CS/HB 703 2023
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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
A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to the Early Childhood Music Education 2
Incentive Program; amending s. 1003.481, F.S.; 3
renaming the "Early Childhood Music Education 4
Incentive Pilot Program" as the "Early Childhood Music 5
Education Incentive Program "; transferring certain 6
duties regarding the program's administration from the 7
Commissioner of Education to the Department of 8
Education; providing that program funds are subject to 9
legislative appropriation; providing the maximum 10
amount of funding school districts may annually 11
receive per student in the program; revising criteria 12
for a school district's eligibility to participate in 13
the program; deleting an obsolete provision requiring 14
the University of Florida's College of Education to 15
conduct a specified evaluation; abrogating the 16
scheduled expiration of provisions governing the 17
program; providing an effective date. 18
19
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 20
21
Section 1. Section 1003.481, Florida Statutes, is amended 22
to read: 23
1003.481 Early Childhood Music Education Incentive Pilot 24
Program.— 25
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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
(1) The Early Childhood Music Education Incentive Pilot 26
Program is created within the Department of Education. The 27
purpose of the pilot program is to assist participating selected 28
school districts in implementing comprehensive music education 29
programs for students in kindergarten through grade 2. 30
(2) A school district is eligible for participation in the 31
pilot program if the superintendent certifies to the department 32
Commissioner of Education , in a format prescribed by the 33
department, that specified elementary schools within the 34
district have established a comprehensive music education 35
program that: 36
(a) Includes all st udents at the school enrolled in 37
kindergarten through grade 2. 38
(b) Is staffed by certified music educators. 39
(c) Provides music instruction for at least 30 consecutive 40
minutes 2 days a week. 41
(d) Complies with class size requirements under s. 42
1003.03. 43
(e) Complies with the department's standards for early 44
childhood music education programs for students in kindergarten 45
through grade 2. 46
(3)(a) The department commissioner shall approve select 47
school districts for participation in the pilot program, subject 48
to legislative appropriation, based on the school district's 49
proximity to the University of Florida and needs-based criteria 50
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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
established by the State Board of Education. Subject to 51
appropriations provided in the General Appropriations Act, 52
participating Selected school districts shall annually receive a 53
maximum of $150 per full-time equivalent student in kindergarten 54
through grade 2 who is enrolled in a comprehensive music 55
education program. 56
(b) To maintain eligibility for participation in the pilot 57
program, a participating selected school district must annually 58
certify to the department commissioner, in a format prescribed 59
by the department, that each specified elementary school within 60
the district provides a comprehensive music education program 61
that meets the requirements of subsection (2). If a 62
participating selected school district fails to provide the 63
annual certification for a fiscal year, the school district must 64
return all funds received through the pilot program for that 65
fiscal year. 66
(4) The University of Florida's College of Education, in 67
collaboration with Florida International University's School of 68
Music, shall evaluate the effectiveness of the pilot program by 69
measuring student academic performance and the success of the 70
program. The evaluation must include, but is not limited to, a 71
quantitative analysis of student achievement and a qualitative 72
evaluation of students enrolled in the comprehensive music 73
education programs. The results of the evaluation must be shared 74
with the Florida Cent er for Partnerships for Arts -Integrated 75
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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
Teaching upon completion of the evaluation. 76
(5) The State Board of Education may adopt rules to 77
administer this section. 78
(6) This section expires June 30, 2023. 79
Section 2. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law. 80