CS/CS/HB 7021 - Education Bill Summary

• Establishes the Florida Seal of Biliteracy Program to recognize high school graduates with high-level competency in foreign languages, with Gold and Silver seal designations based on course credits, assessment scores, or alternative requirements.

• Requires schools serving kindergarten through grade 8 to implement early warning systems identifying students with attendance below 90%, suspensions, course failures, or substantial reading deficiencies, with school-based teams monitoring and providing interventions.

• Mandates intensive reading instruction and interventions for students in kindergarten through grade 3 with substantial reading deficiencies, including explicit, systematic, and multisensory approaches, with parents notified in writing of deficiency status and available services.

• Requires teacher preparation programs and educator preparation institutes to include evidence-based reading instruction strategies with explicit, systematic, and multisensory approaches in their core curricula and competency-based programs.

• Appropriates $286,850 in recurring funds and $57,998 in nonrecurring funds to the Department of Education for implementation, authorizing two full-time equivalent positions.