Senate Bill 910 Summary

• Redefines "absence" for chronic absenteeism purposes to exclude in-school suspensions lasting half a day or longer, and requires districts with 10% or higher chronic absenteeism rates or schools with 15% or higher rates to establish attendance review teams.

• Removes requirement that special education facilities be approved by the State Board of Education or be connected to regular school facilities, allowing separate facilities when determined beneficial.

• Allows teacher preparation program candidates to obtain waivers from the state reading, writing, and mathematics competency examination based on criteria established by the State Board of Education.

• Removes initial section of teacher certification statute and restructures remaining provisions related to intergroup relations, health components, and other teacher preparation requirements, with renumbered subsections.

• Extends supplemental transportation grants for interdistrict magnet schools through fiscal year 2017 and changes science mastery examination requirements from grade 10 to grade 11 beginning in 2018.