WELCOME Florida Database Conference

1
Exceptional Student Education and School
ChoiceJean Miller, Acting Executive
DirectorAdministrators Management
MeetingSeptember 18-19, 2008
2
Floridas School Choice Programs

• John M. McKay Scholarships for Students with
  Disabilities Program
• Opportunity Scholarships Program (Public)
• Corporate Tax Credit Scholarship Program
• Charter Schools
• Virtual Education

3
McKay Scholarship Program
4
McKay Scholarship Program
5
School District Responsibilities

• Notify parents of disabled students about the
  McKay Scholarship Program by April 1 of each
  school year and within 10 days of an
  Individualized Education Plan (IEP) meeting.
• Inform parents of the availability of the
  Information Hotline and School Choice website
  address.

6
School District Responsibilities

• For students applying for a McKay Scholarship, a
  school district must
• Complete a matrix within 30 days of the parents
  filed intent date.
• Offer parents an opportunity to enroll their
  child in another public school within their
  district if the parent requests the McKay public
  school option.

7
District Responsibilities, cont. Matrix
Assignment Eligible PreK

• For a Pre-K student applying for the McKay
  Scholarship entering kindergarten
• School districts should develop a proposed IEP
  that identifies the services the student would
  receive upon transitioning to a public
  kindergarten program.
• A matrix of services must then be completed to
  reflect the services on the proposed IEP. This
  will be used to determine the students
  scholarship amount for the McKay Scholarship.

8
Verification and Funding

• Prior to each quarterly scholarship payment, the
  school district must
• Confirm scholarship students have not enrolled
  in public school by completing the District
  Enrollment Verification files.
• Following each scholarship payment, the school
  district must
• Report students that receive McKay Scholarship
  funding as 3518 which designates them as
  McKay private school students on the FTE
  survey.

9
District Reporting Responsibilities

• Report all students enrolled in a private school
  in the McKay Scholarship Program in the
  districts October and February FTE surveys.

10
District Notification for FTE Reporting

• After each of the scholarship payment dates,
• the district MIS contact is provided with a file
• through NWRDC containing student information that
  must be reported in the districts FTE surveys.
• It is extremely important that you report the
  students in the grade level and program level
  indicated on the list because funds will be
  deducted from your district in accordance with
  these data elements.

11
District Reporting Responsibilities

• Report all students who transfer to another
• public school as an option under the McKay
• Scholarship Program.

In the Prior School Status/Student Attendance
Format indicate the primary type of educational
choice option that applies.
12
Opportunity Scholarship Program

• School District Responsibilities
• Notify parents of students who attended, or will
  be attending, a public school that has received
  its second F in a four-year period of the
  opportunity to transfer to another higher
  performing public school in the district
• Notify those same parents/students of the
  opportunity to transfer to a higher performing
  public school in an adjacent district

13
Opportunity Scholarship Program

• Districts must report all students who transfer
• to another public school as an option under the
• Opportunity Scholarship Program (Public).

In the Prior School Status/Student Attendance
Format indicate the primary type of educational
choice option that applies.
14
Corporate Tax Credit Scholarship Program

• School District Responsibilities
• Notify parents of the opportunity to apply for a
  Corporate Tax Credit (CTC) Scholarship through a
  Scholarship Funding Organization (SFO)
• School districts have no reporting requirements
  for the CTC Program

15
Corporate Tax Credit Scholarship Program
16
Charter Schools
Section 1002.33, Florida Statutes
17
Charter Schools

• Florida Ranks Fourth in the Nation in the
• Number of Charter Schools

18
Charter Schools

• Floridas Student Enrollment in Charter Schools
  has Increased Steadily Since 1996

19
FTE Reporting for Charter School Students

• Report students in the same manner as
  traditional public school students.

Section 1002.33(20)(a), Florida Statutes,
requires equal access to student information
systems that are used by public schools in the
district in which the charter school is located.
20
The Florida Virtual School
Section 1002.37, Florida Statutes
21
The Florida Virtual School

• Funding and Reporting Requirements
• FTE are reported only on successful course
  completions
• Report completions in any survey period, only
  basic funding
• Not limited to .5 FTE for any survey
• Course must be required for high school
  graduation for that student
• Courses completed in excess of graduation
  requirements are not fundable

22
Florida Virtual School Franchises
Franchises

• FTE are reported only on successful course
  completions using school 7004
• District must provide direct instruction
• Report completions in survey 2 and 3 only
• Limited to .5 FTE, combined, for any survey
• Courses completed in excess of graduation
  requirements
• are not fundable

23
Current K-8 Virtual ProgramsSection 1002.45,
Florida Statutes

• Two approved providers
• Florida Virtual Academy, Inc.
• Connections Academy, LLC
• Limited to 1,367 students for 2008-09
• Reported by the two virtual providers for FTE
• Reported for basic funding only
• Line Item 4800 per student

24
2008 Legislation Affecting School Choice Programs

• SB 526 Private school students and sports in
  public schools
• HB 653 Corporate Income Tax Credit
  Scholarship Program
• HB 7067 K-8 Virtual Education Programs
• SB 1712 Ethics in Education Act

25
Senate Bill 526

• Summary
• Requires the Florida High School Athletic
• Association (FHSAA) to establish a 2-year pilot
• program to permit students enrolled in private
• schools to participate in interscholastic or
• intrascholastic sports at public schools.

26
Senate Bill 526

• Implementation
• Program in effect 2008-09 2009-10 school year
• Limited to 3 districts (Bradford, Duval, Nassau)
• FHSAA and districts must develop guidelines for
  program and present to Governor and Legislature
  by August 1, 2008
• Progress report due to Governor and Legislature
  January 1, 2010

27
Senate Bill 526

• Eligibility
• A student attending a private school shall be
  eligible to
• participate at a public high school, middle
  school, or a
• 6-12 school zoned for the students residence,
  if
• Private school is not a current member of FHSAA
• Student meets guidelines for conduct established
  by FHSAA Board and participating school districts
• Registration deadline
• Educational progress and acceptable behavior

28
Senate Bill 526

• Parent Responsibilities
• Register intent with public school by deadline
• Transport the student to and from the public
  school

29
House Bill 653 CTC Program

• Summary
• The bill increases the annual amount of tax
  credits
• available, extends eligibility to foster care
  students
• and siblings of currently registered students and
• requires a study by the Office of Program Policy
• Analysis and Accountability.

30
House Bill 653 CTC Program

• Implementation
• New provisions effective July 1, 2008
• Increases tax credits from 88 million to 118
  million
• Removes provision that 1 of total tax credits be
  reserved for private businesses
• Increases per student amount to 3,950
• Requires OPPAGA to conduct a financial study and
  report to the Legislature by December 1, 2008

31
House Bill 653 CTC Program

• Eligibility
• Expands eligibility to include students who are
  currently placed, or were placed, in foster care
  during the previous state fiscal year
• Extends eligibility to siblings of currently
  enrolled students, if the household income does
  not exceed 200 percent of the federal poverty
  level

32
House Bill 7067 Virtual Education

• Summary
• Requires school districts to offer a full-time
  K-8 virtual education program beginning in
  2009-2010
• Provides the option of providing a program for
  2008-2009
• Revises the current K-8 programs
• Outlines responsibilities of the school district,
  the virtual education providers, and the
  Department of
• Education (DOE).

33
House Bill 7067

• Responsibilities
• Virtual providers must be approved by the DOE and
  an approved list provided by March 1 each year
• Providers must meet all requirements as outlined
  in Section 1002.41
• School districts must report those students in
  virtual education through the FEFP
• Students beyond the 1,367 in the current state
  K-8 programs must be reported through the FEFP

34
SB 1712 Ethics in Education Act

• New employment screening requirements for private
  schools participating in McKay and Corporate Tax
  Credit Scholarship Programs, and employees of
  charter schools
• Effective July 1, 2008

35
SB 1712 Ethics in Education Act

• Requires DOE to assist charter schools and
  private schools accepting school choice
  scholarships in developing policies, procedures
  and training related to employment practices and
  standards of ethical conduct
• DOE is to provide access to certain databases for
  employment history verification

36
SB 1712 Ethics in Education Act

• Participating private schools and charter schools
  must
• Review the state and national background
  screening results received for each employee
• Disqualify from employment any instructional
  personnel or school administrator who is
  convicted of an act listed under s. 1012.315,
  F.S. and
• Continue to screen employees and contracted
  personnel for the offenses listed in s. 435.04,
  F.S.