Florida Senate - 2015                   (PROPOSED BILL) SPB 2508
       
       
        
       FOR CONSIDERATION By the Committee on Appropriations
       
       
       
       
       
       576-01720G-15                                         20152508pb
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to education; amending s. 1001.7065,
    3         F.S.; requiring a state research university to enter
    4         into and maintain a formal agreement with a specified
    5         organization to offer college-sponsored merit
    6         scholarship awards as a condition of designation as a
    7         preeminent state research university; specifying that
    8         continuation of a state research university’s
    9         institute for online learning is contingent on the
   10         university entering into and maintaining such an
   11         agreement; amending s. 1011.61, F.S.; revising the
   12         term “full-time student” for the purposes of the
   13         Florida Education Finance Program; amending s.
   14         1011.62, F.S.; requiring supplemental academic
   15         instruction categorical funds and research-based
   16         reading instruction allocation funds to be used by a
   17         school district with at least one of certain lowest
   18         performing elementary schools for additional intensive
   19         reading instruction at such school during the summer
   20         program in addition to the school year; providing that
   21         the additional instruction requirements continue in
   22         the subsequent year for certain students; revising the
   23         funding of full-time equivalent values for students
   24         who earn CAPE industry certifications through dual
   25         enrollment; increasing the bonus awarded to teachers
   26         who provided instruction in courses that led to
   27         certain CAPE industry certifications; specifying a
   28         maximum bonus amount per teacher per school year;
   29         revising the calculation of the discretionary millage
   30         compression supplement amount; revising the
   31         computation of district sparsity index for districts
   32         with a specified full-time equivalent student
   33         membership; deleting obsolete language; revising the
   34         calculation of the virtual education contribution;
   35         creating a federally connected student supplement for
   36         school districts; specifying eligibility requirements
   37         and calculations for the supplement; amending s.
   38         1011.71, F.S.; a conforming a cross-reference;
   39         authorizing enterprise resource software to be
   40         acquired by certain fees and agreements; amending s.
   41         1012.71, F.S.; requiring a classroom teacher to
   42         provide the school district with receipts for the
   43         expenditure of certain funds; requiring the Board of
   44         Governors and the State Board of Education to base
   45         state performance funds for the State University
   46         System and the Florida College System, respectively,
   47         on specified metrics adopted by each board; specifying
   48         allocation of the funds; requiring certain funds to be
   49         withheld from an institution based on specified
   50         performance; requiring the boards to submit reports by
   51         a specified time to the Governor and the Legislature;
   52         requiring the boards to adopt rules; providing an
   53         effective date.
   54          
   55  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   56  
   57         Section 1. Subsections (3) and (4) of section 1001.7065,
   58  Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
   59         1001.7065 Preeminent state research universities program.—
   60         (3) PREEMINENT STATE RESEARCH UNIVERSITY DESIGNATION.—The
   61  Board of Governors shall designate each state research
   62  university that meets at least 11 of the 12 academic and
   63  research excellence standards identified in subsection (2) and
   64  that enters into and maintains a formal agreement with the
   65  National Merit Scholarship Corporation to offer college
   66  sponsored merit scholarship awards a preeminent state research
   67  university.
   68         (4) PREEMINENT STATE RESEARCH UNIVERSITY INSTITUTE FOR
   69  ONLINE LEARNING.—A state research university that, as of July 1,
   70  2013, met meets all 12 of the academic and research excellence
   71  standards identified in subsection (2), as verified by the Board
   72  of Governors, shall establish an institute for online learning.
   73  Continuation of the institute for online learning is contingent
   74  upon a state research university entering into and maintaining a
   75  formal agreement with the National Merit Scholarship Corporation
   76  to offer college-sponsored merit scholarship awards. The
   77  institute shall establish a robust offering of high-quality,
   78  fully online baccalaureate degree programs at an affordable cost
   79  in accordance with this subsection.
   80         (a) By August 1, 2013, the Board of Governors shall convene
   81  an advisory board to support the development of high-quality,
   82  fully online baccalaureate degree programs at the university.
   83         (b) The advisory board shall:
   84         1. Offer expert advice, as requested by the university, in
   85  the development and implementation of a business plan to expand
   86  the offering of high-quality, fully online baccalaureate degree
   87  programs.
   88         2. Advise the Board of Governors on the release of funding
   89  to the university upon approval by the Board of Governors of the
   90  plan developed by the university.
   91         3. Monitor, evaluate, and report on the implementation of
   92  the plan to the Board of Governors, the Governor, the President
   93  of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
   94         (c) The advisory board shall be composed of the following
   95  five members:
   96         1. The chair of the Board of Governors or the chair’s
   97  permanent designee.
   98         2. A member with expertise in online learning, appointed by
   99  the Board of Governors.
  100         3. A member with expertise in global marketing, appointed
  101  by the Governor.
  102         4. A member with expertise in cloud virtualization,
  103  appointed by the President of the Senate.
  104         5. A member with expertise in disruptive innovation,
  105  appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
  106         (d) The president of the university shall be consulted on
  107  the advisory board member appointments.
  108         (e) A majority of the advisory board shall constitute a
  109  quorum, elect the chair, and appoint an executive director.
  110         (f) By September 1, 2013, the university shall submit to
  111  the advisory board a comprehensive plan to expand high-quality,
  112  fully online baccalaureate degree program offerings. The plan
  113  shall include:
  114         1. Existing on-campus general education courses and
  115  baccalaureate degree programs that will be offered online.
  116         2. New courses that will be developed and offered online.
  117         3. Support services that will be offered to students
  118  enrolled in online baccalaureate degree programs.
  119         4. A tuition and fee structure that meets the requirements
  120  in paragraph (k) for online courses, baccalaureate degree
  121  programs, and student support services.
  122         5. A timeline for offering, marketing, and enrolling
  123  students in the online baccalaureate degree programs.
  124         6. A budget for developing and marketing the online
  125  baccalaureate degree programs.
  126         7. Detailed strategies for ensuring the success of students
  127  and the sustainability of the online baccalaureate degree
  128  programs.
  129  
  130  Upon recommendation of the plan by the advisory board and
  131  approval by the Board of Governors, the Board of Governors shall
  132  award the university $10 million in nonrecurring funds and $5
  133  million in recurring funds for fiscal year 2013-2014 and $5
  134  million annually thereafter, subject to appropriation in the
  135  General Appropriations Act.
  136         (g) Beginning in January 2014, the university shall offer
  137  high-quality, fully online baccalaureate degree programs that:
  138         1. Accept full-time, first-time-in-college students.
  139         2. Have the same rigorous admissions criteria as equivalent
  140  on-campus degree programs.
  141         3. Offer curriculum of equivalent rigor to on-campus degree
  142  programs.
  143         4. Offer rolling enrollment or multiple opportunities for
  144  enrollment throughout the year.
  145         5. Do not require any on-campus courses. However, for
  146  courses or programs that require clinical training or
  147  laboratories that cannot be delivered online, the university
  148  shall offer convenient locational options to the student, which
  149  may include, but are not limited to, the option to complete such
  150  requirements at a summer-in-residence on the university campus.
  151  The university may provide a network of sites at convenient
  152  locations and contract with commercial testing centers or
  153  identify other secure testing services for the purpose of
  154  proctoring assessments or testing.
  155         6. Apply the university’s existing policy for accepting
  156  credits for both freshman applicants and transfer applicants.
  157         (h) The university may offer a fully online Master’s in
  158  Business Administration degree program and other master’s degree
  159  programs.
  160         (i) The university may develop and offer degree programs
  161  and courses that are competency based as appropriate for the
  162  quality and success of the program.
  163         (j) The university shall periodically expand its offering
  164  of online baccalaureate degree programs to meet student and
  165  market demands.
  166         (k) The university shall establish a tuition structure for
  167  its online institute in accordance with this paragraph,
  168  notwithstanding any other provision of law.
  169         1. For students classified as residents for tuition
  170  purposes, tuition for an online baccalaureate degree program
  171  shall be set at no more than 75 percent of the tuition rate as
  172  specified in the General Appropriations Act pursuant to s.
  173  1009.24(4) and 75 percent of the tuition differential pursuant
  174  to s. 1009.24(16). No distance learning fee, fee for campus
  175  facilities, or fee for on-campus services may be assessed,
  176  except that online students shall pay the university’s
  177  technology fee, financial aid fee, and Capital Improvement Trust
  178  Fund fee. The revenues generated from the Capital Improvement
  179  Trust Fund fee shall be dedicated to the university’s institute
  180  for online learning.
  181         2. For students classified as nonresidents for tuition
  182  purposes, tuition may be set at market rates in accordance with
  183  the business plan.
  184         3. Tuition for an online degree program shall include all
  185  costs associated with instruction, materials, and enrollment,
  186  excluding costs associated with the provision of textbooks
  187  pursuant to s. 1004.085 and physical laboratory supplies.
  188         4. Subject to the limitations in subparagraph 1., tuition
  189  may be differentiated by degree program as appropriate to the
  190  instructional and other costs of the program in accordance with
  191  the business plan. Pricing must incorporate innovative
  192  approaches that incentivize persistence and completion,
  193  including, but not limited to, a fee for assessment, a bundled
  194  or all-inclusive rate, and sliding scale features.
  195         5. The university must accept advance payment contracts and
  196  student financial aid.
  197         6. Fifty percent of the net revenues generated from the
  198  online institute of the university shall be used to enhance and
  199  enrich the online institute offerings, and 50 percent of the net
  200  revenues generated from the online institute shall be used to
  201  enhance and enrich the university’s campus state-of-the-art
  202  research programs and facilities.
  203         7. The institute may charge additional local user fees
  204  pursuant to s. 1009.24(14) upon the approval of the Board of
  205  Governors.
  206         8. The institute shall submit a proposal to the president
  207  of the university authorizing additional user fees for the
  208  provision of voluntary student participation in activities and
  209  additional student services.
  210         Section 2. Paragraph (a) of subsection (1) of section
  211  1011.61, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
  212         1011.61 Definitions.—Notwithstanding the provisions of s.
  213  1000.21, the following terms are defined as follows for the
  214  purposes of the Florida Education Finance Program:
  215         (1) A “full-time equivalent student” in each program of the
  216  district is defined in terms of full-time students and part-time
  217  students as follows:
  218         (a) A “full-time student” is one student on the membership
  219  roll of one school program or a combination of school programs
  220  listed in s. 1011.62(1)(c) for the school year or the equivalent
  221  for:
  222         1. Instruction in a standard school, comprising not less
  223  than 900 net hours for a student in or at the grade level of 4
  224  through 12, or not less than 720 net hours for a student in or
  225  at the grade level of kindergarten through grade 3 or in an
  226  authorized prekindergarten exceptional program;
  227         2. Instruction in a school that is operating with more than
  228  one session approved by the Department of Education because of a
  229  natural disaster, comprising not less than the equivalent of 810
  230  net hours per session in grades 4 through 12 or not less than
  231  630 net hours per session in kindergarten through grade 3;
  232         3.2. Instruction in a double-session school or a school
  233  utilizing an experimental school calendar approved by the
  234  Department of Education, comprising not less than the equivalent
  235  of 810 net hours in grades 4 through 12 or not less than 630 net
  236  hours in kindergarten through grade 3; or
  237         4.3. Instruction comprising the appropriate number of net
  238  hours set forth in subparagraph 1. or subparagraph 3.
  239  subparagraph 2. for students who, within the past year, have
  240  moved with their parents for the purpose of engaging in the farm
  241  labor or fish industries, if a plan furnishing such an extended
  242  school day or week, or a combination thereof, has been approved
  243  by the commissioner. Such plan may be approved to accommodate
  244  the needs of migrant students only or may serve all students in
  245  schools having a high percentage of migrant students. The plan
  246  described in this subparagraph is optional for any school
  247  district and is not mandated by the state.
  248  
  249  The department shall determine and implement an equitable method
  250  of equivalent funding for experimental schools and for schools
  251  operating under emergency conditions, which schools have been
  252  approved by the department to operate for less than the minimum
  253  school day.
  254         Section 3. Paragraphs (f) and (o) of subsection (1),
  255  paragraph (a) of subsection (4), subsection (5), paragraph (b)
  256  of subsection (7), paragraph (a) of subsection (9), subsection
  257  (11), and present subsection (13) of section 1011.62, Florida
  258  Statutes, are amended, present subsections (13), (14), and (15)
  259  of that section are redesignated as subsections (14), (15), and
  260  (16), respectively, and a new subsection (13) is added to that
  261  section, to read:
  262         1011.62 Funds for operation of schools.—If the annual
  263  allocation from the Florida Education Finance Program to each
  264  district for operation of schools is not determined in the
  265  annual appropriations act or the substantive bill implementing
  266  the annual appropriations act, it shall be determined as
  267  follows:
  268         (1) COMPUTATION OF THE BASIC AMOUNT TO BE INCLUDED FOR
  269  OPERATION.—The following procedure shall be followed in
  270  determining the annual allocation to each district for
  271  operation:
  272         (f) Supplemental academic instruction; categorical fund.—
  273         1. There is created a categorical fund to provide
  274  supplemental academic instruction to students in kindergarten
  275  through grade 12. This paragraph may be cited as the
  276  “Supplemental Academic Instruction Categorical Fund.”
  277         2. Categorical funds for supplemental academic instruction
  278  shall be allocated annually to each school district in the
  279  amount provided in the General Appropriations Act. These funds
  280  shall be in addition to the funds appropriated on the basis of
  281  FTE student membership in the Florida Education Finance Program
  282  and shall be included in the total potential funds of each
  283  district. These funds shall be used to provide supplemental
  284  academic instruction to students enrolled in the K-12 program.
  285  For the 2014-2015, 2015-2016, 2016-2017, and 2017-2018 fiscal
  286  years year, each school district that has one or more of the 300
  287  lowest-performing elementary schools based on the state reading
  288  assessment shall use these funds, together with the funds
  289  provided in the district’s research-based reading instruction
  290  allocation and other available funds, to provide an additional
  291  hour of instruction beyond the normal school day for each day of
  292  the entire school year, and to provide the equivalent hours of
  293  instruction in a summer program, for intensive reading
  294  instruction for the students in each of these schools. If a
  295  participating school is no longer classified as one of the 300
  296  lowest-performing elementary schools in the subsequent year, the
  297  school must continue to provide the additional hour of intensive
  298  reading instruction to all students who have Level 1 or Level 2
  299  reading assessment scores. This additional hour of instruction
  300  must be provided by teachers or reading specialists who are
  301  effective in teaching reading or by a K-5 mentoring reading
  302  program that is supervised by a teacher who is effective at
  303  teaching reading. Students enrolled in these schools who have
  304  level 5 assessment scores may participate in the additional hour
  305  of instruction on an optional basis. Exceptional student
  306  education centers may shall not be included in the 300 schools.
  307  After this requirement has been met, supplemental instruction
  308  strategies may include, but are not limited to: modified
  309  curriculum, reading instruction, after-school instruction,
  310  tutoring, mentoring, class size reduction, extended school year,
  311  intensive skills development in summer school, and other methods
  312  for improving student achievement. Supplemental instruction may
  313  be provided to a student in any manner and at any time during or
  314  beyond the regular 180-day term identified by the school as
  315  being the most effective and efficient way to best help that
  316  student progress from grade to grade and to graduate.
  317         3. Effective with the 1999-2000 fiscal year, funding on the
  318  basis of FTE membership beyond the 180-day regular term shall be
  319  provided in the FEFP only for students enrolled in juvenile
  320  justice education programs or in education programs for
  321  juveniles placed in secure facilities or programs under s.
  322  985.19. Funding for instruction beyond the regular 180-day
  323  school year for all other K-12 students shall be provided
  324  through the supplemental academic instruction categorical fund
  325  and other state, federal, and local fund sources with ample
  326  flexibility for schools to provide supplemental instruction to
  327  assist students in progressing from grade to grade and
  328  graduating.
  329         4. The Florida State University School, as a lab school, is
  330  authorized to expend from its FEFP or Lottery Enhancement Trust
  331  Fund allocation the cost to the student of remediation in
  332  reading, writing, or mathematics for any graduate who requires
  333  remediation at a postsecondary educational institution.
  334         5. Beginning in the 1999-2000 school year, dropout
  335  prevention programs as defined in ss. 1003.52, 1003.53(1)(a),
  336  (b), and (c), and 1003.54 shall be included in group 1 programs
  337  under subparagraph (d)3.
  338         (o) Calculation of additional full-time equivalent
  339  membership based on successful completion of a career-themed
  340  course pursuant to ss. 1003.491, 1003.492, and 1003.493, or
  341  courses with embedded CAPE industry certifications or CAPE
  342  Digital Tool certificates, and issuance of industry
  343  certification identified on the CAPE Industry Certification
  344  Funding List pursuant to rules adopted by the State Board of
  345  Education or CAPE Digital Tool certificates pursuant to s.
  346  1003.4203.—
  347         1.a. A value of 0.025 full-time equivalent student
  348  membership shall be calculated for CAPE Digital Tool
  349  certificates earned by students in elementary and middle school
  350  grades.
  351         b. A value of 0.1 or 0.2 full-time equivalent student
  352  membership shall be calculated for each student who completes a
  353  course as defined in s. 1003.493(1)(b) or courses with embedded
  354  CAPE industry certifications and who is issued an industry
  355  certification identified annually on the CAPE Industry
  356  Certification Funding List approved under rules adopted by the
  357  State Board of Education. A value of 0.2 full-time equivalent
  358  membership shall be calculated for each student who is issued a
  359  CAPE industry certification that has a statewide articulation
  360  agreement for college credit approved by the State Board of
  361  Education. For CAPE industry certifications that do not
  362  articulate for college credit, the Department of Education shall
  363  assign a full-time equivalent value of 0.1 for each
  364  certification. Middle grades students who earn additional FTE
  365  membership for a CAPE Digital Tool certificate pursuant to sub
  366  subparagraph a. may not use the previously funded examination to
  367  satisfy the requirements for earning an industry certification
  368  under this sub-subparagraph. Additional FTE membership for an
  369  elementary or middle grades student may shall not exceed 0.1 for
  370  certificates or certifications earned within the same fiscal
  371  year. The State Board of Education shall include the assigned
  372  values on the CAPE Industry Certification Funding List under
  373  rules adopted by the state board. Such value shall be added to
  374  the total full-time equivalent student membership for grades 6
  375  through 12 in the subsequent year for courses that were not
  376  provided through dual enrollment. CAPE industry certifications
  377  earned through dual enrollment must be reported and funded
  378  pursuant to s. 1011.80. However, if a student earns a
  379  certification through a dual enrollment course and the
  380  certification is not a fundable certification on the
  381  postsecondary certification funding list, or the dual enrollment
  382  certification is earned as a result of an agreement between a
  383  school district and a nonpublic postsecondary institution, the
  384  bonus value shall be funded in the same manner as for other
  385  nondual enrollment course industry certifications. In such
  386  cases, the school district may provide for an agreement between
  387  the high school and the technical center, or the school district
  388  and the postsecondary institution may enter into an agreement
  389  for equitable distribution of the bonus funds.
  390         c. A value of 0.3 full-time equivalent student membership
  391  shall be calculated for student completion of the courses and
  392  the embedded certifications identified on the CAPE Industry
  393  Certification Funding List and approved by the commissioner
  394  pursuant to ss. 1003.4203(5)(a) and 1008.44.
  395         d. A value of 0.5 full-time equivalent student membership
  396  shall be calculated for CAPE Acceleration Industry
  397  Certifications that articulate for 15 to 29 college credit
  398  hours, and 1.0 full-time equivalent student membership shall be
  399  calculated for CAPE Acceleration Industry Certifications that
  400  articulate for 30 or more college credit hours pursuant to CAPE
  401  Acceleration Industry Certifications approved by the
  402  commissioner pursuant to ss. 1003.4203(5)(b) and 1008.44.
  403         2. Each district must allocate at least 80 percent of the
  404  funds provided for CAPE industry certification, in accordance
  405  with this paragraph, to the program that generated the funds.
  406  This allocation may not be used to supplant funds provided for
  407  basic operation of the program.
  408         3. For CAPE industry certifications earned in the 2013-2014
  409  school year and in subsequent years, the school district shall
  410  distribute to each classroom teacher who provided direct
  411  instruction toward the attainment of a CAPE industry
  412  certification that qualified for additional full-time equivalent
  413  membership under subparagraph 1.:
  414         a. A bonus in the amount of $25 for each student taught by
  415  a teacher who provided instruction in a course that led to the
  416  attainment of a CAPE industry certification on the CAPE Industry
  417  Certification Funding List with a weight of 0.1.
  418         b. A bonus in the amount of $50 for each student taught by
  419  a teacher who provided instruction in a course that led to the
  420  attainment of a CAPE industry certification on the CAPE Industry
  421  Certification Funding List with a weight of 0.2, 0.3, 0.5, and
  422  1.0.
  423         c.A bonus of $75 for each student taught by a teacher who
  424  provided instruction in a course that led to the attainment of a
  425  CAPE industry certification on the CAPE Industry Certification
  426  Funding List with a weight of 0.3.
  427         d. A bonus of $100 for each student taught by a teacher who
  428  provided instruction in a course that led to the attainment of a
  429  CAPE industry certification on the CAPE Industry Certification
  430  Funding List with a weight of 0.5 or 1.0.
  431  
  432  Bonuses awarded pursuant to this paragraph shall be provided to
  433  teachers who are employed by the district in the year in which
  434  the additional FTE membership calculation is included in the
  435  calculation. Bonuses shall be calculated based upon the
  436  associated weight of a CAPE industry certification on the CAPE
  437  Industry Certification Funding List for the year in which the
  438  certification is earned by the student. In a single school year,
  439  a Any bonus awarded to a teacher under sub-subparagraph 3.a. or
  440  sub-subparagraph 3.b. this paragraph may not exceed $2,000 or
  441  under sub-subparagraph 3.c. or sub-subparagraph 3.d. may not
  442  exceed $4,000. The maximum bonus that may be awarded to a
  443  teacher under this paragraph is $4,000 in a single school year.
  444  This bonus in any given school year and is in addition to any
  445  regular wage or other bonus the teacher received or is scheduled
  446  to receive.
  447         (4) COMPUTATION OF DISTRICT REQUIRED LOCAL EFFORT.—The
  448  Legislature shall prescribe the aggregate required local effort
  449  for all school districts collectively as an item in the General
  450  Appropriations Act for each fiscal year. The amount that each
  451  district shall provide annually toward the cost of the Florida
  452  Education Finance Program for kindergarten through grade 12
  453  programs shall be calculated as follows:
  454         (a) Estimated taxable value calculations.—
  455         1.a. Not later than 2 working days prior to July 19, the
  456  Department of Revenue shall certify to the Commissioner of
  457  Education its most recent estimate of the taxable value for
  458  school purposes in each school district and the total for all
  459  school districts in the state for the current calendar year
  460  based on the latest available data obtained from the local
  461  property appraisers. The value certified shall be the taxable
  462  value for school purposes for that year, and no further
  463  adjustments shall be made, except those made pursuant to
  464  paragraphs (c) and (d), or an assessment roll change required by
  465  final judicial decisions as specified in paragraph (15)(b)
  466  (14)(b). Not later than July 19, the Commissioner of Education
  467  shall compute a millage rate, rounded to the next highest one
  468  one-thousandth of a mill, which, when applied to 96 percent of
  469  the estimated state total taxable value for school purposes,
  470  would generate the prescribed aggregate required local effort
  471  for that year for all districts. The Commissioner of Education
  472  shall certify to each district school board the millage rate,
  473  computed as prescribed in this subparagraph, as the minimum
  474  millage rate necessary to provide the district required local
  475  effort for that year.
  476         b. The General Appropriations Act shall direct the
  477  computation of the statewide adjusted aggregate amount for
  478  required local effort for all school districts collectively from
  479  ad valorem taxes to ensure that no school district’s revenue
  480  from required local effort millage will produce more than 90
  481  percent of the district’s total Florida Education Finance
  482  Program calculation as calculated and adopted by the
  483  Legislature, and the adjustment of the required local effort
  484  millage rate of each district that produces more than 90 percent
  485  of its total Florida Education Finance Program entitlement to a
  486  level that will produce only 90 percent of its total Florida
  487  Education Finance Program entitlement in the July calculation.
  488         2. On the same date as the certification in sub
  489  subparagraph 1.a., the Department of Revenue shall certify to
  490  the Commissioner of Education for each district:
  491         a. Each year for which the property appraiser has certified
  492  the taxable value pursuant to s. 193.122(2) or (3), if
  493  applicable, since the prior certification under sub-subparagraph
  494  1.a.
  495         b. For each year identified in sub-subparagraph a., the
  496  taxable value certified by the appraiser pursuant to s.
  497  193.122(2) or (3), if applicable, since the prior certification
  498  under sub-subparagraph 1.a. This is the certification that
  499  reflects all final administrative actions of the value
  500  adjustment board.
  501         (5) DISCRETIONARY MILLAGE COMPRESSION SUPPLEMENT.—The
  502  Legislature shall prescribe in the General Appropriations Act,
  503  pursuant to s. 1011.71(1), the rate of nonvoted current
  504  operating discretionary millage that shall be used to calculate
  505  a discretionary millage compression supplement. If the
  506  prescribed millage generates an amount of funds per unweighted
  507  FTE for the district that is less than 105 percent of the state
  508  average, the district shall receive an amount per FTE that, when
  509  added to the funds per FTE generated by the designated levy,
  510  shall equal 105 percent of the state average.
  511         (7) DETERMINATION OF SPARSITY SUPPLEMENT.—
  512         (b) The district sparsity index shall be computed by
  513  dividing the total number of full-time equivalent students in
  514  all programs in the district by the number of senior high school
  515  centers in the district, not in excess of three, which centers
  516  are approved as permanent centers by a survey made by the
  517  Department of Education. For districts with a full-time
  518  equivalent student membership of at least 20,000, but no more
  519  than 24,000, the index shall be computed by dividing the total
  520  number of full-time equivalent students in all programs by the
  521  number of permanent senior high school centers in the district,
  522  not to exceed four.
  523         (9) RESEARCH-BASED READING INSTRUCTION ALLOCATION.—
  524         (a) The research-based reading instruction allocation is
  525  created to provide comprehensive reading instruction to students
  526  in kindergarten through grade 12. For the 2014-2015, 2015-2016,
  527  2016-2017, and 2017-2018 fiscal years year, in each school
  528  district that has one or more of the 300 lowest-performing
  529  elementary schools based on the state reading assessment,
  530  priority shall be given to providing an additional hour per day
  531  of intensive reading instruction beyond the normal school day
  532  for each day of the entire school year, and to providing the
  533  equivalent hours of instruction in a summer program, for the
  534  students in each school. If a participating school is no longer
  535  classified as one of the 300 lowest-performing elementary
  536  schools in the subsequent year, the school must continue to
  537  provide the additional hour of intensive reading instruction to
  538  all students who have Level 1 or Level 2 reading assessment
  539  scores. Students enrolled in these schools who have level 5
  540  assessment scores may participate in the additional hour of
  541  instruction on an optional basis. Exceptional student education
  542  centers may shall not be included in the 300 schools. The
  543  intensive reading instruction delivered in this additional hour
  544  and for other students shall include: research-based reading
  545  instruction that has been proven to accelerate progress of
  546  students exhibiting a reading deficiency; differentiated
  547  instruction based on student assessment data to meet students’
  548  specific reading needs; explicit and systematic reading
  549  development in phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary,
  550  and comprehension, with more extensive opportunities for guided
  551  practice, error correction, and feedback; and the integration of
  552  social studies, science, and mathematics-text reading, text
  553  discussion, and writing in response to reading. For the 2012
  554  2013 and 2013-2014 fiscal years, a school district may not hire
  555  more reading coaches than were hired during the 2011-2012 fiscal
  556  year unless all students in kindergarten through grade 5 who
  557  demonstrate a reading deficiency, as determined by district and
  558  state assessments, including students scoring Level 1 or Level 2
  559  on the statewide, standardized reading assessment or, upon
  560  implementation, the English Language Arts assessment, are
  561  provided an additional hour per day of intensive reading
  562  instruction beyond the normal school day for each day of the
  563  entire school year.
  564         (11) VIRTUAL EDUCATION CONTRIBUTION.—The Legislature may
  565  annually provide in the Florida Education Finance Program a
  566  virtual education contribution. The amount of the virtual
  567  education contribution shall be the difference between the
  568  amount per FTE established in the General Appropriations Act for
  569  virtual education and the amount per FTE for each district and
  570  the Florida Virtual School, which may be calculated by taking
  571  the sum of the base FEFP allocation, the declining enrollment
  572  supplement, the discretionary local effort, the state-funded
  573  discretionary contribution, the discretionary millage
  574  compression supplement, the research-based reading instruction
  575  allocation, the exceptional student education guaranteed
  576  allocation, and the instructional materials allocation, and then
  577  dividing by the total unweighted FTE. This difference shall be
  578  multiplied by the virtual education unweighted FTE for programs
  579  and options identified in s. 1002.455(3) and the Florida Virtual
  580  School and its franchises to equal the virtual education
  581  contribution and shall be included as a separate allocation in
  582  the funding formula.
  583         (13)FEDERALLY CONNECTED STUDENT SUPPLEMENT.—The federally
  584  connected student supplement is created to provide supplemental
  585  funding for school districts to support the education of
  586  students connected with federally owned military installations,
  587  National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) property,
  588  and Indian lands. To be eligible for this supplement, the
  589  district must be eligible for federal Impact Aid Program funds
  590  under Title VIII of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act
  591  of 1965. The supplement shall be the sum of the student
  592  allocation and an exempt property allocation.
  593         (a) The student allocation shall be calculated based on the
  594  number of students reported for federal Impact Aid Program
  595  funds, including students with disabilities, who meet one of the
  596  following criteria:
  597         1. Resides with a parent who is on active duty in the
  598  uniformed services or is an accredited foreign government
  599  official and military officer. Students with disabilities shall
  600  also be reported separately for this condition.
  601         2. Resides on eligible federally owned Indian lands.
  602  Students with disabilities shall also be reported separately for
  603  this condition.
  604         3. Resides with a civilian parent who lives or works on
  605  eligible federal property connected with a military installation
  606  or NASA. The number of these students shall be multiplied by a
  607  factor of 0.5.
  608         (b) The total number of federally connected students
  609  calculated under paragraph (a) shall be multiplied by a
  610  percentage of the base student allocation as provided in the
  611  General Appropriations Act. The total of the number of students
  612  with disabilities as reported separately under subparagraphs
  613  (a)1. and (a)2. shall be multiplied by an additional percentage
  614  of the base student allocation as provided in the General
  615  Appropriations Act. The base amount and the amount for students
  616  with disabilities shall be summed to provide the student
  617  allocation.
  618         (c) The exempt-property allocation shall be equal to the
  619  tax-exempt value of federal impact aid lands reserved as
  620  military installations, real property owned by NASA, or eligible
  621  federally owned Indian lands located in the district, as of
  622  January 1 of the previous year, multiplied by the millage
  623  authorized and levied under s. 1011.71(2).
  624         (14)(13) QUALITY ASSURANCE GUARANTEE.—The Legislature may
  625  annually in the General Appropriations Act determine a
  626  percentage increase in funds per K-12 unweighted FTE as a
  627  minimum guarantee to each school district. The guarantee shall
  628  be calculated from prior year base funding per unweighted FTE
  629  student which shall include the adjusted FTE dollars as provided
  630  in subsection (15)(14), quality guarantee funds, and actual
  631  nonvoted discretionary local effort from taxes. From the base
  632  funding per unweighted FTE, the increase shall be calculated for
  633  the current year. The current year funds from which the
  634  guarantee shall be determined shall include the adjusted FTE
  635  dollars as provided in subsection (15)(14) and potential
  636  nonvoted discretionary local effort from taxes. A comparison of
  637  current year funds per unweighted FTE to prior year funds per
  638  unweighted FTE shall be computed. For those school districts
  639  which have less than the legislatively assigned percentage
  640  increase, funds shall be provided to guarantee the assigned
  641  percentage increase in funds per unweighted FTE student. Should
  642  appropriated funds be less than the sum of this calculated
  643  amount for all districts, the commissioner shall prorate each
  644  district’s allocation. This provision shall be implemented to
  645  the extent specifically funded.
  646         Section 4. Subsection (1) and paragraph (d) of subsection
  647  (2) of section 1011.71, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
  648         1011.71 District school tax.—
  649         (1) If the district school tax is not provided in the
  650  General Appropriations Act or the substantive bill implementing
  651  the General Appropriations Act, each district school board
  652  desiring to participate in the state allocation of funds for
  653  current operation as prescribed by s. 1011.62(15) s. 1011.62(14)
  654  shall levy on the taxable value for school purposes of the
  655  district, exclusive of millage voted under the provisions of s.
  656  9(b) or s. 12, Art. VII of the State Constitution, a millage
  657  rate not to exceed the amount certified by the commissioner as
  658  the minimum millage rate necessary to provide the district
  659  required local effort for the current year, pursuant to s.
  660  1011.62(4)(a)1. In addition to the required local effort millage
  661  levy, each district school board may levy a nonvoted current
  662  operating discretionary millage. The Legislature shall prescribe
  663  annually in the appropriations act the maximum amount of millage
  664  a district may levy.
  665         (2) In addition to the maximum millage levy as provided in
  666  subsection (1), each school board may levy not more than 1.5
  667  mills against the taxable value for school purposes for district
  668  schools, including charter schools at the discretion of the
  669  school board, to fund:
  670         (d) The purchase, lease-purchase, or lease of new and
  671  replacement equipment; computer hardware, including electronic
  672  hardware and other hardware devices necessary for gaining access
  673  to or enhancing the use of electronic content and resources or
  674  to facilitate the access to and the use of a school district’s
  675  digital classrooms plan pursuant to s. 1011.62, excluding
  676  software other than the operating system necessary to operate
  677  the hardware or device; and enterprise resource software
  678  applications that are classified as capital assets in accordance
  679  with definitions of the Governmental Accounting Standards Board,
  680  have a useful life of at least 5 years, and are used to support
  681  districtwide administration or state-mandated reporting
  682  requirements. Enterprise resource software may be acquired by
  683  annual license fees, maintenance fees, or lease agreements.
  684         Section 5. Subsections (4), (5), and (6) of section
  685  1012.71, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
  686         1012.71 The Florida Teachers Classroom Supply Assistance
  687  Program.—
  688         (4) Each classroom teacher must provide the school district
  689  with receipts for the expenditure of the funds. If the classroom
  690  teacher is provided funds in advance of expenditure, the Each
  691  classroom teacher must sign a statement acknowledging receipt of
  692  the funds, provide keep receipts as requested by the school
  693  district for no less than 4 years to show that funds expended
  694  meet the requirements of this section, and return any unused
  695  funds to the district school board by at the end of the regular
  696  school year. Any unused funds that are returned to the district
  697  school board shall be deposited into the school advisory council
  698  account of the school at which the classroom teacher returning
  699  the funds was employed when that teacher received the funds or
  700  deposited into the Florida Teachers Classroom Supply Assistance
  701  Program account of the school district in which a charter school
  702  is sponsored, as applicable.
  703         (5) The statement must be signed and dated by each
  704  classroom teacher before receipt of the Florida Teachers
  705  Classroom Supply Assistance Program funds and shall include the
  706  wording: “I, ...(name of teacher)..., am employed by the
  707  ....County District School Board or by the ....Charter School as
  708  a full-time classroom teacher. I acknowledge that Florida
  709  Teachers Classroom Supply Assistance Program funds are
  710  appropriated by the Legislature for the sole purpose of
  711  purchasing classroom materials and supplies to be used in the
  712  instruction of students assigned to me. In accepting custody of
  713  these funds, I agree to keep the receipts for all expenditures
  714  for no less than 4 years. I understand that if I do not keep the
  715  receipts, it will be my personal responsibility to pay any
  716  federal taxes due on these funds. I also agree to return any
  717  unexpended funds to the district school board at the end of the
  718  regular school year for deposit into the school advisory council
  719  account of the school where I was employed at the time I
  720  received the funds or for deposit into the Florida Teachers
  721  Classroom Supply Assistance Program account of the school
  722  district in which the charter school is sponsored, as
  723  applicable.”
  724         (5)(6) The Department of Education and district school
  725  boards may, and are encouraged to, enter into public-private
  726  partnerships in order to increase the total amount of Florida
  727  Teachers Classroom Supply Assistance Programs funds available to
  728  classroom teachers.
  729         Section 6. (1)The State University System Performance
  730  Based Incentive shall be based on indicators of institutional
  731  attainment of performance metrics adopted by the Board of
  732  Governors. The performance-based funding metrics must include,
  733  but are not limited to, metrics that measure graduation and
  734  retention rates; degree production; affordability;
  735  postgraduation employment, salaries, or further education;
  736  student loan default rates; access; and any other metrics
  737  approved by the board.
  738         (2)The Board of Governors shall evaluate the institutions’
  739  performance on the metrics based on benchmarks adopted by the
  740  board which measure the achievement of institutional excellence
  741  or improvement. Each fiscal year, the amount of funds available
  742  for allocation to the institutions based on the performance
  743  funding model shall consist of the state’s investment in
  744  performance funding, plus an institutional investment consisting
  745  of funds to be redistributed from the base funding of the State
  746  University System, as determined in the General Appropriations
  747  Act. The institutional investment shall be restored for all
  748  institutions that meet the board’s minimum performance threshold
  749  under the performance funding model. An institution that is one
  750  of the bottom three institutions or fails to meet the board’s
  751  minimum performance funding threshold is not eligible for the
  752  state’s investment, shall have a portion of its institutional
  753  investment withheld, and shall submit an improvement plan to the
  754  board that specifies the activities and strategies for improving
  755  the institution’s performance.
  756         (3)By October 1 of each year, the Board of Governors shall
  757  submit to the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the
  758  Speaker of the House of Representatives a report on the previous
  759  year’s performance funding allocation which reflects the
  760  rankings and award distributions.
  761         (4)The Board of Governors shall adopt a regulation to
  762  implement this section.
  763         Section 7. (1)The Florida College System Performance Based
  764  Incentive shall be based on indicators of institutional
  765  attainment of performance metrics adopted by the State Board of
  766  Education. The performance-based funding metrics must be limited
  767  to metrics that measure retention; program completion and
  768  graduation rates; student loan default rates; job placement; and
  769  postgraduation employment, salaries, or further education.
  770         (2)The State Board of Education shall evaluate the
  771  institutions’ performance on the metrics based on benchmarks
  772  adopted by the board which measure the achievement of
  773  institutional excellence or improvement. Each fiscal year, the
  774  amount of funds available for allocation to the institutions
  775  based on the performance funding model shall consist of the
  776  state’s investment in performance funding, plus an institutional
  777  investment consisting of funds to be redistributed from the base
  778  funding of the Florida College System Program Fund, as
  779  determined in the General Appropriations Act. The board shall
  780  establish a minimum performance threshold that institutions must
  781  meet in order to be eligible for the state’s investment in
  782  performance funds. The institutional investment shall be
  783  restored for all institutions eligible for the state’s
  784  investment under the performance funding model. Any institution
  785  that fails to meet the board’s minimum performance funding
  786  threshold is not eligible for the state’s investment, shall have
  787  a portion of its institutional investment withheld, and shall
  788  submit an improvement plan to the board that specifies the
  789  activities and strategies for improving the institution’s
  790  performance.
  791         (3)The State Board of Education must review the
  792  improvement plan, and if approved, must monitor the
  793  institution’s progress on implementing the specified activities
  794  and strategies. The institutions shall submit monitoring reports
  795  to the board no later than December 31 and May 31 of each year.
  796         (4)The Commissioner of Education shall withhold
  797  disbursement of the institutional investment until such time as
  798  the monitoring report for the institution is approved by the
  799  State Board of Education. Any institution that fails to make
  800  satisfactory progress will not have its full institutional
  801  investment restored. If all institutional investment funds are
  802  not restored, any remaining funds shall be redistributed in
  803  accordance with the board’s performance funding model.
  804         (5)By October 1 of each year, the State Board of Education
  805  shall submit to the Governor, the President of the Senate, and
  806  the Speaker of the House of Representatives a report on the
  807  previous year’s performance funding allocation which reflects
  808  the rankings and award distributions.
  809         (6)The State Board of Education shall adopt rules to
  810  implement this section.
  811         Section 8. This act shall take effect July 1, 2015.