6A-23.012 Local Educational Agency Partnership in Apprenticeship and Preapprenticeship.

1. (1) Purpose. This rule sets forth the requirements for partnership agreements between local educational agencies and registered apprenticeship or preapprenticeship program sponsors and provides a model contract to be used in those partnerships. The model contract defines roles and responsibilities of each entity in accordance with Section 446.032, F.S.

2. (2) Definitions. Unless otherwise specified below, terms in this rule are defined as in Section 446.021, F.S.

   1. (a) “Apprenticeship training representative” or “ATR” means an individual representative of the Department authorized to act on behalf of the Department in matters concerning registered apprenticeship and preapprenticeship.
   2. (c) “Department” means the Florida Department of Education.
   3. (d) “Local educational agency” or “LEA” means a Florida school district or a Florida College System institution.

3. (3) Required partnership agreement.

   1. (a) Pursuant to Section 446.032(1)(a)2., F.S., LEAs and apprenticeship or preapprenticeship program sponsors providers that partner to provide apprenticeship or preapprenticeship education and training programs must document the terms of their partnership in an written partnership agreement. The agreement must include, at a minimum:

      1. The respective roles of the LEA and apprenticeship or preapprenticeship program provider; and

      2. Explanation of how funding will be divided based on the responsibilities the LEA and the apprenticeship or preapprenticeship program provider hold in the partnership agreement, as set forth in Section 446.032(5)(b), F.S.

   2. (b) Responsibilities of the LEA in the partnership.

      1. The LEA must ensure that all parties understand the total amount of funding and allocations.

      2. The LEA must not impose any additional fees or withhold additional funds beyond the agreed-upon amount in such agreement or contract unless explicitly outlined in the agreement to ensure financial clarity and prevent unexpected costs for apprenticeship and preapprenticeship program sponsors.

4. (4) Model partnership agreement.

   1. (a) LEAs and apprenticeship or preapprenticeship program providers entering into new partnership agreements must use the Model LEA and Apprenticeship/Preapprenticeship Provider Partnership Agreement, effective December 2025 (HYPERLINK "http://flrules.org/Gateway/reference.asp?No=Ref-18875"http://flrules.org/Gateway/reference.asp?No=Ref-18875), pursuant to Section 446.032(5)(a), F.S. The Model Partnership Agreement is hereby incorporated by reference and may be obtained electronically on the Department’s website or from the Office of Apprenticeship, Florida Department of Education, 325 West Gaines Street, Tallahassee, FL, 32399-0400. The Model Partnership Agreement may be modified to add additional terms and conditions that do not conflict with federal or state law.
   2. (b) Partnership agreements, including those that pre-date the effective date of this rule, must be submitted annually to the Department for the upcoming academic year by July 1. Agreements must be submitted via email to the program’s ATR. If the partnership agreement spans multiple years, it does not need to be resubmitted unless there are amendments to the agreement.

5. (5) Termination of a partnership agreement.

   1. (a) If a partnership agreement is terminated, the program sponsor must notify their ATR via email. The sponsor must also state whether the apprenticeship or preapprenticeship program will continue training apprentices or preapprentices and must explain how requirements previously handled by the LEA will be provided.
   2. (b) If the apprenticeship or preapprenticeship program provider is not going to continue to provide training, the sponsor must follow deregistration procedures set forth in Rule 6A-23.006, F.A.C.

Rulemaking Authority 446.032(1), 446.041(13), 1001.02(1), (2)(n) FS. Law Implemented 446.041, 446.075 FS. History–New 12-21-25.