HB 0579

1	A bill to be entitled
2	An act relating to acceleration mechanisms; amending s.
3	1002.20, F.S.; adding programs to list of public school
4	choice options; amending s. 1002.23, F.S.; adding programs
5	to list of rigorous academic programs included in parent
6	guide; amending s. 1007.22, F.S.; adding Advanced
7	International Certificate of Education programs to
8	acceleration mechanisms requiring postsecondary
9	institution collaboration; amending s. 1007.261, F.S.;
10	revising list of courses designated as advanced level fine
11	arts courses; amending s. 1007.27, F.S.; providing an
12	exemption from examination fees for students enrolled in
13	the International General Certificate of Secondary
14	Education Program; amending s. 1007.271, F.S.; specifying
15	that dual enrollment courses are creditable toward high
16	school completion; revising instructional time
17	requirements and providing for FTE calculation; conforming
18	to law minimum academic credits required for graduation;
19	clarifying requirements for participation of independent
20	postsecondary institutions in a dual enrollment program;
21	providing for fee exemption; amending s. 1009.531, F.S.;
22	providing additional course weights for Florida Bright
23	Futures Scholarship Program eligibility determination;
24	amending s. 1009.534, F.S.; revising Florida Academic
25	Scholars award eligibility requirements to include
26	students completing or receiving an Advanced International
27	Certificate of Education curriculum or diploma; amending
28	s. 1009.535, F.S.; revising Florida Medallion Scholars
29	award eligibility requirements to include students
30	completing an Advanced International Certificate of
31	Education curriculum; amending s. 1011.62, F.S.; providing
32	for FTE calculation for dual enrollment instruction;
33	revising Advanced International Certificate of Education
34	test score requirements necessary to generate funding to
35	match current test scoring scale; providing an effective
36	date.
37
38	Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
39
40	Section 1.  Paragraph (a) of subsection (6) of section
41	1002.20, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
42	1002.20  K-12 student and parent rights.--Parents of public
43	school students must receive accurate and timely information
44	regarding their child's academic progress and must be informed
45	of ways they can help their child to succeed in school. K-12
46	students and their parents are afforded numerous statutory
47	rights including, but not limited to, the following:
48	(6)  EDUCATIONAL CHOICE.--
49	(a)  Public school choices.--Parents of public school
50	students may seek whatever public school choice options that are
51	applicable to their students and are available to students in
52	their school districts. These options may include controlled
53	open enrollment, lab schools, charter schools, charter technical
54	career centers, magnet schools, alternative schools, special
55	programs, advanced placement, dual enrollment, International
56	Baccalaureate, International General Certificate of Secondary
57	Education (pre-AICE), Advanced International Certificate of
58	Education, early admissions, credit by examination or
59	demonstration of competency, the New World School of the Arts,
60	the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind, and the Florida
61	Virtual School. These options may also include the public school
62	choice options of the Opportunity Scholarship Program and the
63	McKay Scholarships for Students with Disabilities Program.
64	Section 2.  Paragraph (d) of subsection (2) of section
65	1002.23, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
66	1002.23  Family and School Partnership for Student
67	Achievement Act.--
68	(2)  To facilitate meaningful parent and family
69	involvement, the Department of Education shall develop
70	guidelines for a parent guide to successful student achievement
71	which describes what parents need to know about their child's
72	educational progress and how they can help their child to
73	succeed in school. The guidelines shall include, but need not be
74	limited to:
75	(d)  Opportunities for parents to learn about rigorous
76	academic programs that may be available for their child, such as
77	honors programs, dual enrollment, advanced placement,
78	International Baccalaureate, International General Certificate
79	of Secondary Education (pre-AICE), Advanced International
80	Certificate of Education, Florida Virtual High School courses,
81	and accelerated access to postsecondary education;
82	Section 3.  Subsection (2) of section 1007.22, Florida
83	Statutes, is amended to read:
84	1007.22  Articulation; postsecondary institution
85	coordination and collaboration.--
86	(2)  The levels of postsecondary education shall
87	collaborate in further developing and providing articulated
88	programs in which students can proceed toward their educational
89	objectives as rapidly as their circumstances permit. Time-
90	shortened educational programs, as well as the use of
91	acceleration mechanisms, shall include, but not be limited to,
92	the International Baccalaureate, Advanced International
93	Certificate of Education, credit by examination or demonstration
94	of competency, advanced placement, early admissions, and dual
95	enrollment.
96	Section 4.  Subsection (10) of section 1007.261, Florida
97	Statutes, is amended to read:
98	1007.261  State universities; admissions of students.--Each
99	university board of trustees is authorized to adopt rules
100	governing the admission of students, subject to this section and
101	rules of the State Board of Education.
102	(10)  A Florida resident who is denied admission as an
103	undergraduate to a state university for failure to meet the high
104	school grade point average requirement may appeal the decision
105	to the university and request a recalculation of the grade point
106	average including in the revised calculation the grades earned
107	in up to three credits of advanced fine arts courses. The
108	university shall provide the student with a description of the
109	appeals process at the same time as notification of the
110	admissions decision. The university shall recalculate the
111	student's grade point average using the additional courses and
112	advise the student of any changes in the student's admission
113	status. For purposes of this section, fine arts courses include
114	courses in music, drama, painting, sculpture, speech, debate, or
115	a course in any art form that requires manual dexterity.
116	Advanced level fine arts courses include fine arts courses
117	identified in the course code directory as Advanced Placement,
118	pre-International Baccalaureate, or International Baccalaureate,
119	International General Certificate of Secondary Education (pre-
120	AICE), or Advanced International Certificate of Education, or
121	fine arts courses taken in the third or fourth year of a fine
122	arts curriculum.
123	Section 5.  Subsection (9) of section 1007.27, Florida
124	Statutes, is amended to read:
125	1007.27  Articulated acceleration mechanisms.--
126	(9)  The Advanced International Certificate of Education
127	Program and the International General Certificate of Secondary
128	Education (pre-AICE) Program shall be the curricula curriculum
129	in which eligible secondary students are enrolled in programs of
130	study a program of studies offered through the Advanced
131	International Certificate of Education Program or the
132	International General Certificate of Secondary Education (pre-
133	AICE) Program administered by the University of Cambridge Local
134	Examinations Syndicate. The State Board of Education shall
135	establish rules which specify the cutoff scores and Advanced
136	International Certificate of Education examinations which will
137	be used to grant postsecondary credit at community colleges and
138	universities. Any such rules, which have the effect of raising
139	the required cutoff score or of changing the Advanced
140	International Certification of Education examinations which will
141	be used to grant postsecondary credit, shall apply to students
142	taking Advanced International Certificate of Education
143	examinations after such rules are adopted by the State Board of
144	Education. Students shall be awarded a maximum of 30 semester
145	credit hours pursuant to this subsection. The specific course
146	for which a student receives such credit shall be determined by
147	the community college or university that accepts the student for
148	admission. Students enrolled in either program of study pursuant
149	to this subsection shall be exempt from the payment of any fees
150	for administration of the examinations regardless of whether or
151	not the student achieves a passing score on the examination.
152	Section 6.  Subsections (1), (2), (4), (5), (6), (11), and
153	(13) of section 1007.271, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
154	1007.271  Dual enrollment programs.--
155	(1)  The dual enrollment program is the enrollment of an
156	eligible secondary student or home education student in a
157	postsecondary course creditable toward high school completion
158	and a career certificate or an associate or baccalaureate
159	degree.
160	(2)  For the purpose of this section, an eligible secondary
161	student is a student who is enrolled in a Florida public
162	secondary school or in a Florida private secondary school which
163	is in compliance with s. 1002.42(2) and conducts a secondary
164	curriculum pursuant to s. 1003.43. Students enrolled in
165	postsecondary instruction that is not creditable toward the high
166	school diploma shall not be classified as dual enrollments.
167	Students who are eligible for dual enrollment pursuant to this
168	section shall be permitted to enroll in dual enrollment courses
169	conducted during school hours, after school hours, and during
170	the summer term. Instructional time for such enrollment may vary
171	from exceed 900 hours; however, the school district may only
172	report the student for a maximum of 1.0 FTE, as provided in s.
173	1011.61(4). Each semester of instruction that is eligible for
174	high school and postsecondary credit shall be reported by school
175	districts as 75 membership hours for purposes of FTE
176	calculation. Any student so enrolled is exempt from the payment
177	of registration, tuition, and laboratory fees. Vocational-
178	preparatory instruction, college-preparatory instruction and
179	other forms of precollegiate instruction, as well as physical
180	education courses that focus on the physical execution of a
181	skill rather than the intellectual attributes of the activity,
182	are ineligible for inclusion in the dual enrollment program.
183	Recreation and leisure studies courses shall be evaluated
184	individually in the same manner as physical education courses
185	for potential inclusion in the program.
186	(4)  Career dual enrollment shall be provided as a
187	curricular option for secondary students to pursue in order to
188	earn a series of elective credits toward the high school
189	diploma. However, career dual enrollment shall not supplant
190	student acquisition of the diploma. Career dual enrollment shall
191	be available for secondary students seeking a degree or
192	certificate from a complete career-preparatory program, and but
193	shall not be used to enroll students sustain student enrollment
194	in isolated career courses. It is the intent of the Legislature
195	that career dual enrollment provide reflect the interests and
196	aptitudes of the student. The provision of a comprehensive
197	academic and career dual enrollment program within the career
198	center or community college is supportive of legislative intent;
199	however, such provision is not mandatory.
200	(5)  Each district school board shall inform all secondary
201	students of dual enrollment as an educational option and
202	mechanism for acceleration. Students shall be informed of
203	eligibility criteria, the option for taking dual enrollment
204	courses beyond the regular school year, and the 24 minimum
205	academic credits required for graduation. District school boards
206	shall annually assess the demand for dual enrollment and other
207	advanced courses, and the district school board shall consider
208	strategies and programs to meet that demand.
209	(6)  The Commissioner of Education shall appoint faculty
210	committees representing public school, community college, and
211	university faculties to identify postsecondary courses that meet
212	the high school graduation requirements of s. 1003.43, and to
213	establish the number of postsecondary semester credit hours of
214	instruction and equivalent high school credits earned through
215	dual enrollment pursuant to this section that are necessary to
216	meet high school graduation requirements. Such equivalencies
217	shall be determined solely on comparable course content and not
218	on seat time traditionally allocated to such courses in high
219	school. The Commissioner of Education shall recommend to the
220	State Board of Education those postsecondary courses identified
221	to meet high school graduation requirements, based on mastery of
222	course outcomes, by their statewide course numbers number, and
223	all high schools shall accept these postsecondary education
224	courses toward meeting the requirements of s. 1003.43.
225	(11)  The Department of Education shall approve any course
226	for inclusion in the dual enrollment program that is contained
227	within the statewide course numbering system. However, college-
228	preparatory and other forms of precollegiate instruction, and
229	physical education and other courses that focus on the physical
230	execution of a skill rather than the intellectual attributes of
231	the activity, may not be so approved, but must be evaluated
232	individually for potential inclusion in the dual enrollment
233	program. This subsection shall not be construed to mean that an
234	independent postsecondary institution eligible for inclusion in
235	a dual enrollment or early admission program pursuant to s.
236	1011.62 must participate in the statewide course numbering
237	system developed pursuant to s. 1007.24 to participate in a dual
238	enrollment program.
239	(13)  It is the intent of the Legislature that Students who
240	meet the eligibility requirements of this section subsection and
241	who choose to participate in dual enrollment programs are be
242	exempt from the payment of registration, tuition, and laboratory
243	fees.
244	Section 7.  Paragraph (a) of subsection (3) of section
245	1009.531, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
246	1009.531  Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program;
247	student eligibility requirements for initial awards.--
248	(3)  For purposes of calculating the grade point average to
249	be used in determining initial eligibility for a Florida Bright
250	Futures Scholarship, the department shall assign additional
251	weights to grades earned in the following courses:
252	(a)  Courses identified in the course code directory as
253	Advanced Placement, pre-International Baccalaureate, or
254	International Baccalaureate, International General Certificate
255	of Secondary Education (pre-AICE), or Advanced International
256	Certificate of Education.
257
258	The department may assign additional weights to courses, other
259	than those described in paragraphs (a) and (b), that are
260	identified by the Department of Education as containing rigorous
261	academic curriculum and performance standards. The additional
262	weight assigned to a course pursuant to this subsection shall
263	not exceed 0.5 per course. The weighted system shall be
264	developed and distributed to all high schools in the state prior
265	to January 1, 1998. The department may determine a student's
266	eligibility status during the senior year before graduation and
267	may inform the student of the award at that time.
268	Section 8.  Subsection (1) of section 1009.534, Florida
269	Statutes, is amended to read:
270	1009.534  Florida Academic Scholars award.--
271	(1)  A student is eligible for a Florida Academic Scholars
272	award if the student meets the general eligibility requirements
273	for the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program and the
274	student:
275	(a)  Has achieved a 3.5 weighted grade point average as
276	calculated pursuant to s. 1009.531, or its equivalent, in high
277	school courses that are designated by the State Board of
278	Education as college-preparatory academic courses; and has
279	attained at least the score identified by rules of the State
280	Board of Education on the combined verbal and quantitative parts
281	of the Scholastic Aptitude Test, the Scholastic Assessment Test,
282	or the recentered Scholastic Assessment Test of the College
283	Entrance Examination, or an equivalent score on the ACT
284	Assessment Program; or
285	(b)  Has attended a home education program according to s.
286	1002.41 during grades 11 and 12 or has completed the
287	International Baccalaureate curriculum but failed to earn the
288	International Baccalaureate Diploma or has completed the
289	Advanced International Certificate of Education curriculum but
290	failed to earn the Advanced International Certificate of
291	Education Diploma, and has attained at least the score
292	identified by rules of the State Board of Education on the
293	combined verbal and quantitative parts of the Scholastic
294	Aptitude Test, the Scholastic Assessment Test, or the recentered
295	Scholastic Assessment Test of the College Entrance Examination,
296	or an equivalent score on the ACT Assessment Program; or
297	(c)  Has been awarded an International Baccalaureate
298	Diploma from the International Baccalaureate Office or an
299	Advanced International Certificate of Education Diploma from the
300	University of Cambridge International Examinations Office; or
301	(d)  Has been recognized by the merit or achievement
302	programs of the National Merit Scholarship Corporation as a
303	scholar or finalist; or
304	(e)  Has been recognized by the National Hispanic
305	Recognition Program as a scholar recipient.
306
307	A student must complete a program of community service work, as
308	approved by the district school board or the administrators of a
309	nonpublic school, which shall include a minimum of 75 hours of
310	service work and require the student to identify a social
311	problem that interests him or her, develop a plan for his or her
312	personal involvement in addressing the problem, and, through
313	papers or other presentations, evaluate and reflect upon his or
314	her experience.
315	Section 9.  Subsection (1) of section 1009.535, Florida
316	Statutes, is amended to read:
317	1009.535  Florida Medallion Scholars award.--
318	(1)  A student is eligible for a Florida Medallion Scholars
319	award if the student meets the general eligibility requirements
320	for the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program and the
321	student:
322	(a)  Has achieved a weighted grade point average of 3.0 as
323	calculated pursuant to s. 1009.531, or the equivalent, in high
324	school courses that are designated by the State Board of
325	Education as college-preparatory academic courses; and has
326	attained at least the score identified by rules of the State
327	Board of Education on the combined verbal and quantitative parts
328	of the Scholastic Aptitude Test, the Scholastic Assessment Test,
329	or the recentered Scholastic Assessment Test of the College
330	Entrance Examination, or an equivalent score on the ACT
331	Assessment Program; or
332	(b)  Has attended a home education program according to s.
333	1002.41 during grades 11 and 12 or has completed the
334	International Baccalaureate curriculum but failed to earn the
335	International Baccalaureate Diploma or has completed the
336	Advanced International Certificate of Education curriculum but
337	failed to earn the Advanced International Certificate of
338	Education Diploma, and has attained at least the score
339	identified by rules of the State Board of Education on the
340	combined verbal and quantitative parts of the Scholastic
341	Aptitude Test, the Scholastic Assessment Test, or the recentered
342	Scholastic Assessment Test of the College Entrance Examination,
343	or an equivalent score on the ACT Assessment Program; or
344	(c)  Has been recognized by the merit or achievement
345	program of the National Merit Scholarship Corporation as a
346	scholar or finalist but has not completed a program of community
347	service as provided in s. 1009.534; or
348	(d)  Has been recognized by the National Hispanic
349	Recognition Program as a scholar, but has not completed a
350	program of community service as provided in s. 1009.534.
351	Section 10.  Paragraphs (i) and (m) of subsection (1) of
352	section 1011.62, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
353	1011.62  Funds for operation of schools.--If the annual
354	allocation from the Florida Education Finance Program to each
355	district for operation of schools is not determined in the
356	annual appropriations act or the substantive bill implementing
357	the annual appropriations act, it shall be determined as
358	follows:
359	(1)  COMPUTATION OF THE BASIC AMOUNT TO BE INCLUDED FOR
360	OPERATION.--The following procedure shall be followed in
361	determining the annual allocation to each district for
362	operation:
363	(i)  Calculation of full-time equivalent membership with
364	respect to dual enrollment instruction from community colleges
365	or state universities.--Students enrolled in community college
366	or university dual enrollment instruction pursuant to s.
367	1007.271 may be included in calculations of full-time equivalent
368	student memberships for basic programs for grades 9 through 12
369	by a district school board. Each semester of instruction that is
370	eligible for high school and postsecondary credit shall be
371	reported by school districts as 75 membership hours for purposes
372	of FTE calculation. Such students may also be calculated as the
373	proportional shares of full-time equivalent enrollments they
374	generate for a the community college or university conducting
375	the dual enrollment instruction. Early admission students shall
376	be considered dual enrollments for funding purposes. Students
377	may be enrolled in dual enrollment instruction provided by an
378	eligible independent college or university and may be included
379	in calculations of full-time equivalent student memberships for
380	basic programs for grades 9 through 12 by a district school
381	board. However, those provisions of law which exempt dual
382	enrolled and early admission students from payment of
383	instructional materials and tuition and fees, including
384	laboratory fees, shall not apply to students who select the
385	option of enrolling in an eligible independent institution. An
386	independent college or university which is located and chartered
387	in Florida, is not for profit, is accredited by the Commission
388	on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
389	or the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools,
390	and which confers degrees as defined in s. 1005.02 shall be
391	eligible for inclusion in the dual enrollment or early admission
392	program. Students enrolled in dual enrollment instruction shall
393	be exempt from the payment of tuition and fees, including
394	laboratory fees. No student enrolled in college credit
395	mathematics or English dual enrollment instruction shall be
396	funded as a dual enrollment unless the student has successfully
397	completed the relevant section of the entry-level examination
398	required pursuant to s. 1008.30.
399	(m)  Calculation of additional full-time equivalent
400	membership based on Advanced International Certificate of
401	Education examination scores of students.--A value of 0.24 full-
402	full-time equivalent student membership shall be calculated for
403	each student enrolled in a full-credit Advanced International
404	Certificate of Education course who receives a score of E 2 or
405	higher on a subject examination. A value of 0.12 full-time
406	equivalent student membership shall be calculated for each
407	student enrolled in a half-credit Advanced International
408	Certificate of Education course who receives a score of E 1 or
409	higher on a subject examination. A value of 0.3 full-time
410	equivalent student membership shall be calculated for each
411	student who receives received an Advanced International
412	Certificate of Education diploma. Such value shall be added to
413	the total full-time equivalent student membership in basic
414	programs for grades 9 through 12 in the subsequent fiscal year.
415	The school district shall distribute to each classroom teacher
416	who provided Advanced International Certificate of Education
417	instruction:
418	1.  A bonus in the amount of $50 for each student taught by
419	the Advanced International Certificate of Education teacher in
420	each full-credit Advanced International Certificate of Education
421	course who receives a score of E 2 or higher on the Advanced
422	International Certificate of Education examination. A bonus in
423	the amount of $25 for each student taught by the Advanced
424	International Certificate of Education teacher in each half-
425	credit Advanced International Certificate of Education course
426	who receives a score of E 1 or higher on the Advanced
427	International Certificate of Education examination.
428	2.  An additional bonus of $500 to each Advanced
429	International Certificate of Education teacher in a school
430	designated performance grade category "D" or "F" who has at
431	least one student scoring E 2 or higher on the full-credit
432	Advanced International Certificate of Education examination,
433	regardless of the number of classes taught or of the number of
434	students scoring an E a 2 or higher on the full-credit Advanced
435	International Certificate of Education examination.
436	3.  Additional bonuses of $250 each to teachers of half-
437	credit Advanced International Certificate of Education classes
438	in a school designated performance grade category "D" or "F"
439	which has at least one student scoring an E a 1 or higher on the
440	half-credit Advanced International Certificate of Education
441	examination in that class. The maximum additional bonus for a
442	teacher awarded in accordance with this subparagraph shall not
443	exceed $500 in any given school year. Teachers receiving an
444	award under subparagraph 2. are not eligible for a bonus under
445	this subparagraph.
446
447	Bonuses awarded to a teacher according to this paragraph shall
448	not exceed $2,000 in any given school year and shall be in
449	addition to any regular wage or other bonus the teacher received
450	or is scheduled to receive.
451	Section 11.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2005.

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