Read the full stored bill text
Florida Senate
-
2026
SB 920
By
Senator Gaetz
1-01217A-26 2026920__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to mathematics education; amending s.
3 1003.4282, F.S.; providing requirements for
4 mathematics pathways established by a certain
5 workgroup; requiring that certain courses for the
6 mathematics pathways be identified by specified dates;
7 requiring the workgroup to submit identified
8 mathematics pathways to the Governor and the
9 Legislature; creating s. 1003.4936, F.S.; providing
10 legislative findings; requiring the Department of
11 Education to develop applied algebra courses;
12 providing requirements for the applied algebra
13 courses; requiring the department to develop the
14 courses on specified timelines; requiring the
15 department to collaborate with the Board of Governors
16 of the State University System to ensure the courses
17 are accepted as mathematics credits for state
18 university admissions; requiring the department to
19 collaborate with the Lastinger Center for Learning at
20 the University of Florida to make specified
21 recommendations to the Legislature; providing
22 requirements for the recommendations; requiring the
23 department to submit its recommendations to the
24 Governor and the Legislature by a specified date;
25 providing an effective date.
26
27 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
28
29 Section 1. Paragraph (b) of subsection (10) of section
30 1003.4282, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
31 1003.4282 Requirements for a standard high school diploma.—
32 (10) CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION CREDIT.—The Department
33 of Education shall convene a workgroup
, no later than December
34
1, 2024,
to:
35 (b) Establish three mathematics pathways for students
36 enrolled in secondary grades by aligning mathematics courses to
37 programs, postsecondary education, and careers. The workgroup
38 shall collaborate to identify the three mathematics pathways and
39 the mathematics course sequence within each pathway which align
40 to the mathematics skills needed for success in the
41 corresponding academic programs, postsecondary education, and
42 careers.
43
1.
The mathematics pathways must incorporate the
a
pplied
44
a
lgebra courses established under s. 1003.4936 which align the
45
Florida Standards for Algebra 1 with the career and technical
46
education standards and benchmarks for each
designated
career
47
cluster.
48
2.
Each mathematics pathway must include at least one
49
course sequence beginning with an
a
pplied
a
lgebra course aligned
50
to a specific career cluster. The workgroup shall identify
51
additional
mathematics courses that follow each
a
pplied
a
lgebra
52
course and build on the algebraic reasoning, modeling, and
53
quantitative skills introduced through industry-relevant
54
applications. The
mathematics pathways
may include a plan to
55
create new mathematics courses to complete a pathway.
56
3.
Each mathematics pathway must offer flexibility and the
57
ability to move between pathways if necessary.
58
4.
Mathematics pathways must create clear links between
59
precollege mathematics and college
-
level math pathways, and
60
support student progression into postsecondary academic
61
programs,
state
college career and technical education programs,
62
career center programs,
industry certification programs, and
63
high-skill, high-wage occupations.
64
5.
The mathematics pathways that incorporate applied
65
algebra courses created under s. 1003.4936(3)(a)1. must be
66
identified no later than September 1, 2027. The mathematics
67
pathways that incorporate applied algebra courses created under
68
s. 1003.4936(3)(a)2. must be identified no later than September
69
1, 2028.
The workgroup shall submit identified mathematics
70
pathways to the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the
71
Speaker of the House of Representatives.
72 Section 2. Section 1003.4936, Florida Statutes, is created
73 to read:
74
1003.4936 Applied
a
lgebra for
c
areer and
t
echnical
75
e
ducation.—
76
(1) The Legislature finds that algebra is an important step
77
in a student’s mathematics pathway. Algebra is a prerequisite
78
for higher level mathematics courses, and success in algebra is
79
strongly connected with later mathematics success. Establishing
80
an applied algebra course that integrates career and technical
81
education standards equips students with mathematical skills
82
directly connected to real industry practices
and
increas
es
the
83
relevance of
a
lgebra instruction. By contextualizing algebraic
84
concepts within authentic occupational problems, such applied
85
algebra
courses improve student engagement, strengthen
86
understanding of core math standards, and better prepare
87
students for high-skill, high-wage careers. Such a course will
88
enable students to pass the Algebra 1 end-of-course assessment,
89
but also develop practical skills that support success in
90
Florida’s workforce and postsecondary pathways.
91
(2)
The Department of Education shall develop an applied
92
algebra course for each of the established career and technical
93
education career clusters. Each applied algebra course must:
94
(a)
Integrate the career and technical education program
95
standards and benchmarks for the relevant career cluster with
96
the Florida Standards for Algebra 1.
97
(b)
Provide students with rigorous, career-relevant
98
mathematical applications that demonstrate the use of algebraic
99
concepts in authentic industry problems, processes, or settings.
100
(c)
Prepare students to take the statewide, standardized
101
Algebra 1 end-of-course assessment required under s. 1008.22.
102
(d)
Meet all requirements for a mathematics credit required
103
for high school graduation under s. 1003.4282(3)(b)
or for
104
middle grades promotion pursuant to s. 1003.4156(1)(b)
.
105
(3)(a)
The department shall develop the courses on the
106
following timeline
s
:
107
1.
Applied algebra courses in the following career clusters
108
must be developed and available for district adoption in the
109
2027-2028 school year:
110
a.
Agriculture,
f
ood, and
n
atural
r
esources
.
111
b.
Architecture and
c
onstruction
.
112
c.
Business
m
anagement and
a
dministration
.
113
d.
Energy
.
114
e.
Engineering and
t
echnology
e
ducation
.
115
f.
Finance
.
116
g.
Health
s
cience
.
117
h.
Information
t
echnology
.
118
i.
Manufacturing
.
119
j.
Transportation and
d
istribution
l
ogistics
.
120
2.
Applied algebra courses in the following career clusters
121
must be developed and available for district adoption in the
122
2028-2029 school year:
123
a.
Arts, AV
t
echnology, and
c
ommunications
.
124
b.
Education and
t
raining
.
125
c.
Government and
p
ublic
a
dministration
.
126
d.
Hospitality and
t
ourism
.
127
e.
Human
s
ervices
.
128
f.
Law,
p
ublic
s
afety, and
s
ecurity
.
129
g.
Marketing,
s
ales, and
s
ervice
.
130
(b)
In grades 6 through 12, s
chool districts may offer one
131
or more
a
pplied
a
lgebra courses in lieu of Algebra 1, and
132
successful completion of the course
will
satisfy the Algebra 1
133
credit requirement for high school graduation
or middle grades
134
promotion
.
135
(c)
The department
shall
collaborate with the Board of
136
Governors
of the State University System
to ensure that each
137
applied algebra course is accepted as a mathematics credit for
138
state university admissions.
139
(
d
)
The department shall provide professional development,
140
instructional resources, and technical assistance to support
141
district implementation.
142 Section 3.
(1) The Department of Education
shall
143
collaborate with the Lastinger Center
for Learning
at the
144
University of Florida to recommend to the Legislature an
145
individualized, adaptive artificial intelligence tool to support
146
mathematics instruction in
kindergarten through grade
12. The
147
recommendations must:
148
(a) Ensure that recommended tools align to the Florida
149
academic standards and prepare students for state assessments.
150
(b) Consider alternate mathematics sequencing and grade
151
level progression, and alternate funding models to support
152
individualized progression through content.
153
(
c
)
Evaluate the extent to which tools provide real-time
154
diagnostic assessments
,
individualized learning pathways
,
155
adaptive sequencing of content
,
and immediate, personalized
156
feedback to students.
157
(
d
)
Evaluate the applicability of the tool to progress
158
monitoring tools, district learning management systems,
159
suggested interventions, small-group instructional supports, and
160
professional development that enables teachers to integrate the
161
tools into classroom instruction.
162
(
e
) Provide for student data privacy and transparency in
163
data collection and retention.
164
(
f
) Consider statewide and district-level costs.
165
(2) The department shall submit its recommendations to the
166
Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the
167
House of Representatives
by
December 1, 2026.
168 Section 4. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.