Read the full stored bill text
Florida Senate
-
2026
SB 1008
By
Senator Truenow
13-01030B-26 20261008__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to student support services for K-12
3 schools; amending s. 1001.42, F.S.; authorizing
4 district school boards to refer students to
5 organizations that provide specified student support
6 services; providing requirements for such
7 organizations; providing requirements relating to
8 level 2 background screenings for specified persons;
9 requiring certain public schools to post and maintain
10 specified information on their websites; requiring
11 district school boards to ensure compliance with
12 specified provisions and maintain specified
13 documentation; requiring district school
14 superintendents to provide a report to the Department
15 of Education upon the request of the department;
16 requiring that specified information be included in
17 the report; providing an effective date.
18
19 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
20
21 Section 1. Present subsection (29) of section 1001.42,
22 Florida Statutes, is redesignated as subsection (30), and a new
23 subsection (29) is added to that section, to read:
24 1001.42 Powers and duties of district school board.—The
25 district school board, acting as a board, shall exercise all
26 powers and perform all duties listed below:
27
(29)
NONDISCRIMINATORY AND SAFE STUDENT PROGRAMS AND
28
SERVICES.—
29
(a)
A district school board may refer students to
30
organizations that provide student support services, including
31
student support programs that incorporate mentoring, counseling,
32
tutoring, and extracurricular programs.
33
(b)
To be eligible to be recommended, endorsed, referred,
34
or otherwise promoted by a school district:
35
1.
An organization may not restrict participation on the
36
basis of race, color, or ethnicity.
37
2.
A mentoring organization that represents through its
38
website, publications, or promotional materials that it serves
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students of a single race or ethnic group must provide written
40
verification to the district school board demonstrating that the
41
organization employs or engages mentors, staff, or volunteers
42
from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds sufficient to serve
43
the district’s student population before the district may
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recommend or refer students to the organization.
45
3.a.
An organization must ensure that each person who comes
46
into contact with students, or is present in the same building
47
while services are being provided to students, has successfully
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completed a level 2 background screening pursuant to s. 435.04.
49
Each organization is responsible for initiating and maintaining
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its own level 2 background screenings and providing such
51
documentation to the district school board. The district school
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board may impose a fee to review the documentation and comply
53
with the requirements of this subsection. A person may not
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provide or assist in providing student support services on
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behalf of such organization without the level 2 background
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screening.
57
b.
This subparagraph applies to services provided on campus
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or off campus.
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c.
This subparagraph does not apply to off-campus, school
60
sponsored activities where students are under the direct
61
supervision of school personnel, school volunteers, or athletic
62
coaches employed or contracted by the school district if such
63
personnel, volunteers, or coaches remain present for the
64
duration of the activity and maintain responsibility for student
65
safety and supervision.
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(c)
Each public school that provides or hosts mentoring or
67
student support services shall post and maintain information
68
regarding the available programs on the school website. The
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information must include all of the following:
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1.
The name and description of each program available to
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students.
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2.
The eligibility requirements for participation in each
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program.
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3.
The contact information for the program coordinator or
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designated school personnel for the program.
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4.
The application process or participation requirements
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for each program.
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(d)
The district school board shall ensure compliance with
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this subsection and maintain documentation demonstrating that an
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organization meets the requirements of paragraph (b).
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(e)
Each district school superintendent shall, upon the
82
request of the Department of Education, submit a report
83
demonstrating compliance with this subsection within 30 days
84
after such request. The report must include all of the following
85
information:
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1.
The total number of public schools within the district
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that participated in mentoring or student support programs
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during the previous school year, including the names and
89
addresses of the schools.
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2.
The name of each organization providing such mentoring
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or student support programs within the district and the type of
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services the organization provided.
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3.
Evidence that each participating organization meets the
94
requirements of paragraph (b).
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4.
The percentage of schools served by mentoring or
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student-support programs.
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5.
The total number of students served by mentoring or
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student support programs during the previous school year.
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6.
Disaggregated demographic information of the students
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served by each mentoring or student-support program, including
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race, ethnicity, and grade level.
102
7.
Any additional information requested by the department.
103 Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.