Florida Senate - 2013 COMMITTEE AMENDMENT Bill No. PCS (688260) for CS for SB 1076 Barcode 834644 LEGISLATIVE ACTION Senate . House Comm: RCS . 03/28/2013 . . . . ————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— ————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— The Committee on Appropriations (Bean) recommended the following: 1 Senate Amendment (with title amendment) 2 3 Between lines 603 and 604 4 insert: 5 Section 9. Section 1003.4282, Florida Statutes, is created 6 to read: 7 1003.4282 Requirements for a standard high school diploma.— 8 (1) TWENTY-FOUR CREDITS REQUIRED.— 9 (a) Beginning with students entering grade 9 in the 2013 10 2014 school year, receipt of a standard high school diploma 11 requires successful completion of 24 credits, an International 12 Baccalaureate curriculum, or an Advanced International 13 Certificate of Education curriculum. 14 (b) The required credits may be earned through equivalent, 15 applied, or integrated courses or career education courses as 16 defined in s. 1003.01(4), including work-related internships 17 approved by the State Board of Education and identified in the 18 Course Code Directory. However, any must-pass assessment 19 requirements must be met. An equivalent course is one or more 20 courses identified by content-area experts as being a match to 21 the core curricular content of another course, based upon review 22 of the Next Generation Sunshine State Standards for that 23 subject. An applied course aligns with Next Generation Sunshine 24 State Standards and includes real-world applications of a career 25 and technical education standard used in business or industry. 26 An integrated course includes content from several courses 27 within a content area or across content areas. 28 (2) NOTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS.—The school district shall 29 notify students and parents, in writing, of the requirements for 30 a standard high school diploma, available designations, and the 31 eligibility requirements for state scholarship programs and 32 postsecondary admissions. The Department of Education shall 33 directly and through the school districts notify registered 34 private schools of public high school course credit and 35 assessment requirements. Each private school must make this 36 information available to students and their parents so they are 37 aware of public high school graduation requirements. The 38 following credits, courses, and assessments are required for a 39 standard college and career high school diploma: 40 (a) Four credits in English Language Arts (ELA). 41 1. The four credits must be in ELA I, II, III, and IV. 42 2. A student must pass 10th grade FCAT Reading until the 43 state transitions to a common core 10th grade ELA assessment 44 after which time a student must pass the ELA assessment in order 45 to earn a standard high school diploma. 46 (b) Four credits in mathematics. 47 1. A student must earn one credit in Algebra I and one 48 credit in geometry. 49 2. A student’s performance on the Algebra I end-of-course 50 (EOC) assessment or common core assessment, as applicable, 51 constitutes 30 percent of the student’s final course grade. A 52 student must pass the Algebra I EOC assessment until the state 53 transitions to a common core Algebra I assessment after which 54 time a student must pass the common core assessment in order to 55 earn a standard high school diploma. A student’s performance on 56 the geometry EOC assessment or common core assessment, as 57 applicable, constitutes 30 percent of the student’s final course 58 grade. When the state administers a common core Algebra II 59 assessment, a student selecting Algebra II must take the 60 assessment, and the student’s performance on the assessment 61 constitutes 30 percent of the student’s final course grade. 62 3. Industry certification courses that lead to college 63 credit may substitute for up to two math credits. 64 (c) Three credits in science. 65 1. Two of the three required credits must have a laboratory 66 component. 67 2. A student must earn one credit in Biology I and two 68 credits in equally rigorous courses. The Biology I EOC 69 assessment constitutes 30 percent of the student’s final course 70 grade. 71 3. Industry certification courses that lead to college 72 credit may substitute for up to one science credit. 73 (d) Three credits in social studies. 74 1. A student must earn one credit in United States history; 75 one credit in world history; one-half credit in economics, which 76 must include financial literacy; and one-half credit in United 77 States government. 78 2. The United States history EOC assessment constitutes 30 79 percent of the student’s final course grade. 80 (e) One credit in fine or performing arts, speech and 81 debate, or practical arts. 82 1. The practical arts course must incorporate artistic 83 content and techniques of creativity, interpretation, and 84 imagination. 85 2. Eligible practical arts courses are identified in the 86 Course Code Directory. 87 (f) One credit in physical education. Physical education 88 must include the integration of health. This requirement is 89 subject to all of the provisions in s. 1003.428(2)(a)6. 90 (g) Eight credits in electives. 91 1. Each school district shall develop and offer coordinated 92 electives so that a student may develop knowledge and skills in 93 his or her area of interest, such as electives with a STEM or 94 liberal arts focus. 95 2. Such electives must include opportunities for students 96 to earn college credit, including industry-certified career 97 education programs or series of career-themed courses that 98 result in industry certification or articulate into the award of 99 college credit or career education courses for which there is a 100 statewide or local articulation agreement and which lead to 101 college credit. 102 (3) ONLINE COURSE REQUIREMENT.—Excluding a driver education 103 course, at least one course within the 24 credits required under 104 this section must be completed through online learning. A school 105 district may not require a student to take the online course 106 outside the school day or in addition to a student’s courses for 107 a given semester. An online course taken in grade 6, grade 7, or 108 grade 8 fulfills this requirement. This requirement is met 109 through an online course offered by the Florida Virtual School, 110 a virtual education provider approved by the State Board of 111 Education, a high school, or an online dual enrollment course. A 112 student who is enrolled in a full-time or part-time virtual 113 instruction program under s. 1002.45 meets this requirement. 114 This requirement does not apply to a student who has an 115 individual education plan under s. 1003.57 which indicates that 116 an online course would be inappropriate or to an out-of-state 117 transfer student who is enrolled in a Florida high school and 118 has 1 academic year or less remaining in high school. 119 (4) REMEDIATION FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS.— 120 (a) Each year a student scores Level 1 or Level 2 on 9th 121 grade or 10th grade FCAT Reading or, when implemented, 9th 122 grade, 10th grade, or 11th grade common core English Language 123 Arts (ELA) assessments, the student must be enrolled in and 124 complete an intensive remedial course the following year or be 125 placed in a content area course that includes remediation of 126 skills not acquired by the student. 127 (b) Each year a student scores Level 1 or Level 2 on the 128 Algebra I EOC assessment, or upon transition to the common core 129 Algebra I assessment, the student must be enrolled in and 130 complete an intensive remedial course the following year or be 131 placed in a content area course that includes remediation of 132 skills not acquired by the student. 133 (5) GRADE FORGIVENESS POLICY.—Each district school board 134 shall adopt policies designed to assist students in meeting 135 graduation requirements including grade forgiveness policies. 136 Forgiveness policies for required courses shall be limited to 137 replacing a grade of “D” or “F” with a grade of “C” or higher 138 earned subsequently in the same or a comparable course. 139 Forgiveness policies for elective courses shall be limited to 140 replacing a grade of “D” or “F” with a grade of “C” or higher 141 earned subsequently in another course. The only exception to 142 these forgiveness policies shall be made for a student in the 143 middle grades who takes a high school course for high school 144 credit and earns a grade of “C,” “D,” or “F.” In such case, the 145 district forgiveness policy must allow the replacement of the 146 grade with a grade of “C” or higher earned subsequently in the 147 same or comparable course. In all cases of grade forgiveness, 148 only the new grade shall be used in the calculation of the 149 student’s grade point average. Any course grade not replaced 150 according to a district school board forgiveness policy shall be 151 included in the calculation of the cumulative grade point 152 average required for graduation. 153 (6) AWARD OF A STANDARD HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA.—A student who 154 earns a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 on a 4.0 155 scale and meets the requirements of this section shall be 156 awarded a standard high school diploma in a form prescribed by 157 the State Board of Education. Notwithstanding any other law to 158 the contrary, all students enrolled in high school as of the 159 2012-2013 school year who earned a passing grade in Biology I or 160 geometry before the 2013-2014 school year shall be awarded a 161 credit in that course if the student passed the course. The 162 student’s performance on the EOC assessment is not required to 163 constitute 30 percent of the student’s final course grade. A 164 student who fails to earn the required credits or achieve a 2.0 165 GPA shall be awarded a certificate of completion in a form 166 prescribed by the State Board of Education. 167 (7) UNIFORM TRANSFER OF HIGH SCHOOL CREDITS.— 168 (a) Beginning with the 2012-2013 school year, if a student 169 transfers to a Florida public high school from out of country, 170 out of state, a private school, or a home education program and 171 the student’s transcript shows a mathematics credit in a course 172 that requires passage of a statewide, standardized assessment in 173 order to earn a standard high school diploma, the student must 174 pass the assessment unless the student earned a comparative 175 score pursuant to s. 1008.22, passed a statewide assessment in 176 that subject administered by the transferring entity, or passed 177 the statewide assessment the transferring entity uses to satisfy 178 the requirements of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act 179 (ESEA), 20 U.S.C. s. 6301 et seq. If a student’s transcript 180 shows a credit in high school reading or English Language Arts 181 II or III, the student must take and pass grade 10 FCAT Reading 182 or earn a concordant score on the SAT or ACT as specified by 183 state board rule or, when the state transitions to common core 184 English Language Arts assessments, earn a passing score on the 185 English Language Arts assessment as required under the standard 186 high school diploma designation selected under this section. 187 (b) Credits and grades earned and offered for acceptance by 188 a transferring student shall be based on official transcripts 189 and shall be accepted at face value subject to validation, as 190 provided by State Board of Education rule, if required by the 191 receiving school’s accreditation. 192 (8) CAREER EDUCATION COURSES THAT SATISFY HIGH SCHOOL 193 CREDIT REQUIREMENTS.— 194 (a) Participation in career education courses engages 195 students in their high school education, increases academic 196 achievement, enhances employability, and increases postsecondary 197 success. By July 1, 2014, the department shall develop, for 198 approval by the State Board of Education, multiple, additional 199 career education courses or a series of courses that meet the 200 requirements set forth in s. 1003.493(2), (4), and (5) and this 201 subsection and allow students to earn credit in both the career 202 education course and courses required for high school graduation 203 under ss. 1003.428, 1003.4281, and 1003.4282. 204 1. The state board must determine if sufficient academic 205 standards are covered to warrant the award of academic credit. 206 2. Career education courses must include workforce and 207 digital literacy skills and the integration of required course 208 content with practical applications and designated rigorous 209 coursework that results in one or more industry certifications 210 or clearly articulated credit or advanced standing in a 2-year 211 or 4-year certificate or degree program, which may include high 212 school junior- and senior-year work-related internships or 213 apprenticeships. The department shall negotiate state licenses 214 for material and testing for industry certifications. The 215 instructional methodology used in these courses must be 216 comprised of authentic projects, problems, and activities for 217 contextually learning the academics. 218 3. The state board shall identify an industry certification 219 or multiple certifications from the Industry Certification 220 Funding List or the Postsecondary Industry Certification Funding 221 List which demonstrate attainment of standards associated with 222 digital composition, word processing, and presentation skills, 223 and which satisfy at least one credit in English Language Arts 224 required to fulfill high school graduation requirements. 225 (b) Each school district may take the initiative to work 226 with local workforce boards, local business and industry 227 leaders, and postsecondary institutions to establish 228 partnerships for the purpose of creating career education 229 courses or a series of courses that meet the requirements set 230 forth in s. 1003.493(2), (4), and (5) which students can take to 231 earn required high school course credits. Emphasis should be 232 placed on online course work and digital literacy. School 233 districts shall submit their recommended career education 234 courses to the department for state board approval. School 235 district-recommended career education courses must meet the same 236 rigorous standards as department-developed career education 237 courses in order to be approved by the state board. School 238 districts participating in the development of rigorous career 239 education courses will be able to better address local workforce 240 needs and allow students the opportunity to acquire the 241 knowledge and skills that are needed not only for academic 242 advancement but also for employability purposes. 243 (c) Regional consortium service organizations established 244 pursuant to s. 1001.451 shall work with school districts, local 245 workforce boards, postsecondary institutions, and local business 246 and industry leaders to create career education courses that 247 meet the requirements set forth in s. 1003.493(2), (4), and (5) 248 and this subsection which students may take to earn required 249 high school course credits. The regional consortium shall submit 250 course recommendations to the department, on behalf of the 251 consortium member districts, for state board approval. A strong 252 emphasis should be placed on online course work, digital 253 literacy, and workforce literacy as defined in s. 1004.02(27). 254 For purposes of providing students the opportunity to earn 255 industry certifications, consortiums must secure the necessary 256 site licenses and testing contracts for use by member districts. 257 (9) RULES.—The State Board of Education shall adopt rules 258 to implement this section. 259 260 ================= T I T L E A M E N D M E N T ================ 261 And the title is amended as follows: 262 Delete line 56 263 and insert: 264 high school graduation; creating s. 1003.4282, F.S.; 265 providing requirements for a standard high school 266 diploma; establishing a 24-credit requirement; 267 providing course and assessment requirements; 268 providing requirements relating to online courses, 269 remediation, grade forgiveness, award of a standard 270 high school diploma, transfer of high school credits, 271 and career education courses that earn high school 272 credits; requiring the State Board of Education to 273 adopt rules; amending s. 1003.429, F.S.;