Florida Senate - 2017                                     SB 806
       
       
        
       By Senator Stargel
       
       22-01096-17                                            2017806__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to the Committee on Early Grade
    3         Success; creating the Committee on Early Grade Success
    4         within the Department of Education; specifying
    5         committee purpose; requiring the committee to develop
    6         a proposal for specified purposes; providing proposal
    7         requirements; providing for membership of the
    8         committee; providing requirements for electing a
    9         committee chair and vice chair; providing committee
   10         meeting requirements; requiring the University of
   11         Florida Lastinger Center for Learning to provide
   12         necessary staff for the committee; requiring the
   13         committee to submit a report by a specified date;
   14         providing for the expiration of the committee;
   15         authorizing rulemaking; providing an effective date.
   16          
   17  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   18  
   19         Section 1. Committee on Early Grade Success.—The Committee
   20  on Early Grade Success, a committee as defined in s. 20.03,
   21  Florida Statutes, is created within the Department of Education
   22  to develop a proposal for establishing and implementing a
   23  coordinated child assessment system for the School Readiness
   24  Program, the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program, and
   25  the Kindergarten Readiness Assessment and, except as otherwise
   26  provided in this section, shall operate consistent with s.
   27  20.052, Florida Statutes.
   28         (1)The committee’s proposal must include legislative
   29  recommendations for the design and implementation of a
   30  coordinated child assessment system, including, but not limited
   31  to:
   32         (a)The purpose of a child assessment, with a focus on
   33  developmentally appropriate learning gains.
   34         (b)Attributes for tool selection that provide guidance on
   35  procurement policies.
   36         (c)An implementation schedule and protocols, including the
   37  frequency of data collection and a timeline for training to
   38  ensure reliability of the system.
   39         (d)The methodology for collecting and analyzing data that
   40  define reporting requirements.
   41         (e)A budget for the system, including cost analyses for
   42  purchasing materials and the necessary technology, training to
   43  ensure reliability, and data system management.
   44         (f)Considerations for student privacy and tracking child
   45  development over time.
   46         (2)The committee is composed of 15 members who are
   47  residents of the state and appointed as follows:
   48         (a)Three members appointed by the Governor:
   49         1.One representative from the Office of Early Learning.
   50         2.One representative from the Department of Education.
   51         3.One parent of a child who is 3 to 6 years of age.
   52         (b)Twelve members jointly appointed by the President of
   53  the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives:
   54         1.One representative of an urban school district.
   55         2.One representative of a rural school district.
   56         3.One representative of an urban early learning coalition.
   57         4.One representative of a rural early learning coalition.
   58         5.One representative of an early learning provider.
   59         6.One representative of a faith-based early learning
   60  provider.
   61         7.One representative who is a kindergarten teacher with at
   62  least 5 years of teaching experience.
   63         8.One representative who is a school principal.
   64         9.Four representatives with subject matter expertise in
   65  early learning, early grade success, or child assessments. The
   66  four representatives may not be direct stakeholders within the
   67  early learning or public school systems or potential recipients
   68  of a contract resulting from the committee’s proposal.
   69         (3)The committee shall elect a chair and vice chair. The
   70  chair must be one of the four members with subject matter
   71  expertise in early learning, early grade success, or child
   72  assessments. The vice chair must be a member appointed by the
   73  President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of
   74  Representatives, who is not one of the four members who are
   75  subject matter experts in early learning, early grade success,
   76  or child assessments. Members of the committee shall serve
   77  without compensation but are entitled to reimbursement for per
   78  diem and travel expenses pursuant to s. 112.061, Florida
   79  Statutes.
   80         (4)The committee must meet at least three times and shall
   81  meet by teleconference or other electronic means, if possible,
   82  to reduce costs.
   83         (5)A majority of the members constitutes a quorum.
   84         (6)The University of Florida Lastinger Center for Learning
   85  shall provide the committee with staff necessary to assist the
   86  committee in the performance of its duties.
   87         (7)The committee shall submit a report of its findings and
   88  recommendations to the Governor, the President of the Senate,
   89  and the Speaker of the House of Representatives by December 1,
   90  2017. Upon submission of the report, the committee shall expire.
   91         (8)The State Board of Education may adopt rules to
   92  implement and administer this section.
   93         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2017.