House Bill 0909

    Florida House of Representatives - 1999                 HB 909

        By Representative Wilson






  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to courses of study; amending

  3         s. 232.246, F.S.; requiring instruction in

  4         parenting skills to be included in the one-half

  5         credit in life management skills required for

  6         graduation from high school; providing an

  7         effective date.

  8

  9  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

10

11         Section 1.  Paragraph (i) of subsection (1) of section

12  232.246, Florida Statutes, 1998 Supplement, is amended to

13  read:

14         232.246  General requirements for high school

15  graduation.--

16         (1)  Graduation requires successful completion of

17  either a minimum of 24 academic credits in grades 9 through 12

18  or an International Baccalaureate curriculum. The 24 credits

19  shall be distributed as follows:

20         (i)  One-half credit in life management skills to

21  include consumer education, positive emotional development,

22  marriage and relationship skill-based education, nutrition,

23  parenting skills, prevention of human immunodeficiency virus

24  infection and acquired immune deficiency syndrome and other

25  sexually transmissible diseases, benefits of sexual abstinence

26  and consequences of teenage pregnancy, information and

27  instruction on breast cancer detection and breast

28  self-examination, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, drug

29  education, and the hazards of smoking.  Such credit shall be

30  given for a course to be taken by all students in either the

31  9th or 10th grade.

                                  1

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    Florida House of Representatives - 1999                 HB 909

    713-106-99






  1

  2  School boards may award a maximum of one-half credit in social

  3  studies and one-half elective credit for student completion of

  4  nonpaid voluntary community or school service work.  Students

  5  choosing this option must complete a minimum of 75 hours of

  6  service in order to earn the one-half credit in either

  7  category of instruction.  Credit may not be earned for service

  8  provided as a result of court action.  School boards that

  9  approve the award of credit for student volunteer service

10  shall develop guidelines regarding the award of the credit,

11  and school principals are responsible for approving specific

12  volunteer activities. A course designated in the Course Code

13  Directory as grade 9 through grade 12 which is taken below the

14  9th grade may be used to satisfy high school graduation

15  requirements or Florida Academic Scholar's Certificate Program

16  requirements as specified in a district's pupil progression

17  plan.

18         Section 2.  This act shall take effect July 1, 1999.

19

20            *****************************************

21                          HOUSE SUMMARY

22
      Requires instruction in parenting skills to be included
23    in the one-half credit in life management skills required
      for graduation from high school.
24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

                                  2