Florida Administrative Code › 6 - DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION › 6A - State Board of Education › Chapter 6A-19 - EDUCATIONAL EQUITY › Section 6A-19.010 - Strategies to Overcome Underrepresentation

Current through Reg. 50, No. 138; July 16, 2024
(1) Plans for Implementation. Each governing
				board within the state system of public education shall submit a three (3) year
				plan, in the format and on the date prescribed by the Commissioner of
				Education, to the Office of Equity and Access. Plans shall be designed to
				implement the Florida Educational Equity Act, Section
				1000.05, F.S., and Rules
				6A-19.001 -.010, F.A.C., and
				shall be updated annually. The initial three year plan may include the program
				and employment analyses required by paragraphs
				6A-19.010(1)(c), and
				(d), F.A.C., on a staggered schedule which
				shall provide for responsible and expeditious implementation. The staggered
				schedule and the programs, courses, services and activities to be analyzed and
				included for each of the first three years shall be prescribed by the
				Commissioner of Education. Priority shall be assigned, however, to mathematics,
				science, computer technology, electronics, communications technology,
				engineering, athletics and vocational education, as specified in Sections
				1000.05(3) and
				(4), F.S. The plans need not be separate
				documents but may be portions of plans prepared by the governing board for
				other purposes, including current actions taken to implement judicial orders,
				if they contain at least the following information.
(a) Description of Plan Development. The plan
				shall identify, by title and organizational location, the persons involved in
				the development of the plan; a description of the participation of any advisory
				groups or persons; and the date of adoption of the plan by the governing
				board.
(b) Policy and Procedure
				Review. A description of the process used by the governing board to review
				policies and procedures used by the institutions under its jurisdiction to
				assure that all policies and procedures comply with the requirements of Section
				1000.05, F.S., and Rules
				6A-19.001 -.010, F.A.C., and the
				conclusions reached.
1. The description of
				the review shall include a list of topic areas examined, which shall include,
				but not be limited to: student services, including counseling; financial
				assistance; student housing; accessibility and comparability of facilities in
				terms of sex and handicap; selection criteria for admission to the institution
				and program and course admission requirements by program area or discipline;
				criteria for participation in and funding of recreational, athletic,
				co-curricular and extracurricular activities; provision of auxiliary aids and
				services; transportation; employment policies and practices for staff and
				students including selection criteria for employment and methodology for
				providing reasonable accommodation.
2. The description of the review shall
				summarize conclusions, include plans for appropriate modifications with
				timelines, identify staff designated to coordinate the plan for modifications,
				and describe procedures for maintaining compliance with Section
				1000.05, F.S., and Rules
				6A-19.001 -.010,
				F.A.C.
(c) Program
				Analyses. Implementation plans shall include a summary of the results of
				analyses of student participation in programs or disciplines. The plans shall
				identify those programs or disciplines which have disproportionate enrollment
				of students of a particular race, sex, handicap, or national origin minority
				having limited-English-language skills. The governing board shall specify the
				pool of potential students utilized in calculating disproportionate enrollment,
				as defined in subsection
				6A-19.001(5),
				F.A.C., in each program or discipline. It is not expected that these analyses
				will be conducted at a course level unless the governing board determines that
				it is necessary for the development of strategies to overcome
				underrepresentation. The Commissioner of Education may designate selected
				programs, courses, services and activities for analysis.
1. For those programs or disciplines and
				those selected programs, courses, services or activities designated by the
				Commissioner of Education, which are found to have disproportionate enrollment,
				the institution shall develop and implement methods and strategies to increase
				the participation of students from those underrepresented groups.
2. The plans of implementation shall
				summarize the results of the analyses of student participation and identify the
				methods and strategies, including goals adopted by the governing board, and
				timetables for the implementation of those strategies to increase student
				participation.
(d)
				Employment Analyses. Implementation plans shall include a summary of the
				analyses of employment data by race and sex. Particular attention shall be
				given to employment patterns in mathematics, science, computer technology,
				electronics, communications technology, engineering, athletics and vocational
				education.
1. Plans for implementation shall
				summarize the results of the employment analyses and describe methods and
				strategies to increase employment of persons from underrepresented
				groups.
(e) The annual
				updates to the implementation plans shall include all modifications, additions,
				or deletions to the current three year plan for implementation and shall
				include an evaluation of each of the methods and strategies developed to
				increase student participation or employment of individuals from
				underrepresented groups.
(f)
				Regular Notification. The implementation plan shall include a copy of the
				policy of nondiscrimination adopted by the governing board and a description of
				the procedures utilized to regularly notify staff, students, applicants for
				employment and admission, parents, collective bargaining units and the general
				public of this policy.
(g) Equity
				Coordinator. The implementation plan shall identify the person(s), by name and
				title, designated to coordinate the institution's compliance with Section
				1000.05, F.S., and Rules
				6A-19.001 -.010, F.A.C. The
				identity of the Equity Coordinator shall be included in the regular
				notification of the policy of nondiscrimination.
(h) Grievance or Complaint Procedures. The
				implementation plan shall include a copy of the grievance or complaint
				procedures for use by students, applicants, and employees who allege
				discrimination.
1. Procedure(s) shall be
				available to all students and their parents, employees, and applicants for
				admission or employment.
2.
				Notification of these procedures shall be placed in prominent and common
				information sources.
3.
				Procedure(s) shall be designed to encourage prompt and equitable resolution of
				student, employee and applicant complaints but shall not prohibit individuals
				from seeking redress from other available sources.
(i) Plans and annual updates submitted by
				district school boards shall include all schools; vocational, adult and
				community education centers; vocational skills centers; and special education
				schools, centers or annexes operated by the board. The program analyses and
				employment analyses portions of the plan shall include school level and
				district level data.
(j) Plans and
				annual updates submitted by the Board of Regents shall include a plan for each
				university. Each university plan shall include all colleges, schools, campuses,
				annexes, centers, research centers and service centers operated under the
				authority or direction of the university.
(k) Plans and annual updates submitted by the
				community college boards of trustees shall include all departments, campuses,
				annexes and centers operated under the authority or direction of the board of
				trustees.
(l) The plan and annual
				updates submitted by the Board of Trustees of the Florida School for the Deaf
				and the Blind shall include all departments, units and schools operated under
				the jurisdiction of the Board of Trustees of the Florida School for the Deaf
				and the Blind.