The Foundation for Florida’s Future responds to final passage of HB 1361

“We applaud the Florida legislature for investing further in tutoring services to support young students struggling in math and reading with new and expanded resources, including the addition of safe artificial intelligence platforms to help educators meet students’ needs. 

“Expanding access to learning supports, including tutoring, and improving credentialing programs to equip teachers with essential skills, demonstrates Florida’s continued commitment to supporting education excellence for all students and a quality teacher workforce. 

“Finally, we are excited about the inclusion of a new program to establish district grants to support students and teachers accessing safe and effective artificial intelligence-enabled educational platforms. This technology has the potential to boost student learning and ease educators’ lives in the classroom.

“We thank Rep. John Temple and Sen. Clay Yarborough for championing this legislation.”

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House Bill 1361:

• Expands access to the New Worlds Scholarship to include students enrolled in a Voluntary Prekindergarten Program who exhibit substantial deficiencies in literacy or math skills, based on the student’s progress monitoring assessment results. 
• Establishes a tutoring program to be administered by the University of Florida Lastinger Center for Learning for students in kindergarten through fifth grade who have a substantial deficiency in reading or math.  
• Establishes a grant program for personalized tutoring for students in grades 6 through 12 and professional learning for teachers, provided by artificial intelligence platforms, subject to appropriation. 
• Designates the University of Florida Lastinger Center for Learning as the administrator of the New Worlds Reading Initiative and the New Worlds Tutoring Program, and codifies new duties for the Center, including developing programs to improve student outcomes in early learning, literacy and math. 

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