CHAPTER 1001

1001.01 State Board of Education; generally. (1) The State Board of Education is established as a body corporate. The state board shall be a citizen board consisting of seven members who are residents of the state appointed by the Governor to staggered 4-year terms, subject to confirmation by the Senate. Members of the state board shall serve without compensation but shall be entitled to reimbursement of travel and per diem expenses in accordance with s. 112.061. Members may be reappointed by the Governor for additional terms not to exceed 8 years of consecutive service. (2) The State Board of Education shall select a chair and a vice chair from its appointed members. The chair shall serve a 2-year term and may be reselected for one additional consecutive term. (3) Four members of the State Board of Education shall constitute a quorum. No business may be transacted at any meeting unless a quorum is present. History. — s. 19, ch. 2002-387. 1001.02 General powers of State Board of Education. (1) The State Board of Education is the chief implementing and coordinating body of public education in Florida except for the State University System, and it shall focus on high-level policy decisions. It has authority to adopt rules pursuant to ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54 to implement the provisions of law conferring duties upon it for the improvement of the state system of Early Learning-20 public education except for the State University System. Except as otherwise provided herein, it may, as it finds appropriate, delegate its general powers to the Commissioner of Education or the directors of the divisions of the department. (2) The State Board of Education has the following duties: (a) To adopt comprehensive educational objectives for public education except for the State University System. (b) To adopt comprehensive long-range plans and short-range programs for the development of the state system of public education except for the State University System. (c) To exercise general supervision over the divisions of the Department of Education as necessary to ensure coordination of educational plans and programs and resolve controversies and to minimize problems of articulation and student transfers, to ensure that students moving from one level of education to the next have acquired competencies necessary for satisfactory performance at that level, and to ensure maximum utilization of facilities. (d) To adopt, in consultation with the Board of Governors, and from time to time modify, minimum and uniform standards of college-level communication and computation skills generally associated with successful performance and progression through the baccalaureate level and to identify college-preparatory high school coursework and postsecondary-level coursework that prepares students with the academic skills necessary to succeed in postsecondary education. (e) To adopt and submit to the Governor and Legislature, as provided in s. 216.023, a coordinated Early Learning-20 education budget that estimates the expenditure requirements for the Board of Governors, as provided in s. 1001.706, the State Board of Education, including the Department of Education and the Commissioner of Education, and all of the boards, institutions, agencies, and services under the general supervision of the Board of Governors, as provided in s. 1001.706, or the State Board of Education for the ensuing fiscal year. The State Board of Education may not amend the budget request submitted by the Board of Governors. Any program recommended by the Board of Governors or the State Board of Education which will require increases in state funding for more than 1 year must be presented in a multiyear budget plan. (f) To hold meetings, transact business, keep records, adopt a seal, and, except as otherwise provided by law, perform such other duties as may be necessary for the enforcement of laws and rules relating to the state system of public education. (g) To approve plans for cooperating with the Federal Government. (h) To approve plans for cooperating with other public agencies in the development of rules and in the enforcement of laws for which the state board and such agencies are jointly responsible. (i) To review plans for cooperating with appropriate nonpublic agencies for the improvement of conditions relating to the welfare of schools. (j) To create such subordinate advisory bodies as are required by law or as it finds necessary for the improvement of education. (k) To constitute any education bodies or other structures as required by federal law. (l) To assist in the economic development of the state by developing a state-level planning process to identify future training needs for industry, especially high-technology industry. (m) To assist in the planning and economic development of the state by establishing a clearinghouse for information on educational programs of value to economic development. (n) To adopt cohesive rules pursuant to ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54, within statutory authority. (o) To authorize the allocation of resources in accordance with law and rule. (p) To contract with independent institutions accredited by an agency whose standards are comparable to the minimum standards required to operate a postsecondary educational institution at that level in the state. The purpose of the contract is to provide those educational programs and facilities which will meet needs unfulfilled by the state system of public postsecondary education. (q) To recommend that a district school board take action consistent with the state board’s decision relating to an appeal of a charter school application. (r) To enforce systemwide education goals and policies except as otherwise provided by law. (s) To establish a detailed procedure for the implementation and operation of a systemwide technology plan that is based on a common set of data definitions. (t) To establish accountability standards for existing legislative performance goals, standards, and measures, and order the development of mechanisms to implement new legislative goals, standards, and measures. (u) To adopt criteria and implementation plans for future growth issues, such as new Florida College System institutions and Florida College System institution campus mergers, and to provide for cooperative agreements between and within public and private education sectors. (v) To develop, in conjunction with the Board of Governors, and periodically review for adjustment, a coordinated 5-year plan for postsecondary enrollment, identifying enrollment and graduation expectations by baccalaureate degree program, and annually submit the plan to the Legislature as part of its legislative budget request. (w) Beginning in the 2014-2015 academic year and annually thereafter, to require each Florida College System institution prior to registration to provide each enrolled student electronic access to the economic security report of employment and earning outcomes prepared by the Department of Commerce pursuant to s. 445.07. (3)(a) The State Board of Education shall adopt a strategic plan that specifies goals and objectives for the state’s public schools and Florida College System institutions. The plan shall be formulated in conjunction with plans of the Board of Governors in order to provide for the roles of the universities and Florida College System institutions to be coordinated to best meet state needs and reflect cost-effective use of state resources. The strategic plan must clarify the mission statements of each Florida College System institution and the system as a whole and identify degree programs, including baccalaureate degree programs, to be offered at each Florida College System institution in accordance with the objectives provided in this subsection and the coordinated 5-year plan pursuant to paragraph (2)(v). The strategic plan must cover a period of 5 years, with modification of the program lists after 2 years. Development of each 5-year plan must be coordinated with and initiated after completion of the master plan. The strategic plans must specifically include programs and procedures for responding to the educational needs of teachers and students in the public schools of this state and consider reports and recommendations of the Office of Reimagining Education and Career Help and the Articulation Coordinating Committee pursuant to s. 1007.01. The state board shall submit a report to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives upon modification of the plan and as part of its legislative budget request. (b) The State Board of Education and the Board of Governors shall jointly develop long-range plans and annual reports for financial aid in this state. The long-range plans shall establish goals and objectives for a comprehensive program of financial aid for Florida students and shall be updated every 5 years. The annual report shall include programs administered by the department as well as awards made from financial aid fee revenues, any other funds appropriated by the Legislature for financial assistance, and the value of tuition and fees waived for students enrolled in a dual enrollment course at a public postsecondary educational institution. The annual report shall include an assessment of progress made in achieving goals and objectives established in the long-range plans and recommendations for repealing or modifying existing financial aid programs or establishing new programs. A long-range plan shall be submitted by January 1, 2004, and every 5 years thereafter. An annual report shall be submitted on January 1, 2004, and in each successive year that a long-range plan is not submitted, to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives. (4) The State Board of Education shall: (a) Provide for each Florida College System institution to offer educational training and service programs designed to meet the needs of both students and the communities served. (b) Specify, by rule, procedures to be used by the Florida College System institution boards of trustees in the annual evaluations of presidents and review the evaluations of presidents by the boards of trustees, including the extent to which presidents serve both institutional and system goals. (c) Establish, in conjunction with the Board of Governors, an effective information system that will provide composite data concerning the Florida College System institutions and state universities and ensure that special analyses and studies concerning the institutions are conducted, as necessary, for provision of accurate and cost-effective information concerning the institutions. (d) Establish criteria for making recommendations for modifying district boundary lines for Florida College System institutions, including criteria for service delivery areas of Florida College System institutions authorized to grant baccalaureate degrees. (e) Establish criteria for making recommendations concerning all proposals for the establishment of additional centers or campuses for Florida College System institutions. (f) Examine the annual administrative review of each Florida College System institution. (g) Adopt and submit to the Legislature a 3-year list of priorities for fixed-capital-outlay projects. The State Board of Education may not amend the 3-year list of priorities of the Board of Governors. (5) The State Board of Education is responsible for reviewing and administering the state program of support for the Florida College System institutions. (6) The State Board of Education shall prescribe minimum standards, definitions, and guidelines for Florida College System institutions that will ensure the quality of education, coordination among the Florida College System institutions and state universities, and efficient progress toward accomplishing the Florida College System institution mission. At a minimum, these rules must address: (a) Personnel. (b) Contracting. (c) Program offerings and classification, including college-level communication and computation skills associated with successful performance in college and with tests and other assessment procedures that measure student achievement of those skills. The performance measures must provide that students moving from one level of education to the next acquire the necessary competencies for that level. (d) Provisions for curriculum development, graduation requirements, college calendars, and program service areas. These provisions must include rules that: 1. Provide for the award of an associate in arts degree to a student who successfully completes 60 semester credit hours at the Florida College System institution. 2. Require all of the credits accepted for the associate in arts degree to be in the statewide course numbering system as credits toward a baccalaureate degree offered by a state university or a Florida College System institution. 3. Require no more than 36 semester credit hours in general education courses in the subject areas of communication, mathematics, social sciences, humanities, and natural sciences. The rules should encourage Florida College System institutions to enter into agreements with state universities that allow Florida College System institution students to complete upper-division-level courses at a Florida College System institution. An agreement may provide for concurrent enrollment at the Florida College System institution and the state university and may authorize the Florida College System institution to offer an upper-division-level course or distance learning. (e) Student admissions, conduct and discipline, nonclassroom activities, and fees. (f) Budgeting. (g) Business and financial matters. (h) Student services. (i) Reports, surveys, and information systems, including forms and dates of submission. History. — s. 20, ch. 2002-387; s. 68, ch. 2007-217; s. 8, ch. 2011-5; s. 1, ch. 2012-195; s. 5, ch. 2013-51; s. 9, ch. 2019-119; s. 21, ch. 2021-10; s. 241, ch. 2024-6; s. 11, ch. 2024-125; s. 1, ch. 2024-160. 1001.03 Specific powers of State Board of Education. (1) PUBLIC K-12 CURRICULAR STANDARDS. — The State Board of Education shall adopt and periodically review and revise the state academic standards in accordance with s. 1003.41. (2) DIRECT-SUPPORT ORGANIZATION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION. — The State Board of Education shall govern issues relating to use of property, facilities, and personal services between the Department of Education and its direct-support organization and shall certify that the organization operates at all times in a manner consistent with the goals and best interest of the department, pursuant to s. 1001.24. (3) PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATES. — The State Board of Education shall classify school services, designate the certification subject areas, establish competencies, including the use of technology to enhance student learning, and certification requirements for all school-based personnel, and prescribe rules in accordance with which the professional, temporary, and part-time certificates shall be issued by the Department of Education to applicants who meet the standards prescribed by such rules for their class of service, as described in chapter 1012. The state board shall adopt rules that give part-time and full-time nondegreed teachers of career programs, pursuant to s. 1012.39(1)(c), the opportunity to earn a reading credential equivalent to a content-area-specific reading endorsement. (4) PROFESSIONAL TEACHER ASSOCIATIONS. — The State Board of Education shall ensure that not-for-profit, professional teacher associations that offer membership to all teachers, noninstructional personnel, and administrators, and that offer teacher training and staff development at no fee to the district, shall be given equal access to voluntary teacher meetings, be provided access to teacher mailboxes for distribution of professional literature, and be authorized to collect voluntary membership fees through payroll deduction. (5) IDENTIFICATION OF HIGH-DEMAND TEACHER NEEDS AREAS. — The State Board of Education shall identify high-demand teacher needs areas pursuant to s. 1012.07. (6) CAPITAL OUTLAY BOND AND MOTOR VEHICLE TAX ANTICIPATION CERTIFICATE RESOLUTIONS. — The State Board of Education shall issue bonds and approve resolutions regarding the expenditure of funds for capital projects and purposes pursuant to the State Constitution and other applicable law. (7) ARTICULATION ACCOUNTABILITY. — The State Board of Education shall develop articulation accountability measures that assess the status of systemwide articulation processes, in conjunction with the Board of Governors regarding the State University System, and shall establish an articulation accountability process in accordance with the provisions of chapter 1008, in conjunction with the Board of Governors regarding the State University System. (8) SYSTEMWIDE ENFORCEMENT. — The State Board of Education shall enforce compliance with law and state board rule by all school districts, early learning coalitions, and public postsecondary educational institutions, except for the State University System, in accordance with the provisions of s. 1008.32. (9) MANAGEMENT INFORMATION DATABASES. — The State Board of Education, in conjunction with the Board of Governors regarding the State University System, shall continue to collect and maintain, at a minimum, the management information databases for state universities, and all other components of the public Early Learning-20 education system as such databases existed on June 30, 2002. (10) COMMON PLACEMENT TESTING FOR PUBLIC POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION. — The State Board of Education, in conjunction with the Board of Governors, shall develop and implement a common placement test to assess the basic communication and computation skills of students who intend to enter a degree program at any Florida College System institution or state university. (11) MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR NONPUBLIC POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION. — The State Board of Education shall adopt minimum standards relating to nonpublic postsecondary education and institutions, in accordance with the provisions of chapter 1005. (12) COMMON POSTSECONDARY DEFINITIONS. — The State Board of Education shall adopt, by rule, common definitions for associate in science degrees and for certificates. (13) CYCLIC REVIEW OF POSTSECONDARY ACADEMIC PROGRAMS. — The State Board of Education shall provide for the cyclic review of all academic programs in Florida College System institutions at least every 7 years. Program reviews shall document how individual academic programs are achieving stated student learning and program objectives within the context of the institution’s mission. The results of the program reviews shall inform strategic planning, program development, and budgeting decisions at the institutional level. (14) UNIFORM CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM FOR SCHOOL DISTRICT ADMINISTRATIVE AND MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL. — The State Board of Education shall maintain a uniform classification system for school district administrative and management personnel that will facilitate the uniform coding of administrative and management personnel to total district employees. (15) DISTRICT POSTSECONDARY ASSOCIATE IN APPLIED SCIENCE AND ASSOCIATE IN SCIENCE DEGREE PROGRAMS. — The State Board of Education shall provide for the review and approval of proposals by district career centers to offer associate in applied science and associate in science degree programs pursuant to s. 1007.331. (16) FLORIDA COLLEGE SYSTEM INSTITUTION BACCALAUREATE DEGREE PROGRAMS. — The State Board of Education shall provide for the review and approval of proposals by Florida College System institutions to offer baccalaureate degree programs pursuant to s. 1007.33. A Florida College System institution, as defined in s. 1000.21, that is approved to offer baccalaureate degrees pursuant to s. 1007.33 remains under the authority of the State Board of Education and the Florida College System institution’s board of trustees. The State Board of Education may not approve Florida College System institution baccalaureate degree program proposals from March 31, 2014, through May 31, 2015. (17) UNIFIED STATE PLAN FOR SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATHEMATICS (STEM). — The State Board of Education, in consultation with the Board of Governors and the Department of Commerce, shall adopt a unified state plan to improve K-20 STEM education and prepare students for high-skill, high-wage, and high-demand employment in STEM and STEM-related fields. (18) PUBLIC EDUCATION CAPITAL OUTLAY. — The State Board of Education shall develop and submit the prioritized list required by s. 1013.64(4). Projects considered for prioritization shall be chosen from a preliminary selection group which shall include the list of projects maintained pursuant to paragraph (d) and the top two priorities of each Florida College System institution. (a) The state board shall develop a points-based prioritization method to rank projects for consideration from the preliminary selection group that awards points for the degree to which a project meets specific criteria compared to other projects in the preliminary selection group. The state board shall consider criteria that evaluates the degree to which: 1. The project was funded previously by the Legislature and the amount of funds needed for completion constitute a relatively low percentage of total project costs; 2. The project represents a building maintenance project or the repair of utility infrastructure which is necessary to preserve a safe environment for students and staff, or a project that is necessary to maintain the operation of a Florida College System institution site, and for which the institution can demonstrate that it has no other funding source available to complete the project; 3. The project addresses the greatest current year need for space as indicated by increased instructional capacity that enhances educational opportunities for the greatest number of students; 4. The project reflects a ranked priority of the submitting Florida College System institution; 5. The project represents the most practical and cost-effective replacement or renovation of an existing building; or 6. For a new construction, remodeling, or renovation project that has not received a prior appropriation, the project has received, or has commitments to receive, funding from sources other than a project-specific state appropriation to assist with completion of the project; the project is needed to preserve the safety of persons using the facility; or the project is consistent with a strategic legislative or state board initiative. (b) The project scoring the highest for each criterion shall be awarded the maximum points in the range of points within the points scale developed by the state board. The state board shall weight the value of criteria such that the maximum points awarded for each criterion represents a percent of the total maximum points. However, the state board may not weight any criterion higher than the criterion established in subparagraph (a)3. 1 (c) A new construction, remodeling, or renovation project that has not received an appropriation in a previous year shall not be considered for inclusion on the prioritized list required by s. 1013.64(4), unless: 1. A plan is provided to reserve funds in an escrow account, into which shall be deposited each year an amount of funds equal to 0.5 percent of the total value of the building for future maintenance; 2. There exists sufficient capacity within the cash and bonding estimate of funds by the Revenue Estimating Conference to accommodate the project within the 3-year Public Education Capital Outlay funding cycle; and 3. The project has been recommended pursuant to s. 1013.31. (d) The state board shall continually maintain a list of all public education capital outlay projects for which state funds were previously appropriated which have not been completed. The list shall include an estimate of the amount of state funding needed for the completion of each project. (e) The state board shall review its space need calculation methodology developed pursuant to s. 1013.31 to incorporate improvements, efficiencies, or changes. Recommendations shall be submitted to the chairs of the House of Representatives and Senate appropriations committees by October 31, 2019, and every 3 years thereafter. (19) INTELLECTUAL FREEDOM AND VIEWPOINT DIVERSITY ASSESSMENT. — (a) For the purposes of this subsection, the term: 1. “Intellectual freedom and viewpoint diversity” means the exposure of students, faculty, and staff to, and the encouragement of their exploration of, a variety of ideological and political perspectives. 2. “Shield” means to limit students’, faculty members’, or staff members’ access to, or observation of, ideas and opinions that they may find uncomfortable, unwelcome, disagreeable, or offensive. (b) The State Board of Education shall require each Florida College System institution to conduct an annual assessment of the intellectual freedom and viewpoint diversity at that institution. The State Board of Education shall select or create an objective, nonpartisan, and statistically valid survey to be used by each institution which considers the extent to which competing ideas and perspectives are presented and members of the college community, including students, faculty, and staff, feel free to express their beliefs and viewpoints on campus and in the classroom. The State Board of Education shall annually compile and publish the assessments by December 31 of each year, beginning on December 31, 2024. The State Board of Education may adopt rules to implement this paragraph. (c) The State Board of Education may not shield students, faculty, or staff at Florida College System institutions from free speech protected under the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, Art. I of the State Constitution, or s. 1004.097. History. — s. 21, ch. 2002-387; s. 6, ch. 2006-74; s. 69, ch. 2007-217; s. 6, ch. 2007-246; s. 4, ch. 2008-235; s. 9, ch. 2011-5; s. 2, ch. 2012-195; s. 3, ch. 2014-56; s. 3, ch. 2019-103; s. 2, ch. 2020-117; s. 22, ch. 2021-10; s. 1, ch. 2021-159; s. 69, ch. 2022-4; s. 2, ch. 2023-13; s. 15, ch. 2023-81; s. 1, ch. 2023-83; s. 242, ch. 2024-6; s. 2, ch. 2024-160; s. 10, ch. 2025-110; ss. 23, 24, ch. 2026-233. 1 Note. — A. Section 23, ch. 2026-233, amended paragraph (18)(c) “[i]n order to implement Specific Appropriation 16A of the 2026-2027 General Appropriations Act.” B. Section 24, ch. 2026-233, provides that “[t]he amendment to s. 1001.03(18)(c), Florida Statutes, made by this act expires July 1, 2027, and the text of that section shall revert to that in existence on June 30, 2026, except that any amendments to such text enacted other than by this act shall be preserved and continue to operate to the extent that such amendments are not dependent upon the portions of text which expire pursuant to this section.” Effective July 1, 2027, paragraph (18)(c), as amended by s. 24, ch. 2026-233, will read: (c) A new construction, remodeling, or renovation project that has not received an appropriation in a previous year shall not be considered for inclusion on the prioritized list required by s. 1013.64(4), unless: 1. A plan is provided to reserve funds in an escrow account, specific to the project, into which shall be deposited each year an amount of funds equal to 0.5 percent of the total value of the building for future maintenance; 2. There exists sufficient capacity within the cash and bonding estimate of funds by the Revenue Estimating Conference to accommodate the project within the 3-year Public Education Capital Outlay funding cycle; and 3. The project has been recommended pursuant to s. 1013.31. B. Commissioner of Education 1001.10 Commissioner of Education; general powers and duties. 1001.11 Commissioner of Education; other duties. 1001.10 Commissioner of Education; general powers and duties. (1) The Commissioner of Education is the chief educational officer of the state and the sole custodian of the educational data warehouse, and is responsible for giving full assistance to the State Board of Education in enforcing compliance with the mission and goals of the Early Learning-20 education system, except for the State University System. (2) The commissioner’s office shall operate all statewide functions necessary to support the State Board of Education, including strategic planning and budget development, general administration, assessment, and accountability. (3) To facilitate innovative practices and to allow local selection of educational methods, the State Board of Education may authorize the commissioner to waive, upon the request of a district school board, State Board of Education rules that relate to district school instruction and school operations, except those rules pertaining to civil rights, and student health, safety, and welfare. The Commissioner of Education is not authorized to grant waivers for any provisions in rule pertaining to the allocation and appropriation of state and local funds for public education; the election, compensation, and organization of school board members and superintendents; graduation and state accountability standards; financial reporting requirements; reporting of out-of-field teaching assignments under s. 1012.42; public meetings; public records; or due process hearings governed by chapter 120. No later than January 1 of each year, the commissioner shall report to the Legislature and the State Board of Education all approved waiver requests in the preceding year. (4) The Department of Education shall: (a) Provide technical assistance to school districts, charter schools, the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind, and private schools that accept scholarship students who participate in a state scholarship program under chapter 1002 in the development of policies, procedures, and training related to employment practices and standards of ethical conduct for instructional personnel and school administrators, as defined in s. 1012.01. (b) Maintain a disqualification list that includes all of the following: 1. The identity of each person who has been permanently denied an educator certificate or whose educator certificate has been permanently revoked and has been placed on the list as directed by the Education Practices Commission pursuant to s. 1012.795(1) or s. 1012.796(7). 2. The identity of each person who has been permanently disqualified by the commissioner from owning or operating a private school that participates in state scholarship programs under s. 1002.421. 3. The identity of each person who has been terminated, or has resigned in lieu of termination, from employment as a result of sexual misconduct with a student. 4. The identity of each person who is ineligible for educator certification or employment pursuant to s. 1012.315. (c) The department may remove a person from the disqualification list if the person demonstrates that: 1. A completed law enforcement investigation resulted in an exoneration or no conviction or finding of guilt and a completed investigation and proceeding, as applicable, by the responsible education agency resulted in a finding that the person did not commit disqualifying conduct; 2. The person was not the subject of the report of disqualifying conduct and was included on the disqualification list in error or as a result of mistaken identity; or 3. The employer that submitted the person for inclusion on the disqualification list requests that the person be removed and submits documentation to support the request. (d) The State Board of Education shall adopt rules to implement this subsection. (5) The Department of Education shall provide authorized staff of school districts, charter schools, the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind, and private schools that accept scholarship students who participate in a state scholarship program under chapter 1002 with access to electronic verification of information from the following employment screening tools: (a) The Professional Practices’ Database of Disciplinary Actions Against Educators. (b) The department’s Teacher Certification Database. (c) The department’s disqualification list under paragraph (4)(b). This subsection does not require the department to provide these staff with unlimited access to the databases. However, the department shall provide the staff with access to the data necessary for performing employment history checks of the persons included in the databases. (6) Additionally, the commissioner has the following general powers and duties: (a) To organize and name the structural units of the Department of Education and appoint staff necessary to carry out duties and functions of the department in a manner that meets legislative intent and promotes both efficiency and accountability. (b) To advise and counsel with the State Board of Education on all matters pertaining to education; to recommend to the State Board of Education actions and policies as, in the commissioner’s opinion, should be acted upon or adopted; and to execute or provide for the execution of all acts and policies as are approved. (c) To keep such records as are necessary to set forth clearly all acts and proceedings of the State Board of Education. (d) To have a seal for his or her office with which, in connection with his or her own signature, the commissioner shall authenticate true copies of decisions, acts, or documents. (e) To recommend to the State Board of Education policies and steps designed to protect and preserve the principal of the State School Fund; to provide an assured and stable income from the fund; to execute such policies and actions as are approved; and to administer the State School Fund. (f) To take action on the release of mineral rights based upon the recommendations of the Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund. (g) To submit to the State Board of Education, on or before October 1 of each year, recommendations for a coordinated Early Learning-20 education budget that estimates the expenditures for the Board of Governors, the State Board of Education, including the Department of Education and the Commissioner of Education, and all of the boards, institutions, agencies, and services under the general supervision of the Board of Governors or the State Board of Education for the ensuing fiscal year. Any program recommended to the State Board of Education that will require increases in state funding for more than 1 year must be presented in a multiyear budget plan. (h) To develop and implement policies for cooperating with other public agencies in carrying out those phases of the program in which such cooperation is required by law or is deemed by the commissioner to be desirable and to cooperate with public and nonpublic agencies in planning and bringing about improvements in the educational program. (i) To prepare forms and procedures as are necessary to be used by district school boards and all other educational agencies to assure uniformity, accuracy, and efficiency in the keeping of records, the execution of contracts, the preparation of budgets, or the submission of reports; and to furnish at state expense, when deemed advisable by the commissioner, those forms that can more economically and efficiently be provided. (j) To implement a program of school improvement and education accountability designed to provide all students the opportunity to make adequate learning gains in each year of school as provided by statute and State Board of Education rule based upon the achievement of the state education goals, recognizing the following: 1. The district school board is responsible for school and student performance. 2. The individual school is the unit for education accountability. 3. The Florida College System institution board of trustees is responsible for Florida College System institution performance and student performance. (k) To prepare, publish, and disseminate user-friendly materials relating to the state’s education system, including the state’s K-12 scholarship programs, the school readiness program, and the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program. (l) To prepare and publish annually reports giving statistics and other useful information pertaining to the state’s K-12 scholarship programs, the school readiness program, and the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program. (m) To have printed or electronic copies of school laws, forms, instruments, instructions, and rules of the State Board of Education and provide for their distribution. (n) To develop criteria for use by department instructional materials reviewers in evaluating materials submitted for adoption consideration. The criteria shall, as appropriate, be based on instructional expectations reflected in course descriptions and student performance standards. The criteria for each subject or course shall be made available to publishers and manufacturers of instructional materials pursuant to the requirements of chapter 1006. (o) To prescribe procedures for evaluating instructional materials submitted by publishers and manufacturers in each adoption. (p) To enter into agreement with Space Florida to develop innovative aerospace-related education programs that promote mathematics and science education for grades K-20. (7) The commissioner, or the commissioner’s designee, may conduct a review or investigation of practices, procedures, or actions at any Florida College System institution which appear to be inconsistent with sound financial, management, or academic practice. (8) In the event of an emergency situation, the commissioner may coordinate through the most appropriate means of communication with early learning coalitions, local school districts, Florida College System institutions, and satellite offices of the Division of Blind Services and the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation to assess the need for resources and assistance to enable each school, institution, or satellite office the ability to reopen as soon as possible after considering the health, safety, and welfare of students and clients. (9) Due to the range of school choice options and the variety of ways students learn, the commissioner shall develop an online portal that enables parents to choose the best educational options for their student. The portal, at a minimum, must: (a) Recommend educational options based on questions about the student, including the needs and interests of the student. (b) Advise parents on the recommended educational options for their student. (c) Enable schools to develop a school profile and connect directly with families who express interest in the school. (d) Allow parents to complete the school enrollment process. History. — s. 23, ch. 2002-387; s. 67, ch. 2006-60; s. 7, ch. 2006-74; s. 70, ch. 2007-217; s. 3, ch. 2007-234; s. 7, ch. 2008-108; s. 12, ch. 2010-24; s. 10, ch. 2011-5; s. 3, ch. 2011-55; s. 3, ch. 2012-195; s. 7, ch. 2013-237; s. 12, ch. 2014-39; s. 8, ch. 2018-6; s. 5, ch. 2019-22; s. 23, ch. 2021-10; s. 1, ch. 2021-138; s. 70, ch. 2022-4; s. 12, ch. 2023-16; s. 11, ch. 2023-220; s. 23, ch. 2024-3. 1001.11 Commissioner of Education; other duties. (1) The Commissioner of Education must independently perform the following duties: (a) Cooperate with and coordinate responses to requests from the members of the Legislature. (b) Serve as the primary source of information to the Legislature, including the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, concerning the State Board of Education, the Early Learning-20 education system, and early learning programs. (c) In cooperation with the Board of Governors, develop and implement a process for receiving and processing requests, in conjunction with the Legislature, for the allocation of PECO funds for qualified postsecondary education projects. (d) Integrally work with the boards of trustees of the Florida College System institutions. (e) Monitor the activities of the State Board of Education and provide information related to current and pending policies to the members of the boards of trustees of the Florida College System institutions and state universities. (f) Ensure the timely provision of information requested by the Legislature from the State Board of Education, the commissioner’s office, and the Department of Education. (2) The Commissioner of Education shall annually report the state’s educational performance on state and national measures and shall recommend to the State Board of Education performance goals addressing the educational needs of the state. (3) Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, the Commissioner of Education, in conjunction with the Legislature, and the Board of Governors regarding the State University System, must recommend funding priorities for the distribution of capital outlay funds for public postsecondary educational institutions, based on priorities that include, but are not limited to, the following criteria: (a) Growth at the institutions. (b) Need for specific skills statewide. (c) Need for maintaining and repairing existing facilities. (4) The commissioner shall develop and implement an integrated Early Learning-20 information system for educational management in accordance with the requirements of chapter 1008. (5) The commissioner shall design and implement a statewide program of educational assessment that provides information for the improvement of the operation and management of the public schools, including schools operating for the purpose of providing educational services to youth in Department of Juvenile Justice programs, in accordance with the requirements of chapter 1008. (6) The commissioner is responsible for implementing and maintaining a system of intensive school improvement and stringent education accountability, in accordance with the requirements of chapter 1008. (7) The commissioner shall make prominently available on the department’s website the following: links to the Internet-based clearinghouse for professional learning regarding physical education; the school wellness and physical education policies and other resources required under s. 1003.453; and other Internet sites that provide professional learning for elementary teachers of physical education as defined in s. 1003.01(15). These links must provide elementary teachers with information concerning current physical education and nutrition philosophy and best practices that result in student participation in physical activities that promote lifelong physical and mental well-being. (8) The commissioner shall oversee the development and implementation of the 5-year strategic plan for establishing Florida digital classrooms to assist school districts in their efforts to integrate technology in classroom teaching and learning to improve student performance. (9) The commissioner shall oversee and enforce compliance with the requirements relating to school safety and security by school districts; district school superintendents; and public schools, including charter schools. The commissioner must facilitate compliance to the maximum extent provided under law, identify incidents of noncompliance, and impose or recommend to the State Board of Education, the Governor, or the Legislature enforcement and sanctioning actions pursuant to s. 1008.32 and other authority granted under law. History. — s. 24, ch. 2002-387; s. 1, ch. 2007-28; s. 71, ch. 2007-217; s. 173, ch. 2008-4; s. 11, ch. 2011-5; s. 40, ch. 2013-35; s. 28, ch. 2013-252; s. 4, ch. 2014-56; s. 6, ch. 2019-22; s. 24, ch. 2021-10; s. 3, ch. 2022-174; s. 137, ch. 2023-8; s. 1, ch. 2024-5. C. Department of Education 1001.20 Department under direction of state board. 1001.21 Office of Private Schools and Home Education Programs. 1001.212 Office of Safe Schools. 1001.215 Just Read, Florida! Office. 1001.216 Council on the Social Status of Black Men and Boys. 1001.22 Commission for Independent Education. 1001.23 Specific powers and duties of the Department of Education. 1001.24 Direct-support organization; use of property; board of directors; audit. 1001.26 Public broadcasting program system. 1001.271 Florida Information Resource Network. 1001.28 Distance learning duties. 1001.281 Operating Trust Fund. 1001.282 Administrative Trust Fund. 1001.283 Welfare Transition Trust Fund. 1001.29 Discounted computers and Internet access for students. 1001.292 Schools of Hope Revolving Loan Program. 1001.2921 Security funding for Jewish day schools and preschools. 1001.20 Department under direction of state board. (1) The Department of Education shall be organized consistently with the requirements of s. 20.15, and shall act as an administrative and supervisory agency under the implementation direction of the State Board of Education. (2) The department is to be located in the offices of the Commissioner of Education and shall assist in providing professional leadership and guidance and in carrying out the policies, procedures, and duties authorized by law or by the State Board of Education or found necessary by it to attain the purposes and objectives of this code. (3) The Department of Education shall maintain an Office of the Commissioner of Education that includes the general areas of operation that are common to all delivery sectors, such as administration, communication, legal services, financial aid, and government and public relations, in order to increase efficiency, improve service delivery to students, and fully support the operational needs of the State Board of Education. (4) The Department of Education shall establish the following offices within the Office of the Commissioner of Education which shall coordinate their activities with all other divisions and offices: (a) Office of Technology and Information Services. — 1. Responsible for developing a 5-year strategic plan for establishing Florida digital classrooms by October 1, 2014, and annually updating the plan by January 1 each year thereafter. The Florida digital classrooms plan shall be provided to each school district and published on the department’s website. The plan must: a. Describe how technology will be integrated into classroom teaching and learning to assist the state in improving student performance outcomes and enable all students in Florida to be digital learners with access to digital tools and resources. b. Identify minimum technology requirements that include specifications for hardware, software, devices, networking, security, and bandwidth capacity and guidelines for the ratio of students per device. c. Establish minimum requirements for professional learning opportunities and training to assist district instructional personnel and staff with the integration of technology into classroom teaching. d. Identify the types of digital tools and resources that can assist district instructional personnel and staff in the management, assessment, and monitoring of student learning and performance. 2. Responsible for making budget recommendations to the commissioner, providing data collection and management for the system, assisting school districts in securing Internet access and telecommunications services, including those eligible for funding under the Schools and Libraries Program of the federal Universal Service Fund, and coordinating services with other state, local, and private agencies. (b) Office of Workforce and Economic Development. — Responsible for evaluating the role of each sector of education in Florida’s workforce and economic development, assessing the specific work skills and variety of careers provided, and reporting to the State Board of Education the effectiveness of each sector. (c) Office of Educational Facilities. — Responsible for validating all educational plant surveys and verifying Florida Inventory of School Houses (FISH) data. The office shall provide technical assistance to public school districts when requested. (d) Office of Student Financial Assistance. — Responsible for providing access to and administering state and federal grants, scholarships, and loans to those students seeking financial assistance for postsecondary study pursuant to program criteria and eligibility requirements. (e) Office of Inspector General. — Organized using existing resources and funds and responsible for promoting accountability, efficiency, and effectiveness and detecting fraud and abuse within school districts, the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind, and Florida College System institutions in Florida. If the Commissioner of Education determines that a district school board, the Board of Trustees for the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind, or a Florida College System institution board of trustees is unwilling or unable to address substantiated allegations made by any person relating to waste, fraud, or financial mismanagement within the school district, the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind, or the Florida College System institution, the office must conduct, coordinate, or request investigations into such substantiated allegations. The office shall investigate allegations or reports of possible fraud or abuse against a district school board made by any member of the Cabinet; the presiding officer of either house of the Legislature; a chair of a substantive or appropriations committee with jurisdiction; or a member of the board for which an investigation is sought. The office may investigate allegations or reports of suspected violations of a student’s, parent’s, or teacher’s rights. The office shall have access to all information and personnel necessary to perform its duties and shall have all of its current powers, duties, and responsibilities authorized in s. 20.055. History. — s. 26, ch. 2002-387; s. 2, ch. 2004-331; s. 72, ch. 2007-217; s. 2, ch. 2009-59; s. 12, ch. 2010-70; s. 12, ch. 2011-5; s. 1, ch. 2011-175; s. 5, ch. 2014-56; s. 4, ch. 2018-5; s. 2, ch. 2023-38; s. 8, ch. 2023-245; s. 2, ch. 2024-5; s. 11, ch. 2025-110. 1001.21 Office of Private Schools and Home Education Programs. The state recognizes the contributions of private schools and home education programs in providing alternatives to public school education. These nongovernmental educational systems serve the public, but are not considered to be a part of the public system of education. (1) The Office of Private Schools and Home Education Programs is established within the Department of Education. The Department of Education and the Commissioner of Education have no authority over the institutions or students served by the office. The office shall: (a) Serve the interests of students and the parents of students in private schools and home education programs. (b) Serve the interests of private institutions. (c) Provide general information to the public about private and home education delivery systems. (2) The Commissioner of Education shall appoint an executive director for the office who shall: (a) Serve as a source of communication between private schools, home education programs, the Commissioner of Education, and the State Board of Education. (b) Evaluate pending policy to ensure that the policy does not subject private schools and home education programs to additional regulation or mandates. (c) Establish a clearinghouse of information for the public. (d) Foster a collaborative spirit and working relationship among private schools, home education programs, and the public sector. (e) Identify and convey the best practices of private schools and home education programs for the benefit of the public and private education delivery sectors. (f) Represent issues and concerns relating to home education programs and private schools on all applicable ad hoc advisory bodies. History. — s. 27, ch. 2002-387. 1001.212 Office of Safe Schools. There is created in the Department of Education the Office of Safe Schools. The office is fully accountable to the Commissioner of Education. The office shall serve as a central repository for best practices, training standards, and compliance oversight in all matters regarding school safety and security, including prevention efforts, intervention efforts, and emergency preparedness planning. The office shall: (1) Establish and update as necessary a school security risk assessment tool for use by school districts pursuant to s. 1006.07(6). The office shall make the security risk assessment tool available for use by charter schools. The office shall provide annual training to appropriate school district and charter school personnel on the proper assessment of physical site security and completion of the school security risk assessment tool. (2) Provide ongoing professional learning opportunities to school district and charter school personnel. (3) Provide a coordinated and interdisciplinary approach to providing technical assistance and guidance to school districts on safety and security and recommendations to address findings identified pursuant to s. 1006.07(6). (4) Develop and implement a School Safety Specialist Training Program for school safety specialists appointed pursuant to s. 1006.07(6). The office shall develop the training program which shall be based on national and state best practices on school safety and security and must include active shooter training. The office shall develop training modules in traditional or online formats. A school safety specialist certificate of completion shall be awarded to a school safety specialist who satisfactorily completes the training required by rules of the office. (5) Review and provide recommendations on the security risk assessments. The department may contract with security personnel, consulting engineers, architects, or other safety and security experts the department deems necessary for safety and security consultant services. (6) Coordinate with the Department of Law Enforcement to provide a unified search tool, known as the Florida School Safety Portal, to improve access to timely, complete, and accurate information from, at a minimum, the following data sources: (a) Social media Internet posts; (b) The Department of Children and Families; (c) The Department of Law Enforcement; (d) The Department of Juvenile Justice; (e) The mobile suspicious activity reporting tool known as FortifyFL; (f) School environmental safety incident reports collected under subsection (8); and (g) Local law enforcement. Data that is exempt or confidential and exempt from public records requirements retains its exempt or confidential and exempt status when incorporated into the centralized integrated data repository. To maintain the confidentiality requirements attached to the information provided to the centralized integrated data repository by the various state and local agencies, data governance and security shall ensure compliance with all applicable state and federal data privacy requirements through the use of user authorization and role-based security, data anonymization and aggregation and auditing capabilities. To maintain the confidentiality requirements attached to the information provided to the centralized integrated data repository by the various state and local agencies, each source agency providing data to the repository shall be the sole custodian of the data for the purpose of any request for inspection or copies thereof under chapter 119. The department shall only allow access to data from the source agencies in accordance with rules adopted by the respective source agencies and the requirements of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Criminal Justice Information Services security policy, where applicable. (7) Provide data to support the evaluation of mental health services pursuant to s. 1004.44. Such data must include, for each school, the number of involuntary examinations as defined in s. 394.455 which are initiated at the school, on school transportation, or at a school-sponsored activity and the number of children for whom an examination is initiated. (8) Provide technical assistance to school districts and charter school governing boards for school environmental safety incident reporting as required under s. 1006.07(9). The office shall collect data through school environmental safety incident reports on incidents involving any person which occur on school premises, on school transportation, and at off-campus, school-sponsored events. The office shall review and evaluate school district reports to ensure compliance with reporting requirements. Upon notification by the department that a superintendent has failed to comply with the requirements of s. 1006.07(9), the district school board shall withhold further payment of his or her salary as authorized under s. 1001.42(13)(b) and impose other appropriate sanctions that the commissioner or state board by law may impose. (9) Award grants to schools to improve the safety and security of school buildings based upon recommendations of the security risk assessment developed pursuant to subsection (1). (10) Disseminate, in consultation with the Department of Law Enforcement, to participating schools awareness and education materials on the proper use of the School Safety Awareness Program developed pursuant to s. 943.082, including the consequences of knowingly submitting false information. (11) Develop a statewide behavioral threat management operational process, a Florida-specific behavioral threat assessment instrument, and a threat management portal. (a)1. The office shall maintain the statewide behavioral threat management operational process to guide school districts, schools, charter school governing boards, and charter schools through the threat management process. The process must be designed to identify, assess, manage, and monitor potential and real threats to schools. This process must include, but is not limited to: a. The establishment and duties of threat management teams. b. Defining behavioral risks and threats. c. The use of the Florida-specific behavioral threat assessment instrument developed pursuant to paragraph (b) to evaluate the behavior of students who may pose a threat to the school, school staff, or other students and to coordinate intervention and services for such students. d. Upon the availability of the threat management portal developed pursuant to paragraph (c), the use, authorized user criteria, and access specifications of the portal. e. Procedures for the implementation of interventions, school support, and community services. f. Guidelines for appropriate law enforcement intervention. g. Procedures for risk management. h. Procedures for disciplinary actions. i. Mechanisms for continued monitoring of potential and real threats. j. Procedures for referrals to mental health services identified by the school district or charter school governing board pursuant to s. 1012.584(4). k. Procedures and requirements necessary for the creation of a threat assessment report, all corresponding documentation, and any other information required by the Florida-specific behavioral threat assessment instrument under paragraph (b). 2. Each school district, school, charter school governing board, and charter school shall use the statewide behavioral threat management operational process. 3. The office shall provide training to all school districts, schools, charter school governing boards, and charter schools on the statewide behavioral threat management operational process. 4. The office shall coordinate the ongoing development, implementation, and operation of the statewide behavioral threat management operational process. (b)1. The office shall maintain the Florida-specific behavioral threat assessment instrument for school districts, schools, char