Florida Senate - 2012 SB 776
By Senator Detert
23-00594-12 2012776__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to school grades; amending ss.
3 1003.435 and 1008.34, F.S.; requiring that high
4 schools be given at least 75 percent credit for
5 students who receive high school equivalency diplomas
6 for purposes of calculating the school’s graduation
7 rate, beginning with the 2012-2013 school year;
8 providing an effective date.
9
10 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
11
12 Section 1. Subsection (6) of section 1003.435, Florida
13 Statutes, is amended to read:
14 1003.435 High school equivalency diploma program.—
15 (6)(a) All high school equivalency diplomas issued under
16 the provisions of this section shall have equal status with
17 other high school diplomas for all state purposes, including
18 admission to any state university or Florida College System
19 institution.
20 (b) Beginning with the 2012-2013 school year, a high
21 school’s graduation rate shall include at least 75 percent
22 credit for each student who receives a high school equivalency
23 diploma pursuant to this section.
24 (c)(b) The State Board of Education shall adopt rules
25 providing for the award of a standard high school diploma to
26 holders of high school equivalency diplomas who are assessed as
27 meeting designated criteria, and the commissioner shall
28 establish procedures for administering the assessment.
29 Section 2. Paragraph (b) of subsection (3) of section
30 1008.34, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
31 1008.34 School grading system; school report cards;
32 district grade.—
33 (3) DESIGNATION OF SCHOOL GRADES.—
34 (b)1. A school’s grade shall be based on a combination of:
35 a. Student achievement scores, including achievement on all
36 FCAT assessments administered under s. 1008.22(3)(c)1., end-of
37 course assessments administered under s. 1008.22(3)(c)2.a., and
38 achievement scores for students seeking a special diploma.
39 b. Student learning gains in reading and mathematics as
40 measured by FCAT and end-of-course assessments, as described in
41 s. 1008.22(3)(c)1. and 2.a. Learning gains for students seeking
42 a special diploma, as measured by an alternate assessment tool,
43 shall be included not later than the 2009-2010 school year.
44 c. Improvement of the lowest 25th percentile of students in
45 the school in reading and mathematics on the FCAT or end-of
46 course assessments described in s. 1008.22(3)(c)2.a., unless
47 these students are exhibiting satisfactory performance.
48 2. Beginning with the 2011-2012 school year, for schools
49 comprised of middle school grades 6 through 8 or grades 7 and 8,
50 the school’s grade shall include the performance and
51 participation of its students enrolled in high school level
52 courses with end-of-course assessments administered under s.
53 1008.22(3)(c)2.a. Performance and participation must be weighted
54 equally. As valid data becomes available, the school grades
55 shall include the students’ attainment of national industry
56 certification identified in the Industry Certification Funding
57 List pursuant to rules adopted by the State Board of Education.
58 3. Beginning with the 2009-2010 school year for schools
59 comprised of high school grades 9, 10, 11, and 12, or grades 10,
60 11, and 12, 50 percent of the school grade shall be based on a
61 combination of the factors listed in sub-subparagraphs 1.a.-c.
62 and the remaining 50 percent on the following factors:
63 a. The high school graduation rate of the school, which,
64 beginning with the 2012-2013 school year, shall include at least
65 75 percent credit for each student who receives a high school
66 equivalency diploma pursuant to s. 1003.435;
67 b. As valid data becomes available, the performance and
68 participation of the school’s students in College Board Advanced
69 Placement courses, International Baccalaureate courses, dual
70 enrollment courses, and Advanced International Certificate of
71 Education courses; and the students’ achievement of national
72 industry certification identified in the Industry Certification
73 Funding List, pursuant to rules adopted by the State Board of
74 Education;
75 c. Postsecondary readiness of the school’s students as
76 measured by the SAT, ACT, or the common placement test;
77 d. The high school graduation rate of at-risk students who
78 scored at Level 2 or lower on the grade 8 FCAT Reading and
79 Mathematics examinations;
80 e. As valid data becomes available, the performance of the
81 school’s students on statewide standardized end-of-course
82 assessments administered under s. 1008.22(3)(c)2.c. and d.; and
83 f. The growth or decline in the components listed in sub
84 subparagraphs a.-e. from year to year.
85 Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2012.