Florida Senate - 2011 SB 1944
By Senator Wise
5-01686-11 20111944__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to alternative credit for high school
3 courses; repealing s. 1002.375, F.S., which requires
4 the Commissioner of Education to implement a pilot
5 project that allows school districts to award
6 alternative course credit for students enrolled in
7 certain industry certification programs; amending s.
8 1011.61, F.S.; conforming provisions; providing an
9 effective date.
10
11 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
12
13 Section 1. Section 1002.375, Florida Statutes, is repealed.
14 Section 2. Paragraph (c) of subsection (1) of section
15 1011.61, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
16 1011.61 Definitions.—Notwithstanding the provisions of s.
17 1000.21, the following terms are defined as follows for the
18 purposes of the Florida Education Finance Program:
19 (1) A “full-time equivalent student” in each program of the
20 district is defined in terms of full-time students and part-time
21 students as follows:
22 (c)1. A “full-time equivalent student” is:
23 a. A full-time student in any one of the programs listed in
24 s. 1011.62(1)(c); or
25 b. A combination of full-time or part-time students in any
26 one of the programs listed in s. 1011.62(1)(c) which is the
27 equivalent of one full-time student based on the following
28 calculations:
29 (I) A full-time student, except a postsecondary or adult
30 student or a senior high school student enrolled in adult
31 education when such courses are required for high school
32 graduation, in a combination of programs listed in s.
33 1011.62(1)(c) shall be a fraction of a full-time equivalent
34 membership in each special program equal to the number of net
35 hours per school year for which he or she is a member, divided
36 by the appropriate number of hours set forth in subparagraph
37 (a)1. or subparagraph (a)2. The difference between that fraction
38 or sum of fractions and the maximum value as set forth in
39 subsection (4) for each full-time student is presumed to be the
40 balance of the student’s time not spent in such special
41 education programs and shall be recorded as time in the
42 appropriate basic program.
43 (II) A prekindergarten handicapped student shall meet the
44 requirements specified for kindergarten students.
45 (III) A full-time equivalent student for students in
46 kindergarten through grade 5 in a school district virtual
47 instruction program under s. 1002.45 shall consist of a student
48 who has successfully completed a basic program listed in s.
49 1011.62(1)(c)1.a. or b., and who is promoted to a higher grade
50 level.
51 (IV) A full-time equivalent student for students in grades
52 6 through 12 in a school district virtual instruction program
53 under s. 1002.45(1)(b)1. and 2. shall consist of six full credit
54 completions in programs listed in s. 1011.62(1)(c)1.b. or c. and
55 3. Credit completions can be a combination of either full
56 credits or half credits.
57 (V) A Florida Virtual School full-time equivalent student
58 shall consist of six full credit completions in the programs
59 listed in s. 1011.62(1)(c)1.b. for grades 6 through 8 and the
60 programs listed in s. 1011.62(1)(c)1.c. for grades 9 through 12.
61 Credit completions can be a combination of either full credits
62 or half credits.
63 (VI) Each successfully completed credit earned under the
64 alternative high school course credit requirements authorized in
65 s. 1002.375, which is not reported as a portion of the 900 net
66 hours of instruction pursuant to subparagraph (1)(a)1., shall be
67 calculated as 1/6 FTE.
68 2. A student in membership in a program scheduled for more
69 or less than 180 school days or the equivalent on an hourly
70 basis as specified by rules of the State Board of Education is a
71 fraction of a full-time equivalent membership equal to the
72 number of instructional hours in membership divided by the
73 appropriate number of hours set forth in subparagraph (a)1.;
74 however, for the purposes of this subparagraph, membership in
75 programs scheduled for more than 180 days is limited to students
76 enrolled in juvenile justice education programs and the Florida
77 Virtual School.
78
79 The department shall determine and implement an equitable method
80 of equivalent funding for experimental schools and for schools
81 operating under emergency conditions, which schools have been
82 approved by the department to operate for less than the minimum
83 school day.
84 Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2011.