Bill Text: FL S2508 | 2015 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Education
Spectrum: Committee Bill
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2015-05-01 - Died on Calendar [S2508 Detail]
Download: Florida-2015-S2508-Introduced.html
Florida Senate - 2015 SB 2508
By the Committee on Appropriations
576-02864-15 20152508__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to education; amending s. 1001.7065,
3 F.S.; requiring a state research university to enter
4 into and maintain a formal agreement with a specified
5 organization to offer college-sponsored merit
6 scholarship awards as a condition of designation as a
7 preeminent state research university; specifying that
8 continuation of a state research university’s
9 institute for online learning is contingent on the
10 university entering into and maintaining such an
11 agreement; amending s. 1009.893, F.S., changing the
12 name of the “Florida National Merit Scholar Incentive
13 Program” to the “Benacquisto Scholarship Program”;
14 providing that a student who receives the scholarship
15 award under the program be referred to as a
16 Benacquisto Scholar; conforming provisions to changes
17 made by the act; amending s. 1011.61, F.S.; revising
18 the term “full-time student” for the purposes of the
19 Florida Education Finance Program; amending s.
20 1011.62, F.S.; requiring supplemental academic
21 instruction categorical funds and research-based
22 reading instruction allocation funds to be used by a
23 school district with at least one of certain lowest
24 performing elementary schools for additional intensive
25 reading instruction at such school during the summer
26 program in addition to the school year; providing that
27 the additional instruction requirements continue in
28 the subsequent year for certain students; revising the
29 funding of full-time equivalent values for students
30 who earn CAPE industry certifications through dual
31 enrollment; increasing the bonus awarded to teachers
32 who provided instruction in courses that led to
33 certain CAPE industry certifications; specifying a
34 maximum bonus amount per teacher per school year;
35 revising the calculation of the discretionary millage
36 compression supplement amount; revising the
37 computation of district sparsity index for districts
38 with a specified full-time equivalent student
39 membership; deleting obsolete language; revising the
40 calculation of the virtual education contribution;
41 creating a federally connected student supplement for
42 school districts; specifying eligibility requirements
43 and calculations for the supplement; amending s.
44 1011.71, F.S.; a conforming a cross-reference;
45 authorizing enterprise resource software to be
46 acquired by certain fees and agreements; amending s.
47 1012.71, F.S.; requiring a classroom teacher to
48 provide the school district with receipts for the
49 expenditure of certain funds; requiring the Board of
50 Governors and the State Board of Education to base
51 state performance funds for the State University
52 System and the Florida College System, respectively,
53 on specified metrics adopted by each board; specifying
54 allocation of the funds; requiring certain funds to be
55 withheld from an institution based on specified
56 performance; requiring the boards to submit reports by
57 a specified time to the Governor and the Legislature;
58 requiring the boards to adopt rules; providing an
59 effective date.
60
61 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
62
63 Section 1. Subsections (3) and (4) of section 1001.7065,
64 Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
65 1001.7065 Preeminent state research universities program.—
66 (3) PREEMINENT STATE RESEARCH UNIVERSITY DESIGNATION.—The
67 Board of Governors shall designate each state research
68 university that meets at least 11 of the 12 academic and
69 research excellence standards identified in subsection (2) and
70 that enters into and maintains a formal agreement with the
71 National Merit Scholarship Corporation to offer college
72 sponsored merit scholarship awards a preeminent state research
73 university.
74 (4) PREEMINENT STATE RESEARCH UNIVERSITY INSTITUTE FOR
75 ONLINE LEARNING.—A state research university that, as of July 1,
76 2013, met meets all 12 of the academic and research excellence
77 standards identified in subsection (2), as verified by the Board
78 of Governors, shall establish an institute for online learning.
79 Continuation of the institute for online learning is contingent
80 upon a state research university entering into and maintaining a
81 formal agreement with the National Merit Scholarship Corporation
82 to offer college-sponsored merit scholarship awards. The
83 institute shall establish a robust offering of high-quality,
84 fully online baccalaureate degree programs at an affordable cost
85 in accordance with this subsection.
86 (a) By August 1, 2013, the Board of Governors shall convene
87 an advisory board to support the development of high-quality,
88 fully online baccalaureate degree programs at the university.
89 (b) The advisory board shall:
90 1. Offer expert advice, as requested by the university, in
91 the development and implementation of a business plan to expand
92 the offering of high-quality, fully online baccalaureate degree
93 programs.
94 2. Advise the Board of Governors on the release of funding
95 to the university upon approval by the Board of Governors of the
96 plan developed by the university.
97 3. Monitor, evaluate, and report on the implementation of
98 the plan to the Board of Governors, the Governor, the President
99 of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
100 (c) The advisory board shall be composed of the following
101 five members:
102 1. The chair of the Board of Governors or the chair’s
103 permanent designee.
104 2. A member with expertise in online learning, appointed by
105 the Board of Governors.
106 3. A member with expertise in global marketing, appointed
107 by the Governor.
108 4. A member with expertise in cloud virtualization,
109 appointed by the President of the Senate.
110 5. A member with expertise in disruptive innovation,
111 appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
112 (d) The president of the university shall be consulted on
113 the advisory board member appointments.
114 (e) A majority of the advisory board shall constitute a
115 quorum, elect the chair, and appoint an executive director.
116 (f) By September 1, 2013, the university shall submit to
117 the advisory board a comprehensive plan to expand high-quality,
118 fully online baccalaureate degree program offerings. The plan
119 shall include:
120 1. Existing on-campus general education courses and
121 baccalaureate degree programs that will be offered online.
122 2. New courses that will be developed and offered online.
123 3. Support services that will be offered to students
124 enrolled in online baccalaureate degree programs.
125 4. A tuition and fee structure that meets the requirements
126 in paragraph (k) for online courses, baccalaureate degree
127 programs, and student support services.
128 5. A timeline for offering, marketing, and enrolling
129 students in the online baccalaureate degree programs.
130 6. A budget for developing and marketing the online
131 baccalaureate degree programs.
132 7. Detailed strategies for ensuring the success of students
133 and the sustainability of the online baccalaureate degree
134 programs.
135
136 Upon recommendation of the plan by the advisory board and
137 approval by the Board of Governors, the Board of Governors shall
138 award the university $10 million in nonrecurring funds and $5
139 million in recurring funds for fiscal year 2013-2014 and $5
140 million annually thereafter, subject to appropriation in the
141 General Appropriations Act.
142 (g) Beginning in January 2014, the university shall offer
143 high-quality, fully online baccalaureate degree programs that:
144 1. Accept full-time, first-time-in-college students.
145 2. Have the same rigorous admissions criteria as equivalent
146 on-campus degree programs.
147 3. Offer curriculum of equivalent rigor to on-campus degree
148 programs.
149 4. Offer rolling enrollment or multiple opportunities for
150 enrollment throughout the year.
151 5. Do not require any on-campus courses. However, for
152 courses or programs that require clinical training or
153 laboratories that cannot be delivered online, the university
154 shall offer convenient locational options to the student, which
155 may include, but are not limited to, the option to complete such
156 requirements at a summer-in-residence on the university campus.
157 The university may provide a network of sites at convenient
158 locations and contract with commercial testing centers or
159 identify other secure testing services for the purpose of
160 proctoring assessments or testing.
161 6. Apply the university’s existing policy for accepting
162 credits for both freshman applicants and transfer applicants.
163 (h) The university may offer a fully online Master’s in
164 Business Administration degree program and other master’s degree
165 programs.
166 (i) The university may develop and offer degree programs
167 and courses that are competency based as appropriate for the
168 quality and success of the program.
169 (j) The university shall periodically expand its offering
170 of online baccalaureate degree programs to meet student and
171 market demands.
172 (k) The university shall establish a tuition structure for
173 its online institute in accordance with this paragraph,
174 notwithstanding any other provision of law.
175 1. For students classified as residents for tuition
176 purposes, tuition for an online baccalaureate degree program
177 shall be set at no more than 75 percent of the tuition rate as
178 specified in the General Appropriations Act pursuant to s.
179 1009.24(4) and 75 percent of the tuition differential pursuant
180 to s. 1009.24(16). No distance learning fee, fee for campus
181 facilities, or fee for on-campus services may be assessed,
182 except that online students shall pay the university’s
183 technology fee, financial aid fee, and Capital Improvement Trust
184 Fund fee. The revenues generated from the Capital Improvement
185 Trust Fund fee shall be dedicated to the university’s institute
186 for online learning.
187 2. For students classified as nonresidents for tuition
188 purposes, tuition may be set at market rates in accordance with
189 the business plan.
190 3. Tuition for an online degree program shall include all
191 costs associated with instruction, materials, and enrollment,
192 excluding costs associated with the provision of textbooks
193 pursuant to s. 1004.085 and physical laboratory supplies.
194 4. Subject to the limitations in subparagraph 1., tuition
195 may be differentiated by degree program as appropriate to the
196 instructional and other costs of the program in accordance with
197 the business plan. Pricing must incorporate innovative
198 approaches that incentivize persistence and completion,
199 including, but not limited to, a fee for assessment, a bundled
200 or all-inclusive rate, and sliding scale features.
201 5. The university must accept advance payment contracts and
202 student financial aid.
203 6. Fifty percent of the net revenues generated from the
204 online institute of the university shall be used to enhance and
205 enrich the online institute offerings, and 50 percent of the net
206 revenues generated from the online institute shall be used to
207 enhance and enrich the university’s campus state-of-the-art
208 research programs and facilities.
209 7. The institute may charge additional local user fees
210 pursuant to s. 1009.24(14) upon the approval of the Board of
211 Governors.
212 8. The institute shall submit a proposal to the president
213 of the university authorizing additional user fees for the
214 provision of voluntary student participation in activities and
215 additional student services.
216 Section 2. Section 1009.893, Florida Statutes, is amended
217 to read:
218 1009.893 Benacquisto Scholarship Florida National Merit
219 Scholar Incentive Program.—
220 (1) As used in this section, the term:
221 (a) “Department” means the Department of Education.
222 (b) “Scholarship Incentive Program” means the Benacquisto
223 Scholarship Florida National Merit Scholar Incentive Program.
224 (2) The Benacquisto Scholarship Florida National Merit
225 Scholar Incentive Program is created to reward any Florida high
226 school graduate who receives recognition as a National Merit
227 Scholar or National Achievement Scholar and who initially
228 enrolls in the 2014-2015 academic year or, later, in a
229 baccalaureate degree program at an eligible Florida public or
230 independent postsecondary educational institution.
231 (3) The department shall administer the scholarship
232 incentive program according to rules and procedures established
233 by the State Board of Education. The department shall advertise
234 the availability of the scholarship incentive program and notify
235 students, teachers, parents, certified school counselors, and
236 principals or other relevant school administrators of the
237 criteria.
238 (4) In order to be eligible for an award under the
239 scholarship incentive program, a student must:
240 (a) Be a state resident as determined in s. 1009.40 and
241 rules of the State Board of Education;
242 (b) Earn a standard Florida high school diploma or its
243 equivalent pursuant to s. 1002.3105, s. 1003.4281, s. 1003.4282,
244 or s. 1003.435 unless:
245 1. The student completes a home education program according
246 to s. 1002.41; or
247 2. The student earns a high school diploma from a non
248 Florida school while living with a parent who is on military or
249 public service assignment out of this state;
250 (c) Be accepted by and enroll in a Florida public or
251 independent postsecondary educational institution that is
252 regionally accredited; and
253 (d) Be enrolled full-time in a baccalaureate degree program
254 at an eligible regionally accredited Florida public or
255 independent postsecondary educational institution during the
256 fall academic term following high school graduation.
257 (5)(a) An eligible student who is a National Merit Scholar
258 or National Achievement Scholar and who attends a Florida public
259 postsecondary educational institution shall receive a
260 scholarship an incentive award equal to the institutional cost
261 of attendance minus the sum of the student’s Florida Bright
262 Futures Scholarship and National Merit Scholarship or National
263 Achievement Scholarship.
264 (b) An eligible student who is a National Merit Scholar or
265 National Achievement Scholar and who attends a Florida
266 independent postsecondary educational institution shall receive
267 a scholarship an incentive award equal to the highest cost of
268 attendance at a Florida public university, as reported by the
269 Board of Governors of the State University System, minus the sum
270 of the student’s Florida Bright Futures Scholarship and National
271 Merit Scholarship or National Achievement Scholarship.
272 (6)(a) To be eligible for a renewal award, a student must
273 earn all credits for which he or she was enrolled and maintain a
274 3.0 or higher grade point average.
275 (b) A student may receive the scholarship incentive award
276 for a maximum of 100 percent of the number of credit hours
277 required to complete a baccalaureate degree program, or until
278 completion of a baccalaureate degree program, whichever comes
279 first.
280 (7) The department shall annually issue awards from the
281 scholarship incentive program. Before the registration period
282 each semester, the department shall transmit payment for each
283 award to the president or director of the postsecondary
284 educational institution, or his or her representative, except
285 that the department may withhold payment if the receiving
286 institution fails to report or to make refunds to the department
287 as required in this section.
288 (a) Each institution shall certify to the department the
289 eligibility status of each student to receive a disbursement
290 within 30 days before the end of its regular registration
291 period, inclusive of a drop and add period. An institution is
292 not required to reevaluate the student eligibility after the end
293 of the drop and add period.
294 (b) An institution that receives funds from the scholarship
295 incentive program must certify to the department the amount of
296 funds disbursed to each student and remit to the department any
297 undisbursed advances within 60 days after the end of regular
298 registration.
299 (c) If funds appropriated are not adequate to provide the
300 maximum allowable award to each eligible student, awards must be
301 prorated using the same percentage reduction.
302 (8) Funds from any award within the scholarship incentive
303 program may not be used to pay for remedial coursework or
304 developmental education.
305 (9) A student may use an award for a summer term if funds
306 are available and appropriated by the Legislature.
307 (10) The department shall allocate funds to the appropriate
308 institutions and collect and maintain data regarding the
309 scholarship incentive program within the student financial
310 assistance database as specified in s. 1009.94.
311 (11) Section 1009.40(4) does not apply to awards issued
312 under this section.
313 (12) A student who receives an award under the scholarship
314 program shall be known as a Benacquisto Scholar.
315 (13)(12) The State Board of Education shall adopt rules
316 necessary to administer this section.
317 Section 3. Paragraph (a) of subsection (1) of section
318 1011.61, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
319 1011.61 Definitions.—Notwithstanding the provisions of s.
320 1000.21, the following terms are defined as follows for the
321 purposes of the Florida Education Finance Program:
322 (1) A “full-time equivalent student” in each program of the
323 district is defined in terms of full-time students and part-time
324 students as follows:
325 (a) A “full-time student” is one student on the membership
326 roll of one school program or a combination of school programs
327 listed in s. 1011.62(1)(c) for the school year or the equivalent
328 for:
329 1. Instruction in a standard school, comprising not less
330 than 900 net hours for a student in or at the grade level of 4
331 through 12, or not less than 720 net hours for a student in or
332 at the grade level of kindergarten through grade 3 or in an
333 authorized prekindergarten exceptional program;
334 2. Instruction in a school that is operating with more than
335 one session approved by the Department of Education because of a
336 natural disaster, comprising not less than the equivalent of 810
337 net hours per session in grades 4 through 12 or not less than
338 630 net hours per session in kindergarten through grade 3;
339 3.2. Instruction in a double-session school or a school
340 utilizing an experimental school calendar approved by the
341 Department of Education, comprising not less than the equivalent
342 of 810 net hours in grades 4 through 12 or not less than 630 net
343 hours in kindergarten through grade 3; or
344 4.3. Instruction comprising the appropriate number of net
345 hours set forth in subparagraph 1. or subparagraph 3.
346 subparagraph 2. for students who, within the past year, have
347 moved with their parents for the purpose of engaging in the farm
348 labor or fish industries, if a plan furnishing such an extended
349 school day or week, or a combination thereof, has been approved
350 by the commissioner. Such plan may be approved to accommodate
351 the needs of migrant students only or may serve all students in
352 schools having a high percentage of migrant students. The plan
353 described in this subparagraph is optional for any school
354 district and is not mandated by the state.
355
356 The department shall determine and implement an equitable method
357 of equivalent funding for experimental schools and for schools
358 operating under emergency conditions, which schools have been
359 approved by the department to operate for less than the minimum
360 school day.
361 Section 4. Paragraphs (f) and (o) of subsection (1),
362 paragraph (a) of subsection (4), subsection (5), paragraph (b)
363 of subsection (7), paragraph (a) of subsection (9), subsection
364 (11), and present subsection (13) of section 1011.62, Florida
365 Statutes, are amended, present subsections (13), (14), and (15)
366 of that section are redesignated as subsections (14), (15), and
367 (16), respectively, and a new subsection (13) is added to that
368 section, to read:
369 1011.62 Funds for operation of schools.—If the annual
370 allocation from the Florida Education Finance Program to each
371 district for operation of schools is not determined in the
372 annual appropriations act or the substantive bill implementing
373 the annual appropriations act, it shall be determined as
374 follows:
375 (1) COMPUTATION OF THE BASIC AMOUNT TO BE INCLUDED FOR
376 OPERATION.—The following procedure shall be followed in
377 determining the annual allocation to each district for
378 operation:
379 (f) Supplemental academic instruction; categorical fund.—
380 1. There is created a categorical fund to provide
381 supplemental academic instruction to students in kindergarten
382 through grade 12. This paragraph may be cited as the
383 “Supplemental Academic Instruction Categorical Fund.”
384 2. Categorical funds for supplemental academic instruction
385 shall be allocated annually to each school district in the
386 amount provided in the General Appropriations Act. These funds
387 shall be in addition to the funds appropriated on the basis of
388 FTE student membership in the Florida Education Finance Program
389 and shall be included in the total potential funds of each
390 district. These funds shall be used to provide supplemental
391 academic instruction to students enrolled in the K-12 program.
392 For the 2014-2015, 2015-2016, 2016-2017, and 2017-2018 fiscal
393 years year, each school district that has one or more of the 300
394 lowest-performing elementary schools based on the state reading
395 assessment shall use these funds, together with the funds
396 provided in the district’s research-based reading instruction
397 allocation and other available funds, to provide an additional
398 hour of instruction beyond the normal school day for each day of
399 the entire school year, and to provide the equivalent hours of
400 instruction in a summer program, for intensive reading
401 instruction for the students in each of these schools. If a
402 participating school is no longer classified as one of the 300
403 lowest-performing elementary schools in the subsequent year, the
404 school must continue to provide the additional hour of intensive
405 reading instruction to all students who have Level 1 or Level 2
406 reading assessment scores. This additional hour of instruction
407 must be provided by teachers or reading specialists who are
408 effective in teaching reading or by a K-5 mentoring reading
409 program that is supervised by a teacher who is effective at
410 teaching reading. Students enrolled in these schools who have
411 level 5 assessment scores may participate in the additional hour
412 of instruction on an optional basis. Exceptional student
413 education centers may shall not be included in the 300 schools.
414 After this requirement has been met, supplemental instruction
415 strategies may include, but are not limited to: modified
416 curriculum, reading instruction, after-school instruction,
417 tutoring, mentoring, class size reduction, extended school year,
418 intensive skills development in summer school, and other methods
419 for improving student achievement. Supplemental instruction may
420 be provided to a student in any manner and at any time during or
421 beyond the regular 180-day term identified by the school as
422 being the most effective and efficient way to best help that
423 student progress from grade to grade and to graduate.
424 3. Effective with the 1999-2000 fiscal year, funding on the
425 basis of FTE membership beyond the 180-day regular term shall be
426 provided in the FEFP only for students enrolled in juvenile
427 justice education programs or in education programs for
428 juveniles placed in secure facilities or programs under s.
429 985.19. Funding for instruction beyond the regular 180-day
430 school year for all other K-12 students shall be provided
431 through the supplemental academic instruction categorical fund
432 and other state, federal, and local fund sources with ample
433 flexibility for schools to provide supplemental instruction to
434 assist students in progressing from grade to grade and
435 graduating.
436 4. The Florida State University School, as a lab school, is
437 authorized to expend from its FEFP or Lottery Enhancement Trust
438 Fund allocation the cost to the student of remediation in
439 reading, writing, or mathematics for any graduate who requires
440 remediation at a postsecondary educational institution.
441 5. Beginning in the 1999-2000 school year, dropout
442 prevention programs as defined in ss. 1003.52, 1003.53(1)(a),
443 (b), and (c), and 1003.54 shall be included in group 1 programs
444 under subparagraph (d)3.
445 (o) Calculation of additional full-time equivalent
446 membership based on successful completion of a career-themed
447 course pursuant to ss. 1003.491, 1003.492, and 1003.493, or
448 courses with embedded CAPE industry certifications or CAPE
449 Digital Tool certificates, and issuance of industry
450 certification identified on the CAPE Industry Certification
451 Funding List pursuant to rules adopted by the State Board of
452 Education or CAPE Digital Tool certificates pursuant to s.
453 1003.4203.—
454 1.a. A value of 0.025 full-time equivalent student
455 membership shall be calculated for CAPE Digital Tool
456 certificates earned by students in elementary and middle school
457 grades.
458 b. A value of 0.1 or 0.2 full-time equivalent student
459 membership shall be calculated for each student who completes a
460 course as defined in s. 1003.493(1)(b) or courses with embedded
461 CAPE industry certifications and who is issued an industry
462 certification identified annually on the CAPE Industry
463 Certification Funding List approved under rules adopted by the
464 State Board of Education. A value of 0.2 full-time equivalent
465 membership shall be calculated for each student who is issued a
466 CAPE industry certification that has a statewide articulation
467 agreement for college credit approved by the State Board of
468 Education. For CAPE industry certifications that do not
469 articulate for college credit, the Department of Education shall
470 assign a full-time equivalent value of 0.1 for each
471 certification. Middle grades students who earn additional FTE
472 membership for a CAPE Digital Tool certificate pursuant to sub
473 subparagraph a. may not use the previously funded examination to
474 satisfy the requirements for earning an industry certification
475 under this sub-subparagraph. Additional FTE membership for an
476 elementary or middle grades student may shall not exceed 0.1 for
477 certificates or certifications earned within the same fiscal
478 year. The State Board of Education shall include the assigned
479 values on the CAPE Industry Certification Funding List under
480 rules adopted by the state board. Such value shall be added to
481 the total full-time equivalent student membership for grades 6
482 through 12 in the subsequent year for courses that were not
483 provided through dual enrollment. CAPE industry certifications
484 earned through dual enrollment must be reported and funded
485 pursuant to s. 1011.80. However, if a student earns a
486 certification through a dual enrollment course and the
487 certification is not a fundable certification on the
488 postsecondary certification funding list, or the dual enrollment
489 certification is earned as a result of an agreement between a
490 school district and a nonpublic postsecondary institution, the
491 bonus value shall be funded in the same manner as for other
492 nondual enrollment course industry certifications. In such
493 cases, the school district may provide for an agreement between
494 the high school and the technical center, or the school district
495 and the postsecondary institution may enter into an agreement
496 for equitable distribution of the bonus funds.
497 c. A value of 0.3 full-time equivalent student membership
498 shall be calculated for student completion of the courses and
499 the embedded certifications identified on the CAPE Industry
500 Certification Funding List and approved by the commissioner
501 pursuant to ss. 1003.4203(5)(a) and 1008.44.
502 d. A value of 0.5 full-time equivalent student membership
503 shall be calculated for CAPE Acceleration Industry
504 Certifications that articulate for 15 to 29 college credit
505 hours, and 1.0 full-time equivalent student membership shall be
506 calculated for CAPE Acceleration Industry Certifications that
507 articulate for 30 or more college credit hours pursuant to CAPE
508 Acceleration Industry Certifications approved by the
509 commissioner pursuant to ss. 1003.4203(5)(b) and 1008.44.
510 2. Each district must allocate at least 80 percent of the
511 funds provided for CAPE industry certification, in accordance
512 with this paragraph, to the program that generated the funds.
513 This allocation may not be used to supplant funds provided for
514 basic operation of the program.
515 3. For CAPE industry certifications earned in the 2013-2014
516 school year and in subsequent years, the school district shall
517 distribute to each classroom teacher who provided direct
518 instruction toward the attainment of a CAPE industry
519 certification that qualified for additional full-time equivalent
520 membership under subparagraph 1.:
521 a. A bonus in the amount of $25 for each student taught by
522 a teacher who provided instruction in a course that led to the
523 attainment of a CAPE industry certification on the CAPE Industry
524 Certification Funding List with a weight of 0.1.
525 b. A bonus in the amount of $50 for each student taught by
526 a teacher who provided instruction in a course that led to the
527 attainment of a CAPE industry certification on the CAPE Industry
528 Certification Funding List with a weight of 0.2, 0.3, 0.5, and
529 1.0.
530 c. A bonus of $75 for each student taught by a teacher who
531 provided instruction in a course that led to the attainment of a
532 CAPE industry certification on the CAPE Industry Certification
533 Funding List with a weight of 0.3.
534 d. A bonus of $100 for each student taught by a teacher who
535 provided instruction in a course that led to the attainment of a
536 CAPE industry certification on the CAPE Industry Certification
537 Funding List with a weight of 0.5 or 1.0.
538
539 Bonuses awarded pursuant to this paragraph shall be provided to
540 teachers who are employed by the district in the year in which
541 the additional FTE membership calculation is included in the
542 calculation. Bonuses shall be calculated based upon the
543 associated weight of a CAPE industry certification on the CAPE
544 Industry Certification Funding List for the year in which the
545 certification is earned by the student. In a single school year,
546 a Any bonus awarded to a teacher under sub-subparagraph 3.a. or
547 sub-subparagraph 3.b. this paragraph may not exceed $2,000 or
548 under sub-subparagraph 3.c. or sub-subparagraph 3.d. may not
549 exceed $4,000. The maximum bonus that may be awarded to a
550 teacher under this paragraph is $4,000 in a single school year.
551 This bonus in any given school year and is in addition to any
552 regular wage or other bonus the teacher received or is scheduled
553 to receive.
554 (4) COMPUTATION OF DISTRICT REQUIRED LOCAL EFFORT.—The
555 Legislature shall prescribe the aggregate required local effort
556 for all school districts collectively as an item in the General
557 Appropriations Act for each fiscal year. The amount that each
558 district shall provide annually toward the cost of the Florida
559 Education Finance Program for kindergarten through grade 12
560 programs shall be calculated as follows:
561 (a) Estimated taxable value calculations.—
562 1.a. Not later than 2 working days prior to July 19, the
563 Department of Revenue shall certify to the Commissioner of
564 Education its most recent estimate of the taxable value for
565 school purposes in each school district and the total for all
566 school districts in the state for the current calendar year
567 based on the latest available data obtained from the local
568 property appraisers. The value certified shall be the taxable
569 value for school purposes for that year, and no further
570 adjustments shall be made, except those made pursuant to
571 paragraphs (c) and (d), or an assessment roll change required by
572 final judicial decisions as specified in paragraph (15)(b)
573 (14)(b). Not later than July 19, the Commissioner of Education
574 shall compute a millage rate, rounded to the next highest one
575 one-thousandth of a mill, which, when applied to 96 percent of
576 the estimated state total taxable value for school purposes,
577 would generate the prescribed aggregate required local effort
578 for that year for all districts. The Commissioner of Education
579 shall certify to each district school board the millage rate,
580 computed as prescribed in this subparagraph, as the minimum
581 millage rate necessary to provide the district required local
582 effort for that year.
583 b. The General Appropriations Act shall direct the
584 computation of the statewide adjusted aggregate amount for
585 required local effort for all school districts collectively from
586 ad valorem taxes to ensure that no school district’s revenue
587 from required local effort millage will produce more than 90
588 percent of the district’s total Florida Education Finance
589 Program calculation as calculated and adopted by the
590 Legislature, and the adjustment of the required local effort
591 millage rate of each district that produces more than 90 percent
592 of its total Florida Education Finance Program entitlement to a
593 level that will produce only 90 percent of its total Florida
594 Education Finance Program entitlement in the July calculation.
595 2. On the same date as the certification in sub
596 subparagraph 1.a., the Department of Revenue shall certify to
597 the Commissioner of Education for each district:
598 a. Each year for which the property appraiser has certified
599 the taxable value pursuant to s. 193.122(2) or (3), if
600 applicable, since the prior certification under sub-subparagraph
601 1.a.
602 b. For each year identified in sub-subparagraph a., the
603 taxable value certified by the appraiser pursuant to s.
604 193.122(2) or (3), if applicable, since the prior certification
605 under sub-subparagraph 1.a. This is the certification that
606 reflects all final administrative actions of the value
607 adjustment board.
608 (5) DISCRETIONARY MILLAGE COMPRESSION SUPPLEMENT.—The
609 Legislature shall prescribe in the General Appropriations Act,
610 pursuant to s. 1011.71(1), the rate of nonvoted current
611 operating discretionary millage that shall be used to calculate
612 a discretionary millage compression supplement. If the
613 prescribed millage generates an amount of funds per unweighted
614 FTE for the district that is less than 105 percent of the state
615 average, the district shall receive an amount per FTE that, when
616 added to the funds per FTE generated by the designated levy,
617 shall equal 105 percent of the state average.
618 (7) DETERMINATION OF SPARSITY SUPPLEMENT.—
619 (b) The district sparsity index shall be computed by
620 dividing the total number of full-time equivalent students in
621 all programs in the district by the number of senior high school
622 centers in the district, not in excess of three, which centers
623 are approved as permanent centers by a survey made by the
624 Department of Education. For districts with a full-time
625 equivalent student membership of at least 20,000, but no more
626 than 24,000, the index shall be computed by dividing the total
627 number of full-time equivalent students in all programs by the
628 number of permanent senior high school centers in the district,
629 not to exceed four.
630 (9) RESEARCH-BASED READING INSTRUCTION ALLOCATION.—
631 (a) The research-based reading instruction allocation is
632 created to provide comprehensive reading instruction to students
633 in kindergarten through grade 12. For the 2014-2015, 2015-2016,
634 2016-2017, and 2017-2018 fiscal years year, in each school
635 district that has one or more of the 300 lowest-performing
636 elementary schools based on the state reading assessment,
637 priority shall be given to providing an additional hour per day
638 of intensive reading instruction beyond the normal school day
639 for each day of the entire school year, and to providing the
640 equivalent hours of instruction in a summer program, for the
641 students in each school. If a participating school is no longer
642 classified as one of the 300 lowest-performing elementary
643 schools in the subsequent year, the school must continue to
644 provide the additional hour of intensive reading instruction to
645 all students who have Level 1 or Level 2 reading assessment
646 scores. Students enrolled in these schools who have level 5
647 assessment scores may participate in the additional hour of
648 instruction on an optional basis. Exceptional student education
649 centers may shall not be included in the 300 schools. The
650 intensive reading instruction delivered in this additional hour
651 and for other students shall include: research-based reading
652 instruction that has been proven to accelerate progress of
653 students exhibiting a reading deficiency; differentiated
654 instruction based on student assessment data to meet students’
655 specific reading needs; explicit and systematic reading
656 development in phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary,
657 and comprehension, with more extensive opportunities for guided
658 practice, error correction, and feedback; and the integration of
659 social studies, science, and mathematics-text reading, text
660 discussion, and writing in response to reading. For the 2012
661 2013 and 2013-2014 fiscal years, a school district may not hire
662 more reading coaches than were hired during the 2011-2012 fiscal
663 year unless all students in kindergarten through grade 5 who
664 demonstrate a reading deficiency, as determined by district and
665 state assessments, including students scoring Level 1 or Level 2
666 on the statewide, standardized reading assessment or, upon
667 implementation, the English Language Arts assessment, are
668 provided an additional hour per day of intensive reading
669 instruction beyond the normal school day for each day of the
670 entire school year.
671 (11) VIRTUAL EDUCATION CONTRIBUTION.—The Legislature may
672 annually provide in the Florida Education Finance Program a
673 virtual education contribution. The amount of the virtual
674 education contribution shall be the difference between the
675 amount per FTE established in the General Appropriations Act for
676 virtual education and the amount per FTE for each district and
677 the Florida Virtual School, which may be calculated by taking
678 the sum of the base FEFP allocation, the declining enrollment
679 supplement, the discretionary local effort, the state-funded
680 discretionary contribution, the discretionary millage
681 compression supplement, the research-based reading instruction
682 allocation, the exceptional student education guaranteed
683 allocation, and the instructional materials allocation, and then
684 dividing by the total unweighted FTE. This difference shall be
685 multiplied by the virtual education unweighted FTE for programs
686 and options identified in s. 1002.455(3) and the Florida Virtual
687 School and its franchises to equal the virtual education
688 contribution and shall be included as a separate allocation in
689 the funding formula.
690 (13) FEDERALLY CONNECTED STUDENT SUPPLEMENT.—The federally
691 connected student supplement is created to provide supplemental
692 funding for school districts to support the education of
693 students connected with federally owned military installations,
694 National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) property,
695 and Indian lands. To be eligible for this supplement, the
696 district must be eligible for federal Impact Aid Program funds
697 under Title VIII of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act
698 of 1965. The supplement shall be the sum of the student
699 allocation and an exempt property allocation.
700 (a) The student allocation shall be calculated based on the
701 number of students reported for federal Impact Aid Program
702 funds, including students with disabilities, who meet one of the
703 following criteria:
704 1. Resides with a parent who is on active duty in the
705 uniformed services or is an accredited foreign government
706 official and military officer. Students with disabilities shall
707 also be reported separately for this condition.
708 2. Resides on eligible federally owned Indian lands.
709 Students with disabilities shall also be reported separately for
710 this condition.
711 3. Resides with a civilian parent who lives or works on
712 eligible federal property connected with a military installation
713 or NASA. The number of these students shall be multiplied by a
714 factor of 0.5.
715 (b) The total number of federally connected students
716 calculated under paragraph (a) shall be multiplied by a
717 percentage of the base student allocation as provided in the
718 General Appropriations Act. The total of the number of students
719 with disabilities as reported separately under subparagraphs
720 (a)1. and (a)2. shall be multiplied by an additional percentage
721 of the base student allocation as provided in the General
722 Appropriations Act. The base amount and the amount for students
723 with disabilities shall be summed to provide the student
724 allocation.
725 (c) The exempt-property allocation shall be equal to the
726 tax-exempt value of federal impact aid lands reserved as
727 military installations, real property owned by NASA, or eligible
728 federally owned Indian lands located in the district, as of
729 January 1 of the previous year, multiplied by the millage
730 authorized and levied under s. 1011.71(2).
731 (14)(13) QUALITY ASSURANCE GUARANTEE.—The Legislature may
732 annually in the General Appropriations Act determine a
733 percentage increase in funds per K-12 unweighted FTE as a
734 minimum guarantee to each school district. The guarantee shall
735 be calculated from prior year base funding per unweighted FTE
736 student which shall include the adjusted FTE dollars as provided
737 in subsection (15)(14), quality guarantee funds, and actual
738 nonvoted discretionary local effort from taxes. From the base
739 funding per unweighted FTE, the increase shall be calculated for
740 the current year. The current year funds from which the
741 guarantee shall be determined shall include the adjusted FTE
742 dollars as provided in subsection (15)(14) and potential
743 nonvoted discretionary local effort from taxes. A comparison of
744 current year funds per unweighted FTE to prior year funds per
745 unweighted FTE shall be computed. For those school districts
746 which have less than the legislatively assigned percentage
747 increase, funds shall be provided to guarantee the assigned
748 percentage increase in funds per unweighted FTE student. Should
749 appropriated funds be less than the sum of this calculated
750 amount for all districts, the commissioner shall prorate each
751 district’s allocation. This provision shall be implemented to
752 the extent specifically funded.
753 Section 5. Subsection (1) and paragraph (d) of subsection
754 (2) of section 1011.71, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
755 1011.71 District school tax.—
756 (1) If the district school tax is not provided in the
757 General Appropriations Act or the substantive bill implementing
758 the General Appropriations Act, each district school board
759 desiring to participate in the state allocation of funds for
760 current operation as prescribed by s. 1011.62(15) s. 1011.62(14)
761 shall levy on the taxable value for school purposes of the
762 district, exclusive of millage voted under the provisions of s.
763 9(b) or s. 12, Art. VII of the State Constitution, a millage
764 rate not to exceed the amount certified by the commissioner as
765 the minimum millage rate necessary to provide the district
766 required local effort for the current year, pursuant to s.
767 1011.62(4)(a)1. In addition to the required local effort millage
768 levy, each district school board may levy a nonvoted current
769 operating discretionary millage. The Legislature shall prescribe
770 annually in the appropriations act the maximum amount of millage
771 a district may levy.
772 (2) In addition to the maximum millage levy as provided in
773 subsection (1), each school board may levy not more than 1.5
774 mills against the taxable value for school purposes for district
775 schools, including charter schools at the discretion of the
776 school board, to fund:
777 (d) The purchase, lease-purchase, or lease of new and
778 replacement equipment; computer hardware, including electronic
779 hardware and other hardware devices necessary for gaining access
780 to or enhancing the use of electronic content and resources or
781 to facilitate the access to and the use of a school district’s
782 digital classrooms plan pursuant to s. 1011.62, excluding
783 software other than the operating system necessary to operate
784 the hardware or device; and enterprise resource software
785 applications that are classified as capital assets in accordance
786 with definitions of the Governmental Accounting Standards Board,
787 have a useful life of at least 5 years, and are used to support
788 districtwide administration or state-mandated reporting
789 requirements. Enterprise resource software may be acquired by
790 annual license fees, maintenance fees, or lease agreements.
791 Section 6. Subsections (4), (5), and (6) of section
792 1012.71, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
793 1012.71 The Florida Teachers Classroom Supply Assistance
794 Program.—
795 (4) Each classroom teacher must provide the school district
796 with receipts for the expenditure of the funds. If the classroom
797 teacher is provided funds in advance of expenditure, the Each
798 classroom teacher must sign a statement acknowledging receipt of
799 the funds, provide keep receipts as requested by the school
800 district for no less than 4 years to show that funds expended
801 meet the requirements of this section, and return any unused
802 funds to the district school board by at the end of the regular
803 school year. Any unused funds that are returned to the district
804 school board shall be deposited into the school advisory council
805 account of the school at which the classroom teacher returning
806 the funds was employed when that teacher received the funds or
807 deposited into the Florida Teachers Classroom Supply Assistance
808 Program account of the school district in which a charter school
809 is sponsored, as applicable.
810 (5) The statement must be signed and dated by each
811 classroom teacher before receipt of the Florida Teachers
812 Classroom Supply Assistance Program funds and shall include the
813 wording: “I, ...(name of teacher)..., am employed by the
814 ....County District School Board or by the ....Charter School as
815 a full-time classroom teacher. I acknowledge that Florida
816 Teachers Classroom Supply Assistance Program funds are
817 appropriated by the Legislature for the sole purpose of
818 purchasing classroom materials and supplies to be used in the
819 instruction of students assigned to me. In accepting custody of
820 these funds, I agree to keep the receipts for all expenditures
821 for no less than 4 years. I understand that if I do not keep the
822 receipts, it will be my personal responsibility to pay any
823 federal taxes due on these funds. I also agree to return any
824 unexpended funds to the district school board at the end of the
825 regular school year for deposit into the school advisory council
826 account of the school where I was employed at the time I
827 received the funds or for deposit into the Florida Teachers
828 Classroom Supply Assistance Program account of the school
829 district in which the charter school is sponsored, as
830 applicable.”
831 (5)(6) The Department of Education and district school
832 boards may, and are encouraged to, enter into public-private
833 partnerships in order to increase the total amount of Florida
834 Teachers Classroom Supply Assistance Programs funds available to
835 classroom teachers.
836 Section 7. (1) The State University System Performance
837 Based Incentive shall be based on indicators of institutional
838 attainment of performance metrics adopted by the Board of
839 Governors. The performance-based funding metrics must include,
840 but are not limited to, metrics that measure graduation and
841 retention rates; degree production; affordability;
842 postgraduation employment, salaries, or further education;
843 student loan default rates; access; and any other metrics
844 approved by the board.
845 (2) The Board of Governors shall evaluate the institutions’
846 performance on the metrics based on benchmarks adopted by the
847 board which measure the achievement of institutional excellence
848 or improvement. Each fiscal year, the amount of funds available
849 for allocation to the institutions based on the performance
850 funding model shall consist of the state’s investment in
851 performance funding, plus an institutional investment consisting
852 of funds to be redistributed from the base funding of the State
853 University System, as determined in the General Appropriations
854 Act. The institutional investment shall be restored for all
855 institutions that meet the board’s minimum performance threshold
856 under the performance funding model. An institution that is one
857 of the bottom three institutions or fails to meet the board’s
858 minimum performance funding threshold is not eligible for the
859 state’s investment, shall have a portion of its institutional
860 investment withheld, and shall submit an improvement plan to the
861 board that specifies the activities and strategies for improving
862 the institution’s performance.
863 (3) By October 1 of each year, the Board of Governors shall
864 submit to the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the
865 Speaker of the House of Representatives a report on the previous
866 year’s performance funding allocation which reflects the
867 rankings and award distributions.
868 (4) The Board of Governors shall adopt a regulation to
869 implement this section.
870 Section 8. (1) The Florida College System Performance Based
871 Incentive shall be based on indicators of institutional
872 attainment of performance metrics adopted by the State Board of
873 Education. The performance-based funding metrics must be limited
874 to metrics that measure retention; program completion and
875 graduation rates; student loan default rates; job placement; and
876 postgraduation employment, salaries, or further education.
877 (2) The State Board of Education shall evaluate the
878 institutions’ performance on the metrics based on benchmarks
879 adopted by the board which measure the achievement of
880 institutional excellence or improvement. Each fiscal year, the
881 amount of funds available for allocation to the institutions
882 based on the performance funding model shall consist of the
883 state’s investment in performance funding, plus an institutional
884 investment consisting of funds to be redistributed from the base
885 funding of the Florida College System Program Fund, as
886 determined in the General Appropriations Act. The board shall
887 establish a minimum performance threshold that institutions must
888 meet in order to be eligible for the state’s investment in
889 performance funds. The institutional investment shall be
890 restored for all institutions eligible for the state’s
891 investment under the performance funding model. Any institution
892 that fails to meet the board’s minimum performance funding
893 threshold is not eligible for the state’s investment, shall have
894 a portion of its institutional investment withheld, and shall
895 submit an improvement plan to the board that specifies the
896 activities and strategies for improving the institution’s
897 performance.
898 (3) The State Board of Education must review the
899 improvement plan, and if approved, must monitor the
900 institution’s progress on implementing the specified activities
901 and strategies. The institutions shall submit monitoring reports
902 to the board no later than December 31 and May 31 of each year.
903 (4) The Commissioner of Education shall withhold
904 disbursement of the institutional investment until such time as
905 the monitoring report for the institution is approved by the
906 State Board of Education. Any institution that fails to make
907 satisfactory progress will not have its full institutional
908 investment restored. If all institutional investment funds are
909 not restored, any remaining funds shall be redistributed in
910 accordance with the board’s performance funding model.
911 (5) By October 1 of each year, the State Board of Education
912 shall submit to the Governor, the President of the Senate, and
913 the Speaker of the House of Representatives a report on the
914 previous year’s performance funding allocation which reflects
915 the rankings and award distributions.
916 (6) The State Board of Education shall adopt rules to
917 implement this section.
918 Section 9. This act shall take effect July 1, 2015.
