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A bill to be entitled

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An act relating to credentials under the Florida Ready to

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Work Certification Program; amending s. 445.004, F.S.;

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providing that the powers and duties of Workforce Florida,

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Inc., include ensuring consistent usage of a credential

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made available under the Florida Ready to Work

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Certification Program; amending s. 1003.428, F.S.;

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requiring certain students to earn a Florida Ready to Work

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Credential in order to graduate from high school with a

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major area of interest in a career or technical area;

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amending s. 1009.536, F.S.; requiring that certain

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students earn a Gold Level Florida Ready to Work

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Credential in order to be eligible for the Florida Gold

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Seal Vocational Scholars award; providing an effective

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date.

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

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     Section 1.  Paragraph (j) is added to subsection (5) of

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section 445.004, Florida Statutes, to read:

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     445.004  Workforce Florida, Inc.; creation; purpose;

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membership; duties and powers.--

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     (5)  Workforce Florida, Inc., shall have all the powers and

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authority, not explicitly prohibited by statute, necessary or

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convenient to carry out and effectuate the purposes as determined

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by statute, Pub. L. No. 105-220, and the Governor, as well as its

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functions, duties, and responsibilities, including, but not

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limited to, the following:

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     (j) Ensuring consistent usage of a statewide workforce

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credential made available pursuant to s. 1004.99 in partnership

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with the Department of Education.

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     Section 2.  Paragraph (b) of subsection (2) of section

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1003.428, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:

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     1003.428  General requirements for high school graduation;

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revised.--

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     (2)  The 24 credits may be earned through applied,

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integrated, and combined courses approved by the Department of

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Education and shall be distributed as follows:

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     (b)  Eight credits in majors, minors, or electives:

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     1.  Four credits in a major area of interest, such as

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sequential courses in a career and technical program, fine and

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performing arts, or academic content area, selected by the

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student as part of the education plan required by s. 1003.4156.

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Students may revise major areas of interest each year as part of

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annual course registration processes and should update their

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education plan to reflect such revisions. Annually by October 1,

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the district school board shall approve major areas of interest

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and submit the list of majors to the Commissioner of Education

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for approval. Each major area of interest shall be deemed

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approved unless specifically rejected by the commissioner within

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60 days. Upon approval, each district's major areas of interest

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shall be available for use by all school districts and shall be

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posted on the department's website. Beginning with students

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entering their first year of high school in the 2008-2009 school

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year, a student must earn a Florida Ready to Work Credential as

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made available pursuant to s. 1004.99 in order to graduate with a

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major area of interest that is in a career or technical area.

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     2.  Four credits in elective courses selected by the student

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as part of the education plan required by s. 1003.4156. These

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credits may be combined to allow for a second major area of

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interest pursuant to subparagraph 1., a minor area of interest,

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elective courses, or intensive reading or mathematics

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intervention courses as described in this subparagraph.

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     a.  Minor areas of interest are composed of three credits

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selected by the student as part of the education plan required by

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s. 1003.4156 and approved by the district school board.

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     b.  Elective courses are selected by the student in order to

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pursue a complete education program as described in s. 1001.41(3)

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and to meet eligibility requirements for scholarships.

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     c.  For each year in which a student scores at Level l on

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FCAT Reading, the student must be enrolled in and complete an

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intensive reading course the following year. Placement of Level 2

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readers in either an intensive reading course or a content area

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course in which reading strategies are delivered shall be

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determined by diagnosis of reading needs. The department shall

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provide guidance on appropriate strategies for diagnosing and

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meeting the varying instructional needs of students reading below

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grade level. Reading courses shall be designed and offered

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pursuant to the comprehensive reading plan required by s.

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1011.62(8).

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     d.  For each year in which a student scores at Level 1 or

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Level 2 on FCAT Mathematics, the student must receive remediation

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the following year. These courses may be taught through applied,

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integrated, or combined courses and are subject to approval by

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the department for inclusion in the Course Code Directory.

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     Section 3.  Paragraph (e) is added to subsection (1) of

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section 1009.536, Florida Statutes, to read:

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     1009.536  Florida Gold Seal Vocational Scholars award.--The

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Florida Gold Seal Vocational Scholars award is created within the

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Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program to recognize and

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reward academic achievement and career preparation by high school

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students who wish to continue their education.

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     (1)  A student is eligible for a Florida Gold Seal

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Vocational Scholars award if the student meets the general

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eligibility requirements for the Florida Bright Futures

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Scholarship Program and the student:

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     (e) Beginning with students entering their first year of

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high school in the 2008-2009 school year, earns a Gold Level

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Florida Ready to Work Credential as made available pursuant to s.

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1004.99.

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     Section 4.  This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.