1 | Schools & Learning Council offered the following: |
2 |
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3 | Amendment (with title amendment) |
4 | Between lines 161 and 162, insert: |
5 | Section 3. Section 1003.215, Florida Statutes, is created |
6 | to read: |
7 | 1003.215 Student Preparedness Pilot Program.-- |
8 | (1) The Legislature finds it to be in the public interest |
9 | that all students exit from the public schools with academic |
10 | skills that provide the students with the opportunity to pursue |
11 | postsecondary education or with skills that lead to ready to |
12 | work certification, industry certification, or skill licensure. |
13 | (2)(a) Beginning with the 2008-2009 school year, and |
14 | continuing through the 2014-2015 school year, there is created |
15 | the Student Preparedness Pilot Program to be piloted by school |
16 | districts. Students in a school district selected to implement |
17 | the pilot program pursuant to subsection (3) who attain the age |
18 | of 16 years but have not reached the age of 18 years and who |
19 | choose to exercise their option not to regularly attend school |
20 | pursuant to s. 1003.21(1)(c) shall be subject to the attendance |
21 | and completion requirements of this section. |
22 | (b) In the 2008-2009 school year, each school district |
23 | selected pursuant to subsection (3) shall review, identify, and |
24 | develop curricula options for the implementation of the pilot |
25 | program requirements pursuant to paragraph (5)(a) for students |
26 | who attain the age of 16 years but have not reached the age of |
27 | 18 years whose academic goals may not include a traditional high |
28 | school diploma. These options shall include, but are not limited |
29 | to, nontraditional academic options and flexible attendance |
30 | options and may include a phase-in of students by age or grade. |
31 | Each selected school district must develop a plan to meet the |
32 | student's needs and the attendance and completion requirements |
33 | of this section prior to implementation of the pilot program in |
34 | the 2009-2010 school year. |
35 | (3) The Department of Education shall develop an |
36 | application process for all school districts to apply to |
37 | participate in the pilot program. The State Board of Education |
38 | shall select the pilot program districts, one of which shall be |
39 | the Duval County School District. |
40 | (4) Parents of public school students enrolled in a |
41 | participating pilot program district must receive accurate and |
42 | timely information regarding their child's academic progress and |
43 | must be informed of ways they can help their child to succeed in |
44 | school. |
45 | (5)(a) A student in a participating pilot program district |
46 | who attains the age of 16 years but has not reached the age of |
47 | 18 years has the right to file a formal declaration of intent to |
48 | terminate school enrollment if the declaration is signed by the |
49 | parent. The parent has the right to be notified by the school |
50 | district of the district's receipt of the student's declaration |
51 | of intent to terminate school enrollment. The student's guidance |
52 | counselor or other school personnel must conduct an exit |
53 | interview pursuant to s. 1003.21(1)(c). Any student in a |
54 | participating pilot program district who files a declaration |
55 | seeking to terminate school enrollment but has not reached the |
56 | age of 18 years shall be required, until completion or |
57 | attainment of the age of 18 years, to continue pursuing credits |
58 | toward a high school diploma, pursue a high school equivalency |
59 | diploma with participation in the Florida Ready to Work |
60 | Certification Program under s. 1004.99, participate in a career |
61 | or job training program leading to industry certification or |
62 | skill licensure that is developed by or in cooperation with the |
63 | district school board, or participate in the Florida Ready to |
64 | Work Certification Program under s. 1004.99. |
65 | (b) A Student Preparedness Pilot Program student subject |
66 | to the attendance and completion requirements of this section is |
67 | not an "eligible student" for purposes of school grading under |
68 | s. 1008.34(3)(b) if the student has selected a nontraditional |
69 | academic option of the pilot program. |
70 | (6) Students who become or have become married or who are |
71 | pregnant and parenting have the right to attend school and |
72 | receive the same or equivalent educational instruction as other |
73 | students. |
74 | (7) The Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government |
75 | Accountability (OPPAGA), in cooperation with the participating |
76 | pilot program districts, the applicable state attorneys' offices |
77 | and regional workforce boards, the Agency for Workforce |
78 | Innovation, the Department of Education, and the Department of |
79 | Juvenile Justice, shall conduct a study annually of the impact |
80 | of the pilot program on dropout and graduation rates, on the |
81 | employability of students, and on juvenile crime, using 2007- |
82 | 2008 data as the baseline for the research. OPPAGA shall develop |
83 | criteria for collection and reporting of data with input from |
84 | the cooperating entities. The results of each annual report |
85 | shall be made available to participating pilot program |
86 | districts, the applicable state attorneys' offices and regional |
87 | workforce boards, the Agency for Workforce Education, the |
88 | Department of Education, the Department of Juvenile Justice, the |
89 | Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the |
90 | House of Representatives by January 1 following each school |
91 | year, beginning January 1, 2012. |
92 | Section 4. Subsections (8) and (13) of section 1003.01, |
93 | Florida Statutes, are amended to read: |
94 | 1003.01 Definitions.--As used in this chapter, the term: |
95 | (8) "Habitual truant" means a student who: has 15 |
96 | unexcused absences within 90 calendar days with or without the |
97 | knowledge or consent of the student's parent;, is subject to |
98 | compulsory school attendance under s. 1003.21(1) and (2)(a) or |
99 | is subject to the Student Preparedness Pilot Program under s. |
100 | 1003.215;, and is not exempt under s. 1003.21(3), or s. 1003.24, |
101 | or by meeting the criteria for any other exemption specified by |
102 | law or rules of the State Board of Education. Such a student |
103 | must have been the subject of the activities specified in ss. |
104 | 1003.26 and 1003.27(3), without resultant successful remediation |
105 | of the truancy problem before being dealt with as a child in |
106 | need of services according to the provisions of chapter 984. |
107 | (13)(a) "Regular school attendance" means the actual |
108 | attendance of a student during the school day as defined by law |
109 | and rules of the State Board of Education. Regular attendance |
110 | within the intent of s. 1003.21 may be achieved by attendance |
111 | in: |
112 | 1.(a) A public school supported by public funds; |
113 | 2.(b) A parochial, religious, or denominational school; |
114 | 3.(c) A private school supported in whole or in part by |
115 | tuition charges or by endowments or gifts; |
116 | 4.(d) A home education program that meets the requirements |
117 | of chapter 1002; or |
118 | 5.(e) A private tutoring program that meets the |
119 | requirements of chapter 1002. |
120 | (b) "Regular program attendance" for a student in the |
121 | Student Preparedness Pilot Program under s. 1003.215 means |
122 | actual attendance by the student in traditional or |
123 | nontraditional academic options as defined by law and rules of |
124 | the State Board of Education. The district school superintendent |
125 | shall be responsible for enforcing such attendance. |
126 | Section 5. Paragraph (c) of subsection (1) of section |
127 | 1003.21, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: |
128 | 1003.21 School attendance.-- |
129 | (1) |
130 | (c) A student who attains the age of 16 years during the |
131 | school year is not subject to compulsory school attendance |
132 | beyond the date upon which he or she attains that age if the |
133 | student files a formal declaration of intent to terminate school |
134 | enrollment with the district school board. Public school |
135 | students who have attained the age of 16 years and who have not |
136 | graduated are subject to compulsory school attendance until the |
137 | formal declaration of intent is filed with the district school |
138 | board. The declaration must acknowledge that terminating school |
139 | enrollment is likely to reduce the student's earning potential |
140 | and must be signed by the student and the student's parent. The |
141 | school district must notify the student's parent of receipt of |
142 | the student's declaration of intent to terminate school |
143 | enrollment. The student's guidance counselor or other school |
144 | personnel must conduct an exit interview with the student to |
145 | determine the reasons for the student's decision to terminate |
146 | school enrollment and actions that could be taken to keep the |
147 | student in school. The student must be informed of opportunities |
148 | to continue his or her education in a different environment, |
149 | including, but not limited to, adult education and GED test |
150 | preparation. Additionally, the student must complete a survey in |
151 | a format prescribed by the Department of Education to provide |
152 | data on student reasons for terminating enrollment and actions |
153 | taken by schools to keep students enrolled. A student enrolled |
154 | in a Student Preparedness Pilot Program school district must |
155 | receive information regarding the program's attendance and |
156 | completion requirements under s. 1003.215. |
157 | Section 6. Paragraph (f) of subsection (1) of section |
158 | 1003.26, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: |
159 | 1003.26 Enforcement of school attendance.--The Legislature |
160 | finds that poor academic performance is associated with |
161 | nonattendance and that school districts must take an active role |
162 | in promoting and enforcing attendance as a means of improving |
163 | student performance. It is the policy of the state that each |
164 | district school superintendent be responsible for enforcing |
165 | school attendance of all students subject to the compulsory |
166 | school age in the school district and supporting enforcement of |
167 | school attendance by local law enforcement agencies. The |
168 | responsibility includes recommending policies and procedures to |
169 | the district school board that require public schools to respond |
170 | in a timely manner to every unexcused absence, and every absence |
171 | for which the reason is unknown, of students enrolled in the |
172 | schools. District school board policies shall require the parent |
173 | of a student to justify each absence of the student, and that |
174 | justification will be evaluated based on adopted district school |
175 | board policies that define excused and unexcused absences. The |
176 | policies must provide that public schools track excused and |
177 | unexcused absences and contact the home in the case of an |
178 | unexcused absence from school, or an absence from school for |
179 | which the reason is unknown, to prevent the development of |
180 | patterns of nonattendance. The Legislature finds that early |
181 | intervention in school attendance is the most effective way of |
182 | producing good attendance habits that will lead to improved |
183 | student learning and achievement. Each public school shall |
184 | implement the following steps to promote and enforce regular |
185 | school attendance: |
186 | (1) CONTACT, REFER, AND ENFORCE.-- |
187 | (f)1. If the parent of a child who has been identified as |
188 | exhibiting a pattern of nonattendance enrolls the child in a |
189 | home education program pursuant to chapter 1002, the district |
190 | school superintendent shall provide the parent a copy of s. |
191 | 1002.41 and the accountability requirements of this paragraph. |
192 | The district school superintendent shall also refer the parent |
193 | to a home education review committee composed of the district |
194 | contact for home education programs and at least two home |
195 | educators selected by the parent from a district list of all |
196 | home educators who have conducted a home education program for |
197 | at least 3 years and who have indicated a willingness to serve |
198 | on the committee. The home education review committee shall |
199 | review the portfolio of the student, as defined by s. 1002.41, |
200 | every 30 days during the district's regular school terms until |
201 | the committee is satisfied that the home education program is in |
202 | compliance with s. 1002.41(1)(b). The first portfolio review |
203 | must occur within the first 30 calendar days of the |
204 | establishment of the program. The provisions of subparagraph 2. |
205 | do not apply once the committee determines the home education |
206 | program is in compliance with s. 1002.41(1)(b). |
207 | 2. If the parent fails to provide a portfolio to the |
208 | committee, the committee shall notify the district school |
209 | superintendent. The district school superintendent shall then |
210 | terminate the home education program and require the parent to |
211 | enroll the child in an attendance option that meets the |
212 | definition of "regular school attendance" under s. |
213 | 1003.01(13)(a)1., 2., 3., or 5., (b), (c), or (e), within 3 |
214 | days. Upon termination of a home education program pursuant to |
215 | this subparagraph, the parent shall not be eligible to reenroll |
216 | the child in a home education program for 180 calendar days. |
217 | Failure of a parent to enroll the child in an attendance option |
218 | as required by this subparagraph after termination of the home |
219 | education program pursuant to this subparagraph shall constitute |
220 | noncompliance with the compulsory attendance requirements of s. |
221 | 1003.21 and may result in criminal prosecution under s. |
222 | 1003.27(2). Nothing contained herein shall restrict the ability |
223 | of the district school superintendent, or the ability of his or |
224 | her designee, to review the portfolio pursuant to s. |
225 | 1002.41(1)(b). |
226 | Section 7. Paragraph (d) of subsection (3) of section |
227 | 1004.99, Florida Statutes, is amended, subsection (4) is |
228 | renumbered as subsection (5), and a new subsection (4) is added |
229 | to that section, to read: |
230 | 1004.99 Florida Ready to Work Certification Program.-- |
231 | (3) The Florida Ready to Work Certification Program shall |
232 | be composed of: |
233 | (d) A Florida Ready to Work Credential certificate and |
234 | portfolio awarded to students upon successful completion of the |
235 | instruction. Each portfolio must delineate the skills |
236 | demonstrated by the student as evidence of the student's |
237 | preparation for employment. |
238 | (4) A Florida Ready to Work Credential shall be awarded to |
239 | a student who successfully passes assessments in Reading for |
240 | Information, Applied Mathematics, and Locating Information or |
241 | any other assessments of comparable rigor. Each assessment shall |
242 | be scored on a scale of 3 to 7. The level of the credential each |
243 | student receives is based on the following: |
244 | (a) A bronze-level credential requires a minimum score of |
245 | 3 or above on each of the assessments. |
246 | (b) A silver-level credential requires a minimum score of |
247 | 4 or above on each of the assessments. |
248 | (c) A gold-level credential requires a minimum score of 5 |
249 | or above on each of the assessments. |
250 | Section 8. Paragraph (b) of subsection (2) of section |
251 | 1003.428, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: |
252 | 1003.428 General requirements for high school graduation; |
253 | revised.-- |
254 | (2) The 24 credits may be earned through applied, |
255 | integrated, and combined courses approved by the Department of |
256 | Education and shall be distributed as follows: |
257 | (b) Eight credits in majors, minors, or electives: |
258 | 1. Four credits in a major area of interest, such as |
259 | sequential courses in a career and technical program, fine and |
260 | performing arts, or academic content area, selected by the |
261 | student as part of the education plan required by s. 1003.4156. |
262 | Students may revise major areas of interest each year as part of |
263 | annual course registration processes and should update their |
264 | education plan to reflect such revisions. Annually by October 1, |
265 | the district school board shall approve major areas of interest |
266 | and submit the list of majors to the Commissioner of Education |
267 | for approval. Each major area of interest shall be deemed |
268 | approved unless specifically rejected by the commissioner within |
269 | 60 days. Upon approval, each district's major areas of interest |
270 | shall be available for use by all school districts and shall be |
271 | posted on the department's website. Beginning with students |
272 | entering grade 9 in the 2008-2009 school year, a student must |
273 | earn a Florida Ready to Work Credential as created under s. |
274 | 1004.99 in order to graduate with a career or technical major |
275 | area of interest. |
276 | 2. Four credits in elective courses selected by the |
277 | student as part of the education plan required by s. 1003.4156. |
278 | These credits may be combined to allow for a second major area |
279 | of interest pursuant to subparagraph 1., a minor area of |
280 | interest, elective courses, or intensive reading or mathematics |
281 | intervention courses as described in this subparagraph. |
282 | a. Minor areas of interest are composed of three credits |
283 | selected by the student as part of the education plan required |
284 | by s. 1003.4156 and approved by the district school board. |
285 | b. Elective courses are selected by the student in order |
286 | to pursue a complete education program as described in s. |
287 | 1001.41(3) and to meet eligibility requirements for |
288 | scholarships. |
289 | c. For each year in which a student scores at Level l on |
290 | FCAT Reading, the student must be enrolled in and complete an |
291 | intensive reading course the following year. Placement of Level |
292 | 2 readers in either an intensive reading course or a content |
293 | area course in which reading strategies are delivered shall be |
294 | determined by diagnosis of reading needs. The department shall |
295 | provide guidance on appropriate strategies for diagnosing and |
296 | meeting the varying instructional needs of students reading |
297 | below grade level. Reading courses shall be designed and offered |
298 | pursuant to the comprehensive reading plan required by s. |
299 | 1011.62(8). |
300 | d. For each year in which a student scores at Level 1 or |
301 | Level 2 on FCAT Mathematics, the student must receive |
302 | remediation the following year. These courses may be taught |
303 | through applied, integrated, or combined courses and are subject |
304 | to approval by the department for inclusion in the Course Code |
305 | Directory. |
306 | Section 9. Subsection (1) of section 1009.536, Florida |
307 | Statutes, is amended to read: |
308 | 1009.536 Florida Gold Seal Vocational Scholars award.--The |
309 | Florida Gold Seal Vocational Scholars award is created within |
310 | the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program to recognize and |
311 | reward academic achievement and career preparation by high |
312 | school students who wish to continue their education. |
313 | (1) A student is eligible for a Florida Gold Seal |
314 | Vocational Scholars award if the student meets the general |
315 | eligibility requirements for the Florida Bright Futures |
316 | Scholarship Program and the student: |
317 | (a) Completes the secondary school portion of a sequential |
318 | program of studies that requires at least three secondary school |
319 | career credits taken over at least 2 academic years, and is |
320 | continued in a planned, related postsecondary education program. |
321 | If the student's school does not offer such a two-plus-two or |
322 | tech-prep program, the student must complete a job-preparatory |
323 | career education program selected by Workforce Florida, Inc., |
324 | for its ability to provide high-wage employment in an occupation |
325 | with high potential for employment opportunities. On-the-job |
326 | training may not be substituted for any of the three required |
327 | career credits. |
328 | (b) Demonstrates readiness for postsecondary education by |
329 | earning a passing score on the Florida College Entry Level |
330 | Placement Test or its equivalent as identified by the Department |
331 | of Education. |
332 | (c) Earns a minimum cumulative weighted grade point |
333 | average of 3.0, as calculated pursuant to s. 1009.531, on all |
334 | subjects required for a standard high school diploma, excluding |
335 | elective courses. |
336 | (d) Earns a minimum unweighted grade point average of 3.5 |
337 | on a 4.0 scale for secondary career courses comprising the |
338 | career program. |
339 | (e) Beginning with students entering grade 9 in the 2008- |
340 | 2009 school year, earns a gold-level Florida Ready to Work |
341 | Credential as created under s. 1004.99. |
342 | Section 10. Paragraph (j) is added to subsection (5) of |
343 | section 445.004, Florida Statutes, to read: |
344 | 445.004 Workforce Florida, Inc.; creation; purpose; |
345 | membership; duties and powers.-- |
346 | (5) Workforce Florida, Inc., shall have all the powers and |
347 | authority, not explicitly prohibited by statute, necessary or |
348 | convenient to carry out and effectuate the purposes as |
349 | determined by statute, Pub. L. No. 105-220, and the Governor, as |
350 | well as its functions, duties, and responsibilities, including, |
351 | but not limited to, the following: |
352 | (j) In partnership with the Department of Education, |
353 | ensuring consistent use of the Florida Ready to Work Credential |
354 | as created under s. 1004.99. |
355 |
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356 |
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357 | ----------------------------------------------------- |
358 | T I T L E A M E N D M E N T |
359 | Remove line(s) 2-24 and insert: |
360 | An act relating to alternative high school courses and programs; |
361 | creating s. 1002.375, F.S.; establishing a pilot project for |
362 | awarding high school credit to students enrolled in industry |
363 | certification programs; requiring the Commissioner of Education |
364 | to establish criteria for program participation; requiring that |
365 | a school district submit a letter of interest by a specified |
366 | date in order to participate in the pilot project; requiring |
367 | that the Commissioner of Education submit a report to the |
368 | Governor and the Legislature; providing for specified courses to |
369 | be included as alternative credit courses; exempting alternative |
370 | credit courses from certain requirements; authorizing the |
371 | Department of Education to approve certain courses for credit by |
372 | examination; requiring the Department of Education to adopt |
373 | passing minimum scores on approved assessments and maintain a |
374 | course directory; requiring the State Board of Education to |
375 | adopt rules; amending s. 1011.61, F.S., relating to definitions |
376 | for the Florida Education Finance Program; providing for an |
377 | alternate method of reporting full-time equivalent membership |
378 | for credit earned in alternative high school credit courses for |
379 | the pilot project created under s. 1002.375, F.S.; creating s. |
380 | 1003.215, F.S.; creating the Student Preparedness Pilot Program; |
381 | requiring the Duval County School District and each selected |
382 | school district to review and identify curricula options for |
383 | certain students; requiring students who attain the age of 16 |
384 | years but have not reached the age of 18 years in pilot program |
385 | districts who do not regularly attend school to be subject to |
386 | specific attendance and completion requirements; providing for |
387 | an application and selection process for school district |
388 | participation; specifying procedures for termination of school |
389 | enrollment and requirements for pilot program attendance and |
390 | completion; specifying that students who select a nontraditional |
391 | academic option are not eligible students for purposes of school |
392 | grading; requiring an annual study and reporting by the Office |
393 | of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability; |
394 | amending s. 1003.01, F.S.; providing that habitual truancy |
395 | provisions apply to students subject to pilot program |
396 | requirements; defining regular program attendance in a pilot |
397 | program school district; amending s. 1003.21, F.S.; requiring a |
398 | student in a pilot program school district to be informed of |
399 | attendance and completion requirements; amending s. 1003.26, |
400 | F.S.; conforming cross-references; amending s. 1004.99, F.S., |
401 | relating to the Florida Ready to Work Program; providing |
402 | requirements for attaining bronze, silver, and gold credential |
403 | levels; amending s. 1003.428, F.S.; requiring a student to earn |
404 | the credential for high school graduation with a career or |
405 | technical major area of interest; amending s. 1009.536, F.S.; |
406 | requiring a student to earn the credential for receipt of a |
407 | Florida Gold Seal Vocational Scholars award; amending s. |
408 | 445.004, F.S.; requiring Workforce Florida, Inc., and the |
409 | Department of Education to ensure consistent use of the |
410 | credential; providing an effective date. |