Senate Bill sb1480c1
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Florida Senate - 2006 CS for SB 1480
By the Committee on Commerce and Consumer Services; and
Senator Wise
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1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to career and professional
3 academies; creating s. 1003.493, F.S.; defining
4 "career and professional academy"; providing
5 academy goals and duties; authorizing an
6 academy to be offered as a described small
7 learning community; creating s. 1003.494, F.S.;
8 requiring the Department of Education to
9 establish a Career High-Skill Occupational
10 Initiative for Career Education (CHOICE)
11 project as a competitive process for the
12 designation of school district participants and
13 CHOICE academies; defining "CHOICE academy" and
14 providing purposes thereof; providing
15 eligibility criteria for such designation and
16 duties of participating school districts and
17 the department; providing for the award to
18 school district participants in the CHOICE
19 project of startup funds for the development of
20 CHOICE academies; amending ss. 288.9015 and
21 445.004, F.S.; providing duties of Enterprise
22 Florida, Inc., and Workforce Florida, Inc., to
23 conform; providing an effective date.
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25 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
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27 Section 1. Section 1003.493, Florida Statutes, is
28 created to read:
29 1003.493 Career and professional academies.--
30 (1) A "career and professional academy" is a
31 research-based program that integrates a rigorous academic
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Florida Senate - 2006 CS for SB 1480
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1 curriculum with an industry-driven career curriculum. Career
2 and professional academies may be offered by public schools,
3 school districts, or the Florida Virtual School. Students
4 completing career and professional academy programs receive a
5 standard high school diploma, the highest available industry
6 certification, and postsecondary credit if the academy
7 partners with a postsecondary institution.
8 (2) The goals of a career and professional academy are
9 to:
10 (a) Increase student academic achievement and
11 graduation rates through integrated academic and career
12 curricula.
13 (b) Focus on career preparation through rigorous
14 academics and industry certification.
15 (c) Raise student aspiration and commitment to
16 academic achievement and work ethics.
17 (d) Support graduation requirements by providing
18 creative, applied majors as provided by law.
19 (e) Promote acceleration mechanisms, such as dual
20 enrollment, articulated credit, or occupational completion
21 points, so that students may earn postsecondary credit while
22 in high school.
23 (f) Support the state's economy by meeting industry
24 needs for skilled employees in high-demand occupations.
25 (3) A career and professional academy may be offered
26 as one of the following small learning communities:
27 (a) A school-within-a-school career academy, as part
28 of an existing high school, that provides courses in one
29 occupational cluster. Students in the high school are not
30 required to be students in the academy.
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Florida Senate - 2006 CS for SB 1480
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1 (b) A total school configuration providing multiple
2 academies, each structured around an occupational cluster.
3 Every student in the school is in an academy.
4 (4) Each career and professional academy must:
5 (a) Provide a rigorous standards-based academic
6 curriculum integrated with a career curriculum. The curriculum
7 must take into consideration multiple styles of student
8 learning; promote learning by doing through application and
9 adaptation; maximize relevance of the subject matter; enhance
10 each student's capacity to excel; and include an emphasis on
11 work habits and work ethics.
12 (b) Include one or more partnerships with
13 postsecondary institutions, businesses, industry, employers,
14 economic development organizations, or other appropriate
15 partners from the local community. Such partnerships must
16 provide opportunities for:
17 1. Instruction from highly skilled professionals.
18 2. Internships, externships, and on-the-job training.
19 3. A postsecondary degree, diploma, or certificate.
20 4. The highest available level of industry
21 certification. Where no national or state certification
22 exists, school districts may establish a local certification
23 in conjunction with the local workforce development board, the
24 chamber of commerce, or the Agency for Workforce Innovation.
25 5. Maximum articulation of credits pursuant to s.
26 1007.23 upon program completion.
27 (c) Provide creative and tailored student advisement,
28 including parent participation and coordination with middle
29 schools to provide career exploration and education planning.
30 Coordination with middle schools must provide information to
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Florida Senate - 2006 CS for SB 1480
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1 middle school students about secondary and postsecondary
2 career education programs and academies.
3 (d) Provide a career education certification on the
4 high school diploma pursuant to s. 1003.431.
5 (e) Provide instruction in careers designated as high
6 growth, high demand, and high pay by the local workforce
7 development board, the chamber of commerce, or the Agency for
8 Workforce Innovation.
9 (f) Deliver academic content through instruction
10 relevant to the career, including intensive reading and
11 mathematics intervention, with an emphasis on strengthening
12 reading for information skills.
13 (g) Offer applied courses that combine academic
14 content with technical skills. Such courses must be submitted
15 to the Department of Education no later than 5 months before
16 the beginning of the school term in which such courses are
17 planned to be offered. The State Board of Education must
18 approve or disapprove courses no later than 3 months before
19 the beginning of the school term in which such courses are
20 planned to be offered. The department shall present new
21 courses to the state board for approval a minimum of three
22 times annually.
23 (h) Provide instruction resulting in competency,
24 certification, or credentials in workplace skills, including,
25 but not limited to, communication skills, interpersonal
26 skills, decisionmaking skills, the importance of attendance
27 and timeliness in the work environment, and work ethics.
28 (i) Provide opportunities for students to obtain the
29 Florida Ready to Work Certification as provided by law.
30 (j) Include an evaluation plan developed jointly with
31 the Department of Education. The evaluation plan must include
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1 a self-assessment tool based on standards, such as the Career
2 Academy National Standards of Practice, and outcome measures
3 including, but not limited to, graduation rates, enrollment in
4 postsecondary education, business and industry satisfaction,
5 employment and earnings, achievement of industry
6 certification, awards of postsecondary credit, and FCAT
7 achievement levels and learning gains.
8 Section 2. Section 1003.494, Florida Statutes, is
9 created to read:
10 1003.494 Career High-Skill Occupational Initiative for
11 Career Education (CHOICE) academies.--
12 (1) The Department of Education shall establish a
13 Career High-Skill Occupational Initiative for Career Education
14 (CHOICE) project. The project shall consist of a competitive
15 process for selecting and designating school districts as
16 participants in the project and designating CHOICE academies
17 within participating school districts.
18 (2) A "CHOICE academy" is a career and professional
19 academy that meets the goals and requirements specified in s.
20 1003.493 and offers a rigorous and relevant academic
21 curriculum leading to industry-recognized certification,
22 college credit, and credit toward a high school diploma.
23 Existing career education courses may serve as a foundation
24 for the creation of a CHOICE academy.
25 (3) The purposes of a CHOICE academy are to:
26 (a) Draw upon ongoing partnerships between education
27 and workforce development or economic development
28 organizations to enhance the quality and opportunities for
29 career education for high school students by exposure to
30 in-demand career education as identified by such organizations
31 in the local community.
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1 (b) Build upon the state system of school improvement
2 and education accountability by providing students with a
3 solid academic foundation, opportunities to obtain
4 industry-recognized certification or credentials, and
5 preparation for postsecondary educational experiences in
6 related fields.
7 (c) Prepare graduating high school students to make
8 appropriate choices relative to employment and future
9 educational experiences.
10 (4) The Department of Education may establish
11 application guidelines for an annual competitive process and
12 eligibility criteria for school district participation. A
13 school district may apply to the department for designation as
14 a CHOICE project participating district, and the department,
15 in consultation with Workforce Florida, Inc., and Enterprise
16 Florida, Inc., may designate as many school districts as it
17 deems advisable each year. Eligibility criteria for
18 designation of a school district as a CHOICE project
19 participant shall include, but not be limited to:
20 (a) The willingness and ability of associated
21 businesses or industries to form partnerships with and support
22 CHOICE academies.
23 (b) The dedication of school district resources to
24 CHOICE academies.
25 (5) The Department of Education, in consultation with
26 Workforce Florida, Inc., shall establish standards for
27 designating specific CHOICE academies in each participating
28 school district. A participating school district may apply to
29 the department for designation of a CHOICE academy within the
30 district. Eligibility criteria for such designation shall
31 include, but not be limited to:
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Florida Senate - 2006 CS for SB 1480
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1 (a) Partnerships with an associated business or
2 industry and a regional workforce board or the primary local
3 economic development organization in the county as recognized
4 by Enterprise Florida, Inc. The partnership of the business or
5 industry with the CHOICE academy must be based on the
6 connection of the business or industry with the academy's
7 career theme and must involve future plans for improving the
8 local economy. The business or industry partner must be
9 consulted during the planning stages of a CHOICE academy and
10 provide business or industry support and resources devoted to
11 the CHOICE academy. The Consortium of Florida Education
12 Foundations or a designee must also be consulted during the
13 planning stages of a CHOICE academy and may provide support
14 and resources devoted to the CHOICE academy.
15 (b) At least one established partnership and an
16 articulation agreement for credit with a postsecondary
17 institution.
18 (c) A plan for sustaining the CHOICE academy.
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20 The Okaloosa County School District and other school districts
21 that have received funding from Workforce Florida, Inc., for
22 the establishment of CHOICE academies prior to July 1, 2006,
23 shall receive an expedited review for CHOICE academy
24 designation by the department.
25 (6) A participating school district shall:
26 (a) Identify an appropriate location for classes.
27 (b) Ensure that a CHOICE academy is flexible enough to
28 respond both to the needs and abilities of students and to the
29 needs of associated businesses or industries.
30 (c) Redirect appropriated funding from ongoing
31 activities to a CHOICE academy.
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Florida Senate - 2006 CS for SB 1480
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1 (d) Plan for sustaining a CHOICE academy as an ongoing
2 program without additional funding.
3 (7) The Department of Education shall:
4 (a) With assistance from Workforce Florida, Inc.,
5 provide technical assistance to participating school districts
6 in submitting applications for designation of specific CHOICE
7 academies located in specific schools in the school district,
8 reorganizing career education opportunities, developing CHOICE
9 academies with career themes in areas deemed appropriate by
10 Workforce Florida, Inc., or local economic development
11 organizations, and developing funding plans.
12 (b) Jointly with Workforce Florida, Inc., and in
13 consultation with school districts, develop evaluation
14 criteria for CHOICE academies. Such criteria shall include
15 increased academic performance of students and schools using
16 school-level accountability data.
17 (c) Report to the State Board of Education, the
18 Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the
19 House of Representatives by July 1 of each year on school
20 district participation in the CHOICE project, designated
21 CHOICE academies with enrollment and completion data for such
22 academies, and appropriate outcomes for students who have
23 completed a CHOICE academy program. Such outcomes may include
24 continuing educational experiences of CHOICE academy
25 graduates, business or industry satisfaction with the CHOICE
26 academies, placement of CHOICE academy graduates in
27 employment, and earnings of such graduates.
28 (d) Promote CHOICE academies and provide planning and
29 startup resources as available.
30 (8) As provided in the General Appropriations Act, the
31 Department of Education shall award one-time startup funds to
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Florida Senate - 2006 CS for SB 1480
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1 school districts designated as participants in the CHOICE
2 project for the development of CHOICE academies. All school
3 districts designated by the department are authorized to
4 establish one or more CHOICE academies without incentive
5 funds.
6 Section 3. Subsection (7) is added to section
7 288.9015, Florida Statutes, to read:
8 288.9015 Enterprise Florida, Inc.; purpose; duties.--
9 (7) Enterprise Florida, Inc., shall work with the
10 Department of Education and Workforce Florida, Inc., in the
11 designation of school districts as participants in the CHOICE
12 project pursuant to s. 1003.494.
13 Section 4. Paragraph (i) is added to subsection (5) of
14 section 445.004, Florida Statutes, to read:
15 445.004 Workforce Florida, Inc.; creation; purpose;
16 membership; duties and powers.--
17 (5) Workforce Florida, Inc., shall have all the powers
18 and authority, not explicitly prohibited by statute, necessary
19 or convenient to carry out and effectuate the purposes as
20 determined by statute, Pub. L. No. 105-220, and the Governor,
21 as well as its functions, duties, and responsibilities,
22 including, but not limited to, the following:
23 (i) Working with the Department of Education and
24 Enterprise Florida, Inc., in the implementation of the CHOICE
25 project pursuant to s. 1003.494.
26 Section 5. This act shall take effect July 1, 2006.
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Florida Senate - 2006 CS for SB 1480
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1 STATEMENT OF SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES CONTAINED IN
COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR
2 Senate Bill 1480
3
4 This Committee Substitute (CS) differs from the bill as filed
in the following manner:
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- Deletes proposed s. 1003.495, F.S., which required DOE to
6 establish a comprehensive career academy project to
provide for the designation of comprehensive career
7 academies in the school districts;
8 - Authorizes the Florida Virtual School to offer career and
professional academies;
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- Expands or clarifies the stated types, goals and
10 requirements of career and professional academies;
11 - Requires business partners to provide the "highest
available level of industry certification";
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- Deletes the provision that allowed the Okaloosa County
13 School District to serve in an advisory role in the
establishment of standards for CHOICE academies;
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- Requires that the Consortium of Florida Education
15 Foundations be consulted during the planning stages of a
CHOICE academy;
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- Deletes requirements that participating school districts
17 allow participation of non-public school students and
assist in program technical support for such students;
18 and
19 - Deletes provisions requiring DOE to approve or disapprove
requests from school districts for course substitutions
20 within 30 days of a request.
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