The Florida Senate

240.116  Articulated acceleration.--

(1)  It is the intent of the Legislature that a variety of articulated acceleration mechanisms be available for secondary and postsecondary students attending public educational institutions. It is intended that articulated acceleration serve to shorten the time necessary for a student to complete the requirements associated with the conference of a degree, broaden the scope of curricular options available to students, or increase the depth of study available for a particular subject. Articulated acceleration mechanisms shall include, but not be limited to, dual enrollment, early admission, advanced placement, credit by examination, and the International Baccalaureate Program. The State Board of Education shall adopt rules for any dual enrollment programs involving requirements for high school graduation.

(2)(a)1.  The dual enrollment program is the enrollment of an eligible secondary student in a postsecondary course creditable toward a vocational certificate or an associate or baccalaureate degree. For the purpose of this subparagraph, an eligible secondary student is a student who is enrolled in a Florida public secondary school or in a Florida nonpublic secondary school which is in compliance with s. 229.808 and conducts a secondary curriculum pursuant to s. 232.246. Students enrolled in postsecondary instruction that is not creditable toward the high school diploma shall not be classified as dual enrollments. Students who are permitted to enroll in dual enrollment courses may take courses conducted during school hours, after school hours, and during the summer term. Any student so enrolled is exempt from the payment of registration, matriculation, and laboratory fees. With the exception of vocational-preparatory instruction, college-preparatory instruction and other forms of precollegiate instruction, as well as physical education courses that focus on the physical execution of a skill rather than the intellectual attributes of the activity, are ineligible for inclusion in the dual enrollment program. Recreation and leisure studies courses shall be evaluated individually in the same manner as physical education courses for potential inclusion in the program.

2.  The Department of Education shall adopt guidelines designed to achieve comparability across school districts of both student qualifications and teacher qualifications for dual enrollment courses. Student qualifications must demonstrate readiness for college-level coursework if the student is to be enrolled in college courses. Student qualifications must demonstrate readiness for vocational-level coursework if the student is to be enrolled in vocational courses. In addition to the common placement examination, student qualifications for college credit dual enrollment courses must include a 3.0 unweighted grade point average, and student qualifications for vocational certificate dual enrollment courses must include a 2.0 unweighted grade point average. Exceptions to the required grade point averages may be granted if the educational entities agree and the terms of the agreement are contained within the dual enrollment interinstitutional articulation agreement.

(b)  Vocational dual enrollment shall be provided as a curricular option for secondary students to pursue in order to earn a series of elective credits toward the high school diploma. However, vocational dual enrollment shall not supplant student acquisition of the diploma. Vocational dual enrollment shall be available for secondary students seeking a degree or certificate from a complete job-preparatory program, but shall not sustain student enrollment in isolated vocational courses. It is the intent of the Legislature that vocational dual enrollment be implemented as a positive measure. The provision of a comprehensive academic and vocational dual enrollment program within the vocational-technical center or community college is supportive of legislative intent; however, such provision is not mandatory.

(3)  Early admission shall be a form of dual enrollment through which eligible secondary students enroll in a postsecondary institution on a full-time basis in courses that are creditable toward the high school diploma and the associate or baccalaureate degree. Participation in the early admission program shall be limited to students who have completed a minimum of 6 semesters of full-time secondary enrollment, including studies undertaken in the ninth grade. Students enrolled pursuant to this subsection shall be exempt from the payment of registration, matriculation, and laboratory fees.

(4)  Advanced placement shall be the enrollment of an eligible secondary student in a course offered through the Advanced Placement Program administered by the College Board. Postsecondary credit for an advanced placement course shall be limited to students who score a minimum of 3, on a 5-point scale, on the corresponding Advanced Placement Examination. The specific courses for which students receive such credit shall be determined by the community college or university that accepts the student for admission. Students enrolled pursuant to this subsection shall be exempt from the payment of any fees for administration of the examination.

(5)  Credit by examination shall be the program through which secondary and postsecondary students generate postsecondary credit based on the receipt of a specified minimum score on nationally standardized general or subject-area examinations. For the purpose of statewide application, such examinations and the corresponding minimum scores required for an award of credit shall be delineated by the State Board of Education in the statewide articulation agreement. The maximum credit generated by a student pursuant to this subsection shall be mitigated by any related postsecondary credit earned by the student prior to the administration of the examination. This subsection shall not preclude community colleges and universities from awarding credit by examination based on student performance on examinations developed within and recognized by the individual postsecondary institutions.

(6)  The International Baccalaureate Program shall be the curriculum in which eligible secondary students are enrolled in a program of studies offered through the International Baccalaureate Program administered by the International Baccalaureate Office. The State Board of Education shall establish rules which specify the cutoff scores and International Baccalaureate Examinations which will be used to grant postsecondary credit at community colleges and universities. Any such rules, which have the effect of raising the required cutoff score or of changing the International Baccalaureate Examinations which will be used to grant postsecondary credit, shall only apply to students taking International Baccalaureate Examinations after such rules are adopted by the State Board of Education. Students shall be awarded a maximum of 30 semester credit hours pursuant to this subsection. The specific course for which a student receives such credit shall be determined by the community college or university that accepts the student for admission. Students enrolled pursuant to this subsection shall be exempt from the payment of any fees for administration of the examinations. During the 1997-1998, 1998-1999, and 1999-2000 school years, the Department of Education shall assist up to three school districts in conducting a pilot of the Advanced International Certificate of Education Program administered by the University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate. The department shall produce an evaluation report and recommendations regarding the comparability of the Advanced International Certificate of Education Program to the International Baccalaureate Program and submit the report to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives on or before October 1, 2000.

(7)(a)  It is the intent of the Legislature to provide articulated acceleration mechanisms for students who are in home education programs, as defined in s. 228.041(34), consistent with the educational opportunities available to public and private secondary school students. Home education students may participate in dual enrollment, vocational dual enrollment, early admission, and credit by examination.

(b)  The dual enrollment program for home education students consists of the enrollment of an eligible home education secondary student in a postsecondary course creditable toward an associate degree, a vocational certificate, or a baccalaureate degree. To participate in the dual enrollment program, an eligible home education secondary student must:

1.  Provide proof of enrollment in a home education program pursuant to s. 232.0201.

2.  Be responsible for his or her own instructional materials and transportation unless provided for otherwise.

(c)  Each community college and each state university shall:

1.  Delineate courses and programs for dually enrolled home education students. Courses and programs may be added, revised, or deleted at any time.

2.  Identify eligibility criteria for home education student participation, not to exceed those required of other dually enrolled students.

History.--s. 6, ch. 87-212; s. 1, ch. 90-365; s. 1, ch. 96-214; s. 13, ch. 97-2; ss. 32, 38, ch. 97-246; s. 4, ch. 98-163; s. 8, ch. 98-272.