| 1 | Representative Burgin offered the following: |
| 2 |
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| 3 | Amendment |
| 4 | Remove lines 117-168 and insert: |
| 5 | the prior 3 school years, may be exempt from the requirement in |
| 6 | this paragraph if the student demonstrates acceptable |
| 7 | performance on an alternative standardized reading assessment |
| 8 | approved by the State Board of Education. |
| 9 | Section 3. Paragraph (b) of subsection (2) of section |
| 10 | 1003.428, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: |
| 11 | 1003.428 General requirements for high school graduation; |
| 12 | revised.-- |
| 13 | (2) The 24 credits may be earned through applied, |
| 14 | integrated, and combined courses approved by the Department of |
| 15 | Education and shall be distributed as follows: |
| 16 | (b) Eight credits in majors, minors, or electives: |
| 17 | 1. Four credits in a major area of interest, such as |
| 18 | sequential courses in a career and technical program, fine and |
| 19 | performing arts, or academic content area, selected by the |
| 20 | student as part of the education plan required by s. 1003.4156. |
| 21 | Students may revise major areas of interest each year as part of |
| 22 | annual course registration processes and should update their |
| 23 | education plan to reflect such revisions. Annually by October 1, |
| 24 | the district school board shall approve major areas of interest |
| 25 | and submit the list of majors to the Commissioner of Education |
| 26 | for approval. Each major area of interest shall be deemed |
| 27 | approved unless specifically rejected by the commissioner within |
| 28 | 60 days. Upon approval, each district's major areas of interest |
| 29 | shall be available for use by all school districts and shall be |
| 30 | posted on the department's website. |
| 31 | 2. Four credits in elective courses selected by the |
| 32 | student as part of the education plan required by s. 1003.4156. |
| 33 | These credits may be combined to allow for a second major area |
| 34 | of interest pursuant to subparagraph 1., a minor area of |
| 35 | interest, elective courses, or intensive reading or mathematics |
| 36 | intervention courses as described in this subparagraph. |
| 37 | a. Minor areas of interest are composed of three credits |
| 38 | selected by the student as part of the education plan required |
| 39 | by s. 1003.4156 and approved by the district school board. |
| 40 | b. Elective courses are selected by the student in order |
| 41 | to pursue a complete education program as described in s. |
| 42 | 1001.41(3) and to meet eligibility requirements for |
| 43 | scholarships. |
| 44 | c. For each year in which a student scores at Level l on |
| 45 | FCAT Reading, the student must be enrolled in and complete an |
| 46 | intensive reading course the following year. Placement of Level |
| 47 | 2 readers in either an intensive reading course or a content |
| 48 | area course in which reading strategies are delivered shall be |
| 49 | determined by diagnosis of reading needs. The department shall |
| 50 | provide guidance on appropriate strategies for diagnosing and |
| 51 | meeting the varying instructional needs of students reading |
| 52 | below grade level. Reading courses shall be designed and offered |
| 53 | pursuant to the comprehensive reading plan required by s. |
| 54 | 1011.62(9). A student who scores at Level 1 or Level 2 on FCAT |
| 55 | Reading, but who did not score below Level 3 on FCAT Reading in |
| 56 | the prior 3 school years, may be exempt from the requirement in |