HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES STAFF ANALYSIS
BILL #: HB 315 Reading Achievement Initiative for Scholastic Excellence Program
SPONSOR(S): Williams and others
TIED BILLS: None. IDEN./SIM. BILLS: SB 46
REFERENCE ACTION ANALYST STAFF DIRECTOR or
BUDGET/POLICY CHIEF
1) Education Quality Subcommittee 15 Y, 0 N Dixon Sanchez
2) PreK-12 Appropriations Subcommittee 15 Y, 0 N Bailey Potvin
3) Education & Employment Committee 15 Y, 0 N Dixon Hassell
SUMMARY ANALYSIS
In July 2021, the Reading Achievement Initiative for Scholastic Excellence (RAISE) program was established
within the Florida Department of Education to improve literacy outcomes for all students. Under the RAISE
program, regional literacy support teams assist schools serving students in kindergarten through grade 5 that
are underperforming based on school progress monitoring and statewide, standardized English Language Arts
assessment results.
The RAISE program also includes a tutoring program whereby high school juniors and seniors meeting
minimum criteria may serve as tutors during the school day for students in kindergarten through grade 3
enrolled at a school identified for the program. The hours that a high school student spends tutoring through
the RAISE program may be counted as community-service hours to meet the requirements for graduation and
the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship.
The bill authorizes school districts participating in the RAISE tutoring program to offer the program after the
school day and to provide a stipend to instructional personnel and high school students serving as tutors
during after-school hours.
The bill specifies that unpaid hours of tutoring continue to count towards meeting community service
requirements for high school graduation and the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship.
The bill does not have a fiscal impact. See Fiscal Comments.
The bill has an effective date of July 1, 2024.
This docum ent does not reflect the intent or official position of the bill sponsor or House of Representatives .
STORAGE NAME: h0315e.EEC
DATE: 2/7/2024
FULL ANALYSIS
I. SUBSTANTIVE ANALYSIS
A. EFFECT OF PROPOSED CHANGES:
Present Situation
Reading Achievement Initiative for Scholastic Excellence
In 2021, the Florida Legislature established the Reading Achievement Initiative for Scholastic
Excellence (RAISE) program within the Florida Department of Education (DOE). 1 The mission of the
RAISE program is to improve policies and practices that support improved literacy outcomes for all
students.2 The program provides instructional supports to school districts, school administrators, and
instructional personnel in implementing:3
evidence-based reading instruction proven to accelerate progress of students exhibiting a
reading deficiency;
differentiated instruction based on screening, diagnostic, progress monitoring, or student
assessment data to meet students’ specific reading needs; and
explicit and systematic reading strategies to develop phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency,
vocabulary, and comprehension with more extensive opportunities for guided prac tice, error
correction, and feedback.
Under the RAISE program, the DOE established 20 literacy support regions and regional support
teams in Florida to assist schools in improving low reading scores. 4 Eligible schools include:5
schools serving students in kindergarten through grade 5 where 50 percent of the students
score below a Level 3 on the statewide, standardized English Language Arts (ELA) assessment
for any grade level; and
schools where 50 percent or more of students in kindergarten through grade 3 are not on track
to pass the grade 3 ELA assessment based on data from the coordinated screening and
progress monitoring system.6
Schools identified for supports are required to implement a school improvement plan with strategies to
improve reading performance.7 The table below shows the number of schools which have been
identified for supports under the RAISE program.
Number of Schools Identified
School Year
Under the RAISE program
2023-20248 1,184
9
2022-2023 1,061
Tutoring Program
1 Section 17, ch. 2021-9, Laws of Fla., codified at s.1008.365(2), F.S.
2 Florida Department of Education, Impact of House Bill 7011 on Schoolwide Improvement Plan Requirements for Schools Identified
Under Reading Achievement Initiative for Scholastic Excellence (2021), available at
https://info.fldoe.org/docushare/dsweb/Get/Document-9270/dps-2021-146.pdf.
3 Section 1008.365(2)(a)-(c), F.S.
4 Section 1008.365(3), F.S.; see also Florida Department of Education, RAISE Regions, available at
https://www.fldoe.org/core/fileparse.php/7539/urlt/JRFSRLDFINA LMAP.pdf.
5 Section 1008.365(4), F.S.
6 Section 1008.25(8), F.S. (requiring the DOE to procure and require the use of a statewide, standardized progress monitoring system
for the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program and public schools with students in kindergarten through grade 8 beginning
with the 2022-2023 school year).
7 Section 1008.365(4), F.S.
8 Florida Department of Education, Identifying RAISE Schools for 2023-2024, available at
https://www.fldoe.org/core/fileparse.php/7539/urlt/2223RAISE-SchID.pdf.
9 Florida Department of Education, RAISE Schools Identification 2022-2023, available at
https://www.fldoe.org/core/fileparse.php/7539/urlt/2223RAISE-SchID-DPS2022-123a.pdf.
STORAGE NAME: h0315e.EEC PAGE: 2
DATE: 2/7/2024
As part of the RAISE program, the DOE established a tutoring program and developed training to
prepare eligible high school students to tutor students in kindergarten through grade 3. Participating
high school students must be trained in effective reading tutoring practices and content, based on
evidence-based practices grounded in the science of reading and aligned to the State Board of
Education adopted ELA standards .10
To be eligible to participate in the tutoring program, a student must be a rising high school junior or
senior and meet the following requirements:11
have a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher;
have no history of out-of-school suspensions or expulsions;
be on track to complete all core course requirements to graduate; and
have written recommendations from at least two present or former high school teachers of
record or extracurricular activity sponsors.
High school students that participate as tutors must be recruited, trained, and deployed by the school
district. Tutoring must occur during the school day, on school district property, and under the
supervision of instructional personnel who are school district employees. 12
A high school student may earn up to three elective credits for high school graduation based on the
verified number of hours the student spends tutoring. The hours may be counted towards community
service requirements for high school graduation and the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program. 13
The DOE must designate a high school student who provides at least 75 verified hours of tutoring in the
RAISE program as a New Worlds Scholar and award him or her a commemorative pin for this
designation.14
Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program
The Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program is a lottery-funded scholarship program for Florida high
school graduates who demonstrate high academic achievement and enroll in a degree, certificate, or
applied technology program at an eligible Florida public or private postsecondary education institution. 15
The Bright Futures Program consists of the:16
Florida Academic Scholarship (FAS), which provides for an award equal to the amount
necessary to pay 100 percent of tuition and applicable fees and an additional stipend for
textbooks as specified in the General Appropriations Act;17
Florida Medallion Scholarship (FMS), which provides for an award equal to the amount
necessary to pay 75 percent of tuition and fees; however, an eligible FMS recipient enrolled at a
Florida College System institution is eligible for an award amount equal to the amount
necessary to pay 100 percent of tuition and fees;18
Florida Gold Seal Vocational Scholarship (FGSV) and the Florida Gold Seal Career and
Professional Education Scholarship (CAPE), which provide for an award for a maximum of 100
percent of the number of credit hours or equivalent clock hours required to complete an applied
technology diploma, associate in applied science or associate in science degree, or a
postsecondary career certificate program.19
10 Section 1008.365(8), F.S. and Rule 6A-6.0531, F.A.C.; see also, Florida Department of Education, RAISE Highschool Tutoring
Program, available at https://www.fldoe.org/academics/standards/just-read-fl/tutoring.stml.
11 Id. at (8)(a).
12 Id. at (8)(b).
13 Id. at (8)(c).
14 Id.
15 Section 1009.53(1), F.S.
16 Section 1009.53(2), F.S.
17 Section 1009.534(2), F.S.
18 Section 1009.535(2), F.S.
19 Section 1009.532(3), F.S.; see also 2023-24 Bright Futures Student Handbook, Chapter 2: What You Need to Know Now That You
Are Eligible (July 1, 2023), at 3-4, available at https://www.floridastudentfinancialaidsg.org/PDF/BFHandbookChapter2.pdf.
STORAGE NAME: h0315e.EEC PAGE: 3
DATE: 2/7/2024
A Florida high school student who wishes to qualify for a Bright Futures Program award must graduate
from a Florida public high school with a standard high school diploma, graduate from a private high
school registered with the DOE, earn a general education diploma, complete a home education
program, or graduate from a non-Florida high school.20 The various awards also have separate
requirements for completed credits, grade-point average (GPA), and scores on college entrance
exams.21 The table below shows the GPA, college entrance exam scores, number of volunteer service
hours, and number of paid service hours needed for the FAS and FMS. 22
High School College Entrance Exams Combination
Volunteer
Type of Weighted by High School Paid Service of
Service
Award Bright Graduation Year Hours Volunteer/Paid
Hours
Futures GPA (ACT/CLT/SAT) Hours
2023-24 Graduates
Florida
29/96/1340
Academic
3.50 100 hours 100 hours 100 hours
Scholars
2024-25 Graduates
(FAS)
29/96/1340
2023-24 Graduates
Florida
25/84/1210
Medallion
3.00 75 hours 100 hours 100 hours
Scholars
2024-25 Graduates
(FMS)
25/84/1210
High school students must complete 30 volunteer service hours, 100 paid hours, or the combination of
100 total hours to be eligible for the Florida Gold Seal CAPE Scholarship and the Florida Gold Seal
Vocational Scholarship.23
The district school board and administrators of a nonpublic school establish the activities and process
for documentation of service hours. Except for credit earned through service-learning courses, students
may not receive payment or academic credit for the service hours performed.24
In the 2022-23 academic year, 117,586 students received a disbursement from the Florida Bright
Futures Scholarship and disbursements totaled $598,468,957.25
Effect of Proposed Changes
The bill authorizes school districts participating in the RAISE tutoring program to offer the program after
the school day and to provide a stipend to instructional personnel and high school students serving as
tutors during after-school hours.
The bill specifies that unpaid hours of tutoring continue to count towards meeting community service
requirements for high school graduation and the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship.
B. SECTION DIRECTORY:
Section 1. Amends s. 1008.365, F.S., authorizing tutoring provided through the tutoring program
within the Reading Achievement Initiative for Scholastic Excellence Program to be
20 Florida Department of Education, 2023-24 Bright Futures Student Handbook , Chapter 1: Initial Eligibility Requirements (Aug.
2023), at 2-3, available at https://www.floridastudentfinancialaidsg.org/PDF/BFHandbookChapter1.pdf. A student living with a
parent who is on military or public service assignment may graduate from a non -Florida high school.
21 Id. at 3-8.
22 Id. at 3.
23 Id. at 6 and 8; see also section 100.536(1)(e), F.S.
24 Id. at 4-5.
25 Florida Student Financial Aid, Florida Bright Futures Student Counts and Total Costs, Report A, available at
https://www.floridastudentfinancialaidsg.org/PDF/PSI/BFReportsA.pdf.
STORAGE NAME: h0315e.EEC PAGE: 4
DATE: 2/7/2024
provided after the school day; conforming provisions to changes made by the act;
authorizing school districts that participate in the tutoring program to provide a stipend to
instructional personnel and high school students serving as tutors for after-school
tutoring.
Section 2. Provides an effective date.
II. FISCAL ANALYSIS & ECONOMIC IMPACT STATEMENT
A. FISCAL IMPACT ON STATE GOVERNMENT:
1. Revenues:
None.
2. Expenditures:
None.
B. FISCAL IMPACT ON LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
1. Revenues:
None.
2. Expenditures:
See Fiscal Comments.
C. DIRECT ECONOMIC IMPACT ON PRIVATE SECTOR:
None.
D. FISCAL COMMENTS:
Because the bill authorizes, but does not require, a school district to provide stipends to instructional
personnel or high school students that provide RAISE tutoring during after-school hours, the bill has no
fiscal impact.
III. COMMENTS
A. CONSTITUTIONAL ISSUES:
1. Applicability of Municipality/County Mandates Provision:
None.
2. Other:
None.
B. RULE-MAKING AUTHORITY:
None.
C. DRAFTING ISSUES OR OTHER COMMENTS:
None.
IV. AMENDMENTS/COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE CHANGES
None.
STORAGE NAME: h0315e.EEC PAGE: 5
DATE: 2/7/2024
Statutes affected: H 315 Filed: 1008.365