FL H0465

Prohibits school district personnel from discouraging or coercing parents from bringing an adult of their choice to meetings regarding exceptional student education, IFSP, IEP, 504 plans, discipline, or placement decisions.

Requires school districts to use standardized terminology for instructional settings (regular class, resource room, separate class, exceptional student education center, other separate environment) and defines "inclusion" as education in general education regular class settings with natural proportions and age-appropriate heterogeneous groupings.

Mandates the Department of Education adopt parental consent forms for two specific actions: administering alternate assessments and placing students in exceptional student education centers; school districts cannot proceed without parental consent unless documented reasonable efforts fail or a due process hearing approves the action.

Creates new section allowing private instructional personnel (therapists, speech pathologists, psychologists, social workers, and behavior analysts) hired by parents to observe, collaborate with, and provide services in educational settings with public personnel consent, provided they meet background check requirements.

Requires all educators renewing professional certificates beginning July 1, 2014, to earn a minimum of 1 college credit or equivalent inservice points in instruction for teaching students with disabilities, with exemptions for those certified in exceptional student education.