HB 1333

1
A bill to be entitled
2An act relating to extracurricular student activities;
3amending s. 1006.15, F.S.; providing, as an additional
4requirement for eligibility to participate in such
5activities, that a student must receive a passing grade in
6each core course required for graduation; defining the
7term "core course"; applying the eligibility requirements
8to all extracurricular activities, rather than to
9interscholastic activities only; providing an exception;
10amending ss. 1002.33 and 1002.41, F.S.; conforming
11provisions; providing an effective date.
12
13Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
14
15     Section 1.  Section 1006.15, Florida Statutes, is amended
16to read:
17     1006.15  Student standards for participation in
18interscholastic extracurricular student activities;
19regulation.--
20     (1)  This section may be cited as the "Craig Dickinson
21Act."
22     (2)  Interscholastic Extracurricular student activities are
23an important complement to the academic curriculum.
24Participation in a comprehensive extracurricular and academic
25program contributes to student development of the social and
26intellectual skills necessary to become a well-rounded adult. As
27used in this section, the term "extracurricular" means any
28school-authorized or education-related activity, including, but
29not limited to, interscholastic activities, occurring during or
30outside the regular instructional school day.
31     (3)(a)  To be eligible to participate in interscholastic
32extracurricular student activities, a student must:
33     1.  Maintain a grade point average of 2.0 or above on a 4.0
34scale, or its equivalent, in the previous semester or a
35cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or above on a 4.0 scale,
36or its equivalent, in the courses required by s. 1003.43(1).
37     2.  Beginning with the 2004-2005 school year, receive a
38passing grade in each core course required for graduation which
39the student takes. As used in this section, the term "core
40course" includes a course taken in the area of math, science,
41social studies, or language arts. This requirement shall be
42applied at the end of each grading period. This subparagraph
43does not prohibit a student from participating in an
44extracurricular activity to the extent that such participation
45directly relates to the student's receiving the credit or one-
46half credit in physical education satisfied by participation in
47the extracurricular activity under s. 1003.43(1)(j).
48     3.2.  Execute and fulfill the requirements of an academic
49performance contract between the student, the district school
50board, the appropriate governing association, and the student's
51parents, if the student's cumulative grade point average falls
52below 2.0, or its equivalent, on a 4.0 scale in the courses
53required by s. 1003.43(1) or, for students who entered the 9th
54grade prior to the 1997-1998 school year, if the student's
55cumulative grade point average falls below 2.0 on a 4.0 scale,
56or its equivalent, in the courses required by s. 1003.43(1) that
57are taken after July 1, 1997. At a minimum, the contract must
58require that the student attend summer school, or its graded
59equivalent, between grades 9 and 10 or grades 10 and 11, as
60necessary.
61     4.3.  Have a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or above
62on a 4.0 scale, or its equivalent, in the courses required by s.
631003.43(1) during his or her junior or senior year.
64     5.4.  Maintain satisfactory conduct and, if a student is
65convicted of, or is found to have committed, a felony or a
66delinquent act which would have been a felony if committed by an
67adult, regardless of whether adjudication is withheld, the
68student's participation in interscholastic extracurricular
69activities is contingent upon established and published district
70school board policy.
71     (b)  Any student who is exempt from attending a full school
72day based on rules adopted by the district school board for
73double session schools or programs, experimental schools, or
74schools operating under emergency conditions must maintain the
75grade point average required by this section and pass each class
76for which he or she is enrolled.
77     (c)  An individual home education student is eligible to
78participate at the public school to which the student would be
79assigned according to district school board attendance area
80policies or which the student could choose to attend pursuant to
81district or interdistrict controlled open enrollment provisions,
82or may develop an agreement to participate at a private school,
83in the interscholastic extracurricular activities of that
84school, provided the following conditions are met:
85     1.  The home education student must meet the requirements
86of the home education program pursuant to s. 1002.41.
87     2.  During the period of participation at a school, the
88home education student must demonstrate educational progress as
89required in paragraph (b) in all subjects taken in the home
90education program by a method of evaluation agreed upon by the
91parent and the school principal which may include: review of the
92student's work by a certified teacher chosen by the parent;
93grades earned through correspondence; grades earned in courses
94taken at a community college, university, or trade school;
95standardized test scores above the 35th percentile; or any other
96method designated in s. 1002.41.
97     3.  The home education student must meet the same residency
98requirements as other students in the school at which he or she
99participates.
100     4.  The home education student must meet the same standards
101of acceptance, behavior, and performance as required of other
102students in extracurricular activities.
103     5.  The student must register with the school his or her
104intent to participate in interscholastic extracurricular
105activities as a representative of the school before the
106beginning date of the season for the activity in which he or she
107wishes to participate. A home education student must be able to
108participate in curricular activities if that is a requirement
109for an extracurricular activity.
110     6.  A student who transfers from a home education program
111to a public school before or during the first grading period of
112the school year is academically eligible to participate in
113interscholastic extracurricular activities during the first
114grading period provided the student has a successful evaluation
115from the previous school year, pursuant to subparagraph 2.
116     7.  Any public school or private school student who has
117been unable to maintain academic eligibility for participation
118in interscholastic extracurricular activities is ineligible to
119participate in such activities as a home education student until
120the student has successfully completed one grading period in
121home education pursuant to subparagraph 2. to become eligible to
122participate as a home education student.
123     (d)  An individual charter school student pursuant to s.
1241002.33 is eligible to participate at the public school to which
125the student would be assigned according to district school board
126attendance area policies or which the student could choose to
127attend, pursuant to district or interdistrict controlled open-
128enrollment provisions, in any interscholastic extracurricular
129activity of that school, unless such activity is provided by the
130student's charter school, if the following conditions are met:
131     1.  The charter school student must meet the requirements
132of the charter school education program as determined by the
133charter school governing board.
134     2.  During the period of participation at a school, the
135charter school student must demonstrate educational progress as
136required in paragraph (b).
137     3.  The charter school student must meet the same residency
138requirements as other students in the school at which he or she
139participates.
140     4.  The charter school student must meet the same standards
141of acceptance, behavior, and performance that are required of
142other students in extracurricular activities.
143     5.  The charter school student must register with the
144school his or her intent to participate in interscholastic
145extracurricular activities as a representative of the school
146before the beginning date of the season for the activity in
147which he or she wishes to participate. A charter school student
148must be able to participate in curricular activities if that is
149a requirement for an extracurricular activity.
150     6.  A student who transfers from a charter school program
151to a traditional public school before or during the first
152grading period of the school year is academically eligible to
153participate in interscholastic extracurricular activities during
154the first grading period if the student has a successful
155evaluation from the previous school year, pursuant to
156subparagraph 2.
157     7.  Any public school or private school student who has
158been unable to maintain academic eligibility for participation
159in interscholastic extracurricular activities is ineligible to
160participate in such activities as a charter school student until
161the student has successfully completed one grading period in a
162charter school pursuant to subparagraph 2. to become eligible to
163participate as a charter school student.
164     (4)  The student standards for participation in
165interscholastic extracurricular activities must be applied
166beginning with the student's first semester of the 9th grade.
167Each student must meet such other requirements for participation
168as may be established by the district school board; however, a
169district school board may not establish requirements for
170participation in interscholastic extracurricular activities
171which make participation in such activities less accessible to
172home education students than to other students. Except as set
173forth in paragraph (3)(c), evaluation processes or requirements
174that are placed on home education student participants may not
175go beyond those that apply under s. 1002.41 to home education
176students generally.
177     (5)  Any organization or entity that regulates or governs
178interscholastic extracurricular activities of public schools:
179     (a)  Shall permit home education associations to join as
180member schools.
181     (b)  Shall not discriminate against any eligible student
182based on an educational choice of public, private, or home
183education.
184     (6)  Public schools are prohibited from membership in any
185organization or entity which regulates or governs
186interscholastic extracurricular activities and discriminates
187against eligible students in public, private, or home education.
188     (7)  Any insurance provided by district school boards for
189participants in extracurricular activities shall cover the
190participating home education student. If there is an additional
191premium for such coverage, the participating home education
192student shall pay the premium.
193     Section 2.  Subsection (11) of section 1002.33, Florida
194Statutes, is amended to read:
195     1002.33  Charter schools.--
196     (11)  PARTICIPATION IN INTERSCHOLASTIC EXTRACURRICULAR
197ACTIVITIES.--A charter school student is eligible to participate
198in an interscholastic extracurricular activity at the public
199school to which the student would be otherwise assigned to
200attend pursuant to s. 1006.15(3)(d).
201     Section 3.  Subsection (4) of section 1002.41, Florida
202Statutes, is amended to read:
203     1002.41  Home education programs.--
204     (4)  Home education students may participate in
205interscholastic extracurricular student activities in accordance
206with the provisions of s. 1006.15.
207     Section 4.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2004.


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