CS for SB 1166 Summary

• Establishes Distinguished Florida College System Program recognizing high-performing Florida College System institutions meeting five of seven excellence standards related to completion rates, retention, transfer rates, licensure passage, and job placement.

• Expands public school choice options to include CAPE digital tools, CAPE industry certifications, collegiate high school programs, and allows controlled open enrollment statewide with preference for military families, foster care placements, and district residents.

• Reforms charter school requirements including mandatory monthly financial statements, automatic charter termination for two consecutive F grades, restrictions on dismissing students based on academic performance, and clarifies reading curriculum standards.

• Renames Florida National Merit Scholar Incentive Program to Benacquisto Scholarship Program and requires state universities to become National Merit Scholarship Program college sponsors.

• Creates teacher transfer process allowing parents to request in-field classroom teachers within two weeks, establishes youth suicide awareness training requirement for instructional personnel, and increases CAPE certification teacher bonuses with amounts based on certification weight.