Education

Florida Senate
-
2026

CS for CS for SB 7036

By
the Committee on Rules; the Appropriations Committee on Pre-K
- 12 Education; and the Committee on Education Pre-K - 12

595-03194-26 20267036c2
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to education; amending s. 120.81,
3 F.S.; providing that district school boards are not
4 subject to the requirements for rules in chapter 120
5 when making and adopting rules with public input at a
6 public meeting; amending s. 1001.42, F.S.; removing
7 certain schools from specified contract restrictions;
8 revising the conditions considered an educational
9 emergency; amending s. 1002.20, F.S.; authorizing a
10 student to carry a United States Food and Drug
11 Administration (FDA)-approved epinephrine delivery
12 device, rather than an epinephrine auto-injector;
13 requiring the State Board of Education to adopt rules
14 for the use of an FDA-approved epinephrine delivery
15 device, rather than an epinephrine auto-injector;
16 making conforming changes; amending s. 1002.33, F.S.;
17 providing additional criteria for award of a 15-year
18 charter; providing that students may not be dismissed
19 from certain charter schools based on academic
20 performance; amending s. 1002.42, F.S.; authorizing a
21 private school to purchase a supply of FDA-approved
22 epinephrine delivery devices, rather than epinephrine
23 auto-injectors; making conforming changes; providing
24 that certain private schools are considered a
25 permitted use in certain zoning districts; authorizing
26 certain private schools to operate in facilities that
27 meet specified requirements; providing exceptions;
28 requiring certain private schools operating in such
29 facilities to meet specified Florida Fire Prevention
30 Code standards; providing that completion of a
31 specified evaluation system with certain ratings by
32 specified persons constitutes evidence of compliance
33 with the Florida Fire Prevention Code for such private
34 schools; authorizing the State Fire Marshal to adopt
35 rules; amending s. 1002.67, F.S.; revising limitations
36 on curriculum selection for Voluntary Prekindergarten
37 Education Program providers and public schools that
38 fail to meet minimum performance metrics or
39 designations; revising Department of Education
40 requirements for review and approval of certain
41 curricula; requiring that the review and approval
42 process include curricula available for purchase and
43 proprietary curricula not available for purchase;
44 authorizing the department to approve certain
45 curricula outside of the established review and
46 approval process for specified multi-site providers or
47 school districts; providing requirements for approved
48 curricula; requiring the department to approve or deny
49 a request within a specified timeframe; providing a
50 submission limitation; amending s. 1002.68, F.S.;
51 deleting provisions relating to the calculation of a
52 kindergarten readiness rate; revising the period of
53 time for which a public or private prekindergarten
54 provider is prohibited from participating in the
55 Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program for a
56 failing program assessment composite score; amending
57 s. 1002.71, F.S.; revising requirements for attendance
58 reporting by private prekindergarten providers;
59 requiring that administrative policies and procedures
60 be revised into certain forms; requiring school
61 districts to certify attendance data in a specified
62 manner; amending s. 1002.945, F.S.; requiring the
63 Department of Children and Families to make a
64 specified determination for child care providers;
65 deleting an exception; amending s. 1003.42, F.S.;
66 revising required instruction on the principles of
67 agriculture; requiring the Department of Education to
68 collaborate with specified entities to develop
69 associated standards and a curriculum; authorizing the
70 department to contract with certain agricultural
71 education organizations for specified purposes;
72 amending s. 1003.4282, F.S.; providing that completion
73 of 2 years of marching band satisfies two specified
74 credit requirements; authorizing completion of a
75 specified dance techniques class to satisfy specified
76 high school diploma credit requirements; providing
77 requirements for mathematics pathways established by a
78 certain workgroup; requiring that certain courses for
79 the mathematics pathways be identified by specified
80 dates; requiring the workgroup to submit identified
81 mathematics pathways to the Governor and the
82 Legislature; creating s. 1003.4936, F.S.; providing
83 legislative findings; requiring the Department of
84 Education to develop applied algebra courses;
85 providing requirements for the applied algebra
86 courses; requiring the department to develop the
87 courses on specified timelines; authorizing school
88 districts to satisfy certain graduation requirements
89 with an applied algebra course; requiring the
90 department to collaborate with the Board of Governors
91 of the State University System to ensure the courses
92 are accepted as mathematics credits for state
93 university admissions; requiring the department to
94 provide certain implementation support; amending s.
95 1003.5716, F.S.; requiring a school district to take
96 specified actions if a related service identified in a
97 student’s individual education plan (IEP) is not
98 provided; providing that a parent or guardian has the
99 right to request provider logs or notes within a
100 specified timeframe; requiring the school district to
101 inform parents of such right; amending s. 1004.85,
102 F.S.; authorizing an educator preparation institute to
103 allow certain program participants to enroll in
104 introductory coursework; amending s. 1004.933, F.S.;
105 revising the definition of the term “institution”;
106 deleting the age limit for enrollment in the
107 Graduation Alternative to Traditional Education (GATE)
108 Program; clarifying that students are not required to
109 enroll in adult secondary and career education program
110 coursework simultaneously; amending s. 1006.12, F.S.;
111 revising requirements relating to safe-school officers
112 at public schools, including charter schools; amending
113 s. 1007.2616, F.S.; requiring the State Board of
114 Education to establish by rule or maintain specified
115 computer science subject area coverages; requiring the
116 state board to adopt competencies and skills and
117 designate corresponding examinations; requiring the
118 Department of Education to submit recommended
119 competencies and skills for certain coverages to the
120 state board for approval by a specified date;
121 requiring the department to coordinate development and
122 availability of certain examinations by a specified
123 date; amending s. 1008.25, F.S.; requiring that
124 specified resources for certain students include
125 information about the student’s eligibility for the
126 New Worlds Reading Initiative; requiring school
127 districts to take specified actions when screening
128 identifies a student as exhibiting characteristics of
129 dyslexia or dyscalculia; revising the score threshold
130 for Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program
131 eligibility for specified instructional support;
132 requiring that monthly written communications include
133 specified eligibility information; providing
134 circumstances under which a student must undergo
135 further screening for dyslexia or dyscalculia;
136 providing that such screening has a specified purpose;
137 requiring the State Board of Education to adopt rules;
138 conforming cross-references; amending s. 1008.2125,
139 F.S.; conforming a cross-reference; amending s.
140 1008.33, F.S.; revising requirements relating to
141 district and school improvement; amending s. 1010.20,
142 F.S.; requiring charter schools to respond to
143 monitoring questions from the Department of Education;
144 amending s. 1011.14, F.S.; revising authorized
145 purposes for school district short-term obligations;
146 amending s. 1011.69, F.S.; revising a category of
147 funding which a school district is authorized to
148 withhold; amending s. 1011.71, F.S.; authorizing
149 specified discretionary millage proceeds to be used
150 for operational or capital purposes; deleting
151 specified purposes that certain proceeds and revenue
152 may be used for; amending s. 1011.73, F.S.; conforming
153 a cross-reference; amending s. 1011.804, F.S.;
154 revising the GATE Startup Grant Program; specifying
155 what constitutes service to a rural area of
156 opportunity for purposes of specified provisions;
157 revising eligibility and award authority for grants;
158 revising application availability and application
159 requirements; revising allowable uses of grant funds
160 to include specified implementation-related costs;
161 amending s. 1012.22, F.S.; providing that collective
162 bargaining may not preclude specified salary
163 supplements and implementation of the salary increase
164 and salary distribution plan; amending s. 1012.555,
165 F.S.; revising eligibility requirements for
166 participation in the Teacher Apprenticeship Program;
167 requiring the department to collaborate with the
168 Lastinger Center for Learning to make specified
169 recommendations relating to artificial intelligence in
170 learning to the Governor and the Legislature by a
171 specified date; providing requirements for the
172 recommendations; providing an effective date.
173
174 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
175 Section 1. Paragraph (a) of subsection (1) of section
176 120.81, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
177 120.81 Exceptions and special requirements; general areas.—
178 (1) EDUCATIONAL UNITS.—
179 (a)
District school boards are not subject to the

180
requirements for rules in this chapter
when making and adopting

181
rules
with public input at a public meeting
.
Notwithstanding s.
182 120.536(1) and the flush left provisions of s. 120.52(8),
183 district school boards may adopt rules to implement their
184 general powers under s. 1001.41.
185 Section 2. Subsection (21) of section 1001.42, Florida
186 Statutes, is amended to read:
187 1001.42 Powers and duties of district school board.—The
188 district school board, acting as a board, shall exercise all
189 powers and perform all duties listed below:
190 (21) EDUCATIONAL EMERGENCY.—To free schools
that have

with

191 a school grade of “D” or “F”
or are persistently low-performing

192
schools as described in s. 1002.333
from contract restrictions
193 that limit the
school district’s

school’s
ability to implement
194 programs and strategies needed to improve student performance, a
195 district school board may adopt salary incentives or other
196 strategies that address the selection, placement, compensation,
197 and expectations of instructional personnel and provide
198 principals with the autonomy described in s. 1012.28(8). For
199 purposes of this subsection, an educational emergency exists in
200 a school district if one or more schools in the district have a
201 school grade of “D” or “F
.
”
or are persistently low-performing

202
schools as described in s. 1002.333
.
Notwithstanding chapter
203 447, relating to collective bargaining, a district school board
204 may:
205 (a) Provide salary incentives that differentiate based on a
206 teacher’s certification, subject area taught, or grade level
207 taught. Such incentives are not subject to collective bargaining
208 requirements.
209 (b) Notwithstanding s. 1012.2315, relating to assignment of
210 teachers, adopt strategies to assign high-quality teachers more
211 equitably across schools in the district to low-performing
212 schools as a management right. Such strategies are not subject
213 to collective bargaining requirements.
214 Section 3. Paragraph (i) of subsection (3) of section
215 1002.20, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
216 1002.20 K-12 student and parent rights.—Parents of public
217 school students must receive accurate and timely information
218 regarding their child’s academic progress and must be informed
219 of ways they can help their child to succeed in school. K-12
220 students and their parents are afforded numerous statutory
221 rights including, but not limited to, the following:
222 (3) HEALTH ISSUES.—
223 (i)
Epinephrine use and supply.
—
224 1. A student who has experienced or is at risk for life
225 threatening allergic reactions may carry
a
United States Food

226
and Drug Administration (FDA)-
approved

an
epinephrine
delivery

227
device

auto-injector
and self-administer epinephrine by
such

228
FD
A-approved delivery device

auto-injector
while in school,
229 participating in school-sponsored activities, or in transit to
230 or from school or school-sponsored activities if the school has
231 been provided with parental and physician authorization. The
232 State Board of Education, in cooperation with the Department of
233 Health, shall adopt rules for such use of
FDA-approved

234 epinephrine
delivery devices which must

auto-injector
s

that

235
shall
include provisions to protect the safety of all students
236 from the misuse or abuse of
such
delivery devices

auto

237
injector
s
. A school district, county health department, public
238 private partner, and their employees and volunteers shall be
239 indemnified by the parent of a student authorized to carry an
240
FDA-approved
epinephrine
delivery device

auto-injector
for any
241 and all liability with respect to the student’s use of an
FDA

242
approved
epinephrine
delivery device

auto-injector
pursuant to
243 this paragraph.
244 2. A public school may purchase a supply of
FDA-approved

245 epinephrine
delivery devices

auto-injector
s
from a wholesale
246 distributor as defined in s. 499.003 or may enter into an
247 arrangement with a wholesale distributor or manufacturer as
248 defined in s. 499.003 for the
FDA-approved
epinephrine
delivery

249
devices

auto-injector
s
at fair-market, free, or reduced prices
250 for use in the event a student has an anaphylactic reaction. The
251
FDA-approved
epinephrine
delivery devices

auto-injector
s
must be
252 maintained in a secure location on the public school’s premises.
253 The participating school district shall adopt a protocol
254 developed by a licensed physician for the administration by
255 school personnel who are trained to recognize an anaphylactic
256 reaction and to administer
an
epinephrine
by an FDA-approved

257
delivery device

auto-injection
. The supply of
FDA-approved

258 epinephrine
delivery devices

auto-injector
s
may be provided to
259 and used by a student authorized to self-administer epinephrine
260 by
FDA-approved delivery device

auto-injector
under subparagraph
261 1. or trained school personnel.
262 3. The school district and its employees, agents, and the
263 physician who provides the standing protocol for school
FDA

264
approved
epinephrine
delivery devices

auto-injectors
are not
265 liable for any injury arising from the use of
such

an

266 epinephrine
delivery device

auto-injector
administered by
267 trained school personnel who follow the adopted protocol and
268 whose professional opinion is that the student is having an
269 anaphylactic reaction:
270 a. Unless the trained school personnel’s action is willful
271 and wanton;
272 b. Notwithstanding that the parents or guardians of the
273 student to whom the epinephrine is administered have not been
274 provided notice or have not signed a statement acknowledging
275 that the school district is not liable; and
276 c. Regardless of whether authorization has been given by
277 the student’s parents or guardians or by the student’s
278 physician, physician assistant, or advanced practice registered
279 nurse.
280 Section 4. Paragraph (c) of subsection (7) and paragraph
281 (e) of subsection (10) of section 1002.33, Florida Statutes, are
282 amended to read:
283 1002.33 Charter schools.—
284 (7) CHARTER.—The terms and conditions for the operation of
285 a charter school, including a virtual charter school, shall be
286 set forth by the sponsor and the applicant in a written
287 contractual agreement, called a charter. The sponsor and the
288 governing board of the charter school or virtual charter school
289 shall use the standard charter contract or standard virtual
290 charter contract, respectively, pursuant to subsection (21),
291 which shall incorporate the approved application and any addenda
292 approved with the application. Any term or condition of a
293 proposed charter contract or proposed virtual charter contract
294 that differs from the standard charter or virtual charter
295 contract adopted by rule of the State Board of Education shall
296 be presumed a limitation on charter school flexibility. The
297 sponsor may not impose unreasonable rules or regulations that
298 violate the intent of giving charter schools greater flexibility
299 to meet educational goals. The charter shall be signed by the
300 governing board of the charter school and the sponsor, following
301 a public hearing to ensure community input.
302 (c)1. A charter may be renewed provided that a program
303 review demonstrates that the criteria in paragraph (a) have been
304 successfully accomplished and that none of the grounds for
305 nonrenewal established by paragraph (8)(a) have been expressly
306 found. The charter of a charter school that meets these
307 requirements and has received a school grade lower than a “B”
308 pursuant to s. 1008.34 in the most recently graded school year
309 must be renewed for no less than a 5-year term except as
310 provided in paragraph (9)(n). In order to facilitate long-term
311 financing for charter school construction, charter schools
312 operating for a minimum of 3 years and demonstrating exemplary
313 academic programming
, which may include academic performance

314
measured by school improvement ratings,
and fiscal management
315 are eligible for a 15-year charter renewal. Such long-term
316 charter is subject to annual review and may be terminated during
317 the term of the charter.
318 2. The 15-year charter renewal that may be granted pursuant
319 to subparagraph 1. must be granted to a charter school that has
320 received a school grade of “A” or “B” pursuant to s. 1008.34 in
321 the most recently graded school year and that is not in a state
322 of financial emergency or deficit position as defined by this
323 section. Such long-term charter is subject to annual review and
324 may be terminated during the term of the charter pursuant to
325 subsection (8).
326 (10) ELIGIBLE STUDENTS.—
327 (e) A charter school may limit the enrollment process only
328 to target the following student populations:
329 1. Students within specific age groups or grade levels.
330 2. Students considered at risk of dropping out of school or
331 academic failure. Such students shall include exceptional
332 education students.
333 3. Students enrolling in a charter school-in-the-workplace
334 or charter school-in-a-municipality established pursuant to
335 subsection (15).
336 4. Students residing within a reasonable distance of the
337 charter school, as described in paragraph (20)(c). Such students
338 shall be subject to a random lottery and to the racial/ethnic
339 balance provisions described in subparagraph (7)(a)8. or any
340 federal provisions that require a school to achieve a
341 racial/ethnic balance reflective of the community it serves or
342 within the racial/ethnic range of other nearby public schools.
343 5. Students who meet reasonable academic, artistic, or
344 other eligibility standards established by the charter school
345 and included in the charter school application and charter or,
346 in the case of existing charter schools, standards that are
347 consistent with the school’s mission and purpose. Such standards
348 shall be in accordance with current state law and practice in
349 public schools and may not discriminate against otherwise
350 qualified individuals. A school that limits enrollment for such
351 purposes must place a student on a progress monitoring plan for
352 at least one semester before dismissing such student from the
353 school.
A student may not be dismissed based on academic

354
performance while a school is implementing a school improvement

355
plan pursuant to paragraph (9)(n) or corrective action plan

356
pursuant to s. 1002.345.

357 6. Students articulating from one charter school to another
358 pursuant to an articulation agreement between the charter
359 schools that has been approved by the sponsor.
360 7. Students living in a development, or students whose
361 parent or legal guardian maintains a physical or permanent
362 employment presence within the development, in which a
363 developer, including any affiliated business entity or
364 charitable foundation, contributes to the formation,
365 acquisition, construction, or operation of one or more charter
366 schools or charter school facilities and related property in an
367 amount equal to or having a total appraised value of at least $5
368 million to be used as charter schools to mitigate the
369 educational impact created by the development of new residential
370 dwelling units. Students living in the development are entitled
371 to 50 percent of the student stations in the charter schools.
372 The students who are eligible for enrollment are subject to a
373 random lottery, the racial/ethnic balance provisions, or any
374 federal provisions, as described in subparagraph 4. The
375 remainder of the student stations must be filled in accordance
376 with subparagraph 4.
377 8. Students whose parent or legal guardian is employed
378 within a reasonable distance of the charter school, as described
379 in paragraph (20)(c). The students who are eligible for
380 enrollment are subject to a random lottery.
381 Section 5. Subsections (17) and (19) of section 1002.42,
382 Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
383 1002.42 Private schools.—
384 (17) EPINEPHRINE SUPPLY.—
385 (a) A private school may purchase a supply of
United States

386
Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved
epinephrine
delivery

387
devices

auto-injectors
from a wholesale distributor as defined
388 in s. 499.003 or may enter into an arrangement with a wholesale
389 distributor or manufacturer as defined in s. 499.003 for the
390
FDA-approved
epinephrine
delivery devices

auto-injectors
at
391 fair-market, free, or reduced prices for use in the event a
392 student has an anaphylactic reaction. The
FDA-approved

393 epinephrine
delivery devices

auto-injectors
must be maintained
394 in a secure location on the private school’s premises. The
395 participating private school shall adopt a protocol developed by
396 a licensed physician for the administration by private school
397 personnel who are trained to recognize an anaphylactic reaction
398 and to administer
epinephrine by
an
FDA-approved
epinephrine
399
delivery device

auto-injection
. The supply of
FDA-approved

400 epinephrine
delivery devices

auto-injectors
may be provided to
401 and used by a student authorized to self-administer epinephrine
402 by
an FDA-approved delivery device

auto-injector
under s.
403 1002.20(3)(i) or trained school personnel.
404 (b) The private school and its employees, agents, and the
405 physician who provides the standing protocol for school
FDA

406
approved
epinephrine
delivery devices

auto-injectors
are not
407 liable for any injury arising from the use of an
FDA-approved

408 epinephrine
delivery device

auto-injector
administered by
409 trained school personnel who follow the adopted protocol and
410 whose professional opinion is that the student is having an
411 anaphylactic reaction:
412 1. Unless the trained school personnel’s action is willful
413 and wanton;
414 2. Notwithstanding that the parents or guardians of the
415 student to whom the epinephrine is administered have not been
416 provided notice or have not signed a statement acknowledging
417 that the school district is not liable; and
418 3. Regardless of whether authorization has been given by
419 the student’s parents or guardians or by the student’s
420 physician, physician assistant, or advanced practice registered
421 nurse.
422 (19) FACILITIES
AND LAND USE
.—
423 (a) A private school may use facilities on property owned
424 or leased by a library, community service organization, museum,
425 performing arts venue, theater, cinema, or church facility under
426 s. 170.201, which is or was actively used as such within 5 years
427 of any executed agreement with a private school to use the
428 facilities; any facility or land owned by a Florida College
429 System institution or university; any similar public
430 institutional facilities; and any facility recently used to
431 house a school or child care facility licensed under s. 402.305,
432 under any such facility’s preexisting zoning and land use
433 designations without rezoning or obtaining a special exception
434 or a land use change, and without complying with any mitigation
435 requirements or conditions. The facility must be located on
436 property used solely for purposes described in this paragraph,
437 and must meet applicable state and local health, safety, and
438 welfare laws, codes, and rules, including firesafety and
439 building safety.
440 (b) A private school may use facilities on property
441 purchased from a library, community service organization,
442 museum, performing arts venue, theater, cinema, or church
443 facility under s. 170.201, which is actively or was actively
444 used as such within 5 years of any executed agreement with a
445 private school to purchase the facilities; any facility or land
446 owned by a Florida College System institution or university; any
447 similar public institutional facilities; and any facility
448 recently used to house a school or child care facility licensed
449 under s. 402.305, under any such facility’s preexisting zoning
450 and land use designations without obtaining a special exception,
451 rezoning, or a land use change, and without complying with any
452 mitigation requirements or conditions. The facility must be
453 located on property used solely for purposes described in this
454 paragraph, and must meet applicable state and local health,
455 safety, and welfare laws, codes, and rules, including firesafety
456 and building safety.
457 (c) A private school located in a county with four
458 incorporated municipalities may construct new facilities, which
459 may be temporary or permanent, on property purchased from or
460 owned or leased by a library, community service organization,
461 museum, performing arts venue, theater, cinema, or church under
462 s. 170.201, which is or was actively used as such within 5 years
463 of any executed agreement with a private school; any land owned
464 by a Florida College System institution or state university; and
465 any land recently used to house a school or child care facility
466 licensed under s. 402.305, under its preexisting zoning and land
467 use designations without rezoning or obtaining a special
468 exception or a land use change, and without complying with any
469 mitigation requirements or conditions. Any new facility must be
470 located on property used solely for purposes described in this
471 paragraph, and must meet applicable state and local health,
472 safety, and welfare laws, codes, and rules, including firesafety
473 and building safety.
474
(
d
)

A private school enrolling 150 or fewer students, or

475
located within the unincorporated area of a county as defined in

476
s. 125.011, shall be considered a permitted use and occupancy in

477
a commercial or mixed-use zoning district within a county or

478
municipality without rezoning or obtaining a special exception

479
or a land use change, and without complying with any mitigation

480
requirements, conditions, performance standards, ordinances,

481
rules, codes, or policies, except that a county or municipality

482
may require proportionate mitigation measures necessary to

483
mitigate vehicular traffic and pedestrian safety.

484
1.

The vehicular traffic and pedestrian safety mitigation

485
measures required by a county or municipality pursuant to this

486
subsection shall be limited to those impacts reasonably and

487
directly attributable to the operation of the private school at

488
the site and shall be no greater in cost or scope than what is

489
required of all other uses, education or otherwise, within the

490
same zoning district.

491
2.

The private school subject to vehicular traffic and

492
pedestrian safety mitigation measures may, in lieu of complying

493
with such mitigation measures, provide a traffic study that

494
demonstrates the school will not have disproportionate impact on

495
vehicular traffic or pedestrian safety compared to other

496
allowable uses within the same zoning district.

497
3.

If a local governing authority fails to comply with this

498
sub
section, the aggrieved school or entity has an immediate

499
right to bring an action in circuit court for injunctive relief.

500
(e)

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a private

501
school enrolling 150 or fewer students may operate in a facility

502
that is an existing assembly, day care, mercantile, or business

503
occupancy, as defined in the Florida Fire Prevention Code. A

504
private school operating in such a facility must meet the

505
standards for existing educational occupancy requirements under

506
the Florida Fire Prevention Code, adopted by the State Fire

507
Marshal. Completion of the fire safety evaluation system for

508
educational occupancies in
the National Fire Protection

509
Association, Life Safety Code,

NFPA 101A: Guide on Alternative

510
Approaches to Life Safety, adopted by the State Fire Marshal, by

511
a registered design professional licensed under chapter 471 or

512
chapter 481, with a determination of achieving at a minimum an

513
“at least equivalent” conclusion,
is
considered evidence of

514
compliance with the Florida Fire Prevention Code. The State Fire

515
Marshal may adopt rules to implement this paragraph.

516 Section 6. Subsection (2) of section 1002.67, Florida
517 Statutes, is amended to read:
518 1002.67 Performance standards and curricula.—
519 (2)(a) Each private prekindergarten provider and public
520 school may select or design the curriculum that the provider or
521 school uses to implement the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education
522
(VPK)
Program, except as otherwise required for a provider or
523 school that fails to meet the minimum
performance metric score

524
or designation

change-in-ability
established pursuant to s.
525 1002.68.
526 (b) Each private prekindergarten provider’s and public
527 school’s curriculum must be developmentally appropriate and
528 must:
529 1. Be designed to prepare a student for early literacy and
530 provide for instruction in early math skills;
531 2. Develop students’ background knowledge through a
532 content-rich and sequential knowledge building early literacy
533 curriculum;
534 3. Enhance the age-appropriate progress of students in
535 attaining the performance standards adopted by the department
536 under subsection (1); and
537 4. Support student learning gains through differentiated
538 instruction that shall be measured by the coordinated screening
539 and progress monitoring program under s. 1008.25(9).
540 (c) The department shall adopt procedures for the review
541 and approval of curricula for use by private prekindergarten
542 providers and public schools that fail to meet the minimum
543
performance metric score or designation

change-in-ability scores

544 established pursuant to s. 1002.68. The department shall
545 administer the review and approval process and maintain a list
546 of the curricula approved under this paragraph
and available for

547
purchase
. Each approved curriculum must meet the requirements of
548 paragraph (b).
The review and approval process must include

549
curricula that are available for purchase and proprietary

550
curricula that are not available for purchase.

551
(d)

The department shall review and may approve a

552
curriculum that is proprietary or available for purchase outside

553
of the established review and approval process in paragraph (c).

554
The curriculum must be used by a private provider or public

555
school district that operates a VPK program in more than five

556
distinct locations. Any curriculum approved under this paragraph

557
must meet the requirements of paragraph (b). Any curriculum

558
approved under this paragraph which is available for purchase

559
must be included on the list under paragraph (c). Within 60 days

560
after receipt of the request, the department shall review and

561
approve or deny the submitted curricula and all associated

562
materials. A request may not be submitted under this paragraph

563
within 120 days before the opening of the regular review process

564
described in paragraph (c).

565 Section 7. Subsection (3), paragraph (e) of subsection (4),
566 paragraph (a) of subsection (5), and paragraph (e) of subsection
567 (6) of section 1002.68, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
568 1002.68 Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program
569 accountability.—
570
(3)(a) For the 2020-2021 program year, the department shall

571
calculate a kindergarten readiness rate for each private

572
prekindergarten provider and public school participating in the

573
Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program based upon learning

574
gains and the percentage of students assessed as ready for

575
kindergarten. The department shall require that each school

576
district administer the statewide kindergarten screening in use

577
before the 2021-2022 school year to each kindergarten student in

578
the school district within the first 30 school days of the 2021

579
2022 school year. Private schools may administer the statewide

580
kindergarten screening to each kindergarten student in a private

581
school who was enrolled in the Voluntary Prekindergarten

582
Education Program. Learning gains shall be determined using a

583
value-added measure based on growth demonstrated by the results

584
of the preassessment and postassessment in use before the 2021

585
2022 program year. However, a provider may not be newly placed

586
on probationary status under this paragraph. A provider

587
currently on probationary status may only be removed from such

588
status if the provider earns the minimum rate, determined

589
pursuant to subsection (5). The methodology for calculating a

590
provider’s readiness rate may not include students who are not

591
administered the statewide kindergarten screening.

592
(b) For the 2021-2022 program year, kindergarten screening

593
results may not be used in the calculation of readiness rates.

594
Any private prekindergarten provider or public school

595
participating in the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program

596
which fails to meet the minimum kindergarten readiness rate for

597
the 2021-2022 program year is subject to the probation

598
requirements of subsection (5).

599
(3)
(4)

600 (e) Subject to an appropriation, the department shall
601 provide for a differential payment to a private prekindergarten
602 provider and public school based on the provider’s designation.
603 The maximum differential payment may not exceed a total of 15
604 percent of the base student allocation per full-time equivalent
605 student under s. 1002.71 attending in the consecutive program
606 year for that program. A private prekindergarten provider or
607 public school may not receive a differential payment if it
608 receives a designation of “proficient” or lower.
Before the

609
adoption of the methodology, the department shall confer with

610
the Council for Early Grade Success under s. 1008.2125 before

611
receiving approval from the State Board of Education for the

612
final recommendations on the designation system and differential

613
payments.

614
(4)(a)
(5)(a)
If a public school’s or private
615 prekindergarten provider’s program assessment composite score
616 for its prekindergarten classrooms fails to meet the minimum
617 program assessment composite score for contracting adopted in
618 rule by the department, the private prekindergarten provider or
619 public school may not participate in the Voluntary
620 Prekindergarten Education Program beginning in the consecutive
621 program year and thereafter until the public school or private
622 prekindergarten provider meets the minimum composite score for
623 contracting. A public school or private prekindergarten provider
624 may request one program assessment per program year in order to
625 requalify for participation in the Voluntary Prekindergarten
626 Education Program, provided that the public school or private
627 prekindergarten provider is not excluded from participation
628 under ss. 1002.55(6), 1002.61(10)(b), 1002.63(9)(b), or
629 paragraph
(b)

(5)(b)
of this section
. If a public school or
630 private prekindergarten provider would like an additional
631 program assessment completed within the same program year, the
632 public school or private prekindergarten provider shall be
633 responsible for the cost of the program assessment.
634
(5)
(6)

635 (e) A private prekindergarten provider or public school
636 granted a good cause exemption shall continue to implement its
637 improvement plan and continue the corrective actions required
638 under paragraph
(4)(b)

(5)(b)
until the provider or school meets
639 the minimum performance metric.
640 Section 8. Paragraph (b) of subsection (6) and subsection
641 (7) of section 1002.71, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
642 1002.71 Funding; financial and attendance reporting.—
643 (6)
644 (b)1. Each private prekindergarten provider’s
and district

645
school board’s
attendance policy must require the parent of each
646 student in the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program to
647 verify, each month, the student’s attendance on the prior
648 month’s certified student attendance.
649 2. The parent must submit the verification of the student’s
650 attendance to the private prekindergarten provider
or public

651
school
on forms prescribed by the department. The forms must
652 include, in addition to the verification of the student’s
653 attendance, a certification, in substantially the following
654 form, that the parent continues to choose the private
655 prekindergarten provider or public school in accordance with s.
656 1002.53 and directs that payments for the program be made to the
657 provider or school:
658
659 VERIFICATION OF STUDENT’S ATTENDANCE
660 AND CERTIFICATION OF PARENTAL CHOICE
661
662 I, ...(Name of Parent)..., swear (or affirm) that my child,
663 ...(Name of Student)..., attended the Voluntary Prekindergarten
664 Education Program on the days listed above and certify that I
665 continue to choose ...(Name of Provider or School)... to deliver
666 the program for my child and direct that program funds be paid
667 to the provider or school for my child.
668 ...(Signature of Parent)...
669 ...(Date)...
670
671 3. The private prekindergarten provider
or public school

672 must keep each original signed form for at least 2 years. Each
673 private prekindergarten provider must permit the early learning
674 coalition
, and each public school must permit the school

675
district,
to inspect the original signed forms during normal
676 business hours. The department shall adopt procedures for early
677 learning coalitions
and school districts
to review the original
678 signed forms against the certified student attendance. The
679 review procedures
must

shall
provide for the use of selective
680 inspection techniques, including, but not limited to, random
681 sampling. Each early learning coalition
and the school districts

682 must comply with the review procedures.
683 (7) The department shall require that administrative
684 expenditures be kept to the minimum necessary for efficient and
685 effective administration of the Voluntary Prekindergarten
686 Education Program. Administrative policies and procedures
must

687
shall be revised
, to the maximum extent practicable,
be revised

688 to incorporate the use of automation and electronic submission
689 of forms, including those required for child eligibility and
690 enrollment, provider and class registration, and monthly
691 certification of attendance for payment. A school district may
692 use its automated daily attendance reporting system for the
693 purpose of
maintaining and
transmitting attendance records to
694 the early learning coalition in a mutually agreed-upon format.
695
Each school district shall certify the correctness of attendance

696
data submitted to the single point of entry system described in

697
paragraph (5)(a) as required by the department.
In addition,
698 actions
must

shall
be taken to reduce paperwork, eliminate the
699 duplication of reports, and eliminate other duplicative
700 activities. Each early learning coalition may retain and expend
701 no more than 5.0 percent of the funds paid by the coalition to
702 private prekindergarten providers and public schools under
703 paragraph (5)(b). Funds retained by an early learning coalition
704 under this subsection may be used only for administering the
705 Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program and may not be used
706 for the school readiness program or other programs.
707 Section 9. Paragraphs (a) and (d) of subsection (4) of
708 section 1002.945, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
709 1002.945 Gold Seal Quality Care Program.—
710 (4) In order to obtain and maintain a designation as a Gold
711 Seal Quality Care provider, a child care facility, large family
712 child care home, or family day care home must meet the following
713 additional criteria:
714 (a) The child care provider must not have had any class I
715 violations, as defined by rule of the Department of Children and
716 Families,
for which the Department of Children and Families

717
determines
that
the child care provider is the primary cause of

718
the violation
within the 2 years preceding its application for
719 designation as a Gold Seal Quality Care provider. Commission of
720 a class I violation
for which the Department of Children and

721
Families determines
that
the child care provider is the primary

722
cause of the violation
shall be grounds for termination of the
723 designation as a Gold Seal Quality Care provider until the
724 provider has no class I violations for a period of 2 years.
725
(d) Notwithstanding paragraph (a), if the Department of

726
Education determines through a formal process that a provider

727
has been in business for at least 5 years and has no other class

728
I violations recorded, the department may recommend to the state

729
board that the provider maintain its Gold Seal Quality Care

730
status. The state board’s determination regarding such

731
provider’s status is final.

732 Section 10. Paragraph (j) of subsection (2) of section
733 1003.42, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
734 1003.42 Required instruction.—
735 (2) Members of the instructional staff of the public
736 schools, subject to the rules of the State Board of Education
737 and the district school board, shall teach efficiently and
738 faithfully, using the books and materials required that meet the
739 highest standards for professionalism and historical accuracy,
740 following the prescribed courses of study, and employing
741 approved methods of instruction, the following:
742 (j) The elementary principles of agriculture.
This

743
component must include, but need not be limited to, the history

744
of agriculture both nationally and specifically to this state,

745
the economic and societal impact of agriculture, and the various

746
agricultural industry sectors. The department, in collaboration

747
with the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and the

748
University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural

749
Sciences, shall prepare and offer standards and a curriculum for

750
the instruction required by this paragraph and may seek input

751
from state or nationally recognized agricultural educational

752
organizations. The department may contract with state or

753
nationally recognized agricultural educational organizations to

754
develop training for instructional personnel and grade

755
appropriate classroom resources to support the developed

756
curriculum.

757
758 The State Board of Education is encouraged to adopt standards
759 and pursue assessment of the requirements of this subsection.
760 Instructional programming that incorporates the values of the
761 recipients of the Congressional Medal of Honor and that is
762 offered as part of a social studies, English Language Arts, or
763 other schoolwide character building and veteran awareness
764 initiative meets the requirements of paragraph (u).
765 Section 11. Paragraph (f) of subsection (3) and subsection
766 (10) of section 1003.4282, Florida Statutes, are amended to
767 read:
768 1003.4282 Requirements for a standard high school diploma.—
769 (3) STANDARD HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA; COURSE AND ASSESSMENT
770 REQUIREMENTS.—
771 (f)
One credit in physical education.
—Physical education
772 must include the integration of health. Participation in an
773 interscholastic sport at the junior varsity or varsity level for
774 two full seasons shall satisfy the one-credit requirement in
775 physical education. A district school board may not require that
776 the one credit in physical education be taken during the 9th
777 grade year. Completion of 2 years of marching band shall satisfy
778 the one-credit requirement in physical education
and

or
the one
779 credit requirement in performing arts. This credit may not be
780 used to satisfy the personal fitness requirement or the
781 requirement for adaptive physical education under an individual
782 education plan (IEP) or 504 plan.
Completion of 1.0 credit with

783
a grade of “C” or better in a dance techniques course, a

784
significant component of which is activities designed to

785
maintain or improve health-related fitness and lifelong fitness,

786
shall satisfy the one-credit requirement in physical education

787
or the one-credit requirement in performing arts. This credit

788
may not be used to satisfy the personal fitness requirement or

789
the requirement for adaptive physical education under an IEP or

790
504 plan.
Completion of one semester with a grade of “C” or
791 better in a marching band class, in a physical activity class
792 that requires participation in marching band activities as an
793 extracurricular activity, or in a dance class shall satisfy one
794 half credit in physical education or one-half credit in
795 performing arts. This credit may not be used to satisfy the
796 personal fitness requirement or the requirement for adaptive
797 physical education under an IEP or 504 plan. Completion of 2
798 years in a Reserve Officer Training Corps (R.O.T.C.) class, a
799 significant component of which is drills, shall satisfy the one
800 credit requirement in physical education and the one-credit
801 requirement in performing arts. This credit may not be used to
802 satisfy the personal fitness requirement or the requirement for
803 adaptive physical education under an IEP or 504 plan.
804 (10) CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION CREDIT.—The Department
805 of Education shall convene a workgroup
, no later than December

806
1, 2024,
to:
807 (a) Identify best practices in career and technical
808 education pathways from middle school to high school to aid
809 middle school students in career planning and facilitate their
810 transition to high school programs. The career pathway must be
811 linked to postsecondary programs.
812 (b) Establish three mathematics pathways for students
813 enrolled in secondary grades by aligning mathematics courses to
814 programs, postsecondary education, and careers. The workgroup
815 shall collaborate to identify the three mathematics pathways and
816 the mathematics course sequence within each pathway which align
817 to the mathematics skills needed for success in the
818 corresponding academic programs, postsecondary education, and
819 careers.
820
1.

The mathematics pathways must incorporate the
a
pplied

821
a
lgebra courses established under s. 1003.4936 which align the

822
Florida Standards for Algebra
I
with the career and technical

823
education standards and benchmarks for each
designated
career

824
cluster.

825
2.

Each mathematics pathway must include at least one

826
course sequence beginning with an
a
pplied
a
lgebra course aligned

827
to a specific career cluster. The workgroup shall identify

828
additional
mathematics courses that follow each
a
pplied
a
lgebra

829
course and build on the algebraic reasoning, modeling, and

830
quantitative skills introduced through industry-relevant

831
applications. The
mathematics pathways
may include a plan to

832
create new mathematics courses to complete a pathway.

833
3.

Each mathematics pathway must offer flexibility and the

834
ability to move between pathways if necessary.

835
4.

Mathematics pathways must create clear links between

836
precollege mathematics and college
-
level math
ematics
pathways,

837
and support student progression into postsecondary academic

838
programs,
state
college career and technical education programs,

839
career center programs,
industry certification programs, and

840
high-skill, high-wage occupations.

841
5.

The mathematics pathways that incorporate applied

842
algebra courses created under s. 1003.4936(3)(a)1. must be

843
identified no later than September 1, 2027. The mathematics

844
pathways that incorporate applied algebra courses created under

845
s. 1003.4936(3)(a)2. must be identified no later than September

846
1, 2028.
The workgroup shall submit the identified mathematics

847
pathways to the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the

848
Speaker of the House of Representatives
.

849 Section 12. Section 1003.4936, Florida Statutes, is created
850 to read:
851
1003.4936
Applied
a
lgebra for
c
areer and
t
echnical

852
e
ducation.—

853
(1) The Legislature finds that algebra is an important step

854
in a student’s mathematics pathway. Algebra is a prerequisite

855
for higher level mathematics courses, and success in algebra is

856
strongly connected with later mathematics success. Establishing

857
an applied algebra course that integrates career and technical

858
education standards equips students with mathematical skills

859
directly connected to real industry practices
and
increas
es
the

860
relevance of
a
lgebra instruction. By contextualizing algebraic

861
concepts within authentic occupational problems, such applied

862
algebra
courses improve student engagement, strengthen

863
understanding of core math standards, and better prepare

864
students for high-skill, high-wage careers. Such a course will

865
enable students to pass the Algebra
I
end-of-course assessment

866
and
develop practical skills that support success in Florida’s

867
workforce and postsecondary pathways.

868
(2)

The Department of Education shall develop an applied

869
algebra course for each of the established career and technical

870
education career clusters. Each applied algebra course must:

871
(a)

Integrate the career and technical education program

872
standards and benchmarks for the relevant career cluster with

873
the Florida Standards for Algebra
I
.

874
(b)

Provide students with rigorous, career-relevant

875
mathematical applications that demonstrate the use of algebraic

876
concepts in authentic industry problems, processes, or settings.

877
(c)

Prepare students to take the statewide, standardized

878
Algebra
I
end-of-course assessment required under s. 1008.22.

879
(d)

Meet all requirements for a mathematics credit required

880
for high school graduation under s. 1003.4282(3)(b)

or for

881
middle grades promotion pursuant to s. 1003.4156(1)(b)
.

882
(3)(a)

The department shall develop the courses on the

883
following timeline
s
:

884
1.

Applied algebra courses in the following career clusters

885
must be developed and available for
school
district adoption in

886
the 2027-2028 school year:

887
a.
Agriculture,
f
ood, and
n
atural
r
esources
.

888
b.
Architecture and
c
onstruction
.

889
c.
Business
m
anagement and
a
dministration
.

890
d.
Energy
.

891
e.
Engineering and
t
echnology
e
ducation
.

892
f.
Finance
.

893
g.
Health
s
cience
.

894
h.
Information
t
echnology
.

895
i.
Manufacturing
.

896
j.
Transportation and
d
istribution
l
ogistics
.

897
2.

Applied algebra courses in the following career clusters

898
must be developed and available for district adoption in the

899
2028-2029 school year:

900
a.
Arts,
audio-visual

t
echnology, and
c
ommunications
.

901
b.
Education and
t
raining
.

902
c.
Government and
p
ublic
a
dministration
.

903
d.
Hospitality and
t
ourism
.

904
e.
Human
s
ervices
.

905
f.
Law,
p
ublic
s
afety, and
s
ecurity
.

906
g.
Marketing,
s
ales, and
s
ervice
.

907
(b)

In grades 6 through 12, s
chool districts may offer one

908
or more
a
pplied
a
lgebra courses in lieu of Algebra
I
, and

909
successful completion of the course
will
satisfy the Algebra
I

910
credit requirement for high school graduation
or middle grades

911
promotion
.

912
(c)

The department
shall
collaborate with the Board of

913
Governors
of the State University System
to ensure that each

914
applied algebra course is accepted as a mathematics credit for

915
state university admissions.

916
(
d
)

The department shall provide professional development,

917
instructional resources, and technical assistance to support

918
school
district implementation.

919 Section 13. Subsection (5) is added to section 1003.5716,
920 Florida Statutes, to read:
921 1003.5716 Transition to postsecondary education and career
922 opportunities.—All students with disabilities who are 3 years of
923 age to 21 years of age have the right to a free, appropriate
924 public education. As used in this section, the term “IEP” means
925 individual education plan.
926
(5)

927
(
a
) If a related service identified in a student’s IEP is

928
not provided as scheduled, the
school
district must notify the

929
parent or guardian in writing
or by electronic means
within
10

930
school days, explain the reason
the service was not provided
,

931
and
discuss a plan for make-up services.

932
(
b
) A parent or guardian has the right to access, upon

933
request, all service provider logs or progress notes within 15

934
school days
after such service is provided
. The
school
district

935
shall
inform parents of this right at each IEP meeting.

936 Section 14. Paragraph (b) of subsection (3) of section
937 1004.85, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
938 1004.85 Postsecondary educator preparation institutes.—
939 (3) Educator preparation institutes approved pursuant to
940 this section may offer competency-based certification programs
941 specifically designed for noneducation major baccalaureate
942 degree holders to enable program participants to meet the
943 educator certification requirements of s. 1012.56. An educator
944 preparation institute choosing to offer a competency-based
945 certification program pursuant to the provisions of this section
946 must implement a program developed by the institute and approved
947 by the department for this purpose. Approved programs shall be
948 available for use by other approved educator preparation
949 institutes.
950 (b) Each program participant must:
951 1. Meet certification requirements pursuant to s.
952 1012.56(1) by obtaining a statement of status of eligibility
953
determining the participant is eligible for a certificate
in the
954 certification subject area of the educational plan
.
An educator

955
preparation institute may allow a program participant to enroll

956
in and complete coursework while the participant is working to

957
obtain
the
statement of status of eligibility
indicating

958
eligibility for a certificate
in the certification subject area

959
of the educational plan
.

960
2.

and
Meet the requirements of s. 1012.56(2)(a)-(f) before
961 participating in field experiences.
962
3.
2.
Demonstrate competency and participate in field
963 experiences that are appropriate to his or her educational plan
964 prepared under paragraph (a). Beginning with candidates entering
965 an educator preparation institute in the 2022-2023 school year,
966 a candidate for certification in a coverage area identified
967 pursuant to s. 1012.585(3)(f) must successfully complete all
968 competencies for a reading endorsement, including completion of
969 the endorsement practicum through the candidate’s field
970 experience, in order to graduate from the program.
971
4.
3.
Before completion of the program, fully demonstrate
972 his or her ability to teach the subject area for which he or she
973 is seeking certification by documenting a positive impact on
974 student learning growth in a prekindergarten through grade 12
975 setting and, except as provided in s. 1012.56(7)(a)3., achieving
976 a passing score on the professional education competency
977 examination, the basic skills examination, and the subject area
978 examination for the subject area certification which is required
979 by state board rule.
980 Section 15. Paragraph (b) of subsection (3) and paragraph
981 (b) of subsection (4) of section 1004.933, Florida Statutes, are
982 amended to read:
983 1004.933 Graduation Alternative to Traditional Education
984 (GATE) Program.—
985 (3) DEFINITIONS.—As used in this section, the term:
986 (b) “Institution” means
any

a
school district career center
987 established under s. 1001.44, a charter technical career center
988 established under s. 1002.34, or a Florida College System
989 institution identified in s. 1000.21.
Any such institution may

990
enter into an agreement with an online provider
for the adult

991
education or career instruction portion of the program if such

992
provider offers
instructional content
and services that
align

993
with the state career and adult education curriculum frameworks.

994 (4) PAYMENT WAIVER; ELIGIBILITY.—
995 (b) To be eligible for participation in the GATE Program, a
996 student must:
997 1. Not have earned a standard high school diploma pursuant
998 to s. 1003.4282 or a high school equivalency diploma pursuant to
999 s. 1003.435 before enrolling in the GATE Program;
1000 2. Have been withdrawn from high school;
1001 3. Be a resident of this state as defined in s. 1009.21(1);
1002 4. Be
at least
16
to 21
years of age at the time of initial
1003 enrollment, provided that a student who is 16 or 17 years of age
1004 has withdrawn from school enrollment pursuant to the
1005 requirements and safeguards in s. 1003.21(1)(c);
1006 5. Select the adult secondary education program and career
1007 education program of his or her choice at the time of admission
1008 to the GATE Program, provided that the career education program
1009 is included on the Master Credentials List under s. 445.004(4).
1010
The student is not required to enroll in
adult secondary and

1011
career education program
coursework simultaneously.
The student
1012 may not change the requested pathway after enrollment, except
1013 that, if necessary for the student, the student may enroll in an
1014 adult basic education program prior to enrolling in the adult
1015 secondary education program;
1016 6. Maintain a 2.0 GPA for career and technical education
1017 coursework; and
1018 7. Notwithstanding s. 1003.435(4), complete the programs
1019 under subparagraph 5. within 3 years after his or her initial
1020 enrollment unless the institution determines that an extension
1021 is warranted due to extenuating circumstances.
1022 Section 16. Section 1006.12, Florida Statutes, is amended
1023 to read:
1024 1006.12 Safe-school officers at each public school.—For the
1025 protection and safety of school personnel, property, students,
1026 and visitors, each district school board and school district
1027 superintendent shall partner with law enforcement agencies or
1028 security agencies to establish or assign one or more safe-school
1029 officers at each school facility within the district, including
1030 charter schools. A district school board must collaborate with
1031 charter school governing boards to facilitate charter school
1032 access to all safe-school officer options available under this
1033 section.
Notwithstanding any local ordinance or development

1034
order
,
the school district
or charter school
may implement any
1035 combination of the options in subsections (1)-(4) to best meet
1036 the needs of the school district and charter schools.
1037 (1) SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER.—A school district may
1038 establish school resource officer programs through a cooperative
1039 agreement with law enforcement agencies.
1040 (a) School resource officers shall undergo criminal
1041 background checks, drug testing, and a psychological evaluation
1042 and be certified law enforcement officers, as defined in s.
1043 943.10(1), who are employed by a law enforcement agency as
1044 defined in s. 943.10(4). The powers and duties of a law
1045 enforcement officer shall continue throughout the employee’s
1046 tenure as a school resource officer.
1047 (b) School resource officers shall abide by district school
1048 board policies and shall consult with and coordinate activities
1049 through the school principal, but shall be responsible to the
1050 law enforcement agency in all matters relating to employment,
1051 subject to agreements between a district school board and a law
1052 enforcement agency. The agreements shall identify the entity
1053 responsible for maintaining records relating to training.
1054 Activities conducted by the school resource officer which are
1055 part of the regular instructional program of the school shall be
1056 under the direction of the school principal.
1057 (2) SCHOOL SAFETY OFFICER.—A school district may commission
1058 one or more school safety officers for the protection and safety
1059 of school personnel, property, and students within the school
1060 district. The district school superintendent may recommend, and
1061 the district school board may appoint, one or more school safety
1062 officers.
1063 (a) School safety officers shall undergo criminal
1064 background checks, drug testing, and a psychological evaluation
1065 and be law enforcement officers, as defined in s. 943.10(1),
1066 certified under chapter 943 and employed by either a law
1067 enforcement agency or by the district school board. If the
1068 officer is employed by the district school board, the district
1069 school board is the employing agency for purposes of chapter
1070 943, and must comply with that chapter.
1071 (b) A school safety officer has and shall exercise the
1072 power to make arrests for violations of law on district school
1073 board property or on property owned or leased by a charter
1074 school under a charter contract, as applicable, and to arrest
1075 persons, whether on or off such property, who violate any law on
1076 such property under the same conditions that deputy sheriffs are
1077 authorized to make arrests. A school safety officer has the
1078 authority to carry weapons when performing his or her official
1079 duties.
1080 (c) School safety officers must complete mental health
1081 crisis intervention training using a curriculum developed by a
1082 national organization with expertise in mental health crisis
1083 intervention. The training shall improve officers’ knowledge and
1084 skills as first responders to incidents involving students with
1085 emotional disturbance or mental illness, including de-escalation
1086 skills to ensure student and officer safety.
1087 (d) A district school board may enter into mutual aid
1088 agreements with one or more law enforcement agencies as provided
1089 in chapter 23. A school safety officer’s salary may be paid
1090 jointly by the district school board and the law enforcement
1091 agency, as mutually agreed to.
1092 (3) SCHOOL GUARDIAN.—
1093 (a) At the school district’s or the charter school
1094 governing board’s discretion, as applicable, pursuant to s.
1095 30.15, a school district or charter school governing board may
1096 participate in the Chris Hixon, Coach Aaron Feis, and Coach
1097 Scott Beigel Guardian Program to meet the requirement of
1098 establishing a safe-school officer. The following individuals
1099 may serve as a school guardian, in support of school-sanctioned
1100 activities for purposes of s. 790.115, upon satisfactory
1101 completion of the requirements under s. 30.15(1)(k) and
1102 certification by a sheriff:
1103 1. A school district employee or personnel, as defined
1104 under s. 1012.01, or a charter school employee, as provided
1105 under s. 1002.33(12)(a), who volunteers to serve as a school
1106 guardian in addition to his or her official job duties; or
1107 2. An employee of a school district or a charter school who
1108 is hired for the specific purpose of serving as a school
1109 guardian.
1110 (b) Before appointing an individual as a school guardian,
1111 the school district or charter school shall contact the
1112 Department of Law Enforcement and review all information
1113 maintained under s. 30.15(1)(k)3.c. related to the individual.
1114 (c) The department shall provide to the Department of Law
1115 Enforcement any information relating to a school guardian
1116 received pursuant to subsection (5).
1117 (4) SCHOOL SECURITY GUARD.—A school district or charter
1118 school governing board may contract with a security agency as
1119 defined in s. 493.6101(18) to employ as a school security guard
1120 an individual who holds a Class “D” and Class “G” license
1121 pursuant to chapter 493, provided the following training and
1122 contractual conditions are met:
1123 (a) An individual who serves as a school security guard,
1124 for purposes of satisfying the requirements of this section,
1125 must:
1126 1. Demonstrate completion of 144 hours of required training
1127 conducted by a sheriff pursuant to s. 30.15(1)(k)2.
1128 2. Pass a psychological evaluation administered by a
1129 psychologist licensed under chapter 490 and designated by the
1130 Department of Law Enforcement and submit the results of the
1131 evaluation to the sheriff’s office and school district, charter
1132 school governing board, or employing security agency, as
1133 applicable. The Department of Law Enforcement is authorized to
1134 provide the sheriff’s office, school district, charter school
1135 governing board, or employing security agency with mental health
1136 and substance abuse data for compliance with this paragraph.
1137 3. Submit to and pass an initial drug test and subsequent
1138 random drug tests in accordance with the requirements of s.
1139 112.0455 and the sheriff’s office, school district, charter
1140 school governing board, or employing security agency, as
1141 applicable.
1142 4. Be approved to work as a school security guard by the
1143 sheriff of each county in which the school security guard will
1144 be assigned to a school before commencing work at any school in
1145 that county. The sheriff’s approval authorizes the security
1146 agency to assign the school security guard to any school in the
1147 county, and the sheriff’s approval is not limited to any
1148 particular school.
1149 5. Successfully complete ongoing training, weapon
1150 inspection, and firearm qualification conducted by a sheriff
1151 pursuant to s. 30.15(1)(k)2.e. on at least an annual basis and
1152 provide documentation to the sheriff’s office, school district,
1153 charter school governing board, or employing security agency, as
1154 applicable.
1155 (b) The contract between a security agency and a school
1156 district or a charter school governing board regarding
1157 requirements applicable to school security guards serving in the
1158 capacity of a safe-school officer for purposes of satisfying the
1159 requirements of this section shall define the entity or entities
1160 responsible for maintaining records relating to training,
1161 inspection, and firearm qualification.
1162 (c) School security guards serving in the capacity of a
1163 safe-school officer pursuant to this subsection are in support
1164 of school-sanctioned activities for purposes of s. 790.115, and
1165 must aid in the prevention or abatement of active assailant
1166 incidents on school premises.
1167 (d) The Office of Safe Schools shall provide the Department
1168 of Law Enforcement any information related to a school security
1169 guard that the office receives pursuant to subsection (5).
1170 (5) NOTIFICATION.—The district school superintendent or
1171 charter school administrator, or a respective designee shall
1172 notify the county sheriff and the Office of Safe Schools
1173 immediately after, but no later than 72 hours after:
1174 (a) A safe-school officer is dismissed for misconduct or is
1175 otherwise disciplined.
1176 (b) A safe-school officer discharges his or her firearm in
1177 the exercise of the safe-school officer’s duties, other than for
1178 training purposes.
1179 (6) CRISIS INTERVENTION TRAINING.—Each safe-school officer
1180 who is also a sworn law enforcement officer shall complete
1181 mental health crisis intervention training using a curriculum
1182 developed by a national organization with expertise in mental
1183 health crisis intervention. The training must improve the
1184 officer’s knowledge and skills as a first responder to incidents
1185 involving students with emotional disturbance or mental illness,
1186 including de-escalation skills to ensure student and officer
1187 safety.
1188 (7) LIMITATIONS.—An individual must satisfy the background
1189 screening, psychological evaluation, and drug test requirements
1190 and be approved by the sheriff before participating in any
1191 training required by s. 30.15(1)(k), which may be conducted only
1192 by a sheriff.
1193 (8) EXEMPTION.—Any information that would identify whether
1194 a particular individual has been appointed as a safe-school
1195 officer pursuant to this section held by a law enforcement
1196 agency, school district, or charter school is exempt from s.
1197 119.07(1) and s. 24(a), Art. I of the State Constitution.
1198
1199 If a district school board, through its adopted policies,
1200 procedures, or actions, denies a charter school access to any
1201 safe-school officer options pursuant to this section, the school
1202 district must assign a school resource officer or school safety
1203 officer to the charter school. Under such circumstances, the
1204 charter school’s share of the costs of the school resource
1205 officer or school safety officer may not exceed the safe school
1206 allocation funds provided to the charter school pursuant to s.
1207 1011.62(12) and shall be retained by the school district.
1208 Section 17. Present subsection (8) of section 1007.2616,
1209 Florida Statutes, is redesignated as subsection (9), and a new
1210 subsection (8) is added to that section, to read:
1211 1007.2616 Computer science and technology instruction.—
1212
(8)(a) To align educator credentials with instructional

1213
practice across grade levels, the State Board of Education shall

1214
establish by rule or maintain the following computer science

1215
subject area coverages:

1216
1. Computer science
,
grades K–5;

1217
2. Computer science
,
grades 6–12; and

1218
3. Computer science
, grades
K–12.

1219
(b) For the coverages in paragraph (a), the State Board of

1220
Education shall adopt competencies and skills and designate

1221
corresponding examinations by rule. The comprehensive computer

1222
science coverage
for grades K-12
and its examination shall

1223
remain available unless amended by rule of the state board.

1224
(c)1. The Department of Education shall present recommended

1225
competencies and skills for the
coverages of
grades K–5 and

1226
grades 6–12 to the State Board of Education for approval by

1227
September 1, 2026.

1228
2. Following approval under subparagraph 1., the department

1229
shall coordinate development, piloting, and standard-setting for

1230
the examinations. The examinations for both grade-band coverages

1231
must be available for administration no later than January 1,

1232
2028.

1233 Section 18. Paragraph (c) of subsection (4), paragraphs (b)
1234 and (d) of subsection (5), and paragraph (a) of subsection (9)
1235 of section 1008.25, Florida Statutes, are amended, and paragraph
1236 (d) is added to subsection (4) of that section, to read:
1237 1008.25 Public school student progression; student support;
1238 coordinated screening and progress monitoring; reporting
1239 requirements.—
1240 (4) ASSESSMENT AND SUPPORT.—
1241 (c) A student who has a substantial reading deficiency as
1242 determined in paragraph (5)(a) or a substantial mathematics
1243 deficiency as determined in paragraph (6)(a) must be covered by
1244 a federally required student plan, such as an individual
1245 education plan or an individualized progress monitoring plan, or
1246 both, as necessary. The individualized progress monitoring plan
1247 must be developed within 45 days after the results of the
1248 coordinated screening and progress monitoring system become
1249 available. The plan must, at a minimum, include:
1250 1. The student’s specific, identified reading or
1251 mathematics skill deficiency.
1252 2. Goals and benchmarks for student growth in reading or
1253 mathematics.
1254 3. A description of the specific measures that will be used
1255 to evaluate and monitor the student’s reading or mathematics
1256 progress.
1257 4. For a substantial reading deficiency, the specific
1258 evidence-based literacy instruction grounded in the science of
1259 reading which the student will receive.
1260 5. Strategies, resources, and materials that will be
1261 provided to the student’s parent to support the student to make
1262 reading or mathematics progress.
For a student with a

1263
substantial reading deficiency, resources must include

1264
information about the student’s eligibility for the New Worlds

1265
Reading Initiative under s. 1003.485.

1266 6. Any additional services the student’s teacher deems
1267 available and appropriate to accelerate the student’s reading or
1268 mathematics skill development.
1269
(d) If the coordinated screening and progress monitoring

1270
system under subsection (9), or any district-approved screening

1271
instrument, identifies a student as exhibiting characteristics

1272
of dyslexia or dyscalculia, the school district
must
:

1273
1. Ensure that the student is covered by a plan under

1274
paragraph (b) which includes evidence-based interventions that

1275
are specific to the identified characteristics of dyslexia or

1276
dyscalculia and that are aligned, as appropriate, with the

1277
interventions required under subsections (5) and (6).

1278
2. Treat the screening result as reasonable suspicion that

1279
the student may be a student with a disability for purposes of

1280
s. 1003.57 and promptly seek parental consent to conduct an

1281
initial evaluation consistent with
State Board of Education
rule

1282
and applicable federal law.

1283
3. Ensure that screening activities and intervention

1284
procedures, including interventions required under this

1285
subsection and subsections (5) and (6), occur concurrently with

1286
the evaluation process and are not used to delay or deny an

1287
appropriate evaluation.

1288 (5) READING DEFICIENCY AND PARENTAL NOTIFICATION.—
1289 (b) A Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program student
1290 who exhibits a substantial deficiency in early literacy skills
1291 based upon the results of the administration of the midyear or
1292 final coordinated screening and progress monitoring under
1293 subsection (9) shall be referred to the local school district
1294 and may be eligible to receive instruction in early literacy
1295 skills before participating in kindergarten. A Voluntary
1296 Prekindergarten Education Program student who scores below the
1297
25th

10th
percentile on the final administration of the
1298 coordinated screening and progress monitoring under subsection
1299 (9) shall be referred to the local school district and is
1300 eligible to receive early literacy skill instructional support
1301 through a summer bridge program the summer before participating
1302 in kindergarten. The summer bridge program must meet
1303 requirements adopted by the department and shall consist of 4
1304 hours of instruction per day for a minimum of 100 total hours. A
1305 student with an individual education plan who has been retained
1306 pursuant to paragraph (2)(g) and has demonstrated a substantial
1307 deficiency in early literacy skills must receive instruction in
1308 early literacy skills.
1309 (d) The parent of any student who exhibits a substantial
1310 deficiency in reading, as described in paragraph (a), must be
1311 immediately notified in writing of the following:
1312 1. That his or her child has been identified as having a
1313 substantial deficiency in reading, including a description and
1314 explanation, in terms understandable to the parent, of the exact
1315 nature of the student’s difficulty in learning and lack of
1316 achievement in reading.
1317 2. A description of the current services that are provided
1318 to the child.
1319 3. A description of the proposed intensive interventions
1320 and supports that will be provided to the child that are
1321 designed to remediate the identified area of reading deficiency.
1322 4. The student progression requirements under paragraph
1323 (2)(h) and that if the child’s reading deficiency is not
1324 remediated by the end of grade 3, the child must be retained
1325 unless he or she is exempt from mandatory retention for good
1326 cause.
1327 5. Strategies, including multisensory strategies and
1328 programming, through a read-at-home plan the parent can use in
1329 helping his or her child succeed in reading. The read-at-home
1330 plan must provide access to the resources identified in
1331 paragraph (e).
1332 6. That the statewide, standardized English Language Arts
1333 assessment is not the sole determiner of promotion and that
1334 additional evaluations, portfolio reviews, and assessments are
1335 available to the child to assist parents and the school district
1336 in knowing when a child is reading at or above grade level and
1337 ready for grade promotion.
1338 7. The district’s specific criteria and policies for a
1339 portfolio as provided in subparagraph (7)(b)4. and the evidence
1340 required for a student to demonstrate mastery of Florida’s
1341 academic standards for English Language Arts. A school must
1342 immediately begin collecting evidence for a portfolio when a
1343 student in grade 3 is identified as being at risk of retention
1344 or upon the request of the parent, whichever occurs first.
1345 8. The district’s specific criteria and policies for
1346 midyear promotion. Midyear promotion means promotion of a
1347 retained student at any time during the year of retention once
1348 the student has demonstrated ability to read at grade level.
1349 9. Information about the student’s eligibility for the New
1350 Worlds Reading Initiative under s. 1003.485 and the New Worlds
1351 Scholarship Accounts under s. 1002.411 and information on parent
1352 training modules and other reading engagement resources
1353 available through the initiative.
1354
1355 After initial notification, the school shall apprise the parent
1356 at least monthly of the student’s progress in response to the
1357 intensive interventions and supports
and the student’s

1358
eligibility for the New Worlds Reading Initiative under s.

1359
1003.485
. Such communications must be in writing and must
1360 explain any additional interventions or supports that will be
1361 implemented to accelerate the student’s progress if the
1362 interventions and supports already being implemented have not
1363 resulted in improvement. Upon the request of the parent, the
1364 teacher or school administrator shall meet to discuss the
1365 student’s progress. The parent may request more frequent
1366 notification of the student’s progress, more frequent
1367 interventions or supports, and earlier implementation of the
1368 additional interventions or supports described in the initial
1369 notification.
1370 (9) COORDINATED SCREENING AND PROGRESS MONITORING SYSTEM.—
1371 (a) The Department of Education, in collaboration with the
1372 Office of Early Learning, shall procure and require the use of a
1373 statewide, standardized coordinated screening and progress
1374 monitoring system for the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education
1375 Program and public schools. The system must:
1376 1. Measure student progress in meeting the appropriate
1377 expectations in early literacy and mathematics skills and in
1378 English Language Arts and mathematics standards as required by
1379 ss. 1002.67(1)(a) and 1003.41 and identify the educational
1380 strengths and needs of students.
1381 2. For students in the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education
1382 Program through grade 3, measure student performance in oral
1383 language development, phonological and phonemic awareness,
1384 knowledge of print and letters, decoding, fluency, vocabulary,
1385 and comprehension, as applicable by grade level, and, at a
1386 minimum, provide interval level and norm-referenced data that
1387 measures equivalent levels of growth.
1388 3. Be a valid, reliable, and developmentally appropriate
1389 computer-based direct instrument that provides screening and
1390 diagnostic capabilities for monitoring student progress;
1391 identifies students who have a substantial deficiency in reading
1392 or mathematics, including identifying students with
1393 characteristics of dyslexia, dyscalculia, and other learning
1394 disorders; and informs instruction. Any student identified by
1395 the system as having characteristics of dyslexia or dyscalculia
1396 shall undergo further screening.
Any student whose performance

1397
in the system meets thresholds established by State Board of

1398
Education rule in circumstances in which the system is not

1399
capable of identifying characteristics of dyslexia or

1400
dyscalculia must undergo further screening. The further

1401
screening required under this subparagraph is used to refine

1402
instructional planning and parental communication and is not a

1403
prerequisite for the interventions or evaluation obligations

1404
described in subsection (4). The State Board of Education shall

1405
adopt rules establishing timelines, performance thresholds, and

1406
parental notification requirements for further screening under

1407
this subparagraph. Screening activities under this subsection

1408
must
occur concurrently with the interventions and evaluation

1409
obligations described in subsection (4) and may not be used to

1410
delay or deny an appropriate evaluation.
Beginning with the
1411 2023-2024 school year, the coordinated screening and progress
1412 monitoring system must be computer-adaptive.
1413 4. Provide data for Voluntary Prekindergarten Education
1414 Program accountability as required under s. 1002.68.
1415 5. Provide Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program
1416 providers, school districts, schools, teachers, and parents with
1417 data and resources that enhance differentiated instruction and
1418 parent communication.
1419 6. Provide baseline data to the department of each
1420 student’s readiness for kindergarten. The determination of
1421 kindergarten readiness must be based on the results of each
1422 student’s initial progress monitoring assessment in
1423 kindergarten. The methodology for determining a student’s
1424 readiness for kindergarten must be developed by the department
1425 and aligned to the methodology adopted pursuant to
s. 1002.68(3)

1426
s. 1002.68(4)
.
1427 7. Assess how well educational goals and curricular
1428 standards are met at the provider, school, district, and state
1429 levels and provide information to the department to aid in the
1430 development of educational programs, policies, and supports for
1431 providers, districts, and schools.
1432 Section 19. Paragraph (a) of subsection (1) of section
1433 1008.2125, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
1434 1008.2125 The Council for Early Grade Success.—
1435 (1) The Council for Early Grade Success, a council as
1436 defined in s. 20.03(7), is created within the Department of
1437 Education to oversee the coordinated screening and progress
1438 monitoring program under s. 1008.25(9) for students in the
1439 Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program through grade 3 and,
1440 except as otherwise provided in this section, shall operate
1441 consistent with s. 20.052.
1442 (a) The council shall be responsible for reviewing the
1443 implementation of, training for, and outcomes from the
1444 coordinated screening and progress monitoring program to provide
1445 recommendations to the department that support grade 3 students
1446 reading at or above grade level. The council, at a minimum,
1447 shall:
1448 1. Provide recommendations on the implementation of the
1449 coordinated screening and progress monitoring program, including
1450 reviewing any procurement solicitation documents and criteria
1451 before being published.
1452 2. Develop training plans and timelines for such training.
1453 3. Identify appropriate personnel, processes, and
1454 procedures required for the administration of the coordinated
1455 screening and progress monitoring program.
1456 4. Provide input on the methodology for calculating a
1457 provider’s or school’s performance metric and designations under
1458
s. 1002.68(3)

s. 1002.68(4)
.
1459 5. Work with the department to review the methodology for
1460 determining a child’s kindergarten readiness.
1461 6. Review data on age-appropriate learning gains by grade
1462 level that a student would need to attain in order to
1463 demonstrate proficiency in reading by grade 3.
1464 7. Continually review anonymized data from the results of
1465 the coordinated screening and progress monitoring program for
1466 students in the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program
1467 through grade 3 to help inform recommendations to the department
1468 that support practices that will enable grade 3 students to read
1469 at or above grade level.
1470 Section 20. Paragraph (c) of subsection (3) and subsection
1471 (5) of section 1008.33, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
1472 1008.33 Authority to enforce public school improvement.—
1473 (3)
1474 (c) The state board shall adopt by rule a differentiated
1475 matrix of intervention and support strategies for assisting
1476 traditional public schools identified under this section and
1477 rules for implementing s. 1002.33(9)(n), relating to charter
1478 schools. The intervention and support strategies must address
1479 student performance and may include improvement planning;
1480 leadership quality improvement; educator quality improvement;
1481 professional learning; curriculum review, pacing, and alignment
1482 across grade levels to improve background knowledge in social
1483 studies, science, and the arts; and the use of continuous
1484 improvement and monitoring plans and processes. In addition, the
1485 state board may prescribe reporting requirements to review and
1486 monitor the progress of the schools. The rule must define the
1487 intervention and support strategies for school improvement for
1488 schools earning a grade of “D” or “F” and the roles for the
1489 district and department.
A
school
may not
be required to use
the

1490
measure of student learning growth in s. 1012.34
(7)
as the sole

1491
determinant to recruit instructional personnel
.
The rule must

1492
create a timeline for a school district’s school improvement

1493
plan or district-managed turnaround plan to be approved and for

1494
the school improvement funds under Title I to be released to the

1495
school district. The timeline established by rule for the

1496
release of school improvement funding under Title I may not

1497
exceed 20 calendar days after the approval of the school

1498
improvement plan or district-managed turnaround plan.

1499 (5) The state board shall adopt rules pursuant to ss.
1500 120.536(1) and 120.54 to administer this section. The rules
1501 shall include timelines for submission of implementation plans,
1502 approval criteria for implementation plans, timelines for
1503
releasing Title I funding, timelines for
implementing
1504 intervention and support strategies, a standard charter school
1505 turnaround contract, a standard facility lease, and a mutual
1506 management agreement. The state board shall consult with
1507 education stakeholders in developing the rules.
1508 Section 21. Paragraph (e) is added to subsection (2) of
1509 section 1010.20, Florida Statutes, to read:
1510 1010.20 Cost accounting and reporting for school
1511 districts.—
1512 (2) COST REPORTING.—
1513
(e)
Each charter school shall
receive and respond to

1514
monitoring questions from the department
.

1515 Section 22. Subsection (1) of section 1011.14, Florida
1516 Statutes, is amended to read:
1517 1011.14 Obligations for a period of 1 year.—District school
1518 boards are authorized only under the following conditions to
1519 create obligations by way of anticipation of budgeted revenues
1520 accruing on a current basis without pledging the credit of the
1521 district or requiring future levy of taxes for certain purposes
1522 for a period of 1 year; however, such obligations may be
1523 extended from year to year with the consent of the lender for a
1524 period not to exceed 4 years, or for a total of 5 years
1525 including the initial year of the loan:
1526 (1) PURPOSES.—The purposes for which such obligations may
1527 be incurred within the intent of this section shall include only
1528 the purchase of school buses, land, and equipment for
1529 educational purposes; the erection of, alteration to, or
1530 addition to educational
plant
s
, a
ncillary plants, and auxiliary

1531 facilities; and the adjustment of insurance on educational
1532 property on a 5-year plan, as provided by rules of the State
1533 Board of Education.
1534 Section 23. Paragraph (a) of subsection (4) of section
1535 1011.69, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
1536 1011.69 Equity in School-Level Funding Act.—
1537 (4) After providing Title I, Part A, Basic funds to schools
1538 above the 75 percent poverty threshold, which may include high
1539 schools above the 50 percent threshold as permitted by federal
1540 law, school districts shall provide any remaining Title I, Part
1541 A, Basic funds directly to all eligible schools as provided in
1542 this subsection. For purposes of this subsection, an eligible
1543 school is a school that is eligible to receive Title I funds,
1544 including a charter school. The threshold for identifying
1545 eligible schools may not exceed the threshold established by a
1546 school district for the 2016-2017 school year or the statewide
1547 percentage of economically disadvantaged students, as determined
1548 annually.
1549 (a) Prior to the allocation of Title I funds to eligible
1550 schools, a school district may withhold funds only as follows:
1551 1. One percent for parent involvement, in addition to the
1552 one percent the district must reserve under federal law for
1553 allocations to eligible schools for parent involvement;
1554 2. A necessary and reasonable amount for administration
1555 which includes the district’s indirect cost rate, not to exceed
1556 a total of 10 percent;
1557 3. A reasonable and necessary amount to provide:
1558 a. Homeless programs;
1559 b. Delinquent and neglected programs;
1560 c. Prekindergarten programs and activities;
1561 d. Private school equitable services; and
1562 e. Transportation for foster care children to their school
1563 of origin or choice programs; and
1564 4. A necessary and reasonable amount, not to exceed 1
1565 percent, for eligible schools to provide educational services in
1566 accordance with the approved Title I plan.
Such educational

1567
services may include the provision of STEM curricula,

1568
instructional materials, and related learning technologies that

1569
support academic achievement in science, technology,

1570
engineering, and mathematics in Title I schools, including, but

1571
not limited to, technologies related to drones, coding,

1572
animation, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, data science,

1573
the engineering design process, mobile development, and

1574
robotics. Funds may be reserved under this subparagraph only to

1575
the extent that all required reservations under federal law have

1576
been met and that such reservation does not reduce school-level

1577
allocations below the levels required under federal law.

1578 Section 24. Subsections (2) through (6) of section 1011.71,
1579 Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
1580 1011.71 District school tax.—
1581 (2) In addition to the maximum millage levy as provided in
1582 subsection (1), each school board may levy not more than 1.5
1583 mills against the taxable value for school purposes for charter
1584 schools pursuant to s. 1013.62(1) and (3) and for district
1585 schools
for operational or capital purposes

to fund:

1586
(a) New construction, remodeling projects, sites and site

1587
improvement or expansion to new sites, existing sites, auxiliary

1588
facilities, athletic facilities, or ancillary facilities
.

1589
(b) Maintenance, renovation, and repair of existing school

1590
plants or of leased facilities to correct deficiencies pursuant

1591
to s. 1013.15(2).

1592
(c) The purchase, lease-purchase, or lease of school buses.

1593
(d) The purchase, lease-purchase, or lease of new and

1594
replacement equipment; computer and device hardware and

1595
operating system software necessary for gaining access to or

1596
enhancing the use of electronic and digital instructional

1597
content and resources; and enterprise resource software

1598
applications that are classified as capital assets in accordance

1599
with definitions of the Governmental Accounting Standards Board,

1600
have a useful life of at least 5 years, and are used to support

1601
districtwide administration or state-mandated reporting

1602
requirements. Enterprise resource software may be acquired by

1603
annual license fees, maintenance fees, or lease agreements.

1604
(e) Payments for educational facilities and sites due under

1605
a lease-purchase agreement entered into by a district school

1606
board pursuant to s. 1003.02(1)(f) or s. 1013.15(2), not

1607
exceeding, in the aggregate, an amount equal to three-fourths of

1608
the proceeds from the millage levied by a district school board

1609
pursuant to this subsection. The three-fourths limit is waived

1610
for lease-purchase agreements entered into before June 30, 2009,

1611
by a district school board pursuant to this paragraph. If

1612
payments under lease-purchase agreements in the aggregate,

1613
including lease-purchase agreements entered into before June 30,

1614
2009, exceed three-fourths of the proceeds from the millage

1615
levied pursuant to this subsection, the district school board

1616
may not withhold the administrative fees authorized by s.

1617
1002.33(20) from any charter school operating in the school

1618
district.

1619
(f) Payment of loans approved pursuant to ss. 1011.14 and

1620
1011.15.

1621
(g) Payment of costs directly related to complying with

1622
state and federal environmental statutes, rules, and regulations

1623
governing school facilities.

1624
(h) Payment of costs of leasing relocatable educational

1625
facilities, of renting or leasing educational facilities and

1626
sites pursuant to s. 1013.15(2), or of renting or leasing

1627
buildings or space within existing buildings pursuant to s.

1628
1013.15(4).

1629
(i) Payment of the cost of school buses when a school

1630
district contracts with a private entity to provide student

1631
transportation services if the district meets the requirements

1632
of this paragraph.

1633
1. The district’s contract must require that the private

1634
entity purchase, lease-purchase, or lease, and operate and

1635
maintain, one or more school buses of a specific type and size

1636
that meet the requirements of s. 1006.25.

1637
2. Each such school bus must be used for the daily

1638
transportation of public school students in the manner required

1639
by the school district.

1640
3. Annual payment for each such school bus may not exceed

1641
10 percent of the purchase price of the state pool bid.

1642
4. The proposed expenditure of the funds for this purpose

1643
must have been included in the district school board’s notice of

1644
proposed tax for school capital outlay as provided in s.

1645
200.065(10).

1646
(j) Payment of the cost of the opening day collection for

1647
the library media center of a new school.

1648
(k) Payment of salaries and benefits for employees whose

1649
job duties support activities funded by this subsection
.
1650 (3) Notwithstanding subsection (2), if the revenue from 1.5
1651 mills is insufficient to meet the payments due under a lease
1652 purchase agreement entered into before June 30, 2009, by a
1653 district school board
pursuant to paragraph (2)(e)
, or to meet
1654 other critical district fixed capital outlay needs, the board,
1655 in addition to the 1.5 mills, may levy up to 0.25 mills for
1656 fixed capital outlay in lieu of levying an equivalent amount of
1657 the discretionary mills for operations as provided in the
1658 General Appropriations Act. Millage levied pursuant to this
1659 subsection is subject to the provisions of s. 200.065 and,
1660 combined with the 1.5 mills authorized in subsection (2), may
1661 not exceed 1.75 mills. If the district chooses to use up to 0.25
1662 mills for fixed capital outlay, the compression adjustment
1663 pursuant to s. 1011.62(5) shall be calculated for the standard
1664 discretionary millage that is not eligible for transfer to
1665 capital outlay.
1666 (4) If the revenue from the millage authorized in
1667 subsection (2) is insufficient to make payments due under a
1668 lease-purchase agreement entered into prior to June 30, 2008, by
1669 a district school board
pursuant to paragraph (2)(e
), an amount
1670 up to 0.5 mills of the taxable value for school purposes within
1671 the school district shall be legally available for such
1672 payments, notwithstanding other restrictions on the use of such
1673 revenues imposed by law.
1674
(5) A school district may expend, subject to s. 200.065, up

1675
to $200 per unweighted full-time equivalent student from the

1676
revenue generated by the millage levy authorized by subsection

1677
(2) to fund, in addition to expenditures authorized in

1678
paragraphs (2)(a)-(j), expenses for the following:

1679
(a) The purchase, lease-purchase, or lease of driver’s

1680
education vehicles; motor vehicles used for the maintenance or

1681
operation of plants and equipment; security vehicles; or

1682
vehicles used in storing or distributing materials and

1683
equipment.

1684
(b) Payment of the cost of premiums, as defined in s.

1685
627.403, for property and casualty insurance necessary to insure

1686
school district educational and ancillary plants. As used in

1687
this paragraph, casualty insurance has the same meaning as in s.

1688
624.605(1)(b), (d), (f), (g), (h), and (m). Operating revenues

1689
that are made available through the payment of property and

1690
casualty insurance premiums from revenues generated under this

1691
subsection may be expended only for nonrecurring operational

1692
expenditures of the school district.

1693
(6) Violations of the expenditure provisions in subsection

1694
(2) or subsection (5) shall result in an equal dollar reduction

1695
in the Florida Education Finance Program (FEFP) funds for the

1696
violating district in the fiscal year following the audit

1697
citation.

1698 Section 25. Subsection (2) of section 1011.73, Florida
1699 Statutes, is amended to read:
1700 1011.73 District millage elections.—
1701 (2) MILLAGE AUTHORIZED NOT TO EXCEED 4 YEARS.—The district
1702 school board, pursuant to resolution adopted at a regular
1703 meeting, shall direct the county commissioners to call an
1704 election at which the electors within the school district may
1705 approve an ad valorem tax millage as authorized under
s.

1706
1011.71(
7
)

s. 1011.71(9)
. Such election may be held at any time,
1707 except that not more than one such election shall be held during
1708 any 12-month period. Any millage so authorized shall be levied
1709 for a period not in excess of 4 years or until changed by
1710 another millage election, whichever is earlier. If any such
1711 election is invalidated by a court of competent jurisdiction,
1712 such invalidated election shall be considered not to have been
1713 held.
1714 Section 26. Section 1011.804, Florida Statutes, is amended
1715 to read:
1716 1011.804 GATE Startup Grant Program.—
1717 (1) The GATE Startup Grant Program is established within
1718 the Department of Education to fund and support the startup and
1719 implementation of the GATE Program, subject to legislative
1720 appropriation. The purpose of the grant program is to increase
1721 access to programs that support adult learners earning a high
1722 school credential, either a high school diploma or its
1723 equivalent, and a workforce credential aligned to statewide or
1724 regional demand. The department shall administer the grants,
1725 determine eligibility, and distribute grant awards.
1726 (2) As used in this section, the term “institution” means a
1727 school district career center established under s. 1001.44, a
1728 charter technical career center established under s. 1002.34, or
1729 a Florida College System institution identified in s. 1000.21
1730 which offers the GATE Program pursuant to s. 1004.933.
1731 (3) The department may solicit proposals from institutions
1732
without programs that meet the requirements of s. 1004.933
. Such
1733 institutions must be located in or serve a rural area of
1734 opportunity
, as defined in s. 288.0656(2)(d)

as designated by

1735
the Governor
.
For purposes of this subsection, an institution

1736
serves a rural area of opportunity if the institution’s service

1737
area includes one or more counties or municipalities included

1738
within a rural area of opportunity
as

defined
in s.

1739
288.0656(2)(d). An institution’s principal place of business,

1740
main campus, or administrative offices are not required to be

1741
located within a rural area of opportunity in order to satisfy

1742
the service requirement.

1743
(a) The department may award a grant to an institution

1744
that, at the time of application, does not offer programs that

1745
meet the requirements of s. 1004.933 to support startup and

1746
implementation activities.

1747
(b) The department may award a grant to an institution

1748
that, at the time of application, offers programs that meet the

1749
requirements of s. 1004.933 only for costs authorized in

1750
subsection (6), excluding new construction, structural

1751
expansion, and major renovation.

1752 (4) The department shall prioritize grant proposals that
1753 combine adult basic education, adult secondary education, and
1754 career education programs at one location or allow students to
1755 complete programs through distance learning. An applicant may
1756 not receive more than 10 percent of the total amount
1757 appropriated for the program.
1758 (5) The department shall make the grant application
1759 available to potential applicants no later than August 15
of

1760
each year in which funds are appropriated for the program
, 2024
.
1761 A grant proposal must include:
1762 (a) The institution or institutions that will provide the
1763 adult basic education, adult secondary education, and career
1764 education programs;
1765 (b) The proposed adult basic education and adult secondary
1766 education program or programs the institution or institutions
1767 will provide, and the projected enrollment for such program or
1768 programs;
1769 (c) The proposed career education program or programs the
1770 institution or institutions will provide and the projected
1771 enrollment for such program or programs;
1772 (d) The credential or credentials associated with the
1773 career education program or programs. Such credential or
1774 credentials must be included on the Master Credentials List
1775 under s. 445.004(4);
1776 (e) The cost of instruction for all programs contemplated
1777 in the proposal, including costs for tuition, fees,
1778 registration, and laboratory, examination, and instructional
1779 materials costs;
1780 (f) Outreach strategies, including collaboration with local
1781 workforce development boards;
and

1782 (g) A plan or timeline for implementing s. 1004.933 and
1783 enrolling students
; and

1784
(h) Documentation identifying
the counties or

1785
municipalities within the institution’s service area
which
are

1786
included in a rural area of opportunity
as defined
in s.

1787
288.0656(2)(d)
.
1788 (6) Grant funds may be used for planning activities and
1789 other expenses associated with the creation
and implementation

1790 of the GATE Program, such as expenses related to program
1791 instruction, instructional equipment, supplies, instructional
1792 personnel, and student services
, minor facility modifications

1793
necessary to install or operate instructional equipment used for

1794
the GATE Program, and marketing and outreach activities to

1795
recruit and enroll eligible students. Marketing and outreach

1796
activities and minor facility modifications authorized under

1797
this subsection are allowable direct costs of program

1798
implementation
. Grant funds may not be used for indirect costs.
1799 Grant recipients must submit an annual report in a format
1800 prescribed by the department. The department shall consolidate
1801 such annual reports and include the reports in the report
1802 required by s. 1004.933(6).
1803 (7) The State Board of Education may adopt rules to
1804 administer this section.
1805 Section 27. Paragraph (a) of subsection (3) of section
1806 1012.22, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
1807 1012.22 Public school personnel; powers and duties of the
1808 district school board.—The district school board shall:
1809 (3)(a)
Collective bargaining.
—Notwithstanding provisions of
1810 chapter 447 related to district school board collective
1811 bargaining, collective bargaining may not preclude a district
1812 school board from carrying out its constitutional and statutory
1813 duties related to the following:
1814 1. Providing incentives to effective and highly effective
1815 teachers.
1816 2. Implementing intervention and support strategies under
1817 s. 1008.33 to address the causes of low student performance and
1818 improve student academic performance and attendance.
1819 3. Implementing student discipline provisions required by
1820 law, including a review of a student’s abilities, past
1821 performance, behavior, and needs.
1822 4. Implementing school safety plans and requirements.
1823 5. Implementing staff and student recognition programs.
1824 6. Distributing correspondence to parents, teachers, and
1825 community members related to the daily operation of schools and
1826 the district.
1827 7. Providing any required notice or copies of information
1828 related to the district school board or district operations
1829 which is readily available on the school district’s website.
1830 8. The school district’s calendar.
1831
9. Providing salary supplements pursuant to
sub

1832
subparagraph
(1)(c)5.c.(III).

1833
10.
Implementing the
salary increases and salary

1834
distribution plan required under s. 1011.62(14)
.

1835 Section 28. Paragraph (d) of subsection (2) of section
1836 1012.555, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
1837 1012.555 Teacher Apprenticeship Program.—
1838 (2)
1839 (d) An apprentice teacher must be appointed by the district
1840 school board
or work in the district
as an education
1841 paraprofessional and must be paid in accordance with s. 446.032
1842 and rules adopted by the State Board of Education.
1843 Section 29.
(1) The Department of Education
shall

1844
collaborate with the Lastinger Center
for Learning
at the

1845
University of Florida to recommend to the Legislature

1846
individualized, adaptive artificial intelligence tool
s
to

1847
support mathematics instruction in
grades K-
12. The

1848
recommendations must:

1849
(a) Ensure that recommended tools align to the Florida

1850
academic standards and prepare students for state assessments.

1851
(b) Consider alternate mathematics sequencing and grade

1852
level progression, and alternate funding models to support

1853
individualized progression through content.

1854
(
c
)

Evaluate the extent to which
the
tools provide real

1855
time diagnostic assessments
,
individualized learning pathways
,

1856
adaptive sequencing of content
,
and immediate, personalized

1857
feedback to students.

1858
(
d
)

Evaluate the applicability of the tool
s
to progress

1859
monitoring tools, district learning management systems,

1860
suggested interventions, small-group instructional supports, and

1861
professional development that enables teachers to integrate the

1862
tools into classroom instruction.

1863
(
e
) Provide for student data privacy and transparency in

1864
data collection and retention.

1865
(
f
) Consider statewide and district-level costs.

1866
(2) The department shall submit its recommendations to the

1867
Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the

1868
House of Representatives
by
December 1, 2026.

1869 Section 30. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.