Florida Senate - 2016                                    SB 1078
       
       
        
       By Senator Legg
       
       17-01666-16                                           20161078__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to education; amending s. 1007.35,
    3         F.S.; revising the exams each public high school is
    4         required to administer to all enrolled 10th grade
    5         students to include ACT Aspire; providing an effective
    6         date.
    7          
    8  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
    9  
   10         Section 1. Subsection (5), paragraph (j) of subsection (6),
   11  and paragraph (a) of subsection (8) of section 1007.35, Florida
   12  Statutes, are amended to read:
   13         1007.35 Florida Partnership for Minority and
   14  Underrepresented Student Achievement.—
   15         (5) Each public high school, including, but not limited to,
   16  schools and alternative sites and centers of the Department of
   17  Juvenile Justice, shall provide for the administration of the
   18  Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test
   19  (PSAT/NMSQT), or ACT Aspire Preliminary ACT (PLAN) to all
   20  enrolled 10th grade students. However, a written notice shall be
   21  provided to each parent that shall include the opportunity to
   22  exempt his or her child from taking the PSAT/NMSQT or ACT Aspire
   23  PLAN.
   24         (a) Test results will provide each high school with a
   25  database of student assessment data which certified school
   26  counselors will use to identify students who are prepared or who
   27  need additional work to be prepared to enroll and be successful
   28  in AP courses or other advanced high school courses.
   29         (b) Funding for the PSAT/NMSQT or ACT Aspire PLAN for all
   30  10th grade students shall be contingent upon annual funding in
   31  the General Appropriations Act.
   32         (c) Public school districts must choose either the
   33  PSAT/NMSQT or ACT Aspire PLAN for districtwide administration.
   34         (6) The partnership shall:
   35         (j) Provide information to students, parents, teachers,
   36  counselors, administrators, districts, Florida College System
   37  institutions, and state universities regarding PSAT/NMSQT or ACT
   38  Aspire PLAN administration, including, but not limited to:
   39         1. Test administration dates and times.
   40         2. That participation in the PSAT/NMSQT or ACT Aspire PLAN
   41  is open to all 10th grade 10 students.
   42         3. The value of such tests in providing diagnostic feedback
   43  on student skills.
   44         4. The value of student scores in predicting the
   45  probability of success on AP or other advanced course
   46  examinations.
   47         (8)(a) By September 30 of each year, the partnership shall
   48  submit to the department a report that contains an evaluation of
   49  the effectiveness of the delivered services and activities.
   50  Activities and services must be evaluated on their effectiveness
   51  at raising student achievement and increasing the number of AP
   52  or other advanced course examinations in low-performing middle
   53  and high schools. Other indicators that must be addressed in the
   54  evaluation report include the number of middle and high school
   55  teachers trained; the effectiveness of the training; measures of
   56  postsecondary readiness of the students affected by the program;
   57  levels of participation in 10th grade PSAT/NMSQT or ACT Aspire
   58  PLAN testing; and measures of student, parent, and teacher
   59  awareness of and satisfaction with the services of the
   60  partnership.
   61         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2016.