Florida Senate - 2020 CS for SB 376
By the Committee on Education; and Senator Lee
581-02002-20 2020376c1
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to English language learners; amending
3 s. 1003.4282, F.S.; exempting certain English language
4 learners from a specified graduation requirement;
5 requiring such English language learners to meet other
6 criteria to earn a standard high school diploma;
7 amending s. 1008.22, F.S.; conforming provisions to
8 changes made by the act; amending s. 1008.34, F.S.;
9 revising school grade components to include certain
10 English language learners who meet specified criteria;
11 providing an effective date.
12
13 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
14
15 Section 1. Paragraph (a) of subsection (3) of section
16 1003.4282, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
17 1003.4282 Requirements for a standard high school diploma.—
18 (3) STANDARD HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA; COURSE AND ASSESSMENT
19 REQUIREMENTS.—
20 (a) Four credits in English Language Arts (ELA).—The four
21 credits must be in ELA I, II, III, and IV. A student must pass
22 the statewide, standardized grade 10 Reading assessment or, when
23 implemented, the grade 10 ELA assessment, or earn a concordant
24 score, in order to earn a standard high school diploma. However,
25 beginning with the 2020-2021 school year, at the discretion of a
26 district school board or a charter school governing board, as
27 applicable, an English Language Learner who enrolled in a public
28 school within the school district in grade 9 or later is exempt
29 from the assessment requirements of this paragraph and, in lieu
30 of such requirements, must show sufficient Learning Gains in
31 English Language Arts, as demonstrated on the ACCESS for ELLs
32 assessment and at thresholds established by the State Board of
33 Education, to earn a standard high school diploma. Such student
34 must take the grade 10 ELA assessment and any necessary
35 assessment retakes for progress monitoring purposes.
36 Section 2. Present subsections (11), (12), and (13) of
37 section 1008.22, Florida Statutes, are redesignated as
38 subsections (12), (13), and (14), respectively, and a new
39 subsection (11) is added to that section, to read:
40 1008.22 Student assessment program for public schools.—
41 (11) EXEMPTION FROM ASSESSMENT REQUIREMENTS.—Beginning in
42 the 2020-2021 school year, at the discretion of a district
43 school board or a charter school governing board, as applicable,
44 an English language learner who enrolled in a public school
45 within the school district in grade 9 or later is exempt from
46 the grade 10 ELA assessment graduation requirement pursuant to
47 s. 1003.4282(3)(a). However, such student must take the grade 10
48 ELA assessment and any necessary assessment retakes for progress
49 monitoring purposes.
50 Section 3. Paragraph (b) of subsection (3) of section
51 1008.34, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
52 1008.34 School grading system; school report cards;
53 district grade.—
54 (3) DESIGNATION OF SCHOOL GRADES.—
55 (b)1. Beginning with the 2014-2015 school year, a school’s
56 grade shall be based on the following components, each worth 100
57 points:
58 a. The percentage of eligible students passing statewide,
59 standardized assessments in English Language Arts under s.
60 1008.22(3).
61 b. The percentage of eligible students passing statewide,
62 standardized assessments in mathematics under s. 1008.22(3).
63 c. The percentage of eligible students passing statewide,
64 standardized assessments in science under s. 1008.22(3).
65 d. The percentage of eligible students passing statewide,
66 standardized assessments in social studies under s. 1008.22(3).
67 e. The percentage of eligible students who make Learning
68 Gains in English Language Arts as measured by statewide,
69 standardized assessments administered under s. 1008.22(3).
70 f. The percentage of eligible students who make Learning
71 Gains in mathematics as measured by statewide, standardized
72 assessments administered under s. 1008.22(3).
73 g. The percentage of eligible students in the lowest 25
74 percent in English Language Arts, as identified by prior year
75 performance on statewide, standardized assessments, who make
76 Learning Gains as measured by statewide, standardized English
77 Language Arts assessments administered under s. 1008.22(3).
78 h. The percentage of eligible students in the lowest 25
79 percent in mathematics, as identified by prior year performance
80 on statewide, standardized assessments, who make Learning Gains
81 as measured by statewide, standardized Mathematics assessments
82 administered under s. 1008.22(3).
83 i. For schools comprised of middle grades 6 through 8 or
84 grades 7 and 8, the percentage of eligible students passing high
85 school level statewide, standardized end-of-course assessments
86 or attaining national industry certifications identified in the
87 CAPE Industry Certification Funding List pursuant to rules
88 adopted by the State Board of Education.
89
90 In calculating Learning Gains for the components listed in sub
91 subparagraphs e.-h., the State Board of Education shall require
92 that learning growth toward achievement levels 3, 4, and 5 is
93 demonstrated by students who scored below each of those levels
94 in the prior year. In calculating the components in sub
95 subparagraphs a.-d., the state board shall include the
96 performance of English language learners only if they have been
97 enrolled in a school in the United States for more than 2 years.
98 2. For a school comprised of grades 9, 10, 11, and 12, or
99 grades 10, 11, and 12, the school’s grade shall also be based on
100 the following components, each worth 100 points:
101 a. The 4-year high school graduation rate of the school as
102 defined by state board rule.
103 b. The percentage of students who were eligible to earn
104 college and career credit through College Board Advanced
105 Placement examinations, International Baccalaureate
106 examinations, dual enrollment courses, or Advanced International
107 Certificate of Education examinations; or who, at any time
108 during high school, earned national industry certification
109 identified in the CAPE Industry Certification Funding List; or
110 who enrolled in the school in grade 9 or later as an English
111 Language Learner and passed the grade 10 ELA assessment
112 administered under s. 1008.22(3)(a), pursuant to rules adopted
113 by the state board.
114 Section 4. This act shall take effect July 1, 2020.