Florida Senate - 2026 SB 538
By Senator Simon
3-00681A-26 2026538__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to physical education; amending s.
3 1006.15, F.S.; making technical changes; defining
4 terms; revising eligibility requirements for a student
5 to participate in an interscholastic or
6 intrascholastic extracurricular activity; requiring
7 that insurance provided by district school boards for
8 participants in extracurricular activities cover any
9 eligible student; deleting requirements for the
10 Florida High School Athletic Association to facilitate
11 a program for private school students to participate
12 in an interscholastic or intrascholastic sport;
13 requiring the athletic director or other appropriate
14 administrator to maintain student records for all
15 eligible students participating in interscholastic or
16 intrascholastic extracurricular activities at a member
17 school; prohibiting a school from imposing additional
18 fees on a student who wishes to participate in
19 extracurricular activities; requiring parents to
20 provide transportation to and from the school for
21 their student; providing indemnity for a school and
22 district school board under specified circumstances;
23 prohibiting a student from participating in the same
24 sport at two different schools within the same school
25 year unless certain approval is granted; requiring the
26 governing organization to provide a determination for
27 such a request within a specified timeframe; requiring
28 the governing organization to adopt bylaws; deleting
29 provisions providing requirements for certain student
30 transfers; amending s. 1002.33, F.S.; conforming a
31 cross-reference; amending s. 1003.455, F.S.; requiring
32 each school district to ensure that students
33 participate in the Presidential Youth Fitness Program;
34 amending s. 1006.195, F.S.; conforming cross
35 references; amending s. 1006.20, F.S.; authorizing a
36 student who is denied certain eligibility to appeal a
37 decision made by the governing organization; requiring
38 the governing organization to adopt bylaws to
39 establish a timeline for an appeals process; requiring
40 that appeals decisions be posted online; amending s.
41 1012.22, F.S.; authorizing a district school board to
42 determine and approve the compensation of an athletic
43 coach; providing that the compensation may exceed any
44 salary schedule and be paid in any form deemed
45 appropriate by the school board; providing that
46 limitations on supplemental pay are not applicable to
47 the compensation of an athletic coach; providing an
48 effective date.
49
50 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
51
52 Section 1. Section 1006.15, Florida Statutes, is amended to
53 read:
54 1006.15 Student standards for participation in
55 interscholastic and intrascholastic extracurricular student
56 activities; regulation.—
57 (1) SHORT TITLE.—This section may be cited as the “Craig
58 Dickinson Act.”
59 (2) DETERMINATION.—Interscholastic extracurricular student
60 activities are an important complement to the academic
61 curriculum. Participation in a comprehensive extracurricular and
62 academic program contributes to student development of the
63 social and intellectual skills necessary to become a well
64 rounded adult. As used in this section, the term
65 “extracurricular” means any school-authorized or education
66 related activity occurring during or outside the regular
67 instructional school day. In the determination of whether a
68 school offers an activity or a sport, the activity or sport must
69 meet the designation requirements of s. 1006.205(3)(a).
70 (3)(a) DEFINITIONS.—As used in this section and s. 1006.20,
71 the term:
72 (a) “Eligible student” means a home education student,
73 charter school student, private school student, Florida Virtual
74 School student, alternative school student, or traditional
75 public school student who wishes to participate in an
76 interscholastic or intrascholastic extracurricular activity.
77 (b)1. “Eligible to participate” includes, but is not
78 limited to, a student participating in all of the following:
79 a. Tryouts.,
80 b. Off-season conditioning.,
81 c. Summer workouts.,
82 d. Preseason conditioning.,
83 e. In-season practice.,
84 f. or Contests.
85 2. The term does not mean that a student must be placed on
86 any specific team for interscholastic or intrascholastic
87 extracurricular activities. To be eligible to participate in
88 interscholastic extracurricular student activities, a student
89 must:
90 a.1. Maintain a grade point average of 2.0 or above on a
91 4.0 scale, or its equivalent, in the previous semester or a
92 cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or above on a 4.0 scale,
93 or its equivalent, in the courses required by s. 1002.3105(5) or
94 s. 1003.4282.
95 b.2. Execute and fulfill the requirements of an academic
96 performance contract between the student, the district school
97 board, the appropriate governing association, and the student’s
98 parents, if the student’s cumulative grade point average falls
99 below 2.0, or its equivalent, on a 4.0 scale in the courses
100 required by s. 1002.3105(5) or s. 1003.4282. At a minimum, the
101 contract must require that the student attend summer school, or
102 its graded equivalent, between grades 9 and 10 or grades 10 and
103 11, as necessary.
104 c.3. Have a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or above
105 on a 4.0 scale, or its equivalent, in the courses required by s.
106 1002.3105(5) or s. 1003.4282 during his or her junior or senior
107 year.
108 d.4. Maintain satisfactory conduct, including adherence to
109 appropriate dress and other codes of student conduct policies
110 described in s. 1006.07(2). If a student is convicted of, or is
111 found to have committed, a felony or a delinquent act that would
112 have been a felony if committed by an adult, regardless of
113 whether adjudication is withheld, the student’s participation in
114 interscholastic extracurricular activities is contingent upon
115 established and published district school board policy.
116 3.(b) Any student who is exempt from attending a full
117 school day based on rules adopted by the district school board
118 for double session schools or programs, experimental schools, or
119 schools operating under emergency conditions must maintain the
120 grade point average required by this section and pass each class
121 for which he or she is enrolled.
122 (c) “Extracurricular” means any school-authorized or
123 education-related activity occurring during or outside the
124 regular instructional school day.
125 (d) “Governing organization” means any organization that
126 governs the athletic activities of a school, including, but not
127 limited to, the Florida High School Athletic Association.
128 (4) ELIGIBILITY.—
129 (a)(c)1. A An individual home education student is eligible
130 to participate in an interscholastic or intrascholastic
131 extracurricular activity at the school in which he or she is
132 enrolled.
133 (b) An eligible student may participate in an
134 interscholastic or intrascholastic extracurricular activity at a
135 school other than the school in which the student is enrolled
136 if:
137 1. The school in which the student is enrolled does not
138 offer the same interscholastic or intrascholastic
139 extracurricular activity or, if the student is a home education
140 student, the student may participate as part of a home education
141 athletic cooperative; and
142 2. The school at which the student will participate in the
143 interscholastic or intrascholastic extracurricular activity is
144 one for which the student would otherwise be zoned or is a
145 private school or charter school appropriate for the student’s
146 grade level located in the school district in which the student
147 resides.
148 (c) If the school for which the student would otherwise be
149 zoned does not offer the interscholastic or intrascholastic
150 extracurricular activity, the student may:
151 1. Participate at any public, charter, or private school
152 appropriate for the student’s grade level in the school district
153 in which the student resides; or
154 2. Participate at a public, charter, or private school
155 outside of the student’s district which is appropriate for the
156 student’s grade level, if the school is the closest school to
157 the student’s home address which offers the interscholastic or
158 intrascholastic extracurricular activity.
159 (d) If no public or charter schools in the district in
160 which the student resides offer the interscholastic or
161 intrascholastic extracurricular activity, and an agreement
162 cannot be reached with a private school in the district in which
163 the student resides, the student may participate at a public,
164 charter, or private school that is appropriate for the student’s
165 grade level located outside of his or her school district. The
166 school at which the student participates pursuant to this
167 paragraph must be in a school district adjacent to the school
168 district in which the student resides.
169 (e) If a student has exhausted all options outlined above
170 for participation in an interscholastic or intrascholastic
171 extracurricular activity, the student may petition the executive
172 director of the applicable governing organization to explore
173 options for participation at a school not otherwise covered by
174 this section.
175 (f) For purposes of this subsection, any participation by
176 an eligible student at a private school other than the school in
177 which the student is enrolled must be pursuant to an agreement
178 between the private school and the student. at the public school
179 to which the student would be assigned according to district
180 school board attendance area policies or which the student could
181 choose to attend pursuant to s. 1002.31, or may develop an
182 agreement to participate at a private school, in the
183 interscholastic extracurricular activities of that school,
184 provided the following conditions are met:
185 a. The home education student must meet the requirements of
186 the home education program pursuant to s. 1002.41.
187 b. During the period of participation at a school, the home
188 education student must demonstrate educational progress as
189 required in paragraph (b) in all subjects taken in the home
190 education program by a method of evaluation agreed upon by the
191 parent and the school principal which may include: review of the
192 student’s work by a certified teacher chosen by the parent;
193 grades earned through correspondence; grades earned in courses
194 taken at a Florida College System institution, university, or
195 trade school; standardized test scores above the 35th
196 percentile; or any other method designated in s. 1002.41.
197 c. The home education student must meet the same residency
198 requirements as other students in the school at which he or she
199 participates.
200 d. The home education student must meet the same standards
201 of acceptance, behavior, and performance as required of other
202 students in extracurricular activities.
203 e. The student must register with the school his or her
204 intent to participate in interscholastic extracurricular
205 activities as a representative of the school before
206 participation. A home education student must be able to
207 participate in curricular activities if that is a requirement
208 for an extracurricular activity.
209 f. A student who transfers from a home education program to
210 a public school before or during the first grading period of the
211 school year is academically eligible to participate in
212 interscholastic extracurricular activities during the first
213 grading period provided the student has a successful evaluation
214 from the previous school year, pursuant to sub-subparagraph b.
215 g. Any public school or private school student who has been
216 unable to maintain academic eligibility for participation in
217 interscholastic extracurricular activities is ineligible to
218 participate in such activities as a home education student until
219 the student has successfully completed one grading period in
220 home education pursuant to sub-subparagraph b. to become
221 eligible to participate as a home education student.
222 2. An individual home education student is eligible to
223 participate on an interscholastic athletic team at any public
224 school in the school district in which the student resides,
225 provided the student meets the conditions specified in sub
226 subparagraphs 1.a.-g.
227 (d) An individual charter school student pursuant to s.
228 1002.33 is eligible to participate at the public school to which
229 the student would be assigned according to district school board
230 attendance area policies or which the student could attend, or
231 may develop an agreement to participate at a private school, in
232 any interscholastic extracurricular activity of that school,
233 unless such activity is provided by the student’s charter
234 school, if the following conditions are met:
235 1. The charter school student must meet the requirements of
236 the charter school education program as determined by the
237 charter school governing board.
238 2. During the period of participation at a school, the
239 charter school student must demonstrate educational progress as
240 required in paragraph (b).
241 3. The charter school student must meet the same residency
242 requirements as other students in the school at which he or she
243 participates.
244 4. The charter school student must meet the same standards
245 of acceptance, behavior, and performance that are required of
246 other students in extracurricular activities.
247 5. The charter school student must register with the school
248 his or her intent to participate in interscholastic
249 extracurricular activities as a representative of the school
250 before participation. A charter school student must be able to
251 participate in curricular activities if that is a requirement
252 for an extracurricular activity.
253 6. A student who transfers from a charter school program to
254 a traditional public school before or during the first grading
255 period of the school year is academically eligible to
256 participate in interscholastic extracurricular activities during
257 the first grading period if the student has a successful
258 evaluation from the previous school year pursuant to
259 subparagraph 2.
260 7. Any public school or private school student who has been
261 unable to maintain academic eligibility for participation in
262 interscholastic extracurricular activities is ineligible to
263 participate in such activities as a charter school student until
264 the student has successfully completed one grading period in a
265 charter school pursuant to subparagraph 2. to become eligible to
266 participate as a charter school student.
267 (e) A student of the Florida Virtual School full-time
268 program may participate in any interscholastic extracurricular
269 activity at the public school to which the student would be
270 assigned according to district school board attendance area
271 policies or which the student could choose to attend pursuant to
272 s. 1002.31, or may develop an agreement to participate at a
273 private school, if the student:
274 1. During the period of participation in the
275 interscholastic extracurricular activity, meets the requirements
276 in paragraph (a).
277 2. Meets any additional requirements as determined by the
278 board of trustees of the Florida Virtual School.
279 3. Meets the same residency requirements as other students
280 in the school at which he or she participates.
281 4. Meets the same standards of acceptance, behavior, and
282 performance that are required of other students in
283 extracurricular activities.
284 5. Registers his or her intent to participate in
285 interscholastic extracurricular activities with the school
286 before participation. A Florida Virtual school student must be
287 able to participate in curricular activities if that is a
288 requirement for an extracurricular activity.
289 (f) A student who transfers from the Florida Virtual School
290 full-time program to a traditional public school before or
291 during the first grading period of the school year is
292 academically eligible to participate in interscholastic
293 extracurricular activities during the first grading period if
294 the student has a successful evaluation from the previous school
295 year pursuant to paragraph (a).
296 (g) A public school or private school student who has been
297 unable to maintain academic eligibility for participation in
298 interscholastic extracurricular activities is ineligible to
299 participate in such activities as a Florida Virtual School
300 student until the student successfully completes one grading
301 period in the Florida Virtual School pursuant to paragraph (a).
302 (h) A student in a full-time virtual instruction program
303 under s. 1002.45, including the full-time Florida Virtual School
304 program, a full-time school district virtual instruction
305 program, or a full-time virtual charter school, is eligible to
306 participate on an interscholastic athletic team at any public
307 school in the school district in which the student resides, or
308 may develop an agreement to participate at a private school,
309 provided the student:
310 1. During the period of participation in the
311 interscholastic extracurricular activity, meets the requirements
312 in paragraph (a);
313 2. Meets any additional requirements as determined by the
314 board of trustees of the Florida Virtual School, the district
315 school board, or the governing board of the virtual charter
316 school, as applicable;
317 3. Meets the same residency requirements as other students
318 in the school at which he or she participates;
319 4. Meets the same standards of athletic team acceptance,
320 behavior, and performance which are required of other students
321 in extracurricular activities; and
322 5. Registers his or her intent to participate in
323 interscholastic extracurricular activities with the school
324 before participation.
325 (i) An individual traditional public school student who is
326 otherwise eligible to participate in interscholastic
327 extracurricular activities may either participate in any such
328 activity at any public school in the school district in which
329 the student resides or develop an agreement to participate in
330 such activity at a private school, unless the activity is
331 provided by the student’s traditional public school. Such
332 student must:
333 1. Meet the same standards of acceptance, behavior, and
334 performance that are required of other students in
335 extracurricular activities at the school at which the student
336 wishes to participate.
337 2. Before participation, register with the school his or
338 her intent to participate in interscholastic extracurricular
339 activities as a representative of the school. The student must
340 be able to participate in curricular activities if that is a
341 requirement for an extracurricular activity.
342 (j)1. A school district or charter school may not delay
343 eligibility or otherwise prevent a student participating in
344 controlled open enrollment, or a choice program, from being
345 immediately eligible to participate in interscholastic and
346 intrascholastic extracurricular activities.
347 2. A student may not participate in a sport if the student
348 participated in that same sport at another school during that
349 school year, unless the student meets one of the following
350 criteria:
351 a. Dependent children of active duty military personnel
352 whose move resulted from military orders.
353 b. Children who have been relocated due to a foster care
354 placement in a different school zone.
355 c. Children who move due to a court-ordered change in
356 custody due to separation or divorce, or the serious illness or
357 death of a custodial parent.
358 d. Authorized for good cause in district or charter school
359 policy.
360 (5)(4) BEGINNING APPLICABILITY.—The student standards for
361 participation in interscholastic extracurricular activities must
362 be applied beginning with the student’s first semester of the
363 9th grade. Each student must meet such other requirements for
364 participation as may be established by the district school
365 board; however, a district school board may not establish
366 requirements for participation in interscholastic
367 extracurricular activities which make participation in such
368 activities less accessible to home education students than to
369 other students. Except as set forth in paragraph (3)(c),
370 evaluation processes or requirements that are placed on home
371 education student participants may not go beyond those that
372 apply under s. 1002.41 to home education students generally.
373 (6)(5) GOVERNING ORGANIZATION RESPONSBILITIES.—All
374 governing organizations Any organization or entity that
375 regulates or governs interscholastic extracurricular activities
376 of public schools:
377 (a) Shall permit home education associations to join as
378 member schools.
379 (b) May Shall not discriminate against any eligible student
380 based on an educational choice of public, private, or home
381 education.
382 (7)(6) PROHIBITIED MEMBERSHIPS.—Public schools are
383 prohibited from membership in any governing organization that or
384 entity which regulates or governs interscholastic
385 extracurricular activities and discriminates against eligible
386 students in public, private, or home education.
387 (8)(7) INSURANCE.—Any insurance provided by district school
388 boards for participants in extracurricular activities must shall
389 cover any eligible student the participating home education
390 student. If there is an additional premium for such coverage,
391 the participating home education student shall pay the premium.
392 (8)(a) The Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA)
393 shall, in cooperation with each district school board and its
394 member private schools, facilitate a program in which a middle
395 school or high school student who attends a private school is
396 eligible to participate in an interscholastic or intrascholastic
397 sport at a member public high school, a member public middle
398 school, a member 6-12 public school, or a member private school,
399 as appropriate for the private school student’s grade level, if:
400 1. The private school in which the student is enrolled is
401 not a member of the FHSAA or the private school in which the
402 student is enrolled is a member of the FHSAA and does not offer
403 the sport in which the student wishes to participate.
404 2. The private school student meets the guidelines for the
405 conduct of the program established by the FHSAA’s board of
406 directors and the district school board or member private
407 school. At a minimum, such guidelines must provide a deadline
408 for each sport by which the private school student’s parents
409 must register with the member school in writing their intent for
410 their child to participate at that school in the sport.
411 (b) The parents of a private school student participating
412 in a member school sport under this subsection are responsible
413 for transporting their child to and from the member school at
414 which the student participates. The private school the student
415 attends, the member school at which the student participates in
416 a sport, the district school board, and the FHSAA are exempt
417 from civil liability arising from any injury that occurs to the
418 student during such transportation.
419 (c) For each academic year, a private school student may
420 only participate at the member school in which the student is
421 first registered under subparagraph (a)2. or makes himself or
422 herself a candidate for an athletic team by engaging in a
423 practice.
424 (9) SCHOOL RESPONSIBILITIES.—
425 (a)(d) The athletic director or other appropriate
426 administrator of each participating FHSAA member school shall
427 maintain the student records necessary for eligibility,
428 compliance, and participation for all eligible students
429 participating in interscholastic or intrascholastic
430 extracurricular activities at the member school in the program.
431 (b)(e) Any private school that has a student who wishes to
432 participate in interscholastic or intrascholastic
433 extracurricular activities at another school this program must
434 make all student records, including, but not limited to,
435 academic, financial, disciplinary, and attendance records,
436 available upon request of the governing organization FHSAA.
437 (c)(f) A student must apply to participate in an
438 interscholastic or intrascholastic extracurricular activity at a
439 school other than the school in which the student is enrolled by
440 either of the following methods:
441 1. Applying to the school’s governing organization for the
442 extracurricular activity as provided for in the governing
443 organization’s bylaws this program through the FHSAA program
444 application process.
445 2. If there is no governing organization for the
446 extracurricular activity for which the student is applying,
447 through an appropriate process which must comply with ss.
448 1002.41 and 1002.31. The State Board of Education may adopt
449 rules to implement this paragraph.
450 (d) The school in which a student is enrolled who wishes to
451 participate in extracurricular activities may not impose
452 additional fees or costs for participation outside of the fees
453 or costs students currently enrolled at the school pay to
454 participate in the extracurricular activity.
455 (e) The parents of the student participating in the
456 activity must provide for the transportation of the student to
457 and from the school at which the student participates. The
458 school in which the student is enrolled, the school at which the
459 student participates in the activity, and the district school
460 board are exempt from civil liability arising from any injury
461 that occurs to the student during such transportation.
462 (10) STUDENT TRANSFERS.—A student may not participate in
463 the same sport at two different schools during the same school
464 year, unless granted approval by the applicable governing
465 organization’s executive director.
466 (a) The governing organization shall provide a
467 determination of eligibility to the requesting student within 14
468 days after such a request is made.
469 (b) The governing organization shall adopt bylaws
470 establishing criteria for determining eligibility of students
471 pursuant to this subsection.
472 (11) BYLAWS.—The governing organization may adopt
473 additional bylaws to implement this section.
474 (9)(a) A student who transfers to a school during the
475 school year may seek to immediately join an existing team if the
476 roster for the specific interscholastic or intrascholastic
477 extracurricular activity has not reached the activity’s
478 identified maximum size and if the coach for the activity
479 determines that the student has the requisite skill and ability
480 to participate. The FHSAA and school district or charter school
481 may not declare such a student ineligible because the student
482 did not have the opportunity to comply with qualifying
483 requirements.
484 (b) A student may not participate in a sport if the student
485 participated in that same sport at another school during that
486 school year, unless the student meets one of the following
487 criteria:
488 1. Dependent children of active duty military personnel
489 whose move resulted from military orders.
490 2. Children who have been relocated due to a foster care
491 placement in a different school zone.
492 3. Children who move due to a court-ordered change in
493 custody due to separation or divorce, or the serious illness or
494 death of a custodial parent.
495 4. Authorized for good cause in district or charter school
496 policy.
497 (10) A student who participates in an interscholastic or
498 intrascholastic activity at a public school and who transfers
499 from that school during the school year must be allowed to
500 continue to participate in the activity at that school for the
501 remainder of the school year if:
502 (a) During the period of participation in the activity, the
503 student continues to meet the requirements specified in
504 paragraph (3)(a).
505 (b) The student continues to meet the same standards of
506 acceptance, behavior, and performance which are required of
507 other students participating in the activity, except for
508 enrollment requirements at the school at which the student
509 participates.
510 (c) The parents of the student participating in the
511 activity provide for the transportation of the student to and
512 from the school at which the student participates. The school
513 the student attends, the school at which the student
514 participates in the activity, and the district school board are
515 exempt from civil liability arising from any injury that occurs
516 to the student during such transportation.
517 Section 2. Subsection (11) of section 1002.33, Florida
518 Statutes, is amended to read:
519 1002.33 Charter schools.—
520 (11) PARTICIPATION IN INTERSCHOLASTIC EXTRACURRICULAR
521 ACTIVITIES.—A charter school student is eligible to participate
522 in an interscholastic extracurricular activity at the public
523 school to which the student would be otherwise assigned to
524 attend, or may develop an agreement to participate at a private
525 school, pursuant to s. 1006.15(4) s. 1006.15(3)(d).
526 Section 3. Subsection (7) is added to section 1003.455,
527 Florida Statutes, to read:
528 1003.455 Physical education; assessment.—
529 (7) Each school district shall ensure that students in
530 grades K-12 annually participate in the Presidential Youth
531 Fitness Program, or its successor program, as part of the
532 district’s physical education curriculum.
533 Section 4. Paragraphs (a) and (b) of subsection (1) of
534 section 1006.195, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
535 1006.195 District school board, charter school authority
536 and responsibility to establish student eligibility regarding
537 participation in interscholastic and intrascholastic
538 extracurricular activities.—Notwithstanding any provision to the
539 contrary in ss. 1006.15, 1006.18, and 1006.20, regarding student
540 eligibility to participate in interscholastic and
541 intrascholastic extracurricular activities:
542 (1)(a) A district school board shall must establish,
543 through its code of student conduct, student eligibility
544 standards and related student disciplinary actions regarding
545 student participation in interscholastic and intrascholastic
546 extracurricular activities. The code of student conduct must
547 provide that:
548 1. A student not currently suspended from interscholastic
549 or intrascholastic extracurricular activities, or suspended or
550 expelled from school, pursuant to a district school board’s
551 suspension or expulsion powers provided in law, including ss.
552 1006.07, 1006.08, and 1006.09, is eligible to participate in
553 interscholastic and intrascholastic extracurricular activities.
554 2. A student may not participate in a sport if the student
555 participated in that same sport at another school during that
556 school year, unless the student meets the criteria in s.
557 1006.15(4) s. 1006.15(3)(j).
558 3. A student’s eligibility to participate in any
559 interscholastic or intrascholastic extracurricular activity may
560 not be affected by any alleged recruiting violation until final
561 disposition of the allegation pursuant to s. 1006.20(2)(b).
562 (b) Students who participate in interscholastic and
563 intrascholastic extracurricular activities for, but are not
564 enrolled in, a public school pursuant to s. 1006.15(4) s.
565 1006.15(3)(c)-(e) and (8), are subject to the district school
566 board’s code of student conduct for the limited purpose of
567 establishing and maintaining the student’s eligibility to
568 participate at the school.
569 Section 5. Paragraphs (i) and (j) are added to subsection
570 (7) of section 1006.20, Florida Statutes, to read:
571 1006.20 Athletics in public K-12 schools.—
572 (7) APPEALS.—
573 (i) A student denied eligibility may appeal the decision
574 from the governing organization. The governing organization
575 shall adopt bylaws establishing a timeline for appeals which may
576 not exceed 20 days.
577 (j) Decisions made by the committee on appeals, the
578 executive director, or his or her designee, and the governing
579 organization board of directors must be posted online in a
580 searchable format and in compliance with ss. 1002.22 and
581 1002.221.
582 Section 6. Paragraph (k) is added to subsection (1) of
583 section 1012.22, Florida Statutes, to read:
584 1012.22 Public school personnel; powers and duties of the
585 district school board.—The district school board shall:
586 (1) Designate positions to be filled, prescribe
587 qualifications for those positions, and provide for the
588 appointment, compensation, promotion, suspension, and dismissal
589 of employees as follows, subject to the requirements of this
590 chapter:
591 (k) Athletic coach compensation.—The district school board
592 may, at its sole discretion, determine and approve the
593 compensation of any person employed as an athletic coach,
594 assistant coach, or athletic program supervisor, regardless of
595 whether such individual is classified as instructional
596 personnel. Compensation may exceed any salary schedule,
597 supplement, or stipend otherwise prescribed and may be paid in
598 any form or amount deemed appropriate by the district school
599 board, including, but not limited to, salaries, stipends,
600 bonuses, performance-based incentives, and hourly or per
601 assignment pay. Such compensation is considered part of the
602 coach’s total compensation. The limitations on supplemental pay
603 applicable to instructional personnel under this section or any
604 other law do not apply to compensation provided under this
605 paragraph.
606 Section 7. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.