SPONSOR: Miller
This bill defines "educational entity" to include charter, public, private, home school, FPE school, and virtual schools and "Key performance indicators" (KPI), as an indicator of success including such accomplishments for graduates as showing up on time, being respectful and kind, and demonstration of initiative.
The bill defines the mission of the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) to produce graduates who contribute positively to the economy and their communities and provides that all educational entities in the State share the mission. Entities must demonstrate in curricula and graduation requirements the stated mission.
High school graduates must meet all KPIs before receiving a diploma or high school equivalency certificate. The bill outlines duties that DESE has in connection with the implementation of a quality control system, policies and procedures for project implementation, and ensuring that each educational entity providing early childhood education demonstrates KPI's into curricula and graduation requirements, among other duties outlined in the bill.
The bill establishes in the Secretary of State's office the "Quality Control Committee for Oversight", comprised of nine members from specified departments, a State Representative appointed by the Speaker of the House, and a State Senator appointed by the President Pro Temp of the Senate. The term and duties of the committee are outlined in the bill and the committee can establish a working group to assist the committee, comprised of full-time employees.
Duties of the committee in relation to DESE's mission and the KPIs are provided in the bill and include such responsibilities as adjudication of challenges to school board rulings on course offerings and to challenge courses offered or actions taken by educational entities.
The office of the Secretary of State must hold DESE responsible for graduates who fail to meet KPIs during school and up to five years after high school graduation, hold DESE and educational entities accountable for students failing to graduate on schedule, and hold parents accountable for students that are disruptions. The funding for the committee will be provided by an appropriation of money that was originally allocated for diversity, equity, and inclusion programs.
Statutes affected: