House Bill hb0659
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida House of Representatives - 2002 HB 659
By Representative Ausley
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to students with disabilities;
3 creating s. 232.2464, F.S.; providing a
4 definition; providing eligibility for
5 accommodations in taking the Florida
6 Comprehensive Assessment Test or the High
7 School Competency Test required for high school
8 graduation; providing an exemption from taking
9 the test; providing for substitution of
10 coursework; providing requirements for
11 eligibility for a standard high school diploma;
12 providing for adoption of rules; providing for
13 funding for accommodations; providing an
14 effective date.
15
16 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
17
18 Section 1. Section 232.2464, Florida Statutes, is
19 created to read:
20 232.2464 Students with disabilities; graduation
21 requirements.--
22 (1) For purposes of this section, "student with
23 disabilities" means any student who is speech and language
24 impaired, hearing impaired, visually impaired, dual sensory
25 impaired, physically impaired, neurologically impaired,
26 specific learning disabled, mentally handicapped, emotionally
27 handicapped, dyslexic, dyscalculic, autistic, or hospital or
28 homebound.
29 (2) A student with disabilities shall be eligible for
30 accommodations in taking the Florida Comprehensive Assessment
31 Test (FCAT) or the High School Competency Test (HSCT) if such
1
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida House of Representatives - 2002 HB 659
745-113-02
1 accommodations are allowed in the classrooms or for testing.
2 Accommodations shall be considered allowable, valid, and
3 scoreable if they are used during classroom instruction or
4 assessment and are identified in the student's individual
5 education plan. A student who receives accommodations pursuant
6 to this subsection is eligible for a standard high school
7 diploma upon successful completion of coursework required for
8 graduation.
9 (3) A student with disabilities whose disability is so
10 severe that it would be a major barrier to earning passing
11 scores on the FCAT or the HSCT shall be exempt from taking the
12 FCAT or the HSCT if such exemption is identified in the
13 student's individual education plan. A student who receives an
14 exemption pursuant to this subsection is eligible for a
15 standard high school diploma upon successful completion of
16 coursework required for graduation.
17 (4) A student with disabilities shall be eligible for
18 reasonable substitution of coursework for any requirement for
19 high school graduation and shall be eligible for a standard
20 high school diploma if:
21 (a) Documentation is provided that the student's
22 inability to meet the graduation requirement is related to the
23 student's disability.
24 (b) Failure to meet the graduation requirement does
25 not constitute a fundamental alteration in the nature of the
26 student's high school program of study.
27 (5) The individual education plan team and parents of
28 a student shall be responsible for identifying the
29 accommodations or exemption for a student with disabilities
30 for coursework and assessment, including statewide assessment,
31
2
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida House of Representatives - 2002 HB 659
745-113-02
1 based on Americans with Disabilities Act compliance standards
2 and s. 228.041(18).
3 (6) The Florida Board of Education shall adopt rules
4 to implement the provisions of this section and shall develop
5 substitute requirements for high school graduation where
6 appropriate.
7 (7) The Department of Education shall provide
8 sufficient funding to enable each school district to provide
9 appropriate accommodations for statewide assessment for all
10 students with disabilities.
11 Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2002.
12
13 *****************************************
14 HOUSE SUMMARY
15
Provides that a student with disabilities shall be
16 eligible for accommodations in taking the Florida
Comprehensive Assessment Test or the High School
17 Competency Test required for high school graduation or
exempt from taking the test under certain circumstances.
18 Provides for the substitution of coursework required for
graduation if certain conditions are met. Provides for
19 the adoption of rules and funding for accommodations.
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
3
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.