House Bill 1115 amends various sections of Florida Statutes concerning education, particularly focusing on charter schools and their funding and oversight. The bill allows charter schools to use proceeds from a local government infrastructure surtax for purposes such as financing instructional technology. It also requires charter school sponsors to employ a standard monitoring tool to evaluate school performance and revises the definition of "school of hope" to include specific geographic criteria. Additionally, the bill introduces the term "sponsoring entity," which designates the organization responsible for overseeing the operation of these schools. The process for hope operators to open schools of hope is modified, shifting the responsibility for performance-based agreements and financial statements from the school district to the sponsoring entity.

Moreover, the bill enhances educational opportunities for students from persistently low-performing schools and those in Florida Opportunity Zones by allowing sponsoring entities to enter into performance-based agreements with hope operators. It outlines requirements for the notice of intent to open schools, including academic focus and financial plans, and mandates that financial arrangements indemnify the state and sponsoring entity from liability. The Family Empowerment Scholarship Program is also amended to increase the maximum number of scholarships and adjust the funding process, with new timelines for payments and verification of student eligibility. Additionally, provisions for salary increases for classroom teachers and instructional personnel are included, ensuring the maintenance of a minimum base salary and a specified salary distribution plan. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
H 1115 Filed: 1002.33, 1011.62