Exceptional Student Education and School Choice Jean Miller, Acting Executive Director Administrators’ Management Meetin

1. Exceptional Student Education and School ChoiceJean Miller, Acting Executive DirectorAdministrators’ Management MeetingSeptember 18-19, 2008

2. Florida’s 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 parent’s 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 student’s 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 as3518 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 district’s 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 district’s 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 Florida’s 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 student’s 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.