Bill Text: FL S2016 | 2010 | Regular Session | Comm Sub

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Bill Title: High School Graduation [GPSC]

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Failed) 2010-04-30 - Died in Committee on Education Pre-K - 12 [S2016 Detail]

Download: Florida-2010-S2016-Comm_Sub.html

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Florida Senate - 2010                             CS for SB 2016 
 
By the Committee on Military Affairs and Domestic Security; and 
Senator Wise 
583-03027-10                                          20102016c1 
1                        A bill to be entitled 
2         An act relating to high school graduation; creating s. 
3         1003.452, F.S.; establishing the Florida National 
4         Guard Youth Challenge Program for the purpose of 
5         training and mentoring certain high school dropouts; 
6         requiring that the Clay County School District, the 
7         Department of Juvenile Justice, the Department of 
8         Children and Family Services, and the Florida National 
9         Guard jointly administer the program; providing for 
10         the program to be located at Camp Blanding Military 
11         Reservation; requiring that certain core academic 
12         courses be taught; requiring that the program include 
13         occupational or technical studies and physical 
14         training or applied health studies; requiring that 
15         students be prepared to assume leadership roles and 
16         demonstrate the principles of followership; requiring 
17         that each student volunteer to benefit his or her 
18         community and work as an unpaid intern or paid 
19         employee in order to successfully complete the 
20         program; providing for a residential and 
21         postresidential component of the program; providing 
22         for mentorship; requiring that students pass all 
23         sections of the General Education Development test and 
24         both parts of the Florida Comprehensive Assessment 
25         Test; providing for funding the program; creating s. 
26         1003.4282, F.S.; establishing the general education 
27         development exit option for the purpose of providing 
28         an alternative route to receiving a standard high 
29         school diploma for students who are enrolled in the 
30         Florida National Guard Youth Challenge Program or 
31         programs offered by or under contract with the 
32         Department of Juvenile Justice and approved by the 
33         Department of Education; specifying eligibility 
34         requirements for student participation; providing 
35         certain exemptions and requirements for successful 
36         completion of the GED exit option; requiring that a 
37         student’s transcript identify certain information 
38         regarding the program; requiring that the Department 
39         of Education include the program in its calculation of 
40         the high school graduation rate; amending s. 1003.435, 
41         F.S.; revising provisions relating to the high school 
42         equivalency diploma program; providing for the 
43         Department of Education to authorize a district school 
44         board to award high school equivalency diplomas; 
45         authorizing a district school board to participate in 
46         a program for students who are currently enrolled in 
47         K-12 public schools to be awarded high school 
48         equivalency diplomas; authorizing the State Board of 
49         Education to adopt rules establishing conditions for 
50         taking an examination to receive a high school 
51         equivalency diploma; amending s. 1008.34, F.S., 
52         relating to the student assessment data used in 
53         determining school grades; providing that a school may 
54         earn additional points toward its grade if a 
55         significant percentage of the school’s students are 
56         earning high school equivalency diplomas in lieu of 
57         standard diplomas; providing an effective date. 
58 
59  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 
60 
61         Section 1. Section 1003.452, Florida Statutes, is created 
62  to read: 
63         1003.452 The Florida National Guard Youth Challenge 
64  Program.— 
65         (1) PURPOSE.—The Florida National Guard Youth Challenge 
66  Program is created as a community-based program for the purpose 
67  of leading, training, and mentoring at-risk youths to become 
68  productive citizens in the future. 
69         (2) ADMINISTRATION.—The program shall be jointly 
70  administered on a statewide basis by the Clay County School 
71  District, the Department of Juvenile Justice, the Department of 
72  Children and Family Services, and the Florida National Guard. 
73  The program facilities shall be located at Camp Blanding 
74  Military Reservation. 
75         (3) ELIGIBILITY.—High school dropouts who are between the 
76  ages of 16 years and 19 years, who have not been convicted of a 
77  felony, and who are drug free are eligible to participate in the 
78  program. 
79         (4) PROGRAM DURATION.— 
80         (a) The program shall consist of at least a 22-week 
81  residential component during which each student must raise his 
82  or her mathematics, science, and reading scores. 
83         (b) After the residential component of the program, each 
84  student shall be assigned a case manager and a highly trained 
85  mentor for a period of at least 12 months. 
86         (5) CORE ACADEMICS.—Each core academic course shall be 
87  taught in a traditional classroom setting by computer-assisted 
88  instructors or shall be taught virtually. The core academic 
89  courses must include, at a minimum: 
90         (a) Mathematics; 
91         (b) Communications; 
92         (c) Science; 
93         (d) Social studies; and 
94         (e) Literature. 
95         (6) OCCUPATIONAL OR TECHNICAL STUDIES.—The program must 
96  also include occupational or technical studies taught in 
97  cooperation with a technical training center or college that 
98  awards occupational or technical certificates. 
99         (7) PHYSICAL TRAINING OR APPLIED HEALTH STUDIES.—The 
100  program must also include physical training or applied health 
101  studies. 
102         (8) LEADERSHIP ROLES.—Students shall be prepared to assume 
103  leadership roles and demonstrate the principles of good 
104  followership and the value of collaborative effort. 
105         (9) VOLUNTEERISM.—In addition to the program’s academic 
106  requirements, each student shall be required to volunteer his or 
107  her service for the benefit of the student’s community. 
108         (10) INTERNSHIPS OR EMPLOYMENT.—Each student must also 
109  successfully work as an unpaid intern or paid worker during the 
110  12-month, postresidential component of the program in order to 
111  successfully complete the program. 
112         (11) MENTORSHIP.—Each student must be paired with an 
113  individual who, through his or her accomplishments, rank, or 
114  social posture, serves as a positive role model and mentor who 
115  will help guide the student on a successful path to productivity 
116  and social assimilation. 
117         (12) TESTING REQUIREMENTS.—Students must also pass all five 
118  sections of the General Education Development (GED) test and 
119  pass both parts of the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test 
120  (FCAT). 
121         (13) FUNDING.—The Department of Defense, through a 
122  cooperative agreement with the National Guard Bureau and the 
123  Florida National Guard, and in conjunction with the Department 
124  of Juvenile Justice and the Department of Children and Family 
125  Services, shall provide for the costs associated with the 
126  program, including student housing, food, and clothing. The Clay 
127  County School District shall fund the instructional component of 
128  the program through funds provided in the Florida Education 
129  Finance Program. 
130         Section 2. Section 1003.4282, Florida statutes, is created 
131  to read: 
132         1003.4282 General education development exit option.— 
133         (1) GENERAL EDUCATION DEVELOPMENT EXIT OPTION.—The general 
134  education development (GED) exit option is a graduation strategy 
135  for students who are enrolled in the Florida National Guard 
136  Youth Challenge Program created in s. 1003.452 or programs 
137  offered by or under contract with the Department of Juvenile 
138  Justice and approved by the Department of Education. 
139         (a) Eligibility.—To be eligible to participate in the GED 
140  exit option, a student must be enrolled in the Florida National 
141  Guard Youth Challenge Program or a selected program offered by 
142  or under contract with the Department of Juvenile Justice and 
143  approved by the Department of Education and must meet the 
144  following criteria: 
145         1. Be enrolled in courses that meet high school graduation 
146  requirements. 
147         2. Have been a drop-out student or currently be in the 
148  custody of the Department of Juvenile Justice. 
149         3. Have earned acceptable scores on the official GED 
150  practice test administered under the student-testing conditions 
151  approved by the school district. 
152         4. Have a student cumulative record that indicates that the 
153  GED exit option is the most appropriate educational program for 
154  the student. 
155         (b) Exemption and requirements.— 
156         1. A student who participates in the GED exit option shall 
157  be exempt from the minimum graduation requirements prescribed 
158  for the standard high school diploma, including the grade point 
159  average and credit requirements. For exceptional education 
160  students, this exemption shall be included in the individual 
161  education plan. 
162         2. Upon entering the GED exit option, a student who has not 
163  previously met the requirements for promotion to grade 10 shall 
164  be promoted to grade 10 to enable the student to take the grade 
165  10 FCAT. 
166         3. A student who does not meet the requirements for high 
167  school graduation in grade 12 and who chooses to return for a 
168  13th year of school in order to participate in the GED exit 
169  option is not required to continue classes upon meeting the GED 
170  exit option requirements for graduation. After completing the 
171  requirements of the GED exit option, a student shall be 
172  considered a high school graduate. If the school district or 
173  school to which the student returns for a 13th year has 
174  implemented a program that requires a vocational component for 
175  graduation, the student may be required to complete this 
176  requirement in addition to the GED exit option requirements in 
177  order to be considered a high school graduate. 
178         (c) Successful completion.— 
179         1. To successfully complete the GED exit option and receive 
180  a standard high school diploma, a student must pass the GED test 
181  and all sections of the grade 10 FCAT. A student must also 
182  complete any vocational components included in an approved 
183  school program. 
184         2. A student who participates in the GED exit option may 
185  not graduate before his or her cohort group. 
186         (d) Transcripts.—The transcript shall identify only the 
187  actual credits earned, the successful completion of the FCAT 
188  requirements, and the date on which the diploma is awarded. 
189         (2) HIGH SCHOOL GRADES.—A student who successfully 
190  completes the GED exit option and receives a standard high 
191  school diploma shall be included in the high school grade 
192  calculated by the Department of Education pursuant to s. 1008.34 
193  as if the student had completed the requirements for high school 
194  graduation prescribed in s. 1003.43. 
195         Section 3. Subsections (1), (2), (3), (4), and (6) of 
196  section 1003.435, Florida Statutes, are amended to read: 
197         1003.435 High school equivalency diploma program.— 
198         (1)Â The State Board of Education shall adopt rules that 
199  prescribe performance standards and provide for comprehensive 
200  examinations to be administered to candidates for high school 
201  equivalency diplomas. Such rules shall include, but are not 
202  limited to, eligibility requirements, provisions for fees, 
203  frequency of examinations, and procedures for retaking an 
204  examination upon unsatisfactory performance. 
205         (2)Â The department may award, or may authorize a district 
206  school board to award, high school equivalency diplomas to 
207  candidates who meet the performance standards prescribed by the 
208  State Board of Education. 
209         (3)(a) Each district school board shall offer and 
210  administer the high school equivalency diploma examinations and 
211  the subject area examinations to all candidates pursuant to 
212  rules of the State Board of Education. 
213         (b) A district school board may participate in a program 
214  leading to the award of a high school equivalency diploma to 
215  students who are currently enrolled in K-12 public schools, 
216  pursuant to rules adopted by the State Board of Education. 
217         (4)Â A candidate for a high school equivalency diploma shall 
218  be at least 18 years of age on the date of the examination, 
219  except that in extraordinary circumstances, as provided for in 
220  rules of the district school board of the district in which the 
221  candidate resides or attends school, a candidate may take the 
222  examination after reaching the age of 16. The State Board of 
223  Education may adopt rules establishing conditions under which a 
224  student who is enrolled in a K-12 public school may take the 
225  examination before the student reaches 18 years of age if the 
226  student is participating in a program leading to the award of a 
227  high school equivalency diploma. 
228         (6)(a) Except as otherwise provided in s. 1008.34, all high 
229  school equivalency diplomas issued under the provisions of this 
230  section shall have equal status with other high school diplomas 
231  for all state purposes, including admission to any state 
232  university or community college. 
233         (b)Â The State Board of Education may shall adopt rules 
234  providing for the award of a standard high school diploma to 
235  holders of high school equivalency diplomas who are assessed as 
236  meeting designated criteria, and the commissioner shall 
237  establish procedures for administering the assessment. 
238         Section 4. Paragraph (d) is added to subsection (3) of 
239  section 1008.34, Florida Statutes, to read: 
240         1008.34 School grading system; school report cards; 
241  district grade.— 
242         (3) DESIGNATION OF SCHOOL GRADES.— 
243         (d) Beginning in 2010-2011, schools may earn additional 
244  points towards their school grade if a significant percentage of 
245  students not earning a standard diploma pursuant to s. 1003.43 
246  earn a high school equivalency diploma pursuant to s. 1003.435. 
247  The state Board of Education may elect to afford greater weight 
248  to diplomas awarded pursuant to s. 1003.435(3)(b) than is 
249  granted to other equivalency diplomas. 
250         Section 5. This act shall take effect July 1, 2010.