Amendment
Bill No. CS/CS/HB 1293

Amendment No. 312843

CHAMBER ACTION
Senate		House
.
.
.

---

---

1	Representative Fresen offered the following:
2
3	Amendment (with title amendment)
4	Remove everything after the enacting clause and insert:
5
6	Section 1.  Subsection (1), paragraph (a) of subsection
7	(2), and subsections (5) through (11) of section 1003.428,
8	Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
9	1003.428  General requirements for high school graduation;
10	revised.--
11	(1)  Except as otherwise authorized pursuant to s.
12	1003.429, beginning with students entering their first year of
13	high school in the 2007-2008 school year, graduation requires
14	the successful completion of a minimum of 24 credits, an
15	International Baccalaureate curriculum, or an Advanced
16	International Certificate of Education curriculum. Students must
17	be advised of the Advanced Placement, International
18	Baccalaureate, Advanced International Certificate of Education,
19	career academy coursework that leads to national industry
20	certification, and dual enrollment courses available, as well as
21	the availability of course offerings through the Florida Virtual
22	School. Students must also be advised of eligibility
23	requirements for state scholarship programs and postsecondary
24	admissions.
25	(2)  The 24 credits may be earned through applied,
26	integrated, and combined courses approved by the Department of
27	Education and shall be distributed as follows:
28	(a)  Sixteen core curriculum credits:
29	1.  Four credits in English, with major concentration in
30	composition, reading for information, and literature.
31	2.  Four credits in mathematics, one of which must be
32	Algebra I, a series of courses equivalent to Algebra I, or a
33	higher-level mathematics course. Beginning with students
34	entering grade 9 in the 2010-2011 school year, one of the four
35	credits must be Algebra I or a series of courses equivalent to
36	Algebra I as approved by the State Board of Education, and one
37	credit must be geometry or a series of courses equivalent to
38	geometry as approved by the State Board of Education. Beginning
39	with students entering grade 9 in the 2012-2013 school year, one
40	of the four credits must be Algebra I or a series of courses
41	equivalent to Algebra I as approved by the State Board of
42	Education, one credit must be geometry or a series of courses
43	equivalent to geometry as approved by the State Board of
44	Education, and one credit must be Algebra II or a series of
45	courses equivalent to Algebra II as approved by the State Board
46	of Education. School districts are encouraged to set specific
47	goals to increase enrollments in, and successful completion of,
48	geometry and Algebra II.
49	3.  Three credits in science, two of which must have a
50	laboratory component. Beginning with students entering grade 9
51	in the 2010-2011 school year, one of the three credits must be
52	Biology I or a series of courses equivalent to Biology I as
53	approved by the State Board of Education, one credit must be a
54	physical science or a series of courses equivalent to a physical
55	science as approved by the State Board of Education, and one
56	credit must be a higher-level science course. At least two of
57	the science courses must have a laboratory component. Beginning
58	with students entering grade 9 in the 2012-2013 school year, one
59	of the three credits must be Biology I or a series of courses
60	equivalent to Biology I as approved by the State Board of
61	Education, one credit must be chemistry or physics or a series
62	of courses equivalent to chemistry or physics as approved by the
63	State Board of Education, and one credit must be a higher-level
64	science course. At least two of the science courses must have a
65	laboratory component.
66	4.  Three credits in social studies as follows: one credit
67	in American history; one credit in world history; one-half
68	credit in economics; and one-half credit in American government.
69	5.  One credit in fine or performing arts, speech and
70	debate, or a practical arts course that incorporates artistic
71	content and techniques of creativity, interpretation, and
72	imagination. Eligible practical arts courses shall be identified
73	through the Course Code Directory.
74	6.  One credit in physical education to include integration
75	of health. Participation in an interscholastic sport at the
76	junior varsity or varsity level for two full seasons shall
77	satisfy the one-credit requirement in physical education if the
78	student passes a competency test on personal fitness with a
79	score of "C" or better. The competency test on personal fitness
80	must be developed by the Department of Education. A district
81	school board may not require that the one credit in physical
82	education be taken during the 9th grade year. Completion of one
83	semester with a grade of "C" or better in a marching band class,
84	in a physical activity class that requires participation in
85	marching band activities as an extracurricular activity, or in a
86	dance class shall satisfy one-half credit in physical education
87	or one-half credit in performing arts. This credit may not be
88	used to satisfy the personal fitness requirement or the
89	requirement for adaptive physical education under an individual
90	education plan (IEP) or 504 plan. Completion of 2 years in a
91	Reserve Officer Training Corps (R.O.T.C.) class, a significant
92	component of which is drills, shall satisfy the one-credit
93	requirement in physical education and the one-credit requirement
94	in performing arts. This credit may not be used to satisfy the
95	personal fitness requirement or the requirement for adaptive
96	physical education under an individual education plan (IEP) or
97	504 plan.
98	(5)  The State Board of Education, after a public hearing
99	and consideration, shall adopt rules based upon the
100	recommendations of the commissioner for the provision of test
101	accommodations and modifications of procedures as necessary for
102	students with disabilities which will demonstrate the student's
103	abilities rather than reflect the student's impaired sensory,
104	manual, speaking, or psychological process skills.
105	(6)  The public hearing and consideration required in
106	subsection (5) shall not be construed to amend or nullify the
107	requirements of security relating to the contents of
108	examinations or assessment instruments and related materials or
109	data as prescribed in s. 1008.23.
110	(5)(7)(a)  A student who meets all requirements prescribed
111	in subsections (1), (2), (3), and (4) shall be awarded a
112	standard diploma in a form prescribed by the State Board of
113	Education.
114	(b)  A student who completes the minimum number of credits
115	and other requirements prescribed by subsections (1), (2), and
116	(3), but who is unable to meet the standards of paragraph
117	(4)(b), paragraph (4)(c), or paragraph (4)(d), shall be awarded
118	a certificate of completion in a form prescribed by the State
119	Board of Education. However, any student who is otherwise
120	entitled to a certificate of completion may elect to remain in
121	the secondary school either as a full-time student or a part-
122	time student for up to 1 additional year and receive special
123	instruction designed to remedy his or her identified
124	deficiencies.
125	(8)(a)  Each district school board must provide instruction
126	to prepare students with disabilities to demonstrate proficiency
127	in the core content knowledge and skills necessary for
128	successful grade-to-grade progression and high school
129	graduation.
130	(b)  A student with a disability, as defined in s.
131	1007.02(2), for whom the individual education plan (IEP)
132	committee determines that the FCAT cannot accurately measure the
133	student's abilities taking into consideration all allowable
134	accommodations, shall have the FCAT requirement of paragraph
135	(4)(b) waived for the purpose of receiving a standard high
136	school diploma, if the student:
137	1.  Completes the minimum number of credits and other
138	requirements prescribed by subsections (1), (2), and (3).
139	2.  Does not meet the requirements of paragraph (4)(b)
140	after one opportunity in 10th grade and one opportunity in 11th
141	grade.
142	(9)  The Commissioner of Education may award a standard
143	high school diploma to honorably discharged veterans who started
144	high school between 1937 and 1946 and were scheduled to graduate
145	between 1941 and 1950 but were inducted into the United States
146	Armed Forces between September 16, 1940, and December 31, 1946,
147	prior to completing the necessary high school graduation
148	requirements. Upon the recommendation of the commissioner, the
149	State Board of Education may develop criteria and guidelines for
150	awarding such diplomas.
151	(10)  The Commissioner of Education may award a standard
152	high school diploma to honorably discharged veterans who started
153	high school between 1946 and 1950 and were scheduled to graduate
154	between 1950 and 1954, but were inducted into the United States
155	Armed Forces between June 27, 1950, and January 31, 1955, and
156	served during the Korean Conflict prior to completing the
157	necessary high school graduation requirements. Upon the
158	recommendation of the commissioner, the State Board of Education
159	may develop criteria and guidelines for awarding such diplomas.
160	(6)(11)  The State Board of Education may adopt rules
161	pursuant to ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54 to implement the
162	provisions of this section and may enforce the provisions of
163	this section pursuant to s. 1008.32.
164	Section 2.  Section 1003.4282, Florida Statutes, is created
165	to read:
166	1003.4282  Accommodations for students with disabilities;
167	graduation requirements.--For purposes of high school
168	graduation:
169	(1)  The State Board of Education, after a public hearing
170	and consideration, shall adopt rules based upon the
171	recommendations of the Commissioner of Education for the
172	provision of test accommodations as necessary for students with
173	disabilities which will demonstrate the student's abilities
174	rather than reflect the student's impaired sensory, manual,
175	speaking, or psychological process skills.
176	(2)  The public hearing and consideration required in
177	subsection (1) shall not be construed to amend or nullify the
178	requirements of security relating to the contents of
179	examinations or assessment instruments and related materials or
180	data as prescribed in s. 1008.23.
181	(3)(a)  Each district school board must provide instruction
182	to prepare students with disabilities to demonstrate proficiency
183	in the core content knowledge and skills necessary for
184	successful grade-to-grade progression and high school
185	graduation.
186	(b)  A student with a disability, as defined in s.
187	1007.02(2), for whom the individual education plan committee
188	determines that the FCAT cannot accurately measure the student's
189	abilities taking into consideration all allowable
190	accommodations, shall have the FCAT requirement of s.
191	1003.428(4)(b) or s. 1003.43(5)(a) waived for the purpose of
192	receiving a high school diploma, if the student:
193	1.  Completes the minimum number of credits and other
194	requirements prescribed in s. 1003.428(1)-(3) or s. 1003.43(1)
195	and (4).
196	2.  Does not meet the FCAT requirements of s.
197	1003.428(4)(b) or s. 1003.43(5)(a) after one opportunity in
198	grade 10 and one opportunity in grade 11.
199	Section 3.  Section 1003.4287, Florida Statutes, is created
200	to read:
201	1003.4287  Recognition of veterans; high school diploma.--
202	(1)  The Commissioner of Education may award a standard
203	high school diploma to honorably discharged veterans who started
204	high school between 1937 and 1946 and were scheduled to graduate
205	between 1941 and 1950 but were inducted into the United States
206	Armed Forces between September 16, 1940, and December 31, 1946,
207	prior to completing the necessary high school graduation
208	requirements. Upon the recommendation of the commissioner, the
209	State Board of Education may develop criteria and guidelines for
210	awarding such diplomas.
211	(2)  The Commissioner of Education may award a standard
212	high school diploma to honorably discharged veterans who started
213	high school between 1946 and 1950 and were scheduled to graduate
214	between 1949 and 1955 but were inducted into the United States
215	Armed Forces between June 1949 and January 1955 and served
216	during the Korean War prior to completing the necessary high
217	school graduation requirements. Upon the recommendation of the
218	commissioner, the State Board of Education may develop criteria
219	and guidelines for awarding such diplomas.
220	Section 4.  Paragraph (b) of subsection (1) of section
221	1003.429, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
222	1003.429  Accelerated high school graduation options.--
223	(1)  Students who enter grade 9 in the 2006-2007 school
224	year and thereafter may select, upon receipt of each consent
225	required by this section, one of the following three high school
226	graduation options:
227	(b)  Completion of a 3-year standard college preparatory
228	program requiring successful completion of a minimum of 18
229	academic credits in grades 9 through 12. At least 6 of the 18
230	credits required for completion of this program must be received
231	in classes that are offered pursuant to the International
232	Baccalaureate Program, the Advanced Placement Program, dual
233	enrollment, or the Advanced International Certificate of
234	Education Program, or specifically listed or identified by the
235	Department of Education as rigorous pursuant to s. 1009.531(3).
236	Students must be advised of the Advanced Placement,
237	International Baccalaureate, Advanced International Certificate
238	of Education, career academy coursework that leads to national
239	industry certification, and dual enrollment courses available,
240	as well as the availability of course offerings through the
241	Florida Virtual School. The 18 credits required for completion
242	of this program shall be primary requirements and shall be
243	distributed as follows:
244	1.  Four credits in English, with major concentration in
245	composition and literature;
246	2.  Three credits in mathematics at the Algebra I level or
247	higher from the list of courses that qualify for state
248	university admission;
249	3.  Three credits in natural science, two of which must
250	have a laboratory component;
251	4.  Three credits in social sciences, which must include
252	one credit in American history, one credit in world history,
253	one-half credit in American government, and one-half credit in
254	economics;
255	5.  Two credits in the same second language unless the
256	student is a native speaker of or can otherwise demonstrate
257	competency in a language other than English. If the student
258	demonstrates competency in another language, the student may
259	replace the language requirement with two credits in other
260	academic courses; and
261	6.  Three credits in electives; or
262
263	Any student who selected an accelerated graduation program
264	before July 1, 2004, may continue that program, and all
265	statutory program requirements that were applicable when the
266	student made the program choice shall remain applicable to the
267	student as long as the student continues that program.
268	Section 5.  Subsections (8) through (13) of section
269	1003.43, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
270	1003.43  General requirements for high school graduation.--
271	(8)  The State Board of Education, after a public hearing
272	and consideration, shall adopt rules based upon the
273	recommendations of the commissioner for the provision of test
274	accommodations and modifications of procedures as necessary for
275	students with disabilities which will demonstrate the student's
276	abilities rather than reflect the student's impaired sensory,
277	manual, speaking, or psychological process skills.
278	(9)  The public hearing and consideration required in
279	subsection (8) shall not be construed to amend or nullify the
280	requirements of security relating to the contents of
281	examinations or assessment instruments and related materials or
282	data as prescribed in s. 1008.23.
283	(8)(10)(a)  A student who meets all requirements prescribed
284	in subsections (1), (4), and (5) shall be awarded a standard
285	diploma in a form prescribed by the State Board of Education. A
286	district school board may attach the Florida gold seal career
287	endorsement to a standard diploma or, instead of the standard
288	diploma, award differentiated diplomas to those exceeding the
289	prescribed minimums.
290	(b)  A student who completes the minimum number of credits
291	and other requirements prescribed by subsections (1) and (4),
292	but who is unable to meet the standards of paragraph (5)(a),
293	paragraph (5)(b), or paragraph (5)(c), shall be awarded a
294	certificate of completion in a form prescribed by the State
295	Board of Education. However, any student who is otherwise
296	entitled to a certificate of completion may elect to remain in
297	the secondary school either as a full-time student or a part-
298	time student for up to 1 additional year and receive special
299	instruction designed to remedy his or her identified
300	deficiencies.
301	(11)(a)  Each district school board must provide
302	instruction to prepare students with disabilities to demonstrate
303	proficiency in the core content knowledge and skills necessary
304	for successful grade-to-grade progression and high school
305	graduation.
306	(b)  A student with a disability, as defined in s.
307	1007.02(2), for whom the individual educational plan (IEP)
308	committee determines that the FCAT cannot accurately measure the
309	student's abilities taking into consideration all allowable
310	accommodations, shall have the FCAT requirement of paragraph
311	(5)(a) waived for the purpose of receiving a standard high
312	school diploma, if the student:
313	1.  Completes the minimum number of credits and other
314	requirements prescribed by subsections (1) and (4).
315	2.  Does not meet the requirements of paragraph (5)(a)
316	after one opportunity in 10th grade and one opportunity in 11th
317	grade.
318	(12)  The Commissioner of Education may award a standard
319	high school diploma to honorably discharged veterans who started
320	high school between 1937 and 1946 and were scheduled to graduate
321	between 1941 and 1950 but were inducted into the United States
322	Armed Forces between September 16, 1940, and December 31, 1946,
323	prior to completing the necessary high school graduation
324	requirements. Upon the recommendation of the commissioner, the
325	State Board of Education may develop criteria and guidelines for
326	awarding such diplomas.
327	(13)  The Commissioner of Education may award a standard
328	high school diploma to honorably discharged veterans who started
329	high school between 1946 and 1950 and were scheduled to graduate
330	between 1949 and 1955, but were inducted into the United States
331	Armed Forces between June 1949 and January 1955, and served
332	during the Korean War prior to completing the necessary high
333	school graduation requirements. Upon the recommendation of the
334	commissioner, the State Board of Education may develop criteria
335	and guidelines for awarding such diplomas.
336	Section 6.  Subsection (4) of section 1007.263, Florida
337	Statutes, is amended to read:
338	1007.263  Community colleges; admissions of students.--Each
339	community college board of trustees is authorized to adopt rules
340	governing admissions of students subject to this section and
341	rules of the State Board of Education. These rules shall include
342	the following:
343	(4)  A student who has been awarded a special diploma as
344	defined in s. 1003.438 or a certificate of completion as defined
345	in s. 1003.43(8)(10) is eligible to enroll in certificate career
346	education programs.
347
348	Each board of trustees shall establish policies that notify
349	students about, and place students into, adult basic education,
350	adult secondary education, or other instructional programs that
351	provide students with alternatives to traditional college-
352	preparatory instruction, including private provider instruction.
353	A student is prohibited from enrolling in additional college-
354	level courses until the student scores above the cut-score on
355	all sections of the common placement test.
356	Section 7.  Paragraph (c) of subsection (3) of section
357	1008.22, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
358	1008.22  Student assessment program for public schools.--
359	(3)  STATEWIDE ASSESSMENT PROGRAM.--The commissioner shall
360	design and implement a statewide program of educational
361	assessment that provides information for the improvement of the
362	operation and management of the public schools, including
363	schools operating for the purpose of providing educational
364	services to youth in Department of Juvenile Justice programs.
365	The commissioner may enter into contracts for the continued
366	administration of the assessment, testing, and evaluation
367	programs authorized and funded by the Legislature. Contracts may
368	be initiated in 1 fiscal year and continue into the next and may
369	be paid from the appropriations of either or both fiscal years.
370	The commissioner is authorized to negotiate for the sale or
371	lease of tests, scoring protocols, test scoring services, and
372	related materials developed pursuant to law. Pursuant to the
373	statewide assessment program, the commissioner shall:
374	(c)  Develop and implement a student achievement testing
375	program known as the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test
376	(FCAT) as part of the statewide assessment program to measure a
377	student's content knowledge and skills in reading, writing,
378	science, and mathematics. Other content areas may be included as
379	directed by the commissioner. Comprehensive assessments of
380	reading and mathematics shall be administered annually in grades
381	3 through 10. Comprehensive assessments of writing and science
382	shall be administered at least once at the elementary, middle,
383	and high school levels. End-of-course assessments for a subject
384	may be administered in addition to the comprehensive assessments
385	required for that subject under this paragraph. An end-of-course
386	assessment must be rigorous, statewide, standardized, and
387	developed or approved by the department. The content knowledge
388	and skills assessed by comprehensive and end-of-course
389	assessments must be aligned to the core curricular content
390	established in the Sunshine State Standards. The commissioner
391	may select one or more nationally developed comprehensive
392	examinations, which may include, but need not be limited to,
393	examinations for a College Board Advanced Placement course,
394	International Baccalaureate course, or Advanced International
395	Certificate of Education course or industry-approved
396	examinations to earn national industry certifications as defined
397	in s. 1003.492, for use as end-of-course assessments under this
398	paragraph, if the commissioner determines that the content
399	knowledge and skills assessed by the examinations meet or exceed
400	the grade level expectations for the core curricular content
401	established for the course in the Next Generation Sunshine State
402	Standards. The commissioner may collaborate with the American
403	Diploma Project in the adoption or development of rigorous end-
404	of-course assessments that are aligned to the Next Generation
405	Sunshine State Standards. The testing program must be designed
406	as follows:
407	1.  The tests shall measure student skills and competencies
408	adopted by the State Board of Education as specified in
409	paragraph (a). The tests must measure and report student
410	proficiency levels of all students assessed in reading, writing,
411	mathematics, and science. The commissioner shall provide for the
412	tests to be developed or obtained, as appropriate, through
413	contracts and project agreements with private vendors, public
414	vendors, public agencies, postsecondary educational
415	institutions, or school districts. The commissioner shall obtain
416	input with respect to the design and implementation of the
417	testing program from state educators, assistive technology
418	experts, and the public.
419	2.  The testing program shall be composed of criterion-
420	referenced tests that shall, to the extent determined by the
421	commissioner, include test items that require the student to
422	produce information or perform tasks in such a way that the core
423	content knowledge and skills he or she uses can be measured.
424	3.  Beginning with the 2008-2009 school year, the
425	commissioner shall discontinue administration of the selected-
426	response test items on the comprehensive assessments of writing.
427	Beginning with the 2012-2013 school year, the comprehensive
428	assessments of writing shall be composed of a combination of
429	selected-response test items, short-response performance tasks,
430	and extended-response performance tasks, which shall measure a
431	student's content knowledge of writing, including, but not
432	limited to, paragraph and sentence structure, sentence
433	construction, grammar and usage, punctuation, capitalization,
434	spelling, parts of speech, verb tense, irregular verbs, subject-
435	verb agreement, and noun-pronoun agreement.
436	4.  A score shall be designated for each subject area
437	tested, below which score a student's performance is deemed
438	inadequate. The school districts shall provide appropriate
439	remedial instruction to students who score below these levels.
440	5.  Except as provided in s. 1003.4282 1003.428(8)(b) or s.
441	1003.43(11)(b), students must earn a passing score on the grade
442	10 assessment test described in this paragraph or attain
443	concordant scores as described in subsection (10) in reading,
444	writing, and mathematics to qualify for a standard high school
445	diploma. The State Board of Education shall designate a passing
446	score for each part of the grade 10 assessment test. In
447	establishing passing scores, the state board shall consider any
448	possible negative impact of the test on minority students. The
449	State Board of Education shall adopt rules which specify the
450	passing scores for the grade 10 FCAT. Beginning in the 2011-2012
451	school year, such passing scores must at a minimum meet grade-
452	level proficiency. Any such rules, which have the effect of
453	raising the required passing scores, shall apply only to
454	students taking the grade 10 FCAT for the first time after such
455	rules are adopted by the State Board of Education.
456	6.  Participation in the testing program is mandatory for
457	all students attending public school, including students served
458	in Department of Juvenile Justice programs, except as otherwise
459	prescribed by the commissioner. If a student does not
460	participate in the statewide assessment, the district must
461	notify the student's parent and provide the parent with
462	information regarding the implications of such nonparticipation.
463	A parent must provide signed consent for a student to receive
464	classroom instructional accommodations that would not be
465	available or permitted on the statewide assessments and must
466	acknowledge in writing that he or she understands the
467	implications of such instructional accommodations. The State
468	Board of Education shall adopt rules, based upon recommendations
469	of the commissioner, for the provision of test accommodations
470	for students in exceptional education programs and for students
471	who have limited English proficiency. Accommodations that negate
472	the validity of a statewide assessment are not allowable in the
473	administration of the FCAT. However, instructional
474	accommodations are allowable in the classroom if included in a
475	student's individual education plan. Students using
476	instructional accommodations in the classroom that are not
477	allowable as accommodations on the FCAT may have the FCAT
478	requirement waived pursuant to the requirements of s. 1003.4282
479	1003.428(8)(b) or s. 1003.43(11)(b).
480	7.  A student seeking an adult high school diploma must
481	meet the same testing requirements that a regular high school
482	student must meet.
483	8.  District school boards must provide instruction to
484	prepare students to demonstrate proficiency in the core
485	curricular content established in the Next Generation Sunshine
486	State Standards adopted under s. 1003.41, including the core
487	content knowledge and skills necessary for successful grade-to-
488	grade progression and high school graduation. If a student is
489	provided with instructional accommodations in the classroom that
490	are not allowable as accommodations in the statewide assessment
491	program, as described in the test manuals, the district must
492	inform the parent in writing and must provide the parent with
493	information regarding the impact on the student's ability to
494	meet expected proficiency levels in reading, writing, and
495	mathematics. The commissioner shall conduct studies as necessary
496	to verify that the required core curricular content is part of
497	the district instructional programs.
498	9.  District school boards must provide opportunities for
499	students to demonstrate an acceptable level of performance on an
500	alternative standardized assessment approved by the State Board
501	of Education following enrollment in summer academies.
502	10.  The Department of Education must develop, or select,
503	and implement a common battery of assessment tools that will be
504	used in all juvenile justice programs in the state. These tools
505	must accurately measure the core curricular content established
506	in the Sunshine State Standards.
507	11.  For students seeking a special diploma pursuant to s.
508	1003.438, the Department of Education must develop or select and
509	implement an alternate assessment tool that accurately measures
510	the core curricular content established in the Sunshine State
511	Standards for students with disabilities under s. 1003.438.
512	12.  The Commissioner of Education shall establish
513	schedules for the administration of statewide assessments and
514	the reporting of student test results. The commissioner shall,
515	by August 1 of each year, notify each school district in writing
516	and publish on the department's Internet website the testing and
517	reporting schedules for, at a minimum, the school year following
518	the upcoming school year. The testing and reporting schedules
519	shall require that:
520	a.  There is the latest possible administration of
521	statewide assessments and the earliest possible reporting to the
522	school districts of student test results which is feasible
523	within available technology and specific appropriations;
524	however, test results must be made available no later than the
525	final day of the regular school year for students.
526	b.  Beginning with the 2010-2011 school year, a
527	comprehensive statewide assessment of writing is not
528	administered earlier than the week of March 1 and a
529	comprehensive statewide assessment of any other subject is not
530	administered earlier than the week of April 15.
531	c.  A statewide standardized end-of-course assessment is
532	administered within the last 2 weeks of the course.
533
534	The commissioner may, based on collaboration and input from
535	school districts, design and implement student testing programs,
536	for any grade level and subject area, necessary to effectively
537	monitor educational achievement in the state, including the
538	measurement of educational achievement of the Sunshine State
539	Standards for students with disabilities. Development and
540	refinement of assessments shall include universal design
541	principles and accessibility standards that will prevent any
542	unintended obstacles for students with disabilities while
543	ensuring the validity and reliability of the test. These
544	principles should be applicable to all technology platforms and
545	assistive devices available for the assessments. The field
546	testing process and psychometric analyses for the statewide
547	assessment program must include an appropriate percentage of
548	students with disabilities and an evaluation or determination of
549	the effect of test items on such students.
550	Section 8.  Paragraph (b) of subsection (1) of section
551	1009.531, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
552	1009.531  Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program;
553	student eligibility requirements for initial awards.--
554	(1)  Effective January 1, 2008, in order to be eligible for
555	an initial award from any of the three types of scholarships
556	under the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program, a student
557	must:
558	(b)  Earn a standard Florida high school diploma or its
559	equivalent as described in s. 1003.428, s. 1003.429, s. 1003.43,
560	or s. 1003.435 unless:
561	1.  The student completes a home education program
562	according to s. 1002.41; or
563	2.  The student earns a high school diploma from a non-
564	Florida school while living with a parent or guardian who is on
565	military or public service assignment away from Florida.
566	Section 9.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2009.
567
568	-----------------------------------------------------
569	T I T L E  A M E N D M E N T
570	Remove the entire title and insert:
571	A bill to be entitled
572	An act relating to high school graduation; amending s. 1003.428,
573	F.S.; requiring that students be advised of the availability of
574	certain courses for purposes of high school graduation;
575	providing credit requirements for high school graduation with a
576	standard diploma beginning with students entering grade 9 in the
577	2010-2011 school year and students entering grade 9 in the 2012-
578	2013 school year; deleting provisions relating to general
579	requirements for high school graduation to conform to changes
580	made by the act; creating s. 1003.4282, F.S.; providing for
581	accommodations for students with disabilities for purposes of
582	high school graduation; creating s. 1003.4287, F.S.; authorizing
583	the award of a standard high school diploma to certain honorably
584	discharged veterans; amending s. 1003.429, F.S.; requiring that
585	students be advised of the availability of certain courses for
586	purposes of an accelerated high school graduation option;
587	amending s. 1003.43, F.S.; deleting provisions relating to
588	general requirements for high school graduation to conform to
589	changes made by the act; amending s. 1007.263, F.S.; conforming
590	a cross-reference; amending s. 1008.22, F.S.; requiring passing
591	scores on the grade 10 FCAT to meet grade-level proficiency;
592	conforming cross-references; amending s. 1009.531, F.S.;
593	conforming provisions; providing an effective date.
594

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