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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 students enrolled in dropout 2
retrieval programs; amending s. 1002.45, F.S.; 3
defining the term "dropout retrieval program"; 4
authorizing virtual instruction program providers who 5
exclusively provide services through a dropout 6
retrieval program to receive a school improvement 7
rating; requiring all other virtual instruction 8
program providers to receive a school grade; amending 9
s. 1008.34, F.S.; revi sing the criteria used to 10
determine if certain students are not included in the 11
calculation of an alternative school's school grade; 12
providing an effective date. 13
14
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 15
16
Section 1. Paragraph (a) o f subsection (1) and paragraph 17
(a) of subsection (7) of section 1002.45, Florida Statutes, are 18
amended to read: 19
1002.45 Virtual instruction programs. — 20
(1) PROGRAM.— 21
(a) For purposes of this section, the term: 22
1. "Approved virtual instruction progra m provider" means a 23
provider that is approved by the State Board of Education under 24
subsection (2), the Florida Virtual School, a franchise of the 25
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Florida Virtual School, or a Florida College System institution. 26
2. "Department" means the Department of Ed ucation. 27
3. "Dropout retrieval program" means a program serving 28
students who have officially withdrawn from high school before 29
graduation and who are not engaged in the education system at 30
the time of enrollment. 31
4.3. "Virtual instruction program" mean s a program of 32
instruction provided in an interactive learning environment 33
created through technology in which students are separated from 34
their teachers by time or space, or both. 35
(7) ASSESSMENT AND ACCOUNTABILITY. — 36
(a) Each approved virtual instructi on program provider 37
contracted pursuant to this section must: 38
1. Participate in the statewide assessment program under 39
s. 1008.22 and in the state's education performance 40
accountability system under s. 1008.31. 41
2. Receive a school grade under s. 1008.3 4 or a school 42
improvement rating under s. 1008.341, as applicable. A virtual 43
instruction program provider that exclusively provides services 44
as a dropout retrieval program may choose to receive a school 45
improvement rating. The school improvement rating rec eived by an 46
each approved virtual instruction program provider shall be 47
based upon the aggregated assessment scores of all students 48
served by the provider statewide. All other Each approved 49
virtual instruction program providers provider shall receive a 50
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district grade pursuant to s. 1008.34 based upon the aggregated 51
assessment scores of all students served by the provider 52
statewide and a separate school grade for each school district 53
with which it contracts based upon the assessment scores of all 54
students served within the school district. The department shall 55
publish the school grade or school improvement rating received 56
by each approved virtual instruction program provider on its 57
Internet website. The department shall develop an evaluation 58
method for providers of part-time programs which includes the 59
percentage of students making learning gains, the percentage of 60
students successfully passing any required end -of-course 61
assessment, the percentage of students taking Advanced Placement 62
examinations, and the per centage of students scoring 3 or higher 63
on an Advanced Placement examination. 64
Section 2. Paragraph (d) of subsection (3) of section 65
1008.34, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 66
1008.34 School grading system; school report cards; 67
district grade.— 68
(3) DESIGNATION OF SCHOOL GRADES. — 69
(d) The data of students attending alternative schools, 70
students designated as hospital or homebound, and students who 71
transfer to a private school shall be factored into a school 72
grade as follows: 73
1.a. The student performance data for eligible students 74
attending alternative schools that provide dropout prevention 75
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and academic intervention services pursuant to s. 1003.53 shall 76
be included in the calculation of the home school's grade. The 77
term "eligible students" in t his subparagraph does not include 78
students: 79
(I) Attending an alternative school who are subject to 80
district school board policies for expulsion for repeated or 81
serious offenses. 82
(II), Who are in dropout retrieval programs serving 83
students who have offi cially withdrawn from high school before 84
graduation and who are not engaged in the education system at 85
the time of enrollment. been designated as dropouts, or 86
(III) Who are in programs operated or contracted by the 87
Department of Juvenile Justice. 88
b. As used in this subparagraph, the term "home school" 89
means the school to which the student would be assigned if the 90
student were not assigned to an alternative school. If an 91
alternative school chooses to be graded under this section, 92
student performance dat a for eligible students identified in 93
this subparagraph shall not be included in the home school's 94
grade but shall be included only in the calculation of the 95
alternative school's grade. A school district that fails to 96
assign statewide, standardized end -of-course assessment scores 97
of each of its students to his or her home school or to the 98
alternative school that receives a grade shall forfeit Florida 99
School Recognition Program funds for one fiscal year. School 100
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districts must require collaboration between th e home school and 101
the alternative school in order to promote student success. This 102
collaboration must include an annual discussion between the 103
principal of the alternative school and the principal of each 104
student's home school concerning the most appropria te school 105
assignment of the student. 106
2. Student performance data for students designated as 107
hospital or homebound shall be assigned to their home school for 108
the purposes of school grades. As used in this subparagraph, the 109
term "home school" means the sch ool to which a student would be 110
assigned if the student were not assigned to a hospital or 111
homebound program. 112
3. A high school must include a student in its graduation 113
rate if the student transfers from the high school to a private 114
school with which the school district has a contractual 115
relationship. 116
Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2025. 117