Florida Senate - 2013                                     SB 892
       
       
       
       By Senator Braynon
       
       
       
       
       36-00714-13                                            2013892__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to college and career readiness;
    3         creating s. 1003.499, F.S.; requiring each school
    4         district to offer high school students a college and
    5         career readiness course; providing course
    6         requirements; requiring students to take an interest
    7         assessment and develop a curriculum plan before taking
    8         the course; specifying components of the course
    9         curriculum and activities; providing an effective
   10         date.
   11  
   12  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   13  
   14         Section 1. Section 1003.499, Florida Statutes, is created
   15  to read:
   16         1003.499 College and career readiness.—
   17         (1) Each school district shall offer students a for-credit
   18  high school course that focuses on the transition between high
   19  school and college, a trade industry, or military service. The
   20  Department of Education shall develop course frameworks and
   21  professional development materials for the college and career
   22  readiness course. The course shall be taught by teachers or
   23  school counselors who are trained in college and career planning
   24  and shall be taken by students in the 11th or 12th grade to
   25  better prepare them for their chosen paths after graduation.
   26         (2) The course curriculum shall be designed to assist
   27  students in postsecondary education and career planning and
   28  shall include the development of a personalized postsecondary
   29  education and career readiness plan. Each school district shall
   30  inform parents about the course curriculum and activities.
   31         (3) Before enrolling in the course and as early as the 9th
   32  grade, a student shall be given an interest assessment to
   33  measure the student’s college and career interests and to aid in
   34  determining the student’s focus of study. Each school must hold
   35  parent meetings with evening and weekend hours to review a
   36  student’s interest assessment results and recommend a curriculum
   37  plan. The interest assessment and curriculum plan are intended
   38  to assist a student with course selections that culminate in
   39  readiness to attend college or enter the workforce in a desired
   40  field and may not preclude the completion of any core
   41  requirement for high school graduation. The student, school
   42  counselor, and parent shall consent to the student’s curriculum
   43  plan, developed with the parent’s input, before implementation.
   44         (4) The college and career readiness course curriculum and
   45  activities shall provide the student with the opportunity to:
   46         (a) Identify interests and strengths by reviewing the
   47  results of the student’s interest assessment and curriculum
   48  plan.
   49         (b) Set goals and progress outcomes to be incorporated in
   50  the student’s final postsecondary education and career plan.
   51         (c) Research the admission and application requirements for
   52  postsecondary educational institutions and complete
   53  applications, as appropriate.
   54         (d) Research college entrance test requirements.
   55         (e) Write personal statements or college entrance letters.
   56         (f) Review costs associated with postsecondary education
   57  while researching state and federal financial aid options,
   58  scholarships, and school-based aid to create a financial aid
   59  action plan.
   60         (g) Complete a Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program
   61  award application and the Free Application for Federal Student
   62  Aid and apply for federal work-study options to offset
   63  educational costs, as appropriate.
   64         (h) Learn about personal finance, including credit and
   65  credit card debt, savings and investment, and banking and
   66  financial services.
   67         (i) Identify entry-level positions, internships,
   68  apprenticeships, and volunteer opportunities to gain work
   69  experience.
   70         (j) Write resumes and participate in mock interviews.
   71         (k) Tour the campuses of local postsecondary educational
   72  institutions.
   73         (l) Finalize a postsecondary education and career readiness
   74  plan with a copy given to the parent.
   75         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2013.