Disability History and Awareness Instruction

This bill adds a new part to the Florida Statute called "An act relating to disability history and awareness instruction."

• Florida Statutes: The official rules and laws that people in Florida must follow. 

This bill:

• Says that public schools must teach disability history and awareness.

  • This teaching has to include certain materials.

• Lets district school boards team up with the Evin B. Hartsell Foundation to create materials.

  • School districts: groups of public schools in a certain area that are run by the same local education leaders. They make choices about school rules, teachers, money, and student programs.

  • Evin B Hartsell Foundation: A charity group named after Evin B. Hartsell, that supports causes like disability awareness and education.

• Makes grades Kindergarten through grade 3 teach about bullying and physical disabilities

• Makes grades 4 through 6 teach about autism, with activities showing what life is like with autism.

• Makes grades 7 through 9 teach about hearing disabilities, with activities showing what life is like with a hearing disability.

• Makes grades 10 through 12 teach about learning and intellectual disabilities, with activities showing what life is like with a learning or intellectual disability.

If this bill passes, district school boards can work with the Evin B. Hartsell Foundation to make lesson plans.

• District School Boards: Groups of leaders elected to oversee public schools in a specific part of Florida. They make choices about school policies, money, and programs.

If this bill passes, these changes start on July 1, 2025.