Bill Text: FL S0480 | 2016 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: High School Graduation Requirements

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Failed) 2016-03-11 - Died in Education Pre-K - 12 [S0480 Detail]

Download: Florida-2016-S0480-Introduced.html

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       Florida Senate - 2016                                     SB 480
       
       
        
       By Senator Bullard
       
       
       
       
       
       39-00622-16                                            2016480__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to high school graduation
    3         requirements; amending s. 1003.4282, F.S.; requiring
    4         students to earn one-half credit in health education,
    5         independent of the physical education credit
    6         requirements, for high school graduation; authorizing
    7         a waiver for students who request to take and
    8         successfully complete a health education assessment
    9         developed by the Department of Education; reducing the
   10         number of required credits in elective courses;
   11         providing an effective date.
   12          
   13  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   14  
   15         Section 1. Paragraph (f) of subsection (3) of section
   16  1003.4282, Florida Statutes, is amended, paragraph (g) of that
   17  subsection is redesignated as paragraph (h) and amended, and a
   18  new paragraph (g) is added to that subsection, to read:
   19         1003.4282 Requirements for a standard high school diploma.—
   20         (3) STANDARD HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA; COURSE AND ASSESSMENT
   21  REQUIREMENTS.—
   22         (f) One credit in physical education.—Physical education
   23  must include the integration of health, except that beginning
   24  with students entering grade 9 in the 2016-2017 school year,
   25  health education shall not be included in physical education.
   26  Participation in an interscholastic sport at the junior varsity
   27  or varsity level for two full seasons shall satisfy the one
   28  credit requirement in physical education if the student passes a
   29  competency test on personal fitness with a score of “C” or
   30  better. The competency test on personal fitness developed by the
   31  Department of Education must be used. A district school board
   32  may not require that the one credit in physical education be
   33  taken during the 9th grade year. Completion of one semester with
   34  a grade of “C” or better in a marching band class, in a physical
   35  activity class that requires participation in marching band
   36  activities as an extracurricular activity, or in a dance class
   37  shall satisfy one-half credit in physical education or one-half
   38  credit in performing arts. This credit may not be used to
   39  satisfy the personal fitness requirement or the requirement for
   40  adaptive physical education under an individual education plan
   41  (IEP) or 504 plan. Completion of 2 years in a Reserve Officer
   42  Training Corps (R.O.T.C.) class, a significant component of
   43  which is drills, shall satisfy the one-credit requirement in
   44  physical education and the one-credit requirement in performing
   45  arts. This credit may not be used to satisfy the personal
   46  fitness requirement or the requirement for adaptive physical
   47  education under an IEP or 504 plan.
   48         (g) One-half credit in health education.—Beginning with
   49  students entering grade 9 in the 2016-2017 school year, a
   50  student must earn one-half credit in health education. The
   51  health education requirement may be waived if the student
   52  requests to take a health education assessment and scores a “C”
   53  or better, in which case the student must earn eight credits in
   54  electives. The Department of Education shall develop the health
   55  education assessment.
   56         (h)(g) Eight credits in electives or, beginning with
   57  students entering grade 9 in the 2016-2017 school year, seven
   58  and one-half credits in electives.—School districts must develop
   59  and offer coordinated electives so that a student may develop
   60  knowledge and skills in his or her area of interest, such as
   61  electives with a STEM or liberal arts focus. Such electives must
   62  include opportunities for students to earn college credit,
   63  including industry-certified career education programs or series
   64  of career-themed courses that result in industry certification
   65  or articulate into the award of college credit, or career
   66  education courses for which there is a statewide or local
   67  articulation agreement and which lead to college credit.
   68         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2016.