HB 835

1
A bill to be entitled
2An act relating to gifted and academically talented
3student education; creating s. 1003.572, F.S.; requiring
4district school boards to provide parental notice of
5requirements and procedures for requesting evaluations for
6gifted student classification; requiring district school
7board reporting of gifted student classification,
8services, and performance data; requiring the Department
9of Education to develop data elements for district
10reporting; requiring rulemaking; creating s. 1003.573,
11F.S.; requiring the department to develop procedures and
12eligibility criteria for whole-grade and subject matter
13acceleration; requiring district school boards to
14implement procedures and eligibility criteria; requiring
15district school board reporting of student acceleration
16data; requiring the department to develop data elements
17for district reporting; requiring rulemaking; amending s.
181004.04, F.S.; requiring state-approved teacher
19preparation programs to incorporate specified gifted
20student instruction; amending s. 1011.62, F.S.; requiring
21certain school district guaranteed allocation expenditures
22to be reported separately; creating the Gifted and
23Academically Talented Student Task Force within the
24department; designating members; providing for per diem
25and travel expenses; requiring the task force to submit a
26report to the Governor and Legislature; providing report
27requirements; providing for the future abolishment of the
28task force; providing effective dates.
29
30Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
31
32     Section 1.  Section 1003.572, Florida Statutes, is created
33to read:
34     1003.572  Gifted student education.--
35     (1)  For students in grades K through 12, each district
36school board shall annually:
37     (a)  Provide written notice to each student's parent of the
38eligibility criteria for gifted student classification and the
39procedures for requesting an evaluation of a student to
40determine his or her eligibility for such classification.
41     (b)  Report to the department by school and grade level:
42     1.  The number of students classified as gifted. Such
43reporting shall separately identify the number of students
44classified as gifted under generally applicable criteria set
45forth in State Board of Education rule and under a department-
46approved school district plan for increasing the participation
47of underrepresented groups.
48     2.  The types of gifted student education services that it
49provides and the number of students receiving each service. Such
50reporting shall:
51     a.  Separately identify gifted student education services
52that provide: direct instruction to a class consisting only of
53gifted students; differentiated instruction for gifted students
54within a class that also includes students who are not gifted;
55and noninstructional consultation services.
56     b.  Indicate the number of hours per week that each service
57identified under sub-subparagraph a. is provided to each gifted
58student and whether the service is provided by a teacher who has
59received the gifted endorsement under State Board of Education
60rule.
61     3.  Performance data for students receiving gifted student
62education services.
63
64When reporting the number of students under this paragraph,
65district school boards shall classify students according to
66race, ethnicity, limited English proficient status, and free or
67reduced-price lunch eligibility status under the National School
68Lunch Act.
69     (2)  The department shall develop data elements to
70facilitate district school board reporting under paragraph
71(1)(b).
72     (3)  The State Board of Education shall adopt rules
73pursuant to ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54 to implement this section.
74     Section 2.  Section 1003.573, Florida Statutes, is created
75to read:
76     1003.573  Whole-grade and subject matter acceleration.--
77     (1)  For students in grades K through 12, the department
78shall develop, and district school boards shall implement,
79statewide policies that set forth procedures and eligibility
80criteria for whole-grade and subject matter acceleration.
81     (2)  Each district school board shall report annually to
82the department by school and grade level: the number of, and
83performance data for, students who were accelerated one or more
84whole grades; the types of subject matter acceleration programs
85offered; and the number of, and performance data for, students
86who participated in subject matter acceleration programs. When
87reporting the number of students, district school boards shall
88classify students according to race, ethnicity, limited English
89proficient status, and free or reduced-price lunch eligibility
90status under the National School Lunch Act.
91     (3)  The department shall develop data elements to
92facilitate district school board reporting under subsection (2).
93     (4)  The State Board of Education shall adopt rules
94pursuant to ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54 to implement this section.
95     Section 3.  Paragraph (c) of subsection (3) of section
961004.04, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
97     1004.04  Public accountability and state approval for
98teacher preparation programs.--
99     (3)  DEVELOPMENT OF TEACHER PREPARATION PROGRAMS.--A system
100developed by the Department of Education in collaboration with
101postsecondary educational institutions shall assist departments
102and colleges of education in the restructuring of their programs
103in accordance with this section to meet the need for producing
104quality teachers now and in the future.
105     (c)  State-approved teacher preparation programs must
106incorporate:
107     1.  Appropriate English for Speakers of Other Languages
108instruction so that program graduates will have completed the
109requirements for teaching limited English proficient students in
110Florida public schools.
111     2.  Scientifically researched, knowledge-based reading
112literacy and computational skills instruction so that program
113graduates will be able to provide the necessary academic
114foundations for their students at whatever grade levels they
115choose to teach.
116     3.  Gifted student instruction so that program graduates
117will:
118     a.  Be able to recognize the characteristics of gifted
119students.
120     b.  Have knowledge of the eligibility criteria for gifted
121student classification and the procedures for referring a
122student for an evaluation to determine his or her eligibility
123for such classification.
124     c.  Have knowledge of how to differentiate the general
125education curriculum for gifted students.
126     Section 4.  Paragraph (e) of subsection (1) of section
1271011.62, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
128     1011.62  Funds for operation of schools.--If the annual
129allocation from the Florida Education Finance Program to each
130district for operation of schools is not determined in the
131annual appropriations act or the substantive bill implementing
132the annual appropriations act, it shall be determined as
133follows:
134     (1)  COMPUTATION OF THE BASIC AMOUNT TO BE INCLUDED FOR
135OPERATION.--The following procedure shall be followed in
136determining the annual allocation to each district for
137operation:
138     (e)  Funding model for exceptional student education
139programs.--
140     1.a.  The funding model uses basic, at-risk, support levels
141IV and V for exceptional students and career Florida Education
142Finance Program cost factors, and a guaranteed allocation for
143exceptional student education programs. Exceptional education
144cost factors are determined by using a matrix of services to
145document the services that each exceptional student will
146receive. The nature and intensity of the services indicated on
147the matrix shall be consistent with the services described in
148each exceptional student's individual educational plan.
149     b.  In order to generate funds using one of the two
150weighted cost factors, a matrix of services must be completed at
151the time of the student's initial placement into an exceptional
152student education program and at least once every 3 years by
153personnel who have received approved training. Nothing listed in
154the matrix shall be construed as limiting the services a school
155district must provide in order to ensure that exceptional
156students are provided a free, appropriate public education.
157     c.  Students identified as exceptional, in accordance with
158chapter 6A-6, Florida Administrative Code, who do not have a
159matrix of services as specified in sub-subparagraph b. shall
160generate funds on the basis of full-time-equivalent student
161membership in the Florida Education Finance Program at the same
162funding level per student as provided for basic students.
163Additional funds for these exceptional students will be provided
164through the guaranteed allocation designated in subparagraph 2.
165     2.  For students identified as exceptional who do not have
166a matrix of services and students who are gifted in grades K
167through 8, there is created a guaranteed allocation to provide
168these students with a free appropriate public education, in
169accordance with s. 1001.42(4)(l)(m) and rules of the State Board
170of Education, which shall be allocated annually to each school
171district in the amount provided in the General Appropriations
172Act. These funds shall be in addition to the funds appropriated
173on the basis of FTE student membership in the Florida Education
174Finance Program, and the amount allocated for each school
175district shall not be recalculated during the year. These funds
176shall be used to provide special education and related services
177for exceptional students and students who are gifted in grades K
178through 8. Beginning with the 2007-2008 fiscal year, a
179district's expenditure of funds from the guaranteed allocation
180for students in grades 9 through 12 who are gifted may not be
181greater than the amount expended during the 2006-2007 fiscal
182year for gifted students in grades 9 through 12. Each district
183school board in its annual financial report to the department
184shall separately identify the following amounts expended from
185the guaranteed allocation:
186     a.  The amount expended for students identified as
187exceptional who do not have a matrix of services.
188     b.  The amount expended for gifted students in grades K
189through 12 according to grade level.
190     Section 5.  Gifted and Academically Talented Student Task
191Force.--
192     (1)  There is created the Gifted and Academically Talented
193Student Task Force. The task force is composed of the following
194seven members:
195     (a)  The chair of the State Board of Education or his or
196her designee, who shall serve as chair.
197     (b)  The Commissioner of Education or his or her designee,
198who shall serve as vice chair.
199     (c)  Four members who collectively have experience in
200gifted and academically talented student screening,
201identification, and education, one of whom shall be appointed by
202the Governor, one of whom shall be appointed by the President of
203the Senate, one of whom shall be appointed by the Speaker of the
204House of Representatives, and one of whom shall be appointed by
205the chair of the State Board of Education.
206     (d)  One member who represents an advocacy group for
207parents of gifted children who shall be appointed by the
208Governor.
209     (2)  The members of the task force shall be appointed by
210October 1, 2009, and shall convene the initial meeting of the
211task force by November 1, 2009.
212     (3)  The task force is assigned to the Department of
213Education for administrative purposes. Members of the task force
214are not entitled to compensation but are entitled to per diem
215and travel expenses under s. 112.061, Florida Statutes. Members
216of the task force are subject to the Code of Ethics for Public
217Officers and Employees under part III of chapter 112, Florida
218Statutes.
219     (4)  By February 1, 2010, the task force shall submit a
220report to the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the
221Speaker of the House of Representatives that includes, but is
222not limited to, recommendations, based upon peer-reviewed
223research and the members' collective expertise, for the
224following:
225     (a)  Revisions to statute and rule governing eligibility
226criteria for gifted student classification generally and in
227underrepresented groups.
228     (b)  Eligibility criteria for academically talented student
229classification. Such criteria shall identify students who are
230not classified as gifted but who possess high achievement
231capability in one or more academic subject areas and who would
232benefit from participation in accelerated or differentiated
233curricula learning opportunities.
234     (c)  Annual screening procedures for the determination of
235students who should be further evaluated for identification as
236gifted or academically talented students. These procedures, at a
237minimum, shall identify:
238     1.  The most appropriate grade or grades within each of the
239elementary, middle, and high school levels to administer such
240screenings for all students.
241     2.  One or more recommended screening instruments.
242     (d)  Model gifted and academically talented student
243education programs. The programs must include, but are not
244limited to:
245     1.  Classroom-based, school-based, and district-based
246implementation options.
247     2.  Subject matter acceleration opportunities,
248differentiated curricula that address the exceptional learning
249needs of gifted and academically talented students, and
250enrichment activities that extend learning opportunities
251available in the classroom.
252     (e)  Procedures for annually evaluating the effectiveness
253of model gifted and academically talented student education
254programs.
255     (f)  Procedures for evaluating students participating in
256gifted or academically talented student education programs to
257determine student performance and whether the students are
258benefiting from, and continue to be eligible to participate in,
259the programs.
260     (5)  Upon delivery of its final report and recommendations,
261the task force is abolished.
262     (6)  This section shall take effect upon this act becoming
263a law.
264     Section 6.  Except as otherwise expressly provided in this
265act, this act shall take effect July 1, 2010.


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