HB 1035 — Personalized Education

1003.01(13)(e).

(p) Tuition or fees associated with enrollment in a nationally or internationally recognized research-based training program for a child with a neurological disorder or brain damage.

A provider of any services receiving payments pursuant to this subsection may not share, refund, or rebate any moneys from the Gardiner Scholarship with the parent or participating student in any manner.

A parent, student, or provider of any services may Page 3 of 15 CODING:

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hb1035-01-c1 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S CS/HB 1035 2018 not bill an insurance company, Medicaid, or any other agency for the same services that are paid for using Gardiner Scholarship funds.

Section 2.

Section 1002.411, Florida Statutes, is created to read:

1002.411 Reading scholarship accounts.— (1) READING SCHOLARSHIP ACCOUNTS.—Reading scholarship accounts are established to provide educational options for students.

(2) ELIGIBILITY.—Contingent upon available funds, and on a first-come, first-served basis, each student in grades 3 through 5 who is enrolled in a Florida public school is eligible for a reading scholarship account if the student scored below a Level 3 on the grade 3 or grade 4 statewide, standardized English Language Arts (ELA) assessment in the prior school year.

An eligible student who is classified as an English Learner and is enrolled in a program or receiving services that are specifically designed to meet the instructional needs of English Learner students shall receive priority.

(3) PARENT AND STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES FOR PARTICIPATION.— (a) For an eligible student to receive a reading scholarship account, the student's parent must:

1.

Submit an application to an eligible nonprofit scholarship-funding organization by the deadline established by Page 4 of 15 CODING:

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hb1035-01-c1 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S CS/HB 1035 2018 such organization;

and 2.

Submit eligible expenses to the eligible nonprofit scholarship-funding organization for reimbursement of qualifying expenditures, which may include:

a.

Instructional materials.

b.

Curriculum.

As used in this sub-subparagraph, the term "curriculum" means a complete course of study for a particular content area or grade level, including any required supplemental materials and associated online instruction.

c.

Tuition and fees for part-time tutoring services provided by a person who holds a valid Florida educator's certificate pursuant to s.

1012.56;

a person who holds a baccalaureate or graduate degree in the subject area;

a person who holds an adjunct teaching certificate pursuant to s.

1012.57;

or a person who has demonstrated a mastery of subject area knowledge pursuant to s.

1012.56(5).

d.

Fees for summer education programs.

e.

Fees for after-school education programs.

A provider of any services receiving payments pursuant to this subparagraph may not share any moneys from the reading scholarship with, or provide a refund or rebate of any moneys from such scholarship to, the parent or participating student in any manner.

A parent, student, or provider of any services may not bill an insurance company, Medicaid, or any other agency for Page 5 of 15 CODING:

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hb1035-01-c1 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S CS/HB 1035 2018 the same services that are paid for using reading scholarship funds.

(b) The parent is responsible for the payment of all eligible expenses in excess of the amount in the account in accordance with the terms agreed to between the parent and any providers and may not receive any refund or rebate of any expenditures made in accordance with paragraph (a).

(4) ADMINISTRATION.—An eligible nonprofit scholarship- funding organization participating in the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship Program established by s.

1002.395 may establish reading scholarship accounts for eligible students in accordance with the requirements of eligible nonprofit scholarship-funding organizations under this chapter.

(5) DEPARTMENT OBLIGATIONS.—The department shall have the same duties imposed by this chapter upon the department regarding oversight of scholarship programs administered by an eligible nonprofit scholarship-funding organization.

(6) SCHOOL DISTRICT OBLIGATIONS;

PARENTAL OPTIONS.—By September 30, the school district shall notify the parent of each student in grades 3 through 5 who scored below a level 3 on the statewide, standardized ELA assessment in the prior school year of the process to request and receive a reading scholarship, subject to available funds.

(7) ACCOUNT FUNDING AND PAYMENT.— (a) For the 2018-2019 school year, the amount of the Page 6 of 15 CODING:

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hb1035-01-c1 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S CS/HB 1035 2018 scholarship shall be $500 per eligible student.

Thereafter, the maximum amount awarded an eligible student shall be provided in the General Appropriations Act.

(b) One hundred percent of the funds appropriated for the reading scholarship accounts shall be released to the department at the beginning of the first quarter of each fiscal year.

(c) Upon notification from the eligible nonprofit scholarship-funding organization that a student has been determined eligible for a reading scholarship, the department shall release the student's scholarship funds to such organization to be deposited into the student's account.

(d) Accrued interest in the student's account is in addition to, and not part of, the awarded funds.

Account funds include both the awarded funds and accrued interest.

(e) The eligible nonprofit scholarship-funding organization may develop a system for payment of scholarship funds by funds transfer, including, but not limited to, debit cards, electronic payment cards, or any other means of payment that the department deems to be commercially viable or cost- effective.

A student's scholarship award may not be reduced for debit card or electronic payment fees.

Commodities or services related to the development of such a system shall be procured by competitive solicitation unless they are purchased from a state term contract pursuant to s.

287.056.

(f) Payment of the scholarship shall be made by the Page 7 of 15 CODING:

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hb1035-01-c1 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S CS/HB 1035 2018 eligible nonprofit scholarship-funding organization no less frequently than on a quarterly basis.

(g) In addition to funds appropriated for scholarships and subject to a separate, specific legislative appropriation, an organization may receive an amount equivalent to not more than 3 percent of the amount of each scholarship from state funds for administrative expenses if the organization has operated as a nonprofit entity for at least the preceding 3 fiscal years and did not have any findings of material weakness or material noncompliance in its most recent audit under s.

1002.395.

Such administrative expenses must be reasonable and necessary for the organization's management and distribution of scholarships under this section.

Funds authorized under this paragraph may not be used for lobbying or political activity or expenses related to lobbying or political activity.

An organization may not charge an application fee for a scholarship.

Administrative expenses may not be deducted from funds appropriated for scholarships.

(h) Moneys received pursuant to this section do not constitute taxable income to the qualified student or his or her parent.

(i) A student's scholarship account must be closed and any remaining funds shall revert to the state after:

1.

Denial or revocation of scholarship eligibility by the commissioner for fraud or abuse, including, but not limited to, the student or student's parent accepting any payment, refund, Page 8 of 15 CODING:

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hb1035-01-c1 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S CS/HB 1035 2018 or rebate, in any manner, from a provider of any services received pursuant to subsection (3);

or 2.

Three consecutive fiscal years in which an account has been inactive.

(8) LIABILITY.—No liability shall arise on the part of the state based on the award or use of a reading scholarship account.

Section 3.

1003.41, as approvedPage by9 theof district15 schoolCODING: board.

The State Board of Education shall determine the number of postsecondary credit hours earned through dual enrollment pursuant to s.

1007.271 that satisfy the requirements of a dual enrollment articulation agreement according to s.

1007.271(21) and that equal one full Page 2 of 7 CODING:

hb1035-00hb1035-01-c1 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S HBCS/HB 1035 2018 creditapproved ofby the equivalentdistrict high school courseboard. identified pursuant to s.

The State Board of Education shall determine the number of postsecondary credit hours earned through dual enrollment pursuant to s.

1007.271 that satisfy the requirements of a dual enrollment articulation agreement according to s.

1007.271(21) and that equal one full credit of the equivalent high school course identified pursuant to s.

Section 2.4.

(a)(1) Grade "A" equals 90 percent through 100 percent, has a grade point average value of 4, and is defined as "outstanding progress." (b)(2) Grade "B" equals 80 percent through 89 percent, has a grade point average value of 3, and is defined as "above average progress." (c)(3) Grade "C" equals 70 percent through 79 percent, has a grade point average value of 2, and is defined as "average progress." (d)(4) Grade "D" equals 60 percent through 69 percent, has a grade point average value of 1, and is defined as "lowest acceptable progress." (e)(5) Grade "F" equals zero percent through 59 percent, has a grade point average value of zero, and is defined as "failure." (f)(6) Grade "I" equals zero percent, has a grade point average value of zero, and is defined as "incomplete." Page 310 of 715 CODING:

hb1035-00hb1035-01-c1 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S HBCS/HB 1035 2018 (e)(5) Grade "F" equals zero percent through 59 percent, has a grade point average value of zero, and is defined as "failure." (f)(6) Grade "I" equals zero percent, has a grade point average value of zero, and is defined as "incomplete." (2) District school boards participating in the Mastery- Based Education Pilot Program under s.

81 For the purposes of class ranking, district school boards may exercise a weighted grading system pursuant to s.

Section 3.5.

Yonge Developmental Research School and public school districts, including, but not limited to,Page the11 Lake,of Palm15 Beach,CODING: Pinellas, and Seminole County School Districts, may submit an application in a format prescribed by the department to participate in the pilot program.

(2) APPLICATION.—The application to participate in the pilot program must, at a minimum, include:

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hb1035-00hb1035-01-c1 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S HBCS/HB 1035 2018 (a)to, Thethe visionLake, andPalm timelinesBeach, forPinellas, theand implementationSeminole ofCounty mastery-basedSchool competency-basedDistricts, educationmay withinsubmit thean schoolapplication district,in including a listformat ofprescribed by the schoolsdepartment thatto will participate in the pilot programprogram. during the first school year and the list of schools that will be integrated into the program in subsequent school years.

(2) APPLICATION.—The application to participate in the pilot program must, at a minimum, include:

(a) The vision and timelines for the implementation of mastery-based competency-based education within the school district, including a list of the schools that will participate in the pilot program during the first school year and the list of schools that will be integrated into the program in subsequent school years.

(e) A plan for student progression based on the mastery of content, including mechanisms that determine and ensure that a student has satisfied the requirements for grade-level promotion andPage content12 mastery.of 15 CODING:

(f) A plan for using technology and digital and blended learning to enhance student achievement and facilitate the mastery-based competency-based education system.

(g) The proposed allocation of resources for the pilot Page 5 of 7 CODING:

hb1035-00hb1035-01-c1 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S HBCS/HB 1035 2018 program at the school and districtcontent levels.mastery.

(f) A plan for using technology and digital and blended learning to enhance student achievement and facilitate the mastery-based competency-based education system.

(g) The proposed allocation of resources for the pilot program at the school and district levels.

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Alternatives to the interpretation of middle and high school letter grades may substitute the applicable language from the school district's rigorous scoring rubric.

(b) An application that is amended pursuant to this subsection must be approved by the district school board.

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hb1035-00hb1035-01-c1 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S HBCS/HB 1035 2018 (5)(4)2. STUDENT FUNDING.—Students enrolled in a participating school shall be reported for and generate funding pursuant to s.

Alternatives to the interpretation of middle and high school letter grades may substitute the applicable language from the school district's rigorous scoring rubric.

(b) An application that is amended pursuant to this subsection must be approved by the district school board.

(5)(4) STUDENT FUNDING.—Students enrolled in a participating school shall be reported for and generate funding pursuant to s.

Section 4.6.

1007.23 Statewide articulation agreement.— (7) The articulation agreement must ensure fair and equitablePage access14 forof high15 schoolCODING: graduates with mastery-based, nontraditional diplomas and transcripts.

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words underlined are additions.

hb1035-01-c1 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S CS/HB 1035 2018 equitable access for high school graduates with mastery-based, nontraditional diplomas and transcripts.

Section 7.

Contingent upon CS/HB 7055 or similar legislation in the 2018 Regular Session of the Legislature or an extension thereof failing to become law, for the 2018-2019 fiscal year, the sum of $9,700,000 in recurring funds from the General Revenue Fund shall be used to fund reading scholarship accounts pursuant to s.

1002.411, Florida Statutes, and $300,000 in recurring funds from the General Revenue Fund shall be provided as an administrative fee pursuant to s.

1002.411(7)(g), Florida Statutes.

Section 8.

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