summary
Introduced
02/19/2025
02/19/2025
In Committee
02/20/2025
02/20/2025
Crossed Over
04/03/2025
04/03/2025
Passed
Dead
06/16/2025
06/16/2025
Introduced Session
2025 Regular Session
Bill Summary
An act relating to administrative efficiency in public schools; amending s. 120.81, F.S.; exempting district school boards from requirements for adopting certain rules; amending s. 1001.02, F.S.; revising a duty of the State Board of Education to adopt certain rules; amending s. 1001.23, F.S.; requiring the Department of Education to annually inform district school superintendents by a specified date that they are authorized to petition to receive a specified declaratory statement; requiring the department to annually maintain and provide school districts with a list of statutory and rule requirements; providing requirements for such list; amending s. 1001.42, F.S.; deleting a requirement for a district school board to employ an internal auditor in certain circumstances; amending s. 1002.20, F.S.; deleting a requirement that the school financial report be included in the student handbook; requiring the department to produce specified reports relating to school accountability and make such reports available on the department’s website; requiring each school district to provide a link to such reports; amending s. 1002.31, F.S.; revising how often a school district or charter school must update its school capacity determination; deleting a requirement relating to school capacity determination by district school boards; conforming a cross-reference; amending s. 1002.33, F.S.; conforming a provision relating to a 5-year facilities plan; amending s. 1002.394, F.S.; revising the timeframe for a school district to develop an IEP and matrix of services after receipt of a parent’s request; amending s. 1002.451, F.S.; requiring innovation schools of technology to comply with specified provisions relating to instructional multiyear contracts, in addition to annual contracts, for instructional personnel in addition to annual contracts; amending s. 1002.61, F.S.; removing public schools from a requirement for early learning coalitions to verify compliance with law; amending s. 1002.63, F.S.; deleting a requirement for an early learning coalition to verify that certain public schools comply with specified provisions; amending s. 1002.71, F.S.; revising requirements relating to district school board attendance policies for Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Programs; requiring a school district to certify its attendance records for a Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program; amending s. 1003.03, F.S.; deleting a requirement for district school boards to provide an accountability plan to the Commissioner of Education under certain conditions; amending s. 1003.26, F.S.; authorizing a district school board to determine a timeframe for purposes of addressing a student’s absences; amending s. 1003.4282, F.S.; revising requirements for assessments needed for a student to earn a high school diploma; deleting a requirement for a student who transfers into a public high school to take specified assessments; revising the courses for which the transferring course final grade must be honored for a transfer student under certain conditions; amending s. 1003.433, F.S.; deleting requirements that must be met by students who transfer to a public school for 11th or 12th grade; amending s. 1006.1494, F.S.; providing that provisions relating to student online personal information protection do not impose requirements for a K-12 school, school district, or school board; amending s. 1006.40, F.S.; revising the timeframe within which certain instructional materials must be purchased; authorizing the State Board of Education to modify the timeframe; amending s. 1008.212, F.S.; providing that certain assessments are not subject to specified requirements; specifying the assessments from which IEP teams must submit requests for extraordinary exemptions; amending s. 1008.22, F.S.; requiring the Commissioner of Education to notify school districts of the assessment schedule for a specified time interval; deleting requirements relating to a uniform calendar that must be published by the commissioner each year; revising an annual timeframe for each school district to establish schedules for the administration of statewide, standardized assessments; requiring each school district to publish certain information regarding such schedules on its website; conforming provisions to changes made by the act; amending s. 1008.25, F.S.; providing an additional good cause exemption for a student to be promoted to grade 4; conforming cross references; amending s. 1008.33, F.S.; prohibiting a school from being required to use a certain parameter as the sole determining factor to recruit instructional personnel; providing requirements for a rule adopted by the State Board of Education; amending s. 1010.20, F.S.; requiring charter schools to respond to monitoring questions from the department; amending s. 1011.035, F.S.; deleting a requirement that each district school board budget posted on the school board’s website include a graphical representation of specified information; revising website requirements; amending s. 1011.14, F.S.; revising the types of facilities for which district school boards may incur certain financial obligations; amending s. 1011.60, F.S.; revising circumstances under which the State Board of Education may alter the length of school terms for certain school districts; amending s. 1011.62, F.S.; deleting a requirement that certain full-time equivalent bonuses under the Florida Education Finance Program be paid only to teachers who are employed by the district when the bonus is calculated; amending s. 1011.6202, F.S.; requiring schools participating in the Principal Autonomy Program Initiative to comply with specified provisions relating to instructional multiyear contracts, in addition to annual contracts, for instructional personnel; amending s. 1011.69, F.S.; deleting a requirement relating to Title I fund allocations to schools; providing a new category of funding school districts are authorized to withhold; revising a category of funding a school district is authorized to withhold; requiring the department to make certain funds available to local education agencies; amending s. 1011.71, F.S.; revising specified vehicles that may be purchased or leased using specified revenue; revising the types of facilities payments that may be made from such revenue; amending s. 1012.22, F.S.; providing requirements for advanced degrees which may be used to set salary schedules for instructional personnel and school administrators hired after a specified date; specifying district school board activities that may not be precluded by collective bargaining; amending s. 1012.335, F.S.; defining the term “instructional multiyear contract”; providing requirements for the award of an instructional multiyear contract; requiring that an employee awarded an instructional multiyear contract be returned to an annual contract under certain conditions; specifying district school superintendent authority; making conforming and technical changes; amending s. 1012.34, F.S.; requiring that procedures and requirements established by the district school superintendent for performance evaluations be approved by the district school board; requiring the district school superintendent to submit evaluation systems to the department under certain circumstances; deleting a requirement for the department to approve and monitor each school district’s evaluation systems; revising the portion of a performance evaluation that is based on student performance; deleting certain performance evaluation requirements; providing that student performance may not be the sole determinant for incentive pay for instructional personnel or school administrators; amending s. 1012.39, F.S.; revising an occupational experience qualification requirement for nondegreed teachers of career programs; deleting a training requirement for full-time nondegreed teachers of career programs; amending s. 1012.555, F.S.; revising eligibility requirements for individuals to participate in the Teacher Apprenticeship Program; amending employment requirements for paraprofessionals to serve as an apprentice teacher; amending s. 1012.56, F.S.; specifying individuals who must demonstrate mastery of general knowledge for educator certification; authorizing school districts and consortia of school districts to issue temporary certificates under certain conditions; specifying Education Practices Commission authority; conforming a cross-reference; amending s. 1012.585, F.S.; revising the validity period for professional certificates; providing eligibility requirements for 5-year and 10 year professional certificates; establishing requirements for the renewal of a 10-year professional certificate; amending s. 1013.19, F.S.; requiring that proceeds from certain sales or leases of property be used for specified purposes by boards of trustees for Florida College System institutions or state universities; amending s. 1013.35, F.S.; deleting definitions; requiring a district school board to submit a tentative district educational facilities plan; revising requirements for the contents of such plan; deleting provisions relating to district school boards coordinating with local governments to ensure consistency between school district and local government plans; authorizing, rather than requiring, local governments to review tentative district educational facilities plans; requiring a district school board to submit a revised facilities plan; making conforming changes; amending s. 1013.41, F.S.; revising requirements for an educational facilities plan; revising the duties of the Office of Educational Facilities; amending s. 1013.45, F.S.; specifying that Florida College System institution and state university boards of trustees are required to use an architect for the development of certain plans; deleting district school board requirements for certain construction plans; repealing s. 1013.451, F.S., relating to life-cycle costs comparisons; amending s. 1013.62, F.S.; conforming a cross reference; amending s. 1013.64, F.S.; revising determinations of allocations from the Public Education Capital Outlay and Debt Service Trust Fund; requiring the Office of Program Policy and Government Accountability (OPPAGA) to review cost per student station levels and make certain recommendations; requiring OPPAGA to submit its review to the Legislature and the Commissioner of Education by a specified date; revising district school board requirements relating to educational plant construction; amending ss. 163.3180, 1002.68, 1003.631, 1004.04, 1004.85, 1012.586, and 1012.98, F.S.; conforming cross-references; providing effective dates.
AI Summary
This bill aims to improve administrative efficiency in Florida's public school system through a wide range of modifications to existing education statutes. The bill makes numerous changes affecting school districts, charter schools, teacher certification, assessment procedures, and administrative requirements. Key provisions include expanding the flexibility for district school boards in rule-making, modifying teacher certification and professional development requirements, adjusting assessment and student progression guidelines, and streamlining administrative processes. For example, the bill introduces a new type of instructional multiyear contract for teachers beginning in 2026, allows more flexibility in school capacity determinations, modifies reading instruction strategies to emphasize science-based reading techniques, and reduces some reporting and administrative burdens on school districts. The bill also requires the Department of Education to provide more transparent information to school districts, such as an annual list of statutory and rule requirements, and makes various technical changes to improve operational efficiency in the public school system. The majority of the bill's provisions will take effect on July 1, 2025, with some sections taking effect immediately upon becoming law.
Committee Categories
Budget and Finance
Sponsors (1)
Other Sponsors (1)
Fiscal Policy (Senate)
Last Action
Died in Messages (on 06/16/2025)
Official Document
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