Senate Bill 1058
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
    Florida Senate - 2000                                  SB 1058
    By Senator Horne
    6-853-00                                            See HB 321
  1                      A bill to be entitled
  2         An act relating to job training; amending s.
  3         446.609, F.S.; deleting a time-period
  4         limitation for the "Jobs for Florida's
  5         Graduates" school-to-work program; deleting
  6         provisions relating to an endowment fund;
  7         deleting provisions relating to program outcome
  8         goals related to the time-period limitation;
  9         deleting provisions relating to distribution of
10         earnings on the endowment fund; deleting
11         provisions relating to startup funding;
12         revising annual report requirements; repealing
13         ss. 2 and 3, ch. 98-218, Laws of Florida,
14         relating to future legislative review and a
15         temporary pilot apprenticeship program;
16         providing an effective date.
17
18  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
19
20         Section 1.  Section 446.609, Florida Statutes, is
21  amended to read:
22         446.609  Jobs for Florida's Graduates Act.--
23         (1)  SHORT TITLE.--This section may be cited as the
24  "Jobs for Florida's Graduates Act."
25         (2)  DEFINITIONS.--For the purposes of this section:
26         (a)  "Board" means the board of directors of the
27  Florida Endowment Foundation for Florida's Graduates.
28         (b)  "Department" means the Department of Education.
29         (c)  "Endowment fund" means an account established
30  within the Florida Endowment Foundation for Florida's
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    Florida Senate - 2000                                  SB 1058
    6-853-00                                            See HB 321
  1  Graduates to provide a continuing and growing source of
  2  revenue for school-to-work transition efforts.
  3         (d)  "Foundation" means the Florida Endowment
  4  Foundation for Florida's Graduates.
  5         (e)  "Operating account" means an account established
  6  under paragraph (7)(8)(h) to carry out the purposes of this
  7  section.
  8         (3)  LEGISLATIVE INTENT.--The Legislature recognizes
  9  that it is in the best interest of the citizens of this state
10  that the state have a well-educated and skilled workforce to
11  be competitive in a changing economy. It is the intent of the
12  Legislature to meet the challenge of ensuring a skilled
13  workforce by creating a formal program to facilitate the
14  important school-to-work transition and to provide additional
15  funding to achieve this goal.  Accordingly, the Legislature
16  finds and declares that:
17         (a)  The purpose of this section is to broaden the
18  participation and funding potential for further significant
19  support for Florida students who are approaching the
20  transition from school to work.
21         (b)  It is appropriate to encourage individual and
22  corporate support and involvement, as well as state support
23  and involvement, to promote employment opportunities for
24  Florida's students.
25         (4)  PROGRAM.--There is hereby created, for an initial
26  5-year period, a school-to-work program to be known as Jobs
27  for Florida's Graduates which shall, during the initial 5-year
28  phase set forth in this section and except as otherwise
29  provided by law or by rule of the Department of Education, be
30  operated in accordance with the process and outcome standards
31  of Jobs for America's Graduates, Inc.  To that end, the board
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    Florida Senate - 2000                                  SB 1058
    6-853-00                                            See HB 321
  1  shall enter into a sponsoring agreement with Jobs for
  2  America's Graduates, Inc., to carry out the Jobs for America's
  3  Graduates model within the state.
  4         (a)  During the first year of operation, the Jobs for
  5  Florida's Graduates Program shall be operated in not less than
  6  25 nor more than 50 high schools in the state to be chosen by
  7  the board.  The goal of the program shall be to have a minimum
  8  of 300 high schools participating in the program by the end of
  9  the 2001-2002 school year.
10         (b)  The schools chosen by the board to participate in
11  the program must represent a demographically balanced sample
12  population, include both urban and rural schools, and be
13  comprised of schools, including charter schools, in all
14  geographic areas of the state.  Each school selected to
15  participate shall enter into a formal written agreement with
16  the board which, at a minimum, details the responsibilities of
17  each party and the process and outcome goals of the initial
18  5-year Jobs for Florida's Graduates Program.
19         (c)  Students shall be selected and approved for
20  participation in the program by the educational institutions
21  in which they are enrolled, and such selection and approval
22  shall be based on their being classified as 12th grade at-risk
23  students.
24         (5)  REVENUE FOR THE ENDOWMENT FUND.--
25         (a)  An endowment fund is created as a long-term,
26  stable, growing source of revenue to be administered by the
27  foundation in accordance with rules promulgated by the
28  department.
29         (b)  The principal of the endowment fund shall consist
30  of legislative appropriations that are made to the endowment
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    Florida Senate - 2000                                  SB 1058
    6-853-00                                            See HB 321
  1  fund and bequests, gifts, grants, and donations as may be
  2  solicited from public or private sources by the foundation.
  3         (c)  The State Board of Administration shall invest and
  4  reinvest moneys of the endowment fund principal in accordance
  5  with the provisions of ss. 215.44-215.53. Interest and
  6  investment income earned on the endowment fund principal shall
  7  be annually transmitted to the foundation, based upon a fiscal
  8  year which runs from July 1 through June 30, and shall be
  9  deposited in the foundation's operating account for
10  distribution as provided in this section.
11         (5)(6)  THE FLORIDA ENDOWMENT FOUNDATION FOR FLORIDA'S
12  GRADUATES.--
13         (a)  The Florida Endowment Foundation for Florida's
14  Graduates is created as a direct-support organization of the
15  Department of Education to encourage public and private
16  support to enhance school-to-work transition. As a
17  direct-support organization, the foundation shall operate
18  under contract with the department and shall be:
19         1.  A Florida corporation not for profit which is
20  incorporated under the provisions of chapter 617 and approved
21  by the Department of State.
22         2.  Organized and operated exclusively to do the
23  following:  raise funds; submit requests and receive grants
24  from the Federal Government, the state, private foundations,
25  and individuals; receive, hold, and administer property; and
26  make expenditures to or for the benefit of school-to-work
27  transition programs approved by the board of directors of the
28  foundation.
29         (b)  As a direct-support organization, the foundation
30  shall:
31         1.  Develop articles of incorporation.
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    Florida Senate - 2000                                  SB 1058
    6-853-00                                            See HB 321
  1         2.  Create a board of directors appointed by the
  2  Commissioner of Education.
  3         3.  Perform an annual financial and performance review
  4  to determine if the foundation is operating in a manner
  5  consistent with the goals of the Legislature in providing
  6  assistance for school-to-work transitions.
  7         4.  Provide a mechanism for the reversion to the state
  8  of moneys in the foundation and in any other funds and
  9  accounts held in trust by the foundation if the foundation is
10  dissolved.
11         (6)(7)  BOARD OF DIRECTORS.--The foundation shall be
12  administered by a board of directors, as follows:
13         (a)  The board shall consist of 15 members. At least 9
14  of the 15 members must be from the private sector, and the
15  remaining members may be from the public sector. Among the
16  public sector members, representation shall come from
17  secondary education, vocational education, and job-training
18  programs such as Job Education Partnership. The chair may be
19  from either the private sector or the public sector.
20         (b)  All members shall have an interest in
21  school-to-work transition and, insofar as is practicable,
22  shall:
23         1.  Have skills in foundation work or other fundraising
24  activities, financial consulting, or investment banking or
25  other related experience; or
26         2.  Have experience in policymaking or senior
27  management level positions or have distinguished themselves in
28  the fields of education, business, or industry.
29         (c)  The chair and all board members shall be appointed
30  by the Commissioner of Education.
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    Florida Senate - 2000                                  SB 1058
    6-853-00                                            See HB 321
  1         1.  The chair shall be appointed for a term of 2 years
  2  and may be reappointed.  However, no chair may serve more than
  3  6 consecutive years.
  4         2.  Board members shall serve for 3-year terms or
  5  until resignation or removal for cause, except that members
  6  appointed to serve initial terms shall be appointed for
  7  staggered terms of 1, 2, and 3 years, respectively.
  8         (d)  In the event of a vacancy on the board caused by
  9  an occurrence other than the expiration of a term, a new
10  member shall be appointed.
11         (e)  Each member is accountable to the Commissioner of
12  Education for the proper performance of the duties of office.
13  The commissioner may remove any member from office for
14  malfeasance, misfeasance, neglect of duty, incompetence, or
15  permanent inability to perform official duties or for pleading
16  nolo contendere to, or being found guilty of, a crime.
17         (7)(8)  ORGANIZATION, POWERS, AND DUTIES.--Within the
18  limits prescribed in this section or by rule of the
19  department:
20         (a)  Upon appointment, the board shall meet and
21  organize. Thereafter, the board shall hold such meetings as
22  are necessary to implement the provisions of this section and
23  shall conduct its business in accordance with rules
24  promulgated by the department.
25         (b)  The board may solicit and receive bequests, gifts,
26  grants, donations, goods, and services.  When gifts are
27  restricted as to purpose, they may be used only for the
28  purpose or purposes stated by the donor.
29         (c)  The board may enter into contracts with the
30  Federal Government, state or local agencies, private entities,
31  or individuals to carry out the purposes of this section.
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    Florida Senate - 2000                                  SB 1058
    6-853-00                                            See HB 321
  1         (d)  The board may identify, initiate, and fund Jobs
  2  for Florida's Graduates programs to carry out the purposes of
  3  this section.
  4         (e)  The board may make gifts or grants:
  5         1.  To the state, or any political subdivision thereof,
  6  or any public agency of state or local government.
  7         2.  To a corporation, trust, association, or foundation
  8  organized and operated exclusively for charitable,
  9  educational, or scientific purposes.
10         3.  To the department for purposes of program
11  recognition and marketing, public relations and education,
12  professional development, and technical assistance and
13  workshops for grant applicants and recipients and the business
14  community.
15         (f)  The board may advertise and solicit applications
16  for funding and shall evaluate applications and program
17  proposals submitted thereto.
18         (g)  The board shall monitor, review, and annually
19  evaluate funded programs to determine whether funding should
20  be continued, terminated, reduced, or increased.
21         (h)  The board shall establish an operating account for
22  the deposit of funds to be used in carrying out the purposes
23  of this section.
24         (i)  The board shall operate the Jobs for Florida's
25  Graduates Program in such a way, and shall recommend to the
26  Department of Education the adoption of such rules as may be
27  necessary, to ensure that the following outcome goals are met:
28         1.  In year 1:
29         a.  The statewide graduation rates, or GED test
30  completion rates, of participants in the Jobs for Florida's
31  Graduates Program shall be at least 82 percent by March 31 of
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    Florida Senate - 2000                                  SB 1058
    6-853-00                                            See HB 321
  1  the year following the end of the academic year in which the
  2  participants' respective high school classes graduated.
  3         b.  By March 31 of the year following the end of the
  4  academic year in which the participants' respective high
  5  school classes graduated, 70 to 75 percent of participants in
  6  the Jobs for Florida's Graduates Program shall be employed a
  7  minimum of 40 hours per week in the civilian sector or the
  8  military or enrolled in postsecondary training education, or
  9  any combination of these that together are equivalent to 40
10  hours per week.
11         c.  By March 31 of the year following the end of the
12  academic year in which the participants' respective high
13  school classes graduated, the average wage of participants in
14  the Jobs for Florida's Graduates Program who are working shall
15  be at or above the national average wage for all participants
16  in programs affiliated with Jobs for America's Graduates, Inc.
17         2.  In year 2:
18         a.  The statewide graduation rates, or GED test
19  completion rates, of participants in the Jobs for Florida's
20  Graduates Program shall be at least 85 percent by March 31 of
21  the year following the end of the academic year in which the
22  participants' respective high school classes graduated.
23         b.  By March 31 of the year following the end of the
24  academic year in which the participants' respective high
25  school classes graduated, 75 to 78 percent of participants in
26  the Jobs for Florida's Graduates Program shall be employed a
27  minimum of 40 hours per week in the civilian sector or the
28  military or enrolled in postsecondary training education, or
29  any combination of these that together are equivalent to 40
30  hours per week.
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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
    Florida Senate - 2000                                  SB 1058
    6-853-00                                            See HB 321
  1         c.  By March 31 of the year following the end of the
  2  academic year in which the participants' respective high
  3  school classes graduated, the average wage of participants in
  4  the Jobs for Florida's Graduates Program who are working shall
  5  be at or above the national average wage for all participants
  6  in programs affiliated with Jobs for America's Graduates, Inc.
  7         3.  In years 3 through 5:
  8         a.  The statewide graduation rates, or GED test
  9  completion rates, of participants in the Jobs for Florida's
10  Graduates Program shall be at least 90 percent by March 31 of
11  the year following the end of the academic year in which the
12  participants' respective high school classes graduated.
13         b.  By March 31 of the year following the end of the
14  academic year in which the participants' respective high
15  school classes graduated, 80 percent of participants in the
16  Jobs for Florida's Graduates Program shall be employed a
17  minimum of 40 hours per week in the civilian sector or the
18  military or enrolled in postsecondary training education, or
19  any combination of these that together are equivalent to 40
20  hours per week.
21         c.  By March 31 of the year following the end of the
22  academic year in which the participants' respective high
23  school classes graduated, the average wage of participants in
24  the Jobs for Florida's Graduates Program who are working shall
25  be at or above the national average wage for all participants
26  in programs affiliated with Jobs for America's Graduates, Inc.
27         (i)(j)  The board may take such additional actions,
28  including independently organizing and conducting hiring
29  practices, as are deemed necessary and appropriate to
30  administer the provisions of this section.  To the maximum
31  extent possible, the board shall hire Jobs for Florida's
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    Florida Senate - 2000                                  SB 1058
    6-853-00                                            See HB 321
  1  Graduates Program staff who operate in selected schools to
  2  fill necessary staff positions and shall provide for salary,
  3  benefits, discipline, evaluation, or discharge according to a
  4  contractual agreement. These positions shall not be state
  5  employee positions.
  6         (9)  DISTRIBUTION OF EARNINGS ON ENDOWMENT FUND
  7  PRINCIPAL.--The board shall use the moneys in the operating
  8  account, by whatever means, to provide for:
  9         (a)  Planning, research, and policy development for
10  issues related to school-to-work transition and publications
11  and dissemination of such information as may serve the
12  objectives of this section.
13         (b)  Promotion of initiatives for school-to-work
14  transition.
15         (c)  Funding of programs which engage in, contract for,
16  foster, finance, or aid in job training and counseling for
17  school-to-work transition research, education, or
18  demonstration, or other related activities.
19         (d)  Funding of programs which engage in, contract for,
20  foster, finance, or aid in activities designed to advance
21  better public understanding and appreciation of the
22  school-to-work transition.
23         (10)  STARTUP FUNDING.--Notwithstanding any provision
24  of this section to the contrary, in order to provide for first
25  year startup funds, 50 percent of the money allocated during
26  the 12-month period beginning July 1, 1998, shall not be
27  available for investment by the State Board of Administration,
28  but shall be transmitted quarterly to the foundation board and
29  shall be available to the foundation for the purposes set
30  forth in this section.
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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
    Florida Senate - 2000                                  SB 1058
    6-853-00                                            See HB 321
  1         (8)(11)  ACCREDITATION.--During the initial 5-year
  2  period, The board shall request and contract with the national
  3  accreditation process of Jobs for America's Graduates, Inc.,
  4  to ensure the viability and efficacy of the individual
  5  school-based Jobs for Florida's Graduates programs in the
  6  state.
  7         (9)(12)  ANNUAL AUDIT.--The board shall cause an annual
  8  audit of the foundation's financial accounts to be conducted
  9  by an independent certified public accountant in accordance
10  with rules adopted by the department.  The annual audit report
11  shall be submitted to the Auditor General and the department
12  for review.  The Auditor General and the department may
13  require and receive from the foundation, or from its
14  independent auditor, any relevant detail or supplemental data.
15         (10)(13)  ASSESSMENT OF PROGRAM RESULTS.--The success
16  of the Jobs for Florida's Graduates Program shall be assessed
17  as follows:
18         (a)  No later than November 1 of each year of the Jobs
19  for Florida's Graduates Program, Jobs for America's Graduates,
20  Inc., shall conduct and deliver to the Office of Program
21  Policy Analysis and Government Accountability a full review
22  and report of the program's activities.  The Office of Program
23  Policy Analysis and Government Accountability shall audit and
24  review the report and deliver the report, along with its
25  analysis and any recommendations for expansion, curtailment,
26  modification, or continuation, to the board not later than
27  December 31 of the same year.
28         (b)  Beginning in the first year of the Jobs for
29  Florida's Graduates Program, the Division of Economic and
30  Demographic Research of the Joint Legislative Management
31  Committee shall undertake, during the initial phase, an
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    Florida Senate - 2000                                  SB 1058
    6-853-00                                            See HB 321
  1  ongoing longitudinal study of participants to determine the
  2  overall efficacy of the program.  The division shall transmit
  3  its findings each year to the Office of Program Policy
  4  Analysis and Government Accountability for inclusion in the
  5  report provided for in paragraph (a).
  6         (11)(14)  ANNUAL REPORT.--The board shall issue a
  7  report to the Governor, the President of the Senate, the
  8  Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the Commissioner
  9  of Education by March 1, 2000, and each year thereafter,
10  summarizing the performance of the endowment fund for the
11  previous fiscal year and the foundation's fundraising
12  activities and performance and detailing those activities and
13  programs supported by the earnings on the endowment principal
14  or by bequests, gifts, grants, donations, and other valued
15  goods and services received.
16         (12)(15)  RULES.--The department shall adopt promulgate
17  rules to implement for the implementation of this section.
18         Section 2.  Sections 2 and 3 of chapter 98-218, Laws of
19  Florida, are repealed.
20         Section 3.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2000.
21
22            *****************************************
23                       LEGISLATIVE SUMMARY
24
      Revises the "Jobs for Florida's Graduates Act" to remove
25    provisions relating to a 5-year initial time period
      limitation and outcome goals specific to the 5-year
26    limitation period, an endowment fund and distributions of
      earnings from the fund, and startup funding. Repeals a
27    future legislative review provision and a temporary pilot
      apprenticeship program. (See bill for details.)
28
29
30
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