This docum ent does not reflect the intent or official position of the bill sponsor or House of Representatives.
STORAGE NAME: h1613a.EQS
DATE: 3/30/2023
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES STAFF ANALYSIS
BILL #: HB 1613 Reading Achievement Initiative for Scholastic Excellence Program
SPONSOR(S): Williams
TIED BILLS: None. IDEN./SIM. BILLS: SB 1558
REFERENCE ACTION ANALYST STAFF DIRECTOR or
BUDGET/POLICY CHIEF
1) Education Quality Subcommittee 16 Y, 0 N McDaniel Sanchez
2) PreK-12 Appropriations Subcommittee
3) Education & Employment Committee
SUMMARY ANALYSIS
In July 2021, the Reading Achievement Initiative for Scholastic Excellence (RAISE) program was established
within the Florida Department of Education to improve literacy outcomes for all students. Under the RAISE
program, regional literacy support teams assist schools serving students in kindergarten through grade 5 that
are underperforming based on school progress monitoring and statewide, standardized English Language Arts
assessment results.
The RAISE program also includes a tutoring program whereby high school juniors and seniors meeting
minimum criteria may serve as tutors during the school day for students in kindergarten through grade 3
enrolled at a school identified for the program. The hours that a high school student spends tutoring through
the RAISE program may be counted as community-service hours to meet the requirements for graduation and
the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship.
The bill authorizes school districts participating in the RAISE tutoring program to offer the program after the
school day, and to provide a stipend to instructional personnel and high school students serving as tutors
during after school hours.
The bill specifies that unpaid hours of tutoring continue to count towards meeting community service
requirements for high school graduation and the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship.
The bill does not have a fiscal impact. See Fiscal Comments.
The bill has an effective date of July 1, 2023.
STORAGE NAME: h1613a.EQS PAGE: 2
DATE: 3/30/2023
FULL ANALYSIS
I. SUBSTANTIVE ANALYSIS
A. EFFECT OF PROPOSED CHANGES:
Present Situation
Reading Achievement Initiative for Scholastic Excellence
In 2021, the Florida Legislature established the Reading Achievement Initiative for Scholastic
Excellence (RAISE) program within the Florida Department of Education (DOE).
1
The mission of the
RAISE program is to improve policies and practices that support improved literacy outcomes for all
students.
2
The program provides instructional supports to school districts, school administrators, and
instructional personnel in implementing evidence-based reading instruction and interventions in order to
improve student reading achievement.
3
Under the RAISE program, the DOE established 20 literacy support regions and regional support
teams in Florida to assist schools in improving low reading scores.
4
Eligible schools include:
5
schools serving students in kindergarten through grade 5 where 50 percent of the students
score below a Level 3 on the statewide, standardized English Language Arts (ELA) assessment
for any grade level; and
schools where 50 percent or more of students in kindergarten through grade 3 are not on track
to pass the grade 3 ELA assessment based on data from the coordinated screening and
progress monitoring system.
6
Identified schools are required to implement a school improvement plan with strategies to improve
reading performance.
7
The DOE has identified 1,061 elementary schools for support as RAISE
schools.
8
Tutoring Program
As part of the RAISE program, the DOE established a tutoring program and developed training to
prepare eligible high school students to tutor students in kindergarten through grade 3.
9
To be eligible to participate in the tutoring program, a student must be a rising high school junior or
senior and meet the following requirements:
10
have a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher;
have no history of out-of-school suspensions or expulsions;
be on track to complete all core course requirements to graduate; and
have written recommendations from at least two present or former high school teachers of
record or extracurricular activity sponsors.
1
Section 17, ch. 2021-9, L.O.F., codified at s.1008.365(2), F.S.
2
Florida Department of Education, Impact of House Bill 7011 on Schoolwide Improvement Plan Requirements for Schools Identified
Under Reading Achievement Initiative for Scholastic Excellence (2021), available at
https://info.fldoe.org/docushare/dsweb/Get/Document-9270/dps-2021-146.pdf.
3
Section 1008.365(2), F.S.
4
Section 1008.365(3), F.S.
5
Section 1008.365(4), F.S.
6
Section 1008.25(8), F.S. (requiring the DOE to procure and require the use of a statewide, standardized progress monitoring system
for the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program and public schools with students in kindergarten through grade 8 beginning
with the 2022-2023 school year).
7
Section 1008.365(4), F.S.
8
Email, Keenan Vernon, Deputy Legislative Affairs Director, Florida Department of Education, RE: Questions re: reading (Feb. 21,
2023).
9
Section 1008.365(8), F.S. (2021).
10
Id. at (8)(a). STORAGE NAME: h1613a.EQS PAGE: 3
DATE: 3/30/2023
High school students that participate as tutors must be recruited, trained, and deployed by the school
district. Tutoring must occur during the school day, on school district property, and under the
supervision of instructional personnel.
11
A high school student may earn up to three elective credits for high school graduation based on the
verified number of hours the student spends tutoring. The hours may be counted towards community
service requirements for high school graduation and the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program.
12
The DOE must designate a high school student who provides at least 75 verified hours of tutoring in the
RAISE program as a New Worlds Scholar and award him or her a commemorative pin for this
designation.
13
The State Board of Education adopted Rule 6A-6.0531, F.A.C., to outline minimum training criteria and
processes for verifying tutoring hours of high school students for the designation of a New Worlds
Scholar, as well as other requirements relating to the RAISE tutoring program. Participating high school
students must be trained in effective reading tutoring practices based on evidence-based practices and
aligned to the state board-adopted ELA standards.
14
Bright Futures Scholarship Requirements
The Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program is a lottery-funded scholarship program for Florida high
school graduates who merit high academic achievement and enroll in a degree, certificate, or applied
technology program at an eligible Florida public or private postsecondary education institution.
15
There
are four awards through the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship program, including the Florida
Academic Scholarship, the Florida Medallion Scholarship, the Florida Gold Seal CAPE Scholarship,
and the Florida Gold Seal Vocational Scholarship.
16
High school students must meet initial academic and service work requirements in order to be eligible
for the Florida Academic Scholarship or the Florida Medallion Scholarship.
17
Type of Award
High School Weighted
Bright Futures GPA
College Entrance Exams by High
School Graduation Year
(ACT/SAT)
Volunteer
Service
Hours
18
Paid Service
Hours
19
Florida
Academic
Scholars
3.50
2022-23 Graduates
29/1330
2023-24 Graduates
29/1340
100 hours 100 hours
Florida
Medallion
Scholars
3.00
2022-23 Graduates
25/1210
2023-24 Graduates
25/1210
75 hours 100 hours
High school students must complete 30 service hours to be eligible for the Florida Gold Seal CAPE
Scholarship and the Florida Gold Seal Vocational Scholarship.
20
11
Id. at (8)(b).
12
Id. at (8)(c).
13
Id.
14
Rule 6A-6.0531, F.A.C. This rule was adopted by the State Board of Education on Jun. 14, 2022.
15
Section 1009.53(1), F.S.
16
Section 1009.53(2), F.S.
17
Florida Student Financial Aid, Florida Bright Futures Student Handbook (2022), at 3, available at
https://www.floridastudentfinancialaidsg.org/PDF/BFHandbookChapter1.pdf.
18
Id. Students must earn either the required volunteer service or paid work hours, but not a combination of both. Id.
19
Id.
20
Florida Student Financial Aid, 2022-23 Bright Futures Student Handbook, Chapter 1: Initial Eligibility Requirements (2022),
available at https://www.floridastudentfinancialaidsg.org/PDF/BFHandbookChapter1.pdf. STORAGE NAME: h1613a.EQS PAGE: 4
DATE: 3/30/2023
The district school board and administrators of a nonpublic school establish the activities and process
for documentation of service hours. Except for credit earned through service-learning courses, students
may not receive payment or academic credit for the service hours performed.
21
In the 2021-22 academic year, 119,837 students received a disbursement from the Florida Bright
Futures Scholarship and disbursements totaled $604,682,656.
22
Effect of Proposed Changes
The bill authorizes school districts participating in the RAISE tutoring program to offer the program after
the school day, and to provide a stipend to instructional personnel and high school students serving as
tutors during after school hours.
The bill specifies that unpaid hours of tutoring continue to count towards meeting community service
requirements for high school graduation and the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship.
B. SECTION DIRECTORY:
Section 1. Amending s. 1008.365, F.S., authorizing tutoring provided through the tutoring program
within the Reading Achievement Initiative for Scholastic Excellence Program to be
provided after the school day; conforming provisions to changes made by the act;
authorizing school districts that participate in the tutoring program to provide a stipend to
instructional personnel and high school students serving as tutors for after-school
tutoring.
Section 2. Provides an effective date.
II. FISCAL ANALYSIS & ECONOMIC IMPACT STATEMENT
A. FISCAL IMPACT ON STATE GOVERNMENT:
1. Revenues:
None.
2. Expenditures:
See Fiscal Comments.
B. FISCAL IMPACT ON LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
1. Revenues:
None.
2. Expenditures:
None.
C. DIRECT ECONOMIC IMPACT ON PRIVATE SECTOR:
None.
D. FISCAL COMMENTS:
21
Id.
22
Florida Student Financial Aid, Florida Bright Futures Student Counts and Total Costs, Report A, available at
https://www.floridastudentfinancialaidsg.org/PDF/PSI/BFReportsA.pdf. STORAGE NAME: h1613a.EQS PAGE: 5
DATE: 3/30/2023
Because the bill authorizes, but does not require, a school district to provide stipends to instructional
personnel or high school students that provide RAISE tutoring during after school hours, the bill has no
fiscal impact.
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.