SB 182: Education - Florida

S 182 e1 → S 182 er · 8 edits

MODERATE

This bill updates Florida's education laws to restrict charter schools from dismissing students based on academic performance, adds new eligibility categories for charter school enrollment including students from specific developments and workplaces, and clarifies rules for Florida Tax Credit scholarship fund reversion. It also mandates cursive writing instruction for grades 3-5, requires portraits of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln in public schools, and establishes a new teacher mentoring program to support struggling educators.

Scope change

The bill expands the scope of charter school enrollment eligibility to include students from specific developments and those whose parents work nearby, and it extends the applicability of fire safety code exemptions to private schools operating in certain existing facility types.

ELIGIBILITY

Added new student populations eligible for charter school enrollment, including students articulating between charter schools, students living in developments with significant charter school contributions, and students whose parents work within a reasonable distance of the school.

Clarified that remaining funds in closed Florida Tax Credit scholarship accounts must revert to the scholarship organization, not the state.

REQUIREMENT

Added a prohibition on dismissing students from charter schools based on academic performance, requiring a progress monitoring plan before dismissal.

Mandated cursive writing instruction for students in grades 3 through 5, with a proficiency requirement by the end of grade 5.

Required public schools to display portraits of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, selected by the Department of Education.

Allowed private schools enrolling 150 or fewer students to operate in certain existing commercial or assembly facilities without full rezoning, provided they meet specific fire safety standards.

FISCAL

Established the School Teacher Training and Mentoring Program, allowing districts to pay mentors up to $3,000 to assist struggling teachers.

TIMELINE

Set the effective date of the act to July 1, 2026.

S 182 c2 → S 182 e1 · 5 edits

MODERATE

The bill was renumbered from a committee version (c2) to the first engrossed version (e1), incorporating significant new provisions on charter school enrollment protections, cursive writing instruction, and patriotic displays. The core Teacher Training and Mentoring Program text remained substantively unchanged, but the bill's scope expanded to include these new educational and zoning requirements.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded from solely establishing a teacher mentoring program to also include protections against charter school dismissals, mandatory cursive writing instruction, and requirements for displaying portraits of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln.

SCOPE

Added protections preventing charter schools from dismissing students based on academic performance while a school improvement plan is in effect.

REQUIREMENT

Added a requirement for students in grades 3-5 to receive cursive writing instruction and demonstrate proficiency by the end of grade 5.

Added a requirement for school districts to display portraits of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln in public schools, subject to legislative appropriation.

TECHNICAL

Updated the bill title and summary to reflect the new charter school, cursive, and patriotic display provisions.

TIMELINE

Maintained the effective date of July 1, 2026, for all provisions including the new requirements.

S 182 c1 → S 182 c2 · 7 edits

MODERATE

The bill was amended to add new sponsors to the committee, clarify the relationship duration as one grading period, limit the number of mentees per mentor based on their status, and insert new requirements for mentors to present historical events with accuracy and use curricula that affirm fairness and equal opportunity.

Scope change

The bill's scope was expanded to include additional committee sponsors and specific mandates regarding curriculum content and historical accuracy for mentors.

ELIGIBILITY

Added Senators Osgood and Massullo to the list of bill sponsors and committee members.

REQUIREMENT

Added a new requirement that teacher mentors must present significant historical events with accuracy, integrity, and scholarly rigor.

Added a new requirement that if a curriculum is used, it must affirm principles of fairness and equal opportunity and encourage respectful dialogue.

Added a new subsection specifying that mentor-mentee relationships must last for exactly one grading period.

Added a new limitation stating retired teacher mentors may have no more than five mentees at a time.

Added a new limitation stating current classroom teacher mentors may have no more than one mentee at a time.

FISCAL

Modified the funding language to specify that the educational enrichment allocation may be used for the program only if funds are available.

S 182 Filed → S 182 c1 · 6 edits

MODERATE

The bill was amended to expand its applicability to include charter schools alongside school districts, increase the maximum stipend for mentors from $2,000 to $3,000, and allow mentors to work with multiple teachers instead of being limited to three schools. The revised version also clarifies mentor eligibility requirements and authorizes the use of specific state educational enrichment funds to support the program.

Scope change

The program's scope was expanded to include charter schools and charter management organizations, whereas the original version only authorized school districts.

SCOPE

Added charter schools and charter management organizations as authorized entities to place teacher mentors, expanding the program beyond just school districts.

FISCAL

Increased the maximum stipend amount for teacher mentors from $2,000 to $3,000.

Explicitly authorized the use of the 'Educational Enrichment Allocation' from the Florida Education Finance Program to fund the mentoring program.

REQUIREMENT

Changed the structure of mentorship from a fixed limit of three mentors per school to allowing mentors to work with multiple classroom teachers.

Added specific eligibility criteria for mentors, requiring at least 3 years of teaching experience and a 'highly effective' rating on their most recent performance evaluation.

Refined the criteria for mentees to include teachers identified by administrators as struggling with behavior management, in addition to those with low performance ratings.

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