Florida Senate - 2021 COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
Bill No. PCS (629046) for CS for SB 726
Ì366332ÈÎ366332
LEGISLATIVE ACTION
Senate . House
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The Committee on Appropriations (Taddeo) recommended the
following:
1 Senate Amendment (with title amendment)
2
3 Delete everything after the enacting clause
4 and insert:
5 Section 1. Subsections (1) and (2) of section 1003.5716,
6 Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
7 1003.5716 Transition to postsecondary education and career
8 opportunities.—All students with disabilities who are 3 years of
9 age to 21 years of age have the right to a free, appropriate
10 public education. As used in this section, the term “IEP” means
11 individual education plan.
12 (1) To ensure quality planning for a successful transition
13 of a student with a disability to postsecondary education and
14 career opportunities, during the student’s 7th grade year or
15 when the student attains the age of 12, whichever occurs first,
16 an IEP team shall begin the process of, and develop an IEP for,
17 identifying the need for transition services before the student
18 with a disability enters high school or attains the age of 14
19 years, whichever occurs first, in order for his or her
20 postsecondary goals and career goals to be identified. The plan
21 must be operational and in place to begin implementation on the
22 first day of the student’s first year in high school when he or
23 she attains the age of 16 years. This process must include, but
24 is not limited to:
25 (a) Consideration of the student’s need for instruction in
26 the area of self-determination and self-advocacy to assist the
27 student’s active and effective participation in an IEP meeting;
28 and
29 (b) Preparation for the student to graduate from high
30 school with a standard high school diploma pursuant to s.
31 1003.4282 with a Scholar designation unless the parent chooses a
32 Merit designation; and
33 (c) Provision of the information to the student and his or
34 her parent of the school district’s high school-level transition
35 services, career and technical education, and collegiate
36 programs available to students with disabilities and how to
37 access such programs. Information shall also be provided on
38 school-based transition programs and programs and services
39 available through Florida’s Center for Students with Unique
40 Abilities, the Florida Centers for Independent Living, the
41 Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, the Agency for Persons
42 with Disabilities, and the Division of Blind Services. Referral
43 forms, links, and technical support contacts for these services
44 must be provided to students and parents at IEP meetings.
45 (2) Beginning not later than the first IEP to be in effect
46 when the student enters high school, attains the age of 14 16,
47 or when younger if determined appropriate by the parent and the
48 IEP team, whichever occurs first, the IEP must include the
49 following statements that must be updated annually:
50 (a) A statement of intent to pursue a standard high school
51 diploma and a Scholar or Merit designation, pursuant to s.
52 1003.4285, as determined by the parent.
53 1. The statement must document discussion of the process
54 for a student with a disability who meets the requirements for a
55 standard high school diploma to defer the receipt of such
56 diploma pursuant to s. 1003.4282(10)(c).
57 2. For the IEP in effect at the beginning of the school
58 year the student is expected to graduate, the statement must
59 include a signed statement by the parent or guardian, or the
60 student if the student has reached the age of majority and
61 rights have transferred to the student, that he or she
62 understands the process for deferment and identifying if the
63 student will defer the receipt of his or her standard high
64 school diploma.
65 (b) A statement of intent to receive a standard high school
66 diploma before the student attains the age of 22 and a
67 description of how the student will fully meet the requirements
68 in s. 1003.4282, including, but not limited to, a portfolio
69 pursuant to s. 1003.4282(10)(b) which meets the criteria
70 specified in State Board of Education rule. The IEP must also
71 specify the outcomes and additional benefits expected by the
72 parent and the IEP team at the time of the student’s graduation.
73 (c) A statement of appropriate measurable long-term
74 postsecondary education and career goals based upon age
75 appropriate transition assessments related to training,
76 education, employment, and, if appropriate, independent living
77 skills and the transition services, including preemployment
78 transition services and courses of study needed to assist the
79 student in reaching those goals.
80 Section 2. The Department of Education, in conjunction with
81 the Project 10: Transition Education Network, shall conduct a
82 review of existing transition services and programs for students
83 with disabilities to establish uniform best practices for such
84 programs to deliver appropriate employment, pre-employment, and
85 independent living skills education to students enrolled in such
86 transition programs. The department must establish and publish
87 on its website such uniform best practices no later than July 1,
88 2022.
89 Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2021.
90
91 ================= T I T L E A M E N D M E N T ================
92 And the title is amended as follows:
93 Delete everything before the enacting clause
94 and insert:
95 A bill to be entitled
96 An act relating to individual education plan
97 requirements for students with disabilities; amending
98 s. 1003.5716, F.S.; revising the timeline for the
99 development and implementation of an individual
100 education plan (IEP) for transition services for a
101 student with disabilities to a postsecondary education
102 and career opportunities; revising the requirements
103 for an IEP for the transitions to a postsecondary
104 education and career opportunities; requiring certain
105 information to be provided at IEP meetings; revising
106 when a certain statement of intent must be included in
107 the IEP; providing requirements for such statement;
108 requiring a specified party to provide a signed
109 statement relating to the deferment of a standard high
110 school diploma; requiring the Department of Education
111 to conduct a review of specified services and
112 programs; requiring the department to establish and
113 publish on its website uniform best practices for such
114 services and programs by a specified date; providing
115 an effective date.