Florida Senate - 2025 SB 1698
By Senator Fine
19-01504-25 20251698__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to certificates of completion;
3 amending s. 1002.394, F.S.; conforming a provision to
4 changes made by the act; amending s. 1003.4282, F.S.;
5 deleting provisions providing for the award of a
6 certificate of completion to certain students;
7 conforming provisions to changes made by the act;
8 amending s. 1003.433, F.S.; conforming a provision to
9 changes made by the act; amending s. 1007.263, F.S.;
10 revising the student eligibility criteria for
11 enrollment in certificate career education programs;
12 providing an effective date.
13
14 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
15
16 Section 1. Subsection (16) of section 1002.394, Florida
17 Statutes, is amended to read:
18 1002.394 The Family Empowerment Scholarship Program.—
19 (16) TRANSITION-TO-WORK PROGRAM.—A student with a
20 disability who is determined eligible pursuant to paragraph
21 (3)(b) who is at least 17 years, but not older than 22 years of
22 age and who has not received a high school diploma or
23 certificate of completion is eligible for enrollment in his or
24 her participating private school’s transition-to-work program. A
25 transition-to-work program shall consist of academic
26 instruction, work skills training, and a volunteer or paid work
27 experience.
28 (a) To offer a transition-to-work program, a participating
29 private school must:
30 1. Develop a transition-to-work program plan, which must
31 include a written description of the academic instruction and
32 work skills training students will receive and the goals for
33 students in the program.
34 2. Submit the transition-to-work program plan to the Office
35 of Independent Education and Parental Choice and consider any
36 guidance provided by the department pursuant to paragraph (8)(d)
37 relating to the plan.
38 3. Develop a personalized transition-to-work program plan
39 for each student enrolled in the program. The student’s parent,
40 the student, and the school principal must sign the personalized
41 plan. The personalized plan must be submitted to the Office of
42 Independent Education and Parental Choice upon request by the
43 office.
44 4. Provide a release of liability form that must be signed
45 by the student’s parent, the student, and a representative of
46 the business offering the volunteer or paid work experience.
47 5. Assign a case manager or job coach to visit the
48 student’s job site on a weekly basis to observe the student and,
49 if necessary, provide support and guidance to the student.
50 6. Provide to the parent and student a quarterly report
51 that documents and explains the student’s progress and
52 performance in the program.
53 7. Maintain accurate attendance and performance records for
54 the student.
55 (b) A student enrolled in a transition-to-work program
56 must, at a minimum:
57 1. Receive 15 instructional hours at the participating
58 private school’s physical facility, which must include academic
59 instruction and work skills training.
60 2. Participate in 10 hours of work at the student’s
61 volunteer or paid work experience.
62 (c) To participate in a transition-to-work program, a
63 business must:
64 1. Maintain an accurate record of the student’s performance
65 and hours worked and provide the information to the
66 participating private school.
67 2. Comply with all state and federal child labor laws.
68 Section 2. Paragraph (c) of subsection (5) and paragraphs
69 (a) and (d) of subsection (8) of section 1003.4282, Florida
70 Statutes, are amended to read:
71 1003.4282 Requirements for a standard high school diploma.—
72 (5) AWARD OF A STANDARD HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA.—
73 (c) A student who earns the required 24 credits, or the
74 required 18 credits under s. 1002.3105(5), but fails to pass the
75 assessments required under s. 1008.22(3) or achieve a 2.0 GPA
76 shall be awarded a certificate of completion in a form
77 prescribed by the State Board of Education. However, a student
78 who is otherwise entitled to a certificate of completion may
79 elect to remain in high school either as a full-time student or
80 a part-time student for up to 1 additional year and receive
81 special instruction designed to remedy his or her identified
82 deficiencies.
83 (8) STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES.—Beginning with students
84 entering grade 9 in the 2014-2015 school year, this subsection
85 applies to a student with a disability.
86 (a) A parent of the student with a disability shall, in
87 collaboration with the individual education plan (IEP) team
88 during the transition planning process pursuant to s. 1003.5716,
89 declare an intent for the student to graduate from high school
90 with either a standard high school diploma or a certificate of
91 completion. A student with a disability who does not satisfy the
92 standard high school diploma requirements pursuant to this
93 section shall be awarded a certificate of completion.
94 (d) A student with a disability who receives a certificate
95 of completion and has an individual education plan that
96 prescribes special education, transition planning, transition
97 services, or related services through 21 years of age may
98 continue to receive the specified instruction and services.
99
100 The State Board of Education shall adopt rules under ss.
101 120.536(1) and 120.54 to implement this subsection, including
102 rules that establish the minimum requirements for students
103 described in this subsection to earn a standard high school
104 diploma. The State Board of Education shall adopt emergency
105 rules pursuant to ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54.
106 Section 3. Paragraph (b) of subsection (2) of section
107 1003.433, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
108 1003.433 Learning opportunities for out-of-state and out
109 of-country transfer students and students needing additional
110 instruction to meet high school graduation requirements.—
111 (2) Students who earn the required 24 credits for the
112 standard high school diploma except for passage of any must-pass
113 assessment under s. 1003.4282 or s. 1008.22 or an alternate
114 assessment by the end of grade 12 must be provided the following
115 learning opportunities:
116 (b) Upon receipt of a certificate of completion, Be allowed
117 to take the College Placement Test and be admitted to
118 developmental education or credit courses at a Florida College
119 System institution, as appropriate.
120 Section 4. Subsection (4) of section 1007.263, Florida
121 Statutes, is amended to read:
122 1007.263 Florida College System institutions; admissions of
123 students.—Each Florida College System institution board of
124 trustees is authorized to adopt rules governing admissions of
125 students subject to this section and rules of the State Board of
126 Education. These rules shall include the following:
127 (4) A student who has earned the required 24 credits under
128 s. 1003.4282, or the required 18 credits under s. 1002.3105(5),
129 for the standard high school diploma, except for passage of any
130 must-pass assessment under s. 1003.4282 or s. 1008.22 or an
131 alternate assessment by the end of grade 12, been awarded a
132 certificate of completion under s. 1003.4282 is eligible to
133 enroll in certificate career education programs.
134
135 Each board of trustees shall establish policies that notify
136 students about developmental education options for improving
137 their communication or computation skills that are essential to
138 performing college-level work, including tutoring, extended time
139 in gateway courses, free online courses, adult basic education,
140 adult secondary education, or private provider instruction.
141 Section 5. This act shall take effect July 1, 2025.