Florida Senate - 2012 CS for CS for SB 1366
By the Committees on Budget Subcommittee on Higher Education
Appropriations; and Education Pre-K - 12; and Senators Gaetz and
Lynn
605-04238-12 20121366c2
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to education; creating s. 445.07,
3 F.S.; requiring that the Department of Economic
4 Opportunity prepare, or contract with an entity to
5 prepare, an economic security report of employment and
6 earning outcomes for degrees or certificates earned at
7 a public postsecondary educational institution;
8 requiring that the report be made available online;
9 providing requirements for the report; amending s.
10 1001.02, F.S.; providing duties of the State Board of
11 Education relating to the 5-year plan for
12 postsecondary enrollment and the strategic plan that
13 specifies goals and objectives for public schools and
14 Florida College System institutions; requiring that
15 Florida College System institutions provide students
16 with electronic access to the economic security report
17 of employment and earning outcomes prepared by the
18 Department of Economic Opportunity; providing powers
19 and duties of the State Board of Education relating to
20 institutional service delivery areas and credit hour
21 requirements; amending s. 1001.03, F.S.; requiring
22 that the State Board of Education identify performance
23 metrics for the Florida College System and develop a
24 plan specifying goals and objectives for each Florida
25 College System institution; providing requirements for
26 the plan; requiring that the State Board of Education
27 adopt a unified state plan for science, technology,
28 engineering, and mathematics in K-20 education;
29 amending s. 1001.10, F.S.; authorizing the
30 Commissioner of Education to review or investigate the
31 practices, procedures, or actions of any Florida
32 College System institution under certain
33 circumstances; amending s. 1001.42, F.S.; requiring
34 that district school boards require school principals
35 or classroom teachers to annually provide secondary
36 school students and their parents with electronic
37 access to the Department of Economic Opportunity’s
38 economic security report; amending s. 1001.64, F.S.;
39 revising provisions relating to the powers and duties
40 of Florida College System institution boards of
41 trustees to conform to changes made by the act;
42 amending s. 1001.706, F.S.; revising the powers and
43 duties of the Board of Governors; requiring that the
44 strategic plan developed by the Board of Governors
45 include performance metrics and standards for
46 institutions; requiring that the accountability plan
47 for the State University System address institutional
48 and system achievement goals and objectives specified
49 in the strategic plan and be submitted by the Board of
50 Governors as part of its legislative budget request;
51 requiring that the Board of Governors require state
52 universities to provide each enrolled student with
53 electronic access to the Department of Economic
54 Opportunity’s economic security report during
55 registration or earlier and information concerning
56 employment and earnings data for graduates of degree
57 programs; authorizing the Board of Governors to waive
58 or modify requirements for use of the tuition
59 differential fee under s. 1009.24, F.S.; requiring
60 that the Board of Governors confirm the reappointment
61 of a university president; authorizing the Board of
62 Governors to revoke or modify certain powers or duties
63 that it has delegated; amending s. 1002.20, F.S.;
64 requiring that each middle school and high school
65 student and his or her parent receive a two-page
66 summary and electronic access to the Department of
67 Economic Opportunity’s economic security report each
68 year; amending s. 1004.015, F.S.; requiring that the
69 Higher Education Coordinating Council submit an annual
70 report by a specified date to the Governor and the
71 Legislature; revising the content requirements for the
72 report; amending s. 1005.22, F.S.; requiring that the
73 Commission for Independent Education collect, and that
74 institutions licensed by the commission report,
75 certain student data; amending s. 1007.23, F.S.;
76 revising provisions relating to statewide articulation
77 agreements; requiring that the articulation agreement
78 require each student enrolled in a Florida College
79 System institution who is seeking an associate in arts
80 degree to indicate a baccalaureate degree program
81 offered by an institution of interest before the
82 student earns a specified number of semester hours;
83 amending s. 1007.25, F.S.; revising provisions
84 relating to general education courses and associate
85 and baccalaureate degree requirements; revising the
86 minimum number of semester hours required in general
87 education courses; amending s. 1007.33, F.S.; revising
88 the requirements for proposals by a Florida College
89 System institution to offer a baccalaureate degree
90 program; requiring that a Florida College System
91 institution offering a baccalaureate degree program
92 report its status using specified performance and
93 compliance standards; deleting provisions relating to
94 an exemption from State Board of Education approval of
95 certain baccalaureate degree programs; amending s.
96 1008.31, F.S.; requiring that colleges and
97 universities eligible to participate in the William L.
98 Boyd, IV, Florida Resident Access Grant Program report
99 information regarding the recipients of funds to the
100 Department of Education; amending s. 1008.46, F.S.;
101 conforming provisions to changes made by the act;
102 creating s. 1011.905, F.S.; requiring that the Board
103 of Governors review and rank each state university
104 that applies for performance funding based on certain
105 criteria; requiring that the Board of Governors award
106 up to a specified amount to the highest-ranked state
107 universities; requiring that the Board of Governors
108 report to the Governor and the Legislature by a
109 specified date each year; providing an effective date.
110
111 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
112
113 Section 1. Section 445.07, Florida Statutes, is created to
114 read:
115 445.07 Economic security report of employment and earning
116 outcomes.—
117 (1) Beginning December 31, 2013, and annually thereafter,
118 the Department of Economic Opportunity shall prepare, or
119 contract with an entity to prepare, an economic security report
120 of employment and earning outcomes for degrees or certificates
121 earned at a public postsecondary educational institution.
122 (2) The report must be easily accessible to and readable by
123 the public and shall be made available online. The report, by
124 educational sector, must:
125 (a) Use the Florida Education and Training Placement
126 Information Program for data relating to the employment,
127 earnings, continuing education, and receipt of public assistance
128 by graduates of a degree program from a public postsecondary
129 educational institution.
130 (b) Use the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System
131 or its equivalent for calculating the average student loan debt
132 of a graduate of a degree program from a public postsecondary
133 educational institution.
134 (c) Include data on the employment of graduates of a degree
135 or certificate program from a public postsecondary educational
136 institution the year after the degree or certificate is earned
137 by number and percentage and for graduates employed full time in
138 the year after graduation by number and percentage. Beginning
139 with the 2014-2015 fiscal year, the report must include the
140 employment data of graduates of a degree or certificate program
141 from a public postsecondary educational institution 5 years
142 after graduation by number and percentage.
143 (d) Include data on the earnings of graduates of a degree
144 or certificate program from a public postsecondary educational
145 institution the year after earning the degree or certificate by
146 at least the following levels on a quarterly and annualized
147 basis, rounded to the nearest dollar:
148 1. Quarterly wages of $6,250 and annualized wages of
149 $25,000 and below.
150 2. Quarterly wages between $6,251 and $11,250 and
151 annualized wages between $25,001 and $45,000.
152 3. Quarterly wages of $11,251 and annualized wages of
153 $45,001 and above.
154 Section 2. Paragraph (v) of subsection (2), paragraph (a)
155 of subsection (3), paragraphs (b) and (d) of subsection (4), and
156 paragraph (d) of subsection (6) of section 1001.02, Florida
157 Statutes, are amended, and paragraph (w) is added to subsection
158 (2) of that section, to read:
159 1001.02 General powers of State Board of Education.—
160 (2) The State Board of Education has the following duties:
161 (v) To develop, in conjunction with the Board of Governors,
162 and periodically review for adjustment, a coordinated 5-year
163 plan for postsecondary enrollment, identifying enrollment and
164 graduation expectations by baccalaureate degree program, and
165 annually submit the plan to the Legislature as part of its
166 legislative budget request.
167 (w) To require Florida College System institutions, prior
168 to registration beginning in the 2014-2015 academic year and
169 annually thereafter, to provide each enrolled student electronic
170 access to the economic security report of employment and earning
171 outcomes prepared by the Department of Economic Opportunity
172 pursuant to s. 445.07.
173 (3)(a) The State Board of Education shall adopt a strategic
174 plan that specifies goals and objectives for the state’s public
175 schools and Florida College System institutions. The plan shall
176 be formulated in conjunction with plans of the Board of
177 Governors in order to provide for the roles of the universities
178 and Florida College System institutions to be coordinated to
179 best meet state needs and reflect cost-effective use of state
180 resources. The strategic plan must clarify the mission
181 statements of each Florida College System institution and the
182 system as a whole and identify degree programs, including
183 baccalaureate degree programs, to be offered at each Florida
184 College System institution in accordance with the objectives
185 provided in this subsection and the coordinated 5-year plan
186 pursuant to paragraph (2)(v). The strategic plan must cover a
187 period of 5 years, with modification of the program lists after
188 2 years. Development of each 5-year plan must be coordinated
189 with and initiated after completion of the master plan. The
190 strategic plans must specifically include programs and
191 procedures for responding to the educational needs of teachers
192 and students in the public schools of this state and consider
193 reports and recommendations of the Higher Education Coordinating
194 Council pursuant to s. 1004.015 and the Articulation
195 Coordinating Committee pursuant to s. 1007.01. The state board
196 shall submit a report to the President of the Senate and the
197 Speaker of the House of Representatives upon modification of the
198 plan and as part of its legislative budget request.
199 (4) The State Board of Education shall:
200 (b) Specify, by rule, procedures to be used by the Florida
201 College System institution boards of trustees in the annual
202 evaluations of presidents and review the evaluations of
203 presidents by the boards of trustees, including the extent to
204 which presidents serve both institutional and system goals.
205 (d) Establish criteria for making recommendations for
206 modifying district boundary lines for Florida College System
207 institutions, including criteria for service delivery areas of
208 Florida College System institutions authorized to grant
209 baccalaureate degrees.
210 (6) The State Board of Education shall prescribe minimum
211 standards, definitions, and guidelines for Florida College
212 System institutions that will ensure the quality of education,
213 coordination among the Florida College System institutions and
214 state universities, and efficient progress toward accomplishing
215 the Florida College System institution mission. At a minimum,
216 these rules must address:
217 (d) Provisions for curriculum development, graduation
218 requirements, college calendars, and program service areas.
219 These provisions must include rules that:
220 1. Provide for the award of an associate in arts degree to
221 a student who successfully completes 60 semester credit hours at
222 the Florida College System institution.
223 2. Require all of the credits accepted for the associate in
224 arts degree to be in the statewide course numbering system as
225 credits toward a baccalaureate degree offered by a state
226 university or a Florida College System institution.
227 3. Beginning with students initially entering a Florida
228 College System institution in the 2014-2015 academic year and
229 thereafter, require no more than 30 36 semester credit hours in
230 general education courses in the subject areas of communication,
231 mathematics, social sciences, humanities, and natural sciences.
232
233 The rules should encourage Florida College System institutions
234 to enter into agreements with state universities that allow
235 Florida College System institution students to complete upper
236 division-level courses at a Florida College System institution.
237 An agreement may provide for concurrent enrollment at the
238 Florida College System institution and the state university and
239 may authorize the Florida College System institution to offer an
240 upper-division-level course or distance learning.
241 Section 3. Subsections (16) and (17) are added to section
242 1001.03, Florida Statutes, to read:
243 1001.03 Specific powers of State Board of Education.—
244 (16) PLAN SPECIFYING GOALS AND OBJECTIVES.—By July 1, 2013,
245 the State Board of Education shall identify performance metrics
246 for the Florida College System and develop a plan that specifies
247 goals and objectives for each Florida College System
248 institution. The plan must include:
249 (a) Performance metrics and standards common for all
250 institutions and metrics and standards unique to institutions
251 depending on institutional core missions, including, but not
252 limited to, remediation success, retention, graduation,
253 employment, transfer rates, licensure passage, excess hours,
254 student loan burden and default rates, job placement, faculty
255 awards, and highly respected rankings for institution and
256 program achievements.
257 (b) Student enrollment and performance data delineated by
258 method of instruction, including, but not limited to,
259 traditional, online, and distance learning instruction.
260 (17) UNIFIED STATE PLAN FOR SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY,
261 ENGINEERING, and MATHEMATICS (STEM).—The State Board of
262 Education, in consultation with the Board of Governors and the
263 Department of Economic Opportunity, shall adopt a unified state
264 plan to improve K-20 STEM education and prepare students for
265 high-skill, high-wage, and high-demand employment in STEM and
266 STEM-related fields.
267 Section 4. Subsection (7) is added to section 1001.10,
268 Florida Statutes, to read:
269 1001.10 Commissioner of Education; general powers and
270 duties.—
271 (7) The commissioner, or the commissioner’s designee, may
272 conduct a review or investigation of practices, procedures, or
273 actions at any Florida College System institution which appear
274 to be inconsistent with sound financial, management, or academic
275 practice.
276 Section 5. Paragraph (c) of subsection (13) of section
277 1001.42, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
278 1001.42 Powers and duties of district school board.—The
279 district school board, acting as a board, shall exercise all
280 powers and perform all duties listed below:
281 (13) RECORDS AND REPORTS.—Provide for the keeping of all
282 necessary records and the making of all needed or required
283 reports, as follows:
284 (c) Reports to parents.—
285 1. Require that, at regular intervals, reports are made by
286 school principals or teachers to parents, apprising them of the
287 progress being made by the students in their studies and giving
288 other needful information.
289 2. Beginning with the course registration process for the
290 2013-2014 school year and each year thereafter, require that
291 school principals or classroom teachers provide secondary school
292 students and their parents with a link to the Department of
293 Economic Opportunity’s economic security report prepared
294 pursuant to s. 445.07.
295 Section 6. Paragraph (d) of subsection (8) of section
296 1001.64, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
297 1001.64 Florida College System institution boards of
298 trustees; powers and duties.—
299 (8) Each board of trustees has authority for policies
300 related to students, enrollment of students, student records,
301 student activities, financial assistance, and other student
302 services.
303 (d) Boards of trustees shall identify their general
304 education core curricula, which shall include courses required
305 by the State Board of Education, pursuant to the provisions of
306 s. 1007.25(6).
307 Section 7. Paragraph (c) of subsection (4), subsection (5),
308 paragraph (a) of subsection (6), and subsections (9) and (10) of
309 section 1001.706, Florida Statutes, are amended, and subsection
310 (11) is added to that section, to read:
311 1001.706 Powers and duties of the Board of Governors.—
312 (4) POWERS AND DUTIES RELATING TO FINANCE.—
313 (c) The Board of Governors, or the board’s designee, shall
314 establish tuition and fees pursuant to ss. 1009.24 and 1009.26,
315 unless otherwise provided in law.
316 (5) POWERS AND DUTIES RELATING TO ACCOUNTABILITY.—
317 (a) The Legislature intends that the Board of Governors
318 shall align the missions of each constituent university with the
319 academic success of its students; the national reputation of its
320 faculty and its academic and research programs; the quantity of
321 externally generated research, patents, and licenses; and the
322 strategic and accountability plans required in paragraphs (b)
323 and (c). The mission alignment and strategic plan shall consider
324 peer institutions at the constituent universities. The mission
325 alignment and strategic plan shall acknowledge that universities
326 that have a national and international impact have the greatest
327 capacity to promote the state’s economic development through:
328 new discoveries, patents, licenses, and technologies that
329 generate state businesses of global importance; research
330 achievements through external grants and contracts that are
331 comparable to nationally recognized and ranked universities; the
332 creation of a resource rich academic environment that attracts
333 high-technology business and venture capital to the state; and
334 this generation’s finest minds focusing on solving the state’s
335 economic, social, environmental, and legal problems in the areas
336 of life sciences, water, sustainability, energy, and health
337 care. A nationally recognized and ranked university that has a
338 global perspective and impact shall be afforded the opportunity
339 to enable and protect the university’s competitiveness on the
340 global stage in fair competition with other institutions of
341 other states in the highest Carnegie Classification.
342 (b) The Board of Governors shall develop a strategic plan
343 specifying goals and objectives for the State University System
344 and each constituent university, including each university’s
345 contribution to overall system goals and objectives. The
346 strategic plan must:
347 1. Include performance metrics and standards common for all
348 institutions and metrics and standards unique to institutions
349 depending on institutional core missions, including, but not
350 limited to, student admission requirements, retention,
351 graduation, employment, continuing education, licensure passage,
352 excess hours, student loan burden and default rates, faculty
353 awards, total annual research expenditures, patents, licenses
354 and royalties, intellectual property, startup companies, annual
355 giving, endowments, and well-known, highly respected national
356 rankings for institutional and program achievements.
357 2. Consider reports and recommendations of the Higher
358 Education Coordinating Council pursuant to s. 1004.015 and the
359 Articulation Coordinating Committee pursuant to s. 1007.01.
360 3. Include student enrollment and performance data
361 delineated by method of instruction, including, but not limited
362 to, traditional, online, and distance learning instruction.
363 (c) The Board of Governors shall develop an accountability
364 plan for the State University System and each constituent
365 university. The accountability plan must address institutional
366 and system achievement of goals and objectives specified in the
367 strategic plan adopted pursuant to paragraph (b) and must be
368 submitted as part of its legislative budget request.
369 (d) Prior to registration, beginning in the 2014-2015
370 academic year and each year thereafter, the Board of Governors
371 shall require a state university to provide each enrolled
372 student electronic access to the economic security report of
373 employment and earning outcomes prepared by the Department of
374 Economic Opportunity pursuant to s. 445.07. In addition, the
375 Board of Governors shall require a state university to provide
376 each student electronic access to the following information each
377 year prior to registration using the data described in s.
378 1008.39:
379 1. The top 25 percent of degrees reported by the university
380 in terms of highest full-time job placement and highest average
381 annualized earnings in the year after earning the degree.
382 2. The bottom 10 percent of degrees reported by the
383 university in terms of lowest full-time job placement and lowest
384 average annualized earnings in the year after earning the
385 degree.
386 (e)(d) The Board of Governors shall maintain an effective
387 information system to provide accurate, timely, and cost
388 effective information about each university. The board shall
389 continue to collect and maintain, at a minimum, management
390 information as such information existed on June 30, 2002.
391 (f)(e) If the Board of Governors of the State University
392 System determines that a state university board of trustees is
393 unwilling or unable to address substantiated allegations made by
394 any person relating to waste, fraud, or financial mismanagement
395 within the state university, the Office of the Inspector General
396 shall investigate the allegations.
397 (g) The Board of Governors may consider waiving its
398 regulations and may waive or modify the tuition differential use
399 requirements under s. 1009.24(16)(a). If not currently
400 authorized, the Board of Governors may request authority from
401 the Legislature to waive or modify specific statutory
402 requirements, including percentages and dollar amount
403 limitations in s. 1009.24, in order to reduce barriers and
404 support attainment of goals identified in institutional plans,
405 as necessary for advancing system priorities and unique
406 institutional priorities. Regulatory and statutory flexibilities
407 authorized or requested by the Board of Governors pursuant to
408 this paragraph must be included in the accountability plan
409 prepared and submitted pursuant to paragraph (c).
410 (6) POWERS AND DUTIES RELATING TO PERSONNEL.—
411 (a) The Board of Governors, or the board’s designee, shall
412 establish the personnel program for all employees of a state
413 university. The Board of Governors shall confirm the
414 presidential selection and reappointment by a university board
415 of trustees as a means of acknowledging that system cooperation
416 is expected.
417 (9) COOPERATION WITH OTHER BOARDS.—The Board of Governors
418 shall implement a plan for working on a regular basis with the
419 State Board of Education, the Commission for Independent
420 Education, the Higher Education Coordinating Council, the
421 Articulation Coordinating Committee, the university boards of
422 trustees, representatives of the Florida College System
423 institution boards of trustees, representatives of the private
424 colleges and universities, and representatives of the district
425 school boards to achieve a seamless education system.
426 (10) PROHIBITION.—The Board of Governors is prohibited from
427 assessing any fee on state universities, unless specifically
428 authorized by law.
429 (11) AUTHORIZATION TO REVOKE OR MODIFY.—The Board of
430 Governors may revoke or modify the scope of any power or duty it
431 has delegated.
432 Section 8. Subsection (24) is added to section 1002.20,
433 Florida Statutes, to read:
434 1002.20 K-12 student and parent rights.—Parents of public
435 school students must receive accurate and timely information
436 regarding their child’s academic progress and must be informed
437 of ways they can help their child to succeed in school. K-12
438 students and their parents are afforded numerous statutory
439 rights including, but not limited to, the following:
440 (24) ECONOMIC SECURITY REPORT.—Prior to registration for
441 the 2014-2015 school year and each year thereafter, each middle
442 school and high school student or the student’s parent shall be
443 provided a two-page summary of the Department of Economic
444 Opportunity’s economic security report of employment and earning
445 outcomes prepared pursuant to s. 445.07 and electronic access to
446 the report.
447 Section 9. Subsections (4), (5), and (6) of section
448 1004.015, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
449 1004.015 Higher Education Coordinating Council.—
450 (4) The council shall annually submit by December 31, to
451 the Governor, the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the
452 House of Representatives, the Board of Governors, and the State
453 Board of Education a report outlining its recommendations make
454 detailed recommendations relating to:
455 (a) The primary core mission of public and nonpublic
456 postsecondary education institutions in the context of state
457 access demands and economic development goals.
458 (b) Performance outputs and outcomes designed to meet
459 annual and long-term state goals, including, but not limited to,
460 increased student access, preparedness, retention, transfer, and
461 completion. Performance measures must be consistent across
462 sectors and allow for a comparison of the state’s performance to
463 that of other states.
464 (c) The state’s articulation policies and practices to
465 ensure that cost benefits to the state are maximized without
466 jeopardizing quality. The recommendations recommendation shall
467 consider return on investment for both the state and students
468 and propose systems to facilitate and ensure institutional
469 compliance with state articulation policies.
470 (d) A plan for Workforce development education,
471 specifically recommending improvements to that addresses:
472 1. The alignment of school district and Florida College
473 System workforce development education programs to ensure cost
474 efficiency and mission delineation, including an examination of
475 the need for both college credit and noncollege credit
476 certificate programs, an evaluation of the merit of retaining
477 the associate in applied science degree, and the consolidation
478 of adult general education programs within school districts.
479 2. the consistency of workforce education data collected
480 and reported by Florida College System institutions and school
481 districts, including the establishment of common elements and
482 definitions for any data that is used for state and federal
483 funding and program accountability.
484 (5) The council shall submit a report outlining its
485 detailed recommendations to the Governor, the President of the
486 Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Board
487 of Governors, and the State Board of Education by December 31,
488 2011, which specifically includes recommendations for
489 consideration by the Legislature for implementation in the 2012
490 2013 fiscal year.
491 (5)(6) The Board of Governors and the Department of
492 Education shall provide administrative support for the council.
493 Section 10. Paragraph (i) of subsection (1) of section
494 1005.22, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
495 1005.22 Powers and duties of commission.—
496 (1) The commission shall:
497 (i) Serve as a central agency for collecting and
498 distributing current information regarding institutions licensed
499 by the commission. The commission shall collect, and all
500 institutions licensed by the commission shall report, student
501 level data for each student who receives state funds. At a
502 minimum, data shall be reported annually and include retention
503 rates, transfer rates, completion rates, graduation rates,
504 employment and placement rates, and earnings of graduates.
505 Section 11. Subsections (3), (4), and (5) of section
506 1007.23, Florida Statutes, are redesignated as subsections (4),
507 (5), and (6), respectively, and a new subsection (3) is added to
508 that section to read:
509 1007.23 Statewide articulation agreement.—
510 (3) To improve articulation and reduce excess credit hours,
511 the articulation agreement must require each student enrolled in
512 a Florida College System institution who is seeking an associate
513 in arts degree to indicate a baccalaureate degree program
514 offered by an institution of interest by the time the student
515 earns 30 semester hours. The institution in which the student is
516 enrolled shall inform the student of the prerequisites for the
517 baccalaureate degree program offered by an institution of
518 interest.
519 Section 12. Subsections (3), (6), (7), (8), and (10) of
520 section 1007.25, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
521 1007.25 General education courses; common prerequisites;
522 other degree requirements.—
523 (3) The chair of the State Board of Education and the chair
524 of the Board of Governors, or their designees, department shall
525 jointly appoint faculty committees to identify statewide those
526 courses that meet general education core course options. General
527 education core course options shall consist of a maximum of five
528 courses requirements within each of the subject areas of
529 communication, mathematics, social sciences, humanities, and
530 natural sciences. Each general education core course option must
531 contain high-level academic and critical thinking skills and
532 common competencies that students must demonstrate to
533 successfully complete the course. Beginning with students
534 initially entering a Florida College System institution or state
535 university in the 2014-2015 academic year and thereafter, each
536 student must complete at least one identified core course in
537 each subject area as part of the general education requirements.
538 All public postsecondary educational institutions shall offer
539 and accept such courses as meeting general education core course
540 requirements. The remaining general education course
541 requirements courses shall be identified by each institution and
542 reported to the department by their statewide course code
543 number. The general education core course options shall be
544 adopted in rule by the State Board of Education and in
545 regulation by the Board of Governors. All public postsecondary
546 educational institutions shall accept these general education
547 courses.
548 (6) The boards of trustees of the Florida College System
549 institutions shall identify their core curricula, which shall
550 include courses required by the State Board of Education. The
551 boards of trustees of the state universities shall identify
552 their core curricula, which shall include courses required by
553 the Board of Governors. The universities and Florida College
554 System institutions shall work with their school districts to
555 ensure assure that high school curricula coordinate with the
556 general education core curricula and to prepare students for
557 college-level work. General education Core curricula for
558 associate in arts programs shall be identified by each
559 institution adopted in rule by the State Board of Education and,
560 beginning with students initially entering a Florida College
561 System institution or state university in the 2014-2015 academic
562 year and thereafter, shall include 30 36 semester hours of
563 general education courses in the subject areas of communication,
564 mathematics, social sciences, humanities, and natural sciences.
565 (7) An associate in arts degree shall require no more than
566 60 semester hours of college credit and, beginning with students
567 initially entering a Florida College System institution or state
568 university in the 2014-2015 academic year and thereafter,
569 include 30 including 36 semester hours of general education
570 coursework and demonstration of competency in a foreign language
571 pursuant to s. 1007.262. Except for college-preparatory
572 coursework required pursuant to s. 1008.30, all required
573 coursework shall count toward the associate in arts degree or
574 the baccalaureate degree.
575 (8) A baccalaureate degree program shall require no more
576 than 120 semester hours of college credit and, beginning with
577 students initially entering a Florida College System institution
578 or state university in the 2014-2015 academic year and
579 thereafter, include 30 including 36 semester hours of general
580 education coursework, unless prior approval has been granted by
581 the Board of Governors for baccalaureate degree programs offered
582 by state universities and by the State Board of Education for
583 baccalaureate degree programs offered by Florida College System
584 institutions.
585 (10) Students at state universities may request associate
586 in arts certificates if they have successfully completed the
587 minimum requirements for the degree of associate in arts (A.A.).
588 The university must grant the student an associate in arts
589 degree if the student has successfully completed minimum
590 requirements for college-level communication and computation
591 skills adopted by the State Board of Education and 60 academic
592 semester hours or the equivalent within a degree program area
593 which, beginning with students initially entering a Florida
594 College System institution or state university in the 2014-2015
595 academic year and thereafter, include 30 with 36 semester hours
596 in general education courses in the subject areas of
597 communication, mathematics, social sciences, humanities, and
598 natural sciences, consistent with the general education
599 requirements specified in the articulation agreement pursuant to
600 s. 1007.23.
601 Section 13. Subsections (5), (6), and (7) of section
602 1007.33, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
603 1007.33 Site-determined baccalaureate degree access.—
604 (5) The approval process for baccalaureate degree programs
605 shall require:
606 (a) Each Florida College System institution to submit a
607 notice of its intent to propose a baccalaureate degree program
608 to the Division of Florida Colleges at least 100 days before the
609 submission of its proposal under paragraph (d). The notice must
610 include a brief description of the program, the workforce demand
611 and unmet need for graduates of the program, including evidence
612 from entities independent of the institution, the geographic
613 region to be served, and an estimated timeframe for
614 implementation. Notices of intent may be submitted by a Florida
615 College System institution at any time throughout the year. The
616 notice must also include evidence that the Florida College
617 System institution is engaged in need, demand, and impact
618 discussions with the state university and other regionally
619 accredited postsecondary education providers in its service
620 district.
621 (b) The Division of Florida Colleges to forward the notice
622 of intent within 10 business days after receiving such notice to
623 the Chancellor of the State University System, the President of
624 the Independent Colleges and Universities of Florida, and the
625 Executive Director of the Council for Independent Education.
626 State universities shall have 60 days following receipt of the
627 notice by the Chancellor of the State University System to
628 submit objections to the proposed new program or submit an
629 alternative proposal to offer the baccalaureate degree program.
630 If a proposal from a state university is not received within the
631 60-day period, the State Board of Education shall provide
632 regionally accredited private colleges and universities 30 days
633 to submit objections to the proposed new program or submit an
634 alternative proposal. Objections or alternative proposals shall
635 be submitted to the Division of Florida Colleges and must be
636 considered by the State Board of Education in making its
637 decision to approve or deny a Florida College System
638 institution’s proposal.
639 (c) An alternative proposal submitted by a state university
640 or private college or university to adequately address:
641 1. The extent to which the workforce demand and unmet need
642 described in the notice of intent will be met.
643 2. The extent to which students will be able to complete
644 the degree in the geographic region proposed to be served by the
645 Florida College System institution.
646 3. The level of financial commitment of the college or
647 university to the development, implementation, and maintenance
648 of the specified degree program, including timelines.
649 4. The extent to which faculty at both the Florida College
650 System institution and the college or university will
651 collaborate in the development and offering of the curriculum.
652 5. The ability of the Florida College System institution
653 and the college or university to develop and approve the
654 curriculum for the specified degree program within 6 months
655 after an agreement between the Florida College System
656 institution and the college or university is signed.
657 6. The extent to which the student may incur additional
658 costs above what the student would expect to incur if the
659 program were offered by the Florida College System institution.
660 (d) Each proposal submitted by a Florida College System
661 institution to, at a minimum, include:
662 1. A description of the planning process and timeline for
663 implementation.
664 2. An analysis of workforce demand and unmet need for
665 graduates of the program on a district, regional, or statewide
666 basis, as appropriate, including evidence from entities
667 independent of the institution.
668 3. Identification of the facilities, equipment, and library
669 and academic resources that will be used to deliver the program.
670 4. The program cost analysis of creating a new
671 baccalaureate degree when compared to alternative proposals and
672 other program delivery options.
673 5. The program’s admission requirements, academic content,
674 curriculum, faculty credentials, student-to-teacher ratios, and
675 accreditation plan.
676 6. The program’s enrollment projections and funding
677 requirements.
678 7. A plan of action if the program is terminated.
679 (e) The Division of Florida Colleges to review the
680 proposal, notify the Florida College System institution of any
681 deficiencies in writing within 30 days following receipt of the
682 proposal, and provide the Florida College System institution
683 with an opportunity to correct the deficiencies. Within 45 days
684 following receipt of a completed proposal by the Division of
685 Florida Colleges, the Commissioner of Education shall recommend
686 approval or disapproval of the proposal to the State Board of
687 Education. The State Board of Education shall consider such
688 recommendation, the proposal, and any objections or alternative
689 proposals at its next meeting. If the State Board of Education
690 disapproves the Florida College System institution’s proposal,
691 it shall provide the Florida College System institution with
692 written reasons for that determination.
693 (f) The Florida College System institution to obtain from
694 the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of
695 Colleges and Schools accreditation as a baccalaureate-degree
696 granting institution if approved by the State Board of Education
697 to offer its first baccalaureate degree program.
698 (g) The Florida College System institution to notify the
699 Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges
700 and Schools of subsequent degree programs that are approved by
701 the State Board of Education and to comply with the
702 association’s required substantive change protocols for
703 accreditation purposes.
704 (h) The Florida College System institution to annually, and
705 upon request of the State Board of Education, the Commissioner
706 of Education, the Chancellor of the Florida College System, or
707 the Legislature, report its status using the following
708 performance and compliance indicators:
709 1. Obtaining and maintaining appropriate Southern
710 Association of Colleges and Schools accreditation;
711 2. Maintaining qualified faculty and institutional
712 resources;
713 3. Maintaining enrollment in previously approved programs;
714 4. Managing fiscal resources appropriately;
715 5. Complying with the primary mission and responsibility
716 requirements in subsections (2) and (3); and
717 6. Other indicators of success, including program
718 completions, placements, and surveys of graduates and employers.
719
720 The State Board of Education, upon review of the performance and
721 compliance indicators, may require a Florida College System
722 institution’s board of trustees to modify or terminate a
723 baccalaureate degree program authorized under this section.
724 (6)(a) Beginning July 1, 2010, and each subsequent July 1,
725 the Division of Florida Colleges may accept and review
726 applications from a Florida College System institution to obtain
727 an exemption from the State Board of Education’s approval for
728 subsequent degrees as required in subsection (5), if the Florida
729 College System institution is accredited by the Commission on
730 Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools as
731 a baccalaureate-degree-granting institution and has been
732 offering baccalaureate degree programs for 3 or more years. The
733 division shall develop criteria for determining eligibility for
734 an exemption based upon demonstrated compliance with the
735 requirements for baccalaureate degrees, primary mission, and
736 fiscal, including, but not limited to:
737 1. Obtaining and maintaining appropriate SACS
738 accreditation;
739 2. The maintenance of qualified faculty and institutional
740 resources;
741 3. The maintenance of enrollment projections in previously
742 approved programs;
743 4. The appropriate management of fiscal resources;
744 5. Compliance with the primary mission and responsibility
745 requirements in subsections (2) and (3);
746 6. The timely submission of the institution’s annual
747 performance accountability report; and
748 7. Other indicators of success such as program completers,
749 placements, and surveys of students and employers.
750 (b) If the Florida College System institution has
751 demonstrated satisfactory progress in fulfilling the eligibility
752 criteria in this subsection, the Division of Florida Colleges
753 may recommend to the State Board of Education that the
754 institution be exempt from the requirement in subsection (5) for
755 approval of future baccalaureate degree programs. The State
756 Board of Education shall review the division’s recommendation
757 and determine if an exemption is warranted. If the State Board
758 of Education approves the application, the Florida College
759 System institution is exempt from subsequent program approval
760 under subsection (5) and such authority is delegated to the
761 Florida College System institution board of trustees. If the
762 State Board of Education disapproves of the Florida College
763 System institution’s request for an exemption, the college shall
764 continue to be subject to the State Board of Education’s
765 approval of subsequent baccalaureate degree programs.
766 (c) Prior to developing or proposing a new baccalaureate
767 degree program, all Florida College System institutions,
768 regardless of an exemption from subsection (5), shall:
769 1. Engage in need, demand, and impact discussions with the
770 state university in their service district and other local and
771 regional, accredited postsecondary providers in their region.
772 2. Send documentation, data, and other information from the
773 inter-institutional discussions regarding program need, demand,
774 and impact required in subparagraph 1. to the college’s board of
775 trustees, the Division of Florida Colleges, and the Chancellor
776 of the State University System.
777 3. Base board of trustees approval of the new program upon
778 the documentation, data, and other information required in this
779 paragraph and the factors in subsection (5)(d).
780
781 The Division of Florida Colleges shall use the documentation,
782 data, and other information required in this subsection,
783 including information from the Chancellor of the State
784 University System, in its compliance review.
785 (d) The board of trustees of a Florida College System
786 institution that is exempt from subsection (5) must submit newly
787 approved programs to the Division of Florida Colleges and SACS
788 within 30 days after approval.
789 (e) Within 30 days after receiving the approved
790 baccalaureate degree program, the Division of Florida Colleges
791 shall conduct a compliance review and notify the college if the
792 proposal meets the criteria for implementation based upon the
793 criteria in paragraphs (5)(d) and (6)(c). If the program fails
794 to meet the criteria for implementation as determined by the
795 Division of Florida Colleges, the college may not proceed with
796 implementation of the program until the State Board of Education
797 reviews the proposal and the compliance materials and gives its
798 final approval of the program.
799 (6)(7) The State Board of Education shall adopt rules to
800 prescribe format and content requirements and submission
801 procedures for notices of intent, proposals, and alternative
802 proposals, and compliance reviews under subsection (5).
803 Section 14. Present paragraphs (b), (c), (d), and (e) of
804 subsection (3) of section 1008.31, Florida Statutes, are
805 redesignated as paragraphs (c), (d), (e), and (f), respectively,
806 and a new paragraph (b) is added to that subsection, to read:
807 1008.31 Florida’s K-20 education performance accountability
808 system; legislative intent; mission, goals, and systemwide
809 measures; data quality improvements.—
810 (3) K-20 EDUCATION DATA QUALITY IMPROVEMENTS.—To provide
811 data required to implement education performance accountability
812 measures in state and federal law, the Commissioner of Education
813 shall initiate and maintain strategies to improve data quality
814 and timeliness. All data collected from state universities
815 shall, as determined by the commissioner, be integrated into the
816 K-20 data warehouse. The commissioner shall have unlimited
817 access to such data solely for the purposes of conducting
818 studies, reporting annual and longitudinal student outcomes, and
819 improving college readiness and articulation. All public
820 educational institutions shall provide data to the K-20 data
821 warehouse in a format specified by the commissioner.
822 (b) Colleges and universities eligible to participate in
823 the William L. Boyd, IV, Florida Resident Access Grant Program
824 shall report student-level data for each student who receives
825 state funds in a format prescribed by the Department of
826 Education. At a minimum, data shall be annually reported to the
827 department and include retention rates, transfer rates,
828 completion rates, graduation rates, employment and placement
829 rates, and earnings of graduates.
830 Section 15. Section 1008.46, Florida Statutes, is amended
831 to read:
832 1008.46 State university accountability process.—It is the
833 intent of the Legislature that an accountability process be
834 implemented that provides for the systematic, ongoing evaluation
835 of quality and effectiveness of state universities. It is
836 further the intent of the Legislature that this accountability
837 process monitor performance at the system level in each of the
838 major areas of instruction, research, and public service, while
839 recognizing the differing missions of each of the state
840 universities. The accountability process shall provide for the
841 adoption of systemwide performance standards and performance
842 goals for each standard identified through a collaborative
843 effort involving state universities, the Board of Governors, the
844 Legislature, and the Governor’s Office, consistent with the
845 requirements specified in s. 1001.706. These standards and goals
846 shall be consistent with s. 216.011(1) to maintain congruity
847 with the performance-based budgeting process. This process
848 requires that university accountability reports reflect measures
849 defined through performance-based budgeting. The performance
850 based budgeting measures must also reflect the elements of
851 teaching, research, and service inherent in the missions of the
852 state universities.
853 (1) By December 31 of each year, the Board of Governors
854 shall submit an annual accountability report providing
855 information on the implementation of performance standards,
856 actions taken to improve university achievement of performance
857 goals, the achievement of performance goals during the prior
858 year, and initiatives to be undertaken during the next year. The
859 accountability reports shall be designed in consultation with
860 the Governor’s Office, the Office of Program Policy Analysis and
861 Government Accountability, and the Legislature.
862 (2) The Board of Governors shall recommend in the annual
863 accountability report any appropriate modifications to this
864 section.
865 Section 16. Section 1011.905, Florida Statutes, is created
866 to read:
867 1011.905 Performance funding for state universities.—
868 (1) For the 2012-2013 and 2013-2014 fiscal years, the Board
869 of Governors shall review and rank each state university that
870 applies for performance funding based on the following formula:
871 (a) Twenty-five percent of a state university’s score shall
872 be based on the percentage of employed graduates who have earned
873 degrees in the following programs:
874 1. Computer and information science;
875 2. Computer engineering;
876 3. Information systems technology;
877 4. Information technology; and
878 5. Management information systems.
879 (b) Twenty-five percent of a state university’s score shall
880 be based on the percentage of graduates who earned baccalaureate
881 degrees in the programs in paragraph (a) and who earned industry
882 certifications in a related field from a Florida College System
883 institution or state university prior to graduation.
884 (c) Fifty percent of a state university’s score shall be
885 based on factors determined by the Board of Governors which
886 relate to increasing the probability that graduates who have
887 earned degrees in the programs described in paragraph (a) will
888 be employed in high-skill, high-wage, and high-demand
889 employment.
890 (2) The submission from a state university that has the
891 highest score shall be ranked first, with each remaining
892 submission from a state university ranked sequentially by score.
893 (3)(a) Each year, the Board of Governors shall award up to
894 $15 million to the highest-ranked state universities from funds
895 appropriated for the purposes in this section and as specified
896 in the General Appropriations Act. The award per state
897 university shall be a minimum of 25 percent of the total amount
898 appropriated pursuant to this section.
899 (b) The funds shall be awarded to the department of the
900 state university which offers the degrees described in paragraph
901 (1)(a).
902 (c) The funds may not be used to supplant funding for the
903 degree programs described in paragraph (1)(a).
904 (4) By December 31, 2012, and each year thereafter, the
905 Board of Governors shall submit a report containing the rankings
906 and award distributions to the Governor, the President of the
907 Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
908 Section 17. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.