summary
Introduced
11/21/2025
11/21/2025
In Committee
11/21/2025
11/21/2025
Crossed Over
01/22/2026
01/22/2026
Passed
Dead
Introduced Session
2026 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. 1001.23, 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 certain statutory and rule requirements; specifying 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 them available on the department’s website; requiring each school district to provide a link to such reports; amending s. 1002.33, F.S.; conforming a provision relating to a 5 year facilities plan; 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; amending s. 1002.61, F.S.; deleting public schools from a requirement for early learning coalitions to verify compliance with certain 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. 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 are authorized to 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 and to publish such schedule on the department’s website; 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.; 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; specifying 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. 1011.6202, 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 how specified revenue may be expended by a district school board; deleting a penalty for violating specified provisions; amending s. 1012.22, F.S.; specifying requirements for advanced degrees that 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. 1012.39, 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; conforming a cross reference; 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; 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 to the department; 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. 1013.64, F.S.; revising district school board requirements relating to educational plant construction; conforming a provision to changes made by the act; amending ss. 163.3180, 200.065, 1002.68, 1003.631, 1004.04, 1004.85, 1012.552, 1012.586, 1012.98, and 1013.62, F.S.; conforming cross references and provisions to changes made by the act; providing an effective date.
AI Summary
This bill addresses administrative efficiency in public schools by making numerous modifications to Florida's education statutes, with changes affecting school district operations, teacher certification, facilities planning, and financial management. Key provisions include allowing district school boards more flexibility in rule-making, modifying teacher certification and contract requirements, simplifying educational facilities planning processes, and adjusting how certain funds can be used. The bill introduces an "instructional multiyear contract" option for teachers beginning in 2026, requires the Department of Education to provide annual lists of statutory requirements to school districts, and updates various reporting and administrative procedures. The legislation aims to reduce bureaucratic burdens, provide more administrative flexibility to school districts, and streamline educational management processes. Notably, the bill includes provisions related to reading instruction, teacher professional development, and charter school funding, with most changes set to take effect on July 1, 2026, allowing school districts time to prepare for the new requirements.
Committee Categories
Budget and Finance
Sponsors (1)
Last Action
In Messages (on 01/22/2026)
Official Document
bill text
bill summary
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bill summary
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bill summary
| Document Type | Source Location |
|---|---|
| State Bill Page | https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2026/320 |
| Analysis - Fiscal Policy (Post-Meeting) | https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2026/320/Analyses/2026s00320.fp.PDF |
| Analysis - Fiscal Policy (Pre-Meeting) | https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2026/320/Analyses/2026s00320.pre.fp.PDF |
| Analysis - Education Pre-K - 12 (Post-Meeting) | https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2026/320/Analyses/2026s00320.ed.PDF |
| Analysis - Education Pre-K - 12 (Pre-Meeting) | https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2026/320/Analyses/2026s00320.pre.ed.PDF |
| BillText | https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2026/320/BillText/Filed/HTML |
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