This docum ent does not reflect the intent or official position of the bill sponsor or House of Representatives.
STORAGE NAME: h0277a.ELE
DATE: 2/2/2022
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES STAFF ANALYSIS
BILL #: HB 277 Early Childhood Music Education Incentive Pilot Program
SPONSOR(S): Clemons
TIED BILLS: None IDEN./SIM. BILLS: SB 638
REFERENCE ACTION ANALYST STAFF DIRECTOR or
BUDGET/POLICY CHIEF
1) Early Learning & Elementary Education
Subcommittee
16 Y, 0 N Cohen Brink
2) PreK-12 Appropriations Subcommittee
3) Education & Employment Committee
SUMMARY ANALYSIS
In 2017, the Florida Legislature established the Early Childhood Music Education Incentive Pilot Program to
assist selected school districts in implementing a comprehensive music education program for students in
kindergarten through grade 2. The program began in the 2017-2018 school year and was initially set to expire
on June 30, 2020, before later being extended to June 30, 2022. For Fiscal Year 2020-2021, $400,000 in
recurring funds were appropriated from the General Revenue Fund to implement the pilot program. Three
school districts are currently participating in the program: Alachua, Marion, and Miami-Dade.
HB 277 extends the scheduled expiration of the Early Childhood Music Education Incentive Pilot Program from
June 30, 2022, to June 30, 2023.
The bill has no fiscal impact. See fiscal comments, infra.
The bill takes effect upcoming becoming law.
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DATE: 2/2/2022
FULL ANALYSIS
I. SUBSTANTIVE ANALYSIS
A. EFFECT OF PROPOSED CHANGES:
Present Situation
Early Childhood Music Education Incentive Pilot Program
The Florida Legislature established the Early Childhood Music Education Incentive Pilot Program in
2017 to assist selected school districts in implementing a comprehensive music education program for
students in kindergarten through grade 2. The program began in the 2017-2018 school year and was
authorized for a period of three years, initially set to expire in June 30, 2020.
1
The Florida Legislature updated the guidelines of and extended the expiration for the Early Childhood
Music Education Incentive Pilot Program in 2020. The updated guidelines created flexibility for school
districts seeking to participate in the program by allowing specified elementary schools in the district,
rather than all elementary schools, to implement a comprehensive music education program.
2
For a school district to be eligible to participate in the pilot program, the district superintendent must
certify to the Commissioner of Education that each elementary school within the district has established
a comprehensive music education program that:
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includes all students at the school enrolled in kindergarten through grade 2;
is staffed by certified music educators;
provides music instruction for at least 30 consecutive minutes two days a week;
complies with the class size requirements under the law;
4
and
complies with the Department of Education’s standards for early childhood music education
programs for students in kindergarten through grade 2.
The commissioner must select school districts for participation in the pilot program, subject to
legislative appropriation, based on the school district’s proximity to the University of Florida and needs-
based criteria established by the State Board of Education. Selected school districts must annually
receive $150 per full-time equivalent student in kindergarten through grade 2 who is enrolled in a
comprehensive music education program.
5
The University of Florida’s College of Education must collaborate with Florida International University’s
School of Music to evaluate the effectiveness of the pilot program. Upon completion, the results of the
evaluation must be shared with the Florida Center for Partnerships for Arts-Integrated Teaching.
6
The
State Board of Education is authorized to adopt rules to administer the pilot program.
7
The Legislature appropriated $400,000 in recurring funds for the pilot program, beginning in the 2020-
2021 fiscal year.
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Implementation
1
Section 69, ch. 2017-116, L.O.F.
2
Section 1, ch. 2020-72, L.O.F.
3
Section 1003.481(2)(a)-(e), F.S.
4
Section 1003.03(1)(a), F.S. The maximum number of students assigned to each teacher who is teaching core-curriculum courses in
public school classrooms for prekindergarten through grade 3 may not exceed 18 students.
5
Section 1003.481(3)(a), F.S.
6
Section 1003.481(4), F.S.
7
Section 1003.481(5), F.S.
8
Specific Appropriation 114, s.2, ch. 2020-111, L.O.F.; and Specific Appropriation 110, s. 2, ch. 2021-36, L.O.F. STORAGE NAME: h0277a.ELE PAGE: 3
DATE: 2/2/2022
Currently, ten schools have been selected to participate in the program from three different counties:
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Alachua County: Joseph Williams Elementary School, Irby Elementary School, Lake Forest
Elementary School, and Metcalfe Elementary School
Marion County: Fort McCoy School, Ocala Springs Elementary School, and Reddick-Collier
Elementary School
Miami-Dade County: Fulford Elementary School, Whispering Pines Elementary School, and
Comstock Elementary School.
Between the three districts, six of the schools serve primarily economically disadvantaged students.
One certified music teacher is assigned to each school. There are between 85 and 345 participating
students at each elementary school, with a total of 2,085 students participating across all three districts
as of October 2021.
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Assessment
In order to access the effectiveness of the program, all schools are providing nine-week grade reports,
attendance records, and disciplinary reports for students. Furthermore, the districts will provide
standardized test score information to access changes in proficiency in both reading and math.
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Additionally, five types of surveys, conducted at least once per year, will be given virtually through
Qualtrics software to further assess the program. Each survey is targeted towards a different
stakeholder, with district administrators, principals, classroom teachers, and certified music instructors
each having their own annual surveys. Aside from the Classroom Observation Survey, all surveys are
designed to be completed in approximately 15 minutes.
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Financial Allocation
Of the $400,000 allocated to the program in the 2020-2021 fiscal year, $312,750 have been awarded
between the three participating districts, based on the $150 per student amount. The distributions are
outlined below, as of October 2021.
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School District Amount Allocated Amount Remaining
Alachua County $110,250 $110,250
Marion County $105,000 $78,750
Miami-Dade County $97,500 $73,125
Reporting
To access the implementation of the program, quarterly reports from the Florida Department of
Education are due throughout the duration of the program, the first of which was due November 15,
2021. The final quarterly report is due June 15, 2022, and must be provided to the Florida Center for
Partnerships for Arts-Integrated Teaching and the Florida International University’s School of Music on
June 30, 2022, for the purposes of evaluating the impact of the program.
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Florida Center for Partnership for Arts-Integrated Teaching
9
Email, Jessica A. Fowler, Deputy Legislative Affairs Director, Florida Department of Education, RE: Data Request on HB277, Early
Childhood Music Education Incentive Pilot Program (Dec. 14, 2021).
10
Id.
11
Id.
12
Id.
13
Id.
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Id. STORAGE NAME: h0277a.ELE PAGE: 4
DATE: 2/2/2022
The Florida Center for Partnership for Arts-Integrated Teaching, located at the University of South
Florida’s Sarasota-Manatee campus, serves as a statewide resource in arts-integrated teaching.
15
The
center builds statewide partnerships, conducts research on policies and practices related to arts-
integrated teaching, and collaborates with arts organizations and Florida school districts in developing
arts-integrated curriculum.
16
The center may provide technical assistance and support, upon request, to
public and private schools with the implementation of evidence-based, arts-integrated instruction,
assessments, programs, and professional development.
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Effect of Proposed Changes
The bill extends the scheduled expiration of the Early Childhood Music Education Incentive Pilot
Program from June 30, 2022, to June 30, 2023.
This bill takes effect upon becoming a law.
B. SECTION DIRECTORY:
Section 1. Amends s. 1003.481, F.S.; extending the expiration date of the Early Childhood Music
Education Incentive Pilot Program.
Section 2. Provides the bill takes effect upon becoming a law.
II. FISCAL ANALYSIS & ECONOMIC IMPACT STATEMENT
A. FISCAL IMPACT ON STATE GOVERNMENT:
1. Revenues:
None.
2. Expenditures:
None.
B. FISCAL IMPACT ON LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
1. Revenues:
None.
2. Expenditures:
None.
C. DIRECT ECONOMIC IMPACT ON PRIVATE SECTOR:
None.
D. FISCAL COMMENTS:
Funding for the Early Childhood Music Education Incentive Pilot Program is currently built into the state
budget through a recurring appropriation. For Fiscal Year 2020-2021, $400,000 in recurring funds was
15
University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee, Center for Partnerships for Arts-Integrated Teaching-Mission,
http://www.usfsm.edu/academics/center-for-paint/ (last visited January 31, 2022).
16
Section 1004.344, F.S.
17
Section 1004.344(2)(c), F.S. STORAGE NAME: h0277a.ELE PAGE: 5
DATE: 2/2/2022
appropriated from the General Revenue Fund to implement the pilot program. Upon passage of this bill,
the pilot program would continue into the next fiscal year and would be subject to recurring funding.
III. COMMENTS
A. CONSTITUTIONAL ISSUES:
1. Applicability of Municipality/County Mandates Provision:
None.
2. Other:
None.
B. RULE-MAKING AUTHORITY:
None.
C. DRAFTING ISSUES OR OTHER COMMENTS:
None.
IV. AMENDMENTS/COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE CHANGES
None.