Bill Text: FL S1324 | 2013 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: School Attendance

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Failed) 2013-05-03 - Died in Education [S1324 Detail]

Download: Florida-2013-S1324-Introduced.html

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       Florida Senate - 2013                                    SB 1324
       
       
       
       By Senator Soto
       
       
       
       
       14-00267-13                                           20131324__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to school attendance; amending s.
    3         1002.20, F.S.; providing that compulsory school
    4         attendance laws apply to all children between the ages
    5         of 6 and 18 years; providing that a student who
    6         attains the dropout age does not need a parent’s
    7         signature to file a declaration of intent to terminate
    8         school; removing the requirement that a school notify
    9         the student’s parent of such declaration; amending s.
   10         1003.21, F.S.; requiring students to attend school
   11         until the age of 18 years; amending s. 1003.435, F.S.;
   12         providing that a candidate for a high school
   13         equivalency diploma must be at least 18 years of age
   14         on the date of the examination; repealing s.
   15         1003.51(4), F.S., relating to a requirement that
   16         district school boards make available a GED program to
   17         students in juvenile justice facilities who attain the
   18         age of 16 years or notify such students that they are
   19         no longer required to attend school; providing an
   20         effective date.
   21  
   22  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   23  
   24         Section 1. Paragraphs (a) and (b) of subsection (2) of
   25  section 1002.20, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
   26         1002.20 K-12 student and parent rights.—Parents of public
   27  school students must receive accurate and timely information
   28  regarding their child’s academic progress and must be informed
   29  of ways they can help their child to succeed in school. K-12
   30  students and their parents are afforded numerous statutory
   31  rights including, but not limited to, the following:
   32         (2) ATTENDANCE.—
   33         (a) Compulsory school attendance.—The compulsory school
   34  attendance laws apply to all children between the ages of 6 and
   35  18 16 years, as provided in s. 1003.21(1) and (2)(a), and, in
   36  accordance with the provisions of s. 1003.21(1) and (2)(a):
   37         1. A student who attains the age of 18 16 years during the
   38  school year has the right to file a formal declaration of intent
   39  to terminate school enrollment if the declaration is signed by
   40  the parent. The parent has the right to be notified by the
   41  school district of the district’s receipt of the student’s
   42  declaration of intent to terminate school enrollment.
   43         2. Students who become or have become married or who are
   44  pregnant and parenting have the right to attend school and
   45  receive the same or equivalent educational instruction as other
   46  students.
   47         (b) Regular school attendance.—Parents of students who have
   48  attained the age of 6 years by February 1 of any school year but
   49  who have not attained the age of 18 16 years shall must comply
   50  with the compulsory school attendance laws. Parents have the
   51  option to comply with the school attendance laws by attendance
   52  of the student in a public school; a parochial, religious, or
   53  denominational school; a private school; a home education
   54  program; or a private tutoring program, in accordance with the
   55  provisions of s. 1003.01(13).
   56         Section 2. Paragraphs (a) and (c) of subsection (1) of
   57  section 1003.21, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
   58         1003.21 School attendance.—
   59         (1)(a)1. All children who have attained the age of 6 years
   60  or who will have attained the age of 6 years by February 1 of
   61  any school year or who are older than 6 years of age but who
   62  have not attained the age of 18 16 years, except as otherwise
   63  provided, are required to attend school regularly during the
   64  entire school term.
   65         2. Children who will have attained the age of 5 years on or
   66  before September 1 of the school year are eligible for admission
   67  to public kindergartens during that school year under rules
   68  adopted by the district school board.
   69         (c) A student who attains the age of 18 16 years during the
   70  school year is not subject to compulsory school attendance
   71  beyond the date upon which he or she attains that age if the
   72  student files a formal declaration of intent to terminate school
   73  enrollment with the district school board. Public school
   74  students who have attained the age of 18 16 years and who have
   75  not graduated are subject to compulsory school attendance until
   76  the formal declaration of intent is filed with the district
   77  school board. The declaration must acknowledge that terminating
   78  school enrollment is likely to reduce the student’s earning
   79  potential and must be signed by the student and the student’s
   80  parent. The school district must notify the student’s parent of
   81  receipt of the student’s declaration of intent to terminate
   82  school enrollment. The student’s guidance counselor or other
   83  school personnel shall must conduct an exit interview with the
   84  student to determine the reasons for the student’s decision to
   85  terminate school enrollment and actions that could be taken to
   86  keep the student in school. The student must be informed of
   87  opportunities to continue his or her education in a different
   88  environment, including, but not limited to, adult education and
   89  GED test preparation. Additionally, the student shall must
   90  complete a survey in a format prescribed by the department of
   91  Education to provide data on student reasons for terminating
   92  enrollment and actions taken by schools to keep students
   93  enrolled.
   94         Section 3. Subsection (4) of section 1003.435, Florida
   95  Statutes, is amended to read:
   96         1003.435 High school equivalency diploma program.—
   97         (4) A candidate for a high school equivalency diploma must
   98  shall be at least 18 years of age on the date of the
   99  examination, except that in extraordinary circumstances, as
  100  provided for in rules of the district school board of the
  101  district in which the candidate resides or attends school, a
  102  candidate may take the examination after reaching the age of 16.
  103         Section 4. Subsection (4) of section 1003.51, Florida
  104  Statutes, is repealed.
  105         Section 5. This act shall take effect July 1, 2013.