Florida Senate - 2019                        COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
       Bill No. SB 1462
       
       
       
       
       
       
                                Ì466126)Î466126                         
       
                              LEGISLATIVE ACTION                        
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       The Committee on Rules (Brandes) recommended the following:
       
    1         Senate Amendment (with title amendment)
    2  
    3         Before line 11
    4  insert:
    5         Section 1. Paragraph (a) of subsection (1) of section
    6  1003.436, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
    7         1003.436 Definition of “credit.”—
    8         (1)(a) For the purposes of requirements for high school
    9  graduation, one full credit means a minimum of 135 hours of bona
   10  fide instruction in a designated course of study that contains
   11  student performance standards, except as otherwise provided
   12  through the Credit Acceleration Program (CAP) under s.
   13  1003.4295(3). One full credit means a minimum of 120 hours of
   14  bona fide instruction in a designated course of study that
   15  contains student performance standards for purposes of meeting
   16  high school graduation requirements in a district school that
   17  has been authorized to implement block scheduling by the
   18  district school board. However, district school boards and
   19  developmental research schools participating in the Mastery-
   20  Based Education Program under s. 1003.4996 may determine and
   21  award credit based on a student’s mastery of the core content
   22  and skills, consistent with s. 1003.41, as approved by the
   23  district school board or developmental research school governing
   24  authority, as applicable. The State Board of Education shall
   25  determine the number of postsecondary credit hours earned
   26  through dual enrollment pursuant to s. 1007.271 that satisfy the
   27  requirements of a dual enrollment articulation agreement
   28  according to s. 1007.271(21) and that equal one full credit of
   29  the equivalent high school course identified pursuant to s.
   30  1007.271(9).
   31         Section 2. Section 1003.437, Florida Statutes, is amended
   32  to read:
   33         1003.437 Middle and high school grading system.—
   34         (1) The grading system and interpretation of letter grades
   35  used to measure student success in grade 6 through grade 12
   36  courses for students in public schools is shall be as follows:
   37         (a)(1) Grade “A” equals 90 percent through 100 percent, has
   38  a grade point average value of 4, and is defined as “outstanding
   39  progress.”
   40         (b)(2) Grade “B” equals 80 percent through 89 percent, has
   41  a grade point average value of 3, and is defined as “above
   42  average progress.”
   43         (c)(3) Grade “C” equals 70 percent through 79 percent, has
   44  a grade point average value of 2, and is defined as “average
   45  progress.”
   46         (d)(4) Grade “D” equals 60 percent through 69 percent, has
   47  a grade point average value of 1, and is defined as “lowest
   48  acceptable progress.”
   49         (e)(5) Grade “F” equals zero percent through 59 percent,
   50  has a grade point average value of zero, and is defined as
   51  “failure.”
   52         (f)(6) Grade “I” equals zero percent, has a grade point
   53  average value of zero, and is defined as “incomplete.”
   54         (2)A district school board and a developmental research
   55  school participating in the Mastery-Based Education Program
   56  under s. 1003.4996 may use an alternative interpretation of
   57  letter grades to measure student success in grade 6 through
   58  grade 12; however, the school board and developmental research
   59  school must continue to use the 4-point scale established in
   60  subsection (1) for calculating a student’s grade point average.
   61  
   62  For the purposes of class ranking, district school boards may
   63  exercise a weighted grading system pursuant to s. 1007.271.
   64         Section 3. Section 1003.4996, Florida Statutes, is amended
   65  to read:
   66         1003.4996 Mastery-Based Competency-Based Education Pilot
   67  Program.—Beginning with the 2016-2017 school year, the Mastery
   68  Based Competency-Based Education Pilot Program is created within
   69  the Department of Education to be administered for a period of 5
   70  years. The purpose of the pilot program is to provide an
   71  educational environment that allows students to advance to
   72  higher levels of learning upon the mastery of concepts and
   73  skills through statutory exemptions relating to student
   74  progression and the awarding of credits.
   75         (1) PARTICIPATION.—Developmental research schools
   76  established under s. 1002.32, including the P.K. Yonge
   77  Developmental Research School, and public school districts,
   78  including, but not limited to, the Lake, Palm Beach, Pinellas,
   79  and Seminole County School Districts, may submit an application
   80  in a format prescribed by the department to participate in the
   81  pilot program.
   82         (2) APPLICATION.—The application to participate in the
   83  pilot program must, at a minimum, include:
   84         (a) The vision and timelines for the implementation of
   85  mastery-based competency-based education within the school
   86  district, including a list of the schools that will participate
   87  in the pilot program during the first school year and the list
   88  of schools that will be integrated into the program in
   89  subsequent school years.
   90         (b) The annual goals and performance outcomes for
   91  participating schools, including, but not limited to:
   92         1. Student performance as defined in s. 1008.34.
   93         2. Promotion and retention rates.
   94         3. Graduation rates.
   95         4. Indicators of college and career readiness.
   96         (c) A communication plan for parents and other
   97  stakeholders, including local businesses and community members.
   98         (d) The scope of and timelines for professional development
   99  for school instructional and administrative personnel.
  100         (e) A plan for student progression based on the mastery of
  101  content, including mechanisms that determine and ensure that a
  102  student has satisfied the requirements for grade-level promotion
  103  and content mastery.
  104         (f) A plan for using technology and digital and blended
  105  learning to enhance student achievement and facilitate the
  106  mastery-based competency-based education system.
  107         (g) The proposed allocation of resources for the pilot
  108  program at the school and district levels.
  109         (h) The recruitment and selection of participating schools.
  110         (i) The rules to be waived for participating schools
  111  pursuant to subsection (3) to implement the pilot program.
  112         (3) EXEMPTION FROM RULES.—In addition to the waivers
  113  authorized in s. 1001.10(3), the State Board of Education may
  114  authorize the commissioner to grant an additional waiver of
  115  rules relating to student progression and the awarding of
  116  credits.
  117         (4) ALTERNATIVE CREDIT AND LETTER GRADE SYSTEMS.—
  118         (a) Beginning with the 2019-2020 school year, participating
  119  school districts and developmental research schools may amend
  120  their applications to include alternatives for awarding credit,
  121  as authorized under s. 1003.436, and for the interpretation of
  122  middle school and high school letter grades, as authorized under
  123  s. 1003.437.
  124         1. Alternatives to awarding credit must include
  125  verification of the student’s mastery of the applicable course
  126  content using rigorous scoring rubrics to evaluate the student’s
  127  work. A participating school district and developmental research
  128  school must amend its student progression plan required by s.
  129  1008.25 to conform to the alternative awarding of credits
  130  pursuant to this section.
  131         2. Alternatives to the interpretation of middle school and
  132  high school letter grades may substitute the applicable language
  133  from the school district’s rigorous scoring rubric; however,
  134  participating school districts and developmental research
  135  schools must continue to use the 4-point scale established in s.
  136  1003.437(1) for calculating a student’s grade point average.
  137         (b) An application that is amended pursuant to this
  138  subsection must be approved by the district school board or
  139  developmental research school governing authority, as
  140  applicable.
  141         (5)(4) STUDENT FUNDING.—Students enrolled in a
  142  participating school shall be reported for and generate funding
  143  pursuant to s. 1011.62.
  144         (6)(5) DEPARTMENT DUTIES.—The department shall:
  145         (a) Compile the student and staff schedules of
  146  participating schools before and after implementation of the
  147  pilot program.
  148         (b) Provide participating schools with access to statewide,
  149  standardized assessments required under s. 1008.22.
  150         (c) Annually, by June 1, provide to the Governor, the
  151  President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of
  152  Representatives a report summarizing the activities and
  153  accomplishments of the pilot program and any recommendations for
  154  statutory revisions.
  155         (7)(6) RULES.—The State Board of Education shall adopt
  156  rules to administer this section.
  157         Section 4. Subsection (1) of section 1007.23, Florida
  158  Statutes, is amended to read:
  159         1007.23 Statewide articulation agreement.—
  160         (1) The State Board of Education and the Board of Governors
  161  shall enter into a statewide articulation agreement which the
  162  State Board of Education shall adopt by rule. The agreement must
  163  preserve Florida’s “2+2” system of articulation, facilitate the
  164  seamless articulation of student credit across and among
  165  Florida’s educational entities, and reinforce the provisions of
  166  this chapter by governing:
  167         (a) Articulation between secondary and postsecondary
  168  education, including fair and equitable access for students who
  169  have earned high school credit through a mastery-based education
  170  program pursuant to s. 1003.4996 and graduate with a standard
  171  high school diploma;
  172         (b) Admission of associate in arts degree graduates from
  173  Florida College System institutions and state universities;
  174         (c) Admission of applied technology diploma program
  175  graduates from Florida College System institutions or career
  176  centers;
  177         (d) Admission of associate in science degree and associate
  178  in applied science degree graduates from Florida College System
  179  institutions;
  180         (e) The use of acceleration mechanisms, including
  181  nationally standardized examinations through which students may
  182  earn credit;
  183         (f) General education requirements and statewide course
  184  numbers as provided for in ss. 1007.24 and 1007.25; and
  185         (g) Articulation among programs in nursing.
  186  
  187  ================= T I T L E  A M E N D M E N T ================
  188  And the title is amended as follows:
  189         Delete line 2
  190  and insert:
  191         An act relating to education; amending s. 1003.436,
  192         F.S.; authorizing a district school board or
  193         developmental research school participating in the
  194         Mastery-Based Education Program to award credit based
  195         on student mastery of certain content and skills;
  196         amending s. 1003.437, F.S.; authorizing a district
  197         school board or developmental research school
  198         participating in the Mastery-Based Education Program
  199         to use an alternative interpretation of letter grades
  200         for certain students; requiring participating district
  201         school boards and developmental research schools to
  202         use the current 4-point scale in determining student
  203         grade point averages; amending s. 1003.4996, F.S.;
  204         renaming the Competency-Based Education Pilot Program
  205         as the Mastery-Based Education Program; authorizing
  206         public school districts and developmental research
  207         schools to submit applications for the program;
  208         authorizing participating school districts and
  209         developmental research schools to amend their
  210         applications to include alternatives for the award of
  211         credits and interpretation of letter grades; providing
  212         requirements for such alternatives; amending s.
  213         1007.23, F.S.; requiring the statewide articulation
  214         agreement to ensure fair and equitable access for
  215         students who have earned high school credit through
  216         mastery-based education and graduate with a standard
  217         high school diploma; amending s. 1008.37,