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Florida School Recognition Program

Governing Legislation: Section 1008.36, Florida Statutes

Summary of Provisions

The School Recognition Program recognizes the high quality of many of Florida's public schools. As authorized in Section 1008.36, the program provides greater autonomy and financial awards to schools that demonstrate sustained or significantly improved student performance. Schools eligible for school recognition demonstrated exemplary improvement by one of the following:

  • Receiving a school grade of "A;” or
  • Improving at least one letter grade over the previous year; or
  • Improving more than one letter grade and sustaining the improvement the following school year.

Schools designated as Alternative Schools that receive a school improvement rating of “Improving” or improve at least one level are also eligible for school recognition. Funds for the Florida School Recognition Program shall be awarded by the Commissioner of Education in the amount of $70 per Full Time Equivalent student for each qualifying school.

The staff and school advisory council at each recognized school jointly decide how to use the financial award. As specified in statute, schools must use their awards for one or any combination of the following:

  • Nonrecurring faculty and staff bonuses;
  • Nonrecurring expenditures for educational equipment and materials; or
  • Temporary personnel to assist in maintaining or improving student performance.

If school staff and the school advisory council cannot reach agreement by February 1, the awards must be equally distributed to all classroom teachers currently teaching in the school. If a school selected to receive a school recognition award is no longer in existence at the time the award is paid, the district school superintendent shall distribute the funds to teachers who taught at the school in the previous year in the form of a bonus.