Florida Senate - 2012 SB 1478
By Senator Montford
6-00757-12 20121478__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to school choice programs; creating s.
3 1008.226, F.S.; providing legislative findings and
4 intent; providing for a student to enter a public
5 school at any time following participation in a school
6 choice program; specifying the programs that
7 constitute school choice programs; requiring that the
8 student take a nationally norm-referenced assessment
9 test for diagnostic purposes and for purposes of
10 placing the student in the appropriate classes or
11 grade; requiring that each school district administer
12 the assessment and report the results of the
13 assessment to the student’s parent and the applicable
14 school choice program or school; requiring that the
15 Department of Education select the assessment and pay
16 for it if requested by a school district; requiring
17 that the department submit an annual report to the
18 Governor and Legislature by a specified date;
19 providing requirements for the report; requiring that
20 the department publish the annual report on its
21 Internet website; requiring that the State Board of
22 Education adopt rules; providing an effective date.
23
24 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
25
26 Section 1. Section 1008.226, Florida Statutes, is created
27 to read:
28 1008.226 Student placement following participation in
29 school choice programs.—
30 (1) The Legislature finds that information regarding the
31 performance of students may be used to assist parents in making
32 informed choices and to improve the quality of school choice
33 programs for parents and students. The Legislature intends for
34 school choice programs to be held accountable to taxpayers
35 through the provision of information to students, parents, other
36 school choice programs, and the public regarding the performance
37 of students who participate in school choice programs.
38 (2)(a) A student may enroll in a public school at any time
39 following participation in a school choice program listed in
40 paragraph (b). After the student enrolls in the public school,
41 he or she shall take a nationally norm-referenced assessment
42 test, selected by the Department of Education, for diagnostic
43 purposes and for purposes of placing the student in the
44 appropriate classes or grade.
45 (b) School choice programs include, but are not limited to:
46 1. The John M. McKay Scholarships for Students with
47 Disabilities Program established in s. 1002.39.
48 2. The Florida Tax Credit Scholarship Program established
49 in s. 1002.395.
50 3. Home education programs established in s. 1002.41.
51 4. Private tutoring programs established in s. 1002.43.
52 (3) Each school district shall administer the nationally
53 norm-referenced assessment for the purposes provided in
54 paragraph (2)(a), and shall report the results of the assessment
55 to the student’s parent or guardian and to the applicable school
56 choice program or school.
57 (4) The Department of Education shall select the nationally
58 norm-referenced assessment and shall pay for the assessment if
59 requested by a school district.
60 (5) By July 1, 2013, and each year thereafter, the
61 Department of Education shall submit an annual report to the
62 Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the
63 House of Representatives which contains the results of the
64 assessment of students who enroll in public school following
65 participation in one or more of the school choice programs
66 listed in subparagraphs (2)(b)1. and 2. The report must
67 summarize the learning gains and educational attainment of those
68 students and, to the extent possible, quantify the learning
69 gains and educational attainment of those students as compared
70 to public school students in similar classes and grades. The
71 annual report may not disaggregate data by disclosing the
72 academic level of individual students. The reporting of student
73 data pursuant to this subsection shall be consistent with the
74 Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, 20 U.S.C. s. 1232g,
75 and is for the sole purpose of creating the annual report. The
76 department shall publish the annual report on its Internet
77 website.
78 (6) The State Board of Education shall adopt rules pursuant
79 to ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54 to administer this section.
80 Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2012.