HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES STAFF ANALYSIS
BILL #: HB 891 Year-round School Pilot Program
SPONSOR(S): Williams
TIED BILLS: None. IDEN./SIM. BILLS: SB 1564
REFERENCE ACTION ANALYST STAFF DIRECTOR or
BUDGET/POLICY CHIEF
1) Choice & Innovation Subcommittee 17 Y, 0 N Dixon Sleap
2) PreK-12 Appropriations Subcommittee 14 Y, 0 N Bailey Potvin
3) Education & Employment Committee 18 Y, 0 N Dixon Hassell
SUMMARY ANALYSIS
Florida schools operate mainly on a traditional, 180-day schedule, but are authorized to operate on a year-
round schedule. Year-round schools have educational opportunities over an eleven- or twelve-month period,
with shorter, staggered vacation periods, as opposed to traditional schedules having educational opportunities
over an eight or nine consecutive month period with consecutive months for vacation. During the 2021-2022
school year, 16 public schools in 10 school districts participated in a year-round school schedule.
To study the issues, benefits, and schedule options for instituting a year-round school program for all students,
the bill creates, beginning with the 2024-2025 school year, a year-round school pilot program. The program is
established for a period of 4 years and requires the Department of Education (DOE) to assist school districts in
establishing a year-round school program within at least one elementary school in the district.
The bill allows school districts to apply for participation in the pilot program and specifies that the
Commissioner of Education (commissioner) must select five school districts to participate in the pilot program.
The selected schools, to the extent possible, should represent a variety of demographics, including, but not
limited to, an urban, a suburban, and a rural school district.
The bill requires a school district enrolled in the pilot program to implement a single or multi-track schedule and
provide specific data to the DOE for the assessment of the benefits of a year-round program along with an
evaluation of barriers to implementation.
Upon completion of the program, the commissioner must provide a report to the Governor and Legislature and
include the commissioner’s recommendation on the adoption of year-round school programs for all students.
The bill authorizes the State Board of Education to adopt rules to administer the program.
The bill has an indeterminate fiscal impact to the DOE and, under specific circumstances, no fiscal impact to
school districts. See Fiscal Comments, infra.
The bill has an effective date of July 1, 2023.
This docum ent does not reflect the intent or official position of the bill sponsor or House of Representatives .
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FULL ANALYSIS
I. SUBSTANTIVE ANALYSIS
A. EFFECT OF PROPOSED CHANGES:
Present Situation
Traditional and Year-Round School Schedules
In Florida, district school boards are responsible for the operation of all public schools for a minimum of
180 days or the hourly equivalent.1 Boards are responsible for the opening and closing of public
schools and may not have an opening date earlier than August 10 of each year. 2
In addition to a traditional 180-day schedule, Florida law does authorize a school to operate a year-
round schedule.3 Year-round schools have educational opportunities over an eleven- or twelve-month
period, with shorter, staggered vacation periods, as opposed to traditional schedules having
educational opportunities over an eight or nine consecutive month period with consecutive months for
vacation.4
For the 2021-2022 school year, 16 public schools in 10 school districts participated in a year-round
school schedule.5
Florida’s School Funding
The Florida Education Finance Program (FEFP) provides funding for a 180-day regular school year, or
the hourly equivalent of 180 days.6 Under the FEFP, financial support for education is based on the full-
time equivalent (FTE)7 student membership in public schools.8
School districts report student membership through a number of surveys periods. For FTE reporting,
the survey periods cover the following time frames:9
Survey Period 1 (July) covers the time period from the beginning of the fiscal year (July 1) to the
beginning of the defined 180-day school year.
Survey Period 2 (October) covers the first 90 days of the 180-day school year.
Survey Period 3 (February) covers the second 90 days of the 180-day school year.
Survey Period 4 (June) covers the period from the end of the 180-day school program to the
end of the fiscal year (June 30).
1 Section 1001.42(12)(a), F.S. Hourly equivalent equates to 900 hours for students in grades 4 through 12 and 720 hours for stu dents
in kindergarten through grade 3. Section 1011.61(1)(a)1., F.S. Florida law does not require a minimum number of hours or minutes
per school day.
2 Section 1001.42(4)(f), F.S.
3 Section 1011.62(1)(q), F.S.
4 Florida Department of Education, Automated Student Information System Student Data Elements (2019-20), available at
https://www.fldoe.org/core/fileparse.php/18758/urlt/1920-196225.pdf.
5 Email, Florida Department of Education, (Mar. 8, 2023).
6 Florida Department of Education (DOE), Full -time Equivalent (FTE) General Instructions 2022-2023 (2022), available at
https://www.fldoe.org/core/fileparse.php/7508/urlt/2223FTEGenInstruct.pdf, at 7. Exceptions include the Department of Juvenile
Justice programs; Juveniles Incompetent to Proceed programs; the Florida Virtual School; and Virtual instruction programs; an d
virtual charter schools for the purpose of course completion and credit recovery.
7 Section 1011.62(1)(i)1., F.S. A “full-time student” is one student on the membership roll of one school program or a combination of
school programs for the school year or the equivalent for instruction in a standard school, comprising not less than 900 net hours for a
student in or at the grade level of 4 through 12, or not less than 720 net hours for a student in or at the grade level of kindergarten
through grade 3 or in an authorized prekindergarten exceptional program. A full-time equivalent student in a virtual instruction
program, virtual charter school, or FLVS consists of 6 full-credit completions or the prescribed level of content that counts toward
promotion to the next grade. Credit completions may be a combination of full-credit courses and half-credit courses.
8 Id.
9 DOE, supra note 6, at 9.
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Survey Period 5 covers reporting of prior school year data for specified programs.
For schools following a traditional schedule, Surveys 2 and 3 cover the first and second 90 days of the
180-day school year.10
Year-round schools report the first 90 days of their 180-day school year in October and their second 90
days of their 180-day school year should be reported in the February survey. 11
Effect of Proposed Changes
To study the issues, benefits, and schedule options for instituting a year-round school program for all
students, the bill creates, beginning with the 2024-2025 school year, a year-round school pilot program.
The program is established for a period of four years and requires the Department of Education (DOE)
to assist school districts in establishing a year-round school program within at least one elementary
school in the district.
The bill allows school districts to apply to the DOE for participation in the pilot program, in a format and
date determined by the DOE. The application to participate, as specified in the bill, must include:
The number of students enrolled in the elementary school or schools that will implement a year-
round school program.
The academic performance of the students enrolled in such school or schools.
The rate of absenteeism and tardiness of students enrolled in such school or schools.
The commitment of such school’s or schools’ instructional personnel and students to the year-
round program.
An explanation of how the implementation of the year-round school program will benefit the
students.
The bill requires the Commissioner of Education (commissioner) to select five school districts to
participate in the pilot program. The selected schools, to the extent possible, should represent a variety
of demographics, including, but not limited to, an urban, a suburban, and a rural school district.
A school district enrolled in a year-round school program must implement a single or multi-tract
schedule and provide data to the DOE which allows for:
The assessment of the academic and safety benefits associated with establishing a year-round
school program.
The evaluation of any protentional barriers for a school district upon implementation of a year-
round school program, including:
o Issues related to the commitment of instructional personnel and students.
o The provision of services during the summer months.
o School district budgeting.
o Parental engagement and participation.
o Coordination with community services.
o Student assessment and progression practices.
o Student transportation.
Consideration of strategies for addressing potential barriers.
Upon completion of the program, the commissioner must provide a report to the Governor, the
President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives. The report must include:
The number of students enrolled at participating schools.
The number of students enrolled at participating schools before and after the implementation of
the year-round school program.
Any health, academic, and safety benefits for students or instructional personnel from the
implementation of the year-round school program.
10 DOE, supra note 6, at 67.
11 DOE, supra note 6, at 68.
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An evaluation of any potential barriers for school districts and families associated with a year-
round school program.
The commissioner's recommendation on the adoption of year-round school programs for all
students.
The bill authorizes the State Board of Education to adopt rules to administer the program.
B. SECTION DIRECTORY:
Section 1. Creating s. 1003.07, F.S.; creating the Year-round School Pilot Program for a period of 4
school years beginning with a specified school year; providing the purpose of the
program; providing for an application process for participation in the program; requiring
the Commissioner of Education to select a certain number of school districts to
participate in the program; providing requirements for participating school districts;
requiring the commissioner to submit a report to the Governor and Legislature; providing
requirements for such report; authorizing the State Board of Education to adopt rules.
Section 2. Provides an effective date.
II. FISCAL ANALYSIS & ECONOMIC IMPACT STATEMENT
A. FISCAL IMPACT ON STATE GOVERNMENT:
1. Revenues:
None.
2. Expenditures:
See Fiscal Comments.
B. FISCAL IMPACT ON LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
1. Revenues:
None.
2. Expenditures:
See Fiscal Comments.
C. DIRECT ECONOMIC IMPACT ON PRIVATE SECTOR:
None.
D. FISCAL COMMENTS:
There is an indeterminate fiscal impact on the DOE to oversee and implement the pilot program;
however, this fiscal impact can be absorbed within existing resources.
There is no fiscal impact on school districts who participate in the Year-round School Pilot Program if
the year-round school schedule equals 180 days or the hourly equivalent of 180 days statutorily funded
in the FEFP.
III. COMMENTS
A. CONSTITUTIONAL ISSUES:
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1. Applicability of Municipality/County Mandates Provision:
None.
2. Other:
None.
B. RULE-MAKING AUTHORITY:
The bill authorizes the State Board of Education to adopt rules to administer the year-round school pilot
program.
C. DRAFTING ISSUES OR OTHER COMMENTS:
None.
IV. AMENDMENTS/COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE CHANGES
None.
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