Bill Text: FL S1664 | 2013 | Regular Session | Enrolled
Bill Title: Education
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (? 2-1)
Status: (Passed) 2013-06-17 - Chapter No. 2013-185, companion bill(s) passed, see CS/CS/SB 1076 (Ch. 2013-27), CS/SB 1096 (Ch. 2013-35) [S1664 Detail]
Download: Florida-2013-S1664-Enrolled.html
ENROLLED 2013 Legislature CS for CS for SB 1664, 1st Engrossed 20131664er 1 2 An act relating to education; amending s. 1004.04, 3 F.S.; revising legislative intent; revising the 4 requirements of State Board of Education rule for 5 uniform core curricula for state-approved teacher 6 preparation programs; revising the process for initial 7 approval of state-approved teacher preparation 8 programs; revising the requirements for continued 9 approval of state-approved teacher preparation 10 programs; requiring the State Board of Education to 11 adopt rules for continued approval of teacher 12 preparation programs; requiring the Commissioner of 13 Education to determine the continued approval of each 14 program; providing requirements for a report that 15 certain public and private institutions prepare 16 regarding their teacher preparation programs; 17 requiring the Department of Education to report to the 18 Governor, the Legislature, the State Board of 19 Education, the Board of Governors, the Commissioner of 20 Education, each Florida postsecondary teacher 21 preparation program, each district school 22 superintendent, and the public the results of each 23 approved program’s annual progress and the current 24 approval status of each program; revising the 25 requirements for preservice field experience; amending 26 s. 1004.85, F.S.; revising the definition of the term 27 “educator preparation institute”; authorizing a 28 qualified private provider to seek approval to offer a 29 competency-based certification program; revising the 30 criteria for approval of preparation programs; 31 requiring the department to approve a certification 32 program under certain circumstances; revising the 33 requirements for program participants; revising the 34 criteria for continued approval of programs; revising 35 the requirements for personnel that participate in 36 field experiences; providing requirements for 37 measuring student performance in instructional 38 personnel and school administrator performance 39 evaluations; providing requirements for the 40 performance evaluation of personnel for purposes of 41 the performance salary schedule; amending s. 1008.22, 42 F.S.; requiring each school district to establish and 43 approve testing schedules for district-mandated 44 assessments and publish the schedules on its website; 45 requiring reporting of the schedules to the Department 46 of Education; amending s. 1012.05, F.S.; conforming 47 provisions to changes made by the act; amending s. 48 1012.32, F.S.; conforming cross-references and 49 conforming provisions to changes made by the act; 50 amending s. 1012.55, F.S.; requiring the State Board 51 of Education to adopt rules that allow an individual 52 who meets specified criteria to be eligible for a 53 temporary certificate in education leadership; 54 amending s. 1012.56, F.S.; authorizing the State Board 55 of Education to adopt rules that allow for the 56 acceptance of college course credits recommended by 57 the American Council for Education; authorizing a 58 school district to provide a professional development 59 certification program; specifying the components of 60 the program; revising requirements for demonstrating 61 mastery of professional education competence; 62 requiring the Commissioner of Education to determine 63 the continued approval of the programs; requiring the 64 Department of Education to provide a review procedure 65 for an applicant who fails a certification 66 examination; requiring the applicant to bear the 67 actual cost in order for the department to provide an 68 examination review; amending s. 1012.585, F.S.; 69 conforming a cross-reference; amending s. 1012.71, 70 F.S.; renaming the Florida Teachers Lead Program as 71 the Florida Teachers Classroom Supply Assistance 72 Program; providing that the calculation of funds for 73 each teacher includes local contributions; requiring 74 that a teacher’s proportionate share of funds be 75 provided by any means determined appropriate, 76 including a debit card; providing requirements for the 77 debit card; authorizing the Department of Education 78 and the district school boards to enter into public 79 private partnerships; deleting provisions relating to 80 a pilot program established for the 2009-2010 fiscal 81 year; amending s. 1012.98, F.S.; authorizing rather 82 than requiring each school principal to establish and 83 maintain an individual professional development plan 84 for each instructional employee assigned to the school 85 as a seamless component to the school improvement 86 plans; providing an effective date. 87 88 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 89 90 Section 1. Section 1004.04, Florida Statutes, is amended to 91 read: 92 1004.04 Public accountability and state approval for 93 teacher preparation programs.— 94 (1) INTENT.— 95 (a) The Legislature recognizes that effectiveskilled96 teachers make an important contribution to a system that allows 97 students to obtain a high-quality education. 98 (b) The intent of the Legislature is to require the State 99 Board of Education to maintainattaina system for development 100 and approval of teacher preparation programs whichthatallows 101 postsecondary teacher preparation institutions to employ varied 102 and innovative teacher preparation techniques while being held 103 accountable for producing program completersgraduateswith the 104 competencies and skills necessary to achieve the state education 105 goals; help all students in the state’s diverse student 106 population, including students who have substandard reading and107computational skills and students with limited English108proficiency,meet high standards for academic achievement; 109 maintain safe, secure classroom learning environments; and 110 sustain the state system of school improvement and education 111 accountability established pursuant to ss. 1000.03(5) and 112 1008.345. 113 (2) UNIFORM CORE CURRICULA AND CANDIDATE ASSESSMENT.— 114 (a) The State Board of Education shall adopt rules pursuant 115 to ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54 whichthatestablish uniform core 116 curricula for each state-approved teacher preparation program. 117 (b) The rules to establish uniform core curricula for each 118 state-approved teacher preparation program must include, but are 119 not limited to, the following: 120 1. The Florida Educator Accomplished Practices. 121 2. The state-adopted content standards.a State Board of122Education identified foundation in123 3. Scientifically researched reading instruction.,124knowledge-based reading125 4. Content literacy and mathematics practices. 126computational skills acquisition; classroom management;127 5. Strategies appropriate for the instruction of English 128 language learners. 129 6. Strategies appropriate for the instruction of students 130 with disabilities. 131 7. School safety; professional ethics; educational law;132human development and learning; and understanding of the133Sunshine State Standards content measured by state achievement134tests, reading and interpretation of data, and use of data to135improve student achievement. 136 (c) Each candidate must receive instruction and be assessed 137 on the uniform core curricula in the candidate’s area or areas 138 of program concentration during course work and field 139 experiencesThese rules shall not require an additional period140of time-to-degree but may be phased in to enable teacher141preparation programs to supplant courses, including pedagogy142courses, not required by law or State Board of Education rule143with the courses identified pursuant to paragraph (b). 144 (d) Before program completion, each candidate must 145 demonstrate his or her ability to positively impact student 146 learning growth in the candidate’s area or areas of program 147 concentration during a prekindergarten through grade 12 field 148 experience and must pass each portion of the Florida Teacher 149 Certification Examination required for a professional 150 certificate in the area or areas of program concentration. 151(3) DEVELOPMENT OF TEACHER PREPARATION PROGRAMS.—A system152developed by the Department of Education in collaboration with153postsecondary educational institutions shall assist departments154and colleges of education in the restructuring of their programs155in accordance with this section to meet the need for producing156quality teachers now and in the future.157(a) The system must be designed to assist teacher educators158in conceptualizing, developing, implementing, and evaluating159programs that meet state-adopted standards. These standards160shall emphasize quality indicators drawn from research,161professional literature, recognized guidelines, Florida162essential teaching competencies and educator-accomplished163practices, effective classroom practices, and the outcomes of164the state system of school improvement and education165accountability, as well as performance measures.166(b) Departments and colleges of education shall emphasize167the state system of school improvement and education168accountability concepts and standards, including Sunshine State169Standards.170(c) State-approved teacher preparation programs must171incorporate:1721. Appropriate English for Speakers of Other Languages173instruction so that program graduates will have completed the174requirements for teaching limited English proficient students in175Florida public schools.1762. Scientifically researched, knowledge-based reading177literacy and computational skills instruction so that program178graduates will be able to provide the necessary academic179foundations for their students at whatever grade levels they180choose to teach.181 (3)(4)INITIAL STATE PROGRAM APPROVAL.— 182 (a) A program approval process based on standards adopted 183 pursuant to this subsection and subsectionsubsections(2)and184(3)must be established for postsecondary teacher preparation 185 programs, phased in according to timelines determined by the186Department of Education, and fully implemented for all teacher187preparation programs in the state. Each program shall be 188 approved by the department, consistent with the intent set forth 189 in subsection (1) and basedprimarilyupon evidence of the 190 institution’s and the program’s capacity to meet the 191 requirements for continued approval as provided in subsection 192 (4) and by the rules of the State Board of Education 193significant, objective, and quantifiable graduate performance194measures. 195 (b) Each teacher preparation program approved by the 196 Department of Education, as provided for by this section, shall 197 require students to meet, at a minimum, the following as 198 prerequisites for admission into the program: 199 1. Have a grade point average of at least 2.5 on a 4.0 200 scale for the general education component of undergraduate 201 studies or have completed the requirements for a baccalaureate 202 degree with a minimum grade point average of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale 203 from any college or university accredited by a regional 204 accrediting association as defined by State Board of Education 205 rule or any college or university otherwise approved pursuant to 206 State Board of Education rule. 207 2. Demonstrate mastery of general knowledge sufficient for 208 entry into the program, including the ability to read, write, 209 and perform in mathematicscompute, by passing the General 210 Knowledge Test of the Florida Teacher Certification Examination 211 or, for a graduate level program, obtain a baccalaureate degree 212 from an institution that is accredited or approved, the College213Level Academic Skills Test, a corresponding component of the214National Teachers Examination series, or a similar testpursuant 215 to the rules of the State Board of Education. 216 217 Each teacher preparation program may waive these admissions 218 requirements for up to 10 percent of the students admitted. 219 Programs shall implement strategies to ensure that students 220 admitted under a waiver receive assistance to demonstrate 221 competencies to successfully meet requirements for certification 222 and shall annually report to the Department of Education the 223 status of each candidate admitted under such a waiver. 224 (c) Each teacher preparation program approved by the 225 Department of Education, as provided for by this section, shall 226 provide a certification ombudsman to facilitate the process and 227 procedures required for graduates to obtain educator 228 professional or temporary certification pursuant to s. 1012.56. 229 (4)(5)CONTINUED PROGRAM APPROVAL.—Notwithstanding230subsection (4), failure by a public or nonpublic teacher231preparation program to meet the criteria for continued program232approval shall result in loss of program approval. The233Department of Education, in collaboration with the departments234and colleges of education, shall develop procedures for235continued program approval that document the continuous236improvement of program processes and graduates’ performance.237(a)Continued approval of aspecificteacher preparation 238 program shall be based upon evidence that the program continues 239 to implement the requirements for initial approval and upon 240 significant, objective, and quantifiable measures of the program 241 and the performance of the program completers. 242 (a) The criteria for continued approval must include each 243 of the following: 244 1. Documentation from the program that each program 245 candidate met the admission requirements provided in subsection 246 (3). 247 2. Documentation from the program that the program and each 248 program completer have met the requirements provided in 249 subsection (2). 250 3. Evidence of performance in each of the following areas: 251 a. Placement rate of program completers into instructional 252 positions in Florida public schools and private schools, if 253 available. 254 b. Rate of retention for employed program completers in 255 instructional positions in Florida public schools. 256 c. Performance of students in prekindergarten through grade 257 12 who are assigned to in-field program completers on statewide 258 assessments using the results of the student learning growth 259 formula adopted under s. 1012.34. 260 d. Performance of students in prekindergarten through grade 261 12 who are assigned to in-field program completers aggregated by 262 student subgroup, as defined in the federal Elementary and 263 Secondary Education Act (ESEA), 20 U.S.C. s. 264 6311(b)(2)(C)(v)(II), as a measure of how well the program 265 prepares teachers to work with a diverse population of students 266 in a variety of settings in Florida public schools. 267 e. Results of program completers’ annual evaluations in 268 accordance with the timeline as set forth in s. 1012.34. 269 f. Production of program completers in statewide critical 270 teacher shortage areas as identified in s. 1012.07programs at271each public and nonpublic postsecondary educational institution272within the state is contingent upon the passing of the written273examination required by s.1012.56by at least 90 percent of the274graduates of the program who take the examination.The275Department of Education shall annually provide an analysis of276the performance of the graduates of such institution with277respect to the competencies assessed by the examination required278by s.1012.56.279 (b) The State Board of Education shall adopt rules for 280 continued approval of teacher preparation programs which include 281 the program review process, the continued approval timelines, 282 and the performance level targets for each of the continued 283 approval criteria in paragraph (a). Additional criteriafor284continued program approval for public institutionsmay be 285 approved by the State Board of Education. Such criteria may 286 include amust emphasize instruction in classroom management and287must provide for the evaluation of the teacher candidates’288performance in this area. The criteria shall also require289instruction in working with underachieving students. Program290evaluation procedures must include, but are not limited to,291 program completer’sgraduates’satisfaction with instruction and 292 an employer’s satisfaction with, and the program’s 293 responsiveness to, local school districts. The Commissioner of 294 Education shall determine the continued approval of each program 295 based on the data collected pursuant to this section and the 296 rules of the State Board of EducationAdditional criteria for297continued program approval for nonpublic institutions shall be298developed in the same manner as for public institutions;299however, such criteria must be based upon significant,300objective, and quantifiable graduate performance measures.301Responsibility for collecting data on outcome measures through302survey instruments and other appropriate means shall be shared303by the postsecondary educational institutions and the Department304of Education.By January 1 of each year, the Department of305Education shall report this information for each postsecondary306educational institution that has state-approved programs of307teacher education to the Governor, the State Board of Education,308the Board of Governors, the Commissioner of Education, the309President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of310Representatives, all Florida postsecondary teacher preparation311programs, and interested members of the public. This report must312analyze the data and make recommendations for improving teacher313preparation programs in the state.314 (c) Each program must prepare and submit to the Department 315 of EducationContinued approval for a teacher preparation316program is contingent upon the results of periodic reviews, on a317schedule established by the State Board of Education, of the318program conducted by the postsecondary educational institution,319using procedures and criteria outlined inan institutional 320 program evaluation planapproved by the Department of Education. 321 Each institutional program evaluationThisplan must incorporate 322 the criteria established in paragraphs (a) and (b) and may 323 include additional data chosen by the program. The plan must 324 provide information on how the institution addresses continuous 325 program improvement and must include provisions for involving 326 primary stakeholders, such as program completersgraduates, 327 publicdistrictschool personnel, classroom teachers, 328 principals, community agencies, and business representatives in 329 the evaluation process.Upon request by an institution, the330department shall provide assistance in developing, enhancing, or331reviewing the institutional program evaluation plan and training332evaluation team members.333 (d)Continued approval for a teacher preparation program is334contingent upon standards being in place that are designed to335adequately prepare elementary, middle, and high school teachers336to instruct their students in reading and higher-level337mathematics concepts and in the use of technology at the338appropriate grade level.339(e) Continued approval of teacher preparation programs is340contingent upon compliance with the student admission341requirements of subsection (4) and upon the receipt of at least342a satisfactory rating from public schools and private schools343that employ graduates of the program.Each teacher preparation 344 program mustshallguarantee the high quality of its program 345 completersgraduatesduring the first 2 years immediately 346 following completion ofgraduation fromthe program or following 347 initial certification, whichever occurs first. Any program 348 completer who is employed in a Florida public school during this 349 2-year period and who earns an evaluation result of developing 350 or unsatisfactory on the school district’s evaluation system 351 implemented under s. 1012.34educator in a Florida school who352fails to demonstrate the essential skills specified in353subparagraphs 1.-5.shall be provided additional training by the 354 teacher preparation program at no expense to the educator or the 355 employer if requested by the employing school district or 356 charter school. Such training must consist of an individualized 357 plan agreed upon by the school district and the postsecondary 358 educational institution whichthatincludes specific learning 359 outcomes. The postsecondary educational institution assumes no 360 responsibility for the educator’s employment contract with the 361 employer.Employer satisfaction shall be determined by an362annually administered survey instrument approved by the363Department of Education that, at a minimum, must include364employer satisfaction of the graduates’ ability to do the365following:3661. Write and speak in a logical and understandable style367with appropriate grammar.3682. Recognize signs of students’ difficulty with the reading369and computational process and apply appropriate measures to370improve students’ reading and computational performance.3713. Use and integrate appropriate technology in teaching and372learning processes.3734. Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of Sunshine374State Standards.3755. Maintain an orderly and disciplined classroom conducive376to student learning.377 (e)(f)1.Each Florida public and private institution that 378 offers a state-approved teacher preparation program must 379 annually report information regarding its approvedthese380 programs to the state and the general public. The report to the 381 state must include a list of candidates who are admitted to, who 382 are enrolled in, or who complete a teacher preparation program; 383 additional evidence necessary to document requirements for 384 continued approval; and data necessary to complete applicable 385 federal reporting requirements. The state reporting requirements 386 must minimize a program’s reporting burden whenever possible 387 without compromising data quality. The report to the general 388 public must include, at a minimum, the annual progress data 389 reported by the state under this paragraph, and may include 390 other information chosen by the institution or program.This391information shall be reported in a uniform and comprehensible392manner that is consistent with definitions and methods approved393by the Commissioner of the National Center for Educational394Statistics and that is approved by the State Board of Education.395This information must include, at a minimum:396a. The percent of graduates obtaining full-time teaching397employment within the first year of graduation.398b. The average length of stay of graduates in their full399time teaching positions.400c. Satisfaction ratings required in paragraph (e).4012. Each public and private institution offering training402for school readiness related professions, including training in403the fields of child care and early childhood education, whether404offering career credit, associate in applied science degree405programs, associate in science degree programs, or associate in406arts degree programs, shall annually report information407regarding these programs to the state and the general public in408a uniform and comprehensible manner that conforms with409definitions and methods approved by the State Board of410Education. This information must include, at a minimum:411a. Average length of stay of graduates in their positions.412b. Satisfaction ratings of graduates’ employers.413 414This information shall be reported through publications,415including college and university catalogs and promotional416materials sent to potential applicants, secondary school417guidance counselors, and prospective employers of the418institution’s program graduates.419 (f) By January 1 of each year, the Department of Education 420 shall report the results of each approved program’s annual 421 progress on the performance measures in paragraph (a) as well as 422 the current approval status of each program to: 423 1. The Governor. 424 2. The President of the Senate. 425 3. The Speaker of the House of Representatives. 426 4. The State Board of Education. 427 5. The Board of Governors. 428 6. The Commissioner of Education. 429 7. Each Florida postsecondary teacher preparation program. 430 8. Each district school superintendent. 431 9. The public. 432 433 This report may include the results of other continued approval 434 requirements provided by State Board of Education rule and 435 recommendations for improving teacher preparation programs in 436 the state. 437 (5)(6)PRESERVICE FIELD EXPERIENCE.—All postsecondary 438 instructors, school district personnel and instructional 439 personnel, and school sites preparing instructional personnel 440 through preservice field experience courses and internships 441 shall meet special requirements. District school boards mayare442authorized topay student teachers during their internships. 443 (a) All individualsinstructorsin postsecondary teacher 444 preparation programs who instruct or supervise preservice field 445 experience courses or internships in which a candidate 446 demonstrates his or her impact on student learning growth shall 447 haveat least one ofthe following: specialized training in 448 clinical supervision; at least 3 years of successful, relevant 449 prekindergarten through grade 12 teaching, student services, or 450 school administration experience; and an annual demonstration of 451 experience in a relevant prekindergarten through grade 12 school 452 setting as defined by State Board of Education rulea valid453professional teaching certificate pursuant to ss.1012.56and4541012.585; or at least 3 years of successful teaching experience455in prekindergarten through grade 12. 456 (b) All school district personnel and instructional 457 personnel who supervise or direct teacher preparation students 458 during field experience courses or internships in which 459 candidates demonstrate an impact on student learning growth must 460 have evidence of “clinical educator” training, a valid 461 professional certificate issued pursuant to s. 1012.56, and at 462 least 3 years of teaching experience in prekindergarten through 463 grade 12 and must have earned an effective or highly effective 464 rating on the prior year’s performance evaluation under s. 465 1012.34 or be a peer evaluator under the district’s evaluation 466 system approved under s. 1012.34successfully demonstrate467effective classroom management strategies that consistently468result in improved student performance. The State Board of 469 Education shall approve the training requirements. 470 (c) Preservice field experienceprogramsmust include 471 candidate practiceprovide specific guidanceand demonstration 472 of the uniform core curricula specific to the candidates’ area 473 or areas of program concentration with a diverse population of 474 students in a variety of settingseffective classroom management475strategies, strategies for incorporating technology into476classroom instruction, strategies for incorporating477scientifically researched, knowledge-based reading literacy and478computational skills acquisition into classroom instruction, and479ways to link instructional plans to the Sunshine State480Standards, as appropriate. The length of structured field 481 experiences may be extended to ensure that candidates achieve 482 the competencies needed to meet certification requirements. 483 (d) Postsecondary teacher preparation programs in 484 cooperation with district school boards and approved private 485 school associations shall select the school sites for preservice 486 field experience activities based upon the qualifications of the 487 supervising personnel as described in this subsection and the 488 needs of the candidates. These sites must represent the full 489 spectrum of school communities, including, but not limited to, 490 schools located in urban settings. In order to be selected, 491 school sites must demonstrate commitment to the education of 492 public school students and to the preparation of future 493 teachers. 494(7) STANDARDS OF EXCELLENCE.—The State Board of Education495shall approve standards of excellence for teacher preparation.496These standards must exceed the requirements for program497approval pursuant to subsection (4) and must incorporate state498and national recommendations for exemplary teacher preparation499programs.500(8) NATIONAL BOARD STANDARDS.—The State Board of Education501shall review standards and recommendations developed by the502National Board for Professional Teaching Standards and may503incorporate those parts deemed appropriate into criteria for504continued state program approval, standards of excellence, and505requirements for inservice education.506(9) FLORIDA COLLEGE SYSTEM INSTITUTIONS.—To the extent507practical, postsecondary educational institutions offering508teacher preparation programs shall establish articulation509agreements on a core of liberal arts courses and introductory510professional courses with field experience components which511shall be offered at Florida College System institutions.512(10) SHORT-TERM EXPERIENCES AS TEACHER ASSISTANTS.513Postsecondary institutions offering teacher preparation programs514and Florida College System institutions, in collaboration with515school districts, may develop and implement a program to provide516short-term experiences as teacher assistants prior to beginning517a teacher preparation program or alternative certification518program. The program shall serve individuals with baccalaureate519degrees who are interested in the teaching profession. This520experience may be accepted for use in teacher preparation521programs and competency-based alternative certification522programs, where applicable.523 (6)(11)RULES.—The State Board of Education shall adopt 524 necessary rules pursuant to ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54 to 525 implement this section. 526 Section 2. Section 1004.85, Florida Statutes, is amended to 527 read: 528 1004.85 Postsecondary educator preparation institutes.— 529 (1) As used in this section, the term “educator preparation 530 institute” means an institute created by a postsecondary 531 institution or a qualified private provider and approved by the 532 Department of Education. 533 (2)(a) Postsecondary institutions that are accredited or 534 approved as described in State Board of Education rule may seek 535 approval from the Department of Education to create educator 536 preparation institutes for the purpose of providing any or all 537 of the following: 538 1.(a)Professional development instruction to assist 539 teachers in improving classroom instruction and in meeting 540 certification or recertification requirements. 541 2.(b)Instruction to assist potential and existing 542 substitute teachers in performing their duties. 543 3.(c)Instruction to assist paraprofessionals in meeting 544 education and training requirements. 545 4.(d)Instruction for baccalaureate degree holders to 546 become certified teachers as provided in this section in order 547 to increase routes to the classroom for mid-career professionals 548 who hold a baccalaureate degree and college graduates who were 549 not education majors. 550 (b) A private provider that has a proven history of 551 delivering high-quality teacher preparation, which is based on 552 evidence provided from other state recipients of its services 553 and data showing the successful performance of its completers 554 based on student achievement, may seek approval to offer a 555 competency-based certification program under subsection (3). 556 (3) Educator preparation institutes approved pursuant to 557 this section may offer competency-basedalternative558 certification programs specifically designed for noneducation 559 major baccalaureate degree holders to enable program 560 participants to meet the educator certification requirements of 561 s. 1012.56.Such programs shall be competency-based educator562certification preparation programs that prepare educators563through an alternative route.An educator preparation institute 564 choosing to offer a competency-basedan alternative565 certification program pursuant to the provisions of this section 566 must implement a program previously approved by the Department 567 of Education for this purpose or a program developed by the 568 institute and approved by the department for this purpose. 569 Approved programs shall be available for use by other approved 570 educator preparation institutes. 571 (a) Within 90 days after receipt of a request for approval, 572 the Department of Education shall approve a preparationan573alternative certificationprogram pursuant to the requirements 574 of this subsection or issue a statement of the deficiencies in 575 the request for approval. The department shall approve aan576alternativecertification program if the institute provides 577sufficientevidence of the institute’s capacity to implement a 578 competency-based program that includes each of the following: 579 1.a. Participant instruction and assessment in the Florida 580 Educator Accomplished Practices. 581 b. The state-adopted student content standards. 582 c. Scientifically researched reading instruction. 583 d. Content literacy and mathematical practices. 584 e. Strategies appropriate for instruction of English 585 language learners. 586 f. Strategies appropriate for instruction of students with 587 disabilities. 588 g. School safety. 589 2. An educational plan for each participant to meet 590 certification requirements and demonstrate his or her ability to 591 teach the subject area for which the participant is seeking 592 certification, which is based on an assessment of his or her 593 competency in the areas listed in subparagraph 1Instruction594must be provided in professional knowledge and subject matter595content that includes educator-accomplished practices and596competencies specified in State Board of Education rule and597meets subject matter content requirements, professional598competency testing requirements, and competencies associated599with teaching scientifically based reading instruction and600strategies that research has shown to be successful in improving601reading among low-performing readers. 602 3.2.Field experiences appropriate to the certification 603 subject area specified in the educational plan with a diverse 604 population of students in a variety of settings under the 605program must provide field experience withsupervision offrom606 qualified educators. 607 4.3. The program must provideA certification ombudsman to 608 facilitate the process and procedures required for participants 609 who complete the program to meet any requirements related to the 610 background screening pursuant to s. 1012.32 and educator 611 professional or temporary certification pursuant to s. 1012.56. 612 (b) Each program participant must: 613 1. Meet certification requirements pursuant to s. 614 1012.56(1) by obtaining a statement of status of eligibility in 615 the certification subject area of the educational plan and meet 616 the requirements of s. 1012.56(2)(a)-(f). 617 2. Participate in coursework and field experiences that are 618experience that isappropriate to his or her educational plan 619 prepared under paragraph (a). 620 3. Before completion of the program, fully demonstrate his 621 or her ability to teach the subject area for which he or she is 622 seeking certification by documenting a positive impact on 623 student learning growth in a prekindergarten through grade 12 624 setting and achievingdemonstrate mastery of professional625preparation and education competence by achievement ofa passing 626 score on the professional education competency examination, the 627 basic skills examination, and the subject area examination for 628 the subject area certification which is required by state board 629 ruleprior to completion of the program. 630 (c) Upon completion of all requirements for aan631alternativecertification program approved pursuant to this 632 subsection, a participant shall receive a credential from the 633 sponsoring institution signifying that the participant has 634 completed a state-approved competency-based certification 635 program in the certification subject area specified in the 636 educational plansatisfaction of the requirements of s.6371012.56(6) relating to mastery of professional preparation and638education competence. A participant isshall beeligible for 639 educator certification through the Department of Education upon 640 satisfaction of all requirements for certification set forth in 641 s. 1012.56(2), including demonstration of mastery of general642knowledge, subject area knowledge, and professional preparation643and education competence, through testing or other statutorily644authorized means. 645(d) If an institution offers an alternative certification646program approved pursuant to this subsection, such program may647be used by the school district or districts served by that648institution in addition to the alternative certification program649as required in s.1012.56(8).650 (4) Continued approval of each program approved pursuant to 651 this section shall be determined by the Commissioner of 652 Education based upon a periodic review of the following areas: 653 (a) Documentation from the program that each program 654 completer has met the requirements of paragraphs (3)(a)-(c); 655 (b) Evidence of performance in each of the following areas: 656 1. Placement rate of program completers into instructional 657 positions in Florida public schools and private schools, if 658 available. 659 2. Rate of retention for employed program completers in 660 instructional positions in Florida public schools. 661 3. Performance of students in prekindergarten through grade 662 12 who are assigned to in-field program completers on statewide 663 assessments using the results of the student learning growth 664 formula adopted under s. 1012.34. 665 4. Performance of students in prekindergarten through grade 666 12 who are assigned to in-field program completers aggregated by 667 student subgroups, as defined in the federal Elementary and 668 Secondary Education Act (ESEA), 20 U.S.C. s. 669 6311(b)(2)(C)(v)(II), as a measure of how well the program 670 prepares teachers to work with a diverse population of students 671 in a variety of settings in Florida public schools. 672 5. Results of program completers’ annual evaluations in 673 accordance with the timeline as set forth in s. 1012.34. 674 6. Production of program completers in statewide critical 675 teacher shortage areas as identified in s. 1012.07. 676 (5)(4)Each institute approved pursuant to this section 677 shall submit to the Department of Education annual performance 678 evaluations that measure the effectiveness of the programs, 679 including the pass rates of participants on all examinations 680 required for teacher certification, employment rates, 681 longitudinal retention rates, and employer satisfaction surveys. 682 The employer satisfaction surveys must be designed to measure 683 the sufficient preparation of the educator to enter the 684 classroom. These evaluations shall be used by the Department of 685 Education for purposes of continued approval of an educator 686 preparation institute’salternativecertification program. 687 (6)(5)Instructors and supervisors of field experiences in 688 which participants demonstrate an impact on student learning 689 growth for aan alternativecertification program approved 690 pursuant to this section must meet the same qualifications as 691 those required in s. 1004.04(5)possess a master’s degree in692education or a master’s degree in an appropriate related field693and document teaching experience. 694 (7)(6)Educator preparation institutes approved pursuant to 695 this section and providing approved instructional programs for 696 any of the purposes in subsection (2) are eligible for funding 697 from federal and state funds, as appropriated by the 698 Legislature. 699 (8)(7)The State Board of Education may adopt rules 700 pursuant to ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54 to implement the 701 provisions of this section, including performance targets for 702 the measures used for continued program approval described in 703 subsection (4). 704 Section 3. Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in 705 ss. 1012.22 and 1012.34, Florida Statutes, regarding the 706 performance salary schedule and personnel evaluation procedures 707 and criteria: 708 (1) At least 50 percent of a classroom teacher’s or school 709 administrator’s performance evaluation, or 40 percent if less 710 than 3 years of student performance data are available, shall be 711 based upon learning growth or achievement of the teacher’s 712 students or, for a school administrator, the students attending 713 that school; the remaining portion shall be based upon factors 714 identified in district-determined, state-approved evaluation 715 system plans. Student achievement measures for courses 716 associated with statewide assessments may be used only if a 717 statewide growth formula has not been approved for that 718 assessment or, for courses associated with school district 719 assessments, if achievement is demonstrated to be a more 720 appropriate measure of teacher performance. 721 (2) The student performance data used in the performance 722 evaluation of nonclassroom instructional personnel shall be 723 based on student outcome data that reflects the actual 724 contribution of such personnel to the performance of the 725 students assigned to the individual in the individual’s areas of 726 responsibility. 727 (3) For purposes of the performance salary schedule in s. 728 1012.22, Florida Statutes, the student assessment data in the 729 performance evaluation must be from statewide assessments or 730 district-determined assessments as required in s. 1008.22(8), 731 Florida Statutes, in the subject areas taught. 732 Section 4. Paragraph (d) is added to subsection (8) of 733 section 1008.22, Florida Statutes, to read: 734 1008.22 Student assessment program for public schools.— 735 (8) LOCAL ASSESSMENTS.— 736 (d) Each school district shall establish schedules for the 737 administration of any district-mandated assessment and approve 738 the schedules as an agenda item at a district school board 739 meeting. The school district shall publish the testing schedules 740 on its website, clearly specifying the district-mandated 741 assessments, and report the schedules to the Department of 742 Education by October 1 of each year. 743 Section 5. Paragraph (p) of subsection (2) of section 744 1012.05, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 745 1012.05 Teacher recruitment and retention.— 746 (2) The Department of Education shall: 747 (p)The Department of Education shallNotify each teacher, 748 via e-mail, of each item in the General Appropriations Act and 749 legislation that affects teachers, including, but not limited 750 to, the Excellent Teaching Program, the Florida Teachers 751 Classroom Supply AssistanceLeadProgram, liability insurance 752 protection for teachers, death benefits for teachers, 753 substantive legislation, rules of the State Board of Education, 754 and issues concerning student achievement. 755 Section 6. Paragraph (d) of subsection (2) of section 756 1012.32, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 757 1012.32 Qualifications of personnel.— 758 (2) 759 (d) Student teachers and,persons participating in a field 760 experience pursuant to s. 1004.04(5)s.1004.04(6)or s. 761 1004.85, and persons participating in a short-term experience as762a teacher assistant pursuant to s.1004.04(10)in any district 763 school system, lab school, or charter school must, upon 764 engagement to provide services, undergo background screening as 765 required under s. 1012.56. 766 767 Fingerprints shall be submitted to the Department of Law 768 Enforcement for statewide criminal and juvenile records checks 769 and to the Federal Bureau of Investigation for federal criminal 770 records checks. A person subject to this subsection who is found 771 ineligible for employment under s. 1012.315, or otherwise found 772 through background screening to have been convicted of any crime 773 involving moral turpitude as defined by rule of the State Board 774 of Education, shall not be employed, engaged to provide 775 services, or serve in any position that requires direct contact 776 with students. Probationary persons subject to this subsection 777 terminated because of their criminal record have the right to 778 appeal such decisions. The cost of the background screening may 779 be borne by the district school board, the charter school, the 780 employee, the contractor, or a person subject to this 781 subsection. 782 Section 7. Subsection (1) of section 1012.55, Florida 783 Statutes, is amended to read: 784 1012.55 Positions for which certificates required.— 785 (1)(a) The State Board of Education shall classify school 786 services, designate the certification subject areas, establish 787 competencies, including the use of technology to enhance student 788 learning, and certification requirements for all school-based 789 personnel, and adopt rules in accordance with which the 790 professional, temporary, and part-time certificates shall be 791 issued by the Department of Education to applicants who meet the 792 standards prescribed by such rules for their class of service. 793 (b) Each person employed or occupying a position as school 794 supervisor, school principal, teacher, library media specialist, 795 school counselor, athletic coach, or other position in which the 796 employee serves in an instructional capacity, in any public 797 school of any district of this state shall hold the certificate 798 required by law and by rules of the State Board of Education in 799 fulfilling the requirements of the law for the type of service 800 rendered. Such positions include personnel providing direct 801 instruction to students through a virtual environment or through 802 a blended virtual and physical environment. 803 (c) The Department of Education shall identify appropriate 804 educator certification for the instruction of specified courses 805 in an annual publication of a directory of course code numbers 806 for all programs and courses that are funded through the Florida 807 Education Finance Program. However, the state board shall adopt 808 rules authorizing district school boards to employ selected 809 noncertificated personnel to provide instructional services in 810 the individuals’ fields of specialty or to assist instructional 811 staff members as education paraprofessionals. 812 (d) The State Board of Education shall adopt rules pursuant 813 to ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54 to allow an individual who meets 814 the following criteria to be eligible for a temporary 815 certificate in educational leadership under s. 1012.56(7): 816 1. Earning a passing score on the Florida Educational 817 Leadership Examination; 818 2. Documenting 3 years of successful experience in an 819 executive management or leadership position; and 820 3. Documenting receipt of a bachelor’s degree or higher 821 from an accredited institution of higher learning. 822 823 A person operating under a temporary certificate must be under 824 the mentorship of a state-certified school administrator during 825 the term of the temporary certificate. 826 Section 8. Paragraph (c) of subsection (2), subsection (8), 827 and paragraph (d) of subsection (9) of section 1012.56, Florida 828 Statutes, are amended to read: 829 1012.56 Educator certification requirements.— 830 (2) ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA.—To be eligible to seek 831 certification, a person must: 832 (c) Document receipt of a bachelor’s or higher degree from 833 an accredited institution of higher learning, or a nonaccredited 834 institution of higher learning that the Department of Education 835 has identified as having a quality program resulting in a 836 bachelor’s degree, or higher. Each applicant seeking initial 837 certification must have attained at least a 2.5 overall grade 838 point average on a 4.0 scale in the applicant’s major field of 839 study. The applicant may document the required education by 840 submitting official transcripts from institutions of higher 841 education or by authorizing the direct submission of such 842 official transcripts through established electronic network 843 systems. The bachelor’s or higher degree may not be required in 844 areas approved in rule by the State Board of Education as 845 nondegreed areas. The State Board of Education may adopt rules 846 that, for purposes of demonstrating completion of specific 847 certification requirements, allow for the acceptance of college 848 course credits recommended by the American Council for Education 849 (ACE), as posted on an official ACE transcript. 850 (8) PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENTPREPARATION ALTERNATIVE851 CERTIFICATION AND EDUCATION COMPETENCY PROGRAM.— 852 (a) The Department of Education shall develop and each 853 school district maymustprovide a cohesive competency-based 854 professional developmentpreparation alternativecertification 855 program by which members of a school district’s instructional 856 staff may satisfy the mastery of professional preparation and 857 education competence requirements specified in this subsection 858 and rules of the State Board of Education. Participants must 859 hold a state-issued temporary certificate. A school district 860 that implements the program shall provide a competency-based 861alternativecertificationpreparationprogram developed by the 862 Department of Education or developed by the district and 863 approved by the Department of Education. The program shall 864 include the following components: 865 1. A minimum period of initial preparation beforeprior to866 assuming duties as the teacher of record. 867 2. An option for collaboration between school districts and 868 other supporting agencies or educational entities for 869 implementation. 870 3. Experienced peer mentors. Each individual selected by 871 the district as a peer mentor must hold a valid professional 872 certificate issued pursuant to s. 1012.56, must have earned at 873 least 3 years of teaching experience in prekindergarten through 874 grade 12, and must have earned an effective or highly effective 875 rating on the prior year’s performance evaluation under s. 876 1012.34 or be a peer evaluator under the district’s evaluation 877 system approved under s. 1012.34. 878 4. An assessment of teaching performance aligned to the 879 district’s system for personnel evaluation under s. 1012.34 880 whichthatprovides for: 881 a. An initial evaluation of each educator’s competencies to 882 determine an appropriate individualized professional development 883 plan. 884 b. A summative evaluationpostevaluationto assure 885 successful completion of the program. 886 5. Professional education preparation content knowledge 887 that includes, but is not limited to, the following: 888 a. The state-adopted student content standards, including 889 content literacy and mathematical practices, for each subject 890 identified on the temporary certificateRequirements specified891in state board rule for professional preparation. 892 b. The educator-accomplished practices approved by the 893 state board. 894 c. A variety of data indicators for monitoring student 895 progress. 896 d. Methodologies for teaching students with disabilities,897including technology-based methodologies, for teaching subject898content that supports the Sunshine State Standards for students. 899 e. Methodologies for teaching English language learners 900 appropriate for each subject area identified on the temporary 901 certificateTechniques for effective classroom management. 902 f. Techniques and strategies for operationalizing the role 903 of the teacher in assuring a safe learning environment for 904 students. 905g. Methodologies for assuring the ability of all students906to read, write, and compute.907 6. Required achievement of passing scores on the subject 908 area and professional education competency examination required 909 by State Board of Education rule. Mastery of general knowledge 910 must be demonstrated as described in subsection (3). 911 (b)1. Each school district must and a state supported 912 public school or a private school may develop and maintain a 913 system by which members of the instructional staff may 914 demonstrate mastery of professional education competence as 915 required by law. Each program must be based on classroom 916 application of the Florida Educator Accomplished Practices and 917 instructional performance and, for public schools, must be 918 aligned with the district’s evaluation system approved under s. 919 1012.34must include a performance evaluation plan for920documenting the demonstration of required professional education921competence. 922 2. The Commissioner of Education shall determine the 923 continued approval of programs implemented under this paragraph, 924 based upon the department’s review of performance data. The 925 department shall review the performance data as a part of the 926 periodic review of each school district’s professional 927 development system required under s. 1012.98. 928 (c) The Commissioner of Education shall determine the 929 continued approval of programs implemented under paragraph (a) 930 based upon the department’s periodic review of the following: 931 1. Evidence that the requirements in paragraph (a) are 932 consistently met; and 933 2. Evidence of performance in each of the following areas: 934 a. Rate of retention for employed program completers in 935 instructional positions in Florida public schools. 936 b. Performance of students in prekindergarten through grade 937 12 who are assigned to in-field program completers on statewide 938 assessments using the results of the student learning growth 939 formula adopted under s. 1012.34. 940 c. Performance of students in prekindergarten through grade 941 12 who are assigned to in-field program completers aggregated by 942 student subgroups, as defined in the federal Elementary and 943 Secondary Education Act (ESEA), 20 U.S.C. s. 944 6311(b)(2)(C)(v)(II), as a measure of how well the program 945 prepares teachers to work with a variety of students in Florida 946 public schools. 947 d. Results of program completers’ annual evaluations in 948 accordance with the timeline as set forth in s. 1012.34. 949 e. Production of program completers in statewide critical 950 teacher shortage areas as defined in s. 1012.07. 951 (9) EXAMINATIONS.— 952 (d) The department shall provide procedures for an 953 applicant who fails an examination developed by the department 954 or by an entity under contract with the department to review his 955 or her examination questions and his or her incorrectly answered 956 responses to the questions. The applicant bears the actual cost 957 for the department to provide an examination review pursuant to 958 this subsection. Notwithstanding any other provisions of law, 959 only an applicant who fails an examination within a score range 960 established by rule of the State Board of Education is entitled 961 to an examination review under this paragraph or to challenge 962 the validity of the examinationIf an applicant takes an963examination developed by this state and does not achieve the964score necessary for certification, the applicant may review his965or her completed examination and bring to the attention of the966department any errors that would result in a passing score. 967 Section 9. Paragraph (a) of subsection (3) of section 968 1012.585, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 969 1012.585 Process for renewal of professional certificates.— 970 (3) For the renewal of a professional certificate, the 971 following requirements must be met: 972 (a) The applicant must earn a minimum of 6 college credits 973 or 120 inservice points or a combination thereof. For each area 974 of specialization to be retained on a certificate, the applicant 975 must earn at least 3 of the required credit hours or equivalent 976 inservice points in the specialization area. Education in 977 “clinical educator” training pursuant to s. 1004.04(5)(b)s.9781004.04(6)(b)and credits or points that provide training in the 979 area of scientifically researched, knowledge-based reading 980 literacy and computational skills acquisition, exceptional 981 student education, normal child development, and the disorders 982 of development may be applied toward any specialization area. 983 Credits or points that provide training in the areas of drug 984 abuse, child abuse and neglect, strategies in teaching students 985 having limited proficiency in English, or dropout prevention, or 986 training in areas identified in the educational goals and 987 performance standards adopted pursuant to ss. 1000.03(5) and 988 1008.345 may be applied toward any specialization area. Credits 989 or points earned through approved summer institutes may be 990 applied toward the fulfillment of these requirements. Inservice 991 points may also be earned by participation in professional 992 growth components approved by the State Board of Education and 993 specified pursuant to s. 1012.98 in the district’s approved 994 master plan for inservice educational training, including, but 995 not limited to, serving as a trainer in an approved teacher 996 training activity, serving on an instructional materials 997 committee or a state board or commission that deals with 998 educational issues, or serving on an advisory council created 999 pursuant to s. 1001.452. 1000 Section 10. Section 1012.71, Florida Statutes, is amended 1001 to read: 1002 1012.71 The Florida Teachers Classroom Supply Assistance 1003LeadProgram.— 1004 (1) For purposes of the Florida Teachers Classroom Supply 1005 AssistanceLeadProgram, the term “classroom teacher” means a 1006 certified teacher employed by a public school district or a 1007 public charter school in that district on or before September 1 1008 of each year whose full-time or job-share responsibility is the 1009 classroom instruction of students in prekindergarten through 1010 grade 12, including full-time media specialists and guidance 1011 counselors serving students in prekindergarten through grade 12, 1012 who are funded through the Florida Education Finance Program. A 1013 “job-share” classroom teacher is one of two teachers whose 1014 combined full-time equivalent employment for the same teaching 1015 assignment equals one full-time classroom teacher. 1016 (2) The Legislature, in the General Appropriations Act, 1017 shall determine funding for the Florida Teachers Classroom 1018 Supply AssistanceLeadProgram. The funds appropriated are for 1019 classroom teachers to purchase, on behalf of the school district 1020 or charter school, classroom materials and supplies for the 1021 public school students assigned to them and may not be used to 1022 purchase equipment. The funds appropriated shall be used to 1023 supplement the materials and supplies otherwise available to 1024 classroom teachers. From the funds appropriated for the Florida 1025 Teachers Classroom Supply AssistanceLeadProgram, the 1026 Commissioner of Education shall calculate an amount for each 1027 school district based upon each school district’s proportionate 1028 share of the state’s total unweighted FTE student enrollment and 1029 shall disburse the funds to the school districts by July 15. 1030 (3) From the funds allocated to each school district and 1031 any funds received from local contributions for the Florida 1032 Teachers Classroom Supply AssistanceLeadProgram, the district 1033 school board shall calculate an identical amount for each 1034 classroom teacher, which is that teacher’s proportionate share 1035 of the total amount allocated to the district from state funds 1036 and funds received from local contributions. A job-share 1037 classroom teacher may receive a prorated share of the amount 1038 provided to a full-time classroom teacher. The district school 1039 board and each charter school board shall provide each classroom 1040 teacher with his or her total proportionate share by September 1041 30 of each year by any means determined appropriate by the 1042 district school board or charter school board, including, but 1043 not limited to, direct deposit, check, debit card, or purchasing 1044 card, notwithstanding any law to the contrary. If a debit card 1045 is used, an identifier must be placed on the front of the debit 1046 card which clearly indicates that the card has been issued for 1047 the Florida Teachers Classroom Supply Assistance Program. 1048 Expenditures under the program are not subject to state or local 1049 competitive bidding requirements. Funds received by a classroom 1050 teacher do not affect wages, hours, or terms and conditions of 1051 employment and, therefore, are not subject to collective 1052 bargaining. Any classroom teacher may decline receipt of or 1053 return the funds without explanation or cause.This subsection1054shall apply retroactively to July 1, 2007.1055 (4) Each classroom teacher must sign a statement 1056 acknowledging receipt of the funds, keep receipts for no less 1057 than 4 years to show that funds expended meet the requirements 1058 of this section, and return any unused funds to the district 1059 school board at the end of the regular school year. Any unused 1060 funds that are returned to the district school board shall be 1061 deposited into the school advisory council account of the school 1062 at which the classroom teacher returning the funds was employed 1063 when that teacher received the funds or deposited into the 1064 Florida Teachers Classroom Supply AssistanceLeadProgram 1065 account of the school district in which a charter school is 1066 sponsored, as applicable. 1067 (5) The statement must be signed and dated by each 1068 classroom teacher before receipt of the Florida Teachers 1069 Classroom Supply AssistanceLeadProgram funds and shall include 1070 the wording: “I, ...(name of teacher)..., am employed by the 1071 ....County District School Board or by the ....Charter School as 1072 a full-time classroom teacher. I acknowledge that Florida 1073 Teachers Classroom Supply AssistanceLeadProgram funds are 1074 appropriated by the Legislature for the sole purpose of 1075 purchasing classroom materials and supplies to be used in the 1076 instruction of students assigned to me. In accepting custody of 1077 these funds, I agree to keep the receipts for all expenditures 1078 for no less than 4 years. I understand that if I do not keep the 1079 receipts, it will be my personal responsibility to pay any 1080 federal taxes due on these funds. I also agree to return any 1081 unexpended funds to the district school board at the end of the 1082 regular school year for deposit into the school advisory council 1083 account of the school where I was employed at the time I 1084 received the funds or for deposit into the Florida Teachers 1085 Classroom Supply AssistanceLeadProgram account of the school 1086 district in which the charter school is sponsored, as 1087 applicable.” 1088 (6) The Department of Education and district school boards 1089 may, and are encouraged to, enter into public-private 1090 partnerships in order to increase the total amount of Florida 1091 Teachers Classroom Supply Assistance Programs funds available to 1092 classroom teachersFor the 2009-2010 fiscal year, the Department1093of Education is authorized to conduct a pilot program to1094determine the feasibility of managing the Florida Teachers Lead1095Program through a centralized electronic system.The pilot1096program must:1097(a) Be established through a competitive procurement1098process;1099(b) Provide the capability for participating teachers to1100purchase from online sources;1101(c) Provide the capability for participating teachers to1102purchase from local vendors by means other than online1103purchasing;1104(d) Generally comply with the provisions of this section;1105(e) Be subject to annual auditing requirements to ensure1106accountability for funds received and disbursed; and1107(f) Provide for all unused funds to be returned to the1108state at the close of each fiscal year.1109 1110Any participation in this pilot program by school districts and1111individual teachers must be on a voluntary basis. The department1112may limit the number of participating districts to the number it1113deems feasible to adequately measure the viability of the pilot1114program. The department is not required to implement this pilot1115program if it determines that the number of school districts1116willing to participate is insufficient to adequately measure the1117viability of the pilot program.1118 Section 11. Paragraph (b) of subsection (4) of section 1119 1012.98, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 1120 1012.98 School Community Professional Development Act.— 1121 (4) The Department of Education, school districts, schools, 1122 Florida College System institutions, and state universities 1123 share the responsibilities described in this section. These 1124 responsibilities include the following: 1125 (b) Each school district shall develop a professional 1126 development system as specified in subsection (3). The system 1127 shall be developed in consultation with teachers, teacher 1128 educators of Florida College System institutions and state 1129 universities, business and community representatives, and local 1130 education foundations, consortia, and professional 1131 organizations. The professional development system must: 1132 1. Be approved by the department. All substantial revisions 1133 to the system shall be submitted to the department for review 1134 for continued approval. 1135 2. Be based on analyses of student achievement data and 1136 instructional strategies and methods that support rigorous, 1137 relevant, and challenging curricula for all students. Schools 1138 and districts, in developing and refining the professional 1139 development system, shall also review and monitor school 1140 discipline data; school environment surveys; assessments of 1141 parental satisfaction; performance appraisal data of teachers, 1142 managers, and administrative personnel; and other performance 1143 indicators to identify school and student needs that can be met 1144 by improved professional performance. 1145 3. Provide inservice activities coupled with followup 1146 support appropriate to accomplish district-level and school 1147 level improvement goals and standards. The inservice activities 1148 for instructional personnel shall focus on analysis of student 1149 achievement data, ongoing formal and informal assessments of 1150 student achievement, identification and use of enhanced and 1151 differentiated instructional strategies that emphasize rigor, 1152 relevance, and reading in the content areas, enhancement of 1153 subject content expertise, integrated use of classroom 1154 technology that enhances teaching and learning, classroom 1155 management, parent involvement, and school safety. 1156 4. Include a master plan for inservice activities, pursuant 1157 to rules of the State Board of Education, for all district 1158 employees from all fund sources. The master plan shall be 1159 updated annually by September 1, must be based on input from 1160 teachers and district and school instructional leaders, and must 1161 use the latest available student achievement data and research 1162 to enhance rigor and relevance in the classroom. Each district 1163 inservice plan must be aligned to and support the school-based 1164 inservice plans and school improvement plans pursuant to s. 1165 1001.42(18). District plans must be approved by the district 1166 school board annually in order to ensure compliance with 1167 subsection (1) and to allow for dissemination of research-based 1168 best practices to other districts. District school boards must 1169 submit verification of their approval to the Commissioner of 1170 Education no later than October 1, annually. 11715. RequireEach school principal maytoestablish and 1172 maintain an individual professional development plan for each 1173 instructional employee assigned to the school as a seamless 1174 component to the school improvement plans developed pursuant to 1175 s. 1001.42(18). The individual professional development plan 1176 must:1177a.be related to specific performance data for the students 1178 to whom the teacher is assigned,.1179b.define the inservice objectives and specific measurable 1180 improvements expected in student performance as a result of the 1181 inservice activity, and.1182c.include an evaluation component that determines the 1183 effectiveness of the professional development plan. 1184 5.6.Include inservice activities for school administrative 1185 personnel that address updated skills necessary for 1186 instructional leadership and effective school management 1187 pursuant to s. 1012.986. 1188 6.7.Provide for systematic consultation with regional and 1189 state personnel designated to provide technical assistance and 1190 evaluation of local professional development programs. 1191 7.8.Provide for delivery of professional development by 1192 distance learning and other technology-based delivery systems to 1193 reach more educators at lower costs. 1194 8.9.Provide for the continuous evaluation of the quality 1195 and effectiveness of professional development programs in order 1196 to eliminate ineffective programs and strategies and to expand 1197 effective ones. Evaluations must consider the impact of such 1198 activities on the performance of participating educators and 1199 their students’ achievement and behavior. 1200 Section 12. This act shall take effect July 1, 2013.