Read the full stored bill text
Florida Senate
-
2026
SB 72
By
Senator Harrell
31-00334-26 202672__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to individual education plans;
3 amending s. 1003.5716, F.S.; requiring a school
4 district to complete an evaluation to determine if a
5 student is eligible for an individualized education
6 plan (IEP) within a specified timeframe; requiring an
7 IEP team meeting to be convened within a specified
8 timeframe; requiring a school district to take
9 specified actions if a related service identified in a
10 student’s IEP is not provided; providing that a parent
11 or guardian has the right to request provider logs or
12 notes within a specified timeframe; requiring the
13 school district to inform parents of such right;
14 creating s. 1003.5718, F.S.; requiring each school
15 district to provide an individualized orientation to
16 each parent or guardian of a student newly identified
17 to be eligible for exceptional student education
18 services; providing requirements for the orientation;
19 requiring the school district to obtain a signed
20 acknowledgement from each parent or guardian;
21 requiring that annual refresher orientations be
22 offered and documented; requiring that certain
23 information be retained in a student’s education
24 records; providing an effective date.
25
26 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
27
28 Section 1. Subsection (5) is added to section 1003.5716,
29 Florida Statutes, to read:
30 1003.5716 Transition to postsecondary education and career
31 opportunities.—All students with disabilities who are 3 years of
32 age to 21 years of age have the right to a free, appropriate
33 public education. As used in this section, the term “IEP” means
34 individual education plan.
35
(5)
(a)
W
ithin 60 calendar days after receiving parental
36
consent
,
a
school district must complete an initial evaluation
37
to determine whether a student is eligible for an IEP. The
38
school district
must convene an IEP team meeting within 30
39
calendar days after eligibility is determined.
40
(b) If a related service identified in a student’s IEP is
41
not provided as scheduled, the
school
district must notify the
42
parent or guardian in writing within 5 school days, explain the
43
reason
the service was not provided
, and provide a written plan
44
for make-up services.
45
(c) A parent or guardian has the right to access, upon
46
request, all service provider logs or progress notes within 15
47
school days
after such service is provided
. The
school
district
48
must inform parents of this right at each IEP meeting.
49 Section 2. Section 1003.5718, Florida Statutes, is created
50 to read:
51
1003.5718
Parental education, enforcement, and IEP
52
transition requirements
.—
53
(1) Each
school
district shall provide
an
individualized
54
orientation to the parent or guardian of a student newly
55
identified
to be eligible
for exceptional student education
56
services. The orientation must include
all of the following
:
57
(a)
An overview of procedural safeguards
.
58
(b)
Parent
al
rights and responsibilities
.
59
(c)
Instructions on accessing and reviewing service logs
.
60
(d)
Instructions
on filing complaints with the Department
61
of Education.
62
(
2
) The
school
district must obtain a signed acknowledgment
63
from the parent or guardian confirming receipt of the
64
orientation
in a format the parent understands. Annual refresher
65
orientations must be offered and documented. All acknowledgment
66
forms must be retained in the student’s education record
s
.
67 Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.