Florida Senate - 2017 CS for CS for SB 926
By the Committees on Rules; and Education; and Senators Flores,
Bradley, Perry, Baxley, and Stargel
595-04129-17 2017926c2
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to education; requiring the
3 Commissioner of Education to contract for an
4 independent study to determine whether a nationally
5 recognized high school assessment may be administered
6 in lieu of the Florida Standards Assessment and the
7 Algebra I end-of-course assessment; providing
8 requirements for the assessment; requiring the
9 commissioner and the contractor to consult with
10 specified stakeholders; requiring the commissioner to
11 submit a report to the Governor and the Legislature by
12 a specified date; creating s. 1001.4205, F.S.;
13 authorizing an individual district school board member
14 to visit any district school or charter school in his
15 or her school district; providing requirements and
16 restrictions; amending s. 1002.20, F.S.; authorizing a
17 parent to request and be granted permission for a
18 student’s absence from school for treatment of autism
19 spectrum disorder by a licensed health care
20 practitioner; amending s. 1002.51, F.S.; defining the
21 term “public school prekindergarten provider”;
22 amending s. 1003.21, F.S.; requiring each district
23 school board to adopt an attendance policy authorizing
24 a student’s absence for treatment of autism spectrum
25 disorder; amending s. 1003.24, F.S.; revising an
26 exemption relating to parental responsibility for
27 nonattendance of a student to include treatment for
28 autism spectrum disorder; amending s. 1003.4156, F.S.;
29 revising the mathematics and social studies
30 requirements for student promotion to high school and
31 for certain high school credits; amending s.
32 1003.4282, F.S.; revising the requirements for a
33 standard high school diploma; removing a requirement
34 that a student participating in an interscholastic
35 sport pass a competency test on personal fitness to
36 satisfy the physical education credit requirement for
37 high school graduation; deleting provisions requiring
38 a student or transfer student to take a statewide,
39 standardized Algebra II assessment or a Geometry or
40 United States History end-of-course (EOC) assessment;
41 amending s. 1003.4285, F.S.; revising the standard
42 high school diploma designation requirements for
43 mathematics and social studies; amending s. 1003.455,
44 F.S.; requiring each district school board to provide
45 students in certain grades with a minimum number of
46 minutes of free-play recess per week and with a
47 minimum number of consecutive minutes of free-play
48 recess per day; amending s. 1003.57, F.S.; prohibiting
49 certain school districts from declining to provide or
50 contract for certain students’ educational
51 instruction; providing for funding of such students;
52 amending s. 1008.22, F.S.; providing an exception to
53 the requirement that ELA assessments be administered
54 online; deleting requirements that a student take an
55 EOC assessment in Geometry, Algebra II, United States
56 History, or Civics; deleting a provision authorizing
57 the commissioner to establish a schedule for the
58 development and administration of additional
59 statewide, standardized EOC assessments; requiring
60 that Mathematics assessments be administered online;
61 providing an exception; requiring the commissioner to
62 make an alternative, nonelectronic assessment option
63 available for statewide assessments; requiring the
64 Department of Education to conduct a study regarding
65 achievement levels for certain statewide, standardized
66 assessments; requiring a report to the Governor, the
67 Legislature, and the state board by a specified date;
68 revising reporting requirements for the statewide,
69 standardized assessments; providing requirements for
70 administration of the statewide, standardized English
71 Language Arts and Mathematics assessments in specified
72 grades; requiring a district school superintendent to
73 provide the commissioner with certain notifications on
74 the use of a nonelectronic assessment option;
75 requiring the commissioner to provide such an option
76 to the school district; revising provisions relating
77 to reporting requirements for local assessments
78 required by school districts; providing reporting
79 requirements for certain student assessment results;
80 creating s. 1008.222, F.S.; exempting students in
81 certain articulated acceleration mechanisms from
82 taking certain statewide, standardized assessments;
83 requiring the commissioner to establish certain
84 concordant or comparative scores; providing that
85 certain scores are included in school grade
86 calculations; amending s. 1008.25, F.S.; revising the
87 type of reading instruction school districts must
88 provide for certain students; amending s. 1009.60,
89 F.S.; revising eligibility criteria for receipt of a
90 minority teacher education scholarship; amending s.
91 1009.605, F.S.; revising the scholar awards on which
92 the Florida Fund for Minority Teachers, Inc.’s budget
93 projection must be based; amending s. 1011.62, F.S.;
94 deleting provisions relating to caps imposed on the
95 amounts of bonuses awarded to teachers based on
96 student performance on certain course examinations or
97 student completion of certain courses; amending s.
98 1012.34, F.S.; revising personnel evaluation
99 procedures and criteria; authorizing the commissioner
100 to develop a formula for measuring student learning
101 growth on specified statewide, standardized
102 assessments, rather than requiring the commissioner to
103 approve such a formula; authorizing, rather than
104 requiring, a school district to use certain formulas
105 developed by the commissioner; creating the Committee
106 on Early Childhood Development within the Department
107 of Education; specifying committee purpose; requiring
108 the committee to develop a proposal for specified
109 purposes; providing proposal requirements; providing
110 for membership of the committee; providing
111 requirements for electing a committee chair and vice
112 chair; providing committee meeting requirements;
113 requiring the University of Florida Lastinger Center
114 for Learning to provide necessary staff for the
115 committee; requiring the committee to submit a report
116 by a specified date; providing for the expiration of
117 the committee; providing an effective date.
118
119 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
120
121 Section 1. Study of a nationally recognized alternate high
122 school assessment.—
123 (1) INDEPENDENT STUDY.—
124 (a) The Commissioner of Education shall contract for an
125 independent study to determine whether a nationally recognized
126 high school assessment may be administered in lieu of the
127 Florida Standards Assessment and the Algebra I and end-of-course
128 assessment for high school students.
129 (b) In order to be considered a nationally recognized high
130 school assessment, the assessment must meet the following
131 requirements:
132 1. Be substantially aligned with the core curricular
133 content for high school level English Language Arts (ELA) and
134 mathematics established in the Next Generation Sunshine State
135 Standards pursuant to s. 1003.41, Florida Statutes;
136 2. Provide for learning gains from the grade 8 ELA and
137 Mathematics Florida Standards Assessment to the nationally
138 recognized high school assessment;
139 3. Provide for differentiation and comparability between
140 schools and districts;
141 4. Provide the same or additional accommodations to
142 students with disabilities and other students which are provided
143 by the Florida Standards Assessment and other statewide,
144 standardized assessments;
145 5. Meet the applicable assessment security requirements
146 determined by the commissioner for the state and for school
147 districts;
148 6. Meet the reasonable technical specification requirements
149 determined by the commissioner which allow implementation by the
150 state and by school districts; and
151 7. Satisfy any threshold legal requirements, including, but
152 not limited to, the standard set forth in Debra P. v.
153 Turlington, 474 F. Supp. 244 (M.D. Fla. 1979).
154 (c) The commissioner and the contractor shall consult with,
155 and receive recommendations for alternate assessments from,
156 education stakeholders, including district school
157 superintendents, testing and measurement administrators,
158 curriculum directors, principals, teachers, and other educators
159 who have experience and expertise in the administration of high
160 school assessments.
161 (2) REPORT.—The commissioner shall submit a report on the
162 findings of the study and any recommendations to the Governor,
163 the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of
164 Representatives by January 1, 2018.
165 Section 2. Section 1001.4205, Florida Statutes, is created
166 to read:
167 1001.4205 Visitation of schools by an individual school
168 board member.—An individual member of a district school board
169 may, on any day and at any time at his or her pleasure, visit
170 any district school or charter school in his or her school
171 district. The school board member must sign in and sign out at
172 the school’s main office and wear his or her school board
173 identification badge at all times while present on school
174 premises. The school board, the school, or any other person or
175 entity, including, but not limited to, the principal of the
176 school, the school superintendent, or any other school board
177 member, may not require the visiting school board member to
178 provide notice before visiting the school. The school may offer,
179 but may not require, an escort to accompany a visiting school
180 board member during the visit. Another school board member or a
181 district employee, including, but not limited to, the
182 superintendent, the school principal, or his or her designee,
183 may not limit the duration or scope of the visit or direct a
184 visiting school board member to leave the premises. A school
185 board, district, or school administrative policy or practice may
186 not prohibit or limit the authority granted to a school board
187 member under this section.
188 Section 3. Paragraph (c) of subsection (2) of section
189 1002.20, Florida Statutes, is amended, present paragraph (d) is
190 redesignated as paragraph (e), and a new paragraph (d) is added
191 to that subsection, to read:
192 1002.20 K-12 student and parent rights.—Parents of public
193 school students must receive accurate and timely information
194 regarding their child’s academic progress and must be informed
195 of ways they can help their child to succeed in school. K-12
196 students and their parents are afforded numerous statutory
197 rights, including, but not limited to, the following:
198 (2) ATTENDANCE.—
199 (c) Absence for religious purposes.—A parent of a public
200 school student may request and be granted permission for absence
201 of the student from school for religious instruction or
202 religious holidays, in accordance with the provisions of s.
203 1003.21(2)(b)1. s. 1003.21(2)(b).
204 (d) Absence for treatment of autism spectrum disorder.—A
205 parent of a public school student may request and be granted
206 permission for absence of the student from school for a
207 scheduled appointment to receive a therapy service or other
208 medical treatment provided by a licensed health care
209 practitioner for the treatment of autism spectrum disorder
210 pursuant to ss. 1003.21(2)(b)2. and 1003.24(4).
211 Section 4. Subsection (8) is added to section 1002.51,
212 Florida Statutes, to read:
213 1002.51 Definitions.—As used in this part, the term:
214 (8) “Public school prekindergarten provider” includes a
215 charter school that is eligible to deliver the school-year
216 prekindergarten program under s. 1002.63 or the summer
217 prekindergarten program under s. 1002.61.
218 Section 5. Paragraph (b) of subsection (2) of section
219 1003.21, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
220 1003.21 School attendance.—
221 (2)
222 (b) Each district school board, in accordance with rules of
223 the State Board of Education, shall adopt policies authorizing a
224 policy that authorizes a parent to request and be granted
225 permission for absence of a student from school for:
226 1. Religious instruction or religious holidays.
227 2. A scheduled appointment to receive a therapy service or
228 other medical treatment provided by a licensed health care
229 practitioner for the treatment of autism spectrum disorder,
230 including, but not limited to, applied behavioral analysis,
231 speech therapy, and occupational therapy.
232 Section 6. Subsection (4) of section 1003.24, Florida
233 Statutes, is amended to read:
234 1003.24 Parents responsible for attendance of children;
235 attendance policy.—Each parent of a child within the compulsory
236 attendance age is responsible for the child’s school attendance
237 as required by law. The absence of a student from school is
238 prima facie evidence of a violation of this section; however,
239 criminal prosecution under this chapter may not be brought
240 against a parent until the provisions of s. 1003.26 have been
241 complied with. A parent of a student is not responsible for the
242 student’s nonattendance at school under any of the following
243 conditions:
244 (4) SICKNESS, INJURY, OR OTHER INSURMOUNTABLE CONDITION.
245 Attendance was impracticable or inadvisable on account of
246 sickness or injury, as attested to by a written statement of a
247 licensed practicing physician, or a written statement of a
248 licensed health care practitioner for the treatment of autism
249 spectrum disorder, or was impracticable because of some other
250 stated insurmountable condition as defined by rules of the State
251 Board of Education. If a student is continually sick and
252 repeatedly absent from school, he or she must be under the
253 supervision of a physician, or care of a licensed health care
254 practitioner for the treatment of autism spectrum disorder, in
255 order to receive an excuse from attendance. Such excuse provides
256 that a student’s condition justifies absence for more than the
257 number of days permitted by the district school board.
258
259 Each district school board shall establish an attendance policy
260 that includes, but is not limited to, the required number of
261 days each school year that a student must be in attendance and
262 the number of absences and tardinesses after which a statement
263 explaining such absences and tardinesses must be on file at the
264 school. Each school in the district must determine if an absence
265 or tardiness is excused or unexcused according to criteria
266 established by the district school board.
267 Section 7. Paragraphs (b) and (c) of subsection (1) of
268 section 1003.4156, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
269 1003.4156 General requirements for middle grades
270 promotion.—
271 (1) In order for a student to be promoted to high school
272 from a school that includes middle grades 6, 7, and 8, the
273 student must successfully complete the following courses:
274 (b) Three middle grades or higher courses in mathematics.
275 Each school that includes middle grades must offer at least one
276 high school level mathematics course for which students may earn
277 high school credit. Successful completion of a high school level
278 Algebra I or Geometry course is not contingent upon the
279 student’s performance on the statewide, standardized Algebra I
280 end-of-course (EOC) assessment. To earn high school credit for
281 Algebra I, a middle grades student must take the statewide,
282 standardized Algebra I EOC assessment and pass the course, and,
283 in addition, beginning with the 2013-2014 school year and
284 thereafter, a student’s performance on the Algebra I EOC
285 assessment constitutes 30 percent of the student’s final course
286 grade. To earn high school credit for a Geometry course, a
287 middle grades student must take the statewide, standardized
288 Geometry EOC assessment, which constitutes 30 percent of the
289 student’s final course grade, and earn a passing grade in the
290 course.
291 (c) Three middle grades or higher courses in social
292 studies. Beginning with students entering grade 6 in the 2012
293 2013 school year, One of these courses must be at least a one
294 semester civics education course that includes the roles and
295 responsibilities of federal, state, and local governments; the
296 structures and functions of the legislative, executive, and
297 judicial branches of government; and the meaning and
298 significance of historic documents, such as the Articles of
299 Confederation, the Declaration of Independence, and the
300 Constitution of the United States. Beginning with the 2013-2014
301 school year, each student’s performance on the statewide,
302 standardized EOC assessment in civics education required under
303 s. 1008.22 constitutes 30 percent of the student’s final course
304 grade. A middle grades student who transfers into the state’s
305 public school system from out of country, out of state, a
306 private school, or a home education program after the beginning
307 of the second term of grade 8 is not required to meet the civics
308 education requirement for promotion from the middle grades if
309 the student’s transcript documents passage of three courses in
310 social studies or two year-long courses in social studies that
311 include coverage of civics education.
312
313 Each school must inform parents about the course curriculum and
314 activities. Each student shall complete a personal education
315 plan that must be signed by the student and the student’s
316 parent. The Department of Education shall develop course
317 frameworks and professional development materials for the career
318 and education planning course. The course may be implemented as
319 a stand-alone course or integrated into another course or
320 courses. The Commissioner of Education shall collect
321 longitudinal high school course enrollment data by student
322 ethnicity in order to analyze course-taking patterns.
323 Section 8. Paragraphs (b), (d), and (f) of subsection (3)
324 and subsections (7) and (9) of section 1003.4282, Florida
325 Statutes, are amended to read:
326 1003.4282 Requirements for a standard high school diploma.—
327 (3) STANDARD HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA; COURSE AND ASSESSMENT
328 REQUIREMENTS.—
329 (b) Four credits in mathematics.—A student must earn one
330 credit in Algebra I and one credit in Geometry. A student’s
331 performance on the statewide, standardized Algebra I end-of
332 course (EOC) assessment constitutes 30 percent of the student’s
333 final course grade. A student must pass the statewide,
334 standardized Algebra I EOC assessment, or earn a comparative
335 score, in order to earn a standard high school diploma. A
336 student must take one statewide, standardized Mathematics
337 assessment in high school which must be Algebra I, Geometry, or
338 Algebra II. A student’s performance on the statewide,
339 standardized assessment Geometry EOC assessment constitutes 30
340 percent of the student’s final course grade. If the state
341 administers a statewide, standardized Algebra II assessment, a
342 student selecting Algebra II must take the assessment, and the
343 student’s performance on the assessment constitutes 30 percent
344 of the student’s final course grade. A student who earns an
345 industry certification for which there is a statewide college
346 credit articulation agreement approved by the State Board of
347 Education may substitute the certification for one mathematics
348 credit. Substitution may occur for up to two mathematics
349 credits, except for Algebra I and Geometry.
350 (d) Three credits in social studies.—A student must earn
351 one credit in United States History; one credit in World
352 History; one-half credit in economics, which must include
353 financial literacy; and one-half credit in United States
354 Government. The United States History EOC assessment constitutes
355 30 percent of the student’s final course grade.
356 (f) One credit in physical education.—Physical education
357 must include the integration of health. Participation in an
358 interscholastic sport at the junior varsity or varsity level for
359 two full seasons shall satisfy the one-credit requirement in
360 physical education if the student passes a competency test on
361 personal fitness with a score of “C” or better. The competency
362 test on personal fitness developed by the Department of
363 Education must be used. A district school board may not require
364 that the one credit in physical education be taken during the
365 9th grade year. Completion of one semester with a grade of “C”
366 or better in a marching band class, in a physical activity class
367 that requires participation in marching band activities as an
368 extracurricular activity, or in a dance class shall satisfy one
369 half credit in physical education or one-half credit in
370 performing arts. This credit may not be used to satisfy the
371 personal fitness requirement or the requirement for adaptive
372 physical education under an individual education plan (IEP) or
373 504 plan. Completion of 2 years in a Reserve Officer Training
374 Corps (R.O.T.C.) class, a significant component of which is
375 drills, shall satisfy the one-credit requirement in physical
376 education and the one-credit requirement in performing arts.
377 This credit may not be used to satisfy the personal fitness
378 requirement or the requirement for adaptive physical education
379 under an IEP or 504 plan.
380 (7) UNIFORM TRANSFER OF HIGH SCHOOL CREDITS.—Beginning with
381 the 2012-2013 school year, If a student transfers to a Florida
382 public high school from out of country, out of state, a private
383 school, or a home education program and the student’s transcript
384 shows a credit in Algebra I, the student must pass the
385 statewide, standardized Algebra I EOC assessment in order to
386 earn a standard high school diploma unless the student earned a
387 comparative score, passed a statewide assessment in Algebra I
388 administered by the transferring entity, or passed the statewide
389 Mathematics assessment the transferring entity uses to satisfy
390 the requirements of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act,
391 20 U.S.C. s. 6301. If a student’s transcript shows a credit in
392 high school reading or English Language Arts II or III, in order
393 to earn a standard high school diploma, the student must take
394 and pass the statewide, standardized grade 10 Reading assessment
395 or, when implemented, the grade 10 ELA assessment, or earn a
396 concordant score. If a transfer student’s transcript shows a
397 final course grade and course credit in Algebra I or, Geometry,
398 Biology I, or United States History, the transferring course
399 final grade and credit shall be honored without the student
400 taking the requisite statewide, standardized EOC assessment and
401 without the assessment result results constituting 30 percent of
402 the student’s final course grade.
403 (9) COHORT TRANSITION TO NEW GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS.—The
404 requirements of this section, in addition to applying to
405 students entering grade 9 in the 2013-2014 school year and
406 thereafter, shall also apply to students entering grade 9 before
407 the 2013-2014 school year, except as otherwise provided in this
408 subsection.
409 (a) A student entering grade 9 before the 2010-2011 school
410 year must earn:
411 1. Four credits in English/ELA. A student must pass the
412 statewide, standardized grade 10 Reading assessment, or earn a
413 concordant score, in order to graduate with a standard high
414 school diploma.
415 2. Four credits in mathematics, which must include Algebra
416 I. A student must pass grade 10 FCAT Mathematics, or earn a
417 concordant score, in order to graduate with a standard high
418 school diploma. A student who takes Algebra I or Geometry after
419 the 2010-2011 school year must take the statewide, standardized
420 EOC assessment for the course but is not required to pass the
421 assessment in order to earn course credit. A student’s
422 performance on the Algebra I or Geometry EOC assessment is not
423 required to constitute 30 percent of the student’s final course
424 grade. A student who earns an industry certification for which
425 there is a statewide college credit articulation agreement
426 approved by the State Board of Education may substitute the
427 certification for one mathematics credit. Substitution may occur
428 for up to two mathematics credits, except for Algebra I.
429 3. Three credits in science, two of which must have a
430 laboratory component. A student who takes Biology I after the
431 2010-2011 school year must take the statewide, standardized
432 Biology I EOC assessment but is not required to pass the
433 assessment in order to earn course credit. A student’s
434 performance on the assessment is not required to constitute 30
435 percent of the student’s final course grade. A student who earns
436 an industry certification for which there is a statewide college
437 credit articulation agreement approved by the State Board of
438 Education may substitute the certification for one science
439 credit.
440 4. Three credits in social studies of which one credit in
441 World History, one credit in United States History, one-half
442 credit in United States Government, and one-half credit in
443 economics are required. A student who takes United States
444 History after the 2011-2012 school year must take the statewide,
445 standardized United States History EOC assessment, but the
446 student’s performance on the assessment is not required to
447 constitute 30 percent of the student’s final course grade.
448 5. One credit in fine or performing arts, speech and
449 debate, or practical arts as provided in paragraph (3)(e).
450 6. One credit in physical education as provided in
451 paragraph (3)(f).
452 7. Eight credits in electives.
453 (b) A student entering grade 9 in the 2010-2011 school year
454 must earn:
455 1. Four credits in English/ELA. A student must pass the
456 statewide, standardized grade 10 Reading assessment, or earn a
457 concordant score, in order to graduate with a standard high
458 school diploma.
459 2. Four credits in mathematics, which must include Algebra
460 I and Geometry. The statewide, standardized Algebra I EOC
461 assessment constitutes 30 percent of the student’s final course
462 grade. A student who takes Algebra I or Geometry after the 2010
463 2011 school year must take the statewide, standardized EOC
464 assessment for the course but is not required to pass the
465 assessment in order to earn course credit. A student’s
466 performance on the Geometry EOC assessment is not required to
467 constitute 30 percent of the student’s final course grade. A
468 student who earns an industry certification for which there is a
469 statewide college credit articulation agreement approved by the
470 State Board of Education may substitute the certification for
471 one mathematics credit. Substitution may occur for up to two
472 mathematics credits, except for Algebra I and Geometry.
473 3. Three credits in science, two of which must have a
474 laboratory component. A student who takes Biology I after the
475 2010-2011 school year must take the statewide, standardized
476 Biology I EOC assessment but is not required to pass the
477 assessment in order to earn course credit. A student’s
478 performance on the assessment is not required to constitute 30
479 percent of the student’s final course grade. A student who earns
480 an industry certification for which there is a statewide college
481 credit articulation agreement approved by the State Board of
482 Education may substitute the certification for one science
483 credit, except for Biology I.
484 4. Three credits in social studies of which one credit in
485 World History, one credit in United States History, one-half
486 credit in United States Government, and one-half credit in
487 economics are required. A student who takes United States
488 History after the 2011-2012 school year must take the statewide,
489 standardized United States History EOC assessment, but the
490 student’s performance on the assessment is not required to
491 constitute 30 percent of the student’s final course grade.
492 5. One credit in fine or performing arts, speech and
493 debate, or practical arts as provided in paragraph (3)(e).
494 6. One credit in physical education as provided in
495 paragraph (3)(f).
496 7. Eight credits in electives.
497 (c) A student entering grade 9 in the 2011-2012 school year
498 must earn:
499 1. Four credits in English/ELA. A student must pass the
500 statewide, standardized grade 10 Reading assessment, or earn a
501 concordant score, in order to graduate with a standard high
502 school diploma.
503 2. Four credits in mathematics, which must include Algebra
504 I and Geometry. A student who takes Algebra I after the 2010
505 2011 school year must pass the statewide, standardized Algebra I
506 EOC assessment, or earn a comparative score, in order to earn a
507 standard high school diploma. A student who takes Algebra I or
508 Geometry after the 2010-2011 school year must take the
509 statewide, standardized EOC assessment but is not required to
510 pass the Algebra I or Geometry EOC assessment in order to earn
511 course credit. A student’s performance on the Algebra I or
512 Geometry EOC assessment is not required to constitute 30 percent
513 of the student’s final course grade. A student who earns an
514 industry certification for which there is a statewide college
515 credit articulation agreement approved by the State Board of
516 Education may substitute the certification for one mathematics
517 credit. Substitution may occur for up to two mathematics
518 credits, except for Algebra I and Geometry.
519 3. Three credits in science, two of which must have a
520 laboratory component. One of the science credits must be Biology
521 I. A student who takes Biology I after the 2010-2011 school year
522 must take the statewide, standardized Biology I EOC assessment
523 but is not required to pass the assessment in order to earn
524 course credit. A student’s performance on the assessment is not
525 required to constitute 30 percent of the student’s final course
526 grade. A student who earns an industry certification for which
527 there is a statewide college credit articulation agreement
528 approved by the State Board of Education may substitute the
529 certification for one science credit, except for Biology I.
530 4. Three credits in social studies of which one credit in
531 World History, one credit in United States History, one-half
532 credit in United States Government, and one-half credit in
533 economics are required. A student who takes United States
534 History after the 2011-2012 school year must take the statewide,
535 standardized United States History EOC assessment, but the
536 student’s performance on the assessment is not required to
537 constitute 30 percent of the student’s final course grade.
538 5. One credit in fine or performing arts, speech and
539 debate, or practical arts as provided in paragraph (3)(e).
540 6. One credit in physical education as provided in
541 paragraph (3)(f).
542 7. Eight credits in electives.
543 8. One online course as provided in subsection (4).
544 (d) A student entering grade 9 in the 2012-2013 school year
545 must earn:
546 1. Four credits in English/ELA. A student must pass the
547 statewide, standardized grade 10 Reading assessment, or earn a
548 concordant score, in order to graduate with a standard high
549 school diploma.
550 2. Four credits in mathematics, which must include Algebra
551 I and Geometry. A student who takes Algebra I after the 2010
552 2011 school year must pass the statewide, standardized Algebra I
553 EOC assessment, or earn a comparative score, in order to earn a
554 standard high school diploma. A student who takes Geometry after
555 the 2010-2011 school year must take the statewide, standardized
556 Geometry EOC assessment. A student is not required to pass the
557 statewide, standardized EOC assessment in Algebra I or Geometry
558 in order to earn course credit. A student’s performance on the
559 Algebra I or Geometry EOC assessment is not required to
560 constitute 30 percent of the student’s final course grade. A
561 student who earns an industry certification for which there is a
562 statewide college credit articulation agreement approved by the
563 State Board of Education may substitute the certification for
564 one mathematics credit. Substitution may occur for up to two
565 mathematics credits, except for Algebra I and Geometry.
566 3. Three credits in science, two of which must have a
567 laboratory component. One of the science credits must be Biology
568 I. A student who takes Biology I after the 2010-2011 school year
569 must take the statewide, standardized Biology I EOC assessment
570 but is not required to pass the assessment to earn course
571 credit. A student’s performance on the assessment is not
572 required to constitute 30 percent of the student’s final course
573 grade. A student who earns an industry certification for which
574 there is a statewide college credit articulation agreement
575 approved by the State Board of Education may substitute the
576 certification for one science credit, except for Biology I.
577 4. Three credits in social studies of which one credit in
578 World History, one credit in United States History, one-half
579 credit in United States Government, and one-half credit in
580 economics are required. The statewide, standardized United
581 States History EOC assessment constitutes 30 percent of the
582 student’s final course grade.
583 5. One credit in fine or performing arts, speech and
584 debate, or practical arts as provided in paragraph (3)(e).
585 6. One credit in physical education as provided in
586 paragraph (3)(f).
587 7. Eight credits in electives.
588 8. One online course as provided in subsection (4).
589 (e) Policy adopted in rule by the district school board may
590 require for any cohort of students that performance on a
591 statewide, standardized EOC assessment constitute 30 percent of
592 a student’s final course grade.
593 (f) This subsection is repealed July 1, 2020.
594 Section 9. Paragraph (a) of subsection (1) of section
595 1003.4285, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
596 1003.4285 Standard high school diploma designations.—
597 (1) Each standard high school diploma shall include, as
598 applicable, the following designations if the student meets the
599 criteria set forth for the designation:
600 (a) Scholar designation.—In addition to the requirements of
601 s. 1003.4282, in order to earn the Scholar designation, a
602 student must satisfy the following requirements:
603 1. Mathematics.—Earn one credit in Algebra II and one
604 credit in statistics or an equally rigorous course. Beginning
605 with students entering grade 9 in the 2014-2015 school year,
606 pass the Algebra II and Geometry statewide, standardized
607 assessments.
608 2. Science.—Pass the statewide, standardized Biology I EOC
609 assessment and earn one credit in chemistry or physics and one
610 credit in a course equally rigorous to chemistry or physics.
611 However, a student enrolled in an Advanced Placement (AP),
612 International Baccalaureate (IB), or Advanced International
613 Certificate of Education (AICE) Biology course who takes the
614 respective AP, IB, or AICE Biology assessment and earns the
615 minimum score necessary to earn college credit as identified
616 pursuant to s. 1007.27(2) meets the requirement of this
617 subparagraph without having to take the statewide, standardized
618 Biology I EOC assessment.
619 3. Social studies.—Pass the statewide, standardized United
620 States History EOC assessment. However, A student enrolled in an
621 AP, IB, or AICE course that includes United States History
622 topics who takes the respective AP, IB, or AICE assessment and
623 earns the minimum score necessary to earn college credit as
624 identified pursuant to s. 1007.27(2) meets the requirement of
625 this subparagraph without having to take the statewide,
626 standardized United States History EOC assessment.
627 4. Foreign language.—Earn two credits in the same foreign
628 language.
629 5. Electives.—Earn at least one credit in an Advanced
630 Placement, an International Baccalaureate, an Advanced
631 International Certificate of Education, or a dual enrollment
632 course.
633 Section 10. Subsection (6) is added to section 1003.455,
634 Florida Statutes, to read:
635 1003.455 Physical education; assessment.—
636 (6) In addition to the requirements in subsection (3), each
637 district school board shall provide at least 100 minutes of
638 supervised, safe, and unstructured free-play recess each week
639 for students in kindergarten through grade 5 so that there are
640 at least 20 consecutive minutes of free-play recess per day.
641 Section 11. Subsection (3) of section 1003.57, Florida
642 Statutes, is amended to read:
643 1003.57 Exceptional students instruction.—
644 (3)(a) For purposes of this subsection and subsection (4),
645 the term:
646 1. “Agency” means the Department of Children and Families
647 or its contracted lead agency, the Agency for Persons with
648 Disabilities, and the Agency for Health Care Administration.
649 2. “Exceptional student” means an exceptional student, as
650 defined in s. 1003.01, who has a disability.
651 3. “Receiving school district” means the district in which
652 a private residential care facility is located.
653 4. “Placement” means the funding or arrangement of funding
654 by an agency for all or a part of the cost for an exceptional
655 student to reside in a private residential care facility and the
656 placement crosses school district lines.
657 (b) Within 10 business days after an exceptional student is
658 placed in a private residential care facility by an agency, the
659 agency or private residential care facility licensed by the
660 agency, as appropriate, shall provide written notification of
661 the placement to the school district where the student is
662 currently counted for funding purposes under s. 1011.62 and the
663 receiving school district. The exceptional student shall be
664 enrolled in school and receive a free and appropriate public
665 education, special education, and related services while the
666 notice and procedures regarding payment are pending. This
667 paragraph applies when the placement is for the primary purpose
668 of addressing residential or other noneducational needs and the
669 placement crosses school district lines.
670 (c) Within 10 business days after receiving the
671 notification, the receiving school district must review the
672 student’s individual educational plan (IEP) to determine if the
673 student’s IEP can be implemented by the receiving school
674 district or by a provider or facility under contract with the
675 receiving school district. The receiving school district shall:
676 1. Provide educational instruction to the student;
677 2. Contract with another provider or facility to provide
678 the educational instruction; or
679 3. Contract with the private residential care facility in
680 which the student resides to provide the educational
681 instruction; or
682 4. Decline to provide or contract for educational
683 instruction.
684
685 If the receiving school district declines to provide or contract
686 for the educational instruction, the school district in which
687 the legal residence of the student is located shall provide or
688 contract for the educational instruction to the student. The
689 receiving school district providing that provides educational
690 instruction or contracting contracts to provide educational
691 instruction shall report the student for funding purposes
692 pursuant to s. 1011.62.
693 (d)1. The Department of Education, in consultation with the
694 agencies and school districts, shall develop procedures for
695 written notification to school districts regarding the placement
696 of an exceptional student in a residential care facility. The
697 procedures must:
698 a. Provide for written notification of a placement that
699 crosses school district lines; and
700 b. Identify the entity responsible for the notification for
701 each facility that is operated, licensed, or regulated by an
702 agency.
703 2. The State Board of Education shall adopt the procedures
704 by rule pursuant to ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54, and the agencies
705 shall implement the procedures.
706
707 The requirements of paragraphs (c) and (d) do not apply to
708 written agreements among school districts which specify each
709 school district’s responsibility for providing and paying for
710 educational services to an exceptional student in a residential
711 care facility. However, each agreement must require a school
712 district to review the student’s IEP within 10 business days
713 after receiving the notification required under paragraph (b).
714 Section 12. Subsections (3) and (4) and paragraphs (a) and
715 (b) of subsection (7) of section 1008.22, Florida Statutes, are
716 amended, present paragraphs (c) through (f) and present
717 paragraph (g) of that subsection are redesignated as paragraphs
718 (e) through (h) and paragraph (j), respectively, present
719 paragraphs (e) and (f) of that subsection are amended, and new
720 paragraphs (c), (d), and (i) are added to subsection (7) of that
721 section, to read:
722 1008.22 Student assessment program for public schools.—
723 (3) STATEWIDE, STANDARDIZED ASSESSMENT PROGRAM.—The
724 Commissioner of Education shall design and implement a
725 statewide, standardized assessment program aligned to the core
726 curricular content established in the Next Generation Sunshine
727 State Standards. The commissioner also must develop or select
728 and implement a common battery of assessment tools that will be
729 used in all juvenile justice education programs in the state.
730 These tools must accurately measure the core curricular content
731 established in the Next Generation Sunshine State Standards.
732 Participation in the assessment program is mandatory for all
733 school districts and all students attending public schools,
734 including adult students seeking a standard high school diploma
735 under s. 1003.4282 and students in Department of Juvenile
736 Justice education programs, except as otherwise provided by law.
737 If a student does not participate in the assessment program, the
738 school district must notify the student’s parent and provide the
739 parent with information regarding the implications of such
740 nonparticipation. The statewide, standardized assessment program
741 shall be designed and implemented as follows:
742 (a) Statewide, standardized comprehensive assessments.—The
743 statewide, standardized Reading assessment shall be administered
744 annually in grades 3 through 10. The statewide, standardized
745 Writing assessment shall be administered annually at least once
746 at the elementary, middle, and high school levels. When the
747 Reading and Writing assessments are replaced by English Language
748 Arts (ELA) assessments, ELA assessments shall be administered to
749 students in grades 3 through 10. Retake opportunities for the
750 grade 10 Reading assessment or, upon implementation, the grade
751 10 ELA assessment must be provided. Students taking the ELA
752 assessments may shall not take the statewide, standardized
753 assessments in Reading or Writing. ELA assessments shall be
754 administered online unless the provisions of paragraph (d) are
755 implemented. The statewide, standardized Mathematics assessments
756 shall be administered annually in grades 3 through 8, and shall
757 be administered online unless the provisions of paragraph (d)
758 are implemented. Students taking a revised Mathematics
759 assessment may shall not take the discontinued assessment. The
760 statewide, standardized Science assessment shall be administered
761 annually at least once at the elementary and middle grades
762 levels. In order to earn a standard high school diploma, a
763 student who has not earned a passing score on the grade 10
764 Reading assessment or, upon implementation, the grade 10 ELA
765 assessment must earn a passing score on the assessment retake or
766 earn a concordant score as authorized under subsection (8).
767 (b) Algebra I and Biology I End-of-course (EOC)
768 assessments.—The Algebra I and Biology I EOC assessments must be
769 statewide, standardized, and developed or approved by the
770 Department of Education. as follows:
771 1. EOC assessments for Algebra I and, Geometry, Algebra II,
772 Biology I, United States History, and Civics shall be
773 administered to students enrolled in such courses as specified
774 in the course code directory.
775 2. Students enrolled in Algebra I and Biology I a course,
776 as specified in the course code directory, with an associated
777 statewide, standardized EOC assessment must take the EOC
778 assessment for such course and may not take the corresponding
779 subject or grade-level statewide, standardized assessment
780 pursuant to paragraph (a). Sections 1003.4156 and 1003.4282
781 govern the use of statewide, standardized EOC assessment results
782 for students.
783 3. The commissioner may select one or more nationally
784 developed comprehensive examinations, which may include
785 examinations for a College Board Advanced Placement course,
786 International Baccalaureate course, or Advanced International
787 Certificate of Education course, or industry-approved
788 examinations to earn national industry certifications identified
789 in the CAPE Industry Certification Funding List, for use as the
790 Algebra I and Biology I EOC assessments under this paragraph if
791 the commissioner determines that the content knowledge and
792 skills assessed by the examinations meet or exceed the grade
793 level expectations for the core curricular content established
794 for Algebra I and Biology I the course in the Next Generation
795 Sunshine State Standards. Use of any such examination as an EOC
796 assessment must be approved by the state board in rule.
797 4. Contingent upon funding provided in the General
798 Appropriations Act, including the appropriation of funds
799 received through federal grants, the commissioner may establish
800 an implementation schedule for the development and
801 administration of additional statewide, standardized EOC
802 assessments that must be approved by the state board in rule. If
803 approved by the state board, student performance on such
804 assessments constitutes 30 percent of a student’s final course
805 grade.
806 4.5. The Algebra I and Biology I All statewide,
807 standardized EOC assessments must be administered online except
808 as otherwise provided in paragraph (c).
809 (c) Students with disabilities; Florida Alternate
810 Assessment.—
811 1. Each district school board must provide instruction to
812 prepare students with disabilities in the core content knowledge
813 and skills necessary for successful grade-to-grade progression
814 and high school graduation.
815 2. A student with a disability, as defined in s. 1007.02,
816 for whom the individual education plan (IEP) team determines
817 that the statewide, standardized assessments under this section
818 cannot accurately measure the student’s abilities, taking into
819 consideration all allowable accommodations, shall have
820 assessment results waived for the purpose of receiving a course
821 grade and a standard high school diploma. Such waiver shall be
822 designated on the student’s transcript. The statement of waiver
823 shall be limited to a statement that performance on an
824 assessment was waived for the purpose of receiving a course
825 grade or a standard high school diploma, as applicable.
826 3. The State Board of Education shall adopt rules, based
827 upon recommendations of the commissioner, for the provision of
828 assessment accommodations for students with disabilities and for
829 students who have limited English proficiency.
830 a. Accommodations that negate the validity of a statewide,
831 standardized assessment are not allowed during the
832 administration of the assessment. However, instructional
833 accommodations are allowed in the classroom if identified in a
834 student’s IEP. Students using instructional accommodations in
835 the classroom that are not allowed on a statewide, standardized
836 assessment may have assessment results waived if the IEP team
837 determines that the assessment cannot accurately measure the
838 student’s abilities.
839 b. If a student is provided with instructional
840 accommodations in the classroom that are not allowed as
841 accommodations for statewide, standardized assessments, the
842 district must inform the parent in writing and provide the
843 parent with information regarding the impact on the student’s
844 ability to meet expected performance levels. A parent must
845 provide signed consent for a student to receive classroom
846 instructional accommodations that would not be available or
847 permitted on a statewide, standardized assessment and
848 acknowledge in writing that he or she understands the
849 implications of such instructional accommodations.
850 c. If a student’s IEP states that online administration of
851 a statewide, standardized assessment will significantly impair
852 the student’s ability to perform, the assessment shall be
853 administered in hard copy.
854 4. For students with significant cognitive disabilities,
855 the Department of Education shall provide for implementation of
856 the Florida Alternate Assessment to accurately measure the core
857 curricular content established in the Next Generation Sunshine
858 State Standards.
859 (d) Nonelectronic option.—The commissioner shall make
860 available an alternative, nonelectronic option for all statewide
861 assessments, including the statewide, standardized ELA
862 assessment, including the Writing assessment; the statewide,
863 standardized Mathematics assessment; the statewide, standardized
864 Science assessment; and the statewide, standardized EOC
865 assessments. The nonelectronic option shall be made available to
866 reduce the time spent on assessments; increase instructional
867 time for students; and ensure that students demonstrate more
868 successfully a mastery of the standards being measured, that
869 students have the time to develop the word processing and
870 computer skills necessary to take any statewide, standardized
871 assessment, and that school districts have the capacity at both
872 the school and district levels to administer the assessments
873 online.
874 (e)(d) Implementation schedule.—
875 1. The Commissioner of Education shall establish and
876 publish on the department’s website an implementation schedule
877 to transition from the statewide, standardized Reading and
878 Writing assessments to the ELA assessments and to the revised
879 Mathematics assessments, including the Algebra I and Geometry
880 EOC assessment assessments. The schedule must take into
881 consideration funding, sufficient field and baseline data,
882 access to assessments, instructional alignment, and school
883 district readiness to administer the assessments online. All
884 such assessments must be delivered through computer-based
885 testing, however, the following assessments must be delivered in
886 a computer-based format, as follows: the grade 3 ELA assessment,
887 beginning in the 2017-2018 school year; the grade 3 Mathematics
888 assessment beginning in the 2016-2017 school year; the grade 4
889 ELA assessment, beginning in the 2015-2016 school year; and the
890 grade 4 Mathematics assessment, beginning in the 2016-2017
891 school year.
892 2. The Department of Education shall publish minimum and
893 recommended technology requirements that include specifications
894 for hardware, software, networking, security, and broadband
895 capacity to facilitate school district compliance with the
896 requirement that assessments be administered online.
897 (f)(e) Assessment scores and achievement levels.—
898 1. The All statewide, standardized Algebra I EOC assessment
899 assessments and ELA, Mathematics, and Science assessments shall
900 use scaled scores and achievement levels. Achievement levels
901 shall range from 1 through 5, with level 1 being the lowest
902 achievement level, level 5 being the highest achievement level,
903 and level 3 indicating satisfactory performance on an
904 assessment. The department shall study each of the achievement
905 levels used for the statewide, standardized assessments and more
906 specifically define the achievement levels in order to
907 communicate the meaning of such levels to students, parents, and
908 teachers. As part of the study, the department shall review
909 existing assessment reports and recommend changes that better
910 communicate the meaning of the achievement levels and their
911 relationship to student performance and success. The department
912 shall submit the report with its recommendations to the
913 Governor, the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House
914 of Representatives, and the state board by July 1, 2018.
915 2. The state board shall designate by rule a passing score
916 for each statewide, standardized assessment.
917 3. If the commissioner seeks to revise a statewide,
918 standardized assessment and the revisions require the state
919 board to modify performance level scores, including the passing
920 score, the commissioner shall provide a copy of the proposed
921 scores and implementation plan to the President of the Senate
922 and the Speaker of the House of Representatives at least 90 days
923 before submission to the state board for review. Until the state
924 board adopts the modifications by rule, the commissioner shall
925 use calculations for scoring the assessment that adjust student
926 scores on the revised assessment for statistical equivalence to
927 student scores on the former assessment. The state board shall
928 adopt by rule the passing score for the revised assessment that
929 is statistically equivalent to the passing score on the
930 discontinued assessment for a student who is required to attain
931 a passing score on the discontinued assessment. The commissioner
932 may, with approval of the state board, discontinue
933 administration of the former assessment upon the graduation,
934 based on normal student progression, of students participating
935 in the final regular administration of the former assessment. If
936 the commissioner revises a statewide, standardized assessment
937 and the revisions require the state board to modify the passing
938 score, only students taking the assessment for the first time
939 after the rule is adopted are affected.
940 (g)(f) Prohibited activities.—A district school board shall
941 prohibit each public school from suspending a regular program of
942 curricula for purposes of administering practice assessments or
943 engaging in other assessment-preparation activities for a
944 statewide, standardized assessment. However, a district school
945 board may authorize a public school to engage in the following
946 assessment-preparation activities:
947 1. Distributing to students sample assessment books and
948 answer keys published by the Department of Education.
949 2. Providing individualized instruction in assessment
950 taking strategies, without suspending the school’s regular
951 program of curricula, for a student who scores Level 1 or Level
952 2 on a prior administration of an assessment.
953 3. Providing individualized instruction in the content
954 knowledge and skills assessed, without suspending the school’s
955 regular program of curricula, for a student who scores Level 1
956 or Level 2 on a prior administration of an assessment or a
957 student who, through a diagnostic assessment administered by the
958 school district, is identified as having a deficiency in the
959 content knowledge and skills assessed.
960 4. Administering a practice assessment or engaging in other
961 assessment-preparation activities that are determined necessary
962 to familiarize students with the organization of the assessment,
963 the format of assessment items, and the assessment directions or
964 that are otherwise necessary for the valid and reliable
965 administration of the assessment, as set forth in rules adopted
966 by the State Board of Education with specific reference to this
967 paragraph.
968 (h)(g) Contracts for assessments.—
969 1. The commissioner shall provide for the assessments to be
970 developed or obtained, as appropriate, through contracts and
971 project agreements with private vendors, public vendors, public
972 agencies, postsecondary educational institutions, or school
973 districts.
974 2. The commissioner may enter into contracts for the
975 continued administration of the assessments authorized and
976 funded by the Legislature. Contracts may be initiated in 1
977 fiscal year and continue into the next fiscal year and may be
978 paid from the appropriations of either or both fiscal years. The
979 commissioner may negotiate for the sale or lease of tests,
980 scoring protocols, test scoring services, and related materials
981 developed pursuant to law.
982 3.2. A student’s performance results on statewide,
983 standardized assessments, Algebra I and Biology I EOC
984 assessments, and Florida Alternative Assessments administered
985 pursuant to this subsection must be provided to the student’s
986 teachers and parents by the end of the school year, unless the
987 commissioner determines that extenuating circumstances exist and
988 reports the extenuating circumstances to the State Board of
989 Education and to school districts. This subparagraph does not
990 apply to existing contracts for such assessments, but applies
991 shall apply to new contracts and any renewal of existing
992 contracts for such assessments.
993 4.3. If liquidated damages are applicable, the department
994 shall collect liquidated damages that are due in response to the
995 administration of the spring 2015 computer-based assessments of
996 the department’s Florida Standards Assessment contract with
997 American Institutes for Research, and expend the funds to
998 reimburse parties that incurred damages.
999 (4) SCHOOL PARTICIPATION IN THE STATEWIDE, STANDARDIZED
1000 ASSESSMENT PROGRAM.—Each public school shall participate in the
1001 statewide, standardized assessment program in accordance with
1002 the assessment and reporting schedules and the minimum and
1003 recommended technology requirements published by the
1004 Commissioner of Education. A district school superintendent must
1005 notify the commissioner that the district will use a
1006 nonelectronic option for the entire district or for specific
1007 grade levels throughout the district by the beginning of the
1008 school year in which the nonelectronic option is used. The
1009 district school superintendent shall provide the commissioner
1010 with the reasons for implementing the nonelectronic option,
1011 which may include, but need not be limited to, reducing time
1012 spent on assessments; increasing instructional time for
1013 students; or needing additional time for students to master the
1014 computer skills necessary to be successful on the statewide,
1015 standardized assessments. The commissioner shall provide the
1016 alternative, nonelectronic option to the school district for the
1017 successful and timely administration of the statewide,
1018 standardized assessments and end-of-course exams and for the
1019 reporting of assessment and exam results to the Department of
1020 Education, as specified in paragraph (3)(d). District school
1021 boards may shall not establish school calendars that conflict
1022 with or jeopardize implementation of the assessment program. All
1023 district school boards shall report assessment results using the
1024 state management information system. Performance data shall be
1025 analyzed and reported to parents, the community, and the state.
1026 Student performance data shall be used by districts in
1027 developing objectives for the school improvement plan,
1028 evaluating instructional personnel and administrative personnel,
1029 assigning staff, allocating resources, acquiring instructional
1030 materials and technology, implementing performance-based
1031 budgeting, and promoting and assigning students to educational
1032 programs. The analysis of student performance data must also
1033 identify strengths and needs in the educational program and
1034 trends over time. The analysis must be used in conjunction with
1035 the budgetary planning processes developed pursuant to s.
1036 1008.385 and the development of remediation programs.
1037 (7) ASSESSMENT SCHEDULES AND REPORTING OF RESULTS.—
1038 (a) The Commissioner of Education shall establish schedules
1039 for the administration of statewide, standardized assessments
1040 and the reporting of student assessment results. The
1041 commissioner shall consider the observance of religious and
1042 school holidays when developing the schedules. The assessment
1043 and reporting schedules must provide the earliest possible
1044 reporting of student assessment results to the school districts,
1045 consistent with the requirements of paragraph (3)(h) (3)(g).
1046 Assessment results for the statewide, standardized ELA and
1047 Mathematics assessments and the all statewide, standardized
1048 Algebra I and Biology I EOC assessments must be made available
1049 as soon as practicable, consistent with the current assessment
1050 contract no later than the week of June 8, except for results of
1051 assessments administered in the 2014-2015 school year. School
1052 districts shall administer statewide, standardized assessments
1053 in accordance with the schedule established by the commissioner.
1054 (b) By January August of each year, beginning in 2018 2016,
1055 the commissioner shall publish on the department’s website a
1056 uniform calendar that includes the assessment and reporting
1057 schedules for, at a minimum, the next 2 school years. The
1058 uniform calendar must be provided to school districts in an
1059 electronic format that allows each school district and public
1060 school to populate the calendar with, at minimum, the following
1061 information for reporting the district assessment schedules
1062 under paragraph (e) (c):
1063 1. Whether the assessment is a district-required assessment
1064 or a state-required assessment.
1065 2. The specific date or dates that each assessment will be
1066 administered.
1067 3. The time allotted to administer each assessment.
1068 4. Whether the assessment is a computer-based assessment or
1069 a paper-based assessment.
1070 5. The grade level or subject area associated with the
1071 assessment.
1072 6. The date that the assessment results are expected to be
1073 available to teachers and parents.
1074 7. The type of assessment, the purpose of the assessment,
1075 and the use of the assessment results.
1076 8. A glossary of assessment terminology.
1077 9. Estimates of average time for administering state
1078 required and district-required assessments, by grade level.
1079 (c) Beginning with the 2017-2018 school year, the ELA
1080 assessment in grades 3 through 10 and the Mathematics assessment
1081 in grades 3 through 8 shall be administered:
1082 1. With the exception of the grade 3 Reading assessment, no
1083 earlier than during the last 3 weeks of the school year as
1084 determined by a district school board’s policy pursuant to s.
1085 1001.42(4)(f).
1086 2. Within a testing window not to exceed 3 weeks.
1087 (d) Beginning with any new contract for the ELA assessment
1088 in grades 3 through 10 and the Mathematics assessment in grades
1089 3 through 8 entered into after July 1, 2017, each new assessment
1090 shall be made available once per quarter for students who the
1091 school district has identified through competency-based
1092 education as having mastered the content and who are prepared to
1093 take the applicable assessment.
1094 (g)(e) The Algebra I and Biology I A statewide,
1095 standardized EOC assessments assessment must be used as the
1096 final cumulative examination for its associated course. No
1097 additional final assessment may be administered in an Algebra I
1098 or Biology I a course with a statewide, standardized EOC
1099 assessment. A district-required local assessment may be used as
1100 the final cumulative examination for its associated course in
1101 accordance with the school district’s policy.
1102 (h)(f) A school district must provide a student’s
1103 performance results on district-required local assessments to
1104 the student’s teachers within 1 week and to the student’s
1105 parents no later than 30 days after administering such
1106 assessments, unless the superintendent determines in writing
1107 that extenuating circumstances exist and reports the extenuating
1108 circumstances to the district school board.
1109 (i) A school district must provide a student’s performance
1110 results on statewide, standardized ELA and Mathematics
1111 assessments in an easy-to-read and understandable format to each
1112 student’s parent, current teacher of record, and teacher of
1113 record for the subsequent school year before the start of that
1114 school year. A report of student assessment results, prepared by
1115 the Department of Education, must, at a minimum, contain:
1116 1. A clear explanation of the student’s performance on the
1117 applicable statewide, standardized assessments.
1118 2. Information identifying the student’s areas of strength
1119 and areas in need of improvement.
1120 3. Specific actions that may be taken, and the available
1121 resources that may be used, by the student’s parent to assist
1122 his or her child based on the student’s areas of strength and
1123 areas in need of improvement.
1124 4. Longitudinal information, if available, on the student’s
1125 progress in each subject area based on previous statewide,
1126 standardized assessment data.
1127 5. Comparative information showing the student’s score
1128 compared to other students in the school district, in the state,
1129 or, if available, in other states.
1130 6. Predictive information, if available, showing the
1131 linkage between the scores attained by the student on the
1132 statewide, standardized assessments and the scores he or she may
1133 potentially attain on nationally recognized college entrance
1134 examinations.
1135 Section 13. Section 1008.222, Florida Statutes, is created
1136 to read:
1137 1008.222 Student assessments for students of articulated
1138 acceleration mechanisms.—
1139 (1) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a student
1140 who takes and passes an advanced placement, International
1141 Baccalaureate, Advanced International Certificate of Education,
1142 or national industry certification examination; takes and passes
1143 any other articulated acceleration mechanism authorized under s.
1144 1007.27; or achieves the required concordant scores on the ACT
1145 or SAT examinations pursuant to s. 1008.22(8), is exempt from
1146 taking the statewide, standardized assessments in the subject
1147 areas covered by those examinations.
1148 (2) By the first day of the 2017-2018 school year, the
1149 Commissioner of Education shall identify concordant scores or
1150 comparative scores, as appropriate, so that those scores satisfy
1151 the high school graduation requirements under s. 1003.4282 for
1152 an examination or assessment identified in subsection (1).
1153 (3) The scores of students who pass the examinations or
1154 assessments identified in subsection (1) shall be incorporated
1155 into the school grade calculations under s. 1008.34.
1156 Section 14. Paragraph (b) of subsection (7) of section
1157 1008.25, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
1158 1008.25 Public school student progression; student support;
1159 reporting requirements.—
1160 (7) SUCCESSFUL PROGRESSION FOR RETAINED THIRD GRADE
1161 STUDENTS.—
1162 (b) Each school district shall:
1163 1. Provide third grade students who are retained under the
1164 provisions of paragraph (5)(b) with intensive instructional
1165 services and supports to remediate the identified areas of
1166 reading deficiency, including participation in the school
1167 district’s summer reading camp as required under paragraph (a)
1168 and a minimum of 90 minutes of daily, uninterrupted,
1169 scientifically research-based reading instruction which includes
1170 phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and
1171 comprehension and other strategies prescribed by the school
1172 district, which may include, but are not limited to:
1173 a. Integration of science and social studies content within
1174 the 90-minute block.
1175 b. Small group instruction.
1176 c. Reduced teacher-student ratios.
1177 d. More frequent progress monitoring.
1178 e. Tutoring or mentoring.
1179 f. Transition classes containing 3rd and 4th grade
1180 students.
1181 g. Extended school day, week, or year.
1182 2. Provide written notification to the parent of a student
1183 who is retained under the provisions of paragraph (5)(b) that
1184 his or her child has not met the proficiency level required for
1185 promotion and the reasons the child is not eligible for a good
1186 cause exemption as provided in paragraph (6)(b). The
1187 notification must comply with the provisions of s. 1002.20(15)
1188 and must include a description of proposed interventions and
1189 supports that will be provided to the child to remediate the
1190 identified areas of reading deficiency.
1191 3. Implement a policy for the midyear promotion of a
1192 student retained under the provisions of paragraph (5)(b) who
1193 can demonstrate that he or she is a successful and independent
1194 reader and performing at or above grade level in reading or,
1195 upon implementation of English Language Arts assessments,
1196 performing at or above grade level in English Language Arts.
1197 Tools that school districts may use in reevaluating a student
1198 retained may include subsequent assessments, alternative
1199 assessments, and portfolio reviews, in accordance with rules of
1200 the State Board of Education. Students promoted during the
1201 school year after November 1 must demonstrate proficiency levels
1202 in reading equivalent to the level necessary for the beginning
1203 of grade 4. The rules adopted by the State Board of Education
1204 must include standards that provide a reasonable expectation
1205 that the student’s progress is sufficient to master appropriate
1206 grade 4 level reading skills.
1207 4. Provide students who are retained under the provisions
1208 of paragraph (5)(b) with a highly effective teacher as
1209 determined by the teacher’s performance evaluation under s.
1210 1012.34.
1211 5. Establish at each school, when applicable, an Intensive
1212 Acceleration Class for retained grade 3 students who
1213 subsequently score Level 1 on the required statewide,
1214 standardized assessment identified in s. 1008.22. The focus of
1215 the Intensive Acceleration Class shall be to increase a child’s
1216 reading and English Language Arts skill level at least two grade
1217 levels in 1 school year. The Intensive Acceleration Class shall:
1218 a. Be provided to a student in grade 3 who scores Level 1
1219 on the statewide, standardized English Language Arts assessment
1220 and who was retained in grade 3 the prior year because of
1221 scoring Level 1.
1222 b. Have a reduced teacher-student ratio.
1223 c. Provide uninterrupted reading instruction for the
1224 majority of student contact time each day and incorporate
1225 opportunities to master the grade 4 Next Generation Sunshine
1226 State Standards in other core subject areas.
1227 d. Use a reading program that is scientifically research
1228 based and has proven results in accelerating student reading
1229 achievement within the same school year.
1230 e. Provide intensive language and vocabulary instruction
1231 using a scientifically research-based program, including use of
1232 a speech-language therapist.
1233 Section 15. Subsections (1) and (4) of section 1009.60,
1234 Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
1235 1009.60 Minority teacher education scholars program.—There
1236 is created the minority teacher education scholars program,
1237 which is a collaborative performance-based scholarship program
1238 for African-American, Hispanic-American, Asian-American, and
1239 Native American students. The participants in the program
1240 include Florida’s Florida College System institutions and its
1241 public and private universities that have teacher education
1242 programs.
1243 (1) The minority teacher education scholars program shall
1244 provide an annual scholarship in an amount that shall be
1245 prorated based on available appropriations and may not exceed
1246 $4,000 for each approved minority teacher education scholar who
1247 is enrolled in one of Florida’s public or private colleges or
1248 universities, in the junior year and is admitted into a teacher
1249 education program, and has not earned more than 18 credit hours
1250 of upper-division-level courses in education.
1251 (4) A student may receive a scholarship from the program
1252 for 3 consecutive years if the student remains enrolled full
1253 time in the program and makes satisfactory progress toward a
1254 baccalaureate degree with a major in education or a graduate
1255 degree with a major in education, leading to initial
1256 certification.
1257 Section 16. Paragraph (a) of subsection (2) of section
1258 1009.605, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
1259 1009.605 Florida Fund for Minority Teachers, Inc.—
1260 (2)(a) The corporation shall submit an annual budget
1261 projection to the Department of Education to be included in the
1262 annual legislative budget request. The projection must be based
1263 on the cost to award up to 350 scholarships to new scholars in
1264 the junior year and up to 350 renewal scholarships to the 350
1265 rising seniors.
1266 Section 17. Paragraphs (l) through (o) of subsection (1) of
1267 section 1011.62, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
1268 1011.62 Funds for operation of schools.—If the annual
1269 allocation from the Florida Education Finance Program to each
1270 district for operation of schools is not determined in the
1271 annual appropriations act or the substantive bill implementing
1272 the annual appropriations act, it shall be determined as
1273 follows:
1274 (1) COMPUTATION OF THE BASIC AMOUNT TO BE INCLUDED FOR
1275 OPERATION.—The following procedure shall be followed in
1276 determining the annual allocation to each district for
1277 operation:
1278 (l) Calculation of additional full-time equivalent
1279 membership based on International Baccalaureate examination
1280 scores of students.—A value of 0.16 full-time equivalent student
1281 membership shall be calculated for each student enrolled in an
1282 International Baccalaureate course who receives a score of 4 or
1283 higher on a subject examination. A value of 0.3 full-time
1284 equivalent student membership shall be calculated for each
1285 student who receives an International Baccalaureate diploma.
1286 Such value shall be added to the total full-time equivalent
1287 student membership in basic programs for grades 9 through 12 in
1288 the subsequent fiscal year. Each school district shall allocate
1289 80 percent of the funds received from International
1290 Baccalaureate bonus FTE funding to the school program whose
1291 students generate the funds and to school programs that prepare
1292 prospective students to enroll in International Baccalaureate
1293 courses. Funds shall be expended solely for the payment of
1294 allowable costs associated with the International Baccalaureate
1295 program. Allowable costs include International Baccalaureate
1296 annual school fees; International Baccalaureate examination
1297 fees; salary, benefits, and bonuses for teachers and program
1298 coordinators for the International Baccalaureate program and
1299 teachers and coordinators who prepare prospective students for
1300 the International Baccalaureate program; supplemental books;
1301 instructional supplies; instructional equipment or instructional
1302 materials for International Baccalaureate courses; other
1303 activities that identify prospective International Baccalaureate
1304 students or prepare prospective students to enroll in
1305 International Baccalaureate courses; and training or
1306 professional development for International Baccalaureate
1307 teachers. School districts shall allocate the remaining 20
1308 percent of the funds received from International Baccalaureate
1309 bonus FTE funding for programs that assist academically
1310 disadvantaged students to prepare for more rigorous courses. The
1311 school district shall distribute to each classroom teacher who
1312 provided International Baccalaureate instruction:
1313 1. A bonus in the amount of $50 for each student taught by
1314 the International Baccalaureate teacher in each International
1315 Baccalaureate course who receives a score of 4 or higher on the
1316 International Baccalaureate examination.
1317 2. An additional bonus of $500 to each International
1318 Baccalaureate teacher in a school designated with a grade of “D”
1319 or “F” who has at least one student scoring 4 or higher on the
1320 International Baccalaureate examination, regardless of the
1321 number of classes taught or of the number of students scoring a
1322 4 or higher on the International Baccalaureate examination.
1323
1324 Bonuses awarded to a teacher according to this paragraph shall
1325 be provided may not exceed $2,000 in any given school year.
1326 However, the maximum bonus shall be $3,000 if at least 50
1327 percent of the students enrolled in a teacher’s course earn a
1328 score of 4 or higher on the examination in a school designated
1329 with a grade of “A,” “B,” or “C”; or if at least 25 percent of
1330 the students enrolled in the a teacher’s course earn a score of
1331 4 or higher on the examination. in a school designated with a
1332 grade of “D” or “F.” Bonuses awarded under this paragraph shall
1333 be in addition to any regular wage or other bonus the teacher
1334 received or is scheduled to receive. For such courses, the
1335 teacher shall earn an additional bonus of $50 for each student
1336 who has a qualifying score up to the maximum of $3,000 in any
1337 given school year.
1338 (m) Calculation of additional full-time equivalent
1339 membership based on Advanced International Certificate of
1340 Education examination scores of students.—A value of 0.16 full
1341 time equivalent student membership shall be calculated for each
1342 student enrolled in a full-credit Advanced International
1343 Certificate of Education course who receives a score of E or
1344 higher on a subject examination. A value of 0.08 full-time
1345 equivalent student membership shall be calculated for each
1346 student enrolled in a half-credit Advanced International
1347 Certificate of Education course who receives a score of E or
1348 higher on a subject examination. A value of 0.3 full-time
1349 equivalent student membership shall be calculated for each
1350 student who receives an Advanced International Certificate of
1351 Education diploma. Such value shall be added to the total full
1352 time equivalent student membership in basic programs for grades
1353 9 through 12 in the subsequent fiscal year. Each school district
1354 shall allocate at least 80 percent of the funds received from
1355 the Advanced International Certificate of Education bonus FTE
1356 funding, in accordance with this paragraph, to the school
1357 program that generated the funds. The school district shall
1358 distribute to each classroom teacher who provided Advanced
1359 International Certificate of Education instruction:
1360 1. A bonus in the amount of $50 for each student taught by
1361 the Advanced International Certificate of Education teacher in
1362 each full-credit Advanced International Certificate of Education
1363 course who receives a score of E or higher on the Advanced
1364 International Certificate of Education examination. A bonus in
1365 the amount of $25 for each student taught by the Advanced
1366 International Certificate of Education teacher in each half
1367 credit Advanced International Certificate of Education course
1368 who receives a score of E or higher on the Advanced
1369 International Certificate of Education examination.
1370 2. An additional bonus of $500 to each Advanced
1371 International Certificate of Education teacher in a school
1372 designated with a grade of “D” or “F” who has at least one
1373 student scoring E or higher on the full-credit Advanced
1374 International Certificate of Education examination, regardless
1375 of the number of classes taught or of the number of students
1376 scoring an E or higher on the full-credit Advanced International
1377 Certificate of Education examination.
1378 3. Additional bonuses of $250 each to teachers of half
1379 credit Advanced International Certificate of Education classes
1380 in a school designated with a grade of “D” or “F” which has at
1381 least one student scoring an E or higher on the half-credit
1382 Advanced International Certificate of Education examination in
1383 that class. The maximum additional bonus for a teacher awarded
1384 in accordance with this subparagraph shall not exceed $500 in
1385 any given school year. Teachers receiving an award under
1386 subparagraph 2. are not eligible for a bonus under this
1387 subparagraph.
1388
1389 Bonuses awarded to a teacher according to this paragraph shall
1390 be provided if at least 25 percent of the students enrolled in
1391 the teacher’s course earn a score of E or higher on the
1392 examination. Bonuses awarded under this paragraph are not exceed
1393 $2,000 in any given school year and shall be in addition to any
1394 regular wage or other bonus the teacher received or is scheduled
1395 to receive.
1396 (n) Calculation of additional full-time equivalent
1397 membership based on college board advanced placement scores of
1398 students.—A value of 0.16 full-time equivalent student
1399 membership shall be calculated for each student in each advanced
1400 placement course who receives a score of 3 or higher on the
1401 College Board Advanced Placement Examination for the prior year
1402 and added to the total full-time equivalent student membership
1403 in basic programs for grades 9 through 12 in the subsequent
1404 fiscal year. Each district must allocate at least 80 percent of
1405 the funds provided to the district for advanced placement
1406 instruction, in accordance with this paragraph, to the high
1407 school that generates the funds. The school district shall
1408 distribute to each classroom teacher who provided advanced
1409 placement instruction:
1410 1. A bonus in the amount of $50 for each student taught by
1411 the Advanced Placement teacher in each advanced placement course
1412 who receives a score of 3 or higher on the College Board
1413 Advanced Placement Examination.
1414 2. An additional bonus of $500 to each Advanced Placement
1415 teacher in a school designated with a grade of “D” or “F” who
1416 has at least one student scoring 3 or higher on the College
1417 Board Advanced Placement Examination, regardless of the number
1418 of classes taught or of the number of students scoring a 3 or
1419 higher on the College Board Advanced Placement Examination.
1420
1421 Bonuses awarded to a teacher according to this paragraph shall
1422 be provided not exceed $2,000 in any given school year. However,
1423 the maximum bonus shall be $3,000 if at least 50 percent of the
1424 students enrolled in a teacher’s course earn a score of 3 or
1425 higher on the examination in a school with a grade of “A,” “B,”
1426 or “C” or if at least 25 percent of the students enrolled in the
1427 a teacher’s course earn a score of 3 or higher on the
1428 examination. in a school with a grade of “D” or “F.” Bonuses
1429 awarded under this paragraph shall be in addition to any regular
1430 wage or other bonus the teacher received or is scheduled to
1431 receive. For such courses, the teacher shall earn an additional
1432 bonus of $50 for each student who has a qualifying score up to
1433 the maximum of $3,000 in any given school year.
1434 (o) Calculation of additional full-time equivalent
1435 membership based on successful completion of a career-themed
1436 course pursuant to ss. 1003.491, 1003.492, and 1003.493, or
1437 courses with embedded CAPE industry certifications or CAPE
1438 Digital Tool certificates, and issuance of industry
1439 certification identified on the CAPE Industry Certification
1440 Funding List pursuant to rules adopted by the State Board of
1441 Education or CAPE Digital Tool certificates pursuant to s.
1442 1003.4203.—
1443 1.a. A value of 0.025 full-time equivalent student
1444 membership shall be calculated for CAPE Digital Tool
1445 certificates earned by students in elementary and middle school
1446 grades.
1447 b. A value of 0.1 or 0.2 full-time equivalent student
1448 membership shall be calculated for each student who completes a
1449 course as defined in s. 1003.493(1)(b) or courses with embedded
1450 CAPE industry certifications and who is issued an industry
1451 certification identified annually on the CAPE Industry
1452 Certification Funding List approved under rules adopted by the
1453 State Board of Education. A value of 0.2 full-time equivalent
1454 membership shall be calculated for each student who is issued a
1455 CAPE industry certification that has a statewide articulation
1456 agreement for college credit approved by the State Board of
1457 Education. For CAPE industry certifications that do not
1458 articulate for college credit, the Department of Education shall
1459 assign a full-time equivalent value of 0.1 for each
1460 certification. Middle grades students who earn additional FTE
1461 membership for a CAPE Digital Tool certificate pursuant to sub
1462 subparagraph a. may not use the previously funded examination to
1463 satisfy the requirements for earning an industry certification
1464 under this sub-subparagraph. Additional FTE membership for an
1465 elementary or middle grades student may not exceed 0.1 for
1466 certificates or certifications earned within the same fiscal
1467 year. The State Board of Education shall include the assigned
1468 values on the CAPE Industry Certification Funding List under
1469 rules adopted by the state board. Such value shall be added to
1470 the total full-time equivalent student membership for grades 6
1471 through 12 in the subsequent year. CAPE industry certifications
1472 earned through dual enrollment must be reported and funded
1473 pursuant to s. 1011.80. However, if a student earns a
1474 certification through a dual enrollment course and the
1475 certification is not a fundable certification on the
1476 postsecondary certification funding list, or the dual enrollment
1477 certification is earned as a result of an agreement between a
1478 school district and a nonpublic postsecondary institution, the
1479 bonus value shall be funded in the same manner as other nondual
1480 enrollment course industry certifications. In such cases, the
1481 school district may provide for an agreement between the high
1482 school and the technical center, or the school district and the
1483 postsecondary institution may enter into an agreement for
1484 equitable distribution of the bonus funds.
1485 c. A value of 0.3 full-time equivalent student membership
1486 shall be calculated for student completion of the courses and
1487 the embedded certifications identified on the CAPE Industry
1488 Certification Funding List and approved by the commissioner
1489 pursuant to ss. 1003.4203(5)(a) and 1008.44.
1490 d. A value of 0.5 full-time equivalent student membership
1491 shall be calculated for CAPE Acceleration Industry
1492 Certifications that articulate for 15 to 29 college credit
1493 hours, and 1.0 full-time equivalent student membership shall be
1494 calculated for CAPE Acceleration Industry Certifications that
1495 articulate for 30 or more college credit hours pursuant to CAPE
1496 Acceleration Industry Certifications approved by the
1497 commissioner pursuant to ss. 1003.4203(5)(b) and 1008.44.
1498 2. Each district must allocate at least 80 percent of the
1499 funds provided for CAPE industry certification, in accordance
1500 with this paragraph, to the program that generated the funds.
1501 This allocation may not be used to supplant funds provided for
1502 basic operation of the program.
1503 3. For CAPE industry certifications earned in the 2013-2014
1504 school year and in subsequent years, the school district shall
1505 distribute to each classroom teacher who provided direct
1506 instruction toward the attainment of a CAPE industry
1507 certification that qualified for additional full-time equivalent
1508 membership under subparagraph 1.:
1509 a. A bonus of $25 for each student taught by a teacher who
1510 provided instruction in a course that led to the attainment of a
1511 CAPE industry certification on the CAPE Industry Certification
1512 Funding List with a weight of 0.1.
1513 b. A bonus of $50 for each student taught by a teacher who
1514 provided instruction in a course that led to the attainment of a
1515 CAPE industry certification on the CAPE Industry Certification
1516 Funding List with a weight of 0.2.
1517 c. A bonus of $75 for each student taught by a teacher who
1518 provided instruction in a course that led to the attainment of a
1519 CAPE industry certification on the CAPE Industry Certification
1520 Funding List with a weight of 0.3.
1521 d. A bonus of $100 for each student taught by a teacher who
1522 provided instruction in a course that led to the attainment of a
1523 CAPE industry certification on the CAPE Industry Certification
1524 Funding List with a weight of 0.5 or 1.0.
1525
1526 Bonuses awarded pursuant to this paragraph shall be provided to
1527 teachers who are employed by the district in the year in which
1528 the additional FTE membership calculation is included in the
1529 calculation. Bonuses shall be calculated based upon the
1530 associated weight of a CAPE industry certification on the CAPE
1531 Industry Certification Funding List for the year in which the
1532 certification is earned by the student. Any bonus awarded to a
1533 teacher under this paragraph may not exceed $3,000 in any given
1534 school year and is in addition to any regular wage or other
1535 bonus the teacher received or is scheduled to receive.
1536 Section 18. Paragraph (c) of subsection (1), paragraph (a)
1537 of subsection (3), and subsections (7), (8), and (9) of section
1538 1012.34, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
1539 1012.34 Personnel evaluation procedures and criteria.—
1540 (1) EVALUATION SYSTEM APPROVAL AND REPORTING.—
1541 (c) Annually, by February 1, the Commissioner of Education
1542 shall publish on the department’s website the status of each
1543 school district’s instructional personnel and school
1544 administrator evaluation systems. This information must include:
1545 1. performance evaluation results for the prior school year
1546 for instructional personnel and school administrators using the
1547 four levels of performance specified in paragraph (2)(e). The
1548 performance evaluation results for instructional personnel shall
1549 be disaggregated by classroom teachers, as defined in s.
1550 1012.01(2)(a), excluding substitute teachers, and all other
1551 instructional personnel, as defined in s. 1012.01(2)(b)-(d).
1552 2. An analysis that compares performance evaluation results
1553 calculated by each school district to indicators of performance
1554 calculated by the department using the standards for performance
1555 levels adopted by the state board under subsection (8).
1556 3. Data reported under s. 1012.341.
1557 (3) EVALUATION PROCEDURES AND CRITERIA.—Instructional
1558 personnel and school administrator performance evaluations must
1559 be based upon the performance of students assigned to their
1560 classrooms or schools, as provided in this section. Pursuant to
1561 this section, a school district’s performance evaluation system
1562 is not limited to basing unsatisfactory performance of
1563 instructional personnel and school administrators solely upon
1564 student performance, but may include other criteria to evaluate
1565 instructional personnel and school administrators’ performance,
1566 or any combination of student performance and other criteria.
1567 Evaluation procedures and criteria must comply with, but are not
1568 limited to, the following:
1569 (a) A performance evaluation must be conducted for each
1570 employee at least once a year, except that a classroom teacher,
1571 as defined in s. 1012.01(2)(a), excluding substitute teachers,
1572 who is newly hired by the district school board must be observed
1573 and evaluated at least twice in the first year of teaching in
1574 the school district. The performance evaluation must be based
1575 upon sound educational principles and contemporary research in
1576 effective educational practices. The evaluation criteria must
1577 include:
1578 1. Performance of students.—At least one-third of a
1579 performance evaluation must be based upon data and indicators of
1580 student performance, as determined by each school district in
1581 accordance with subsection (7). This portion of the evaluation
1582 must include growth or achievement data of the teacher’s
1583 students or, for a school administrator, the students attending
1584 the school over the course of at least 3 years. If less than 3
1585 years of data are available, the years for which data are
1586 available must be used. The proportion of growth or achievement
1587 data may be determined by instructional assignment.
1588 2. Instructional practice.—For instructional personnel, at
1589 least one-third of the performance evaluation must be based upon
1590 instructional practice. Evaluation criteria used when annually
1591 observing classroom teachers, as defined in s. 1012.01(2)(a),
1592 excluding substitute teachers, must include indicators based
1593 upon each of the Florida Educator Accomplished Practices adopted
1594 by the State Board of Education. For instructional personnel who
1595 are not classroom teachers, evaluation criteria must be based
1596 upon indicators of the Florida Educator Accomplished Practices
1597 and may include specific job expectations related to student
1598 support.
1599 3. Instructional leadership.—For school administrators, at
1600 least one-third of the performance evaluation must be based on
1601 instructional leadership. Evaluation criteria for instructional
1602 leadership must include indicators based upon each of the
1603 leadership standards adopted by the State Board of Education
1604 under s. 1012.986, including performance measures related to the
1605 effectiveness of classroom teachers in the school, the
1606 administrator’s appropriate use of evaluation criteria and
1607 procedures, recruitment and retention of effective and highly
1608 effective classroom teachers, improvement in the percentage of
1609 instructional personnel evaluated at the highly effective or
1610 effective level, and other leadership practices that result in
1611 student learning growth. The system may include a means to give
1612 parents and instructional personnel an opportunity to provide
1613 input into the administrator’s performance evaluation.
1614 4. Other indicators of performance.—For instructional
1615 personnel and school administrators, the remainder of a
1616 performance evaluation may include, but is not limited to,
1617 professional and job responsibilities as recommended by the
1618 State Board of Education or identified by the district school
1619 board and, for instructional personnel, peer reviews,
1620 objectively reliable survey information from students and
1621 parents based on teaching practices that are consistently
1622 associated with higher student achievement, and other valid and
1623 reliable measures of instructional practice.
1624 (7) MEASUREMENT OF STUDENT PERFORMANCE.—
1625 (a) The Commissioner of Education may develop shall approve
1626 a formula to measure individual student learning growth on the
1627 statewide, standardized assessments in English Language Arts and
1628 mathematics administered under s. 1008.22. The formula must take
1629 into consideration each student’s prior academic performance.
1630 The formula must not set different expectations for student
1631 learning growth based upon a student’s gender, race, ethnicity,
1632 or socioeconomic status. In the development of the formula, the
1633 commissioner shall consider other factors such as a student’s
1634 attendance record, disability status, or status as an English
1635 language learner. The commissioner may select additional
1636 formulas to measure student performance as appropriate for the
1637 remainder of the statewide, standardized assessments included
1638 under s. 1008.22 and continue to select formulas as new
1639 assessments are implemented in the state system. After the
1640 commissioner approves the formula to measure individual student
1641 learning growth, the State Board of Education shall adopt these
1642 formulas in rule.
1643 (b) Each school district may, but is not required to, shall
1644 measure student learning growth using the formulas developed
1645 approved by the commissioner under paragraph (a) and the
1646 standards for performance levels adopted by the state board
1647 under subsection (8) for courses associated with the statewide,
1648 standardized assessments administered under s. 1008.22 no later
1649 than the school year immediately following the year the formula
1650 is approved by the commissioner. For grades and subjects not
1651 assessed by statewide, standardized assessments, each school
1652 district shall measure student performance using a methodology
1653 determined by the district.
1654 (8) RULEMAKING.—No later than August 1, 2015, The State
1655 Board of Education shall adopt rules pursuant to ss. 120.536(1)
1656 and 120.54 which establish uniform procedures and format for the
1657 submission, review, and approval of district evaluation systems
1658 and reporting requirements for the annual evaluation of
1659 instructional personnel and school administrators; specific,
1660 discrete standards for each performance level required under
1661 subsection (2), based on student learning growth models approved
1662 by the commissioner, to ensure clear and sufficient
1663 differentiation in the performance levels and to provide
1664 consistency in meaning across school districts; the measurement
1665 of student learning growth and associated implementation
1666 procedures required under subsection (7); and a process for
1667 monitoring school district implementation of evaluation systems
1668 in accordance with this section.
1669 (9) TRANSITION TO NEW STATEWIDE, STANDARDIZED ASSESSMENTS.
1670 Standards for each performance level required under subsection
1671 (2) shall be established by the State Board of Education
1672 beginning with the 2015-2016 school year.
1673 Section 19. Committee on Early Childhood Development.—The
1674 Committee on Early Childhood Development, a committee as defined
1675 in s. 20.03, Florida Statutes, is created within the Department
1676 of Education to develop a proposal for establishing and
1677 implementing a coordinated system focused on developmental
1678 milestones and outcomes for the school readiness program, the
1679 Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program, and the Florida
1680 Kindergarten Readiness Screener and, except as otherwise
1681 provided in this section, shall operate consistent with s.
1682 20.052, Florida Statutes.
1683 (1) The committee’s proposal must include legislative
1684 recommendations for the design and implementation of a
1685 coordinated system for tracking children’s development,
1686 including:
1687 (a) The purpose of tracking children’s development, with a
1688 focus on developmentally appropriate learning gains.
1689 (b) Attributes for tool selection that provide guidance on
1690 procurement policies.
1691 (c) An implementation schedule and protocols, including the
1692 frequency of data collection and a timeline for training to
1693 ensure reliability of the system.
1694 (d) The methodology for collecting and analyzing data that
1695 defines reporting requirements.
1696 (e) A budget for the system, including cost analyses for
1697 purchasing materials and necessary technology, training to
1698 ensure reliability, and data system management.
1699 (f) Considerations for student privacy and tracking child
1700 development over time.
1701 (2) The committee is composed of 14 members, with 7 members
1702 appointed by the President of the Senate and 7 members appointed
1703 by the Speaker of the House of Representatives. The members must
1704 be residents of this state. Seven of the members must be
1705 representatives from or subject matter experts for early
1706 learning and seven members must be representatives from or
1707 subject matter experts for kindergarten through grade 3.
1708 (3) The committee shall elect a chair and vice chair.
1709 Members of the committee shall serve without compensation but
1710 are entitled to reimbursement for per diem and travel expenses
1711 pursuant to s. 112.061, Florida Statutes.
1712 (4) The committee must meet at least three times and shall
1713 meet by teleconference or other electronic means, if possible,
1714 to reduce costs.
1715 (5) A majority of the members constitutes a quorum.
1716 (6) The University of Florida Lastinger Center for Learning
1717 shall provide the committee with staff necessary to assist the
1718 committee in the performance of its duties.
1719 (7) The committee shall submit a report of its findings and
1720 recommendations to the Governor, the President of the Senate,
1721 and the Speaker of the House of Representatives by December 1,
1722 2017. Upon submission of the report, the committee shall expire.
1723 Section 20. This act shall take effect July 1, 2017.