The Florida Senate passed a bill 36-0 this week to cut red tape for public school districts in an effort to boost teacher and student success by giving district leaders more autonomy in policymaking and flexibility on finances and their facilities.
Rep. Corey Simon (R-Tallahassee) sponsored the bill, titled Administrative Efficiency in Public Schools, in the Senate. The bill expands on a legislative priority by state lawmakers to boost school choice from a pair of bills (SB 7002/SB 7004) during the 2024 session.
"Universal school choice created a historic expansion of opportunity for every student and every family in the state of Florida, but we cannot allow this policy to pick winners and losers. Our neighborhood public schools are the backbone of so many communities across our state, especially our rural communities, and they deserve to compete on a level playing field," Simon said in a statement.
"This legislation continues our efforts to put an end to overly burdensome bureaucracy that hinders the efficiency of our public schools," Simon continued. "By eliminating red tape, we can help keep the focus of Florida’s public education system where it belongs – on our students and their education.”
Provisions in SB 320 include the following:
- Supports teachers by streamlining how districts can recruit, hire, manage, and pay potential hires, including clarifying options for advanced degrees for possible salary adjustments.
- Specifies that collective bargaining may not prevent a school district from giving salary
supplements based on important critical or district needs. - Creates a three-year instructional multi-year contract, although teachers given “unsatisfactory” or “needs improvement” assessments would revert to an annual contract the following year.
- Establishes a 10-year renewable professional certificate for administrative personnel.
The bill gives school boards more control over district finances and budgets while still holding them responsible for spending, as well as other measures on how they plan and manage their facilities, and general efficiency during the administrative process. They include expansions in the allocation of Title I funding and allowing districts to utilize proceeds from the 1.5 mill discretionary capital levy for operational and capital needs, such as for transportation services, facilities, and resource improvements.
You can view a full list of the provisions here.
“Our legacy, neighborhood public schools have educated generations of Floridians across our state and should remain a viable option for parents and students within Florida’s universal school choice environment,” Senate President Albritton (R-Wauchula) added. “Rooting out inefficiencies and keeping government accountable to taxpayers who fund it is important across all of state government. I’m proud to see Senator Simon and many other Senators continue to run to the fight to rid public school districts of burdensome red tape and support those teachers, students, and families who choose a neighborhood public school.”
Rep. David Smith (R-Winter Springs) filed an identical bill (HB 963) in the House.
SB 320 next heads to the Florida House for consideration. If fully passed and signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis, the bill would take effect on July 1.
