Florida Senate - 2011 CS for SB 1844
By the Committee on Education Pre-K - 12; and Senator Gaetz
581-02913-11 20111844c1
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to career and professional academies;
3 amending s. 1003.491, F.S.; revising provisions
4 relating to the Florida Career and Professional
5 Education Act; replacing references to local workforce
6 boards with regional workforce boards; requiring that
7 economic development agencies collaborate with each
8 district school board, regional workforce boards, and
9 postsecondary institutions to develop a strategic 5
10 year plan that addresses local and regional workforce
11 demands; requiring that the strategic plan include
12 access to courses offered through virtual education
13 providers and a review of career and professional
14 academy courses; requiring that the strategic plan be
15 reviewed, updated, and jointly approved; amending s.
16 1003.492, F.S.; revising provisions relating to
17 industry-certified career education programs to
18 conform to changes made by the act; requiring that
19 rules adopted by the State Board of Education include
20 an approval process for determining the funding
21 weights of industry certifications; requiring that the
22 performance factors for students participating in
23 industry-certified career education programs include
24 awards of postsecondary credit and state scholarships;
25 amending s. 1003.493, F.S.; revising provisions
26 relating to career and professional academies to
27 conform to changes made by the act; requiring that
28 career and professional academies discontinue
29 enrollment of students for the following year if the
30 passage rate on the industry certification exam falls
31 below 50 percent; amending s. 1011.62, F.S.; revising
32 provisions relating to the calculation of additional
33 full-time equivalent membership based on certification
34 of successful completion of industry-certified career
35 and professional academy programs; requiring that the
36 value of full-time equivalent membership be determined
37 by weights adopted by the State Board of Education;
38 amending s. 1012.39, F.S.; requiring that each
39 district school board establish qualifications for
40 nondegreed teachers of career and technical education
41 courses for program clusters recognized in the state;
42 authorizing district school boards to establish
43 alternative qualifications for certain teachers;
44 creating s. 1003.4935, F.S.; requiring that each
45 district school board, in collaboration with regional
46 workforce boards, economic development agencies, and
47 state-approved postsecondary institutions, include a
48 component in the strategic 5-year plan to implement a
49 career and professional academy in at least one middle
50 school in each district; providing requirements for
51 the middle school career and professional academies;
52 requiring that the Department of Education collect and
53 report student achievement data for middle school
54 career academy students; amending s. 1008.34, F.S.;
55 conforming provisions relating to the designation of
56 school grades to changes made by the act; providing an
57 effective date.
58
59 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
60
61 Section 1. Subsections (2), (3), and (5) of section
62 1003.491, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
63 1003.491 Florida Career and Professional Education Act.—The
64 Florida Career and Professional Education Act is created to
65 provide a statewide planning partnership between the business
66 and education communities in order to attract, expand, and
67 retain targeted, high-value industry and to sustain a strong,
68 knowledge-based economy.
69 (2) Beginning with the 2007-2008 school year, Each district
70 school board shall develop, in collaboration with regional local
71 workforce boards, economic development agencies, and
72 postsecondary institutions approved to operate in the state, a
73 strategic 5-year plan to address and meet local and regional
74 workforce demands. If involvement of a the regional local
75 workforce board or an economic development agency in the
76 strategic plan development is not feasible, the local school
77 board, with the approval of the Agency for Workforce Innovation,
78 shall collaborate with the most appropriate regional local
79 business leadership board. Two or more school districts may
80 collaborate in the development of the strategic plan and offer a
81 career and professional academy as a joint venture. The
82 strategic plan Such plans must describe in detail provisions for
83 the efficient transportation of students, the maximum use of
84 shared resources, and access to courses aligned to state
85 curriculum standards through virtual education providers, and an
86 objective review of career and professional academy courses to
87 determine if the courses will lead to the attainment of industry
88 certifications included on the Industry Certified Funding List
89 pursuant to rules adopted by the State Board of Education the
90 Florida Virtual School when appropriate. Each strategic plan
91 shall be reviewed, updated, and jointly approved every 5 years
92 by the local school district, regional workforce boards,
93 economic development agencies, and state-approved postsecondary
94 institutions completed no later than June 30, 2008, and shall
95 include provisions to have in place at least one operational
96 career and professional academy, pursuant to s. 1003.492, no
97 later than the beginning of the 2008-2009 school year.
98 (3) The strategic 5-year plan developed jointly between the
99 local school district, regional local workforce boards, economic
100 development agencies, and state-approved postsecondary
101 institutions shall be constructed and based on:
102 (a) Research conducted to objectively determine local and
103 regional workforce needs for the ensuing 5 years, using labor
104 projections of the United States Department of Labor and the
105 Agency for Workforce Innovation;
106 (b) Strategies to develop and implement career academies
107 based on those careers determined to be in high demand;
108 (c) Maximum use of private sector facilities and personnel;
109 (d) Strategies that ensure instruction by industry
110 certified faculty and standards and strategies to maintain
111 current industry credentials and for recruiting and retaining
112 faculty to meet those standards;
113 (e) Alignment of to requirements for middle school career
114 exploration, middle and high school career and professional
115 academies leading to industry certification, and high school
116 graduation requirements redesign;
117 (f) Provisions to ensure that courses offered through
118 career and professional academies are academically rigorous,
119 meet or exceed appropriate state-adopted subject area standards,
120 result in attainment of industry certification, and, when
121 appropriate, result in postsecondary credit;
122 (g) Strategies to improve the passage rate for industry
123 certification exams that fall below 50 percent;
124 (h)(g) Establishment of student eligibility criteria in
125 career and professional academies which include opportunities
126 for students who have been unsuccessful in traditional
127 classrooms but who show aptitude to participate in academies.
128 School boards shall address the analysis of eighth grade student
129 achievement data to provide opportunities for students who may
130 be deemed as potential dropouts to participate in career and
131 professional academies;
132 (i)(h) Strategies to provide sufficient space within
133 academies to meet workforce needs and to provide access to all
134 interested and qualified students;
135 (j)(i) Strategies to implement engage Department of
136 Juvenile Justice students in career and professional academy
137 training that leads to industry certification in Department of
138 Juvenile Justice facilities;
139 (k)(j) Opportunities for high school students to earn
140 weighted or dual enrollment credit for higher-level career and
141 technical courses;
142 (l)(k) Promotion of the benefits of the Gold Seal Bright
143 Futures Scholarship;
144 (m)(l) Strategies to ensure the review of district pupil
145 progression plans and to amend such plans to include career and
146 professional courses and to include courses that may qualify as
147 substitute courses for core graduation requirements and those
148 that may be counted as elective courses; and
149 (n)(m) Strategies to provide professional development for
150 secondary guidance counselors on the benefits of career and
151 professional academies.
152 (5) The submission and review of newly proposed core
153 courses shall be conducted electronically, and each proposed
154 core course shall be approved or denied within 60 days. All
155 courses approved as core courses for purposes of middle school
156 promotion and high school graduation purposes shall be
157 immediately added to the Course Code Directory. Approved core
158 courses shall also be reviewed and considered for approval for
159 dual enrollment credit. The Board of Governors and the
160 Commissioner of Education shall jointly recommend an annual
161 deadline for approval of new core courses to be included for
162 purposes of postsecondary admissions and dual enrollment credit
163 the following academic year. The State Board of Education shall
164 establish an appeals process in the event that a proposed course
165 is denied which shall require a consensus ruling by the Agency
166 for Workforce Innovation and the Commissioner of Education
167 within 15 days. The curriculum review committee must be
168 established and operational no later than September 1, 2007.
169 Section 2. Subsections (2) and (3) of section 1003.492,
170 Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
171 1003.492 Industry-certified career education programs.—
172 (2) The State Board of Education shall use the expertise of
173 Workforce Florida, Inc., and Enterprise Florida, Inc., to
174 develop and adopt rules pursuant to ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54
175 for implementing an industry certification process. These rules
176 shall include an approval process for determining the funding
177 weights of industry certifications based on the rigor of the
178 certification and the value of the certification to Florida
179 businesses and industry. Industry certification shall be defined
180 by the Agency for Workforce Innovation, based upon the highest
181 available national standards for specific industry
182 certification, to ensure student skill proficiency and to
183 address emerging labor market and industry trends. A regional
184 workforce board or a career and professional academy may apply
185 to Workforce Florida, Inc., to request additions to the approved
186 list of industry certifications based on high-demand job
187 requirements in the regional economy. The list of industry
188 certifications approved by Workforce Florida, Inc., and the
189 Department of Education shall be published and updated annually
190 by a date certain, to be included in the adopted rule.
191 (3) The Department of Education shall collect student
192 achievement and performance data in industry-certified career
193 education programs and shall work with Workforce Florida, Inc.,
194 and Enterprise Florida, Inc., in the analysis of collected data.
195 The data collection and analyses shall examine the performance
196 of participating students over time. Performance factors shall
197 include, but not be limited to, graduation rates, retention
198 rates, awards of postsecondary credit and state scholarships
199 under chapter 1009 Florida Bright Futures Scholarship awards,
200 additional educational attainment, employment records, earnings,
201 industry certification, and employer satisfaction. The
202 performance results and analyses of this study shall be
203 submitted to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the
204 House of Representatives annually by December 31.
205 Section 3. Subsections (2), (4), (5), and (6) of section
206 1003.493, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
207 1003.493 Career and professional academies.—
208 (2) The goals of a career and professional academy are to:
209 (a) Increase student academic achievement and graduation
210 rates through integrated academic and career curricula.
211 (b) Prepare graduating high school students to make
212 appropriate choices relative to employment and future
213 educational experiences.
214 (c) Focus on career preparation through rigorous academics
215 and industry certification.
216 (d) Raise student aspiration and commitment to academic
217 achievement and work ethics through relevant coursework.
218 (e) Support graduation requirements pursuant to s. 1003.428
219 by providing creative, applied major areas of interest.
220 (e)(f) Promote acceleration mechanisms, such as dual
221 enrollment, articulated credit, or occupational completion
222 points, so that students may earn postsecondary credit while in
223 high school.
224 (f)(g) Support the state’s economy by meeting industry
225 needs for skilled employees in high-demand occupations.
226 (4) Each career and professional academy must:
227 (a) Provide a rigorous standards-based academic curriculum
228 integrated with a career curriculum. The curriculum must take
229 into consideration multiple styles of student learning; promote
230 learning by doing through application and adaptation; maximize
231 relevance of the subject matter; enhance each student’s capacity
232 to excel; and include an emphasis on work habits and work
233 ethics.
234 (b) Include one or more partnerships with postsecondary
235 institutions, businesses, industry, employers, economic
236 development organizations, or other appropriate partners from
237 the local community. Such partnerships shall be delineated in
238 articulation agreements to provide for career-based courses that
239 earn postsecondary credit. Such agreements may include
240 articulation between the academy and public or private 2-year
241 and 4-year postsecondary institutions and technical centers. The
242 Department of Education, in consultation with the Board of
243 Governors, shall establish a mechanism to ensure articulation
244 and transfer of credits to postsecondary institutions in this
245 state. Such partnerships must provide opportunities for:
246 1. Instruction from highly skilled professionals who
247 possess industry-certification credentials for courses they are
248 teaching.
249 2. Internships, externships, and on-the-job training.
250 3. A postsecondary degree, diploma, or certificate.
251 4. The highest available level of industry certification.
252 5. Maximum articulation of credits pursuant to s. 1007.23
253 upon program completion.
254 (c) Provide shared, maximum use of private sector
255 facilities and personnel.
256 (d) Provide personalized student advisement, including a
257 parent-participation component, and coordination with middle
258 schools to promote and support career exploration and education
259 planning as required under s. 1003.4156. Coordination with
260 middle schools must provide information to middle school
261 students about secondary and postsecondary career education
262 programs and academies.
263 (e) Promote and provide opportunities for career and
264 professional academy students to attain, at minimum, the Florida
265 Gold Seal Vocational Scholars award pursuant to s. 1009.536.
266 (f) Provide instruction in careers designated as high
267 growth, high demand, and high pay by the regional local
268 workforce development board, the chamber of commerce, economic
269 development agencies, or the Agency for Workforce Innovation.
270 (g) Deliver academic content through instruction relevant
271 to the career, including intensive reading and mathematics
272 intervention required by s. 1003.428, with an emphasis on
273 strengthening reading for information skills.
274 (h) Offer applied courses that combine academic content
275 with technical skills.
276 (i) Provide instruction resulting in competency,
277 certification, or credentials in workplace skills, including,
278 but not limited to, communication skills, interpersonal skills,
279 decisionmaking skills, the importance of attendance and
280 timeliness in the work environment, and work ethics.
281 (j) Provide opportunities for students to obtain the
282 Florida Ready to Work Certification pursuant to s. 1004.99.
283 (k) Include an evaluation plan developed jointly with the
284 Department of Education and the local workforce board. The
285 evaluation plan must include an assessment tool based on
286 national industry standards, such as the Career Academy National
287 Standards of Practice, and outcome measures, including, but not
288 limited to, achievement of national industry certifications
289 identified in the Industry Certification Funding List, pursuant
290 to rules adopted by the State Board of Education, graduation
291 rates, enrollment in postsecondary education, business and
292 industry satisfaction, employment and earnings, awards of
293 postsecondary credit and scholarships, and student achievement
294 levels and learning gains on statewide assessments administered
295 under s. 1008.22(3)(c). The Department of Education shall use
296 Workforce Florida, Inc., and Enterprise Florida, Inc., in
297 identifying industry experts to participate in developing and
298 implementing such assessments.
299 (j)(l) Include a plan to sustain career and professional
300 academies.
301 (k)(m) Redirect appropriated career funding to career and
302 professional academies.
303 (5) All career courses offered in a career and professional
304 academy must lead to industry certification or college credit
305 linked directly to the career theme of the course. If the
306 passage rate on the industry certification exam that is
307 associated with the career and professional academy falls below
308 50 percent, the academy must discontinue enrollment of students
309 the following school year. At least 50 percent of students
310 enrolled in a career course must achieve industry certifications
311 or college credits during the second year the course is offered
312 in order for the course to be offered a third year. At least 66
313 percent of students enrolled in such a course must achieve
314 industry certifications or college credits during the third year
315 the course is offered in order for it to be offered a fourth
316 year and thereafter.
317 (6) Workforce Florida, Inc., through the secondary career
318 academies initiatives, The Okaloosa County School District
319 CHOICE Institutes shall serve in an advisory role and shall
320 offer technical assistance in the development and deployment of
321 newly established career and professional academies for a 3-year
322 period beginning July 1, 2007.
323 Section 4. Paragraph (p) of subsection (1) of section
324 1011.62, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
325 1011.62 Funds for operation of schools.—If the annual
326 allocation from the Florida Education Finance Program to each
327 district for operation of schools is not determined in the
328 annual appropriations act or the substantive bill implementing
329 the annual appropriations act, it shall be determined as
330 follows:
331 (1) COMPUTATION OF THE BASIC AMOUNT TO BE INCLUDED FOR
332 OPERATION.—The following procedure shall be followed in
333 determining the annual allocation to each district for
334 operation:
335 (p) Calculation of additional full-time equivalent
336 membership based on certification of successful completion of
337 industry-certified career and professional academy programs
338 pursuant to ss. 1003.491, 1003.492, and 1003.493, and 1003.4935
339 and identified in the Industry Certified Funding List pursuant
340 to rules adopted by the State Board of Education.—A maximum
341 value of 0.3 full-time equivalent student membership shall be
342 calculated for each student who completes an industry-certified
343 career and professional academy program under ss. 1003.491,
344 1003.492, and 1003.493, and 1003.4935 and who is issued the
345 highest level of industry certification identified annually in
346 the Industry Certification Funding List approved under rules
347 adopted by the State Board of Education and a high school
348 diploma. The value of full-time equivalent student membership
349 shall be determined by weights adopted by the State Board of
350 Education pursuant to s. 1003.492. Such value shall be added to
351 the total full-time equivalent student membership in secondary
352 career education programs for grades 9 through 12 in the
353 subsequent year for courses that were not funded through dual
354 enrollment. The additional full-time equivalent membership
355 authorized under this paragraph may not exceed 0.3 per student.
356 Allocated funds shall be proportionately prorated and
357 distributed to middle school career and professional academies
358 for those students who earned industry certifications. Each
359 district must allocate at least 80 percent of the funds
360 generated by student attainment of an provided for industry
361 certification, in accordance with this paragraph, to the program
362 in which the student earned the industry certification that
363 generated the funds. Unless a different amount is specified in
364 the General Appropriations Act, the appropriation for this
365 calculation is limited to $15 million annually. If the
366 appropriation is insufficient to fully fund the total
367 calculation, the appropriation shall be prorated.
368 Section 5. Subsection (1) of section 1012.39, Florida
369 Statutes, is amended to read:
370 1012.39 Employment of substitute teachers, teachers of
371 adult education, nondegreed teachers of career education, and
372 career specialists; students performing clinical field
373 experience.—
374 (1) Notwithstanding ss. 1012.32, 1012.55, 1012.56, and
375 1012.57, or any other provision of law or rule to the contrary,
376 each district school board shall establish the minimal
377 qualifications for:
378 (a) Substitute teachers to be employed pursuant to s.
379 1012.35. The qualifications shall require the filing of a
380 complete set of fingerprints in the same manner as required by
381 s. 1012.32; documentation of a minimum education level of a high
382 school diploma or equivalent; and completion of an initial
383 orientation and training program in district policies and
384 procedures addressing school safety and security procedures,
385 educational liability laws, professional responsibilities, and
386 ethics.
387 (b) Part-time and full-time teachers in adult education
388 programs. The qualifications shall require the filing of a
389 complete set of fingerprints in the same manner as required by
390 s. 1012.32. Faculty employed solely to conduct postsecondary
391 instruction may be exempted from this requirement.
392 (c) Part-time and full-time nondegreed teachers of career
393 programs. Qualifications shall be established for nondegreed
394 teachers of career and technical education courses for program
395 clusters that are recognized in this state agriculture,
396 business, health occupations, family and consumer sciences,
397 industrial, marketing, career specialist, and public service
398 education teachers, based primarily on successful occupational
399 experience rather than academic training. The qualifications for
400 such teachers shall require:
401 1. The filing of a complete set of fingerprints in the same
402 manner as required by s. 1012.32. Faculty employed solely to
403 conduct postsecondary instruction may be exempted from this
404 requirement.
405 2. Documentation of education and successful occupational
406 experience including documentation of:
407 a. A high school diploma or the equivalent.
408 b. Completion of 6 years of full-time successful
409 occupational experience or the equivalent of part-time
410 experience in the teaching specialization area. The district
411 school board may establish alternative qualifications for
412 teachers who hold industry certificates in the career areas in
413 which they teach. Alternate means of determining successful
414 occupational experience may be established by the district
415 school board.
416 c. Industry certification if state or national industry
417 certifications are available and applicable.
418 d.c. Completion of career education training conducted
419 through the local school district inservice master plan.
420 e.d. For full-time teachers, completion of professional
421 education training in teaching methods, course construction,
422 lesson planning and evaluation, and teaching special needs
423 students. This training may be completed through coursework from
424 an accredited or approved institution or an approved district
425 teacher education program.
426 f.e. Demonstration of successful teaching performance.
427 Section 6. Section 1003.4935, Florida Statutes, is created
428 to read:
429 1003.4935 Middle school career and professional academy
430 courses.—
431 (1) Beginning with the 2011-2012 school year, each district
432 school board, in collaboration with regional workforce boards,
433 economic development agencies, and state-approved postsecondary
434 institutions, shall include plans to implement a career and
435 professional academy in at least one middle school in the
436 district as part of the strategic 5-year plan pursuant to s.
437 1003.491(2). The middle school career and professional academy
438 component of the strategic plan must ensure the transition of
439 middle school career and professional academy students to a high
440 school career and professional academy currently operating
441 within the school district. Students who complete a middle
442 school career and professional academy must have the opportunity
443 to earn an industry certificate and high school credit and
444 participate in career planning, job shadowing, and business
445 leadership development activities.
446 (2) Each middle school career and professional academy must
447 be aligned with at least one high school career and professional
448 academy offered in the district and maintain partnerships with
449 local business and industry and economic development boards.
450 Middle school career and professional academies must:
451 (a) Provide instruction in courses leading to careers in
452 occupations designated as high growth, high demand, and high pay
453 in the Industry Certification Funding List approved under rules
454 adopted by the State Board of Education;
455 (b) Offer career and professional academy courses that
456 integrate content from core subject areas;
457 (c) Offer courses that integrate career and professional
458 academy content with intensive reading and mathematics pursuant
459 to s. 1003.428;
460 (d) Coordinate with high schools to maximize opportunities
461 for middle school career and professional academy students to
462 earn high school credit;
463 (e) Provide access to virtual instruction courses aligned
464 to state curriculum standards for middle school career and
465 professional academy students, with priority given to students
466 who have required course deficits;
467 (f) Provide instruction from highly skilled professionals
468 who hold industry certificates in the career area in which they
469 teach;
470 (g) Offer externships; and
471 (h) Provide personalized student advisement to include a
472 parent-participation component.
473 (3) Beginning with the 2012-2013 school year, the
474 Department of Education shall collect and report student
475 achievement data pursuant to performance factors identified
476 under s. 1003.492(3) for middle school career and professional
477 academy students.
478 Section 7. Paragraph (b) of subsection (3) of section
479 1008.34, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
480 1008.34 School grading system; school report cards;
481 district grade.—
482 (3) DESIGNATION OF SCHOOL GRADES.—
483 (b)1. A school’s grade shall be based on a combination of:
484 a. Student achievement scores, including achievement on all
485 FCAT assessments administered under s. 1008.22(3)(c)1., end-of
486 course assessments administered under s. 1008.22(3)(c)2.a., and
487 achievement scores for students seeking a special diploma.
488 b. Student learning gains in reading and mathematics as
489 measured by FCAT and end-of-course assessments, as described in
490 s. 1008.22(3)(c)1. and 2.a. Learning gains for students seeking
491 a special diploma, as measured by an alternate assessment tool,
492 shall be included not later than the 2009-2010 school year.
493 c. Improvement of the lowest 25th percentile of students in
494 the school in reading and mathematics on the FCAT or end-of
495 course assessments described in s. 1008.22(3)(c)2.a., unless
496 these students are exhibiting satisfactory performance.
497 2. Beginning with the 2009-2010 school year for schools
498 comprised of high school grades 9, 10, 11, and 12, or grades 10,
499 11, and 12, 50 percent of the school grade shall be based on a
500 combination of the factors listed in sub-subparagraphs 1.a.-c.
501 and the remaining 50 percent on the following factors:
502 a. The high school graduation rate of the school;
503 b. As valid data becomes available, the performance and
504 participation of the school’s students in College Board Advanced
505 Placement courses, International Baccalaureate courses, dual
506 enrollment courses, and Advanced International Certificate of
507 Education courses; and the students’ achievement of national
508 industry certification identified in the Industry Certification
509 Funding List, pursuant to rules adopted by the State Board of
510 Education;
511 c. Postsecondary readiness of the school’s students as
512 measured by the SAT, ACT, or the common placement test;
513 d. The high school graduation rate of at-risk students who
514 scored at Level 2 or lower on the grade 8 FCAT Reading and
515 Mathematics examinations;
516 e. As valid data becomes available, the performance of the
517 school’s students on statewide standardized end-of-course
518 assessments administered under s. 1008.22(3)(c)2.b. and c.; and
519 f. The growth or decline in the components listed in sub
520 subparagraphs a.-e. from year to year.
521 3. Beginning with the 2012-2013 school year for schools
522 comprised of middle school grades 6, 7, and 8, or grades 7, 8,
523 and 9, 50 percent of the school grade shall be based on a
524 combination of the factors listed in sub-subparagraphs 1.a.-c.
525 and the remaining 50 percent on the following factors:
526 a. As valid data becomes available, the participation of
527 the school’s students in career and professional academies under
528 s. 1003.4935;
529 b. As valid data becomes available, the students’
530 attainment of national industry certification identified in the
531 Industry Certification Funding List pursuant to rules adopted by
532 the State Board of Education;
533 c. As valid data becomes available, the performance of the
534 school’s students on statewide standardized end-of-course
535 assessments administered under s. 1008.22(3)(c)2.b. and c.; and
536 d. The growth or decline in the components listed in sub
537 subparagraphs a.-c. from year to year.
538 Section 8. This act shall take effect July 1, 2011.