Legislative Update #19 - End of Session

Emergent Design and Development
Legislative Update - May 17th 2009

The Legislative Session finally ended at approximately 2:45 pm on May 8, 2009. The budget passed, with education protected more than any other agency. The final budget approaches $66.5 Billion and was made possible through a combination of new fees and a heavy influx of Federal stimulus dollars. The budget also accounts for a decrease of 10,000 students in the 2009-2010 school year.

Of the 308 bills that we were tracking, only 29 bills, the budget, the implementing bill, and the conforming bill managed to pass both houses. These bills are now sent to the Governor for his action.

BUDGET ITEM COMPARISON ( last year’s Session, special session reductions and 2009 session)


NOTE: Instructional Materials, Transportation, the Stabilization money, and Teacher Lead are rolled from categoricals into the Base Student Allocation. Also, Bright Futures does not pay for the increase in tuition.


BUDGET INTEREST FOR SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATHEMATICS
Science Materials allocation was $3,254,969
Science Fair allocation was $43,676
Specific Appropriation 100 has $30,319,115 for technology for grants related to STEM.
The language for Supplemental Academic Instruction, now sets intensive math instruction for students in grades 3-10, who scored at level one as first priority (along with reading.)

PROGRAM COST FACTORS (compared to this year)
PROGRAM (08-09) (09-10)
Basic K-3 1.066 1.074
Basic 4-8 1.000 1.000
Basic 9-12 1.052 1.033
ESOL 1.119 1.124
ESE level 4 3.570 3.520
ESE level 5 4.970 4.854
Career Ed. 1.077 1.050

BILLS THAT FAILED BUT PROBABLY WILL RETURN NEXT YEAR

The large curriculum bills SB 2654 and HB 1293, failed to pass. Both of these bills would have increased the rigor of subjects needed by High School students, in order to receive a diploma. (Higher levels of Math and science) The bill to replace science on the high school FCAT with an end-of-the-year biology test failed. HB 543

The bill which would have required a specific semester course in civics for the middle school failed. The bill was to be named for Chief Justice Sandra Day O’Connor. HB 0013

There were also pieces of bills that failed that included; the % of funds that must be spent on the classroom, reduction to the program weights for A.P., A.I.C.E., and I.B. and the reduction in the teaching bonus for A.P., A.I.C.E., and I.B.
NEW SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PLAN TEMPLATE
Nikolai Vitti, Chief of the Bureau of School Improvement has released to districts, a new template which will fulfill all Federal and State School Improvement Plan requirements. Districts are receiving instruction on completing the template. All schools are required to complete a school improvement plan.
The new template should reduce duplication and assist schools in defining strategies to improve student achievement.
Nickolai.vitti.@fldoe.org or (850) 245-0426