HB 1751

1
A bill to be entitled
2An act relating to International Certificate of Education
3programs; amending s. 1002.20, F.S.; adding programs to
4list of public school choice options; amending s. 1002.23,
5F.S.; adding programs to list of rigorous academic
6programs included in parent guide; amending s. 1007.22,
7F.S.; adding Advanced International Certificate of
8Education programs to acceleration mechanisms requiring
9postsecondary institution collaboration; amending s.
101007.261, F.S.; revising list of courses designated as
11advanced level fine arts courses; amending s. 1007.27,
12F.S.; providing an exemption from examination fees for
13students enrolled in the International General Certificate
14of Secondary Education Program; amending s. 1009.531,
15F.S.; providing additional course weights for Florida
16Bright Futures Scholarship Program eligibility
17determination; amending s. 1009.534, F.S.; revising
18Florida Academic Scholars award eligibility requirements
19to include students completing or receiving an Advanced
20International Certificate of Education curriculum or
21diploma; amending s. 1009.535, F.S.; revising Florida
22Medallion Scholars award eligibility requirements to
23include students completing an Advanced International
24Certificate of Education curriculum; amending s. 1011.62,
25F.S.; revising test score requirements necessary to
26generate funding to match current test scoring scale;
27providing formula for calculating additional full-time
28equivalent membership based on International General
29Certificate of Secondary Education examination scores and
30program completion; reenacting s. 1011.69(2), F.S.,
31relating to equity in school-level funding, to incorporate
32the amendment to s. 1011.62, F.S., in a reference thereto;
33providing an effective date.
34
35Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
36
37     Section 1.  Paragraph (a) of subsection (6) of section
381002.20, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
39     1002.20  K-12 student and parent rights.--Parents of public
40school students must receive accurate and timely information
41regarding their child's academic progress and must be informed
42of ways they can help their child to succeed in school. K-12
43students and their parents are afforded numerous statutory
44rights including, but not limited to, the following:
45     (6)  EDUCATIONAL CHOICE.--
46     (a)  Public school choices.--Parents of public school
47students may seek whatever public school choice options that are
48applicable to their students and are available to students in
49their school districts. These options may include controlled
50open enrollment, lab schools, charter schools, charter technical
51career centers, magnet schools, alternative schools, special
52programs, advanced placement, dual enrollment, International
53Baccalaureate, International General Certificate of Secondary
54Education (pre-AICE), Advanced International Certificate of
55Education, early admissions, credit by examination or
56demonstration of competency, the New World School of the Arts,
57the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind, and the Florida
58Virtual School. These options may also include the public school
59choice options of the Opportunity Scholarship Program and the
60McKay Scholarships for Students with Disabilities Program.
61     Section 2.  Paragraph (d) of subsection (2) of section
621002.23, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
63     1002.23  Family and School Partnership for Student
64Achievement Act.--
65     (2)  To facilitate meaningful parent and family
66involvement, the Department of Education shall develop
67guidelines for a parent guide to successful student achievement
68which describes what parents need to know about their child's
69educational progress and how they can help their child to
70succeed in school. The guidelines shall include, but need not be
71limited to:
72     (d)  Opportunities for parents to learn about rigorous
73academic programs that may be available for their child, such as
74honors programs, dual enrollment, advanced placement,
75International Baccalaureate, International General Certificate
76of Secondary Education (pre-AICE), Advanced International
77Certificate of Education, Florida Virtual High School courses,
78and accelerated access to postsecondary education;
79     Section 3.  Subsection (2) of section 1007.22, Florida
80Statutes, is amended to read:
81     1007.22  Articulation; postsecondary institution
82coordination and collaboration.--
83     (2)  The levels of postsecondary education shall
84collaborate in further developing and providing articulated
85programs in which students can proceed toward their educational
86objectives as rapidly as their circumstances permit. Time-
87shortened educational programs, as well as the use of
88acceleration mechanisms, shall include, but not be limited to,
89the International Baccalaureate, Advanced International
90Certificate of Education, credit by examination or demonstration
91of competency, advanced placement, early admissions, and dual
92enrollment.
93     Section 4.  Subsection (10) of section 1007.261, Florida
94Statutes, is amended to read:
95     1007.261  State universities; admissions of students.--Each
96university board of trustees is authorized to adopt rules
97governing the admission of students, subject to this section and
98rules of the State Board of Education.
99     (10)  A Florida resident who is denied admission as an
100undergraduate to a state university for failure to meet the high
101school grade point average requirement may appeal the decision
102to the university and request a recalculation of the grade point
103average including in the revised calculation the grades earned
104in up to three credits of advanced fine arts courses. The
105university shall provide the student with a description of the
106appeals process at the same time as notification of the
107admissions decision. The university shall recalculate the
108student's grade point average using the additional courses and
109advise the student of any changes in the student's admission
110status. For purposes of this section, fine arts courses include
111courses in music, drama, painting, sculpture, speech, debate, or
112a course in any art form that requires manual dexterity.
113Advanced level fine arts courses include fine arts courses
114identified in the course code directory as Advanced Placement,
115pre-International Baccalaureate, or International Baccalaureate,
116International General Certificate of Secondary Education (pre-
117AICE), or Advanced International Certificate of Education, or
118fine arts courses taken in the third or fourth year of a fine
119arts curriculum.
120     Section 5.  Subsection (9) of section 1007.27, Florida
121Statutes, is amended to read:
122     1007.27  Articulated acceleration mechanisms.--
123     (9)  The Advanced International Certificate of Education
124Program and the International General Certificate of Secondary
125Education (pre-AICE) Program shall be the curricula curriculum
126in which eligible secondary students are enrolled in programs of
127study a program of studies offered through the Advanced
128International Certificate of Education Program or the
129International General Certificate of Secondary Education (pre-
130AICE) Program administered by the University of Cambridge Local
131Examinations Syndicate. The State Board of Education shall
132establish rules which specify the cutoff scores and Advanced
133International Certificate of Education examinations which will
134be used to grant postsecondary credit at community colleges and
135universities. Any such rules, which have the effect of raising
136the required cutoff score or of changing the Advanced
137International Certification of Education examinations which will
138be used to grant postsecondary credit, shall apply to students
139taking Advanced International Certificate of Education
140examinations after such rules are adopted by the State Board of
141Education. Students shall be awarded a maximum of 30 semester
142credit hours pursuant to this subsection. The specific course
143for which a student receives such credit shall be determined by
144the community college or university that accepts the student for
145admission. Students enrolled in either program of study pursuant
146to this subsection shall be exempt from the payment of any fees
147for administration of the examinations regardless of whether or
148not the student achieves a passing score on the examination.
149     Section 6.  Paragraph (a) of subsection (3) of section
1501009.531, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
151     1009.531  Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program;
152student eligibility requirements for initial awards.--
153     (3)  For purposes of calculating the grade point average to
154be used in determining initial eligibility for a Florida Bright
155Futures Scholarship, the department shall assign additional
156weights to grades earned in the following courses:
157     (a)  Courses identified in the course code directory as
158Advanced Placement, pre-International Baccalaureate, or
159International Baccalaureate, International General Certificate
160of Secondary Education (pre-AICE), or Advanced International
161Certificate of Education.
162
163The department may assign additional weights to courses, other
164than those described in paragraphs (a) and (b), that are
165identified by the Department of Education as containing rigorous
166academic curriculum and performance standards. The additional
167weight assigned to a course pursuant to this subsection shall
168not exceed 0.5 per course. The weighted system shall be
169developed and distributed to all high schools in the state prior
170to January 1, 1998. The department may determine a student's
171eligibility status during the senior year before graduation and
172may inform the student of the award at that time.
173     Section 7.  Subsection (1) of section 1009.534, Florida
174Statutes, is amended to read:
175     1009.534  Florida Academic Scholars award.--
176     (1)  A student is eligible for a Florida Academic Scholars
177award if the student meets the general eligibility requirements
178for the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program and the
179student:
180     (a)  Has achieved a 3.5 weighted grade point average as
181calculated pursuant to s. 1009.531, or its equivalent, in high
182school courses that are designated by the State Board of
183Education as college-preparatory academic courses; and has
184attained at least the score identified by rules of the State
185Board of Education on the combined verbal and quantitative parts
186of the Scholastic Aptitude Test, the Scholastic Assessment Test,
187or the recentered Scholastic Assessment Test of the College
188Entrance Examination, or an equivalent score on the ACT
189Assessment Program; or
190     (b)  Has attended a home education program according to s.
1911002.41 during grades 11 and 12 or has completed the
192International Baccalaureate curriculum but failed to earn the
193International Baccalaureate Diploma or has completed the
194Advanced International Certificate of Education curriculum but
195failed to earn the Advanced International Certificate of
196Education Diploma, and has attained at least the score
197identified by rules of the Department of Education on the
198combined verbal and quantitative parts of the Scholastic
199Aptitude Test, the Scholastic Assessment Test, or the recentered
200Scholastic Assessment Test of the College Entrance Examination,
201or an equivalent score on the ACT Assessment Program; or
202     (c)  Has been awarded an International Baccalaureate
203Diploma from the International Baccalaureate Office or an
204Advanced International Certificate of Education Diploma from the
205University of Cambridge International Examinations Office; or
206     (d)  Has been recognized by the merit or achievement
207programs of the National Merit Scholarship Corporation as a
208scholar or finalist; or
209     (e)  Has been recognized by the National Hispanic
210Recognition Program as a scholar recipient.
211
212A student must complete a program of community service work, as
213approved by the district school board or the administrators of a
214nonpublic school, which shall include a minimum of 75 hours of
215service work and require the student to identify a social
216problem that interests him or her, develop a plan for his or her
217personal involvement in addressing the problem, and, through
218papers or other presentations, evaluate and reflect upon his or
219her experience.
220     Section 8.  Subsection (1) of section 1009.535, Florida
221Statutes, is amended to read:
222     1009.535  Florida Medallion Scholars award.--
223     (1)  A student is eligible for a Florida Medallion Scholars
224award if the student meets the general eligibility requirements
225for the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program and the
226student:
227     (a)  Has achieved a weighted grade point average of 3.0 as
228calculated pursuant to s. 1009.531, or the equivalent, in high
229school courses that are designated by the State Board of
230Education as college-preparatory academic courses; and has
231attained at least the score identified by rules of the State
232Board of Education on the combined verbal and quantitative parts
233of the Scholastic Aptitude Test, the Scholastic Assessment Test,
234or the recentered Scholastic Assessment Test of the College
235Entrance Examination, or an equivalent score on the ACT
236Assessment Program; or
237     (b)  Has attended a home education program according to s.
2381002.41 during grades 11 and 12 or has completed the
239International Baccalaureate curriculum but failed to earn the
240International Baccalaureate Diploma or has completed the
241Advanced International Certificate of Education curriculum but
242failed to earn the Advanced International Certificate of
243Education Diploma, and has attained at least the score
244identified by rules of the Department of Education on the
245combined verbal and quantitative parts of the Scholastic
246Aptitude Test, the Scholastic Assessment Test, or the recentered
247Scholastic Assessment Test of the College Entrance Examination,
248or an equivalent score on the ACT Assessment Program; or
249     (c)  Has been recognized by the merit or achievement
250program of the National Merit Scholarship Corporation as a
251scholar or finalist but has not completed a program of community
252service as provided in s. 1009.534; or
253     (d)  Has been recognized by the National Hispanic
254Recognition Program as a scholar, but has not completed a
255program of community service as provided in s. 1009.534.
256     Section 9.  Paragraph (m) of subsection (1) of section
2571011.62, Florida Statutes, is amended, paragraphs (n), (o), (p),
258(q), and (r) of said subsection are redesignated as paragraphs
259(o), (p), (q), (r), and (s), respectively, and a new paragraph
260(n) is added to said subsection, to read:
261     1011.62  Funds for operation of schools.--If the annual
262allocation from the Florida Education Finance Program to each
263district for operation of schools is not determined in the
264annual appropriations act or the substantive bill implementing
265the annual appropriations act, it shall be determined as
266follows:
267     (1)  COMPUTATION OF THE BASIC AMOUNT TO BE INCLUDED FOR
268OPERATION.--The following procedure shall be followed in
269determining the annual allocation to each district for
270operation:
271     (m)  Calculation of additional full-time equivalent
272membership based on Advanced International Certificate of
273Education examination scores of students.--A value of 0.24 full-
274full-time equivalent student membership shall be calculated for
275each student enrolled in a full-credit Advanced International
276Certificate of Education course who receives a score of E 2 or
277higher on a subject examination. A value of 0.12 full-time
278equivalent student membership shall be calculated for each
279student enrolled in a half-credit Advanced International
280Certificate of Education course who receives a score of E 1 or
281higher on a subject examination. A value of 0.3 full-time
282equivalent student membership shall be calculated for each
283student who receives received an Advanced International
284Certificate of Education diploma. Such value shall be added to
285the total full-time equivalent student membership in basic
286programs for grades 9 through 12 in the subsequent fiscal year.
287The school district shall distribute to each classroom teacher
288who provided Advanced International Certificate of Education
289instruction:
290     1.  A bonus in the amount of $50 for each student taught by
291the Advanced International Certificate of Education teacher in
292each full-credit Advanced International Certificate of Education
293course who receives a score of E 2 or higher on the Advanced
294International Certificate of Education examination. A bonus in
295the amount of $25 for each student taught by the Advanced
296International Certificate of Education teacher in each half-
297credit Advanced International Certificate of Education course
298who receives a score of E 1 or higher on the Advanced
299International Certificate of Education examination.
300     2.  An additional bonus of $500 to each Advanced
301International Certificate of Education teacher in a school
302designated performance grade category "D" or "F" who has at
303least one student scoring E 2 or higher on the full-credit
304Advanced International Certificate of Education examination,
305regardless of the number of classes taught or of the number of
306students scoring an E a 2 or higher on the full-credit Advanced
307International Certificate of Education examination.
308     3.  Additional bonuses of $250 each to teachers of half-
309credit Advanced International Certificate of Education classes
310in a school designated performance grade category "D" or "F"
311which has at least one student scoring an E a 1 or higher on the
312half-credit Advanced International Certificate of Education
313examination in that class. The maximum additional bonus for a
314teacher awarded in accordance with this subparagraph shall not
315exceed $500 in any given school year. Teachers receiving an
316award under subparagraph 2. are not eligible for a bonus under
317this subparagraph.
318
319Bonuses awarded to a teacher according to this paragraph shall
320not exceed $2,000 in any given school year and shall be in
321addition to any regular wage or other bonus the teacher received
322or is scheduled to receive.
323     (n)  Calculation of additional full-time equivalent
324membership based on International General Certificate of
325Secondary Education examination scores of students.--A value of
3260.12 full-time equivalent student membership shall be calculated
327for each student enrolled in an International General
328Certificate of Secondary Education (pre-AICE) course who
329receives a score of E or higher on a subject examination. A
330value of 0.15 full-time equivalent student membership shall be
331calculated for each student who receives an International
332Certificate of Education diploma. Such value shall be added to
333the total full-time equivalent student membership in basic
334programs for grades 9 through 12 in the subsequent fiscal year.
335     Section 10.  For the purpose of incorporating the amendment
336to section 1011.62, Florida Statutes, in a reference thereto,
337subsection (2) of section 1011.69, Florida Statutes, is
338reenacted to read:
339     1011.69  Equity in School-Level Funding Act.--
340     (2)  Beginning in the 2003-2004 fiscal year, district
341school boards shall allocate to schools within the district an
342average of 90 percent of the funds generated by all schools and
343guarantee that each school receives at least 80 percent of the
344funds generated by that school based upon the Florida Education
345Finance Program as provided in s. 1011.62 and the General
346Appropriations Act, including gross state and local funds,
347discretionary lottery funds, and funds from the school
348district's current operating discretionary millage levy. Total
349funding for each school shall be recalculated during the year to
350reflect the revised calculations under the Florida Education
351Finance Program by the state and the actual weighted full-time
352equivalent students reported by the school during the full-time
353equivalent student survey periods designated by the Commissioner
354of Education. If the district school board is providing programs
355or services to students funded by federal funds, any eligible
356students enrolled in the schools in the district shall be
357provided federal funds. Only academic performance-based charter
358school districts, pursuant to s. 1003.62, are exempt from the
359provisions of this section.
360     Section 11.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2004.


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