| 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 the |
| 4 | Commissioner of Education to implement a pilot project |
| 5 | that allows school districts to award alternative course |
| 6 | credit for students enrolled in certain industry |
| 7 | certification programs; amending s. 1011.61, F.S.; |
| 8 | conforming provisions; providing an effective date. |
| 9 |
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| 10 | Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: |
| 11 |
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| 12 | Section 1. Section 1002.375, Florida Statutes, is |
| 13 | repealed.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 |
| 20 | the district is defined in terms of full-time students and part- |
| 21 | time 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 |
| 24 | in 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 |
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| 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. |