Florida’s School Recognition Program:

 

Technical Assistance for Martin County Schools

 

 

Developed by

 

Martin County Education Association

 

 

 

   

 

Introduction

 

        In an effort to ease the divisive environment frequently caused by Florida’s School Recognition Program within Martin County schools, Martin County Education Association has developed the following guidance to be used in allocating and spending any money received through this program. This guidance contains the actual statutory provisions for decisions regarding this money and answers to frequently asked questions. Any individual or group of individuals should be given the opportunity to present a plan to the faculty for due consideration on how this money is to be distributed at their school site. If you need any help or have further questions regarding this money, please do not hesitate to contact the MCEA office.

Florida Statutes on School Recognition Money

1008.36 Florida School Recognition Program

(1)  The Legislature finds that there is a need for a performance incentive program for outstanding faculty and staff in highly productive schools. The Legislature further finds that performance-based incentives are commonplace in the private sector and should be infused into the public sector as a reward for productivity.

(2)  The Florida School Recognition Program is created to provide financial awards to public schools that:

(a)  Sustain high performance by receiving a school grade of "A," making excellent progress; or

(b)  Demonstrate exemplary improvement due to innovation and effort by improving a letter grade.

(3)  All public schools, including charter schools, that receive a school grade pursuant to Section 1008.34, are eligible to participate in the program.

(4)  All selected schools shall receive financial awards depending on the availability of funds appropriated and the number and size of schools selected to receive an award. Funds must be distributed to the school's fiscal agent and placed in the school's account and must be used for purposes listed in subsection (5) as determined jointly by the school's staff and school advisory council. If school staff and the school advisory council cannot reach agreement by November 1, the awards must be equally distributed to all classroom teachers currently teaching in the school.

(5)  School recognition awards must be used for the following:

(a)  Nonrecurring bonuses to the faculty and staff;

(b)  Nonrecurring expenditures for educational equipment or materials to assist in maintaining and improving student performance; or

(c)  Temporary personnel for the school to assist in maintaining and improving student performance.

Notwithstanding statutory provisions to the contrary, incentive awards are not subject to collective bargaining.

 

 

Frequently Asked Questions

 

 

 

1.      Which schools actually qualify for money through Florida’s School Recognition Program?

 

Schools receiving an A performance grade or schools improving at least one performance grade category from the previous year are eligible for recognition and financial awards.

 

2.      What is the award for each school that qualifies?

 

Each recognized school will receive $100 per full-time equivalent (FTE) student based on last year's enrollment.

 

3.      How will qualifying schools receive their funds?

 

School districts will place these funds in a school account at the district level and the funds will be immediately available when the school's staff and school advisory council decide how to use the award money. These funds are not to be placed in a school's internal accounts.

 

4.      Who decides how the award will be used?

 

The legislation gives the school's staff and school advisory council (SAC) the authority to make this decision.

 

5.      What process should the school’s staff and SAC use to decide how to use the award?

 

The legislation does not specify a decision-making process. Each school needs to agree to a decision-making process of its own.

 

6.      Which group’s vote carries more weight?

 

The joint spending plan must be approved by both the school staff and the SAC. Neither group has the power to overrule the decision of the other regarding their support or non-support of a final spending plan.

 

7.  Does any one staff member or SAC member hold a weighted vote when the final plan is considered?

 

No. When conducting a vote on the final plan, all staff and SAC members should receive exactly one vote within their respective group.

 

8.  What can the award be used for?

 

Funds are to be used for nonrecurring bonuses to the faculty and staff, nonrecurring expenditures for educational equipment or materials, or for temporary personnel to assist the school in maintaining or improving student performance. The school's staff and SAC must decide to spend these funds on any one or any combination of these three purposes.  The legislation as it is written does not favor any one of these options over another.

 

9. Is there a deadline for making the decision on how to use an award?

 

Yes. Section 1008.36(4), F.S., states that if the school’s staff and the school advisory council cannot reach agreement by November 1, the awards must be equally distributed to all classroom teachers currently teaching in the school.

 

10. Do standard salary deductions (FICA, Medicare, and Federal Income Tax) apply to bonuses?

 

Yes. Standard salary deductions must be applied to school recognition bonuses.

 

11. Does personal income received from a bonus count towards the calculation of retirement income?

 

No.

 

12. Can someone receive two bonuses?

 

When an employee moves from one school that is awarding a bonus to another school that is awarding a bonus, the employee may receive the bonus from either or both schools. Each school decides who will receive bonuses and, if the individual is eligible under both schools’ plans, then, yes, the individual receives both bonuses.

 

13. Can an individual no longer employed by Martin County Schools receive a bonus?

 

Yes.  If the school plan includes individuals who were at the school the year the award was earned, then they can receive a bonus.  The payment of that bonus will work differently, but is a possibility.

 

14. Are ESP (education support personnel/classified) eligible for bonuses?

 

Yes. ESP’s are eligible for bonuses as long as a decision is made by the staff and SAC by November 1 of the award year. The amount of any bonus as well as those who receive the bonus is determined by the staff and SAC at each school.

 

15. Are ESP (support personnel) that service our school but are assigned to other schools/departments, like transportation, eligible for bonuses?

 

Yes. Again the decision as to which employees receive a bonus and the amount of the bonus is determined by the school’s staff and SAC.

 

16. Does the bonus amount have to be the same for everyone?

 

Not necessarily.  The decision is made by the staff and SAC.  Different groups may receive different amounts depending on the plan that is developed.

 

17. Can our school create a sub-committee to help evaluate proposals?

 

Yes, as long as any staff or SAC member who has an idea is permitted to submit it for consideration, selection of the sub-committee members is democratic, and everyone has an opportunity to vote on the final proposal.

 

18. Is there any policy prohibiting the awarding of School Recognition Funds as bonuses to the staff?

 

No. Decisions on how to spend award money are to be made at the school level.

 

19. Can a school administrator require that award money only be used for additional staff or supplies?

 

Not without the consensus of the staff and SAC. School administrators serve as single voices/votes within the collective school staff and advisory councils. They each hold one vote as a staff member, and one vote as a SAC member if they serve on the advisory council.