Bill Text: FL S1202 | 2014 | Regular Session | Introduced
NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft
Bill Title: Career Centers and Charter Technical Career Centers
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Failed) 2014-05-02 - Died in Appropriations Subcommittee on Education, companion bill(s) passed, see CS/CS/CS/HB 851 (Ch. 2014-62) [S1202 Detail]
Download: Florida-2014-S1202-Introduced.html
Bill Title: Career Centers and Charter Technical Career Centers
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Failed) 2014-05-02 - Died in Appropriations Subcommittee on Education, companion bill(s) passed, see CS/CS/CS/HB 851 (Ch. 2014-62) [S1202 Detail]
Download: Florida-2014-S1202-Introduced.html
Florida Senate - 2014 SB 1202
By Senator Montford
3-01214A-14 20141202__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to career centers and charter
3 technical career centers; amending s. 1001.44, F.S.;
4 authorizing a career center to offer college credit
5 courses applicable toward specific certificates or
6 degrees; providing a process for approval to offer
7 specific degree programs; requiring the State Board of
8 Education to adopt rules; authorizing a career center
9 to change the institution’s name; amending s. 1002.34,
10 F.S.; authorizing a charter technical career center to
11 offer college credit courses applicable toward
12 specific certificates or degrees; providing an
13 approval process; authorizing a charter technical
14 career center to change the institution’s name;
15 amending s. 1004.02, F.S., relating to definitions;
16 renaming the applied technology diploma program as the
17 college credit certificate program and clarifying the
18 program; amending ss. 1007.23 and 1007.25, F.S.;
19 conforming provisions; amending s. 1009.22, F.S.;
20 revising and clarifying tuition and fees for specific
21 workforce education programs; amending ss. 1009.53,
22 1009.532, and 1009.536, F.S.; conforming provisions;
23 amending s. 1011.80, F.S.; conforming provisions;
24 authorizing a career center to offer associate in
25 applied science degree programs; correcting a cross
26 reference; providing an effective date.
27
28 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
29
30 Section 1. Section 1001.44, Florida Statutes, is amended to
31 read:
32 (Substantial rewording of section. See
33 s. 1001.44, F.S., for present text.)
34 1001.44 Career centers.—
35 (1) In order to provide additional career pathways, career
36 centers shall support and enhance a competitive workforce by
37 offering high-quality career and technical education programs
38 that prepare graduates for current and emerging careers.
39 (2)(a) A career center is an educational institution that
40 offers postsecondary career and technical education programs and
41 is under the control of the district school board of the school
42 district in which the center is located. A district school
43 board, after first obtaining the approval of the Commissioner of
44 Education, may organize, establish, and operate a career center
45 or acquire and operate a career center previously established.
46 (b) The district school boards of two or more contiguous
47 districts may, after first obtaining the approval of the
48 commissioner, enter into an agreement to organize, establish,
49 and operate, or acquire and operate, a career center under this
50 section.
51 (3) A career center shall maintain an academic transcript
52 for each student enrolled in the center. A student’s transcript
53 shall include each course completed, credit earned, and
54 credentials earned by the student. Each course shall be
55 delineated by the course prefix and title assigned pursuant to
56 s. 1007.24. A career center shall make each student’s transcript
57 available to that student.
58 (4) A career center may offer college credit courses
59 applicable toward a college credit certificate or an associate
60 in applied science degree through a partnership with a Florida
61 College System institution or through direct authority to award
62 such certificates and degrees. A career center must submit a
63 proposal to the State Board of Education for approval before
64 offering and awarding associate in applied science degrees.
65 (5) The process for a career center to offer an associate
66 in applied science degree program shall be as follows:
67 (a) The career center shall submit a notice of its intent
68 to propose an associate in applied science degree program to the
69 Division of Career and Adult Education and the Florida College
70 System institution in its service area 45 days before submitting
71 the proposal. The notice must include a brief description of the
72 program, the geographic region to be served, and an estimated
73 timeframe for implementation. The notice must also include
74 evidence that the career center engaged in need, demand, and
75 impact discussions with the Florida College System institution
76 in its service area.
77 (b) A proposal to offer an associate in applied science
78 degree program shall be submitted to the Division of Career and
79 Adult Education and, at a minimum, include:
80 1. A description of the planning process and timeline for
81 implementation.
82 2. An analysis of workforce demand and unmet need for
83 graduates of the program on a district or regional basis, as
84 appropriate, including evidence from entities independent of the
85 institution.
86 3. Identification of the facilities, equipment, and library
87 and academic resources that will be used to deliver the program.
88 4. A cost analysis of creating a new associate in applied
89 science degree program.
90 5. The program’s admission requirements, academic content,
91 curriculum, faculty credentials, student-to-teacher ratios, and
92 accreditation plan.
93 6. Feedback from the Florida College System institution
94 regarding the notice of intent pursuant to paragraph (a).
95 7. The program’s enrollment projections and funding
96 requirements.
97 8. A description of outcome measures that will be used to
98 determine success, including, but not limited to, program
99 completions, placements, licensures, and feedback of employer
100 satisfaction with the job performance of graduates.
101 9. A plan that describes how the career center’s college
102 credit courses will meet the equivalent faculty credential
103 standards for inclusion in the statewide course numbering system
104 pursuant to s. 1007.24(7).
105 10. A plan of action if the program is terminated.
106 (c) The Division of Career and Adult Education shall review
107 the proposal, notify the career center, in writing, of any
108 deficiencies within 30 days after receipt of the proposal, and
109 provide the center with an opportunity to correct the
110 deficiencies.
111 (d) Within 45 days after receipt of the finalized proposal
112 by the Division of Career and Adult Education, the commissioner
113 shall recommend approval or disapproval of the proposal to the
114 state board. The state board shall consider the recommendation
115 and the proposal at the next scheduled meeting, adhering to
116 appropriate meeting notice requirements. If the state board
117 disapproves the career center proposal, it shall provide the
118 center with a written explanation for that determination. The
119 state board’s action is not subject to the provisions of the
120 Administrative Procedure Act.
121 (e) After approval by the state board to offer its first
122 associate in applied science degree program, the career center
123 must obtain accreditation as an associate-in-applied-science
124 degree-granting institution from an accrediting agency that is
125 recognized by the United States Department of Education.
126 (f) A career center shall notify the appropriate
127 accrediting agency of subsequent degree programs that are
128 approved by the state board.
129 (g) A career center shall annually, and upon request of the
130 state board, the Chancellor of Career and Adult Education, or
131 the Legislature, report its status using the following
132 performance and compliance indicators:
133 1. Obtaining and maintaining appropriate accreditation.
134 2. Maintaining qualified faculty and institutional
135 resources.
136 3. Maintaining enrollment in previously approved programs.
137 4. Managing fiscal resources appropriately.
138 5. Measuring program success, including program
139 completions, placements, licensures, and employer satisfaction
140 with the job performance of graduates.
141
142 The state board, upon review of the performance and compliance
143 indicators, may require a career center to modify or terminate
144 an associate in applied science degree program authorized under
145 this section.
146 (6) The state board shall adopt rules providing guidelines
147 for receiving, reviewing, and approving proposals to offer
148 associate in applied science degree programs. The rules shall
149 establish an annual timeframe by which proposals must be
150 received. The rules shall also require that a presentation be
151 made to assist the state board in its decision.
152 (7) With the approval of its district school board, a
153 career center may change the institution’s name and use the
154 designation “technical college” if the center offers college
155 credit certificate programs or has been authorized to offer
156 associate in applied science degree programs pursuant to
157 subsection (5).
158 Section 2. Paragraphs (b) and (g) of subsection (11) of
159 section 1002.34, Florida Statutes, are amended, and paragraphs
160 (h) and (i) are added to that subsection, to read:
161 1002.34 Charter technical career centers.—
162 (11) FUNDING.—
163 (b) Each district school board and Florida College System
164 institution that sponsors a charter technical career center
165 shall pay directly to the center an amount stated in the
166 charter. State funding shall be generated for the center for its
167 student enrollment and program outcomes as provided in law. A
168 center is eligible for funding from workforce education funds,
169 the Florida Education Finance Program, and the Florida College
170 System Program Fund, depending upon the programs offered
171 conducted by the center, pursuant to s. 1011.80.
172 (g) A center must describe define in the charter agreement
173 the delivery system in which the instructional offering of
174 educational services will be placed. The rules governing this
175 delivery system must be applied to all of the center’s students
176 and must authorize all other sponsoring educational systems to
177 report required enrollment and student data based solely on the
178 rules of the offering institution. Each sponsor shall earn full
179 time equivalent membership for each student for funding and
180 reporting purposes.
181 (h) A center may offer college credit courses applicable
182 toward a college credit certificate or an associate in applied
183 science degree through a partnership with a Florida College
184 System institution or through direct authority to award such
185 certificates and degrees. A center must submit a proposal to the
186 State Board of Education for approval before offering and
187 awarding associate in applied science degrees, as prescribed in
188 s. 1001.44(5).
189 (i) With the approval of its board of directors, a center
190 may change the institution’s name and use the designation
191 “technical college” if the center offers college credit
192 certificate programs or has been authorized to offer associate
193 in applied science degree programs pursuant to s. 1001.44(5).
194 Section 3. Subsections (8) and (26) of section 1004.02,
195 Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
196 1004.02 Definitions.—As used in this chapter:
197 (8) “College credit certificate program” “Applied
198 technology diploma program” means a course of study that is part
199 of a technical degree program, is less than 60 credit hours, and
200 leads to employment in a specific occupation. An applied
201 technology diploma program may consist of either technical
202 credit or college credit. A public school district may offer an
203 applied technology diploma program only as technical credit,
204 with college credit awarded to a student upon articulation to a
205 Florida College System institution. Statewide articulation among
206 public schools and Florida College System institutions is
207 guaranteed by s. 1007.23, and is subject to guidelines and
208 standards adopted by the State Board of Education pursuant to
209 ss. 1007.24 and 1007.25.
210 (26) “Workforce education” means adult general education or
211 career education and may consist of a continuing workforce
212 education course or a program of study leading to an
213 occupational completion point, a career certificate, a college
214 credit certificate an applied technology diploma, or a career
215 degree.
216 Section 4. Subsections (1) and (4) of section 1007.23,
217 Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
218 1007.23 Statewide articulation agreement.—
219 (1) The State Board of Education and the Board of Governors
220 shall enter into a statewide articulation agreement which the
221 State Board of Education shall adopt by rule. The agreement must
222 preserve Florida’s “2+2” system of articulation, facilitate the
223 seamless articulation of student credit across and among
224 Florida’s educational entities, and reinforce the provisions of
225 this chapter by governing:
226 (a) Articulation between secondary and postsecondary
227 education.;
228 (b) Admission of associate in arts degree graduates from
229 Florida College System institutions and state universities.;
230 (c) Admission of college credit certificate applied
231 technology diploma program graduates from Florida College System
232 institutions or career centers.;
233 (d) Admission of associate in science degree and associate
234 in applied science degree graduates from Florida College System
235 institutions.;
236 (e) The use of acceleration mechanisms, including
237 nationally standardized examinations through which students may
238 earn credit.;
239 (f) General education requirements and statewide course
240 numbers as provided for in ss. 1007.24 and 1007.25.; and
241 (g) Articulation among programs in nursing.
242 (4) The articulation agreement must guarantee the statewide
243 articulation of appropriate workforce development programs and
244 courses between school districts and Florida College System
245 institutions and specifically provide that every college credit
246 certificate applied technology diploma graduate must be granted
247 the same amount of credit upon admission to an associate in
248 science degree or associate in applied science degree program
249 unless it is a limited access program. Preference for admission
250 must be given to graduates who are residents of Florida.
251 Section 5. Subsections (2) and (11) of section 1007.25,
252 Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
253 1007.25 General education courses; common prerequisites;
254 other degree requirements.—
255 (2) The department shall identify postsecondary career
256 education programs offered by Florida College System
257 institutions and district school boards. The department shall
258 also identify career courses designated as college credit
259 courses applicable toward a college credit certificate career
260 education diploma or degree. Such courses must be identified
261 within the statewide course numbering system.
262 (11) The Commissioner of Education shall appoint faculty
263 committees representing both Florida College System institution
264 and public school faculties to recommend to the commissioner for
265 approval by the State Board of Education a standard program
266 length and appropriate occupational completion points for each
267 postsecondary career certificate program, college credit
268 certificate diploma, and degree offered by a school district or
269 a Florida College System institution.
270 Section 6. Subsection (3) of section 1009.22, Florida
271 Statutes, is amended to read:
272 1009.22 Workforce education postsecondary student fees.—
273 (3)(a) Except as otherwise provided by law, fees for
274 students who are nonresidents for tuition purposes must offset
275 the full cost of instruction. Residency of students pursuing a
276 college credit certificate or an associate in applied science
277 degree shall be determined as required in s. 1009.21. Fee
278 nonexempt students enrolled in applied academics for adult
279 education instruction shall be charged fees equal to the fees
280 charged for adult general education programs. Each Florida
281 College System institution that conducts developmental education
282 and applied academics for adult education instruction in the
283 same class section may charge a single fee for both types of
284 instruction.
285 (b) Fees for continuing workforce education shall be
286 locally determined by the district school board or Florida
287 College System institution board. Expenditures for the
288 continuing workforce education program provided by the Florida
289 College System institution or school district must be fully
290 supported by fees. Enrollments in continuing workforce education
291 courses may not be counted for purposes of funding full-time
292 equivalent enrollment.
293 (c) Effective July 1, 2011, for programs leading to a
294 career certificate or an applied technology diploma, the
295 standard tuition shall be $2.22 per contact hour for residents
296 and nonresidents and the out-of-state fee shall be $6.66 per
297 contact hour. For adult general education programs, a block
298 tuition of $45 per half year or $30 per term shall be assessed
299 for residents and nonresidents, and the out-of-state fee shall
300 be $135 per half year or $90 per term. Each district school
301 board and Florida College System institution board of trustees
302 shall adopt policies and procedures for the collection of and
303 accounting for the expenditure of the block tuition. All funds
304 received from the block tuition shall be used only for adult
305 general education programs. Students enrolled in adult general
306 education programs may not be assessed the fees authorized in
307 subsection (5), subsection (6), or subsection (7).
308 (d) For programs leading to a career certificate, the
309 standard tuition shall be $2.33 per contact hour for residents
310 and nonresidents and the out-of-state fee shall be $6.66 per
311 contact hour in addition to the standard tuition of $2.33 per
312 contact hour. For programs leading to a college credit
313 certificate or an associate in applied science degree, the
314 standard tuition shall be $71.98 per college credit hour for
315 residents and nonresidents and the out-of-state fee shall be
316 $215.94 per credit hour in addition to the standard college
317 credit hour rate of $71.98.
318 (e)(d) Beginning with the 2008-2009 fiscal year and each
319 year thereafter, The tuition and the out-of-state fee per
320 contact hour shall increase at the beginning of each fall
321 semester at a rate equal to inflation, unless otherwise provided
322 in the General Appropriations Act. The Office of Economic and
323 Demographic Research shall report the rate of inflation to the
324 President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of
325 Representatives, the Governor, and the State Board of Education
326 each year before prior to March 1. For purposes of this
327 paragraph, the rate of inflation shall be defined as the rate of
328 the 12-month percentage change in the Consumer Price Index for
329 All Urban Consumers, U.S. City Average, All Items, or successor
330 reports as reported by the United States Department of Labor,
331 Bureau of Labor Statistics, or its successor for December of the
332 previous year. In the event the percentage change is negative,
333 the tuition and out-of-state fee shall remain at the same level
334 as the prior fiscal year.
335 (f)(e) Each district school board and each Florida College
336 System institution board of trustees may adopt tuition and out
337 of-state fees that may vary no more than 5 percent below and 5
338 percent above the combined total of the standard tuition and
339 out-of-state fees established in paragraph (d)(c).
340 (f) The maximum increase in resident tuition for any school
341 district or Florida College System institution during the 2007
342 2008 fiscal year shall be 5 percent over the tuition charged
343 during the 2006-2007 fiscal year.
344 (g) The State Board of Education may adopt, by rule, the
345 definitions and procedures that district school boards and
346 Florida College System institution boards of trustees shall use
347 in the calculation of cost borne by students.
348 Section 7. Subsection (1) of section 1009.53, Florida
349 Statutes, is amended to read:
350 1009.53 Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program.—
351 (1) The Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program is
352 created to establish a lottery-funded scholarship program to
353 reward any Florida high school graduate who merits recognition
354 of high academic achievement and who enrolls in a degree
355 program, certificate program, or college credit certificate
356 applied technology program at an eligible Florida public or
357 private postsecondary education institution within 3 years of
358 graduation from high school.
359 Section 8. Paragraph (c) of subsection (3) of section
360 1009.532, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
361 1009.532 Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program;
362 student eligibility requirements for renewal awards.—
363 (3)
364 (c) A student who is initially eligible in the 2012-2013
365 academic year and thereafter may receive an award for a maximum
366 of 100 percent of the number of credit hours required to
367 complete an associate degree program, a baccalaureate degree
368 program, or a postsecondary career certificate program or, for a
369 Florida Gold Seal Vocational Scholars award, may receive an
370 award for a maximum of 100 percent of the number of credit hours
371 or equivalent clock hours required to complete one of the
372 following at a Florida public or nonpublic education institution
373 that offers these specific programs: for a college credit
374 certificate an applied technology diploma program as defined in
375 s. 1004.02(8), up to 60 credit hours or equivalent clock hours;
376 for a technical degree education program as defined in s.
377 1004.02(14), up to the number of hours required for a specific
378 degree not to exceed 72 credit hours or equivalent clock hours;
379 or for a career certificate program as defined in s.
380 1004.02(21), up to the number of hours required for a specific
381 certificate not to exceed 72 credit hours or equivalent clock
382 hours. A student who transfers from one of these program levels
383 to another program level becomes eligible for the higher of the
384 two credit hour limits.
385 Section 9. Paragraph (c) of subsection (4) of section
386 1009.536, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
387 1009.536 Florida Gold Seal Vocational Scholars award.—The
388 Florida Gold Seal Vocational Scholars award is created within
389 the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program to recognize and
390 reward academic achievement and career preparation by high
391 school students who wish to continue their education.
392 (4)
393 (c) A student who is initially eligible in the 2012-2013
394 academic year and thereafter may earn a Florida Gold Seal
395 Vocational Scholarship for a maximum of 100 percent of the
396 number of credit hours or equivalent clock hours required to
397 complete one of the following at a Florida public or nonpublic
398 education institution that offers these specific programs: for a
399 college credit certificate an applied technology diploma program
400 as defined in s. 1004.02(8), up to 60 credit hours or equivalent
401 clock hours; for a technical degree education program as defined
402 in s. 1004.02(14), up to the number of hours required for a
403 specific degree not to exceed 72 credit hours or equivalent
404 clock hours; or for a career certificate program as defined in
405 s. 1004.02(21), up to the number of hours required for a
406 specific certificate not to exceed 72 credit hours or equivalent
407 clock hours.
408 Section 10. Paragraph (c) of subsection (1) and subsections
409 (2) and (10) of section 1011.80, Florida Statutes, are amended
410 to read:
411 1011.80 Funds for operation of workforce education
412 programs.—
413 (1) As used in this section, the terms “workforce
414 education” and “workforce education program” include:
415 (c) College credit certificate Applied technology diploma
416 programs, as defined in s. 1004.02(8).
417 (2) A Any workforce education program may be conducted by a
418 Florida College System institution or a school district, except
419 that college credit in an associate in applied science or an
420 associate in science degree may be awarded only by a Florida
421 College System institution. However, if an associate in applied
422 science or an associate in science degree program contains
423 within it an occupational completion point that confers a
424 college credit certificate or an applied technology diploma,
425 that portion of the program may be offered conducted by a school
426 district career center. A career center authorized to offer an
427 associate in applied science degree program pursuant to s.
428 1001.44(5) may offer only those general education courses
429 contained within the approved degree program. Any Instruction
430 designed to articulate to a degree program is subject to
431 guidelines and standards adopted by the State Board of Education
432 pursuant to s. 1007.25.
433 (10) A high school student dually enrolled under s.
434 1007.271 in a workforce education program operated by a Florida
435 College System institution or school district career center
436 generates the amount calculated for workforce education funding,
437 including any payment of performance funding, and the
438 proportional share of full-time equivalent enrollment generated
439 through the Florida Education Finance Program for the student’s
440 enrollment in a high school. If a high school student is dually
441 enrolled in a Florida College System institution program,
442 including a program conducted at a high school, the Florida
443 College System institution earns the funds generated for
444 workforce education funding, and the school district earns the
445 proportional share of full-time equivalent funding from the
446 Florida Education Finance Program. If a student is dually
447 enrolled in a career center operated by the same district as the
448 district in which the student attends high school, that district
449 earns the funds generated for workforce education funding and
450 also earns the proportional share of full-time equivalent
451 funding from the Florida Education Finance Program. If a student
452 is dually enrolled in a workforce education program provided by
453 a career center operated by a different school district, the
454 funds must be divided between the two school districts
455 proportionally from the two funding sources. A student may not
456 be reported for funding in a dual enrollment workforce education
457 program unless the student has completed the basic skills
458 assessment pursuant to s. 1004.91. A student who is coenrolled
459 in a K-12 education program and an adult education program may
460 be reported for purposes of funding in an adult education
461 program. If a student is coenrolled in core curricula courses
462 for credit recovery or dropout prevention purposes and does not
463 have a pattern of excessive absenteeism or habitual truancy or a
464 history of disruptive behavior in school, the student may be
465 reported for funding for up to two courses per year. Such a
466 student is exempt from the payment of the block tuition for
467 adult general education programs provided in s. 1009.22(3)(c)
468 1009.22(3)(d). The Department of Education shall develop a list
469 of courses to be designated as core curricula courses for the
470 purposes of coenrollment.
471 Section 11. This act shall take effect July 1, 2014.
