Bill > S1166

This bill establishes a program to designate certain Florida College System institutions as "distinguished colleges" based on meeting specific academic and student success standards, with the goal of recognizing and potentially supporting high-performing institutions. It also revises provisions related to parent rights in public education, notably by requiring district school boards and charter school governing boards to allow parents to request their child's transfer to a different classroom teacher, and expands "controlled open enrollment" to allow students from any district to enroll in public schools or charter schools that have not reached capacity, with specific preferences given to certain groups like military dependents and children in foster care. Furthermore, the bill modifies the Credit Acceleration Program (CAP) to allow students to earn high school credit through end-of-course assessments, Advanced Placement (AP) exams, or College Level Examination Program (CLEP) tests, regardless of course enrollment, and revises rules for the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) to allow private schools more flexibility in membership and to address athletic recruiting violations with escalating penalties. It also includes provisions for enhanced financial transparency in schools, updates requirements for virtual instruction programs, and modifies funding calculations for exceptional student education programs.