This bill amends various sections of Florida Statutes concerning education, with a strong emphasis on school safety, charter school operations, and student involvement in extracurricular activities. It defines "school bus" and clarifies that sufficient notice for trespassing includes verbal warnings from authorized personnel, allowing law enforcement to arrest suspected trespassers without a warrant. Additionally, it permits private schools in certain counties to build new facilities without specific zoning or land use conditions, as long as they comply with health and safety standards. The bill also requires charter school sponsors to use a standard monitoring tool and mandates that school districts provide public charter schools with detailed information on shared tax revenues.

Moreover, the bill facilitates student participation in extracurricular activities by allowing full-time virtual instruction students to join interscholastic athletics at public or private schools, provided they meet certain criteria. It also clarifies eligibility for extracurricular activities, ensuring that students not suspended or expelled can participate, and that eligibility cannot be impacted by unresolved recruiting violations. The Commissioner of Education is tasked with developing a policy to restrict cell phone use during school hours, with a report on its effects due by December 1, 2026. Additionally, the Department of Education is required to establish competencies for a mathematics endorsement by August 1, 2026. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
S 1702 Filed: 1002.33
S 1702 c1: 810.097, 1002.33, 1002.84, 1003.4282, 1011.71
S 1702 c2: 810.097, 1002.33, 1002.84, 1003.4282, 1011.71
S 1702 c3: 810.097, 1002.33, 1003.4282, 1006.195, 1011.71