HB 985 — Use of Federal Funding to Support Online Learning

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 985 2021 A bill to be entitled An act relating to digitaluse learningof forfederal low-incomefunding students;to support online learning;

amendingrequiring s.the Department of Education to publish a report on its website by a specified date;

1002.321,providing F.S.;requirements for the report;

providingrequiring thatthe infrastructuredepartment, includesin digitalconsultation deviceswith andthe home-basedOffice Internetof access;Broadband, to make certain recommendations;

requiring each district school board to adopt a digital learning plan by a specified date;

requiring that the plan includes certain elements;

requiring a school board to annually submit a copy of the digital learning plan to the department;

requiring that the Department of Education collaborate with the Office of Broadband for specified purposes;

requiring that the Department of Education develop state term contracts;

amending ss.

1003.01 and 1003.499, F.S.;

conforming cross-references;

Subsections(1) (3)By throughNovember (6)1, of2021, sectionthe 1002.321,Department Florida Statutes, are renumbered as subsections (5) through (8), respectively, paragraph (i) of subsectionEducation (2)shall ispublish, amended,on andits newwebsite, subsectionsa (3),report (4),which andmust (9)include, areat addeda tominimum: that section, to read:

1002.321(a) DigitalThe learning.—amount (2)of ELEMENTSfederal OFrelief HIGH-QUALITYfunding DIGITALand LEARNING.—Theother Pagefunding, 1by ofsource, 5used CODING:by each school district in the 2019- 2020 and 2020-2021 school years to provide:

Words stricken are deletions;

words underlined are additions.

hb0985-00 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 HB 985 2021 Legislature finds that each student should have access to a high-quality digital learning environment that provides:

(i) Infrastructure, including digital devices and home- based Internet access, that supports digital learning.

(3) DIGITAL LEARNING PLAN.—Each district school board shall adopt a digital learning plan by August 1, 2021, that includes all of the following:

(a) A plan for deployment of district-provided digital learning infrastructure to low-income students who do not have a digital device or Internet service capable of accessing digital learning.

TheStudents digitalwith deviceInternet mustaccess beand adevices grade-levelsuitable appropriatefor laptop,online tablet,learning orand otherinstructional distancecontinuity learningpursuant device.to Department of Education emergency orders and federal relief funding plans.

TheLearning home-basedmanagement Internetsystems accessand mayother useplatform-based anysupports availablefor technologyin-person butand mustonline belearning aand broadbandrelated connection,professional asdevelopment. defined by the Federal Communications Commission.

(b) AThe planamount forof trainingunexpended teachersfederal andrelief parentsfunding, ofPage students1 whoof need2 digitalCODING: literacy support.

(c) The number of students who will be provided learning infrastructure under paragraph (a).

To assist the district with the adoption of a digital learning plan, the Department of Education shall collaborate with the Office of Broadband for consistency in the state's overall broadband deployment and adoption efforts and to identify any Page 2 of 5 CODING:

hb0985-00hb0985-01-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 985 2021 grantsincluding oras resourcesa whichpercentage mayof betotal usedreceived, toby supportsource. the digital learning plan.

(4)(c) ByThe Octoberestimated 1,number 2021, and bypercentage March 1 of eachstudents yearwho thereafter,do thenot districthave schoolInternet boardaccess shallor submitdevices asuitable copyfor ofonline thelearning, district'sby digitaldistrict. learning plan to the department.

(9)(d) STATEDetails CONTRACT.—Toof maximizestate districtand fundslocal forinitiatives purchasingto digitalprovide devicesstudents underwith subsectionInternet (3),access the department shall develop one or moredevices statesuitable termfor contracts.online learning.

(e) Barriers identified by school districts to providing students with Internet access or devices suitable for online learning.

(2) As part of its report, the department shall identify programming, initiatives, and strategies that were effective in providing Internet access and devices to students and supporting innovative instructional practices.

The report must include recommendations, in consultation with the Office of Broadband, for appropriating remaining federal relief funding to close the digital divide for students without Internet access or devices suitable for online learning, consistent with best practices and according to geographical need.

Subsection (14) of section 1003.01, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:

1003.01 Definitions.—As used in this chapter, the term:

(14) "Core-curricula courses" means:

(a) Courses in language arts/reading, mathematics, social studies, and science in prekindergarten through grade 3, excluding extracurricular courses pursuant to subsection (15);

(b) Courses in grades 4 through 8 in subjects that are measured by state assessment at any grade level and courses required for middle school promotion, excluding extracurricular courses pursuant to subsection (15);

(c) Courses in grades 9 through 12 in subjects that are measured by state assessment at any grade level and courses that are specifically identified by name in statute as required for high school graduation and that are not measured by state assessment, excluding extracurricular courses pursuant to subsection (15);

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Words stricken are deletions;

words underlined are additions.