Florida Senate - 2021 SB 1016 By Senator Baxley 12-00797A-21 20211016__ Page 1 of 4 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. A bill to be entitled 1

An act relating to digital learning; amending s. 2 1002.321, F.S.; revising legislative findings to 3 include digital devices and home-based Internet 4 connectivity in infrastructure as necessary for a 5 high-quality digital learning environment; requiring 6 each school district to adopt a digital learning plan; 7 specifying the requirements for such plan; requiring 8 school districts to submit plans to the Department of 9 Education by a certain date in a format prescribed by 10 the department; requiring the department to develop 11 one or more state term contracts for a specified 12 purpose; amending ss. 1003.01 and 1003.499, F.S.; 13 conforming cross-references; providing an effective 14 date. 15 16 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 17 18

Section 1. Present subsections (3) through (6) of

section 19 1002.321, Florida Statutes, are redesignated as subsections (4) 20 through (7), respectively, a new subsection (3) and subsection 21 (8) are added to that section, and paragraph (

i) of subsection 22 (2) of that

section is amended, to read: 23 1002.321 Digital learning.— 24

(2) ELEMENTS OF HIGH-QUALITY DIGITAL LEARNING.—The 25 Legislature finds that each student should have access to a 26 high-quality digital learning environment that provides: 27 (

i) Infrastructure, including digital devices and home-28 based Internet connectivity, that supports digital learning. 29 Florida Senate - 2021 SB 1016 12-00797A-21 20211016__ Page 2 of 4 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.

(3) DIGITAL LEARNING PLAN.—Each school district shall adopt 30 a digital learning plan. 31 (

a) The plan must include the following: 32 1. Identification of the number of low-income students 33 without access to a digital device that meets the specifications 34 of the district school board. 35 2. Identification of the number of low-income students 36 without high-speed broadband Internet connectivity at home. 37 3. Provision of laptops or tablets and Wi-Fi access points 38 or other Internet connectivity support to students identified in 39 subparagraphs 1. and 2. 40 4. A list of training for teachers and parents of students 41 who need digital literacy support. 42 (

b) By October 1, 2021, and by March 1 of each year 43 thereafter, on a date determined by the department, each 44 district school board shall submit its plan to the department in 45 a format prescribed by the department. 46

(8) STATE CONTRACT.—The department shall develop one or 47 more state term contracts to be used by school districts in 48 acquiring digital devices. 49

Section 2. Subsection (14) of

section 1003.01, Florida 50 Statutes, is amended to read: 51 1003.01

Definitions.—As used in this chapter, the term: 52 (14) “Core-curricula courses” means: 53 (

a) Courses in language arts/reading, mathematics, social 54 studies, and science in prekindergarten through grade 3, 55 excluding extracurricular courses pursuant to subsection (15); 56 (

b) Courses in grades 4 through 8 in subjects that are 57 measured by state assessment at any grade level and courses 58 Florida Senate - 2021 SB 1016 12-00797A-21 20211016__ Page 3 of 4 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. required for middle school promotion, excluding extracurricular 59 courses pursuant to subsection (15); 60 (

c) Courses in grades 9 through 12 in subjects that are 61 measured by state assessment at any grade level and courses that 62 are specifically identified by name in statute as required for 63 high school graduation and that are not measured by state 64 assessment, excluding extracurricular courses pursuant to 65 subsection (15); 66 (

d) Exceptional student education courses; and 67 (

e) English for Speakers of Other Languages courses. 68 69 The term is limited in meaning and used for the sole purpose of 70 designating classes that are subject to the maximum class size 71 requirements established in s. 1, Art. IX of the State 72 Constitution. This term does not include courses offered under 73 ss. 1002.321(5)(

e) ss. 1002.321(4)(e), 1002.33(7)(a)2.b., 74 1002.37, 1002.45, and 1003.499. 75

Section 3. Subsection (2) of

section 1003.499, Florida 76 Statutes, is amended to read: 77 1003.499 Florida Approved Courses and Tests (FACT) 78 Initiative.— 79

(2) FLORIDA APPROVED COURSES.—The Department of Education 80 shall annually publish online a list of providers approved to 81 offer Florida approved courses which shall be listed in the 82 online catalog pursuant to s. 1002.321(7) s. 1002.321(6). 83 (

a) As used in this section, the term “Florida approved 84 courses” means online courses provided by individuals which 85 include, but are not limited to, massive open online courses or 86 remedial education associated with the courses that are measured 87 Florida Senate - 2021 SB 1016 12-00797A-21 20211016__ Page 4 of 4 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. pursuant to s. 1008.22. Massive open online courses may be 88 authorized in the following subject areas: Algebra I, biology, 89 geometry, and civics.

Courses may be applied toward requirements 90 for promotion or graduation in whole, in subparts, or in a 91 combination of whole and subparts. A student may not be required 92 to repeat subparts that are satisfactorily completed. 93 (

b) A Florida approved course must be annually identified, 94 approved, published, and shared for consideration by interested 95 students and school districts. The Commissioner of Education 96 shall approve each Florida approved course for application in K-97 12 public schools in accordance with rules of the State Board of 98 Education. 99

Section 4. This act shall take effect July 1, 2021. 100