SESSION WATCH
Superseded — its companion passed HOUSE · SESSION 2026

No. HB 963

Administrative Efficiency in Public Schools
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SPONSOR
Smith
FILED BY
David Smith — District 38, Republican [search donations]
EFFECTIVE
7/1/2026
COMPANION
CS/CS/HB 1279 — HB 963 was set aside and its companion carried the policy

Filed under Education.

PROVIDED SUMMARY

Administrative Efficiency in Public Schools; Revises provisions relating to school districts, district school boards, K-12 school facilities, funding, teacher certifications & contracts, & early learning.

Full bill text →

Plain English Summary

AI-GENERATED
Removes financial oversight and spending limits from school districts.

Districts can now adopt rules without public notice or comment, bypassing standard administrative procedures. This change applies to all district school boards statewide.

The bill repeals the mandate for large districts to employ internal auditors, eliminating a key layer of financial oversight. This removes a statutory requirement for independent financial review.

Districts may now spend capital levy revenue on any operational or capital purpose, removing previous restrictions on how those specific funds can be used.

The bill eliminates the penalty that required an equal dollar reduction in state funding for districts that violated capital levy spending rules.

KEY PROVISIONS
§ 1 School boards exempt from rulemaking procedures majors. 120.81(1)(a)

AIDistrict school boards can adopt rules without following the public notice and comment requirements of Chapter 120.

“District school boards are not subject to the requirements for rules in this chapter when making and adopting rules with public input at a public meeting.” bill text, line 164 →
§ 2 Internal auditor requirement repealed majors. 1001.42(12)(l)

AISchool districts no longer have a statutory mandate to employ an internal auditor, removing a key financial oversight mechanism.

“May or, in the case of a school district receiving annual federal, state, and local funds in excess of $500 million, shall employ an internal auditor.” bill text, line 198 →
§ 3 Fiscal transparency requirements reduced majors. 1011.035(2)(a)

AIDistricts no longer must post specific graphical financial efficiency data or provide background information on budget items on their websites.

“Graphical representations, for each public school within the district and for the school district, of the following: 1. Summary financial efficiency data.” bill text, line 651 →
§ 4 Removal of Capital Levy Spending Restrictions majors. 1011.71(2)

AIDistricts may now spend 1.5 mill levy revenue on any operational or capital purpose, removing the previous list of permitted uses.

“for operational or capital purposes.” bill text, line 861 →
§ 5 Elimination of FEFP Penalty for Levy Misuse majors. 1011.71(6)

AIThe bill deletes the provision that required an equal dollar reduction in state funding for districts that violated capital levy spending rules.

“Violations of the expenditure provisions in subsection (2) or subsection (5) shall result in an equal dollar reduction in the Florida Education Finance Program (FEFP) funds” bill text, line 970 →
§ 6 School district facilities planning requirements removed majors. 1013.35(2)(a)

AIDistricts no longer must produce detailed 5-, 10-, and 20-year facilities plans with specific content requirements

“The plan must include: 1. Projected student populations apportioned geographically at the local level.” bill text, line 1722 →
§ 7 Local government review authority reduced majors. 1013.35(4)

AILocal governments may now review and comment on district facilities plans instead of being required to do so

“The affected local governments may review the tentative district educational facilities plan and comment to the district school board”
§ 8 Assessment calendar requirements changed moderates. 1008.22(7)(b)

AIThe requirement for a detailed uniform electronic calendar with specific assessment details is removed, replaced by a simpler written notification and website publication.

“By January of each year, the commissioner shall publish on the department's website a uniform calendar that includes the assessment and reporting schedules” bill text, line 476 →
TIMELINE
3/13/2026
Died in Education Administration Subcommittee; Companion bill(s)...
1/13/2026
1st Reading (Original Filed Version)
1/12/2026
Now in Education Administration Subcommittee
1/12/2026
Referred to Education & Employment Committee
1/12/2026
Referred to PreK-12 Budget Subcommittee
1/12/2026
Referred to Student Academic Success Subcommittee
1/12/2026
Referred to Education Administration Subcommittee
1/5/2026
Filed
2 EARLIER →
STATUTES IT CHANGES
s. 120.81
+26 / −0
s. 1001.23
+117 / −0
s. 1001.42
+0 / −236
s. 1002.20
+43 / −13
s. 1002.33
+0 / −7
s. 1002.451
+3 / −0