| 1 | A bill to be entitled |
| 2 | An act relating to high school graduation rates; amending |
| 3 | ss. 1003.435 and 1008.34 F.S.; revising provisions |
| 4 | relating to the high school equivalency diploma program |
| 5 | and the school rating system to include students who |
| 6 | receive a high school equivalency diploma in the high |
| 7 | school graduation rates for purposes of determining a |
| 8 | school's grade; providing an effective date. |
| 9 |
|
| 10 | Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: |
| 11 |
|
| 12 | Section 1. Subsection (6) of section 1003.435, Florida |
| 13 | Statutes, is amended to read: |
| 14 | 1003.435 High school equivalency diploma program.- |
| 15 | (6)(a) All high school equivalency diplomas issued under |
| 16 | the provisions of this section shall have equal status with |
| 17 | other high school diplomas for all state purposes, including |
| 18 | admission to any state university or community college. |
| 19 | (b) Beginning with the 2011-2012 school year, students who |
| 20 | earn a high school equivalency diploma shall be included in the |
| 21 | high school graduation rate for purposes of determining a |
| 22 | school's grade pursuant to s. 1008.34(3)(b). |
| 23 | (c)(b) The State Board of Education shall adopt rules |
| 24 | providing for the award of a standard high school diploma to |
| 25 | holders of high school equivalency diplomas who are assessed as |
| 26 | meeting designated criteria, and the commissioner shall |
| 27 | establish procedures for administering the assessment. |
| 28 | Section 2. Paragraph (b) of subsection (3) of section |
| 29 | 1008.34, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: |
| 30 | 1008.34 School grading system; school report cards; |
| 31 | district grade.- |
| 32 | (3) DESIGNATION OF SCHOOL GRADES.- |
| 33 | (b)1. A school's grade shall be based on a combination of: |
| 34 | a. Student achievement scores, including achievement on |
| 35 | all FCAT assessments administered under s. 1008.22(3)(c)1., end- |
| 36 | of-course assessments administered under s. 1008.22(3)(c)2.a., |
| 37 | and achievement scores for students seeking a special diploma. |
| 38 | b. Student learning gains in reading and mathematics as |
| 39 | measured by FCAT and end-of-course assessments, as described in |
| 40 | s. 1008.22(3)(c)1. and 2.a. Learning gains for students seeking |
| 41 | a special diploma, as measured by an alternate assessment tool, |
| 42 | shall be included not later than the 2009-2010 school year. |
| 43 | c. Improvement of the lowest 25th percentile of students |
| 44 | in the school in reading and mathematics on the FCAT or end-of- |
| 45 | course assessments described in s. 1008.22(3)(c)2.a., unless |
| 46 | these students are exhibiting satisfactory performance. |
| 47 | 2. Beginning with the 2009-2010 school year for schools |
| 48 | comprised of high school grades 9, 10, 11, and 12, or grades 10, |
| 49 | 11, and 12, 50 percent of the school grade shall be based on a |
| 50 | combination of the factors listed in sub-subparagraphs 1.a.-c. |
| 51 | and the remaining 50 percent on the following factors: |
| 52 | a. The high school graduation rate of the school. |
| 53 | Beginning with the 2011-2012 school year, at least 75 percent of |
| 54 | the students who earn a high school equivalency diploma pursuant |
| 55 | to s. 1003.435 shall be included in the calculation of the high |
| 56 | school graduation rate; |
| 57 | b. As valid data becomes available, the performance and |
| 58 | participation of the school's students in College Board Advanced |
| 59 | Placement courses, International Baccalaureate courses, dual |
| 60 | enrollment courses, and Advanced International Certificate of |
| 61 | Education courses; and the students' achievement of national |
| 62 | industry certification identified in the Industry Certification |
| 63 | Funding List, pursuant to rules adopted by the State Board of |
| 64 | Education; |
| 65 | c. Postsecondary readiness of the school's students as |
| 66 | measured by the SAT, ACT, or the common placement test; |
| 67 | d. The high school graduation rate of at-risk students who |
| 68 | scored at Level 2 or lower on the grade 8 FCAT Reading and |
| 69 | Mathematics examinations; |
| 70 | e. As valid data becomes available, the performance of the |
| 71 | school's students on statewide standardized end-of-course |
| 72 | assessments administered under s. 1008.22(3)(c)2.b. and c.; and |
| 73 | f. The growth or decline in the components listed in sub- |
| 74 | subparagraphs a.-e. from year to year. |
| 75 | Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2011. |