Bill > S1598

This bill makes several key changes to education in Florida: 1. It authorizes the Department of Corrections to contract with charter schools to provide education services for the Correctional Education Program. 2. It creates the Schools of Excellence Program, which allows the state's top-performing schools to receive administrative flexibilities such as exemptions from certain instructional requirements, principal autonomy, and credit towards teacher certificate renewal. 3. It expands the authority and responsibilities of principals at Schools of Excellence and schools with low performance grades, giving them more control over personnel decisions and financial resources. 4. It revises the requirements for earning a professional teaching certificate, including creating a comprehensive teacher mentorship certification program to help new teachers demonstrate mastery of professional preparation and education competence. 5. It allows teachers who work at Schools of Excellence to substitute that experience for inservice points needed to renew their professional certificates. 6. It authorizes county governments to allow public high schools, including charter schools, to be located on the campus of a public or private postsecondary institution.

Budget and Finance, Education

Education (Senate)

http://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2017/1598