FL
Florida House Bill H0537

Florida 2024 Regular Session

Florida House Bill H0537 Compare Versions

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1010 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
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14- 1
15-An act relating to student achievement; creating s. 2
16-1003.482, F.S.; creating the Music -based Supplemental 3
17-Content to Accelerate Learner Engagement and Success 4
18-(mSCALES) Pilot Program within the Department of 5
19-Education; providing the purpose of the pilot program; 6
20-providing requirements for the pilot program; 7
21-providing eligibility; authorizing district school 8
22-superintendents to contact the department for their 9
23-district to participate in the pilot program; 10
24-providing funding requirements, subject to legislative 11
25-appropriation; requiring participating school 12
26-districts to maintain eligibility; requiring the 13
27-College of Education at the University of Florida to 14
28-evaluate the pilot program's effectiveness and 15
29-annually share its findings with the department and 16
30-the Legislature; requiring the college to submit a 17
31-final report to specified entities by a specified 18
32-date; providing for expiration of the pilot program; 19
33-providing an effective date. 20
34- 21
35-Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 22
36- 23
37- Section 1. Section 1003.482, Florida Statutes, is created 24
38-to read: 25
39-ENROLLED
40-CS/CS/HB 537, Engrossed 1 2024 Legislature
14+A bill to be entitled 1
15+An act relating to student achievement; amending s. 2
16+1002.394, F.S.; conforming provisions to changes made 3
17+by the act; amending s. 1003.4282, F.S.; deleting 4
18+provisions providing for the award of a certificate of 5
19+completion to certain students; conforming pr ovisions 6
20+to changes made by the act; amending ss. 1003.433 and 7
21+1007.263, F.S.; conforming provisions to changes made 8
22+by the act; creating s. 1003.482, F.S.; creating the 9
23+Music-based Supplemental Content to Accelerate Learner 10
24+Engagement and Success (mSCALES ) Pilot Program within 11
25+the Department of Education; providing the purpose of 12
26+the pilot program; providing requirements for the 13
27+pilot program; providing eligibility; authorizing 14
28+district school superintendents to contact the 15
29+department for their district to participate in the 16
30+pilot program; providing funding requirements, subject 17
31+to legislative appropriation; requiring participating 18
32+school districts to maintain eligibility; requiring 19
33+the College of Education at the University of Florida 20
34+to evaluate the pilot program's effectiveness and 21
35+annually share its findings with the department and 22
36+the Legislature; requiring the college to submit a 23
37+final report to specified entities by a specified 24
38+date; providing for expiration of the pilot program; 25
39+
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4747 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
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51- 1003.482 mSCALES Pilot Program. — 26
52- (1)(a) The Music-based Supplemental Content to Accelerate 27
53-Learner Engagement and Success (mSCALES) Pilot Program is 28
54-created within the Department of Education. The purpose of the 29
55-pilot program is to assist districts in adopting music -based 30
56-supplemental materials that support STEM courses for middle 31
57-school students. 32
58- (b) The music-based supplemental materials must be used by 33
59-teachers who are certified to teach mathematics pursuant to s. 34
60-1012.55(1)(c). The supplemental materials must be used at a 35
61-minimum twice per week to supplement mathematics instruction. 36
62- (c) Classes that use the supplemental materials are 37
63-subject to the class size requirements of s. 1003.03. 38
64- (d) The school districts in Alachua, Marion, and Miami -39
65-Dade Counties are eligible to participate in the pilot program. 40
66-District school superintendents may contact the Department of 41
67-Education, in a format prescribed by the department, for their 42
68-district to participate in the pilot program. Subject to 43
69-legislative appropriation, the department may approve a school 44
70-district to participate in the pilot program if suffici ent 45
71-funding is available. 46
72- (e) Participating school districts shall receive $6 per 47
73-student. Eligible middle schools must be in the same attendance 48
74-zone as an elementary school that participated in the Early 49
75-Childhood Music Education Incentive Program. 50
76-ENROLLED
77-CS/CS/HB 537, Engrossed 1 2024 Legislature
51+providing an effectiv e date. 26
52+ 27
53+Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 28
54+ 29
55+ Section 1. Subsection (16) of section 1002.394, Florida 30
56+Statutes, is amended to read: 31
57+ 1002.394 The Family Empowerment Scholarship Program. — 32
58+ (16) TRANSITION-TO-WORK PROGRAM.—A student with a 33
59+disability who is determined eligible pursuant to paragraph 34
60+(3)(b) who is at least 17 years, but not older than 22 years of 35
61+age and who has not received a high school diploma or 36
62+certificate of completion is eligible for enrollment in his or 37
63+her private school's transition -to-work program. A transition -38
64+to-work program shall consist of academic instruction, work 39
65+skills training, and a volunteer or paid work experience. 40
66+ (a) To offer a transition -to-work program, a participating 41
67+private school must: 42
68+ 1. Develop a transition -to-work program plan, which must 43
69+include a written description of the academic instruction and 44
70+work skills training students will receive and the goals for 45
71+students in the program. 46
72+ 2. Submit the transition -to-work program plan to the 47
73+Office of Independent Education and Parental Choice. 48
74+ 3. Develop a personalized transition -to-work program plan 49
75+for each student enrolled in the program. The student's parent, 50
76+
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8484 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
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88- (f) To maintain eligibility for the pilot program, a 51
89-participating school district must annually certify to the 52
90-department, in a format prescribed by the department, that each 53
91-participating middle school within the district meets the 54
92-requirements of paragra phs (b) and (c). 55
93- (2)(a) The College of Education at the University of 56
94-Florida shall continuously evaluate the program's effectiveness. 57
95-The College of Education must annually share the findings of its 58
96-evaluations with the department and the Legislature. 59
97- (b) The College of Education at the University of Florida 60
98-shall prepare a comprehensive final report of the program's 61
99-overall effectiveness. The report must be presented, no later 62
100-than October 1, 2026, to the department, the Legislature, and 63
101-the Florida Center for Partnerships in Arts -Integrated Teaching. 64
102- (3) This section expires June 30, 2026. 65
103- Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2024. 66
88+the student, and the school principal must sign the personalized 51
89+plan. The personalized plan must be submitted to the Office of 52
90+Independent Education and Parental Choice upon request by the 53
91+office. 54
92+ 4. Provide a release of liability form that must be signed 55
93+by the student's parent, the student, and a representative of 56
94+the business offering the volunteer or paid work experience. 57
95+ 5. Assign a case manager or job coach to visit the 58
96+student's job site on a weekly basis to observe the student and, 59
97+if necessary, provide support and guidance to the student. 60
98+ 6. Provide to the p arent and student a quarterly report 61
99+that documents and explains the student's progress and 62
100+performance in the program. 63
101+ 7. Maintain accurate attendance and performance records 64
102+for the student. 65
103+ (b) A student enrolled in a transition -to-work program 66
104+must, at a minimum: 67
105+ 1. Receive 15 instructional hours at the private school's 68
106+physical facility, which must include academic instruction and 69
107+work skills training. 70
108+ 2. Participate in 10 hours of work at the student's 71
109+volunteer or paid work experience. 72
110+ (c) To participate in a transition -to-work program, a 73
111+business must: 74
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120+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
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124+ 1. Maintain an accurate record of the student's 75
125+performance and hours worked and provide the information to the 76
126+private school. 77
127+ 2. Comply with all state and federal child labor laws. 78
128+ Section 2. Paragraph (c) of subsection (5) and paragraphs 79
129+(a) and (d) of subsection (8) of section 1003.4282, Florida 80
130+Statutes, are amended to read: 81
131+ 1003.4282 Requirements for a standard high school 82
132+diploma.— 83
133+ (5) AWARD OF A STANDARD HIGH SCHOOL DIP LOMA.— 84
134+ (c) A student who earns the required 24 credits, or the 85
135+required 18 credits under s. 1002.3105(5), but fails to pass the 86
136+assessments required under s. 1008.22(3) or achieve a 2.0 GPA 87
137+shall be awarded a certificate of completion in a form 88
138+prescribed by the State Board of Education. However, a student 89
139+who is otherwise entitled to a certificate of completion may 90
140+elect to remain in high school either as a full -time student or 91
141+a part-time student for up to 1 additional year and receive 92
142+special instruction designed to remedy his or her identified 93
143+deficiencies. 94
144+ (8) STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES. —Beginning with students 95
145+entering grade 9 in the 2014 -2015 school year, this subsection 96
146+applies to a student with a disability. 97
147+ (a) A parent of the student with a disability shall, in 98
148+collaboration with the individual education plan (IEP) team 99
149+
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157+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
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161+during the transition planning process pursuant to s. 1003.5716, 100
162+declare an intent for the student to graduate from high school 101
163+with either a standard high school diploma or a certificate of 102
164+completion. A student with a disability who does not satisfy the 103
165+standard high school diploma requirements pursuant to this 104
166+section shall be awarded a certificate of completion. 105
167+ (d) A student with a disability who receives a certificate 106
168+of completion and has an individual education plan that 107
169+prescribes special education, transition planning, transition 108
170+services, or related services through 21 years of age may 109
171+continue to receive the specified instruction and services. 110
172+ 111
173+The State Board of E ducation shall adopt rules under ss. 112
174+120.536(1) and 120.54 to implement this subsection, including 113
175+rules that establish the minimum requirements for students 114
176+described in this subsection to earn a standard high school 115
177+diploma. The State Board of Education shall adopt emergency 116
178+rules pursuant to ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54. 117
179+ Section 3. Paragraph (b) of subsection (2) of section 118
180+1003.433, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 119
181+ 1003.433 Learning opportunities for out -of-state and out-120
182+of-country transfer stud ents and students needing additional 121
183+instruction to meet high school graduation requirements. — 122
184+ (2) Students who earn the required 24 credits for the 123
185+standard high school diploma except for passage of any must -pass 124
186+
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194+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
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198+assessment under s. 1003.4282 or s. 1008 .22 or an alternate 125
199+assessment by the end of grade 12 must be provided the following 126
200+learning opportunities: 127
201+ (b) Upon receipt of a certificate of completion, Be 128
202+allowed to take the College Placement Test and be admitted to 129
203+developmental education or cred it courses at a Florida College 130
204+System institution, as appropriate. 131
205+ Section 4. Subsection (4) of section 1007.263, Florida 132
206+Statutes, is amended to read: 133
207+ 1007.263 Florida College System institutions; admissions 134
208+of students.—Each Florida College System institution board of 135
209+trustees is authorized to adopt rules governing admissions of 136
210+students subject to this section and rules of the State Board of 137
211+Education. These rules shall include the following: 138
212+ (4) A student who has earned the required 24 credits under 139
213+s. 1003.4282, or the required 18 credits under s. 1002.3105(5), 140
214+for the standard high school diploma except for passage of any 141
215+must-pass assessment under s. 1003.4282 or s. 1008.22 or an 142
216+alternate assessment by the end of grade 12 been awarded a 143
217+certificate of completion under s. 1003.4282 is eligible to 144
218+enroll in certificate career education programs. 145
219+ 146
220+Each board of trustees shall establish policies that notify 147
221+students about developmental education options for improving 148
222+their communication or comput ation skills that are essential to 149
223+
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231+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
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235+performing college-level work, including tutoring, extended time 150
236+in gateway courses, free online courses, adult basic education, 151
237+adult secondary education, or private provider instruction. 152
238+ Section 5. Section 1003.482, Florida Statutes, is created 153
239+to read: 154
240+ 1003.482 mSCALES Pilot Program. — 155
241+ (1)(a) The Music-based Supplemental Content to Accelerate 156
242+Learner Engagement and Success (mSCALES) Pilot Program is 157
243+created within the Department of Education. The purpose of the 158
244+pilot program is to assist districts in adopting music -based 159
245+supplemental materials that support STEM courses for middle 160
246+school students. 161
247+ (b) The music-based supplemental materials must be used by 162
248+teachers who are certified to teach mathematics pursuant to s. 163
249+1012.55(1)(c). The supplemental materials must be used at a 164
250+minimum twice per week to supplement mathematics instruction. 165
251+ (c) Classes that use the supplemental materials are 166
252+subject to the class size requirements of s. 1003.03. 167
253+ (d) The school districts in Alachua, Marion, and Miami -168
254+Dade Counties are eligible to participate in the pilot program. 169
255+District school superintendents may contact the Department of 170
256+Education, in a format prescribed by the department, for their 171
257+district to participate in the pilot program. Subject to 172
258+legislative appropriation, the department may approve a school 173
259+district to participate in the pilot program if sufficient 174
260+
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268+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
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272+funding is available. 175
273+ (e) Participating school districts shall receive $6 per 176
274+student. Eligible middle sc hools must be in the same attendance 177
275+zone as an elementary school that participated in the Early 178
276+Childhood Music Education Incentive Program. 179
277+ (f) To maintain eligibility for the pilot program, a 180
278+participating school district must annually certify to the 181
279+department, in a format prescribed by the department, that each 182
280+participating middle school within the district meets the 183
281+requirements of paragraphs (b) and (c). 184
282+ (2)(a) The College of Education at the University of 185
283+Florida shall continuously evaluate the program's effectiveness. 186
284+The College of Education must annually share the findings of its 187
285+evaluations with the department and the Legislature. 188
286+ (b) The College of Education at the University of Florida 189
287+shall prepare a comprehensive final report of the pr ogram's 190
288+overall effectiveness. The report must be presented, no later 191
289+than October 1, 2026, to the department, the Legislature, and 192
290+the Florida Center for Partnerships in Arts -Integrated Teaching. 193
291+ (3) This section expires June 30, 2026. 194
292+ Section 6. This act shall take effect July 1, 2024. 195