The Florida Senate

1003.429  Accelerated high school graduation options.--

(1)  Students who enter grade 9 in the 2006-2007 school year and thereafter may select, upon receipt of each consent required by this section, one of the following three high school graduation options:

(a)  Completion of the general requirements for high school graduation pursuant to s. 1003.43;

(b)  Completion of a 3-year standard college preparatory program requiring successful completion of a minimum of 18 academic credits in grades 9 through 12. At least 6 of the 18 credits required for completion of this program must be received in classes that are offered pursuant to the International Baccalaureate Program, the Advanced Placement Program, dual enrollment, Advanced International Certificate of Education, or specifically listed or identified by the Department of Education as rigorous pursuant to s. 1009.531(3). The 18 credits required for completion of this program shall be primary requirements and shall be distributed as follows:

1.  Four credits in English, with major concentration in composition and literature;

2.  Three credits in mathematics at the Algebra I level or higher from the list of courses that qualify for state university admission;

3.  Three credits in natural science, two of which must have a laboratory component;

4.  Three credits in social sciences, which must include one credit in American history, one credit in world history, one-half credit in American government, and one-half credit in economics;

5.  Two credits in the same second language unless the student is a native speaker of or can otherwise demonstrate competency in a language other than English. If the student demonstrates competency in another language, the student may replace the language requirement with two credits in other academic courses; and

6.  Three credits in electives; or

(c)  Completion of a 3-year career preparatory program requiring successful completion of a minimum of 18 academic credits in grades 9 through 12. The 18 credits shall be primary requirements and shall be distributed as follows:

1.  Four credits in English, with major concentration in composition and literature;

2.  Three credits in mathematics, one of which must be Algebra I;

3.  Three credits in natural science, two of which must have a laboratory component;

4.  Three credits in social sciences, which must include one credit in American history, one credit in world history, one-half credit in American government, and one-half credit in economics;

5.  Three credits in a single vocational or career education program, three credits in career and technical certificate dual enrollment courses, or five credits in vocational or career education courses; and

6.  Two credits in electives unless five credits are earned pursuant to subparagraph 5.

Any student who selected an accelerated graduation program before July 1, 2004, may continue that program, and all statutory program requirements that were applicable when the student made the program choice shall remain applicable to the student as long as the student continues that program.

(2)  Prior to selecting a program described in paragraph (1)(b) or paragraph (1)(c), a student and the student's parent must meet with designated school personnel to receive an explanation of the relative requirements, advantages, and disadvantages of each program option, and the student must also receive the written consent of the student's parent.

(3)  Beginning with the 2006-2007 school year, each district school board shall provide each student in grades 6 through 9 and their parents with information concerning the 3-year and 4-year high school graduation options listed in subsection (1), including the respective curriculum requirements for those options, so that the students and their parents may select the program that best fits their needs. The information must include a timeframe for achieving each graduation option.

(4)  Selection of one of the graduation options listed in subsection (1) must be completed by the student prior to the end of grade 9 and is exclusively up to the student and parent, subject to the requirements in subsection (2). Each district school board shall establish policies for extending this deadline to the end of a student's first semester of grade 10 for a student who entered a Florida public school after grade 9 upon transfer from a private school or another state or who was prevented from choosing a graduation option due to illness during grade 9. If the student and parent fail to select a graduation option, the student shall be considered to have selected the general requirements for high school graduation pursuant to paragraph (1)(a).

(5)  District school boards may not establish requirements for accelerated 3-year high school graduation options in excess of the requirements in paragraphs (1)(b) and (c).

(6)  Students pursuing accelerated 3-year high school graduation options pursuant to paragraph (1)(b) or paragraph (1)(c) are required to:

(a)  Earn passing scores on the FCAT as defined in s. 1008.22(3)(c) or scores on a standardized test that are concordant with passing scores on the FCAT as defined in s. 1008.22(10).

(b)1.  Achieve a cumulative weighted grade point average of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale, or its equivalent, in the courses required for the college preparatory accelerated 3-year high school graduation option pursuant to paragraph (1)(b); or

2.  Achieve a cumulative weighted grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, or its equivalent, in the courses required for the career preparatory accelerated 3-year high school graduation option pursuant to paragraph (1)(c).

(c)  Receive a weighted or unweighted grade that earns at least 3.0 points, or its equivalent, to earn course credit toward the 18 credits required for the college preparatory accelerated 3-year high school graduation option pursuant to paragraph (1)(b).

(d)  Receive a weighted or unweighted grade that earns at least 2.0 points, or its equivalent, to earn course credit toward the 18 credits required for the career preparatory accelerated 3-year high school graduation option pursuant to paragraph (1)(c).

Weighted grades referred to in paragraphs (b), (c), and (d) shall be applied to those courses specifically listed or identified by the department as rigorous pursuant to s. 1009.531(3) or weighted by the district school board for class ranking purposes.

(7)  If, at the end of grade 10, a student is not on track to meet the credit, assessment, or grade-point-average requirements of the accelerated graduation option selected, the school shall notify the student and parent of the following:

(a)  The requirements that the student is not currently meeting.

(b)  The specific performance necessary in grade 11 for the student to meet the accelerated graduation requirements.

(c)  The right of the student to change to the 4-year program set forth in s. 1003.43

(8)  A student who selected one of the accelerated 3-year graduation options shall automatically move to the 4-year program set forth in s. 1003.43 if the student:

(a)  Exercises his or her right to change to the 4-year program;

(b)  Fails to earn 5 credits by the end of grade 9 or fails to earn 11 credits by the end of grade 10;

(c)  Does not achieve a score of 3 or higher on the grade 10 FCAT Writing assessment; or

(d)  By the end of grade 11 does not meet the requirements of subsections (1) and (6).

(9)  A student who meets all requirements prescribed in subsections (1) and (6) shall be awarded a standard diploma in a form prescribed by the State Board of Education.

History.--s. 12, ch. 2003-391; s. 1, ch. 2004-42; s. 24, ch. 2006-74; s. 9, ch. 2008-235.