Florida Senate - 2026 CS for SB 538
By the Committee on Education Pre-K - 12; and Senator Simon
581-02040-26 2026538c1
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to extracurricular activities;
3 amending s. 1006.15, F.S.; making technical changes;
4 defining terms; revising eligibility requirements for
5 a student to participate in an interscholastic or
6 intrascholastic extracurricular activity; providing
7 construction; deleting obsolete provisions; requiring
8 that insurance provided by district school boards for
9 participants in extracurricular activities cover any
10 eligible student; deleting requirements for the
11 Florida High School Athletic Association to facilitate
12 a program for private school students to participate
13 in an interscholastic or intrascholastic sport;
14 requiring the athletic director or other appropriate
15 administrator to maintain student records for all
16 eligible students participating in interscholastic or
17 intrascholastic extracurricular activities at a member
18 school; revising requirements for a student to apply
19 to participate in an interscholastic or
20 intrascholastic extracurricular activity at certain
21 schools; prohibiting a school from imposing additional
22 fees on a student who wishes to participate in
23 extracurricular activities; requiring parents to
24 provide for the transportation to and from the school
25 for their student; providing indemnity for a school
26 and district school board under specified
27 circumstances; prohibiting a student from
28 participating in interscholastic or intrascholastic
29 extracurricular activities at two different schools
30 within the same school year unless the student meets
31 specified criteria; requiring the governing
32 organization to provide a certain determination of
33 eligibility within a specified timeframe; requiring
34 the governing organization to adopt specified bylaws;
35 authorizing the governing organization to adopt
36 additional bylaws; deleting provisions providing
37 requirements for certain student transfers; amending
38 s. 1002.33, F.S.; conforming a cross-reference;
39 amending s. 1003.455, F.S.; requiring each school
40 district to ensure that students participate in the
41 Presidential Youth Fitness Program; amending s.
42 1006.195, F.S.; conforming cross-references; amending
43 s. 1006.20, F.S.; authorizing a student who is denied
44 certain eligibility to appeal a decision made by the
45 governing organization; requiring the governing
46 organization to adopt bylaws to establish a timeline
47 for an appeals process; providing a limitation on such
48 timelines; amending s. 1012.22, F.S.; authorizing a
49 district school board to determine and approve the
50 compensation of an athletic coach; providing that the
51 compensation may exceed any prescribed salary
52 schedule, supplement, or stipend and be paid in any
53 form or amount deemed appropriate by the school board;
54 providing that such compensation is considered part of
55 the athletic coach’s total compensation; providing
56 that limitations on supplemental pay are not
57 applicable to the compensation of an athletic coach;
58 providing an effective date.
59
60 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
61
62 Section 1. Section 1006.15, Florida Statutes, is amended to
63 read:
64 1006.15 Student standards for participation in
65 interscholastic and intrascholastic extracurricular student
66 activities; regulation.—
67 (1) SHORT TITLE.—This section may be cited as the “Craig
68 Dickinson Act.”
69 (2) DETERMINATION.—Interscholastic extracurricular student
70 activities are an important complement to the academic
71 curriculum. Participation in a comprehensive extracurricular and
72 academic program contributes to student development of the
73 social and intellectual skills necessary to become a well
74 rounded adult. As used in this section, the term
75 “extracurricular” means any school-authorized or education
76 related activity occurring during or outside the regular
77 instructional school day. In the determination of whether a
78 school offers an activity or a sport, the activity or sport must
79 meet the designation requirements of s. 1006.205(3)(a).
80 (3)(a) DEFINITIONS.—As used in this section and s. 1006.20,
81 the term:
82 (a) “Eligible student” means a home education student,
83 charter school student, private school student, Florida Virtual
84 School student, alternative school student, or traditional
85 public school student who wishes to participate in an
86 interscholastic or intrascholastic extracurricular activity.
87 (b)1. “Eligible to participate” includes, but is not
88 limited to, a student participating in all of the following:
89 a. Tryouts.,
90 b. Off-season conditioning.,
91 c. Summer workouts.,
92 d. Preseason conditioning.,
93 e. In-season practice.,
94 f. or Contests.
95 2. The term does not mean that a student must be placed on
96 any specific team for interscholastic or intrascholastic
97 extracurricular activities. To be eligible to participate in
98 interscholastic extracurricular student activities, a student
99 must:
100 a.1. Maintain a grade point average of 2.0 or above on a
101 4.0 scale, or its equivalent, in the previous semester or a
102 cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or above on a 4.0 scale,
103 or its equivalent, in the courses required by s. 1002.3105(5) or
104 s. 1003.4282.
105 b.2. Execute and fulfill the requirements of an academic
106 performance contract between the student, the district school
107 board, the appropriate governing association, and the student’s
108 parents, if the student’s cumulative grade point average falls
109 below 2.0, or its equivalent, on a 4.0 scale in the courses
110 required by s. 1002.3105(5) or s. 1003.4282. At a minimum, the
111 contract must require that the student attend summer school, or
112 its graded equivalent, between grades 9 and 10 or grades 10 and
113 11, as necessary.
114 c.3. Have a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or above
115 on a 4.0 scale, or its equivalent, in the courses required by s.
116 1002.3105(5) or s. 1003.4282 during his or her junior or senior
117 year.
118 d.4. Maintain satisfactory conduct, including adherence to
119 appropriate dress and other codes of student conduct policies
120 described in s. 1006.07(2). If a student is convicted of, or is
121 found to have committed, a felony or a delinquent act that would
122 have been a felony if committed by an adult, regardless of
123 whether adjudication is withheld, the student’s participation in
124 interscholastic extracurricular activities is contingent upon
125 established and published district school board policy.
126 3.(b) Any student who is exempt from attending a full
127 school day based on rules adopted by the district school board
128 for double session schools or programs, experimental schools, or
129 schools operating under emergency conditions must maintain the
130 grade point average required by this section and pass each class
131 for which he or she is enrolled.
132 (c) “Extracurricular” means any school-authorized or
133 education-related activity occurring during or outside the
134 regular instructional school day.
135 (d) “Governing organization” means any organization that
136 governs the athletic activities of a school, including, but not
137 limited to, the Florida High School Athletic Association.
138 (4) ELIGIBILITY.—
139 (a)(c)1. A An individual home education student is eligible
140 to participate in an interscholastic or intrascholastic
141 extracurricular activity at the school in which he or she is
142 enrolled.
143 (b) An eligible student may participate in an
144 interscholastic or intrascholastic extracurricular activity at a
145 school other than the school in which the student is enrolled
146 if:
147 1. The school in which the student is enrolled does not
148 offer the same interscholastic or intrascholastic
149 extracurricular activity or the student is in a home education
150 program; and
151 2. The school at which the student will participate in the
152 interscholastic or intrascholastic extracurricular activity is
153 located in the school district in which the student resides.
154 (c) If no public or charter schools in the district in
155 which the student resides offer the interscholastic or
156 intrascholastic extracurricular activity, and an agreement
157 cannot be reached with a private school in the district in which
158 the student resides, the student may participate at a public,
159 charter, or private school that is appropriate for the student’s
160 grade level located outside of his or her school district. The
161 school at which the student participates pursuant to this
162 paragraph must be in a school district adjacent to the school
163 district in which the student resides.
164 (d) If a student has exhausted all options outlined above
165 for participation in an interscholastic or intrascholastic
166 extracurricular activity, the student may petition the executive
167 director of the applicable governing organization to explore
168 options for participation at a school not otherwise covered by
169 this section.
170 (e) For purposes of this subsection, any participation by
171 an eligible student at a private school other than the school in
172 which the student is enrolled must be pursuant to an agreement
173 between the private school and the student at the public school
174 to which the student would be assigned according to district
175 school board attendance area policies or which the student could
176 choose to attend pursuant to s. 1002.31, or may develop an
177 agreement to participate at a private school, in the
178 interscholastic extracurricular activities of that school,
179 provided the following conditions are met:
180 a. The home education student must meet the requirements of
181 the home education program pursuant to s. 1002.41.
182 b. During the period of participation at a school, the home
183 education student must demonstrate educational progress as
184 required in paragraph (b) in all subjects taken in the home
185 education program by a method of evaluation agreed upon by the
186 parent and the school principal which may include: review of the
187 student’s work by a certified teacher chosen by the parent;
188 grades earned through correspondence; grades earned in courses
189 taken at a Florida College System institution, university, or
190 trade school; standardized test scores above the 35th
191 percentile; or any other method designated in s. 1002.41.
192 c. The home education student must meet the same residency
193 requirements as other students in the school at which he or she
194 participates.
195 d. The home education student must meet the same standards
196 of acceptance, behavior, and performance as required of other
197 students in extracurricular activities.
198 e. The student must register with the school his or her
199 intent to participate in interscholastic extracurricular
200 activities as a representative of the school before
201 participation. A home education student must be able to
202 participate in curricular activities if that is a requirement
203 for an extracurricular activity.
204 f. A student who transfers from a home education program to
205 a public school before or during the first grading period of the
206 school year is academically eligible to participate in
207 interscholastic extracurricular activities during the first
208 grading period provided the student has a successful evaluation
209 from the previous school year, pursuant to sub-subparagraph b.
210 g. Any public school or private school student who has been
211 unable to maintain academic eligibility for participation in
212 interscholastic extracurricular activities is ineligible to
213 participate in such activities as a home education student until
214 the student has successfully completed one grading period in
215 home education pursuant to sub-subparagraph b. to become
216 eligible to participate as a home education student.
217 2. An individual home education student is eligible to
218 participate on an interscholastic athletic team at any public
219 school in the school district in which the student resides,
220 provided the student meets the conditions specified in sub
221 subparagraphs 1.a.-g.
222 (d) An individual charter school student pursuant to s.
223 1002.33 is eligible to participate at the public school to which
224 the student would be assigned according to district school board
225 attendance area policies or which the student could attend, or
226 may develop an agreement to participate at a private school, in
227 any interscholastic extracurricular activity of that school,
228 unless such activity is provided by the student’s charter
229 school, if the following conditions are met:
230 1. The charter school student must meet the requirements of
231 the charter school education program as determined by the
232 charter school governing board.
233 2. During the period of participation at a school, the
234 charter school student must demonstrate educational progress as
235 required in paragraph (b).
236 3. The charter school student must meet the same residency
237 requirements as other students in the school at which he or she
238 participates.
239 4. The charter school student must meet the same standards
240 of acceptance, behavior, and performance that are required of
241 other students in extracurricular activities.
242 5. The charter school student must register with the school
243 his or her intent to participate in interscholastic
244 extracurricular activities as a representative of the school
245 before participation. A charter school student must be able to
246 participate in curricular activities if that is a requirement
247 for an extracurricular activity.
248 6. A student who transfers from a charter school program to
249 a traditional public school before or during the first grading
250 period of the school year is academically eligible to
251 participate in interscholastic extracurricular activities during
252 the first grading period if the student has a successful
253 evaluation from the previous school year pursuant to
254 subparagraph 2.
255 7. Any public school or private school student who has been
256 unable to maintain academic eligibility for participation in
257 interscholastic extracurricular activities is ineligible to
258 participate in such activities as a charter school student until
259 the student has successfully completed one grading period in a
260 charter school pursuant to subparagraph 2. to become eligible to
261 participate as a charter school student.
262 (e) A student of the Florida Virtual School full-time
263 program may participate in any interscholastic extracurricular
264 activity at the public school to which the student would be
265 assigned according to district school board attendance area
266 policies or which the student could choose to attend pursuant to
267 s. 1002.31, or may develop an agreement to participate at a
268 private school, if the student:
269 1. During the period of participation in the
270 interscholastic extracurricular activity, meets the requirements
271 in paragraph (a).
272 2. Meets any additional requirements as determined by the
273 board of trustees of the Florida Virtual School.
274 3. Meets the same residency requirements as other students
275 in the school at which he or she participates.
276 4. Meets the same standards of acceptance, behavior, and
277 performance that are required of other students in
278 extracurricular activities.
279 5. Registers his or her intent to participate in
280 interscholastic extracurricular activities with the school
281 before participation. A Florida Virtual school student must be
282 able to participate in curricular activities if that is a
283 requirement for an extracurricular activity.
284 (f) A student who transfers from the Florida Virtual School
285 full-time program to a traditional public school before or
286 during the first grading period of the school year is
287 academically eligible to participate in interscholastic
288 extracurricular activities during the first grading period if
289 the student has a successful evaluation from the previous school
290 year pursuant to paragraph (a).
291 (g) A public school or private school student who has been
292 unable to maintain academic eligibility for participation in
293 interscholastic extracurricular activities is ineligible to
294 participate in such activities as a Florida Virtual School
295 student until the student successfully completes one grading
296 period in the Florida Virtual School pursuant to paragraph (a).
297 (h) A student in a full-time virtual instruction program
298 under s. 1002.45, including the full-time Florida Virtual School
299 program, a full-time school district virtual instruction
300 program, or a full-time virtual charter school, is eligible to
301 participate on an interscholastic athletic team at any public
302 school in the school district in which the student resides, or
303 may develop an agreement to participate at a private school,
304 provided the student:
305 1. During the period of participation in the
306 interscholastic extracurricular activity, meets the requirements
307 in paragraph (a);
308 2. Meets any additional requirements as determined by the
309 board of trustees of the Florida Virtual School, the district
310 school board, or the governing board of the virtual charter
311 school, as applicable;
312 3. Meets the same residency requirements as other students
313 in the school at which he or she participates;
314 4. Meets the same standards of athletic team acceptance,
315 behavior, and performance which are required of other students
316 in extracurricular activities; and
317 5. Registers his or her intent to participate in
318 interscholastic extracurricular activities with the school
319 before participation.
320 (i) An individual traditional public school student who is
321 otherwise eligible to participate in interscholastic
322 extracurricular activities may either participate in any such
323 activity at any public school in the school district in which
324 the student resides or develop an agreement to participate in
325 such activity at a private school, unless the activity is
326 provided by the student’s traditional public school. Such
327 student must:
328 1. Meet the same standards of acceptance, behavior, and
329 performance that are required of other students in
330 extracurricular activities at the school at which the student
331 wishes to participate.
332 2. Before participation, register with the school his or
333 her intent to participate in interscholastic extracurricular
334 activities as a representative of the school. The student must
335 be able to participate in curricular activities if that is a
336 requirement for an extracurricular activity.
337 (j)1. A school district or charter school may not delay
338 eligibility or otherwise prevent a student participating in
339 controlled open enrollment, or a choice program, from being
340 immediately eligible to participate in interscholastic and
341 intrascholastic extracurricular activities.
342 2. A student may not participate in a sport if the student
343 participated in that same sport at another school during that
344 school year, unless the student meets one of the following
345 criteria:
346 a. Dependent children of active duty military personnel
347 whose move resulted from military orders.
348 b. Children who have been relocated due to a foster care
349 placement in a different school zone.
350 c. Children who move due to a court-ordered change in
351 custody due to separation or divorce, or the serious illness or
352 death of a custodial parent.
353 d. Authorized for good cause in district or charter school
354 policy.
355 (5)(4) BEGINNING APPLICABILITY.—The student standards for
356 participation in interscholastic extracurricular activities must
357 be applied beginning with the student’s first semester of the
358 9th grade. Each student must meet such other requirements for
359 participation as may be established by the district school
360 board; however, a district school board may not establish
361 requirements for participation in interscholastic
362 extracurricular activities which make participation in such
363 activities less accessible to home education students than to
364 other students. Except as set forth in paragraph (3)(c),
365 evaluation processes or requirements that are placed on home
366 education student participants may not go beyond those that
367 apply under s. 1002.41 to home education students generally.
368 (6)(5) GOVERNING ORGANIZATION RESPONSIBILITIES.—All
369 governing organizations Any organization or entity that
370 regulates or governs interscholastic extracurricular activities
371 of public schools:
372 (a) Shall permit home education associations to join as
373 member schools.
374 (b) May Shall not discriminate against any eligible student
375 based on an educational choice of public, private, or home
376 education.
377 (7)(6) PROHIBITED MEMBERSHIPS.—Public schools are
378 prohibited from membership in any governing organization that or
379 entity which regulates or governs interscholastic
380 extracurricular activities and discriminates against eligible
381 students in public, private, or home education.
382 (8)(7) INSURANCE.—Any insurance provided by district school
383 boards for participants in extracurricular activities must shall
384 cover any eligible student the participating home education
385 student. If there is an additional premium for such coverage,
386 the participating home education student shall pay the premium.
387 (8)(a) The Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA)
388 shall, in cooperation with each district school board and its
389 member private schools, facilitate a program in which a middle
390 school or high school student who attends a private school is
391 eligible to participate in an interscholastic or intrascholastic
392 sport at a member public high school, a member public middle
393 school, a member 6-12 public school, or a member private school,
394 as appropriate for the private school student’s grade level, if:
395 1. The private school in which the student is enrolled is
396 not a member of the FHSAA or the private school in which the
397 student is enrolled is a member of the FHSAA and does not offer
398 the sport in which the student wishes to participate.
399 2. The private school student meets the guidelines for the
400 conduct of the program established by the FHSAA’s board of
401 directors and the district school board or member private
402 school. At a minimum, such guidelines must provide a deadline
403 for each sport by which the private school student’s parents
404 must register with the member school in writing their intent for
405 their child to participate at that school in the sport.
406 (b) The parents of a private school student participating
407 in a member school sport under this subsection are responsible
408 for transporting their child to and from the member school at
409 which the student participates. The private school the student
410 attends, the member school at which the student participates in
411 a sport, the district school board, and the FHSAA are exempt
412 from civil liability arising from any injury that occurs to the
413 student during such transportation.
414 (c) For each academic year, a private school student may
415 only participate at the member school in which the student is
416 first registered under subparagraph (a)2. or makes himself or
417 herself a candidate for an athletic team by engaging in a
418 practice.
419 (9) SCHOOL RESPONSIBILITIES.—
420 (a)(d) The athletic director or other appropriate
421 administrator of each participating FHSAA member school shall
422 maintain the student records necessary for eligibility,
423 compliance, and participation for all eligible students
424 participating in interscholastic or intrascholastic
425 extracurricular activities at the member school in the program.
426 (b)(e) Any private school that has a student who wishes to
427 participate in interscholastic or intrascholastic
428 extracurricular activities at another school this program must
429 make all student records, including, but not limited to,
430 academic, financial, disciplinary, and attendance records,
431 available upon request of the governing organization FHSAA.
432 (c)(f) A student must apply to participate in an
433 interscholastic or intrascholastic extracurricular activity at a
434 school other than the school in which the student is enrolled by
435 either of the following methods:
436 1. Applying to the school’s governing organization for the
437 extracurricular activity as provided for in the governing
438 organization’s bylaws this program through the FHSAA program
439 application process.
440 2. If there is no governing organization for the
441 extracurricular activity for which the student is applying,
442 through an appropriate process that complies with ss. 1002.31
443 and 1002.41. The State Board of Education may adopt rules to
444 implement this paragraph.
445 (d) The school in which a student wishes to participate in
446 interscholastic or intrascholastic extracurricular activities
447 may not impose additional fees or costs for participation
448 outside of the fees or costs students currently enrolled at the
449 school pay to participate in the extracurricular activity.
450 (e) The parents of the student participating in the
451 interscholastic or intrascholastic extracurricular activity must
452 provide for the transportation of the student to and from the
453 school at which the student participates. The school in which
454 the student is enrolled, the school at which the student
455 participates in the extracurricular activity, and the district
456 school board are exempt from civil liability arising from any
457 injury that occurs to the student during such transportation.
458 (10) STUDENT TRANSFERS.—
459 (a) A student may not participate in interscholastic
460 activities at two different schools during the same school year,
461 unless the student:
462 1. Is a dependent child of active duty military personnel
463 whose move resulted from military orders;
464 2. Has been relocated due to a foster care placement in a
465 different school zone;
466 3. Has moved due to a court-ordered change in custody due
467 to separation or divorce, or the serious illness or death of a
468 custodial parent; or
469 4. Has been granted approval by the applicable governing
470 organization’s executive director.
471 (b) The governing organization shall provide a
472 determination of eligibility to the requesting student within 14
473 days after such a request is made.
474 (c) The governing organization shall adopt bylaws
475 establishing criteria for determining eligibility of students
476 pursuant to this subsection.
477 (11) BYLAWS.—The governing organization may adopt
478 additional bylaws to implement this section
479 (9)(a) A student who transfers to a school during the
480 school year may seek to immediately join an existing team if the
481 roster for the specific interscholastic or intrascholastic
482 extracurricular activity has not reached the activity’s
483 identified maximum size and if the coach for the activity
484 determines that the student has the requisite skill and ability
485 to participate. The FHSAA and school district or charter school
486 may not declare such a student ineligible because the student
487 did not have the opportunity to comply with qualifying
488 requirements.
489 (b) A student may not participate in a sport if the student
490 participated in that same sport at another school during that
491 school year, unless the student meets one of the following
492 criteria:
493 1. Dependent children of active duty military personnel
494 whose move resulted from military orders.
495 2. Children who have been relocated due to a foster care
496 placement in a different school zone.
497 3. Children who move due to a court-ordered change in
498 custody due to separation or divorce, or the serious illness or
499 death of a custodial parent.
500 4. Authorized for good cause in district or charter school
501 policy.
502 (10) A student who participates in an interscholastic or
503 intrascholastic activity at a public school and who transfers
504 from that school during the school year must be allowed to
505 continue to participate in the activity at that school for the
506 remainder of the school year if:
507 (a) During the period of participation in the activity, the
508 student continues to meet the requirements specified in
509 paragraph (3)(a).
510 (b) The student continues to meet the same standards of
511 acceptance, behavior, and performance which are required of
512 other students participating in the activity, except for
513 enrollment requirements at the school at which the student
514 participates.
515 (c) The parents of the student participating in the
516 activity provide for the transportation of the student to and
517 from the school at which the student participates. The school
518 the student attends, the school at which the student
519 participates in the activity, and the district school board are
520 exempt from civil liability arising from any injury that occurs
521 to the student during such transportation.
522 Section 2. Subsection (11) of section 1002.33, Florida
523 Statutes, is amended to read:
524 1002.33 Charter schools.—
525 (11) PARTICIPATION IN INTERSCHOLASTIC EXTRACURRICULAR
526 ACTIVITIES.—A charter school student is eligible to participate
527 in an interscholastic extracurricular activity at the public
528 school to which the student would be otherwise assigned to
529 attend, or may develop an agreement to participate at a private
530 school, pursuant to s. 1006.15(4) s. 1006.15(3)(d).
531 Section 3. Subsection (7) is added to section 1003.455,
532 Florida Statutes, to read:
533 1003.455 Physical education; assessment.—
534 (7) Each school district shall ensure that students in
535 grades K-12 annually participate in the Presidential Youth
536 Fitness Program, or its successor program, as part of the
537 district’s physical education curriculum.
538 Section 4. Paragraphs (a) and (b) of subsection (1) of
539 section 1006.195, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
540 1006.195 District school board, charter school authority
541 and responsibility to establish student eligibility regarding
542 participation in interscholastic and intrascholastic
543 extracurricular activities.—Notwithstanding any provision to the
544 contrary in ss. 1006.15, 1006.18, and 1006.20, regarding student
545 eligibility to participate in interscholastic and
546 intrascholastic extracurricular activities:
547 (1)(a) A district school board shall must establish,
548 through its code of student conduct, student eligibility
549 standards and related student disciplinary actions regarding
550 student participation in interscholastic and intrascholastic
551 extracurricular activities. The code of student conduct must
552 provide that:
553 1. A student not currently suspended from interscholastic
554 or intrascholastic extracurricular activities, or suspended or
555 expelled from school, pursuant to a district school board’s
556 suspension or expulsion powers provided in law, including ss.
557 1006.07, 1006.08, and 1006.09, is eligible to participate in
558 interscholastic and intrascholastic extracurricular activities.
559 2. A student may not participate in a sport if the student
560 participated in that same sport at another school during that
561 school year, unless the student meets the criteria in s.
562 1006.15(10) s. 1006.15(3)(j).
563 3. A student’s eligibility to participate in any
564 interscholastic or intrascholastic extracurricular activity may
565 not be affected by any alleged recruiting violation until final
566 disposition of the allegation pursuant to s. 1006.20(2)(b).
567 (b) Students who participate in interscholastic and
568 intrascholastic extracurricular activities for, but are not
569 enrolled in, a public school pursuant to s. 1006.15(4) s.
570 1006.15(3)(c)-(e) and (8), are subject to the district school
571 board’s code of student conduct for the limited purpose of
572 establishing and maintaining the student’s eligibility to
573 participate at the school.
574 Section 5. Paragraph (h) of subsection (7) of section
575 1006.20, Florida Statutes, is amended, and paragraph (i) is
576 added to that subsection, to read:
577 1006.20 Athletics in public K-12 schools.—
578 (7) APPEALS.—
579 (h) Decisions made by the committee on appeals, the
580 executive director or his or her designee, and a governing
581 organization’s the FHSAA board of directors must be posted
582 online in a searchable format and be in compliance with ss.
583 1002.22 and 1002.221.
584 (i) A student denied eligibility may appeal the decision
585 from the governing organization. The governing organization
586 shall adopt bylaws establishing a timeline for appeals which may
587 not exceed 20 days.
588 Section 6. Paragraph (k) is added to subsection (1) of
589 section 1012.22, Florida Statutes, to read:
590 1012.22 Public school personnel; powers and duties of the
591 district school board.—The district school board shall:
592 (1) Designate positions to be filled, prescribe
593 qualifications for those positions, and provide for the
594 appointment, compensation, promotion, suspension, and dismissal
595 of employees as follows, subject to the requirements of this
596 chapter:
597 (k) Athletic coach compensation.—The district school board
598 may, at its sole discretion, determine and approve the
599 compensation of any person employed as an athletic coach,
600 assistant coach, or athletic program supervisor, regardless of
601 whether such individual is classified as instructional
602 personnel. Compensation may exceed any salary schedule,
603 supplement, or stipend otherwise prescribed and may be paid in
604 any form or amount deemed appropriate by the district school
605 board, including, but not limited to, salaries, stipends,
606 bonuses, performance-based incentives, and hourly or per
607 assignment pay. Such compensation is considered part of the
608 coach’s total compensation. The limitations on supplemental pay
609 applicable to instructional personnel under this section or any
610 other law do not apply to compensation provided under this
611 paragraph.
612 Section 7. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.