The bill CS/CS/HB 1115 amends several sections of Florida Statutes related to education, particularly focusing on the funding and oversight of charter schools. It mandates that certain surtax revenues shared with school districts must also be proportionately shared with eligible charter schools based on their enrollment. School districts are required to provide charter schools with detailed funding information annually and submit a summary report of revenues to the Department of Education. Additionally, the bill introduces a standard monitoring tool for charter school sponsors to enhance oversight responsibilities. It also allows charter schools to enter into interlocal agreements with governmental entities for necessary permits and services, while ensuring that any agreements imposing greater regulatory burdens on charter schools than on traditional schools are deemed void.

Furthermore, the bill modifies the framework for "schools of hope," which serve students from persistently low-performing schools or those in Florida Opportunity Zones, by shifting responsibilities from school districts to sponsoring entities like state universities. It establishes performance-based agreements between hope operators and sponsoring entities, detailing financial responsibilities and compliance requirements. The bill also revises student eligibility criteria for enrollment in certificate career education programs, removing the previous requirement for students to have been awarded a certificate of completion. Instead, it specifies that students who have earned the required credits for a standard high school diploma or an alternative program are eligible for enrollment, provided they have not passed any must-pass assessments by the end of grade 12. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
H 1115 Filed: 1002.33, 1011.62
H 1115 c1: 1002.33
H 1115 c2: 1002.33
H 1115 e1: 1002.33, 1002.394, 1003.433, 1007.263