[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6288095,"mediaKeyId","2544752-fd9945f273751ace82b7d56afdfd3765","parentId",2544752,"title","Committee backs wide-ranging school deregulation bill changing assessments, evaluations and district controls","audioSeconds",760,"startMs",651000,"endMs",1411000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2544752-fd9945f273751ace82b7d56afdfd3765&start=651&end=1411","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2544752-fd9945f273751ace82b7d56afdfd3765/thumbnail_651000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6288095/Florida/Committee-backs-wide-ranging-school-deregulation-bill-changing-assessments-evaluations-and-district-controls","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6288095-2e07657425e3dbe3df5868565f21f621/orig.mp4?Expires=1770939666&Signature=oVoWHVMjtIgwErHcZBKPdjvqfNy55LQbTWQHwrFVOo-ippBcCET~Z8q0J3j0ihLxJJfJexWg2yyVwek0WW1c0GabFwT9QTtK0~~rSNUIsQBbMPfXiA~HOkVEL-S7Wb7EeY4UojaCI3yXajpFcVobjjogI1IKjesBGN-~d6GOK7d3woakdR1xoOcI8w6OH5B71~EZ4MiSyU6T5I504LKsYm03gs90A~i-SAZxkLw9ve-oBfogKpTSgJO1c-FqwEJomKYTGYMBdEI8NoxH1fM10R-kwy76t7U0rEPVXjWSAh-4TnT5EYGlQirFjdsvXPPVyLD7iSRFk1dgSVTwOZkM~Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Florida State Legislature","date","2025-03-11T00:00:00Z","article","Senate Bill 166, a comprehensive education bill described by sponsor Sen. Aaron Simon as intended to reduce regulatory burdens on school districts, was reported favorably by the PreK-12 Appropriations Subcommittee after sponsor explanation, questions from committee members and multiple public witnesses in support.

Simon told the committee the bill lowers the stakes of certain statewide assessments — making Algebra I and 10th-grade ELA assessments count as 30% of a course grade rather than as an independent graduation barrier — expands assessment options for fourth-grade promotion, and gives districts flexibility over assessment calendars while requiring districts to note which assessments are state versus district instruments. The bill also increases district control over facilities planning timelines and removes certain statewide cost-per-student station limits.

On educator policy, the bill authorizes a three-year teacher contract and a 10-year professional certification, expands eligibility for teacher apprenticeship programs, limits the general knowledge test to classroom teachers, allows districts to design personnel evaluations provided student performance still makes up half of evaluations, and authorizes districts to provide salary supplements for areas of critical need outside collective bargaining constraints.

Public testimony was largely supportive. Shane Solecki, a mathematics teacher at Royal Palm Beach High School, described ongoing interruptions from make-up assessments and urged support: “I like that the test still matters as it is 30% of their grade, but not so destructive that they’re missing critical instruction,” he said. Sharon Batty, president of the Sterling Park Elementary PTA, urged returning more authority to local teachers and districts and said communities want testing reductions to ease student anxiety and reduce lost instructional time. Stephanie Farrell, a public-school parent and founding member of the Florida Freedom to Read Project, said she supports the bill and continued parental choice in public schools.

Sen. Jones questioned how the change would ensure student proficiency in mathematics; Simon responded that the state’s increased use of progress monitoring gives districts better longitudinal information and that the assessments remain but lose their high-stakes graduation role. Simon said districts retain flexibility to define the student-performance measures that will count toward the 50% student-performance component of personnel evaluations.

The bill also moves some public VPK oversight to school districts for public VPK programs beginning July 1, while private VPK programs remain under early learning coalitions, Simon said. Several school administrators and associations waived in support, and committee members praised the bill’s return of local control while acknowledging the need to monitor proficiency outcomes.

The subcommittee reported CS for SB 166 favorably on roll call.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Appropriations Committee on PreK-12 Education 3/11/2025","oneSentenceSummary","Senate Bill 166, a comprehensive education bill that lowers the stakes of some statewide tests, expands district flexibility over facilities and personnel policy, and shifts oversight of public VPK programs to school districts, was reported favorably by the PreK-12 Appropriations Subcommittee.","taxTitle","PreK-12 Appropriations Subcommittee, House, Legislative, Florida","taxId",25419,"location","Florida","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6288099,"Panel advances bill directing DOE to develop workforce credentials, badges for students with autism",145,93000,238000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2544752-fd9945f273751ace82b7d56afdfd3765&start=93&end=238","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2544752-fd9945f273751ace82b7d56afdfd3765/thumbnail_93000.jpg","/articles/6288099/Florida/Panel-advances-bill-directing-DOE-to-develop-workforce-credentials-badges-for-students-with-autism","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6288099-836a1297c3faf991a0ab2c4cd1bdf88a/orig.mp4?Expires=1770939666&Signature=SKpapYblVoZLfCaYMWpUCHnAsj3Q8YzXzwkEfGjHm39Tv0O3zFBlrlGwiDkYsEBq0OZ-JuIcn3-0zPEY55EDt86zvxvqILmw8JnFPiCg70SJSSBvyKqd5DxU6xm88gaosFRiqv76oQrVOecpLjRAhXIKHcBR-IgiQiia1uhffiElwo9N4kUL3xaxLMPS07UjRD6hZ03zoG8Vg1vB3f63OAioytG0f8591nij7DfrCjf3w5scnOccPw8EYRLcGZAwcoowxxq5dkg-pAkkI0UVgnQ8LjgYJfyZXu3jU1jxePjzr4RZInZsOMOqZgMhsIMmBJ0ZkdZO2iq0DmLQqEZujQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Senate Bill 102, which would direct the Florida Department of Education to develop a workforce credential and a badge-based training program aimed at students with autism spectrum disorder and students on modified curricula, was reported favorably by the PreK-12 Appropriations Subcommittee after sponsor Sen. Dorothy Gates explained the bill and public witnesses testified both for and against it.

The bill would require the Department of Education to work with the Florida Center for Students with Unique Abilities and the Federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration in developing a training program that issues badges when students demonstrate specific job skills and behaviors, “importantly including workforce safety,” Gates said. The department also would report on badges earned and graduates’ employment outcomes.

Supporters described existing employer partnerships and job-placement programs. “Good Grubs down in Palm Beach County…they are actually placed into hotels and restaurants for work,” Kina Corey of the Florida Goodwill Association told the committee, citing programs her organization runs that train and place people with disabilities in vocational settings.

A special-education teacher who identified herself as Sierra Bush Rester testified against the bill as written, citing ethical and implementation concerns. Rester urged explicit protections to ensure participation is voluntary and an individualized education program team decision, broader eligibility beyond students on modified curricula, dedicated funding for schools, and a research-based accountability framework. “If you’ve met one child with autism, you’ve met one child with autism,” Rester said, arguing against one-size-fits-all placement.

Gates told the committee there is no fiscal impact stated in the committee explanation she presented. The bill text directs development of curriculum and badges and requires an annual department report on outcomes; it does not, as presented in this committee, appropriate new funding or specify implementation support for districts or schools.

By voice and roll call in committee, the subcommittee reported the committee substitute for SB 102 favorably.

Implementation questions raised during testimony center on consent and placement authority, the bill’s limited eligibility language, and the absence of earmarked funding or an explicit evaluation design. Testimony urged the sponsor and staff to add language clarifying voluntariness, IEP-team authority, broader student eligibility, funding, and a research-based accountability framework before the bill advances further.

If advanced in subsequent committees or on the floor, the bill’s requirement that the department coordinate with OSHA and report employment outcomes will be the primary mechanisms by which the state would attempt to measure the program’s effectiveness and safety implications for employers and students.","The PreK-12 Appropriations Subcommittee reported favorably on a bill directing the Department of Education to develop a workforce credential and badge system aimed at preparing students with autism and students on modified curricula for employment, with required reporting but no identified fiscal appropriation in the committee explanation.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6288090,"Committee backs measure returning school-start-time decisions to districts, requires community review of sleep impacts",602,2095000,2697000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2544752-fd9945f273751ace82b7d56afdfd3765&start=2095&end=2697","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2544752-fd9945f273751ace82b7d56afdfd3765/thumbnail_2095000.jpg","/articles/6288090/Florida/Committee-backs-measure-returning-school-start-time-decisions-to-districts-requires-community-review-of-sleep-impacts","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6288090-986e6795a94ec4f68ce17d310f3180bb/orig.mp4?Expires=1770939666&Signature=A-1y9YtRueAsLd8j-KcXOkMJbc8Vy0XyQhFLYrMmB8Xme7nZaZFeCAZTzz20RcJO51vism8NOIDlhRL0pWTPlxLoF0zZrMXhERdMswkv~a~zpoyq0h7SF2vltHWL~0FO-5ubJhFv7T36KOjHHcDbGIHRUWsbiZqhxEnWfsD6wU3YJfF1-GNvPlFAIN9UdeHMpZVvwBNX7x28YaPwW-xNu-~SRkYDog6v1arGfYzl1lpoj8~4BZlkvSmYR60Tab-MmJyeP7RqVu~JuhZJmLmol1BOfCulO1XIf-U5XZuTPk2iVDwimiqgNlf~lfA8gusKqLrscQ0iNkah9zpBY0G6Kg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","A committee substitute for SB 296 that would repeal the statewide mandate on middle- and high-school start times and return scheduling decisions to local school districts was reported favorably by the PreK-12 Appropriations Subcommittee after a lengthy public record featuring parents, health professionals and district representatives.

Sen. Jason Bradley, sponsor of the repeal measure, said the 2023 law — which requires middle schools not to start before 8 a.m. and high schools not to start before 8:30 a.m. beginning in 2026 — imposed a uniform schedule on 67 diverse districts and created substantial logistical challenges. “A state mandate on school start times would present incredible challenges financially and otherwise,” Bradley said, citing bus fleets, driver shortages, impacts on students’ jobs and extracurricular activities, and safety concerns for younger children waiting at early morning stops.

Eileen Siegel of the Florida PTA told the committee the PTA supports returning the decision to local districts and parents after local review and public engagement. “We ask you to please vote and support this bill and let it go back to the local school boards and districts and let them interview their parents,” Siegel said.

Opponents included pediatrician Lynn Keefe of Okaloosa County, who spoke against repeal. Keefe summarized sleep-research conclusions for adolescents and urged retaining statewide guidance. “Teens need 8 to 10 hours of sleep and their sleep cycle starts close to 11 p.m.,” she said, warning that REM sleep between roughly 4 a.m. and 7 a.m. is critical and that chronic sleep loss harms academic performance, mood regulation and health. Keefe cited examples of counties that moved start times later and reported transportation cost neutrality or savings and academic and attendance improvements.

Other public witnesses representing small districts, PTAs and district superintendents testified in support of returning the decision to local control, citing geographic size, seasonal population shifts, traffic congestion, after-school work and extracurricular commitments, and staffing constraints as reasons the statewide mandate could be impractical in their communities.

The committee substitute does not remove the requirement that district school boards inform the community about the health, safety and academic impacts of sleep deprivation and to consider later start times; it instead returns final schedule authority to local boards. The subcommittee reported CS for SB 296 favorably on roll call.","The subcommittee reported favorably on a committee substitute that would repeal the statewide middle- and high-school start-time mandate enacted in 2023 and return scheduling authority to local school boards while requiring community notice about the health, safety and academic impacts of sleep deprivation.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Committee backs wide-ranging school deregulation bill changing assessments, evaluations and district controls

Panel advances bill directing DOE to develop workforce credentials, badges for students with autism

Committee backs measure returning school-start-time decisions to districts, requires community review of sleep impacts