Schools of Excellence.

The Schools of Excellence Program is established to provide administrative flexibility to the state’s top schools so that the instructional personnel and administrative staff at such schools can continue to serve their communities and increase student learning to the best of their professional ability.

(1) DESIGNATION.—

(a) The State Board of Education shall designate a school as a School of Excellence if the school’s percentage of possible points earned in its school grade calculation is in the 80th percentile or higher for schools comprised of the same grade groupings, including elementary schools, middle schools, high schools, and schools with a combination of grade levels, for at least 2 of the last 3 school years. The school must have data for each applicable school grade component pursuant to s. 1008.34(3) to be eligible for designation as a School of Excellence. A qualifying school shall retain the designation as a School of Excellence for up to 3 years, at the end of which time the school may renew the designation, if:

1. The school was in the 80th percentile or higher pursuant to this subsection for 2 of the previous 3 years; and

2. The school did not receive a school grade lower than “B” pursuant to s. 1008.34 during any of the previous 3 years.

(b) A school that earns a school grade lower than “B” pursuant to s. 1008.34 during the 3-year period may not continue to be designated as a School of Excellence during the remainder of that 3-year period and loses the administrative flexibilities provided in subsection (2).

(2) ADMINISTRATIVE FLEXIBILITIES.—A School of Excellence must be provided the following administrative flexibilities:

(a) Exemption from any provision of law or rule that expressly requires a minimum period of daily or weekly instruction in reading.

(b) Principal autonomy as provided under s. 1012.28(8).

(c) For instructional personnel, the substitution of 1 school year of employment at a School of Excellence for 20 inservice points toward the renewal of a professional certificate, up to 60 inservice points in a 5-year cycle, pursuant to s. 1012.585(3).

(d) Exemption from compliance with district policies or procedures that establish times for the start and completion of the school day.

(e) Calculation for compliance with maximum class size pursuant to s. 1003.03(4) based on the average number of students at the school level.