Bill > S1108

This bill aims to enhance the rights and educational experiences of students with disabilities in Florida. It prohibits school district personnel from objecting to or discouraging parents from bringing an adult of their choice to meetings concerning their child's education, including those related to exceptional student education (ESE) plans, and requires a signed document confirming this right was not infringed upon. The bill also mandates specific parental consent forms for certain actions within a student's Individualized Education Program (IEP), such as alternate assessments or placement in an ESE center, ensuring parents are fully informed of their rights and the implications of their consent or refusal. Furthermore, it encourages collaboration between public school staff and private professionals hired by parents to support students with disabilities, clarifying that this collaboration should enhance, not replace, the school's responsibilities under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), and that parents' rights to a free and appropriate public education are not waived. The bill also introduces an "extraordinary exemption" for students with disabilities who are unable to demonstrate their acquired skills on standardized assessments due to specific circumstances or conditions that prevent them from accurately reflecting their achievement, and requires school districts to provide information on funding levels for different ESE support levels to parents at IEP meetings. Finally, it establishes new terminology for describing instructional settings for students with disabilities and defines "inclusion" more comprehensively, while also requiring ESE centers to choose between receiving a school grade or a school improvement rating and clarifying how student achievement data is used for school grading.