Florida Senate - 2014 SB 304
By Senator Braynon
36-00364-14 2014304__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to college and career readiness;
3 creating s. 1003.4991, F.S.; requiring each school
4 district to offer high school students a college and
5 career readiness course; providing course
6 requirements; requiring students to take an interest
7 assessment and develop a curriculum plan before taking
8 the course; specifying components of the course
9 curriculum and activities; providing an effective
10 date.
11
12 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
13
14 Section 1. Section 1003.4991, Florida Statutes, is created
15 to read:
16 1003.4991 College and career readiness.—
17 (1) Each school district shall offer students a for-credit
18 high school college and career readiness course that focuses on
19 the transition between high school and college, a trade
20 industry, or military service. The Department of Education shall
21 develop course frameworks and professional development materials
22 for the course. Teachers or school counselors who are trained in
23 college and career planning shall teach the course, and students
24 in the 11th or 12th grade shall take the course to better
25 prepare them for their chosen paths after graduation.
26 (2) The course curriculum shall be designed to assist
27 students in postsecondary education and career planning and
28 include the development of a personalized postsecondary
29 education and career readiness plan. Each school district shall
30 inform parents about the course curriculum and activities.
31 (3) Before enrolling in the course and as early as the 9th
32 grade, a student shall be given an interest assessment to
33 measure the student’s college and career interests and to aid in
34 determining the student’s focus of study. Each school shall hold
35 parent meetings with evening and weekend hours to review a
36 student’s interest assessment results and recommend a curriculum
37 plan. The interest assessment and curriculum plan are intended
38 to assist a student with course selections that culminate in
39 readiness to attend college or enter the workforce in a desired
40 field and may not preclude the completion of core requirements
41 for high school graduation. The student, school counselor, and
42 parent shall consent to the student’s curriculum plan, developed
43 with the parent’s input, before implementation.
44 (4) The college and career readiness course curriculum and
45 activities must provide the student with the opportunity to:
46 (a) Identify interests and strengths by reviewing the
47 results of the student’s interest assessment and curriculum
48 plan.
49 (b) Set goals and progress outcomes to be incorporated in
50 the student’s final postsecondary education and career plan.
51 (c) Research the admission and application requirements for
52 postsecondary educational institutions and complete
53 applications, as appropriate.
54 (d) Research college entrance test requirements.
55 (e) Write personal statements or college entrance letters.
56 (f) Review costs associated with postsecondary education
57 while researching state and federal financial aid options,
58 scholarships, and school-based aid to create a financial aid
59 action plan.
60 (g) Complete a Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program
61 award application and the Free Application for Federal Student
62 Aid and apply for federal work-study options to offset
63 educational costs, as appropriate.
64 (h) Learn about personal finance, including credit and
65 credit card debt, savings and investment, and banking and
66 financial services.
67 (i) Identify entry-level positions, internships,
68 apprenticeships, and volunteer opportunities for gaining work
69 experience.
70 (j) Write resumes and participate in mock interviews.
71 (k) Tour the campuses of local postsecondary educational
72 institutions.
73 (l) Finalize a postsecondary education and career readiness
74 plan with a copy given to the parent.
75 Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2014.