1 | A bill to be entitled |
2 | An act relating to high school science assessment; |
3 | amending ss. 1003.428 and 1003.429, F.S.; requiring |
4 | students entering grade 9 to earn one credit in Biology I |
5 | or in a series of equivalent courses for high school |
6 | graduation beginning with the 2010-2011 school year; |
7 | amending s. 1008.22, F.S.; requiring the administration of |
8 | an end-of-course assessment in biology as a field test |
9 | during the 2010-2011 school year; requiring the end-of- |
10 | course assessment in biology to replace the comprehensive |
11 | assessment of science administered at the high school |
12 | level beginning with the 2011-2012 school year; providing |
13 | requirements for course grade and course credit; requiring |
14 | the State Board of Education to designate a passing score |
15 | for the end-of-course assessment in biology; amending s. |
16 | 1008.34, F.S.; requiring the inclusion of biology end-of- |
17 | course assessment data in determining school grades |
18 | beginning with the 2011-2012 school year; providing an |
19 | effective date. |
20 |
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21 | Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: |
22 |
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23 | Section 1. Subsection (1) and paragraph (a) of subsection |
24 | (2) of section 1003.428, Florida Statutes, are amended to read: |
25 | 1003.428 General requirements for high school graduation; |
26 | revised.-- |
27 | (1) Except as otherwise authorized pursuant to s. |
28 | 1003.429, beginning with students entering grade 9 their first |
29 | year of high school in the 2007-2008 school year, graduation |
30 | requires the successful completion of a minimum of 24 credits, |
31 | an International Baccalaureate curriculum, or an Advanced |
32 | International Certificate of Education curriculum. Students must |
33 | be advised of eligibility requirements for state scholarship |
34 | programs and postsecondary admissions. |
35 | (2) The 24 credits may be earned through applied, |
36 | integrated, and combined courses approved by the Department of |
37 | Education and shall be distributed as follows: |
38 | (a) Sixteen core curriculum credits: |
39 | 1. Four credits in English, with major concentration in |
40 | composition, reading for information, and literature. |
41 | 2. Four credits in mathematics, one of which must be |
42 | Algebra I, a series of courses equivalent to Algebra I, or a |
43 | higher-level mathematics course. School districts are encouraged |
44 | to set specific goals to increase enrollments in, and successful |
45 | completion of, geometry and Algebra II. |
46 | 3. Three credits in science, two of which must have a |
47 | laboratory component. Beginning with students entering grade 9 |
48 | in the 2010-2011 school year, one of the three credits in |
49 | science must be Biology I or a series of courses that have been |
50 | approved by the State Board of Education as equivalent to |
51 | Biology I. |
52 | 4. Three credits in social studies as follows: one credit |
53 | in American history; one credit in world history; one-half |
54 | credit in economics; and one-half credit in American government. |
55 | 5. One credit in fine or performing arts, speech and |
56 | debate, or a practical arts course that incorporates artistic |
57 | content and techniques of creativity, interpretation, and |
58 | imagination. Eligible practical arts courses shall be identified |
59 | through the Course Code Directory. |
60 | 6. One credit in physical education to include integration |
61 | of health. Participation in an interscholastic sport at the |
62 | junior varsity or varsity level for two full seasons shall |
63 | satisfy the one-credit requirement in physical education if the |
64 | student passes a competency test on personal fitness with a |
65 | score of "C" or better. The competency test on personal fitness |
66 | must be developed by the Department of Education. A district |
67 | school board may not require that the one credit in physical |
68 | education be taken during the 9th grade year. Completion of one |
69 | semester with a grade of "C" or better in a marching band class, |
70 | in a physical activity class that requires participation in |
71 | marching band activities as an extracurricular activity, or in a |
72 | dance class shall satisfy one-half credit in physical education |
73 | or one-half credit in performing arts. This credit may not be |
74 | used to satisfy the personal fitness requirement or the |
75 | requirement for adaptive physical education under an individual |
76 | education plan (IEP) or 504 plan. Completion of 2 years in a |
77 | Reserve Officer Training Corps (R.O.T.C.) class, a significant |
78 | component of which is drills, shall satisfy the one-credit |
79 | requirement in physical education and the one-credit requirement |
80 | in performing arts. This credit may not be used to satisfy the |
81 | personal fitness requirement or the requirement for adaptive |
82 | physical education under an individual education plan (IEP) or |
83 | 504 plan. |
84 | Section 2. Subsection (1) of section 1003.429, Florida |
85 | Statutes, is amended to read: |
86 | 1003.429 Accelerated high school graduation options.-- |
87 | (1) Students who enter grade 9 in the 2006-2007 school |
88 | year and thereafter may select, upon receipt of each consent |
89 | required by this section, one of the following three high school |
90 | graduation options: |
91 | (a) Completion of the general requirements for high school |
92 | graduation pursuant to s. 1003.43; |
93 | (b) Completion of a 3-year standard college preparatory |
94 | program requiring successful completion of a minimum of 18 |
95 | academic credits in grades 9 through 12. At least 6 of the 18 |
96 | credits required for completion of this program must be received |
97 | in classes that are offered pursuant to the International |
98 | Baccalaureate Program, the Advanced Placement Program, dual |
99 | enrollment, Advanced International Certificate of Education, or |
100 | specifically listed or identified by the Department of Education |
101 | as rigorous pursuant to s. 1009.531(3). The 18 credits required |
102 | for completion of this program shall be primary requirements and |
103 | shall be distributed as follows: |
104 | 1. Four credits in English, with major concentration in |
105 | composition and literature; |
106 | 2. Three credits in mathematics at the Algebra I level or |
107 | higher from the list of courses that qualify for state |
108 | university admission; |
109 | 3. Three credits in natural science, two of which must |
110 | have a laboratory component. Beginning with students entering |
111 | grade 9 in the 2010-2011 school year, one of the three credits |
112 | in science must be Biology I or a series of courses that have |
113 | been approved by the State Board of Education as equivalent to |
114 | Biology I; |
115 | 4. Three credits in social sciences, which must include |
116 | one credit in American history, one credit in world history, |
117 | one-half credit in American government, and one-half credit in |
118 | economics; |
119 | 5. Two credits in the same second language unless the |
120 | student is a native speaker of or can otherwise demonstrate |
121 | competency in a language other than English. If the student |
122 | demonstrates competency in another language, the student may |
123 | replace the language requirement with two credits in other |
124 | academic courses; and |
125 | 6. Three credits in electives; or |
126 | (c) Completion of a 3-year career preparatory program |
127 | requiring successful completion of a minimum of 18 academic |
128 | credits in grades 9 through 12. The 18 credits shall be primary |
129 | requirements and shall be distributed as follows: |
130 | 1. Four credits in English, with major concentration in |
131 | composition and literature; |
132 | 2. Three credits in mathematics, one of which must be |
133 | Algebra I; |
134 | 3. Three credits in natural science, two of which must |
135 | have a laboratory component. Beginning with students entering |
136 | grade 9 in the 2010-2011 school year, one of the three credits |
137 | in science must be Biology I or a series of courses that have |
138 | been approved by the State Board of Education as equivalent to |
139 | Biology I; |
140 | 4. Three credits in social sciences, which must include |
141 | one credit in American history, one credit in world history, |
142 | one-half credit in American government, and one-half credit in |
143 | economics; |
144 | 5. Three credits in a single vocational or career |
145 | education program, three credits in career and technical |
146 | certificate dual enrollment courses, or five credits in |
147 | vocational or career education courses; and |
148 | 6. Two credits in electives unless five credits are earned |
149 | pursuant to subparagraph 5. |
150 |
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151 | Any student who selected an accelerated graduation program |
152 | before July 1, 2004, may continue that program, and all |
153 | statutory program requirements that were applicable when the |
154 | student made the program choice shall remain applicable to the |
155 | student as long as the student continues that program. |
156 | Section 3. Paragraph (c) of subsection (3) of section |
157 | 1008.22, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: |
158 | 1008.22 Student assessment program for public schools.-- |
159 | (3) STATEWIDE ASSESSMENT PROGRAM.--The commissioner shall |
160 | design and implement a statewide program of educational |
161 | assessment that provides information for the improvement of the |
162 | operation and management of the public schools, including |
163 | schools operating for the purpose of providing educational |
164 | services to youth in Department of Juvenile Justice programs. |
165 | The commissioner may enter into contracts for the continued |
166 | administration of the assessment, testing, and evaluation |
167 | programs authorized and funded by the Legislature. Contracts may |
168 | be initiated in 1 fiscal year and continue into the next and may |
169 | be paid from the appropriations of either or both fiscal years. |
170 | The commissioner is authorized to negotiate for the sale or |
171 | lease of tests, scoring protocols, test scoring services, and |
172 | related materials developed pursuant to law. Pursuant to the |
173 | statewide assessment program, the commissioner shall: |
174 | (c) Develop and implement a student achievement testing |
175 | program known as the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test |
176 | (FCAT) as part of the statewide assessment program to measure a |
177 | student's content knowledge and skills in reading, writing, |
178 | science, and mathematics. Other content areas may be included as |
179 | directed by the commissioner. Comprehensive assessments of |
180 | reading and mathematics shall be administered annually in grades |
181 | 3 through 10. Comprehensive assessments of writing and science |
182 | shall be administered at least once at the elementary, middle, |
183 | and high school levels. During the 2010-2011 school year, an |
184 | end-of-course assessment in biology shall be administered as a |
185 | field test at the high school level. Beginning with the 2011- |
186 | 2012 school year, the end-of-course assessment in biology shall |
187 | replace the comprehensive assessment of science administered at |
188 | the high school level. During the 2011-2012 school year, each |
189 | student's performance on the end-of-course assessment in biology |
190 | shall constitute 30 percent of the student's final course grade. |
191 | Beginning with the 2012-2013 school year, a student must earn a |
192 | passing score on the end-of-course assessment in biology in |
193 | order to pass the course and receive course credit. End-of- |
194 | course assessments for a subject may be administered in addition |
195 | to the comprehensive assessments required for that subject under |
196 | this paragraph. An end-of-course assessment must be rigorous, |
197 | statewide, standardized, and developed or approved by the |
198 | department. The content knowledge and skills assessed by |
199 | comprehensive and end-of-course assessments must be aligned to |
200 | the core curricular content established in the Sunshine State |
201 | Standards. The commissioner may select one or more nationally |
202 | developed comprehensive examinations, which may include, but |
203 | need not be limited to, examinations for a College Board |
204 | Advanced Placement course, International Baccalaureate course, |
205 | or Advanced International Certificate of Education course or |
206 | industry-approved examinations to earn national industry |
207 | certifications as defined in s. 1003.492, for use as end-of- |
208 | course assessments under this paragraph, if the commissioner |
209 | determines that the content knowledge and skills assessed by the |
210 | examinations meet or exceed the grade level expectations for the |
211 | core curricular content established for the course in the Next |
212 | Generation Sunshine State Standards. The commissioner may |
213 | collaborate with the American Diploma Project in the adoption or |
214 | development of rigorous end-of-course assessments that are |
215 | aligned to the Next Generation Sunshine State Standards. The |
216 | testing program must be designed as follows: |
217 | 1. The tests shall measure student skills and competencies |
218 | adopted by the State Board of Education as specified in |
219 | paragraph (a). The tests must measure and report student |
220 | proficiency levels of all students assessed in reading, writing, |
221 | mathematics, and science. The commissioner shall provide for the |
222 | tests to be developed or obtained, as appropriate, through |
223 | contracts and project agreements with private vendors, public |
224 | vendors, public agencies, postsecondary educational |
225 | institutions, or school districts. The commissioner shall obtain |
226 | input with respect to the design and implementation of the |
227 | testing program from state educators, assistive technology |
228 | experts, and the public. |
229 | 2. The testing program shall be composed of criterion- |
230 | referenced tests that shall, to the extent determined by the |
231 | commissioner, include test items that require the student to |
232 | produce information or perform tasks in such a way that the core |
233 | content knowledge and skills he or she uses can be measured. |
234 | 3. Beginning with the 2008-2009 school year, the |
235 | commissioner shall discontinue administration of the selected- |
236 | response test items on the comprehensive assessments of writing. |
237 | Beginning with the 2012-2013 school year, the comprehensive |
238 | assessments of writing shall be composed of a combination of |
239 | selected-response test items, short-response performance tasks, |
240 | and extended-response performance tasks, which shall measure a |
241 | student's content knowledge of writing, including, but not |
242 | limited to, paragraph and sentence structure, sentence |
243 | construction, grammar and usage, punctuation, capitalization, |
244 | spelling, parts of speech, verb tense, irregular verbs, subject- |
245 | verb agreement, and noun-pronoun agreement. |
246 | 4. A score shall be designated for each subject area |
247 | tested, below which score a student's performance is deemed |
248 | inadequate. The school districts shall provide appropriate |
249 | remedial instruction to students who score below these levels. |
250 | 5. Except as provided in s. 1003.428(8)(b) or s. |
251 | 1003.43(11)(b), students must earn a passing score on the grade |
252 | 10 assessment test described in this paragraph or attain |
253 | concordant scores as described in subsection (10) in reading, |
254 | writing, and mathematics to qualify for a standard high school |
255 | diploma. The State Board of Education shall designate a passing |
256 | score for each part of the grade 10 assessment test and the end- |
257 | of-course assessment in biology. In establishing passing scores, |
258 | the state board shall consider any possible negative impact of |
259 | the test on minority students. The State Board of Education |
260 | shall adopt rules which specify the passing scores for each part |
261 | of the grade 10 assessment test and the end-of-course assessment |
262 | in biology FCAT. Any such rules, which have the effect of |
263 | raising the required passing scores, shall apply only to |
264 | students taking the assessment grade 10 FCAT for the first time |
265 | after such rules are adopted by the State Board of Education. |
266 | 6. Participation in the testing program is mandatory for |
267 | all students attending public school, including students served |
268 | in Department of Juvenile Justice programs, except as otherwise |
269 | prescribed by the commissioner. If a student does not |
270 | participate in the statewide assessment, the district must |
271 | notify the student's parent and provide the parent with |
272 | information regarding the implications of such nonparticipation. |
273 | A parent must provide signed consent for a student to receive |
274 | classroom instructional accommodations that would not be |
275 | available or permitted on the statewide assessments and must |
276 | acknowledge in writing that he or she understands the |
277 | implications of such instructional accommodations. The State |
278 | Board of Education shall adopt rules, based upon recommendations |
279 | of the commissioner, for the provision of test accommodations |
280 | for students in exceptional education programs and for students |
281 | who have limited English proficiency. Accommodations that negate |
282 | the validity of a statewide assessment are not allowable in the |
283 | administration of the FCAT. However, instructional |
284 | accommodations are allowable in the classroom if included in a |
285 | student's individual education plan. Students using |
286 | instructional accommodations in the classroom that are not |
287 | allowable as accommodations on the FCAT may have the FCAT |
288 | requirement waived pursuant to the requirements of s. |
289 | 1003.428(8)(b) or s. 1003.43(11)(b). |
290 | 7. A student seeking an adult high school diploma must |
291 | meet the same testing requirements that a regular high school |
292 | student must meet. |
293 | 8. District school boards must provide instruction to |
294 | prepare students to demonstrate proficiency in the core |
295 | curricular content established in the Next Generation Sunshine |
296 | State Standards adopted under s. 1003.41, including the core |
297 | content knowledge and skills necessary for successful grade-to- |
298 | grade progression and high school graduation. If a student is |
299 | provided with instructional accommodations in the classroom that |
300 | are not allowable as accommodations in the statewide assessment |
301 | program, as described in the test manuals, the district must |
302 | inform the parent in writing and must provide the parent with |
303 | information regarding the impact on the student's ability to |
304 | meet expected proficiency levels in reading, writing, and |
305 | mathematics. The commissioner shall conduct studies as necessary |
306 | to verify that the required core curricular content is part of |
307 | the district instructional programs. |
308 | 9. District school boards must provide opportunities for |
309 | students to demonstrate an acceptable level of performance on an |
310 | alternative standardized assessment approved by the State Board |
311 | of Education following enrollment in summer academies. |
312 | 10. The Department of Education must develop, or select, |
313 | and implement a common battery of assessment tools that will be |
314 | used in all juvenile justice programs in the state. These tools |
315 | must accurately measure the core curricular content established |
316 | in the Sunshine State Standards. |
317 | 11. For students seeking a special diploma pursuant to s. |
318 | 1003.438, the Department of Education must develop or select and |
319 | implement an alternate assessment tool that accurately measures |
320 | the core curricular content established in the Sunshine State |
321 | Standards for students with disabilities under s. 1003.438. |
322 | 12. The Commissioner of Education shall establish |
323 | schedules for the administration of statewide assessments and |
324 | the reporting of student test results. The commissioner shall, |
325 | by August 1 of each year, notify each school district in writing |
326 | and publish on the department's Internet website the testing and |
327 | reporting schedules for, at a minimum, the school year following |
328 | the upcoming school year. The testing and reporting schedules |
329 | shall require that: |
330 | a. There is the latest possible administration of |
331 | statewide assessments and the earliest possible reporting to the |
332 | school districts of student test results which is feasible |
333 | within available technology and specific appropriations; |
334 | however, test results must be made available no later than the |
335 | final day of the regular school year for students. |
336 | b. Beginning with the 2010-2011 school year, a |
337 | comprehensive statewide assessment of writing is not |
338 | administered earlier than the week of March 1 and a |
339 | comprehensive statewide assessment of any other subject is not |
340 | administered earlier than the week of April 15. |
341 | c. A statewide standardized end-of-course assessment is |
342 | administered within the last 2 weeks of the course. |
343 |
|
344 | The commissioner may, based on collaboration and input from |
345 | school districts, design and implement student testing programs, |
346 | for any grade level and subject area, necessary to effectively |
347 | monitor educational achievement in the state, including the |
348 | measurement of educational achievement of the Sunshine State |
349 | Standards for students with disabilities. Development and |
350 | refinement of assessments shall include universal design |
351 | principles and accessibility standards that will prevent any |
352 | unintended obstacles for students with disabilities while |
353 | ensuring the validity and reliability of the test. These |
354 | principles should be applicable to all technology platforms and |
355 | assistive devices available for the assessments. The field |
356 | testing process and psychometric analyses for the statewide |
357 | assessment program must include an appropriate percentage of |
358 | students with disabilities and an evaluation or determination of |
359 | the effect of test items on such students. |
360 | Section 4. Paragraphs (b) and (c) of subsection (3) of |
361 | section 1008.34, Florida Statutes, are amended to read: |
362 | 1008.34 School grading system; school report cards; |
363 | district grade.-- |
364 | (3) DESIGNATION OF SCHOOL GRADES.-- |
365 | (b)1. A school's grade shall be based on a combination of: |
366 | a. Student achievement scores, including achievement |
367 | scores for students seeking a special diploma. |
368 | b. Student learning gains as measured by annual FCAT |
369 | assessments in grades 3 through 10; learning gains for students |
370 | seeking a special diploma, as measured by an alternate |
371 | assessment tool, shall be included not later than the 2009-2010 |
372 | school year. |
373 | c. Improvement of the lowest 25th percentile of students |
374 | in the school in reading, mathematics, or writing on the FCAT, |
375 | unless these students are exhibiting satisfactory performance. |
376 | 2. Beginning with the 2009-2010 school year for schools |
377 | comprised of high school grades 9, 10, 11, and 12, or grades 10, |
378 | 11, and 12, 50 percent of the school grade shall be based on a |
379 | combination of the factors listed in sub-subparagraphs 1.a.-c. |
380 | and the remaining 50 percent on the following factors: |
381 | a. The high school graduation rate of the school; |
382 | b. As valid data becomes available, the performance and |
383 | participation of the school's students in College Board Advanced |
384 | Placement courses, International Baccalaureate courses, dual |
385 | enrollment courses, and Advanced International Certificate of |
386 | Education courses; and the students' achievement of industry |
387 | certification, as determined by the Agency for Workforce |
388 | Innovation under s. 1003.492(2) in a career and professional |
389 | academy, as described in s. 1003.493; |
390 | c. Postsecondary readiness of the school's students as |
391 | measured by the SAT, ACT, or the common placement test; |
392 | d. The high school graduation rate of at-risk students who |
393 | scored at Level 2 or lower on the grade 8 FCAT Reading and |
394 | Mathematics examinations; |
395 | e. As valid data becomes available, the performance of the |
396 | school's students on statewide standardized end-of-course |
397 | assessments not required for high school graduation, which are |
398 | administered under s. 1008.22; and |
399 | f. The growth or decline in the components listed in sub- |
400 | subparagraphs a.-e. from year to year. |
401 | (c) Student assessment data used in determining school |
402 | grades shall include: |
403 | 1. The aggregate scores of all eligible students enrolled |
404 | in the school who have been assessed on the FCAT and |
405 | standardized end-of-course assessments required for high school |
406 | graduation, including, beginning with the 2011-2012 school year, |
407 | the end-of-course assessment in biology. |
408 | 2. The aggregate scores of all eligible students enrolled |
409 | in the school who have been assessed on the FCAT and who have |
410 | scored at or in the lowest 25th percentile of students in the |
411 | school in reading, mathematics, or writing, unless these |
412 | students are exhibiting satisfactory performance. |
413 | 3. Effective with the 2005-2006 school year, the |
414 | achievement scores and learning gains of eligible students |
415 | attending alternative schools that provide dropout prevention |
416 | and academic intervention services pursuant to s. 1003.53. The |
417 | term "eligible students" in this subparagraph does not include |
418 | students attending an alternative school who are subject to |
419 | district school board policies for expulsion for repeated or |
420 | serious offenses, who are in dropout retrieval programs serving |
421 | students who have officially been designated as dropouts, or who |
422 | are in programs operated or contracted by the Department of |
423 | Juvenile Justice. The student performance data for eligible |
424 | students identified in this subparagraph shall be included in |
425 | the calculation of the home school's grade. As used in this |
426 | section and s. 1008.341, the term "home school" means the school |
427 | to which the student would be assigned if the student were not |
428 | assigned to an alternative school. If an alternative school |
429 | chooses to be graded under this section, student performance |
430 | data for eligible students identified in this subparagraph shall |
431 | not be included in the home school's grade but shall be included |
432 | only in the calculation of the alternative school's grade. A |
433 | school district that fails to assign the FCAT scores of each of |
434 | its students to his or her home school or to the alternative |
435 | school that receives a grade shall forfeit Florida School |
436 | Recognition Program funds for 1 fiscal year. School districts |
437 | must require collaboration between the home school and the |
438 | alternative school in order to promote student success. This |
439 | collaboration must include an annual discussion between the |
440 | principal of the alternative school and the principal of each |
441 | student's home school concerning the most appropriate school |
442 | assignment of the student. |
443 | 4. Beginning with the 2009-2010 school year for schools |
444 | comprised of high school grades 9, 10, 11, and 12, or grades 10, |
445 | 11, and 12, the data listed in subparagraphs 1.-3. and the |
446 | following data as the Department of Education determines such |
447 | data are valid and available: |
448 | a. The high school graduation rate of the school as |
449 | calculated by the Department of Education; |
450 | b. The participation rate of all eligible students |
451 | enrolled in the school and enrolled in College Board Advanced |
452 | Placement courses; International Baccalaureate courses; dual |
453 | enrollment courses; Advanced International Certificate of |
454 | Education courses; and courses or sequence of courses leading to |
455 | industry certification, as determined by the Agency for |
456 | Workforce Innovation under s. 1003.492(2) in a career and |
457 | professional academy, as described in s. 1003.493; |
458 | c. The aggregate scores of all eligible students enrolled |
459 | in the school in College Board Advanced Placement courses, |
460 | International Baccalaureate courses, and Advanced International |
461 | Certificate of Education courses; |
462 | d. Earning of college credit by all eligible students |
463 | enrolled in the school in dual enrollment programs under s. |
464 | 1007.271; |
465 | e. Earning of an industry certification, as determined by |
466 | the Agency for Workforce Innovation under s. 1003.492(2) in a |
467 | career and professional academy, as described in s. 1003.493; |
468 | f. The aggregate scores of all eligible students enrolled |
469 | in the school in reading, mathematics, and other subjects as |
470 | measured by the SAT, the ACT, and the common placement test for |
471 | postsecondary readiness; |
472 | g. The high school graduation rate of all eligible at-risk |
473 | students enrolled in the school who scored at Level 2 or lower |
474 | on the grade 8 FCAT Reading and Mathematics examinations; |
475 | h. The performance of the school's students on statewide |
476 | standardized end-of-course assessments not required for high |
477 | school graduation, which are administered under s. 1008.22; and |
478 | i. The growth or decline in the data components listed in |
479 | sub-subparagraphs a.-h. from year to year. |
480 |
|
481 | The State Board of Education shall adopt appropriate criteria |
482 | for each school grade. The criteria must also give added weight |
483 | to student achievement in reading. Schools designated with a |
484 | grade of "C," making satisfactory progress, shall be required to |
485 | demonstrate that adequate progress has been made by students in |
486 | the school who are in the lowest 25th percentile in reading, |
487 | mathematics, or writing on the FCAT, unless these students are |
488 | exhibiting satisfactory performance. Beginning with the 2009- |
489 | 2010 school year for schools comprised of high school grades 9, |
490 | 10, 11, and 12, or grades 10, 11, and 12, the criteria for |
491 | school grades must also give added weight to the graduation rate |
492 | of all eligible at-risk students, as defined in this paragraph. |
493 | Beginning in the 2009-2010 school year, in order for a high |
494 | school to be designated as having a grade of "A," making |
495 | excellent progress, the school must demonstrate that at-risk |
496 | students, as defined in this paragraph, in the school are making |
497 | adequate progress. |
498 | Section 5. This act shall take effect July 1, 2009. |