ENROLLED 2023 Legislature CS for SB 478 2023478er 1 2 An act relating to the Early Childhood Music Education 3 Incentive Program; amending s. 1003.481, F.S.; 4 renaming the Early Childhood Music Education Incentive 5 Pilot Program as the Early Childhood Music Education 6 Incentive Program; transferring certain duties 7 regarding the programs administration from the 8 Commissioner of Education to the Department of 9 Education; specifying that program funds are subject 10 to legislative appropriation; revising criteria for a 11 school districts eligibility to participate in the 12 program; deleting an obsolete provision requiring the 13 University of Floridas College of Education to 14 conduct a specified evaluation; abrogating the 15 scheduled expiration of provisions governing the 16 program; providing an effective date. 17 18 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 19 20 Section 1.Section 1003.481, Florida Statutes, is amended 21 to read: 22 1003.481Early Childhood Music Education Incentive Pilot 23 Program. 24 (1)The Early Childhood Music Education Incentive Pilot 25 Program is created within the Department of Education. The 26 purpose of the pilot program is to assist participating selected 27 school districts in implementing comprehensive music education 28 programs for students in kindergarten through grade 2. 29 (2)A school district is eligible for participation in the 30 pilot program if the superintendent certifies to the department 31 Commissioner of Education, in a format prescribed by the 32 department, that specified elementary schools within the 33 district have established a comprehensive music education 34 program that: 35 (a)Includes all students at the school enrolled in 36 kindergarten through grade 2. 37 (b)Is staffed by certified music educators. 38 (c)Provides music instruction for at least 30 consecutive 39 minutes 2 days a week. 40 (d)Complies with class size requirements under s. 1003.03. 41 (e)Complies with the departments standards for early 42 childhood music education programs for students in kindergarten 43 through grade 2. 44 (3)(a)The department commissioner shall approve select 45 school districts for participation in the pilot program, subject 46 to legislative appropriation, based on the school districts 47 proximity to the University of Florida and needs-based criteria 48 established by the State Board of Education. Subject to 49 appropriations provided in the General Appropriations Act, 50 participating Selected school districts shall annually receive a 51 maximum of $150 per full-time equivalent student in kindergarten 52 through grade 2 who is enrolled in a comprehensive music 53 education program. 54 (b)To maintain eligibility for participation in the pilot 55 program, a participating selected school district must annually 56 certify to the department commissioner, in a format prescribed 57 by the department, that each specified elementary school within 58 the district provides a comprehensive music education program 59 that meets the requirements of subsection (2). If a 60 participating selected school district fails to provide the 61 annual certification for a fiscal year, the school district must 62 return all funds received through the pilot program for that 63 fiscal year. 64 (4)The University of Floridas College of Education, in 65 collaboration with Florida International Universitys School of 66 Music, shall evaluate the effectiveness of the pilot program by 67 measuring student academic performance and the success of the 68 program. The evaluation must include, but is not limited to, a 69 quantitative analysis of student achievement and a qualitative 70 evaluation of students enrolled in the comprehensive music 71 education programs. The results of the evaluation must be shared 72 with the Florida Center for Partnerships for Arts-Integrated 73 Teaching upon completion of the evaluation. 74 (5)The State Board of Education may adopt rules to 75 administer this section. 76 (6)This section expires June 30, 2023. 77 Section 2.This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.