Florida Senate - 2022                             CS for SB 1048
       
       
        
       By the Committee on Appropriations; and Senators Diaz and
       Rodrigues
       
       
       
       
       576-02910-22                                          20221048c1
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to student assessments; amending s.
    3         411.227, F.S.; conforming provisions to changes made
    4         by the act; amending s. 1000.21, F.S.; renaming “Next
    5         Generation Sunshine State Standards” as “state
    6         academic standards”; amending ss. 1002.37, 1002.45,
    7         1002.53, 1002.67, 1002.68, 1003.41, and 1003.53, F.S.;
    8         conforming provisions to changes made by the act;
    9         providing a directive to the Division of Law Revision;
   10         amending s. 1008.2125, F.S.; deleting provisions
   11         relating to the coordinated screening and progress
   12         monitoring program; conforming provisions to changes
   13         made by the act; amending s. 1008.22, F.S.; conforming
   14         provisions to changes made by the act; providing that
   15         certain end-of-year comprehensive progress monitoring
   16         assessments are the statewide, standardized ELA and
   17         Mathematics assessments for certain students;
   18         providing that achievement levels on specified
   19         assessments shall measure grade-level performance
   20         rather than satisfactory performance; requiring
   21         certain assessment results to be provided by a
   22         specified date beginning with a certain school year;
   23         including the coordinated screening and progress
   24         monitoring system in the limitation on the school
   25         hours authorized for testing; revising the timeframe
   26         for providing district-required local assessments
   27         results to a student’s parent; requiring such results
   28         to be provided in specified formats; requiring
   29         specified information to be included on individual
   30         student reports; requiring the Commissioner of
   31         Education to provide specified recommendations from an
   32         independent review of the coordinated screening and
   33         progress monitoring system to the Governor and
   34         Legislature by a specified date; providing
   35         requirements for the review and recommendations;
   36         providing for the future repeal of such requirements;
   37         amending s. 1008.25, F.S.; conforming provisions to
   38         changes made by the act; requiring the coordinated
   39         screening and progress monitoring system to identify
   40         the educational strengths and needs of students;
   41         revising requirements for such system; providing
   42         requirements for the administration of the coordinated
   43         screenings and progress monitoring and the reporting
   44         of results; requiring a specified annual report to be
   45         accessible through certain web-based options; deleting
   46         a requirement that district school boards print
   47         specified information in a local newspaper; amending
   48         s. 1008.34, F.S.; requiring 2022-2023 school and
   49         school district grades to serve as an informal
   50         baseline for schools and school districts; requiring
   51         baseline grades to be set so that the percentage of
   52         schools that earn specified letter grades is
   53         statistically equivalent to the 2021-2022 school grade
   54         results; requiring the State Board of Education to
   55         review the school grading scale and determine if the
   56         scale should be adjusted after certain data becomes
   57         available; prohibiting a school from being required to
   58         select and implement a turnaround option based on the
   59         school’s grades in a specified school year; providing
   60         applicability; providing that certain public schools
   61         and approved providers that receive the same or lower
   62         school grade in a specified school year are not
   63         subject to sanctions; providing that a charter school
   64         system or school district designated as high
   65         performing may not lose the designation based on the
   66         school grades received during a certain school year by
   67         any of the schools within the charter school system or
   68         school district or based on a certain school year’s
   69         district grade, as applicable; providing a transition
   70         for the calculation of school and district grades for
   71         the 2022-2023 school year; providing requirements for
   72         the calculation of such grades and exemption schools
   73         from specified provisions; providing requirements for
   74         determining grade 3 retention and high school
   75         graduation for such school year; providing for the
   76         future repeal of specified provisions; amending s.
   77         1008.341, F.S.; providing that school improvement
   78         ratings will not be calculated for the 2022-2023
   79         school year; providing for the future repeal of
   80         specified provisions; providing an effective date.
   81          
   82  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   83  
   84         Section 1. Paragraph (d) of subsection (1) and paragraph
   85  (b) of subsection (3) of section 411.227, Florida Statutes, are
   86  amended to read:
   87         411.227 Components of the Learning Gateway.—The Learning
   88  Gateway system consists of the following components:
   89         (1) COMMUNITY EDUCATION STRATEGIES AND FAMILY-ORIENTED
   90  ACCESS.—
   91         (d) In collaboration with other local resources, the
   92  demonstration projects shall develop public awareness strategies
   93  to disseminate information about developmental milestones,
   94  precursors of learning problems and other developmental delays,
   95  and the service system that is available. The information should
   96  target parents of children from birth through age 9 and should
   97  be distributed to parents, health care providers, and caregivers
   98  of children from birth through age 9. A variety of media should
   99  be used as appropriate, such as print, television, radio, and a
  100  community-based Internet website, as well as opportunities such
  101  as those presented by parent visits to physicians for well-child
  102  checkups. The Learning Gateway Steering Committee shall provide
  103  technical assistance to the local demonstration projects in
  104  developing and distributing educational materials and
  105  information.
  106         1. Public awareness strategies targeting parents of
  107  children from birth through age 5 shall be designed to provide
  108  information to public and private preschool programs, child care
  109  providers, pediatricians, parents, and local businesses and
  110  organizations. These strategies should include information on
  111  the school readiness performance standards adopted by the
  112  Department of Education.
  113         2. Public awareness strategies targeting parents of
  114  children from ages 6 through 9 must be designed to disseminate
  115  training materials and brochures to parents and public and
  116  private school personnel, and must be coordinated with the local
  117  school board and the appropriate school advisory committees in
  118  the demonstration projects. The materials should contain
  119  information on state and district achievement proficiency levels
  120  for grades K-3.
  121         (3) EARLY EDUCATION, SERVICES AND SUPPORTS.—
  122         (b) Demonstration projects shall develop strategies to
  123  increase the use of appropriate intervention practices with
  124  children who have learning problems and learning disabilities
  125  within public and private early care and education programs and
  126  K-3 public and private school settings. Strategies may include
  127  training and technical assistance teams. Intervention must be
  128  coordinated and must focus on providing effective supports to
  129  children and their families within their regular education and
  130  community environment. These strategies must incorporate, as
  131  appropriate, school and district activities related to the
  132  student’s progress monitoring plan and must provide parents with
  133  greater access to community-based services that should be
  134  available beyond the traditional school day. Academic
  135  expectations for public school students in grades K-3 must be
  136  based upon the local school board’s adopted achievement
  137  proficiency levels. When appropriate, school personnel shall
  138  consult with the local Learning Gateway to identify other
  139  community resources for supporting the child and the family.
  140         Section 2. Subsection (7) of section 1000.21, Florida
  141  Statutes, is amended to read:
  142         1000.21 Systemwide definitions.—As used in the Florida
  143  Early Learning-20 Education Code:
  144         (7) “Next Generation Sunshine State academic standards”
  145  means the state’s public K-12 curricular standards adopted under
  146  s. 1003.41.
  147         Section 3. Paragraph (f) of subsection (3) and paragraphs
  148  (a) and (d) of subsection (10) of section 1002.37, Florida
  149  Statutes, are amended to read:
  150         1002.37 The Florida Virtual School.—
  151         (3) Funding for the Florida Virtual School shall be
  152  provided as follows:
  153         (f) The Florida Virtual School shall receive state funds
  154  for operating purposes as provided in the General Appropriations
  155  Act. The calculation to determine the amount of state funds
  156  includes: the sum of the base Florida Education Finance Program
  157  funding, the state-funded discretionary contribution and a per
  158  full-time equivalent share of the discretionary millage
  159  compression supplement, the exceptional student education
  160  guaranteed allocation, the instructional materials allocation,
  161  the evidence-based research-based reading instruction
  162  allocation, the mental health assistance allocation, and the
  163  teacher salary increase allocation. For the purpose of
  164  calculating the state-funded discretionary contribution,
  165  multiply the maximum allowable nonvoted discretionary millage
  166  for operations pursuant to s. 1011.71(1) and (3) by the value of
  167  96 percent of the current year’s taxable value for school
  168  purposes for the state; divide the result by the total full-time
  169  equivalent membership of the state; and multiply the result by
  170  the full-time equivalent membership of the school. Funds may not
  171  be provided for the purpose of fulfilling the class size
  172  requirements in ss. 1003.03 and 1011.685.
  173         (10)(a) Public school students receiving full-time
  174  instruction in kindergarten through grade 12 by the Florida
  175  Virtual School must take all statewide assessments required
  176  pursuant to s. 1008.22 and participate in the coordinated
  177  screening and progress monitoring system under s. 1008.25(8).
  178         (d) Unless an alternative testing site is mutually agreed
  179  to by the Florida Virtual School and the school district or as
  180  contracted under s. 1008.24, all industry certification
  181  examinations, national assessments, progress monitoring under s.
  182  1008.25(8), and statewide assessments must be taken at the
  183  school to which the student would be assigned according to
  184  district school board attendance areas. A school district must
  185  provide the student with access to the school’s testing
  186  facilities and the date and time of the administration of
  187  progress monitoring and each examination or assessment.
  188         Section 4. Paragraph (b) of subsection (6) of section
  189  1002.45, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
  190         1002.45 Virtual instruction programs.—
  191         (6) STUDENT PARTICIPATION REQUIREMENTS.—Each student
  192  enrolled in a virtual instruction program or virtual charter
  193  school must:
  194         (b) Take statewide assessments pursuant to s. 1008.22 and
  195  participate in the coordinated screening and progress monitoring
  196  system under s. 1008.25(8). Statewide assessments and progress
  197  monitoring may be administered within the school district in
  198  which such student resides, or as specified in the contract in
  199  accordance with s. 1008.24(3). If requested by the approved
  200  provider or virtual charter school, the district of residence
  201  must provide the student with access to the district’s testing
  202  facilities.
  203         Section 5. Paragraph (d) of subsection (6) of section
  204  1002.53, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
  205         1002.53 Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program;
  206  eligibility and enrollment.—
  207         (6)
  208         (d) Each parent who enrolls his or her child in the
  209  Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program must allow his or
  210  her child to participate in the coordinated screening and
  211  progress monitoring program under s. 1008.25(8) s. 1008.2125.
  212         Section 6. Paragraph (b) of subsection (2) of section
  213  1002.67, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
  214         1002.67 Performance standards and curricula.—
  215         (2)
  216         (b) Each private prekindergarten provider’s and public
  217  school’s curriculum must be developmentally appropriate and
  218  must:
  219         1. Be designed to prepare a student for early literacy and
  220  provide for instruction in early math skills;
  221         2. Enhance the age-appropriate progress of students in
  222  attaining the performance standards adopted by the department
  223  under subsection (1); and
  224         3. Support student learning gains through differentiated
  225  instruction that shall be measured by the coordinated screening
  226  and progress monitoring program under s. 1008.25(8) s.
  227  1008.2125.
  228         Section 7. Paragraphs (a) and (b) of subsection (1),
  229  paragraphs (b) and (e) of subsection (4), and paragraph (c) of
  230  subsection (6) of section 1002.68, Florida Statutes, are amended
  231  to read:
  232         1002.68 Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program
  233  accountability.—
  234         (1)(a) Beginning with the 2022-2023 program year, each
  235  private prekindergarten provider and public school participating
  236  in the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program must
  237  participate in the coordinated screening and progress monitoring
  238  program in accordance with s. 1008.25(8) s. 1008.2125. The
  239  coordinated screening and progress monitoring program results
  240  shall be used by the department to identify student learning
  241  gains, index development learning outcomes upon program
  242  completion relative to the performance standards established
  243  under s. 1002.67 and representative norms, and inform a private
  244  prekindergarten provider’s and public school’s performance
  245  metric.
  246         (b) At a minimum, the initial and final progress monitoring
  247  or screening must be administered by individuals meeting
  248  requirements adopted by the department under s. 1008.25(8) s.
  249  1008.2125.
  250         (4)
  251         (b) The methodology for calculating a provider’s
  252  performance metric may not include students who are not
  253  administered the coordinated screening and progress monitoring
  254  program under s. 1008.25(8) s. 1008.2125.
  255         (e) Subject to an appropriation, the department shall
  256  provide for a differential payment to a private prekindergarten
  257  provider and public school based on the provider’s designation.
  258  The maximum differential payment may not exceed a total of 15
  259  percent of the base student allocation per full-time equivalent
  260  student under s. 1002.71 attending in the consecutive program
  261  year for that program. A private prekindergarten provider or
  262  public school may not receive a differential payment if it
  263  receives a designation of “proficient” or lower. Before the
  264  adoption of the methodology, the department shall confer with
  265  the Council for Early Grade Success under s. 1008.2125 before
  266  receiving approval from the State Board of Education for the
  267  final recommendations on the designation system and differential
  268  payments.
  269         (6)
  270         (c) The department shall adopt criteria for granting good
  271  cause exemptions. Such criteria must include, but are not
  272  limited to, all of the following:
  273         1. Child demographic data that evidences a private
  274  prekindergarten provider or public school serves a statistically
  275  significant population of children with special needs who have
  276  individual education plans and can demonstrate progress toward
  277  meeting the goals outlined in the students’ individual education
  278  plans.
  279         2. Learning gains of children served in the Voluntary
  280  Prekindergarten Education Program by the private prekindergarten
  281  provider or public school on an alternative measure that has
  282  comparable validity and reliability of the coordinated screening
  283  and progress monitoring program in accordance with s. 1008.25(8)
  284  s. 1008.2125.
  285         3. Program assessment data under subsection (2) which
  286  demonstrates effective teaching practices as recognized by the
  287  tool developer.
  288         4. Verification that local and state health and safety
  289  requirements are met.
  290         Section 8. Section 1003.41, Florida Statutes, is amended to
  291  read:
  292         1003.41 Next Generation Sunshine State academic standards.—
  293         (1) The Next Generation Sunshine state academic standards
  294  establish the core content of the curricula to be taught in the
  295  state and specify the core content knowledge and skills that K
  296  12 public school students are expected to acquire. Standards
  297  must be rigorous and relevant and provide for the logical,
  298  sequential progression of core curricular content that
  299  incrementally increases a student’s core content knowledge and
  300  skills over time. Curricular content for all subjects must
  301  integrate critical-thinking, problem-solving, and workforce
  302  literacy skills; communication, reading, and writing skills;
  303  mathematics skills; collaboration skills; contextual and
  304  applied-learning skills; technology-literacy skills; information
  305  and media-literacy skills; and civic-engagement skills. The
  306  standards must include distinct grade-level expectations for the
  307  core content knowledge and skills that a student is expected to
  308  have acquired by each individual grade level from kindergarten
  309  through grade 8. The standards for grades 9 through 12 may be
  310  organized by grade clusters of more than one grade level except
  311  as otherwise provided for visual and performing arts, physical
  312  education, health, and foreign language standards.
  313         (2) The Next Generation Sunshine state academic standards
  314  must meet the following requirements:
  315         (a) English Language Arts standards must establish specific
  316  curricular content for, at a minimum, reading, writing, speaking
  317  and listening, and language.
  318         (b) Science standards must establish specific curricular
  319  content for, at a minimum, the nature of science, earth and
  320  space science, physical science, and life science.
  321         (c) Mathematics standards must establish specific
  322  curricular content for, at a minimum, algebra, geometry,
  323  statistics and probability, number and quantity, functions, and
  324  modeling.
  325         (d) Social Studies standards must establish specific
  326  curricular content for, at a minimum, geography, United States
  327  and world history, government, civics, humanities, economics,
  328  and financial literacy.
  329         (e) Visual and performing arts, physical education, health,
  330  and foreign language standards must establish specific
  331  curricular content and include distinct grade level expectations
  332  for the core content knowledge and skills that a student is
  333  expected to have acquired by each individual grade level from
  334  kindergarten through grade 5. The standards for grades 6 through
  335  12 may be organized by grade clusters of more than one grade
  336  level.
  337         (3) The Commissioner of Education, as needed, shall develop
  338  and submit proposed revisions to the standards for review and
  339  comment by Florida educators, school administrators,
  340  representatives of the Florida College System institutions and
  341  state universities who have expertise in the content knowledge
  342  and skills necessary to prepare a student for postsecondary
  343  education and careers, business and industry leaders, and the
  344  public. The commissioner, after considering reviews and
  345  comments, shall submit the proposed revisions to the State Board
  346  of Education for adoption.
  347         (4) The State Board of Education shall adopt rules to
  348  administer this section.
  349         Section 9. Paragraph (c) of subsection (1) of section
  350  1003.53, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
  351         1003.53 Dropout prevention and academic intervention.—
  352         (1)
  353         (c) A student shall be identified as being eligible to
  354  receive services funded through the dropout prevention and
  355  academic intervention program based upon one of the following
  356  criteria:
  357         1. The student is academically unsuccessful as evidenced by
  358  low test scores, retention, failing grades, low grade point
  359  average, falling behind in earning credits, or not meeting the
  360  state or district achievement proficiency levels in reading,
  361  mathematics, or writing.
  362         2. The student has a pattern of excessive absenteeism or
  363  has been identified as a habitual truant.
  364         3. The student has a history of disruptive behavior in
  365  school or has committed an offense that warrants out-of-school
  366  suspension or expulsion from school according to the district
  367  school board’s code of student conduct. For the purposes of this
  368  program, “disruptive behavior” is behavior that:
  369         a. Interferes with the student’s own learning or the
  370  educational process of others and requires attention and
  371  assistance beyond that which the traditional program can provide
  372  or results in frequent conflicts of a disruptive nature while
  373  the student is under the jurisdiction of the school either in or
  374  out of the classroom; or
  375         b. Severely threatens the general welfare of students or
  376  others with whom the student comes into contact.
  377         4. The student is identified by a school’s early warning
  378  system pursuant to s. 1001.42(18)(b).
  379         Section 10. The Division of Law Revision is directed to
  380  prepare a reviser’s bill for the 2023 Regular Session of the
  381  Legislature to change the term “Next Generation Sunshine State
  382  Standards” to “state academic standards” wherever the term
  383  appears in the Florida Statutes.
  384         Section 11. Section 1008.2125, Florida Statutes, is amended
  385  to read:
  386         1008.2125 The Council for Early Grade Success Coordinated
  387  screening and progress monitoring program for students in the
  388  Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program through grade 3.—
  389         (1)The primary purpose of the coordinated screening and
  390  progress monitoring program for students in the Voluntary
  391  Prekindergarten Education Program through grade 3 is to provide
  392  information on students’ progress in mastering the appropriate
  393  grade-level standards and to provide information on their
  394  progress to parents, teachers, and school and program
  395  administrators. Data shall be used by Voluntary Prekindergarten
  396  Education Program providers and school districts to improve
  397  instruction, by parents and teachers to guide learning
  398  objectives and provide timely and appropriate supports and
  399  interventions to students not meeting grade-level expectations,
  400  and by the public to assess the cost benefit of the expenditure
  401  of taxpayer dollars. The coordinated screening and progress
  402  monitoring program must:
  403         (a)Measure student progress in the Voluntary
  404  Prekindergarten Education Program through grade 3 in meeting the
  405  appropriate expectations in early literacy and math skills and
  406  in English Language Arts and mathematics, as required by ss.
  407  1002.67(1)(a) and 1003.41.
  408         (b)Provide data for accountability of the Voluntary
  409  Prekindergarten Education Program, as required by s. 1002.68.
  410         (c)Provide baseline data to the department of each
  411  student’s readiness for kindergarten, which must be based on
  412  each kindergarten student’s progress monitoring results that was
  413  administered no later than the first 30 instructional days in
  414  accordance with paragraph (2)(a). The methodology for
  415  determining a student’s readiness for kindergarten shall be
  416  developed by the department and aligned to the methodology
  417  adopted pursuant to s. 1002.68(4).
  418         (d)Identify the educational strengths and needs of
  419  students in the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program
  420  through grade 3.
  421         (e)Provide teachers with progress monitoring data to
  422  provide timely interventions and supports pursuant to s.
  423  1008.25(4).
  424         (f)Assess how well educational goals and curricular
  425  standards are met at the provider, school, district, and state
  426  levels.
  427         (g)Provide information to aid in the evaluation and
  428  development of educational programs and policies.
  429         (2)The Commissioner of Education shall design a statewide,
  430  standardized coordinated screening and progress monitoring
  431  program to assess early literacy and mathematics skills and the
  432  English Language Arts and mathematics standards established in
  433  ss. 1002.67(1)(a) and 1003.41, respectively. The coordinated
  434  screening and progress monitoring program must provide interval
  435  level and norm-referenced data that measures equivalent levels
  436  of growth; be a developmentally appropriate, valid, and reliable
  437  direct assessment; be able to capture data on students who may
  438  be performing below grade or developmental level and which may
  439  enable the identification of early indicators of dyslexia or
  440  other developmental delays; accurately measure the core content
  441  in the applicable grade level standards; document learning gains
  442  for the achievement of these standards; and provide teachers
  443  with progress monitoring supports and materials that enhance
  444  differentiated instruction and parent communication.
  445  Participation in the coordinated screening and progress
  446  monitoring program is mandatory for all students in the
  447  Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program and enrolled in a
  448  public school in kindergarten through grade 3. The coordinated
  449  screening and progress monitoring program shall be implemented
  450  beginning in the 2022-2023 school year for students in the
  451  Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program and kindergarten
  452  students, as follows:
  453         (a)The coordinated screening and progress monitoring
  454  program shall be administered within the first 30 days after
  455  enrollment, midyear, and within the last 30 days of the program
  456  or school year, in accordance with the rules adopted by the
  457  State Board of Education. The state board may adopt alternate
  458  timeframes to address nontraditional school year calendars or
  459  summer programs to ensure the coordinated screening and progress
  460  monitoring program is administered a minimum of three times
  461  within a year or program.
  462         (b)The results of the coordinated screening and progress
  463  monitoring program shall be reported to the department, in
  464  accordance with the rules adopted by the state board, and
  465  maintained in the department’s educational data warehouse.
  466         (3) The Commissioner of Education shall:
  467         (a) Develop a plan, in coordination with the Council for
  468  Early Grade Success, for implementing the coordinated screening
  469  and progress monitoring program in consideration of timelines
  470  for implementing new early literacy and mathematics skills and
  471  the English Language Arts and mathematics standards established
  472  in ss. 1002.67(1)(a) and 1003.41, as appropriate.
  473         (b) Provide data, reports, and information as requested to
  474  the Council for Early Grade Success.
  475         (1)(4) The Council for Early Grade Success, a council as
  476  defined in s. 20.03(7), is created within the Department of
  477  Education to oversee the coordinated screening and progress
  478  monitoring program under s. 1008.25(8) for students in the
  479  Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program through grade 3 and,
  480  except as otherwise provided in this section, shall operate
  481  consistent with s. 20.052.
  482         (a) The council shall be responsible for reviewing the
  483  implementation of, training for, and outcomes from the
  484  coordinated screening and progress monitoring program to provide
  485  recommendations to the department that support grade 3 students
  486  reading at or above grade level. The council, at a minimum,
  487  shall:
  488         1. Provide recommendations on the implementation of the
  489  coordinated screening and progress monitoring program, including
  490  reviewing any procurement solicitation documents and criteria
  491  before being published.
  492         2. Develop training plans and timelines for such training.
  493         3. Identify appropriate personnel, processes, and
  494  procedures required for the administration of the coordinated
  495  screening and progress monitoring program.
  496         4. Provide input on the methodology for calculating a
  497  provider’s or school’s performance metric and designations under
  498  s. 1002.68(4).
  499         5. Work with the department to review the methodology for
  500  determining a child’s kindergarten readiness.
  501         6. Review data on age-appropriate learning gains by grade
  502  level that a student would need to attain in order to
  503  demonstrate proficiency in reading by grade 3.
  504         7. Continually review anonymized data from the results of
  505  the coordinated screening and progress monitoring program for
  506  students in the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program
  507  through grade 3 to help inform recommendations to the department
  508  that support practices that will enable grade 3 students to read
  509  at or above grade level.
  510         (b) The council shall be composed of 17 members who are
  511  residents of this the state and appointed as follows:
  512         1. Three members appointed by the Governor, as follows:
  513         a. One representative from the Department of Education.
  514         b. One parent of a child who is 4 to 9 years of age.
  515         c. One representative that is an elementary school
  516  administrator.
  517         2. Seven members appointed by the President of the Senate,
  518  as follows:
  519         a. One senator who serves at the pleasure of the President
  520  of the Senate.
  521         b. One representative of an urban school district.
  522         c. One representative of a rural early learning coalition.
  523         d. One representative of a faith-based early learning
  524  provider who offers the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education
  525  Program.
  526         e. One representative who is a second grade teacher who has
  527  at least 5 years of teaching experience.
  528         f. Two representatives with subject matter expertise in
  529  early learning, early grade success, or child assessments.
  530         3. Seven members appointed by the Speaker of the House of
  531  Representatives, as follows:
  532         a. One member of the House of Representatives who serves at
  533  the pleasure of the Speaker of the House.
  534         b. One representative of a rural school district.
  535         c. One representative of an urban early learning coalition.
  536         d. One representative of an early learning provider who
  537  offers the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program.
  538         e. One member who is a kindergarten teacher who has at
  539  least 5 years of teaching experience.
  540         f. Two representatives with subject matter expertise in
  541  early learning, early grade success, or child assessment.
  542         4. The four representatives with subject matter expertise
  543  in sub-subparagraphs 2.f. and 3.f. may not be direct
  544  stakeholders within the early learning or public school systems.
  545         (2)The Commissioner of Education shall:
  546         (a)Develop a plan, in coordination with the Council for
  547  Early Grade Success, for implementing the coordinated screening
  548  and progress monitoring program in consideration of timelines
  549  for implementing new early literacy and mathematics skills and
  550  the English Language Arts and mathematics standards established
  551  in ss. 1002.67(1)(a) and 1003.41, as appropriate.
  552         (b)Provide data, reports, and information as requested to
  553  the Council for Early Grade Success.
  554         (3)(5) The council shall elect a chair and vice chair, one
  555  of whom must be a member who has subject matter expertise in
  556  early learning, early grade success, or child assessments. The
  557  vice chair must be a member appointed by the President of the
  558  Senate or the Speaker of the House of Representatives who is not
  559  one of the four members with subject matter expertise in early
  560  learning, early grade success, or child assessments appointed
  561  pursuant to sub-subparagraphs (1)(b)2.f. and 3.f. (4)(b)2.f. and
  562  3.f. Members of the council shall serve without compensation but
  563  are entitled to reimbursement for per diem and travel expenses
  564  pursuant to s. 112.061.
  565         Section 12. Present subsection (13) of section 1008.22,
  566  Florida Statutes, is redesignated as subsection (14), a new
  567  subsection (13) is added to that section, and subsections (3)
  568  and (6) and paragraphs (a), (b), (c), (e), (g), (h), and (i) of
  569  subsection (7) of that section are amended, to read:
  570         1008.22 Student assessment program for public schools.—
  571         (3) STATEWIDE, STANDARDIZED ASSESSMENT PROGRAM.—The
  572  Commissioner of Education shall design and implement a
  573  statewide, standardized assessment program aligned to the core
  574  curricular content established in the Next Generation Sunshine
  575  state academic standards. The commissioner also must develop or
  576  select and implement a common battery of assessment tools that
  577  will be used in all juvenile justice education programs in the
  578  state. These tools must accurately measure the core curricular
  579  content established in the Next Generation Sunshine state
  580  academic standards. Participation in the assessment program is
  581  mandatory for all school districts and all students attending
  582  public schools, including adult students seeking a standard high
  583  school diploma under s. 1003.4282 and students in Department of
  584  Juvenile Justice education programs, except as otherwise
  585  provided by law. If a student does not participate in the
  586  assessment program, the school district must notify the
  587  student’s parent and provide the parent with information
  588  regarding the implications of such nonparticipation. The
  589  statewide, standardized assessment program shall be designed and
  590  implemented as follows:
  591         (a) Statewide, standardized comprehensive assessments.—
  592         1. The statewide, standardized English Language Arts (ELA)
  593  assessments shall be administered to students in grades 3
  594  through 10. Retake opportunities for the grade 10 ELA assessment
  595  must be provided. Reading passages and writing prompts for ELA
  596  assessments shall incorporate grade-level core curricula content
  597  from social studies. The statewide, standardized Mathematics
  598  assessments shall be administered annually in grades 3 through
  599  8. The statewide, standardized Science assessment shall be
  600  administered annually at least once at the elementary and middle
  601  grades levels. In order to earn a standard high school diploma,
  602  a student who has not earned a passing score on the grade 10 ELA
  603  assessment must earn a passing score on the assessment retake or
  604  earn a concordant score as authorized under subsection (9).
  605  Statewide, standardized ELA and Mathematics assessments in
  606  grades 3 through 6 must be delivered in a paper-based format.
  607         2.Beginning with the 2022-2023 school year, the end-of
  608  year comprehensive progress monitoring assessment administered
  609  pursuant to s. 1008.25(8)(b)2. is the statewide, standardized
  610  ELA assessment for students in grades 3 through 10 and the
  611  statewide, standardized Mathematics assessment for students in
  612  grades 3 through 8.
  613         (b) End-of-course (EOC) assessments.—EOC assessments must
  614  be statewide, standardized, and developed or approved by the
  615  Department of Education as follows:
  616         1. EOC assessments for Algebra I, Geometry, Biology I,
  617  United States History, and Civics shall be administered to
  618  students enrolled in such courses as specified in the course
  619  code directory.
  620         2. Students enrolled in a course, as specified in the
  621  course code directory, with an associated statewide,
  622  standardized EOC assessment must take the EOC assessment for
  623  such course and may not take the corresponding subject or grade
  624  level statewide, standardized assessment pursuant to paragraph
  625  (a). Sections 1003.4156 and 1003.4282 govern the use of
  626  statewide, standardized EOC assessment results for students.
  627         3. The commissioner may select one or more nationally
  628  developed comprehensive examinations, which may include
  629  examinations for a College Board Advanced Placement course,
  630  International Baccalaureate course, or Advanced International
  631  Certificate of Education course, or industry-approved
  632  examinations to earn national industry certifications identified
  633  in the CAPE Industry Certification Funding List, for use as EOC
  634  assessments under this paragraph if the commissioner determines
  635  that the content knowledge and skills assessed by the
  636  examinations meet or exceed the grade-level expectations for the
  637  core curricular content established for the course in the Next
  638  Generation Sunshine state academic standards. Use of any such
  639  examination as an EOC assessment must be approved by the state
  640  board in rule.
  641         4. Contingent upon funding provided in the General
  642  Appropriations Act, including the appropriation of funds
  643  received through federal grants, the commissioner may establish
  644  an implementation schedule for the development and
  645  administration of additional statewide, standardized EOC
  646  assessments that must be approved by the state board in rule. If
  647  approved by the state board, student performance on such
  648  assessments constitutes 30 percent of a student’s final course
  649  grade.
  650         5. All statewide, standardized EOC assessments must be
  651  administered online except as otherwise provided in paragraph
  652  (d).
  653         6. A student enrolled in an Advanced Placement (AP),
  654  International Baccalaureate (IB), or Advanced International
  655  Certificate of Education (AICE) course who takes the respective
  656  AP, IB, or AICE assessment and earns the minimum score necessary
  657  to earn college credit, as identified in s. 1007.27(2), meets
  658  the requirements of this paragraph and does not have to take the
  659  EOC assessment for the corresponding course.
  660         (c) Nationally recognized high school assessments.—Each
  661  school district shall, by the 2021-2022 school year and subject
  662  to appropriation, select either the SAT or ACT for districtwide
  663  administration to each public school student in grade 11,
  664  including students attending public high schools, alternative
  665  schools, and Department of Juvenile Justice education programs.
  666         (d) Students with disabilities; Florida Alternate
  667  Assessment.—
  668         1. Each district school board must provide instruction to
  669  prepare students with disabilities in the core content knowledge
  670  and skills necessary for successful grade-to-grade progression
  671  and high school graduation.
  672         2. A student with a disability, as defined in s. 1007.02,
  673  for whom the individual education plan (IEP) team determines
  674  that the statewide, standardized assessments under this section
  675  cannot accurately measure the student’s abilities, taking into
  676  consideration all allowable accommodations, shall have
  677  assessment results waived for the purpose of receiving a course
  678  grade and a standard high school diploma. Such waiver shall be
  679  designated on the student’s transcript. The statement of waiver
  680  shall be limited to a statement that performance on an
  681  assessment was waived for the purpose of receiving a course
  682  grade or a standard high school diploma, as applicable.
  683         3. The State Board of Education shall adopt rules, based
  684  upon recommendations of the commissioner, for the provision of
  685  assessment accommodations for students with disabilities and for
  686  students who have limited English proficiency.
  687         a. Accommodations that negate the validity of a statewide,
  688  standardized assessment are not allowed during the
  689  administration of the assessment. However, instructional
  690  accommodations are allowed in the classroom if identified in a
  691  student’s IEP. Students using instructional accommodations in
  692  the classroom that are not allowed on a statewide, standardized
  693  assessment may have assessment results waived if the IEP team
  694  determines that the assessment cannot accurately measure the
  695  student’s abilities.
  696         b. If a student is provided with instructional
  697  accommodations in the classroom that are not allowed as
  698  accommodations for statewide, standardized assessments, the
  699  district must inform the parent in writing and provide the
  700  parent with information regarding the impact on the student’s
  701  ability to meet expected performance levels. A parent must
  702  provide signed consent for a student to receive classroom
  703  instructional accommodations that would not be available or
  704  permitted on a statewide, standardized assessment and
  705  acknowledge in writing that he or she understands the
  706  implications of such instructional accommodations.
  707         c. If a student’s IEP states that online administration of
  708  a statewide, standardized assessment will significantly impair
  709  the student’s ability to perform, the assessment shall be
  710  administered in hard copy.
  711         4. For students with significant cognitive disabilities,
  712  the Department of Education shall provide for implementation of
  713  the Florida Alternate Assessment to accurately measure the core
  714  curricular content established in the Next Generation Sunshine
  715  state academic standards.
  716         (e) Assessment scores and achievement levels.—
  717         1. All statewide, standardized EOC assessments and ELA,
  718  Mathematics, and Science assessments shall use scaled scores and
  719  achievement levels. Achievement levels shall range from 1
  720  through 5, with level 1 being the lowest achievement level,
  721  level 5 being the highest achievement level, and level 3
  722  indicating grade-level satisfactory performance on an
  723  assessment.
  724         2. The state board shall designate by rule a passing score,
  725  indicating grade-level performance, for each statewide,
  726  standardized assessment.
  727         3. If the commissioner seeks to revise a statewide,
  728  standardized assessment and the revisions require the state
  729  board to modify performance level scores, including the passing
  730  score, the commissioner shall provide a copy of the proposed
  731  scores and implementation plan to the President of the Senate
  732  and the Speaker of the House of Representatives at least 45 90
  733  days before submission to the state board for review. Until the
  734  state board adopts the modifications by rule, the commissioner
  735  shall use calculations for scoring the assessment that adjust
  736  student scores on the revised assessment for statistical
  737  equivalence to student scores on the former assessment. The
  738  state board shall adopt by rule the passing score for the
  739  revised assessment that is statistically equivalent to the
  740  passing score on the discontinued assessment for a student who
  741  is required to attain a passing score on the discontinued
  742  assessment. The commissioner may, with approval of the state
  743  board, discontinue administration of the former assessment upon
  744  the graduation, based on normal student progression, of students
  745  participating in the final regular administration of the former
  746  assessment. If the commissioner revises a statewide,
  747  standardized assessment and the revisions require the state
  748  board to modify the passing score, only students taking the
  749  assessment for the first time after the rule is adopted are
  750  affected.
  751         (f) Prohibited activities.—A district school board shall
  752  prohibit each public school from suspending a regular program of
  753  curricula for purposes of administering practice assessments or
  754  engaging in other assessment-preparation activities for a
  755  statewide, standardized assessment. However, a district school
  756  board may authorize a public school to engage in the following
  757  assessment-preparation activities:
  758         1. Distributing to students sample assessment books and
  759  answer keys published by the Department of Education.
  760         2. Providing individualized instruction in assessment
  761  taking strategies, without suspending the school’s regular
  762  program of curricula, for a student who scores Level 1 or Level
  763  2 on a prior administration of an assessment.
  764         3. Providing individualized instruction in the content
  765  knowledge and skills assessed, without suspending the school’s
  766  regular program of curricula, for a student who scores Level 1
  767  or Level 2 on a prior administration of an assessment or a
  768  student who, through a diagnostic assessment administered by the
  769  school district, is identified as having a deficiency in the
  770  content knowledge and skills assessed.
  771         4. Administering a practice assessment or engaging in other
  772  assessment-preparation activities that are determined necessary
  773  to familiarize students with the organization of the assessment,
  774  the format of assessment items, and the assessment directions or
  775  that are otherwise necessary for the valid and reliable
  776  administration of the assessment, as set forth in rules adopted
  777  by the State Board of Education with specific reference to this
  778  paragraph.
  779         (g) Contracts for assessments.—The commissioner shall
  780  provide for the assessments to be developed or obtained, as
  781  appropriate, through contracts and project agreements with
  782  private vendors, public vendors, public agencies, postsecondary
  783  educational institutions, or school districts. The commissioner
  784  may enter into contracts for the continued administration of the
  785  assessments authorized and funded by the Legislature. Contracts
  786  may be initiated in 1 fiscal year and continue into the next
  787  fiscal year and may be paid from the appropriations of either or
  788  both fiscal years. The commissioner may negotiate for the sale
  789  or lease of tests, scoring protocols, test scoring services, and
  790  related materials developed pursuant to law.
  791         (6) LOCAL ASSESSMENT OF STUDENT PERFORMANCE ON STATE
  792  STANDARDS.—Measurement of student performance is the
  793  responsibility of school districts except in those subjects and
  794  grade levels measured under the statewide, standardized
  795  assessment program described in this section and the coordinated
  796  screening and progress monitoring system under s. 1008.25(8).
  797  When available, instructional personnel must be provided with
  798  information on student achievement of standards and benchmarks
  799  in order to improve instruction.
  800         (7) ASSESSMENT SCHEDULES AND REPORTING OF RESULTS.—
  801         (a) The Commissioner of Education shall establish schedules
  802  for the administration of statewide, standardized assessments
  803  and the reporting of student assessment results. The
  804  commissioner shall consider the observance of religious and
  805  school holidays when developing the schedules. The assessment
  806  and reporting schedules must provide the earliest possible
  807  reporting of student assessment results to the school districts.
  808  Assessment results for the statewide, standardized ELA and
  809  Mathematics assessments and all statewide, standardized EOC
  810  assessments must be made available no later than June 30, except
  811  for results for the grade 3 statewide, standardized ELA
  812  assessment, which must be made available no later than May 31.
  813  Beginning with the 2023-2024 school year, assessment results for
  814  the statewide, standardized ELA and Mathematics assessments must
  815  be available no later than May 31. School districts shall
  816  administer statewide, standardized assessments in accordance
  817  with the schedule established by the commissioner.
  818         (b) By January of each year, the commissioner shall publish
  819  on the department’s website a uniform calendar that includes the
  820  assessment and reporting schedules for, at a minimum, the next 2
  821  school years. The uniform calendar must be provided to school
  822  districts in an electronic format that allows each school
  823  district and public school to populate the calendar with, at
  824  minimum, the following information for reporting the district
  825  assessment schedules under paragraph (d):
  826         1. Whether the assessment is a district-required assessment
  827  or a state-required assessment.
  828         2. The specific date or dates that each assessment will be
  829  administered, including administrations of the coordinated
  830  screening and progress monitoring system under s. 1008.25(8)(b).
  831         3. The time allotted to administer each assessment.
  832         4. Whether the assessment is a computer-based assessment or
  833  a paper-based assessment.
  834         5. The grade level or subject area associated with the
  835  assessment.
  836         6. The date that the assessment results are expected to be
  837  available to teachers and parents.
  838         7. The type of assessment, the purpose of the assessment,
  839  and the use of the assessment results.
  840         8. A glossary of assessment terminology.
  841         9. Estimates of average time for administering state
  842  required and district-required assessments, by grade level.
  843         (c) The spring administration of the statewide,
  844  standardized assessments in paragraphs (3)(a) and (b), excluding
  845  assessment retakes, must be in accordance with the following
  846  schedule:
  847         1. The grade 3 statewide, standardized ELA assessment and
  848  the writing portion of the statewide, standardized ELA
  849  assessment must be administered no earlier than April 1 each
  850  year within an assessment window not to exceed 2 weeks.
  851         2. With the exception of assessments identified in
  852  subparagraph 1., any statewide, standardized assessment that is
  853  delivered in a paper-based format must be administered no
  854  earlier than May 1 each year within an assessment window not to
  855  exceed 2 weeks.
  856         3. With the exception of assessments identified in
  857  subparagraphs 1. and 2., any statewide, standardized assessment
  858  must be administered within a 4-week assessment window that
  859  opens no earlier than May 1 each year.
  860         (e) A school district may not schedule more than 5 percent
  861  of a student’s total school hours in a school year to administer
  862  statewide, standardized assessments, the coordinated screening
  863  and progress monitoring system under s. 1008.25(8)(b)2., and
  864  district-required local assessments. The district must secure
  865  written consent from a student’s parent before administering
  866  district-required local assessments that, after applicable
  867  statewide, standardized assessments and coordinated screening
  868  and progress monitoring are scheduled, exceed the 5 percent test
  869  administration limit for that student under this paragraph. The
  870  5 percent test administration limit for a student under this
  871  paragraph may be exceeded as needed to provide test
  872  accommodations that are required by an IEP or are appropriate
  873  for an English language learner who is currently receiving
  874  services in a program operated in accordance with an approved
  875  English language learner district plan pursuant to s. 1003.56.
  876  Notwithstanding this paragraph, a student may choose within a
  877  school year to take an examination or assessment adopted by
  878  State Board of Education rule pursuant to this section and ss.
  879  1007.27, 1008.30, and 1008.44.
  880         (g) A school district must provide a student’s performance
  881  results on district-required local assessments to the student’s
  882  teachers and parent within 1 week and to the student’s parents
  883  no later than 30 days after administering such assessments,
  884  unless the superintendent determines in writing that extenuating
  885  circumstances exist and reports the extenuating circumstances to
  886  the district school board. Results must be made available
  887  through a web-based portal as part of the school district’s
  888  learning management system and in a printed format upon request
  889  by a student’s parent.
  890         (h) The results of statewide, standardized assessment in
  891  ELA and mathematics, science, and social studies, including
  892  assessment retakes, shall be reported in an easy-to-read and
  893  understandable format and delivered in time to provide useful,
  894  actionable information to students, parents, and each student’s
  895  current teacher of record and teacher of record for the
  896  subsequent school year; however, in any case, the district shall
  897  provide the results pursuant to this paragraph within 1 week
  898  after receiving the results from the department. A report of
  899  student assessment results must, at a minimum, contain:
  900         1. A clear explanation of the student’s performance on the
  901  applicable statewide, standardized assessments.
  902         2. Information identifying the student’s areas of strength
  903  and areas in need of improvement.
  904         3. Specific actions that may be taken, and the available
  905  resources that may be used, by the student’s parent to assist
  906  his or her child based on the student’s areas of strength and
  907  areas in need of improvement.
  908         4. Longitudinal information, if available, on the student’s
  909  progress in each subject area based on previous statewide,
  910  standardized assessment data.
  911         5. Comparative information showing the student’s score
  912  compared to other students in the school district, in the state,
  913  or, if available, in other states.
  914         6. Predictive information, if available, showing the
  915  linkage between the scores attained by the student on the
  916  statewide, standardized assessments and the scores he or she may
  917  potentially attain on nationally recognized college entrance
  918  examinations.
  919  
  920  The information included under this paragraph relating to
  921  results from the statewide, standardized ELA assessments for
  922  grades 3 through 10 and Mathematics assessments for grades 3
  923  through 8 must be included in individual student reports under
  924  s. 1008.25(8)(c).
  925         (i) The State Board of Education shall adopt rules for the
  926  development of the uniform calendar that, at minimum, define
  927  terms that must be used in the calendar to describe various
  928  assessments, including the terms “progress monitoring,”
  929  “summative assessment,” “formative assessment,” and “interim
  930  assessment.”
  931         (13)INDEPENDENT REVIEW.—By January 31, 2025, the
  932  Commissioner of Education shall provide recommendations to the
  933  Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the
  934  House of Representatives based on an independent review of the
  935  coordinated screening and progress monitoring system under s.
  936  1008.25(8). At a minimum, the review and recommendations must
  937  address:
  938         (a)The feasibility and validity of using results from
  939  either the first or second administration of progress
  940  monitoring, or both, in lieu of using the comprehensive, end-of
  941  year progress monitoring assessment for purposes of
  942  demonstrating a passing score, promotion to grade 4, meeting
  943  graduation requirements, and calculating school grades in
  944  accordance with s. 1008.34.
  945         (b)Options for further reducing the statewide,
  946  standardized assessment footprint while maintaining valid and
  947  reliable data for purposes of school accountability and
  948  providing school and student supports, including the use of
  949  computer-adaptive assessments, consistent with the requirements
  950  of the federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act, 20 U.S.C.
  951  ss. 6301 et seq. and its implementing regulations.
  952         (c)The feasibility and validity of remotely administering
  953  statewide, standardized assessments and the coordinated
  954  screening and progress monitoring system.
  955         (d)Accelerating student progression based on results from
  956  the coordinated screening and progress monitoring system, as
  957  academically and developmentally appropriate.
  958         (e)The incorporation of content from ELA instructional
  959  materials adopted by the Commissioner of Education pursuant to
  960  s. 1006.34 in test items within the coordinated screening and
  961  progress monitoring system under s. 1008.25(8).
  962         (f)The impact of the coordinated screening and progress
  963  monitoring system on student learning growth data as measured by
  964  the formula approved under s. 1012.34(7).
  965  
  966  This subsection is repealed July 1, 2025.
  967         Section 13. Section 1008.25, Florida Statutes, is amended
  968  to read:
  969         1008.25 Public school student progression; student support;
  970  coordinated screening and progress monitoring; reporting
  971  requirements.—
  972         (1) INTENT.—It is the intent of the Legislature that each
  973  student’s progression from one grade to another be determined,
  974  in part, upon satisfactory performance in English Language Arts,
  975  social studies, science, and mathematics; that district school
  976  board policies facilitate student achievement; that each student
  977  and his or her parent be informed of that student’s academic
  978  progress; and that students have access to educational options
  979  that provide academically challenging coursework or accelerated
  980  instruction pursuant to s. 1002.3105.
  981         (2) STUDENT PROGRESSION PLAN.—Each district school board
  982  shall establish a comprehensive plan for student progression
  983  which must provide for a student’s progression from one grade to
  984  another based on the student’s mastery of the standards in s.
  985  1003.41, specifically English Language Arts, mathematics,
  986  science, and social studies standards. The plan must:
  987         (a) Include criteria that emphasize student reading
  988  proficiency in kindergarten through grade 3 and provide targeted
  989  instructional support for students with identified deficiencies
  990  in English Language Arts, mathematics, science, and social
  991  studies. High schools shall use all available assessment
  992  results, including the results of statewide, standardized
  993  English Language Arts assessments and end-of-course assessments
  994  for Algebra I and Geometry, to advise students of any identified
  995  deficiencies and to provide appropriate postsecondary
  996  preparatory instruction before high school graduation. The
  997  results of evaluations used to monitor a student’s progress in
  998  grades K-12 must be provided to the student’s teacher in a
  999  timely manner and as otherwise required by law. Thereafter,
 1000  evaluation results must be provided to the student’s parent in a
 1001  timely manner. When available, instructional personnel must be
 1002  provided with information on student achievement of standards
 1003  and benchmarks in order to improve instruction.
 1004         (b)1. List the student eligibility and procedural
 1005  requirements established by the school district for whole-grade
 1006  promotion, midyear promotion, and subject-matter acceleration
 1007  that would result in a student attending a different school,
 1008  pursuant to s. 1002.3105(2)(b).
 1009         2. Notify parents and students of the school district’s
 1010  process by which a parent may request student participation in
 1011  whole-grade promotion, midyear promotion, or subject-matter
 1012  acceleration that would result in a student attending a
 1013  different school, pursuant to s. 1002.3105(4)(b)2.
 1014         (c)1. Advise parents and students that additional ACCEL
 1015  options may be available at the student’s school, pursuant to s.
 1016  1002.3105.
 1017         2. Advise parents and students to contact the principal at
 1018  the student’s school for information related to student
 1019  eligibility requirements for whole-grade promotion, midyear
 1020  promotion, and subject-matter acceleration when the promotion or
 1021  acceleration occurs within the principal’s school; virtual
 1022  instruction in higher grade level subjects; and any other ACCEL
 1023  options offered by the principal, pursuant to s.
 1024  1002.3105(2)(a).
 1025         3. Advise parents and students to contact the principal at
 1026  the student’s school for information related to the school’s
 1027  process by which a parent may request student participation in
 1028  whole-grade promotion, midyear promotion, and subject-matter
 1029  acceleration when the promotion or acceleration occurs within
 1030  the principal’s school; virtual instruction in higher grade
 1031  level subjects; and any other ACCEL options offered by the
 1032  principal, pursuant to s. 1002.3105(4)(b)1.
 1033         (d) Advise parents and students of the early graduation
 1034  options under s. 1003.4281.
 1035         (e) List, or incorporate by reference, all dual enrollment
 1036  courses contained within the dual enrollment articulation
 1037  agreement established pursuant to s. 1007.271(21).
 1038         (f) Provide instructional sequences by which students in
 1039  kindergarten through high school may attain progressively higher
 1040  levels of skill in the use of digital tools and applications.
 1041  The instructional sequences must include participation in
 1042  curricular and instructional options and the demonstration of
 1043  competence of standards required pursuant to ss. 1003.41 and
 1044  1003.4203 through attainment of industry certifications and
 1045  other means of demonstrating credit requirements identified
 1046  under ss. 1002.3105, 1003.4203, and 1003.4282.
 1047         (3) ALLOCATION OF RESOURCES.—District school boards shall
 1048  allocate remedial and supplemental instruction resources to
 1049  students in the following priority:
 1050         (a) Students in kindergarten through grade 3 who have a
 1051  substantial deficiency in reading as determined in paragraph
 1052  (5)(a).
 1053         (b) Students who fail to meet performance levels required
 1054  for promotion consistent with the district school board’s plan
 1055  for student progression required in subsection (2).
 1056         (4) ASSESSMENT AND SUPPORT.—
 1057         (a) Each student must participate in the statewide,
 1058  standardized assessment program required under s. 1008.22 and
 1059  the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program through grade 8
 1060  coordinated screening and progress monitoring system required
 1061  under subsection (8). Each student who does not achieve a Level
 1062  3 or above on the statewide, standardized English Language Arts
 1063  assessment, the statewide, standardized Mathematics assessment,
 1064  or the Algebra I EOC assessment must be evaluated to determine
 1065  the nature of the student’s difficulty, the areas of academic
 1066  need, and strategies for providing academic supports to improve
 1067  the student’s performance.
 1068         (b) A student who is not meeting the school district or
 1069  state requirements for satisfactory performance in English
 1070  Language Arts and mathematics must be covered by one of the
 1071  following plans:
 1072         1. A federally required student plan such as an individual
 1073  education plan;
 1074         2. A schoolwide system of progress monitoring for all
 1075  students, except a student who scores Level 4 or above on the
 1076  English Language Arts and Mathematics assessments may be
 1077  exempted from participation by the principal; or
 1078         3. An individualized progress monitoring plan.
 1079         (c) A student who has a substantial reading deficiency as
 1080  determined in paragraph (5)(a) must be covered by a federally
 1081  required student plan, such as an individual education plan or
 1082  an individualized progress monitoring plan, or both, as
 1083  necessary.
 1084         (5) READING DEFICIENCY AND PARENTAL NOTIFICATION.—
 1085         (a) Any student in kindergarten through grade 3 who
 1086  exhibits a substantial deficiency in reading based upon
 1087  screening, diagnostic, progress monitoring, or assessment data;
 1088  statewide assessments; or teacher observations must be provided
 1089  intensive, explicit, systematic, and multisensory reading
 1090  interventions immediately following the identification of the
 1091  reading deficiency. A school may not wait for a student to
 1092  receive a failing grade at the end of a grading period to
 1093  identify the student as having a substantial reading deficiency
 1094  and initiate intensive reading interventions. In addition, a
 1095  school may not wait until an evaluation conducted pursuant to s.
 1096  1003.57 is completed to provide appropriate, evidence-based
 1097  interventions for a student whose parent submits documentation
 1098  from a professional licensed under chapter 490 which
 1099  demonstrates that the student has been diagnosed with dyslexia.
 1100  Such interventions must be initiated upon receipt of the
 1101  documentation and based on the student’s specific areas of
 1102  difficulty as identified by the licensed professional. A
 1103  student’s reading proficiency must be monitored and the
 1104  intensive interventions must continue until the student
 1105  demonstrates grade level proficiency in a manner determined by
 1106  the district, which may include achieving a Level 3 on the
 1107  statewide, standardized English Language Arts assessment. The
 1108  State Board of Education shall identify by rule guidelines for
 1109  determining whether a student in kindergarten through grade 3
 1110  has a substantial deficiency in reading.
 1111         (b) A Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program student
 1112  who exhibits a substantial deficiency in early literacy skills
 1113  in accordance with the standards under s. 1002.67(1)(a) and
 1114  based upon the results of the administration of the final
 1115  coordinated screening and progress monitoring under subsection
 1116  (8) s. 1008.2125 shall be referred to the local school district
 1117  and may be eligible to receive intensive reading interventions
 1118  before participating in kindergarten. Such intensive reading
 1119  interventions shall be paid for using funds from the district’s
 1120  evidence-based research-based reading instruction allocation in
 1121  accordance with s. 1011.62(8) s. 1011.62(9).
 1122         (c) To be promoted to grade 4, a student must score a Level
 1123  2 or higher on the statewide, standardized English Language Arts
 1124  assessment required under s. 1008.22 for grade 3. If a student’s
 1125  reading deficiency is not remedied by the end of grade 3, as
 1126  demonstrated by scoring Level 2 or higher on the statewide,
 1127  standardized assessment required under s. 1008.22 for grade 3,
 1128  the student must be retained.
 1129         (d) The parent of any student who exhibits a substantial
 1130  deficiency in reading, as described in paragraph (a), must be
 1131  notified in writing of the following:
 1132         1. That his or her child has been identified as having a
 1133  substantial deficiency in reading, including a description and
 1134  explanation, in terms understandable to the parent, of the exact
 1135  nature of the student’s difficulty in learning and lack of
 1136  achievement in reading.
 1137         2. A description of the current services that are provided
 1138  to the child.
 1139         3. A description of the proposed intensive interventions
 1140  and supports that will be provided to the child that are
 1141  designed to remediate the identified area of reading deficiency.
 1142         4. That if the child’s reading deficiency is not remediated
 1143  by the end of grade 3, the child must be retained unless he or
 1144  she is exempt from mandatory retention for good cause.
 1145         5. Strategies, including multisensory strategies, through a
 1146  read-at-home plan the parent can use in helping his or her child
 1147  succeed in reading. The read-at-home plan must provide access to
 1148  the resources identified in paragraph (e) paragraph (d).
 1149         6. That the statewide, standardized English Language Arts
 1150  assessment is not the sole determiner of promotion and that
 1151  additional evaluations, portfolio reviews, and assessments are
 1152  available to the child to assist parents and the school district
 1153  in knowing when a child is reading at or above grade level and
 1154  ready for grade promotion.
 1155         7. The district’s specific criteria and policies for a
 1156  portfolio as provided in subparagraph (6)(b)4. and the evidence
 1157  required for a student to demonstrate mastery of Florida’s
 1158  academic standards for English Language Arts. A school must
 1159  immediately begin collecting evidence for a portfolio when a
 1160  student in grade 3 is identified as being at risk of retention
 1161  or upon the request of the parent, whichever occurs first.
 1162         8. The district’s specific criteria and policies for
 1163  midyear promotion. Midyear promotion means promotion of a
 1164  retained student at any time during the year of retention once
 1165  the student has demonstrated ability to read at grade level.
 1166         9. Information about the student’s eligibility for the New
 1167  Worlds Reading Initiative under s. 1003.485 and information on
 1168  parent training modules and other reading engagement resources
 1169  available through the initiative.
 1170  
 1171  After initial notification, the school shall apprise the parent
 1172  at least monthly of the student’s progress in response to the
 1173  intensive interventions and supports. Such communications must
 1174  be in writing and must explain any additional interventions or
 1175  supports that will be implemented to accelerate the student’s
 1176  progress if the interventions and supports already being
 1177  implemented have not resulted in improvement.
 1178         (e) The Department of Education shall compile resources
 1179  that each school district must incorporate into a read-at-home
 1180  plan provided to the parent of a student who is identified as
 1181  having a substantial reading deficiency pursuant to paragraph
 1182  (d) paragraph (c). The resources must be made available in an
 1183  electronic format that is accessible online and must include the
 1184  following:
 1185         1. Developmentally appropriate, evidence-based strategies
 1186  and programming, including links to video training modules and
 1187  opportunities to sign up for at-home reading tips delivered
 1188  periodically via text and e-mail, which a parent can use to help
 1189  improve his or her child’s literacy skills.
 1190         2. An overview of the types of assessments used to identify
 1191  reading deficiencies and what those assessments measure or do
 1192  not measure, the frequency with which the assessments are
 1193  administered, and the requirements for interventions and
 1194  supports that districts must provide to students who do not make
 1195  adequate academic progress.
 1196         3. An overview of the process for initiating and conducting
 1197  evaluations for exceptional education eligibility. The overview
 1198  must include an explanation that a diagnosis of a medical
 1199  condition alone is not sufficient to establish exceptional
 1200  education eligibility but may be used to document how that
 1201  condition relates to the student’s eligibility determination and
 1202  may be disclosed in an eligible student’s individual education
 1203  plan when necessary to inform school personnel responsible for
 1204  implementing the plan.
 1205         4. Characteristics of conditions associated with learning
 1206  disorders, including dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, and
 1207  developmental aphasia.
 1208         5. A list of resources that support informed parent
 1209  involvement in decisionmaking processes for students who have
 1210  difficulty in learning.
 1211  
 1212  Upon the request of a parent, resources meeting the requirements
 1213  of this paragraph must be provided to the parent in a hardcopy
 1214  format.
 1215         (6) ELIMINATION OF SOCIAL PROMOTION.—
 1216         (a) No student may be assigned to a grade level based
 1217  solely on age or other factors that constitute social promotion.
 1218         (b) The district school board may only exempt students from
 1219  mandatory retention, as provided in paragraph (5)(c), for good
 1220  cause. A student who is promoted to grade 4 with a good cause
 1221  exemption shall be provided intensive reading instruction and
 1222  intervention that include specialized diagnostic information and
 1223  specific reading strategies to meet the needs of each student so
 1224  promoted. The school district shall assist schools and teachers
 1225  with the implementation of explicit, systematic, and
 1226  multisensory reading instruction and intervention strategies for
 1227  students promoted with a good cause exemption which research has
 1228  shown to be successful in improving reading among students who
 1229  have reading difficulties. Good cause exemptions are limited to
 1230  the following:
 1231         1. Limited English proficient students who have had less
 1232  than 2 years of instruction in an English for Speakers of Other
 1233  Languages program based on the initial date of entry into a
 1234  school in the United States.
 1235         2. Students with disabilities whose individual education
 1236  plan indicates that participation in the statewide assessment
 1237  program is not appropriate, consistent with the requirements of
 1238  s. 1008.212.
 1239         3. Students who demonstrate an acceptable level of
 1240  performance on an alternative standardized reading or English
 1241  Language Arts assessment approved by the State Board of
 1242  Education.
 1243         4. A student who demonstrates through a student portfolio
 1244  that he or she is performing at least at Level 2 on the
 1245  statewide, standardized English Language Arts assessment.
 1246         5. Students with disabilities who take the statewide,
 1247  standardized English Language Arts assessment and who have an
 1248  individual education plan or a Section 504 plan that reflects
 1249  that the student has received intensive instruction in reading
 1250  or English Language Arts for more than 2 years but still
 1251  demonstrates a deficiency and was previously retained in
 1252  kindergarten, grade 1, grade 2, or grade 3.
 1253         6. Students who have received intensive reading
 1254  intervention for 2 or more years but still demonstrate a
 1255  deficiency in reading and who were previously retained in
 1256  kindergarten, grade 1, grade 2, or grade 3 for a total of 2
 1257  years. A student may not be retained more than once in grade 3.
 1258         (c) Requests for good cause exemptions for students from
 1259  the mandatory retention requirement as described in
 1260  subparagraphs (b)3. and 4. shall be made consistent with the
 1261  following:
 1262         1. Documentation shall be submitted from the student’s
 1263  teacher to the school principal that indicates that the
 1264  promotion of the student is appropriate and is based upon the
 1265  student’s academic record. In order to minimize paperwork
 1266  requirements, such documentation shall consist only of the
 1267  existing progress monitoring plan, individual educational plan,
 1268  if applicable, report card, or student portfolio.
 1269         2. The school principal shall review and discuss such
 1270  recommendation with the teacher and make the determination as to
 1271  whether the student should be promoted or retained. If the
 1272  school principal determines that the student should be promoted,
 1273  the school principal shall make such recommendation in writing
 1274  to the district school superintendent. The district school
 1275  superintendent shall accept or reject the school principal’s
 1276  recommendation in writing.
 1277         (7) SUCCESSFUL PROGRESSION FOR RETAINED THIRD GRADE
 1278  STUDENTS.—
 1279         (a) Students retained under paragraph (5)(c) must be
 1280  provided intensive interventions in reading to ameliorate the
 1281  student’s specific reading deficiency and prepare the student
 1282  for promotion to the next grade. These interventions must
 1283  include:
 1284         1. Evidence-based, explicit, systematic, and multisensory
 1285  reading instruction in phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency,
 1286  vocabulary, and comprehension and other strategies prescribed by
 1287  the school district.
 1288         2. Participation in the school district’s summer reading
 1289  camp, which must incorporate the instructional and intervention
 1290  strategies under subparagraph 1.
 1291         3. A minimum of 90 minutes of daily, uninterrupted reading
 1292  instruction incorporating the instructional and intervention
 1293  strategies under subparagraph 1. This instruction may include:
 1294         a. Coordinated integration of content-rich texts in science
 1295  and civic literacy within the 90-minute block.
 1296         b. Small group instruction.
 1297         c. Reduced teacher-student ratios.
 1298         d. More frequent progress monitoring.
 1299         e. Tutoring or mentoring.
 1300         f. Transition classes containing 3rd and 4th grade
 1301  students.
 1302         g. Extended school day, week, or year.
 1303         (b) Each school district shall:
 1304         1. Provide written notification to the parent of a student
 1305  who is retained under paragraph (5)(c) that his or her child has
 1306  not met the achievement proficiency level required for promotion
 1307  and the reasons the child is not eligible for a good cause
 1308  exemption as provided in paragraph (6)(b). The notification must
 1309  comply with paragraph (5)(d) and must include a description of
 1310  proposed interventions and supports that will be provided to the
 1311  child to remediate the identified areas of reading deficiency.
 1312         2. Implement a policy for the midyear promotion of a
 1313  student retained under paragraph (5)(c) who can demonstrate that
 1314  he or she is a successful and independent reader and performing
 1315  at or above grade level in reading or, upon implementation of
 1316  English Language Arts assessments, performing at or above grade
 1317  level in English Language Arts. Tools that school districts may
 1318  use in reevaluating a student retained may include subsequent
 1319  assessments, alternative assessments, and portfolio reviews, in
 1320  accordance with rules of the State Board of Education. Students
 1321  promoted during the school year after November 1 must
 1322  demonstrate achievement proficiency levels in reading equivalent
 1323  to the level necessary for the beginning of grade 4. The rules
 1324  adopted by the State Board of Education must include standards
 1325  that provide a reasonable expectation that the student’s
 1326  progress is sufficient to master appropriate grade 4 level
 1327  reading skills.
 1328         3. Provide students who are retained under paragraph
 1329  (5)(c), including students participating in the school
 1330  district’s summer reading camp under subparagraph (a)2., with a
 1331  highly effective teacher who is certified or endorsed in reading
 1332  and is rated highly effective as determined by the teacher’s
 1333  performance evaluation under s. 1012.34, and, beginning July 1,
 1334  2020, the teacher must also be certified or endorsed in reading.
 1335         4. Establish at each school, when applicable, an intensive
 1336  reading acceleration course for any student retained in grade 3
 1337  who was previously retained in kindergarten, grade 1, or grade
 1338  2. The intensive reading acceleration course must provide the
 1339  following:
 1340         a. Uninterrupted reading instruction for the majority of
 1341  student contact time each day and opportunities to master the
 1342  grade 4 Next Generation Sunshine state academic standards in
 1343  other core subject areas through content-rich texts.
 1344         b. Small group instruction.
 1345         c. Reduced teacher-student ratios.
 1346         d. The use of explicit, systematic, and multisensory
 1347  reading interventions, including intensive language, phonics,
 1348  and vocabulary instruction, and use of a speech-language
 1349  therapist if necessary, that have proven results in accelerating
 1350  student reading achievement within the same school year.
 1351         e. A read-at-home plan.
 1352         (8) COORDINATED SCREENING AND PROGRESS MONITORING SYSTEM.—
 1353         (a) The Department of Education, in collaboration with the
 1354  Office of Early Learning, shall procure and require the use of a
 1355  statewide, standardized coordinated screening and progress
 1356  monitoring system for the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education
 1357  Program and public schools serving kindergarten through grade 8
 1358  students. The system must:
 1359         1. Measure student progress in the Voluntary
 1360  Prekindergarten Education Program through grade 8 in meeting the
 1361  appropriate expectations in early literacy and mathematics
 1362  skills and in English Language Arts and mathematics standards as
 1363  required by ss. 1002.67(1)(a) and 1003.41 and identify the
 1364  educational strengths and needs of students.
 1365         2. For students in the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education
 1366  Program through grade 3, measure student performance in oral
 1367  language development, phonological and phonemic awareness,
 1368  knowledge of print and letters, decoding, fluency, vocabulary,
 1369  and comprehension, as applicable by grade level, and, at a
 1370  minimum, provide interval level and norm-referenced data that
 1371  measures equivalent levels of growth.
 1372         3. Be a valid, reliable, and developmentally appropriate
 1373  computer-based computer-adaptive direct instrument that provides
 1374  screening and diagnostic capabilities for monitoring student
 1375  progress; identifies students who have a substantial deficiency
 1376  in reading, including identifying students with characteristics
 1377  of dyslexia and other learning disorders; and informs
 1378  instruction. Beginning with the 2023-2024 school year, the
 1379  coordinated screening and progress monitoring system must be
 1380  computer-adaptive.
 1381         4. Provide data for Voluntary Prekindergarten Education
 1382  Program accountability as required under s. 1002.68 s. 1002.67.
 1383         5. Provide Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program
 1384  providers, school districts, schools, and teachers, and parents
 1385  with data and resources that enhance differentiated instruction
 1386  and parent communication.
 1387         6. Provide baseline data to the department of each
 1388  student’s readiness for kindergarten. The determination of
 1389  kindergarten readiness must be based on the results of each
 1390  student’s initial progress monitoring assessment in
 1391  kindergarten. The methodology for determining a student’s
 1392  readiness for kindergarten must be developed by the department
 1393  and aligned to the methodology adopted pursuant to s.
 1394  1002.68(4).
 1395         7.Assess how well educational goals and curricular
 1396  standards are met at the provider, school, district, and state
 1397  levels and provide information to the department to aid in the
 1398  development of educational programs, policies, and supports for
 1399  providers, districts, and schools.
 1400         (b) Beginning with the 2022-2023 school year, private
 1401  Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program providers and public
 1402  schools must participate in the coordinated screening and
 1403  progress monitoring system pursuant to this paragraph.
 1404         1.For students in the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education
 1405  Program through grade 2, the coordinated screening and progress
 1406  monitoring system must be administered at least three times
 1407  within a program year or school year, as applicable, with the
 1408  first administration occurring no later than the first 30
 1409  instructional days after a student’s enrollment or the start of
 1410  the program year or school year, the second administration
 1411  occurring midyear, and the third administration occurring within
 1412  the last 30 days of the program or school year pursuant to state
 1413  board rule. The state board may adopt alternate timeframes to
 1414  address nontraditional school year calendars or summer programs
 1415  to ensure the coordinated screening and progress monitoring
 1416  program is administered a minimum of three times within a year
 1417  or program.
 1418         2.For grades 3 through 10 English Language Arts and grades
 1419  3 through 8 Mathematics, the coordinated screening and progress
 1420  monitoring system must be administered at the beginning, middle,
 1421  and end of the school year pursuant to state board rule. The
 1422  end-of-year administration of the coordinated screening and
 1423  progress monitoring system must be a comprehensive progress
 1424  monitoring assessment administered in accordance with the
 1425  scheduling requirements under s. 1008.22(7)(c).
 1426         (c)To facilitate timely interventions and supports
 1427  pursuant to subsection (4), the system must provide results from
 1428  the first two administrations of the progress monitoring to a
 1429  student’s teacher within 1 week and to the student’s parent
 1430  within 2 weeks of the administration of the progress monitoring.
 1431  Delivery of results from the comprehensive, end-of-year progress
 1432  monitoring ELA assessment for grades 3 through 10 and
 1433  Mathematics assessment for grades 3 through 8 must be in
 1434  accordance with s. 1008.22(7)(h).
 1435         1.A student’s results from the coordinated screening and
 1436  progress monitoring system must be recorded in a written, easy
 1437  to-comprehend individual student report. Each school district
 1438  shall provide a parent secure access to his or her child’s
 1439  individual student reports through a web-based portal as part of
 1440  its learning management system. Each early learning coalition
 1441  shall provide parents the individual student report in a format
 1442  determined by state board rule.
 1443         2.In addition to the information under subparagraph (a)5.,
 1444  the report must also include parent resources that explain the
 1445  purpose of progress monitoring, assist the parent in
 1446  interpreting progress monitoring results, and support informed
 1447  parent involvement. Parent resources may include personalized
 1448  video formats.
 1449         3.The department shall annually update school districts
 1450  and early learning coalitions on new system features and
 1451  functionality and collaboratively identify with school districts
 1452  and early learning coalitions strategies for meaningfully
 1453  reporting to parents results from the coordinated screening and
 1454  progress monitoring system.
 1455         4.An individual student report must be provided in a
 1456  printed format upon a parent’s request
 1457         (c)A Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program student
 1458  who is at risk of being identified as having a substantial
 1459  deficiency in early literacy skills, based upon results under
 1460  this subsection, must be referred to the school district in
 1461  which he or she resides and may be eligible to receive early
 1462  literacy instruction and interventions after program completion
 1463  and before participating in kindergarten. Such instruction and
 1464  interventions may be paid for using funds from the school
 1465  district’s evidence-based reading instruction allocation in
 1466  accordance with s. 1011.62(9).
 1467         (d) Screening and progress monitoring system results,
 1468  including the number of students who demonstrate characteristics
 1469  of dyslexia, shall be reported to the department pursuant to
 1470  state board rule and maintained in the department’s Education
 1471  Data Warehouse. Results must be provided to a student’s teacher
 1472  and parent in a timely manner as required in s. 1008.22(7)(g).
 1473         (e) The department, in collaboration with the Office of
 1474  Early Learning, shall provide training and support for effective
 1475  implementation of the screening and progress monitoring system.
 1476         (9) ANNUAL REPORT.—
 1477         (a) In addition to the requirements in paragraph (5)(c),
 1478  each district school board must annually report to the parent of
 1479  each student the progress of the student toward achieving state
 1480  and district expectations for proficiency in English Language
 1481  Arts, science, social studies, and mathematics. The district
 1482  school board must report to the parent the student’s results on
 1483  each statewide, standardized assessment and the coordinated
 1484  screening and progress monitoring system under subsection (8).
 1485  The evaluation of each student’s progress must be based upon the
 1486  student’s classroom work, observations, tests, district and
 1487  state assessments, response to intensive interventions provided
 1488  under paragraph (5)(a), and other relevant information. Progress
 1489  reporting must be provided to the parent in writing in a format
 1490  adopted by the district school board and must be accessible
 1491  through secure, web-based options.
 1492         (b) Each district school board must annually publish on the
 1493  district website and in the local newspaper the following
 1494  information on the prior school year:
 1495         1. The provisions of this section relating to public school
 1496  student progression and the district school board’s policies and
 1497  procedures on student retention and promotion.
 1498         2. By grade, the number and percentage of all students in
 1499  grades 3 through 10 performing at Levels 1 and 2 on the
 1500  statewide, standardized English Language Arts assessment.
 1501         3. By grade, the number and percentage of all students
 1502  retained in kindergarten through grade 10.
 1503         4. Information on the total number of students who were
 1504  promoted for good cause, by each category of good cause as
 1505  specified in paragraph (6)(b).
 1506         5. Any revisions to the district school board’s policies
 1507  and procedures on student retention and promotion from the prior
 1508  year.
 1509         (10) RULEMAKING.—The State Board of Education shall adopt
 1510  rules pursuant to ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54 for the
 1511  administration of this section.
 1512         Section 14. Subsection (7) is added to section 1008.34,
 1513  Florida Statutes, to read:
 1514         1008.34 School grading system; school report cards;
 1515  district grade.—
 1516         (7)TRANSITION.—To assist in the transition to 2022-2023
 1517  school grades and district grades calculated based on the
 1518  comprehensive, end-of-year progress monitoring assessment under
 1519  s. 1008.25(8), the 2022-2023 school grades and district grades
 1520  shall serve as an informational baseline for schools and
 1521  districts to work toward improved performance in future years.
 1522  Accordingly, notwithstanding any other provision of law:
 1523         (a)Due to the absence of learning gains data in the 2022
 1524  2023 school year, the initial school grading scale for the 2022
 1525  2023 informational baseline grades shall be set so that the
 1526  percentage of schools that earn an “A,” “B,” “C,” “D,” and “F”
 1527  is statistically equivalent to the 2021-2022 school grades
 1528  results. When learning gains data becomes available in the 2023
 1529  2024 school year, the State Board of Education shall review the
 1530  school grading scale and determine if the scale should be
 1531  adjusted.
 1532         (b)A school may not be required to select and implement a
 1533  turnaround option pursuant to s. 1008.33 in the 2023-2024 school
 1534  year based on the school’s 2022-2023 grade. The benefits of s.
 1535  1008.33(4)(c), relating to a school being released from
 1536  implementation of the turnaround option, and s. 1008.33(4)(d),
 1537  relating to a school implementing strategies identified in its
 1538  school improvement plan, apply to a school using turnaround
 1539  options pursuant to s. 1008.33 which improves to a grade of “C”
 1540  or higher during the 2022-2023 school year.
 1541         (c)A school or approved provider under s. 1002.45 which
 1542  receives the same or lower school grade for the 2022-2023 school
 1543  year compared to the 2021-2022 school year is not subject to
 1544  sanctions or penalties that would otherwise occur as a result of
 1545  the 2022-2023 school grade or rating. A charter school system or
 1546  school district designated as high performing may not lose the
 1547  designation based on the 2022-2023 school grades of any of the
 1548  schools within the charter school system or school district or
 1549  based on the 2022-2023 district grade, as applicable.
 1550         (d)For purposes of determining grade 3 retention pursuant
 1551  to s. 1008.25(5) and high school graduation pursuant to s.
 1552  1003.4282, student performance on the 2022-2023 comprehensive,
 1553  end-of-year progress monitoring assessment under s. 1008.25(8)
 1554  shall be linked to 2021-2022 student performance expectations.
 1555  In addition to the good cause exemptions under s. 1008.25(6), a
 1556  student may be promoted to grade 4 for the 2023-2024 school year
 1557  if the student demonstrates an acceptable level of performance
 1558  through means reasonably calculated by the school district to
 1559  provide reliable evidence of the student’s performance.
 1560  
 1561  This subsection is repealed July 1, 2025.
 1562         Section 15. Subsection (7) is added to section 1008.341,
 1563  Florida Statutes, to read:
 1564         1008.341 School improvement rating for alternative
 1565  schools.—
 1566         (7)TRANSITION.—Due to the absence of learning gains data
 1567  in the 2022-2023 school year, school improvement ratings will
 1568  not be calculated for the 2022-2023 school year. When learning
 1569  gains data becomes available in the 2023-2024 school year, the
 1570  State Board of Education shall set the scale for the
 1571  “Commendable,” “Maintaining,” and “Unsatisfactory” ratings
 1572  pursuant to rule. This subsection is repealed July 1, 2025.
 1573         Section 16. This act shall take effect July 1, 2022.