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 if a related service identified in the IEP is not provided, and they must be given access to service logs within 15 school days upon request. Furthermore, school districts are required to provide individualized orientations for parents of newly identified exceptional students, which must include information on procedural safeguards, parental rights, and instructions for accessing service logs.

Moreover, the bill stipulates that each school district must develop standardized service logs for the provision of related services, which will include progress notes. The Department of Education is tasked with creating an electronic IEP system for statewide use, developed in collaboration with school districts. The effective date for these changes is set for July 1, 2026.

Statutes affected:
H 615 c1: 1003.57, 1003.576
H 615 c2: 1003.57, 1003.576