Florida Senate - 2024 SB 7032
By the Committee on Education Postsecondary
589-02143-24 20247032__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to education; amending s. 1003.435,
3 F.S.; requiring district school boards to notify all
4 candidates for the high school equivalency diploma of
5 adult secondary and postsecondary education options;
6 creating s. 1004.933, F.S.; providing legislative
7 intent; defining the terms “career education program”
8 and “institution”; establishing the Graduation
9 Alternative to Traditional Education (GATE) Program;
10 providing the purpose of the program; providing that
11 students enrolled in the program are exempt from
12 payments for registration, tuition, laboratory, and
13 examination fees; providing eligibility requirements;
14 prohibiting an institution from imposing additional
15 eligibility requirements; requiring the State Board of
16 Education to adopt rules; amending s. 1008.34, F.S.;
17 providing that high school students enrolled in the
18 GATE Program are not included in a high school’s
19 graduation rate; creating s. 1009.711, F.S.; creating
20 the GATE Scholarship Program; requiring the Department
21 of Education to administer the program; requiring the
22 program to reimburse eligible institutions for student
23 costs; requiring participating institutions to report
24 to the department all students enrolled in the
25 program; providing that reimbursements are contingent
26 on legislative appropriations and may be prorated in
27 the event that total reimbursements owed exceed
28 available funds; requiring the state board to adopt
29 rules; amending s. 1011.80, F.S.; revising the number
30 of courses certain students may be reported for
31 relating to funding purposes; providing that such
32 courses do not have to be core curricula courses;
33 deleting a requirement for the department to develop a
34 list of courses to be designated as core curricula
35 courses; creating s. 1011.804, F.S.; creating the GATE
36 Program Student Success Incentive Fund; defining the
37 term “institution”; providing that, subject to the
38 appropriation of funds by the Legislature, each
39 participating institution must receive specified
40 allocations; providing for proration of funds, as
41 necessary; providing an effective date.
42
43 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
44
45 Section 1. Subsection (3) of section 1003.435, Florida
46 Statutes, is amended to read:
47 1003.435 High school equivalency diploma program.—
48 (3) Each district school board shall:
49 (a) Offer and administer the high school equivalency
50 diploma examinations and the subject area examinations to all
51 candidates pursuant to rules of the State Board of Education.
52 (b) Notify each candidate of adult secondary and
53 postsecondary education options available in or near the
54 district. The candidate must also be informed of the eligibility
55 requirements and any minimum academic requirements for each
56 available option.
57 Section 2. Section 1004.933, Florida Statutes, is created
58 to read:
59 1004.933 Graduation Alternative to Traditional Education
60 (GATE) Program.—
61 (1) LEGISLATIVE INTENT.—It is the intent of the Legislature
62 that each high school student have the opportunity to earn
63 postsecondary course credits at no cost to the student while
64 pursuing the completion of a standard high school diploma or
65 equivalent credential. Furthermore, to help meet this state’s
66 workforce skill needs, it is the intent of the Legislature that
67 high school students have access to high-quality workforce
68 education programs that can help them build their basic
69 education abilities and attain industry-recognized postsecondary
70 credentials.
71 (2) DEFINITIONS.—As used in this section, the term:
72 (a) “Career education program” means an applied technology
73 diploma program as defined in s. 1004.02(7) or a career
74 certificate program as defined in s. 1004.02(20).
75 (b) “Institution” means a school district career center
76 established under s. 1001.44, a charter technical career center
77 established under s. 1002.34, or a Florida College System
78 institution identified in s. 1000.21.
79 (3) ESTABLISHMENT; PURPOSE.—The Graduation Alternative to
80 Traditional Education (GATE) Program is created within the
81 Department of Education for the following purposes:
82 (a) Assisting students who may have challenges in
83 completing the requirements for a standard high school diploma
84 in a traditional setting.
85 (b) Creating an alternative education pathway that supports
86 this state’s commitment to educational accessibility for all
87 students by providing additional opportunities for students 16
88 to 21 years of age who have discontinued enrollment in
89 traditional high school programs.
90 (c) Increasing the number of students who successfully earn
91 a high school credential in this state.
92 (d) Increasing the interest and participation of students
93 in career and technical education (CTE) programs.
94 (4) PAYMENT EXEMPTION; ELIGIBILITY.—
95 (a) Any student enrolled in the GATE Program is exempt from
96 the payment of registration, tuition, laboratory, and
97 examination fees to a participating institution. Instructional
98 materials assigned for use under the GATE program must be made
99 available to GATE Program students free of charge. An
100 institution may not require payment by students of instructional
101 material costs eligible for reimbursement under s. 1009.711.
102 (b) To be eligible for participation in the GATE Program, a
103 student may not have earned a standard high school diploma
104 pursuant to s. 1003.4282 or a high school equivalency diploma
105 pursuant to s. 1003.435 before enrolling in the GATE Program and
106 must:
107 1. Be a resident of this state as defined under s. 1009.21;
108 2. Be concurrently enrolled in an adult secondary education
109 program as defined in s. 1004.02(4) and a career education
110 program at a Florida College System institution, a school
111 district career center, or a charter technical career center;
112 3. Be 16 to 21 years of age at the time of initial
113 enrollment;
114 4. Select the CTE pathway or program of his or her choice
115 at the time of enrollment. The student may not change the
116 requested pathway after enrollment;
117 5. Maintain a 2.0 GPA for CTE coursework; and
118 6. Complete the programs under subparagraph 2. within 3
119 years after initial enrollment unless the institution determines
120 that an extension is warranted due to extenuating circumstances.
121 (c) An institution may not impose additional criteria to
122 determine a student’s eligibility to receive a waiver under this
123 section.
124 (5) RULES.—The State Board of Education shall adopt rules
125 to implement this section.
126 Section 3. Paragraph (b) of subsection (3) of section
127 1008.34, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
128 1008.34 School grading system; school report cards;
129 district grade.—
130 (3) DESIGNATION OF SCHOOL GRADES.—
131 (b)1. A school’s grade shall be based on the following
132 components, each worth 100 points:
133 a. The percentage of eligible students passing statewide,
134 standardized assessments in English Language Arts under s.
135 1008.22(3).
136 b. The percentage of eligible students passing statewide,
137 standardized assessments in mathematics under s. 1008.22(3).
138 c. The percentage of eligible students passing statewide,
139 standardized assessments in science under s. 1008.22(3).
140 d. The percentage of eligible students passing statewide,
141 standardized assessments in social studies under s. 1008.22(3).
142 e. The percentage of eligible students who make Learning
143 Gains in English Language Arts as measured by statewide,
144 standardized assessments administered under s. 1008.22(3).
145 f. The percentage of eligible students who make Learning
146 Gains in mathematics as measured by statewide, standardized
147 assessments administered under s. 1008.22(3).
148 g. The percentage of eligible students in the lowest 25
149 percent in English Language Arts, as identified by prior year
150 performance on statewide, standardized assessments, who make
151 Learning Gains as measured by statewide, standardized English
152 Language Arts assessments administered under s. 1008.22(3).
153 h. The percentage of eligible students in the lowest 25
154 percent in mathematics, as identified by prior year performance
155 on statewide, standardized assessments, who make Learning Gains
156 as measured by statewide, standardized Mathematics assessments
157 administered under s. 1008.22(3).
158 i. For schools comprised of middle grades 6 through 8 or
159 grades 7 and 8, the percentage of eligible students passing high
160 school level statewide, standardized end-of-course assessments
161 or attaining national industry certifications identified in the
162 CAPE Industry Certification Funding List pursuant to state board
163 rule.
164 j. Beginning in the 2023-2024 school year, for schools
165 comprised of grade levels that include grade 3, the percentage
166 of eligible students who score an achievement level 3 or higher
167 on the grade 3 statewide, standardized English Language Arts
168 assessment administered under s. 1008.22(3).
169
170 In calculating Learning Gains for the components listed in sub
171 subparagraphs e.-h., the State Board of Education shall require
172 that learning growth toward achievement levels 3, 4, and 5 is
173 demonstrated by students who scored below each of those levels
174 in the prior year. In calculating the components in sub
175 subparagraphs a.-d., the state board shall include the
176 performance of English language learners only if they have been
177 enrolled in a school in the United States for more than 2 years.
178 2. For a school comprised of grades 9, 10, 11, and 12, or
179 grades 10, 11, and 12, the school’s grade shall also be based on
180 the following components, each worth 100 points:
181 a. The 4-year high school graduation rate of the school as
182 defined by state board rule. Students enrolled in high school
183 who choose to enroll in the GATE Program, pursuant to s.
184 1004.933, may not be included in the graduation rate.
185 b. The percentage of students who were eligible to earn
186 college and career credit through an assessment identified
187 pursuant to s. 1007.27(2), College Board Advanced Placement
188 examinations, International Baccalaureate examinations, dual
189 enrollment courses, including career dual enrollment courses
190 resulting in the completion of 300 or more clock hours during
191 high school which are approved by the state board as meeting the
192 requirements of s. 1007.271, or Advanced International
193 Certificate of Education examinations; who, at any time during
194 high school, earned national industry certification identified
195 in the CAPE Industry Certification Funding List, pursuant to
196 rules adopted by the state board; or who earned an Armed
197 Services Qualification Test score that falls within Category II
198 or higher on the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery and
199 earned a minimum of two credits in Junior Reserve Officers’
200 Training Corps courses from the same branch of the United States
201 Armed Forces.
202 Section 4. Section 1009.711, Florida Statutes, is created
203 to read:
204 1009.711 GATE Scholarship Program.—
205 (1) The GATE Scholarship Program is created to financially
206 support institutions in providing the GATE Program established
207 pursuant to s. 1004.933.
208 (2) The Department of Education shall administer the GATE
209 Scholarship Program in accordance with rules adopted by the
210 State Board of Education pursuant to subsection (6).
211 (3) The program shall reimburse eligible institutions for
212 registration, tuition, laboratory, and examination fees and
213 related instructional materials costs for students enrolled in
214 the GATE Program. School district career centers and Florida
215 College System institutions must be reimbursed at the in-state
216 resident tuition rate established in s. 1009.22(3)(c).
217 (4) Each participating institution shall report to the
218 department all students enrolled in the GATE Program during the
219 fall, spring, or summer terms within 30 days after the end of
220 regular registration. For each eligible student, the institution
221 shall report the total reimbursable expenses by category, which
222 the department must consider in determining an institution’s
223 award under this section. The department shall reimburse each
224 participating institution no later than 30 days after the
225 institution has reported enrollment for that term.
226 (5) Reimbursements from the GATE Scholarship Program are
227 contingent upon an annual appropriation in the General
228 Appropriations Act. If the statewide reimbursement amount is
229 greater than the appropriation, the institutional reimbursement
230 amounts specified in subsection (3) must be prorated among the
231 institutions that have timely reported eligible students to the
232 department.
233 (6) The State Board of Education shall adopt rules to
234 implement this section.
235 Section 5. Subsection (10) of section 1011.80, Florida
236 Statutes, is amended to read:
237 1011.80 Funds for operation of workforce education
238 programs.—
239 (10) A high school student dually enrolled under s.
240 1007.271 in a workforce education program operated by a Florida
241 College System institution or school district career center
242 generates the amount calculated for workforce education funding,
243 including any payment of performance funding, and the
244 proportional share of full-time equivalent enrollment generated
245 through the Florida Education Finance Program for the student’s
246 enrollment in a high school. If a high school student is dually
247 enrolled in a Florida College System institution program,
248 including a program conducted at a high school, the Florida
249 College System institution earns the funds generated for
250 workforce education funding, and the school district earns the
251 proportional share of full-time equivalent funding from the
252 Florida Education Finance Program. If a student is dually
253 enrolled in a career center operated by the same district as the
254 district in which the student attends high school, that district
255 earns the funds generated for workforce education funding and
256 also earns the proportional share of full-time equivalent
257 funding from the Florida Education Finance Program. If a student
258 is dually enrolled in a workforce education program provided by
259 a career center operated by a different school district, the
260 funds must be divided between the two school districts
261 proportionally from the two funding sources. A student may not
262 be reported for funding in a dual enrollment workforce education
263 program unless the student has completed the basic skills
264 assessment pursuant to s. 1004.91. A student who is coenrolled
265 in a K-12 education program and an adult education program may
266 be reported for purposes of funding in an adult education
267 program. If a student is coenrolled in core curricula courses
268 for credit recovery or dropout prevention purposes and does not
269 have a pattern of excessive absenteeism or habitual truancy or a
270 history of disruptive behavior in school, the student may be
271 reported for funding for up to four two courses per year. Such a
272 student is exempt from the payment of the block tuition for
273 adult general education programs provided in s. 1009.22(3)(c).
274 The Department of Education shall develop a list of courses to
275 be designated as core curricula courses for the purposes of
276 coenrollment.
277 Section 6. Section 1011.804, Florida Statutes, is created
278 to read:
279 1011.804 GATE Program Student Success Incentive Fund.—
280 (1) A GATE Program Student Success Incentive Fund is
281 created to reward school districts and Florida College System
282 institutions for the documented success of students
283 participating in the GATE Program established under s. 1004.933.
284 (2) As used in this section, the term “institution” means a
285 school district career center established under s. 1001.44, a
286 charter technical career center established under s. 1002.34, or
287 a Florida College System institution identified in s. 1000.21
288 which offers the GATE Program pursuant to s. 1004.933.
289 (3) Subject to legislative appropriation, each
290 participating institution must receive an allocation based on
291 the performance of students in its GATE Program according to the
292 following metrics:
293 (a) The number of students obtaining a standard high school
294 diploma or high school equivalency diploma while participating
295 in the program.
296 (b) The number of postsecondary industry certifications or
297 other program completion credentials earned by students
298 participating in the program. Eligible industry certifications
299 must be identified on the CAPE Industry Certification Funding
300 List approved by the State Board of Education under s. 1008.44.
301 (c) Unless otherwise specified in the General
302 Appropriations Act, each institution must be provided $750 per
303 student described in paragraph (a) and $1,000 per student
304 earning certificates or credentials as provided in paragraph
305 (b). If funds are insufficient to fully fund the calculated
306 total award, such funds must be prorated among the institutions.
307 Section 7. This act shall take effect July 1, 2024.