Bill Text: FL S0226 | 2013 | Regular Session | Comm Sub
Bill Title: Disability Awareness
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Failed) 2013-05-03 - Died in Appropriations [S0226 Detail]
Download: Florida-2013-S0226-Comm_Sub.html
Florida Senate - 2013 CS for SB 226 By the Committee on Education; and Senator Ring 581-03375-13 2013226c1 1 A bill to be entitled 2 An act relating to disability awareness; amending s. 3 1003.4205, F.S.; requiring that each district school 4 board provide disability history and awareness 5 instruction in all K-12 public schools; providing for 6 individual presenters who have disabilities to augment 7 the disability history and awareness instruction; 8 requiring each public school to establish a disability 9 history and awareness advisory council; providing 10 membership on the council at each school; providing 11 responsibilities of the council at each school; 12 providing meeting times for the council at each 13 school; providing an effective date. 14 15 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 16 17 Section 1. Section 1003.4205, Florida Statutes, is amended 18 to read: 19 1003.4205 Disability history and awareness instruction.— 20 (1) Beginning with the 2014-2015 school year, each district 21 school board shallmayprovide disability history and awareness 22 instruction in all K-12 public schools in the district during 23 the first 2 weeks in October each year. The district school 24 board shall designate these 2 weeks as “Disability History and 25 Awareness Weeks.” 26 (2)(a) During this 2-week period, students shallmaybe 27 provided intensive instruction to expand their knowledge, 28 understanding, and awareness of individuals who havewith29 disabilities, the history of disability, and the disability 30 rights movement. Disability history mustmayinclude the events 31 and timelines of the development and evolution of services to, 32 and the civil rights of, individuals who havewithdisabilities. 33 Disability history mustmayalso include the contributions of 34 specific individuals who havewithdisabilities, including the 35 contributions of acknowledged national leaders. 36 (b) Beginning with the 2014-2015 school year, the 37 instruction shallmaybe integrated into the existing school 38 curriculum in ways including, but not limited to, supplementing 39 lesson plans, holding school assemblies, or providing other 40 school-related activities. The instruction shallmaybe 41 augmented by presentations from individuals who have 42 disabilities, who have been approved by the school or school 43 district as presenters, and who the school or school district 44 has ensured meet appropriate background screening requirements 45 of s. 1012.465 to enter schools and interact with children 46deliveredbyqualified school personnel or by knowledgeable47guest speakers, with a particular focus on including individuals48with disabilities. 49 (c)1. Each public school in the state shall establish a 50 disability history and awareness advisory council. The council 51 at each school shall consist of the following seven members: 52 a. Six teachers who are employed at the public school. 53 b. One individual from the local community who has a 54 disability. 55 2. The responsibilities of the council at each school shall 56 be, but are not limited to: 57 a. Providing to the public school input regarding the 58 curriculum for disability history and awareness; 59 b. Assisting in locating individuals who have disabilities 60 to make presentations at schools; and 61 c. Submitting an annual report to the superintendent of the 62 school district in which the public school is located by August 63 1, 2014, and each year thereafter. The annual report must 64 include, but need not be limited to, recommendations and policy 65 alternatives regarding the state of disability awareness at the 66 public school. 67 3. The council at each school shall meet at least four 68 times a year and more often as needed. 69 (3) The goals of disability history and awareness 70 instruction include: 71 (a) Better treatment for individuals who havewith72 disabilities, especially for youth in school, and increased 73 attention to preventing the bullying or harassment of students 74 who havewithdisabilities. 75 (b) Encouragement to individuals who havewithdisabilities 76 to develop increased self-esteem, resulting in more individuals 77 who havewithdisabilities gaining pride in being an individual 78 with a disability, obtaining postsecondary education, entering 79 the workforce, and contributing to their communities. 80 (c) Reaffirmation of the local, state, and federal 81 commitment to the full inclusion in society of, and the equal 82 opportunity for, all individuals who havewithdisabilities. 83 Section 2. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.