Having trouble viewing this email? Click here to view in a browser.

July 2023

Volume 11, Issue 10 

Use the green button below to share this Topical Brief with someone who would benefit from this edition. 

Topics

• Legislation: The Lawful Parameters of PK-12 Education Delivery

• The 2023 Florida Bills with Secondary Transition Impact

• A Deeper Dive into SB 240 (2023)

• Helpful Resources

Legislation: The Lawful Parameters of PK-12 Delivery

Every year, Florida legislators review and consider education laws to ensure that the nearly 2.9 Million PK-12 student population receive a world class education and are prepared for post-school success. The most recent legislative session introduced a few changes that took effect July 1, 2023, and will impact students, families, educators and school districts. This Topical Brief highlights those changes, provides references and considerations, and in particular, educates stakeholders who support students with disabilities on some new requirements that will impact the approximate 400,000+ students in Florida with individual education plans (IEPs).



The 2023 Florida Bills with Secondary Transition Impact

These were three bills that made their way through the 2023 Florida legislative process that impact secondary transition planning. In the tables below, a 'Summary' and 'Transition Impact' are developed for each of these pieces of legislation, which took effect July 1, 2023:

A Deeper Dive into SB 240 (2023)

SB 240 was priority legislation in the 2023 session and seeks to improve technology and workforce education. With $100M put in place for this initiative, district school boards, Florida College System institutions and other stakeholders can fund new or expand on current CTE programs serving middle and high school students. Additional bonus funding is also available within the Florida Education Finance program for select achievements in CTE.

This bill also strengthens opportunities for students to engage in work-based learning requiring each district to provide all students enrolled in grades 9 through 12 with at least one work-based learning opportunity. More support for CTE pathways for students will provide continuity through controlled open enrollment for middle school students to continue their CTE programs in high school, enhancing career and academic plans by requiring them to be updated and requiring parents to be provided information about CTE opportunities and benefits for students.

SB 240 expands options for students to earn credit through extracurricular participation in career and technical student organizations. Specifically, for students with disabilities, this initiative opens up more enrollment and participation opportunities in workforce education programs.

The bill adds requirements for school districts to include notifying parents and students of career and academic planning options and work-based learning opportunities and pathways. Specifically, the language of the bill states the following:

• Requires a middle grade student’s personalized academic and career plan to include information on the career and technical education graduation pathway option and work-based learning opportunities and maintains a provision of the bill requiring the plan to be updated at least annually.
• Expands the required annual school district parental notification on high school acceleration options to include notification to the student, information on career and academic planning options, and the contact information of a certified school counselor who is able to provide advice.

The bill also requires a middle grade student’s personalized academic and career plan to include information on the career and technical education graduation pathway option and work-based learning opportunities. The bill amends ss. 1003.02 and 1014.05, F.S., to require district school board policies to include procedures for a parent or guardian and the student to learn about workforce education options for students, such as apprenticeships and pre-apprenticeship, diversified education, CTE courses and programs, career and technical student organizations (CTE student organizations) and industry certifications, and the costs and benefits of CTE in comparison to other postsecondary pathways.

Beginning in the 2023-2024 school year, the bill requires each district school board to adopt policies and procedures to require each high school to host an annual career fair during the school year and establish a process to provide students in grades 11 and 12 the opportunity to meet or interview with potential employers during the career fair. The career fair must be held during the school day. The career fair must also be held on the campus of the high school, unless the district holds a joint career fair involving multiple high schools.



Helpful Resources

FDOE's College and Career Planning Page (https://www.fldoe.org/academics/college-career-planning/)

• Contains a variety of resources, tools and links to support students' career exploration and postsecondary planning.
• Organized in the following domains: Online Career Planning & Work-Based Learning Coordinating System, Additional Career & Postsecondary Exploration Resources, National Service Exploration, and Educator Career Readiness Resources

FDOE's Career and Technical Education Page (https://www.fldoe.org/academics/career-adult-edu/career-tech-edu/)

• Comprehensive CTE information including CTE relevant frameworks, new teacher resources, graduation pathway option, program resources, and CAPE secondary and postsecondary links.

Project 10's Guardianship Page (http://project10.info/DPage.php?ID=432)

• Project 10 provides Florida and national information and resources on age of majority, guardianship and decision-making alternatives.

Turning 18 Website (https://www.turning18.org/)

• A free service for residents of Florida, Turning 18 will guide parents, families, foster parents and foster youth allies through legal options to help adults and youth with developmental disabilities navigate aging out of care.



Join Our Mailing List

About Project 10 Topical Briefs:

Project 10 Topical Briefs provide informational summaries and resource links related to secondary transition.

Have a question? Want to find or recommend a resource? Have some great news to share?

Email us at project10@stpete.usf.edu.

For back issues of Project 10 Topical Briefs, visit our Topical Briefs page on the Project 10 website.

Project 10: Transition Education Network

Assists Florida school districts and relevant stakeholders in building capacity to provide secondary transition services to students with disabilities in order to improve their academic success and post-school outcomes.

Project 10: Transition Education Network

University of South Florida St. Petersburg

Questions or comments?

Email us at project10@stpete.usf.edu.

www.project10.info