HB 1333

1	A bill to be entitled
2	An act relating to extracurricular student activities;
3	amending s. 1006.15, F.S.; providing, as an additional
4	requirement for eligibility to participate in such
5	activities, that a student must receive a passing grade in
6	each core course required for graduation; defining the
7	term "core course"; applying the eligibility requirements
8	to all extracurricular activities, rather than to
9	interscholastic activities only; providing an exception;
10	amending ss. 1002.33 and 1002.41, F.S.; conforming
11	provisions; providing an effective date.
12
13	Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
14
15	Section 1.  Section 1006.15, Florida Statutes, is amended
16	to read:
17	1006.15  Student standards for participation in
18	interscholastic extracurricular student activities;
19	regulation.--
20	(1)  This section may be cited as the "Craig Dickinson
21	Act."
22	(2)  Interscholastic Extracurricular student activities are
23	an important complement to the academic curriculum.
24	Participation in a comprehensive extracurricular and academic
25	program contributes to student development of the social and
26	intellectual skills necessary to become a well-rounded adult. As
27	used in this section, the term "extracurricular" means any
28	school-authorized or education-related activity, including, but
29	not limited to, interscholastic activities, occurring during or
30	outside the regular instructional school day.
31	(3)(a)  To be eligible to participate in interscholastic
32	extracurricular student activities, a student must:
33	1.  Maintain a grade point average of 2.0 or above on a 4.0
34	scale, or its equivalent, in the previous semester or a
35	cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or above on a 4.0 scale,
36	or its equivalent, in the courses required by s. 1003.43(1).
37	2.  Beginning with the 2004-2005 school year, receive a
38	passing grade in each core course required for graduation which
39	the student takes. As used in this section, the term "core
40	course" includes a course taken in the area of math, science,
41	social studies, or language arts. This requirement shall be
42	applied at the end of each grading period. This subparagraph
43	does not prohibit a student from participating in an
44	extracurricular activity to the extent that such participation
45	directly relates to the student's receiving the credit or one-
46	half credit in physical education satisfied by participation in
47	the extracurricular activity under s. 1003.43(1)(j).
48	3.2.  Execute and fulfill the requirements of an academic
49	performance contract between the student, the district school
50	board, the appropriate governing association, and the student's
51	parents, if the student's cumulative grade point average falls
52	below 2.0, or its equivalent, on a 4.0 scale in the courses
53	required by s. 1003.43(1) or, for students who entered the 9th
54	grade prior to the 1997-1998 school year, if the student's
55	cumulative grade point average falls below 2.0 on a 4.0 scale,
56	or its equivalent, in the courses required by s. 1003.43(1) that
57	are taken after July 1, 1997. At a minimum, the contract must
58	require that the student attend summer school, or its graded
59	equivalent, between grades 9 and 10 or grades 10 and 11, as
60	necessary.
61	4.3.  Have a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or above
62	on a 4.0 scale, or its equivalent, in the courses required by s.
63	1003.43(1) during his or her junior or senior year.
64	5.4.  Maintain satisfactory conduct and, if a student is
65	convicted of, or is found to have committed, a felony or a
66	delinquent act which would have been a felony if committed by an
67	adult, regardless of whether adjudication is withheld, the
68	student's participation in interscholastic extracurricular
69	activities is contingent upon established and published district
70	school board policy.
71	(b)  Any student who is exempt from attending a full school
72	day based on rules adopted by the district school board for
73	double session schools or programs, experimental schools, or
74	schools operating under emergency conditions must maintain the
75	grade point average required by this section and pass each class
76	for which he or she is enrolled.
77	(c)  An individual home education student is eligible to
78	participate at the public school to which the student would be
79	assigned according to district school board attendance area
80	policies or which the student could choose to attend pursuant to
81	district or interdistrict controlled open enrollment provisions,
82	or may develop an agreement to participate at a private school,
83	in the interscholastic extracurricular activities of that
84	school, provided the following conditions are met:
85	1.  The home education student must meet the requirements
86	of the home education program pursuant to s. 1002.41.
87	2.  During the period of participation at a school, the
88	home education student must demonstrate educational progress as
89	required in paragraph (b) in all subjects taken in the home
90	education program by a method of evaluation agreed upon by the
91	parent and the school principal which may include: review of the
92	student's work by a certified teacher chosen by the parent;
93	grades earned through correspondence; grades earned in courses
94	taken at a community college, university, or trade school;
95	standardized test scores above the 35th percentile; or any other
96	method designated in s. 1002.41.
97	3.  The home education student must meet the same residency
98	requirements as other students in the school at which he or she
99	participates.
100	4.  The home education student must meet the same standards
101	of acceptance, behavior, and performance as required of other
102	students in extracurricular activities.
103	5.  The student must register with the school his or her
104	intent to participate in interscholastic extracurricular
105	activities as a representative of the school before the
106	beginning date of the season for the activity in which he or she
107	wishes to participate. A home education student must be able to
108	participate in curricular activities if that is a requirement
109	for an extracurricular activity.
110	6.  A student who transfers from a home education program
111	to a public school before or during the first grading period of
112	the school year is academically eligible to participate in
113	interscholastic extracurricular activities during the first
114	grading period provided the student has a successful evaluation
115	from the previous school year, pursuant to subparagraph 2.
116	7.  Any public school or private school student who has
117	been unable to maintain academic eligibility for participation
118	in interscholastic extracurricular activities is ineligible to
119	participate in such activities as a home education student until
120	the student has successfully completed one grading period in
121	home education pursuant to subparagraph 2. to become eligible to
122	participate as a home education student.
123	(d)  An individual charter school student pursuant to s.
124	1002.33 is eligible to participate at the public school to which
125	the student would be assigned according to district school board
126	attendance area policies or which the student could choose to
127	attend, pursuant to district or interdistrict controlled open-
128	enrollment provisions, in any interscholastic extracurricular
129	activity of that school, unless such activity is provided by the
130	student's charter school, if the following conditions are met:
131	1.  The charter school student must meet the requirements
132	of the charter school education program as determined by the
133	charter school governing board.
134	2.  During the period of participation at a school, the
135	charter school student must demonstrate educational progress as
136	required in paragraph (b).
137	3.  The charter school student must meet the same residency
138	requirements as other students in the school at which he or she
139	participates.
140	4.  The charter school student must meet the same standards
141	of acceptance, behavior, and performance that are required of
142	other students in extracurricular activities.
143	5.  The charter school student must register with the
144	school his or her intent to participate in interscholastic
145	extracurricular activities as a representative of the school
146	before the beginning date of the season for the activity in
147	which he or she wishes to participate. A charter school student
148	must be able to participate in curricular activities if that is
149	a requirement for an extracurricular activity.
150	6.  A student who transfers from a charter school program
151	to a traditional public school before or during the first
152	grading period of the school year is academically eligible to
153	participate in interscholastic extracurricular activities during
154	the first grading period if the student has a successful
155	evaluation from the previous school year, pursuant to
156	subparagraph 2.
157	7.  Any public school or private school student who has
158	been unable to maintain academic eligibility for participation
159	in interscholastic extracurricular activities is ineligible to
160	participate in such activities as a charter school student until
161	the student has successfully completed one grading period in a
162	charter school pursuant to subparagraph 2. to become eligible to
163	participate as a charter school student.
164	(4)  The student standards for participation in
165	interscholastic extracurricular activities must be applied
166	beginning with the student's first semester of the 9th grade.
167	Each student must meet such other requirements for participation
168	as may be established by the district school board; however, a
169	district school board may not establish requirements for
170	participation in interscholastic extracurricular activities
171	which make participation in such activities less accessible to
172	home education students than to other students. Except as set
173	forth in paragraph (3)(c), evaluation processes or requirements
174	that are placed on home education student participants may not
175	go beyond those that apply under s. 1002.41 to home education
176	students generally.
177	(5)  Any organization or entity that regulates or governs
178	interscholastic extracurricular activities of public schools:
179	(a)  Shall permit home education associations to join as
180	member schools.
181	(b)  Shall not discriminate against any eligible student
182	based on an educational choice of public, private, or home
183	education.
184	(6)  Public schools are prohibited from membership in any
185	organization or entity which regulates or governs
186	interscholastic extracurricular activities and discriminates
187	against eligible students in public, private, or home education.
188	(7)  Any insurance provided by district school boards for
189	participants in extracurricular activities shall cover the
190	participating home education student. If there is an additional
191	premium for such coverage, the participating home education
192	student shall pay the premium.
193	Section 2.  Subsection (11) of section 1002.33, Florida
194	Statutes, is amended to read:
195	1002.33  Charter schools.--
196	(11)  PARTICIPATION IN INTERSCHOLASTIC EXTRACURRICULAR
197	ACTIVITIES.--A charter school student is eligible to participate
198	in an interscholastic extracurricular activity at the public
199	school to which the student would be otherwise assigned to
200	attend pursuant to s. 1006.15(3)(d).
201	Section 3.  Subsection (4) of section 1002.41, Florida
202	Statutes, is amended to read:
203	1002.41  Home education programs.--
204	(4)  Home education students may participate in
205	interscholastic extracurricular student activities in accordance
206	with 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.