HB 61
1
A bill to be entitled
2An act relating to high school graduation; amending s.
31003.428, F.S.; requiring that students be advised of the
4availability of certain courses for purposes of high
5school graduation; providing credit requirements for high
6school graduation with a standard diploma beginning with
7students entering grade 9 in the 2011-2012 school year and
8students entering grade 9 in the 2013-2014 school year;
9deleting provisions relating to general requirements for
10high school graduation to conform to changes made by the
11act; creating s. 1003.4282, F.S.; providing for
12accommodations for students with disabilities for purposes
13of high school graduation; creating s. 1003.4287, F.S.;
14authorizing the award of a standard high school diploma to
15certain honorably discharged veterans; amending s.
161003.429, F.S.; requiring that students be advised of the
17availability of certain courses for purposes of an
18accelerated high school graduation option; amending s.
191003.43, F.S.; deleting provisions relating to general
20requirements for high school graduation to conform to
21changes made by the act; amending s. 1007.263, F.S.;
22conforming a cross-reference; amending s. 1008.22, F.S.;
23requiring passing scores on the grade 10 FCAT to meet
24grade-level proficiency; conforming cross-references;
25amending s. 1009.531, F.S.; conforming provisions;
26providing an effective date.
27
28Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
29
30 Section 1. Subsection (1), paragraph (a) of subsection
31(2), and subsections (5) through (11) of section 1003.428,
32Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
33 1003.428 General requirements for high school graduation;
34revised.--
35 (1) Except as otherwise authorized pursuant to s.
361003.429, beginning with students entering their first year of
37high school in the 2007-2008 school year, graduation requires
38the successful completion of a minimum of 24 credits, an
39International Baccalaureate curriculum, or an Advanced
40International Certificate of Education curriculum. Students must
41be advised of the Advanced Placement, International
42Baccalaureate, Advanced International Certificate of Education,
43career academy coursework that leads to national industry
44certification, and dual enrollment courses available, as well as
45the availability of course offerings through the Florida Virtual
46School. Students must also be advised of eligibility
47requirements for state scholarship programs and postsecondary
48admissions.
49 (2) The 24 credits may be earned through applied,
50integrated, and combined courses approved by the Department of
51Education and shall be distributed as follows:
52 (a) Sixteen core curriculum credits:
53 1. Four credits in English, with major concentration in
54composition, reading for information, and literature.
55 2. Four credits in mathematics, one of which must be
56Algebra I, a series of courses equivalent to Algebra I, or a
57higher-level mathematics course. Beginning with students
58entering grade 9 in the 2011-2012 school year, one of the four
59credits must be Algebra I or a series of courses equivalent to
60Algebra I as approved by the State Board of Education, and one
61credit must be geometry or a series of courses equivalent to
62geometry as approved by the State Board of Education. Beginning
63with students entering grade 9 in the 2013-2014 school year, one
64of the four credits must be Algebra I or a series of courses
65equivalent to Algebra I as approved by the State Board of
66Education, one credit must be geometry or a series of courses
67equivalent to geometry as approved by the State Board of
68Education, and one credit must be Algebra II or a series of
69courses equivalent to Algebra II as approved by the State Board
70of Education. School districts are encouraged to set specific
71goals to increase enrollments in, and successful completion of,
72geometry and Algebra II.
73 3. Three credits in science, two of which must have a
74laboratory component. Beginning with students entering grade 9
75in the 2011-2012 school year, one of the three credits must be
76Biology I or a series of courses equivalent to Biology I as
77approved by the State Board of Education, one credit must be a
78physical science or a series of courses equivalent to a physical
79science as approved by the State Board of Education, and one
80credit must be a higher-level science course. At least two of
81the science courses must have a laboratory component. Beginning
82with students entering grade 9 in the 2013-2014 school year, one
83of the three credits must be Biology I or a series of courses
84equivalent to Biology I as approved by the State Board of
85Education, one credit must be chemistry or physics or a series
86of courses equivalent to chemistry or physics as approved by the
87State Board of Education, and one credit must be a higher-level
88science course. At least two of the science courses must have a
89laboratory component.
90 4. Three credits in social studies as follows: one credit
91in American history; one credit in world history; one-half
92credit in economics; and one-half credit in American government.
93 5. One credit in fine or performing arts, speech and
94debate, or a practical arts course that incorporates artistic
95content and techniques of creativity, interpretation, and
96imagination. Eligible practical arts courses shall be identified
97through the Course Code Directory.
98 6. One credit in physical education to include integration
99of health. Participation in an interscholastic sport at the
100junior varsity or varsity level for two full seasons shall
101satisfy the one-credit requirement in physical education if the
102student passes a competency test on personal fitness with a
103score of "C" or better. The competency test on personal fitness
104must be developed by the Department of Education. A district
105school board may not require that the one credit in physical
106education be taken during the 9th grade year. Completion of one
107semester with a grade of "C" or better in a marching band class,
108in a physical activity class that requires participation in
109marching band activities as an extracurricular activity, or in a
110dance class shall satisfy one-half credit in physical education
111or one-half credit in performing arts. This credit may not be
112used to satisfy the personal fitness requirement or the
113requirement for adaptive physical education under an individual
114education plan (IEP) or 504 plan. Completion of 2 years in a
115Reserve Officer Training Corps (R.O.T.C.) class, a significant
116component of which is drills, shall satisfy the one-credit
117requirement in physical education and the one-credit requirement
118in performing arts. This credit may not be used to satisfy the
119personal fitness requirement or the requirement for adaptive
120physical education under an individual education plan (IEP) or
121504 plan.
122 (5) The State Board of Education, after a public hearing
123and consideration, shall adopt rules based upon the
124recommendations of the commissioner for the provision of test
125accommodations and modifications of procedures as necessary for
126students with disabilities which will demonstrate the student's
127abilities rather than reflect the student's impaired sensory,
128manual, speaking, or psychological process skills.
129 (6) The public hearing and consideration required in
130subsection (5) shall not be construed to amend or nullify the
131requirements of security relating to the contents of
132examinations or assessment instruments and related materials or
133data as prescribed in s. 1008.23.
134 (5)(7)(a) A student who meets all requirements prescribed
135in subsections (1), (2), (3), and (4) shall be awarded a
136standard diploma in a form prescribed by the State Board of
137Education.
138 (b) A student who completes the minimum number of credits
139and other requirements prescribed by subsections (1), (2), and
140(3), but who is unable to meet the standards of paragraph
141(4)(b), paragraph (4)(c), or paragraph (4)(d), shall be awarded
142a certificate of completion in a form prescribed by the State
143Board of Education. However, any student who is otherwise
144entitled to a certificate of completion may elect to remain in
145the secondary school either as a full-time student or a part-
146time student for up to 1 additional year and receive special
147instruction designed to remedy his or her identified
148deficiencies.
149 (8)(a) Each district school board must provide instruction
150to prepare students with disabilities to demonstrate proficiency
151in the core content knowledge and skills necessary for
152successful grade-to-grade progression and high school
153graduation.
154 (b) A student with a disability, as defined in s.
1551007.02(2), for whom the individual education plan (IEP)
156committee determines that the FCAT cannot accurately measure the
157student's abilities taking into consideration all allowable
158accommodations, shall have the FCAT requirement of paragraph
159(4)(b) waived for the purpose of receiving a standard high
160school diploma, if the student:
161 1. Completes the minimum number of credits and other
162requirements prescribed by subsections (1), (2), and (3).
163 2. Does not meet the requirements of paragraph (4)(b)
164after one opportunity in 10th grade and one opportunity in 11th
165grade.
166 (9) The Commissioner of Education may award a standard
167high school diploma to honorably discharged veterans who started
168high school between 1937 and 1946 and were scheduled to graduate
169between 1941 and 1950 but were inducted into the United States
170Armed Forces between September 16, 1940, and December 31, 1946,
171prior to completing the necessary high school graduation
172requirements. Upon the recommendation of the commissioner, the
173State Board of Education may develop criteria and guidelines for
174awarding such diplomas.
175 (10) The Commissioner of Education may award a standard
176high school diploma to honorably discharged veterans who started
177high school between 1946 and 1950 and were scheduled to graduate
178between 1950 and 1954, but were inducted into the United States
179Armed Forces between June 27, 1950, and January 31, 1955, and
180served during the Korean Conflict prior to completing the
181necessary high school graduation requirements. Upon the
182recommendation of the commissioner, the State Board of Education
183may develop criteria and guidelines for awarding such diplomas.
184 (6)(11) The State Board of Education may adopt rules
185pursuant to ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54 to implement the
186provisions of this section and may enforce the provisions of
187this section pursuant to s. 1008.32.
188 Section 2. Section 1003.4282, Florida Statutes, is created
189to read:
190 1003.4282 Accommodations for students with disabilities;
191graduation requirements.--For purposes of high school
192graduation:
193 (1) The State Board of Education, after a public hearing
194and consideration, shall adopt rules based upon the
195recommendations of the Commissioner of Education for the
196provision of test accommodations as necessary for students with
197disabilities which will demonstrate the student's abilities
198rather than reflect the student's impaired sensory, manual,
199speaking, or psychological process skills.
200 (2) The public hearing and consideration required in
201subsection (1) shall not be construed to amend or nullify the
202requirements of security relating to the contents of
203examinations or assessment instruments and related materials or
204data as prescribed in s. 1008.23.
205 (3)(a) Each district school board must provide instruction
206to prepare students with disabilities to demonstrate proficiency
207in the core content knowledge and skills necessary for
208successful grade-to-grade progression and high school
209graduation.
210 (b) A student with a disability, as defined in s.
2111007.02(2), for whom the individual education plan committee
212determines that the FCAT cannot accurately measure the student's
213abilities taking into consideration all allowable
214accommodations, shall have the FCAT requirement of s.
2151003.428(4)(b) or s. 1003.43(5)(a) waived for the purpose of
216receiving a high school diploma, if the student:
217 1. Completes the minimum number of credits and other
218requirements prescribed in s. 1003.428(1)-(3) or s. 1003.43(1)
219and (4).
220 2. Does not meet the FCAT requirements of s.
2211003.428(4)(b) or s. 1003.43(5)(a) after one opportunity in
222grade 10 and one opportunity in grade 11.
223 Section 3. Section 1003.4287, Florida Statutes, is created
224to read:
225 1003.4287 Recognition of veterans; high school diploma.--
226 (1) The Commissioner of Education may award a standard
227high school diploma to honorably discharged veterans who started
228high school between 1937 and 1946 and were scheduled to graduate
229between 1941 and 1950 but were inducted into the United States
230Armed Forces between September 16, 1940, and December 31, 1946,
231prior to completing the necessary high school graduation
232requirements. Upon the recommendation of the commissioner, the
233State Board of Education may develop criteria and guidelines for
234awarding such diplomas.
235 (2) The Commissioner of Education may award a standard
236high school diploma to honorably discharged veterans who started
237high school between 1946 and 1950 and were scheduled to graduate
238between 1949 and 1955 but were inducted into the United States
239Armed Forces between June 1949 and January 1955 and served
240during the Korean War prior to completing the necessary high
241school graduation requirements. Upon the recommendation of the
242commissioner, the State Board of Education may develop criteria
243and guidelines for awarding such diplomas.
244 (3) The Commissioner of Education may award a standard
245high school diploma to honorably discharged veterans who were
246inducted into the United States Armed Forces during the Vietnam
247Era, as defined in s. 1.01(14), before completing the necessary
248high school graduation requirements. Upon the recommendation of
249the commissioner, the State Board of Education may develop
250criteria and guidelines for awarding such diplomas.
251 Section 4. Paragraph (b) of subsection (1) of section
2521003.429, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
253 1003.429 Accelerated high school graduation options.--
254 (1) Students who enter grade 9 in the 2006-2007 school
255year and thereafter may select, upon receipt of each consent
256required by this section, one of the following three high school
257graduation options:
258 (b) Completion of a 3-year standard college preparatory
259program requiring successful completion of a minimum of 18
260academic credits in grades 9 through 12. At least 6 of the 18
261credits required for completion of this program must be received
262in classes that are offered pursuant to the International
263Baccalaureate Program, the Advanced Placement Program, dual
264enrollment, or the Advanced International Certificate of
265Education Program, or specifically listed or identified by the
266Department of Education as rigorous pursuant to s. 1009.531(3).
267Students must be advised of the Advanced Placement,
268International Baccalaureate, Advanced International Certificate
269of Education, career academy coursework that leads to national
270industry certification, and dual enrollment courses available,
271as well as the availability of course offerings through the
272Florida Virtual School. The 18 credits required for completion
273of this program shall be primary requirements and shall be
274distributed as follows:
275 1. Four credits in English, with major concentration in
276composition and literature;
277 2. Three credits in mathematics at the Algebra I level or
278higher from the list of courses that qualify for state
279university admission;
280 3. Three credits in natural science, two of which must
281have a laboratory component;
282 4. Three credits in social sciences, which must include
283one credit in American history, one credit in world history,
284one-half credit in American government, and one-half credit in
285economics;
286 5. Two credits in the same second language unless the
287student is a native speaker of or can otherwise demonstrate
288competency in a language other than English. If the student
289demonstrates competency in another language, the student may
290replace the language requirement with two credits in other
291academic courses; and
292 6. Three credits in electives; or
293
294Any student who selected an accelerated graduation program
295before July 1, 2004, may continue that program, and all
296statutory program requirements that were applicable when the
297student made the program choice shall remain applicable to the
298student as long as the student continues that program.
299 Section 5. Subsections (8) through (14) of section
3001003.43, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
301 1003.43 General requirements for high school graduation.--
302 (8) The State Board of Education, after a public hearing
303and consideration, shall adopt rules based upon the
304recommendations of the commissioner for the provision of test
305accommodations and modifications of procedures as necessary for
306students with disabilities which will demonstrate the student's
307abilities rather than reflect the student's impaired sensory,
308manual, speaking, or psychological process skills.
309 (9) The public hearing and consideration required in
310subsection (8) shall not be construed to amend or nullify the
311requirements of security relating to the contents of
312examinations or assessment instruments and related materials or
313data as prescribed in s. 1008.23.
314 (8)(10)(a) A student who meets all requirements prescribed
315in subsections (1), (4), and (5) shall be awarded a standard
316diploma in a form prescribed by the State Board of Education. A
317district school board may attach the Florida gold seal career
318endorsement to a standard diploma or, instead of the standard
319diploma, award differentiated diplomas to those exceeding the
320prescribed minimums.
321 (b) A student who completes the minimum number of credits
322and other requirements prescribed by subsections (1) and (4),
323but who is unable to meet the standards of paragraph (5)(a),
324paragraph (5)(b), or paragraph (5)(c), shall be awarded a
325certificate of completion in a form prescribed by the State
326Board of Education. However, any student who is otherwise
327entitled to a certificate of completion may elect to remain in
328the secondary school either as a full-time student or a part-
329time student for up to 1 additional year and receive special
330instruction designed to remedy his or her identified
331deficiencies.
332 (11)(a) Each district school board must provide
333instruction to prepare students with disabilities to demonstrate
334proficiency in the core content knowledge and skills necessary
335for successful grade-to-grade progression and high school
336graduation.
337 (b) A student with a disability, as defined in s.
3381007.02(2), for whom the individual educational plan (IEP)
339committee determines that the FCAT cannot accurately measure the
340student's abilities taking into consideration all allowable
341accommodations, shall have the FCAT requirement of paragraph
342(5)(a) waived for the purpose of receiving a standard high
343school diploma, if the student:
344 1. Completes the minimum number of credits and other
345requirements prescribed by subsections (1) and (4).
346 2. Does not meet the requirements of paragraph (5)(a)
347after one opportunity in 10th grade and one opportunity in 11th
348grade.
349 (12) The Commissioner of Education may award a standard
350high school diploma to honorably discharged veterans who started
351high school between 1937 and 1946 and were scheduled to graduate
352between 1941 and 1950 but were inducted into the United States
353Armed Forces between September 16, 1940, and December 31, 1946,
354prior to completing the necessary high school graduation
355requirements. Upon the recommendation of the commissioner, the
356State Board of Education may develop criteria and guidelines for
357awarding such diplomas.
358 (13) The Commissioner of Education may award a standard
359high school diploma to honorably discharged veterans who started
360high school between 1946 and 1950 and were scheduled to graduate
361between 1949 and 1955, but were inducted into the United States
362Armed Forces between June 1949 and January 1955, and served
363during the Korean War prior to completing the necessary high
364school graduation requirements. Upon the recommendation of the
365commissioner, the State Board of Education may develop criteria
366and guidelines for awarding such diplomas.
367 (14) The Commissioner of Education may award a standard
368high school diploma to honorably discharged veterans who were
369inducted into the United States Armed Forces during the Vietnam
370Era, as defined in s. 1.01(14), before completing the necessary
371high school graduation requirements. Upon the recommendation of
372the commissioner, the State Board of Education may develop
373criteria and guidelines for awarding such diplomas.
374 Section 6. Subsection (4) of section 1007.263, Florida
375Statutes, is amended to read:
376 1007.263 Community colleges; admissions of students.--Each
377community college board of trustees is authorized to adopt rules
378governing admissions of students subject to this section and
379rules of the State Board of Education. These rules shall include
380the following:
381 (4) A student who has been awarded a special diploma as
382defined in s. 1003.438 or a certificate of completion as defined
383in s. 1003.43(8)(10) is eligible to enroll in certificate career
384education programs.
385
386Each board of trustees shall establish policies that notify
387students about, and place students into, adult basic education,
388adult secondary education, or other instructional programs that
389provide students with alternatives to traditional college-
390preparatory instruction, including private provider instruction.
391A student is prohibited from enrolling in additional college-
392level courses until the student scores above the cut-score on
393all sections of the common placement test.
394 Section 7. Paragraph (c) of subsection (3) of section
3951008.22, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
396 1008.22 Student assessment program for public schools.--
397 (3) STATEWIDE ASSESSMENT PROGRAM.--The commissioner shall
398design and implement a statewide program of educational
399assessment that provides information for the improvement of the
400operation and management of the public schools, including
401schools operating for the purpose of providing educational
402services to youth in Department of Juvenile Justice programs.
403The commissioner may enter into contracts for the continued
404administration of the assessment, testing, and evaluation
405programs authorized and funded by the Legislature. Contracts may
406be initiated in 1 fiscal year and continue into the next and may
407be paid from the appropriations of either or both fiscal years.
408The commissioner is authorized to negotiate for the sale or
409lease of tests, scoring protocols, test scoring services, and
410related materials developed pursuant to law. Pursuant to the
411statewide assessment program, the commissioner shall:
412 (c) Develop and implement a student achievement testing
413program known as the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test
414(FCAT) as part of the statewide assessment program to measure a
415student's content knowledge and skills in reading, writing,
416science, and mathematics. Other content areas may be included as
417directed by the commissioner. Comprehensive assessments of
418reading and mathematics shall be administered annually in grades
4193 through 10. Comprehensive assessments of writing and science
420shall be administered at least once at the elementary, middle,
421and high school levels. End-of-course assessments for a subject
422may be administered in addition to the comprehensive assessments
423required for that subject under this paragraph. An end-of-course
424assessment must be rigorous, statewide, standardized, and
425developed or approved by the department. The content knowledge
426and skills assessed by comprehensive and end-of-course
427assessments must be aligned to the core curricular content
428established in the Sunshine State Standards. The commissioner
429may select one or more nationally developed comprehensive
430examinations, which may include, but need not be limited to,
431examinations for a College Board Advanced Placement course,
432International Baccalaureate course, or Advanced International
433Certificate of Education course or industry-approved
434examinations to earn national industry certifications as defined
435in s. 1003.492, for use as end-of-course assessments under this
436paragraph, if the commissioner determines that the content
437knowledge and skills assessed by the examinations meet or exceed
438the grade level expectations for the core curricular content
439established for the course in the Next Generation Sunshine State
440Standards. The commissioner may collaborate with the American
441Diploma Project in the adoption or development of rigorous end-
442of-course assessments that are aligned to the Next Generation
443Sunshine State Standards. The testing program must be designed
444as follows:
445 1. The tests shall measure student skills and competencies
446adopted by the State Board of Education as specified in
447paragraph (a). The tests must measure and report student
448proficiency levels of all students assessed in reading, writing,
449mathematics, and science. The commissioner shall provide for the
450tests to be developed or obtained, as appropriate, through
451contracts and project agreements with private vendors, public
452vendors, public agencies, postsecondary educational
453institutions, or school districts. The commissioner shall obtain
454input with respect to the design and implementation of the
455testing program from state educators, assistive technology
456experts, and the public.
457 2. The testing program shall be composed of criterion-
458referenced tests that shall, to the extent determined by the
459commissioner, include test items that require the student to
460produce information or perform tasks in such a way that the core
461content knowledge and skills he or she uses can be measured.
462 3. Beginning with the 2008-2009 school year, the
463commissioner shall discontinue administration of the selected-
464response test items on the comprehensive assessments of writing.
465Beginning with the 2012-2013 school year, the comprehensive
466assessments of writing shall be composed of a combination of
467selected-response test items, short-response performance tasks,
468and extended-response performance tasks, which shall measure a
469student's content knowledge of writing, including, but not
470limited to, paragraph and sentence structure, sentence
471construction, grammar and usage, punctuation, capitalization,
472spelling, parts of speech, verb tense, irregular verbs, subject-
473verb agreement, and noun-pronoun agreement.
474 4. A score shall be designated for each subject area
475tested, below which score a student's performance is deemed
476inadequate. The school districts shall provide appropriate
477remedial instruction to students who score below these levels.
478 5. Except as provided in s. 1003.4282 1003.428(8)(b) or s.
4791003.43(11)(b), students must earn a passing score on the grade
48010 assessment test described in this paragraph or attain
481concordant scores as described in subsection (10) in reading,
482writing, and mathematics to qualify for a standard high school
483diploma. The State Board of Education shall designate a passing
484score for each part of the grade 10 assessment test. In
485establishing passing scores, the state board shall consider any
486possible negative impact of the test on minority students. The
487State Board of Education shall adopt rules which specify the
488passing scores for the grade 10 FCAT. Beginning in the 2012-2013
489school year, such passing scores must at a minimum meet grade-
490level proficiency. Any such rules, which have the effect of
491raising the required passing scores, shall apply only to
492students taking the grade 10 FCAT for the first time after such
493rules are adopted by the State Board of Education.
494 6. Participation in the testing program is mandatory for
495all students attending public school, including students served
496in Department of Juvenile Justice programs, except as otherwise
497prescribed by the commissioner. If a student does not
498participate in the statewide assessment, the district must
499notify the student's parent and provide the parent with
500information regarding the implications of such nonparticipation.
501A parent must provide signed consent for a student to receive
502classroom instructional accommodations that would not be
503available or permitted on the statewide assessments and must
504acknowledge in writing that he or she understands the
505implications of such instructional accommodations. The State
506Board of Education shall adopt rules, based upon recommendations
507of the commissioner, for the provision of test accommodations
508for students in exceptional education programs and for students
509who have limited English proficiency. Accommodations that negate
510the validity of a statewide assessment are not allowable in the
511administration of the FCAT. However, instructional
512accommodations are allowable in the classroom if included in a
513student's individual education plan. Students using
514instructional accommodations in the classroom that are not
515allowable as accommodations on the FCAT may have the FCAT
516requirement waived pursuant to the requirements of s. 1003.4282
5171003.428(8)(b) or s. 1003.43(11)(b).
518 7. A student seeking an adult high school diploma must
519meet the same testing requirements that a regular high school
520student must meet.
521 8. District school boards must provide instruction to
522prepare students to demonstrate proficiency in the core
523curricular content established in the Next Generation Sunshine
524State Standards adopted under s. 1003.41, including the core
525content knowledge and skills necessary for successful grade-to-
526grade progression and high school graduation. If a student is
527provided with instructional accommodations in the classroom that
528are not allowable as accommodations in the statewide assessment
529program, as described in the test manuals, the district must
530inform the parent in writing and must provide the parent with
531information regarding the impact on the student's ability to
532meet expected proficiency levels in reading, writing, and
533mathematics. The commissioner shall conduct studies as necessary
534to verify that the required core curricular content is part of
535the district instructional programs.
536 9. District school boards must provide opportunities for
537students to demonstrate an acceptable level of performance on an
538alternative standardized assessment approved by the State Board
539of Education following enrollment in summer academies.
540 10. The Department of Education must develop, or select,
541and implement a common battery of assessment tools that will be
542used in all juvenile justice programs in the state. These tools
543must accurately measure the core curricular content established
544in the Sunshine State Standards.
545 11. For students seeking a special diploma pursuant to s.
5461003.438, the Department of Education must develop or select and
547implement an alternate assessment tool that accurately measures
548the core curricular content established in the Sunshine State
549Standards for students with disabilities under s. 1003.438.
550 12. The Commissioner of Education shall establish
551schedules for the administration of statewide assessments and
552the reporting of student test results. The commissioner shall,
553by August 1 of each year, notify each school district in writing
554and publish on the department's Internet website the testing and
555reporting schedules for, at a minimum, the school year following
556the upcoming school year. The testing and reporting schedules
557shall require that:
558 a. There is the latest possible administration of
559statewide assessments and the earliest possible reporting to the
560school districts of student test results which is feasible
561within available technology and specific appropriations;
562however, test results must be made available no later than the
563final day of the regular school year for students.
564 b. Beginning with the 2010-2011 school year, a
565comprehensive statewide assessment of writing is not
566administered earlier than the week of March 1 and a
567comprehensive statewide assessment of any other subject is not
568administered earlier than the week of April 15.
569 c. A statewide standardized end-of-course assessment is
570administered within the last 2 weeks of the course.
571
572The commissioner may, based on collaboration and input from
573school districts, design and implement student testing programs,
574for any grade level and subject area, necessary to effectively
575monitor educational achievement in the state, including the
576measurement of educational achievement of the Sunshine State
577Standards for students with disabilities. Development and
578refinement of assessments shall include universal design
579principles and accessibility standards that will prevent any
580unintended obstacles for students with disabilities while
581ensuring the validity and reliability of the test. These
582principles should be applicable to all technology platforms and
583assistive devices available for the assessments. The field
584testing process and psychometric analyses for the statewide
585assessment program must include an appropriate percentage of
586students with disabilities and an evaluation or determination of
587the effect of test items on such students.
588 Section 8. Paragraph (b) of subsection (1) of section
5891009.531, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
590 1009.531 Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program;
591student eligibility requirements for initial awards.--
592 (1) Effective January 1, 2008, in order to be eligible for
593an initial award from any of the three types of scholarships
594under the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program, a student
595must:
596 (b) Earn a standard Florida high school diploma or its
597equivalent as described in s. 1003.428, s. 1003.429, s. 1003.43,
598or s. 1003.435 unless:
599 1. The student completes a home education program
600according to s. 1002.41; or
601 2. The student earns a high school diploma from a non-
602Florida school while living with a parent or guardian who is on
603military or public service assignment away from Florida.
604 Section 9. This act shall take effect July 1, 2010.
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.