In separate meetings, the House and Senate versions of bills — HB 303 and SB 436 — relating to Religious Expression in Public Schools drew quite a bit of discussion and public testimony. Though originally identical in content, the House PreK-12 Quality Subcommittee took up and passed a Proposed Committee Substitute (PCS) for HB 303 by Representative Daniels. In its current form, HB 303 authorizes a student to:
- Express religious beliefs in written and oral assignments free from discrimination.
- Wear jewelry that displays a religious message or symbol to the same extent as secular types of jewelry that displays messages or symbols are permitted.
- Engage in and organize religious groups before, during, and after the school day in the same manner and to the same extent that secular student organizations and groups are permitted.
In addition, the bill requires a school district to:
- Allow a religious group the same access to the same school facilities for assembling as given to a secular group and allow a religious or secular group to advertise or announce its meetings.
- Permit school personnel to participate in religious activities on school grounds that are student-initiated and at reasonable times before or after the school day as long as the activities are voluntary and do not conflict with the duties and responsibilities of such school personnel.
HB 303 provides that these provisions may be enforced pursuant to provisions relating to attorney’s fees and costs set forth in Chapter 761 F.S. — The Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1998.
At about the same time that HB 303 was under consideration, the Senate Judiciary Committee took up SB 436 by Senator Baxley which has not been amended. SB 436:
- Requires that students’ course work be graded according to the expected academic standards, without regard for any religious content.
- Provides that, if students in a given school setting are permitted to wear clothing, jewelry, or accessories that display a secular message or symbol, then students may also wear items displaying religious messages or symbols.
- Authorizes students to express themselves in a religious manner, and to engage in and organize religious activities to the same extent as secular expressions and activities are permitted.
- Provides that school districts may not discriminate against their employees on religious grounds.
- Provides that school personnel may not be barred from joining in certain types of student-initiated religious activities under certain circumstances – i.e. the activity must be on school grounds, occur at reasonable times before or after school, be voluntary, and not conflict with the duties of the employee joining the student-initiated activity.
- Requires school districts to permit religious groups access to the same facilities for assembly that it permits such access to secular groups.
In addition, SB 436 requires school districts to adopt a policy establishing a “limited public forum” for student speakers at certain school events. The policy must include or be comprised entirely of the model limited public forum policy that the bill requires the Florida Department of Education to develop and publish.
These bills are obviously intended to protect K-12 public school students and school personnel from discrimination based on their religious belief and expression. To a large extent, both bills enumerate religious and civil rights that are already clearly expressed in the U.S. Constitution, the Florida Constitution, federal and state law, and in case law. During discussion and public testimony today, the bill sponsors and others listed incidences in which these rights may have been violated and both bill sponsors appear to have been motivated to file these bills by a desire to clarify these rights. However, concerns were expressed that, in the effort to clarify these rights, some provisions may be inconsistent with existing religious and civil rights and may cause further confusion.
To further your efforts to ensure that all district personnel have access to the guidance and information necessary to protect the rights of ALL students and district personnel, FSBA encourages you to carefully consider the provisions of these bills, to review your existing district policies that relate to this topic, and to consult with your school district’s attorney, if needed.
In addition to these, there were a number of other significant education related bills under consideration today. Please click the link below for details on those bills.
[toggle title=”Today’s Happenings“]
In the House PreK-12 Innovation Subcommittee meeting:
HB 591 — Maximum Class Size by Massullo — PASSED
The bill revises the method for calculating the penalty for schools that fail to comply with the class size requirements by calculating factors in the formula at the school average instead of at the classroom level. The bill removes the increase in the penalty and repeals an increase in the penalty calculation that began with the 2014-15 fiscal year, by returning the calculation to 50 percent of the base student allocation rather than 100 percent. The bill also removes the exemption from the class size requirement for charter schools, district-operated schools of choice, district innovation schools of technology program and PAPPI schools as the penalty for all schools will be calculated at the schoolwide average. In addition, the bill provides that a district that has not complied with these requirements — based on the 2017-18 October student survey — and has timely submitted their certified plan that describes future actions that will be taken for compliance may not have its class size categorical allocation reduced for the 2017-18 and 2018-19 fiscal years. Districts have until the 2018-19 October student survey to comply with these requirements. The district must provide an updated plan by February 1, 2019, to the Commissioner of Education.
HB 781 — Designation of School Grades by Porter — PASSED
Under current law, a school that serves any combination of K-3 students, that does not receive a school grade as a result of its students not being tested and included in the school grading system, receives the school grade of a K-3 feeder pattern school determined by the Department of Education and verified by the district. The bill revises the number of students required to establish a school feeder pattern from 60 percent of students scheduled to be assigned, to a majority of students scheduled to be assigned to the graded school.
HB 827 — Teacher Bonuses by Porter — PASSED
Individual teachers of IB, AICE, AP, and CAPE courses are awarded bonuses from portions of the additional funds for students who achieve specific result in the course. This bill removes the annual teacher bonus limits for IB, AICE, AP and CAPE courses.
HB 1109 — Private School Student Participation in Extracurricular Activities by Antone — PASSED
The bill revises private school student eligibility to participate in interscholastic and intrascholastic extracurricular activities by allowing a student in a non-FHSAA member private school to participate in interscholastic or intrascholastic activities at the school where the student could choose to attend pursuant to controlled open enrollment, in addition to the student’s zoned school which is currently permitted by law.
In the House Transportation & Infrastructure Subcommittee meeting:
HB 493 — Enhanced Safety for School Crossings by Toledo – AMENDED; PASSED WITH A COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE (CS)
The bill requires the Department of Transportation (DOT) to evaluate the viability and cost of a uniform system of specific, high-visibility pavement markings and signage for use on arterial roads or collector roads within a 1-mile radius of all schools, public and private, to designate safe school crossing locations. In its evaluation, DOT may consider implementation of new technology or innovations that enhance pedestrian and crosswalk visibility. The bill requires DOT to report its findings to the Governor and Legislature by January 1, 2018. [NOTE: The Subcommittee took up a Proposed Committee Substitute (PCS) that was amended. This brief summary reflects the revisions to the bill made today.]
In the Senate Community Affairs Committee meeting:
SB 880 – Governmental Accountability by Stargel – AMENDED; PASSED WITH A CS
The bill amends statutes to enhance government accountability and auditing, based on recommendations noted in recent reports by the Auditor General. Of particular interest to school boards, the bill:
- Specifies that the Governor or Commissioner of Education, or designee, may notify the Legislative Auditing Committee of an entity’s failure to comply with certain auditing and financial reporting requirements;
- Provides definitions for the terms “abuse”, “fraud”, and “waste”;
- Requires charter schools, school districts, Florida College System institutions, and state universities (among other entities) to establish and maintain internal controls designed to:
- Prevent and detect fraud, waste, and abuse;
- Promote and encourage compliance with applicable laws, rules, contracts, grant agreements, and best practices;
- Support economical and efficient operations;
- Ensure reliability of financial records and reports;
- Safeguard assets;
- Revises per diem and lodging rates for the purpose of reimbursement to specified employees and authorizes an employee to expend his or her funds for certain lodging expenses that exceed the approved rate;
- Provides that the Department of Financial Services may request additional information from local government entities when preparing its annual verified report;
- Provides that the audit committee for a municipality, special district, district school board, charter school, or charter technical career center shall consist of at least three members, with one member being a member of the governing body of the entity who shall also serve as chair of the audit committee;
- Provides that an employee, the chief executive officer, or the chief financial officer of the county, municipality, special district, district school board, charter school, or charter technical career center may not serve as a member of the audit committee for that entity;
- Requires a local governmental entity, district school board, charter school, or charter technical career center, Florida College System board of trustees, or university board of trustees to respond to audit recommendations under certain circumstances;
- Provides that, if a school district audit report includes a recommendation that was included in the preceding financial audit report but remains unaddressed, within 60 days, the district school board must indicate whether it intends to take corrective action, the intended corrective action, and the timeframe for the corrective action. If the district school board indicates that it does not intend to take corrective action, it must explain its decision;
- Revises provisions relating to an internal auditor to provide that the school board may employ an internal auditor to perform ongoing financial verification of the financial records of the school district and such other audits and reviews as the district school board directs for certain purposes; and
- Prohibits a board or commission from requiring a member of the public to provide an advance written copy of his or her testimony or comments as a precondition of being given the opportunity to be heard.
[NOTE: The Committee took up and passed a “strike-all” amendment and the short summary above reflects the changes approved today. During debate and discussion, questions were raised about the clarity and enforceability of certain definitions and provisions. The sponsor indicated a willingness to work with others to address these concerns.]
In the House Insurance & Banking Subcommittee meeting:
PCB IBS1 – Workers’ Compensation by Insurance & Banking — PASSED
The proposed committee bill (PCB) makes the following changes to the workers’ compensation law:
- Permits direct payment of attorneys by or for claimants.
- Increases total combined temporary wage replacement benefits (TTD/TPD) from104 weeks to 260 weeks.
- Fills a benefit gap that happens when TTD/TPD ends, but the injured worker is not at overall maximum medical improvement and/or no overall permanent impairment rating.
- Allows a Judge of Compensation Claims (JCC) to award an hourly fee that departs from the statutory percentage based attorney fee schedule in certain circumstances.
- Makes the injured worker responsible for any remaining attorney fees if required by their retainer agreement — the retainer agreements must be filed with the JCCs, but are not subject to JCC approval.
- Allows insurers to uniformly reduce premiums by no more than 5 percent, if they file an informational-only notice within 30 days, subject to regulatory oversight.
- Creates a mechanism to fill vacancies on the Three-Member Panel and grants the Panel authority to fill gaps in statutory reimbursement when adopting schedules of maximum reimbursement allowances for medical care.
- Increases the requirements applicable to petitions for benefits; eliminates carrier paid attorney fees for services occurring before the filing a petition; attaches attorney fees 45 days (rather than 30 days) following the filing of a petition; requires a JCC to dismiss a petition for lack of specificity, without prejudice, within 10 days or 20 days, depending upon whether a hearing is required.
- Eliminates the charge based reimbursement of health care facility outpatient medical care in favor of reimbursing them at 200% (unscheduled care) and 160% (scheduled surgery) of Medicare. If no Medicare fee, then current reimbursement standards apply, which are incorporated into statute.
- Requires the authorization or denial of medical care authorization requests, unless there is a material deficiency.
- Provides for collecting additional information on attorney fees.
[NOTE: Florida courts have recently found multiple parts of the workers’ compensation law unconstitutional in the areas of carrier paid injured worker attorney fees, time limits on temporary wage replacement benefits, and the right of an injured worker to pay for their own attorney. For these and other reasons, the Office of Insurance Regulation ordered a rate increase of 14.5 percent effective December 1, 2017. The bill attempts to address these areas and, hopefully, reduce this and future rate increases that impact school district budgets. The debate and discussion of the bill today centered primarily on the issue of attorney fees. An amendment was proposed that would have required workers to pay their own attorney’s fees but this amendment failed.]
HB 1107 – Public Records/Workers’ Compensation by Albritton – AMENDED AND PASSED WITH A CS
The bill creates a new section of statute providing that personal identifying information of an injured or deceased worker filed with the Department of Financial Services (DFS), the Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA), and the Division of Administrative Hearings (DOAH) is confidential and exempt from the requirements of s. 119.07(1), F.S., and s. 24(a), Art. I of the State Constitution. The bill allows the disclosure of this confidential and exempt public record information only in under certain specified circumstances. [NOTE: The Committee took up and passed a Proposed Committee Substitute (PCS). This short summary reflects the provisions of the PCS.]
In the House PreK-12 Quality Subcommittee meeting:
HB 79 – Education/Reading Instruction by Harrell — PASSED
The bill is intended to help schools identify struggling readers — more quickly and implement effective instruction and interventions. Specifically, the bill:
- Requires the Just Read, Florida! Office to provide training in explicit, systematic, and multisensory reading strategies and identify instructional and intervention programs that incorporate those strategies.
- Requires school districts to use core and supplemental intervention materials which incorporate strategies identified by the Office in order to receive instructional materials funds.
- Requires teacher preparation programs to provide candidates for specified certification areas training in explicit, systematic, and multisensory reading strategies. Candidates for renewal of a certificate in the specified areas or for a reading endorsement must also receive training in those strategies.
- Prohibits districts from waiting until a student receives a failing grade in reading to initiate interventions.
- Enhances communication to parents by requiring the Department of Education to develop a handbook that districts must provide to parents of students with a substantial reading deficiency.
- Requires teachers who teach retained 3rd graders to hold a reading certificate or endorsement.
- Promotes transparency by requiring the Commissioner of Education to annually report to the State Board of Education district reading performance information and identify effective intervention and support strategies used by school districts to improve the performance of struggling readers.
- Requires the department to periodically review certification and coverage areas that involve reading instruction and recommend changes to improve training and instruction.
[NOTE: The Subcommittee took up and passed a PCS. This short summary reflects the provisions of the PCS.]
HB 293 — Middle School Study by Burton — PASSED
The directs the Florida Department of Education to conduct a comprehensive study of states with high-performing students in grades 6 – 8 in reading and mathematics, based on the states’ performance on the National Assessment of Educational Progress. The findings of the study must be reported to the Governor, the State Board of Education, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives by December 2017. The study must include a review of academic expectations and instructional strategies, the availability of student support services, attendance policies and student mobility issues, teacher quality, middle school administrator leadership and performance, and parental and community involvement.
HB 773 — K-12 Student Assessments by M. Diaz — PASSED
The bill requires the Commissioner of Education to review specified college entrance examinations to determine their alignment with the core curricular content for high school level English Language Arts and mathematics established in state standards and to submit a report on the results of the review to the Governor, Legislature, and State Board of Education by December 1, 2017. The bill revises provisions relating to achievement levels to provide that, beginning with any new contract for the ELA assessment and the mathematics assessment entered into after July 1, 2017, achievement level 3 shall be defined as proficient for each new assessment. The bill revises test administration schedules to provide that, beginning with the 2017-2018 school year and with the exception of the grade 3 Reading assessment, the ELA assessment in grades 3 – 10 and the mathematics assessment in grades 3 – 8 must be administered no earlier than during the last 3 weeks of the school year as determined by a district school board’s policy and within a testing window not to exceed 3 weeks. The bill also provides that, beginning with any new contract for the ELA assessment and the mathematics assessment entered into after July 1, 2017, each new assessment must be made available once per quarter for students who the school district has identified through competency-based education as having mastered the content and who are prepared to take the applicable assessment. The bill also revises the timeframe for the return of text results to provide that a school district must provide a student’s performance results on district-required local assessments to the student’s teachers within 1 week and to the student’s parents no later than 30 days after administering such assessments, unless there are extenuating circumstances identified by the superintendent. The results of statewide, standardized ELA and mathematics assessments must be reported in an easy-to-read and understandable format to each student’s current teacher of record and to each student’s teacher of record for the subsequent school year before the start of that school year. A report of student assessment results must, at a minimum, contain:
- A clear explanation of the student’s performance on the applicable statewide, standardized assessments.
- Information identifying the student’s areas of strength and areas in need of improvement.
- Specific actions that may be taken, and the available resources that may be used, by the student’s parent to assist his or her child based on the student’s areas of strength and areas in need of improvement.
- Longitudinal information, if available, on the student’s progress in each subject area based on previous statewide, standardized assessment data.
- Comparative information showing the student’s score compared to other students in the school district, in the state, or, if available, in other states.
- Predictive information, if available, showing the linkage between the scores attained by the student on the statewide, standardized assessments and the scores he or she may potentially attain on nationally recognized college entrance examinations.
[NOTE: Questions were raised about the implications of raising the bar for passing a statewide assessment from “satisfactory” (achievement level 3) to “proficient” (achievement level 4), but there didn’t appear to be a clear answer from the sponsor.]
HB 1111 — Teacher Certification by Plasencia — PASSED
The bill revises the requirements for a district professional development certification and educator competence program to provide greater emphasis on teacher mentorship and induction support. The bill provides that a temporary certificate holder who completes a Florida Department of Education (DOE) approved program and earns a highly effective rating will qualify for a renewable professional certificate without having to complete additional classwork or pass the Professional Education Test. The bill also allows charter schools and charter management organizations to offer a professional development certification and educator competence program and requires the mentorship and induction component of the program to, at a minimum, provide weekly opportunities for mentoring and induction activities. The mentorship and induction activities must be provided for a teacher’s first year in the program and may be provided until the teacher attains his or her professional certificate. The bill requires the DOE to adopt standards for approving a professional development certification and educator competence program, including the mentorship and induction component. With respect to professional development, the bill allows mentoring activities, including serving as a mentor, to count towards a teacher’s inservice requirements for certification renewal. The bill requires professional development activities to provide training to mentors and this training must include components on teacher development, peer coaching, time management, and other related topics as determined by the DOE. The bill requires model professional development programs disseminated by the DOE to include effective mentorship activities to new teachers and training to mentors. The bill also streamlines the temporary certificate application process.
HB 1331 – Education/Schools of Excellence Program by Grall — PASSED
The bill establishes the Schools of Excellence Program to provide administrative flexibility to the state’s highest performing schools. The bill requires the State Board of Education to designate a school as a School of Excellence if it has a school grades score in the 80th percentile or higher, statewide, for schools of its type (elementary, middle, high, or combination) for 2 of the last 3 school years. A school retains its designation for 3 years unless it earns a school grade lower than a “B” during that span. A school may renew its designation if it remains in the 80th percentile or higher for 2 of the 3 years and does not receive a grade lower than a “B.” The bill provides the following administrative flexibilities to a School of Excellence:
- Exemption from any provision in law or rule that expressly requires a minimum period of daily or weekly instruction.
- The same autonomy over personnel and budgetary decisions for the school’s principal as provided to principals participating in the Principal Autonomy Pilot Project Initiative.
- Exemption from district-set starting and stopping times for the school day.
- Allowing a teacher to substitute 1 school year of employment at a School of Excellence for 20 inservice points toward the renewal of their professional certificate, up to 60 inservice points.
The bill also incorporates many of the provisions of HB 1111 (outlined above). The bill allows a temporary certificate holder who completes an approved professional development certification program and earns a highly effective rating to qualify for a renewable professional certificate without having to complete additional classwork or pass the Professional Education Test. The bill also allows charter schools and charter management organizations to offer a professional development certification and educator competence program and requires the mentorship and induction component of a program to, at a minimum, provide weekly opportunities for specified mentoring and induction activities. The mentorship and induction activities must be provided for a teacher’s first year in the program and may be provided until the teacher attains his or her professional certificate. The bill requires the DOE to adopt standards for approving a professional development certification and educator competence program, including the mentorship and induction component. In addition, the bill allows mentoring activities, including serving as a mentor, to count towards a teacher’s inservice requirements for certification renewal. The bill requires professional development activities to provide training to mentors, requires model professional development programs disseminated by the DOE to include effective mentorship activities to new teachers and training to mentors, and also streamlines the temporary certificate application process.
In the Senate Judiciary Committee meeting:
SB 80 – Public Records by Steube – AMENDED AND PASSED WITH A CS
The bill revises the circumstances under which a court must assess and award the reasonable costs of enforcement against an agency in a civil action to enforce Chapter 119, F.S.; etc. [NOTE: The bill was amended today to keep the provisions in law that requires judges to award attorney fees to successful litigants but instructs judges to award attorney fees against litigants who file frivolous or bad faith lawsuits. As amended, the bill includes a requirement that, in order to obtain attorney fees, the requester of the public record(s) notify the agency public records custodian at least five days before filing a lawsuit. These changes brings the bill more in line with a House companion — HB 163 – though the bills are not identical.]
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[toggle title=”Coming Up on Wednesday – March 15, 2017“]
Please note that the meetings listed below may be viewed via live webcast or archived videos on the Florida Channel. Also, for real-time updates on these meetings and other legislative activities, please click HERE to access our Twitter feed.
The House Local, Federal, & Veterans Affairs Subcommittee will meet (8:00 am-2:00 pm; 12 HOB) to consider the following item and others:
HB 599 – Public Works Projects by Williamson
The bill prohibits the state or a political subdivision, except when required by state or federal law, from requiring a contractor, subcontractor, or material supplier or carrier engaged in a public works project to:
- Pay employees a predetermined amount of wages or prescribe any wage rate;
- Provide employees a specified type, amount, or rate of employee benefits;
- Control, limit, or expand staffing; or
- Recruit, train, or hire employees from a designated, restricted, or single source.
In addition, the bill provides that the state or a political subdivision that contracts for a public works project may not prohibit a contractor, subcontractor, or material supplier or carrier from submitting a bid on the project or being awarded the relevant contract if such individual is otherwise qualified to do the work described. This provision does not apply to vendors that have been convicted of a public entity crime or have been found to have committed discrimination.
The House Criminal Justice Subcommittee will meet (9:00 am-1:00 pm; 404 HOB) to consider the following item and others:
HB 849 – Weapons and Firearms by Combee
The bill amends current law that prohibits licensees from carrying a concealed weapon or concealed firearm at a school to provide that a licensee is not prohibited from carrying a concealed weapon or concealed firearm on private school property if a religious institution is located on the property. [NOTE: Under current Florida law and subject to limited exceptions, a person — including a person who has a license to carry a concealed weapon or concealed firearm – is prohibited from carrying a such weapon or firearm at a school. The term “school” means “any preschool, elementary school, middle school, junior high school, secondary school, career center, or postsecondary school, whether public or nonpublic.” The only person excepted from this prohibition is a law enforcement officer. The Subcommittee is expected to take up a PCS for this bill and the short summary above reflects the provisions of the PCS.]
The Senate PreK-12 Education Appropriations Subcommittee will meet (9:30-11:30 am; 412 KOB) to consider the following item:
SB 392 – High School Graduation Requirements/Financial Literacy by Hukill
The bill creates the “Personal Financial Literacy Education Act” to specify financial literacy standards and instruction for students entering grade 9 in the 2017-2018 school year. Specifically, the bill revises the Next Generation Sunshine State Standards to establish requirements for financial literacy distinct from the existing financial literacy requirements specified under the economics curricular content within the standards for social studies. The bill revises the requirements for a student to earn a standard high school diploma by establishing a separate one-half credit requirement in personal financial literacy, deleting the requirement that the one-half credit in economics include financial literacy, and reducing the number of required elective credits from eight to seven and one-half.
The House Appropriations Committee will meet (2:30-5:00 pm; 212 KOB) to consider the following item and others:
HB 479 – Government Accountability by Metz
The bill amends statutes pertaining to government accountability and auditing. Of particular interest to school boards, the bill:
- Specifies that the Governor or Commissioner of Education, or designee, may notify the Legislative Auditing Committee of an entity’s failure to comply with certain auditing and financial reporting requirements;
- Provides definitions for the terms “abuse”, “fraud”, and “waste”;
- Requires each agency, the judicial branch, the Justice Administrative Commission, state attorneys, public defenders, criminal conflict and civil regional counsel, the Guardian Ad Litem program, local governmental entities, charter schools, school districts, Florida College System institutions, and state universities to establish and maintain internal controls;
- Revises the composition of auditor selection committees;
- Requires completion of an annual financial audit of the Florida Virtual School;
- Requires a local governmental entity, district school board, charter school, or charter technical career center, Florida College System board of trustees, or university board of trustees to respond to audit recommendations under certain circumstances;
- Requires an independent certified public accountant conducting an audit of a local governmental entity to determine, as part of the audit, whether the entity’s annual financial report is in agreement with the entity’s audited financial statements;
- Limits to $150 the amount that may be reimbursed per day for travel lodging expenses for state agency and judicial branch employees under certain circumstances; and
- Prohibits a board or commission from requiring a member of the public to provide an advance written copy of his or her testimony or comments as a precondition of being given the opportunity to be heard.
The Senate Higher Education Appropriations Subcommittee will meet (4:00-6:00 pm; 412 KOB) to consider the following item:
SB 374 – Postsecondary Education by Hukill
The bill creates the “College Competitiveness Act of 2017” which restructures the governance of the Florida College System and modifies the mission of the system and its institutions. Specifically, the bill:
- Strengthens public college-to-university articulation by establishing the “2+2” targeted pathway program to provide to students guaranteed access to baccalaureate degree programs at state universities.
- Modifies the governance of the Florida Community College System (FCCS) by renaming the Florida College System as the FCCS, establishing a State Board of Community Colleges (SBCC), and transferring responsibilities regarding Florida’s community colleges from the State Board of Education (SBE) to the SBCC.
- Clarifies expectations and state oversight of baccalaureate degree programs offered by FCCS institutions, aligns the baccalaureate approval process for St. Petersburg College with the approval process for other FCCS institutions, and establishes a cap on upper-level, undergraduate full-time equivalent (FTE) enrollment at Florida’s community colleges, but provides flexibility for planned and purposeful growth of baccalaureate degree programs if certain conditions are met.
- Clarifies the K-20 education system mission by emphasizing the mission must be to avoid wasteful duplication of programs, and reinforces the distinct mission of Florida’s community colleges and technical centers in meeting Florida’s labor market demands and regional needs.
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