Florida Senate - 2013 SB 1720
By Senator Galvano
26-00836C-13 20131720__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to college instruction; amending s.
3 11.45, F.S.; revising actions to be taken by the
4 Legislative Auditing Committee relating to audits of
5 state universities and Florida College System
6 institutions; amending s. 1001.02, F.S.; requiring the
7 State Board of Education to specify the college credit
8 courses that may be taken by Florida College System
9 institution students who are concurrently
10 participating in developmental education; requiring
11 the State Board of Education to establish the tuition
12 and out-of-state fees for certain credit instruction,
13 rather than college-preparatory instruction; revising
14 the minimum standards, definitions, and guidelines
15 that the State Board of Education must prescribe by
16 rule for Florida College System institutions; amending
17 s. 1001.64, F.S.; authorizing a board of trustees at a
18 Florida College System institution to contract with
19 the board of trustees of a state university for the
20 Florida College System institution to provide
21 developmental education; creating s. 1001.7065, F.S.;
22 establishing a collaborative partnership between the
23 Board of Governors and the Legislature to elevate the
24 academic and research preeminence of this state’s
25 highest performing state research universities;
26 specifying the academic and research excellence
27 standards for the preeminent state research
28 universities program; requiring the Board of Governors
29 to designate each state research university that meets
30 certain criteria as a preeminent state research
31 university; requiring the state research university
32 that has attained the highest level on the academic
33 and research excellence standard to establish an
34 online arm of the university; providing requirements
35 for the online arm of the university; providing
36 membership of the board of directors that oversees the
37 business of the university’s online arm; providing for
38 a quorum of the board of directors; requiring the
39 board to develop a business plan and authorizing the
40 board to contract with other entities and
41 institutions; requiring the university to offer high
42 quality online baccalaureate degree programs and a
43 master’s degree in business administration;
44 authorizing the university to offer online other
45 master’s degree programs; authorizing the university
46 to develop and offer degree programs and courses that
47 are competency based; requiring the university to
48 periodically expand its offering of online
49 baccalaureate degree programs and establish a tuition
50 structure for its online arm; providing requirements
51 for the tuition structure; requiring the state
52 research university that has attained the second
53 highest level on the academic and research excellence
54 standards to recruit National Academy members,
55 expedite provision of a master’s degree in cloud
56 virtualization, and institute an entrepreneurs-in
57 residence program throughout its campus; authorizing a
58 preeminent state research university to require
59 incoming college students to take specified courses;
60 requiring the Board of Governors to identify and grant
61 all reasonable, feasible authority and flexibility to
62 keep a designated preeminent state research university
63 free from unnecessary restrictions; providing that the
64 Board of Governors is encouraged to establish
65 standards and measures to recognize excellent programs
66 in other state universities; amending s. 1004.02,
67 F.S.; defining the term “developmental education” as
68 it relates to public postsecondary education;
69 repealing s. 1004.58, F.S., relating to the Leadership
70 Board for Applied Research and Public Service;
71 amending s. 1004.93, F.S.; deleting provisions
72 relating to the levels and courses of instruction to
73 be funded through the college-preparatory program;
74 amending s. 1006.735, F.S.; establishing the Complete
75 Florida Degree Program to recruit, recover, and retain
76 adult learners and assist them in completing degrees
77 aligned to high-wage, high-skill workforce needs;
78 specifying program components and the tuition and fee
79 structure; requiring submission of a project plan to
80 the Legislature; amending s. 1007.23, F.S.; revising
81 the number of semester hours in which a student who is
82 seeking an associate in arts degree is required to
83 indicate a baccalaureate degree program; amending s.
84 1007.25, F.S.; revising general education courses,
85 common prerequisites, and degree requirements;
86 conforming terminology to changes made by the act;
87 amending s. 1007.263, F.S.; revising the rules that
88 the board of trustees of a Florida College System
89 institution may adopt with regard to admissions
90 counseling; requiring each board of trustees to
91 establish policies that notify students about options
92 they may use to attain the communication and
93 computation skills that are essential to perform
94 college-level work; deleting a prohibition against a
95 student’s enrollment in credit courses under certain
96 circumstances; amending s. 1007.271, F.S.; conforming
97 provisions to changes made by the act; creating s.
98 1008.02, F.S.; providing definitions for the purpose
99 of ch. 1008, F.S., relating to assessment and
100 accountability for the K-20 education system; amending
101 s. 1008.30, F.S.; providing that alternative
102 assessments that may be accepted in lieu of the common
103 placement test must be identified in rule; requiring
104 the State Board of Education, in conjunction with the
105 Board of Governors, to approve a series of meta
106 majors, academic pathways, and degree maps that
107 identify the gateway courses required for success in
108 each meta-major; providing requirements for the common
109 placement testing program; requiring the State Board
110 of Education to adopt rules that require high schools
111 to evaluate certain students for college readiness;
112 requiring the State Board of Education to establish by
113 rule the test scores a student must achieve to
114 demonstrate readiness to perform college-level work;
115 deleting provisions to conform to changes made by the
116 act; conforming terminology; requiring the State Board
117 of Education to adopt rules by a specified date to
118 implement developmental education; requiring local
119 policies and practices set by each Florida College
120 System institution board of trustees to outline the
121 student achievements considered by the institution for
122 placement determinations, identify instructional
123 options available to students, and describe student
124 costs and financial aid opportunities associated with
125 each instructional option; creating s. 1008.322, F.S.;
126 requiring the Board of Governors of the State
127 University System to oversee the performance of state
128 university boards of trustees in the enforcement of
129 laws, rules, and regulations; providing that state
130 university presidents are responsible for the accuracy
131 of the information and data reported to the Board of
132 Governors; authorizing the Chancellor of the State
133 University System to investigate allegations of
134 noncompliance with law or Board of Governors’ rule or
135 regulation and determine probable cause; requiring the
136 chancellor to report determinations of probable cause
137 to the Board of Governors; authorizing the Board of
138 Governors to initiate specified actions if the board
139 determines that the state university board of trustees
140 is unwilling or unable to comply with the law, certain
141 rules or regulations, or audit recommendations;
142 amending ss. 1008.37, 1009.22, and 1009.23, F.S.;
143 conforming provisions to changes made by the act;
144 amending s. 1009.26, F.S.; authorizing certain Florida
145 College System institutions to waive certain fees;
146 repealing s. 1009.28, F.S., relating to fees for
147 repeated enrollment in college-preparatory classes;
148 amending s. 1009.285, F.S.; requiring a student
149 enrolled in the same undergraduate college-credit
150 course more than once, except for students enrolled in
151 a gateway course for an extended period of time, to
152 pay tuition at 100 percent of the full cost of
153 instruction; reducing the number of times certain
154 coursework, which is excluded for the reduction of
155 fees, is repeated for certain purposes; amending s.
156 1009.286, F.S.; excluding remedial courses from those
157 courses that are counted when calculating credit hours
158 earned toward a baccalaureate degree; amending s.
159 1009.40, F.S.; providing that undergraduate students
160 participating in developmental education are eligible
161 to receive financial aid for a specified number of
162 semesters or quarters; conforming provisions to
163 changes made by the act; amending s. 1009.53, F.S.;
164 conforming terminology to changes made by the act;
165 repealing s. 1009.531(7), F.S., relating to the
166 eligibility of a student for an initial reward or
167 renewal reward under the Florida Bright Futures
168 Scholarship Program; amending s. 1011.84, F.S.;
169 conforming provisions to changes made by the act;
170 providing an effective date.
171
172 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
173
174 Section 1. Paragraph (j) of subsection (7) of section
175 11.45, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
176 11.45 Definitions; duties; authorities; reports; rules.—
177 (7) AUDITOR GENERAL REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.—
178 (j) The Auditor General shall notify the Legislative
179 Auditing Committee of any financial or operational audit report
180 prepared pursuant to this section which indicates that a state
181 university or Florida College System institution has failed to
182 take full corrective action in response to a recommendation that
183 was included in the two preceding financial or operational audit
184 reports.
185 1. The committee may direct the governing body of the state
186 university or Florida College System institution to provide a
187 written statement to the committee explaining why full
188 corrective action has not been taken or, if the governing body
189 intends to take full corrective action, describing the
190 corrective action to be taken and when it will occur.
191 2. If the committee determines that the written statement
192 is not sufficient, the committee may require the chair of the
193 governing body of the state university or Florida College System
194 institution, or the chair’s designee, to appear before the
195 committee.
196 3. If the committee determines that the state university or
197 Florida College System institution has failed to take full
198 corrective action for which there is no justifiable reason or
199 has failed to comply with committee requests made pursuant to
200 this section, the committee shall refer the matter to the State
201 Board of Education or the Board of Governors, as appropriate, to
202 proceed in accordance with ss. 1008.32 and 1008.322,
203 respectively may proceed in accordance with s. 11.40(2).
204 Section 2. Paragraph (g) of subsection (4), subsection (5),
205 and paragraphs (c) and (d) of subsection (6) of section 1001.02,
206 Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
207 1001.02 General powers of State Board of Education.—
208 (4) The State Board of Education shall:
209 (g) Specify, by rule, the college credit courses that may
210 be taken by Florida College System institution students who are
211 concurrently participating in developmental education enrolled
212 in college-preparatory instruction.
213 (5) The State Board of Education is responsible for
214 reviewing and administering the state program of support for the
215 Florida College System institutions and, subject to existing
216 law, shall establish the tuition and out-of-state fees for
217 college-preparatory instruction and for credit instruction that
218 may be counted toward an associate in arts degree, an associate
219 in applied science degree, or an associate in science degree.
220 (6) The State Board of Education shall prescribe minimum
221 standards, definitions, and guidelines for Florida College
222 System institutions that will ensure the quality of education,
223 coordination among the Florida College System institutions and
224 state universities, and efficient progress toward accomplishing
225 the Florida College System institution mission. At a minimum,
226 these rules must address:
227 (c) Program offerings and classification, including
228 college-level communication and computation skills associated
229 with successful performance in college and with tests and other
230 assessment procedures that measure student achievement of those
231 skills. The performance measures must provide that students
232 moving from one level of education to the next acquire the
233 necessary competencies for that level.
234 (d) Provisions for curriculum development, graduation
235 requirements, college calendars, and program service areas.
236 These provisions must include rules that:
237 1. Provide for the award of an associate in arts degree to
238 a student who successfully completes 60 semester credit hours at
239 the Florida College System institution.
240 2. Require all of the credits accepted for the associate in
241 arts degree to be in the statewide course numbering system as
242 credits toward a baccalaureate degree offered by a state
243 university or a Florida College System institution.
244 3. Beginning with students initially entering a Florida
245 College System institution in 2014-2015 and thereafter, Require
246 no more than 36 30 semester credit hours in general education
247 courses in the subject areas of communication, mathematics,
248 social sciences, humanities, and natural sciences.
249
250 The rules should encourage Florida College System institutions
251 to enter into agreements with state universities that allow
252 Florida College System institution students to complete upper
253 division-level courses at a Florida College System institution.
254 An agreement may provide for concurrent enrollment at the
255 Florida College System institution and the state university and
256 may authorize the Florida College System institution to offer an
257 upper-division-level course or distance learning.
258 Section 3. Subsection (9) of section 1001.64, Florida
259 Statutes, is amended to read:
260 1001.64 Florida College System institution boards of
261 trustees; powers and duties.—
262 (9) A board of trustees may contract with the board of
263 trustees of a state university for the Florida College System
264 institution to provide developmental education college
265 preparatory instruction on the state university campus.
266 Section 4. Section 1001.7065, Florida Statutes, is created
267 to read:
268 1001.7065 Preeminent state research universities program.—
269 (1) STATE UNIVERSITY SYSTEM SHARED GOVERNANCE
270 COLLABORATION.—A collaborative partnership is established
271 between the Board of Governors and the Legislature to elevate
272 the academic and research preeminence of Florida’s highest
273 performing state research universities in accordance with this
274 section. The partnership stems from the State University System
275 Governance Agreement executed on March 24, 2010, wherein the
276 Board of Governors and leaders of the Legislature agreed to a
277 framework for the collaborative exercise of their joint
278 authority and shared responsibility for the State University
279 System. The governance agreement confirmed the commitment of the
280 Board of Governors and the Legislature to continue collaboration
281 on accountability measures, the use of data, and recommendations
282 derived from such data.
283 (2) ACADEMIC AND RESEARCH EXCELLENCE STANDARDS.—Effective
284 July 1, 2013, the following academic and research excellence
285 standards are established for the Preeminent State Research
286 Universities Program:
287 (a) An average weighted grade point average of 4.0 or
288 higher on a 4.0 scale and an average SAT score of 1800 or higher
289 for fall-semester incoming freshmen, as reported annually.
290 (b) A top-50 ranking on at least two well-known and highly
291 respected national public university rankings, reflecting
292 national preeminence, using most recent rankings.
293 (c) A freshman retention rate of 90 percent or higher for
294 full-time, first-time-in-college students, as reported annually
295 to the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS).
296 (d) A 6-year graduation rate of 70 percent or higher for
297 full-time, first-time-in-college students, as reported annually
298 to the IPEDS.
299 (e) Six or more faculty members at the state university who
300 are members of a national academy, as reported by the Center for
301 Measuring University Performance in the Top American Research
302 Universities (TARU) annual report.
303 (f) Total annual research expenditures, including federal
304 research expenditures, of $200 million or more, as reported
305 annually by the National Science Foundation (NSF).
306 (g) Total annual research expenditures in diversified
307 nonmedical sciences of $150 million or more, based on data
308 reported annually by the NSF.
309 (h) A top-100 university national ranking for research
310 expenditures in five or more science, technology, engineering,
311 or mathematics fields of study, as reported annually by the NSF.
312 (i) One hundred or more total patents awarded by the United
313 States Patent and Trademark Office for the most recent 3-year
314 period.
315 (j) Four hundred or more doctoral degrees awarded annually,
316 as reported in the TARU annual report.
317 (k) Two hundred or more postdoctoral appointees annually,
318 as reported in the TARU annual report.
319 (l) An endowment of $500 million or more, as reported in
320 the Board of Governors annual accountability report.
321 (3) PREEMINENT STATE RESEARCH UNIVERSITY DESIGNATION.—The
322 Board of Governors shall designate each state research
323 university that meets at least 11 of the 12 academic and
324 research excellence standards identified in subsection (2) a
325 preeminent state research university.
326 (4) PREEMINENT STATE RESEARCH UNIVERSITY ONLINE ARM.—The
327 state research university that has attained the highest level on
328 the academic and research excellence standards identified in
329 subsection (2), as verified by the Board of Governors, shall
330 establish a fully online arm of the university in accordance
331 with this subsection, subject to the appropriation of funds by
332 the Legislature.
333 (a)1. A board of directors shall develop, implement, and
334 oversee the business aspects of the university’s online arm,
335 while the university president and board of trustees, in
336 conjunction with the Board of Governors, shall be responsible
337 for academic quality, accreditation, and curricular standards.
338 The university president and board of trustees, the board of
339 directors, and the Board of Governors shall collaborate and
340 cooperate in their respective roles to achieve the purpose of
341 successfully providing fully online high-quality baccalaureate
342 and master’s degree programs to the university’s enrolled online
343 students in this state and around the world.
344 2. The university president shall designate a center to
345 help lead the university to global preeminence in the
346 development of cutting-edge technology and instructional design
347 for online programs. The center shall conduct research to enrich
348 the university’s online degree program offerings and enhance the
349 success of the university’s online students. The center shall
350 provide academic and administrative support structures to
351 undergird the delivery of content and degree programs by the
352 various colleges and departments throughout the university. The
353 center shall work jointly with the university president and the
354 board of directors in their respective roles.
355 (b) The board of directors is comprised of the following
356 seven members:
357 1. The university president, or the president’s permanent
358 designee.
359 2. The chair of the university board of trustees, or the
360 chair’s permanent designee.
361 3. A member with expertise in global marketing, appointed
362 by the Governor.
363 4. A member with expertise in cloud virtualization,
364 appointed by the President of the Senate.
365 5. A member with expertise in disruptive innovation in
366 online learning, appointed by the Speaker of the House of
367 Representatives.
368 6. A member with expertise in online program accreditation,
369 appointed by the chair of the Board of Governors.
370 7. A member with expertise in creative technologies,
371 appointed by the chair of the Florida Polytechnic University
372 Board of Trustees.
373 (c) A majority of the board of directors constitutes a
374 quorum, elects the chair, and appoints an executive director.
375 (d) The board of directors shall develop a business plan
376 and may contract with other entities and institutions, public or
377 private, to maximize the marketing, advertising, support
378 services that include financial aid assistance and academic and
379 career guidance, and degree programs and courses of the
380 university’s online arm.
381 (e) Beginning in January 2014, the university shall offer
382 high-quality, fully online baccalaureate degree programs as
383 directed by the board of directors which:
384 1. Accept full-time, first-time-in-college students.
385 2. Have the same rigorous admissions criteria as an
386 equivalent on-campus degree program.
387 3. Offer a curriculum of equivalent rigor to the on-campus
388 degree program.
389 4. Offer rolling enrollment or multiple windows of
390 enrollment throughout the year.
391 5. Do not require any on-campus courses. However, for
392 courses or programs that require clinical training or
393 laboratories which cannot be delivered online, the university
394 shall offer convenient locational options to the student, which
395 may include, but not be limited to, the option to complete such
396 requirements at a summer-in-residence on the university campus.
397 Additionally, for purposes of proctored assessments or testing,
398 the university may provide a network of sites at convenient
399 locations and contract with commercial testing centers or
400 identify other secure testing services.
401 6. Apply the university’s existing policy for accepting
402 credits for both freshman applicants and transfer applicants.
403 (f) The university must offer a fully online master of
404 business administration degree program and may offer other
405 master’s degree programs as recommended by the university
406 president and board of trustees and authorized by the board of
407 directors.
408 (g) The university may develop and offer degree programs
409 and courses that are competency based, as appropriate for the
410 quality and success of the program and as recommended by the
411 university president and board of trustees and authorized by the
412 board of directors.
413 (h) The university shall periodically expand its offering
414 of online baccalaureate degree programs, as recommended by the
415 university president and board of trustees and authorized by the
416 board of directors, to meet student and market demands.
417 (i) The university shall establish a tuition structure for
418 its online arm in conjunction with the board of directors and in
419 accordance with this paragraph, notwithstanding any other
420 provision of law.
421 1. For students classified as residents for tuition
422 purposes, tuition for an online baccalaureate degree program
423 shall be set at no more than 75 percent of tuition for the
424 equivalent on-campus baccalaureate degree program. No distance
425 learning fee or fee for campus facilities or on-campus services
426 may be assessed, except that online students shall pay the
427 university’s technology and financial aid fees and the Capital
428 Improvement Trust Fund fee which shall be dedicated to the
429 university’s online research center. The board of directors may
430 recommend a fee structure for an offering of optional services,
431 such as career placement services, which may be selected by the
432 student.
433 2. For students classified as nonresidents for tuition
434 purposes, tuition may be set at market rates, as directed and
435 authorized by the board of directors in accordance with the
436 business plan.
437 3. Tuition for the online degree programs must include all
438 costs associated with the program, including, but not limited
439 to, instruction, materials, and enrollment.
440 4. Tuition may be differentiated by degree program, as
441 appropriate to the instructional and other costs of the program,
442 as recommended by the university president and board of trustees
443 and authorized by the board of directors in accordance with the
444 business plan.
445 5. Pricing must incorporate innovative approaches that
446 incentivize persistence and completion, including, but not
447 limited to, fee for assessment, a bundled or all-inclusive rate,
448 and sliding-scale features.
449 6. The university must accept student financial aid,
450 including Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program awards,
451 Pell Grants, and student loans.
452 7. The board of directors shall ensure that 50 percent of
453 the revenues generated from the online arm of the university is
454 used to enhance and enrich the online arm of the university and
455 50 percent of the revenues generated from the online arm of the
456 university is used to enhance and enrich the university’s campus
457 innovation hub, including state-of-the-art research programs and
458 facilities.
459 (5) PREEMINENT STATE RESEARCH UNIVERSITY ENHANCEMENT
460 INITIATIVE.—The state research university that has attained the
461 second-highest level on the academic and research excellence
462 standards identified in subsection (2), as verified by the Board
463 of Governors, shall recruit National Academy members, expedite
464 provision of a master’s degree in cloud virtualization, and
465 institute an entrepreneurs-in-residence program throughout its
466 campus, subject to funds appropriated by the Legislature.
467 (6) PREEMINENT STATE RESEARCH UNIVERSITY SPECIAL COURSE
468 REQUIREMENTS AUTHORITY.—In order to provide a jointly shared
469 educational experience, a state university that is designated a
470 preeminent state research university may require its incoming
471 first-time-in-college students to take a 9-credit to 12-credit
472 set of courses specifically determined by the university. The
473 state university may stipulate that credit for such courses may
474 not be earned through any acceleration mechanism, pursuant to s.
475 1007.27 or s. 1007.271, or other transfer credit. At the
476 student’s request, all accelerated credits earned up to the
477 limits specified in ss. 1007.27 and 1007.271 must be applied
478 toward graduation.
479 (7) PREEMINENT STATE RESEARCH UNIVERSITY FLEXIBILITY
480 AUTHORITY.—The Board of Governors shall identify and grant all
481 reasonable, feasible authority and flexibility to keep a
482 designated preeminent state research university free from
483 unnecessary restrictions.
484 (8) PROGRAMS OF EXCELLENCE THROUGHOUT THE STATE UNIVERSITY
485 SYSTEM.—The Board of Governors is encouraged to establish
486 standards and measures whereby individual programs in other
487 state universities that objectively reflect national excellence
488 can be identified and make recommendations to the Legislature as
489 to how any such programs could be enhanced and promoted.
490 Section 5. Subsection (11) of section 1004.02, Florida
491 Statutes, is amended to read:
492 1004.02 Definitions.—As used in this chapter:
493 (11) “Developmental education” “College-preparatory
494 instruction” means instruction courses through which a high
495 school graduate who applies for and enrolls in any college
496 credit program may attain the communication and computation
497 skills necessary to perform college-level work while also
498 enrolled enroll in college credit instruction.
499 Section 6. Section 1004.58, Florida Statutes, is repealed.
500 Section 7. Subsection (4) of section 1004.93, Florida
501 Statutes, is amended to read:
502 1004.93 Adult general education.—
503 (4)(a) Adult general education shall be evaluated and
504 funded as provided in s. 1011.80.
505 (b) Fees for adult basic instruction are to be charged in
506 accordance with chapter 1009.
507 (c) The State Board of Education shall define, by rule, the
508 levels and courses of instruction to be funded through the
509 college-preparatory program. The state board shall coordinate
510 the establishment of costs for college-preparatory courses, the
511 establishment of statewide standards that define required levels
512 of competence, acceptable rates of student progress, and the
513 maximum amount of time to be allowed for completion of college
514 preparatory instruction. College-preparatory instruction is part
515 of an associate in arts degree program and may not be funded as
516 an adult career education program.
517 (d) Expenditures for college-preparatory and lifelong
518 learning students shall be reported separately. Allocations for
519 college-preparatory courses shall be based on proportional full
520 time equivalent enrollment. Program review results shall be
521 included in the determination of subsequent allocations. A
522 student shall be funded to enroll in the same college
523 preparatory class within a skill area only twice, after which
524 time the student shall pay 100 percent of the full cost of
525 instruction to support the continuous enrollment of that student
526 in the same class; however, students who withdraw or fail a
527 class due to extenuating circumstances may be granted an
528 exception only once for each class, provided approval is granted
529 according to policy established by the board of trustees. Each
530 Florida College System institution shall have the authority to
531 review and reduce payment for increased fees due to continued
532 enrollment in a college-preparatory class on an individual basis
533 contingent upon the student’s financial hardship, pursuant to
534 definitions and fee levels established by the State Board of
535 Education. College-preparatory and lifelong learning courses do
536 not generate credit toward an associate or baccalaureate degree.
537 (c)(e) A district school board or a Florida College System
538 institution board of trustees may negotiate a contract with the
539 regional workforce board for specialized services for
540 participants in the welfare transition program, beyond what is
541 routinely provided for the general public, to be funded by the
542 regional workforce board.
543 Section 8. Section 1006.735, Florida Statutes, is amended
544 to read:
545 1006.735 Complete Florida Degree Program Completion Pilot
546 Project.—
547 (1) The Complete Florida Degree Program Completion Pilot
548 Project is established for the purpose of recruiting,
549 recovering, and retaining the state’s adult learners and
550 assisting them in completing an associate degree or a
551 baccalaureate degree that is aligned to high-wage, high-skill
552 workforce needs. As used in this section, the term “adult
553 learner” means a student who has successfully completed college
554 level coursework in multiple semesters but has left an
555 institution in good standing before completing his or her
556 degree. The program pilot project shall give priority to adult
557 learners who are veterans or active duty members of the United
558 States Armed Forces.
559 (2) The Complete Florida Degree Program pilot project shall
560 be implemented by the University of West Florida, acting as the
561 lead institution, in coordination with; the University of South
562 Florida; Florida State College System institutions, state
563 universities, and private postsecondary institutions, as
564 appropriate. The program must at Jacksonville; and St.
565 Petersburg College and shall include the associate, applied
566 baccalaureate, and baccalaureate degree programs that these
567 institutions have selected. Other partnering public
568 postsecondary education institutions shall provide areas of
569 specialization or concentration.
570 (3) For purposes of selecting the degree programs that will
571 be given priority in the Complete Florida Degree Program pilot
572 project, the institutions identified in subsection (2) shall
573 partner with public and private job recruitment and placement
574 agencies and use labor market data and projections to identify
575 the specific workforce needs and targeted occupations of the
576 state.
577 (4) The Complete Florida Degree Program pilot project shall
578 provide adult learners with a single point of access to
579 information and links to innovative online and accelerated
580 distance learning courses, student and library support services,
581 and electronic resources that will guide the adult learner
582 toward the successful completion of a postsecondary degree.
583 (5) Beginning with the 2013-2014 2012-2013 academic year,
584 the Complete Florida Degree Program pilot project shall be
585 implemented and must:
586 (a) Use the distance learning course catalog established
587 pursuant to s. 1006.73 to communicate course availability to the
588 adult learner.
589 (b) Develop and implement an advising and student support
590 system that includes the use of degree completion specialists,
591 is based upon best practices and processes, and includes
592 academic and career support services designed specifically for
593 the adult learner. The program must identify proposed changes to
594 the statewide computer-assisted student advising system
595 established pursuant to s. 1006.73 to assist the adult learner
596 in using the system.
597 (c) Use the streamlined, automated, online admissions
598 application process for transient students established pursuant
599 to s. 1006.73. The Complete Florida Degree Program pilot project
600 shall identify any additional admissions and registration
601 policies and practices that could be further streamlined and
602 automated for purposes of assisting the adult learner.
603 (d) Use existing and, if necessary, develop new competency
604 based instructional and evaluation tools to assess prior
605 performance, experience, and education for the award of college
606 credit in order to reduce the time required for adult learners
607 to complete their degrees. The tools may include the use of the
608 American Council on Education’s collaborative link between the
609 United States Department of Defense and higher education through
610 the review of military training and experiences for the award of
611 equivalent college credit for members of the United States Armed
612 Forces.
613 (e) Develop and implement an evaluation process that
614 collects, analyzes, and provides to the participating
615 postsecondary education institutions, the chairs of the
616 legislative appropriations committees, and the Executive Office
617 of the Governor information on the effectiveness of the program
618 pilot project and the attainment of its goals. Such a process
619 must shall include a management information system that collects
620 the appropriate student, programmatic, and fiscal data necessary
621 to complete the evaluation of the program pilot project.
622 Institutions involved in the program pilot project shall also
623 collect job placement and employment data on the adult learners
624 who have completed their degrees as a result of the program
625 pilot project.
626 (f) Develop and implement a statewide marketing campaign
627 targeted toward recruiting adult learners, particularly veterans
628 and active duty members of the United States Armed Forces, for
629 enrollment in the degree programs offered through the program
630 pilot project.
631 (6) For purposes of the Complete Florida Degree Program
632 pilot project, each institution’s current tuition and fee
633 structure shall be used. However, all participating institutions
634 shall collaboratively identify the applicable cost components
635 involved in the development and delivery of distance learning
636 courses, collect information on these cost components, and
637 submit the information to the Florida Virtual Campus. The
638 chancellors of the Florida College System. The chancellors and
639 the State University System shall submit a report to the chairs
640 of the legislative appropriations committees no later than
641 December 31, 2014 2013, on the need for a differentiated tuition
642 and fee structure for the development and delivery of distance
643 learning courses.
644 (7) The University of West Florida, in collaboration with
645 its partners the University of South Florida, Florida State
646 College at Jacksonville, and St. Petersburg College, shall
647 submit to the chairs of the legislative appropriations
648 committees no later than September 1, 2013 June 1, 2012, a
649 detailed project plan that defines the major work activities,
650 student eligibility criteria, timeline, and cost for
651 implementing the Complete Florida Degree Program pilot project.
652 (8) The University of West Florida, in collaboration with
653 the University of South Florida, Florida State College at
654 Jacksonville, and St. Petersburg College, shall develop and
655 implement a transition plan that transfers the administration of
656 the pilot project to the Florida Virtual Campus no later than
657 June 30, 2013.
658 Section 9. Subsection (3) of section 1007.23, Florida
659 Statutes, is amended to read:
660 1007.23 Statewide articulation agreement.—
661 (3) To improve articulation and reduce excess credit hours,
662 beginning with students initially entering a Florida College
663 System institution in 2013-2014 and thereafter, the articulation
664 agreement must require each student who is seeking an associate
665 in arts degree to indicate a baccalaureate degree program
666 offered by an institution of interest by the time the student
667 earns 36 30 semester hours. The institution in which the student
668 is enrolled shall inform the student of the prerequisites for
669 the baccalaureate degree program offered by an institution of
670 interest.
671 Section 10. Subsections (3), (6), (7), (8), and (10) of
672 section 1007.25, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
673 1007.25 General education courses; common prerequisites;
674 other degree requirements.—
675 (3) The chair of the State Board of Education and the chair
676 of the Board of Governors, or their designees, shall jointly
677 appoint faculty committees to identify statewide general
678 education core course options. General education core course
679 options must shall consist of a maximum of five courses within
680 each of the subject areas of communication, mathematics, social
681 sciences, humanities, and natural sciences. Each general
682 education core course option must contain high-level academic
683 and critical thinking skills and common competencies that
684 students must demonstrate to successfully complete the course.
685 Beginning with students initially entering a Florida College
686 System institution or state university in 2015-2016 2014-2015
687 and thereafter, each student must complete at least one
688 identified core course in each subject area as part of the
689 general education course requirements. All public postsecondary
690 educational institutions shall offer and accept these courses as
691 meeting general education core course requirements. The
692 remaining general education course requirements shall be
693 identified by each institution and reported to the department by
694 their statewide course number. The general education core course
695 options shall be adopted in rule by the State Board of Education
696 and in regulation by the Board of Governors. Additional core
697 course options may be approved by the State Board of Education
698 and the Board of Governors if recommended by the subject area
699 faculty committee and approved by the Articulation Coordinating
700 Committee, as necessary for a subject area.
701 (6) The universities and Florida College System
702 institutions shall work with their respective school districts
703 to ensure that high school curricula coordinate with the general
704 education curricula and to prepare students for college-level
705 work. General education curricula for associate in arts programs
706 shall be identified by each institution and, beginning with
707 students initially entering a Florida College System institution
708 or state university in 2014-2015 and thereafter, shall include
709 36 30 semester hours in the subject areas of communication,
710 mathematics, social sciences, humanities, and natural sciences.
711 (7) An associate in arts degree may not shall require no
712 more than 60 semester hours of college credit and must,
713 beginning with students initially entering a Florida College
714 System institution or state university in 2014-2015 and
715 thereafter, include 36 30 semester hours of general education
716 coursework. Beginning with students initially entering a Florida
717 College System institution or state university in 2014-2015 and
718 thereafter, coursework for an associate in arts degree must
719 include and demonstration of competency in a foreign language
720 pursuant to s. 1007.262. Except for developmental education
721 provided college-preparatory coursework required pursuant to s.
722 1008.30, all required coursework counts shall count toward the
723 associate in arts degree or the baccalaureate degree.
724 (8) A baccalaureate degree program shall require no more
725 than 120 semester hours of college credit and, beginning with
726 students initially entering a Florida College System institution
727 or state university in 2014-2015 and thereafter, include 36 30
728 semester hours of general education coursework, unless prior
729 approval has been granted by the Board of Governors for
730 baccalaureate degree programs offered by state universities and
731 by the State Board of Education for baccalaureate degree
732 programs offered by Florida College System institutions.
733 (10) Students at state universities may request associate
734 in arts certificates if they have successfully completed the
735 minimum requirements for the degree of associate in arts (A.A.).
736 The university must grant the student an associate in arts
737 degree if the student has successfully completed minimum
738 requirements for college-level communication and computation
739 skills adopted by the State Board of Education and 60 academic
740 semester hours or the equivalent within a degree program area
741 and including 36, beginning with students initially entering a
742 Florida College System institution or state university in 2014
743 2015 and thereafter, include 30 semester hours in general
744 education courses in the subject areas of communication,
745 mathematics, social sciences, humanities, and natural sciences,
746 consistent with the general education requirements specified in
747 the articulation agreement pursuant to s. 1007.23.
748 Section 11. Section 1007.263, Florida Statutes, is amended
749 to read:
750 1007.263 Florida College System institutions; admissions of
751 students.—Each Florida College System institution board of
752 trustees may is authorized to adopt rules governing admissions
753 of students subject to this section and rules of the State Board
754 of Education. These rules must shall include the following:
755 (1) Admissions counseling must shall be provided to all
756 students entering college or career credit programs. Counseling
757 must use shall utilize tests to measure achievement of college
758 level communication and computation competencies by all students
759 entering college credit programs or tests to measure achievement
760 of basic skills for career education programs as prescribed in
761 s. 1004.91. Counseling includes providing developmental
762 education options for students whose assessment results,
763 determined under s. 1008.30, indicate that they need to improve
764 communication or computation skills that are essential to
765 perform college-level work.
766 (2) Admission to associate degree programs is subject to
767 minimum standards adopted by the State Board of Education and
768 requires shall require:
769 (a) A standard high school diploma, a high school
770 equivalency diploma as prescribed in s. 1003.435, previously
771 demonstrated competency in college credit postsecondary
772 coursework, or, in the case of a student who is home educated, a
773 signed affidavit submitted by the student’s parent or legal
774 guardian attesting that the student has completed a home
775 education program pursuant to the requirements of s. 1002.41.
776 Students who are enrolled in a dual enrollment or early
777 admission program pursuant to s. 1007.271 are exempt from this
778 requirement.
779 (b) A demonstrated level of achievement of college-level
780 communication and computation skills.
781 (c) Any other requirements established by the board of
782 trustees.
783 (3) Admission to other programs within the Florida College
784 System institution must shall include education requirements as
785 established by the board of trustees.
786 (4) A student who has been awarded a special diploma as
787 defined in s. 1003.438 or a certificate of completion as defined
788 in s. 1003.43(10) is eligible to enroll in certificate career
789 education programs.
790 (5) A student who has with a documented disability may be
791 eligible for reasonable substitutions, as prescribed in ss.
792 1007.264 and 1007.265.
793
794 Each board of trustees shall establish policies that notify
795 students about developmental education options for improving
796 their communication or computation skills that are essential to
797 performing college-level work, including tutoring, extended time
798 in gateway courses, free online courses and place students into,
799 adult basic education, adult secondary education, or other
800 instructional programs that provide students with alternatives
801 to traditional college-preparatory instruction, including
802 private provider instruction. A student is prohibited from
803 enrolling in additional college-level courses until the student
804 scores above the cut-score on all sections of the common
805 placement test.
806 Section 12. Subsections (2) and (14) of section 1007.271,
807 Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
808 1007.271 Dual enrollment programs.—
809 (2) For the purpose of this section, an eligible secondary
810 student is a student who is enrolled in a Florida public
811 secondary school or in a Florida private secondary school which
812 is in compliance with s. 1002.42(2) and provides a secondary
813 curriculum pursuant to s. 1003.428, s. 1003.429, or s. 1003.43.
814 Students who are eligible for dual enrollment pursuant to this
815 section may enroll in dual enrollment courses conducted during
816 school hours, after school hours, and during the summer term.
817 However, if the student is projected to graduate from high
818 school before the scheduled completion date of a postsecondary
819 course, the student may not register for that course through
820 dual enrollment. The student may apply to the postsecondary
821 institution and pay the required registration, tuition, and fees
822 if the student meets the postsecondary institution’s admissions
823 requirements under s. 1007.263. Instructional time for dual
824 enrollment may vary from 900 hours; however, the school district
825 may only report the student for a maximum of 1.0 FTE, as
826 provided in s. 1011.61(4). Any student enrolled as a dual
827 enrollment student is exempt from the payment of registration,
828 tuition, and laboratory fees. Vocational-preparatory
829 instruction, developmental education college-preparatory
830 instruction, and other forms of precollegiate instruction, as
831 well as physical education courses that focus on the physical
832 execution of a skill rather than the intellectual attributes of
833 the activity, are ineligible for inclusion in the dual
834 enrollment program. Recreation and leisure studies courses shall
835 be evaluated individually in the same manner as physical
836 education courses for potential inclusion in the program.
837 (14) The Department of Education shall approve any course
838 for inclusion in the dual enrollment program that is contained
839 within the statewide course numbering system. However,
840 developmental education college-preparatory and other forms of
841 precollegiate instruction, and physical education and other
842 courses that focus on the physical execution of a skill rather
843 than the intellectual attributes of the activity, may not be so
844 approved but must be evaluated individually for potential
845 inclusion in the dual enrollment program. This subsection may
846 not be construed to mean that an independent postsecondary
847 institution eligible for inclusion in a dual enrollment or early
848 admission program pursuant to s. 1011.62 must participate in the
849 statewide course numbering system developed pursuant to s.
850 1007.24 to participate in a dual enrollment program.
851 Section 13. Section 1008.02, Florida Statutes, is created
852 to read:
853 1008.02 Definitions.—As used in this chapter, the term:
854 (1) “Accelerated course structure” means a course or strand
855 of study that accelerates the progress of students in
856 developmental education through self-paced attainment of
857 specific skills.
858 (2) “Corequisite education” means developmental education
859 that is deployed through a variety of classroom, online, or
860 blended instructional strategies and offered concurrently with
861 college credit instruction. The term includes, but is not
862 limited to:
863 (a) Compressed or modularized instruction or coaching that
864 supplements credit instruction.
865 (b) Embedded content in a modified or extended credit
866 bearing course intended to contextualize or accelerate credit
867 attainment.
868 (3) “Developmental education” means instruction through
869 which a high school graduate who applies for any college credit
870 program may attain the communication and computation skills
871 necessary to successfully complete college credit instruction.
872 Developmental education may not be offered as a noncredit course
873 for which a student pays tuition but must be offered corequisite
874 to a gateway course.
875 (4) “Gateway course” means the first course that provides
876 transferable, college-level credit allowing students to progress
877 in their program of study.
878 (5) “Mastery-based education” means customized, targeted
879 instruction that addresses specific skills gaps.
880 (6) “Meta-major” means a collection of programs of study or
881 academic discipline groupings that share common foundational
882 skills.
883 Section 14. Section 1008.30, Florida Statutes, is amended
884 to read:
885 1008.30 Common placement testing for public postsecondary
886 education.—
887 (1) The State Board of Education, in conjunction with the
888 Board of Governors, shall develop and implement a common
889 placement test for the purpose of assessing the basic
890 computation and communication skills of students who intend to
891 enter a degree program at any public postsecondary educational
892 institution. Alternative assessments that may be accepted in
893 lieu of the common placement test shall also be identified in
894 rule. Public postsecondary educational institutions shall
895 provide appropriate modifications of the test instruments or
896 test procedures for students with disabilities.
897 (2) By October 1, 2013, the State Board of Education in
898 conjunction with the Board of Governors shall approve a series
899 of meta-majors, academic pathways, and degree maps that identify
900 the gateway courses required for success in each meta-major.
901 Results from the common placement test, the alternative
902 assessments that may be used in lieu of the common placement
903 test, and achievements that may be considered by institutional
904 boards of trustees, as adopted by state board rule, shall be
905 used to diagnose a student’s readiness for his or her chosen
906 meta-major and to provide academic counseling to the student
907 concerning options for attaining the necessary skills through
908 developmental education while enrolled in credit courses.
909 (3)(2) The common placement testing program must shall
910 include at a minimum the following: the capacity to diagnose
911 basic competencies in the areas of English, reading, and
912 mathematics which are essential for success in meta-majors and
913 to provide to perform college-level work; prerequisite skills
914 that relate to progressively advanced instruction in
915 mathematics, such as algebra and geometry; prerequisite skills
916 that relate to progressively advanced instruction in language
917 arts, such as English composition and literature; and provision
918 of test information to students on the specific skills the
919 student needs to attain deficiencies.
920 (4)(3) The State Board of Education shall adopt rules that
921 require high schools to evaluate before the beginning of grade
922 12 the college readiness of each student who scores at Level 2
923 or Level 3 on the reading portion of the grade 10 FCAT Reading
924 or Level 2, Level 3, or Level 4 on the Algebra I mathematics
925 assessments under s. 1008.22 s. 1008.22(3)(c). High schools
926 shall perform this evaluation using results from the
927 corresponding component of the common placement test prescribed
928 in this section, or an alternative equivalent test identified by
929 the State Board of Education. The State Board of Education shall
930 identify in rule the assessments necessary to perform the
931 evaluations required by this subsection and shall work with the
932 school districts to administer the assessments. The State Board
933 of Education shall establish by rule the minimum test scores a
934 student must achieve to demonstrate readiness. Students who
935 demonstrate readiness by achieving the minimum test scores
936 established by the state board and enroll in a Florida College
937 System institution within 2 years of achieving such scores shall
938 not be required to retest or enroll in remediation when admitted
939 to any Florida College System institution. The high school shall
940 use the results of the test to advise the students of any
941 identified deficiencies and to provide 12th grade students, and
942 require them to complete, appropriate postsecondary preparatory
943 instruction prior to high school graduation. The curriculum
944 provided under this subsection shall be identified in rule by
945 the State Board of Education and encompass Florida’s
946 Postsecondary Readiness Competencies. Other elective courses may
947 not be substituted for the selected postsecondary reading,
948 mathematics, or writing preparatory course unless the elective
949 course covers the same competencies included in the
950 postsecondary reading, mathematics, or writing, or English
951 language arts preparatory course.
952 (5)(4)(a) The State Board of Education shall establish by
953 rule the test scores a student must achieve to demonstrate
954 readiness to perform college-level work. Students who
955 demonstrate readiness by achieving or exceeding the test scores
956 established by the state board and enroll in a Florida College
957 System institution within 2 years after achieving such scores
958 may not be required to retest or complete developmental
959 education when admitted to any Florida College System
960 institution. Students who have been identified as requiring
961 additional preparation pursuant to subsection (1) shall enroll
962 in college-preparatory or other adult education pursuant to s.
963 1004.93 in Florida College System institutions to develop needed
964 college-entry skills. The State Board of Education shall specify
965 by rule provisions for alternative remediation opportunities and
966 retesting policies. These students shall be permitted to take
967 courses within their degree program concurrently in other
968 curriculum areas for which they are qualified while enrolled in
969 college-preparatory instruction courses. A student enrolled in a
970 college-preparatory course may concurrently enroll only in
971 college credit courses that do not require the skills addressed
972 in the college-preparatory course. A degree-seeking student who
973 is required to complete a college-preparatory course must
974 successfully complete the required college-preparatory studies
975 by the time the student has accumulated 12 hours of lower
976 division college credit degree coursework; however, a student
977 may continue enrollment in degree-earning coursework provided
978 the student maintains enrollment in college-preparatory
979 coursework for each subsequent semester until college
980 preparatory coursework requirements are completed, and provided
981 the student demonstrates satisfactory performance in degree
982 earning coursework. A student who has accumulated 12 college
983 credit hours and has not yet demonstrated proficiency in the
984 basic competency areas of reading, writing, and mathematics must
985 be advised in writing of the requirements for associate degree
986 completion and state university admission, including information
987 about future financial aid eligibility and the potential costs
988 of accumulating excessive college credit as described in s.
989 1009.286. Before a student is considered to have met basic
990 computation and communication skills requirements, the student
991 must demonstrate successful mastery of the required
992 developmental education competencies as defined in State Board
993 of Education rule. Credit awarded for college-preparatory
994 instruction may not be counted toward fulfilling the number of
995 credits required for a degree.
996 (6)(b) A university board of trustees may contract with a
997 Florida College System institution board of trustees for the
998 Florida College System institution to provide developmental
999 education such instruction on the state university campus. Any
1000 state university in which the percentage of incoming students
1001 requiring developmental education college-preparatory
1002 instruction equals or exceeds the average percentage of such
1003 students for the Florida College System may offer such
1004 developmental education college-preparatory instruction without
1005 contracting with a Florida College System institution; however,
1006 any state university offering college-preparatory instruction as
1007 of January 1, 1996, may continue to provide such services.
1008 (7)(a)(5) The State Board of Education shall adopt rules by
1009 January 1, 2014, to implement developmental education. The rules
1010 must include:
1011 1. Student achievements that may be considered by
1012 institutional boards, such as performance on college placement
1013 tests, grade point averages, work history, military experience,
1014 career interests, degree major declaration, or any combination
1015 thereof.
1016 2. Recommended options for students performing at levels
1017 indicating adult education as an appropriate place for students
1018 to develop needed college-entry academic skills.
1019 3. Sufficient flexibility for local professional judgment
1020 and determinations of appropriate student options for achieving
1021 necessary skills.
1022 4. Limits on credit course enrollment for students
1023 indicating the need for preparatory assistance in two or more
1024 content areas.
1025 (b) Local policies and practices set by each Florida
1026 College System institution board of trustees must outline the
1027 student achievements considered by the institution for placement
1028 determinations, identify instructional options available to
1029 students, and describe student costs and financial aid
1030 opportunities associated with each instructional option.
1031 Instructional options must, at a minimum, provide for enrollment
1032 of a student in a credit course either with or without
1033 institutionally required corequisite education, mastery-based
1034 instruction or accelerated pathways for developing skills, or
1035 enrolling in adult education to attain needed skills, as chosen
1036 by the student. Policies and practices must specify limits on
1037 credit course enrollment for students indicating the need for
1038 preparatory assistance, outline retesting requirements, and
1039 identify options for students who choose to attain skills in
1040 adult education when such instruction is not provided by the
1041 Florida College System institution A student may not be enrolled
1042 in a college credit mathematics or English course on a dual
1043 enrollment basis unless the student has demonstrated adequate
1044 precollegiate preparation on the section of the basic
1045 computation and communication skills assessment required
1046 pursuant to subsection (1) that is appropriate for successful
1047 student participation in the course.
1048 Section 15. Section 1008.322, Florida Statutes, is created
1049 to read:
1050 1008.322 Board of Governors oversight enforcement
1051 authority.—
1052 (1) The Board of Governors of the State University System
1053 shall oversee the performance of state university boards of
1054 trustees in the enforcement of laws, rules, and regulations.
1055 State university boards of trustees shall be primarily
1056 responsible for compliance with laws and Board of Governors’
1057 rules and regulations.
1058 (2) The Board of Governors’ constitutional authority to
1059 operate, regulate, control, and be fully responsible for the
1060 management of the State University System mandates that the
1061 state universities comply with all requests by the Board of
1062 Governors for information, data, and reports. State university
1063 presidents are responsible for the accuracy of the information
1064 and data reported to the Board of Governors.
1065 (3) The Chancellor of the State University System may
1066 investigate allegations of noncompliance with law or Board of
1067 Governors’ rule or regulation and determine probable cause. The
1068 chancellor shall report determinations of probable cause to the
1069 Board of Governors, which may require the university board of
1070 trustees to document compliance with law or Board of Governors’
1071 rule or regulation.
1072 (4) If the university board of trustees cannot
1073 satisfactorily document compliance, the Board of Governors may
1074 order compliance within a specified timeframe.
1075 (5) If the Board of Governors determines that a state
1076 university board of trustees is unwilling or unable to comply
1077 with law or Board of Governors’ rule or regulation or an audit
1078 recommendation within the specified time, the Board of
1079 Governors, in addition to actions constitutionally authorized,
1080 may initiate any of the following actions:
1081 (a) Withhold the transfer of state funds, discretionary
1082 grant funds, discretionary lottery funds, or any other funds
1083 appropriated to the Board of Governors by the Legislature for
1084 disbursement to the state university until the university
1085 complies with the law or Board of Governors’ rule or regulation.
1086 (b) Declare the state university ineligible for competitive
1087 grants disbursed by the Board of Governors.
1088 (c) Require monthly or periodic reporting on the situation
1089 related to noncompliance until it is remedied.
1090 (d) Report to the Legislature that the state university is
1091 unwilling or unable to comply with law or Board of Governors’
1092 rule or regulation and recommend action to be taken by the
1093 Legislature.
1094 (6) This section does not create a private cause of action
1095 or create any rights for individuals or entities in addition to
1096 those provided elsewhere in law, rule, or regulation.
1097 Section 16. Subsection (2) of section 1008.37, Florida
1098 Statutes, is amended to read:
1099 1008.37 Postsecondary feedback of information to high
1100 schools.—
1101 (2) No later than November 30 of each year, the
1102 Commissioner of Education shall report, by high school, to the
1103 State Board of Education, the Board of Governors, and the
1104 Legislature, no later than November 30 of each year, on the
1105 number of prior-year prior year Florida high school graduates
1106 who enrolled for the first time in public postsecondary
1107 education in this state during the previous summer, fall, or
1108 spring term. The report must include, indicating the number of
1109 students whose scores on the common placement test that is
1110 required under s. 1008.30, indicate indicated the need to attain
1111 communication and computation skills through developmental
1112 education options offered by a public postsecondary institution
1113 or through for remediation through college-preparatory or
1114 vocational-preparatory instruction pursuant to s. 1004.91 or s.
1115 1008.30.
1116 Section 17. Paragraph (a) of subsection (3) of section
1117 1009.22, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
1118 1009.22 Workforce education postsecondary student fees.—
1119 (3)(a) Except as otherwise provided by law, fees for
1120 students who are nonresidents for tuition purposes must offset
1121 the full cost of instruction. Residency of students shall be
1122 determined as required in s. 1009.21. Fee-nonexempt students
1123 enrolled in vocational-preparatory instruction shall be charged
1124 fees equal to the fees charged for adult general education
1125 programs. Each Florida College System institution that conducts
1126 college-preparatory and vocational-preparatory instruction in
1127 the same class section may charge a single fee for both types of
1128 instruction.
1129 Section 18. Subsection (1), paragraph (a) of subsection
1130 (3), and subsection (10) of section 1009.23, Florida Statutes,
1131 are amended to read:
1132 1009.23 Florida College System institution student fees.—
1133 (1) Unless otherwise provided, this section applies only to
1134 fees charged for college credit instruction leading to an
1135 associate in arts degree, an associate in applied science
1136 degree, an associate in science degree, or a baccalaureate
1137 degree authorized pursuant to s. 1007.33, for developmental
1138 education noncollege credit college-preparatory courses defined
1139 in s. 1004.02, and for educator preparation institute programs
1140 defined in s. 1004.85.
1141 (3)(a) Effective July 1, 2011, for advanced and
1142 professional, postsecondary vocational, college preparatory, and
1143 educator preparation institute programs, the standard tuition is
1144 shall be $68.56 per credit hour for residents and nonresidents,
1145 and the out-of-state fee is shall be $205.82 per credit hour.
1146 (10) Each Florida College System institution board of
1147 trustees is authorized to establish a separate fee for
1148 technology, which may not exceed 5 percent of tuition per credit
1149 hour or credit-hour equivalent for resident students and may not
1150 exceed 5 percent of tuition and the out-of-state fee per credit
1151 hour or credit-hour equivalent for nonresident students.
1152 Revenues generated from the technology fee shall be used to
1153 enhance instructional technology resources for students and
1154 faculty. The technology fee may apply to both college credit and
1155 college-preparatory instruction and shall not be included in any
1156 award under the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program.
1157 Fifty percent of technology fee revenues may be pledged by a
1158 Florida College System institution board of trustees as a
1159 dedicated revenue source for the repayment of debt, including
1160 lease-purchase agreements, not to exceed the useful life of the
1161 asset being financed. Revenues generated from the technology fee
1162 may not be bonded.
1163 Section 19. Subsection (11) is added to section 1009.26,
1164 Florida Statutes, to read:
1165 1009.26 Fee waivers.—
1166 (11) A Florida College System institution that offers a
1167 baccalaureate degree for state residents for which the cost of
1168 tuition and specified fees does not exceed $10,000 for the
1169 entire degree program may waive any portion or all of the
1170 following fees for that degree: tuition, the activity and
1171 service fee, the financial aid fee, the technology fee, the
1172 capital improvement fee, and the distance-learning fee. The
1173 Legislature encourages colleges to include at least one industry
1174 certification from the Postsecondary Industry Certification
1175 Funding List in a degree program for which such waivers are
1176 granted.
1177 Section 20. Section 1009.28, Florida Statutes, is repealed.
1178 Section 21. Section 1009.285, Florida Statutes, is amended
1179 to read:
1180 1009.285 Fees for repeated enrollment in college-credit
1181 courses.—A student enrolled in the same undergraduate college
1182 credit course more than once, except for students enrolled in a
1183 gateway course for an extended period of time under s. 1008.30,
1184 must twice shall pay tuition at 100 percent of the full cost of
1185 instruction, and may not be and shall not be included in
1186 calculations of full-time equivalent enrollments for state
1187 funding purposes. However, students who withdraw or fail a class
1188 due to extenuating circumstances may be granted an exception
1189 only once for each class if, provided that approval is granted
1190 according to policy established by the Florida College System
1191 institution board of trustees or the university board of
1192 trustees. Each Florida College System institution and state
1193 university may review and reduce fees paid by students due to
1194 continued enrollment in a college-credit class on an individual
1195 basis contingent upon the student’s financial hardship. For
1196 purposes of this section, first-time enrollment in a class means
1197 shall mean enrollment in a class beginning fall semester 1997,
1198 and calculations of the full cost of instruction is shall be
1199 based on the systemwide average of the prior year’s cost of
1200 undergraduate programs for the Florida College System
1201 institutions and the state universities. Boards of trustees may
1202 make exceptions to this section for individualized study,
1203 elective coursework, courses that are repeated as a requirement
1204 of a major, and courses that are intended as continuing over
1205 multiple semesters, excluding the repeat of coursework more than
1206 once two times to increase grade point average or meet minimum
1207 course grade requirements.
1208 Section 22. Paragraph (g) of subsection (4) of section
1209 1009.286, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
1210 1009.286 Additional student payment for hours exceeding
1211 baccalaureate degree program completion requirements at state
1212 universities.—
1213 (4) For purposes of this section, credit hours earned under
1214 the following circumstances are not calculated as hours required
1215 to earn a baccalaureate degree:
1216 (g) Remedial and English as a Second Language credit hours.
1217 Section 23. Subsection (3) of section 1009.40, Florida
1218 Statutes, is amended to read:
1219 1009.40 General requirements for student eligibility for
1220 state financial aid awards and tuition assistance grants.—
1221 (3) Undergraduate students are eligible to receive
1222 financial aid for a maximum of 8 semesters or 12 quarters.
1223 However, undergraduate students participating in developmental
1224 education and college-preparatory instruction, students
1225 requiring additional time to complete the college-level
1226 communication and computation skills testing programs, or
1227 students enrolled in a 5-year undergraduate degree program are
1228 eligible to receive financial aid for a maximum of 10 semesters
1229 or 15 quarters.
1230 Section 24. Subsection (10) of section 1009.53, Florida
1231 Statutes, is amended to read:
1232 1009.53 Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program.—
1233 (10) Funds from any scholarship within the Florida Bright
1234 Futures Scholarship Program may not be used to pay for
1235 developmental education remedial or college-preparatory
1236 coursework.
1237 Section 25. Subsection (7) of section 1009.531, Florida
1238 Statutes, is repealed.
1239 Section 26. Paragraph (b) of subsection (1) and subsection
1240 (5) of section 1011.84, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
1241 1011.84 Procedure for determining state financial support
1242 and annual apportionment of state funds to each Florida College
1243 System institution district.—The procedure for determining state
1244 financial support and the annual apportionment to each Florida
1245 College System institution district authorized to operate a
1246 Florida College System institution under the provisions of s.
1247 1001.61 shall be as follows:
1248 (1) DETERMINING THE AMOUNT TO BE INCLUDED IN THE FLORIDA
1249 COLLEGE SYSTEM PROGRAM FUND FOR THE CURRENT OPERATING PROGRAM.—
1250 (b) The allocation of funds for Florida College System
1251 institutions is shall be based on advanced and professional
1252 disciplines, developmental education college-preparatory
1253 programs, and other programs for adults funded pursuant to s.
1254 1011.80.
1255 (5) REPORT OF DEVELOPMENTAL REMEDIAL EDUCATION.—Each
1256 Florida College System institution board of trustees shall
1257 report, as a separate item in its annual cost accounting system,
1258 the volume and cost of developmental education options provided
1259 to help students attain the communication and computation skills
1260 that are essential for college-level work pursuant to s. 1008.30
1261 remedial education activities as a separate item in its annual
1262 cost accounting system.
1263 Section 27. This act shall take effect July 1, 2013.