Florida Senate - 2012 SENATOR AMENDMENT
Bill No. CS for CS for SB 1368
Barcode 290930
LEGISLATIVE ACTION
Senate . House
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Floor: 1/AD/2R .
03/07/2012 10:47 AM .
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Senator Gaetz moved the following:
1 Senate Amendment (with title amendment)
2
3 Delete everything after the enacting clause
4 and insert:
5 Section 1. Section 1002.3105, Florida Statutes, is created
6 to read:
7 1002.3105 Academically Challenging Curriculum to Enhance
8 Learning (ACCEL) options.—
9 (1) ACCEL OPTIONS.—
10 (a) Academically Challenging Curriculum to Enhance Learning
11 (ACCEL) options are educational options that provide
12 academically challenging curriculum or accelerated instruction
13 to eligible public school students in kindergarten through grade
14 12.
15 (b) At a minimum, each school must offer the following
16 ACCEL options: whole-grade and midyear promotion; subject-matter
17 acceleration; virtual instruction in higher grade level
18 subjects; and the Credit Acceleration Program under s.
19 1003.4295. Additional ACCEL options may include, but are not
20 limited to, enriched science, technology, engineering, and
21 mathematics (STEM) coursework; enrichment programs; flexible
22 grouping; advanced academic courses; combined classes; self
23 paced instruction; curriculum compacting; advanced-content
24 instruction; and telescoping curriculum.
25 (2) ELIGIBILITY AND PROCEDURAL REQUIREMENTS.—
26 (a) Principal determined eligibility requirements.—
27 1. Each principal must establish student eligibility
28 requirements for virtual instruction in higher grade level
29 subjects. Each principal must also establish student eligibility
30 requirements for whole-grade promotion, midyear promotion, and
31 subject-matter acceleration when the promotion or acceleration
32 occurs within the principal’s school.
33 2. If a school offers enriched STEM coursework, enrichment
34 programs, flexible grouping, advanced academic courses, combined
35 classes, self-paced instruction, curriculum compacting,
36 advanced-content instruction, telescoping curriculum, or an
37 alternative ACCEL option established by the principal, the
38 principal must establish student eligibility requirements.
39 (b) School district determined eligibility and procedural
40 requirements.—A school district must establish student
41 eligibility requirements and procedural requirements for any
42 whole-grade promotion, midyear promotion, or subject-matter
43 acceleration that would result in a student attending a
44 different school. Student eligibility requirements and
45 procedural requirements established by the school district must
46 be included in the school district’s comprehensive student
47 progression plan under s. 1008.25.
48 (3) STUDENT ELIGIBILITY CONSIDERATIONS.—When establishing
49 student eligibility requirements, principals and school
50 districts must consider, at a minimum:
51 (a) The student’s performance on a locally determined
52 assessment, a statewide assessment, or a statewide, standardized
53 assessment administered pursuant to s. 1008.22.
54 (b) The student’s grade point average.
55 (c) The student’s attendance and conduct record.
56 (d) Recommendations from one or more of the student’s
57 teachers in core-curricula courses as defined in s.
58 1003.01(14)(a)-(e).
59 (e) A recommendation from a guidance counselor if one is
60 assigned to the school in which the student is enrolled.
61 (4) ACCEL REQUIREMENTS.—
62 (a) Each principal must inform parents and students of the
63 ACCEL options available at the school and the student
64 eligibility requirements for the ACCEL options established
65 pursuant to paragraph (2)(a).
66 (b)1. Each principal must establish a process by which a
67 parent may request student participation in whole-grade
68 promotion, midyear promotion, and subject-matter acceleration
69 when the promotion or acceleration occurs within the principal’s
70 school; virtual instruction in higher grade level subjects; or
71 an alternative ACCEL option established by the principal. If the
72 parent selects one of these ACCEL options and the student meets
73 the eligibility requirements established by the principal
74 pursuant to paragraph (2)(a), the student must be provided the
75 opportunity to participate in the ACCEL option.
76 2. Each school district must establish a process by which a
77 parent may request student participation in whole-grade
78 promotion, midyear promotion, or subject-matter acceleration
79 that would result in a student attending a different school. If
80 the parent selects one of these ACCEL options and the student
81 meets the eligibility and procedural requirements set forth in
82 the district’s comprehensive student progression plan, as
83 required under paragraph (2)(b), the student must be provided
84 the opportunity to participate in the ACCEL option.
85 (c) If a student participates in an ACCEL option pursuant
86 to the parental request under subparagraph (b)1., a performance
87 contract must be executed by the student, the parent, and the
88 principal. At a minimum, the performance contract must require
89 compliance with:
90 1. Minimum student attendance requirements.
91 2. Minimum student conduct requirements.
92 3. ACCEL option requirements established by the principal,
93 which may include participation in extracurricular activities,
94 educational outings, field trips, interscholastic competitions,
95 and other activities related to the ACCEL option selected.
96 (d) If a principal initiates a student’s participation in
97 an ACCEL option, the student’s parent must be notified. A
98 performance contract, pursuant to paragraph (c), is not required
99 when a principal initiates participation but may be used at the
100 discretion of the principal.
101 Section 2. Paragraph (a) of subsection (8) of section
102 1001.64, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
103 1001.64 Florida College System institution boards of
104 trustees; powers and duties.—
105 (8) Each board of trustees has authority for policies
106 related to students, enrollment of students, student records,
107 student activities, financial assistance, and other student
108 services.
109 (a) Each board of trustees shall govern admission of
110 students pursuant to s. 1007.263 and rules of the State Board of
111 Education. A board of trustees may establish additional
112 admissions criteria, which shall be included in the dual
113 enrollment district interinstitutional articulation agreement
114 developed according to s. 1007.271(21) 1007.235, to ensure
115 student readiness for postsecondary instruction. Each board of
116 trustees may consider the past actions of any person applying
117 for admission or enrollment and may deny admission or enrollment
118 to an applicant because of misconduct if determined to be in the
119 best interest of the Florida College System institution.
120 Section 3. Subsection (21) of section 1001.65, Florida
121 Statutes, is amended to read:
122 1001.65 Florida College System institution presidents;
123 powers and duties.—The president is the chief executive officer
124 of the Florida College System institution, shall be corporate
125 secretary of the Florida College System institution board of
126 trustees, and is responsible for the operation and
127 administration of the Florida College System institution. Each
128 Florida College System institution president shall:
129 (21) Develop and implement jointly with school
130 superintendents a comprehensive articulated acceleration
131 program, including a comprehensive dual enrollment
132 interinstitutional articulation agreement, for the students
133 enrolled in their respective school districts and service areas
134 pursuant to the provisions of s. 1007.271(21) 1007.235.
135 Section 4. Paragraph (d) of subsection (19) of section
136 1002.20, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
137 1002.20 K-12 student and parent rights.—Parents of public
138 school students must receive accurate and timely information
139 regarding their child’s academic progress and must be informed
140 of ways they can help their child to succeed in school. K-12
141 students and their parents are afforded numerous statutory
142 rights including, but not limited to, the following:
143 (19) INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS.—
144 (d) Dual enrollment students.—Instructional materials
145 purchased by a district school board or Florida College System
146 institution board of trustees on behalf of public school dual
147 enrollment students shall be made available to the dual
148 enrollment students free of charge, in accordance with the
149 provisions of s. 1007.271(17) 1007.271(14) and (15).
150 Section 5. Subsection (6) of section 1002.41, Florida
151 Statutes, is amended to read:
152 1002.41 Home education programs.—
153 (6) Home education students may participate in dual
154 enrollment programs in accordance with the provisions of ss.
155 1007.27(4) and 1007.271(13) 1007.271(10).
156 Section 6. Paragraph (i) of subsection (1) of section
157 1003.02, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
158 1003.02 District school board operation and control of
159 public K-12 education within the school district.—As provided in
160 part II of chapter 1001, district school boards are
161 constitutionally and statutorily charged with the operation and
162 control of public K-12 education within their school district.
163 The district school boards must establish, organize, and operate
164 their public K-12 schools and educational programs, employees,
165 and facilities. Their responsibilities include staff
166 development, public K-12 school student education including
167 education for exceptional students and students in juvenile
168 justice programs, special programs, adult education programs,
169 and career education programs. Additionally, district school
170 boards must:
171 (1) Provide for the proper accounting for all students of
172 school age, for the attendance and control of students at
173 school, and for proper attention to health, safety, and other
174 matters relating to the welfare of students in the following
175 fields:
176 (i) Parental notification of acceleration options
177 mechanisms.—At the beginning of each school year, notify parents
178 of students in or entering high school of the opportunity and
179 benefits of advanced placement, International Baccalaureate,
180 Advanced International Certificate of Education, dual
181 enrollment, and Florida Virtual School courses and options for
182 early or accelerated high school graduation under ss. 1003.4281
183 and 1003.429.
184 Section 7. Paragraph (a) of subsection (1) of section
185 1003.4156, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
186 1003.4156 General requirements for middle grades
187 promotion.—
188 (1) Promotion from a school composed of middle grades 6, 7,
189 and 8 requires that:
190 (a) The student must successfully complete academic courses
191 as follows:
192 1. Three middle school or higher courses in English. These
193 courses shall emphasize literature, composition, and technical
194 text.
195 2. Three middle school or higher courses in mathematics.
196 Each middle school must offer at least one high school level
197 mathematics course for which students may earn high school
198 credit. Successful completion of a high school level Algebra I
199 or geometry course is not contingent upon the student’s
200 performance on the end-of-course assessment required under s.
201 1008.22(3)(c)2.a.(I). However, beginning with the 2011-2012
202 school year, to earn high school credit for an Algebra I course,
203 a middle school student must pass the Algebra I end-of-course
204 assessment, and beginning with the 2012-2013 school year, to
205 earn high school credit for a geometry course, a middle school
206 student must pass the geometry end-of-course assessment.
207 3. Three middle school or higher courses in social studies,
208 one semester of which must include the study of state and
209 federal government and civics education. Beginning with students
210 entering grade 6 in the 2012-2013 school year, one of these
211 courses must be at least a one-semester civics education course
212 that a student successfully completes in accordance with s.
213 1008.22(3)(c) and that includes the roles and responsibilities
214 of federal, state, and local governments; the structures and
215 functions of the legislative, executive, and judicial branches
216 of government; and the meaning and significance of historic
217 documents, such as the Articles of Confederation, the
218 Declaration of Independence, and the Constitution of the United
219 States.
220 4. Three middle school or higher courses in science.
221 Successful completion of a high school level Biology I course is
222 not contingent upon the student’s performance on the end-of
223 course assessment required under s. 1008.22(3)(c)2.a.(II).
224 However, beginning with the 2012-2013 school year, to earn high
225 school credit for a Biology I course, a middle school student
226 must pass the Biology I end-of-course assessment.
227 5. One course in career and education planning to be
228 completed in 6th, 7th, or 8th grade. The course may be taught by
229 any member of the instructional staff; must result in a
230 completed personalized academic and career plan for the student;
231 must emphasize technology or the application of technology in
232 career fields; and, beginning in the 2014-2015 academic year,
233 must include information from the Department of Economic
234 Opportunity’s economic security report as described in s. 445.07
235 must include career exploration using Florida CHOICES or a
236 comparable cost-effective program; must include educational
237 planning using the online student advising system known as
238 Florida Academic Counseling and Tracking for Students at the
239 Internet website FACTS.org; and shall result in the completion
240 of a personalized academic and career plan. The required
241 personalized academic and career plan must inform students of
242 high school graduation requirements, high school assessment and
243 college entrance test requirements, Florida Bright Futures
244 Scholarship Program requirements, state university and Florida
245 College System institution admission requirements, and programs
246 through which a high school student can earn college credit,
247 including Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate,
248 Advanced International Certificate of Education, dual
249 enrollment, career academy and career-themed course
250 opportunities, and courses that lead to national industry
251 certification.
252
253 A student with a disability, as defined in s. 1007.02(2), for
254 whom the individual education plan team determines that an end
255 of-course assessment cannot accurately measure the student’s
256 abilities, taking into consideration all allowable
257 accommodations, shall have the end-of-course assessment results
258 waived for purposes of determining the student’s course grade
259 and completing the requirements for middle grades promotion.
260 Each school must hold a parent meeting either in the evening or
261 on a weekend to inform parents about the course curriculum and
262 activities. Each student shall complete a an electronic personal
263 education plan that must be signed by the student; the student’s
264 instructor, guidance counselor, or academic advisor; and the
265 student’s parent. The Department of Education shall develop
266 course frameworks and professional development materials for the
267 career exploration and education planning course. The course may
268 be implemented as a stand-alone course or integrated into
269 another course or courses. The Commissioner of Education shall
270 collect longitudinal high school course enrollment data by
271 student ethnicity in order to analyze course-taking patterns.
272 Section 8. Paragraph (c) of subsection (2) of section
273 1003.428, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
274 1003.428 General requirements for high school graduation;
275 revised.—
276 (2) The 24 credits may be earned through applied,
277 integrated, and combined courses approved by the Department of
278 Education. The 24 credits shall be distributed as follows:
279 (c) Beginning with students entering grade 9 in the 2011
280 2012 school year, at least one course within the 24 credits
281 required in this subsection must be completed through online
282 learning. However, an online course taken during grades 6
283 through 8 fulfills this requirement. This requirement shall be
284 met through an online course offered by the Florida Virtual
285 School, an online course offered by the high school, or an
286 online dual enrollment course offered pursuant to a district
287 interinstitutional articulation agreement pursuant to s.
288 1007.235. A student who is enrolled in a full-time or part-time
289 virtual instruction program under s. 1002.45 meets this
290 requirement.
291 Section 9. Section 1003.4281, Florida Statutes, is created
292 to read:
293 1003.4281 Early high school graduation.—
294 (1) The purpose of this section is to provide a student the
295 option of early graduation if the student has completed a
296 minimum of 24 credits and meets the graduation requirements set
297 forth in s. 1003.428. For purposes of this section, the term
298 “early graduation” means graduation from high school in less
299 than 8 semesters or the equivalent.
300 (2) Each district school board shall adopt a policy that
301 provides a high school student the option of early graduation.
302 Each school district shall notify the parent of a student who is
303 eligible to graduate early. A school district may not prohibit a
304 student who meets the requirements of this section from
305 graduating early.
306 (3) A student who graduates early may continue to
307 participate in school activities and social events and attend
308 and participate in graduation events with the student’s cohort,
309 as if the student were still enrolled in high school. A student
310 who graduates early will be included in class ranking, honors,
311 and award determinations for the student’s cohort. A student who
312 graduates early must comply with district school board rules and
313 policies regarding access to the school facilities and grounds
314 during normal operating hours.
315 (4) If eligible for a Florida Bright Futures Scholarship
316 Program award under ss. 1009.53-1009.538, a student who
317 graduates from high school midyear may receive an initial award
318 in the spring term following the student’s graduation.
319 (5) For purposes of this section, a credit is equal to 1/6
320 FTE. A student may earn up to six paid high school credits
321 equivalent to 1 FTE per school year in grades 9 through 12 for
322 courses provided by the school district. High school credits
323 earned in excess of six per school year in courses delivered by
324 the school district are unpaid credits.
325 Section 10. Subsections (1) and (3) of section 1003.4295,
326 Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
327 1003.4295 Acceleration options courses.—
328 (1) Each high school shall advise each student of programs
329 through which a high school student can earn college credit,
330 including Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate,
331 Advanced International Certificate of Education, dual
332 enrollment, and early admission courses, career academy courses,
333 and courses that lead to national industry certification, as
334 well as the availability of course offerings through virtual
335 instruction. Students shall also be advised of the early and
336 accelerated graduation options under ss. 1003.4281 and 1003.429.
337 (3) The Credit Acceleration Program (CAP) is created for
338 the purpose of allowing a secondary student to earn high school
339 credit in a course that requires a statewide, standardized end
340 of-course assessment if the student attains a specified score on
341 the assessment. Notwithstanding s. 1003.436, a school district
342 shall award course credit to a student who is not enrolled in
343 the course, or who has not completed the course, if the student
344 attains a passing score indicating satisfactory performance, as
345 defined in s. 1008.22(3)(c)5., on the corresponding statewide,
346 standardized end-of-course assessment. The school district shall
347 permit a student who is not enrolled in the course, or who has
348 not completed the course, to take the standardized end-of-course
349 assessment during the regular administration of the assessment.
350 Section 11. Paragraph (a) of subsection (1) of section
351 1003.436, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
352 1003.436 Definition of “credit”.—
353 (1)(a) For the purposes of requirements for high school
354 graduation, one full credit means a minimum of 135 hours of bona
355 fide instruction in a designated course of study that contains
356 student performance standards. One full credit means a minimum
357 of 120 hours of bona fide instruction in a designated course of
358 study that contains student performance standards for purposes
359 of meeting high school graduation requirements in a district
360 school that has been authorized to implement block scheduling by
361 the district school board. The State Board of Education shall
362 determine the number of postsecondary credit hours earned
363 through dual enrollment pursuant to s. 1007.271 that satisfy the
364 requirements of a dual enrollment district’s interinstitutional
365 articulation agreement according to s. 1007.271(21) 1007.235 and
366 that equal one full credit of the equivalent high school course
367 identified pursuant to s. 1007.271(9) 1007.271(6).
368 Section 12. Section 1003.437, Florida Statutes, is amended
369 to read:
370 1003.437 Middle and high school grading system.—The grading
371 system and interpretation of letter grades used to measure
372 student success in grade 6 through grade 12 courses for students
373 in public schools in grades 6-12 shall be as follows:
374 (1) Grade “A” equals 90 percent through 100 percent, has a
375 grade point average value of 4, and is defined as “outstanding
376 progress.”
377 (2) Grade “B” equals 80 percent through 89 percent, has a
378 grade point average value of 3, and is defined as “above average
379 progress.”
380 (3) Grade “C” equals 70 percent through 79 percent, has a
381 grade point average value of 2, and is defined as “average
382 progress.”
383 (4) Grade “D” equals 60 percent through 69 percent, has a
384 grade point average value of 1, and is defined as “lowest
385 acceptable progress.”
386 (5) Grade “F” equals zero percent through 59 percent, has a
387 grade point average value of zero, and is defined as “failure.”
388 (6) Grade “I” equals zero percent, has a grade point
389 average value of zero, and is defined as “incomplete.”
390
391 For the purposes of class ranking, district school boards may
392 exercise a weighted grading system pursuant to s. 1007.271.
393 Section 13. Section 1003.491, Florida Statutes, is amended
394 to read:
395 1003.491 Florida Career and Professional Education Act.—The
396 Florida Career and Professional Education Act is created to
397 provide a statewide planning partnership between the business
398 and education communities in order to attract, expand, and
399 retain targeted, high-value industry and to sustain a strong,
400 knowledge-based economy.
401 (1) The primary purpose of the Florida Career and
402 Professional Education Act is to:
403 (a) Improve middle and high school academic performance by
404 providing rigorous and relevant curriculum opportunities;
405 (b) Provide rigorous and relevant career-themed courses
406 that articulate to postsecondary-level coursework and lead to
407 industry certification;
408 (c) Support local and regional economic development;
409 (d) Respond to Florida’s critical workforce needs; and
410 (e) Provide state residents with access to high-wage and
411 high-demand careers.
412 (2) Each district school board shall develop, in
413 collaboration with regional workforce boards, economic
414 development agencies, and postsecondary institutions approved to
415 operate in the state, a strategic 3-year 5-year plan to address
416 and meet local and regional workforce demands. If involvement of
417 a regional workforce board or an economic development agency in
418 the strategic plan development is not feasible, the local school
419 board, with the approval of the Department of Economic
420 Opportunity, shall collaborate with the most appropriate
421 regional business leadership board. Two or more school districts
422 may collaborate in the development of the strategic plan and
423 offer career-themed courses, as defined in s. 1003.493(1)(b), or
424 a career and professional academy as a joint venture. The
425 strategic plan must describe in detail provisions for the
426 efficient transportation of students, the maximum use of shared
427 resources, access to courses aligned to state curriculum
428 standards through virtual education providers legislatively
429 authorized to provide part-time instruction to middle school
430 students, and an objective review of proposed career and
431 professional academy courses and other career-themed courses to
432 determine if the courses will lead to the attainment of industry
433 certifications included on the Industry Certified Funding List
434 pursuant to rules adopted by the State Board of Education. Each
435 strategic plan shall be reviewed, updated, and jointly approved
436 every 3 5 years by the local school district, regional workforce
437 boards, economic development agencies, and state-approved
438 postsecondary institutions.
439 (3) The strategic 3-year 5-year plan developed jointly by
440 the local school district, regional workforce boards, economic
441 development agencies, and state-approved postsecondary
442 institutions shall be constructed and based on:
443 (a) Research conducted to objectively determine local and
444 regional workforce needs for the ensuing 3 5 years, using labor
445 projections of the United States Department of Labor and the
446 Department of Economic Opportunity;
447 (b) Strategies to develop and implement career academies or
448 career-themed courses based on those careers determined to be
449 high wage, high skill, and in high demand;
450 (c) Strategies to provide shared, maximum use of private
451 sector facilities and personnel;
452 (d) Strategies that ensure instruction by industry
453 certified faculty and standards and strategies to maintain
454 current industry credentials and for recruiting and retaining
455 faculty to meet those standards;
456 (e) Strategies to provide personalized student advisement,
457 including a parent-participation component, and coordination
458 with middle schools to promote and support career-themed courses
459 and education planning as required under s. 1003.4156;
460 (f)(e) Alignment of requirements for middle school career
461 planning under s. 1003.4156(1)(a)5. exploration, middle and high
462 school career and professional academies or career-themed
463 courses leading to industry certification or postsecondary
464 credit, and high school graduation requirements;
465 (g)(f) Provisions to ensure that career-themed courses and
466 courses offered through career and professional academies are
467 academically rigorous, meet or exceed appropriate state-adopted
468 subject area standards, result in attainment of industry
469 certification, and, when appropriate, result in postsecondary
470 credit;
471 (h) Plans to sustain and improve career-themed courses and
472 career and professional academies;
473 (i)(g) Strategies to improve the passage rate for industry
474 certification examinations if the rate falls below 50 percent;
475 (j)(h) Strategies to recruit students into career-themed
476 courses and Establishment of student eligibility criteria in
477 career and professional academies which include opportunities
478 for students who have been unsuccessful in traditional
479 classrooms but who are interested in enrolling in career-themed
480 courses or a career and professional academy show aptitude to
481 participate in academies. School boards shall address the
482 analysis of eighth grade student achievement data to provide
483 opportunities for students who may be deemed as potential
484 dropouts to enroll in career-themed courses or participate in
485 career and professional academies;
486 (k)(i) Strategies to provide sufficient space within
487 academies to meet workforce needs and to provide access to all
488 interested and qualified students;
489 (l)(j) Strategies to implement career-themed courses or
490 career and professional academy training that lead leads to
491 industry certification in juvenile justice education programs at
492 Department of Juvenile Justice facilities;
493 (m)(k) Opportunities for high school students to earn
494 weighted or dual enrollment credit for higher-level career and
495 technical courses;
496 (n)(l) Promotion of the benefits of the Gold Seal Bright
497 Futures Scholarship;
498 (o)(m) Strategies to ensure the review of district pupil
499 progression plans and to amend such plans to include career
500 themed courses and career and professional academy courses and
501 to include courses that may qualify as substitute courses for
502 core graduation requirements and those that may be counted as
503 elective courses; and
504 (p)(n) Strategies to provide professional development for
505 secondary guidance counselors on the benefits of career and
506 professional academies and career-themed courses that lead to
507 industry certification; and
508 (q) Strategies to redirect appropriated career funding in
509 secondary and postsecondary institutions to support career
510 academies and career-themed courses that lead to industry
511 certification.
512 (4) The State Board of Education shall establish a process
513 for the continual and uninterrupted review of newly proposed
514 core secondary courses and existing courses requested to be
515 considered as core courses to ensure that sufficient rigor and
516 relevance is provided for workforce skills and postsecondary
517 education and aligned to state curriculum standards.
518 (a) The review of newly proposed core secondary courses
519 shall be the responsibility of a curriculum review committee
520 whose membership is approved by the Workforce Florida, Inc.,
521 Board as described in s. 445.004, and shall include:
522 1.(a) Three certified high school guidance counselors
523 recommended by the Florida Association of Student Services
524 Administrators.
525 2.(b) Three assistant superintendents for curriculum and
526 instruction, recommended by the Florida Association of District
527 School Superintendents and who serve in districts that operate
528 successful career and professional academies pursuant to s.
529 1003.492 or a successful series of courses that lead to industry
530 certification. Committee members in this category shall employ
531 the expertise of appropriate subject area specialists in the
532 review of proposed courses.
533 3.(c) Three workforce representatives recommended by the
534 Department of Economic Opportunity.
535 4.(d) Three admissions directors of postsecondary
536 institutions accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges
537 and Schools, representing both public and private institutions.
538 5.(e) The Deputy Commissioner of Education, or his or her
539 designee, responsible for K-12 curriculum and instruction. The
540 Deputy commissioner shall employ the expertise of appropriate
541 subject area specialists in the review of proposed courses.
542 (b)(5) The curriculum review committee shall review
543 submission and review of newly proposed core courses shall be
544 conducted electronically., and Each proposed core course shall
545 be approved or denied within 30 60 days after submission by a
546 district school board or regional workforce board. All courses
547 approved as core courses for purposes of middle school promotion
548 and high school graduation shall be immediately added to the
549 Course Code Directory. Approved core courses shall also be
550 reviewed and considered for approval for dual enrollment credit.
551 The Board of Governors and the Commissioner of Education shall
552 jointly recommend an annual deadline for approval of new core
553 courses to be included for purposes of postsecondary admissions
554 and dual enrollment credit the following academic year. The
555 State Board of Education shall establish an appeals process in
556 the event that a proposed course is denied which shall require a
557 consensus ruling by the Department of Economic Opportunity and
558 the Commissioner of Education within 15 days.
559 Section 14. Section 1003.492, Florida Statutes, is amended
560 to read:
561 1003.492 Industry-certified career education programs.—
562 (1) Secondary schools offering career-themed courses, as
563 defined in s. 1003.493(1)(b), and career and professional
564 academies shall be coordinated with the relevant and appropriate
565 industry indicating that all components of the program are
566 relevant and appropriate to prepare a the student for further
567 education or for employment in that industry.
568 (2) The State Board of Education shall use the expertise of
569 Workforce Florida, Inc., to develop and adopt rules pursuant to
570 ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54 for implementing an industry
571 certification process. Industry certification shall be defined
572 by the Department of Economic Opportunity, based upon the
573 highest available national standards for specific industry
574 certification, to ensure student skill proficiency and to
575 address emerging labor market and industry trends. A regional
576 workforce board or a school principal career and professional
577 academy may apply to Workforce Florida, Inc., to request
578 additions to the approved list of industry certifications based
579 on high-skill, high-wage, and high-demand job requirements in
580 the regional economy. The list of industry certifications
581 approved by Workforce Florida, Inc., and the Department of
582 Education shall be published and updated annually by a date
583 certain, to be included in the adopted rule.
584 (3) The Department of Education shall collect student
585 achievement and performance data in industry-certified career
586 education programs and career-themed courses and shall work with
587 Workforce Florida, Inc., in the analysis of collected data. The
588 data collection and analyses shall examine the performance of
589 participating students over time. Performance factors shall
590 include, but not be limited to, graduation rates, retention
591 rates, Florida Bright Futures Scholarship awards, additional
592 educational attainment, employment records, earnings, industry
593 certification, and employer satisfaction. The results of this
594 study shall be submitted to the President of the Senate and the
595 Speaker of the House of Representatives annually by December 31.
596 Section 15. Section 1003.493, Florida Statutes, is amended
597 to read:
598 1003.493 Career and professional academies and career
599 themed courses.—
600 (1)(a) A “career and professional academy” is a research
601 based program that integrates a rigorous academic curriculum
602 with an industry-specific curriculum aligned directly to
603 priority workforce needs established by the regional workforce
604 board or the Department of Economic Opportunity. Career and
605 professional academies shall be offered by public schools and
606 school districts. The Florida Virtual School is encouraged to
607 develop and offer rigorous career and professional courses as
608 appropriate. Students completing career and professional academy
609 programs must receive a standard high school diploma, the
610 highest available industry certification, and opportunities to
611 earn postsecondary credit if the academy partners with a
612 postsecondary institution approved to operate in the state.
613 (b) A “career-themed course” is a course, or a course in a
614 series of courses, that leads to an industry certification
615 identified in the Industry Certification Funding List pursuant
616 to rules adopted by the State Board of Education. Career-themed
617 courses have industry-specific curriculum aligned directly to
618 priority workforce needs established by the regional workforce
619 board or the Department of Economic Opportunity. School
620 districts shall offer at least two career-themed courses and
621 each secondary school is encouraged to offer at least one
622 career-themed course. The Florida Virtual School is encouraged
623 to develop and offer rigorous career-themed courses as
624 appropriate. Students completing a career-themed course must be
625 provided opportunities to earn postsecondary credit if the
626 credit for the career-themed course can be articulated to a
627 postsecondary institution approved to operate in the state.
628 (2) The goals of a career and professional academy and
629 career-themed courses are to:
630 (a) Increase student academic achievement and graduation
631 rates through integrated academic and career curricula.
632 (b) Prepare graduating high school students to make
633 appropriate choices relative to employment and future
634 educational experiences.
635 (c) Focus on career preparation through rigorous academics
636 and industry certification.
637 (d) Raise student aspiration and commitment to academic
638 achievement and work ethics through relevant coursework.
639 (e) Promote acceleration mechanisms, such as dual
640 enrollment or, articulated credit, or occupational completion
641 points, so that students may earn postsecondary credit while in
642 high school.
643 (f) Support the state’s economy by meeting industry needs
644 for skilled employees in high-skill, high wage, and high-demand
645 occupations.
646 (3)(a) Career-themed courses may be offered in any public
647 secondary school.
648 (b) Existing career education courses may serve as a
649 foundation for the creation of a career and professional
650 academy. A career and professional academy may be offered as one
651 of the following small learning communities:
652 1.(a) A school-within-a-school career academy, as part of
653 an existing high school, that provides courses in one or more
654 occupational clusters cluster. Students who attend in the high
655 school are not required to attend be students in the academy.
656 2.(b) A total school configuration that provides courses in
657 one or more providing multiple academies, each structured around
658 an occupational clusters cluster. Every student who attends in
659 the school also attends the is in an academy.
660 (4) Each career and professional academy and secondary
661 school providing a career-themed course must:
662 (a) Provide a rigorous standards-based academic curriculum
663 integrated with a career curriculum; consider. The curriculum
664 must take into consideration multiple styles of student
665 learning; promote learning by doing through application and
666 adaptation; maximize relevance of the subject matter; enhance
667 each student’s capacity to excel; and include an emphasis on
668 work habits and work ethics.
669 (b) Include one or more partnerships with postsecondary
670 institutions, businesses, industry, employers, economic
671 development organizations, or other appropriate partners from
672 the local community. Such partnerships with postsecondary
673 institutions shall be delineated in articulation agreements and
674 include any career and professional academy courses or career
675 themed to provide for career-based courses that earn
676 postsecondary credit. Such agreements may include articulation
677 between the secondary school academy and public or private 2
678 year and 4-year postsecondary institutions and technical
679 centers. The Department of Education, in consultation with the
680 Board of Governors, shall establish a mechanism to ensure
681 articulation and transfer of credits to postsecondary
682 institutions in this state. Such partnerships must provide
683 opportunities for:
684 1. Instruction from highly skilled professionals who
685 possess industry-certification credentials for courses they are
686 teaching.
687 2. Internships, externships, and on-the-job training.
688 3. A postsecondary degree, diploma, or certificate.
689 4. The highest available level of industry certification.
690 5. Maximum articulation of credits pursuant to s. 1007.23
691 upon program completion.
692 (c) Provide shared, maximum use of private sector
693 facilities and personnel.
694 (d) Provide personalized student advisement, including a
695 parent-participation component, and coordination with middle
696 schools to promote and support career exploration and education
697 planning as required under s. 1003.4156. Coordination with
698 middle schools must provide information to middle school
699 students about secondary and postsecondary career education
700 programs and academies.
701 (c)(e) Promote and provide opportunities for students
702 enrolled in a career and professional academy or a career-themed
703 course students to attain, at minimum, the Florida Gold Seal
704 Vocational Scholars award pursuant to s. 1009.536.
705 (d)(f) Provide instruction in careers designated as high
706 skill, high-wage, and high-demand high growth, high demand, and
707 high pay by the regional workforce development board, the
708 chamber of commerce, economic development agencies, or the
709 Department of Economic Opportunity.
710 (e)(g) Deliver academic content through instruction
711 relevant to the career, including intensive reading and
712 mathematics intervention required by s. 1003.428, with an
713 emphasis on strengthening reading for information skills.
714 (f)(h) Offer applied courses that combine academic content
715 with technical skills.
716 (g)(i) Provide instruction resulting in competency,
717 certification, or credentials in workplace skills, including,
718 but not limited to, communication skills, interpersonal skills,
719 decisionmaking skills, the importance of attendance and
720 timeliness in the work environment, and work ethics.
721 (j) Include a plan to sustain career and professional
722 academies.
723 (k) Redirect appropriated career funding to career and
724 professional academies.
725 (5) All career courses offered in a career and professional
726 academy and each career-themed course offered by a secondary
727 school must lead to industry certification or college credit
728 linked directly to the career theme of the course. If the
729 passage rate on an industry certification examination that is
730 associated with the career and professional academy or a career
731 themed course falls below 50 percent, the 3-year strategic plan
732 must be amended to include specific strategies to improve the
733 passage rate of the academy or career-themed course the academy
734 must discontinue enrollment of new students the following school
735 year and each year thereafter until such time as the passage
736 rate is above 50 percent or the academy is discontinued.
737 (6) Workforce Florida, Inc., through the secondary career
738 academies initiatives, shall serve in an advisory role and offer
739 technical assistance in the development and deployment of newly
740 established career and professional academies and career-themed
741 courses.
742 Section 16. Section 1003.4935, Florida Statutes, is amended
743 to read:
744 1003.4935 Middle school career and professional academy
745 courses and career-themed courses.—
746 (1) Beginning with the 2011-2012 school year, each district
747 school board, in collaboration with regional workforce boards,
748 economic development agencies, and state-approved postsecondary
749 institutions, shall include plans to implement a career and
750 professional academy or a career-themed course, as defined in s.
751 1003.493(1)(b), in at least one middle school in the district as
752 part of the strategic 3-year 5-year plan pursuant to s.
753 1003.491(2). The middle school career and professional academy
754 component of the strategic plan must provide students ensure the
755 opportunity to transfer from a transition of middle school
756 career and professional academy or a career-themed course
757 students to a high school career and professional academy or a
758 career-themed course currently operating within the school
759 district. Students who complete a middle school career and
760 professional academy or a career-themed course must have the
761 opportunity to earn an industry certificate and high school
762 credit and participate in career planning, job shadowing, and
763 business leadership development activities.
764 (2) Each middle school career and professional academy or
765 career-themed course must be aligned with at least one high
766 school career and professional academy or career-themed course
767 offered in the district and maintain partnerships with local
768 business and industry and economic development boards. Middle
769 school career and professional academies and career-themed
770 courses must:
771 (a) Lead Provide instruction in courses leading to careers
772 in occupations designated as high-skill, high-wage, and high
773 demand high growth, high demand, and high pay in the Industry
774 Certification Funding List approved under rules adopted by the
775 State Board of Education;
776 (b) Offer career and professional academy courses that
777 Integrate content from core subject areas;
778 (c) Offer courses that Integrate career and professional
779 academy or career-themed course content with intensive reading
780 and mathematics pursuant to s. 1003.428;
781 (d) Coordinate with high schools to maximize opportunities
782 for middle school career and professional academy students to
783 earn high school credit;
784 (e) Provide access to virtual instruction courses provided
785 by virtual education providers legislatively authorized to
786 provide part-time instruction to middle school students. The
787 virtual instruction courses must be aligned to state curriculum
788 standards for middle school career and professional academy
789 courses or career-themed courses students, with priority given
790 to students who have required course deficits;
791 (f) Provide instruction from highly skilled professionals
792 who hold industry certificates in the career area in which they
793 teach;
794 (g) Offer externships; and
795 (h) Provide personalized student advisement that includes a
796 parent-participation component.
797 (3) Beginning with the 2012-2013 school year, if a school
798 district implements a middle school career and professional
799 academy or a career-themed course, the Department of Education
800 shall collect and report student achievement data pursuant to
801 performance factors identified under s. 1003.492(3) for academy
802 students enrolled in an academy or a career-themed course.
803 (4) The State Board of Education shall adopt rules to
804 identify industry certifications in science, technology,
805 engineering, and mathematics offered in middle school to be
806 included on the Industry Certified Funding List and which are
807 eligible for additional full-time equivalent membership under s.
808 1011.62(1).
809 Section 17. Section 1007.235, Florida Statutes, is
810 repealed.
811 Section 18. Paragraph (a) of subsection (2) of section
812 1007.263, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
813 1007.263 Florida College System institutions; admissions of
814 students.—Each Florida College System institution board of
815 trustees is authorized to adopt rules governing admissions of
816 students subject to this section and rules of the State Board of
817 Education. These rules shall include the following:
818 (2) Admission to associate degree programs is subject to
819 minimum standards adopted by the State Board of Education and
820 shall require:
821 (a) A standard high school diploma, a high school
822 equivalency diploma as prescribed in s. 1003.435, previously
823 demonstrated competency in college credit postsecondary
824 coursework, or, in the case of a student who is home educated, a
825 signed affidavit submitted by the student’s parent or legal
826 guardian attesting that the student has completed a home
827 education program pursuant to the requirements of s. 1002.41.
828 Students who are enrolled in a dual enrollment or early
829 admission program pursuant to s. ss. 1007.27 and 1007.271 are
830 and secondary students enrolled in college-level instruction
831 creditable toward the associate degree, but not toward the high
832 school diploma, shall be exempt from this requirement.
833
834 Each board of trustees shall establish policies that notify
835 students about, and place students into, adult basic education,
836 adult secondary education, or other instructional programs that
837 provide students with alternatives to traditional college
838 preparatory instruction, including private provider instruction.
839 A student is prohibited from enrolling in additional college
840 level courses until the student scores above the cut-score on
841 all sections of the common placement test.
842 Section 19. Subsections (6) through (9) of section 1007.27,
843 Florida Statutes, are renumbered as subsections (5) through (8),
844 respectively, and present subsections (1) and (5) of that
845 section are amended to read:
846 1007.27 Articulated acceleration mechanisms.—
847 (1) It is the intent of the Legislature that a variety of
848 articulated acceleration mechanisms be available for secondary
849 and postsecondary students attending public educational
850 institutions. It is intended that articulated acceleration serve
851 to shorten the time necessary for a student to complete the
852 requirements associated with the conference of a high school
853 diploma and a postsecondary degree, broaden the scope of
854 curricular options available to students, or increase the depth
855 of study available for a particular subject. Articulated
856 acceleration mechanisms shall include, but are not be limited
857 to, dual enrollment and early admission as provided for in s.
858 1007.271, early admission, advanced placement, credit by
859 examination, the International Baccalaureate Program, and the
860 Advanced International Certificate of Education Program. Credit
861 earned through the Florida Virtual School shall provide
862 additional opportunities for early graduation and acceleration.
863 Students of Florida public secondary schools enrolled pursuant
864 to this subsection shall be deemed authorized users of the
865 state-funded electronic library resources that are licensed for
866 Florida College System institutions and state universities by
867 the Florida Center for Library Automation and the College Center
868 for Library Automation. Verification of eligibility shall be in
869 accordance with rules established by the State Board of
870 Education and regulations established by the Board of Governors
871 and processes implemented by Florida College System institutions
872 and state universities.
873 (5) Early admission shall be a form of dual enrollment
874 through which eligible secondary students enroll in a
875 postsecondary institution on a full-time basis in courses that
876 are creditable toward the high school diploma and the associate
877 or baccalaureate degree. Students enrolled pursuant to this
878 subsection shall be exempt from the payment of registration,
879 tuition, and laboratory fees.
880 Section 20. Section 1007.271, Florida Statutes, is amended
881 to read:
882 1007.271 Dual enrollment programs.—
883 (1) The dual enrollment program is the enrollment of an
884 eligible secondary student or home education student in a
885 postsecondary course creditable toward high school completion
886 and a career certificate or an associate or baccalaureate
887 degree. A student who is enrolled in postsecondary instruction
888 that is not creditable toward a high school diploma may not be
889 classified as a dual enrollment student.
890 (2) For the purpose of this section, an eligible secondary
891 student is a student who is enrolled in a Florida public
892 secondary school or in a Florida private secondary school which
893 is in compliance with s. 1002.42(2) and provides conducts a
894 secondary curriculum pursuant to s. 1003.428, s. 1003.429, or s.
895 1003.43. Students enrolled in postsecondary instruction that is
896 not creditable toward the high school diploma shall not be
897 classified as dual enrollments. Students who are eligible for
898 dual enrollment pursuant to this section may shall be permitted
899 to enroll in dual enrollment courses conducted during school
900 hours, after school hours, and during the summer term. However,
901 if the student is projected to graduate from high school before
902 the scheduled completion date of a postsecondary course, the
903 student may not register for that course through dual
904 enrollment. The student may apply to the postsecondary
905 institution and pay the required registration, tuition, and fees
906 if the student meets the postsecondary institution’s admissions
907 requirements under s. 1007.263. Instructional time for dual such
908 enrollment may vary from 900 hours; however, the school district
909 may only report the student for a maximum of 1.0 FTE, as
910 provided in s. 1011.61(4). Any student so enrolled as a dual
911 enrollment student is exempt from the payment of registration,
912 tuition, and laboratory fees. Vocational-preparatory
913 instruction, college-preparatory instruction, and other forms of
914 precollegiate instruction, as well as physical education courses
915 that focus on the physical execution of a skill rather than the
916 intellectual attributes of the activity, are ineligible for
917 inclusion in the dual enrollment program. Recreation and leisure
918 studies courses shall be evaluated individually in the same
919 manner as physical education courses for potential inclusion in
920 the program.
921 (3) The Department of Education shall adopt guidelines
922 designed to achieve comparability across school districts of
923 both student qualifications and teacher qualifications for dual
924 enrollment courses. Student qualifications must demonstrate
925 readiness for college-level coursework if the student is to be
926 enrolled in college courses. Student qualifications must
927 demonstrate readiness for career-level coursework if the student
928 is to be enrolled in career courses. In addition to the common
929 placement examination, Student eligibility requirements
930 qualifications for initial enrollment in college credit dual
931 enrollment courses must include a 3.0 unweighted high school
932 grade point average, and the minimum score on a common placement
933 test adopted by the State Board of Education which indicates
934 that the student is ready for college-level coursework. Student
935 eligibility requirements for continued enrollment in college
936 credit dual enrollment courses must include the maintenance of a
937 3.0 unweighted high school grade point average and the minimum
938 postsecondary grade point average established by the
939 postsecondary institution. Regardless of meeting student
940 eligibility requirements for continued enrollment, a student may
941 lose the opportunity to participate in a dual enrollment course
942 if the student is disruptive to the learning process such that
943 the progress of other students or the efficient administration
944 of the course is hindered. Student eligibility requirements
945 qualifications for initial and continued enrollment in career
946 certificate dual enrollment courses must include a 2.0
947 unweighted high school grade point average. Exceptions to the
948 required grade point averages may be granted on an individual
949 student basis if the educational entities agree and the terms of
950 the agreement are contained within the dual enrollment
951 interinstitutional articulation agreement established pursuant
952 to subsection (21). Florida College System institution boards of
953 trustees may establish additional initial student eligibility
954 requirements admissions criteria, which shall be included in the
955 dual enrollment district interinstitutional articulation
956 agreement developed according to s. 1007.235, to ensure student
957 readiness for postsecondary instruction. Additional requirements
958 included in the agreement may shall not arbitrarily prohibit
959 students who have demonstrated the ability to master advanced
960 courses from participating in dual enrollment courses.
961 (4) District school boards may not refuse to enter into a
962 dual enrollment articulation an agreement with a local Florida
963 College System institution if that Florida College System
964 institution has the capacity to offer dual enrollment courses. A
965 Florida College System institution may limit dual enrollment
966 participation based upon capacity. Such limitation must be
967 clearly specified in the dual enrollment articulation agreement.
968 (5)(a) Each faculty member providing instruction in college
969 credit dual enrollment courses must:
970 1. Meet the qualifications required by the entity
971 accrediting the postsecondary institution offering the course.
972 The qualifications apply to all faculty members regardless of
973 the location of instruction. The postsecondary institution
974 offering the course must require compliance with these
975 qualifications.
976 2. Provide the institution offering the dual enrollment
977 course a copy of his or her postsecondary transcript.
978 3. Provide a copy of the current syllabus for each course
979 taught to the discipline chair or department chair of the
980 postsecondary institution before the start of each term. The
981 content of each syllabus must meet the same standards required
982 for all college-level courses offered by that postsecondary
983 institution.
984 4. Adhere to the professional rules, guidelines, and
985 expectations stated in the postsecondary institution’s faculty
986 or adjunct faculty handbook. Any exceptions must be included in
987 the dual enrollment articulation agreement.
988 5. Adhere to the rules, guidelines, and expectations stated
989 in the postsecondary institution’s student handbook which apply
990 to faculty members. Any exceptions must be noted in the dual
991 enrollment articulation agreement.
992 (b) Each president, or designee, of a postsecondary
993 institution offering a college credit dual enrollment course
994 must:
995 1. Provide a copy of the institution’s current faculty or
996 adjunct faculty handbook to all faculty members teaching a dual
997 enrollment course.
998 2. Provide to all faculty members teaching a dual
999 enrollment course a copy of the institution’s current student
1000 handbook, which may include, but is not limited to, information
1001 on registration policies, the student code of conduct, grading
1002 policies, and critical dates.
1003 3. Designate an individual or individuals to observe all
1004 faculty members teaching a dual enrollment course, regardless of
1005 the location of instruction.
1006 4. Use the same criteria to evaluate faculty members
1007 teaching a dual enrollment course as the criteria used to
1008 evaluate all other faculty members.
1009 5. Provide course plans and objectives to all faculty
1010 members teaching a dual enrollment course.
1011 (6) The following curriculum standards apply to college
1012 credit dual enrollment:
1013 (a) Dual enrollment courses taught on the high school
1014 campus must meet the same competencies required for courses
1015 taught on the postsecondary institution campus. To ensure
1016 equivalent rigor with courses taught on the postsecondary
1017 institution campus, the postsecondary institution offering the
1018 course is responsible for providing in a timely manner a
1019 comprehensive, cumulative end-of-course assessment or a series
1020 of assessments of all expected learning outcomes to the faculty
1021 member teaching the course. Completed, scored assessments must
1022 be returned to the postsecondary institution and held for 1
1023 year.
1024 (b) Instructional materials used in dual enrollment courses
1025 must be the same as or comparable to those used in courses
1026 offered by the postsecondary institution with the same course
1027 prefix and number. The postsecondary institution must advise the
1028 school district of instructional materials requirements as soon
1029 as that information becomes available but no later than one term
1030 before a course is offered.
1031 (c) Course requirements, such as tests, papers, or other
1032 assignments, for dual enrollment students must be at the same
1033 level of rigor or depth as those for all nondual enrollment
1034 postsecondary students. All faculty members teaching dual
1035 enrollment courses must observe the procedures and deadlines of
1036 the postsecondary institution for the submission of grades. A
1037 postsecondary institution must advise each faculty member
1038 teaching a dual enrollment course of the institution’s grading
1039 guidelines before the faculty member begins teaching the course.
1040 (d) Dual enrollment courses taught on a high school campus
1041 may not be combined with any noncollege credit high school
1042 course.
1043 (7)(4) Career dual enrollment shall be provided as a
1044 curricular option for secondary students to pursue in order to
1045 earn a series of elective credits toward the high school
1046 diploma. Career dual enrollment shall be available for secondary
1047 students seeking a degree or certificate from a complete career
1048 preparatory program, and may shall not be used to enroll
1049 students in isolated career courses. It is the intent of the
1050 Legislature that career dual enrollment provide a comprehensive
1051 academic and career dual enrollment program within the career
1052 center or Florida College System institution.
1053 (8)(5) Each district school board shall inform all
1054 secondary students and their parents of dual enrollment as an
1055 educational option and mechanism for acceleration. Students and
1056 their parents shall be informed of student eligibility
1057 requirements criteria, the option for taking dual enrollment
1058 courses beyond the regular school year, and the minimum academic
1059 credits required for graduation. District school boards shall
1060 annually assess the demand for dual enrollment and provide that
1061 information to each partnering postsecondary institution other
1062 advanced courses, and the district school board shall consider
1063 strategies and programs to meet that demand and include access
1064 to dual enrollment on the high school campus whenever possible.
1065 Alternative grade calculation, weighting systems, and or
1066 information regarding student education options that
1067 discriminate which discriminates against dual enrollment courses
1068 are is prohibited.
1069 (9)(6) The Commissioner of Education shall appoint faculty
1070 committees representing public school, Florida College System
1071 institution, and university faculties to identify postsecondary
1072 courses that meet the high school graduation requirements of s.
1073 1003.428, s. 1003.429, or s. 1003.43, and to establish the
1074 number of postsecondary semester credit hours of instruction and
1075 equivalent high school credits earned through dual enrollment
1076 pursuant to this section that are necessary to meet high school
1077 graduation requirements. Such equivalencies shall be determined
1078 solely on comparable course content and not on seat time
1079 traditionally allocated to such courses in high school. The
1080 Commissioner of Education shall recommend to the State Board of
1081 Education those postsecondary courses identified to meet high
1082 school graduation requirements, based on mastery of course
1083 outcomes, by their course numbers, and all high schools shall
1084 accept these postsecondary education courses toward meeting the
1085 requirements of s. 1003.428, s. 1003.429, or s. 1003.43.
1086 (10)(7) Early admission is shall be a form of dual
1087 enrollment through which eligible secondary students enroll in a
1088 postsecondary institution on a full-time basis in courses that
1089 are creditable toward the high school diploma and the associate
1090 or baccalaureate degree. A student must enroll in a minimum of
1091 12 college credit hours per semester or the equivalent to
1092 participate in the early admission program; however, a student
1093 may not be required to enroll in more than 15 college credit
1094 hours per semester or the equivalent. Students enrolled pursuant
1095 to this subsection are shall be exempt from the payment of
1096 registration, tuition, and laboratory fees.
1097 (11)(8) Career early admission is a form of career dual
1098 enrollment through which eligible secondary students enroll full
1099 time in a career center or a Florida College System institution
1100 in courses that are creditable toward the high school diploma
1101 and the certificate or associate degree. Participation in the
1102 career early admission program is shall be limited to students
1103 who have completed a minimum of 6 semesters of full-time
1104 secondary enrollment, including studies undertaken in the ninth
1105 grade. Students enrolled pursuant to this section are exempt
1106 from the payment of registration, tuition, and laboratory fees.
1107 (12)(9) The State Board of Education shall adopt rules for
1108 any dual enrollment programs involving requirements for high
1109 school graduation.
1110 (13)(10)(a) The dual enrollment program for home education
1111 students consists of the enrollment of an eligible home
1112 education secondary student in a postsecondary course creditable
1113 toward an associate degree, a career certificate, or a
1114 baccalaureate degree. To participate in the dual enrollment
1115 program, an eligible home education secondary student must:
1116 1. Provide proof of enrollment in a home education program
1117 pursuant to s. 1002.41.
1118 2. Be responsible for his or her own instructional
1119 materials and transportation unless provided for otherwise.
1120 3. Sign a home education articulation agreement pursuant to
1121 paragraph (b).
1122 (b) Each postsecondary career center, Florida College
1123 System institution, and state university shall enter into a home
1124 education articulation agreement with each home education
1125 student seeking enrollment in a dual enrollment course and the
1126 student’s parent. The home education articulation agreement
1127 shall include, at a minimum:
1128 1. A delineation of Delineate courses and programs
1129 available to for dually enrolled home education students.
1130 Courses and programs may be added, revised, or deleted at any
1131 time by the postsecondary institution.
1132 2. The initial and continued Identify eligibility
1133 requirements criteria for home education student participation,
1134 not to exceed those required of other dually enrolled students.
1135 3. The student’s responsibilities for providing his or her
1136 own instructional materials and transportation.
1137 4. A copy of the statement on transfer guarantees developed
1138 by the Department of Education under subsection (15).
1139 (14)(11) The Department of Education shall approve any
1140 course for inclusion in the dual enrollment program that is
1141 contained within the statewide course numbering system. However,
1142 college-preparatory and other forms of precollegiate
1143 instruction, and physical education and other courses that focus
1144 on the physical execution of a skill rather than the
1145 intellectual attributes of the activity, may not be so approved,
1146 but must be evaluated individually for potential inclusion in
1147 the dual enrollment program. This subsection may shall not be
1148 construed to mean that an independent postsecondary institution
1149 eligible for inclusion in a dual enrollment or early admission
1150 program pursuant to s. 1011.62 must participate in the statewide
1151 course numbering system developed pursuant to s. 1007.24 to
1152 participate in a dual enrollment program.
1153 (15)(12) The Department of Education shall develop a
1154 statement on transfer guarantees to which will inform students
1155 and their parents, prior to enrollment in a dual enrollment
1156 course, of the potential for the dual enrollment course to
1157 articulate as an elective or a general education course into a
1158 postsecondary education certificate or degree program. The
1159 statement shall be provided to each district school
1160 superintendent, who shall include the statement in the
1161 information provided to all secondary students and their parents
1162 as required pursuant to this subsection. The statement may also
1163 include additional information, including, but not limited to,
1164 dual enrollment options, guarantees, privileges, and
1165 responsibilities.
1166 (16)(13) Students who meet the eligibility requirements of
1167 this section and who choose to participate in dual enrollment
1168 programs are exempt from the payment of registration, tuition,
1169 and laboratory fees.
1170 (17)(14) Instructional materials assigned for use within
1171 dual enrollment courses shall be made available to dual
1172 enrollment students from Florida public high schools free of
1173 charge. This subsection does shall not be construed to prohibit
1174 a Florida College System institution from providing
1175 instructional materials at no cost to a home education student
1176 or student from a private school. Students enrolled in
1177 postsecondary instruction not creditable toward a high school
1178 diploma shall not be considered dual enrollments and shall be
1179 required to assume the cost of instructional materials necessary
1180 for such instruction.
1181 (15) Instructional materials purchased by a district school
1182 board or Florida College System institution board of trustees on
1183 behalf of dual enrollment students shall be the property of the
1184 board against which the purchase is charged.
1185 (18)(16) Beginning with students entering grade 9 in the
1186 2006-2007 school year, School districts and Florida College
1187 System institutions must weigh dual enrollment courses the same
1188 as advanced placement, International Baccalaureate, and Advanced
1189 International Certificate of Education courses when grade point
1190 averages are calculated. Alternative grade calculation systems,
1191 alternative grade or weighting systems, and information
1192 regarding student education options that discriminate against
1193 dual enrollment courses are prohibited.
1194 (19)(17) The Commissioner of Education may approve dual
1195 enrollment agreements for limited course offerings that have
1196 statewide appeal. Such programs shall be limited to a single
1197 site with multiple county participation.
1198 (20) A postsecondary institution shall assign letter grades
1199 to each student enrolled in a dual enrollment course. The letter
1200 grade assigned by the postsecondary institution shall be posted
1201 to the student’s high school transcript by the school district.
1202 (21) Each district school superintendent and Florida
1203 College System institution president shall develop a
1204 comprehensive dual enrollment articulation agreement for the
1205 respective school district and Florida College System
1206 institution. The superintendent and president shall establish an
1207 articulation committee for the purpose of developing the
1208 agreement. Each state university president may designate a
1209 university representative to participate in the development of a
1210 dual enrollment articulation agreement. A dual enrollment
1211 articulation agreement shall be completed and submitted annually
1212 by the Florida College System institution to the Department of
1213 Education on or before August 1. The agreement must include, but
1214 is not limited to:
1215 (a) A ratification or modification of all existing
1216 articulation agreements.
1217 (b) A description of the process by which students and
1218 their parents are informed about opportunities for student
1219 participation in the dual enrollment program.
1220 (c) A delineation of courses and programs available to
1221 students eligible to participate in dual enrollment.
1222 (d) A description of the process by which students and
1223 their parents exercise options to participate in the dual
1224 enrollment program.
1225 (e) A list of any additional initial student eligibility
1226 requirements for participation in the dual enrollment program.
1227 (f) A delineation of the high school credit earned for the
1228 passage of each dual enrollment course.
1229 (g) A description of the process for informing students and
1230 their parents of college-level course expectations.
1231 (h) The policies and procedures, if any, for determining
1232 exceptions to the required grade point averages on an individual
1233 student basis.
1234 (i) The registration policies for dual enrollment courses
1235 as determined by the postsecondary institution.
1236 (j) Exceptions, if any, to the professional rules,
1237 guidelines, and expectations stated in the faculty or adjunct
1238 faculty handbook for the postsecondary institution.
1239 (k) Exceptions, if any, to the rules, guidelines, and
1240 expectations stated in the student handbook of the postsecondary
1241 institution which apply to faculty members.
1242 (l) The responsibilities of the school district regarding
1243 the determination of student eligibility before participating in
1244 the dual enrollment program and the monitoring of student
1245 performance while participating in the dual enrollment program.
1246 (m) The responsibilities of the Florida College System
1247 institution regarding the transmission of student grades in dual
1248 enrollment courses to the school district.
1249 (n) A funding provision that delineates costs incurred by
1250 each entity. School districts should share funding to cover
1251 instructional and support costs incurred by the postsecondary
1252 institution.
1253 (o) Any institutional responsibilities for student
1254 transportation, if provided.
1255 (22) The Department of Education shall develop an
1256 electronic submission system for dual enrollment articulation
1257 agreements and shall review, for compliance, each dual
1258 enrollment articulation agreement submitted pursuant to
1259 subsection (21). The Commissioner of Education shall notify the
1260 district school superintendent and the Florida College System
1261 institution president if the dual enrollment articulation
1262 agreement does not comply with statutory requirements and shall
1263 submit any dual enrollment articulation agreement with
1264 unresolved issues of noncompliance to the State Board of
1265 Education.
1266 (23) District school boards and Florida College System
1267 institutions may enter into additional dual enrollment
1268 articulation agreements with state universities for the purposes
1269 of this section. School districts may also enter into dual
1270 enrollment articulation agreements with eligible independent
1271 colleges and universities pursuant to s. 1011.62(1)(i).
1272 (24) Postsecondary institutions may enter into dual
1273 enrollment articulation agreements with private secondary
1274 schools pursuant to subsection (2).
1275 Section 21. Section 1007.272, Florida Statutes, is
1276 repealed.
1277 Section 22. Paragraph (c) of subsection (3) of section
1278 1008.22, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
1279 1008.22 Student assessment program for public schools.—
1280 (3) STATEWIDE ASSESSMENT PROGRAM.—The commissioner shall
1281 design and implement a statewide program of educational
1282 assessment that provides information for the improvement of the
1283 operation and management of the public schools, including
1284 schools operating for the purpose of providing educational
1285 services to youth in Department of Juvenile Justice programs.
1286 The commissioner may enter into contracts for the continued
1287 administration of the assessment, testing, and evaluation
1288 programs authorized and funded by the Legislature. Contracts may
1289 be initiated in 1 fiscal year and continue into the next and may
1290 be paid from the appropriations of either or both fiscal years.
1291 The commissioner is authorized to negotiate for the sale or
1292 lease of tests, scoring protocols, test scoring services, and
1293 related materials developed pursuant to law. Pursuant to the
1294 statewide assessment program, the commissioner shall:
1295 (c) Develop and implement a student achievement testing
1296 program as follows:
1297 1. The Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT)
1298 measures a student’s content knowledge and skills in reading,
1299 writing, science, and mathematics. The content knowledge and
1300 skills assessed by the FCAT must be aligned to the core
1301 curricular content established in the Next Generation Sunshine
1302 State Standards. Other content areas may be included as directed
1303 by the commissioner. Comprehensive assessments of reading and
1304 mathematics shall be administered annually in grades 3 through
1305 10 except, beginning with the 2010-2011 school year, the
1306 administration of grade 9 FCAT Mathematics shall be
1307 discontinued, and beginning with the 2011-2012 school year, the
1308 administration of grade 10 FCAT Mathematics shall be
1309 discontinued, except as required for students who have not
1310 attained minimum performance expectations for graduation as
1311 provided in paragraph (9)(c). FCAT Writing and FCAT Science
1312 shall be administered at least once at the elementary, middle,
1313 and high school levels except, beginning with the 2011-2012
1314 school year, the administration of FCAT Science at the high
1315 school level shall be discontinued.
1316 2.a. End-of-course assessments for a subject shall be
1317 administered in addition to the comprehensive assessments
1318 required under subparagraph 1. End-of-course assessments must be
1319 rigorous, statewide, standardized, and developed or approved by
1320 the department. The content knowledge and skills assessed by
1321 end-of-course assessments must be aligned to the core curricular
1322 content established in the Next Generation Sunshine State
1323 Standards.
1324 (I) Statewide, standardized end-of-course assessments in
1325 mathematics shall be administered according to this sub-sub
1326 subparagraph. Beginning with the 2010-2011 school year, all
1327 students enrolled in Algebra I or an equivalent course must take
1328 the Algebra I end-of-course assessment. For students entering
1329 grade 9 during the 2010-2011 school year and who are enrolled in
1330 Algebra I or an equivalent, each student’s performance on the
1331 end-of-course assessment in Algebra I shall constitute 30
1332 percent of the student’s final course grade. Beginning with the
1333 2012-2013 school year, the end-of-course assessment in Algebra I
1334 shall be administered four times annually. Beginning with
1335 students entering grade 9 in the 2011-2012 school year, a
1336 student who is enrolled in Algebra I or an equivalent must earn
1337 a passing score on the end-of-course assessment in Algebra I or
1338 attain an equivalent score as described in subsection (11) in
1339 order to earn course credit. Beginning with the 2011-2012 school
1340 year, all students enrolled in geometry or an equivalent course
1341 must take the geometry end-of-course assessment. For students
1342 entering grade 9 during the 2011-2012 school year, each
1343 student’s performance on the end-of-course assessment in
1344 geometry shall constitute 30 percent of the student’s final
1345 course grade. Beginning with students entering grade 9 during
1346 the 2012-2013 school year, a student must earn a passing score
1347 on the end-of-course assessment in geometry or attain an
1348 equivalent score as described in subsection (11) in order to
1349 earn course credit.
1350 (II) Statewide, standardized end-of-course assessments in
1351 science shall be administered according to this sub-sub
1352 subparagraph. Beginning with the 2011-2012 school year, all
1353 students enrolled in Biology I or an equivalent course must take
1354 the Biology I end-of-course assessment. For the 2011-2012 school
1355 year, each student’s performance on the end-of-course assessment
1356 in Biology I shall constitute 30 percent of the student’s final
1357 course grade. Beginning with students entering grade 9 during
1358 the 2012-2013 school year, a student must earn a passing score
1359 on the end-of-course assessment in Biology I in order to earn
1360 course credit.
1361 b. During the 2012-2013 school year, an end-of-course
1362 assessment in civics education shall be administered as a field
1363 test at the middle school level. During the 2013-2014 school
1364 year, each student’s performance on the statewide, standardized
1365 end-of-course assessment in civics education shall constitute 30
1366 percent of the student’s final course grade. Beginning with the
1367 2014-2015 school year, a student must earn a passing score on
1368 the end-of-course assessment in civics education in order to
1369 pass the course and be promoted from the middle grades. The
1370 school principal of a middle school shall determine, in
1371 accordance with State Board of Education rule, whether a student
1372 who transfers to the middle school and who has successfully
1373 completed a civics education course at the student’s previous
1374 school must take an end-of-course assessment in civics
1375 education.
1376 c. The commissioner may select one or more nationally
1377 developed comprehensive examinations, which may include, but
1378 need not be limited to, examinations for a College Board
1379 Advanced Placement course, International Baccalaureate course,
1380 or Advanced International Certificate of Education course, or
1381 industry-approved examinations to earn national industry
1382 certifications identified in the Industry Certification Funding
1383 List, pursuant to rules adopted by the State Board of Education,
1384 for use as end-of-course assessments under this paragraph, if
1385 the commissioner determines that the content knowledge and
1386 skills assessed by the examinations meet or exceed the grade
1387 level expectations for the core curricular content established
1388 for the course in the Next Generation Sunshine State Standards.
1389 The commissioner may collaborate with the American Diploma
1390 Project in the adoption or development of rigorous end-of-course
1391 assessments that are aligned to the Next Generation Sunshine
1392 State Standards.
1393 d. Contingent upon funding provided in the General
1394 Appropriations Act, including the appropriation of funds
1395 received through federal grants, the Commissioner of Education
1396 shall establish an implementation schedule for the development
1397 and administration of additional statewide, standardized end-of
1398 course assessments in English/Language Arts II, Algebra II,
1399 chemistry, physics, earth/space science, United States history,
1400 and world history. Priority shall be given to the development of
1401 end-of-course assessments in English/Language Arts II. The
1402 Commissioner of Education shall evaluate the feasibility and
1403 effect of transitioning from the grade 9 and grade 10 FCAT
1404 Reading and high school level FCAT Writing to an end-of-course
1405 assessment in English/Language Arts II. The commissioner shall
1406 report the results of the evaluation to the President of the
1407 Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives no later
1408 than July 1, 2011.
1409 3. The testing program shall measure student content
1410 knowledge and skills adopted by the State Board of Education as
1411 specified in paragraph (a) and measure and report student
1412 performance levels of all students assessed in reading, writing,
1413 mathematics, and science. The commissioner shall provide for the
1414 tests to be developed or obtained, as appropriate, through
1415 contracts and project agreements with private vendors, public
1416 vendors, public agencies, postsecondary educational
1417 institutions, or school districts. The commissioner shall obtain
1418 input with respect to the design and implementation of the
1419 testing program from state educators, assistive technology
1420 experts, and the public.
1421 4. The testing program shall be composed of criterion
1422 referenced tests that shall, to the extent determined by the
1423 commissioner, include test items that require the student to
1424 produce information or perform tasks in such a way that the core
1425 content knowledge and skills he or she uses can be measured.
1426 5. FCAT Reading, Mathematics, and Science and all
1427 statewide, standardized end-of-course assessments shall measure
1428 the content knowledge and skills a student has attained on the
1429 assessment by the use of scaled scores and achievement levels.
1430 Achievement levels shall range from 1 through 5, with level 1
1431 being the lowest achievement level, level 5 being the highest
1432 achievement level, and level 3 indicating satisfactory
1433 performance on an assessment. For purposes of FCAT Writing,
1434 student achievement shall be scored using a scale of 1 through 6
1435 and the score earned shall be used in calculating school grades.
1436 A score shall be designated for each subject area tested, below
1437 which score a student’s performance is deemed inadequate. The
1438 school districts shall provide appropriate remedial instruction
1439 to students who score below these levels.
1440 6. The State Board of Education shall, by rule, designate a
1441 passing score for each part of the grade 10 assessment test and
1442 end-of-course assessments. Any rule that has the effect of
1443 raising the required passing scores may apply only to students
1444 taking the assessment for the first time after the rule is
1445 adopted by the State Board of Education. Except as otherwise
1446 provided in this subparagraph and as provided in s.
1447 1003.428(8)(b) or s. 1003.43(11)(b), students must earn a
1448 passing score on grade 10 FCAT Reading and grade 10 FCAT
1449 Mathematics or attain concordant scores as described in
1450 subsection (10) in order to qualify for a standard high school
1451 diploma.
1452 7. In addition to designating a passing score under
1453 subparagraph 6., the State Board of Education shall also
1454 designate, by rule, a score for each statewide, standardized
1455 end-of-course assessment which indicates that a student is high
1456 achieving and has the potential to meet college-readiness
1457 standards by the time the student graduates from high school.
1458 8. Participation in the testing program is mandatory for
1459 all students attending public school, including students served
1460 in Department of Juvenile Justice programs, except as otherwise
1461 prescribed by the commissioner. A student who has not earned
1462 passing scores on the grade 10 FCAT as provided in subparagraph
1463 6. must participate in each retake of the assessment until the
1464 student earns passing scores or achieves scores on a
1465 standardized assessment which are concordant with passing scores
1466 pursuant to subsection (10). If a student does not participate
1467 in the statewide assessment, the district must notify the
1468 student’s parent and provide the parent with information
1469 regarding the implications of such nonparticipation. A parent
1470 must provide signed consent for a student to receive classroom
1471 instructional accommodations that would not be available or
1472 permitted on the statewide assessments and must acknowledge in
1473 writing that he or she understands the implications of such
1474 instructional accommodations. The State Board of Education shall
1475 adopt rules, based upon recommendations of the commissioner, for
1476 the provision of test accommodations for students in exceptional
1477 education programs and for students who have limited English
1478 proficiency. Accommodations that negate the validity of a
1479 statewide assessment are not allowable in the administration of
1480 the FCAT or an end-of-course assessment. However, instructional
1481 accommodations are allowable in the classroom if included in a
1482 student’s individual education plan. Students using
1483 instructional accommodations in the classroom that are not
1484 allowable as accommodations on the FCAT or an end-of-course
1485 assessment may have the FCAT or an end-of-course assessment
1486 requirement waived pursuant to the requirements of s.
1487 1003.428(8)(b) or s. 1003.43(11)(b).
1488 9. A student seeking an adult high school diploma must meet
1489 the same testing requirements that a regular high school student
1490 must meet.
1491 10. District school boards must provide instruction to
1492 prepare students in the core curricular content established in
1493 the Next Generation Sunshine State Standards adopted under s.
1494 1003.41, including the core content knowledge and skills
1495 necessary for successful grade-to-grade progression and high
1496 school graduation. If a student is provided with instructional
1497 accommodations in the classroom that are not allowable as
1498 accommodations in the statewide assessment program, as described
1499 in the test manuals, the district must inform the parent in
1500 writing and must provide the parent with information regarding
1501 the impact on the student’s ability to meet expected performance
1502 levels in reading, writing, mathematics, and science. The
1503 commissioner shall conduct studies as necessary to verify that
1504 the required core curricular content is part of the district
1505 instructional programs.
1506 11. District school boards must provide opportunities for
1507 students to demonstrate an acceptable performance level on an
1508 alternative standardized assessment approved by the State Board
1509 of Education following enrollment in summer academies.
1510 12. The Department of Education must develop, or select,
1511 and implement a common battery of assessment tools that will be
1512 used in all juvenile justice programs in the state. These tools
1513 must accurately measure the core curricular content established
1514 in the Next Generation Sunshine State Standards.
1515 13. For students seeking a special diploma pursuant to s.
1516 1003.438, the Department of Education must develop or select and
1517 implement an alternate assessment tool that accurately measures
1518 the core curricular content established in the Next Generation
1519 Sunshine State Standards for students with disabilities under s.
1520 1003.438.
1521 14. The Commissioner of Education shall establish schedules
1522 for the administration of statewide assessments and the
1523 reporting of student test results. When establishing the
1524 schedules for the administration of statewide assessments, the
1525 commissioner shall consider the observance of religious and
1526 school holidays. The commissioner shall, by August 1 of each
1527 year, notify each school district in writing and publish on the
1528 department’s Internet website the testing and reporting
1529 schedules for, at a minimum, the school year following the
1530 upcoming school year. The testing and reporting schedules shall
1531 require that:
1532 a. There is the latest possible administration of statewide
1533 assessments and the earliest possible reporting to the school
1534 districts of student test results which is feasible within
1535 available technology and specific appropriations; however, test
1536 results for the FCAT must be made available no later than the
1537 week of June 8. Student results for end-of-course assessments
1538 must be provided no later than 1 week after the school district
1539 completes testing for each course. The commissioner may extend
1540 the reporting schedule under exigent circumstances.
1541 b. FCAT Writing may not be administered earlier than the
1542 week of March 1, and a comprehensive statewide assessment of any
1543 other subject may not be administered earlier than the week of
1544 April 15.
1545 c. A statewide, standardized end-of-course assessment is
1546 administered at the end of the course. The commissioner shall
1547 select an administration period for assessments that meets the
1548 intent of end-of-course assessments and provides student results
1549 prior to the end of the course. School districts shall
1550 administer tests in accordance with the schedule determined by
1551 the commissioner. For an end-of-course assessment administered
1552 at the end of the first semester, the commissioner shall
1553 determine the most appropriate testing dates based on a review
1554 of each school district’s academic calendar.
1555
1556 The commissioner may, based on collaboration and input from
1557 school districts, design and implement student testing programs,
1558 for any grade level and subject area, necessary to effectively
1559 monitor educational achievement in the state, including the
1560 measurement of educational achievement of the Next Generation
1561 Sunshine State Standards for students with disabilities.
1562 Development and refinement of assessments shall include
1563 universal design principles and accessibility standards that
1564 will prevent any unintended obstacles for students with
1565 disabilities while ensuring the validity and reliability of the
1566 test. These principles should be applicable to all technology
1567 platforms and assistive devices available for the assessments.
1568 The field testing process and psychometric analyses for the
1569 statewide assessment program must include an appropriate
1570 percentage of students with disabilities and an evaluation or
1571 determination of the effect of test items on such students.
1572 Section 23. Subsections (1), (2), (9), and (10) of section
1573 1008.25, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
1574 1008.25 Public school student progression; remedial
1575 instruction; reporting requirements.—
1576 (1) INTENT.—It is the intent of the Legislature that each
1577 student’s progression from one grade to another be determined,
1578 in part, upon satisfactory performance proficiency in reading,
1579 writing, science, and mathematics; that district school board
1580 policies facilitate student achievement such proficiency; and
1581 that each student and his or her parent be informed of that
1582 student’s academic progress; and that students have access to
1583 educational options that provide academically challenging
1584 coursework or accelerated instruction pursuant to s. 1002.3105.
1585 (2) COMPREHENSIVE STUDENT PROGRESSION PLAN PROGRAM.—Each
1586 district school board shall establish a comprehensive plan
1587 program for student progression which must include:
1588 (a) Provide standards for evaluating each student’s
1589 performance, including how well he or she masters the
1590 performance standards approved by the State Board of Education.
1591 (b) Provide specific levels of performance in reading,
1592 writing, science, and mathematics for each grade level,
1593 including the levels of performance on statewide assessments as
1594 defined by the commissioner, below which a student must receive
1595 remediation, or be retained within an intensive program that is
1596 different from the previous year’s program and that takes into
1597 account the student’s learning style.
1598 (c) Provide appropriate alternative placement for a student
1599 who has been retained 2 or more years.
1600 (d)1. List the student eligibility and procedural
1601 requirements established by the school district for whole-grade
1602 promotion, midyear promotion, and subject-matter acceleration
1603 that would result in a student attending a different school,
1604 pursuant to s. 1002.3105(2)(b).
1605 2. Notify parents and students of the school district’s
1606 process by which a parent may request student participation in
1607 whole-grade promotion, midyear promotion, or subject-matter
1608 acceleration that would result in a student attending a
1609 different school, pursuant to s. 1002.3105(4)(b)2.
1610 (e)1. Advise parents and students that additional ACCEL
1611 options may be available at the student’s school, pursuant to s.
1612 1002.3105.
1613 2. Advise parents and students to contact the principal at
1614 the student’s school for information related to student
1615 eligibility requirements for whole-grade promotion, midyear
1616 promotion, and subject-matter acceleration when the promotion or
1617 acceleration occurs within the principal’s school; virtual
1618 instruction in higher grade level subjects; and any other ACCEL
1619 options offered by the principal, pursuant to s.
1620 1002.3105(2)(a).
1621 3. Advise parents and students to contact the principal at
1622 the student’s school for information related to the school’s
1623 process by which a parent may request student participation in
1624 whole-grade promotion, midyear promotion, and subject-matter
1625 acceleration when the promotion or acceleration occurs within
1626 the principal’s school; virtual instruction in higher grade
1627 level subjects; and any other ACCEL options offered by the
1628 principal, pursuant to s. 1002.3105(4)(b)1.
1629 (f) Advise parents and students of the early and
1630 accelerated graduation options under ss. 1003.4281 and 1003.429.
1631 (g) List, or incorporate by reference, all dual enrollment
1632 courses contained within the dual enrollment articulation
1633 agreement established pursuant to s. 1007.271(21).
1634 (9) RULEMAKING STATE BOARD AUTHORITY AND RESPONSIBILITIES.—
1635 (a) The State Board of Education shall have authority as
1636 provided in s. 1008.32 to enforce this section.
1637 (b) The State Board of Education shall adopt rules pursuant
1638 to ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54 for the administration of this
1639 section.
1640 (10) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.—The department shall provide
1641 technical assistance as needed to aid district school boards in
1642 administering this section.
1643 Section 24. Paragraph (a) of subsection (1) of section
1644 1009.25, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
1645 1009.25 Fee exemptions.—
1646 (1) The following students are exempt from the payment of
1647 tuition and fees, including lab fees, at a school district that
1648 provides postsecondary career programs, Florida College System
1649 institution, or state university:
1650 (a) A student enrolled in a dual enrollment or early
1651 admission program pursuant to s. 1007.27 or s. 1007.271.
1652 Section 25. Paragraphs (b) and (f) of subsection (1) of
1653 section 1009.531, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
1654 1009.531 Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program;
1655 student eligibility requirements for initial awards.—
1656 (1) Effective January 1, 2008, in order to be eligible for
1657 an initial award from any of the three types of scholarships
1658 under the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program, a student
1659 must:
1660 (b) Earn a standard Florida high school diploma or its
1661 equivalent pursuant to as described in s. 1003.428, s.
1662 1003.4281, s. 1003.429, s. 1003.43, or s. 1003.435 unless:
1663 1. The student completes a home education program according
1664 to s. 1002.41; or
1665 2. The student earns a high school diploma from a non
1666 Florida school while living with a parent or guardian who is on
1667 military or public service assignment away from Florida.
1668 (f) Apply for a scholarship from the program by high school
1669 graduation. However, a student who graduates from high school
1670 midyear must apply no later than August 31 of the student’s
1671 graduation year in order to be evaluated for and, if eligible,
1672 receive an award for the current academic year.
1673 Section 26. Subsection (4) is added to section 1009.532,
1674 Florida Statutes, to read:
1675 1009.532 Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program;
1676 student eligibility requirements for renewal awards.—
1677 (4) A student who receives an initial award during the
1678 spring term shall be evaluated for scholarship renewal after the
1679 completion of a full academic year, which begins with the fall
1680 term.
1681 Section 27. Paragraph (c) of subsection (1) of section
1682 1011.61, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
1683 1011.61 Definitions.—Notwithstanding the provisions of s.
1684 1000.21, the following terms are defined as follows for the
1685 purposes of the Florida Education Finance Program:
1686 (1) A “full-time equivalent student” in each program of the
1687 district is defined in terms of full-time students and part-time
1688 students as follows:
1689 (c)1. A “full-time equivalent student” is:
1690 a. A full-time student in any one of the programs listed in
1691 s. 1011.62(1)(c); or
1692 b. A combination of full-time or part-time students in any
1693 one of the programs listed in s. 1011.62(1)(c) which is the
1694 equivalent of one full-time student based on the following
1695 calculations:
1696 (I) A full-time student in a combination of programs listed
1697 in s. 1011.62(1)(c) shall be a fraction of a full-time
1698 equivalent membership in each special program equal to the
1699 number of net hours per school year for which he or she is a
1700 member, divided by the appropriate number of hours set forth in
1701 subparagraph (a)1. or subparagraph (a)2. The difference between
1702 that fraction or sum of fractions and the maximum value as set
1703 forth in subsection (4) for each full-time student is presumed
1704 to be the balance of the student’s time not spent in such
1705 special education programs and shall be recorded as time in the
1706 appropriate basic program.
1707 (II) A prekindergarten handicapped student shall meet the
1708 requirements specified for kindergarten students.
1709 (III) A full-time equivalent student for students in
1710 kindergarten through grade 5 in a virtual instruction program
1711 under s. 1002.45 or a virtual charter school under s. 1002.33
1712 shall consist of a student who has successfully completed a
1713 basic program listed in s. 1011.62(1)(c)1.a. or b., and who is
1714 promoted to a higher grade level.
1715 (IV) A full-time equivalent student for students in grades
1716 6 through 12 in a virtual instruction program under s.
1717 1002.45(1)(b)1., 2., or 3. or a virtual charter school under s.
1718 1002.33 shall consist of six full credit completions in programs
1719 listed in s. 1011.62(1)(c)1.b. or c. and 3. Credit completions
1720 may be a combination of full-credit courses or half-credit
1721 courses. Beginning in the 2014-2015 fiscal year, when s.
1722 1008.22(3)(g) is implemented, the reported full-time equivalent
1723 students and associated funding of students enrolled in courses
1724 requiring passage of an end-of-course assessment shall be
1725 adjusted after the student completes the end-of-course
1726 assessment.
1727 (V) A Florida Virtual School full-time equivalent student
1728 shall consist of six full credit completions or the prescribed
1729 level of content that counts toward promotion to the next grade
1730 in the programs listed in s. 1011.62(1)(c)1.a. and b. for
1731 kindergarten through grade 8 and the programs listed in s.
1732 1011.62(1)(c)1.c. for grades 9 through 12. Credit completions
1733 may be a combination of full-credit courses or half-credit
1734 courses. Beginning in the 2014-2015 fiscal year, when s.
1735 1008.22(3)(g) is implemented, the reported full-time equivalent
1736 students and associated funding of students enrolled in courses
1737 requiring passage of an end-of-course assessment shall be
1738 adjusted after the student completes the end-of-course
1739 assessment.
1740 (VI) Each successfully completed full-credit course earned
1741 through an online course delivered by a district other than the
1742 one in which the student resides shall be calculated as 1/6 FTE.
1743 (VII) Each successfully completed credit earned under the
1744 alternative high school course credit requirements authorized in
1745 s. 1002.375, which is not reported as a portion of the 900 net
1746 hours of instruction pursuant to subparagraph (1)(a)1., shall be
1747 calculated as 1/6 FTE.
1748 (VIII)(A) A full-time equivalent student for courses
1749 requiring a statewide, standardized end-of-course assessment
1750 pursuant to s. 1008.22(3)(c)2.a. shall be defined and reported
1751 based on the number of instructional hours as provided in
1752 subsection (1) for the first 3 years of administering the end
1753 of-course assessment. Beginning in the fourth year of
1754 administering the end-of-course assessment, the FTE shall be
1755 credit-based and each course shall be equal to 1/6 FTE. The
1756 reported FTE shall be adjusted after the student successfully
1757 completes the end-of-course assessment pursuant to s.
1758 1008.22(3)(c)2.a.
1759 (B) For students enrolled in a school district as a full
1760 time student, the district may report 1/6 FTE for each student
1761 who passes a statewide, standardized end-of-course assessment
1762 without being enrolled in the corresponding course.
1763 (C) The FTE earned under this sub-sub-subparagraph and any
1764 FTE for courses or programs listed in s. 1011.62(1)(c) that do
1765 not require passing a statewide, standardized end-of-course
1766 assessment are subject to the requirements in subsection (4).
1767 2. A student in membership in a program scheduled for more
1768 or less than 180 school days or the equivalent on an hourly
1769 basis as specified by rules of the State Board of Education is a
1770 fraction of a full-time equivalent membership equal to the
1771 number of instructional hours in membership divided by the
1772 appropriate number of hours set forth in subparagraph (a)1.;
1773 however, for the purposes of this subparagraph, membership in
1774 programs scheduled for more than 180 days is limited to students
1775 enrolled in juvenile justice education programs and the Florida
1776 Virtual School.
1777
1778 The department shall determine and implement an equitable method
1779 of equivalent funding for experimental schools and for schools
1780 operating under emergency conditions, which schools have been
1781 approved by the department to operate for less than the minimum
1782 school day.
1783 Section 28. Paragraph (o) of subsection (1) of section
1784 1011.62, Florida Statutes, is amended, paragraphs (p) through
1785 (s) are redesignated as paragraphs (q) through (t),
1786 respectively, and a new paragraph (p) is added to that
1787 subsection, to read:
1788 1011.62 Funds for operation of schools.—If the annual
1789 allocation from the Florida Education Finance Program to each
1790 district for operation of schools is not determined in the
1791 annual appropriations act or the substantive bill implementing
1792 the annual appropriations act, it shall be determined as
1793 follows:
1794 (1) COMPUTATION OF THE BASIC AMOUNT TO BE INCLUDED FOR
1795 OPERATION.—The following procedure shall be followed in
1796 determining the annual allocation to each district for
1797 operation:
1798 (o) Calculation of additional full-time equivalent
1799 membership based on certification of successful completion of a
1800 career-themed course or industry-certified career and
1801 professional academy program programs pursuant to ss. 1003.491,
1802 1003.492, 1003.493, and 1003.4935 and issuance of the highest
1803 level of industry certification identified in the Industry
1804 Certified Funding List pursuant to rules adopted by the State
1805 Board of Education.—
1806 1. A value of 0.1, 0.2, or 0.3 full-time equivalent student
1807 membership shall be calculated for each student who completes a
1808 career-themed course as defined in s. 1003.493(1)(b) or a an
1809 industry-certified career and professional academy program under
1810 ss. 1003.491, 1003.492, 1003.493, and 1003.4935 and who is
1811 issued the highest level of industry certification identified
1812 annually in the Industry Certification Funding List approved
1813 under rules adopted by the State Board of Education upon
1814 promotion to the 9th grade under subparagraph 2. or upon earning
1815 and a high school diploma. The maximum full-time equivalent
1816 student membership value for any student is 0.3. The Department
1817 of Education shall assign the appropriate full-time equivalent
1818 value for each certification, 50 percent of which is based on
1819 rigor and the remaining 50 percent on employment value. The
1820 State Board of Education shall include the assigned values in
1821 the Industry Certification Funding List under rules adopted by
1822 the state board. Rigor shall be based on the number of
1823 instructional hours, including work experience hours, required
1824 to earn the certification, with a bonus for industry
1825 certifications that have a statewide articulation agreement for
1826 college credit approved by the State Board of Education.
1827 Employment value shall be based on the entry wage, growth rate
1828 in employment for each occupational category, and average annual
1829 openings for the primary occupation linked to the industry
1830 certification. Such value shall be added to the total full-time
1831 equivalent student membership in secondary career education
1832 programs for grades 9 through 12 in the subsequent year for
1833 courses that were not funded through dual enrollment.
1834 2. Upon promotion to the 9th grade, a value of 0.1 full
1835 time equivalent student membership shall be calculated for each
1836 student who completes a career-themed course or a career and
1837 professional academy program under s. 1003.4935 and who is
1838 issued the highest level of industry certification in science,
1839 technology, engineering, or mathematics identified on the
1840 Industry Certification Funding List under rules adopted by the
1841 State Board of Education.
1842 3. The additional full-time equivalent membership
1843 authorized under this paragraph may not exceed 0.3 per student.
1844 Each district must allocate at least 80 percent of the funds
1845 provided for industry certification, in accordance with this
1846 paragraph, to the program that generated the funds. Unless a
1847 different amount is specified in the General Appropriations Act,
1848 the appropriation for this calculation is limited to $15 million
1849 annually. If the appropriation is insufficient to fully fund the
1850 total calculation, the appropriation shall be prorated.
1851 (p) Calculation of additional full-time equivalent
1852 membership based upon early high school graduation.
1853 Notwithstanding s. 1011.61(4), each unpaid high school credit
1854 delivered by a school district during the student’s prior
1855 enrollment may be reported by the district as 1/6 FTE when the
1856 student graduates early pursuant to s. 1003.4281. A district may
1857 report up to 1/2 FTE for unpaid credits delivered by the
1858 district for a student who graduates one semester in advance of
1859 the student’s cohort and up to 1 FTE for a student who graduates
1860 1 year or more in advance of the student’s cohort. If the
1861 student was enrolled in the district as a full-time high school
1862 student for at least 2 years, the district shall report the
1863 unpaid FTE delivered by the district during the student’s prior
1864 enrollment. If the student was enrolled in the district for less
1865 than 2 years, the district shall report the unpaid FTE delivered
1866 by the district and by the district in which the student was
1867 previously enrolled. The district of enrollment for which early
1868 graduation is claimed shall transfer a proportionate share of
1869 the funds earned for the unpaid FTE to the district in which the
1870 student was previously enrolled.
1871 Section 29. This act shall take effect July 1, 2012.
1872
1873 ================= T I T L E A M E N D M E N T ================
1874 And the title is amended as follows:
1875 Delete everything before the enacting clause
1876 and insert:
1877 A bill to be entitled
1878 An act relating to acceleration options in public
1879 education; creating s. 1002.3105, F.S., relating to
1880 Academically Challenging Curriculum to Enhance
1881 Learning (ACCEL) options, to provide eligible public
1882 school students educational options that provide
1883 academically challenging curriculum or accelerated
1884 instruction; providing school principal and school
1885 district determined student eligibility and procedural
1886 requirements; requiring a process by which a parent
1887 may request student participation, including the
1888 execution of a performance contract in certain
1889 instances; amending ss. 1001.64 and 1001.65, F.S.;
1890 conforming provisions relating to dual enrollment
1891 articulation agreements between Florida College System
1892 institutions and school districts; amending ss.
1893 1002.20 and 1002.41, F.S.; conforming cross
1894 references; amending s. 1003.02, F.S.; requiring
1895 school districts to notify parents of options for
1896 early or accelerated high school graduation; amending
1897 s. 1003.4156, F.S.; revising requirements for the
1898 course in career and education planning required for
1899 middle grades promotion; deleting a required parent
1900 meeting; amending s. 1003.428, F.S.; conforming
1901 provisions; creating s. 1003.4281, F.S., relating to
1902 early high school graduation; defining the term “early
1903 graduation”; requiring that each school district adopt
1904 a policy that provides a high school student with the
1905 option of graduating early; requiring parental
1906 notification of student eligibility; providing for
1907 receipt of an initial Florida Bright Futures
1908 Scholarship Program award; providing requirements for
1909 funding high school credits; amending s. 1003.4295,
1910 F.S.; requiring that students be advised of
1911 acceleration options; authorizing all students to
1912 participate in the Credit Acceleration Program;
1913 amending s. 1003.436, F.S.; conforming provisions;
1914 amending s. 1003.437, F.S.; specifying that the middle
1915 and high school grading system applies to the course
1916 level; amending s. 1003.491, F.S.; revising provisions
1917 relating to the Florida Career and Professional
1918 Education Act; revising the basis for the strategic
1919 plan to address workforce demands; providing for
1920 coordination to promote and support career-themed
1921 courses that lead to industry certification; amending
1922 s. 1003.492, F.S.; requiring secondary schools
1923 offering career-themed courses to coordinate with the
1924 appropriate industry; amending s. 1003.493, F.S.;
1925 revising provisions relating to career and
1926 professional academies; defining the term “career
1927 themed course”; amending s. 1003.4935, F.S.; requiring
1928 district school boards to include plans to implement
1929 career-themed courses; requiring the State Board of
1930 Education to adopt rules; repealing s. 1007.235, F.S.,
1931 relating to district interinstitutional articulation
1932 agreements; amending s. 1007.263, F.S.; eliminating an
1933 exemption from Florida College System admission
1934 requirements for certain secondary students; amending
1935 s. 1007.27, F.S., relating to articulated acceleration
1936 mechanisms; deleting duplicative language relating to
1937 early admission; amending s. 1007.271, F.S., relating
1938 to dual enrollment programs; providing student
1939 eligibility requirements and restrictions for
1940 enrollment and continued enrollment in dual enrollment
1941 courses; authorizing a participation limit based upon
1942 capacity; providing requirements for faculty members
1943 providing instruction in college credit dual
1944 enrollment courses; providing curriculum standards for
1945 college credit dual enrollment; clarifying district
1946 school board duties; establishing a minimum and
1947 maximum number of college credit hours for
1948 participation in an early admission program; providing
1949 home education student eligibility requirements for
1950 enrollment in dual enrollment courses; requiring a
1951 home education articulation agreement; providing
1952 requirements for the development and contents of a
1953 school district and Florida College System institution
1954 dual enrollment articulation agreement; requiring the
1955 Department of Education to develop an electronic
1956 submission system for dual enrollment articulation
1957 agreements and to review agreements for compliance;
1958 authorizing dual enrollment articulation agreements
1959 with state universities, eligible independent colleges
1960 and universities, and private secondary schools;
1961 repealing s. 1007.272, F.S., relating to joint dual
1962 enrollment and advanced placement instruction;
1963 amending s. 1008.22, F.S.; requiring that the end-of
1964 course assessment in Algebra I be administered four
1965 times annually; amending s. 1008.25, F.S.; revising
1966 legislative intent relating to public school student
1967 progression; requiring the comprehensive student
1968 progression plan to include information for students
1969 and parents on accelerated educational options;
1970 deleting a technical assistance responsibility of the
1971 department; amending s. 1009.25, F.S.; conforming a
1972 cross-reference; amending ss. 1009.531 and 1009.532,
1973 F.S.; providing requirements for the evaluation of
1974 certain students for initial and renewal awards under
1975 the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program;
1976 amending s. 1011.61, F.S.; providing reporting
1977 requirements for school districts for a full-time
1978 equivalent student in courses requiring certain
1979 statewide, standardized end-of-course assessments and
1980 for a student who passes a statewide, standardized
1981 end-of-course assessment without being enrolled in the
1982 corresponding course; amending s. 1011.62, F.S.;
1983 providing for calculation of additional full-time
1984 equivalent membership based on completion of career
1985 themed courses; providing a calculation of additional
1986 full-time equivalent membership based on early high
1987 school graduation; providing an effective date.