Florida Senate - 2012                      CS for CS for SB 1366
       
       
       
       By the Committees on Budget Subcommittee on Higher Education
       Appropriations; and Education Pre-K - 12; and Senators Gaetz and
       Lynn
       
       
       605-04238-12                                          20121366c2
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to education; creating s. 445.07,
    3         F.S.; requiring that the Department of Economic
    4         Opportunity prepare, or contract with an entity to
    5         prepare, an economic security report of employment and
    6         earning outcomes for degrees or certificates earned at
    7         a public postsecondary educational institution;
    8         requiring that the report be made available online;
    9         providing requirements for the report; amending s.
   10         1001.02, F.S.; providing duties of the State Board of
   11         Education relating to the 5-year plan for
   12         postsecondary enrollment and the strategic plan that
   13         specifies goals and objectives for public schools and
   14         Florida College System institutions; requiring that
   15         Florida College System institutions provide students
   16         with electronic access to the economic security report
   17         of employment and earning outcomes prepared by the
   18         Department of Economic Opportunity; providing powers
   19         and duties of the State Board of Education relating to
   20         institutional service delivery areas and credit hour
   21         requirements; amending s. 1001.03, F.S.; requiring
   22         that the State Board of Education identify performance
   23         metrics for the Florida College System and develop a
   24         plan specifying goals and objectives for each Florida
   25         College System institution; providing requirements for
   26         the plan; requiring that the State Board of Education
   27         adopt a unified state plan for science, technology,
   28         engineering, and mathematics in K-20 education;
   29         amending s. 1001.10, F.S.; authorizing the
   30         Commissioner of Education to review or investigate the
   31         practices, procedures, or actions of any Florida
   32         College System institution under certain
   33         circumstances; amending s. 1001.42, F.S.; requiring
   34         that district school boards require school principals
   35         or classroom teachers to annually provide secondary
   36         school students and their parents with electronic
   37         access to the Department of Economic Opportunity’s
   38         economic security report; amending s. 1001.64, F.S.;
   39         revising provisions relating to the powers and duties
   40         of Florida College System institution boards of
   41         trustees to conform to changes made by the act;
   42         amending s. 1001.706, F.S.; revising the powers and
   43         duties of the Board of Governors; requiring that the
   44         strategic plan developed by the Board of Governors
   45         include performance metrics and standards for
   46         institutions; requiring that the accountability plan
   47         for the State University System address institutional
   48         and system achievement goals and objectives specified
   49         in the strategic plan and be submitted by the Board of
   50         Governors as part of its legislative budget request;
   51         requiring that the Board of Governors require state
   52         universities to provide each enrolled student with
   53         electronic access to the Department of Economic
   54         Opportunity’s economic security report during
   55         registration or earlier and information concerning
   56         employment and earnings data for graduates of degree
   57         programs; authorizing the Board of Governors to waive
   58         or modify requirements for use of the tuition
   59         differential fee under s. 1009.24, F.S.; requiring
   60         that the Board of Governors confirm the reappointment
   61         of a university president; authorizing the Board of
   62         Governors to revoke or modify certain powers or duties
   63         that it has delegated; amending s. 1002.20, F.S.;
   64         requiring that each middle school and high school
   65         student and his or her parent receive a two-page
   66         summary and electronic access to the Department of
   67         Economic Opportunity’s economic security report each
   68         year; amending s. 1004.015, F.S.; requiring that the
   69         Higher Education Coordinating Council submit an annual
   70         report by a specified date to the Governor and the
   71         Legislature; revising the content requirements for the
   72         report; amending s. 1005.22, F.S.; requiring that the
   73         Commission for Independent Education collect, and that
   74         institutions licensed by the commission report,
   75         certain student data; amending s. 1007.23, F.S.;
   76         revising provisions relating to statewide articulation
   77         agreements; requiring that the articulation agreement
   78         require each student enrolled in a Florida College
   79         System institution who is seeking an associate in arts
   80         degree to indicate a baccalaureate degree program
   81         offered by an institution of interest before the
   82         student earns a specified number of semester hours;
   83         amending s. 1007.25, F.S.; revising provisions
   84         relating to general education courses and associate
   85         and baccalaureate degree requirements; revising the
   86         minimum number of semester hours required in general
   87         education courses; amending s. 1007.33, F.S.; revising
   88         the requirements for proposals by a Florida College
   89         System institution to offer a baccalaureate degree
   90         program; requiring that a Florida College System
   91         institution offering a baccalaureate degree program
   92         report its status using specified performance and
   93         compliance standards; deleting provisions relating to
   94         an exemption from State Board of Education approval of
   95         certain baccalaureate degree programs; amending s.
   96         1008.31, F.S.; requiring that colleges and
   97         universities eligible to participate in the William L.
   98         Boyd, IV, Florida Resident Access Grant Program report
   99         information regarding the recipients of funds to the
  100         Department of Education; amending s. 1008.46, F.S.;
  101         conforming provisions to changes made by the act;
  102         creating s. 1011.905, F.S.; requiring that the Board
  103         of Governors review and rank each state university
  104         that applies for performance funding based on certain
  105         criteria; requiring that the Board of Governors award
  106         up to a specified amount to the highest-ranked state
  107         universities; requiring that the Board of Governors
  108         report to the Governor and the Legislature by a
  109         specified date each year; providing an effective date.
  110  
  111  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
  112  
  113         Section 1. Section 445.07, Florida Statutes, is created to
  114  read:
  115         445.07Economic security report of employment and earning
  116  outcomes.—
  117         (1) Beginning December 31, 2013, and annually thereafter,
  118  the Department of Economic Opportunity shall prepare, or
  119  contract with an entity to prepare, an economic security report
  120  of employment and earning outcomes for degrees or certificates
  121  earned at a public postsecondary educational institution.
  122         (2) The report must be easily accessible to and readable by
  123  the public and shall be made available online. The report, by
  124  educational sector, must:
  125         (a) Use the Florida Education and Training Placement
  126  Information Program for data relating to the employment,
  127  earnings, continuing education, and receipt of public assistance
  128  by graduates of a degree program from a public postsecondary
  129  educational institution.
  130         (b) Use the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System
  131  or its equivalent for calculating the average student loan debt
  132  of a graduate of a degree program from a public postsecondary
  133  educational institution.
  134         (c) Include data on the employment of graduates of a degree
  135  or certificate program from a public postsecondary educational
  136  institution the year after the degree or certificate is earned
  137  by number and percentage and for graduates employed full time in
  138  the year after graduation by number and percentage. Beginning
  139  with the 2014-2015 fiscal year, the report must include the
  140  employment data of graduates of a degree or certificate program
  141  from a public postsecondary educational institution 5 years
  142  after graduation by number and percentage.
  143         (d) Include data on the earnings of graduates of a degree
  144  or certificate program from a public postsecondary educational
  145  institution the year after earning the degree or certificate by
  146  at least the following levels on a quarterly and annualized
  147  basis, rounded to the nearest dollar:
  148         1. Quarterly wages of $6,250 and annualized wages of
  149  $25,000 and below.
  150         2. Quarterly wages between $6,251 and $11,250 and
  151  annualized wages between $25,001 and $45,000.
  152         3. Quarterly wages of $11,251 and annualized wages of
  153  $45,001 and above.
  154         Section 2. Paragraph (v) of subsection (2), paragraph (a)
  155  of subsection (3), paragraphs (b) and (d) of subsection (4), and
  156  paragraph (d) of subsection (6) of section 1001.02, Florida
  157  Statutes, are amended, and paragraph (w) is added to subsection
  158  (2) of that section, to read:
  159         1001.02 General powers of State Board of Education.—
  160         (2) The State Board of Education has the following duties:
  161         (v) To develop, in conjunction with the Board of Governors,
  162  and periodically review for adjustment, a coordinated 5-year
  163  plan for postsecondary enrollment, identifying enrollment and
  164  graduation expectations by baccalaureate degree program, and
  165  annually submit the plan to the Legislature as part of its
  166  legislative budget request.
  167         (w) To require Florida College System institutions, prior
  168  to registration beginning in the 2014-2015 academic year and
  169  annually thereafter, to provide each enrolled student electronic
  170  access to the economic security report of employment and earning
  171  outcomes prepared by the Department of Economic Opportunity
  172  pursuant to s. 445.07.
  173         (3)(a) The State Board of Education shall adopt a strategic
  174  plan that specifies goals and objectives for the state’s public
  175  schools and Florida College System institutions. The plan shall
  176  be formulated in conjunction with plans of the Board of
  177  Governors in order to provide for the roles of the universities
  178  and Florida College System institutions to be coordinated to
  179  best meet state needs and reflect cost-effective use of state
  180  resources. The strategic plan must clarify the mission
  181  statements of each Florida College System institution and the
  182  system as a whole and identify degree programs, including
  183  baccalaureate degree programs, to be offered at each Florida
  184  College System institution in accordance with the objectives
  185  provided in this subsection and the coordinated 5-year plan
  186  pursuant to paragraph (2)(v). The strategic plan must cover a
  187  period of 5 years, with modification of the program lists after
  188  2 years. Development of each 5-year plan must be coordinated
  189  with and initiated after completion of the master plan. The
  190  strategic plans must specifically include programs and
  191  procedures for responding to the educational needs of teachers
  192  and students in the public schools of this state and consider
  193  reports and recommendations of the Higher Education Coordinating
  194  Council pursuant to s. 1004.015 and the Articulation
  195  Coordinating Committee pursuant to s. 1007.01. The state board
  196  shall submit a report to the President of the Senate and the
  197  Speaker of the House of Representatives upon modification of the
  198  plan and as part of its legislative budget request.
  199         (4) The State Board of Education shall:
  200         (b) Specify, by rule, procedures to be used by the Florida
  201  College System institution boards of trustees in the annual
  202  evaluations of presidents and review the evaluations of
  203  presidents by the boards of trustees, including the extent to
  204  which presidents serve both institutional and system goals.
  205         (d) Establish criteria for making recommendations for
  206  modifying district boundary lines for Florida College System
  207  institutions, including criteria for service delivery areas of
  208  Florida College System institutions authorized to grant
  209  baccalaureate degrees.
  210         (6) The State Board of Education shall prescribe minimum
  211  standards, definitions, and guidelines for Florida College
  212  System institutions that will ensure the quality of education,
  213  coordination among the Florida College System institutions and
  214  state universities, and efficient progress toward accomplishing
  215  the Florida College System institution mission. At a minimum,
  216  these rules must address:
  217         (d) Provisions for curriculum development, graduation
  218  requirements, college calendars, and program service areas.
  219  These provisions must include rules that:
  220         1. Provide for the award of an associate in arts degree to
  221  a student who successfully completes 60 semester credit hours at
  222  the Florida College System institution.
  223         2. Require all of the credits accepted for the associate in
  224  arts degree to be in the statewide course numbering system as
  225  credits toward a baccalaureate degree offered by a state
  226  university or a Florida College System institution.
  227         3. Beginning with students initially entering a Florida
  228  College System institution in the 2014-2015 academic year and
  229  thereafter, require no more than 30 36 semester credit hours in
  230  general education courses in the subject areas of communication,
  231  mathematics, social sciences, humanities, and natural sciences.
  232  
  233  The rules should encourage Florida College System institutions
  234  to enter into agreements with state universities that allow
  235  Florida College System institution students to complete upper
  236  division-level courses at a Florida College System institution.
  237  An agreement may provide for concurrent enrollment at the
  238  Florida College System institution and the state university and
  239  may authorize the Florida College System institution to offer an
  240  upper-division-level course or distance learning.
  241         Section 3. Subsections (16) and (17) are added to section
  242  1001.03, Florida Statutes, to read:
  243         1001.03 Specific powers of State Board of Education.—
  244         (16) PLAN SPECIFYING GOALS AND OBJECTIVES.—By July 1, 2013,
  245  the State Board of Education shall identify performance metrics
  246  for the Florida College System and develop a plan that specifies
  247  goals and objectives for each Florida College System
  248  institution. The plan must include:
  249         (a) Performance metrics and standards common for all
  250  institutions and metrics and standards unique to institutions
  251  depending on institutional core missions, including, but not
  252  limited to, remediation success, retention, graduation,
  253  employment, transfer rates, licensure passage, excess hours,
  254  student loan burden and default rates, job placement, faculty
  255  awards, and highly respected rankings for institution and
  256  program achievements.
  257         (b) Student enrollment and performance data delineated by
  258  method of instruction, including, but not limited to,
  259  traditional, online, and distance learning instruction.
  260         (17) UNIFIED STATE PLAN FOR SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY,
  261  ENGINEERING, and MATHEMATICS (STEM).—The State Board of
  262  Education, in consultation with the Board of Governors and the
  263  Department of Economic Opportunity, shall adopt a unified state
  264  plan to improve K-20 STEM education and prepare students for
  265  high-skill, high-wage, and high-demand employment in STEM and
  266  STEM-related fields.
  267         Section 4. Subsection (7) is added to section 1001.10,
  268  Florida Statutes, to read:
  269         1001.10 Commissioner of Education; general powers and
  270  duties.—
  271         (7) The commissioner, or the commissioner’s designee, may
  272  conduct a review or investigation of practices, procedures, or
  273  actions at any Florida College System institution which appear
  274  to be inconsistent with sound financial, management, or academic
  275  practice.
  276         Section 5. Paragraph (c) of subsection (13) of section
  277  1001.42, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
  278         1001.42 Powers and duties of district school board.—The
  279  district school board, acting as a board, shall exercise all
  280  powers and perform all duties listed below:
  281         (13) RECORDS AND REPORTS.—Provide for the keeping of all
  282  necessary records and the making of all needed or required
  283  reports, as follows:
  284         (c) Reports to parents.—
  285         1. Require that, at regular intervals, reports are made by
  286  school principals or teachers to parents, apprising them of the
  287  progress being made by the students in their studies and giving
  288  other needful information.
  289         2. Beginning with the course registration process for the
  290  2013-2014 school year and each year thereafter, require that
  291  school principals or classroom teachers provide secondary school
  292  students and their parents with a link to the Department of
  293  Economic Opportunity’s economic security report prepared
  294  pursuant to s. 445.07.
  295         Section 6. Paragraph (d) of subsection (8) of section
  296  1001.64, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
  297         1001.64 Florida College System institution boards of
  298  trustees; powers and duties.—
  299         (8) Each board of trustees has authority for policies
  300  related to students, enrollment of students, student records,
  301  student activities, financial assistance, and other student
  302  services.
  303         (d) Boards of trustees shall identify their general
  304  education core curricula, which shall include courses required
  305  by the State Board of Education, pursuant to the provisions of
  306  s. 1007.25(6).
  307         Section 7. Paragraph (c) of subsection (4), subsection (5),
  308  paragraph (a) of subsection (6), and subsections (9) and (10) of
  309  section 1001.706, Florida Statutes, are amended, and subsection
  310  (11) is added to that section, to read:
  311         1001.706 Powers and duties of the Board of Governors.—
  312         (4) POWERS AND DUTIES RELATING TO FINANCE.—
  313         (c) The Board of Governors, or the board’s designee, shall
  314  establish tuition and fees pursuant to ss. 1009.24 and 1009.26,
  315  unless otherwise provided in law.
  316         (5) POWERS AND DUTIES RELATING TO ACCOUNTABILITY.—
  317         (a) The Legislature intends that the Board of Governors
  318  shall align the missions of each constituent university with the
  319  academic success of its students; the national reputation of its
  320  faculty and its academic and research programs; the quantity of
  321  externally generated research, patents, and licenses; and the
  322  strategic and accountability plans required in paragraphs (b)
  323  and (c). The mission alignment and strategic plan shall consider
  324  peer institutions at the constituent universities. The mission
  325  alignment and strategic plan shall acknowledge that universities
  326  that have a national and international impact have the greatest
  327  capacity to promote the state’s economic development through:
  328  new discoveries, patents, licenses, and technologies that
  329  generate state businesses of global importance; research
  330  achievements through external grants and contracts that are
  331  comparable to nationally recognized and ranked universities; the
  332  creation of a resource rich academic environment that attracts
  333  high-technology business and venture capital to the state; and
  334  this generation’s finest minds focusing on solving the state’s
  335  economic, social, environmental, and legal problems in the areas
  336  of life sciences, water, sustainability, energy, and health
  337  care. A nationally recognized and ranked university that has a
  338  global perspective and impact shall be afforded the opportunity
  339  to enable and protect the university’s competitiveness on the
  340  global stage in fair competition with other institutions of
  341  other states in the highest Carnegie Classification.
  342         (b) The Board of Governors shall develop a strategic plan
  343  specifying goals and objectives for the State University System
  344  and each constituent university, including each university’s
  345  contribution to overall system goals and objectives. The
  346  strategic plan must:
  347         1. Include performance metrics and standards common for all
  348  institutions and metrics and standards unique to institutions
  349  depending on institutional core missions, including, but not
  350  limited to, student admission requirements, retention,
  351  graduation, employment, continuing education, licensure passage,
  352  excess hours, student loan burden and default rates, faculty
  353  awards, total annual research expenditures, patents, licenses
  354  and royalties, intellectual property, startup companies, annual
  355  giving, endowments, and well-known, highly respected national
  356  rankings for institutional and program achievements.
  357         2. Consider reports and recommendations of the Higher
  358  Education Coordinating Council pursuant to s. 1004.015 and the
  359  Articulation Coordinating Committee pursuant to s. 1007.01.
  360         3. Include student enrollment and performance data
  361  delineated by method of instruction, including, but not limited
  362  to, traditional, online, and distance learning instruction.
  363         (c) The Board of Governors shall develop an accountability
  364  plan for the State University System and each constituent
  365  university. The accountability plan must address institutional
  366  and system achievement of goals and objectives specified in the
  367  strategic plan adopted pursuant to paragraph (b) and must be
  368  submitted as part of its legislative budget request.
  369         (d) Prior to registration, beginning in the 2014-2015
  370  academic year and each year thereafter, the Board of Governors
  371  shall require a state university to provide each enrolled
  372  student electronic access to the economic security report of
  373  employment and earning outcomes prepared by the Department of
  374  Economic Opportunity pursuant to s. 445.07. In addition, the
  375  Board of Governors shall require a state university to provide
  376  each student electronic access to the following information each
  377  year prior to registration using the data described in s.
  378  1008.39:
  379         1. The top 25 percent of degrees reported by the university
  380  in terms of highest full-time job placement and highest average
  381  annualized earnings in the year after earning the degree.
  382         2. The bottom 10 percent of degrees reported by the
  383  university in terms of lowest full-time job placement and lowest
  384  average annualized earnings in the year after earning the
  385  degree.
  386         (e)(d) The Board of Governors shall maintain an effective
  387  information system to provide accurate, timely, and cost
  388  effective information about each university. The board shall
  389  continue to collect and maintain, at a minimum, management
  390  information as such information existed on June 30, 2002.
  391         (f)(e) If the Board of Governors of the State University
  392  System determines that a state university board of trustees is
  393  unwilling or unable to address substantiated allegations made by
  394  any person relating to waste, fraud, or financial mismanagement
  395  within the state university, the Office of the Inspector General
  396  shall investigate the allegations.
  397         (g) The Board of Governors may consider waiving its
  398  regulations and may waive or modify the tuition differential use
  399  requirements under s. 1009.24(16)(a). If not currently
  400  authorized, the Board of Governors may request authority from
  401  the Legislature to waive or modify specific statutory
  402  requirements, including percentages and dollar amount
  403  limitations in s. 1009.24, in order to reduce barriers and
  404  support attainment of goals identified in institutional plans,
  405  as necessary for advancing system priorities and unique
  406  institutional priorities. Regulatory and statutory flexibilities
  407  authorized or requested by the Board of Governors pursuant to
  408  this paragraph must be included in the accountability plan
  409  prepared and submitted pursuant to paragraph (c).
  410         (6) POWERS AND DUTIES RELATING TO PERSONNEL.—
  411         (a) The Board of Governors, or the board’s designee, shall
  412  establish the personnel program for all employees of a state
  413  university. The Board of Governors shall confirm the
  414  presidential selection and reappointment by a university board
  415  of trustees as a means of acknowledging that system cooperation
  416  is expected.
  417         (9) COOPERATION WITH OTHER BOARDS.—The Board of Governors
  418  shall implement a plan for working on a regular basis with the
  419  State Board of Education, the Commission for Independent
  420  Education, the Higher Education Coordinating Council, the
  421  Articulation Coordinating Committee, the university boards of
  422  trustees, representatives of the Florida College System
  423  institution boards of trustees, representatives of the private
  424  colleges and universities, and representatives of the district
  425  school boards to achieve a seamless education system.
  426         (10) PROHIBITION.—The Board of Governors is prohibited from
  427  assessing any fee on state universities, unless specifically
  428  authorized by law.
  429         (11) AUTHORIZATION TO REVOKE OR MODIFY.—The Board of
  430  Governors may revoke or modify the scope of any power or duty it
  431  has delegated.
  432         Section 8. Subsection (24) is added to section 1002.20,
  433  Florida Statutes, to read:
  434         1002.20 K-12 student and parent rights.—Parents of public
  435  school students must receive accurate and timely information
  436  regarding their child’s academic progress and must be informed
  437  of ways they can help their child to succeed in school. K-12
  438  students and their parents are afforded numerous statutory
  439  rights including, but not limited to, the following:
  440         (24) ECONOMIC SECURITY REPORT.—Prior to registration for
  441  the 2014-2015 school year and each year thereafter, each middle
  442  school and high school student or the student’s parent shall be
  443  provided a two-page summary of the Department of Economic
  444  Opportunity’s economic security report of employment and earning
  445  outcomes prepared pursuant to s. 445.07 and electronic access to
  446  the report.
  447         Section 9. Subsections (4), (5), and (6) of section
  448  1004.015, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
  449         1004.015 Higher Education Coordinating Council.—
  450         (4) The council shall annually submit by December 31, to
  451  the Governor, the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the
  452  House of Representatives, the Board of Governors, and the State
  453  Board of Education a report outlining its recommendations make
  454  detailed recommendations relating to:
  455         (a) The primary core mission of public and nonpublic
  456  postsecondary education institutions in the context of state
  457  access demands and economic development goals.
  458         (b) Performance outputs and outcomes designed to meet
  459  annual and long-term state goals, including, but not limited to,
  460  increased student access, preparedness, retention, transfer, and
  461  completion. Performance measures must be consistent across
  462  sectors and allow for a comparison of the state’s performance to
  463  that of other states.
  464         (c) The state’s articulation policies and practices to
  465  ensure that cost benefits to the state are maximized without
  466  jeopardizing quality. The recommendations recommendation shall
  467  consider return on investment for both the state and students
  468  and propose systems to facilitate and ensure institutional
  469  compliance with state articulation policies.
  470         (d) A plan for Workforce development education,
  471  specifically recommending improvements to that addresses:
  472         1. The alignment of school district and Florida College
  473  System workforce development education programs to ensure cost
  474  efficiency and mission delineation, including an examination of
  475  the need for both college credit and noncollege credit
  476  certificate programs, an evaluation of the merit of retaining
  477  the associate in applied science degree, and the consolidation
  478  of adult general education programs within school districts.
  479         2. the consistency of workforce education data collected
  480  and reported by Florida College System institutions and school
  481  districts, including the establishment of common elements and
  482  definitions for any data that is used for state and federal
  483  funding and program accountability.
  484         (5) The council shall submit a report outlining its
  485  detailed recommendations to the Governor, the President of the
  486  Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Board
  487  of Governors, and the State Board of Education by December 31,
  488  2011, which specifically includes recommendations for
  489  consideration by the Legislature for implementation in the 2012
  490  2013 fiscal year.
  491         (5)(6) The Board of Governors and the Department of
  492  Education shall provide administrative support for the council.
  493         Section 10. Paragraph (i) of subsection (1) of section
  494  1005.22, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
  495         1005.22 Powers and duties of commission.—
  496         (1) The commission shall:
  497         (i) Serve as a central agency for collecting and
  498  distributing current information regarding institutions licensed
  499  by the commission. The commission shall collect, and all
  500  institutions licensed by the commission shall report, student
  501  level data for each student who receives state funds. At a
  502  minimum, data shall be reported annually and include retention
  503  rates, transfer rates, completion rates, graduation rates,
  504  employment and placement rates, and earnings of graduates.
  505         Section 11. Subsections (3), (4), and (5) of section
  506  1007.23, Florida Statutes, are redesignated as subsections (4),
  507  (5), and (6), respectively, and a new subsection (3) is added to
  508  that section to read:
  509         1007.23 Statewide articulation agreement.—
  510         (3) To improve articulation and reduce excess credit hours,
  511  the articulation agreement must require each student enrolled in
  512  a Florida College System institution who is seeking an associate
  513  in arts degree to indicate a baccalaureate degree program
  514  offered by an institution of interest by the time the student
  515  earns 30 semester hours. The institution in which the student is
  516  enrolled shall inform the student of the prerequisites for the
  517  baccalaureate degree program offered by an institution of
  518  interest.
  519         Section 12. Subsections (3), (6), (7), (8), and (10) of
  520  section 1007.25, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
  521         1007.25 General education courses; common prerequisites;
  522  other degree requirements.—
  523         (3) The chair of the State Board of Education and the chair
  524  of the Board of Governors, or their designees, department shall
  525  jointly appoint faculty committees to identify statewide those
  526  courses that meet general education core course options. General
  527  education core course options shall consist of a maximum of five
  528  courses requirements within each of the subject areas of
  529  communication, mathematics, social sciences, humanities, and
  530  natural sciences. Each general education core course option must
  531  contain high-level academic and critical thinking skills and
  532  common competencies that students must demonstrate to
  533  successfully complete the course. Beginning with students
  534  initially entering a Florida College System institution or state
  535  university in the 2014-2015 academic year and thereafter, each
  536  student must complete at least one identified core course in
  537  each subject area as part of the general education requirements.
  538  All public postsecondary educational institutions shall offer
  539  and accept such courses as meeting general education core course
  540  requirements. The remaining general education course
  541  requirements courses shall be identified by each institution and
  542  reported to the department by their statewide course code
  543  number. The general education core course options shall be
  544  adopted in rule by the State Board of Education and in
  545  regulation by the Board of Governors. All public postsecondary
  546  educational institutions shall accept these general education
  547  courses.
  548         (6) The boards of trustees of the Florida College System
  549  institutions shall identify their core curricula, which shall
  550  include courses required by the State Board of Education. The
  551  boards of trustees of the state universities shall identify
  552  their core curricula, which shall include courses required by
  553  the Board of Governors. The universities and Florida College
  554  System institutions shall work with their school districts to
  555  ensure assure that high school curricula coordinate with the
  556  general education core curricula and to prepare students for
  557  college-level work. General education Core curricula for
  558  associate in arts programs shall be identified by each
  559  institution adopted in rule by the State Board of Education and,
  560  beginning with students initially entering a Florida College
  561  System institution or state university in the 2014-2015 academic
  562  year and thereafter, shall include 30 36 semester hours of
  563  general education courses in the subject areas of communication,
  564  mathematics, social sciences, humanities, and natural sciences.
  565         (7) An associate in arts degree shall require no more than
  566  60 semester hours of college credit and, beginning with students
  567  initially entering a Florida College System institution or state
  568  university in the 2014-2015 academic year and thereafter,
  569  include 30 including 36 semester hours of general education
  570  coursework and demonstration of competency in a foreign language
  571  pursuant to s. 1007.262. Except for college-preparatory
  572  coursework required pursuant to s. 1008.30, all required
  573  coursework shall count toward the associate in arts degree or
  574  the baccalaureate degree.
  575         (8) A baccalaureate degree program shall require no more
  576  than 120 semester hours of college credit and, beginning with
  577  students initially entering a Florida College System institution
  578  or state university in the 2014-2015 academic year and
  579  thereafter, include 30 including 36 semester hours of general
  580  education coursework, unless prior approval has been granted by
  581  the Board of Governors for baccalaureate degree programs offered
  582  by state universities and by the State Board of Education for
  583  baccalaureate degree programs offered by Florida College System
  584  institutions.
  585         (10) Students at state universities may request associate
  586  in arts certificates if they have successfully completed the
  587  minimum requirements for the degree of associate in arts (A.A.).
  588  The university must grant the student an associate in arts
  589  degree if the student has successfully completed minimum
  590  requirements for college-level communication and computation
  591  skills adopted by the State Board of Education and 60 academic
  592  semester hours or the equivalent within a degree program area
  593  which, beginning with students initially entering a Florida
  594  College System institution or state university in the 2014-2015
  595  academic year and thereafter, include 30 with 36 semester hours
  596  in general education courses in the subject areas of
  597  communication, mathematics, social sciences, humanities, and
  598  natural sciences, consistent with the general education
  599  requirements specified in the articulation agreement pursuant to
  600  s. 1007.23.
  601         Section 13. Subsections (5), (6), and (7) of section
  602  1007.33, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
  603         1007.33 Site-determined baccalaureate degree access.—
  604         (5) The approval process for baccalaureate degree programs
  605  shall require:
  606         (a) Each Florida College System institution to submit a
  607  notice of its intent to propose a baccalaureate degree program
  608  to the Division of Florida Colleges at least 100 days before the
  609  submission of its proposal under paragraph (d). The notice must
  610  include a brief description of the program, the workforce demand
  611  and unmet need for graduates of the program, including evidence
  612  from entities independent of the institution, the geographic
  613  region to be served, and an estimated timeframe for
  614  implementation. Notices of intent may be submitted by a Florida
  615  College System institution at any time throughout the year. The
  616  notice must also include evidence that the Florida College
  617  System institution is engaged in need, demand, and impact
  618  discussions with the state university and other regionally
  619  accredited postsecondary education providers in its service
  620  district.
  621         (b) The Division of Florida Colleges to forward the notice
  622  of intent within 10 business days after receiving such notice to
  623  the Chancellor of the State University System, the President of
  624  the Independent Colleges and Universities of Florida, and the
  625  Executive Director of the Council for Independent Education.
  626  State universities shall have 60 days following receipt of the
  627  notice by the Chancellor of the State University System to
  628  submit objections to the proposed new program or submit an
  629  alternative proposal to offer the baccalaureate degree program.
  630  If a proposal from a state university is not received within the
  631  60-day period, the State Board of Education shall provide
  632  regionally accredited private colleges and universities 30 days
  633  to submit objections to the proposed new program or submit an
  634  alternative proposal. Objections or alternative proposals shall
  635  be submitted to the Division of Florida Colleges and must be
  636  considered by the State Board of Education in making its
  637  decision to approve or deny a Florida College System
  638  institution’s proposal.
  639         (c) An alternative proposal submitted by a state university
  640  or private college or university to adequately address:
  641         1. The extent to which the workforce demand and unmet need
  642  described in the notice of intent will be met.
  643         2. The extent to which students will be able to complete
  644  the degree in the geographic region proposed to be served by the
  645  Florida College System institution.
  646         3. The level of financial commitment of the college or
  647  university to the development, implementation, and maintenance
  648  of the specified degree program, including timelines.
  649         4. The extent to which faculty at both the Florida College
  650  System institution and the college or university will
  651  collaborate in the development and offering of the curriculum.
  652         5. The ability of the Florida College System institution
  653  and the college or university to develop and approve the
  654  curriculum for the specified degree program within 6 months
  655  after an agreement between the Florida College System
  656  institution and the college or university is signed.
  657         6. The extent to which the student may incur additional
  658  costs above what the student would expect to incur if the
  659  program were offered by the Florida College System institution.
  660         (d) Each proposal submitted by a Florida College System
  661  institution to, at a minimum, include:
  662         1. A description of the planning process and timeline for
  663  implementation.
  664         2. An analysis of workforce demand and unmet need for
  665  graduates of the program on a district, regional, or statewide
  666  basis, as appropriate, including evidence from entities
  667  independent of the institution.
  668         3. Identification of the facilities, equipment, and library
  669  and academic resources that will be used to deliver the program.
  670         4. The program cost analysis of creating a new
  671  baccalaureate degree when compared to alternative proposals and
  672  other program delivery options.
  673         5. The program’s admission requirements, academic content,
  674  curriculum, faculty credentials, student-to-teacher ratios, and
  675  accreditation plan.
  676         6. The program’s enrollment projections and funding
  677  requirements.
  678         7. A plan of action if the program is terminated.
  679         (e) The Division of Florida Colleges to review the
  680  proposal, notify the Florida College System institution of any
  681  deficiencies in writing within 30 days following receipt of the
  682  proposal, and provide the Florida College System institution
  683  with an opportunity to correct the deficiencies. Within 45 days
  684  following receipt of a completed proposal by the Division of
  685  Florida Colleges, the Commissioner of Education shall recommend
  686  approval or disapproval of the proposal to the State Board of
  687  Education. The State Board of Education shall consider such
  688  recommendation, the proposal, and any objections or alternative
  689  proposals at its next meeting. If the State Board of Education
  690  disapproves the Florida College System institution’s proposal,
  691  it shall provide the Florida College System institution with
  692  written reasons for that determination.
  693         (f) The Florida College System institution to obtain from
  694  the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of
  695  Colleges and Schools accreditation as a baccalaureate-degree
  696  granting institution if approved by the State Board of Education
  697  to offer its first baccalaureate degree program.
  698         (g) The Florida College System institution to notify the
  699  Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges
  700  and Schools of subsequent degree programs that are approved by
  701  the State Board of Education and to comply with the
  702  association’s required substantive change protocols for
  703  accreditation purposes.
  704         (h) The Florida College System institution to annually, and
  705  upon request of the State Board of Education, the Commissioner
  706  of Education, the Chancellor of the Florida College System, or
  707  the Legislature, report its status using the following
  708  performance and compliance indicators:
  709         1. Obtaining and maintaining appropriate Southern
  710  Association of Colleges and Schools accreditation;
  711         2. Maintaining qualified faculty and institutional
  712  resources;
  713         3. Maintaining enrollment in previously approved programs;
  714         4. Managing fiscal resources appropriately;
  715         5. Complying with the primary mission and responsibility
  716  requirements in subsections (2) and (3); and
  717         6. Other indicators of success, including program
  718  completions, placements, and surveys of graduates and employers.
  719  
  720  The State Board of Education, upon review of the performance and
  721  compliance indicators, may require a Florida College System
  722  institution’s board of trustees to modify or terminate a
  723  baccalaureate degree program authorized under this section.
  724         (6)(a) Beginning July 1, 2010, and each subsequent July 1,
  725  the Division of Florida Colleges may accept and review
  726  applications from a Florida College System institution to obtain
  727  an exemption from the State Board of Education’s approval for
  728  subsequent degrees as required in subsection (5), if the Florida
  729  College System institution is accredited by the Commission on
  730  Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools as
  731  a baccalaureate-degree-granting institution and has been
  732  offering baccalaureate degree programs for 3 or more years. The
  733  division shall develop criteria for determining eligibility for
  734  an exemption based upon demonstrated compliance with the
  735  requirements for baccalaureate degrees, primary mission, and
  736  fiscal, including, but not limited to:
  737         1. Obtaining and maintaining appropriate SACS
  738  accreditation;
  739         2. The maintenance of qualified faculty and institutional
  740  resources;
  741         3. The maintenance of enrollment projections in previously
  742  approved programs;
  743         4. The appropriate management of fiscal resources;
  744         5. Compliance with the primary mission and responsibility
  745  requirements in subsections (2) and (3);
  746         6. The timely submission of the institution’s annual
  747  performance accountability report; and
  748         7. Other indicators of success such as program completers,
  749  placements, and surveys of students and employers.
  750         (b) If the Florida College System institution has
  751  demonstrated satisfactory progress in fulfilling the eligibility
  752  criteria in this subsection, the Division of Florida Colleges
  753  may recommend to the State Board of Education that the
  754  institution be exempt from the requirement in subsection (5) for
  755  approval of future baccalaureate degree programs. The State
  756  Board of Education shall review the division’s recommendation
  757  and determine if an exemption is warranted. If the State Board
  758  of Education approves the application, the Florida College
  759  System institution is exempt from subsequent program approval
  760  under subsection (5) and such authority is delegated to the
  761  Florida College System institution board of trustees. If the
  762  State Board of Education disapproves of the Florida College
  763  System institution’s request for an exemption, the college shall
  764  continue to be subject to the State Board of Education’s
  765  approval of subsequent baccalaureate degree programs.
  766         (c) Prior to developing or proposing a new baccalaureate
  767  degree program, all Florida College System institutions,
  768  regardless of an exemption from subsection (5), shall:
  769         1. Engage in need, demand, and impact discussions with the
  770  state university in their service district and other local and
  771  regional, accredited postsecondary providers in their region.
  772         2. Send documentation, data, and other information from the
  773  inter-institutional discussions regarding program need, demand,
  774  and impact required in subparagraph 1. to the college’s board of
  775  trustees, the Division of Florida Colleges, and the Chancellor
  776  of the State University System.
  777         3. Base board of trustees approval of the new program upon
  778  the documentation, data, and other information required in this
  779  paragraph and the factors in subsection (5)(d).
  780  
  781  The Division of Florida Colleges shall use the documentation,
  782  data, and other information required in this subsection,
  783  including information from the Chancellor of the State
  784  University System, in its compliance review.
  785         (d) The board of trustees of a Florida College System
  786  institution that is exempt from subsection (5) must submit newly
  787  approved programs to the Division of Florida Colleges and SACS
  788  within 30 days after approval.
  789         (e) Within 30 days after receiving the approved
  790  baccalaureate degree program, the Division of Florida Colleges
  791  shall conduct a compliance review and notify the college if the
  792  proposal meets the criteria for implementation based upon the
  793  criteria in paragraphs (5)(d) and (6)(c). If the program fails
  794  to meet the criteria for implementation as determined by the
  795  Division of Florida Colleges, the college may not proceed with
  796  implementation of the program until the State Board of Education
  797  reviews the proposal and the compliance materials and gives its
  798  final approval of the program.
  799         (6)(7) The State Board of Education shall adopt rules to
  800  prescribe format and content requirements and submission
  801  procedures for notices of intent, proposals, and alternative
  802  proposals, and compliance reviews under subsection (5).
  803         Section 14. Present paragraphs (b), (c), (d), and (e) of
  804  subsection (3) of section 1008.31, Florida Statutes, are
  805  redesignated as paragraphs (c), (d), (e), and (f), respectively,
  806  and a new paragraph (b) is added to that subsection, to read:
  807         1008.31 Florida’s K-20 education performance accountability
  808  system; legislative intent; mission, goals, and systemwide
  809  measures; data quality improvements.—
  810         (3) K-20 EDUCATION DATA QUALITY IMPROVEMENTS.—To provide
  811  data required to implement education performance accountability
  812  measures in state and federal law, the Commissioner of Education
  813  shall initiate and maintain strategies to improve data quality
  814  and timeliness. All data collected from state universities
  815  shall, as determined by the commissioner, be integrated into the
  816  K-20 data warehouse. The commissioner shall have unlimited
  817  access to such data solely for the purposes of conducting
  818  studies, reporting annual and longitudinal student outcomes, and
  819  improving college readiness and articulation. All public
  820  educational institutions shall provide data to the K-20 data
  821  warehouse in a format specified by the commissioner.
  822         (b) Colleges and universities eligible to participate in
  823  the William L. Boyd, IV, Florida Resident Access Grant Program
  824  shall report student-level data for each student who receives
  825  state funds in a format prescribed by the Department of
  826  Education. At a minimum, data shall be annually reported to the
  827  department and include retention rates, transfer rates,
  828  completion rates, graduation rates, employment and placement
  829  rates, and earnings of graduates.
  830         Section 15. Section 1008.46, Florida Statutes, is amended
  831  to read:
  832         1008.46 State university accountability process.—It is the
  833  intent of the Legislature that an accountability process be
  834  implemented that provides for the systematic, ongoing evaluation
  835  of quality and effectiveness of state universities. It is
  836  further the intent of the Legislature that this accountability
  837  process monitor performance at the system level in each of the
  838  major areas of instruction, research, and public service, while
  839  recognizing the differing missions of each of the state
  840  universities. The accountability process shall provide for the
  841  adoption of systemwide performance standards and performance
  842  goals for each standard identified through a collaborative
  843  effort involving state universities, the Board of Governors, the
  844  Legislature, and the Governor’s Office, consistent with the
  845  requirements specified in s. 1001.706. These standards and goals
  846  shall be consistent with s. 216.011(1) to maintain congruity
  847  with the performance-based budgeting process. This process
  848  requires that university accountability reports reflect measures
  849  defined through performance-based budgeting. The performance
  850  based budgeting measures must also reflect the elements of
  851  teaching, research, and service inherent in the missions of the
  852  state universities.
  853         (1) By December 31 of each year, the Board of Governors
  854  shall submit an annual accountability report providing
  855  information on the implementation of performance standards,
  856  actions taken to improve university achievement of performance
  857  goals, the achievement of performance goals during the prior
  858  year, and initiatives to be undertaken during the next year. The
  859  accountability reports shall be designed in consultation with
  860  the Governor’s Office, the Office of Program Policy Analysis and
  861  Government Accountability, and the Legislature.
  862         (2) The Board of Governors shall recommend in the annual
  863  accountability report any appropriate modifications to this
  864  section.
  865         Section 16. Section 1011.905, Florida Statutes, is created
  866  to read:
  867         1011.905Performance funding for state universities.—
  868         (1) For the 2012-2013 and 2013-2014 fiscal years, the Board
  869  of Governors shall review and rank each state university that
  870  applies for performance funding based on the following formula:
  871         (a) Twenty-five percent of a state university’s score shall
  872  be based on the percentage of employed graduates who have earned
  873  degrees in the following programs:
  874         1. Computer and information science;
  875         2. Computer engineering;
  876         3. Information systems technology;
  877         4. Information technology; and
  878         5. Management information systems.
  879         (b) Twenty-five percent of a state university’s score shall
  880  be based on the percentage of graduates who earned baccalaureate
  881  degrees in the programs in paragraph (a) and who earned industry
  882  certifications in a related field from a Florida College System
  883  institution or state university prior to graduation.
  884         (c) Fifty percent of a state university’s score shall be
  885  based on factors determined by the Board of Governors which
  886  relate to increasing the probability that graduates who have
  887  earned degrees in the programs described in paragraph (a) will
  888  be employed in high-skill, high-wage, and high-demand
  889  employment.
  890         (2) The submission from a state university that has the
  891  highest score shall be ranked first, with each remaining
  892  submission from a state university ranked sequentially by score.
  893         (3)(a) Each year, the Board of Governors shall award up to
  894  $15 million to the highest-ranked state universities from funds
  895  appropriated for the purposes in this section and as specified
  896  in the General Appropriations Act. The award per state
  897  university shall be a minimum of 25 percent of the total amount
  898  appropriated pursuant to this section.
  899         (b) The funds shall be awarded to the department of the
  900  state university which offers the degrees described in paragraph
  901  (1)(a).
  902         (c) The funds may not be used to supplant funding for the
  903  degree programs described in paragraph (1)(a).
  904         (4) By December 31, 2012, and each year thereafter, the
  905  Board of Governors shall submit a report containing the rankings
  906  and award distributions to the Governor, the President of the
  907  Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
  908         Section 17. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.