The bill amends sections 1003.57 and 1003.576 of the Florida Statutes to enhance the process surrounding individualized education plans (IEPs) for exceptional students. It mandates that school districts complete an initial evaluation to determine a student's eligibility for an IEP within 60 calendar days of receiving parental consent. Additionally, an IEP team meeting must be convened within 30 calendar days after eligibility is determined. The bill also requires that parents be notified in writing if a related service identified in the IEP is not provided as scheduled, along with a plan for make-up services. Parents are granted the right to access service logs within 15 school days after services are provided, and the IEP team must inform them of this right at each meeting.

Furthermore, the bill stipulates that each school district must provide an individualized orientation for parents of newly identified exceptional students, which includes an overview of procedural safeguards, parental rights, and instructions on accessing service logs. A signed acknowledgment from the parent confirming the orientation must be retained in the student's educational records. The bill also requires the development of standardized service logs for related services, which will include progress notes, to be used by school staff and service providers. The effective date for these changes is set for July 1, 2026.

Statutes affected:
H 615 c1: 1003.57, 1003.576