  158         System institutions may use; amending s. 1013.48,
  159         F.S.; deleting a requirement that school districts
  160         monitor and report the impact of certain change
  161         orders; amending s. 1013.64, F.S.; revising the
  162         requirements for a construction project to be exempt
  163         from cost requirements; amending ss. 1001.64, 1001.65,
  164         1003.621, 1011.6202, and 1013.35, F.S.; conforming
  165         cross-references to changes made by the act; providing
  166         an effective date.
  167          
  168  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
  169  
  170         Section 1. Paragraph (f) of subsection (2) of section
  171  200.065, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
  172         200.065 Method of fixing millage.—
  173         (2) No millage shall be levied until a resolution or
  174  ordinance has been approved by the governing board of the taxing
  175  authority which resolution or ordinance must be approved by the
  176  taxing authority according to the following procedure:
  177         (f)1. Notwithstanding any provisions of paragraph (c) to
  178  the contrary, each school district shall advertise its intent to
  179  adopt a tentative budget on a publicly accessible website
  180  pursuant to s. 50.0311 or in a newspaper of general circulation
  181  pursuant to subsection (3) within 29 days after of certification
  182  of value pursuant to subsection (1). For the purpose of this
  183  paragraph, the term “publicly accessible website” includes a
  184  district school board’s official website if the school board
  185  website satisfies the remaining requirements of s. 50.0311. Not
  186  less than 2 days or more than 5 days thereafter, the district
  187  shall hold a public hearing on the tentative budget pursuant to
  188  the applicable provisions of paragraph (c). In the event of
  189  postponement or recess due to a declared state of emergency, the
  190  school district may postpone or recess the hearing for up to 7
  191  days and shall post a prominent notice at the place of the
  192  original hearing showing the date, time, and place where the
  193  hearing will be reconvened. The posted notice shall measure not
  194  less than 8.5 by 11 inches. The school district shall make every
  195  reasonable effort to provide reasonable notification of the
  196  continued hearing to the taxpayers. The information must also be
  197  posted on the school district’s website if the district school
  198  board uses a different method of advertisement.
  199         2. Notwithstanding any provisions of paragraph (b) to the
  200  contrary, each school district shall advise the property
  201  appraiser of its recomputed proposed millage rate within 35 days
  202  of certification of value pursuant to subsection (1). The
  203  recomputed proposed millage rate of the school district shall be
  204  considered its proposed millage rate for the purposes of
  205  paragraph (b).
  206         3. Notwithstanding any provisions of paragraph (d) to the
  207  contrary, each school district shall hold a public hearing to
  208  finalize the budget and adopt a millage rate within 80 days of
  209  certification of value pursuant to subsection (1), but not
  210  earlier than 65 days after certification. The hearing shall be
  211  held in accordance with the applicable provisions of paragraph
  212  (d), except that a newspaper advertisement need not precede the
  213  hearing.
  214         Section 2. Paragraph (d) of subsection (1) of section
  215  252.38, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
  216         252.38 Emergency management powers of political
  217  subdivisions.—Safeguarding the life and property of its citizens
  218  is an innate responsibility of the governing body of each
  219  political subdivision of the state.
  220         (1) COUNTIES.—
  221         (d) During a declared state or local emergency and upon the
  222  request of the director of a local emergency management agency,
  223  the district school board or school boards in the affected area
  224  shall participate in emergency management by providing
  225  facilities and necessary personnel to access staff such
  226  facilities or perform other duties related to the facilities as
  227  may be required pursuant to the county emergency management plan
  228  and program. Each school board providing transportation
  229  assistance in an emergency evacuation shall coordinate the use
  230  of its vehicles and personnel with the local emergency
  231  management agency.
  232         Section 3. Paragraph (a) of subsection (2) and subsection
  233  (7) of section 316.173, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
  234         316.173 School bus infraction detection systems.—
  235         (2)(a) The school district must post high-visibility
  236  reflective signage on the rear of each school bus in which a
  237  school bus infraction detection system is installed and
  238  operational which indicates the use of such system. The signage
  239  must be in the form of one or more signs or stickers and must
  240  contain the following elements in substantially the following
  241  form:
  242         1. The words “STOP WHEN RED LIGHTS FLASH” or “DO NOT PASS
  243  WHEN RED LIGHTS FLASH.”
  244         2. The words “CAMERA ENFORCED.”
  245         3. A graphic depiction of a camera.
  246         (7) The civil penalties assessed and collected for a
  247  violation of s. 316.172(1)(a) or (b) enforced by a school bus
  248  infraction detection system must be remitted to the school
  249  district in which the violation occurred. Such civil penalties
  250  must be used for the installation or maintenance of school bus
  251  infraction detection systems on school buses, for any other
  252  technology that increases the safety of the transportation of
  253  students, or for the administration and costs associated with
  254  the enforcement of violations as described in this section, or
  255  to provide financial awards to recruit or retain school bus
  256  drivers in the school district in which the civil penalties are
  257  assessed and collected.
  258         Section 4. Paragraph (c) of subsection (2) of section
  259  1001.372, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
  260         1001.372 District school board meetings.—
  261         (2) PLACE OF MEETINGS.—
  262         (c) For purpose of this section, due public notice shall
  263  consist of, at least 2 days prior to the meeting: continuous
  264  publication on a publicly accessible website as provided in s.
  265  50.0311 or the official district school board website; by
  266  publication in a newspaper of general circulation in the county
  267  or in each county where there is no newspaper of general
  268  circulation in the county an announcement over at least one
  269  radio station whose signal is generally received in the county,
  270  a reasonable number of times daily during the 48 hours
  271  immediately preceding the date of such meeting;, or by posting a
  272  notice at the courthouse door if no newspaper is published in
  273  the county, at least 2 days prior to the meeting.
  274         Section 5. Subsection (3) of section 1001.49, Florida
  275  Statutes, is amended to read:
  276         1001.49 General powers of district school superintendent.
  277  The district school superintendent shall have the authority, and
  278  when necessary for the more efficient and adequate operation of
  279  the district school system, the district school superintendent
  280  shall exercise the following powers:
  281         (3) APPROVE OPERATIONAL POLICIES THROUGH THE DELEGATED
  282  AUTHORITY OF THE DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD.—Establish a process for
  283  the review and approval of districtwide policies and procedures,
  284  through the formal delegated authority of the district school
  285  board, RECOMMEND POLICIES.—Recommend to the district school
  286  board for adoption such policies pertaining to the district
  287  school system as the district school superintendent may consider
  288  necessary for its more efficient operation.
  289         Section 6. Subsection (25) of section 1002.20, Florida
  290  Statutes, is renumbered as subsection (24), and paragraph (e) of
  291  subsection (2), paragraph (a) of subsection (4), and subsection
  292  (24) of that section are amended, to read:
  293         1002.20 K-12 student and parent rights.—Parents of public
  294  school students must receive accurate and timely information
  295  regarding their child’s academic progress and must be informed
  296  of ways they can help their child to succeed in school. K-12
  297  students and their parents are afforded numerous statutory
  298  rights including, but not limited to, the following:
  299         (2) ATTENDANCE.—
  300         (e) Dropout prevention and academic intervention programs.
  301  The parent of a public school student has the right to receive
  302  written notice by certified mail or other method agreed to by
  303  the parent before prior to placement of the student in a dropout
  304  prevention and academic intervention program and shall be
  305  notified in writing and entitled to an administrative review of
  306  any action by school personnel relating to the student’s
  307  placement, in accordance with the provisions of s. 1003.53(5).
  308         (4) DISCIPLINE.—
  309         (a) Suspension of public school student.—In accordance with
  310  the provisions of s. 1006.09(1)-(4):
  311         1. A student may be suspended only as provided by rule of
  312  the district school board. A good faith effort must be made to
  313  immediately inform the parent by telephone of the student’s
  314  suspension and the reason. Each suspension and the reason must
  315  be reported in writing within 24 hours to the parent by United
  316  States mail or other method agreed to by the parent. A good
  317  faith effort must be made to use parental assistance before
  318  suspension unless the situation requires immediate suspension.
  319         2. A student with a disability may only be recommended for
  320  suspension or expulsion in accordance with State Board of
  321  Education rules.
  322         (24) ECONOMIC SECURITY REPORT.—Beginning in the 2014-2015
  323  school year and annually thereafter, each middle school and high
  324  school student or the student’s parent prior to registration
  325  shall be provided a two-page summary of the Department of
  326  Economic Opportunity’s economic security report of employment
  327  and earning outcomes prepared pursuant to s. 445.07 and
  328  electronic access to the report.
  329         Section 7. Paragraph (c) of subsection (3) of section
  330  1002.55, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
  331         1002.55 School-year prekindergarten program delivered by
  332  private prekindergarten providers.—
  333         (3) To be eligible to deliver the prekindergarten program,
  334  a private prekindergarten provider must meet each of the
  335  following requirements:
  336         (c) The private prekindergarten provider must have, for
  337  each prekindergarten class of 11 children or fewer, at least one
  338  prekindergarten instructor who meets each of the following
  339  requirements:
  340         1. The prekindergarten instructor must hold, at a minimum,
  341  one of the following credentials:
  342         a. A child development associate credential issued by the
  343  National Credentialing Program of the Council for Professional
  344  Recognition; or
  345         b. A credential approved by the Department of Children and
  346  Families as being equivalent to or greater than the credential
  347  described in sub-subparagraph a.
  348  
  349  The Department of Children and Families may adopt rules under
  350  ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54 which provide criteria and procedures
  351  for approving equivalent credentials under sub-subparagraph b.
  352         2. The prekindergarten instructor must successfully
  353  complete three emergent literacy training courses that include
  354  developmentally appropriate and experiential learning practices
  355  for children and a student performance standards training course
  356  approved by the department as meeting or exceeding the minimum
  357  standards adopted under s. 1002.59. A newly hired
  358  prekindergarten instructor must complete the three emergent
  359  literacy training courses within 45 calendar days after being
  360  hired if the instructor has not previously completed the
  361  courses. The prekindergarten instructor must complete an
  362  emergent literacy training course at least once every 5 years
  363  after initially completing the three emergent literacy training
  364  courses. The courses in this subparagraph must be recognized as
  365  part of the informal early learning and career pathway
  366  identified by the department under s. 1002.995(1)(b). The
  367  requirement for completion of the standards training course
  368  shall take effect July 1, 2022. The courses must be made
  369  available online or in person.
  370         Section 8. Subsection (5) of section 1003.53, Florida
  371  Statutes, is amended to read:
  372         1003.53 Dropout prevention and academic intervention.—
  373         (5) Each district school board providing a dropout
  374  prevention and academic intervention program pursuant to this
  375  section shall maintain for each participating student records
  376  documenting the student’s eligibility, the length of
  377  participation, the type of program to which the student was
  378  assigned or the type of academic intervention services provided,
  379  and an evaluation of the student’s academic and behavioral
  380  performance while in the program. The school principal or his or
  381  her designee shall, before prior to placement in a dropout
  382  prevention and academic intervention program or the provision of
  383  an academic service, provide written notice of placement or
  384  services by certified mail, return receipt requested, to the
  385  student’s parent. The parent of the student shall sign an
  386  acknowledgment of the notice of placement or service and return
  387  the signed acknowledgment to the principal within 3 days after
  388  receipt of the notice. A district school board may adopt a
  389  policy that allows a parent to agree to an alternative method of
  390  notification. Such agreement may be made before the need for
  391  notification arises or at the time the notification becomes
  392  required. The parents of a student assigned to such a dropout
  393  prevention and academic intervention program shall be notified
  394  in writing and entitled to an administrative review of any
  395  action by school personnel relating to such placement pursuant
  396  to the provisions of chapter 120.
  397         Section 9. Paragraph (b) of subsection (3) of section
  398  1004.85, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
  399         1004.85 Postsecondary educator preparation institutes.—
  400         (3) Educator preparation institutes approved pursuant to
  401  this section may offer competency-based certification programs
  402  specifically designed for noneducation major baccalaureate
  403  degree holders to enable program participants to meet the
  404  educator certification requirements of s. 1012.56. An educator
  405  preparation institute choosing to offer a competency-based
  406  certification program pursuant to the provisions of this section
  407  must implement a program developed by the institute and approved
  408  by the department for this purpose. Approved programs shall be
  409  available for use by other approved educator preparation
  410  institutes.
  411         (b) Each program participant must:
  412         1. Meet certification requirements pursuant to s.
  413  1012.56(1) by obtaining a statement of status of eligibility in
  414  the certification subject area of the educational plan and meet
  415  the requirements of s. 1012.56(2)(a)-(f) before participating in
  416  field experiences.
  417         2. Demonstrate competency and participate in field
  418  experiences that are appropriate to his or her educational plan
  419  prepared under paragraph (a). Beginning with candidates entering
  420  an educator preparation institute in the 2022-2023 school year,
  421  a candidate for certification in a coverage area identified
  422  pursuant to s. 1012.585(3)(f) must successfully complete all
  423  competencies for a reading endorsement, including completion of
  424  the endorsement practicum through the candidate’s field
  425  experience, in order to graduate from the program.
  426         3. Before completion of the program, fully demonstrate his
  427  or her ability to teach the subject area for which he or she is
  428  seeking certification by documenting a positive impact on
  429  student learning growth in a prekindergarten through grade 12
  430  setting and, except as provided in s. 1012.56(7)(a)3., achieving
  431  a passing score on the professional education competency
  432  examination, the basic skills examination, and the subject area
  433  examination for the subject area certification which is required
  434  by state board rule.
  435         Section 10. Subsections (3) and (4) of section 1004.88,
  436  Florida Statutes, are renumbered as subsections (4) and (5),
  437  respectively, and a new subsection (3) is added to that section,
  438  to read:
  439         1004.88 Florida Institute for Charter School Innovation.—
  440         (3) The institute may develop a professional learning
  441  system pursuant to s. 1012.98(7).
  442         Section 11. Section 1006.025, Florida Statutes, is
  443  repealed.
  444         Section 12. Paragraph (b) of subsection (1) of section
  445  1006.09, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
  446         1006.09 Duties of school principal relating to student
  447  discipline and school safety.—
  448         (1)
  449         (b) The principal or the principal’s designee may suspend a
  450  student only in accordance with the rules of the district school
  451  board. The principal or the principal’s designee shall make a
  452  good faith effort to immediately inform a student’s parent by
  453  telephone of a student’s suspension and the reasons for the
  454  suspension. Each suspension and the reasons for the suspension
  455  shall be reported in writing within 24 hours to the student’s
  456  parent by United States mail. The district school board may
  457  adopt a policy that allows a parent to agree to an alternative
  458  method of notification. Such agreement may be made before the
  459  need for notification arises or at the time the notification
  460  becomes required. Each suspension and the reasons for the
  461  suspension shall also be reported in writing within 24 hours to
  462  the district school superintendent. A good faith effort shall be
  463  made by the principal or the principal’s designee to employ
  464  parental assistance or other alternative measures before prior
  465  to suspension, except in the case of emergency or disruptive
  466  conditions which require immediate suspension or in the case of
  467  a serious breach of conduct as defined by rules of the district
  468  school board. Such rules shall require oral and written notice
  469  to the student of the charges and an explanation of the evidence
  470  against him or her before prior to the suspension. Each student
  471  shall be given an opportunity to present his or her side of the
  472  story. No student shall be suspended for unexcused tardiness,
  473  lateness, absence, or truancy. The principal or the principal’s
  474  designee may suspend any student transported to or from school
  475  at public expense from the privilege of riding on a school bus
  476  for violation of district school board transportation policies,
  477  which shall include a policy regarding behavior at school bus
  478  stops, and the principal or the principal’s designee shall give
  479  notice in writing to the student’s parent and to the district
  480  school superintendent within 24 hours. School personnel shall
  481  not be held legally responsible for suspensions of students made
  482  in good faith.
  483         Section 13. Subsection (1) of section 1010.02, Florida
  484  Statutes, is amended to read:
  485         1010.02 Financial accounting and expenditures.—
  486         (1) All funds accruing to a school district or a Florida
  487  College System institution must be received, accounted for, and
  488  expended in accordance with law and rules of the State Board of
  489  Education.
  490         (a) A school district may be subject to varying reporting
  491  frequencies based on its financial status, as determined in
  492  State Board of Education rule and as follows:
  493         1. A school district identified as having a financial
  494  concern may be required to submit monthly financial reports.
  495         2. A school district not identified as having a financial
  496  concern may not be required to submit financial reports more
  497  than once every quarter.
  498         (b) The State Board of Education shall adopt rules to
  499  establish criteria for determining the financial status of
  500  school districts for the purpose of financial reporting.
  501         Section 14. Section 1010.11, Florida Statutes, is amended
  502  to read:
  503         1010.11 Electronic transfer of funds.—Pursuant to the
  504  provisions of s. 215.85, each district school board, Florida
  505  College System institution board of trustees, and university
  506  board of trustees shall adopt written policies prescribing the
  507  accounting and control procedures under which any funds under
  508  their control are allowed to be moved by electronic transaction
  509  for any purpose including direct deposit, wire transfer,
  510  withdrawal, investment, or payment. Electronic transactions
  511  shall comply with the provisions of chapter 668. However, a
  512  district school board is exempt from the requirements of s.
  513  668.50(18)(b).
  514         Section 15. Subsections (1) and (3) of section 1011.03,
  515  Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
  516         1011.03 Public hearings; budget to be submitted to
  517  Department of Education.—
  518         (1) Each district school board shall cause a summary of its
  519  tentative budget, including the proposed millage levies as
  520  provided for by law, to be posted on the district’s official
  521  website or on a publicly accessible website as provided in s.
  522  50.0311 and advertised once in a newspaper of general
  523  circulation published in the district or to be posted at the
  524  courthouse if there be no such newspaper.
  525         (3) The board shall hold public hearings to adopt tentative
  526  and final budgets pursuant to s. 200.065. The hearings shall be
  527  primarily for the purpose of hearing requests and complaints
  528  from the public regarding the budgets and the proposed tax
  529  levies and for explaining the budget and proposed or adopted
  530  amendments thereto, if any. The tentative budget must be posted
  531  on the district’s official website at least 2 days before the
  532  budget hearing held pursuant to s. 200.065 or other law. The
  533  final adopted budget must be posted on the district’s official
  534  website within 30 days after adoption. The board shall require
  535  the superintendent to transmit two copies of the adopted budget
  536  to the Department of Education as prescribed by law and rules of
  537  the State Board of Education.
  538         Section 16. Subsection (4) of section 1011.68, Florida
  539  Statutes, is amended to read:
  540         1011.68 Funds for student transportation.—The annual
  541  allocation to each district for transportation to public school
  542  programs, including charter schools as provided in s.
  543  1002.33(17)(b), of students in membership in kindergarten
  544  through grade 12 and in migrant and exceptional student programs
  545  below kindergarten shall be determined as follows:
  546         (4) No district shall use funds to purchase transportation
  547  equipment and supplies at prices which exceed those determined
  548  by the department to be the lowest which can be obtained, as
  549  prescribed in s. 1006.27(1). A school district that is unable to
  550  purchase at such prices shall request from the department
  551  assistance with purchasing at such prices. The school district
  552  may exceed such prices if the department is unable to assist the
  553  school district with its purchase.
  554         Section 17. Subsection (5) of section 1011.71, Florida
  555  Statutes, is amended to read:
  556         1011.71 District school tax.—
  557         (5) A school district may expend, subject to s. 200.065, up
  558  to $200 $175 per unweighted full-time equivalent student from
  559  the revenue generated by the millage levy authorized by
  560  subsection (2) to fund, in addition to expenditures authorized
  561  in paragraphs (2)(a)-(j), expenses for the following:
  562         (a) The purchase, lease-purchase, or lease of driver’s
  563  education vehicles; motor vehicles used for the maintenance or
  564  operation of plants and equipment; security vehicles; or
  565  vehicles used in storing or distributing materials and
  566  equipment.
  567         (b) Payment of the cost of premiums, as defined in s.
  568  627.403, for property and casualty insurance necessary to insure
  569  school district educational and ancillary plants. As used in
  570  this paragraph, casualty insurance has the same meaning as in s.
  571  624.605(1)(d), (f), (g), (h), and (m). Operating revenues that
  572  are made available through the payment of property and casualty
  573  insurance premiums from revenues generated under this subsection
  574  may be expended only for nonrecurring operational expenditures
  575  of the school district.
  576         Section 18. Subsection (3) of section 1012.05, Florida
  577  Statutes, is amended to read:
  578         1012.05 Teacher recruitment and retention.—
  579         (3)(a) Each school board shall adopt policies relating to
  580  mentors and support for first-time teachers, which may include
  581  the based upon guidelines issued by the Department of Education.
  582         (b) By September 15 and February 15 each school year, each
  583  school district shall electronically submit accurate public
  584  school e-mail addresses for all instructional and administrative
  585  personnel, as identified in s. 1012.01(2) and (3), to the
  586  Department of Education.
  587         Section 19. Section 1012.07, Florida Statutes, is amended
  588  to read:
  589         1012.07 Identification of critical teacher shortage areas.
  590  The term “critical teacher shortage area” means high-need
  591  content areas and high-priority location areas identified by the
  592  State Board of Education. The State Board of Education shall
  593  adopt rules pursuant to ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54 necessary to
  594  annually identify critical teacher shortage areas. The state
  595  board must consider current and emerging educational
  596  requirements and workforce demands in determining critical
  597  teacher shortage areas. School grade levels may also be
  598  designated critical teacher shortage areas. Individual district
  599  school boards may identify and submit other critical teacher
  600  shortage areas. Such submissions must be aligned to current and
  601  emerging educational requirements and workforce demands in order
  602  to be approved by the State Board of Education. High-priority
  603  location areas must shall be in high-density, low-economic urban
  604  schools; low-density, low-economic rural schools; and schools
  605  that earned a grade of “F” or three consecutive grades of “D”
  606  pursuant to s. 1008.34. The State Board of Education shall
  607  develop strategies to address critical teacher shortage areas.
  608         Section 20. Paragraph (c) of subsection (1) of section
  609  1012.22, Florida Statutes, is amended, and subsection (3) is
  610  added to that section, to read:
  611         1012.22 Public school personnel; powers and duties of the
  612  district school board.—The district school board shall:
  613         (1) Designate positions to be filled, prescribe
  614  qualifications for those positions, and provide for the
  615  appointment, compensation, promotion, suspension, and dismissal
  616  of employees as follows, subject to the requirements of this
  617  chapter:
  618         (c) Compensation and salary schedules.—
  619         1. Definitions.—As used in this paragraph:
  620         a. “Adjustment” means an addition to the base salary
  621  schedule that is not a bonus and becomes part of the employee’s
  622  permanent base salary and shall be considered compensation under
  623  s. 121.021(22).
  624         b. “Grandfathered salary schedule” means the salary
  625  schedule or schedules adopted by a district school board before
  626  July 1, 2014, pursuant to subparagraph 4.
  627         c. “Instructional personnel” means instructional personnel
  628  as defined in s. 1012.01(2)(a)-(d), excluding substitute
  629  teachers.
  630         d. “Performance salary schedule” means the salary schedule
  631  or schedules adopted by a district school board pursuant to
  632  subparagraph 5.
  633         e. “Salary schedule” means the schedule or schedules used
  634  to provide the base salary for district school board personnel.
  635         f. “School administrator” means a school administrator as
  636  defined in s. 1012.01(3)(c).
  637         g. “Supplement” means an annual addition to the base salary
  638  for the term of the negotiated supplement as long as the
  639  employee continues his or her employment for the purpose of the
  640  supplement. A supplement does not become part of the employee’s
  641  continuing base salary but shall be considered compensation
  642  under s. 121.021(22).
  643         2. Cost-of-living adjustment.—A district school board may
  644  provide a cost-of-living salary adjustment if the adjustment:
  645         a. Does not discriminate among comparable classes of
  646  employees based upon the salary schedule under which they are
  647  compensated.
  648         b. Does not exceed 50 percent of the annual adjustment
  649  provided to instructional personnel rated as effective.
  650         3. Advanced degrees.—A district school board may not use
  651  advanced degrees in setting a salary schedule for instructional
  652  personnel or school administrators if hired on or after July 1,
  653  2011, unless the advanced degree is held in the individual’s
  654  area of certification and is only a salary supplement.
  655         4. Grandfathered salary schedule.—
  656         a. The district school board shall adopt a salary schedule
  657  or salary schedules to be used as the basis for paying all
  658  school employees hired before July 1, 2014. Instructional
  659  personnel on annual contract as of July 1, 2014, shall be placed
  660  on the performance salary schedule adopted under subparagraph 5.
  661  Instructional personnel on continuing contract or professional
  662  service contract may opt into the performance salary schedule if
  663  the employee relinquishes such contract and agrees to be
  664  employed on an annual contract under s. 1012.335. Such an
  665  employee shall be placed on the performance salary schedule and
  666  may not return to continuing contract or professional service
  667  contract status. Any employee who opts into the performance
  668  salary schedule may not return to the grandfathered salary
  669  schedule.
  670         b. In determining the grandfathered salary schedule for
  671  instructional personnel, a district school board must base a
  672  portion of each employee’s compensation upon performance
  673  demonstrated under s. 1012.34 and shall provide differentiated
  674  pay for both instructional personnel and school administrators
  675  based upon district-determined factors, including, but not
  676  limited to, additional responsibilities, school demographics,
  677  critical shortage areas, and level of job performance
  678  difficulties.
  679         5. Performance salary schedule.—By July 1, 2014, the
  680  district school board shall adopt a performance salary schedule
  681  that provides annual salary adjustments for instructional
  682  personnel and school administrators based upon performance
  683  determined under s. 1012.34. Employees hired on or after July 1,
  684  2014, or employees who choose to move from the grandfathered
  685  salary schedule to the performance salary schedule shall be
  686  compensated pursuant to the performance salary schedule once
  687  they have received the appropriate performance evaluation for
  688  this purpose.
  689         a. Base salary.—The base salary shall be established as
  690  follows:
  691         (I) The base salary for instructional personnel or school
  692  administrators who opt into the performance salary schedule
  693  shall be the salary paid in the prior year, including
  694  adjustments only.
  695         (II) Instructional personnel or school administrators new
  696  to the district, returning to the district after a break in
  697  service without an authorized leave of absence, or appointed for
  698  the first time to a position in the district in the capacity of
  699  instructional personnel or school administrator shall be placed
  700  on the performance salary schedule.
  701         b. Salary adjustments.—Salary adjustments for highly
  702  effective or effective performance shall be established as
  703  follows:
  704         (I) The annual salary adjustment under the performance
  705  salary schedule for an employee rated as highly effective must
  706  be at least 25 percent greater than the highest annual salary
  707  adjustment available to an employee of the same classification
  708  through any other salary schedule adopted by the district.
  709         (II) The annual salary adjustment under the performance
  710  salary schedule for an employee rated as effective must be equal
  711  to at least 50 percent and no more than 75 percent of the annual
  712  adjustment provided for a highly effective employee of the same
  713  classification.
  714         (III) A salary schedule shall not provide an annual salary
  715  adjustment for an employee who receives a rating other than
  716  highly effective or effective for the year.
  717         c. Salary supplements.—In addition to the salary
  718  adjustments, each district school board shall provide for salary
  719  supplements for activities that must include, but are not
  720  limited to:
  721         (I) Assignment to a Title I eligible school.
  722         (II) Assignment to a school that earned a grade of “F” or
  723  three consecutive grades of “D” pursuant to s. 1008.34 such that
  724  the supplement remains in force for at least 1 year following
  725  improved performance in that school.
  726         (III) Certification and teaching in critical teacher
  727  shortage areas. Statewide critical teacher shortage areas shall
  728  be identified by the State Board of Education under s. 1012.07.
  729  However, the district school board may identify other areas of
  730  critical shortage within the school district for purposes of
  731  this sub-sub-subparagraph and may remove areas identified by the
  732  state board which do not apply within the school district.
  733         (IV) Assignment of additional academic responsibilities.
  734  
  735  If budget constraints in any given year limit a district school
  736  board’s ability to fully fund all adopted salary schedules, the
  737  performance salary schedule shall not be reduced on the basis of
  738  total cost or the value of individual awards in a manner that is
  739  proportionally greater than reductions to any other salary
  740  schedules adopted by the district. Any compensation for
  741  longevity of service awarded to instructional personnel who are
  742  on any other salary schedule must be included in calculating the
  743  salary adjustments required by sub-subparagraph b.
  744         (3)(a) Collective bargaining.—Notwithstanding provisions of
  745  chapter 447 related to district school board collective
  746  bargaining, collective bargaining may not preclude a district
  747  school board from carrying out its constitutional and statutory
  748  duties related to the following:
  749         1. Providing incentives to effective and highly effective
  750  teachers.
  751         2. Implementing intervention and support strategies under
  752  s. 1008.33 to address the causes of low student performance and
  753  improve student academic performance and attendance.
  754         3. Implementing student discipline provisions required by
  755  law, including a review of a student’s abilities, past
  756  performance, behavior, and needs.
  757         4. Implementing school safety plans and requirements.
  758         5. Implementing staff and student recognition programs.
  759         6. Distributing correspondence to parents, teachers, and
  760  community members related to the daily operation of schools and
  761  the district.
  762         7. Providing any required notice or copies of information
  763  related to the district school board or district operations
  764  which is readily available on the school district’s website.
  765         8. The school district’s calendar.
  766         (b) Appearances before the board.—If a district school
  767  superintendent appears before the state board to provide an
  768  update under s. 1011.62(14)(e), the state board must require
  769  that the president of the collective bargaining unit that
  770  represents the school district also must appear.
  771         Section 21. Paragraph (e) of subsection (3) of section
  772  1012.56, Florida Statutes, is amended, and paragraph (g) is
  773  added to subsection (7) of that section, to read:
  774         1012.56 Educator certification requirements.—
  775         (3) MASTERY OF GENERAL KNOWLEDGE.—Acceptable means of
  776  demonstrating mastery of general knowledge are:
  777         (e) Achievement of passing scores, identified in state
  778  board rule, on national or international examinations that test
  779  comparable content and relevant standards in verbal, analytical
  780  writing, and quantitative reasoning skills, including, but not
  781  limited to, the verbal, analytical writing, and quantitative
  782  reasoning portions of the Graduate Record Examination and the
  783  SAT, ACT, and Classic Learning Test. Passing scores identified
  784  in state board rule must be at approximately the same level of
  785  rigor as is required to pass the general knowledge examinations;
  786  or
  787  
  788  A school district that employs an individual who does not
  789  achieve passing scores on any subtest of the general knowledge
  790  examination must provide information regarding the availability
  791  of state-level and district-level supports and instruction to
  792  assist him or her in achieving a passing score. Such information
  793  must include, but need not be limited to, state-level test
  794  information guides, school district test preparation resources,
  795  and preparation courses offered by state universities and
  796  Florida College System institutions. The requirement of mastery
  797  of general knowledge shall be waived for an individual who has
  798  been provided 3 years of supports and instruction and who has
  799  been rated effective or highly effective under s. 1012.34 for
  800  each of the last 3 years.
  801         (7) TYPES AND TERMS OF CERTIFICATION.—
  802         (g) A certificateholder may request that her or his
  803  certificate be placed in an inactive status. A certificate that
  804  has been inactive may be reactivated upon application to the
  805  department. The department shall prescribe, by rule,
  806  professional learning requirements as a condition of
  807  reactivating a certificate that has been inactive for more than
  808  1 year.
  809  
  810  At least 1 year before an individual’s temporary certificate is
  811  set to expire, the department shall electronically notify the
  812  individual of the date on which his or her certificate will
  813  expire and provide a list of each method by which the
  814  qualifications for a professional certificate can be completed.
  815         Section 22. Subsections (1) and (2) and paragraph (a) of
  816  subsection (4) of section 1012.2315, Florida Statutes, are
  817  amended to read:
  818         1012.2315 Assignment of teachers.—
  819         (1) LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS AND INTENT.—The Legislature finds
  820  disparities between teachers assigned to teach in a majority of
  821  schools that do not need improvement and schools that do need
  822  improvement pursuant to s. 1008.33. The disparities may be found
  823  in the assignment of inexperienced temporarily certified
  824  teachers, teachers in need of improvement, and out-of-field
  825  teachers and in the performance of the students. It is the
  826  intent of the Legislature that district school boards have
  827  flexibility through the collective bargaining process to assign
  828  teachers more equitably across the schools in the district.
  829         (2) ASSIGNMENT TO SCHOOLS GRADED “D” OR “F”.—
  830         (a) A school district may not assign a higher percentage
  831  than the school district average of inexperienced temporarily
  832  certified teachers, teachers in need of improvement, or out-of
  833  field teachers to schools graded “D” or “F” pursuant to s.
  834  1008.34. As used in this section, the term “inexperienced
  835  teacher” means a teacher who has been teaching for 3 years or
  836  less.
  837         (b)1. A school district may assign an individual newly
  838  hired as instructional personnel to a school that has earned a
  839  grade of “F” in the previous year or any combination of three
  840  consecutive grades of “D” or “F” in the previous 3 years
  841  pursuant to s. 1008.34 if the individual:
  842         a. Has received an effective rating or highly effective
  843  rating in the immediate prior year’s performance evaluation
  844  pursuant to s. 1012.34;
  845         b. Has successfully completed or is enrolled in a teacher
  846  preparation program pursuant to s. 1004.04, s. 1004.85, or s.
  847  1012.56, or a teacher preparation program specified in State
  848  Board of Education rule, is provided with high quality mentoring
  849  during the first 2 years of employment, holds a certificate
  850  issued pursuant to s. 1012.56, and holds a probationary contract
  851  pursuant to s. 1012.335(2)(a); or
  852         c. Holds a probationary contract pursuant to s.
  853  1012.335(2)(a), holds a certificate issued pursuant to s.
  854  1012.56, and has successful teaching experience, and if, in the
  855  judgment of the school principal, students would benefit from
  856  the placement of that individual.
  857         2. As used in this paragraph, the term “mentoring” includes
  858  the use of student achievement data combined with at least
  859  monthly observations to improve the educator’s effectiveness in
  860  improving student outcomes. Mentoring may be provided by a
  861  school district, a teacher preparation program approved pursuant
  862  to s. 1004.04, s. 1004.85, or s. 1012.56, or a teacher
  863  preparation program specified in State Board of Education rule.
  864  
  865  Each school district shall annually certify to the Commissioner
  866  of Education that the requirements in this subsection have been
  867  met. If the commissioner determines that a school district is
  868  not in compliance with this subsection, the State Board of
  869  Education must shall be notified and must shall take action
  870  pursuant to s. 1008.32 in the next regularly scheduled meeting
  871  to require compliance.
  872         (4) COLLECTIVE BARGAINING.—
  873         (a) Notwithstanding provisions of chapter 447 relating to
  874  district school board collective bargaining, collective
  875  bargaining provisions may not preclude a school district from
  876  providing incentives, including from federal funds, to high
  877  quality teachers and assigning such teachers to low-performing
  878  schools.
  879         Section 23. Paragraphs (a), (b), and (c) of subsection (2)
  880  and paragraph (a) of subsection (3) of section 1012.555, Florida
  881  Statutes, are amended to read:
  882         1012.555 Teacher Apprenticeship Program.—
  883         (2)(a) An individual must meet the following minimum
  884  eligibility requirements to participate in the apprenticeship
  885  program:
  886         1. Have received an associate degree from an accredited
  887  postsecondary institution.
  888         2. Have earned a cumulative grade point average of 2.5 3.0
  889  in that degree program.
  890         3. Have successfully passed a background screening as
  891  provided in s. 1012.32.
  892         4. Have received a temporary apprenticeship certificate as
  893  provided in s. 1012.56(7)(d).
  894         (b) As a condition of participating in the program, an
  895  apprentice teacher must commit to spending at least the first 2
  896  years in the classroom of a mentor teacher using team teaching
  897  strategies identified in s. 1003.03(5)(b) and fulfilling the on
  898  the-job training component of the registered apprenticeship and
  899  its associated standards.
  900         (c) An apprentice teacher must do both of the following:
  901         1. Complete at least 2 years in an apprenticeship before
  902  being eligible to apply for a professional certificate
  903  established in s. 1012.56(7)(a). Completion of the Teacher
  904  Apprenticeship Program does not exempt an apprentice teacher
  905  from the requirements of s. 1012.56(2)(c).
  906         2. Receive related instruction as provided in s. 446.051.
  907         (3) A teacher who serves as a mentor in the apprenticeship
  908  program shall mentor his or her apprentice teacher using team
  909  teaching strategies and must, at a minimum, meet all of the
  910  following requirements:
  911         (a) Have at least 5 7 years of teaching experience in this
  912  state.
  913         Section 24. Subsection (4) of section 1012.57, Florida
  914  Statutes, is amended to read:
  915         1012.57 Certification of adjunct educators.—
  916         (4) Each adjunct teaching certificate is valid through the
  917  term of the annual contract between the educator and the school
  918  district or charter school. An additional annual certification
  919  and an additional annual contract may be awarded by the district
  920  or charter school at the district’s or charter school’s
  921  discretion but only if the applicant is rated effective or
  922  highly effective under s. 1012.34 during each year of teaching
  923  under adjunct teaching certification. A school district and
  924  charter school may issue an adjunct teaching certificate for a
  925  part-time or full-time teaching position; however, an adjunct
  926  teaching certificate issued for a full-time teaching position is
  927  valid for no more than 5 years and is nonrenewable.
  928         Section 25. Section 1012.575, Florida Statutes, is amended
  929  to read:
  930         1012.575 Alternative preparation programs for certified
  931  teachers to add additional coverage.—A district school board, or
  932  an organization of private schools, or a consortium of charter
  933  schools with an approved professional learning system as
  934  described in s. 1012.98(7), or the Florida Institute for Charter
  935  School Innovation may design alternative teacher preparation
  936  programs to enable persons already certificated to add an
  937  additional coverage to their certificates. Each alternative
  938  teacher preparation program shall be reviewed and approved by
  939  the Department of Education to ensure assure that persons who
  940  complete the program are competent in the necessary areas of
  941  subject matter specialization. Two or more school districts may
  942  jointly participate in an alternative preparation program for
  943  teachers.
  944         Section 26. Subsection (4) is added to section 1012.59,
  945  Florida Statutes, to read:
  946         1012.59 Certification fees.—
  947         (4) The State Board of Education shall waive initial
  948  subject area examination fees and certification fees for a
  949  teacher who holds a temporary or professional certificate in:
  950         (a) Exceptional Student Education K–12 and who applies to
  951  add a subject coverage in Elementary Education K–6.
  952         (b) Elementary Education K–6 and who applies to add a
  953  subject coverage in Exceptional Student Education K–12.
  954         Section 27. No later than December 1, 2024, the
  955  Commissioner of Education shall make recommendations to the
  956  Governor and the Legislature on policy and funding changes to
  957  enhance the development and retention of exceptional student
  958  education instructional personnel. In developing the
  959  recommendations, the commissioner shall consider, but is not
  960  limited to, all of the following:
  961         (1) Alternative certification in place of the Elementary
  962  Education K-6 certificate as an add-on for personnel certified
  963  in exceptional student education.
  964         (2) Financial incentives, including stipends for teacher
  965  education students, loan forgiveness, and instructional
  966  personnel salary adjustments and supplements.
  967         (3) Strategies to encourage high school students to
  968  consider exceptional student education, including through
  969  preapprenticeships and dual enrollment.
  970         (4) Funding under the Florida Education Finance Program to
  971  support school district exceptional student education personnel
  972  and programs.
  973         (5) Innovative staffing, including teacher mentoring and
  974  supports for certified personnel responsibilities for case
  975  management and for instruction.
  976         Section 28. Section 1012.72, Florida Statutes, is repealed.
  977         Section 29. Section 1012.86, Florida Statutes, is repealed.
  978         Section 30. Paragraph (b) of subsection (5) and subsection
  979  (7) of section 1012.98, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
  980         1012.98 School Community Professional Learning Act.—
  981         (5) The Department of Education, school districts, schools,
  982  Florida College System institutions, and state universities
  983  share the responsibilities described in this section. These
  984  responsibilities include the following:
  985         (b) Each school district shall develop a professional
  986  learning system as specified in subsection (4). The system shall
  987  be developed in consultation with teachers, teacher-educators of
  988  Florida College System institutions and state universities,
  989  business and community representatives, and local education
  990  foundations, consortia, and professional organizations. The
  991  professional learning system must:
  992         1. Be reviewed and approved by the department for
  993  compliance with s. 1003.42(3) and this section. Effective March
  994  1, 2024, the department shall establish a calendar for the
  995  review and approval of all professional learning systems. A
  996  professional learning system must be reviewed and approved every
  997  5 years. Any substantial revisions to the system must shall be
  998  submitted to the department for review and approval. The
  999  department shall establish a format for the review and approval
 1000  of a professional learning system.
 1001         2. Be based on analyses of student achievement data and
 1002  instructional strategies and methods that support rigorous,
 1003  relevant, and challenging curricula for all students. Schools
 1004  and districts, in developing and refining the professional
 1005  learning system, shall also review and monitor school discipline
 1006  data; school environment surveys; assessments of parental
 1007  satisfaction; performance appraisal data of teachers, managers,
 1008  and administrative personnel; and other performance indicators
 1009  to identify school and student needs that can be met by improved
 1010  professional performance.
 1011         3. Provide inservice activities coupled with followup
 1012  support appropriate to accomplish district-level and school
 1013  level improvement goals and standards. The inservice activities
 1014  for instructional and school administrative personnel shall
 1015  focus on analysis of student achievement data, ongoing formal
 1016  and informal assessments of student achievement, identification
 1017  and use of enhanced and differentiated instructional strategies
 1018  that emphasize rigor, relevance, and reading in the content
 1019  areas, enhancement of subject content expertise, integrated use
 1020  of classroom technology that enhances teaching and learning,
 1021  classroom management, parent involvement, and school safety.
 1022         4. Provide inservice activities and support targeted to the
 1023  individual needs of new teachers participating in the
 1024  professional learning certification and education competency
 1025  program under s. 1012.56(8)(a).
 1026         5. Include a professional learning catalog for inservice
 1027  activities, pursuant to rules of the State Board of Education,
 1028  for all district employees from all fund sources. The catalog
 1029  must shall be updated annually by September 1, must be based on
 1030  input from teachers and district and school instructional
 1031  leaders, and must use the latest available student achievement
 1032  data and research to enhance rigor and relevance in the
 1033  classroom. Each district inservice catalog must be aligned to
 1034  and support the school-based inservice catalog and school
 1035  improvement plans pursuant to s. 1001.42(18). Each district
 1036  inservice catalog must provide a description of the training
 1037  that middle grades instructional personnel and school
 1038  administrators receive on the district’s code of student conduct
 1039  adopted pursuant to s. 1006.07; integrated digital instruction
 1040  and competency-based instruction and CAPE Digital Tool
 1041  certificates and CAPE industry certifications; classroom
 1042  management; student behavior and interaction; extended learning
 1043  opportunities for students; and instructional leadership.
 1044  District plans must be approved by the district school board
 1045  annually in order to ensure compliance with subsection (1) and
 1046  to allow for dissemination of research-based best practices to
 1047  other districts. District school boards shall must submit
 1048  verification of their approval to the Commissioner of Education
 1049  no later than October 1, annually. Each school principal may
 1050  establish and maintain an individual professional learning plan
 1051  for each instructional employee assigned to the school as a
 1052  seamless component to the school improvement plans developed
 1053  pursuant to s. 1001.42(18). An individual professional learning
 1054  plan must be related to specific performance data for the
 1055  students to whom the teacher is assigned, define the inservice
 1056  objectives and specific measurable improvements expected in
 1057  student performance as a result of the inservice activity, and
 1058  include an evaluation component that determines the
 1059  effectiveness of the professional learning plan.
 1060         6. Include inservice activities for school administrative
 1061  personnel, aligned to the state’s educational leadership
 1062  standards, which that address updated skills necessary for
 1063  instructional leadership and effective school management
 1064  pursuant to s. 1012.986.
 1065         7. Provide for systematic consultation with regional and
 1066  state personnel designated to provide technical assistance and
 1067  evaluation of local professional learning programs.
 1068         8. Provide for delivery of professional learning by
 1069  distance learning and other technology-based delivery systems to
 1070  reach more educators at lower costs.
 1071         9. Provide for the continuous evaluation of the quality and
 1072  effectiveness of professional learning programs in order to
 1073  eliminate ineffective programs and strategies and to expand
 1074  effective ones. Evaluations must consider the impact of such
 1075  activities on the performance of participating educators and
 1076  their students’ achievement and behavior.
 1077         10. For all grades, emphasize:
 1078         a. Interdisciplinary planning, collaboration, and
 1079  instruction.
 1080         b. Alignment of curriculum and instructional materials to
 1081  the state academic standards adopted pursuant to s. 1003.41.
 1082         c. Use of small learning communities; problem-solving,
 1083  inquiry-driven research and analytical approaches for students;
 1084  strategies and tools based on student needs; competency-based
 1085  instruction; integrated digital instruction; and project-based
 1086  instruction.
 1087  
 1088  Each school that includes any of grades 6, 7, or 8 shall must
 1089  include in its school improvement plan, required under s.
 1090  1001.42(18), a description of the specific strategies used by
 1091  the school to implement each item listed in this subparagraph.
 1092         11. Provide training to reading coaches, classroom
 1093  teachers, and school administrators in effective methods of
 1094  identifying characteristics of conditions such as dyslexia and
 1095  other causes of diminished phonological processing skills;
 1096  incorporating instructional techniques into the general
 1097  education setting which are proven to improve reading
 1098  performance for all students; and using predictive and other
 1099  data to make instructional decisions based on individual student
 1100  needs. The training must help teachers integrate phonemic
 1101  awareness; phonics, word study, and spelling; reading fluency;
 1102  vocabulary, including academic vocabulary; and text
 1103  comprehension strategies into an explicit, systematic, and
 1104  sequential approach to reading instruction, including
 1105  multisensory intervention strategies. Such training for teaching
 1106  foundational skills must shall be based on the science of
 1107  reading and include phonics instruction for decoding and
 1108  encoding as the primary instructional strategy for word reading.
 1109  Instructional strategies included in the training may not employ
 1110  the three-cueing system model of reading or visual memory as a
 1111  basis for teaching word reading. Such instructional strategies
 1112  may include visual information and strategies which improve
 1113  background and experiential knowledge, add context, and increase
 1114  oral language and vocabulary to support comprehension, but may
 1115  not be used to teach word reading. Each district must provide
 1116  all elementary grades instructional personnel access to training
 1117  sufficient to meet the requirements of s. 1012.585(3)(f).
 1118         (7) An organization of private schools or a consortium of
 1119  charter schools that has at least which has no fewer than 10
 1120  member schools in this state, that which publishes and files
 1121  with the Department of Education copies of its standards, and
 1122  the member schools of which comply with the provisions of part
 1123  II of chapter 1003, relating to compulsory school attendance;,
 1124  or a public or private college or university with a teacher
 1125  preparation program approved pursuant to s. 1004.04; or the
 1126  Florida Institute for Charter School Innovation, may also
 1127  develop a professional learning system that includes a
 1128  professional learning catalog for inservice activities. The
 1129  system and inservice catalog must be submitted to the
 1130  commissioner for approval pursuant to state board rules.
 1131         Section 31. Section 1013.15, Florida Statutes, is amended
 1132  to read:
 1133         1013.15 Lease, rental, and lease-purchase of educational
 1134  plants, ancillary plants, and auxiliary facilities and sites.—
 1135         (1) A board may lease any land, facilities, or educational
 1136  plants owned by it to any person or entity for such term, for
 1137  such rent, and upon such terms and conditions as the board
 1138  determines to be in its best interests; any such lease may
 1139  provide for the optional or binding purchase of the land,
 1140  facilities, or educational plants by the lessee upon such terms
 1141  and conditions as the board determines are in its best
 1142  interests. A determination that any such land, facility, or
 1143  educational plant so leased is unnecessary for educational
 1144  purposes is not a prerequisite to the leasing or lease-purchase
 1145  of such land, facility, or educational plant. Before Prior to
 1146  entering into or executing any such lease, a board shall
 1147  consider approval of the lease or lease-purchase agreement at a
 1148  public meeting, at which a copy of the proposed agreement in its
 1149  final form shall be available for inspection and review by the
 1150  public, after due notice as required by law.
 1151         (2)(a) A district school board may rent or lease
 1152  educational plants, ancillary plants, and auxiliary facilities
 1153  and sites as defined in s. 1013.01. Educational plants,
 1154  ancillary plants, and auxiliary facilities and sites rented or
 1155  leased for 1 year or less shall be funded through the operations
 1156  budget or funds derived from millage proceeds pursuant to s.
 1157  1011.71(2). A lease contract for 1 year or less, when extended
 1158  or renewed beyond a year, becomes a multiple-year lease.
 1159  Operational funds or funds derived from millage proceeds
 1160  pursuant to s. 1011.71(2) may be authorized to be expended for
 1161  multiple-year leases. All leased educational plants, ancillary
 1162  plants, and auxiliary facilities and sites must be inspected
 1163  before prior to occupancy by the authority having jurisdiction.
 1164         1. All newly leased spaces must be inspected and brought
 1165  into compliance with the Florida Building Code pursuant to
 1166  chapter 553 and the life safety codes pursuant to chapter 633,
 1167  before prior to occupancy, using the board’s operations budget
 1168  or funds derived from millage proceeds pursuant to s.
 1169  1011.71(2).
 1170         2. Plans for renovation or remodeling of leased space shall
 1171  conform to the Florida Building Code and the Florida Fire
 1172  Prevention Code for educational occupancies or other
 1173  occupancies, as appropriate and as required in chapters 553 and
 1174  633, before prior to occupancy.
 1175         3. All leased facilities must be inspected annually for
 1176  firesafety deficiencies in accordance with the applicable code
 1177  and have corrections made in accordance with s. 1013.12.
 1178  Operational funds or funds derived from millage proceeds
 1179  pursuant to s. 1011.71(2) may be used to correct deficiencies in
 1180  leased space.
 1181         4. When the board declares that a public emergency exists,
 1182  it may take up to 30 days to bring the leased facility into
 1183  compliance with the requirements of State Board of Education
 1184  rules.
 1185         (b) A board is authorized to lease-purchase educational
 1186  plants, ancillary plants, and auxiliary facilities and sites as
 1187  defined in s. 1013.01, and a district school board is authorized
 1188  to lease-purchase educational plants, ancillary plants, and
 1189  auxiliary facilities and sites. The lease-purchase of
 1190  educational plants, ancillary plants, and auxiliary facilities
 1191  and sites must, where applicable, comply with shall be as
 1192  required by s. 1013.37, subject to the authorization in s.
 1193  1013.385 to exempt certain facilities from the requirements of
 1194  that section; must shall be advertised for and receive
 1195  competitive proposals and be awarded to the best proposer;, and
 1196  must shall be funded using current or other funds specifically
 1197  authorized by law to be used for such purpose.
 1198         1. A district school board, by itself, or through a direct
 1199  support organization formed pursuant to s. 1001.453 or nonprofit
 1200  educational organization or a consortium of district school
 1201  boards, may, in developing a lease-purchase of educational
 1202  plants, ancillary plants, and auxiliary facilities and sites
 1203  provide for separately advertising for and receiving competitive
 1204  bids or proposals on the construction of facilities and the
 1205  selection of financing to provide the lowest cost funding
 1206  available, so long as the board determines that such process
 1207  would best serve the public interest and the available pledged
 1208  revenues are limited to those authorized in s. 1011.71(2) s.
 1209  1011.71(2)(e).
 1210         2. All activities and information, including lists of
 1211  individual participants, associated with agreements made
 1212  pursuant to this section shall be subject to the provisions of
 1213  chapter 119 and s. 286.011.
 1214         (c)1. The term of any lease-purchase agreement, including
 1215  the initial term and any subsequent renewals, shall not exceed
 1216  the useful life of the educational facilities and sites for
 1217  which the agreement is made, or 30 years, whichever is less.
 1218         2. The initial term or any renewal term of any lease
 1219  purchase agreement shall expire on June 30 of each fiscal year,
 1220  but may be automatically renewed annually, subject to a board
 1221  making sufficient annual appropriations therefor. Under no
 1222  circumstances shall the failure of a board to renew a lease
 1223  purchase agreement constitute a default or require payment of
 1224  any penalty or in any way limit the right of a board to purchase
 1225  or utilize educational plants, ancillary plants, and auxiliary
 1226  facilities and sites similar in function to the educational
 1227  plants, ancillary plants, and auxiliary facilities and sites
 1228  that are the subject of the said lease-purchase agreement.
 1229  Educational plants, ancillary plants, and auxiliary facilities
 1230  and sites being acquired pursuant to a lease-purchase agreement
 1231  shall be exempt from ad valorem taxation.
 1232         3. No lease-purchase agreement entered into pursuant to
 1233  this subsection shall constitute a debt, liability, or
 1234  obligation of the state or a board or shall be a pledge of the
 1235  faith and credit of the state or a board.
 1236         4. Any lease-purchase agreement entered into pursuant to
 1237  this subsection shall stipulate an annual rate which may consist
 1238  of a principal component and an interest component, provided
 1239  that the maximum interest rate of any interest component payable
 1240  under any such lease-purchase agreement, or any participation or
 1241  certificated portion thereof, shall be calculated in accordance
 1242  with and be governed by the provisions of s. 215.84.
 1243         (3) Lease or lease-purchase agreements entered into by
 1244  university boards of trustees shall comply with the provisions
 1245  of ss. 1013.171 and 1010.62.
 1246         (4)(a) A board may rent or lease existing buildings, or
 1247  space within existing buildings, originally constructed or used
 1248  for purposes other than education, for conversion to use as
 1249  educational facilities. Such buildings rented or leased for 1
 1250  year or less shall be funded through the operations budget or
 1251  funds derived from millage pursuant to s. 1011.71(2). A rental
 1252  agreement or lease contract for 1 year or less, when extended or
 1253  renewed beyond a year, becomes a multiple-year rental or lease.
 1254  Operational funds or funds derived from millage proceeds
 1255  pursuant to s. 1011.71(2) may be authorized to be expended for
 1256  multiple-year rentals or leases. Notwithstanding any other
 1257  provisions of this section, if a building was constructed in
 1258  conformance with all applicable building and life safety codes,
 1259  it shall be deemed to meet the requirements for use and
 1260  occupancy as an educational facility subject only to the
 1261  provisions of this subsection.
 1262         (b) Before Prior to occupying a rented or a leased existing
 1263  building, or space within an existing building, pursuant to this
 1264  subsection, a school board shall, in a public meeting, adopt a
 1265  resolution certifying that the following circumstances apply to
 1266  the building proposed for occupancy:
 1267         1. Growth among the school-age population in the school
 1268  district has created a need for new educational facilities in a
 1269  neighborhood where there is little or no vacant land.
 1270         2. There exists a supply of vacant space in existing
 1271  buildings that meet state minimum building and life safety
 1272  codes.
 1273         3. Acquisition and conversion to use as educational
 1274  facilities of an existing building or buildings is a cost-saving
 1275  means of providing the needed classroom space as determined by
 1276  the difference between the cost of new construction, including
 1277  land acquisition and preparation and, if applicable, demolition
 1278  of existing structures, and the cost of acquisition through
 1279  rental or lease and conversion of an existing building or
 1280  buildings.
 1281         4. The building has been examined for suitability, safety,
 1282  and conformance with state minimum building and life safety
 1283  codes. The building examination shall consist, at a minimum, of
 1284  a review of existing documents, building site reconnaissance,
 1285  and analysis of the building conducted by, or under the
 1286  responsible charge of, a licensed structural engineer.
 1287         5. A certificate of evaluation has been issued by an
 1288  appropriately licensed design professional which states that,
 1289  based on available documents, building site reconnaissance,
 1290  current knowledge, and design judgment in the professional’s
 1291  opinion, the building meets the requirements of state minimum
 1292  building and life safety codes, provides safe egress of
 1293  occupants from the building, provides adequate firesafety, and
 1294  does not pose a substantial threat to life to persons who would
 1295  occupy the building for classroom use.
 1296         6. The plans for conversion of the building were prepared
 1297  by an appropriate design professional licensed in this state and
 1298  the work of conversion was performed by contractors licensed in
 1299  this state.
 1300         7. The conversion of the building was observed by an
 1301  appropriate design professional licensed in this state.
 1302         8. The building has been reviewed, inspected, and granted a
 1303  certificate of occupancy by the local building department.
 1304         9. All ceilings, light fixtures, ducts, and registers
 1305  within the area to be occupied for classroom purposes were
 1306  constructed or have been reconstructed to meet state minimum
 1307  requirements.
 1308         Section 32. Subsection (1) of section 1013.16, Florida
 1309  Statutes, is amended to read:
 1310         1013.16 Construction of facilities on leased property;
 1311  conditions.—
 1312         (1) A board may construct or place educational facilities
 1313  and ancillary facilities on land that is owned by any person
 1314  after the board has acquired from the owner of the land a long
 1315  term lease for the use of this land for a period of not less
 1316  than 40 years or the life expectancy of the permanent facilities
 1317  constructed thereon, whichever is longer.
 1318         Section 33. Subsection (1) of section 1013.20, Florida
 1319  Statutes, is amended to read:
 1320         1013.20 Standards for relocatables used as classroom space;
 1321  inspections.—
 1322         (1) The State Board of Education shall adopt rules
 1323  establishing standards for relocatables intended for long-term
 1324  use as classroom space at a public elementary school, middle
 1325  school, or high school. “Long-term use” means the use of
 1326  relocatables at the same educational plant for a period of 4
 1327  years or more. Each relocatable acquired by a district school
 1328  board after the effective date of the rules and intended for
 1329  long-term use must comply with the standards. District school
 1330  boards shall submit a plan for the use of existing relocatables
 1331  within the 5-year work program to be reviewed and approved by
 1332  the commissioner by January 1, 2003. A progress report shall be
 1333  provided by the commissioner to the Speaker of the House of
 1334  Representatives and the President of the Senate each January
 1335  thereafter. Relocatables that fail to meet the standards after
 1336  completion of the approved plan may not be used as classrooms.
 1337  The standards shall protect the health, safety, and welfare of
 1338  occupants by requiring compliance with the Florida Building Code
 1339  or the State Requirements for Educational Facilities for
 1340  existing relocatables, as applicable, to ensure the safety and
 1341  stability of construction and onsite installation; fire and
 1342  moisture protection; air quality and ventilation; appropriate
 1343  wind resistance; and compliance with the requirements of the
 1344  Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. If appropriate and
 1345  where relocatables are not scheduled for replacement, the
 1346  standards must also require relocatables to provide access to
 1347  the same technologies available to similar classrooms within the
 1348  main school facility and, if appropriate, and where relocatables
 1349  are not scheduled for replacement, to be accessible by adequate
 1350  covered walkways. A relocatable that is subject to this section
 1351  and does not meet the standards shall not be reported as
 1352  providing satisfactory student stations in the Florida Inventory
 1353  of School Houses.
 1354         Section 34. Section 1013.21, Florida Statutes, is repealed.
 1355         Section 35. Section 1013.31, Florida Statutes, is amended
 1356  to read:
 1357         1013.31 Educational plant survey; localized need
 1358  assessment; PECO project funding.—
 1359         (1) At least every 5 years, each Florida College System
 1360  institution and state university board shall arrange for an
 1361  educational plant survey, to aid in formulating plans for
 1362  housing the educational program and student population, faculty,
 1363  administrators, staff, and auxiliary and ancillary services of
 1364  the district or campus, including consideration of the local
 1365  comprehensive plan. The Department of Education shall document
 1366  the need for additional career and adult education programs and
 1367  the continuation of existing programs before facility
 1368  construction or renovation related to career or adult education
 1369  may be included in the educational plant survey of a school
 1370  district or Florida College System institution that delivers
 1371  career or adult education programs. Information used by the
 1372  Department of Education to establish facility needs must
 1373  include, but need not be limited to, labor market data, needs
 1374  analysis, and information submitted by the school district or
 1375  Florida College System institution.
 1376         (a) Educational plant survey and localized need assessment
 1377  for capital outlay purposes.—A survey recommendation is not
 1378  required when a district uses funds from the following sources
 1379  for educational, auxiliary, and ancillary plant capital outlay
 1380  purposes:
 1381         1. The local capital outlay improvement fund, consisting of
 1382  funds that come from and are a part of the district’s basic
 1383  operating budget;
 1384         2. A taxpayer-approved bond referendum, to fund
 1385  construction of an educational, auxiliary, or ancillary plant
 1386  facility;
 1387         3. One-half cent sales surtax revenue;
 1388         4. One cent local governmental surtax revenue;
 1389         5. Impact fees;
 1390         6. Private gifts or donations; and
 1391         7. The district school tax levied pursuant to s.
 1392  1011.71(2).
 1393         (a)(b)Survey preparation and required data.—Each survey
 1394  must shall be conducted by the Florida College System
 1395  institution or state university board or an agency employed by
 1396  the board. Surveys must shall be reviewed and approved by the
 1397  board, and a file copy must shall be submitted to the Department
 1398  of Education or the Chancellor of the State University System,
 1399  as appropriate. The survey report must shall include at least an
 1400  inventory of existing educational and ancillary plants,
 1401  including safe access facilities; recommendations for existing
 1402  educational and ancillary plants; recommendations for new
 1403  educational or ancillary plants, including the general location
 1404  of each in coordination with the land use plan and safe access
 1405  facilities; campus master plan update and detail for Florida
 1406  College System institutions; the utilization of school plants
 1407  based on an extended school day or year-round operation; and
 1408  such other information as may be required by the Department of
 1409  Education. This report may be amended, if conditions warrant, at
 1410  the request of the department or commissioner.
 1411         (b)(c)Required need assessment criteria for district,
 1412  Florida College System institution, state university, and
 1413  Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind plant surveys.
 1414  Educational plant surveys must use uniform data sources and
 1415  criteria specified in this paragraph. Each revised educational
 1416  plant survey and each new educational plant survey supersedes
 1417  previous surveys.
 1418         1. The school district’s survey must be submitted as a part
 1419  of the district educational facilities plan defined in s.
 1420  1013.35. To ensure that the data reported to the Department of
 1421  Education as required by this section is correct, the department
 1422  shall annually conduct an onsite review of 5 percent of the
 1423  facilities reported for each school district completing a new
 1424  survey that year. If the department’s review finds the data
 1425  reported by a district is less than 95 percent accurate, within
 1426  1 year from the time of notification by the department the
 1427  district must submit revised reports correcting its data. If a
 1428  district fails to correct its reports, the commissioner may
 1429  direct that future fixed capital outlay funds be withheld until
 1430  such time as the district has corrected its reports so that they
 1431  are not less than 95 percent accurate.
 1432         1.2. Each survey of a special facility, joint-use facility,
 1433  or cooperative career education facility must be based on
 1434  capital outlay full-time equivalent student enrollment data
 1435  prepared by the department for school districts and Florida
 1436  College System institutions and by the Chancellor of the State
 1437  University System for universities. A survey of space needs of a
 1438  joint-use facility shall be based upon the respective space
 1439  needs of the school districts, Florida College System
 1440  institutions, and universities, as appropriate. Projections of a
 1441  school district’s facility space needs may not exceed the norm
 1442  space and occupant design criteria established by the State
 1443  Requirements for Educational Facilities.
 1444         2.3. Each Florida College System institution’s survey must
 1445  reflect the capacity of existing facilities as specified in the
 1446  inventory maintained by the Department of Education. Projections
 1447  of facility space needs must comply with standards for
 1448  determining space needs as specified by rule of the State Board
 1449  of Education. The 5-year projection of capital outlay student
 1450  enrollment must be consistent with the annual report of capital
 1451  outlay full-time student enrollment prepared by the Department
 1452  of Education.
 1453         3.4. Each state university’s survey must reflect the
 1454  capacity of existing facilities as specified in the inventory
 1455  maintained and validated by the Chancellor of the State
 1456  University System. Projections of facility space needs must be
 1457  consistent with standards for determining space needs as
 1458  specified by regulation of the Board of Governors. The projected
 1459  capital outlay full-time equivalent student enrollment must be
 1460  consistent with the 5-year planned enrollment cycle for the
 1461  State University System approved by the Board of Governors.
 1462         4.5. The district educational facilities plan of a school
 1463  district and the educational plant survey of a Florida College
 1464  System institution, state university, or the Florida School for
 1465  the Deaf and the Blind may include space needs that deviate from
 1466  approved standards for determining space needs if the deviation
 1467  is justified by the district or institution and approved by the
 1468  department or the Board of Governors, as appropriate, as
 1469  necessary for the delivery of an approved educational program.
 1470         (c)(d)Review and validation.—The Department of Education
 1471  shall review and validate the surveys of school districts and
 1472  Florida College System institutions, and the Chancellor of the
 1473  State University System shall review and validate the surveys of
 1474  universities, and any amendments thereto for compliance with the
 1475  requirements of this chapter and shall recommend those in
 1476  compliance for approval by the State Board of Education or the
 1477  Board of Governors, as appropriate. Annually, the department
 1478  shall perform an in-depth analysis of a representative sample of
 1479  each survey of recommended needs for five districts selected by
 1480  the commissioner from among districts with the largest need-to
 1481  revenue ratio. For the purpose of this subsection, the need-to
 1482  revenue ratio is determined by dividing the total 5-year cost of
 1483  projects listed on the district survey by the total 5-year fixed
 1484  capital outlay revenue projections from state and local sources
 1485  as determined by the department. The commissioner may condition
 1486  the receipt of direct fixed capital outlay funds provided from
 1487  general revenue or from state trust funds by district school
 1488  boards to be withheld from districts until such time as the
 1489  district school board submits a survey that accurately projects
 1490  facilities needs as indicated by the Florida Inventory of School
 1491  Houses, as compared with the district’s capital outlay full-time
 1492  equivalent enrollment, as determined by the department.
 1493         (d)(e)Periodic update of Florida Inventory of School
 1494  Houses.—School districts shall periodically update their
 1495  inventory of educational facilities as new capacity becomes
 1496  available and as unsatisfactory space is eliminated. The State
 1497  Board of Education shall adopt rules to determine the timeframe
 1498  in which districts must provide a periodic update.
 1499         (2) Only the district school superintendent, Florida
 1500  College System institution president, or the university
 1501  president shall certify to the Department of Education a
 1502  project’s compliance with the requirements for expenditure of
 1503  PECO funds prior to release of funds.
 1504         (a) Upon request for release of PECO funds for planning
 1505  purposes, certification must be made to the Department of
 1506  Education that the need for and location of the facility are in
 1507  compliance with the board-approved survey recommendations, that
 1508  the project meets the definition of a PECO project and the
 1509  limiting criteria for expenditures of PECO funding, and that the
 1510  plan is consistent with the local government comprehensive plan.
 1511         (b) Upon request for release of construction funds,
 1512  certification must be made to the Department of Education that
 1513  the need and location of the facility are in compliance with the
 1514  board-approved survey recommendations, that the project meets
 1515  the definition of a PECO project and the limiting criteria for
 1516  expenditures of PECO funding, and that the construction
 1517  documents meet the requirements of the Florida Building Code for
 1518  educational facilities construction, subject to the
 1519  authorization in s. 1013.385 to exempt certain facilities from
 1520  the requirements of s. 1013.37, or other applicable codes as
 1521  authorized in this chapter.
 1522         Section 36. Section 1013.385, Florida Statutes, is amended
 1523  to read:
 1524         1013.385 School district construction flexibility.—
 1525         (1) A district school board may, with a majority vote at a
 1526  public meeting that begins no earlier than 5 p.m., adopt a
 1527  resolution to implement one or more of the exceptions to the
 1528  educational facilities construction requirements to provide a
 1529  school with provided in this section.
 1530         (2) A resolution adopted under this section may propose
 1531  implementation of exceptions to requirements of the uniform
 1532  statewide building code for the planning and construction of
 1533  public educational and ancillary plants adopted pursuant to ss.
 1534  553.73 and 1013.37 relating to:
 1535         (a) Interior non-load-bearing walls, by approving the use
 1536  of fire-rated wood stud walls in new construction or remodeling
 1537  for interior non-load-bearing wall assemblies that will not be
 1538  exposed to water or located in wet areas.
 1539         (b) Walkways, roadways, driveways, and parking areas, by
 1540  approving the use of designated, stabilized, and well-drained
 1541  gravel or grassed student parking areas.
 1542         (c) Standards for relocatables used as classroom space, as
 1543  specified in s. 1013.20, by approving construction
 1544  specifications for installation of relocatable buildings that do
 1545  not have covered walkways leading to the permanent buildings
 1546  onsite.
 1547         (d) Site lighting, by approving construction specifications
 1548  regarding site lighting that:
 1549         1. Do not provide for lighting of gravel or grassed
 1550  auxiliary or student parking areas.
 1551         2. Provide lighting for walkways, roadways, driveways,
 1552  paved parking lots, exterior stairs, ramps, and walkways from
 1553  the exterior of the building to a public walkway through
 1554  installation of a timer that is set to provide lighting only
 1555  during periods when the site is occupied.
 1556         3. Allow lighting for building entrances and exits to be
 1557  installed with a timer that is set to provide lighting only
 1558  during periods in which the building is occupied. The minimum
 1559  illumination level at single-door exits may be reduced to no
 1560  less than 1 foot-candle.
 1561         (e) Any other provisions that limit the ability of a school
 1562  to operate in a facility on the same basis as a charter school
 1563  pursuant to s. 1002.33(18). When a hurricane evacuation shelter
 1564  deficit, as determined by the Division of Emergency Management,
 1565  in the regional planning council region in which the county is
 1566  located makes public shelter design criteria applicable, any
 1567  exceptions to the public shelter design criteria remain subject
 1568  to the concurrence of the applicable local emergency management
 1569  agency or the Division of Emergency Management. A district
 1570  school board may not be required to build more emergency-shelter
 1571  space than identified as needed in the statewide emergency
 1572  shelter plan so long as the regional planning council determines
 1573  that there is sufficient shelter capacity within the school
 1574  district as documented in the Statewide Emergency Shelter Plan.
 1575         Section 37. Paragraph (e) of subsection (1) of section
 1576  1013.45, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
 1577         1013.45 Educational facilities contracting and construction
 1578  techniques for school districts and Florida College System
 1579  institutions.—
 1580         (1) District school boards and boards of trustees of
 1581  Florida College System institutions may employ procedures to
 1582  contract for construction of new facilities, or for additions,
 1583  remodeling, renovation, maintenance, or repairs to existing
 1584  facilities, which include, but are not limited to:
 1585         (e) Day-labor contracts not exceeding $600,000 $280,000 for
 1586  construction, renovation, remodeling, or maintenance of existing
 1587  facilities. This amount shall be adjusted annually based upon
 1588  changes in the Consumer Price Index.
 1589         Section 38. Section 1013.48, Florida Statutes, is amended
 1590  to read:
 1591         1013.48 Changes in construction requirements after award of
 1592  contract.—The board may, at its option and by written policy
 1593  duly adopted and entered in its official minutes, authorize the
 1594  superintendent or president or other designated individual to
 1595  approve change orders in the name of the board for
 1596  preestablished amounts. Approvals must shall be for the purpose
 1597  of expediting the work in progress and must shall be reported to
 1598  the board and entered in its official minutes. For
 1599  accountability, the school district shall monitor and report the
 1600  impact of change orders on its district educational facilities
 1601  plan pursuant to s. 1013.35.
 1602         Section 39. Paragraph (e) of subsection (6) of section
 1603  1013.64, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
 1604         1013.64 Funds for comprehensive educational plant needs;
 1605  construction cost maximums for school district capital
 1606  projects.—Allocations from the Public Education Capital Outlay
 1607  and Debt Service Trust Fund to the various boards for capital
 1608  outlay projects shall be determined as follows:
 1609         (6)
 1610         (e) Notwithstanding the requirements of this subsection, an
 1611  unfinished construction project for new construction of
 1612  educational plant space that was started on or before July 1,
 1613  2028 2026, is exempt from the total cost per student station
 1614  requirements established in paragraph (b).
 1615         Section 40. Subsection (19) of section 1001.64, Florida
 1616  Statutes, is amended to read:
 1617         1001.64 Florida College System institution boards of
 1618  trustees; powers and duties.—
 1619         (19) Each board of trustees shall appoint, suspend, or
 1620  remove the president of the Florida College System institution.
 1621  The board of trustees may appoint a search committee. The board
 1622  of trustees shall conduct annual evaluations of the president in
 1623  accordance with rules of the State Board of Education and submit
 1624  such evaluations to the State Board of Education for review. The
 1625  evaluation must address the achievement of the performance goals
 1626  established by the accountability process implemented pursuant
 1627  to s. 1008.45 and the performance of the president in achieving
 1628  the annual and long-term goals and objectives established in the
 1629  Florida College System institution’s employment accountability
 1630  program implemented pursuant to s. 1012.86.
 1631         Section 41. Subsection (22) of section 1001.65, Florida
 1632  Statutes, is amended to read:
 1633         1001.65 Florida College System institution presidents;
 1634  powers and duties.—The president is the chief executive officer
 1635  of the Florida College System institution, shall be corporate
 1636  secretary of the Florida College System institution board of
 1637  trustees, and is responsible for the operation and
 1638  administration of the Florida College System institution. Each
 1639  Florida College System institution president shall:
 1640         (22) Submit an annual employment accountability plan to the
 1641  Department of Education pursuant to the provisions of s.
 1642  1012.86.
 1643         Section 42. Paragraph (i) of subsection (2) of section
 1644  1003.621, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
 1645         1003.621 Academically high-performing school districts.—It
 1646  is the intent of the Legislature to recognize and reward school
 1647  districts that demonstrate the ability to consistently maintain
 1648  or improve their high-performing status. The purpose of this
 1649  section is to provide high-performing school districts with
 1650  flexibility in meeting the specific requirements in statute and
 1651  rules of the State Board of Education.
 1652         (2) COMPLIANCE WITH STATUTES AND RULES.—Each academically
 1653  high-performing school district shall comply with all of the
 1654  provisions in chapters 1000-1013, and rules of the State Board
 1655  of Education which implement these provisions, pertaining to the
 1656  following:
 1657         (i) Those statutes pertaining to educational facilities,
 1658  including chapter 1013, except that s. 1013.20, relating to
 1659  covered walkways for portables, and s. 1013.21, relating to the
 1660  use of relocatable facilities that exceed 20 years of age, are
 1661  eligible for exemption.
 1662         Section 43. Paragraph (b) of subsection (3) of section
 1663  1011.6202, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
 1664         1011.6202 Principal Autonomy Program Initiative.—The
 1665  Principal Autonomy Program Initiative is created within the
 1666  Department of Education. The purpose of the program is to
 1667  provide a highly effective principal of a participating school
 1668  with increased autonomy and authority to operate his or her
 1669  school, as well as other schools, in a way that produces
 1670  significant improvements in student achievement and school
 1671  management while complying with constitutional requirements. The
 1672  State Board of Education may, upon approval of a principal
 1673  autonomy proposal, enter into a performance contract with the
 1674  district school board for participation in the program.
 1675         (3) EXEMPTION FROM LAWS.—
 1676         (b) A participating school or a school operated by a
 1677  principal pursuant to subsection (5) shall comply with the
 1678  provisions of chapters 1000-1013, and rules of the state board
 1679  that implement those provisions, pertaining to the following:
 1680         1. Those laws relating to the election and compensation of
 1681  district school board members, the election or appointment and
 1682  compensation of district school superintendents, public meetings
 1683  and public records requirements, financial disclosure, and
 1684  conflicts of interest.
 1685         2. Those laws relating to the student assessment program
 1686  and school grading system, including chapter 1008.
 1687         3. Those laws relating to the provision of services to
 1688  students with disabilities.
 1689         4. Those laws relating to civil rights, including s.
 1690  1000.05, relating to discrimination.
 1691         5. Those laws relating to student health, safety, and
 1692  welfare.
 1693         6. Section 1001.42(4)(f), relating to the uniform opening
 1694  date for public schools.
 1695         7. Section 1003.03, governing maximum class size, except
 1696  that the calculation for compliance pursuant to s. 1003.03 is
 1697  the average at the school level for a participating school.
 1698         8. Sections 1012.22(1)(c) and 1012.27(2), relating to
 1699  compensation and salary schedules.
 1700         9. Section 1012.33(5), relating to workforce reductions for
 1701  annual contracts for instructional personnel. This subparagraph
 1702  does not apply to at-will employees.
 1703         10. Section 1012.335, relating to annual contracts for
 1704  instructional personnel hired on or after July 1, 2011. This
 1705  subparagraph does not apply to at-will employees.
 1706         11. Section 1012.34, relating to personnel evaluation
 1707  procedures and criteria.
 1708         12. Those laws pertaining to educational facilities,
 1709  including chapter 1013, except that s. 1013.20, relating to
 1710  covered walkways for relocatables, is and s. 1013.21, relating
 1711  to the use of relocatable facilities exceeding 20 years of age,
 1712  are eligible for exemption.
 1713         13. Those laws pertaining to participating school
 1714  districts, including this section and ss. 1011.69(2) and
 1715  1012.28(8).
 1716         Section 44. Paragraph (b) of subsection (1) of section
 1717  1013.35, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
 1718         1013.35 School district educational facilities plan;
 1719  definitions; preparation, adoption, and amendment; long-term
 1720  work programs.—
 1721         (1) DEFINITIONS.—As used in this section, the term:
 1722         (b) “District facilities work program” means the 5-year
 1723  listing of capital outlay projects adopted by the district
 1724  school board as provided in subparagraph (2)(a)2. and paragraph
 1725  (2)(b) as part of the district educational facilities plan,
 1726  which is required in order to:
 1727         1. Properly maintain the educational plant and ancillary
 1728  facilities of the district.
 1729         2. Provide an adequate number of satisfactory student
 1730  stations for the projected student enrollment of the district in
 1731  K-12 programs in accordance with the goal in s. 1013.21.
 1732         Section 45. This act shall take effect July 1, 2024.

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