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The Florida Senate

2012 Florida Statutes

Title XLVIII K-20 EDUCATION CODE
Chapter 1003 PUBLIC K-12 EDUCATION Entire Chapter
SECTION 429
Accelerated high school graduation options.
F.S. 1003.429
1003.429 Accelerated high school graduation options.—
(1) Students who enter grade 9 in the 2006-2007 school year and thereafter may select, upon receipt of each consent required by this section, one of the following three high school graduation options:
(a) Completion of the general requirements for high school graduation pursuant to s. 1003.428 or s. 1003.43, as applicable;
(b) Completion of a 3-year standard college preparatory program requiring successful completion of a minimum of 18 academic credits in grades 9 through 12. At least 6 of the 18 credits required for completion of this program must be received in classes that are offered pursuant to the International Baccalaureate Program, the Advanced Placement Program, dual enrollment, Advanced International Certificate of Education, or specifically listed or identified by the Department of Education as rigorous pursuant to s. 1009.531(3). The 18 credits required for completion of this program shall be primary requirements and shall be distributed as follows:
1. Four credits in English, with major concentration in composition and literature;
2. Three credits and, beginning with students entering grade 9 in the 2010-2011 school year, four credits in mathematics at the Algebra I level or higher from the list of courses that qualify for state university admission. Beginning with students entering grade 9 in the 2010-2011 school year, in addition to the Algebra I credit requirement, one of the four credits in mathematics must be geometry or a series of courses equivalent to geometry as approved by the State Board of Education. Beginning with students entering grade 9 in the 2010-2011 school year, the end-of-course assessment requirements under s. 1008.22(3)(c)2.a.(I) must be met in order for a student to earn the required credit in Algebra I. Beginning with students entering grade 9 in the 2011-2012 school year, the end-of-course assessment requirements under s. 1008.22(3)(c)2.a.(I) must be met in order for a student to earn the required credit in geometry. Beginning with students entering grade 9 in the 2012-2013 school year, in addition to the Algebra I and geometry credit requirements, one of the four credits in mathematics must be Algebra II or a series of courses equivalent to Algebra II as approved by the State Board of Education;
3. Three credits in science, two of which must have a laboratory component. Beginning with students entering grade 9 in the 2011-2012 school year, one of the three credits in science must be Biology I or a series of courses equivalent to Biology I as approved by the State Board of Education. Beginning with students entering grade 9 in the 2011-2012 school year, the end-of-course assessment requirements under s. 1008.22(3)(c)2.a.(II) must be met in order for a student to earn the required credit in Biology I. Beginning with students entering grade 9 in the 2013-2014 school year, one of the three credits must be Biology I or a series of courses equivalent to Biology I as approved by the State Board of Education, one credit must be chemistry or physics or a series of courses equivalent to chemistry or physics as approved by the State Board of Education, and one credit must be an equally rigorous course, as approved by the State Board of Education;
4. Three credits in social sciences, which must include one credit in United States history, one credit in world history, one-half credit in United States government, and one-half credit in economics;
5. Two credits in the same second language unless the student is a native speaker of or can otherwise demonstrate competency in a language other than English. If the student demonstrates competency in another language, the student may replace the language requirement with two credits in other academic courses; and
6. Three credits in electives and, beginning with students entering grade 9 in the 2010-2011 school year, two credits in electives; or
(c) Completion of a 3-year career preparatory program requiring successful completion of a minimum of 18 academic credits in grades 9 through 12. The 18 credits shall be primary requirements and shall be distributed as follows:
1. Four credits in English, with major concentration in composition and literature;
2. Three credits and, beginning with students entering grade 9 in the 2010-2011 school year, four credits in mathematics, one of which must be Algebra I. Beginning with students entering grade 9 in the 2010-2011 school year, in addition to the Algebra I credit requirement, one of the four credits in mathematics must be geometry or a series of courses equivalent to geometry as approved by the State Board of Education. Beginning with students entering grade 9 in the 2010-2011 school year, the end-of-course assessment requirements under s. 1008.22(3)(c)2.a.(I) must be met in order for a student to earn the required credit in Algebra I. Beginning with students entering grade 9 in the 2011-2012 school year, the end-of-course assessment requirements under s. 1008.22(3)(c)2.a.(I) must be met in order for a student to earn the required credit in geometry. Beginning with students entering grade 9 in the 2012-2013 school year, in addition to the Algebra I and geometry credit requirements, one of the four credits in mathematics must be Algebra II or a series of courses equivalent to Algebra II as approved by the State Board of Education;
3. Three credits in science, two of which must have a laboratory component. Beginning with students entering grade 9 in the 2011-2012 school year, one of the three credits in science must be Biology I or a series of courses equivalent to Biology I as approved by the State Board of Education. Beginning with students entering grade 9 in the 2011-2012 school year, the end-of-course assessment requirements under s. 1008.22(3)(c)2.a.(II) must be met in order for a student to earn the required credit in Biology I. Beginning with students entering grade 9 in the 2013-2014 school year, one of the three credits must be Biology I or a series of courses equivalent to Biology I as approved by the State Board of Education, one credit must be chemistry or physics or a series of courses equivalent to chemistry or physics as approved by the State Board of Education, and one credit must be an equally rigorous course, as approved by the State Board of Education;
4. Three credits in social sciences, which must include one credit in United States history, one credit in world history, one-half credit in United States government, and one-half credit in economics;
5. Three credits in a single vocational or career education program, three credits in career and technical certificate dual enrollment courses, or five credits in vocational or career education courses; and
6. Two credits and, beginning with students entering grade 9 in the 2010-2011 school year, one credit in electives unless five credits are earned pursuant to subparagraph 5.

Any student who selected an accelerated graduation program before July 1, 2004, may continue that program, and all statutory program requirements that were applicable when the student made the program choice shall remain applicable to the student as long as the student continues that program.

(2) Prior to selecting a program described in paragraph (1)(b) or paragraph (1)(c), a student and the student’s parent should meet with designated school personnel to receive an explanation of the relative requirements, advantages, and disadvantages of each program option, and the student must receive the written consent of the student’s parent. If an effort to meet with the student’s parent fails and that effort has been documented by designated school personnel, the student may select a program described in paragraph (1)(b) or paragraph (1)(c) with the written consent of the student’s parent. A student may select a program described in paragraph (1)(b) or paragraph (1)(c) without the written consent of the student’s parent if the student is 18 years of age or older.
(3) Beginning with the 2011-2012 school year, each district school board shall provide each student in grades 6 through 12 and their parents with information concerning the 3-year and 4-year high school graduation options listed in subsection (1), including the respective curriculum requirements for those options, so that the students and their parents may select the program that best fits their needs. The information must include a timeframe for achieving each graduation option.
(4) Selection of one of the graduation options listed in subsection (1) may be completed by the student at any time during grades 9 through 12, subject to the requirements in subsection (2). If the student and parent fail to select one of the accelerated high school graduation options, the student shall be considered to have selected the general requirements for high school graduation pursuant to paragraph (1)(a).
(5) District school boards may not establish requirements for accelerated 3-year high school graduation options in excess of the requirements in paragraphs (1)(b) and (c). For courses that require statewide, standardized end–of-course assessments under s. 1008.22(3)(c)2.d., a minimum of 30 percent of a student’s course grade shall be comprised of performance on the statewide, standardized end-of-course assessment.
(6) Students pursuing accelerated 3-year high school graduation options pursuant to paragraph (1)(b) or paragraph (1)(c) are required to:
(a) Earn passing scores on the FCAT as defined in s. 1008.22(3)(c) or scores on a standardized test that are concordant with passing scores on the FCAT as defined in s. 1008.22(10).
(b)1. Achieve a cumulative weighted grade point average of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale, or its equivalent, in the courses required for the college preparatory accelerated 3-year high school graduation option pursuant to paragraph (1)(b); or
2. Achieve a cumulative weighted grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, or its equivalent, in the courses required for the career preparatory accelerated 3-year high school graduation option pursuant to paragraph (1)(c).
(c) Receive a weighted or unweighted grade that earns at least 3.0 points, or its equivalent, to earn course credit toward the 18 credits required for the college preparatory accelerated 3-year high school graduation option pursuant to paragraph (1)(b).
(d) Receive a weighted or unweighted grade that earns at least 2.0 points, or its equivalent, to earn course credit toward the 18 credits required for the career preparatory accelerated 3-year high school graduation option pursuant to paragraph (1)(c).

Weighted grades referred to in paragraphs (b), (c), and (d) shall be applied to those courses specifically listed or identified by the department as rigorous pursuant to s. 1009.531(3) or weighted by the district school board for class ranking purposes.

(7) If, at the end of each grade, a student is not on track to meet the credit, assessment, or grade-point-average requirements of the accelerated graduation option selected, the school shall notify the student and parent of the following:
(a) The requirements that the student is not currently meeting.
(b) The specific performance necessary in grade 11 for the student to meet the accelerated graduation requirements.
(c) The right of the student to change to the 4-year program set forth in s. 1003.428 or s. 1003.43, as applicable.
(8) A student who selected one of the accelerated 3-year graduation options shall automatically move to the 4-year program set forth in s. 1003.428 or s. 1003.43, if applicable, if the student:
(a) Exercises his or her right to change to the 4-year program;
(b) Fails to earn 5 credits by the end of grade 9 or fails to earn 11 credits by the end of grade 10;
(c) Does not achieve a score of 3 or higher on the grade 10 FCAT Writing assessment; or
(d) By the end of grade 11 does not meet the requirements of subsections (1) and (6).
(9) A student who meets all requirements prescribed in subsections (1) and (6) shall be awarded a standard diploma in a form prescribed by the State Board of Education.
History.—s. 12, ch. 2003-391; s. 1, ch. 2004-42; s. 24, ch. 2006-74; s. 9, ch. 2008-235; s. 4, ch. 2010-22; s. 54, ch. 2011-4; s. 19, ch. 2011-175.