CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.House Bill 0043
Florida House of Representatives - 1997 HB 43
By Representative Valdes
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to education; amending ss.
3 232.246 and 232.2465, F.S.; revising high
4 school graduation requirements to include study
5 of the Constitution of the United States;
6 providing an effective date.
7
8 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
9
10 Section 1. Subsection (1) of section 232.246, Florida
11 Statutes, is amended to read:
12 232.246 General requirements for high school
13 graduation.--
14 (1) Successful completion of a minimum of 24 academic
15 credits in grades 9 through 12 shall be required for
16 graduation, provided that student completion of an
17 International Baccalaureate curriculum shall be deemed to meet
18 the curricular requirements of this subsection. The 24
19 credits shall be distributed as follows:
20 (a) Four credits in English, with major concentration
21 in composition and literature.
22 (b) Three credits in mathematics.
23 (c) Three credits in science, two of which must have a
24 laboratory component. The State Board of Education may grant
25 an annual waiver of the laboratory requirement to a school
26 district that certifies that its laboratory facilities are
27 inadequate, provided the district submits a capital outlay
28 plan to provide adequate facilities and makes the funding of
29 this plan a priority of the school board.
30 (d) One credit in American history.
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1 (e) One credit in world history, including a
2 comparative study of the history, doctrines, and objectives of
3 all major political systems.
4 (f) One-half credit in economics, including a
5 comparative study of the history, doctrines, and objectives of
6 all major economic systems. The Florida Council on Economic
7 Education shall provide technical assistance to the department
8 and local school boards in developing curriculum materials for
9 the study of economics.
10 (g) One-half credit in American government, including
11 study of the Constitution of the United States.
12 (h)1. One credit in practical arts career education or
13 exploratory career education. Any vocational course as
14 defined in s. 228.041(22) may be taken to satisfy the high
15 school graduation requirement for one credit in practical arts
16 or exploratory career education provided in this subparagraph;
17 2. One credit in performing fine arts to be selected
18 from music, dance, drama, painting, or sculpture. A course in
19 any art form, in addition to painting or sculpture, that
20 requires manual dexterity, or a course in speech and debate,
21 may be taken to satisfy the high school graduation requirement
22 for one credit in performing arts pursuant to this
23 subparagraph; or
24 3. One-half credit each in practical arts career
25 education or exploratory career education and performing fine
26 arts, as defined in this paragraph.
27
28 Such credit for practical arts career education or exploratory
29 career education or for performing fine arts shall be made
30 available in the 9th grade, and students shall be scheduled
31 into a 9th grade course as a priority.
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1 (i) One-half credit in life management skills to
2 include consumer education, positive emotional development,
3 nutrition, prevention of human immunodeficiency virus
4 infection and acquired immune deficiency syndrome and other
5 sexually transmissible diseases, benefits of sexual abstinence
6 and consequences of teenage pregnancy, information and
7 instruction on breast cancer detection and breast
8 self-examination, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, drug
9 education, and the hazards of smoking. Such credit shall be
10 given for a course to be taken by all students in either the
11 9th or 10th grade.
12 (j) One-half credit in physical education to include
13 assessment, improvement, and maintenance of personal fitness.
14 (k) Nine elective credits.
15
16 School boards may award a maximum of one-half credit in social
17 studies and one-half elective credit for student completion of
18 nonpaid voluntary community or school service work. Students
19 choosing this option shall complete a minimum of 75 hours of
20 service in order to earn the one-half credit in either
21 category of instruction. Credit may not be earned for service
22 provided as a result of court action. School boards that
23 approve the award of credit for student volunteer service
24 shall develop guidelines regarding the award of such credit
25 and school principals shall be responsible for approving
26 specific volunteer activities.
27 Section 2. Subsection (1) of section 232.2465, Florida
28 Statutes, is amended to read:
29 232.2465 Florida Academic Scholars' Certificate
30 Program.--For the purpose of recognizing and rewarding
31 outstanding performance and academic achievement on the part
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1 of public school students and nonpublic school students, the
2 Commissioner of Education shall award to each high school
3 graduate who meets the requirements specified herein, and as
4 further specified by the State Board of Education, a special
5 certificate recognizing and designating the graduate as a
6 Florida Academic Scholar.
7 (1) In order to qualify as a Florida Academic Scholar,
8 a student must:
9 (a) Complete a program of at least 24 credits in
10 advanced-level studies as prescribed by the State Board of
11 Education, including as a minimum:
12 1. Four years of progressively advanced instruction in
13 language arts, including courses in English composition and
14 literature;
15 2. Four years of progressively advanced instruction in
16 science, including laboratory courses in biology, chemistry,
17 and physics where laboratory facilities are available;
18 3. Four years of progressively advanced instruction in
19 mathematics, including courses in algebra and geometry and
20 calculus or trigonometry;
21 4. Two years of sequential foreign language;
22 5. One year of instruction in art and music or in
23 either art or music;
24 6. Three years of instruction in social studies,
25 including courses in American history and government, world
26 history, and comparative political and economic systems,
27 provided that a course in American government shall include
28 study of the Constitution of the United States; and
29 7. One year of instruction in health and physical
30 education to include assessment, improvement, and maintenance
31 of personal fitness.
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1 (b) Achieve a score of 1100 on the combined verbal and
2 quantitative parts of the Scholastic Aptitude Test of the
3 College Entrance Examination or an equivalent score on the
4 American College Testing Program.
5 (c) In lieu of the requirements specified in
6 paragraphs (a) and (b), successfully complete the
7 International Baccalaureate curriculum and receive the
8 International Baccalaureate Diploma sponsored and administered
9 by the International Baccalaureate Office. A student who
10 completes the International Baccalaureate curriculum but fails
11 to earn the International Baccalaureate Diploma shall also
12 qualify if such a student achieves the score required in
13 paragraph (b).
14 (d) Effective with the 1993-1994 school year, complete
15 a program of community service work, as approved by the
16 district school board or the administrators of a nonpublic
17 school, which shall include a minimum of 75 hours of service
18 work and require the student to identify a social problem that
19 interests him or her, develop a plan for his or her personal
20 involvement in addressing the problem, and, through papers or
21 other presentations, evaluate and reflect upon his or her
22 experience.
23 Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 1997.
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26 HOUSE SUMMARY
27
Revises high school graduation requirements to include
28 study of the Constitution of the United States.
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