HB 0803 2004
1	A bill to be entitled
2	An act relating to requirements for high school
3	graduation; amending s. 1003.43, F.S.; prescribing a
4	formula for computing each student's graduation grade
5	point average, which formula includes results from the
6	student's grade 10 FCAT and grade 10 norm-referenced test,
7	as well as coursework grades; providing an effective date.
8
9	Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
10
11	Section 1. Subsection (5) of section 1003.43, Florida
12	Statutes, is amended to read:
13	1003.43 General requirements for high school graduation.--
14	(5)(a)Each district school board shall establish
15	standards for graduation from its schools which, and these
16	standards must include the following requirements:
17	(a) Earning passing scores on the FCAT, as defined in s.
18	1008.22(3)(c).
19	1.(b) Each student shall complete all Completion of all
20	otherapplicable requirements prescribed by the district school
21	board pursuant to s. 1008.25.
22	(c) Achievement of a cumulative grade point average of 1.5
23	on a 4.0 scale, or its equivalent, for students entering 9th
24	grade before the 1997-1998 school year; however, these students
25	must earn a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 on a 4.0
26	scale, or its equivalent, in the courses required by subsection
27	(1) that are taken after July 1, 1997, or have an overall
28	cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or above.
29	2.(d) Each student shall achieve Achievement ofa
30	cumulative grade point average of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale, or its
31	equivalent, in the courses required by subsection (1), for
32	students entering 9th grade in the 1997-1998 school year and
33	thereafter.
34	3. Each student shall take the FCAT in grade 10 and
35	subsequent grades as prescribed.
36	4. Each student shall take the norm-referenced test (NRT)
37	as prescribed.
38	5. Each student shall earn a letter grade and grade points
39	that correspond to the level attained on each section of the
40	grade 10 FCAT, as follows:
41	a. For Level 1, an "F" and 0 grade points.
42	b. For Level 2 with a score of less than 300, a "D" and 1
43	grade point.
44	c. For Level 2 with a score of 300 or more, a "C" and 2
45	grade points.
46	d. For Level 3, a "B" and 3 grade points.
47	e. For Level 4 or Level 5, an "A" and 4 grade points.
48	6. Each student shall earn a letter grade and grade points
49	that correspond to the percentile ranking attained on each
50	section of the grade 10 norm-referenced test (NRT), as follows:
51	a. For the 1st-30th percentile, an "F" and 0 grade points.
52	b. For the 31st-39th percentile, a "D" and 1 grade point.
53	c. For the 40th-64th percentile, a "C" and 2 grade points.
54	d. For the 65th-80th percentiles, a "B" and 3 grade
55	points.
56	e. For the 81st-99th percentile, an "A" and 4 grade
57	points.
58	7. The average of the grade points earned from all of a
59	student's grade 10 FCAT subtests shall comprise 40 percent of
60	the student's graduation grade point average.
61	8. The average of the grade points earned from all of a
62	student's NRT subtests shall comprise 20 percent of the
63	student's graduation grade point average.
64	9. The grade point average from a student's coursework
65	shall comprise 40 percent of the student's graduation grade
66	point average.
67	10. A student's graduation grade point average shall be
68	determined as follows:
69
70	0.40 x FCAT grade point average +
71	0.20 x NRT grade point average +
72	0.40 x coursework grade point average =
73	graduation grade point average
74
75	11. A student may not graduate unless his or her
76	graduation grade point average is at least 2.0.
77	(b)(e) For purposes of subparagraph (a)2. paragraphs (c)
78	and (d):
79	1. Each district school board shall adopt policies
80	designed to assist students in meeting these requirements. These
81	policies may include, but are not limited to: forgiveness
82	policies, summer school or before or after school attendance,
83	special counseling, volunteer or and/orpeer tutors, school-
84	sponsored help sessions, homework hotlines, and study skills
85	classes. Beginning in the 2000-2001 school year and each year
86	thereafter, forgiveness policies for required courses shall be
87	limited to replacing a grade of "D" or "F," or the equivalent of
88	a grade of "D" or "F," with a grade of "C" or higher, or the
89	equivalent of a grade of "C" or higher, earned subsequently in
90	the same or comparable course. Forgiveness policies for elective
91	courses shall be limited to replacing a grade of "D" or "F," or
92	the equivalent of a grade of "D" or "F," with a grade of "C" or
93	higher, or the equivalent of a grade of "C" or higher, earned
94	subsequently in another course. Any course grade not replaced
95	according to a district school board forgiveness policy shall be
96	included in the calculation of the cumulative grade point
97	average required for graduation.
98	2. At the end of each semester, the parent of each student
99	in grades 9, 10, 11, and 12 who has a cumulative grade point
100	average of less than 0.5 above the cumulative grade point
101	average required for graduation shall be notified that the
102	student is at risk of not meeting the requirements for
103	graduation. The notice shall contain an explanation of the
104	policies the district school board has in place to assist the
105	student in meeting the grade point average requirement.
106	3. Special assistance to obtain a high school equivalency
107	diploma pursuant to s. 1003.435 may be given only when the
108	student has completed all requirements for graduation except the
109	attainment of the required cumulative grade point average.
110
111	The standards required in this subsection, and any subsequent
112	modifications, shall be reprinted in the Florida Administrative
113	Code even though not defined as "rules."
114	Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2004.