THE BILL ITSELF
HB 857
Student Support Services for K-12 Schools
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A bill to be entitled
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An act relating to student support services for K-12
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schools; amending s. 1001.42, F.S.; authorizing
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district school boards to recommend, endorse, or refer
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students to organizations providing specified student
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support services; providing requirements for such
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organizations; providing requirements relating to
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Level 2 background screenings for specified persons;
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requiring certain public schools to post and maintain
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specified information on its websites; requiring
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district school boards to ensure compliance with
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specified provisions and maintain specified
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documentation; requiring district school
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superintendents to provide a report to the Department
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of Education upon the request of the department;
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requiring specified information to be included in the
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report; providing an effective date.
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Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
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Section 1. Subsection (29) of section 1001.42, Florida
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Statutes, is renumbered as subsection (30), and a new subsection
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(29) is added to that section, to read:
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1001.42 Powers and duties of district school board.—The
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district school board, acting as a board, shall exercise all
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powers and perform all duties listed below:
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(29) NONDISCRIMINATORY AND SAFE STUDENT PROGRAMS AND
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SERVICES.—
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(a) A district school board may refer students to
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organizations that provide student support services, including
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student support programs that incorporate mentoring, counseling,
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tutoring, and extracurricular programs.
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(b) To be eligible to be recommended, endorsed, referred,
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or otherwise promoted by a school district:
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1. An organization may not restrict participation on the
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basis of race, color, or ethnicity.
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2. A mentoring organization that represents through its
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website, publications, or promotional materials that it serves
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students of a single race or ethnic group must provide written
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verification to the district school board demonstrating that the
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organization employs or engages mentors, staff, or volunteers
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from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds sufficient to serve
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the district's student population before the district may
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recommend or refer students to the organization.
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3.a. An organization must ensure that each person who
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comes into contact with students, or is present in the same
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building while services are being provided to students, has
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successfully completed a Level 2 background screening pursuant
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to s. 435.04. Each organization is responsible for initiating
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and maintaining its own level 2 background screenings and
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providing such documentation to the district school board. The
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district school board may impose a fee to review the
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documentation and comply with the requirements of this
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subsection. A person may not provide or assist in providing
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student support services on behalf of such organization without
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the level 2 screening.
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b. This subparagraph applies to services that are provided
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on campus or off campus.
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c. This subparagraph does not apply to off-campus, school-
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sponsored activities where students are under the direct
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supervision of school personnel, school volunteers, or athletic
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coaches employed or contracted by the school district if such
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personnel, volunteers, or coaches remain present for the
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duration of the activity and maintain responsibility for student
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safety and supervision.
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(c) Each public school that provides or hosts mentoring or
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student support services shall post and maintain information
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regarding the available programs on the school website. The
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information must include all of the following:
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1. The name and description of each program available to
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students.
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2. The eligibility requirements for participation in each
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program.
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3. The contact information for the program coordinator or
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designated school personnel for the program.
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4. The application process or participation requirements
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for each program.
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(d) The district school board shall ensure compliance with
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this subsection and maintain documentation demonstrating that an
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organization meets the requirements of paragraph (b).
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(e) Each district school superintendent shall, upon the
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request of the Department of Education, submit a report
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demonstrating compliance with this subsection within 30 days
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after such request. The report must include all of the following
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information:
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1. The total number of public schools within the district
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that participated in mentoring or student support programs
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during the previous school year, including the names and
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addresses of the schools.
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2. The name of each organization providing such mentoring
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or student support programs within the district and the type of
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services the organization provided.
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3. Evidence that each participating organization meets the
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requirements of paragraph (b).
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4. The percentage of schools served by mentoring or
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student-support programs.
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5. The total number of students served by mentoring or
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student support programs during the previous school year.
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6. Disaggregated demographic information of the students
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served by each mentoring or student-support program, including
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race, ethnicity, and grade level.
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7. Any additional information requested by the department.
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Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.