SESSION WATCH
THE BILL ITSELF

CS/HB 731

Extracurricular Activities

VERSION H 731 c1 · BACK TO THE SUMMARY · OFFICIAL RECORD

underlined language is being added; struck language is being deleted. Line numbers are the Legislature's own — the same ones amendments cite.

1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to extracurricular activities;
3 amending s. 1001.43, F.S.; authorizing district school
4 boards to adopt policies for the use of certain funds
5 to provide funding to specified persons relating to
6 extracurricular activities; prohibiting such funds
7 from being used as severance pay or compensation;
8 amending s. 1006.15, F.S.; providing and revising
9 definitions; revising eligibility requirements for a
10 student to participate in an interscholastic or
11 intrascholastic extracurricular activity; providing
12 construction; deleting obsolete provisions; requiring
13 governing organizations to adopt, maintain, and
14 enforce specified manuals or handbooks; requiring that
15 insurance provided by district school boards for
16 participants in extracurricular activities cover any
17 eligible student; deleting requirements for the
18 Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) to
19 facilitate a program for private school students to
20 participate in an interscholastic or intrascholastic
21 sport; requiring the athletic director or other
22 appropriate administrator to maintain records for all
23 eligible students participating in interscholastic or
24 intrascholastic extracurricular activities at a member
25 school; revising requirements for a student to apply
26 to participate in an interscholastic or
27 intrascholastic extracurricular activity at certain
28 schools; authorizing a public school to assess an
29 activity fee for certain students; providing a
30 limitation on such fee; requiring such fee to be
31 annually approved by a district school board or
32 charter school governing board, as appropriate;
33 requiring each school to annually publish a complete
34 list of such fees on its website; requiring parents to
35 provide transportation to and from the school for
36 their students; providing indemnity for a school and
37 district school board under specified circumstances;
38 prohibiting a student from participating in
39 interscholastic or intrascholastic extracurricular
40 activities at two different schools within the same
41 school year unless the student meets specified
42 criteria; requiring the governing organization to
43 provide a certain determination of eligibility within
44 a specified timeframe; requiring the governing
45 organization to adopt specified bylaws; authorizing
46 the governing organization to adopt additional bylaws;
47 deleting provisions providing requirements for certain
48 student transfers; amending s. 1002.31, F.S.; deleting
49 obsolete language; conforming provisions to changes
50 made by the act; amending s. 1002.33, F.S.; conforming
51 a cross-reference and provisions to changes made by
52 the act; amending s. 1006.195, F.S.; conforming cross-
53 references; amending s. 1006.20, F.S.; requiring the
54 FHSAA to adopt, maintain, and enforce specified
55 manuals or handbooks; requiring the FHSAA to ensure
56 that athletes may request certain exemptions or
57 accommodations; requiring the FHSAA to provide
58 accommodations under certain circumstances;
59 authorizing a student who is denied certain
60 eligibility to appeal a decision made by the governing
61 organization; requiring the governing organization to
62 adopt bylaws to establish a timeline for an appeals
63 process; providing a limitation on such timelines;
64 authorizing the executive director of the FHSAA to
65 rule on specified appeals; amending s. 1012.01, F.S.;
66 including extracurricular athletic administrators in
67 the broad classification of K-12 administrative
68 personnel; authorizing district school superintendents
69 to negotiate specified compensation; providing
70 requirements for such compensation; providing an
71 effective date.
73 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
75 Section 1. Paragraph (i) is added to subsection (2) of
76 section 1001.43, Florida Statutes, to read:
77 1001.43 Supplemental powers and duties of district school
78 board.—The district school board may exercise the following
79 supplemental powers and duties as authorized by this code or
80 State Board of Education rule.
81 (2) FISCAL MANAGEMENT.—The district school board may adopt
82 policies providing for fiscal management of the school district
83 with respect to school purchasing, facilities, nonstate revenue
84 sources, budgeting, fundraising, and other activities relating
85 to the fiscal management of district resources, including, but
86 not limited to, the policies governing:
87 (i) Use of voluntary donations and revenues generated by
88 authorized booster clubs or associations to provide funds to
89 athletic coaches, activity directors, or activity sponsors of an
90 extracurricular activity supported by the booster club or
91 association. Any policy authorizing payment by booster clubs or
92 associations may not control the provision of funds except that
93 such funds may not be used for severance pay or for compensation
94 as defined in s. 1012.22 and must comply with all applicable
95 laws.
96 Section 2. Section 1006.15, Florida Statutes, is amended
97 to read:
98 1006.15 Student standards for participation in
99 interscholastic and intrascholastic extracurricular student
100 activities; regulation.—
101 (1) SHORT TITLE.—This section may be cited as the "Craig
102 Dickinson Act."
103 (2) DETERMINATION.—Interscholastic extracurricular student
104 activities are an important complement to the academic
105 curriculum. Participation in a comprehensive extracurricular and
106 academic program contributes to student development of the
107 social and intellectual skills necessary to become a well-
108 rounded adult. As used in this section, the term
109 "extracurricular" means any school-authorized or education-
110 related activity occurring during or outside the regular
111 instructional school day. In the determination of whether a
112 school offers an activity or a sport, the activity or sport must
113 meet the designation requirements of s. 1006.205(3)(a).
114 (3)(a) DEFINITIONS.—As used in this section and s.
115 1006.20, the term:
116 (a) "Eligible student" means a home education student,
117 charter school student, private school student, Florida Virtual
118 School student, alternative school student, or traditional
119 public school student who wishes to participate in an
120 interscholastic or intrascholastic extracurricular activity.
121 (b) "Eligible to participate":
122 1. Includes, but is not limited to, a student
123 participating in any of the following:
124 a. Tryouts.,
125 b. Off-season conditioning.,
126 c. Summer workouts.,
127 d. Preseason conditioning.,
128 e. In-season practice.,
129 f. or Contests.
130 2. The term Does not mean that a student must be placed on
131 any specific team for interscholastic or intrascholastic
132 extracurricular activities.
133 (c) "Extracurricular" means any school-authorized or
134 education-related activity occurring during or outside the
135 regular instructional school day.
136 (d) "Governing organization" means any organization that
137 governs the interscholastic or intrascholastic extracurricular
138 activity of a school, including, but not limited to, the Florida
139 High School Athletic Association.
140 (4) ELIGIBILITY.—
141 (a) To be eligible to participate in interscholastic
142 extracurricular student activities, a student must:
143 1. Maintain a grade point average of 2.0 or above on a 4.0
144 scale, or its equivalent, in the previous semester or a
145 cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or above on a 4.0 scale,
146 or its equivalent, in the courses required by s. 1002.3105(5) or
147 s. 1003.4282.
148 2. Execute and fulfill the requirements of an academic
149 performance contract between the student, the district school
150 board, the appropriate governing association, and the student's
151 parents, if the student's cumulative grade point average falls
152 below 2.0, or its equivalent, on a 4.0 scale in the courses
153 required by s. 1002.3105(5) or s. 1003.4282. At a minimum, the
154 contract must require that the student attend summer school, or
155 its graded equivalent, between grades 9 and 10 or grades 10 and
156 11, as necessary.
157 3. Have a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or above
158 on a 4.0 scale, or its equivalent, in the courses required by s.
159 1002.3105(5) or s. 1003.4282 during his or her junior or senior
160 year.
161 4. Maintain satisfactory conduct, including adherence to
162 appropriate dress and other codes of student conduct policies
163 described in s. 1006.07(2). If a student is convicted of, or is
164 found to have committed, a felony or a delinquent act that would
165 have been a felony if committed by an adult, regardless of
166 whether adjudication is withheld, the student's participation in
167 interscholastic extracurricular activities is contingent upon
168 established and published district school board policy.
169 (b) Any student who is exempt from attending a full school
170 day based on rules adopted by the district school board for
171 double session schools or programs, experimental schools, or
172 schools operating under emergency conditions must maintain the
173 grade point average required by this section and pass each class
174 for which he or she is enrolled.
175 (c) A home education student must meet the requirements of
176 the home education program pursuant to s. 1002.41.
177 1. During the period of participation at a school, the
178 home education student must demonstrate educational progress as
179 required in paragraph (b) in all subjects taken in the home
180 education program by a method of evaluation agreed upon by the
181 parent and the school principal, which evaluation may include
182 review of the student's work by a certified teacher chosen by
183 the parent; grades earned through correspondence; grades earned
184 in courses taken at a Florida College System institution, state
185 university, or district career center; standardized test scores
186 above the 35th percentile; or any other method designated in s.
187 1002.41.
188 2. The home education student must meet the same standards
189 of acceptance, behavior, and performance as required of other
190 students in extracurricular activities.
191 3. A student who transfers from a home education program
192 to a public school before or during the first grading period of
193 the school year is academically eligible to participate in
194 interscholastic extracurricular activities during the first
195 grading period, provided the student has a successful evaluation
196 from the previous school year pursuant to subparagraph 1.
197 (d)(c)1. A An individual home education student is
198 eligible to participate in an interscholastic or intrascholastic
199 extracurricular activity at the school in which he or she is
200 enrolled.
201 (e) An eligible student may participate in an
202 interscholastic or intrascholastic extracurricular activity at a
203 school other than the school in which the student is enrolled
204 if:
205 1. The school in which the student is enrolled does not
206 offer the same interscholastic or intrascholastic
207 extracurricular activity or the student is in a home education
208 program; and
209 2. The school at which the student will participate in the
210 interscholastic or intrascholastic extracurricular activity is
211 located in the school district in which the student resides.
212 (f) If no public or charter schools in the district in
213 which the student resides offer the interscholastic or
214 intrascholastic extracurricular activity, and an agreement
215 cannot be reached with a private school in the district in which
216 the student resides, the student may participate at a public,
217 charter, or private school that is appropriate for the student's
218 grade level located outside of his or her school district. The
219 school at which the student participates pursuant to this
220 paragraph must be in a school district adjacent to the school
221 district in which the student resides.
222 (g) If a student has exhausted all options outlined above
223 for participation in an interscholastic or intrascholastic
224 extracurricular activity, the student may petition the executive
225 director of the applicable governing organization to explore
226 options for participation at a school not otherwise authorized
227 by this section.
228 (h) For purposes of this subsection, any participation by
229 an eligible student at a private school other than the school in
230 which the student is enrolled must be pursuant to an agreement
231 between the private school and the student. at the public school
232 to which the student would be assigned according to district
233 school board attendance area policies or which the student could
234 choose to attend pursuant to s. 1002.31, or may develop an
235 agreement to participate at a private school, in the
236 interscholastic extracurricular activities of that school,
237 provided the following conditions are met:
238 a. The home education student must meet the requirements
239 of the home education program pursuant to s. 1002.41.
240 b. During the period of participation at a school, the
241 home education student must demonstrate educational progress as
242 required in paragraph (b) in all subjects taken in the home
243 education program by a method of evaluation agreed upon by the
244 parent and the school principal which may include: review of the
245 student's work by a certified teacher chosen by the parent;
246 grades earned through correspondence; grades earned in courses
247 taken at a Florida College System institution, university, or
248 trade school; standardized test scores above the 35th
249 percentile; or any other method designated in s. 1002.41.
250 c. The home education student must meet the same residency
251 requirements as other students in the school at which he or she
252 participates.
253 d. The home education student must meet the same standards
254 of acceptance, behavior, and performance as required of other
255 students in extracurricular activities.
256 e. The student must register with the school his or her
257 intent to participate in interscholastic extracurricular
258 activities as a representative of the school before
259 participation. A home education student must be able to
260 participate in curricular activities if that is a requirement
261 for an extracurricular activity.
262 f. A student who transfers from a home education program
263 to a public school before or during the first grading period of
264 the school year is academically eligible to participate in
265 interscholastic extracurricular activities during the first
266 grading period provided the student has a successful evaluation
267 from the previous school year, pursuant to sub-subparagraph b.
268 g. Any public school or private school student who has
269 been unable to maintain academic eligibility for participation
270 in interscholastic extracurricular activities is ineligible to
271 participate in such activities as a home education student until
272 the student has successfully completed one grading period in
273 home education pursuant to sub-subparagraph b. to become
274 eligible to participate as a home education student.
275 2. An individual home education student is eligible to
276 participate on an interscholastic athletic team at any public
277 school in the school district in which the student resides,
278 provided the student meets the conditions specified in sub-
279 subparagraphs 1.a.-g.
280 (d) An individual charter school student pursuant to s.
281 1002.33 is eligible to participate at the public school to which
282 the student would be assigned according to district school board
283 attendance area policies or which the student could attend, or
284 may develop an agreement to participate at a private school, in
285 any interscholastic extracurricular activity of that school,
286 unless such activity is provided by the student's charter
287 school, if the following conditions are met:
288 1. The charter school student must meet the requirements
289 of the charter school education program as determined by the
290 charter school governing board.
291 2. During the period of participation at a school, the
292 charter school student must demonstrate educational progress as
293 required in paragraph (b).
294 3. The charter school student must meet the same residency
295 requirements as other students in the school at which he or she
296 participates.
297 4. The charter school student must meet the same standards
298 of acceptance, behavior, and performance that are required of
299 other students in extracurricular activities.
300 5. The charter school student must register with the
301 school his or her intent to participate in interscholastic
302 extracurricular activities as a representative of the school
303 before participation. A charter school student must be able to
304 participate in curricular activities if that is a requirement
305 for an extracurricular activity.
306 6. A student who transfers from a charter school program
307 to a traditional public school before or during the first
308 grading period of the school year is academically eligible to
309 participate in interscholastic extracurricular activities during
310 the first grading period if the student has a successful
311 evaluation from the previous school year pursuant to
312 subparagraph 2.
313 7. Any public school or private school student who has
314 been unable to maintain academic eligibility for participation
315 in interscholastic extracurricular activities is ineligible to
316 participate in such activities as a charter school student until
317 the student has successfully completed one grading period in a
318 charter school pursuant to subparagraph 2. to become eligible to
319 participate as a charter school student.
320 (e) A student of the Florida Virtual School full-time
321 program may participate in any interscholastic extracurricular
322 activity at the public school to which the student would be
323 assigned according to district school board attendance area
324 policies or which the student could choose to attend pursuant to
325 s. 1002.31, or may develop an agreement to participate at a
326 private school, if the student:
327 1. During the period of participation in the
328 interscholastic extracurricular activity, meets the requirements
329 in paragraph (a).
330 2. Meets any additional requirements as determined by the
331 board of trustees of the Florida Virtual School.
332 3. Meets the same residency requirements as other students
333 in the school at which he or she participates.
334 4. Meets the same standards of acceptance, behavior, and
335 performance that are required of other students in
336 extracurricular activities.
337 5. Registers his or her intent to participate in
338 interscholastic extracurricular activities with the school
339 before participation. A Florida Virtual school student must be
340 able to participate in curricular activities if that is a
341 requirement for an extracurricular activity.
342 (f) A student who transfers from the Florida Virtual
343 School full-time program to a traditional public school before
344 or during the first grading period of the school year is
345 academically eligible to participate in interscholastic
346 extracurricular activities during the first grading period if
347 the student has a successful evaluation from the previous school
348 year pursuant to paragraph (a).
349 (g) A public school or private school student who has been
350 unable to maintain academic eligibility for participation in
351 interscholastic extracurricular activities is ineligible to
352 participate in such activities as a Florida Virtual School
353 student until the student successfully completes one grading
354 period in the Florida Virtual School pursuant to paragraph (a).
355 (h) A student in a full-time virtual instruction program
356 under s. 1002.45, including the full-time Florida Virtual School
357 program, a full-time school district virtual instruction
358 program, or a full-time virtual charter school, is eligible to
359 participate on an interscholastic athletic team at any public
360 school in the school district in which the student resides, or
361 may develop an agreement to participate at a private school,
362 provided the student:
363 1. During the period of participation in the
364 interscholastic extracurricular activity, meets the requirements
365 in paragraph (a);
366 2. Meets any additional requirements as determined by the
367 board of trustees of the Florida Virtual School, the district
368 school board, or the governing board of the virtual charter
369 school, as applicable;
370 3. Meets the same residency requirements as other students
371 in the school at which he or she participates;
372 4. Meets the same standards of athletic team acceptance,
373 behavior, and performance which are required of other students
374 in extracurricular activities; and
375 5. Registers his or her intent to participate in
376 interscholastic extracurricular activities with the school
377 before participation.
378 (i) An individual traditional public school student who is
379 otherwise eligible to participate in interscholastic
380 extracurricular activities may either participate in any such
381 activity at any public school in the school district in which
382 the student resides or develop an agreement to participate in
383 such activity at a private school, unless the activity is
384 provided by the student's traditional public school. Such
385 student must:
386 1. Meet the same standards of acceptance, behavior, and
387 performance that are required of other students in
388 extracurricular activities at the school at which the student
389 wishes to participate.
390 2. Before participation, register with the school his or
391 her intent to participate in interscholastic extracurricular
392 activities as a representative of the school. The student must
393 be able to participate in curricular activities if that is a
394 requirement for an extracurricular activity.
395 (j)1. A school district or charter school may not delay
396 eligibility or otherwise prevent a student participating in
397 controlled open enrollment, or a choice program, from being
398 immediately eligible to participate in interscholastic and
399 intrascholastic extracurricular activities.
400 2. A student may not participate in a sport if the student
401 participated in that same sport at another school during that
402 school year, unless the student meets one of the following
403 criteria:
404 a. Dependent children of active duty military personnel
405 whose move resulted from military orders.
406 b. Children who have been relocated due to a foster care
407 placement in a different school zone.
408 c. Children who move due to a court-ordered change in
409 custody due to separation or divorce, or the serious illness or
410 death of a custodial parent.
411 d. Authorized for good cause in district or charter school
412 policy.
413 (5)(4) BEGINNING APPLICABILITY.—The student standards for
414 participation in interscholastic extracurricular activities must
415 be applied beginning with the student's first semester of the
416 9th grade. Each student must meet such other requirements for
417 participation as may be established by the district school
418 board; however, a district school board may not establish
419 requirements for participation in interscholastic
420 extracurricular activities which make participation in such
421 activities less accessible to home education students than to
422 other students. Except as set forth in paragraph (3)(c),
423 evaluation processes or requirements that are placed on home
424 education student participants may not go beyond those that
425 apply under s. 1002.41 to home education students generally.
426 (6)(5) GOVERNING ORGANIZATION RESPONSIBILITIES.—All
427 governing organizations Any organization or entity that
428 regulates or governs interscholastic extracurricular activities
429 of public schools:
430 (a) Shall permit home education associations to join as
431 member schools.
432 (b) May Shall not discriminate against any eligible
433 student based on an educational choice of public, private, or
434 home education.
435 (c) Must adopt, maintain, and enforce sport-specific
436 manuals or handbooks that govern interscholastic competition,
437 which must comply with the requirements of s. 1006.20(2)(o).
438 (7)(6) PROHIBITED MEMBERSHIPS.—Public schools are
439 prohibited from membership in any governing organization that or
440 entity which regulates or governs interscholastic
441 extracurricular activities and discriminates against eligible
442 students in public, private, or home education.
443 (8)(7) INSURANCE.—Any insurance provided by district
444 school boards for participants in extracurricular activities
445 must shall cover any eligible the participating home education
446 student. If there is an additional premium for such coverage,
447 the participating home education student shall pay the premium.
448 (8)(a) The Florida High School Athletic Association
449 (FHSAA) shall, in cooperation with each district school board
450 and its member private schools, facilitate a program in which a
451 middle school or high school student who attends a private
452 school is eligible to participate in an interscholastic or
453 intrascholastic sport at a member public high school, a member
454 public middle school, a member 6-12 public school, or a member
455 private school, as appropriate for the private school student's
456 grade level, if:
457 1. The private school in which the student is enrolled is
458 not a member of the FHSAA or the private school in which the
459 student is enrolled is a member of the FHSAA and does not offer
460 the sport in which the student wishes to participate.
461 2. The private school student meets the guidelines for the
462 conduct of the program established by the FHSAA's board of
463 directors and the district school board or member private
464 school. At a minimum, such guidelines must provide a deadline
465 for each sport by which the private school student's parents
466 must register with the member school in writing their intent for
467 their child to participate at that school in the sport.
468 (b) The parents of a private school student participating
469 in a member school sport under this subsection are responsible
470 for transporting their child to and from the member school at
471 which the student participates. The private school the student
472 attends, the member school at which the student participates in
473 a sport, the district school board, and the FHSAA are exempt
474 from civil liability arising from any injury that occurs to the
475 student during such transportation.
476 (c) For each academic year, a private school student may
477 only participate at the member school in which the student is
478 first registered under subparagraph (a)2. or makes himself or
479 herself a candidate for an athletic team by engaging in a
480 practice.
481 (9) SCHOOL RESPONSIBILITIES.—
482 (a)(d) The athletic director or other appropriate
483 administrator of each participating FHSAA member school shall
484 maintain the student records necessary for eligibility,
485 compliance, and participation for all eligible students
486 participating in interscholastic or intrascholastic
487 extracurricular activities at the school in the program.
488 (b)(e) Any private school that has a student who is
489 seeking wishes to participate in interscholastic or
490 intrascholastic extracurricular activities at another school
491 this program must make all student records related to that
492 student, including, but not limited to, academic, financial,
493 disciplinary, and attendance records, available upon request of
494 the governing organization FHSAA.
495 (c)1. Each public school may assess an activity fee to an
496 enrolled student. Each public school may asses an activity fee
497 to a student who is not enrolled but is eligible to participate
498 pursuant to this section, provided that such fee does not exceed
499 the greater of the following:
500 a. The fee students enrolled at the school pay to
501 participate in the activity; or
502 b. A reasonable fee based on the costs to the school, not
503 to exceed $400 per activity.
504 2. Annually by July 1, activity fees developed pursuant to
505 sub-subparagraph 1.b. must be approved by the district school
506 board or charter school governing board, as appropriate, after
507 being voted on as an action item. Each public school must
508 publish a complete list of fees developed under this paragraph,
509 by activity, on its website before the beginning of each school
510 year.
511 (d) Notwithstanding paragraph (c), a home education
512 student, pursuant to s. 1002.41, or a public school student
513 participating at a public school at which he or she is not
514 enrolled may only be assessed the fee paid by students enrolled
515 at the school to participate in the activity.
516 (e) The parents of the student participating in the
517 interscholastic or intrascholastic extracurricular activity must
518 provide for the transportation of the student to and from the
519 school at which the student participates. The school in which
520 the student is enrolled, the school at which the student
521 participates in the extracurricular activity, and the district
522 school board are exempt from civil liability arising from any
523 injury that occurs to the student during such transportation.
524 (10) STUDENT TRANSFERS.—
525 (a) A student may not participate in sports at two
526 different schools during the same school year, unless the
527 student:
528 1. Is a dependent child of active duty military personnel
529 whose move resulted from military orders;
530 2. Has been relocated due to a foster care placement in a
531 different school zone;
532 3. Has moved due to a court-ordered change in custody due
533 to separation or divorce, or the serious illness or death of a
534 custodial parent; or
535 4. Has been granted approval by the applicable governing
536 organization's executive director.
537 (b) The governing organization must provide a
538 determination of eligibility to the requesting student within 14
539 days after such a request is made.
540 (c) The governing organization shall adopt bylaws
541 establishing criteria for determining eligibility of students
542 pursuant to this section and an appeals procedure equivalent to
543 the appeals procedure set forth in s. 1006.20(7).
544 (11) APPLICABILITY.—Any organization that conducts a
545 school-related or school support-related function or activity is
546 subject to the requirements of this section.
547 (12) BYLAWS.—The governing organization may adopt
548 additional bylaws to implement this section.
549 (f) A student must apply to participate in this program
550 through the FHSAA program application process.
551 (9)(a) A student who transfers to a school during the
552 school year may seek to immediately join an existing team if the
553 roster for the specific interscholastic or intrascholastic
554 extracurricular activity has not reached the activity's
555 identified maximum size and if the coach for the activity
556 determines that the student has the requisite skill and ability
557 to participate. The FHSAA and school district or charter school
558 may not declare such a student ineligible because the student
559 did not have the opportunity to comply with qualifying
560 requirements.
561 (b) A student may not participate in a sport if the
562 student participated in that same sport at another school during
563 that school year, unless the student meets one of the following
564 criteria:
565 1. Dependent children of active duty military personnel
566 whose move resulted from military orders.
567 2. Children who have been relocated due to a foster care
568 placement in a different school zone.
569 3. Children who move due to a court-ordered change in
570 custody due to separation or divorce, or the serious illness or
571 death of a custodial parent.
572 4. Authorized for good cause in district or charter school
573 policy.
574 (10) A student who participates in an interscholastic or
575 intrascholastic activity at a public school and who transfers
576 from that school during the school year must be allowed to
577 continue to participate in the activity at that school for the
578 remainder of the school year if:
579 (a) During the period of participation in the activity,
580 the student continues to meet the requirements specified in
581 paragraph (3)(a).
582 (b) The student continues to meet the same standards of
583 acceptance, behavior, and performance which are required of
584 other students participating in the activity, except for
585 enrollment requirements at the school at which the student
586 participates.
587 (c) The parents of the student participating in the
588 activity provide for the transportation of the student to and
589 from the school at which the student participates. The school
590 the student attends, the school at which the student
591 participates in the activity, and the district school board are
592 exempt from civil liability arising from any injury that occurs
593 to the student during such transportation.
594 Section 3. Subsection (6) of section 1002.31, Florida
595 Statutes, is amended to read:
596 1002.31 Controlled open enrollment; public school parental
597 choice.—
598 (6)(a) A school district or charter school may not delay
599 eligibility or otherwise prevent a student participating in
600 controlled open enrollment or a choice program from being
601 immediately eligible to participate in interscholastic and
602 intrascholastic extracurricular activities, except as provided
603 under s. 1006.15.
604 (b) A student may not participate in a sport if the
605 student participated in that same sport at another school during
606 that school year, unless the student meets one of the following
607 criteria:
608 1. Dependent children of active duty military personnel
609 whose move resulted from military orders.
610 2. Children who have been relocated due to a foster care
611 placement in a different school zone.
612 3. Children who move due to a court-ordered change in
613 custody due to separation or divorce, or the serious illness or
614 death of a custodial parent.
615 4. Authorized for good cause in district or charter school
616 policy.
617 Section 4. Subsection (11) of section 1002.33, Florida
618 Statutes, is amended to read:
619 1002.33 Charter schools.—
620 (11) PARTICIPATION IN INTERSCHOLASTIC EXTRACURRICULAR
621 ACTIVITIES.—A charter school student is eligible to participate
622 in an interscholastic extracurricular activity at the public
623 school to which the student would be otherwise assigned to
624 attend, or may develop an agreement to participate at a private
625 school, pursuant to s. 1006.15 s. 1006.15(3)(d).
626 Section 5. Paragraphs (a) and (b) of subsection (1) of
627 section 1006.195, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
628 1006.195 District school board, charter school authority
629 and responsibility to establish student eligibility regarding
630 participation in interscholastic and intrascholastic
631 extracurricular activities.—Notwithstanding any provision to the
632 contrary in ss. 1006.15, 1006.18, and 1006.20, regarding student
633 eligibility to participate in interscholastic and
634 intrascholastic extracurricular activities:
635 (1)(a) A district school board shall must establish,
636 through its code of student conduct, student eligibility
637 standards and related student disciplinary actions regarding
638 student participation in interscholastic and intrascholastic
639 extracurricular activities. The code of student conduct must
640 provide that:
641 1. A student not currently suspended from interscholastic
642 or intrascholastic extracurricular activities, or suspended or
643 expelled from school, pursuant to a district school board's
644 suspension or expulsion powers provided in law, including ss.
645 1006.07, 1006.08, and 1006.09, is eligible to participate in
646 interscholastic and intrascholastic extracurricular activities.
647 2. A student may not participate in a sport if the student
648 participated in that same sport at another school during that
649 school year, unless the student meets the criteria in s.
650 1006.15(10)(a) s. 1006.15(3)(j).
651 3. A student's eligibility to participate in any
652 interscholastic or intrascholastic extracurricular activity may
653 not be affected by any alleged recruiting violation until final
654 disposition of the allegation pursuant to s. 1006.20(2)(b).
655 (b) Students who participate in interscholastic and
656 intrascholastic extracurricular activities for, but are not
657 enrolled in, a public school pursuant to s. 1006.15(4) s.
658 1006.15(3)(c)-(e) and (8), are subject to the district school
659 board's code of student conduct for the limited purpose of
660 establishing and maintaining the student's eligibility to
661 participate at the school.
662 Section 6. Paragraph (e) of subsection (7) of section
663 1006.20, Florida Statutes, is amended, and paragraph (o) is
664 added to subsection (2) of that section, to read:
665 1006.20 Athletics in public K-12 schools.—
666 (2) ADOPTION OF BYLAWS, POLICIES, OR GUIDELINES.—
667 (o) The FHSAA shall adopt, maintain, and enforce sport-
668 specific manuals or handbooks that govern interscholastic
669 competition. The manuals or handbooks may include, but are not
670 limited to, timing, scoring, equipment, officiating, and athlete
671 safety. The FHSAA must ensure that athletes may request
672 exemptions or accommodations from real-time scoring requirements
673 not later than 72 hours before a sanctioned event. If a request
674 is made within the prescribed time, the FHSAA must provide
675 access to accommodations for such participants.
676 (7) APPEALS.—
677 (e) A student athlete or member school that receives an
678 unfavorable ruling from a committee on appeals or the executive
679 director shall be entitled to appeal that decision to the board
680 of directors at its next regularly scheduled meeting or called
681 meeting. The FHSAA's bylaws must establish a timeline for
682 appeals relating to eligibility which may not exceed 20 days
683 after the date of receipt of the appeal. The board of directors
684 shall have the authority to uphold, reverse, or amend the
685 decision of the committee on appeals or the executive director.
686 In all such cases, the decision of the board of directors shall
687 be final.
688 Section 7. Paragraph (d) is added to subsection (3) of
689 section 1012.01, Florida Statutes, to read:
690 1012.01 Definitions.—As used in this chapter, the
691 following terms have the following meanings:
692 (3) ADMINISTRATIVE PERSONNEL.—"Administrative personnel"
693 includes K-12 personnel who perform management activities such
694 as developing broad policies for the school district and
695 executing those policies through the direction of personnel at
696 all levels within the district. Administrative personnel are
697 generally high-level, responsible personnel who have been
698 assigned the responsibilities of systemwide or schoolwide
699 functions, such as district school superintendents, assistant
700 superintendents, deputy superintendents, school principals,
701 assistant principals, career center directors, and others who
702 perform management activities. Broad classifications of K-12
703 administrative personnel are as follows:
704 (d) Extracurricular activities administrator.—Included in
705 this classification is any athletic director or coach or any
706 activity director or sponsor specified by the district school
707 superintendent at the request of the individual. The district
708 school superintendent may negotiate individual compensation in
709 excess of compensation otherwise awardable pursuant to s.
710 1012.22. Such compensation may not exceed the compensation of
711 the highest paid administrator in the district.
712 Section 8. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.