Florida Senate - 2025 CS for CS for SB 112 By the Committees on Fiscal Policy; and Education Pre-K - 12; and Senator Harrell 594-02157-25 2025112c2 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 providing that a child becomes ineligible to reenter 34 the Early Steps Extended Option upon exiting; 35 requiring local school districts, in conjunction with 36 local program offices, to notify a childs parent or 37 legal guardian of his or her rights under certain 38 circumstances; requiring local program offices to take 39 specified steps for transitioning children out of the 40 Early Steps Extended Option within a specified 41 timeframe before they age out; requiring local program 42 offices, in conjunction with local school districts, 43 to modify or develop, as applicable, individual 44 education plans with specified elements for such 45 children; requiring local program offices and local 46 school districts to provide specified written 47 information to a childs parent or legal guardian if 48 the child is determined ineligible for school district 49 program services; requiring the department to include 50 a performance assessment of the Early Steps Extended 51 Option in a specified annual report; specifying 52 requirements for such assessment; providing an 53 appropriation; creating s. 1003.5711, F.S.; providing 54 legislative findings and intent; requiring the 55 University of Florida Center for Autism and 56 Neurodevelopment to oversee certain grants; requiring 57 the center to develop guidelines for grant 58 administration; providing eligibility requirements for 59 grant applicants; providing that grants may be used 60 for specified purposes; authorizing the center to 61 prioritize grant allocations for specified purposes; 62 requiring grant recipients to submit a specified 63 report; creating s. 1003.5712, F.S.; providing 64 legislative findings and purpose; requiring the 65 University of Florida Center for Autism and 66 Neurodevelopment to fund specialized summer programs 67 for children with autism spectrum disorder; requiring 68 the center to publish guidelines for grant 69 applications; requiring the center to provide 70 technical assistance to grant applicants and 71 recipients; providing eligibility requirements for the 72 specialized summer programs; authorizing the center to 73 set maximum grant amounts; requiring grant recipients 74 to submit a report to the center within a specified 75 timeframe; creating s. 1004.551, F.S.; creating the 76 University of Florida Center for Autism and 77 Neurodevelopment; providing duties of the center; 78 requiring the center to develop an autism micro 79 credential; providing requirements for the micro 80 credential; providing a stipend as determined in the 81 General Appropriations Act; requiring the center to 82 administer stipends; requiring the center to publish 83 on its website an annual report; prohibiting the host 84 state university from charging certain fees to the 85 center; amending s. 1012.582, F.S.; requiring the 86 Commissioner of Education to review specified 87 curricula by a specified date; requiring the 88 commissioner to report findings and recommendations to 89 the Legislature; amending s. 1012.585, F.S.; revising 90 the process for the renewal of professional 91 certificates to include training in the knowledge and 92 skills required to support students with autism; 93 providing an effective date. 94 95 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 96 97 Section 1.Paragraph (a) of subsection (1) of section 98 381.9855, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 99 381.9855Dr. and Mrs. Alfonse and Kathleen Cinotti Health 100 Care Screening and Services Grant Program; portal. 101 (1)(a)The Department of Health shall implement the Dr. and 102 Mrs. Alfonse and Kathleen Cinotti Health Care Screening and 103 Services Grant Program. The purpose of the program is to expand 104 access to no-cost health care screenings or services for the 105 general public facilitated by nonprofit entities. The department 106 shall do all of the following: 107 1.Publicize the availability of funds and enlist the aid 108 of county health departments for outreach to potential 109 applicants at the local level. 110 2.Establish an application process for submitting a grant 111 proposal and criteria an applicant must meet to be eligible. 112 3.Develop guidelines a grant recipient must follow for the 113 expenditure of grant funds and uniform data reporting 114 requirements for the purpose of evaluating the performance of 115 grant recipients. The guidelines must require grant funds to be 116 spent on screenings, including referrals for treatment, if 117 appropriate, or related services for one or more of the 118 following: 119 a.Hearing. 120 b.Vision. 121 c.Dental. 122 d.Cancer. 123 e.Diabetes. 124 f.Renal disease. 125 g.Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. 126 h.Hypertension. 127 i.Heart disease. 128 j.Stroke. 129 k.Scoliosis. 130 l.Autism. 131 Section 2.Section 391.302, Florida Statutes, is amended to 132 read: 133 391.302Definitions.As used in ss. 391.301-391.3081 ss. 134 391.301-391.308, the term: 135 (1)Department means the Department of Health. 136 (2)Developmental delay means a condition, identified and 137 measured through appropriate instruments and procedures, which 138 may delay physical, cognitive, communication, social or 139 emotional, or adaptive development. 140 (3)(2)Developmental disability means a condition, 141 identified and measured through appropriate instruments and 142 procedures, which may impair physical, cognitive, communication, 143 social or emotional, or adaptive development. 144 (4)(3)Developmental intervention or early intervention 145 means individual and group therapies and services needed to 146 enhance both the infants or toddlers growth and development 147 and family functioning. The term includes habilitative services 148 and assistive technology devices, rehabilitative services and 149 assistive technology devices, and parent support and training. 150 (5)(4)Habilitative services and devices means health 151 care services and assistive technology devices that help a child 152 maintain, learn, or improve skills and functioning for daily 153 living. 154 (6)(5)Except as otherwise defined for the purposes of s. 155 391.3081, infant or toddler or child means a child from 156 birth until the childs third birthday. 157 (7)(6)Local program office means an office that 158 administers the Early Steps Program within a municipality, 159 county, or region. 160 (8)(7)Rehabilitative services and devices means 161 restorative and remedial services that maintain or enhance the 162 current level of functioning of a child if there is a 163 possibility of improvement or reversal of impairment. 164 Section 3.Paragraph (a) of subsection (2) of section 165 391.308, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 166 391.308Early Steps Program.The department shall implement 167 and administer part C of the federal Individuals with 168 Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which shall be known as the 169 Early Steps Program. 170 (2)DUTIES OF THE DEPARTMENT.The department shall: 171 (a)Annually prepare a grant application to the United 172 States Department of Education for funding early intervention 173 services for infants and toddlers with disabilities, from birth 174 through 36 months of age, and their families pursuant to part C 175 of the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. 176 Section 4.Section 391.3081, Florida Statutes, is created 177 to read: 178 391.3081Early Steps Extended Option. 179 (1)LEGISLATIVE INTENT.The Legislature recognizes that 180 continuity of care promotes positive outcomes in the learning 181 and development of infants, toddlers, and children. It is the 182 intent of the Legislature to offer families of children with 183 developmental delays or disabilities a choice for such children 184 to continue services in the Early Steps Program beyond the age 185 of 3 years old. 186 (2)PURPOSE. 187 (a)The purpose of the Early Steps Extended Option is to 188 continue enrollment in the Early Steps Program for those 189 children who are eligible. Therefore, the provisions of s. 190 391.308 are maintained and incorporated in the Early Steps 191 Extended Option. 192 (b)For the purposes of this section, child means a child 193 from birth until the beginning of the school year following the 194 childs fourth birthday, as provided in 34 C.F.R. s. 195 303.211(a)(2)(ii). 196 (3)DUTIES. 197 (a)The department shall: 198 1.Submit its application for federal approval to extend 199 eligibility for services under part C of the federal Individuals 200 with Disabilities Education Act no later than July 1, 2026. 201 2.Jointly with the Department of Education, develop or 202 amend any rule, policy, procedure, written agreement, or 203 contract necessary to implement the Early Steps Extended Option 204 in accordance with state law and part C of the federal 205 Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. 206 3.Seek additional federal grant funds, as available, for 207 the implementation of the Early Steps Extended Option, including 208 a state incentive grant. However, the department may implement 209 the Early Steps Extended Option regardless of the availability 210 or acceptance of supplemental federal grant funds, contingent 211 upon the appropriation of state funds. 212 (b)As part of the individualized family support plan for 213 each child served under the Early Steps Extended Option, a local 214 program office shall include steps for a child to transition to 215 part B of the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education 216 Act or other future services by the beginning of the school year 217 following the childs fourth birthday. 218 (4)ELIGIBILITY.The department must apply the following 219 eligibility criteria if specific funding is provided in the 220 General Appropriations Act: 221 (a)All of the following criteria must be met for a child 222 to continue receiving Early Steps Program services under the 223 Early Steps Extended Option: 224 1.The child must be determined eligible for early 225 intervention services through the Early Steps Program at least 226 45 days before the childs third birthday. 227 2.The child must be determined eligible for services under 228 part B of the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education 229 Act. 230 3.Before the childs third birthday, the family must 231 choose to continue services through the Early Steps Extended 232 Option, which shall include an educational component to promote 233 school readiness and incorporate pre-literacy, language, and 234 numeracy skills. 235 (b)A child becomes ineligible to reenter the Early Steps 236 Extended Option upon exiting the program. If a family chooses to 237 exit the Early Steps Extended Option before the beginning of the 238 school year following the childs fourth birthday, the local 239 school district, in conjunction with the local program office, 240 must notify the childs parent or legal guardian of his or her 241 rights under part B of the federal Individuals with Disabilities 242 Education Act. 243 (c)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 (d)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 the beginning of the school 251 year following the fourth birthday of a child enrolled in the 252 Early Steps Extended Option, the local program office shall 253 initiate transition planning to ensure the childs successful 254 transition from the Early Steps Extended Option to a school 255 district program under part B of the federal Individuals with 256 Disabilities Education Act or to another program as part of an 257 individual family support plan. Specifically, the local program 258 office shall: 259 1.Notify the Department of Education and the local school 260 district in which the child resides that the eligible child is 261 exiting the Early Steps Extended Option, unless the childs 262 parent or legal guardian has opted out of such notification; and 263 2.Upon approval by the childs parent or legal guardian, 264 convene a transition conference that includes participation of a 265 local school district representative and the parent or legal 266 guardian to discuss options for and availability of services. 267 (b)The local program office, in conjunction with the local 268 school district, shall modify a childs individual family 269 support plan, or, if applicable, the local school district shall 270 develop or review an individual education plan for the child 271 pursuant to ss. 1003.57, 1003.571, and 1003.5715 which 272 identifies special education or related services that the child 273 will receive and the providers or agencies that will provide 274 such services. 275 (c)If a child is found to be no longer eligible for part B 276 of the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act 277 during the review of an individual education plan, the local 278 program office and the local school district must provide the 279 childs parent or legal guardian with written information on 280 other available services or community resources. 281 (6)ACCOUNTABILITY REPORTING.The department shall include 282 a performance assessment of the Early Steps Extended Option in 283 the annual report specified in s. 391.308(5). 284 (a)The assessment must include: 285 1.The number and percentage of children eligible under 286 part B of the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education 287 Act who receive services through the Early Steps Extended 288 Option. 289 2.The number and percentage of children determined 290 eligible to receive services under part B of the federal 291 Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. 292 3.The number and percentage of children determined 293 ineligible to receive services under part B of the federal 294 Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. 295 (b)The Department of Education shall provide to the 296 department data necessary for the evaluation of the Early Steps 297 Program and the Early Steps Extended Option, including, but not 298 limited to, the number and percentage of children who are 299 referred by either program and who elect to receive services 300 under part B of the federal Individuals with Disabilities 301 Education Act. 302 Section 5.For the 2025-2026 fiscal year, the recurring sum 303 of $720,282 and the nonrecurring sum of $35,622 are appropriated 304 from the General Revenue Fund, and six full-time equivalent 305 positions are authorized, to the Department of Health for the 306 purpose of implementing the Early Steps Extended Option as 307 created by this act. 308 Section 6.Section 1003.5711, Florida Statutes, is created 309 to read: 310 1003.5711Startup grant for autism charter schools. 311 (1)LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS AND INTENT. 312 (a)The Legislature finds that students identified as 313 having autism spectrum disorder may require highly specialized 314 educational environments and resources to achieve their full 315 potential. 316 (b)It is the intent of the Legislature to support the 317 creation of schools exclusively serving this population by 318 providing startup funding to offset the costs of developing and 319 implementing these specialized programs. 320 (2)ADMINISTRATION. 321 (a)The University of Florida Center for Autism and 322 Neurodevelopment shall oversee the application, evaluation, and 323 distribution of grants under this section. 324 (b)The center shall develop guidelines for grant 325 administration, including: 326 1.Application procedures and deadlines. 327 2.Criteria for program eligibility and funding priorities. 328 3.Reporting and accountability standards for grant 329 recipients. 330 4.A preapproval process to assist applicants with planning 331 in the charter school application process under s. 1002.33(6) 332 and (7). 333 (3)ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS AND USE OF FUNDS. 334 (a)The guidelines developed by the center must, at a 335 minimum, require applicants, before approval for a startup 336 grant, to: 337 1.Demonstrate intent, in accordance with guidelines 338 developed by the center, to establish or expand a charter school 339 pursuant to s. 1002.33, or a laboratory school under s. 1002.32, 340 to serve exclusively students diagnosed with autism spectrum 341 disorder and classified as exceptional students under s. 342 1003.01(9). 343 2.Provide evidence of community need and stakeholder 344 support, which may include letters of intent to enroll from 345 families or organizations. 346 3.Submit a detailed plan outlining: 347 a.Instructional methods and proposed support services, 348 including evidence-based practices for students with autism. 349 b.Family engagement and strategies for coordinating 350 necessary services for students outside of school hours and as 351 students transition to adulthood. 352 c.Anticipated startup costs and a budget for use of grant 353 funds. 354 d.Strategies for leveraging other federal and state 355 funding. 356 4.Provide evidence of financial stability and programmatic 357 expertise. 358 5.Attest to compliance with state and federal laws. 359 (b)Grants may be used for the following purposes: 360 1.Facility acquisition, renovation, or modification. 361 2.Purchase or development of specialized instructional 362 materials, curriculum, assistive technology, and adaptive 363 equipment. 364 3.Recruitment, salaries, and training of staff experienced 365 in working with students with autism and significant cognitive 366 disabilities. 367 4.Student transportation. 368 5.Ancillary equipment related to student safety. 369 (4)FUNDING AND GRANT AMOUNTS. 370 (a)The grant is subject to legislative appropriation. 371 (b)The center shall annually determine the maximum grant 372 amount for each school on the basis of the annual appropriation 373 in relation to projected applications. 374 (c)The center may prioritize grants for schools in the 375 following priority: 376 1.Programs serving rural and underserved areas. 377 2.Programs serving other underserved areas. 378 3.Programs with demonstrable success in establishing and 379 operating a charter school exclusively for students with autism 380 and related disorders. 381 4.Programs that use existing facilities. 382 (d)An applicant may not receive funds until the applicant 383 has received approval from a sponsoring entity to operate a 384 charter school or modify an existing charter pursuant to s. 385 1002.33(6) and (7), or has established a school advisory body 386 for a laboratory school in accordance with s. 1002.32(8). 387 (5)REPORTING AND ACCOUNTABILITY.Grant recipients must 388 submit an annual report to the Center for Autism and 389 Neurodevelopment detailing: 390 (a)How grant funds were expended. 391 (b)Enrollment and program outcomes following the first 392 complete school year of operation. 393 (c)Challenges encountered and recommendations for 394 improvement. 395 Section 7.Section 1003.5712, Florida Statutes, is created 396 to read: 397 1003.5712Specialized summer programs for children with 398 autism and related disorders. 399 (1)PURPOSE AND INTENT. 400 (a)The Legislature finds that many children with autism 401 spectrum disorder face challenges during the summer months due 402 to limited access to extended school year programs, summer 403 school, and traditional summer camps that can accommodate their 404 needs. 405 (b)The purpose of this section is to support specialized 406 summer programs that provide structured, supportive environments 407 for these children, ensuring continuity of care, skill 408 development, and social engagement. 409 (2)ADMINISTRATION AND GRANTS. 410 (a)The University of Florida Center for Autism and 411 Neurodevelopment shall administer a grant program to fund 412 specialized summer programs for children with autism spectrum 413 disorder who have significant emotional or behavior disorders or 414 cognitive disabilities. 415 (b)Grants may be awarded annually to eligible entities, 416 subject to available appropriations. 417 (c)The center shall develop and publish guidelines for 418 grant applications, including criteria for program eligibility, 419 use of funds, and reporting requirements. 420 (d)The center shall provide technical assistance to grant 421 applicants and recipients. 422 (3)PROGRAM ELIGIBILITY AND STANDARDS.The guidelines 423 developed by the center must, at a minimum, require programs to: 424 (a)Serve children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder 425 for whom placement in a summer camp that is not equipped to 426 serve such children is inappropriate. 427 (b)Provide a structured schedule of activities that may 428 include, but are not limited to: 429 1.Behavioral and social skill development. 430 2.Recreational and leisure activities tailored to 431 individual needs. 432 3.Therapy-based support, including speech, occupational, 433 or behavioral therapies, when appropriate. 434 4.Family support and training workshops. 435 (c)Employ staff with relevant experience or training in 436 working with children with autism and severe emotional, 437 behavioral, or cognitive disorders. 438 (d)Maintain a safe and inclusive environment, with 439 appropriate staff-to-participant ratios. 440 (e)Operate in compliance with all applicable state and 441 federal laws, including health and safety regulations. 442 (f)Provide a full-day program for at least 4 weeks. 443 (g)Leverage other available federal or state funding 444 sources, including Medicaid waivers, Individuals with 445 Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and other federal funding, or 446 private contributions, to supplement state grants. 447 (4)FUNDING. 448 (a)Grants are subject to legislative appropriation. 449 (b)Grants may be used for any of the following purposes: 450 1.Facility costs. 451 2.Staff salaries and training. 452 3.Curriculum or other instructional or activity costs. 453 4.Property and liability insurance. 454 5.Equipment purchase or rental. 455 6.Transportation for camp participants. 456 (c)The center shall prioritize awarding grants to programs 457 that: 458 1.Serve underserved or rural areas where specialized 459 summer programs are unavailable. 460 2.Provide comprehensive support services, including family 461 involvement and community integration. 462 (d)The center may set maximum grant amounts and require 463 matching funds contributions from grant recipients, dependent 464 upon available funds and projected participation. 465 (e)In addition to criteria determined by the center, grant 466 amounts may vary based on the services provided and the duration 467 of the program. 468 (5)REPORTING AND OVERSIGHT.Grant recipients must submit a 469 report to the Center for Autism and Neurodevelopment within 45 470 days after the conclusion of the summer program detailing: 471 (a)Program enrollment and participation. 472 (b)Use of grant funds. 473 (c)Outcomes related to participant engagement, skill 474 building, and family satisfaction. 475 Section 8.Section 1004.551, Florida Statutes, is created 476 to read: 477 1004.551University of Florida Center for Autism and 478 Neurodevelopment.There is created at the University of Florida 479 the Center for Autism and Neurodevelopment. 480 (1)The center shall: 481 (a)Collaborate with state and local agencies that provide 482 early intervention, educational, medical, employment, financial, 483 and daily living services. The center shall also collaborate 484 with other entities that provide autism research and services, 485 including, but not limited to, the Florida State University 486 Autism Institute, each Center for Autism and Related 487 Disabilities (CARD), the Florida Diagnostic and Learning 488 Resources System (FDLRS), the Agency for Persons with 489 Disabilities, the Department of Health, the Department of 490 Education, and the Department of Children and Families. 491 (b)Coordinate information and resources related to 492 research, best practices, training, and public awareness to 493 better support families of children with autism. 494 (c)Develop strategies to promote public awareness of the 495 signs of autism, the importance of early screening, and 496 interventions and supports available to families. The center 497 shall assist in the assignment of a toll-free number for autism 498 support. 499 (d)Catalog and distribute best practices related to 500 screening tools, diagnosis, and interventions. 501 (e)Review and approve applications for specialized summer 502 programs for children with autism pursuant to s. 1003.5712. The 503 center shall act as the fiscal agent for grant funds and develop 504 minimum requirements for the creation of specialized summer 505 programs. 506 (f)Develop an autism micro-credential to provide 507 specialized training in supporting students with autism. 508 1.The micro-credential must be stackable with the autism 509 endorsement and be available to: 510 a.Instructional personnel as defined in s. 1012.01(2); 511 b.Prekindergarten instructors as specified in ss. 1002.55, 512 1002.61, and 1002.63; and 513 c.Child care personnel as defined in ss. 402.302(3) and 514 1002.88(1)(e). 515 2.The micro-credential must require participants to 516 demonstrate competency in: 517 a.Identifying behaviors associated with autism. 518 b.Supporting the learning environment in both general and 519 specialized classroom settings. 520 c.Promoting the use of assistive technologies. 521 d.Applying evidence-based instructional practices. 522 3.The micro-credential must: 523 a.Be provided at no cost to eligible participants. 524 b.Be competency-based, allowing participants to complete 525 the credentialing process either in person or online. 526 c.Permit participants to receive the micro-credential at 527 any time during training once competency is demonstrated. 528 4.Individuals eligible under subparagraph 1. who complete 529 the micro-credential are eligible for a one-time stipend, as 530 determined in the General Appropriations Act. The center shall 531 administer stipends for the micro-credential. 532 (g)Develop strategies to increase the workforce qualified 533 to provide autism-related services to children and adults in a 534 public or private setting. 535 (h)Develop and catalog professional learning activities 536 for health care, child welfare, and instructional personnel. 537 (i)Administer startup grants for autism charter schools 538 pursuant to s. 1003.5711 and provide technical assistance to 539 grant applicants and recipients. The center shall also review 540 access to federal funding sources for establishing charter 541 schools for students with autism and include in its annual 542 report recommendations for improving practical access. 543 (j)Catalog best practices for screening, referral, and 544 diagnosis; access to therapy services; and other licensed 545 practitioner services using private and public insurance, to 546 include access to services in schools. 547 (k)Beginning August 1, 2026, and each August 1 thereafter, 548 publish on its website a report detailing activities, 549 expenditures, and outcomes from the previous year. The report 550 must include the grants administered by the center and 551 recommendations for improvement. 552 (2)The host state university may not charge any indirect 553 administrative fees to the center. 554 Section 9.Subsection (5) is added to section 1012.582, 555 Florida Statutes, to read: 556 1012.582Continuing education and inservice training for 557 teaching students with developmental and emotional or behavioral 558 disabilities. 559 (5)The commissioner shall review the curricula in 560 continuing education or inservice education of instructional 561 personnel based on recommendations required under this section. 562 No later than December 1, 2025, the commissioner shall report to 563 the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of 564 Representatives on findings and recommendations for updates to 565 instruction. 566 Section 10.Paragraph (a) of subsection (3) of section 567 1012.585, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 568 1012.585Process for renewal of professional certificates. 569 (3)For the renewal of a professional certificate, the 570 following requirements must be met: 571 (a)The applicant must earn a minimum of 6 college credits 572 or 120 inservice points or a combination thereof. For each area 573 of specialization to be retained on a certificate, the applicant 574 must earn at least 3 of the required credit hours or equivalent 575 inservice points in the specialization area. Education in 576 clinical educator training pursuant to s. 1004.04(5)(b); 577 participation in mentorship and induction activities, including 578 as a mentor, pursuant to s. 1012.56(8)(a); credits or points 579 that provide training in the knowledge and skills required to 580 support students with autism; and credits or points that provide 581 training in the area of scientifically researched, knowledge 582 based reading literacy grounded in the science of reading, 583 including explicit, systematic, and sequential approaches to 584 reading instruction, developing phonemic awareness, and 585 implementing multisensory intervention strategies, and 586 computational skills acquisition, exceptional student education, 587 normal child development, and the disorders of development may 588 be applied toward any specialization area. Credits or points 589 that provide training in the areas of drug abuse, child abuse 590 and neglect, strategies in teaching students having limited 591 proficiency in English, or dropout prevention, or training in 592 areas identified in the educational goals and performance 593 standards adopted pursuant to ss. 1000.03(5) and 1008.345 may be 594 applied toward any specialization area, except specialization 595 areas identified by State Board of Education rule that include 596 reading instruction or intervention for any students in 597 kindergarten through grade 6. Each district school board shall 598 include in its inservice master plan the ability for teachers to 599 receive inservice points for supporting students in 600 extracurricular career and technical education activities, such 601 as career and technical student organization activities outside 602 of regular school hours and training related to supervising 603 students participating in a career and technical student 604 organization. Credits or points earned through approved summer 605 institutes may be applied toward the fulfillment of these 606 requirements. Inservice points may also be earned by 607 participation in professional growth components approved by the 608 State Board of Education and specified pursuant to s. 1012.98 in 609 the districts approved master plan for inservice educational 610 training; however, such points may not be used to satisfy the 611 specialization requirements of this paragraph. 612 Section 11.This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.