Florida Senate - 2012                              CS for SB 554
       
       
       
       By the Committee on Education Pre-K - 12; and Senators Ring and
       Fasano
       
       
       
       581-01715-12                                           2012554c1
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to disability awareness; amending s.
    3         1003.4205, F.S.; requiring each district school board
    4         to provide disability history and awareness
    5         instruction in all K-12 public schools; requiring the
    6         Department of Education to assist in creating the
    7         curriculum for the disability history and awareness
    8         instruction; providing for individual presenters who
    9         have disabilities to provide the disability history
   10         and awareness instruction; requiring the Department of
   11         Education to establish a disability history and
   12         awareness advisory council; providing membership of
   13         the council; requiring the department to provide a
   14         liaison to assist the council; requiring the
   15         department to act as the fiscal agent for all
   16         financial transactions required by the council;
   17         providing responsibilities of the council; providing
   18         meeting times for the council; providing an effective
   19         date.
   20  
   21  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   22  
   23         Section 1. Section 1003.4205, Florida Statutes, is amended
   24  to read:
   25         1003.4205 Disability history and awareness instruction.—
   26         (1) Each district school board shall may provide disability
   27  history and awareness instruction in all K-12 public schools in
   28  the district during the first 2 weeks in October each year. The
   29  district school board shall designate these 2 weeks as
   30  “Disability History and Awareness Weeks.” The Department of
   31  Education shall assist in creating the curriculum for the
   32  disability history and awareness instruction that will be used
   33  in each school district.
   34         (2)(a) During this 2-week period, students shall may be
   35  provided intensive instruction to expand their knowledge,
   36  understanding, and awareness of individuals who have with
   37  disabilities, the history of disability, and the disability
   38  rights movement. Disability history must may include the events
   39  and timelines of the development and evolution of services to,
   40  and the civil rights of, individuals who have with disabilities.
   41  Disability history must may also include the contributions of
   42  specific individuals who have with disabilities, including the
   43  contributions of acknowledged national leaders.
   44         (b) Beginning with the 2013-2014 school year, the
   45  instruction shall may be integrated into the existing school
   46  curriculum in ways including, but not limited to, supplementing
   47  lesson plans, holding school assemblies, or providing other
   48  school-related activities. The instruction shall may be
   49  delivered by individual presenters who have disabilities and who
   50  have been approved by the Department of Education as presenters
   51  qualified school personnel or by knowledgeable guest speakers,
   52  with a particular focus on including individuals with
   53  disabilities.
   54         (c)1. The Department of Education shall establish a
   55  disability history and awareness advisory council. The council
   56  shall consist of the following members:
   57         a. The Commissioner of Education or his or her designee.
   58         b. The Florida Youth Council, a group of young people ages
   59  15 to 17, and emerging young leaders ages 18 to 30, who live in
   60  this state and have disabilities or special health care needs.
   61         c. A member of the House of Representatives, appointed by
   62  the Speaker of the House of Representatives, or his or her
   63  designee.
   64         d. A member of the Senate, appointed by the President of
   65  the Senate, or his or her designee.
   66         2. The department shall provide a liaison to assist the
   67  council in its operation. The department shall act as the fiscal
   68  agent for all financial transactions required by the council.
   69         3. The responsibilities of the council shall be, but are
   70  not limited to:
   71         a. Ensuring that each presenter has first-hand knowledge
   72  and experience pertaining to the challenges facing individuals
   73  who have disabilities;
   74         b. Ensuring that members of the Florida Youth Council in
   75  this state continue to remain involved in leadership
   76  development, self-advocacy, peer mentoring, and other activities
   77  that will improve the quality of life for youth and emerging
   78  leaders who have disabilities;
   79         c. Ensuring that each presenter meets the background
   80  screening requirements of s. 1012.465; and
   81         d. Submitting an annual report to the Governor, the
   82  President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of
   83  Representatives, and the superintendent of each school district
   84  in this state.
   85         4. The council shall meet at least four times a year and
   86  more often as needed.
   87         (3) The goals of disability history and awareness
   88  instruction include:
   89         (a) Better treatment for individuals who have with
   90  disabilities, especially for youth in school, and increased
   91  attention to preventing the bullying or harassment of students
   92  who have with disabilities.
   93         (b) Encouragement to individuals who have with disabilities
   94  to develop increased self-esteem, resulting in more individuals
   95  who have with disabilities gaining pride in being an individual
   96  with a disability, obtaining postsecondary education, entering
   97  the workforce, and contributing to their communities.
   98         (c) Reaffirmation of the local, state, and federal
   99  commitment to the full inclusion in society of, and the equal
  100  opportunity for, all individuals who have with disabilities.
  101         Section 2. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.