The Florida Senate

1003.4156  General requirements for middle grades promotion.--

(1)  Beginning with students entering grade 6 in the 2006-2007 school year, promotion from a school composed of middle grades 6, 7, and 8 requires that:

(a)  The student must successfully complete academic courses as follows:

1.  Three middle school or higher courses in English. These courses shall emphasize literature, composition, and technical text.

2.  Three middle school or higher courses in mathematics. Each middle school must offer at least one high school level mathematics course for which students may earn high school credit.

3.  Three middle school or higher courses in social studies, one semester of which must include the study of state and federal government and civics education.

4.  Three middle school or higher courses in science.

5.  One course in career and education planning to be completed in 7th or 8th grade. The course may be taught by any member of the instructional staff; must include career exploration using CHOICES for the 21st Century or a comparable cost-effective program; must include educational planning using the online student advising system known as Florida Academic Counseling and Tracking for Students at the Internet website FACTS.org; and shall result in the completion of a personalized academic and career plan.

Each school must hold a parent meeting either in the evening or on a weekend to inform parents about the course curriculum and activities. Each student shall complete an electronic personal education plan that must be signed by the student; the student's instructor, guidance counselor, or academic advisor; and the student's parent. By January 1, 2007, the Department of Education shall develop course frameworks and professional development materials for the career exploration and education planning course. The course may be implemented as a stand-alone course or integrated into another course or courses. The Commissioner of Education shall collect longitudinal high school course enrollment data by student ethnicity in order to analyze course-taking patterns.

(b)  For each year in which a student scores at Level l on FCAT Reading, the student must be enrolled in and complete an intensive reading course the following year. Placement of Level 2 readers in either an intensive reading course or a content area course in which reading strategies are delivered shall be determined by diagnosis of reading needs. The department shall provide guidance on appropriate strategies for diagnosing and meeting the varying instructional needs of students reading below grade level. Reading courses shall be designed and offered pursuant to the comprehensive reading plan required by s. 1011.62(8).

(c)  For each year in which a student scores at Level 1 or Level 2 on FCAT Mathematics, the student must receive remediation the following year, which may be integrated into the student's required mathematics course.

(2)  Students in grade 6, grade 7, or grade 8 who are not enrolled in schools with a middle grades configuration are subject to the promotion requirements of this section.

(3)  The State Board of Education may adopt rules pursuant to ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54 to implement the provisions of this section and may enforce the provisions of this section pursuant to s. 1008.32

History.--s. 21, ch. 2006-74.