| 1 | A bill to be entitled |
| 2 | An act relating to high school graduation; creating s. |
| 3 | 1003.4295, F.S.; creating the general educational |
| 4 | development (GED) exit option as an alternative route to |
| 5 | receipt of a standard high school diploma; specifying |
| 6 | eligibility requirements for student participation; |
| 7 | authorizing participation in extracurricular activities; |
| 8 | providing certain exemptions and requirements for |
| 9 | successful completion of the GED exit option; providing |
| 10 | transcript information; providing for inclusion in the |
| 11 | calculation of the graduation rate; providing an effective |
| 12 | date. |
| 13 |
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| 14 | Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: |
| 15 |
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| 16 | Section 1. Section 1003.4295, Florida statutes, is created |
| 17 | to read: |
| 18 | 1003.4295 General educational development exit option.-- |
| 19 | (1) GED EXIT OPTION.--The general educational development |
| 20 | (GED) exit option is a graduation strategy that permits |
| 21 | currently enrolled high school students who are at risk of not |
| 22 | graduating with their cohort group to earn a standard high |
| 23 | school diploma through an alternative route. For purposes of |
| 24 | this section, "cohort group" means the group of students with |
| 25 | whom a student entered kindergarten. |
| 26 | (a) Eligibility.--To be eligible to participate in the GED |
| 27 | exit option, a student must meet the following criteria: |
| 28 | 1. Be currently enrolled in a public school program and be |
| 29 | at least 16 years old. |
| 30 | 2. Be enrolled in courses that meet high school graduation |
| 31 | requirements. |
| 32 | 3. Be overage for his or her grade, have a credit |
| 33 | deficiency, or have a low grade point average which places the |
| 34 | student in jeopardy of not graduating with his or her cohort |
| 35 | group. |
| 36 | 4. Have a documented minimum reading level of at least |
| 37 | seventh grade. |
| 38 | 5. Have earned acceptable scores on the official GED |
| 39 | practice test administered under school district approved |
| 40 | student testing conditions. |
| 41 | 6. Have been recommended for participation by a teacher, |
| 42 | an administrator, or a guidance counselor employed by the school |
| 43 | in which the student is enrolled. |
| 44 | 7. Have a student cumulative record that indicates that |
| 45 | the GED exit option is the most appropriate educational program |
| 46 | for the student. |
| 47 | |
| 48 | Participation in the GED exit option is voluntary and requires |
| 49 | precounseling and student and parental consent. |
| 50 | (b) Extracurricular activities.--A student who |
| 51 | participates in the GED exit option may participate in all high |
| 52 | school extracurricular activities for which he or she meets the |
| 53 | age and eligibility requirements, including graduation |
| 54 | ceremonies. |
| 55 | (c) Exemption and requirements.-- |
| 56 | 1. A student who participates in the GED exit option shall |
| 57 | be exempt from the minimum graduation requirements prescribed |
| 58 | for the standard high school diploma, including the grade point |
| 59 | average and credit requirements. For exceptional education |
| 60 | students, this exemption shall be included in the individual |
| 61 | education plan. |
| 62 | 2. A student who participates in the GED exit option who |
| 63 | has not previously met the requirements for promotion to grade |
| 64 | 10 shall be promoted to grade 10 or to the grade assignment of |
| 65 | his or her cohort group upon entry into the program to enable |
| 66 | the student to take the grade 10 FCAT. |
| 67 | 3. A student who participates in the GED exit option shall |
| 68 | not be permitted to take the GED test until he or she has passed |
| 69 | the grade 10 FCAT and has earned at least a score of 500 on the |
| 70 | official GED practice test. |
| 71 | 4. A student who does not meet the requirements for high |
| 72 | school graduation in grade 12 and who chooses to return for a |
| 73 | thirteenth year of school in order to participate in the GED |
| 74 | exit option is not required to continue classes upon meeting the |
| 75 | GED exit option requirements for graduation. Upon completion of |
| 76 | the requirements of the GED exit option, a student shall be |
| 77 | considered a high school graduate. If the school district or |
| 78 | school to which the student returns for a thirteenth year has |
| 79 | implemented a program that requires a vocational component for |
| 80 | graduation, the student may be required to complete this |
| 81 | requirement in addition to the GED exit option requirements to |
| 82 | be considered a high school graduate. |
| 83 | (d) Successful completion.-- |
| 84 | 1. To successfully complete the GED exit option and |
| 85 | receive a standard high school diploma, a student must pass the |
| 86 | GED test and all sections of the grade 10 FCAT. A student must |
| 87 | also complete any vocational components included in an approved |
| 88 | school program. |
| 89 | 2. A student who participates in the GED exit option may |
| 90 | not graduate before his or her cohort group. |
| 91 | (e) Transcripts.-- |
| 92 | 1. The student and his or her parent shall be informed |
| 93 | that the student's transcript will indicate an alternative high |
| 94 | school graduation route. |
| 95 | 2. The transcript shall identify only the actual credits |
| 96 | earned, the successful completion of FCAT requirements, and the |
| 97 | date of the diploma award. |
| 98 | (2) GRADUATION RATE.--A student who successfully completes |
| 99 | the GED exit option and receives a standard high school diploma |
| 100 | shall be included in the graduation rate calculated by the |
| 101 | Department of Education. |
| 102 | Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2009. |