HB 0671 2003
1	A bill to be entitled
2	An act relating to education support for learning in the
3	public schools; creating s. 1006.055, F.S.; establishing
4	the Tutoring Grant Program to provide grants to parents of
5	students who are performing below grade level in reading
6	or mathematics; providing for determination of
7	proficiency; providing for the use of grants; providing
8	for approved tutors; requiring the Department of Education
9	to establish procedures for notification to parents of the
10	availability of grants and procedures for grant
11	application; providing for issuance and validation of
12	certificates authorizing a tutoring grant and
13	reimbursement to the grant recipient; providing for
14	funding of the program through the supplemental academic
15	instruction categorical fund; authorizing the Department
16	of Education to adopt rules; providing an effective date.
17
18	Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
19
20	Section 1. Section 1006.055, Florida Statutes, is created
21	to read:
22	1006.055 Tutoring Grant Program.--
23	(1) There is established the Tutoring Grant Program to
24	provide grants to parents of students in grades 3 through 10 who
25	are performing below grade level in reading or mathematics as
26	determined by the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT).
27	Tutoring grants shall be awarded for the purpose of assisting
28	students in achieving the skills and competencies necessary to
29	perform at or above grade level pursuant to s. 1008.25.
30	(2) Each qualifying student shall be eligible for a
31	reimbursement grant of up to $500 per year to be used for the
32	cost of tutoring in reading or mathematics. Tutoring must be
33	conducted by a Department of Education approved teacher who is
34	certified in Florida. The tutoring may be provided by a teacher
35	directly or through an agency approved by the Department of
36	Education, including a public school, a postsecondary
37	educational institution, a nonprofit organization, or a for-
38	profit organization. Tutoring must be provided to the student at
39	a time other than regularly scheduled school hours.
40	(3) The Department of Education shall establish procedures
41	for notification to parents of the availability of tutoring
42	grants and procedures for application for a tutoring grant.
43	(4) A certificate authorizing a tutoring grant of up to
44	$500 shall be issued by the district school board to the parents
45	of an eligible student for tutoring provided pursuant to
46	subsection (2). The student’s parents shall be responsible for
47	payment to the provider of the costs incurred. Upon completion
48	of the tutoring, the provider must validate the certificate,
49	specifying the cost of instruction provided to the student, and
50	return the certificate to the parents for submission to the
51	district school board for reimbursement. The district school
52	board shall make payment directly to the grant recipient for the
53	amount due. Grant recipients must send outstanding certificates
54	to the district school board for reimbursement no later than 60
55	days after receiving the validated certificate.
56	(5) The Tutoring Grant Program shall be funded through the
57	supplemental academic instruction categorical fund provided in
58	s. 1011.62. Five percent of supplemental academic instruction
59	funds allocated to each school district shall be reserved for
60	providing tutoring grants pursuant to this section.
61	(6) The Department of Education is authorized to adopt
62	rules pursuant to ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54 to implement the
63	provisions of this section.
64	Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2003.