Florida Senate - 2025 SB 112 By Senator Harrell 31-01030B-25 2025112__ 1 A bill to be entitled 2 An act relating to children with developmental 3 disabilities; amending s. 381.9855, F.S.; revising the 4 scope of the Dr. and Mrs. Alfonse and Kathleen Cinotti 5 Health Care Screening and Services Grant Program to 6 allow grant funds to be used for screenings, referrals 7 for treatment, and related services for autism; 8 amending s. 391.302, F.S.; revising applicability of 9 definitions to conform to changes made by the act; 10 defining the term department; amending s. 391.308, 11 F.S.; revising requirements for the annual grant 12 application submitted by the Department of Health for 13 the Early Steps Program to conform to changes made by 14 the act; creating s. 391.3081, F.S.; providing 15 legislative intent; providing a purpose for the Early 16 Steps Extended Option; defining the term child; 17 requiring the department to seek federal approval for 18 the Early Steps Extended Option; requiring the 19 department, jointly with the Department of Education, 20 to develop or amend any rule, policy, procedure, 21 written agreement, or contract necessary to implement 22 the Early Steps Extended Option; requiring the 23 department to seek additional federal grant funds for 24 implementation of the Early Steps Extended Option; 25 authorizing the department to implement the Early 26 Steps Extended Option regardless of certain federal 27 funding; requiring local program offices of the Early 28 Steps Program to include certain steps for transition 29 in the individualized family support plan for each 30 child served by the Early Steps Extended Option; 31 specifying eligibility criteria for a childs 32 enrollment in the Early Steps Extended Option; 33 authorizing a child to continue receiving services 34 under the Early Steps Extended Option until the 35 beginning of the school year following his or her 36 aging out of the Early Steps Extended Option; 37 providing that a child becomes ineligible to reenter 38 the Early Steps Extended Option upon exiting; 39 requiring local school districts, in conjunction with 40 local program offices, to notify a childs parent or 41 legal guardian of his or her rights under certain 42 circumstances; requiring local program offices to take 43 specified steps for transitioning children out of the 44 Early Steps Extended Option within a specified 45 timeframe before they age out; requiring local program 46 offices, in conjunction with local school districts, 47 to modify or develop, as applicable, individual 48 education plans with specified elements for such 49 children; requiring local program offices and local 50 school districts to provide specified written 51 information to a childs parent or legal guardian if 52 the child is determined ineligible for school district 53 program services; requiring the department to include 54 a performance assessment of the Early Steps Extended 55 Option in a specified annual report; specifying 56 requirements for such assessment; creating s. 57 1003.5711, F.S.; providing legislative findings and 58 intent; requiring the University of Florida Center for 59 Autism and Neurodevelopment to oversee certain grants; 60 requiring the center to develop guidelines for grant 61 administration; providing eligibility requirements for 62 grant applicants; providing that grants may be used 63 for specified purposes; authorizing the center to 64 prioritize grant allocations for specified purposes; 65 requiring grant recipients to submit a specified 66 report; creating s. 1003.5712, F.S.; providing 67 legislative findings and purpose; requiring the 68 University of Florida Center for Autism and 69 Neurodevelopment to fund specialized summer programs 70 for children with autism spectrum disorder; requiring 71 the center to publish guidelines for grant 72 applications; requiring the center to provide 73 technical assistance to grant applicants and 74 recipients; providing eligibility requirements for the 75 specialized summer programs; authorizing the center to 76 set maximum grant amounts; requiring grant recipients 77 to submit a report to the center within a specified 78 timeframe; creating s. 1004.551, F.S.; creating the 79 University of Florida Center for Autism and 80 Neurodevelopment; providing duties of the center; 81 requiring the center to develop an autism micro 82 credential; providing requirements for the micro 83 credential; requiring the center to publish on its 84 website an annual report; prohibiting the host state 85 university from charging certain fees to the center; 86 amending s. 1012.582, F.S.; requiring the Commissioner 87 of Education to review specified curricula by a 88 specified date; requiring the commissioner to report 89 findings and recommendations to the Legislature; 90 amending s. 1012.585, F.S.; revising the process for 91 the renewal of professional certificates to include 92 training in the knowledge and skills required to 93 support students with autism; providing an effective 94 date. 95 96 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 97 98 Section 1.Paragraph (a) of subsection (1) of section 99 381.9855, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 100 381.9855Dr. and Mrs. Alfonse and Kathleen Cinotti Health 101 Care Screening and Services Grant Program; portal. 102 (1)(a)The Department of Health shall implement the Dr. and 103 Mrs. Alfonse and Kathleen Cinotti Health Care Screening and 104 Services Grant Program. The purpose of the program is to expand 105 access to no-cost health care screenings or services for the 106 general public facilitated by nonprofit entities. The department 107 shall do all of the following: 108 1.Publicize the availability of funds and enlist the aid 109 of county health departments for outreach to potential 110 applicants at the local level. 111 2.Establish an application process for submitting a grant 112 proposal and criteria an applicant must meet to be eligible. 113 3.Develop guidelines a grant recipient must follow for the 114 expenditure of grant funds and uniform data reporting 115 requirements for the purpose of evaluating the performance of 116 grant recipients. The guidelines must require grant funds to be 117 spent on screenings, including referrals for treatment, if 118 appropriate, or related services for one or more of the 119 following: 120 a.Hearing. 121 b.Vision. 122 c.Dental. 123 d.Cancer. 124 e.Diabetes. 125 f.Renal disease. 126 g.Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. 127 h.Hypertension. 128 i.Heart disease. 129 j.Stroke. 130 k.Scoliosis. 131 l.Autism. 132 Section 2.Section 391.302, Florida Statutes, is amended to 133 read: 134 391.302Definitions.As used in ss. 391.301-391.3081 ss. 135 391.301-391.308, the term: 136 (1)Department means the Department of Health. 137 (2)Developmental delay means a condition, identified and 138 measured through appropriate instruments and procedures, which 139 may delay physical, cognitive, communication, social or 140 emotional, or adaptive development. 141 (3)(2)Developmental disability means a condition, 142 identified and measured through appropriate instruments and 143 procedures, which may impair physical, cognitive, communication, 144 social or emotional, or adaptive development. 145 (4)(3)Developmental intervention or early intervention 146 means individual and group therapies and services needed to 147 enhance both the infants or toddlers growth and development 148 and family functioning. The term includes habilitative services 149 and assistive technology devices, rehabilitative services and 150 assistive technology devices, and parent support and training. 151 (5)(4)Habilitative services and devices means health 152 care services and assistive technology devices that help a child 153 maintain, learn, or improve skills and functioning for daily 154 living. 155 (6)(5)Except as otherwise defined for the purposes of s. 156 391.3081, infant or toddler or child means a child from 157 birth until the childs third birthday. 158 (7)(6)Local program office means an office that 159 administers the Early Steps Program within a municipality, 160 county, or region. 161 (8)(7)Rehabilitative services and devices means 162 restorative and remedial services that maintain or enhance the 163 current level of functioning of a child if there is a 164 possibility of improvement or reversal of impairment. 165 Section 3.Paragraph (a) of subsection (2) of section 166 391.308, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 167 391.308Early Steps Program.The department shall implement 168 and administer part C of the federal Individuals with 169 Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which shall be known as the 170 Early Steps Program. 171 (2)DUTIES OF THE DEPARTMENT.The department shall: 172 (a)Annually prepare a grant application to the United 173 States Department of Education for funding early intervention 174 services for infants and toddlers with disabilities, from birth 175 through 36 months of age, and their families pursuant to part C 176 of the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. 177 Section 4.Section 391.3081, Florida Statutes, is created 178 to read: 179 391.3081Early Steps Extended Option. 180 (1)LEGISLATIVE INTENT.The Legislature recognizes that 181 continuity of care promotes positive outcomes in the learning 182 and development of infants, toddlers, and children. It is the 183 intent of the Legislature to offer families of children with 184 developmental delays or disabilities a choice to continue 185 services in the Early Steps Program until such children reach 4 186 years of age. 187 (2)PURPOSE. 188 (a)The purpose of the Early Steps Extended Option is to 189 continue enrollment in the Early Steps Program for those 190 children who are eligible. Therefore, the provisions of s. 191 391.308 are maintained and incorporated in the Early Steps 192 Extended Option. 193 (b)For the purposes of this section, child means a child 194 from birth until the childs fourth birthday. 195 (3)DUTIES. 196 (a)The department shall: 197 1.Submit its application for federal approval to extend 198 eligibility for services under part C of the federal Individuals 199 with Disabilities Education Act no later than July 1, 2026. 200 2.Jointly with the Department of Education, develop or 201 amend any rule, policy, procedure, written agreement, or 202 contract necessary to implement the Early Steps Extended Option 203 in accordance with state law and part C of the federal 204 Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. 205 3.Seek additional federal grant funds, as available, for 206 the implementation of the Early Steps Extended Option, including 207 a state incentive grant. However, the department may implement 208 the Early Steps Extended Option regardless of the availability 209 or acceptance of supplemental federal grant funds, contingent 210 upon the appropriation of state funds. 211 (b)As part of the individualized family support plan for 212 each child served under the Early Steps Extended Option, a local 213 program office shall include steps for a child to transition to 214 part B of the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education 215 Act or other future services by the childs fourth birthday. 216 (4)ELIGIBILITY.The department must apply the following 217 eligibility criteria if specific funding is provided in the 218 General Appropriations Act: 219 (a)All of the following criteria must be met for a child 220 to continue receiving Early Steps Program services under the 221 Early Steps Extended Option: 222 1.The child must be determined eligible for early 223 intervention services through the Early Steps Program at least 224 45 days before the childs third birthday. 225 2.The child must be determined eligible for services under 226 part B of the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education 227 Act. 228 3.Before the childs third birthday, the family must 229 choose to continue services through the Early Steps Extended 230 Option, which shall include an educational component to promote 231 school readiness and incorporate pre-literacy, language, and 232 numeracy skills. 233 (b)A child may continue to receive services under the 234 Early Steps Extended Option until the beginning of the school 235 year following the childs fourth birthday. 236 (c)A child becomes ineligible to reenter the Early Steps 237 Extended Option upon exiting the program. If a family chooses to 238 exit the Early Steps Extended Option before the childs fourth 239 birthday, the local school district, in conjunction with the 240 local program office, must notify the childs parent or legal 241 guardian of his or her rights under part B of the federal 242 Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. 243 (d)A child may not receive services under part B of the 244 federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act while 245 receiving services through the Early Steps Extended Option. 246 (e)A child may not receive a state scholarship under s. 247 1002.394 while receiving services through the Early Steps 248 Extended Option. 249 (5)TRANSITION TO EDUCATION. 250 (a)At least 90 days before a child enrolled in the Early 251 Steps Extended Option reaches his or her fourth birthday, the 252 local program office shall initiate transition planning to 253 ensure the childs successful transition from the Early Steps 254 Extended Option to a school district program under part B of the 255 federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act or to 256 another program as part of an individual family support plan. 257 Specifically, the local program office shall: 258 1.Notify the Department of Education and the local school 259 district in which the child resides that the eligible child is 260 exiting the Early Steps Extended Option, unless the childs 261 parent or legal guardian has opted out of such notification; and 262 2.Upon approval by the childs parent or legal guardian, 263 convene a transition conference that includes participation of a 264 local school district representative and the parent or legal 265 guardian to discuss options for and availability of services. 266 (b)The local program office, in conjunction with the local 267 school district, shall modify a childs individual family 268 support plan, or, if applicable, the local school district shall 269 develop or review an individual education plan for the child 270 pursuant to ss. 1003.57, 1003.571, and 1003.5715 which 271 identifies special education or related services that the child 272 will receive and the providers or agencies that will provide 273 such services. 274 (c)If a child is found to be no longer eligible for part B 275 of the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act 276 during the review of an individual education plan, the local 277 program office and the local school district must provide the 278 childs parent or legal guardian with written information on 279 other available services or community resources. 280 (6)ACCOUNTABILITY REPORTING.The department shall include 281 a performance assessment of the Early Steps Extended Option in 282 the annual report specified in s. 391.308(5). 283 (a)The assessment must include: 284 1.The number and percentage of children eligible under 285 part B of the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education 286 Act who receive services through the Early Steps Extended 287 Option. 288 2.The number and percentage of children determined 289 eligible to receive services under part B of the federal 290 Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. 291 3.The number and percentage of children determined 292 ineligible to receive services under part B of the federal 293 Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. 294 (b)The Department of Education shall provide to the 295 department data necessary for the evaluation of the Early Steps 296 Program and the Early Steps Extended Option, including, but not 297 limited to, the number and percentage of children who are 298 referred by either program and who elect to receive services 299 under part B of the federal Individuals with Disabilities 300 Education Act. 301 Section 5.1003.5711, Florida Statutes, is created to read: 302 1003.5711Startup grant for autism charter schools. 303 (1)LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS AND INTENT. 304 (a)The Legislature finds that students identified as 305 having autism spectrum disorder may require highly specialized 306 educational environments and resources to achieve their full 307 potential. 308 (b)It is the intent of the Legislature to support the 309 creation of schools exclusively serving this population by 310 providing startup funding to offset the costs of developing and 311 implementing these specialized programs. 312 (2)ADMINISTRATION. 313 (a)The University of Florida Center for Autism and 314 Neurodevelopment shall oversee the application, evaluation, and 315 distribution of grants under this section. 316 (b)The center shall develop guidelines for grant 317 administration, including: 318 1.Application procedures and deadlines. 319 2.Criteria for program eligibility and funding priorities. 320 3.Reporting and accountability standards for grant 321 recipients. 322 4.A preapproval process to assist applicants with planning 323 in the charter school application process under s. 1002.33(6) 324 and (7). 325 (3)ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS AND USE OF FUNDS. 326 (a)The guidelines developed by the center must, at a 327 minimum, require applicants, before approval for a startup 328 grant, to: 329 1.Demonstrate intent, in accordance with guidelines 330 developed by the center, to establish or expand a charter school 331 pursuant to s. 1002.33, or a laboratory school under s. 1002.32, 332 to serve exclusively students diagnosed with autism spectrum 333 disorder and classified as exceptional students under s. 334 1003.01(9). 335 2.Provide evidence of community need and stakeholder 336 support, which may include letters of intent to enroll from 337 families or organizations. 338 3.Submit a detailed plan outlining: 339 a.Instructional methods and proposed support services, 340 including evidence-based practices for students with autism. 341 b.Family engagement and strategies for coordinating 342 necessary services for students outside of school hours and as 343 students transition to adulthood. 344 c.Anticipated startup costs and a budget for use of grant 345 funds. 346 d.Strategies for leveraging other federal and state 347 funding. 348 4.Provide evidence of financial stability and programmatic 349 expertise. 350 5.Attest to compliance with state and federal laws. 351 (b)Grants may be used for the following purposes: 352 1.Facility acquisition, renovation, or modification. 353 2.Purchase or development of specialized instructional 354 materials, curriculum, assistive technology, and adaptive 355 equipment. 356 3.Recruitment, salaries, and training of staff experienced 357 in working with students with autism and significant cognitive 358 disabilities. 359 4.Student transportation. 360 5.Ancillary equipment related to student safety. 361 (4)FUNDING AND GRANT AMOUNTS. 362 (a)The grant is subject to legislative appropriation. 363 (b)The center shall annually determine the maximum grant 364 amount for each school on the basis of the annual appropriation 365 in relation to projected applications. 366 (c)The center may prioritize grants for schools in the 367 following priority: 368 1.Programs serving rural and underserved areas. 369 2.Programs serving other underserved areas. 370 3.Programs with demonstrable success in establishing and 371 operating a charter school exclusively for students with autism 372 and related disorders. 373 4.Programs that use existing facilities. 374 (d)An applicant may not receive funds until the applicant 375 has received approval from a sponsoring entity to operate a 376 charter school or modify an existing charter pursuant to s. 377 1002.33(6) and (7), or has established a school advisory body 378 for a laboratory school in accordance with s. 1002.32(8). 379 (5)REPORTING AND ACCOUNTABILITY.Grant recipients must 380 submit an annual report to the Center for Autism and 381 Neurodevelopment detailing: 382 (a)How grant funds were expended. 383 (b)Enrollment and program outcomes following the first 384 complete school year of operation. 385 (c)Challenges encountered and recommendations for 386 improvement. 387 Section 6.Section 1003.5712, Florida Statutes, is created 388 to read: 389 1003.5712Specialized summer programs for children with 390 autism and related disorders. 391 (1)PURPOSE AND INTENT. 392 (a)The Legislature finds that many children with autism 393 spectrum disorder face challenges during the summer months due 394 to limited access to extended school year programs, summer 395 school, and traditional summer camps that can accommodate their 396 needs. 397 (b)The purpose of this section is to support specialized 398 summer programs that provide structured, supportive environments 399 for these children, ensuring continuity of care, skill 400 development, and social engagement. 401 (2)ADMINISTRATION AND GRANTS. 402 (a)The University of Florida Center for Autism and 403 Neurodevelopment shall administer a grant program to fund 404 specialized summer programs for children with autism spectrum 405 disorder who have significant emotional or behavior disorders or 406 cognitive disabilities. 407 (b)Grants may be awarded annually to eligible entities, 408 subject to available appropriations. 409 (c)The center shall develop and publish guidelines for 410 grant applications, including criteria for program eligibility, 411 use of funds, and reporting requirements. 412 (d)The center shall provide technical assistance to grant 413 applicants and recipients. 414 (3)PROGRAM ELIGIBILITY AND STANDARDS.The guidelines 415 developed by the center must, at a minimum, require programs to: 416 (a)Serve children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder 417 for whom placement in a summer camp that is not equipped to 418 serve such children is inappropriate. 419 (b)Provide a structured schedule of activities that may 420 include, but are not limited to: 421 1.Behavioral and social skill development. 422 2.Recreational and leisure activities tailored to 423 individual needs. 424 3.Therapy-based support, including speech, occupational, 425 or behavioral therapies, when appropriate. 426 4.Family support and training workshops. 427 (c)Employ staff with relevant experience or training in 428 working with children with autism and severe emotional, 429 behavioral, or cognitive disorders. 430 (d)Maintain a safe and inclusive environment, with 431 appropriate staff-to-participant ratios. 432 (e)Operate in compliance with all applicable state and 433 federal laws, including health and safety regulations. 434 (f)Provide a full-day program for at least 4 weeks. 435 (g)Leverage other available federal or state funding 436 sources, including Medicaid waivers, Individuals with 437 Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and other federal funding, or 438 private contributions, to supplement state grants. 439 (4)FUNDING. 440 (a)Grants are subject to legislative appropriation. 441 (b)Grants may be used for any of the following purposes: 442 1.Facility costs. 443 2.Staff salaries and training. 444 3.Curriculum or other instructional or activity costs. 445 4.Property and liability insurance. 446 5.Equipment purchase or rental. 447 6.Transportation for camp participants. 448 (c)The center shall prioritize awarding grants to programs 449 that: 450 1.Serve underserved or rural areas where specialized 451 summer programs are unavailable. 452 2.Provide comprehensive support services, including family 453 involvement and community integration. 454 (d)The center may set maximum grant amounts and require 455 matching funds contributions from grant recipients, dependent 456 upon available funds and projected participation. 457 (e)In addition to criteria determined by the center, grant 458 amounts may vary based on the services provided and the duration 459 of the program. 460 (5)REPORTING AND OVERSIGHT.Grant recipients must submit a 461 report to the Center for Autism and Neurodevelopment within 45 462 days after the conclusion of the summer program detailing: 463 (a)Program enrollment and participation. 464 (b)Use of grant funds. 465 (c)Outcomes related to participant engagement, skill 466 building, and family satisfaction. 467 Section 7.Section 1004.551, Florida Statutes, is created 468 to read: 469 1004.551University of Florida Center for Autism and 470 Neurodevelopment.There is created at the University of Florida 471 the Center for Autism and Neurodevelopment. 472 (1)The center shall: 473 (a)Collaborate with state and local agencies that provide 474 early intervention, educational, medical, employment, financial, 475 and daily living services. The center shall also collaborate 476 with other entities that provide autism research and services, 477 including, but not limited to, the Florida State University 478 Autism Institute, the Centers for Autism and Related Disorders 479 (CARD), the Florida Diagnostic and Learning Resources System 480 (FDLRS), the Agency for Persons with Disabilities, the 481 Department of Health, the Department of Education, and the 482 Department of Children and Families. 483 (b)Coordinate information and resources related to 484 research, best practices, training, and public awareness to 485 better support families of children with autism. 486 (c)Develop strategies to promote public awareness of the 487 signs of autism, the importance of early screening, and 488 interventions and supports available to families. The center 489 shall assist in the assignment of a toll-free number for autism 490 support. 491 (d)Catalog and distribute best practices related to 492 screening tools, diagnosis, and interventions. 493 (e)Review and approve applications for specialized summer 494 programs for children with autism pursuant to s. 1003.5712. The 495 center shall act as the fiscal agent for grant funds and develop 496 minimum requirements for the creation of specialized summer 497 programs. 498 (f)Develop an autism micro-credential to allow certified 499 and noncertified instructional personnel to acquire knowledge 500 and skills to support students with autism. The autism micro 501 credential must be stackable with the autism endorsement. 502 1.The micro-credential must require that the participant 503 demonstrate competency to: 504 a.Identify behaviors associated with autism. 505 b.Support the learning environment in a general education 506 or specialized classroom setting. 507 c.Promote the use of assistive technologies. 508 d.Apply evidence-based practices in instruction. 509 2.The micro-credential must be provided at no cost to 510 instructional personnel and be competency based to allow 511 instructional personnel to complete the credentialing process 512 either in person or online. Instructional personnel may at any 513 time during the training receive the micro-credential once 514 competency is demonstrated. 515 (g)Develop strategies to increase the workforce qualified 516 to provide autism-related services to children and adults in a 517 public or private setting. 518 (h)Develop and catalog professional learning activities 519 for health care, child welfare, and instructional personnel. 520 (i)Administer startup grants for autism charter schools 521 pursuant to s. 1003.5711 and provide technical assistance to 522 grant applicants and recipients. The center shall also review 523 access to federal funding sources for establishing charter 524 schools for students with autism and include in its annual 525 report recommendations for improving practical access. 526 (j)Catalog best practices for screening, referral, and 527 diagnosis; access to therapy services; and other licensed 528 practitioner services using private and public insurance, to 529 include access to services in schools. 530 (k)Beginning August 1, 2026, and each August 1 thereafter, 531 publish on its website a report detailing activities, 532 expenditures, and outcomes from the previous year. The report 533 must include the grants administered by the center and 534 recommendations for improvement. 535 (2)The host state university may not charge any indirect 536 administrative fees to the center. 537 Section 8.Subsection (5) is added to section 1012.582, 538 Florida Statutes, to read: 539 1012.582Continuing education and inservice training for 540 teaching students with developmental and emotional or behavioral 541 disabilities. 542 (5)The commissioner shall review the curricula in 543 continuing education or inservice education of instructional 544 personnel based on recommendations required under this section. 545 No later than December 1, 2025, the commissioner shall report to 546 the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of 547 Representatives on findings and recommendations for updates to 548 instruction. 549 Section 9.Paragraph (a) of subsection (3) of section 550 1012.585, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 551 1012.585Process for renewal of professional certificates. 552 (3)For the renewal of a professional certificate, the 553 following requirements must be met: 554 (a)The applicant must earn a minimum of 6 college credits 555 or 120 inservice points or a combination thereof. For each area 556 of specialization to be retained on a certificate, the applicant 557 must earn at least 3 of the required credit hours or equivalent 558 inservice points in the specialization area. Education in 559 clinical educator training pursuant to s. 1004.04(5)(b); 560 participation in mentorship and induction activities, including 561 as a mentor, pursuant to s. 1012.56(8)(a); credits or points 562 that provide training in the knowledge and skills required to 563 support students with autism; and credits or points that provide 564 training in the area of scientifically researched, knowledge 565 based reading literacy grounded in the science of reading, 566 including explicit, systematic, and sequential approaches to 567 reading instruction, developing phonemic awareness, and 568 implementing multisensory intervention strategies, and 569 computational skills acquisition, exceptional student education, 570 normal child development, and the disorders of development may 571 be applied toward any specialization area. Credits or points 572 that provide training in the areas of drug abuse, child abuse 573 and neglect, strategies in teaching students having limited 574 proficiency in English, or dropout prevention, or training in 575 areas identified in the educational goals and performance 576 standards adopted pursuant to ss. 1000.03(5) and 1008.345 may be 577 applied toward any specialization area, except specialization 578 areas identified by State Board of Education rule that include 579 reading instruction or intervention for any students in 580 kindergarten through grade 6. Each district school board shall 581 include in its inservice master plan the ability for teachers to 582 receive inservice points for supporting students in 583 extracurricular career and technical education activities, such 584 as career and technical student organization activities outside 585 of regular school hours and training related to supervising 586 students participating in a career and technical student 587 organization. Credits or points earned through approved summer 588 institutes may be applied toward the fulfillment of these 589 requirements. Inservice points may also be earned by 590 participation in professional growth components approved by the 591 State Board of Education and specified pursuant to s. 1012.98 in 592 the districts approved master plan for inservice educational 593 training; however, such points may not be used to satisfy the 594 specialization requirements of this paragraph. 595 Section 10.This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.