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A bill to be entitled

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An act relating to public educational instruction;

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creating s. 1003.4285, F.S.; requiring the Commissioner of

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Education to create designations to be applied to standard

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high school diplomas and to establish guidelines for

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passage of exams or coursework options related to

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accelerated college credit; creating s. 1003.495, F.S.;

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providing a purpose; requiring public high schools to

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offer advanced placement courses in certain subjects;

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requiring the State Board of Education to develop and

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adopt a plan for implementing advanced placement

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coursework in public high schools; amending s. 1011.62,

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F.S.; deleting the monetary limitation on bonuses awarded

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to teachers when education funding is not determined in

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the annual appropriations act or the implementing bill;

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providing an effective date.

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Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

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     Section 1.  Section 1003.4285, Florida Statutes, is created

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to read:

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     1003.4285 Designations for standard high school diplomas.--

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     (1) The Commissioner of Education shall create designations

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to be applied to standard high school diplomas. The designations

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shall identify unique coursework or accomplishments of the

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student for purposes of postsecondary education or the workforce.

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     (2) The Commissioner of Education shall establish

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designations for:

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     (a) Major areas of interest.--A student shall receive a

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designation as having completed courses in a major area of

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interest pursuant to the student's completion of credits as

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provided in s. 1003.428.

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     (b) Accelerated college credit.--A student who successfully

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passes four or more college-credit exams in advanced placement,

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International Baccalaureate, Advanced International Certificate

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of Education, or dual enrollment coursework shall receive the

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designation of having completed accelerated college credit. The

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Commissioner of Education shall establish guidelines for

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successful passage of exams or coursework in each of the options

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for accelerated college credit.

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     Section 2.  Section 1003.495, Florida Statutes, is created

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to read:

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     1003.495 Advanced placement courses and teacher training.--

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     (1) The purpose of this section is to ensure that each high

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school student in this state has equal access to a substantive,

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rigorous curriculum that is designed to challenge his or her

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mind, enhance his or her knowledge and skills, and prepare him or

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her for success in college and work.

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     (2) By the 2008-2009 school year, each high school in the

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state shall offer at least four advanced placement courses, one

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each in English, mathematics, science, and social studies. In

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order to fulfill this requirement, a high school may use the

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advanced placement course offerings provided by the Florida

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Virtual School created in s. 1002.37.

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     (3) To assist with the implementation of rigorous advanced

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placement coursework in this state, the State Board of Education

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shall develop and adopt a comprehensive plan for success that:

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     (a) Ensures that students have equal access to a

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substantive, rigorous curriculum that is designed to challenge

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their minds and enhance their knowledge and skills to prepare

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them for the demands of advanced placement coursework.

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     (b) Establishes guidelines and a timeline for teachers who

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teach advanced placement and preadvanced placement courses to

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receive training endorsed by the College Board in necessary

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content knowledge and instructional skills in order to prepare

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students for success in advanced placement courses and exams.

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     (c) Supports school administrators and guidance counselors

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in attaining professional development that enables them to create

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strong and effective advanced placement programs in their

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schools.

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     (d) Assists teachers and school leaders in middle schools

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and high schools in implementing vertical team training and other

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preadvanced placement training in order to prepare students for

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success in advanced placement courses.

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     (e) Creates long-term and annual statewide goals for

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increasing:

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     1. The number and percentage of students enrolling in and

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completing advanced placement courses.

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     2. The number and percentage of students receiving a score

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of 3 or higher on advanced placement exams.

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     3. The number and percentage of low-income students

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enrolling in and completing advanced placement courses.

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     4. The number and percentage of low-income students

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receiving a score of 3 or higher on advanced placement exams.

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     (f) Leverages federal and private funding available for

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advanced placement and preadvanced placement incentives and

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training.

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     (g) Focuses state and federal funding to carry out

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activities that are directed towards school districts serving

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high concentrations of low-income and underrepresented students.

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     (h) Provides a plan of communication that emphasizes the

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importance of advanced placement courses or other advanced

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courses to a student's ability to gain access to and succeed in

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postsecondary education. The plan for such communication should

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include information that is relevant to students, teachers,

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counselors, administrators, school districts, community colleges,

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and state universities.

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     (i) Annually evaluates the effect of the implementation of

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this section on the rates of student enrollment and success in

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advanced placement courses, on high school graduation rates, and

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on college enrollment rates. The evaluation must include a review

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of the progress toward meeting the goals set pursuant to

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paragraph (e).

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     Section 3.  Paragraphs (l), (m), and (n) of subsection (1)

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of section 1011.62, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:

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     1011.62  Funds for operation of schools.--If the annual

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allocation from the Florida Education Finance Program to each

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district for operation of schools is not determined in the annual

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appropriations act or the substantive bill implementing the

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annual appropriations act, it shall be determined as follows:

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     (1)  COMPUTATION OF THE BASIC AMOUNT TO BE INCLUDED FOR

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OPERATION.--The following procedure shall be followed in

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determining the annual allocation to each district for operation:

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     (l)  Calculation of additional full-time equivalent

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membership based on International Baccalaureate international

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baccalaureate examination scores of students.--A value of 0.24

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full-time equivalent student membership shall be calculated for

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each student enrolled in an International Baccalaureate

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international baccalaureate course who receives a score of 4 or

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higher on a subject examination. A value of 0.3 full-time

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equivalent student membership shall be calculated for each

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student who receives an International Baccalaureate international

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baccalaureate diploma. Such value shall be added to the total

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full-time equivalent student membership in basic programs for

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grades 9 through 12 in the subsequent fiscal year. The school

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district shall distribute to each classroom teacher who provided

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international baccalaureate instruction:

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     1.  A bonus in the amount of $50 for each student taught by

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the International Baccalaureate teacher in each International

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Baccalaureate international baccalaureate course who receives a

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score of 4 or higher on the International Baccalaureate

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international baccalaureate examination.

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     2.  An additional bonus of $500 to each International

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Baccalaureate teacher in a school designated with a grade of "D"

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or "F" who has at least one student scoring 4 or higher on the

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International Baccalaureate international baccalaureate

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examination, regardless of the number of classes taught or of the

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number of students scoring a 4 or higher on the International

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Baccalaureate international baccalaureate examination.

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Bonuses awarded to a teacher according to this paragraph shall

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not exceed $2,000 in any given school year and shall be in

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addition to any regular wage or other bonus the teacher received

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or is scheduled to receive.

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     (m)  Calculation of additional full-time equivalent

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membership based on Advanced International Certificate of

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Education examination scores of students.--A value of 0.24 full-

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time equivalent student membership shall be calculated for each

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student enrolled in a full-credit Advanced International

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Certificate of Education course who receives a score of E or

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higher on a subject examination. A value of 0.12 full-time

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equivalent student membership shall be calculated for each

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student enrolled in a half-credit Advanced International

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Certificate of Education course who receives a score of E or

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higher on a subject examination. A value of 0.3 full-time

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equivalent student membership shall be calculated for each

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student who receives an Advanced International Certificate of

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Education diploma. Such value shall be added to the total full-

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time equivalent student membership in basic programs for grades 9

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through 12 in the subsequent fiscal year. The school district

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shall distribute to each classroom teacher who provided Advanced

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International Certificate of Education instruction:

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     1.  A bonus in the amount of $50 for each student taught by

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the Advanced International Certificate of Education teacher in

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each full-credit Advanced International Certificate of Education

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course who receives a score of E or higher on the Advanced

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International Certificate of Education examination. A bonus in

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the amount of $25 for each student taught by the Advanced

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International Certificate of Education teacher in each half-

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credit Advanced International Certificate of Education course who

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receives a score of E or higher on the Advanced International

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Certificate of Education examination.

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     2.  An additional bonus of $500 to each Advanced

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International Certificate of Education teacher in a school

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designated with a grade of "D" or "F" who has at least one

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student scoring E or higher on the full-credit Advanced

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International Certificate of Education examination, regardless of

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the number of classes taught or of the number of students scoring

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an E or higher on the full-credit Advanced International

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Certificate of Education examination.

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     3.  Additional bonuses of $250 each to teachers of half-

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credit Advanced International Certificate of Education classes in

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a school designated with a grade of "D" or "F" which has at least

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one student scoring an E or higher on the half-credit Advanced

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International Certificate of Education examination in that class.

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The maximum additional bonus for a teacher awarded in accordance

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with this subparagraph shall not exceed $500 in any given school

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year. Teachers receiving an award under subparagraph 2. are not

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eligible for a bonus under this subparagraph.

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Bonuses awarded to a teacher according to this paragraph shall

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not exceed $2,000 in any given school year and shall be in

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addition to any regular wage or other bonus the teacher received

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or is scheduled to receive.

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     (n)  Calculation of additional full-time equivalent

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membership based on college board advanced placement scores of

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students.--A value of 0.24 full-time equivalent student

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membership shall be calculated for each student in each advanced

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placement course who receives a score of 3 or higher on the

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College Board Advanced Placement Examination for the prior year

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and added to the total full-time equivalent student membership in

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basic programs for grades 9 through 12 in the subsequent fiscal

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year. Each district must allocate at least 80 percent of the

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funds provided to the district for advanced placement

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instruction, in accordance with this paragraph, to the high

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school that generates the funds. The school district shall

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distribute to each classroom teacher who provided advanced

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placement instruction:

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     1.  A bonus in the amount of $50 for each student taught by

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the Advanced Placement teacher in each advanced placement course

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who receives a score of 3 or higher on the College Board Advanced

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Placement Examination.

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     2.  An additional bonus of $500 to each Advanced Placement

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teacher in a school designated with a grade of "D" or "F" who has

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at least one student scoring 3 or higher on the College Board

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Advanced Placement Examination, regardless of the number of

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classes taught or of the number of students scoring a 3 or higher

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on the College Board Advanced Placement Examination.

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Bonuses awarded to a teacher according to this paragraph shall

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not exceed $2,000 in any given school year and shall be in

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addition to any regular wage or other bonus the teacher received

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or is scheduled to receive.

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     Section 4.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2008.