CS/HB 965

1
A bill to be entitled
2An act relating to career and professional education;
3amending s. 1003.491, F.S.; creating the Florida Career
4and Professional Education Act for the purpose of
5improving academic performance and responding to the
6state's workforce needs; requiring that district school
7boards develop strategic plans to address and meet local
8and regional workforce needs; requiring that all school
9districts establish a career and professional academy by a
10specified date; providing additional requirements for each
11school board's strategic plan; requiring that the State
12Board of Education establish a process to review newly
13proposed core secondary courses; requiring a curriculum
14review committee; providing for the membership of the
15committee; requiring that approved courses be added to the
16Course Code Directory; providing for an appeal if a
17proposed core course is denied; amending s. 1003.492,
18F.S.; providing for coordination between career and
19professional academies and industry; requiring the State
20Board of Education to adopt rules using the expertise of
21Workforce Florida, Inc., and Enterprise Florida, Inc.;
22requiring the Department of Education to collect and
23analyze data concerning student achievement and
24performance; providing requirements for such analysis;
25requiring that the department report the results of the
26analysis annually to the Legislature; deleting obsolete
27provisions concerning a study by the department; amending
28s. 1003.493, F.S.; redefining the term "career and
29professional academy" to mean a program that integrates an
30academic curriculum with an industry-specific curriculum;
31requiring public schools and school districts to offer
32career and professional academies; revising the goals of
33and requirements for a career and professional academy;
34requiring the Department of Education, in consultation
35with the Board of Governors of the State University
36System, to establish a mechanism for transferring credits
37to postsecondary institutions; requiring that a career and
38professional academy provide opportunities for students to
39attain the Florida Gold Seal Vocational Scholars award;
40requiring that career courses lead to industry
41certification; requiring that specified percentages of
42students achieve certification or college credit in order
43for a course to continue to be offered; requiring the
44Okaloosa County School District CHOICE Institutes to
45advise and assist newly established career and
46professional academies; repealing s. 1003.494, F.S.,
47relating to the Career High-Skill Occupational Initiative
48for Career Education (CHOICE) academies; amending s.
491011.62, F.S.; providing for calculating the value of
50full-time equivalent student membership for students
51enrolled in a career and professional academy program;
52providing an effective date.
53
54Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
55
56     Section 1.  Section 1003.491, Florida Statutes, is amended
57to read:
58(Substantial rewording of section. See s. 1003.491, F.S.,
59for present text.)
60     1003.491  Florida Career and Professional Education
61Act.--The Florida Career and Professional Education Act is
62created to provide a statewide planning partnership between the
63business and education communities in order to attract, expand,
64and retain targeted, high-value industry and to sustain a
65strong, knowledge-based economy.
66     (1)  The primary purpose of the Florida Career and
67Professional Education Act is to:
68     (a)  Improve middle and high school academic performance by
69providing rigorous and relevant curriculum opportunities;
70     (b)  Provide rigorous and relevant career-themed courses
71that articulate to postsecondary-level coursework and lead to
72industry certification;
73     (c)  Support local and regional economic development;
74     (d)  Respond to Florida's critical workforce needs; and
75     (e)  Provide state residents with access to high-wage and
76high-demand careers.
77     (2)  Beginning with the 2007-2008 school year, each
78district school board shall develop, in collaboration with local
79workforce boards and postsecondary institutions approved to
80operate in the state, a strategic 5-year plan to address and
81meet local and regional workforce demands. If involvement of the
82local workforce board in the strategic plan development is not
83feasible, the local school board, with the approval of the
84Agency for Workforce Innovation, shall collaborate with the most
85appropriate local business leadership board. Two or more school
86districts may collaborate in the development of the strategic
87plan and offer a career and professional academy as a joint
88venture. Such plans must describe in detail provisions for
89efficient transportation of students, maximum use of shared
90resources, and access to courses through the Florida Virtual
91School when appropriate. Each strategic plan shall be completed
92no later than June 30, 2008, and shall include provisions to
93have in place at least one operational career and professional
94academy, pursuant to s. 1003.492, no later than the beginning of
95the 2008-2009 school year.
96     (3)  The strategic 5-year plan developed jointly between
97the local school district, local workforce boards, and state-
98approved postsecondary institutions shall be constructed and
99based on:
100     (a)  Research conducted to objectively determine local and
101regional workforce needs for the ensuing 5 years, using labor
102projections of the United States Department of Labor and the
103Agency for Workforce Innovation;
104     (b)  Strategies to develop and implement career academies
105based on those careers determined to be in high demand;
106     (c)  Maximum use of private-sector facilities and
107personnel;
108     (d)  Strategies that ensure instruction by industry-
109certified faculty and standards and strategies to maintain
110current industry credentials and for recruiting and retaining
111faculty to meet those standards;
112     (e)  Alignment to requirements for middle school career
113exploration and high school redesign;
114     (f)  Provisions to ensure that courses offered through
115career and professional academies are academically rigorous,
116meet or exceed appropriate state-adopted subject area standards,
117result in attainment of industry certification, and, when
118appropriate, result in postsecondary credit;
119     (g)  Establishment of student eligibility criteria in
120career and professional academies which include opportunities
121for students who have been unsuccessful in traditional
122classrooms but who show aptitude to participate in academies.
123School boards shall address the analysis of eighth grade student
124achievement data to provide opportunities for students who may
125be deemed as potential dropouts to participate in career and
126professional academies;
127     (h)  Strategies to provide sufficient space within
128academies to meet workforce needs and to provide access to all
129interested and qualified students;
130     (i)  Strategies to engage Department of Juvenile Justice
131students in career and professional academy training that leads
132to industry certification;
133     (j)  Opportunities for high school students to earn
134weighted or dual enrollment credit for higher-level career and
135technical courses;
136     (k)  Promotion of the benefits of the Gold Seal Bright
137Futures Scholarship;
138     (l)  Strategies to ensure the review of district pupil-
139progression plans and to amend such plans to include career and
140professional courses and to include courses that may qualify as
141substitute courses for core graduation requirements and those
142that may be counted as elective courses; and
143     (m)  Strategies to provide professional development for
144secondary guidance counselors on the benefits of career and
145professional academies.
146     (4)  The State Board of Education shall establish a process
147for the continual and uninterrupted review of newly proposed
148core secondary courses and existing courses requested to be
149considered as core courses to ensure that sufficient rigor and
150relevance is provided for workforce skills and postsecondary
151education and aligned to state curriculum standards. The review
152of newly proposed core secondary courses shall be the
153responsibility of a curriculum review committee whose membership
154is approved by the Workforce Florida Board as described in s.
155445.004, and shall include:
156     (a)  Three certified high school guidance counselors
157recommended by the Florida Association of Student Services
158Administrators.
159     (b)  Three assistant superintendents for curriculum and
160instruction, recommended by the Florida Association of District
161School Superintendents and who serve in districts that operate
162successful career and professional academies pursuant to s.
1631003.492. Committee members in this category shall employ the
164expertise of appropriate subject area specialists in the review
165of proposed courses.
166     (c)  Three workforce representatives recommended by the
167Agency for Workforce Innovation.
168     (d)  Three admissions directors of postsecondary
169institutions accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges
170and Schools, representing both public and private institutions.
171     (e)  The Deputy Commissioner of Education responsible for
172K-12 curriculum and instruction. The Deputy Commissioner shall
173employ the expertise of appropriate subject area specialists in
174the review of proposed courses.
175     (5)  The submission and review of newly proposed core
176courses shall be conducted electronically and each proposed core
177course shall be approved or denied within 60 days. All courses
178approved as core courses for high school graduation purposes
179shall be immediately added to the Course Code Directory.
180Approved core courses shall also be reviewed and considered for
181approval for dual enrollment credit. The Board of Governors and
182the Commissioner of Education shall jointly recommend an annual
183deadline for approval of new core courses to be included for
184purposes of postsecondary admissions and dual enrollment credit
185the following academic year. The State Board of Education shall
186establish an appeals process in the event that a proposed course
187is denied which shall require a consensus ruling by the Agency
188for Workforce Innovation and the Commissioner of Education
189within 15 days. The curriculum review committee must be
190established and operational no later than September 1, 2007.
191     Section 2.  Section 1003.492, Florida Statutes, is amended
192to read:
193     1003.492  Industry-certified career education programs.--
194     (1)  A Career and professional academies education program
195within a comprehensive high school program of study shall be
196coordinated with the appropriate industry indicating that all
197components of the program are relevant and appropriate to
198prepare the student for further education or for employment in
199that industry.
200     (2)  The State Board of Education shall use the expertise
201of Workforce Florida, Inc., and Enterprise Florida, Inc., to
202develop and adopt rules pursuant to ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54
203for implementing an industry certification process, which rules
204must establish any necessary procedures for obtaining
205appropriate business partners and requirements for business and
206industry involvement in curriculum oversight and equipment
207procurement. Industry certification shall be defined by the
208Agency for Workforce Innovation, based upon the highest
209available national standards for specific industry
210certification, to ensure student skill proficiency and to
211address emerging labor-market and industry trends. A regional
212workforce board or a career and professional academy may apply
213to Workforce Florida, Inc., to request additions to the approved
214list of industry certifications based on high-demand job
215requirements in the regional economy. The list of industry
216certifications approved by Workforce Florida, Inc., shall be
217published and updated annually by a date certain, to be included
218in the adopted rule.
219     (3)  The Department of Education shall collect study
220student achievement and performance data in industry-certified
221career education programs and shall work with Workforce Florida,
222Inc., and Enterprise Florida, Inc., in the analysis of collected
223data. The department shall identify districts that currently
224operate industry-certified career education programs. The data
225collection and analyses study shall examine the performance of
226participating students over time. Performance factors shall
227include, but not be limited to, graduation rates, retention
228rates, Florida Bright Futures Scholarship awards, additional
229educational attainment, employment records, earnings, and
230industry certification, and employer satisfaction. The results
231of this study shall be submitted to the President of the Senate
232and the Speaker of the House of Representatives annually by
233December 31, 2004.
234     (4)  The Department of Education shall conduct a study to
235determine if a cost factor should be applied to industry-
236certified career education programs and review the need for
237startup funding for the programs. The study shall be completed
238by December 31, 2004, and shall be submitted to the President of
239the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
240     Section 3.  Section 1003.493, Florida Statutes, is amended
241to read:
242     1003.493  Career and professional academies.--
243     (1)  A "career and professional academy" is a
244research-based program that integrates a rigorous academic
245curriculum with an industry-specific industry-driven career
246curriculum aligned directly to priority workforce needs
247established by the regional workforce board. Career and
248professional academies shall may be offered by public schools
249and, school districts., or The Florida Virtual School is
250encouraged to develop and offer rigorous career and professional
251courses as appropriate. Students completing career and
252professional academy programs must receive a standard high
253school diploma, the highest available industry certification,
254and opportunities to earn postsecondary credit if the academy
255partners with a postsecondary institution approved to operate in
256the state.
257     (2)  The goals of a career and professional academy are to:
258     (a)  Increase student academic achievement and graduation
259rates through integrated academic and career curricula.
260     (b)  Prepare graduating high school students to make
261appropriate choices relative to employment and future
262educational experiences.
263     (c)(b)  Focus on career preparation through rigorous
264academics and industry certification.
265     (d)(c)  Raise student aspiration and commitment to academic
266achievement and work ethics through relevant coursework.
267     (e)(d)  Support graduation requirements pursuant to s.
2681003.428 by providing creative, applied major areas of interest
269by providing creative, applied majors as provided by law.
270     (f)(e)  Promote acceleration mechanisms, such as dual
271enrollment, articulated credit, or occupational completion
272points, so that students may earn postsecondary credit while in
273high school.
274     (g)(f)  Support the state's economy by meeting industry
275needs for skilled employees in high-demand occupations.
276     (3)  Existing career education courses may serve as a
277foundation for the creation of a career and professional
278academy. A career and professional academy may be offered as one
279of the following small learning communities:
280     (a)  A school-within-a-school career academy, as part of an
281existing high school, that provides courses in one occupational
282cluster. Students in the high school are not required to be
283students in the academy.
284     (b)  A total school configuration providing multiple
285academies, each structured around an occupational cluster. Every
286student in the school is in an academy.
287     (4)  Each career and professional academy must:
288     (a)  Provide a rigorous standards-based academic curriculum
289integrated with a career curriculum. The curriculum must take
290into consideration multiple styles of student learning; promote
291learning by doing through application and adaptation; maximize
292relevance of the subject matter; enhance each student's capacity
293to excel; and include an emphasis on work habits and work
294ethics.
295     (b)  Include one or more partnerships with postsecondary
296institutions, businesses, industry, employers, economic
297development organizations, or other appropriate partners from
298the local community. Such partnerships shall be delineated in
299articulation agreements to provide for career-based courses that
300earn postsecondary credit. Such agreements may include
301articulation between the academy and public or private 2-year
302and 4-year postsecondary institutions and technical centers. The
303Department of Education, in consultation with the Board of
304Governors, shall establish a mechanism to ensure articulation
305and transfer of credits to postsecondary institutions in this
306state. Such partnerships must provide opportunities for:
307     1.  Instruction from highly skilled professionals who
308possess industry-certification credentials for courses they are
309teaching.
310     2.  Internships, externships, and on-the-job training.
311     3.  A postsecondary degree, diploma, or certificate.
312     4.  The highest available level of industry certification.
313Where no national or state certification exists, school
314districts may establish a local certification in conjunction
315with the local workforce development board, the chamber of
316commerce, or the Agency for Workforce Innovation.
317     5.  Maximum articulation of credits pursuant to s. 1007.23
318upon program completion.
319     (c)  Provide shared, maximum use of private-sector
320facilities and personnel.
321     (d)(c)  Provide personalized creative and tailored student
322advisement, including a parent-participation component, parent
323participation and coordination with middle schools to promote
324and support provide career exploration and education planning as
325required under s. 1003.4156. Coordination with middle schools
326must provide information to middle school students about
327secondary and postsecondary career education programs and
328academies.
329     (e)(d)  Promote and provide opportunities for career and
330professional academy students to attain, at minimum, the Florida
331Gold Seal Vocational Scholars award pursuant to s. 1009.536 a
332career education certification on the high school diploma
333pursuant to s. 1003.431.
334     (f)(e)  Provide instruction in careers designated as high
335growth, high demand, and high pay by the local workforce
336development board, the chamber of commerce, or the Agency for
337Workforce Innovation.
338     (g)(f)  Deliver academic content through instruction
339relevant to the career, including intensive reading and
340mathematics intervention required by s. 1003.428, with an
341emphasis on strengthening reading for information skills.
342     (h)(g)  Offer applied courses that combine academic content
343with technical skills. Such courses must be submitted to the
344Department of Education no later than 5 months before the
345beginning of the school term in which such courses are planned
346to be offered. The State Board of Education must approve or
347disapprove courses no later than 3 months before the beginning
348of the school term in which such courses are planned to be
349offered. The department shall present new courses to the state
350board for approval a minimum of three times annually.
351     (i)(h)  Provide instruction resulting in competency,
352certification, or credentials in workplace skills, including,
353but not limited to, communication skills, interpersonal skills,
354decisionmaking skills, the importance of attendance and
355timeliness in the work environment, and work ethics.
356     (j)(i)  Provide opportunities for students to obtain the
357Florida Ready to Work Certification pursuant to s. 1004.99.
358     (k)(j)  Include an evaluation plan developed jointly with
359the Department of Education and the local workforce board. The
360evaluation plan must include an assessment a self-assessment
361tool based on national industry standards, such as the Career
362Academy National Standards of Practice, and outcome measures,
363including, but not limited to, achievement of industry
364certifications, graduation rates, enrollment in postsecondary
365education, business and industry satisfaction, employment and
366earnings, achievement of industry certification, awards of
367postsecondary credit and scholarships, and FCAT achievement
368levels and learning gains. The Department of Education shall use
369Workforce Florida, Inc., and Enterprise Florida, Inc., in
370identifying industry experts to participate in developing and
371implementing such assessments.
372     (l)  Include a plan to sustain career and professional
373academies.
374     (m)  Redirect appropriated career funding to career and
375professional academies.
376     (5)  All career courses offered in a career and
377professional academy must lead to industry certification or
378college credit linked directly to the career theme of the
379course. At least 50 percent of students enrolled in a career
380course must achieve industry certifications or college credits
381during the second year the course is offered in order for the
382course to be offered a third year. At least 66 percent of
383students enrolled in such a course must achieve industry
384certifications or college credits during the third year the
385course is offered in order for it to be offered a fourth year
386and thereafter.
387     (6)  The Okaloosa County School District CHOICE Institutes
388shall serve in an advisory role and shall offer technical
389assistance in the development of newly established career and
390professional academies for a 3-year period beginning July 1,
3912007.
392     Section 4.  Section 1003.494, Florida Statutes, is
393repealed.
394     Section 5.  Present paragraphs (p) through (t) of
395subsection (1) of section 1011.62, Florida Statutes, are
396redesignated as paragraphs (q) through (u), respectively, and a
397new paragraph (p) is added to that subsection, to read:
398     1011.62  Funds for operation of schools.--If the annual
399allocation from the Florida Education Finance Program to each
400district for operation of schools is not determined in the
401annual appropriations act or the substantive bill implementing
402the annual appropriations act, it shall be determined as
403follows:
404     (1)  COMPUTATION OF THE BASIC AMOUNT TO BE INCLUDED FOR
405OPERATION.--The following procedure shall be followed in
406determining the annual allocation to each district for
407operation:
408     (p)  Calculation of additional full-time equivalent
409membership based on certification of successful completion of
410industry-certified career and professional academy programs
411pursuant to s. 1003.492.--A value of 0.3 full-time equivalent
412student membership shall be calculated for each student who
413completes an industry-certified career and professional academy
414program under s. 1003.492 and who is issued an industry
415certificate. Such value shall be added to the total full-time
416equivalent student membership in secondary career education
417programs for grades 9 through 12 in the subsequent year for
418courses that were not funded through dual enrollment. Unless a
419different amount is specified in the General Appropriations Act,
420the appropriation for this calculation is limited to $30 million
421annually. If the appropriation is insufficient to fully fund the
422total calculation, the appropriation shall be prorated.
423     Section 6.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2007.


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