Senate Bill sb2374
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Florida Senate - 2002 SB 2374
By Senator Sullivan
22-1416A-02
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to education; creating s.
3 231.6015, F.S.; authorizing a mathematics and
4 science teacher-education program; requiring
5 demonstration of certain uses of funds;
6 providing a program purpose, required
7 components, and resource allocation; requiring
8 collaborative planning and implementation;
9 authorizing incentives and certification;
10 creating s. 240.149, F.S.; creating a
11 nongovernmental organization to plan and
12 implement a program for mathematics and science
13 teacher education; requiring a board of
14 directors, a chief executive officer, other
15 staff, and an advisory council; providing for
16 membership, terms of office, and an
17 appointments process; providing responsibility
18 and authority to conduct certain activities;
19 requiring a budget request; amending s.
20 229.592, F.S.; requiring a report; amending s.
21 231.600, F.S.; requiring certain additions to
22 professional development programs; amending s.
23 236.08106, F.S.; authorizing a salary bonus for
24 teachers who complete certain training
25 programs; amending s. 236.685, F.S.; requiring
26 a report to include certain information;
27 providing an effective date.
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29 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
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Florida Senate - 2002 SB 2374
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1 Section 1. Section 231.6015, Florida Statutes, is
2 created to read:
3 231.6015 Mathematics and science teacher-education
4 program.--
5 (1) The Legislature intends to establish an inservice
6 professional development program to improve the teaching of
7 mathematics and science in the public schools of this state,
8 with an initial emphasis on students in kindergarten through
9 grade 8. The program may be conducted separately or in
10 conjunction with other inservice professional development
11 programs provided by a school district. The funds are to be
12 used to supplement but not to supplant current professional
13 development in mathematics and science education.
14 (2) As used in this section, the term "teacher" has
15 the meaning ascribed to "instructional personnel" in s.
16 236.685.
17 (3) The purpose of the program is to improve the
18 ability of teachers to deliver instruction that:
19 (a) Concentrates learning on the Sunshine State
20 Standards and the Subject Matter Content Standards for
21 teachers adopted by the Education Standards Commission;
22 (b) Includes content in sequences designed to prepare
23 students for the state assessments of progress;
24 (c) Demonstrates its quality by improvement in
25 students' classroom achievement; and
26 (d) Identifies and challenges students who excel in
27 science and mathematics as well as those whose aptitude is
28 average or below average.
29 (4) The program must be designed to improve a
30 teacher's command of content knowledge and teaching skills. If
31 resources are insufficient to provide adequate instruction for
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1 all teachers, the program design should allocate those
2 resources to produce a measurable, systemic change in student
3 learning, rather than only to reach as many teachers as
4 possible.
5 (5) The program must:
6 (a) Employ strategies that have proved effective;
7 (b) Exploit current knowledge and research on
8 professional staff development and standards;
9 (c) Include components for school board members and
10 administrators at the school level, school district
11 administration level, and state level;
12 (d) Involve the expertise of public and independent
13 universities, colleges, and community colleges in planning and
14 implementation;
15 (e) Provide for an incentive plan as authorized in s.
16 236.08106; and
17 (f) Include an evaluation of effectiveness as
18 determined by the Florida Alliance for Improving Mathematics
19 and Science in Education Programs. The evaluation component of
20 the program must provide data capable of allowing an analysis
21 of the achievement of students before and after the program is
22 implemented and for an analysis of students whose teachers
23 participate in the program compared to a cohort of students
24 whose teachers do not. As much as possible, the cohort must
25 consist of students having similar demographic characteristics
26 and selected measures of academic achievement.
27 (6) The Legislature shall determine annually in the
28 General Appropriations Act the funds to be available for this
29 program. Under s. 240.149, the Florida Alliance for Improving
30 Mathematics and Science in Education Programs may operate the
31 delivery mechanisms for the program or may delegate that
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1 responsibility to a school district, a consortium of school
2 districts, an academy, an area center for educational
3 enhancement, or a group operating under a charter arranged by
4 a district or consortium. The delivery mechanisms may involve
5 the expertise of science centers, and the Florida Alliance for
6 Improving Mathematics and Science and school boards may
7 arrange participation by science centers in the planning and
8 delivery of the program, including participation in charter
9 agreements, where appropriate. As used in this subsection, a
10 science center means a nonprofit organization, recognized
11 under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, which is
12 a full member of the Association of Science and Technology
13 Centers, is accredited by the American Association of Museums,
14 and has had at least 5 years experience providing professional
15 development and support services to teachers throughout the
16 state. The administrators of each component of the program
17 shall work collaboratively with the Florida Alliance for
18 Improving Mathematics and Science in Education Programs to
19 plan programs and activities provided by the professional
20 development program, including follow-up support for the
21 teachers.
22 (7) Teachers participating in the program may receive
23 compensation from the school district for their participation
24 and may use successful participation in the program for
25 extension of a certificate, for adding a new certification
26 area if the district has an approved add-on certification
27 program as provided by the State Board of Education, or for
28 college credit for portions of the program which are taught by
29 full-time faculty members of postsecondary institutions. In
30 addition to a stipend for the workdays allocated to the
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1 training, a teacher may be eligible for a salary bonus upon
2 successful completion of the program, under s. 236.08106.
3 (8) Delivery sites used in the program should be
4 joint-use facilities and may be on property belonging to a
5 school district; a public or independent university, college,
6 or community college; or any other group under a contract
7 approved by the alliance.
8 (9) A community college or university may report
9 full-time-equivalent students as a result of providing
10 instruction for the program if the instruction is provided
11 in-load by its own staff paid by its own resources.
12 (10) This section shall be implemented only to the
13 extent funded by the General Appropriations Act.
14 Section 2. Section 240.149, Florida Statutes, is
15 created to read:
16 240.149 Mathematics and science teacher-education
17 organization; responsibility for program planning and
18 implementation.--
19 (1) An organization is established to plan and
20 implement the mathematics and science teacher education
21 program created in s. 231.6015. The organization is to be
22 named the Florida Alliance for Improving Mathematics and
23 Science Teaching in Education Programs; must be recognized
24 under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and
25 registered, incorporated, organized, and operated in
26 compliance with chapter 617; and is not to be considered to be
27 a unit or entity of state government.
28 (a) The organization shall execute its
29 responsibilities independently but is assigned to the Office
30 of the Commissioner of Education for administrative purposes.
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1 (b) In the interest of sound public policy, the
2 Legislature determines that the organization is subject to the
3 provisions of chapter 119 which relate to public records, and
4 to the provisions of chapter 286 which relate to public
5 meetings and records.
6 (2) A board of directors shall govern the
7 organization. The members of the board shall be appointed by
8 the Commissioner of Education from recommendations provided by
9 the Postsecondary Education Planning Commission, the Education
10 Standards Commission, the Workforce Development Board of
11 Enterprise Florida, or other public or private organizations
12 with expertise in education or technology upon invitation of
13 the commissioner.
14 (a) Four members must be employees of postsecondary
15 education institutions and must have expertise in science and
16 science education, mathematics and mathematics education, or a
17 related technical field.
18 (b) Four members must be employees of Florida district
19 school boards; at least two of these members must be teachers.
20 (c) Four members must be from the private sector.
21 (d) One member shall serve ex officio as a
22 representative of the Department of Education. An ex officio
23 member may participate in all deliberations of the alliance
24 but may not vote.
25 (e) Members shall serve 4-year staggered terms, with
26 four of the members having initial terms of 2 years, 3 years,
27 and 4 years, respectively. The commissioner shall appoint a
28 new member to fill the remainder of a vacant, unexpired term
29 and may reappoint a member.
30 (f) Members are entitled to reimbursement for travel
31 and per diem expenses, as provided in s. 112.061.
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1 (3) The board of directors shall employ a chief
2 executive officer, who shall direct and supervise the
3 administrative affairs of the board of directors. The board of
4 directors may delegate to the chief executive officer any
5 powers and duties it finds appropriate. The chief executive
6 officer may contract with or employ legal and technical
7 experts and other employees as authorized by the board of
8 directors. The chief executive officer shall administer the
9 professional development grant program assigned to the
10 organization and other finances of the organization to ensure
11 appropriate accountability and the prudent use of public and
12 private funds.
13 (4) A council is created to assist the organization
14 and to apprise decisionmakers of its activities.
15 (a) The council shall be composed of six members who
16 represent the following governmental branches or sectors: one
17 member of the Florida Senate appointed by the President of the
18 Senate; one member of the Florida House of Representatives
19 appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives; a
20 representative of the Executive Office of the Governor
21 appointed by the Governor; a representative of the Department
22 of Education appointed by the Commissioner of Education; a
23 representative of the Florida Community College System
24 appointed by the executive director of the system; and a
25 representative of the State University System appointed by the
26 chancellor.
27 (b) The council shall meet at least 2 times a year,
28 with one meeting conducted jointly with the board of
29 directors.
30 (5) The Florida Alliance for Improving Mathematics and
31 Science Teaching in Education Programs shall plan and oversee
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1 implementation of the program created by s. 231.6015 and
2 shall:
3 (a) Establish and maintain a system of professional
4 development programs in mathematics and science education, as
5 provided in the General Appropriations Act.
6 (b) Provide for involvement of postsecondary education
7 in planning and implementation.
8 (c) Produce specialized professional development
9 program guidelines. These guidelines may include curricula and
10 instructional methods and must assure that the programs focus
11 on content learning, employ tested strategies, reflect the
12 nature of science and mathematics, and base their design on
13 current knowledge and research concerning professional
14 development.
15 (d) Provide for the selection and preparation of staff
16 to implement professional development in mathematics and
17 science.
18 (e) Establish priorities that school districts and
19 centers for educational enhancement must use in selecting the
20 teachers to participate in the program. If the plan does not
21 provide for participation by all teachers of kindergarten
22 through grade 8 within a 4-year cycle, the selection
23 priorities must implement a rationale for disseminating the
24 program's benefits.
25 (f) Design strategies for providing follow-up support
26 for each participating teacher. The follow-up strategies must
27 provide for integration of the principles learned in the
28 program into the teacher's workday for at least 1 year, with
29 continuing followup for 2 additional years or more, as
30 provided in the General Appropriations Act.
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1 (g) Design and oversee an incentive plan that will
2 encourage the participation of public school teachers and
3 administrators in the professional development program. The
4 incentive plan must provide for access to any merit-pay plans
5 developed by school districts and may provide for a stipend
6 and a salary bonus for participating teachers, under s.
7 236.08106. Such bonus must be in addition to the teacher's
8 regular earnings from a school district and may not be awarded
9 until a teacher has successfully completed the program and
10 demonstrated, through prescribed follow-up activities in the
11 classroom, an improvement in student achievement in
12 mathematics or science.
13 (h) Measure the effectiveness of the professional
14 development program on learning and teaching in mathematics
15 and science. This impact assessment must assure state and
16 local quality control of the improvement of mathematics and
17 science teaching.
18 (6) By December 1, 2002, the board must submit to the
19 office of the Commissioner of Education a proposed budget for
20 implementing the program in 2003-2006. The budget must contain
21 alternative plans for the participation of 50 percent, 33
22 percent, and 25 percent of the state's teachers at the
23 elementary and middle-school levels by 2006.
24 Section 3. Subsection (8) of section 229.592, Florida
25 Statutes, is amended to read:
26 229.592 Implementation of state system of school
27 improvement and education accountability.--
28 (8) STATE BOARD.--The State Board of Education shall
29 adopt rules pursuant to ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54 to implement
30 a state system of school improvement and education
31 accountability and shall specify required annual reports by
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1 schools and school districts. The rules must also require each
2 school to report the number and percentage of teachers who
3 have achieved certification by the National Board of
4 Professional Teaching Standards and, for schools that contain
5 a kindergarten or grade 1 through grade 8, the number and
6 proportion of teachers who have successfully completed the
7 program to improve mathematics and science teaching under s.
8 236.08106.
9 Section 4. Subsection (3) of section 231.600, Florida
10 Statutes, is amended to read:
11 231.600 School Community Professional Development
12 Act.--
13 (3) The activities designed to implement this section
14 must:
15 (a) Increase the success of educators in guiding
16 student learning and development so as to implement state and
17 local educational standards, goals, and initiatives;
18 (b) Assist the school community in providing
19 stimulating educational activities that encourage and motivate
20 students to achieve at the highest levels and to become active
21 learners; and
22 (c) Provide continuous support for all education
23 professionals as well as temporary intervention for education
24 professionals who need improvement in knowledge, skills, and
25 performance; and.
26 (d) Assure that teacher education programs in science,
27 mathematics, and technology education will be fully aligned
28 with the content of science tasks included in statewide
29 testing scheduled for 2005. These education programs must
30 assure that all teachers, especially teachers of kindergarten
31 through grade 8, know and understand the science and
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1 mathematics standards included in the Sunshine State Standards
2 and the Subject Matter Content Standards for teachers adopted
3 by the Education Standards Commission.
4 Section 5. Subsection (2) of section 236.08106,
5 Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
6 236.08106 Excellent Teaching Program.--
7 (2) The Excellent Teaching Program is created to
8 provide categorical funding for monetary incentives and
9 bonuses for teaching excellence. The Department of Education
10 shall distribute to each school district or to the NBPTS an
11 amount as prescribed annually by the Legislature for the
12 Excellent Teaching Program. For purposes of this section, the
13 Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind shall be considered
14 a school district. Unless otherwise provided in the General
15 Appropriations Act, each distribution shall be the sum of the
16 amounts earned for the following incentives and bonuses:
17 (a) A salary bonus or increased stipend for teachers
18 who successfully complete the program to improve the teaching
19 of mathematics and science in Florida under s. 231.6015. The
20 criteria for successful completion of the program must be
21 established by the Florida Alliance for Improving Mathematics
22 and Science Teaching in Education Programs and must include a
23 demonstration through prescribed followup activities in the
24 classroom of an improvement in student achievement in
25 mathematics or science.
26 (b)(a) A fee subsidy to be paid by the Department of
27 Education to the NBPTS on behalf of each individual who is an
28 employee of a district school board or a public school within
29 the school district, who is certified by the district to have
30 demonstrated satisfactory teaching performance pursuant to s.
31 231.29 and who satisfies the prerequisites for participating
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1 in the NBPTS certification program, and who agrees, in
2 writing, to pay 10 percent of the NBPTS participation fee and
3 to participate in the NBPTS certification program during the
4 school year for which the fee subsidy is provided. The fee
5 subsidy for each eligible participant shall be an amount equal
6 to 90 percent of the fee charged for participating in the
7 NBPTS certification program. The fee subsidy is a one-time
8 award and may not be duplicated for any individual.
9 (c)(b) A portfolio-preparation incentive of $150 paid
10 by the Department of Education to each teacher employed by a
11 district school board or a public school within a school
12 district who is participating in the NBPTS certification
13 program. The portfolio-preparation incentive is a one-time
14 award paid during the school year for which the NBPTS fee
15 subsidy is provided.
16 (d)(c) An annual bonus equal to 10 percent of the
17 prior fiscal year's statewide average salary for classroom
18 teachers to be distributed to the school district to be paid
19 to each individual who holds NBPTS certification and is
20 employed by the district school board or by a public school
21 within the school district. The district school board shall
22 distribute the annual bonus to each individual who meets the
23 requirements of this paragraph and who is certified annually
24 by the district to have demonstrated satisfactory teaching
25 performance pursuant to s. 231.29. The annual bonus may be
26 paid as a single payment or divided into not more than three
27 payments.
28 (e)(d) An annual bonus equal to 10 percent of the
29 prior fiscal year's statewide average salary for classroom
30 teachers to be distributed to the school district to be paid
31 to each individual who meets the requirements of paragraph (d)
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1 (c) and agrees, in writing, to provide the equivalent of 12
2 workdays of mentoring and related services to public school
3 teachers within the state who do not hold NBPTS certification.
4 The district school board shall distribute the annual bonus in
5 a single payment following the completion of all required
6 mentoring and related services for the year. It is not the
7 intent of the Legislature to remove excellent teachers from
8 their assigned classrooms; therefore, credit may not be
9 granted by a school district or public school for mentoring or
10 related services provided during the regular school day or
11 during the 196 days of required service for the school year.
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13 A teacher for whom the state pays the certification fee and
14 who does not complete the certification program or does not
15 teach in a public school of this state for at least 1 year
16 after completing the certification program must repay the
17 amount of the certification fee to the state. However, a
18 teacher who completes the certification program but fails to
19 be awarded NBPTS certification is not required to repay the
20 amount of the certification fee if the teacher meets the
21 1-year teaching requirement. Repayment is not required of a
22 teacher who does not complete the certification program or
23 fails to fulfill the teaching requirement because of the
24 teacher's death or disability or because of other extenuating
25 circumstances as determined by the State Board of Education.
26 Section 6. Paragraph (a) of subsection (4) of section
27 236.685, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
28 236.685 Educational funding accountability.--
29 (4)(a) The school public accountability report to
30 parents must include the number of employees in each of the
31 categories listed in subsection (3), by work location.
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1 However, this does not include the number of temporary
2 substitute employees. The report must also include the number
3 and proportion of instructional personnel in kindergarten
4 through grade 8 who have achieved certification by the
5 National Board of Professional Teaching Standards or have
6 completed the program to improve mathematics and science
7 teaching in Florida under s. 236.08106.
8 Section 7. This act shall take effect July 1, 2002.
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11 SENATE SUMMARY
12 Creates a mathematics and science teacher-education
program and establishes program guidelines and required
13 components. Provides for annual funding and delivery
mechanisms. Provides for compensation to participating
14 teachers. Creates a nongovernmental organization, the
Florida Alliance for Improving Mathematics and Science
15 Teaching in Education Programs, to plan and implement the
program. Provides for composition and staffing of the
16 organization, including the board of directors, and for a
council to assist and advise the board, and places the
17 alliance in the office of the Commissioner of Education
for administrative purposes. Provides powers and duties
18 of the alliance. Requires the board to submit a budget.
Requires a report and provides for the adoption of rules.
19 Requires the implementation of the education programs for
teachers. Authorizes a salary bonus for teachers who
20 complete the programs. Requires a school public
accountability report to include certain information
21 regarding instructional personnel who are certified under
the program.
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