Senate committee passes bills to support public schools and ‘cut red tape’

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Three bills aimed at supporting public schools passed through a Florida Senate committee ahead of the 2023-2024 Legislative Session.

SPB 7000, SPB 7002 and SPB 7004 passed through the Senate Committee on Pre-K – 12 Education.

Senate President Kathleen Passidomo, R-Naples, said in a press release “reducing bureaucratic red tape” will give public schools “a meaningful chance to compete right alongside other school choice options that are now available to every child, in every family across our state.”

Last legislative session, lawmakers passed historic school choice legislation that expanded vouchers to all students in the state, among other school-related measures.

SPB 7000: Deregulation of Public Schools/Instructional, Administrative, and Support Personnel

Sen. Alexis Calatayud, R-Miami, is carrying the Senate bill. It aims to provide districts more authority related to teacher certification and training, instructor contracts and salary schedules, personnel evaluations, and collective bargaining, according to a press release.

“We are supporting our great teachers and other instructional personnel with needed flexibility and other key resources that will help keep our best teachers in the classroom, and assist professionals in other fields who want to pursue a career in teaching,” Calatayud said.

Additionally, the bill aims to “provide flexibility” in setting salaries for instructional personnel. This includes offering multi-year contracts and personnel evaluation systems.

It will “streamline” initial and renewal requirements for educator certification and establish a 10-year renewable professional certificate for teachers who meet certain criteria.

Eligibility will be expanded for the teacher apprenticeship program.

The bill also aims to “provide flexibility” for establishing criteria for school bus drivers, career and technical education instructors and adjunct teachers, according to the release.

SPB 7002: Deregulation of Public Schools/School District Finance and Budgets, Facilities, and Administration and Oversight

The Senate bill is being carried by Sen. Travis Hutson, R-St. Augustine.

It aims to “simplify financial requirements, enhance facilities management, and advances efficient administrative processes.”

Hutson said during a review of the education code, he was “shocked” by the number of “onerous and outdated requirements” in place for the general day-to-day administration for school districts.

“I think most businesses would have a hard time focusing on customer service when facing such outdated financial and administrative requirements,” Hutson said.

Hutson said teachers and school administrators “should be able to focus on serving and educating our students, not outdated bureaucracy.”

The bill will also simplify school board rulemaking with open meetings, delegate more authority to superintendents, provide flexibility in making up days due to emergencies and simplify the process for students carrying medical supplies.

To simplify financial requirements for school boards, the bill removes requirements for graphical budget presentations and provides flexibility in using federal funds for teacher recruitment in low-income areas, among other efforts.

SPB 7004, Deregulation of Public Schools/Assessment and Accountability, Instruction, and Education Choice

The Senate bill is being carried by Sen. Corey Simon, R-Tallahassee.

It aims to provide school districts more authority over “determining student progression, implementing school improvement programs, providing instructional materials, and providing early learning programs.”

Simon said the bill will “ease the burden” off schools and teachers, and “magnifies the voices of our parents.”

The bill aims to expand parental rights by requiring that parents have a voice in the mandatory third grade retention policy, according to a press release.

It will also eliminate a high-stakes assessment needed to earn a standard high school diploma.

A process will be created for districts to adopt state-required instructional materials and create a timeline for the Florida Department of Education to adopt them.