Florida Senate - 2012                                     SB 298
       
       
       
       By Senator Oelrich
       
       
       
       
       14-00397-12                                            2012298__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to high school diploma options;
    3         requiring the Office of Program Policy Analysis and
    4         Government Accountability, in conjunction with the
    5         Department of Education, to conduct a study on the
    6         creation of a high school graduation option that
    7         focuses on career-technical education and leads to a
    8         career-technical education diploma; providing
    9         requirements for the study with recommendations to the
   10         Legislature; providing an effective date.
   11  
   12  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   13  
   14         Section 1. (1) The Office of Program Policy Analysis and
   15  Government Accountability, in conjunction with the Department of
   16  Education, shall conduct a study on the creation of a 4-year
   17  high school graduation option that focuses on career-technical
   18  education with less rigorous graduation requirements than the
   19  requirements currently in law. The study shall include, but is
   20  not limited to:
   21         (a) The feasibility of offering students the option of
   22  pursuing a career-technical education diploma, distinct from the
   23  standard high school diploma, which provides workforce readiness
   24  and requires at a minimum that a student earn at least one
   25  national industry certification identified in the Industry
   26  Certification Funding List.
   27         (b) Required coursework to earn a career-technical
   28  education diploma, including the possibility of changing between
   29  the coursework required to earn the standard high school diploma
   30  and the coursework required to earn a career-technical education
   31  diploma.
   32         (c) The potential use of career and professional academies,
   33  internships, the Florida Ready to Work Certification Program,
   34  and other relevant career and technical education programs.
   35         (d) A timeframe for implementation of a career-technical
   36  education graduation option and diploma if determined to be
   37  feasible.
   38         (2) The study shall build upon the information and findings
   39  reported in the Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government
   40  Accountability Report No. 11-05.
   41         (3) The Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government
   42  Accountability shall submit the results of its study with
   43  recommendations to the President of the Senate and the Speaker
   44  of the House of Representatives by December 1, 2012.
   45         Section 2. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.