The Florida Senate

1003.433  Learning opportunities for out-of-state and out-of-country transfer students and students needing additional instruction to meet high school graduation requirements.--

(1)  Students who enter a Florida public school at the eleventh or twelfth grade from out of state or from a foreign country shall not be required to spend additional time in a Florida public school in order to meet the high school course requirements if the student has met all requirements of the school district, state, or country from which he or she is transferring. Such students who are not proficient in English should receive immediate and intensive instruction in English language acquisition. However, to receive a standard high school diploma, a transfer student must earn a 2.0 grade point average and pass the grade 10 FCAT required in s. 1008.22(3) or an alternate assessment as described in s. 1008.22(10).

(2)  Students who have met all requirements for the standard high school diploma except for passage of the grade 10 FCAT or an alternate assessment by the end of grade 12 must be provided the following learning opportunities:

(a)  Participation in an accelerated high school equivalency diploma preparation program during the summer.

(b)  Upon receipt of a certificate of completion, be allowed to take the College Placement Test and be admitted to remedial or credit courses at a state community college, as appropriate.

(c)  Participation in an adult general education program as provided in s. 1004.93 for such time as the student requires to master English, reading, mathematics, or any other subject required for high school graduation. Students attending adult basic, adult secondary, or vocational-preparatory instruction are exempt from any requirement for the payment of tuition and fees, including lab fees, pursuant to s. 1009.25 A student attending an adult general education program shall have the opportunity to take the grade 10 FCAT an unlimited number of times in order to receive a standard high school diploma.

(3)  Students who have been enrolled in an ESOL program for less than 2 school years and have met all requirements for the standard high school diploma except for passage of the grade 10 FCAT or alternate assessment may receive immersion English language instruction during the summer following their senior year. Students receiving such instruction are eligible to take the FCAT or alternate assessment and receive a standard high school diploma upon passage of the grade 10 FCAT or the alternate assessment. This subsection shall be implemented to the extent funding is provided in the General Appropriations Act.

(4)  The district school superintendent shall be responsible for notifying all students of the consequences of failure to receive a standard high school diploma, including the potential ineligibility for financial assistance at postsecondary educational institutions.

(5)  The State Board of Education may adopt rules pursuant to ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54 to administer this section.

History.--s. 1, ch. 2003-413; s. 11, ch. 2008-235.