Florida Senate - 2026 (PROPOSED BILL) SPB 7036
FOR CONSIDERATION By the Committee on Education Pre-K - 12
581-02232A-26 20267036pb
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to education; amending s. 1001.42,
3 F.S.; removing certain schools from specified contract
4 restrictions; revising the conditions considered an
5 educational emergency; amending s. 1002.20, F.S.;
6 authorizing a student to carry a United States Food
7 and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved epinephrine
8 delivery device, rather than an epinephrine auto
9 injector; requiring the State Board of Education to
10 adopt rules for the use of an FDA-approved epinephrine
11 delivery device, rather than an epinephrine auto
12 injector; making conforming changes; amending s.
13 1002.33, F.S.; providing additional criteria for award
14 of a 15-year charter; providing that students may not
15 be dismissed from certain charter schools based on
16 academic performance; amending s. 1002.42, F.S.;
17 authorizing a private school to purchase a supply of
18 FDA-approved epinephrine delivery devices, rather than
19 epinephrine auto-injectors; making conforming changes;
20 amending s. 1002.68, F.S.; deleting provisions
21 relating to the calculation of a kindergarten
22 readiness rate; revising the period of time for which
23 a public or private prekindergarten provider is
24 prohibited from participating in the Voluntary
25 Prekindergarten Education Program for a failing
26 program assessment composite score; amending s.
27 1002.945, F.S.; requiring the Department of Children
28 and Families to make a specified determination for
29 child care providers; deleting an exception; amending
30 s. 1003.42, F.S.; revising required instruction on the
31 principles of agriculture; requiring the Department of
32 Education to collaborate with specified entities to
33 develop associated standards and a curriculum;
34 authorizing the department to contract with certain
35 agricultural education organizations for specified
36 purposes; amending s. 1003.4282, F.S.; providing
37 requirements for mathematics pathways established by a
38 certain workgroup; requiring that certain courses for
39 the mathematics pathways be identified by specified
40 dates; requiring the workgroup to submit identified
41 mathematics pathways to the Governor and the
42 Legislature; creating s. 1003.4936, F.S.; providing
43 legislative findings; requiring the Department of
44 Education to develop applied algebra courses;
45 providing requirements for the applied algebra
46 courses; requiring the department to develop the
47 courses on specified timelines; authorizing school
48 districts to satisfy certain graduation requirements
49 with an applied algebra course; requiring the
50 department to collaborate with the Board of Governors
51 of the State University System to ensure the courses
52 are accepted as mathematics credits for state
53 university admissions; requiring the department to
54 provide certain implementation support; amending s.
55 1004.85, F.S.; authorizing an educator preparation
56 institute to allow certain program participants to
57 enroll in introductory coursework; amending s.
58 1004.933, F.S.; revising the definition of the term
59 “institution”; deleting the age limit for enrollment
60 in the Graduation Alternative to Traditional Education
61 Program; clarifying that students are not required to
62 enroll in adult secondary and career education program
63 coursework simultaneously; amending s. 1006.07, F.S.;
64 deleting provisions relating to the use of temporary
65 door locks; amending s. 1006.39, F.S.; requiring that
66 materials and products developed by or under the
67 direction of the department be made available for use
68 by school districts; authorizing school districts to
69 purchase instructional materials developed by or under
70 the direction of the department; amending s.
71 1007.2616, F.S.; requiring the State Board of
72 Education to establish separate computer science
73 subject area coverages for grades K–5 and 6–12 and to
74 continue the comprehensive K–12 coverage; requiring
75 the Department of Education to present recommended
76 competencies for certain coverages to the board by a
77 specified date; requiring the department to coordinate
78 examinations by a specified date; amending s. 1008.25,
79 F.S.; requiring certain resources for specified
80 students to include information about the New Worlds
81 Reading Initiative; specifying requirements for a
82 school district if a screening identifies a student as
83 exhibiting characteristics of dyslexia or dyscalculia;
84 revising the score threshold for a Voluntary
85 Prekindergarten Education Program student’s
86 performance on coordinated screening and progress
87 monitoring for the student to receive specified
88 instructional support; providing circumstances under
89 which a student is required to undergo further
90 screening for dyslexia or dyscalculia; requiring the
91 State Board of Education to adopt rules; conforming a
92 cross-reference; amending s. 1008.2125, F.S.;
93 conforming a cross-reference; amending s. 1011.69,
94 F.S.; revising a category of funding which a school
95 district is authorized to withhold; requiring the
96 department to collaborate with the Lastinger Center
97 for Learning to make specified recommendations
98 relating to artificial intelligence in learning to the
99 Governor and the Legislature by a specified date;
100 providing requirements for the recommendations;
101 providing an effective date.
102
103 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
104
105 Section 1. Subsection (21) of section 1001.42, Florida
106 Statutes, is amended to read:
107 1001.42 Powers and duties of district school board.—The
108 district school board, acting as a board, shall exercise all
109 powers and perform all duties listed below:
110 (21) EDUCATIONAL EMERGENCY.— To free schools that have with
111 a school grade of “D” or “F” or are persistently low-performing
112 schools as described in s. 1002.333 from contract restrictions
113 that limit the school district’s school’s ability to implement
114 programs and strategies needed to improve student performance, a
115 district school board may adopt salary incentives or other
116 strategies that address the selection, placement, compensation,
117 and expectations of instructional personnel and provide
118 principals with the autonomy described in s. 1012.28(8). For
119 purposes of this subsection, an educational emergency exists in
120 a school district if one or more schools in the district have a
121 school grade of “D” or “F” or are persistently low-performing
122 schools as described in s. 1002.333. “F.” Notwithstanding
123 chapter 447, relating to collective bargaining, a district
124 school board may:
125 (a) Provide salary incentives that differentiate based on a
126 teacher’s certification, subject area taught, or grade level
127 taught. Such incentives are not subject to collective bargaining
128 requirements.
129 (b) Notwithstanding s. 1012.2315, relating to assignment of
130 teachers, adopt strategies to assign high-quality teachers more
131 equitably across schools in the district to low-performing
132 schools as a management right. Such strategies are not subject
133 to collective bargaining requirements.
134 Section 2. Paragraph (i) of subsection (3) of section
135 1002.20, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
136 1002.20 K-12 student and parent rights.—Parents of public
137 school students must receive accurate and timely information
138 regarding their child’s academic progress and must be informed
139 of ways they can help their child to succeed in school. K-12
140 students and their parents are afforded numerous statutory
141 rights including, but not limited to, the following:
142 (3) HEALTH ISSUES.—
143 (i) Epinephrine use and supply.—
144 1. A student who has experienced or is at risk for life
145 threatening allergic reactions may carry a United States Food
146 and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved an epinephrine delivery
147 device auto-injector and self-administer epinephrine by FDA
148 approved delivery device auto-injector while in school,
149 participating in school-sponsored activities, or in transit to
150 or from school or school-sponsored activities if the school has
151 been provided with parental and physician authorization. The
152 State Board of Education, in cooperation with the Department of
153 Health, shall adopt rules for such use of FDA-approved
154 epinephrine delivery devices which must auto-injectors that
155 shall include provisions to protect the safety of all students
156 from the misuse or abuse of such delivery devices auto
157 injectors. A school district, county health department, public
158 private partner, and their employees and volunteers shall be
159 indemnified by the parent of a student authorized to carry an
160 FDA-approved epinephrine delivery device auto-injector for any
161 and all liability with respect to the student’s use of an FDA
162 approved epinephrine delivery device auto-injector pursuant to
163 this paragraph.
164 2. A public school may purchase a supply of FDA-approved
165 epinephrine delivery devices auto-injectors from a wholesale
166 distributor as defined in s. 499.003 or may enter into an
167 arrangement with a wholesale distributor or manufacturer as
168 defined in s. 499.003 for the FDA-approved epinephrine delivery
169 devices auto-injectors at fair-market, free, or reduced prices
170 for use in the event a student has an anaphylactic reaction. The
171 FDA-approved epinephrine delivery devices auto-injectors must be
172 maintained in a secure location on the public school’s premises.
173 The participating school district shall adopt a protocol
174 developed by a licensed physician for the administration by
175 school personnel who are trained to recognize an anaphylactic
176 reaction and to administer an epinephrine by an FDA-approved
177 delivery device auto-injection. The supply of FDA-approved
178 epinephrine delivery devices auto-injectors may be provided to
179 and used by a student authorized to self-administer epinephrine
180 by FDA-approved delivery device auto-injector under subparagraph
181 1. or trained school personnel.
182 3. The school district and its employees, agents, and the
183 physician who provides the standing protocol for school FDA
184 approved epinephrine delivery devices auto-injectors are not
185 liable for any injury arising from the use of such an
186 epinephrine delivery device auto-injector administered by
187 trained school personnel who follow the adopted protocol and
188 whose professional opinion is that the student is having an
189 anaphylactic reaction:
190 a. Unless the trained school personnel’s action is willful
191 and wanton;
192 b. Notwithstanding that the parents or guardians of the
193 student to whom the epinephrine is administered have not been
194 provided notice or have not signed a statement acknowledging
195 that the school district is not liable; and
196 c. Regardless of whether authorization has been given by
197 the student’s parents or guardians or by the student’s
198 physician, physician assistant, or advanced practice registered
199 nurse.
200 Section 3. Paragraph (c) of subsection (7) and paragraph
201 (e) of subsection (10) of section 1002.33, Florida Statutes, are
202 amended to read:
203 1002.33 Charter schools.—
204 (7) CHARTER.—The terms and conditions for the operation of
205 a charter school, including a virtual charter school, shall be
206 set forth by the sponsor and the applicant in a written
207 contractual agreement, called a charter. The sponsor and the
208 governing board of the charter school or virtual charter school
209 shall use the standard charter contract or standard virtual
210 charter contract, respectively, pursuant to subsection (21),
211 which shall incorporate the approved application and any addenda
212 approved with the application. Any term or condition of a
213 proposed charter contract or proposed virtual charter contract
214 that differs from the standard charter or virtual charter
215 contract adopted by rule of the State Board of Education shall
216 be presumed a limitation on charter school flexibility. The
217 sponsor may not impose unreasonable rules or regulations that
218 violate the intent of giving charter schools greater flexibility
219 to meet educational goals. The charter shall be signed by the
220 governing board of the charter school and the sponsor, following
221 a public hearing to ensure community input.
222 (c)1. A charter may be renewed provided that a program
223 review demonstrates that the criteria in paragraph (a) have been
224 successfully accomplished and that none of the grounds for
225 nonrenewal established by paragraph (8)(a) have been expressly
226 found. The charter of a charter school that meets these
227 requirements and has received a school grade lower than a “B”
228 pursuant to s. 1008.34 in the most recently graded school year
229 must be renewed for no less than a 5-year term except as
230 provided in paragraph (9)(n). In order to facilitate long-term
231 financing for charter school construction, charter schools
232 operating for a minimum of 3 years and demonstrating exemplary
233 academic programming, which may include academic performance
234 measured by school improvement ratings, and fiscal management
235 are eligible for a 15-year charter renewal. Such long-term
236 charter is subject to annual review and may be terminated during
237 the term of the charter.
238 2. The 15-year charter renewal that may be granted pursuant
239 to subparagraph 1. must be granted to a charter school that has
240 received a school grade of “A” or “B” pursuant to s. 1008.34 in
241 the most recently graded school year and that is not in a state
242 of financial emergency or deficit position as defined by this
243 section. Such long-term charter is subject to annual review and
244 may be terminated during the term of the charter pursuant to
245 subsection (8).
246 (10) ELIGIBLE STUDENTS.—
247 (e) A charter school may limit the enrollment process only
248 to target the following student populations:
249 1. Students within specific age groups or grade levels.
250 2. Students considered at risk of dropping out of school or
251 academic failure. Such students shall include exceptional
252 education students.
253 3. Students enrolling in a charter school-in-the-workplace
254 or charter school-in-a-municipality established pursuant to
255 subsection (15).
256 4. Students residing within a reasonable distance of the
257 charter school, as described in paragraph (20)(c). Such students
258 shall be subject to a random lottery and to the racial/ethnic
259 balance provisions described in subparagraph (7)(a)8. or any
260 federal provisions that require a school to achieve a
261 racial/ethnic balance reflective of the community it serves or
262 within the racial/ethnic range of other nearby public schools.
263 5. Students who meet reasonable academic, artistic, or
264 other eligibility standards established by the charter school
265 and included in the charter school application and charter or,
266 in the case of existing charter schools, standards that are
267 consistent with the school’s mission and purpose. Such standards
268 shall be in accordance with current state law and practice in
269 public schools and may not discriminate against otherwise
270 qualified individuals. A school that limits enrollment for such
271 purposes must place a student on a progress monitoring plan for
272 at least one semester before dismissing such student from the
273 school. A student may not be dismissed based on academic
274 performance while a school is implementing a school improvement
275 plan pursuant to paragraph (9)(n) or corrective action plan
276 pursuant to s. 1002.345.
277 6. Students articulating from one charter school to another
278 pursuant to an articulation agreement between the charter
279 schools that has been approved by the sponsor.
280 7. Students living in a development, or students whose
281 parent or legal guardian maintains a physical or permanent
282 employment presence within the development, in which a
283 developer, including any affiliated business entity or
284 charitable foundation, contributes to the formation,
285 acquisition, construction, or operation of one or more charter
286 schools or charter school facilities and related property in an
287 amount equal to or having a total appraised value of at least $5
288 million to be used as charter schools to mitigate the
289 educational impact created by the development of new residential
290 dwelling units. Students living in the development are entitled
291 to 50 percent of the student stations in the charter schools.
292 The students who are eligible for enrollment are subject to a
293 random lottery, the racial/ethnic balance provisions, or any
294 federal provisions, as described in subparagraph 4. The
295 remainder of the student stations must be filled in accordance
296 with subparagraph 4.
297 8. Students whose parent or legal guardian is employed
298 within a reasonable distance of the charter school, as described
299 in paragraph (20)(c). The students who are eligible for
300 enrollment are subject to a random lottery.
301 Section 4. Subsection (17) of section 1002.42, Florida
302 Statutes, is amended to read:
303 1002.42 Private schools.—
304 (17) EPINEPHRINE SUPPLY.—
305 (a) A private school may purchase a supply of United States
306 Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved epinephrine delivery
307 devices auto-injectors from a wholesale distributor as defined
308 in s. 499.003 or may enter into an arrangement with a wholesale
309 distributor or manufacturer as defined in s. 499.003 for the
310 FDA-approved epinephrine delivery devices auto-injectors at
311 fair-market, free, or reduced prices for use in the event a
312 student has an anaphylactic reaction. The FDA-approved
313 epinephrine delivery devices auto-injectors must be maintained
314 in a secure location on the private school’s premises. The
315 participating private school shall adopt a protocol developed by
316 a licensed physician for the administration by private school
317 personnel who are trained to recognize an anaphylactic reaction
318 and to administer epinephrine by an FDA-approved epinephrine
319 delivery device auto-injection. The supply of FDA-approved
320 epinephrine delivery devices auto-injectors may be provided to
321 and used by a student authorized to self-administer epinephrine
322 by an FDA-approved delivery device auto-injector under s.
323 1002.20(3)(i) or trained school personnel.
324 (b) The private school and its employees, agents, and the
325 physician who provides the standing protocol for school FDA
326 approved epinephrine delivery devices auto-injectors are not
327 liable for any injury arising from the use of an FDA-approved
328 epinephrine delivery device auto-injector administered by
329 trained school personnel who follow the adopted protocol and
330 whose professional opinion is that the student is having an
331 anaphylactic reaction:
332 1. Unless the trained school personnel’s action is willful
333 and wanton;
334 2. Notwithstanding that the parents or guardians of the
335 student to whom the epinephrine is administered have not been
336 provided notice or have not signed a statement acknowledging
337 that the school district is not liable; and
338 3. Regardless of whether authorization has been given by
339 the student’s parents or guardians or by the student’s
340 physician, physician assistant, or advanced practice registered
341 nurse.
342 Section 5. Subsection (3), paragraph (e) of subsection (4),
343 paragraph (a) of subsection (5), and paragraph (e) of subsection
344 (6) of section 1002.68, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
345 1002.68 Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program
346 accountability.—
347 (3)(a) For the 2020-2021 program year, the department shall
348 calculate a kindergarten readiness rate for each private
349 prekindergarten provider and public school participating in the
350 Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program based upon learning
351 gains and the percentage of students assessed as ready for
352 kindergarten. The department shall require that each school
353 district administer the statewide kindergarten screening in use
354 before the 2021-2022 school year to each kindergarten student in
355 the school district within the first 30 school days of the 2021
356 2022 school year. Private schools may administer the statewide
357 kindergarten screening to each kindergarten student in a private
358 school who was enrolled in the Voluntary Prekindergarten
359 Education Program. Learning gains shall be determined using a
360 value-added measure based on growth demonstrated by the results
361 of the preassessment and postassessment in use before the 2021
362 2022 program year. However, a provider may not be newly placed
363 on probationary status under this paragraph. A provider
364 currently on probationary status may only be removed from such
365 status if the provider earns the minimum rate, determined
366 pursuant to subsection (5). The methodology for calculating a
367 provider’s readiness rate may not include students who are not
368 administered the statewide kindergarten screening.
369 (b) For the 2021-2022 program year, kindergarten screening
370 results may not be used in the calculation of readiness rates.
371 Any private prekindergarten provider or public school
372 participating in the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program
373 which fails to meet the minimum kindergarten readiness rate for
374 the 2021-2022 program year is subject to the probation
375 requirements of subsection (5).
376 (3)(4)
377 (e) Subject to an appropriation, the department shall
378 provide for a differential payment to a private prekindergarten
379 provider and public school based on the provider’s designation.
380 The maximum differential payment may not exceed a total of 15
381 percent of the base student allocation per full-time equivalent
382 student under s. 1002.71 attending in the consecutive program
383 year for that program. A private prekindergarten provider or
384 public school may not receive a differential payment if it
385 receives a designation of “proficient” or lower. Before the
386 adoption of the methodology, the department shall confer with
387 the Council for Early Grade Success under s. 1008.2125 before
388 receiving approval from the State Board of Education for the
389 final recommendations on the designation system and differential
390 payments.
391 (4)(a)(5)(a) If a public school’s or private
392 prekindergarten provider’s program assessment composite score
393 for its prekindergarten classrooms fails to meet the minimum
394 program assessment composite score for contracting adopted in
395 rule by the department, the private prekindergarten provider or
396 public school may not participate in the Voluntary
397 Prekindergarten Education Program beginning in the consecutive
398 program year and thereafter until the public school or private
399 prekindergarten provider meets the minimum composite score for
400 contracting. A public school or private prekindergarten provider
401 may request one program assessment per program year in order to
402 requalify for participation in the Voluntary Prekindergarten
403 Education Program, provided that the public school or private
404 prekindergarten provider is not excluded from participation
405 under ss. 1002.55(6), 1002.61(10)(b), 1002.63(9)(b), or
406 paragraph (b) (5)(b) of this section. If a public school or
407 private prekindergarten provider would like an additional
408 program assessment completed within the same program year, the
409 public school or private prekindergarten provider shall be
410 responsible for the cost of the program assessment.
411 (5)(6)
412 (e) A private prekindergarten provider or public school
413 granted a good cause exemption shall continue to implement its
414 improvement plan and continue the corrective actions required
415 under paragraph (4)(b) (5)(b) until the provider or school meets
416 the minimum performance metric.
417 Section 6. Paragraphs (a) and (d) of subsection (4) of
418 section 1002.945, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
419 1002.945 Gold Seal Quality Care Program.—
420 (4) In order to obtain and maintain a designation as a Gold
421 Seal Quality Care provider, a child care facility, large family
422 child care home, or family day care home must meet the following
423 additional criteria:
424 (a) The child care provider must not have had any class I
425 violations, as defined by rule of the Department of Children and
426 Families, for which the Department of Children and Families
427 determines that the child care provider is the primary cause of
428 the violation within the 2 years preceding its application for
429 designation as a Gold Seal Quality Care provider. Commission of
430 a class I violation for which the Department of Children and
431 Families determines that the child care provider is the primary
432 cause of the violation shall be grounds for termination of the
433 designation as a Gold Seal Quality Care provider until the
434 provider has no class I violations for a period of 2 years.
435 (d) Notwithstanding paragraph (a), if the Department of
436 Education determines through a formal process that a provider
437 has been in business for at least 5 years and has no other class
438 I violations recorded, the department may recommend to the state
439 board that the provider maintain its Gold Seal Quality Care
440 status. The state board’s determination regarding such
441 provider’s status is final.
442 Section 7. Paragraph (j) of subsection (2) of section
443 1003.42, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
444 1003.42 Required instruction.—
445 (2) Members of the instructional staff of the public
446 schools, subject to the rules of the State Board of Education
447 and the district school board, shall teach efficiently and
448 faithfully, using the books and materials required that meet the
449 highest standards for professionalism and historical accuracy,
450 following the prescribed courses of study, and employing
451 approved methods of instruction, the following:
452 (j) The elementary principles of agriculture. This
453 component must include, but need not be limited to, the history
454 of agriculture both nationally and specifically to this state,
455 the economic and societal impact of agriculture, and the various
456 agricultural industry sectors. The department, in collaboration
457 with the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and the
458 University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural
459 Sciences, shall prepare and offer standards and a curriculum for
460 the instruction required by this paragraph and may seek input
461 from state or nationally recognized agricultural educational
462 organizations. The department may contract with state or
463 nationally recognized agricultural educational organizations to
464 develop training for instructional personnel and grade
465 appropriate classroom resources to support the developed
466 curriculum.
467
468 The State Board of Education is encouraged to adopt standards
469 and pursue assessment of the requirements of this subsection.
470 Instructional programming that incorporates the values of the
471 recipients of the Congressional Medal of Honor and that is
472 offered as part of a social studies, English Language Arts, or
473 other schoolwide character building and veteran awareness
474 initiative meets the requirements of paragraph (u).
475 Section 8. Subsection (10) of section 1003.4282, Florida
476 Statutes, is amended to read:
477 1003.4282 Requirements for a standard high school diploma.—
478 (10) CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION CREDIT.—The Department
479 of Education shall convene a workgroup, no later than December
480 1, 2024, to:
481 (a) Identify best practices in career and technical
482 education pathways from middle school to high school to aid
483 middle school students in career planning and facilitate their
484 transition to high school programs. The career pathway must be
485 linked to postsecondary programs.
486 (b) Establish three mathematics pathways for students
487 enrolled in secondary grades by aligning mathematics courses to
488 programs, postsecondary education, and careers. The workgroup
489 shall collaborate to identify the three mathematics pathways and
490 the mathematics course sequence within each pathway which align
491 to the mathematics skills needed for success in the
492 corresponding academic programs, postsecondary education, and
493 careers.
494 1. The mathematics pathways must incorporate the applied
495 algebra courses established under s. 1003.4936 which align the
496 Florida Standards for Algebra I with the career and technical
497 education standards and benchmarks for each designated career
498 cluster.
499 2. Each mathematics pathway must include at least one
500 course sequence beginning with an applied algebra course aligned
501 to a specific career cluster. The workgroup shall identify
502 additional mathematics courses that follow each applied algebra
503 course and build on the algebraic reasoning, modeling, and
504 quantitative skills introduced through industry-relevant
505 applications. The mathematics pathways may include a plan to
506 create new mathematics courses to complete a pathway.
507 3. Each mathematics pathway must offer flexibility and the
508 ability to move between pathways if necessary.
509 4. Mathematics pathways must create clear links between
510 precollege mathematics and college-level mathematics pathways,
511 and support student progression into postsecondary academic
512 programs, state college career and technical education programs,
513 career center programs, industry certification programs, and
514 high-skill, high-wage occupations.
515 5. The mathematics pathways that incorporate applied
516 algebra courses created under s. 1003.4936(3)(a)1. must be
517 identified no later than September 1, 2027. The mathematics
518 pathways that incorporate applied algebra courses created under
519 s. 1003.4936(3)(a)2. must be identified no later than September
520 1, 2028. The workgroup shall submit the identified mathematics
521 pathways to the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the
522 Speaker of the House of Representatives.
523 Section 9. Section 1003.4936, Florida Statutes, is created
524 to read:
525 1003.4936 Applied algebra for career and technical
526 education.—
527 (1) The Legislature finds that algebra is an important step
528 in a student’s mathematics pathway. Algebra is a prerequisite
529 for higher level mathematics courses, and success in algebra is
530 strongly connected with later mathematics success. Establishing
531 an applied algebra course that integrates career and technical
532 education standards equips students with mathematical skills
533 directly connected to real industry practices and increases the
534 relevance of algebra instruction. By contextualizing algebraic
535 concepts within authentic occupational problems, such applied
536 algebra courses improve student engagement, strengthen
537 understanding of core math standards, and better prepare
538 students for high-skill, high-wage careers. Such a course will
539 enable students to pass the Algebra I end-of-course assessment
540 and develop practical skills that support success in Florida’s
541 workforce and postsecondary pathways.
542 (2) The Department of Education shall develop an applied
543 algebra course for each of the established career and technical
544 education career clusters. Each applied algebra course must:
545 (a) Integrate the career and technical education program
546 standards and benchmarks for the relevant career cluster with
547 the Florida Standards for Algebra I.
548 (b) Provide students with rigorous, career-relevant
549 mathematical applications that demonstrate the use of algebraic
550 concepts in authentic industry problems, processes, or settings.
551 (c) Prepare students to take the statewide, standardized
552 Algebra I end-of-course assessment required under s. 1008.22.
553 (d) Meet all requirements for a mathematics credit required
554 for high school graduation under s. 1003.4282(3)(b) or for
555 middle grades promotion pursuant to s. 1003.4156(1)(b).
556 (3)(a) The department shall develop the courses on the
557 following timelines:
558 1. Applied algebra courses in the following career clusters
559 must be developed and available for school district adoption in
560 the 2027-2028 school year:
561 a. Agriculture, food, and natural resources.
562 b. Architecture and construction.
563 c. Business management and administration.
564 d. Energy.
565 e. Engineering and technology education.
566 f. Finance.
567 g. Health science.
568 h. Information technology.
569 i. Manufacturing.
570 j. Transportation and distribution logistics.
571 2. Applied algebra courses in the following career clusters
572 must be developed and available for district adoption in the
573 2028-2029 school year:
574 a. Arts, audio-visual technology, and communications.
575 b. Education and training.
576 c. Government and public administration.
577 d. Hospitality and tourism.
578 e. Human services.
579 f. Law, public safety, and security.
580 g. Marketing, sales, and service.
581 (b) In grades 6 through 12, school districts may offer one
582 or more applied algebra courses in lieu of Algebra I, and
583 successful completion of the course will satisfy the Algebra I
584 credit requirement for high school graduation or middle grades
585 promotion.
586 (c) The department shall collaborate with the Board of
587 Governors of the State University System to ensure that each
588 applied algebra course is accepted as a mathematics credit for
589 state university admissions.
590 (d) The department shall provide professional development,
591 instructional resources, and technical assistance to support
592 school district implementation.
593 Section 10. Paragraph (b) of subsection (3) of section
594 1004.85, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
595 1004.85 Postsecondary educator preparation institutes.—
596 (3) Educator preparation institutes approved pursuant to
597 this section may offer competency-based certification programs
598 specifically designed for noneducation major baccalaureate
599 degree holders to enable program participants to meet the
600 educator certification requirements of s. 1012.56. An educator
601 preparation institute choosing to offer a competency-based
602 certification program pursuant to the provisions of this section
603 must implement a program developed by the institute and approved
604 by the department for this purpose. Approved programs shall be
605 available for use by other approved educator preparation
606 institutes.
607 (b) Each program participant must:
608 1. Meet certification requirements pursuant to s.
609 1012.56(1) by obtaining a statement of status of eligibility
610 determining the participant is eligible for a certificate in the
611 certification subject area of the educational plan. An educator
612 preparation institute may allow a program participant to enroll
613 in and complete coursework while the participant is working to
614 obtain the statement of status of eligibility indicating
615 eligibility for a certificate in the certification subject area
616 of the educational plan.
617 2. and Meet the requirements of s. 1012.56(2)(a)-(f) before
618 participating in field experiences.
619 3.2. Demonstrate competency and participate in field
620 experiences that are appropriate to his or her educational plan
621 prepared under paragraph (a). Beginning with candidates entering
622 an educator preparation institute in the 2022-2023 school year,
623 a candidate for certification in a coverage area identified
624 pursuant to s. 1012.585(3)(f) must successfully complete all
625 competencies for a reading endorsement, including completion of
626 the endorsement practicum through the candidate’s field
627 experience, in order to graduate from the program.
628 4.3. Before completion of the program, fully demonstrate
629 his or her ability to teach the subject area for which he or she
630 is seeking certification by documenting a positive impact on
631 student learning growth in a prekindergarten through grade 12
632 setting and, except as provided in s. 1012.56(7)(a)3., achieving
633 a passing score on the professional education competency
634 examination, the basic skills examination, and the subject area
635 examination for the subject area certification which is required
636 by state board rule.
637 Section 11. Paragraph (b) of subsection (3) and paragraph
638 (b) of subsection (4) of section 1004.933, Florida Statutes, are
639 amended to read:
640 1004.933 Graduation Alternative to Traditional Education
641 (GATE) Program.—
642 (3) DEFINITIONS.—As used in this section, the term:
643 (b) “Institution” means any a school district career center
644 established under s. 1001.44, a charter technical career center
645 established under s. 1002.34, or a Florida College System
646 institution identified in s. 1000.21. Any such institution may
647 enter into an agreement with an online provider for the adult
648 education or career instruction portion of the program if such
649 provider offers instructional content and services that align
650 with the state career and adult education curriculum frameworks.
651 (4) PAYMENT WAIVER; ELIGIBILITY.—
652 (b) To be eligible for participation in the GATE Program, a
653 student must:
654 1. Not have earned a standard high school diploma pursuant
655 to s. 1003.4282 or a high school equivalency diploma pursuant to
656 s. 1003.435 before enrolling in the GATE Program;
657 2. Have been withdrawn from high school;
658 3. Be a resident of this state as defined in s. 1009.21(1);
659 4. Be at least 16 to 21 years of age at the time of initial
660 enrollment, provided that a student who is 16 or 17 years of age
661 has withdrawn from school enrollment pursuant to the
662 requirements and safeguards in s. 1003.21(1)(c);
663 5. Select the adult secondary education program and career
664 education program of his or her choice at the time of admission
665 to the GATE Program, provided that the career education program
666 is included on the Master Credentials List under s. 445.004(4).
667 The student is not required to enroll in adult secondary and
668 career education program coursework simultaneously. The student
669 may not change the requested pathway after enrollment, except
670 that, if necessary for the student, the student may enroll in an
671 adult basic education program prior to enrolling in the adult
672 secondary education program;
673 6. Maintain a 2.0 GPA for career and technical education
674 coursework; and
675 7. Notwithstanding s. 1003.435(4), complete the programs
676 under subparagraph 5. within 3 years after his or her initial
677 enrollment unless the institution determines that an extension
678 is warranted due to extenuating circumstances.
679 Section 12. Paragraph (f) of subsection (6) of section
680 1006.07, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
681 1006.07 District school board duties relating to student
682 discipline and school safety.—The district school board shall
683 provide for the proper accounting for all students, for the
684 attendance and control of students at school, and for proper
685 attention to health, safety, and other matters relating to the
686 welfare of students, including:
687 (6) SAFETY AND SECURITY BEST PRACTICES.—Each district
688 school superintendent shall establish policies and procedures
689 for the prevention of violence on school grounds, including the
690 assessment of and intervention with individuals whose behavior
691 poses a threat to the safety of the school community.
692 (f) School safety requirements.—Each school district and
693 charter school governing board shall comply with the following
694 school safety requirements, which apply from 30 minutes before
695 the school start time until 30 minutes after the end of the
696 school day:
697 1. All gates or other access points that restrict ingress
698 to or egress from the exclusive zone of a school campus shall
699 remain closed and locked when students are on campus. For the
700 purposes of this section, the term “exclusive zone” means the
701 area within a gate or door allowing access to the interior
702 perimeter of a school campus beyond a single point of entry. A
703 gate or access point to the exclusive zone may only be open or
704 unlocked if one of the following conditions is met:
705 a. It is attended or actively staffed when students are on
706 campus;
707 b. The use complies with a shared use agreement pursuant to
708 s. 1013.101;
709 c. Another closed and locked gate or access point separates
710 the open or unlocked gate from areas occupied by students; or
711 d. The school safety specialist, or his or her designee,
712 has documented in the Florida Safe Schools Assessment Tool
713 portal maintained by the Office of Safe Schools that the gate or
714 other access point is not subject to this requirement based upon
715 other safety measures at the school. The office may conduct a
716 compliance visit pursuant to s. 1001.212(13) to review if such
717 determination is appropriate.
718
719 This subparagraph does not apply to the nonexclusive zone of a
720 school campus. The term “nonexclusive zone” means the area
721 outside of the exclusive zone but contained on school property.
722 Nonexclusive zones may include, but are not limited to, such
723 spaces as parking lots, athletic fields and stadiums, mechanical
724 buildings, playgrounds, bus ramps, agricultural spaces, and
725 other areas that do not give direct, unimpeded access to the
726 exclusive zone.
727 2.a. All school classrooms and other instructional spaces
728 must be locked to prevent ingress when occupied by students,
729 except between class periods when students are moving between
730 classrooms or other instructional spaces. If a classroom or
731 other instructional space door must be left unlocked or open for
732 any reason other than between class periods when students are
733 moving between classrooms or other instructional spaces, the
734 door must be actively staffed by a person standing or seated at
735 the door. All school classrooms and other instructional spaces
736 with a permanently installed door lock may also use temporary
737 door locks during an active assailant incident. The temporary
738 door lock must be able to be engaged or removed without opening
739 the door; must be easily removed in a single operation from the
740 egress side of the door without the use of a key and from the
741 ingress side of the door with the use of a key or other
742 credential; may be installed at any height; must otherwise be in
743 compliance with the Florida Fire Prevention Code; and must be
744 integrated into the active assailant response plan.
745 b. Instructional spaces for career and technical education
746 which are designed as open areas for which compliance with the
747 requirements of sub-subparagraph a. affects the health and
748 safety of students may be exempted from compliance with that
749 sub-subparagraph by the school safety specialist. To be exempt,
750 the school safety specialist, or his or her designee, must
751 document in the Florida Safe Schools Assessment Tool portal
752 maintained by the Office of Safe Schools that the instructional
753 space is exempt from these requirements due to negative impacts
754 to student health and safety and the presence of other safety
755 measures at the school that prevent egress from the
756 instructional space to hallways or other classrooms or
757 instructional spaces.
758 c. Common areas on a school campus, including, but not
759 limited to, cafeterias, auditoriums, and media centers, which
760 are used for instructional time or student testing must meet the
761 requirements of sub-subparagraph a. only when such areas are
762 being used for instructional time or student testing.
763 3. For schools that do not have a secure exclusive zone,
764 all campus access doors, gates, and other access points that
765 allow ingress to or egress from a school building shall remain
766 closed and locked at all times to prevent ingress, unless:
767 a. A person is actively entering or exiting the door, gate,
768 or other access point;
769 b. The door, gate, or access point is actively staffed by
770 school personnel to prevent unauthorized entry; or
771 c. The school safety specialist, or his or her designee,
772 has documented in the Florida Safe Schools Assessment Tool
773 portal maintained by the Office of Safe Schools that the open
774 and unlocked door, gate, or other access point is not subject to
775 this requirement based upon other safety measures at the school.
776 There must be at least one locked barrier between classrooms and
777 instructional spaces and open school campus.
778
779 The office may conduct a compliance visit pursuant to s.
780 1001.212(13) to review if such determination is appropriate. All
781 campus access doors, gates, and other access points may be
782 electronically or manually controlled by school personnel to
783 allow access by authorized visitors, students, and school
784 personnel.
785 4. All school classrooms and other instructional spaces
786 must clearly and conspicuously mark the safest areas in each
787 classroom or other instructional space where students must
788 shelter in place during an emergency. Students must be notified
789 of these safe areas within the first 10 days of the school year.
790 If it is not feasible to clearly and conspicuously mark the
791 safest areas in a classroom or other instructional space, the
792 school safety specialist, or his or her designee, must document
793 such determination in the Florida Safe Schools Assessment Tool
794 portal maintained by the Office of Safe Schools, identifying
795 where affected students must shelter in place. The office shall
796 assist the school safety specialist with compliance during the
797 inspection required under s. 1001.212(13).
798
799 Persons who are aware of a violation of this paragraph must
800 report the violation to the school principal. The school
801 principal must report the violation to the school safety
802 specialist no later than the next business day after receiving
803 such report. If the person who violated this paragraph is the
804 school principal or charter school administrator, the report
805 must be made directly to the district school superintendent or
806 charter school governing board, as applicable.
807 Section 13. Subsections (1) and (5) of section 1006.39,
808 Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
809 1006.39 Production and dissemination of educational
810 materials and products by department.—
811 (1) Educational materials and products developed by or
812 under the direction of the department, through research and
813 development or other efforts, including those subject to
814 copyright, patent, or trademark, shall be made available for use
815 by school districts, teachers, students, administrators, and
816 other appropriate persons in the state system of education at
817 the earliest practicable date and in the most economical and
818 efficient manner possible.
819 (5) A school district may purchase instructional materials
820 developed by or under the direction of the department at any
821 time during which the state academic standards for which the
822 materials are aligned are in effect. Such purchases may be used
823 by a school district to meet the expenditure requirements for
824 instructional materials that must be purchased from the state
825 adopted list as provided in s. 1006.40 The department shall not
826 enter into the business of producing or publishing instructional
827 materials for general use in classrooms.
828 Section 14. Present subsection (8) of section 1007.2616,
829 Florida Statutes, is redesignated as subsection (9), and a new
830 subsection (8) is added to that section, to read:
831 1007.2616 Computer science and technology instruction.—
832 (8)(a) To align educator credentials with instructional
833 practice across grade levels, the State Board of Education shall
834 establish by rule or maintain the following computer science
835 subject area coverages:
836 1. Computer science (grades K–5);
837 2. Computer science (grades 6–12); and
838 3. Computer science (K–12).
839 (b) For the coverages in paragraph (a), the State Board of
840 Education shall adopt competencies and skills and designate
841 corresponding examinations by rule. The comprehensive computer
842 science (K–12) coverage and its examination shall remain
843 available unless amended by rule of the state board.
844 (c)1. The Department of Education shall present recommended
845 competencies and skills for the grades K–5 and grades 6–12
846 coverages to the State Board of Education for approval by
847 September 1, 2026.
848 2. Following approval under subparagraph 1., the department
849 shall coordinate development, piloting, and standard-setting for
850 the examinations. The examinations for both grade-band coverages
851 must be available for administration no later than January 1,
852 2028.
853 Section 15. Paragraph (c) of subsection (4), paragraphs (b)
854 and (d) of subsection (5), and paragraph (a) of subsection (9)
855 of section 1008.25, Florida Statutes, are amended, and paragraph
856 (d) is added to subsection (4) of that section, to read:
857 1008.25 Public school student progression; student support;
858 coordinated screening and progress monitoring; reporting
859 requirements.—
860 (4) ASSESSMENT AND SUPPORT.—
861 (c) A student who has a substantial reading deficiency as
862 determined in paragraph (5)(a) or a substantial mathematics
863 deficiency as determined in paragraph (6)(a) must be covered by
864 a federally required student plan, such as an individual
865 education plan or an individualized progress monitoring plan, or
866 both, as necessary. The individualized progress monitoring plan
867 must be developed within 45 days after the results of the
868 coordinated screening and progress monitoring system become
869 available. The plan must, at a minimum, include:
870 1. The student’s specific, identified reading or
871 mathematics skill deficiency.
872 2. Goals and benchmarks for student growth in reading or
873 mathematics.
874 3. A description of the specific measures that will be used
875 to evaluate and monitor the student’s reading or mathematics
876 progress.
877 4. For a substantial reading deficiency, the specific
878 evidence-based literacy instruction grounded in the science of
879 reading which the student will receive.
880 5. Strategies, resources, and materials that will be
881 provided to the student’s parent to support the student to make
882 reading or mathematics progress. Resources must include
883 information about the student’s eligibility for the New Worlds
884 Reading Initiative under s. 1003.485.
885 6. Any additional services the student’s teacher deems
886 available and appropriate to accelerate the student’s reading or
887 mathematics skill development.
888 (d) If the coordinated screening and progress monitoring
889 system under subsection (9), or any district-approved screening
890 instrument, identifies a student as exhibiting characteristics
891 of dyslexia or dyscalculia, the school district shall:
892 1. Ensure that the student is covered by a plan under
893 paragraph (b) which includes evidence-based interventions that
894 are specific to the identified characteristics of dyslexia or
895 dyscalculia and that are aligned, as appropriate, with the
896 interventions required under subsections (5) and (6).
897 2. Treat the screening result as reasonable suspicion that
898 the student may be a student with a disability for purposes of
899 s. 1003.57 and promptly seek parental consent to conduct an
900 initial evaluation consistent with state board rule and
901 applicable federal law.
902 3. Ensure that screening activities and intervention
903 procedures, including interventions required under this
904 subsection and subsections (5) and (6), occur concurrently with
905 the evaluation process and are not used to delay or deny an
906 appropriate evaluation.
907 (5) READING DEFICIENCY AND PARENTAL NOTIFICATION.—
908 (b) A Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program student
909 who exhibits a substantial deficiency in early literacy skills
910 based upon the results of the administration of the midyear or
911 final coordinated screening and progress monitoring under
912 subsection (9) shall be referred to the local school district
913 and may be eligible to receive instruction in early literacy
914 skills before participating in kindergarten. A Voluntary
915 Prekindergarten Education Program student who scores below the
916 25th 10th percentile on the final administration of the
917 coordinated screening and progress monitoring under subsection
918 (9) shall be referred to the local school district and is
919 eligible to receive early literacy skill instructional support
920 through a summer bridge program the summer before participating
921 in kindergarten. The summer bridge program must meet
922 requirements adopted by the department and shall consist of 4
923 hours of instruction per day for a minimum of 100 total hours. A
924 student with an individual education plan who has been retained
925 pursuant to paragraph (2)(g) and has demonstrated a substantial
926 deficiency in early literacy skills must receive instruction in
927 early literacy skills.
928 (d) The parent of any student who exhibits a substantial
929 deficiency in reading, as described in paragraph (a), must be
930 immediately notified in writing of the following:
931 1. That his or her child has been identified as having a
932 substantial deficiency in reading, including a description and
933 explanation, in terms understandable to the parent, of the exact
934 nature of the student’s difficulty in learning and lack of
935 achievement in reading.
936 2. A description of the current services that are provided
937 to the child.
938 3. A description of the proposed intensive interventions
939 and supports that will be provided to the child that are
940 designed to remediate the identified area of reading deficiency.
941 4. The student progression requirements under paragraph
942 (2)(h) and that if the child’s reading deficiency is not
943 remediated by the end of grade 3, the child must be retained
944 unless he or she is exempt from mandatory retention for good
945 cause.
946 5. Strategies, including multisensory strategies and
947 programming, through a read-at-home plan the parent can use in
948 helping his or her child succeed in reading. The read-at-home
949 plan must provide access to the resources identified in
950 paragraph (e).
951 6. That the statewide, standardized English Language Arts
952 assessment is not the sole determiner of promotion and that
953 additional evaluations, portfolio reviews, and assessments are
954 available to the child to assist parents and the school district
955 in knowing when a child is reading at or above grade level and
956 ready for grade promotion.
957 7. The district’s specific criteria and policies for a
958 portfolio as provided in subparagraph (7)(b)4. and the evidence
959 required for a student to demonstrate mastery of Florida’s
960 academic standards for English Language Arts. A school must
961 immediately begin collecting evidence for a portfolio when a
962 student in grade 3 is identified as being at risk of retention
963 or upon the request of the parent, whichever occurs first.
964 8. The district’s specific criteria and policies for
965 midyear promotion. Midyear promotion means promotion of a
966 retained student at any time during the year of retention once
967 the student has demonstrated ability to read at grade level.
968 9. Information about the student’s eligibility for the New
969 Worlds Reading Initiative under s. 1003.485 and the New Worlds
970 Scholarship Accounts under s. 1002.411 and information on parent
971 training modules and other reading engagement resources
972 available through the initiative.
973
974 After initial notification, the school shall apprise the parent
975 at least monthly of the student’s progress in response to the
976 intensive interventions and supports and the student’s
977 eligibility for the New Worlds Reading Initiative under s.
978 1003.485. Such communications must be in writing and must
979 explain any additional interventions or supports that will be
980 implemented to accelerate the student’s progress if the
981 interventions and supports already being implemented have not
982 resulted in improvement. Upon the request of the parent, the
983 teacher or school administrator shall meet to discuss the
984 student’s progress. The parent may request more frequent
985 notification of the student’s progress, more frequent
986 interventions or supports, and earlier implementation of the
987 additional interventions or supports described in the initial
988 notification.
989 (9) COORDINATED SCREENING AND PROGRESS MONITORING SYSTEM.—
990 (a) The Department of Education, in collaboration with the
991 Office of Early Learning, shall procure and require the use of a
992 statewide, standardized coordinated screening and progress
993 monitoring system for the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education
994 Program and public schools. The system must:
995 1. Measure student progress in meeting the appropriate
996 expectations in early literacy and mathematics skills and in
997 English Language Arts and mathematics standards as required by
998 ss. 1002.67(1)(a) and 1003.41 and identify the educational
999 strengths and needs of students.
1000 2. For students in the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education
1001 Program through grade 3, measure student performance in oral
1002 language development, phonological and phonemic awareness,
1003 knowledge of print and letters, decoding, fluency, vocabulary,
1004 and comprehension, as applicable by grade level, and, at a
1005 minimum, provide interval level and norm-referenced data that
1006 measures equivalent levels of growth.
1007 3. Be a valid, reliable, and developmentally appropriate
1008 computer-based direct instrument that provides screening and
1009 diagnostic capabilities for monitoring student progress;
1010 identifies students who have a substantial deficiency in reading
1011 or mathematics, including identifying students with
1012 characteristics of dyslexia, dyscalculia, and other learning
1013 disorders; and informs instruction. Any student identified by
1014 the system as having characteristics of dyslexia or dyscalculia
1015 shall undergo further screening. Any student whose performance
1016 in the system meets thresholds established by State Board of
1017 Education rule in circumstances in which the system is not
1018 capable of identifying characteristics of dyslexia or
1019 dyscalculia must undergo further screening. The further
1020 screening required under this subparagraph is used to refine
1021 instructional planning and parental communication and is not a
1022 prerequisite for the interventions or evaluation obligations
1023 described in subsection (4). The State Board of Education shall
1024 adopt rules establishing timelines, performance thresholds, and
1025 parental notification requirements for further screening under
1026 this subparagraph. Screening activities under this subsection
1027 shall occur concurrently with the interventions and evaluation
1028 obligations described in subsection (4) and may not be used to
1029 delay or deny an appropriate evaluation. Beginning with the
1030 2023-2024 school year, the coordinated screening and progress
1031 monitoring system must be computer-adaptive.
1032 4. Provide data for Voluntary Prekindergarten Education
1033 Program accountability as required under s. 1002.68.
1034 5. Provide Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program
1035 providers, school districts, schools, teachers, and parents with
1036 data and resources that enhance differentiated instruction and
1037 parent communication.
1038 6. Provide baseline data to the department of each
1039 student’s readiness for kindergarten. The determination of
1040 kindergarten readiness must be based on the results of each
1041 student’s initial progress monitoring assessment in
1042 kindergarten. The methodology for determining a student’s
1043 readiness for kindergarten must be developed by the department
1044 and aligned to the methodology adopted pursuant to s. 1002.68(3)
1045 s. 1002.68(4).
1046 7. Assess how well educational goals and curricular
1047 standards are met at the provider, school, district, and state
1048 levels and provide information to the department to aid in the
1049 development of educational programs, policies, and supports for
1050 providers, districts, and schools.
1051 Section 16. Paragraph (a) of subsection (1) of section
1052 1008.2125, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
1053 1008.2125 The Council for Early Grade Success.—
1054 (1) The Council for Early Grade Success, a council as
1055 defined in s. 20.03(7), is created within the Department of
1056 Education to oversee the coordinated screening and progress
1057 monitoring program under s. 1008.25(9) for students in the
1058 Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program through grade 3 and,
1059 except as otherwise provided in this section, shall operate
1060 consistent with s. 20.052.
1061 (a) The council shall be responsible for reviewing the
1062 implementation of, training for, and outcomes from the
1063 coordinated screening and progress monitoring program to provide
1064 recommendations to the department that support grade 3 students
1065 reading at or above grade level. The council, at a minimum,
1066 shall:
1067 1. Provide recommendations on the implementation of the
1068 coordinated screening and progress monitoring program, including
1069 reviewing any procurement solicitation documents and criteria
1070 before being published.
1071 2. Develop training plans and timelines for such training.
1072 3. Identify appropriate personnel, processes, and
1073 procedures required for the administration of the coordinated
1074 screening and progress monitoring program.
1075 4. Provide input on the methodology for calculating a
1076 provider’s or school’s performance metric and designations under
1077 s. 1002.68(3) s. 1002.68(4).
1078 5. Work with the department to review the methodology for
1079 determining a child’s kindergarten readiness.
1080 6. Review data on age-appropriate learning gains by grade
1081 level that a student would need to attain in order to
1082 demonstrate proficiency in reading by grade 3.
1083 7. Continually review anonymized data from the results of
1084 the coordinated screening and progress monitoring program for
1085 students in the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program
1086 through grade 3 to help inform recommendations to the department
1087 that support practices that will enable grade 3 students to read
1088 at or above grade level.
1089 Section 17. Paragraph (a) of subsection (4) of section
1090 1011.69, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
1091 1011.69 Equity in School-Level Funding Act.—
1092 (4) After providing Title I, Part A, Basic funds to schools
1093 above the 75 percent poverty threshold, which may include high
1094 schools above the 50 percent threshold as permitted by federal
1095 law, school districts shall provide any remaining Title I, Part
1096 A, Basic funds directly to all eligible schools as provided in
1097 this subsection. For purposes of this subsection, an eligible
1098 school is a school that is eligible to receive Title I funds,
1099 including a charter school. The threshold for identifying
1100 eligible schools may not exceed the threshold established by a
1101 school district for the 2016-2017 school year or the statewide
1102 percentage of economically disadvantaged students, as determined
1103 annually.
1104 (a) Prior to the allocation of Title I funds to eligible
1105 schools, a school district may withhold funds only as follows:
1106 1. One percent for parent involvement, in addition to the
1107 one percent the district must reserve under federal law for
1108 allocations to eligible schools for parent involvement;
1109 2. A necessary and reasonable amount for administration
1110 which includes the district’s indirect cost rate, not to exceed
1111 a total of 10 percent;
1112 3. A reasonable and necessary amount to provide:
1113 a. Homeless programs;
1114 b. Delinquent and neglected programs;
1115 c. Prekindergarten programs and activities;
1116 d. Private school equitable services; and
1117 e. Transportation for foster care children to their school
1118 of origin or choice programs; and
1119 4. A necessary and reasonable amount, not to exceed 1
1120 percent, for eligible schools to provide educational services in
1121 accordance with the approved Title I plan. Such educational
1122 services may include the provision of STEM curricula,
1123 instructional materials, and related learning technologies that
1124 support academic achievement in science, technology,
1125 engineering, and mathematics in Title I schools, including, but
1126 not limited to, technologies related to drones, coding,
1127 animation, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, data science,
1128 the engineering design process, mobile development, and
1129 robotics. Funds may be reserved under this subparagraph only to
1130 the extent that all required reservations under federal law have
1131 been met and that such reservation does not reduce school-level
1132 allocations below the levels required under federal law.
1133 Section 18. (1) The Department of Education shall
1134 collaborate with the Lastinger Center for Learning at the
1135 University of Florida to recommend to the Legislature
1136 individualized, adaptive artificial intelligence tools to
1137 support mathematics instruction in kindergarten through grade
1138 12. The recommendations must:
1139 (a) Ensure that recommended tools align to the Florida
1140 academic standards and prepare students for state assessments.
1141 (b) Consider alternate mathematics sequencing and grade
1142 level progression, and alternate funding models to support
1143 individualized progression through content.
1144 (c) Evaluate the extent to which the tools provide real
1145 time diagnostic assessments, individualized learning pathways,
1146 adaptive sequencing of content, and immediate, personalized
1147 feedback to students.
1148 (d) Evaluate the applicability of the tools to progress
1149 monitoring tools, district learning management systems,
1150 suggested interventions, small-group instructional supports, and
1151 professional development that enables teachers to integrate the
1152 tools into classroom instruction.
1153 (e) Provide for student data privacy and transparency in
1154 data collection and retention.
1155 (f) Consider statewide and district-level costs.
1156 (2) The department shall submit its recommendations to the
1157 Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the
1158 House of Representatives by December 1, 2026.
1159 Section 19. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.