Florida Senate - 2017              PROPOSED COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE
       Bill No. SB 1710
       
       
       
       
       
                               Ì525110]Î525110                          
       
       602-03792-17                                                    
       Proposed Committee Substitute by Appropriations Subcommittee on
       Pre-K - 12 Education
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to education; creating s. 683.1455,
    3         F.S.; designating the month of September as “American
    4         Founders’ Month”; amending s. 1000.03, F.S.; revising
    5         the priorities of Florida’s K-20 education system;
    6         amending s. 1001.215, F.S.; revising the duties of the
    7         Just Read, Florida! Office to include developing and
    8         providing access to certain resources for elementary
    9         schools; amending s. 1003.44, F.S.; encouraging
   10         schools to provide certain instruction; amending s.
   11         1007.25, F.S.; requiring postsecondary students to
   12         demonstrate civic literacy; requiring the chairs of
   13         the State Board of Education and the Board of
   14         Governors to jointly appoint a faculty committee to
   15         develop a civic literacy course, or revise an existing
   16         general education core course, and establish the
   17         course competencies; amending ss. 943.22 and 1001.64,
   18         F.S.; conforming cross-references; providing an
   19         effective date.
   20          
   21  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   22  
   23         Section 1. Section 683.1455, Florida Statutes, is created
   24  to read:
   25         683.1455 American Founders’ Month.—
   26         (1) The month of September of each year is designated as
   27  “American Founders’ Month.”
   28         (2) The Governor may annually issue a proclamation
   29  designating the month of September as “American Founders’ Month”
   30  and urging all civic, fraternal, and religious organizations and
   31  public and private educational institutions to recognize and
   32  observe this occasion through appropriate programs, meetings,
   33  services, or celebrations in which state, county, and local
   34  governmental officials are invited to participate.
   35         Section 2. Present paragraphs (c) through (g) of subsection
   36  (5) of section 1000.03, Florida Statutes, are redesignated as
   37  paragraphs (d) through (h), respectively, and a new paragraph
   38  (c) is added to that subsection, to read:
   39         1000.03 Function, mission, and goals of the Florida K-20
   40  education system.—
   41         (5) The priorities of Florida’s K-20 education system
   42  include:
   43         (c) Civic literacy.—Students are prepared to become
   44  civically engaged and knowledgeable adults who make positive
   45  contributions to their communities.
   46         Section 3. Present subsections (4) through (11) of section
   47  1001.215, Florida Statutes, are redesignated as subsections (5)
   48  through (12), respectively, and a new subsection (4) is added to
   49  that section, to read:
   50         1001.215 Just Read, Florida! Office.—There is created in
   51  the Department of Education the Just Read, Florida! Office. The
   52  office shall be fully accountable to the Commissioner of
   53  Education and shall:
   54         (4)Develop and provide access to sequenced, content-rich
   55  curriculum programming, instructional practices, and resources
   56  that help elementary schools use state-adopted instructional
   57  materials to increase students’ core knowledge and literacy
   58  skills, including student attainment of the Next Generation
   59  Sunshine State Standards for social studies, science, and the
   60  arts.
   61         Section 4. Subsection (3) is added to section 1003.44,
   62  Florida Statutes, to read:
   63         1003.44 Patriotic programs; rules.—
   64         (3) All public schools in the state are encouraged to
   65  coordinate, at all grade levels, instruction related to our
   66  nation’s Founding Fathers with “American Founders’ Month”
   67  pursuant to s. 683.1455.
   68         Section 5. Present subsections (4) through (11) of section
   69  1007.25, Florida Statutes, are redesignated as subsections (5)
   70  through (12), respectively, and a new subsection (4) is added to
   71  that section, to read:
   72         1007.25 General education courses; common prerequisites;
   73  other degree requirements.—
   74         (4) Beginning with students initially entering a Florida
   75  College System institution or state university in 2018-2019 and
   76  thereafter, each student must demonstrate competency in civic
   77  literacy. A student must have the option to demonstrate
   78  competency through successful completion of a civic literacy
   79  course or by achieving a passing score on an assessment. The
   80  State Board of Education must adopt in rule and the Board of
   81  Governors must adopt in regulation at least one existing
   82  assessment that measures competencies consistent with the
   83  required course competencies outlined in paragraph (b). The
   84  chair of the State Board of Education and the chair of the Board
   85  of Governors, or their respective designees, shall jointly
   86  appoint a faculty committee to:
   87         (a) Develop a new course in civic literacy or revise an
   88  existing general education core course in American History or
   89  American Government to include civic literacy; and
   90         (b) Establish course competencies and identify outcomes
   91  that include, at a minimum, an understanding of the basic
   92  principles of American democracy and how they are applied in our
   93  republican form of government, an understanding of the United
   94  States Constitution, knowledge of the founding documents and how
   95  they have shaped the nature and functions of our institutions of
   96  self-governance, and an understanding of landmark Supreme Court
   97  cases and their impact on law and society.
   98         Section 6. Paragraph (c) of subsection (1) of section
   99  943.22, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
  100         943.22 Salary incentive program for full-time officers.—
  101         (1) For the purpose of this section, the term:
  102         (c) “Community college degree or equivalent” means
  103  graduation from an accredited community college or having been
  104  granted a degree pursuant to s. 1007.25(11) s. 1007.25(10) or
  105  successful completion of 60 semester hours or 90 quarter hours
  106  and eligibility to receive an associate degree from an
  107  accredited college, university, or community college.
  108         Section 7. Subsection (7) and paragraph (d) of subsection
  109  (8) of section 1001.64, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
  110         1001.64 Florida College System institution boards of
  111  trustees; powers and duties.—
  112         (7) Each board of trustees has responsibility for: ensuring
  113  that students have access to general education courses as
  114  identified in rule; requiring no more than 60 semester hours of
  115  degree program coursework, including 36 semester hours of
  116  general education coursework, for an associate in arts degree;
  117  notifying students that earned hours in excess of 60 semester
  118  hours may not be accepted by state universities; notifying
  119  students of unique program prerequisites; and ensuring that
  120  degree program coursework beyond general education coursework is
  121  consistent with degree program prerequisite requirements adopted
  122  pursuant to s. 1007.25(6) s. 1007.25(5).
  123         (8) Each board of trustees has authority for policies
  124  related to students, enrollment of students, student records,
  125  student activities, financial assistance, and other student
  126  services.
  127         (d) Boards of trustees shall identify their general
  128  education curricula pursuant to s. 1007.25(7) s. 1007.25(6).
  129         Section 8. This act shall take effect July 1, 2017.