The Florida Senate

246.213  Power of State Board of Education.--

(1)  The State Board of Education, acting on the recommendation of the State Board of Independent Postsecondary Vocational, Technical, Trade, and Business Schools, shall adopt such minimum standards and rules as are required for the administration of ss. 246.201-246.231.

(2)

(a)  The minimum educational standards for the licensing of schools shall include, but not be limited to: name of school, purpose, administrative organization, educational program and curricula, finances, financial stability, faculty, library, student personnel services, physical plant and facilities, publications, and disclosure statements about the status of the institution in relation to professional certification and licensure.

(b)  Rules of the State Board of Education shall require that nonpublic schools administer an entry-level test of basic skills to each student who enrolls in a nondegree program of at least 450 clock hours, or the credit hour equivalent, which purports to prepare such student for employment. The State Board of Independent Postsecondary Vocational, Technical, Trade, and Business Schools shall designate examinations authorized for use for entry-level testing purposes. State Board of Education rules shall require that applicable schools provide students who are deemed to lack a minimal level of basic skills with a structured program of basic skills instruction. No student shall be granted a diploma, as defined in s. 246.203, until he or she has demonstrated mastery of basic skills. Exceptional students, as defined in s. 228.041, may be exempted from the provisions of this paragraph. The State Board of Education shall identify means through which students who are capable of demonstrating mastery of basic skills may be exempted from the provisions of this paragraph.

(c)  The State Board of Independent Postsecondary Vocational, Technical, Trade, and Business Schools may request that schools within its jurisdiction provide the board all documents associated with institutional accreditation. The board shall solicit from schools which provide such documents only such additional information undisclosed in the accreditation documents provided. The board may conduct a comprehensive study of a school that fails to provide all documents associated with its institutional accreditation. The cost of such study shall be borne by the institution. Standards imposed by the board shall not be constrained in quality or quantity to those imposed by the respective accrediting body.

(d)  The State Board of Independent Postsecondary Vocational, Technical, Trade, and Business Schools shall recommend to the State Board of Education minimum placement standards for institutions that conduct programs that prepare students for employment.

(3)  The minimum requirements for the licensing of agents shall include: name, residential and business addresses, background training, institution or institutions to be represented, and demonstrated knowledge of statutes and rules related to the authority granted to agents and the limitations imposed upon such authority. No employee of a nonpublic school shall solicit prospective students for enrollment in such school until that employee is licensed by the State Board of Independent Postsecondary Vocational, Technical, Trade, and Business Schools as an agent.

(4)  The State Board of Independent Postsecondary Vocational, Technical, Trade, and Business Schools shall adopt criteria for specialized associate degrees, diplomas, certificates, or other educational credentials that will be recognized in licensed schools. The State Board of Independent Postsecondary Vocational, Technical, Trade, and Business Schools shall adopt a common definition for each credential. To determine the level of an independent institution's vocational program or to establish criteria for a specialized degree, the board shall use procedures developed pursuant to s. 239.205, which requires the Department of Education to determine the level of each public ¹degree career education program.

History.--s. 6, ch. 74-360; s. 3, ch. 76-168; s. 6, ch. 77-426; s. 1, ch. 77-457; s. 4, ch. 78-323; ss. 1, 6, ch. 79-48; ss. 5, 6, 7, ch. 81-67; ss. 2, 3, ch. 81-318; s. 7, ch. 84-94; ss. 14, 15, ch. 86-275; s. 19, ch. 89-344; s. 4, ch. 91-429; s. 59, ch. 92-136; s. 93, ch. 95-148.

¹Note.--The term "degree career education" was substituted for the term "postsecondary vocational" by the editors pursuant to the directive of the Legislature in s. 16, ch. 94-232.