Florida Senate - 2013                                     SB 992
       
       
       
       By Senator Bullard
       
       
       
       
       39-01002-13                                            2013992__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to the Statewide K-12 Education
    3         Commission; creating the Statewide K-12 Education
    4         Commission within the Department of Education;
    5         providing purposes; providing for terms, membership,
    6         and meetings; providing that members are entitled to
    7         reimbursement for travel expenses, subject to
    8         appropriations provided in the General Appropriations
    9         Act; providing duties; requiring that the commission
   10         submit a report to the Governor, Legislature, and
   11         State Board of Education by a specified date each
   12         year; providing an effective date.
   13  
   14  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   15  
   16         Section 1. (1) The Statewide K-12 Education Commission is
   17  created within the Department of Education for the purposes of
   18  streamlining the various processes within and improving the
   19  efficiency of the state’s education system, as well as carrying
   20  out the intent of Article IX of the State Constitution.
   21         (2)(a) The Statewide K-12 Education Commission shall
   22  consist of 21 members who shall be appointed to 4-year terms as
   23  follows:
   24         1. Four members appointed by the Governor.
   25         2. Four members appointed by the President of the Senate.
   26         3. Four members appointed by the Speaker of the House of
   27  Representatives.
   28         4. Nine members appointed by the State Board of Education.
   29         (b) At least 11 members of the commission must consist of
   30  individuals currently employed by a public school district, and
   31  these memberships must reflect the proportional distribution of
   32  small, medium, and large school districts. Members who are
   33  instructors in academic and vocational areas must represent
   34  elementary schools, middle schools, high schools, and
   35  institutions of higher education. The remaining 10 members of
   36  the commission must consist of retired educators, parents,
   37  employees of nonpublic schools and charter schools, community
   38  advocates of educational programs, administrators, and school
   39  board members.
   40         (3) Members of the commission shall elect a chair and vice
   41  chair at the first meeting of each year. The commission shall
   42  meet at least four times per year. Subject to appropriations
   43  provided in the General Appropriations Act, members of the
   44  commission are entitled to reimbursement for travel expenses as
   45  provided in s. 112.061, Florida Statutes.
   46         (4) The commission shall review all aspects of the delivery
   47  of education in the state, including, but not limited to,
   48  administration, assessment, budget, community support, parental
   49  involvement, curriculum, English for speakers of other
   50  languages, exceptional student education, facilities,
   51  noninstructional personnel, scheduling, student education and
   52  involvement, and teacher or instructional support.
   53         (5) Beginning June 1, 2014, and each year thereafter, the
   54  commission shall submit a report to the Governor, the President
   55  of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and
   56  the State Board of Education which includes recommendations for
   57  improvement based on the commission’s review of the state’s
   58  education system.
   59         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2013.