Senate Bill 2186e1
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1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to deregulated public schools;
3 amending s. 228.0565, F.S.; providing for the
4 continuation of the deregulated public schools
5 pilot project; authorizing additional districts
6 to participate; revising exemptions from
7 statute for purposes of the pilot project;
8 providing an effective date.
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10 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
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12 Section 1. Subsection (1), paragraph (b) of subsection
13 (3), paragraphs (a) and (d) of subsection (6), and paragraph
14 (b) of subsection (7) of section 228.0565, Florida Statutes,
15 1998 Supplement, are amended to read:
16 228.0565 Deregulated public schools.--
17 (1) PILOT PROGRAM.--To provide public schools the same
18 flexibility and accountability afforded charter schools, pilot
19 programs for deregulated public schools shall be conducted in
20 two large, two medium-sized, and two small school districts.
21 For the 1998-1999 school year, no more than six schools per
22 district, to include no more than two high schools, two middle
23 schools, and two elementary schools, may participate in the
24 flexibility program. The following districts are authorized to
25 conduct pilot programs program in 1998-1999: Palm Beach,
26 Pinellas, Seminole, Leon, Walton, and Citrus Counties. The
27 schools and school districts which are participating in the
28 pilot program as of January 1, 1999, are authorized to
29 continue the pilot program through the 2003-2004 school year.
30 Lee County is authorized to conduct the pilot program
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CS for SB 2186 First Engrossed
1 beginning in the 1999-2000 school year through the 2003-2004
2 school year.
3 (3) PROPOSAL.--
4 (b) A district school board shall receive and review
5 all proposals for a deregulated public school during July and
6 August. A district school board must by a majority vote
7 approve or deny a proposal no later than 30 days after the
8 proposal is received. If a proposal is denied, the district
9 school board must, within 10 calendar days, articulate in
10 writing the specific reasons based upon good cause supporting
11 its denial of the proposal.
12 (6) ELEMENTS OF THE PROPOSAL.--The major issues
13 involving the operation of a deregulated public school shall
14 be considered in advance and written into the proposal.
15 (a) The proposal shall address, and criteria for
16 approval of the proposal shall be based, on:
17 1. The school's mission and the students to be served.
18 2. The focus of the curriculum, the instructional
19 methods to be used, and any distinctive instructional
20 techniques to be employed.
21 3. The current baseline standard of achievement and
22 the outcomes to be achieved and the method of measurement that
23 will be used.
24 4. The methods used to identify the educational
25 strengths and needs of students and how well educational goals
26 and performance standards are met by students attending the
27 school. Students in deregulated and flexible public schools
28 shall, at a minimum, participate in the statewide assessment
29 program.
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1 5. In secondary schools, a method for determining
2 that a student has satisfied the requirements for graduation
3 in s. 232.246.
4 6. A method for resolving conflicts between the school
5 and the district.
6 7. The admissions procedures and dismissal procedures,
7 including the school's code of student conduct.
8 8. The ways by which the school's racial/ethnic
9 balance reflects the community it serves or reflects the
10 racial/ethnic range of other public schools in the same school
11 district.
12 9. The financial and administrative management of the
13 school including a statement of the areas in which the school
14 will have administrative and fiscal autonomy and the areas in
15 which the school will follow school district fiscal and
16 administrative policies.
17 10. The manner in which the school will be insured,
18 including whether or not the school will be required to have
19 liability insurance, and, if so, the terms and conditions
20 thereof and the amounts of coverage.
21 11. The qualifications to be required of the teachers.
22 (d) Upon receipt of the annual report required by
23 paragraph (b), the Department of Education shall provide to
24 the State Board of Education, the Commissioner of Education,
25 the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of
26 Representatives with a copy of each report and an analysis and
27 comparison of the overall performance of students, to include
28 all students in deregulated public schools whose scores are
29 counted as part of the statewide norm-referenced assessment
30 tests, versus comparable public school students in the
31 district as determined by FCAT and district norm-referenced
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CS for SB 2186 First Engrossed
1 assessment tests currently administered in the school
2 district, and, as appropriate, the Florida Writes Assessment
3 Test, the High School Competency Test, and other assessments
4 administered pursuant to s. 229.57(3).
5 (7) EXEMPTION FROM STATUTES.--
6 (b) A deregulated public school may, with appropriate
7 justification, request a waiver from the certification
8 requirements of chapter 231. Pursuant to s. 229.592(6), the
9 commissioner may waive requirements of chapter 231 that relate
10 to teacher certification to facilitate innovative practices
11 and to allow local school selection of educational methods.
12 Teachers employed by or under contract to a deregulated public
13 school shall be certified as required by chapter 231. A
14 deregulated public school may employ or contract with skilled
15 selected noncertified personnel to provide instructional
16 services or to assist instructional staff members as education
17 paraprofessionals teacher aides in the same manner as defined
18 in chapter 231. A deregulated public school may not employ an
19 individual to provide instructional services or to serve as an
20 education paraprofessional a teacher aide if the individual's
21 certification or licensure as an educator is suspended or
22 revoked by this or any other state. The qualifications of
23 teachers shall be disclosed to parents.
24 Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 1999.
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