Bill Text: FL S1316 | 2019 | Regular Session | Introduced

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: Civic Education

Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Failed) 2019-05-03 - Died in Appropriations Subcommittee on Education [S1316 Detail]

Download: Florida-2019-S1316-Introduced.html

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       Florida Senate - 2019                                    SB 1316
       
       
        
       By Senator Brandes
       
       
       
       
       
       24-01527-19                                           20191316__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to civic education; providing a short
    3         title; amending s. 1003.4282, F.S.; revising the
    4         requirements for a standard high school diploma to
    5         include a specified course; providing requirements for
    6         such course; creating s. 1003.4321, F.S.; establishing
    7         the Florida Seal of Civic Engagement Program;
    8         providing the purpose of the program; requiring the
    9         State Board of Education to establish criteria for
   10         awarding the seal; providing requirements for such
   11         criteria; providing duties of the Commissioner of
   12         Education and school districts; prohibiting a school
   13         district or the Department of Education from charging
   14         a fee for the seal; requiring the state board to adopt
   15         rules; amending s. 1003.497, F.S.; providing that a
   16         nonpartisan civic literacy project may be included in
   17         service-learning programs, activities, or policies;
   18         creating s. 1003.4971, F.S.; authorizing certain
   19         students to complete a nonpartisan civic literacy
   20         project; requiring the state board to develop the
   21         minimum criteria for such project and a process to
   22         confirm completion; providing requirements for such
   23         criteria and for nonpartisan civic literacy projects;
   24         prohibiting a student from receiving remuneration for
   25         specified purposes; authorizing the hours devoted to
   26         such project to be used for specified purposes;
   27         authorizing a school to integrate a nonpartisan civic
   28         literacy project into a service-learning program or
   29         activity; requiring the state board to adopt rules;
   30         creating s. 1003.632, F.S.; providing a purpose;
   31         requiring the state board to annually designate public
   32         schools that meet specified criteria as Democracy
   33         Schools; requiring the state board to establish the
   34         criteria for designation as a Democracy School;
   35         providing requirements for such criteria; requiring
   36         the state board to adopt rules; amending s. 1007.25,
   37         F.S.; providing that earning the Seal of Civic
   38         Engagement demonstrates competency in civic literacy
   39         for specified purposes; providing membership
   40         requirements for a specified faculty committee;
   41         amending s. 1008.34, F.S.; revising school grade
   42         components to include students who complete a
   43         specified course with a grade of “B” or higher;
   44         providing a weighted calculation for schools
   45         designated as a Democracy School; providing an
   46         effective date.
   47          
   48  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   49  
   50         Section 1. Paragraph (d) of subsection (3) of section
   51  1003.4282, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
   52         1003.4282 Requirements for a standard high school diploma.—
   53         (3) STANDARD HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA; COURSE AND ASSESSMENT
   54  REQUIREMENTS.—
   55         (d) Three credits in social studies.—A student must earn
   56  one credit in United States History; one credit in World
   57  History; one-half credit in economics, which must include
   58  financial literacy; and one-half credit in United States
   59  Government or, beginning with students entering grade 9 in the
   60  2020-2021 school year, one-half credit in United States
   61  Government and Civic Engagement. The United States History EOC
   62  assessment constitutes 30 percent of the student’s final course
   63  grade. The one-half credit in United States Government and Civic
   64  Engagement must include an individual or group nonpartisan civic
   65  literacy project pursuant to s. 1003.4971 as a laboratory
   66  component. The state board shall approve and identify in the
   67  Course Code Directory the United States Government and Civic
   68  Engagement course. Such course may be offered as a semester
   69  course or a year-long course.
   70         Section 2. Section 1003.4321, Florida Statutes, is created
   71  to read:
   72         1003.4321 Florida Seal of Civic Engagement Program.—
   73         (1) The Florida Seal of Civic Engagement Program is
   74  established to recognize each high school graduate who has
   75  attained a high level of community involvement and academic
   76  achievement in civics.
   77         (2) The purpose of the Florida Seal of Civic Engagement
   78  Program is to encourage students to understand the basic
   79  principles of American democracy and to foster a sense of
   80  citizenship and community involvement.
   81         (3) Beginning with the 2020-2021 school year, the Seal of
   82  Civic Engagement shall be awarded to a high school student who
   83  earns a standard high school diploma and who meets the
   84  requirements established by the State Board of Education. In
   85  establishing the criteria for awarding the Seal of Civic
   86  Engagement, the state board shall include all of the following:
   87         (a) Completion of the United States Government and Civic
   88  Engagement course with a grade of “B” or higher.
   89         (b) Community service or extracurricular activities that
   90  are related to civic engagement.
   91         (c) Additional academic achievement in courses that include
   92  the study of civics and the United States Government.
   93         (4) The Commissioner of Education shall:
   94         (a) Prepare and provide to each school district an
   95  appropriate insignia to affix to a student’s diploma indicating
   96  that the student has been awarded the Seal of Civic Engagement.
   97         (b) Provide information necessary for school districts to
   98  successfully implement the program.
   99         (5) Each school district shall:
  100         (a) Maintain appropriate records to identify students who
  101  have met the requirements to receive the Seal of Civic
  102  Engagement.
  103         (b) Provide the commissioner with the number of students
  104  who have met the requirements to receive the Seal of Civic
  105  Engagement.
  106         (c) Affix the appropriate insignia to the student’s diploma
  107  and indicate on the student’s transcript that the student has
  108  earned the Seal of Civic Engagement.
  109         (6) A school district or the Department of Education may
  110  not charge a fee for the Seal of Civic Engagement.
  111         (7) The state board shall adopt rules to implement this
  112  section. Such rules must, at a minimum, include all of the
  113  following:
  114         (a) The requirements a student must meet to be awarded the
  115  Seal of Civic Engagement.
  116         (b) A process to confirm a student’s successful completion
  117  of the requirements to receive the Seal of Civic Engagement.
  118         Section 3. Subsection (1) of section 1003.497, Florida
  119  Statutes, is amended to read:
  120         1003.497 Service learning.—
  121         (1) The Department of Education shall encourage school
  122  districts to initiate, adopt, expand, and institutionalize
  123  service-learning programs, activities, and policies in
  124  kindergarten through grade 12, including nonpartisan civic
  125  literacy projects under s. 1003.4971. Service learning refers to
  126  a student-centered, research-based teaching and learning
  127  strategy that engages students in meaningful service activities
  128  in their schools or communities. Service-learning activities are
  129  directly tied to academic curricula, standards, and course,
  130  district, or state assessments. Service-learning activities
  131  foster academic achievement, character development, civic
  132  engagement, and career exploration and enable students to apply
  133  curriculum content, skills, and behaviors taught in the
  134  classroom.
  135         Section 4. Section 1003.4971, Florida Statutes, is created
  136  to read:
  137         1003.4971 Nonpartisan Civic Literacy Projects.—
  138         (1) Beginning with students entering grade 9 in the 2020
  139  2021 school year, students shall complete a nonpartisan civic
  140  literacy project as the laboratory component of the United
  141  States Government and Civic Engagement course offered under s.
  142  1003.4282. The State Board of Education shall develop the
  143  minimum criteria for a nonpartisan civic literacy project and a
  144  process for a district school board to confirm a student’s
  145  completion of the project. The criteria for nonpartisan civic
  146  literacy projects must, at a minimum, require a student to:
  147         (a) Identify a civic issue that impacts his or her
  148  community.
  149         (b) Rigorously research the issue from multiple
  150  perspectives and develop a plan for his or her personal
  151  involvement in addressing the issue.
  152         (c) Create a portfolio to evaluate and reflect upon his or
  153  her experience and the outcomes of his or her involvement.
  154         (2)(a) A nonpartisan civic literacy project must be
  155  nonpartisan in nature and focus on addressing at least one
  156  community issue.
  157         (b) A nonpartisan civic literacy project must promote a
  158  student’s ability to consider differing points of view and
  159  engage in civil discourse with individuals who hold an opposing
  160  opinion.
  161         (c) A student may not receive remuneration for his or her
  162  work relating to the nonpartisan civic literacy project.
  163         (d) The hours that a high school student devotes to a
  164  nonpartisan civic literacy project may be counted toward meeting
  165  community service requirements for high school graduation and
  166  community service requirements for participation in the Florida
  167  Bright Futures Scholarship Program. School districts are
  168  encouraged to include and accept nonpartisan civic literacy
  169  project activities and hours in requirements for academic
  170  awards, especially those awards that currently include community
  171  service as a criterion or selection factor.
  172         (3) The state board shall adopt rules to administer this
  173  section.
  174         Section 5. Section 1003.632, Florida Statutes, is created
  175  to read:
  176         1003.632 Democracy Schools.—The purpose of this section is
  177  to recognize each public school in the state that demonstrates a
  178  commitment to integrating high-quality civic learning, including
  179  civic-engagement skills, into its academic curricula.
  180         (1) The State Board of Education shall annually designate
  181  each public school in the state that provides students with
  182  high-quality civic learning, including civic-engagement skills,
  183  as a Democracy School.
  184         (2) The state board shall establish the criteria for
  185  designation as a Democracy School. The criteria must include all
  186  of the following:
  187         (a) Offering the United States Government and Civic
  188  Engagement course as a year-long course.
  189         (b) The extent to which strategies to develop high-quality
  190  civic learning, including civic-engagement skills, are
  191  integrated into the classroom using best instructional
  192  practices.
  193         (c) The scope of integration of high-quality civic
  194  learning, including civic-engagement skills, across the school’s
  195  curricula.
  196         (d) The extent to which school administrators and
  197  instructional personnel have made high-quality civic learning,
  198  including civic-engagement skills, an instructional priority.
  199         (e) The extent to which the school supports
  200  interdisciplinary, teacher-led professional learning communities
  201  to support continuous improvement in instruction and student
  202  achievement.
  203         (3) The state board shall adopt rules to administer this
  204  section.
  205         Section 6. Subsection (4) of section 1007.25, Florida
  206  Statutes, is amended to read:
  207         1007.25 General education courses; common prerequisites;
  208  other degree requirements.—
  209         (4) Beginning with students initially entering a Florida
  210  College System institution or state university in the 2018-2019
  211  school year and thereafter, each student must demonstrate
  212  competency in civic literacy. Students must have the option to
  213  demonstrate competency through successful completion of a civic
  214  literacy course, or by achieving a passing score on an
  215  assessment, or, beginning in the 2020-2021 school year, by
  216  earning the Seal of Civic Engagement pursuant to s. 1003.4321.
  217  The State Board of Education must adopt in rule and the Board of
  218  Governors must adopt in regulation at least one existing
  219  assessment that measures competencies consistent with the
  220  required course competencies outlined in paragraph (b). The
  221  chair of the State Board of Education and the chair of the Board
  222  of Governors, or their respective designees, shall jointly
  223  appoint a faculty committee, representing faculty from public
  224  postsecondary educational institutions located in counties of
  225  varying size and demographic makeup, to:
  226         (a) Develop a new course in civic literacy or revise an
  227  existing general education core course in American History or
  228  American Government to include civic literacy.
  229         (b) Establish course competencies and identify outcomes
  230  that include, at a minimum, an understanding of the basic
  231  principles of American democracy and how they are applied in our
  232  republican form of government, an understanding of the United
  233  States Constitution, knowledge of the founding documents and how
  234  they have shaped the nature and functions of our institutions of
  235  self-governance, and an understanding of landmark Supreme Court
  236  cases and their impact on law and society.
  237         Section 7. Paragraph (b) of subsection (3) of section
  238  1008.34, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
  239         1008.34 School grading system; school report cards;
  240  district grade.—
  241         (3) DESIGNATION OF SCHOOL GRADES.—
  242         (b)1. Beginning with the 2014-2015 school year, a school’s
  243  grade shall be based on the following components, each worth 100
  244  points:
  245         a. The percentage of eligible students passing statewide,
  246  standardized assessments in English Language Arts under s.
  247  1008.22(3).
  248         b. The percentage of eligible students passing statewide,
  249  standardized assessments in mathematics under s. 1008.22(3).
  250         c. The percentage of eligible students passing statewide,
  251  standardized assessments in science under s. 1008.22(3).
  252         d. The percentage of eligible students passing statewide,
  253  standardized assessments in social studies under s. 1008.22(3).
  254         e. The percentage of eligible students who make Learning
  255  Gains in English Language Arts as measured by statewide,
  256  standardized assessments administered under s. 1008.22(3).
  257         f. The percentage of eligible students who make Learning
  258  Gains in mathematics as measured by statewide, standardized
  259  assessments administered under s. 1008.22(3).
  260         g. The percentage of eligible students in the lowest 25
  261  percent in English Language Arts, as identified by prior year
  262  performance on statewide, standardized assessments, who make
  263  Learning Gains as measured by statewide, standardized English
  264  Language Arts assessments administered under s. 1008.22(3).
  265         h. The percentage of eligible students in the lowest 25
  266  percent in mathematics, as identified by prior year performance
  267  on statewide, standardized assessments, who make Learning Gains
  268  as measured by statewide, standardized Mathematics assessments
  269  administered under s. 1008.22(3).
  270         i. For schools comprised of middle grades 6 through 8 or
  271  grades 7 and 8, the percentage of eligible students passing high
  272  school level statewide, standardized end-of-course assessments
  273  or attaining national industry certifications identified in the
  274  CAPE Industry Certification Funding List pursuant to rules
  275  adopted by the State Board of Education.
  276  
  277  In calculating Learning Gains for the components listed in sub
  278  subparagraphs e.-h., the State Board of Education shall require
  279  that learning growth toward achievement levels 3, 4, and 5 is
  280  demonstrated by students who scored below each of those levels
  281  in the prior year. In calculating the components in sub
  282  subparagraphs a.-d., the state board shall include the
  283  performance of English language learners only if they have been
  284  enrolled in a school in the United States for more than 2 years.
  285         2. For a school comprised of grades 9, 10, 11, and 12, or
  286  grades 10, 11, and 12, the school’s grade shall also be based on
  287  the following components, each worth 100 points:
  288         a. The 4-year high school graduation rate of the school as
  289  defined by state board rule.
  290         b. The percentage of students who were eligible to earn
  291  college and career credit through College Board Advanced
  292  Placement examinations, International Baccalaureate
  293  examinations, dual enrollment courses, or Advanced International
  294  Certificate of Education examinations; or who, at any time
  295  during high school, earned national industry certification
  296  identified in the CAPE Industry Certification Funding List,
  297  pursuant to rules adopted by the state board; or, beginning with
  298  the 2020-2021 school year, who complete the United States
  299  Government and Civic Engagement course with a grade of “B” or
  300  higher. For a school that is designated as a Democracy School
  301  pursuant to s. 1003.632, the percentage of students who
  302  completed the United States Government and Civic Engagement
  303  course with a grade of “B” or higher shall be multiplied by a
  304  weight of 1.2 for purposes of this sub-subparagraph.
  305         Section 8. This act shall take effect July 1, 2019.