Senate Bill 1122

    Florida Senate - 2000                                  SB 1122

    By Senators Scott, Diaz-Balart, King, Sullivan, Casas,
    Latvala, Campbell and Horne




    31-806-00

  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to education; creating s.

  3         228.507, F.S.; directing the Commissioner of

  4         Education to make recommendations to the

  5         Legislature for funding off-site learning

  6         grants; providing for a review panel; providing

  7         requirements for grant recipients; authorizing

  8         rulemaking; providing an effective date.

  9

10  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

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12         Section 1.  Section 228.507, Florida Statutes, is

13  created to read:

14         228.507  Off-site learning grants.--

15         (1)(a)  The Commissioner of Education shall annually

16  make recommendations to the Legislature for funding off-site

17  learning grants to nonprofit and community-based

18  organizations, including mathematics, science, art, and

19  environmental facilities that provide learning opportunities

20  for public school students in nontraditional settings.

21  Organizations must demonstrate the educational components of

22  their program. Funding from the Public Education Capital

23  Outlay and Debt Service Trust Fund as authorized in s. 235.42,

24  the Florida School Improvement and Academic Achievement Trust

25  Fund as authorized by s. 236.12295, the Classrooms First

26  Program as authorized in s. 235.187, the effort index grants

27  as authorized in s. 235.186, and the Public Education Capital

28  Outlay and Debt Service Trust Fund as authorized in s. 9, Art.

29  XII of the State Constitution may not be used for off-site

30  learning grants.

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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    Florida Senate - 2000                                  SB 1122
    31-806-00




  1         (b)  In making recommendations, the commissioner shall

  2  annually appoint a review panel to assist in the grant-review

  3  process. Review panel members shall be appointed to serve for

  4  1-year terms. The panel shall review grant applications and

  5  make recommendations to the commissioner concerning the

  6  relative merits of the applicants. The department shall by

  7  rule establish criteria for reviewing grant applications to

  8  ensure compliance with applicable federal and state laws

  9  relating to discrimination and conflicts of interest.

10         (c)  The review panel shall provide a forum for public

11  comment before voting on any grant application.

12         (2)  The commissioner shall annually include in the

13  department's legislative budget request a recommendation for

14  funding off-site learning grants. The recommendation must

15  include the panel's ranking of applicants and recommended

16  funding levels for each grant.

17         (3)(a)  Upon appropriation by the Legislature of

18  funding for these grants, the department shall execute a

19  contract with each organization which must contain information

20  relating to the program, the projected operating income and

21  expenses, and other provisions considered necessary by the

22  department for the administration of the program.

23         (b)  Each recipient organization must submit an annual

24  report to the department detailing the expenditure of the

25  funds and is subject to the auditing provisions and rules of

26  the department.

27         (c)  Each organization shall have an annual postaudit

28  or independent attestation of its financial accounts as

29  specified in s. 216.349 conducted by an independent certified

30  public accountant. The annual audit report must be submitted

31  to the department for review. The department may require and

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    Florida Senate - 2000                                  SB 1122
    31-806-00




  1  receive from the recipient institution or from its independent

  2  auditor any detail or supplemental data relating to the

  3  operation of the institution.

  4         (d)  The department shall adopt rules necessary to

  5  administer this section.

  6         Section 2.  This act shall take effect upon becoming a

  7  law.

  8

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10                          SENATE SUMMARY

11    Requires the Commissioner of Education to request funding
      for off-site learning grants. Establishes a review panel
12    to assist in the grant-making process. Provides
      requirements for the nonprofit and community-based
13    organization grant recipients.

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