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SB 206FLORIDA · STATEWIDESession 2026Laid on Table, refer to CS/HB 851
High Impact

New Training and Loan Forgiveness for Autism Educators

Original title: Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder

October 15, 2025

educationspecial educationteacher trainingautismstudent loans

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Where This Stands

Currently Laid on Table, refer to CS/HB 851. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Introduced.

Procedural history

12 actions
  1. Feb 25, 2026Senate
    On Committee agenda-- Appropriations, 03/02/26, 12:00 pm, 110 Senate Building
  2. Jan 29, 2026Senate
    Now in Appropriations
  3. Jan 28, 2026SenateCommittee
    Favorable by Appropriations Committee on Pre-K - 12 Education; YEAS 10 NAYS 0
  4. Jan 23, 2026Senate
    On Committee agenda-- Appropriations Committee on Pre-K - 12 Education, 01/28/26, 1:00 pm, 37 Senate Building
  5. Jan 14, 2026Senate
    CS by Education Pre-K - 12 read 1st time
  6. Jan 14, 2026Senate
    Now in Appropriations Committee on Pre-K - 12 Education
Show 6 earlier actions
  1. Jan 14, 2026Senate
    Pending reference review under Rule 4.7(2) - (Committee Substitute)
  2. Jan 13, 2026SenateIntroduced
    Introduced
  3. Jan 13, 2026Senate
    CS by Education Pre-K - 12; YEAS 6 NAYS 0
  4. Jan 8, 2026Senate
    On Committee agenda-- Education Pre-K - 12, 01/13/26, 1:30 pm, 412 Knott Building
  5. Nov 3, 2025SenateCommittee
    Referred to Education Pre-K - 12; Appropriations Committee on Pre-K - 12 Education; Appropriations
  6. Oct 15, 2025SenateIntroduced
    Filed

Version history

Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.

View official text →

The Frame

What this does

The bill creates a financial incentive of up to $17,500 in student loan repayment for qualified special education teachers, while requiring all new teachers and those renewing professional certificates to complete specific autism-related training by 2027.

Who is mentioned in the record

Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.

Special education teachers

Eligible teachers may receive student loan repayment assistance and are eligible for salary supplements.

Educator preparation institutes

Must update curricula to include autism-specific training and the autism micro-credential by 2027.

School districts

Must provide annual autism-specific professional development and may offer new salary supplements for qualified teachers.

What changed

Last recorded activity October 15, 2025.

What's next

Introduced.

Background

  • The bill was substituted by CS/HB 851 during the 2026 legislative session. context

Summary

This bill mandates new autism-focused training for teachers and creates a loan forgiveness program for special education teachers working in classrooms where most students have autism. It also updates teacher certification requirements and salary rules to prioritize autism-specific expertise.

Key Facts

You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is eligible for the new loan forgiveness program?
Teachers with a master's degree in special education or a bachelor's degree with an Autism Spectrum Disorder or Severe/Profound Disabilities Endorsement who serve as the primary teacher in a classroom where a majority of students have autism.
Do I need to complete the autism micro-credential to renew my teaching certificate?
If you are certified in exceptional student education, you must earn the for certificate renewal starting August 1, 2027.
What is the autism micro-credential?
It is a specific training requirement created under s. 1004.551(1)(f) that must be integrated into teacher preparation programs and professional development.

Why It Matters

The bill creates a financial incentive of up to $17,500 in student loan repayment for qualified special education teachers, while requiring all new teachers and those renewing professional certificates to complete specific autism-related training by 2027.

News Coverage

No news coverage found yet. Articles are indexed twice daily.

Voting Record

Motion succeededupper3/2/2026openstates_bulkOfficial roll call ↗

Favorable

Total

17

Yes

17

No

0

Present

0

Not Voting

0

Abstain

0

Motion succeededsenate1/28/2026Official roll call ↗

Favorable

Total

13

Yes

13

No

0

Present

0

Not Voting

0

Abstain

0

Motion succeededsenate1/13/2026Official roll call ↗

Favorable with Committee Substitute

Total

8

Yes

6

No

0

Present

0

Not Voting

0

Abstain

0

Full roll-call analysis →

Sponsors

Discoveries

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift100% confidence

Mandatory Autism Training

The bill represents a significant shift toward standardizing autism-specific training across all levels of teacher preparation and professional development in Florida.

Department of EducationState Board of Education

Connected Entities

location412 Knott Building“Location of committee meetings”Map →
locationSenate Building“Location of committee meetings”Map →
organizationEducation Pre-K - 12“Committee reviewing the bill”Map →
organizationAppropriations Committee on Pre-K - 12 Education“Committee reviewing the bill”Map →
location110 Senate Building“Location of committee meetings”Map →

Sources

Open source document

openstates.org

Analysis Score

0–100
  • Significance85
    How much this matters to a regular citizen
  • Controversy10
    Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
  • Entertainment5
    Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
  • Buzz20
    Current news / social attention level

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