CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.House Bill 0745
Florida House of Representatives - 1997 HB 745
By Representative Wallace
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to education; amending s.
3 232.246, F.S.; requiring school districts to
4 award college-ready high school diplomas to
5 certain students; correcting obsolete
6 references; creating s. 232.2466, F.S.;
7 providing requirements for the college-ready
8 diploma program; providing an effective date.
9
10 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
11
12 Section 1. Section 232.246, Florida Statutes, is
13 amended to read:
14 232.246 General requirements for high school
15 graduation.--
16 (1) Successful completion of a minimum of 24 academic
17 credits in grades 9 through 12 is shall be required for
18 graduation, provided that student completion of an
19 International Baccalaureate curriculum satisfies shall be
20 deemed to meet the curricular requirements of this subsection.
21 The 24 credits must shall be distributed as follows:
22 (a) Four credits in English, with major concentration
23 in composition and literature.
24 (b) Three credits in mathematics.
25 (c) Three credits in science, two of which must have a
26 laboratory component. The State Board of Education may grant
27 an annual waiver of the laboratory requirement to a school
28 district that certifies that its laboratory facilities are
29 inadequate, provided that the district submits a capital
30 outlay plan to provide adequate facilities and makes the
31 funding of this plan a priority of the school board.
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1 (d) One credit in American history.
2 (e) One credit in world history, including a
3 comparative study of the history, doctrines, and objectives of
4 all major political systems.
5 (f) One-half credit in economics, including a
6 comparative study of the history, doctrines, and objectives of
7 all major economic systems. The Florida Council on Economic
8 Education shall provide technical assistance to the department
9 and local school boards in developing curriculum materials for
10 the study of economics.
11 (g) One-half credit in American government.
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 The Such credit for practical arts career education or
29 exploratory career education or for performing fine arts must
30 shall be made available in the 9th grade, and students must
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1 shall be scheduled into a 9th-grade 9th grade course as a
2 priority.
3 (i) One-half credit in life-management life management
4 skills, including to include consumer education, positive
5 emotional development, nutrition, prevention of human
6 immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immune
7 deficiency syndrome and other sexually transmissible diseases,
8 benefits of sexual abstinence and consequences of teenage
9 pregnancy, information and instruction on breast cancer
10 detection and breast self-examination, cardiopulmonary
11 resuscitation, drug education, and the hazards of smoking.
12 This Such credit must shall be given for a course to be taken
13 by all students in either the 9th or 10th grade.
14 (j) One-half credit in physical education to include
15 assessment, improvement, and maintenance of personal fitness.
16 (k) Nine elective credits.
17
18 School boards may award a maximum of one-half credit in social
19 studies and one-half elective credit for student completion of
20 nonpaid voluntary community or school service work. Students
21 choosing this option shall complete a minimum of 75 hours of
22 service in order to earn the one-half credit in either
23 category of instruction. Credit may not be earned for service
24 provided as a result of court action. School boards that
25 approve the award of credit for student volunteer service
26 shall develop guidelines regarding the award of such credit
27 and school principals are shall be responsible for approving
28 specific volunteer activities.
29 (2) Remedial and compensatory courses taken in grades
30 9 through 12 may only be counted as elective credit as
31 provided in subsection (1).
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1 (3) Credit for high school graduation may be earned
2 for volunteer activities and nonacademic activities that which
3 have been approved for such credit by the State Board of
4 Education.
5 (4)(a) A district school board may require specific
6 courses and programs of study within the minimum credit
7 requirements for high school graduation and shall modify basic
8 courses, as necessary, to assure exceptional students the
9 opportunity to meet the graduation requirements for a standard
10 diploma, using one of the following strategies:
11 1. Assignment of the exceptional student to an
12 exceptional education class for instruction in a basic course
13 with the same student performance standards as those required
14 of nonexceptional students in the district pupil progression
15 plan; or
16 2. Assignment of the exceptional student to a basic
17 education class for instruction that which is modified to
18 accommodate the student's exceptionality.
19 (b) The district shall determine which of these
20 strategies to employ based upon an assessment of the student's
21 needs and shall reflect this decision in the student's
22 individual educational plan.
23 (c) District school boards are authorized and
24 encouraged to establish requirements for high school
25 graduation in excess of the minimum requirements; however, an
26 increase in academic credit or minimum grade point average
27 requirements does shall not apply to those students enrolled
28 in grades 9 through 12 at the time the district school board
29 increases the requirements.
30 (5) Each district school board shall establish
31 standards for graduation from its schools which shall include:
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1 (a) Earning passing scores on the high school
2 competency test defined in s. 229.57(3)(c).
3 (b) Completing Completion of all other applicable
4 requirements prescribed by the district school board pursuant
5 to s. 232.245.
6 (c) Effective for the 1988-1989 school year and each
7 year thereafter, a cumulative grade point average of 1.5 on a
8 4.0 scale, or its equivalent, for required courses for
9 graduation.
10 1. Each district shall adopt policies which are
11 designed to assist students in meeting this requirement. The
12 assistance Such policies may include, but is shall not be
13 limited to: forgiveness policies, summer school attendance,
14 special counseling, volunteer or and/or peer tutors,
15 school-sponsored help sessions, homework hotlines, and study
16 skills classes.
17 2. At the end of each semester, the parent or guardian
18 of each student in grades 9, 10, 11, and 12 who has a
19 cumulative grade point average of less than 2.0 must shall be
20 notified that the student is at risk of not meeting the
21 requirements for graduation. The notice must shall contain an
22 explanation of the programs policies the district has put in
23 place to assist the student in meeting the grade point average
24 requirement.
25 3. Special assistance to obtain a high school
26 equivalency diploma pursuant to s. 229.814 may shall be given
27 only to a in such cases where the student who has completed
28 all requirements for graduation except the attainment of a 1.5
29 cumulative grade point average.
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1 The standards required in this subsection, and any subsequent
2 modifications thereto, must shall be reprinted in the Florida
3 Administrative Code even though the such standards are not
4 defined as "rules."
5 (6) The Legislature recognizes that adult learners are
6 unique in situation and needs. The following graduation
7 requirements are therefore instituted for students enrolled in
8 adult general education in accordance with s. 239.301 in
9 pursuit of a high school diploma:
10 (a) The one-half credit in physical education required
11 for graduation, pursuant to subsection (1), is not required
12 for graduation and must shall be replaced substituted with
13 elective credit keeping the total credits needed for
14 graduation consistent with subsection (1).
15 (b) Each school board may waive the laboratory
16 component of the science requirement expressed in subsection
17 (1) when such facilities are inaccessible or do not exist.
18 (c) Adult students enrolled in adult secondary
19 education in pursuit of a high school diploma after the
20 beginning of the 1978-1979 school year and before the
21 1984-1985 school year are required to meet only those
22 requirements for graduation that were in effect at the time of
23 their enrollment when such enrollment has been continuous
24 except for summer terms. The State Board of Education shall
25 adopt rules to administer implement this paragraph.
26 (d) Any course listed within the Department of
27 Education Course Code Directory in the areas of art, dance,
28 drama, or music may be undertaken by adult secondary education
29 students. Enrollment and satisfactory completion of such a
30 course shall satisfy the credit in performing fine arts
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1 required for high school graduation pursuant to subsection
2 (1).
3 (7) A No student may not be granted credit toward high
4 school graduation for enrollment in the following courses or
5 programs:
6 (a) More than a total of nine elective credits in
7 remedial programs as described provided for in s. 236.0841.
8 (b) More than one credit in exploratory vocational
9 courses as defined in s. 228.041(22)(a)2.
10 (c) More than three credits in practical arts home
11 economics classes as defined in s. 228.041(22)(a)4.
12 (8) The state board, after a public hearing and
13 consideration, shall make provision for appropriate
14 modification of testing instruments and procedures for
15 students with identified handicaps or disabilities in order to
16 ensure that the results of the testing represent the student's
17 achievement, rather than reflecting the student's impaired
18 sensory, manual, speaking, or psychological process skills.
19 (9) A student who meets all requirements prescribed in
20 subsections (1) and, (5), and (6) shall be awarded a standard
21 diploma in a form prescribed by the state board. A school
22 board may attach the Florida gold seal vocational endorsement,
23 pursuant to s. 239.217, or the Florida academic scholar's
24 certificate, pursuant to s. 232.2465, to a standard diploma
25 pursuant to s. 239.217 or, in lieu of the standard diploma,
26 award differentiated diplomas, such as the college-ready
27 diploma, to students who exceed the prescribed minimum
28 requirements for graduation to those exceeding the prescribed
29 minimums.
30 (10) A student who completes the minimum number of
31 credits and other requirements prescribed by subsections (1)
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1 and (4) (5), but who is unable to meet the standards of
2 paragraph (5)(a) (6)(a), paragraph (6)(b), or paragraph (5)(c)
3 (6)(d), shall be awarded a certificate of completion in a form
4 prescribed by the state board. However, any student who is
5 otherwise entitled to a certificate of completion may elect to
6 remain in the secondary school either as a full-time student
7 or a part-time student for up to 1 additional year and receive
8 special instruction designed to remedy his or her identified
9 deficiencies. This special instruction must shall be funded
10 from the state compensatory education funds of the district.
11 (10) The public hearing and consideration required in
12 paragraphs (a) and (b) of subsection (6) and in subsection (9)
13 shall not be construed to amend or nullify the requirements of
14 security relating to the contents of examinations or
15 assessment instruments and related materials or data as
16 prescribed in s. 232.248.
17 Section 2. Section 232.2466, Florida Statutes, is
18 created to read:
19 232.2466 College-ready diploma program.--
20 (1) Beginning with the 1997-1998 school year, each
21 school district shall award a differentiated college-ready
22 diploma to each student who:
23 (a) Successfully completes the requirements for a
24 standard high school diploma as prescribed by s. 232.246.
25 Among courses taken to fulfill the 24 academic credits must
26 be:
27 1. One credit in algebra and one credit in geometry,
28 or their equivalents, as determined by the state board;
29 2. One credit in biology, one credit in chemistry, and
30 one credit in physics, or equivalent credits in applied
31 technology, as determined by the state board; and
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1 3. Two credits in the same foreign language, taken for
2 elective credit. A student whose native language is not
3 English is exempt from this requirement if the student
4 demonstrates proficiency in the native language. American sign
5 language constitutes a foreign language.
6 (b) Takes the postsecondary education common placement
7 test prescribed in s. 240.117, or an equivalent test
8 identified by the State Board of Education, before graduation
9 and scores at or above the established statewide passing score
10 in each test area.
11 (2) A college-ready diploma entitles a student to
12 admission without placement testing to a public postsecondary
13 education program that terminates in a technical certificate,
14 an associate in science degree, or an associate in arts
15 degree, if the student enters postsecondary education within 3
16 years after earning the college-ready diploma.
17 (3) The Department of Education shall convene a task
18 force of educators and employers to recommend additional
19 incentives for students to pursue a college-ready diploma.
20 The incentives may include awards and recognition, preference
21 for positions in firms, and early registration privileges in
22 postsecondary education institutions.
23 Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 1997.
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26 SENATE SUMMARY
27 Requires school districts to award college-ready high
school diplomas to certain students. Provides
28 requirements for the college-ready diploma program.
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