HB 1453

1	A bill to be entitled
2	An act relating to education; amending s. 1007.24, F.S.;
3	providing for assistance in program planning from the
4	Department of Education for all nonpublic postsecondary
5	institutions; requiring public and nonpublic postsecondary
6	educational institutions that are accredited and
7	participate in financial assistance programs to
8	participate in the statewide course numbering system;
9	revising the period within which the department must make
10	certain decisions regarding course inclusion and
11	maintenance; removing a provision exempting certain
12	nonprofit institutions from paying the costs associated
13	with participating in the statewide course numbering
14	system; deleting a penalty imposed for certain violations;
15	requiring faculty credentials to meet the requirements of
16	the Department of Education; providing that credits may
17	not be denied based on the accrediting agency of the
18	previous institution under certain circumstances;
19	authorizing the Department of Education to impose an
20	administrative fine; requiring that fines be deposited
21	into the Institutional Assessment Trust Fund; amending s.
22	1007.32, F.S.; prohibiting institutions participating in
23	financial assistance programs from denying transfer
24	credits or degrees from other institutions under certain
25	circumstances; requiring institutions to publicly disclose
26	their policies regarding credit transfers and degree
27	recognition; providing an effective date.
28
29	Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
30
31	Section 1.  Subsections (1), (5), (6), and (7) of section
32	1007.24, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
33	1007.24  Statewide course numbering system.--
34	(1)  The Department of Education shall develop, coordinate,
35	and maintain a statewide course numbering system for
36	postsecondary and dual enrollment education in school districts,
37	public postsecondary educational institutions, and participating
38	nonpublic postsecondary educational institutions that will
39	improve program planning, increase communication among all
40	delivery systems, and facilitate student acceleration and the
41	transfer of students and credits between public school
42	districts, public postsecondary educational institutions, and
43	participating nonpublic educational institutions. The continuing
44	maintenance of the system shall be accomplished with the
45	assistance of appropriate faculty committees representing public
46	and participating nonpublic educational institutions.
47	(5)  The registration process at each public and nonpublic
48	postsecondary educational institution state university and
49	community college shall include the courses at their designated
50	levels and statewide course number.
51	(6)  Postsecondary institutions Nonpublic colleges and
52	schools that are fully accredited by a regional or national
53	accrediting agency recognized by the United States Department of
54	Education and participate in financial assistance programs
55	established in chapter 1009 shall and are either eligible to
56	participate in the William L. Boyd, IV, Florida Resident Access
57	Grant or have been issued a regular license pursuant to s.
58	1005.31, may participate in the statewide course numbering
59	system pursuant to this section. Participating institutions
60	colleges and schools shall bear the costs associated with
61	inclusion in the system and shall meet the terms and conditions
62	for institutional participation in the system. The department
63	shall adopt a fee schedule that includes the expenses incurred
64	through data processing, faculty task force travel and per diem,
65	and staff and clerical support time. Such fee schedule may
66	differentiate between the costs associated with initial course
67	inclusion in the system and costs associated with subsequent
68	course maintenance in the system. Decisions regarding initial
69	course inclusion and subsequent course maintenance must be made
70	within 180 360 days after submission of the required materials
71	and fees by the institution. The Department of Education may
72	select a date by which colleges must submit requests for new
73	courses to be included, and may delay review of courses
74	submitted after that date until the next year's cycle. Any
75	institution college that currently participates in the system,
76	and that participated in the system prior to July 1, 1986, shall
77	not be required to pay the costs associated with initial course
78	inclusion in the system. Fees collected for participation in the
79	statewide course numbering system pursuant to the provisions of
80	this section shall be deposited in the Institutional Assessment
81	Trust Fund. Any nonpublic, nonprofit college or university that
82	is eligible to participate in the statewide course numbering
83	system shall not be required to pay the costs associated with
84	participation in the system. An institution may not No college
85	or school shall record student transcripts or document courses
86	offered by the institution college or school in accordance with
87	this subsection unless the institution college or school is
88	actually participating in the system pursuant to rules of the
89	State Board of Education. Any college or school deemed to be in
90	violation of this section shall be subject to the provisions of
91	s. 1005.38.
92	(7)  Any student who transfers among postsecondary
93	institutions that are fully accredited by a regional or national
94	accrediting agency recognized by the United States Department of
95	Education and that participate in the statewide course numbering
96	system shall be awarded credit by the receiving institution for
97	courses satisfactorily completed by the student at the previous
98	institutions. Credit shall be awarded if the courses are judged
99	by the appropriate statewide course numbering system faculty
100	committees representing school districts, public postsecondary
101	educational institutions, and participating nonpublic
102	postsecondary educational institutions to be academically
103	equivalent to courses offered at the receiving institution,
104	including equivalency of faculty credentials, regardless of the
105	public or nonpublic control of the previous institution. The
106	Department of Education shall ensure that credits to be accepted
107	by a receiving institution are generated in courses for which
108	the faculty possess credentials that are appropriate to the
109	subject matter of the courses taught. A determination by the
110	sending institution's recognized accrediting agency as to the
111	adequacy of faculty credentials meets this requirement and shall
112	be accepted by the Department of Education. comparable to those
113	required by the accrediting association of the receiving
114	institution. The award of credit may be limited to courses that
115	are entered in the statewide course numbering system. Credits
116	awarded pursuant to this subsection shall satisfy institutional
117	requirements on the same basis as credits awarded to native
118	students. Credits may not be denied based on the agency or
119	association that accredited the institution at which students
120	previously completed courses if the agency or association is
121	recognized by the United States Department of Education. The
122	Department of Education shall impose an administrative fine of
123	$5,000 for each violation of this section and make public the
124	imposition of each such fine. The fine shall be deposited into
125	the Institutional Assessment Trust Fund.
126	Section 2.  Section 1007.32, Florida Statutes, is amended
127	to read:
128	1007.32  Transfer students.--
129	(1)  Each university shall provide registration
130	opportunities for transfer students that allow such students
131	access to high demand courses comparable to that provided native
132	students.
133	(2)  Each university that provides an orientation program
134	for freshman enrollees shall also provide orientation programs
135	for transfer students.
136	(3)  Institutions participating in financial assistance
137	programs established in chapter 1009 may not deny credits for
138	courses satisfactorily completed which students seek to
139	transfer, and an institution may not deny recognition of degrees
140	completed and awarded from other institutions participating in
141	such financial assistance programs on the basis of the agency or
142	association that accredited the institution at which the student
143	earned such credits if the agency or association is recognized
144	by the United States Department of Education or on the basis of
145	the public or nonpublic control of the institution. Institutions
146	shall publicly disclose their policies and procedures on credit
147	transfers and degree recognition, which disclosure must include
148	a statement as to the institution's participation in the course
149	numbering system established in this chapter and a statement
150	that credits will not be denied on the basis of the
151	accreditation of the institution at which students previously
152	completed courses and degrees as required in this subsection or
153	on the basis of the public or nonpublic control of the
154	institution.
155	Section 3.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2007.

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