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2020 Florida Statutes
Chapter 1008
ASSESSMENT AND ACCOUNTABILITY
ASSESSMENT AND ACCOUNTABILITY
CHAPTER 1008
ASSESSMENT AND ACCOUNTABILITY
PART I
ASSESSMENT, K-20(ss. 1008.02-1008.30)
PART II
ACCOUNTABILITY, K-20(ss. 1008.31-1008.46)
PART I
ASSESSMENT, K-201008.02 Definitions.
1008.212 Students with disabilities; extraordinary exemption.
1008.22 Student assessment program for public schools.
1008.23 Confidentiality of assessment instruments.
1008.24 Test administration and security; public records exemption.
1008.25 Public school student progression; student support; reporting requirements.
1008.30 Common placement testing for public postsecondary education.
1008.02 Definitions.—As used in this chapter, the term:
(1) “Developmental education” means instruction through which a high school graduate who applies for any college credit program may attain the communication and computation skills necessary to successfully complete college credit instruction. Developmental education may be delivered through a variety of accelerated and corequisite strategies and includes any of the following:
(a) Modularized instruction that is customized and targeted to address specific skills gaps.
(b) Compressed course structures that accelerate student progression from developmental instruction to college-level coursework.
(c) Contextualized developmental instruction that is related to meta-majors.
(d) Corequisite developmental instruction or tutoring that supplements credit instruction while a student is concurrently enrolled in a credit-bearing course.
(2) “Gateway course” means the first course that provides transferable, college-level credit allowing a student to progress in his or her program of study.
(3) “Meta-major” means a collection of programs of study or academic discipline groupings that share common foundational skills.
History.—s. 18, ch. 2013-51.
1008.212 Students with disabilities; extraordinary exemption.—
(1) As used in this section, the term:
(a) “Circumstance” means a situation in which accommodations allowable for use on the statewide standardized assessment, a statewide standardized end-of-course assessment, or an alternate assessment pursuant to s. 1008.22(3)(c) are not offered to a student during the current year’s assessment administration due to technological limitations in the testing administration program which lead to results that reflect the student’s impaired sensory, manual, or speaking skills rather than the student’s achievement of the benchmarks assessed by the statewide standardized assessment, a statewide standardized end-of-course assessment, or an alternate assessment.
(b) “Condition” means an impairment, whether recently acquired or longstanding, which affects a student’s ability to communicate in modes deemed acceptable for statewide assessments, even if appropriate accommodations are provided, and creates a situation in which the results of administration of the statewide standardized assessment, an end-of-course assessment, or an alternate assessment would reflect the student’s impaired sensory, manual, or speaking skills rather than the student’s achievement of the benchmarks assessed by the statewide standardized assessment, a statewide standardized end-of-course assessment, or an alternate assessment.
(2) A student with a disability for whom the individual education plan (IEP) team determines is prevented by a circumstance or condition from physically demonstrating the mastery of skills that have been acquired and are measured by the statewide standardized assessment, a statewide standardized end-of-course assessment, or an alternate assessment pursuant to s. 1008.22(3)(c) shall be granted an extraordinary exemption from the administration of the assessment. A learning, emotional, behavioral, or significant cognitive disability, or the receipt of services through the homebound or hospitalized program in accordance with rule 6A-6.03020, Florida Administrative Code, is not, in and of itself, an adequate criterion for the granting of an extraordinary exemption.
(3) The IEP team, which must include the parent, may submit to the district school superintendent a written request for an extraordinary exemption at any time during the school year, but not later than 60 days before the current year’s assessment administration for which the request is made. A request must include all of the following:
(a) A written description of the student’s disabilities, including a specific description of the student’s impaired sensory, manual, or speaking skills.
(b) Written documentation of the most recent evaluation data.
(c) Written documentation, if available, of the most recent administration of the statewide standardized assessment, an end-of-course assessment, or an alternate assessment.
(d) A written description of the condition’s effect on the student’s participation in the statewide standardized assessment, an end-of-course assessment, or an alternate assessment.
(e) Written evidence that the student has had the opportunity to learn the skills being tested.
(f) Written evidence that the student has been provided appropriate instructional accommodations.
(g) Written evidence as to whether the student has had the opportunity to be assessed using the instructional accommodations on the student’s IEP which are allowable in the administration of the statewide standardized assessment, an end-of-course assessment, or an alternate assessment in prior assessments.
(h) Written evidence of the circumstance or condition as defined in subsection (1).
(4) Based upon the documentation provided by the IEP team, the school district superintendent shall recommend to the Commissioner of Education whether an extraordinary exemption for a given assessment administration window should be granted or denied. A copy of the school district’s procedural safeguards as required in rule 6A-6.03311, Florida Administrative Code, shall be provided to the parent. If the parent disagrees with the IEP team’s recommendation, the dispute resolution methods described in the procedural safeguards shall be made available to the parent. Upon receipt of the request, documentation, and recommendation, the commissioner shall verify the information documented, make a determination, and notify the parent and the district school superintendent in writing within 30 days after the receipt of the request whether the exemption has been granted or denied. If the commissioner grants the exemption, the student’s progress must be assessed in accordance with the goals established in the student’s individual education plan. If the commissioner denies the exemption, the notification must state the reasons for the denial.
(5) The parent of a student with a disability who disagrees with the commissioner’s denial of an extraordinary exemption may request an expedited hearing. If the parent requests the expedited hearing, the Department of Education shall inform the parent of any free or low-cost legal services and other relevant services available in the area. The Department of Education shall arrange a hearing with the Division of Administrative Hearings, which must be commenced within 20 school days after the parent’s request for the expedited hearing. The administrative law judge at the division shall make a determination within 10 school days after the expedited hearing. The standard of review for the expedited hearing is de novo, and the department has the burden of proof.
(6) Beginning June 30, 2014, and each June 30 thereafter, the commissioner shall annually submit to the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives the number of extraordinary exemptions requested under this section, the number of extraordinary exemptions granted under this section, and the criteria by which all decisions were made. The commissioner shall regularly inform district testing and special education administrators of the procedures established in this section.
(7) The State Board of Education shall adopt rules to administer this section.
History.—s. 7, ch. 2013-236.
1008.22 Student assessment program for public schools.—
(1) PURPOSE.—The primary purpose of the student assessment program is to provide student academic achievement and learning gains data to students, parents, teachers, school administrators, and school district staff. This data is to be used by districts to improve instruction; by students, parents, and teachers to guide learning objectives; by education researchers to assess national and international education comparison data; and by the public to assess the cost benefit of the expenditure of taxpayer dollars. The program must be designed to:
(a) Assess the achievement level and annual learning gains of each student in English Language Arts and mathematics and the achievement level in all other subjects assessed.
(b) Provide data for making decisions regarding school accountability, recognition, and improvement of operations and management, including schools operating for the purpose of providing educational services to youth in Department of Juvenile Justice programs.
(c) Identify the educational strengths and needs of students and the readiness of students to be promoted to the next grade level or to graduate from high school.
(d) Assess how well educational goals and curricular standards are met at the school, district, state, national, and international levels.
(e) Provide information to aid in the evaluation and development of educational programs and policies.
(f) When available, provide instructional personnel with information on student achievement of standards and benchmarks in order to improve instruction.
(2) NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION COMPARISONS.—Florida school districts shall participate in the administration of the National Assessment of Educational Progress, or similar national or international assessments, both for the national sample and for any state-by-state comparison programs that may be initiated, as directed by the commissioner. The assessments must be conducted using the data collection procedures, student surveys, educator surveys, and other instruments included in the National Assessment of Educational Progress or similar national or international assessments being administered in Florida. The administration of such assessments shall be in addition to and separate from the administration of the statewide, standardized assessments.
(3) STATEWIDE, STANDARDIZED ASSESSMENT PROGRAM.—The Commissioner of Education shall design and implement a statewide, standardized assessment program aligned to the core curricular content established in the Next Generation Sunshine State Standards. The commissioner also must develop or select and implement a common battery of assessment tools that will be used in all juvenile justice education programs in the state. These tools must accurately measure the core curricular content established in the Next Generation Sunshine State Standards. Participation in the assessment program is mandatory for all school districts and all students attending public schools, including adult students seeking a standard high school diploma under s. 1003.4282 and students in Department of Juvenile Justice education programs, except as otherwise provided by law. If a student does not participate in the assessment program, the school district must notify the student’s parent and provide the parent with information regarding the implications of such nonparticipation. The statewide, standardized assessment program shall be designed and implemented as follows:
1(a) Statewide, standardized comprehensive assessments.—The statewide, standardized Reading assessment shall be administered annually in grades 3 through 10. The statewide, standardized Writing assessment shall be administered annually at least once at the elementary, middle, and high school levels. When the Reading and Writing assessments are replaced by English Language Arts (ELA) assessments, ELA assessments shall be administered to students in grades 3 through 10. Retake opportunities for the grade 10 Reading assessment or, upon implementation, the grade 10 ELA assessment must be provided. Students taking the ELA assessments shall not take the statewide, standardized assessments in Reading or Writing. Reading passages and writing prompts for ELA assessments shall incorporate grade-level core curricula content from social studies. The statewide, standardized Mathematics assessments shall be administered annually in grades 3 through 8. Students taking a revised Mathematics assessment shall not take the discontinued assessment. The statewide, standardized Science assessment shall be administered annually at least once at the elementary and middle grades levels. In order to earn a standard high school diploma, a student who has not earned a passing score on the grade 10 Reading assessment or, upon implementation, the grade 10 ELA assessment must earn a passing score on the assessment retake or earn a concordant score as authorized under subsection (9).
(b) End-of-course (EOC) assessments.—EOC assessments must be statewide, standardized, and developed or approved by the Department of Education as follows:
1. EOC assessments for Algebra I, Geometry, Biology I, United States History, and Civics shall be administered to students enrolled in such courses as specified in the course code directory.
2. Students enrolled in a course, as specified in the course code directory, with an associated statewide, standardized EOC assessment must take the EOC assessment for such course and may not take the corresponding subject or grade-level statewide, standardized assessment pursuant to paragraph (a). Sections 1003.4156 and 1003.4282 govern the use of statewide, standardized EOC assessment results for students.
3. The commissioner may select one or more nationally developed comprehensive examinations, which may include examinations for a College Board Advanced Placement course, International Baccalaureate course, or Advanced International Certificate of Education course, or industry-approved examinations to earn national industry certifications identified in the CAPE Industry Certification Funding List, for use as EOC assessments under this paragraph if the commissioner determines that the content knowledge and skills assessed by the examinations meet or exceed the grade-level expectations for the core curricular content established for the course in the Next Generation Sunshine State Standards. Use of any such examination as an EOC assessment must be approved by the state board in rule.
4. Contingent upon funding provided in the General Appropriations Act, including the appropriation of funds received through federal grants, the commissioner may establish an implementation schedule for the development and administration of additional statewide, standardized EOC assessments that must be approved by the state board in rule. If approved by the state board, student performance on such assessments constitutes 30 percent of a student’s final course grade.
5. All statewide, standardized EOC assessments must be administered online except as otherwise provided in paragraph (c).
6. A student enrolled in an Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), or Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE) course who takes the respective AP, IB, or AICE assessment and earns the minimum score necessary to earn college credit, as identified in s. 1007.27(2), meets the requirements of this paragraph and does not have to take the EOC assessment for the corresponding course.
(c) Students with disabilities; Florida Alternate Assessment.—
1. Each district school board must provide instruction to prepare students with disabilities in the core content knowledge and skills necessary for successful grade-to-grade progression and high school graduation.
2. A student with a disability, as defined in s. 1007.02, for whom the individual education plan (IEP) team determines that the statewide, standardized assessments under this section cannot accurately measure the student’s abilities, taking into consideration all allowable accommodations, shall have assessment results waived for the purpose of receiving a course grade and a standard high school diploma. Such waiver shall be designated on the student’s transcript. The statement of waiver shall be limited to a statement that performance on an assessment was waived for the purpose of receiving a course grade or a standard high school diploma, as applicable.
3. The State Board of Education shall adopt rules, based upon recommendations of the commissioner, for the provision of assessment accommodations for students with disabilities and for students who have limited English proficiency.
a. Accommodations that negate the validity of a statewide, standardized assessment are not allowed during the administration of the assessment. However, instructional accommodations are allowed in the classroom if identified in a student’s IEP. Students using instructional accommodations in the classroom that are not allowed on a statewide, standardized assessment may have assessment results waived if the IEP team determines that the assessment cannot accurately measure the student’s abilities.
b. If a student is provided with instructional accommodations in the classroom that are not allowed as accommodations for statewide, standardized assessments, the district must inform the parent in writing and provide the parent with information regarding the impact on the student’s ability to meet expected performance levels. A parent must provide signed consent for a student to receive classroom instructional accommodations that would not be available or permitted on a statewide, standardized assessment and acknowledge in writing that he or she understands the implications of such instructional accommodations.
c. If a student’s IEP states that online administration of a statewide, standardized assessment will significantly impair the student’s ability to perform, the assessment shall be administered in hard copy.
4. For students with significant cognitive disabilities, the Department of Education shall provide for implementation of the Florida Alternate Assessment to accurately measure the core curricular content established in the Next Generation Sunshine State Standards.
(d) Implementation schedule.—
1. The Commissioner of Education shall establish and publish on the department’s website an implementation schedule to transition from the statewide, standardized Reading and Writing assessments to the ELA assessments and to the revised Mathematics assessments, including the Algebra I and Geometry EOC assessments. The schedule must take into consideration funding, sufficient field and baseline data, access to assessments, instructional alignment, and school district readiness to administer the assessments online. All such assessments must be delivered through computer-based testing, however, the following assessments must be delivered in a computer-based format, as follows: the grade 3 Mathematics assessment beginning in the 2016-2017 school year; the grade 4 ELA assessment, beginning in the 2015-2016 school year; and the grade 4 Mathematics assessment, beginning in the 2016-2017 school year. Notwithstanding the requirements of this subparagraph, statewide, standardized ELA and mathematics assessments in grades 3 through 6 must be delivered only in a paper-based format, beginning with the 2017-2018 school year, and all such assessments must be paper-based no later than the 2018-2019 school year.
2. The Department of Education shall publish minimum and recommended technology requirements that include specifications for hardware, software, networking, security, and broadband capacity to facilitate school district compliance with the requirements of this section.
(e) Assessment scores and achievement levels.—
1. All statewide, standardized EOC assessments and ELA, mathematics, and Science assessments shall use scaled scores and achievement levels. Achievement levels shall range from 1 through 5, with level 1 being the lowest achievement level, level 5 being the highest achievement level, and level 3 indicating satisfactory performance on an assessment.
2. The state board shall designate by rule a passing score for each statewide, standardized assessment.
3. If the commissioner seeks to revise a statewide, standardized assessment and the revisions require the state board to modify performance level scores, including the passing score, the commissioner shall provide a copy of the proposed scores and implementation plan to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives at least 90 days before submission to the state board for review. Until the state board adopts the modifications by rule, the commissioner shall use calculations for scoring the assessment that adjust student scores on the revised assessment for statistical equivalence to student scores on the former assessment. The state board shall adopt by rule the passing score for the revised assessment that is statistically equivalent to the passing score on the discontinued assessment for a student who is required to attain a passing score on the discontinued assessment. The commissioner may, with approval of the state board, discontinue administration of the former assessment upon the graduation, based on normal student progression, of students participating in the final regular administration of the former assessment. If the commissioner revises a statewide, standardized assessment and the revisions require the state board to modify the passing score, only students taking the assessment for the first time after the rule is adopted are affected.
(f) Prohibited activities.—A district school board shall prohibit each public school from suspending a regular program of curricula for purposes of administering practice assessments or engaging in other assessment-preparation activities for a statewide, standardized assessment. However, a district school board may authorize a public school to engage in the following assessment-preparation activities:
1. Distributing to students sample assessment books and answer keys published by the Department of Education.
2. Providing individualized instruction in assessment-taking strategies, without suspending the school’s regular program of curricula, for a student who scores Level 1 or Level 2 on a prior administration of an assessment.
3. Providing individualized instruction in the content knowledge and skills assessed, without suspending the school’s regular program of curricula, for a student who scores Level 1 or Level 2 on a prior administration of an assessment or a student who, through a diagnostic assessment administered by the school district, is identified as having a deficiency in the content knowledge and skills assessed.
4. Administering a practice assessment or engaging in other assessment-preparation activities that are determined necessary to familiarize students with the organization of the assessment, the format of assessment items, and the assessment directions or that are otherwise necessary for the valid and reliable administration of the assessment, as set forth in rules adopted by the State Board of Education with specific reference to this paragraph.
(g) Contracts for assessments.—
1. The commissioner shall provide for the assessments to be developed or obtained, as appropriate, through contracts and project agreements with private vendors, public vendors, public agencies, postsecondary educational institutions, or school districts. The commissioner may enter into contracts for the continued administration of the assessments authorized and funded by the Legislature. Contracts may be initiated in 1 fiscal year and continue into the next fiscal year and may be paid from the appropriations of either or both fiscal years. The commissioner may negotiate for the sale or lease of tests, scoring protocols, test scoring services, and related materials developed pursuant to law.
2. A student’s performance results on statewide, standardized assessments, EOC assessments, and Florida Alternative Assessments administered pursuant to this subsection must be provided to the student’s teachers and parents by the end of the school year, unless the commissioner determines that extenuating circumstances exist and reports the extenuating circumstances to the State Board of Education. This subparagraph does not apply to existing contracts for such assessments, but shall apply to new contracts and any renewal of existing contracts for such assessments.
3. If liquidated damages are applicable, the department shall collect liquidated damages that are due in response to the administration of the spring 2015 computer-based assessments of the department’s Florida Standards Assessment contract with American Institutes for Research, and expend the funds to reimburse parties that incurred damages.
(4) SCHOOL PARTICIPATION IN THE STATEWIDE, STANDARDIZED ASSESSMENT PROGRAM.—Each public school shall participate in the statewide, standardized assessment program in accordance with the assessment and reporting schedules and the minimum and recommended technology requirements published by the Commissioner of Education. District school boards shall not establish school calendars that conflict with or jeopardize implementation of the assessment program. All district school boards shall report assessment results using the state management information system. Performance data shall be analyzed and reported to parents, the community, and the state. Student performance data shall be used by districts in developing objectives for the school improvement plan, evaluating instructional personnel and administrative personnel, assigning staff, allocating resources, acquiring instructional materials and technology, implementing performance-based budgeting, and promoting and assigning students to educational programs. The analysis of student performance data must also identify strengths and needs in the educational program and trends over time. The analysis must be used in conjunction with the budgetary planning processes developed pursuant to s. 1008.385 and the development of remediation programs.
(5) REQUIRED ANALYSES.—The commissioner shall provide, at a minimum, statewide, standardized assessment data analysis showing student achievement levels and learning gains by teacher, school, and school district.
(6) LOCAL ASSESSMENT OF STUDENT PERFORMANCE ON STATE STANDARDS.—
(a) Measurement of student performance is the responsibility of school districts except in those subjects and grade levels measured under the statewide, standardized assessment program described in this section. When available, instructional personnel must be provided with information on student achievement of standards and benchmarks in order to improve instruction.
(b) The Commissioner of Education shall assist and support districts in measuring student performance on the state standards by maintaining a statewide item bank, facilitating the sharing of developed tests or test items among school districts, and providing technical assistance in best assessment practices. The commissioner may discontinue the item bank if he or she determines that district participation is insufficient for its sustainability.
(7) ASSESSMENT SCHEDULES AND REPORTING OF RESULTS.—
(a) The Commissioner of Education shall establish schedules for the administration of statewide, standardized assessments and the reporting of student assessment results. The commissioner shall consider the observance of religious and school holidays when developing the schedules. The assessment and reporting schedules must provide the earliest possible reporting of student assessment results to the school districts, consistent with the requirements of paragraph (3)(g). Assessment results for the statewide, standardized ELA and mathematics assessments and all statewide, standardized EOC assessments must be made available no later than June 30, except for results for the grade 3 statewide, standardized ELA assessment, which must be made available no later than May 31. School districts shall administer statewide, standardized assessments in accordance with the schedule established by the commissioner.
(b) By January of each year, beginning in 2018, the commissioner shall publish on the department’s website a uniform calendar that includes the assessment and reporting schedules for, at a minimum, the next 2 school years. The uniform calendar must be provided to school districts in an electronic format that allows each school district and public school to populate the calendar with, at minimum, the following information for reporting the district assessment schedules under paragraph (d):
1. Whether the assessment is a district-required assessment or a state-required assessment.
2. The specific date or dates that each assessment will be administered.
3. The time allotted to administer each assessment.
4. Whether the assessment is a computer-based assessment or a paper-based assessment.
5. The grade level or subject area associated with the assessment.
6. The date that the assessment results are expected to be available to teachers and parents.
7. The type of assessment, the purpose of the assessment, and the use of the assessment results.
8. A glossary of assessment terminology.
9. Estimates of average time for administering state-required and district-required assessments, by grade level.
(c) Beginning with the 2018-2019 school year, the spring administration of the statewide, standardized assessments in paragraphs (3)(a) and (b), excluding assessment retakes, must be in accordance with the following schedule:
1. The grade 3 statewide, standardized ELA assessment and the writing portion of the statewide, standardized ELA assessment for grades 4 through 10 must be administered no earlier than April 1 each year within an assessment window not to exceed 2 weeks.
2. With the exception of assessments identified in subparagraph 1., any statewide, standardized assessment that is delivered in a paper-based format must be administered no earlier than May 1 each year within an assessment window not to exceed 2 weeks.
3. With the exception of assessments identified in subparagraphs 1. and 2., any statewide, standardized assessment must be administered within a 4-week assessment window that opens no earlier than May 1 each year.
Each school district shall administer the assessments identified under subparagraphs 2. and 3. no earlier than 4 weeks before the last day of school for the district.
(d) Each school district shall establish schedules for the administration of any statewide, standardized assessments and district-required assessments and approve the schedules as an agenda item at a district school board meeting. Each school district shall publish the testing schedules on its website using the uniform calendar, including all information required under paragraph (b), and submit the schedules to the Department of Education by October 1 of each year. Each public school shall publish schedules for statewide, standardized assessments and district-required assessments on its website using the uniform calendar, including all information required under paragraph (b). The uniform calendar must be included in the parent guide required by s. 1002.23(5).
(e) A school district may not schedule more than 5 percent of a student’s total school hours in a school year to administer statewide, standardized assessments and district-required local assessments. The district must secure written consent from a student’s parent before administering district-required local assessments that, after applicable statewide, standardized assessments are scheduled, exceed the 5 percent test administration limit for that student under this paragraph. The 5 percent test administration limit for a student under this paragraph may be exceeded as needed to provide test accommodations that are required by an IEP or are appropriate for an English language learner who is currently receiving services in a program operated in accordance with an approved English language learner district plan pursuant to s. 1003.56. Notwithstanding this paragraph, a student may choose within a school year to take an examination or assessment adopted by State Board of Education rule pursuant to this section and ss. 1007.27, 1008.30, and 1008.44.
(f) A statewide, standardized EOC assessment must be used as the final cumulative examination for its associated course. No additional final assessment may be administered in a course with a statewide, standardized EOC assessment. A district-required local assessment may be used as the final cumulative examination for its associated course in accordance with the school district’s policy.
(g) A school district must provide a student’s performance results on district-required local assessments to the student’s teachers within 1 week and to the student’s parents no later than 30 days after administering such assessments, unless the superintendent determines in writing that extenuating circumstances exist and reports the extenuating circumstances to the district school board.
(h) The results of statewide, standardized ELA and mathematics assessments, including assessment retakes, shall be reported in an easy-to-read and understandable format and delivered in time to provide useful, actionable information to students, parents, and each student’s current teacher of record and teacher of record for the subsequent school year; however, in any case, the district shall provide the results pursuant to this paragraph within 1 week after receiving the results from the department. A report of student assessment results must, at a minimum, contain:
1. A clear explanation of the student’s performance on the applicable statewide, standardized assessments.
2. Information identifying the student’s areas of strength and areas in need of improvement.
3. Specific actions that may be taken, and the available resources that may be used, by the student’s parent to assist his or her child based on the student’s areas of strength and areas in need of improvement.
4. Longitudinal information, if available, on the student’s progress in each subject area based on previous statewide, standardized assessment data.
5. Comparative information showing the student’s score compared to other students in the school district, in the state, or, if available, in other states.
6. Predictive information, if available, showing the linkage between the scores attained by the student on the statewide, standardized assessments and the scores he or she may potentially attain on nationally recognized college entrance examinations.
(i) The State Board of Education shall adopt rules for the development of the uniform calendar that, at minimum, define terms that must be used in the calendar to describe various assessments, including the terms “summative assessment,” “formative assessment,” and “interim assessment.”
(8) PUBLICATION OF ASSESSMENTS.—To promote transparency in the statewide assessment program, in any procurement for the ELA assessment in grades 3 through 10 and the mathematics assessment in grades 3 through 8, the Department of Education shall solicit cost proposals for publication of the state assessments on its website in accordance with this subsection.
1(a) The department shall publish each assessment administered under paragraph (3)(a) and subparagraph (3)(b)1., excluding assessment retakes, at least once on a triennial basis pursuant to a schedule determined by the Commissioner of Education. Each assessment, when published, must have been administered during the most recent school year and be in a format that facilitates the sharing of assessment items.
(b) The initial publication of assessments must occur no later than June 30, 2021, subject to appropriation, and must include, at a minimum, the grade 3 ELA and mathematics assessments, the grade 10 ELA assessment, and the Algebra I EOC assessment.
(c) The department must provide materials on its website to help the public interpret assessment information published pursuant to this subsection.
(9) CONCORDANT SCORES.—The Commissioner of Education must identify scores on the SAT and ACT that if achieved satisfy the graduation requirement that a student pass the grade 10 statewide, standardized Reading assessment or, upon implementation, the grade 10 ELA assessment. The commissioner may identify concordant scores on assessments other than the SAT and ACT. If the content or scoring procedures change for the grade 10 Reading assessment or, upon implementation, the grade 10 ELA assessment, new concordant scores must be determined. If new concordant scores are not timely adopted, the last-adopted concordant scores remain in effect until such time as new scores are adopted. The state board shall adopt concordant scores in rule.
(10) COMPARATIVE SCORES FOR END-OF-COURSE (EOC) ASSESSMENT.—The Commissioner of Education must identify one or more comparative scores for the Algebra I EOC assessment. If the content or scoring procedures change for the EOC assessment, new comparative scores must be determined. If new comparative scores are not timely adopted, the last-adopted comparative scores remain in effect until such time as new scores are adopted. The state board shall adopt comparative scores in rule.
(11) CHILD WITH MEDICAL COMPLEXITY.—In addition to the exemption option provided for under s. 1008.212, effective July 1, 2014, a child with a medical complexity may be exempt from participating in statewide, standardized assessments, including the Florida Alternate Assessment (FAA), pursuant to the provisions of this subsection.
(a) Definition of child with medical complexity.—A child with a medical complexity means a child who, based upon medical documentation from a physician licensed under chapter 458 or chapter 459 is medically fragile and needs intensive care due to a condition such as congenital or acquired multisystem disease; has a severe neurological or cognitive disorder with marked functional impairment; or is technology dependent for activities of daily living; and lacks the capacity to take or perform on an assessment.
(b) Exemption options.—If the parent consents in writing, and the IEP team determines that the child should not be assessed based upon medical documentation that the child meets the definition of a child with medical complexity, then the parent may choose one of the following three assessment exemption options.
1. One-year exemption approved by the district school superintendent. If the superintendent is provided written documentation of parental consent and appropriate medical documentation to support the IEP team’s determination that the child is a child with medical complexity, then the superintendent may approve a one-year exemption from all statewide, standardized assessments, including the FAA. The superintendent shall report annually to the district school board and the Commissioner of Education the number of students who are identified as a child with medical complexity who are not participating in the assessment program.
2. One- to three-year exemption approved by the Commissioner of Education. If the commissioner is provided written documentation of parental consent; district school superintendent approval; the IEP team’s determination that the child is a child with medical complexity based upon appropriate medical documentation; and all medical documentation, then the commissioner may exempt the child from all statewide, standardized assessments, including the FAA, for up to 3 years. The State Board of Education shall adopt rules to administer this subparagraph which must expedite the process by which exemptions are reviewed and approved and which demonstrate the utmost compassion and consideration for meeting the parent’s and child’s needs.
3. Permanent exemption approved by the Commissioner of Education. If the commissioner is provided written documentation of parental consent; district school superintendent approval of a permanent exemption; the IEP team’s determination that the child is a child with medical complexity based upon appropriate medical documentation and that a permanent exemption is appropriate; and all medical documentation, then the commissioner may approve a permanent exemption from all statewide, standardized assessments, including the FAA. The State Board of Education shall adopt rules to administer this subparagraph which must expedite the process by which exemptions are reviewed and approved and which demonstrate the utmost compassion and consideration for meeting the parent’s and child’s needs.
(c) Reporting requirements.—The Commissioner of Education shall annually report to the Legislature data, by district, related to the implementation of this subsection at the same time as results are reported regarding student performance on statewide, standardized assessments.
(12) REPORTS.—The Department of Education shall annually provide a report to the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives which shall include the following:
(a) Longitudinal performance of students in reading and mathematics.
(b) Longitudinal performance of students by grade level in reading and mathematics.
(c) Longitudinal performance regarding efforts to close the achievement gap.
(d) Other student performance data based on national norm-referenced and criterion-referenced tests, if available; national assessments, such as the National Assessment of Educational Progress; and international assessments.
(e) The number of students who after 8th grade enroll in adult education rather than other secondary education, which is defined as grades 9 through 12.
(f) Any plan or intent to establish or implement new statewide, standardized assessments.
(13) RULES.—The State Board of Education shall adopt rules to implement this section.
History.—s. 368, ch. 2002-387; s. 7, ch. 2003-8; s. 2, ch. 2003-413; s. 49, ch. 2004-41; s. 3, ch. 2004-42; s. 5, ch. 2004-271; s. 40, ch. 2006-74; s. 174, ch. 2007-5; s. 7, ch. 2008-142; s. 18, ch. 2008-235; s. 99, ch. 2009-21; s. 8, ch. 2010-22; s. 4, ch. 2010-48; s. 3, ch. 2011-1; s. 20, ch. 2011-37; s. 8, ch. 2011-137; s. 25, ch. 2011-175; s. 22, ch. 2012-191; s. 5, ch. 2012-194; s. 33, ch. 2013-27; s. 55, ch. 2013-35; s. 4, ch. 2013-185; ss. 9, 12, ch. 2014-23; s. 71, ch. 2014-39; s. 115, ch. 2015-2; s. 7, ch. 2015-6; s. 95, ch. 2016-10; s. 35, ch. 2017-116; s. 28, ch. 2018-6; s. 14, ch. 2018-150.
1Note.—Section 49, ch. 2018-6, provides that:
“(1) The Department of Revenue is authorized, and all conditions are deemed to be met, to adopt emergency rules pursuant to s. 120.54(4), Florida Statutes, for the purpose of administering the provisions of this act.
“(2) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, emergency rules adopted pursuant to subsection (1) are effective for 6 months after adoption and may be renewed during the pendency of procedures to adopt permanent rules addressing the subject of the emergency rules.
“(3) This section shall take effect upon this act becoming a law and shall expire January 1, 2022.”
1008.23 Confidentiality of assessment instruments.—All examination and assessment instruments, including developmental materials and workpapers directly related thereto, which are prepared, prescribed, or administered pursuant to ss. 1008.22 and 1008.25 shall be confidential and exempt from the provisions of s. 119.07(1) and from s. 1001.52. Provisions governing access, maintenance, and destruction of such instruments and related materials shall be prescribed by rules of the State Board of Education.
History.—s. 369, ch. 2002-387; s. 56, ch. 2013-35.
1008.24 Test administration and security; public records exemption.—
(1) A person may not knowingly and willfully violate test security rules adopted by the State Board of Education for mandatory tests administered by or through the State Board of Education or the Commissioner of Education to students, educators, or applicants for certification or administered by school districts pursuant to s. 1008.22, or, with respect to any such test, knowingly and willfully to:
(a) Give examinees access to test questions prior to testing;
(b) Copy, reproduce, or use in any manner inconsistent with test security rules all or any portion of any secure test booklet;
(c) Coach examinees during testing or alter or interfere with examinees’ responses in any way;
(d) Make answer keys available to examinees;
(e) Fail to follow security rules for distribution and return of secure test as directed, or fail to account for all secure test materials before, during, and after testing;
(f) Fail to follow test administration directions specified in the test administration manuals; or
(g) Participate in, direct, aid, counsel, assist in, or encourage any of the acts prohibited in this section.
(2) A person who violates this section commits a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.
(3)(a) A school district may contract with qualified contractors to administer and proctor statewide, standardized assessments required under s. 1008.22 or assessments associated with Florida approved courses under s. 1003.499, as approved by the Department of Education in accordance with rules of the State Board of Education. Assessments may be administered or proctored by qualified contractors at sites that meet criteria established by rules of the State Board of Education and adopted pursuant to ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54 to implement the contracting requirements of this subsection.
(b) A school district may use district employees, such as education paraprofessionals as described in s. 1012.37, to administer and proctor statewide, standardized assessments required under s. 1008.22 or assessments associated with Florida approved courses under s. 1003.499, in accordance with this section and related rules adopted by the State Board of Education. The rules must establish training requirements that must be successfully completed by district employees prior to the employees performing duties pursuant this paragraph.
(4)(a) A district school superintendent, a president of a public postsecondary educational institution, or a president of a nonpublic postsecondary educational institution shall cooperate with the Commissioner of Education in any investigation concerning the administration of a test administered pursuant to state statute or rule.
(b) The identity of a school or postsecondary educational institution, personal identifying information of any personnel of any school district or postsecondary educational institution, or any specific allegations of misconduct obtained or reported pursuant to an investigation conducted by the Department of Education of a testing impropriety are confidential and exempt from s. 119.07(1) and s. 24(a), Art. I of the State Constitution until the conclusion of the investigation or until such time as the investigation ceases to be active. For the purpose of this paragraph, an investigation is deemed concluded upon a finding that no impropriety has occurred, upon the conclusion of any resulting preliminary investigation pursuant to s. 1012.796, upon the completion of any resulting investigation by a law enforcement agency, or upon the referral of the matter to an employer who has the authority to take disciplinary action against an individual who is suspected of a testing impropriety. For the purpose of this paragraph, an investigation is considered active so long as it is ongoing and there is a reasonable, good faith anticipation that an administrative finding will be made in the foreseeable future.
(5) Exceptional students with disabilities, as defined in s. 1003.01(3), shall have access to testing sites. The Department of Education and each school district shall adopt policies that are necessary to ensure such access.
History.—s. 370, ch. 2002-387; s. 1, ch. 2009-143; s. 7, ch. 2013-225; s. 1, ch. 2014-13; s. 8, ch. 2015-6.
1008.25 Public school student progression; student support; reporting requirements.—
(1) INTENT.—It is the intent of the Legislature that each student’s progression from one grade to another be determined, in part, upon satisfactory performance in English Language Arts, social studies, science, and mathematics; that district school board policies facilitate student achievement; that each student and his or her parent be informed of that student’s academic progress; and that students have access to educational options that provide academically challenging coursework or accelerated instruction pursuant to s. 1002.3105.
(2) STUDENT PROGRESSION PLAN.—Each district school board shall establish a comprehensive plan for student progression which must provide for a student’s progression from one grade to another based on the student’s mastery of the standards in s. 1003.41, specifically English Language Arts, mathematics, science, and social studies standards. The plan must:
(a) Include criteria that emphasize student reading proficiency in kindergarten through grade 3 and provide targeted instructional support for students with identified deficiencies in English Language Arts, mathematics, science, and social studies. High schools shall use all available assessment results, including the results of statewide, standardized English Language Arts assessments and end-of-course assessments for Algebra I and Geometry, to advise students of any identified deficiencies and to provide appropriate postsecondary preparatory instruction before high school graduation. The results of evaluations used to monitor a student’s progress in grades K-12 must be provided to the student’s teacher in a timely manner and as otherwise required by law. Thereafter, evaluation results must be provided to the student’s parent in a timely manner. When available, instructional personnel must be provided with information on student achievement of standards and benchmarks in order to improve instruction.
(b)1. List the student eligibility and procedural requirements established by the school district for whole-grade promotion, midyear promotion, and subject-matter acceleration that would result in a student attending a different school, pursuant to s. 1002.3105(2)(b).
2. Notify parents and students of the school district’s process by which a parent may request student participation in whole-grade promotion, midyear promotion, or subject-matter acceleration that would result in a student attending a different school, pursuant to s. 1002.3105(4)(b)2.
(c)1. Advise parents and students that additional ACCEL options may be available at the student’s school, pursuant to s. 1002.3105.
2. Advise parents and students to contact the principal at the student’s school for information related to student eligibility requirements for whole-grade promotion, midyear promotion, and subject-matter acceleration when the promotion or acceleration occurs within the principal’s school; virtual instruction in higher grade level subjects; and any other ACCEL options offered by the principal, pursuant to s. 1002.3105(2)(a).
3. Advise parents and students to contact the principal at the student’s school for information related to the school’s process by which a parent may request student participation in whole-grade promotion, midyear promotion, and subject-matter acceleration when the promotion or acceleration occurs within the principal’s school; virtual instruction in higher grade level subjects; and any other ACCEL options offered by the principal, pursuant to s. 1002.3105(4)(b)1.
(d) Advise parents and students of the early graduation options under s. 1003.4281.
(e) List, or incorporate by reference, all dual enrollment courses contained within the dual enrollment articulation agreement established pursuant to s. 1007.271(21).
(f) Provide instructional sequences by which students in kindergarten through high school may attain progressively higher levels of skill in the use of digital tools and applications. The instructional sequences must include participation in curricular and instructional options and the demonstration of competence of standards required pursuant to ss. 1003.41 and 1003.4203 through attainment of industry certifications and other means of demonstrating credit requirements identified under ss. 1002.3105, 1003.4203, and 1003.4282.
(3) ALLOCATION OF RESOURCES.—District school boards shall allocate remedial and supplemental instruction resources to students in the following priority:
(a) Students in kindergarten through grade 3 who have a substantial deficiency in reading as determined in paragraph (5)(a).
(b) Students who fail to meet performance levels required for promotion consistent with the district school board’s plan for student progression required in subsection (2).
(4) ASSESSMENT AND SUPPORT.—
(a) Each student must participate in the statewide, standardized assessment program required by s. 1008.22. Each student who does not achieve a Level 3 or above on the statewide, standardized English Language Arts assessment, the statewide, standardized Mathematics assessment, or the Algebra I EOC assessment must be evaluated to determine the nature of the student’s difficulty, the areas of academic need, and strategies for providing academic supports to improve the student’s performance.
(b) A student who is not meeting the school district or state requirements for satisfactory performance in English Language Arts and mathematics must be covered by one of the following plans:
1. A federally required student plan such as an individual education plan;
2. A schoolwide system of progress monitoring for all students, except a student who scores Level 4 or above on the English Language Arts and mathematics assessments may be exempted from participation by the principal; or
3. An individualized progress monitoring plan.
(c) A student who has a substantial reading deficiency as determined in paragraph (5)(a) must be covered by a federally required student plan, such as an individual education plan or an individualized progress monitoring plan, or both, as necessary.
(5) READING DEFICIENCY AND PARENTAL NOTIFICATION.—
(a) Any student in kindergarten through grade 3 who exhibits a substantial deficiency in reading based upon screening, diagnostic, progress monitoring, or assessment data; statewide assessments; or teacher observations must be provided intensive, explicit, systematic, and multisensory reading interventions immediately following the identification of the reading deficiency. A school may not wait for a student to receive a failing grade at the end of a grading period to identify the student as having a substantial reading deficiency and initiate intensive reading interventions. The student’s reading proficiency must be monitored and the intensive interventions must continue until the student demonstrates grade level proficiency in a manner determined by the district, which may include achieving a Level 3 on the statewide, standardized English Language Arts assessment. The State Board of Education shall identify by rule guidelines for determining whether a student in kindergarten through grade 3 has a substantial deficiency in reading.
(b) To be promoted to grade 4, a student must score a Level 2 or higher on the statewide, standardized English Language Arts assessment required under s. 1008.22 for grade 3. If a student’s reading deficiency is not remedied by the end of grade 3, as demonstrated by scoring Level 2 or higher on the statewide, standardized assessment required under s. 1008.22 for grade 3, the student must be retained.
(c) The parent of any student who exhibits a substantial deficiency in reading, as described in paragraph (a), must be notified in writing of the following:
1. That his or her child has been identified as having a substantial deficiency in reading, including a description and explanation, in terms understandable to the parent, of the exact nature of the student’s difficulty in learning and lack of achievement in reading.
2. A description of the current services that are provided to the child.
3. A description of the proposed intensive interventions and supports that will be provided to the child that are designed to remediate the identified area of reading deficiency.
4. That if the child’s reading deficiency is not remediated by the end of grade 3, the child must be retained unless he or she is exempt from mandatory retention for good cause.
5. Strategies, including multisensory strategies, through a read-at-home plan the parent can use in helping his or her child succeed in reading.
6. That the statewide, standardized English Language Arts assessment is not the sole determiner of promotion and that additional evaluations, portfolio reviews, and assessments are available to the child to assist parents and the school district in knowing when a child is reading at or above grade level and ready for grade promotion.
7. The district’s specific criteria and policies for a portfolio as provided in subparagraph (6)(b)4. and the evidence required for a student to demonstrate mastery of Florida’s academic standards for English Language Arts. A parent of a student in grade 3 who is identified anytime during the year as being at risk of retention may request that the school immediately begin collecting evidence for a portfolio.
8. The district’s specific criteria and policies for midyear promotion. Midyear promotion means promotion of a retained student at any time during the year of retention once the student has demonstrated ability to read at grade level.
(6) ELIMINATION OF SOCIAL PROMOTION.—
(a) No student may be assigned to a grade level based solely on age or other factors that constitute social promotion.
(b) The district school board may only exempt students from mandatory retention, as provided in paragraph (5)(b), for good cause. A student who is promoted to grade 4 with a good cause exemption shall be provided intensive reading instruction and intervention that include specialized diagnostic information and specific reading strategies to meet the needs of each student so promoted. The school district shall assist schools and teachers with the implementation of explicit, systematic, and multisensory reading instruction and intervention strategies for students promoted with a good cause exemption which research has shown to be successful in improving reading among students who have reading difficulties. Good cause exemptions are limited to the following:
1. Limited English proficient students who have had less than 2 years of instruction in an English for Speakers of Other Languages program based on the initial date of entry into a school in the United States.
2. Students with disabilities whose individual education plan indicates that participation in the statewide assessment program is not appropriate, consistent with the requirements of s. 1008.212.
3. Students who demonstrate an acceptable level of performance on an alternative standardized reading or English Language Arts assessment approved by the State Board of Education.
4. A student who demonstrates through a student portfolio that he or she is performing at least at Level 2 on the statewide, standardized English Language Arts assessment.
5. Students with disabilities who take the statewide, standardized English Language Arts assessment and who have an individual education plan or a Section 504 plan that reflects that the student has received intensive instruction in reading or English Language Arts for more than 2 years but still demonstrates a deficiency and was previously retained in kindergarten, grade 1, grade 2, or grade 3.
6. Students who have received intensive reading intervention for 2 or more years but still demonstrate a deficiency in reading and who were previously retained in kindergarten, grade 1, grade 2, or grade 3 for a total of 2 years. A student may not be retained more than once in grade 3.
(c) Requests for good cause exemptions for students from the mandatory retention requirement as described in subparagraphs (b)3. and 4. shall be made consistent with the following:
1. Documentation shall be submitted from the student’s teacher to the school principal that indicates that the promotion of the student is appropriate and is based upon the student’s academic record. In order to minimize paperwork requirements, such documentation shall consist only of the existing progress monitoring plan, individual educational plan, if applicable, report card, or student portfolio.
2. The school principal shall review and discuss such recommendation with the teacher and make the determination as to whether the student should be promoted or retained. If the school principal determines that the student should be promoted, the school principal shall make such recommendation in writing to the district school superintendent. The district school superintendent shall accept or reject the school principal’s recommendation in writing.
(7) SUCCESSFUL PROGRESSION FOR RETAINED THIRD GRADE STUDENTS.—
(a) Students retained under paragraph (5)(b) must be provided intensive interventions in reading to ameliorate the student’s specific reading deficiency and prepare the student for promotion to the next grade. These interventions must include:
1. Evidence-based, explicit, systematic, and multisensory reading instruction in phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension and other strategies prescribed by the school district.
2. Participation in the school district’s summer reading camp, which must incorporate the instructional and intervention strategies under subparagraph 1.
3. A minimum of 90 minutes of daily, uninterrupted reading instruction incorporating the instructional and intervention strategies under subparagraph 1. This instruction may include:
a. Integration of content-rich texts in science and social studies within the 90-minute block.
b. Small group instruction.
c. Reduced teacher-student ratios.
d. More frequent progress monitoring.
e. Tutoring or mentoring.
f. Transition classes containing 3rd and 4th grade students.
g. Extended school day, week, or year.
(b) Each school district shall:
1. Provide written notification to the parent of a student who is retained under paragraph (5)(b) that his or her child has not met the proficiency level required for promotion and the reasons the child is not eligible for a good cause exemption as provided in paragraph (6)(b). The notification must comply with paragraph (5)(c) and must include a description of proposed interventions and supports that will be provided to the child to remediate the identified areas of reading deficiency.
2. Implement a policy for the midyear promotion of a student retained under paragraph (5)(b) who can demonstrate that he or she is a successful and independent reader and performing at or above grade level in reading or, upon implementation of English Language Arts assessments, performing at or above grade level in English Language Arts. Tools that school districts may use in reevaluating a student retained may include subsequent assessments, alternative assessments, and portfolio reviews, in accordance with rules of the State Board of Education. Students promoted during the school year after November 1 must demonstrate proficiency levels in reading equivalent to the level necessary for the beginning of grade 4. The rules adopted by the State Board of Education must include standards that provide a reasonable expectation that the student’s progress is sufficient to master appropriate grade 4 level reading skills.
3. Provide students who are retained under paragraph (5)(b), including students participating in the school district’s summer reading camp under subparagraph (a)2., with a highly effective teacher as determined by the teacher’s performance evaluation under s. 1012.34, and, beginning July 1, 2020, the teacher must also be certified or endorsed in reading.
4. Establish at each school, when applicable, an intensive reading acceleration course for any student retained in grade 3 who was previously retained in kindergarten, grade 1, or grade 2. The intensive reading acceleration course must provide the following:
a. Uninterrupted reading instruction for the majority of student contact time each day and opportunities to master the grade 4 Next Generation Sunshine State Standards in other core subject areas through content-rich texts.
b. Small group instruction.
c. Reduced teacher-student ratios.
d. The use of explicit, systematic, and multisensory reading interventions, including intensive language, phonics, and vocabulary instruction, and use of a speech-language therapist if necessary, that have proven results in accelerating student reading achievement within the same school year.
e. A read-at-home plan.
(8) ANNUAL REPORT.—
(a) In addition to the requirements in paragraph (5)(b), each district school board must annually report to the parent of each student the progress of the student toward achieving state and district expectations for proficiency in English Language Arts, science, social studies, and mathematics. The district school board must report to the parent the student’s results on each statewide, standardized assessment. The evaluation of each student’s progress must be based upon the student’s classroom work, observations, tests, district and state assessments, response to intensive interventions provided under paragraph (5)(a), and other relevant information. Progress reporting must be provided to the parent in writing in a format adopted by the district school board.
(b) Each district school board must annually publish on the district website and in the local newspaper the following information on the prior school year:
1. The provisions of this section relating to public school student progression and the district school board’s policies and procedures on student retention and promotion.
2. By grade, the number and percentage of all students in grades 3 through 10 performing at Levels 1 and 2 on the statewide, standardized English Language Arts assessment.
3. By grade, the number and percentage of all students retained in kindergarten through grade 10.
4. Information on the total number of students who were promoted for good cause, by each category of good cause as specified in paragraph (6)(b).
5. Any revisions to the district school board’s policies and procedures on student retention and promotion from the prior year.
(9) RULEMAKING.—The State Board of Education shall adopt rules pursuant to ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54 for the administration of this section.
History.—s. 371, ch. 2002-387; s. 8, ch. 2003-118; s. 6, ch. 2004-42; s. 6, ch. 2004-255; s. 119, ch. 2006-1; s. 42, ch. 2006-74; s. 186, ch. 2008-4; s. 9, ch. 2010-22; s. 23, ch. 2012-191; s. 34, ch. 2013-27; s. 72, ch. 2014-39; s. 22, ch. 2014-184; s. 116, ch. 2015-2; s. 9, ch. 2015-6; s. 55, ch. 2017-116.
1008.30 Common placement testing for public postsecondary education.—
(1) The State Board of Education, in conjunction with the Board of Governors, shall develop and implement a common placement test for the purpose of assessing the basic computation and communication skills of students who intend to enter a degree program at any public postsecondary educational institution. Alternative assessments that may be accepted in lieu of the common placement test shall also be identified in rule. Public postsecondary educational institutions shall provide appropriate modifications of the test instruments or test procedures for students with disabilities.
(2) The common placement testing program shall include the capacity to diagnose basic competencies in the areas of English, reading, and mathematics which are essential for success in meta-majors and to provide test information to students on the specific skills the student needs to attain.
(3) By October 31, 2013, the State Board of Education shall establish by rule the test scores a student must achieve to demonstrate readiness to perform college-level work, and the rules must specify the following:
(a) A student who entered 9th grade in a Florida public school in the 2003-2004 school year, or any year thereafter, and earned a Florida standard high school diploma or a student who is serving as an active duty member of any branch of the United States Armed Services shall not be required to take the common placement test and shall not be required to enroll in developmental education instruction in a Florida College System institution. However, a student who is not required to take the common placement test and is not required to enroll in developmental education under this paragraph may opt to be assessed and to enroll in developmental education instruction, and the college shall provide such assessment and instruction upon the student’s request.
(b) A student who takes the common placement test and whose score on the test indicates a need for developmental education must be advised of all the developmental education options offered at the institution and, after advisement, shall be allowed to enroll in the developmental education option of his or her choice.
(c) A student who demonstrates readiness by achieving or exceeding the test scores established by the state board and enrolls in a Florida College System institution within 2 years after achieving such scores shall not be required to retest or complete developmental education when admitted to any Florida College System institution.
(4) By December 31, 2013, the State Board of Education, in consultation with the Board of Governors, shall approve a series of meta-majors and the academic pathways that identify the gateway courses associated with each meta-major. Florida College System institutions shall use placement test results to determine the extent to which each student demonstrates sufficient communication and computation skills to indicate readiness for his or her chosen meta-major. Florida College System institutions shall counsel students into college credit courses as quickly as possible, with developmental education limited to that content needed for success in the meta-major.
(5)(a) Each Florida College System institution board of trustees shall develop a plan to implement the developmental education strategies defined in s. 1008.02 and rules established by the State Board of Education. The plan must be submitted to the Chancellor of the Florida College System for approval no later than March 1, 2014, for implementation no later than the fall semester 2014. Each plan must include, at a minimum, local policies that outline:
1. Documented student achievements such as grade point averages, work history, military experience, participation in juried competitions, career interests, degree major declaration, or any combination of such achievements that the institution may consider, in addition to common placement test scores, for advising students regarding enrollment options.
2. Developmental education strategies available to students.
3. A description of student costs and financial aid opportunities associated with each option.
4. Provisions for the collection of student success data.
5. A comprehensive plan for advising students into appropriate developmental education strategies based on student success data.
(b) Beginning October 31, 2015, each Florida College System institution shall annually prepare an accountability report that includes student success data relating to each developmental education strategy implemented by the institution. The report shall be submitted to the Division of Florida Colleges by October 31 in a format determined by the Chancellor of the Florida College System. By December 31, the chancellor shall compile and submit the institutional reports to the Governor, the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the State Board of Education.
(c) A university board of trustees may contract with a Florida College System institution board of trustees for the Florida College System institution to provide developmental education on the state university campus. Any state university in which the percentage of incoming students requiring developmental education equals or exceeds the average percentage of such students for the Florida College System may offer developmental education without contracting with a Florida College System institution; however, any state university offering college-preparatory instruction as of January 1, 1996, may continue to provide developmental education instruction as defined in s. 1008.02(1).
(6) A student may not be enrolled in a college credit mathematics or English course on a dual enrollment basis unless the student has demonstrated adequate precollegiate preparation on the section of the basic computation and communication skills assessment required pursuant to subsection (1) that is appropriate for successful student participation in the course.
History.—s. 373, ch. 2002-387; s. 124, ch. 2007-217; s. 19, ch. 2008-235; s. 10, ch. 2010-22; s. 106, ch. 2011-5; s. 26, ch. 2011-175; s. 14, ch. 2011-177; s. 35, ch. 2013-27; s. 19, ch. 2013-51; s. 10, ch. 2015-6; s. 14, ch. 2018-4.
PART II
ACCOUNTABILITY, K-201008.31 Florida’s K-20 education performance accountability system; legislative intent; mission, goals, and systemwide measures; data quality improvements.
1008.32 State Board of Education oversight enforcement authority.
1008.322 Board of Governors oversight enforcement authority.
1008.33 Authority to enforce public school improvement.
1008.332 Committee of practitioners pursuant to federal No Child Left Behind Act.
1008.34 School grading system; school report cards; district grade.
1008.341 School improvement rating for alternative schools.
1008.3415 School grade or school improvement rating for exceptional student education centers.
1008.345 Implementation of state system of school improvement and education accountability.
1008.36 Florida School Recognition Program.
1008.37 Postsecondary feedback of information to high schools.
1008.38 Articulation accountability process.
1008.385 Educational planning and information systems.
1008.386 Florida student identification numbers.
1008.39 Florida Education and Training Placement Information Program.
1008.40 Workforce Development Information System.
1008.405 Adult student information.
1008.41 Workforce education; management information system.
1008.42 Public information on career education programs.
1008.43 Career program reporting requirements.
1008.44 CAPE Industry Certification Funding List and CAPE Postsecondary Industry Certification Funding List.
1008.45 Florida College System institution accountability process.
1008.46 State university accountability process.
1008.31 Florida’s K-20 education performance accountability system; legislative intent; mission, goals, and systemwide measures; data quality improvements.—
(1) LEGISLATIVE INTENT.—It is the intent of the Legislature that:
(a) The performance accountability system implemented to assess the effectiveness of Florida’s seamless K-20 education delivery system provide answers to the following questions in relation to its mission and goals:
1. What is the public receiving in return for funds it invests in education?
2. How effectively is Florida’s K-20 education system educating its students?
3. How effectively are the major delivery sectors promoting student achievement?
4. How are individual schools and postsecondary education institutions performing their responsibility to educate their students as measured by how students are performing and how much they are learning?
(b) The K-20 education performance accountability system be established as a single, unified accountability system with multiple components, including, but not limited to, student performance in public schools and school and district grades.
(c) The K-20 education performance accountability system comply with the requirements of the “No Child Left Behind Act of 2001,” Pub. L. No. 107-110, and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
(d) The State Board of Education and the Board of Governors of the State University System recommend to the Legislature systemwide performance standards; the Legislature establish systemwide performance measures and standards; and the systemwide measures and standards provide Floridians with information on what the public is receiving in return for the funds it invests in education and how well the K-20 system educates its students.
(e)1. The State Board of Education establish performance measures and set performance standards for individual public schools and Florida College System institutions, with measures and standards based primarily on student achievement.
2. The Board of Governors of the State University System establish performance measures and set performance standards for individual state universities, including actual completion rates.
(2) MISSION, GOALS, AND SYSTEMWIDE MEASURES.—
(a) The mission of Florida’s K-20 education system shall be to increase the proficiency of all students within one seamless, efficient system, by allowing them the opportunity to expand their knowledge and skills through learning opportunities and research valued by students, parents, and communities.
(b) The process for establishing state and sector-specific standards and measures must be:
1. Focused on student success.
2. Addressable through policy and program changes.
3. Efficient and of high quality.
4. Measurable over time.
5. Simple to explain and display to the public.
6. Aligned with other measures and other sectors to support a coordinated K-20 education system.
(c) The Department of Education shall maintain an accountability system that measures student progress toward the following goals:
1. Highest student achievement, as indicated by evidence of student learning gains at all levels.
2. Seamless articulation and maximum access, as measured by evidence of progression, readiness, and access by targeted groups of students identified by the Commissioner of Education.
3. Skilled workforce and economic development, as measured by evidence of employment and earnings.
4. Quality efficient services, as measured by evidence of return on investment.
5. Other goals as identified by law or rule.
(3) K-20 EDUCATION DATA QUALITY IMPROVEMENTS.—To provide data required to implement education performance accountability measures in state and federal law, the Commissioner of Education shall initiate and maintain strategies to improve data quality and timeliness. The Board of Governors shall make available to the department all data within the State University Database System to be integrated into the K-20 data warehouse. The commissioner shall have unlimited access to such data for the purposes of conducting studies, reporting annual and longitudinal student outcomes, and improving college readiness and articulation. All public educational institutions shall annually provide data from the prior year to the K-20 data warehouse in a format based on data elements identified by the commissioner.
(a) School districts and public postsecondary educational institutions shall maintain information systems that will provide the State Board of Education, the Board of Governors of the State University System, and the Legislature with information and reports necessary to address the specifications of the accountability system. The level of comprehensiveness and quality must be no less than that which was available as of June 30, 2001.
(b) Colleges and universities eligible to participate in the William L. Boyd, IV, Effective Access to Student Education Grant Program shall annually report student-level data from the prior year for each student who receives state funds in a format prescribed by the Department of Education. At a minimum, data from the prior year must include retention rates, transfer rates, completion rates, graduation rates, employment and placement rates, and earnings of graduates. By October 1 of each year, the colleges and universities described in this paragraph shall report the data to the department.
(c) The Commissioner of Education shall determine the standards for the required data, monitor data quality, and measure improvements. The commissioner shall report annually to the State Board of Education, the Board of Governors of the State University System, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives data quality indicators and ratings for all school districts and public postsecondary educational institutions.
(d) Before establishing any new reporting or data collection requirements, the commissioner shall use existing data being collected to reduce duplication and minimize paperwork.
(4) RULES.—The State Board of Education shall adopt rules pursuant to ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54 to implement the provisions of this section relating to the K-20 data warehouse.
History.—s. 375, ch. 2002-387; s. 1, ch. 2003-80; s. 13, ch. 2005-56; s. 44, ch. 2006-74; s. 20, ch. 2008-235; s. 199, ch. 2010-102; s. 107, ch. 2011-5; s. 12, ch. 2012-195; s. 26, ch. 2013-35; s. 20, ch. 2013-51; s. 5, ch. 2014-23; s. 25, ch. 2018-4; s. 128, ch. 2019-3.
1008.32 State Board of Education oversight enforcement authority.—The State Board of Education shall oversee the performance of district school boards and Florida College System institution boards of trustees in enforcement of all laws and rules. District school boards and Florida College System institution boards of trustees shall be primarily responsible for compliance with law and state board rule.
(1) In order to ensure compliance with law or state board rule, the State Board of Education shall have the authority to request and receive information, data, and reports from school districts and Florida College System institutions. District school superintendents and Florida College System institution presidents are responsible for the accuracy of the information and data reported to the state board.
(2)(a) The Commissioner of Education may investigate allegations of noncompliance with law or state board rule and determine probable cause. The commissioner shall report determinations of probable cause to the State Board of Education which shall require the district school board or Florida College System institution board of trustees to document compliance with law or state board rule.
(b) The Commissioner of Education shall report to the State Board of Education any findings by the Auditor General that a district school board or Florida College System institution is acting without statutory authority or contrary to general law. The State Board of Education shall require the district school board or Florida College System institution board of trustees to document compliance with such law.
(3) If the district school board or Florida College System institution board of trustees cannot satisfactorily document compliance, the State Board of Education may order compliance within a specified timeframe.
(4) If the State Board of Education determines that a district school board or Florida College System institution board of trustees is unwilling or unable to comply with law or state board rule within the specified time, the state board shall have the authority to initiate any of the following actions:
(a) Report to the Legislature that the school district or Florida College System institution is unwilling or unable to comply with law or state board rule and recommend action to be taken by the Legislature.
(b) Withhold the transfer of state funds, discretionary grant funds, discretionary lottery funds, or any other funds specified as eligible for this purpose by the Legislature until the school district or Florida College System institution complies with the law or state board rule.
(c) Declare the school district or Florida College System institution ineligible for competitive grants.
(d) Require monthly or periodic reporting on the situation related to noncompliance until it is remedied.
(5) Nothing in this section shall be construed to create a private cause of action or create any rights for individuals or entities in addition to those provided elsewhere in law or rule.
History.—s. 376, ch. 2002-387; s. 51, ch. 2004-41; s. 125, ch. 2007-217; s. 108, ch. 2011-5; s. 21, ch. 2013-51; s. 7, ch. 2019-103.
1008.322 Board of Governors oversight enforcement authority.—
(1) The Board of Governors of the State University System shall oversee the performance of state university boards of trustees in the enforcement of laws, rules, and regulations. State university boards of trustees shall be primarily responsible for compliance with laws and Board of Governors’ rules and regulations.
(2) The Board of Governors’ constitutional authority to operate, regulate, control, and be fully responsible for the management of the entire State University System mandates that the state universities comply with all requests by the Board of Governors for information, data, and reports. The state university presidents are responsible for the accuracy of the information and data reported to the Board of Governors.
(3)(a) The Chancellor of the State University System may investigate allegations of noncompliance with any law or Board of Governors’ rule or regulation and determine probable cause. The chancellor shall report determinations of probable cause to the Board of Governors, which may require the university board of trustees to document compliance with the law or Board of Governors’ rule or regulation.
(b) The Chancellor of the State University System shall report to the Board of Governors any findings by the Auditor General that a university is acting without statutory authority or contrary to general law. The Board of Governors shall require the university board of trustees to document compliance with such law.
(4) If the university board of trustees cannot satisfactorily document compliance, the Board of Governors may order compliance within a specified timeframe.
(5) If the Board of Governors determines that a state university board of trustees is unwilling or unable to comply with any law or Board of Governors’ rule or regulation or audit recommendation within the specified time, the Board of Governors, in addition to actions constitutionally authorized, may initiate any of the following actions:
(a) Withhold the transfer of state funds, discretionary grant funds, discretionary lottery funds, or any other funds appropriated to the Board of Governors by the Legislature for disbursement to the state university until the university complies with the law or Board of Governors’ rule or regulation.
(b) Declare the state university ineligible for competitive grants disbursed by the Board of Governors.
(c) Require monthly or periodic reporting on the situation related to noncompliance until it is remedied.
(d) Report to the Legislature that the state university is unwilling or unable to comply with the law or Board of Governors’ rule or regulation and recommend action to be taken by the Legislature.
(6) Nothing in this section may be construed to create a private cause of action or create any rights for individuals or entities in addition to those provided elsewhere in law, rule, or regulation.
History.—s. 22, ch. 2013-51; s. 8, ch. 2019-103.
1008.33 Authority to enforce public school improvement.—
(1) The State Board of Education shall comply with the federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), 20 U.S.C. ss. 6301 et seq., its implementing regulations, and the ESEA flexibility waiver approved for Florida by the United States Secretary of Education. The state board may adopt rules to maintain compliance with the ESEA and the ESEA flexibility waiver.
(2)(a) Pursuant to subsection (1) and ss. 1008.34, 1008.345, and 1008.385, the State Board of Education shall hold all school districts and public schools accountable for student performance. The state board is responsible for a state system of school improvement and education accountability that assesses student performance by school, identifies schools that are not meeting accountability standards, and institutes appropriate measures for enforcing improvement.
(b) The state system of school improvement and education accountability must provide for uniform accountability standards, provide assistance of escalating intensity to schools not meeting accountability standards, direct support to schools in order to improve and sustain performance, focus on the performance of student subgroups, and enhance student performance.
(c) School districts must be held accountable for improving the academic performance of all students and for identifying and improving schools that fail to meet accountability standards.
(3)(a) The academic performance of all students has a significant effect on the state school system. Pursuant to Art. IX of the State Constitution, which prescribes the duty of the State Board of Education to supervise Florida’s public school system, the state board shall equitably enforce the accountability requirements of the state school system and may impose state requirements on school districts in order to improve the academic performance of all districts, schools, and students based upon the provisions of the Florida K-20 Education Code, chapters 1000-1013; the federal ESEA and its implementing regulations; and the ESEA flexibility waiver approved for Florida by the United States Secretary of Education.
(b) The Department of Education shall annually identify each public school in need of intervention and support to improve student academic performance. All schools earning a grade of “D” or “F” pursuant to s. 1008.34 are schools in need of intervention and support.
(c) The state board shall adopt by rule a differentiated matrix of intervention and support strategies for assisting traditional public schools identified under this section and rules for implementing s. 1002.33(9)(n), relating to charter schools. The intervention and support strategies must address student performance and may include improvement planning; leadership quality improvement; educator quality improvement; professional development; curriculum review, pacing, and alignment across grade levels to improve background knowledge in social studies, science, and the arts; and the use of continuous improvement and monitoring plans and processes. In addition, the state board may prescribe reporting requirements to review and monitor the progress of the schools. The rule must define the intervention and support strategies for school improvement for schools earning a grade of “D” or “F” and the roles for the district and department.
(4)1(a) The state board shall apply intensive intervention and support strategies tailored to the needs of schools earning two consecutive grades of “D” or a grade of “F.” In the first full school year after a school initially earns two consecutive grades of “D” or a grade of “F,” the school district must immediately implement intervention and support strategies prescribed in rule under paragraph (3)(c) and, by September 1, provide the department with the memorandum of understanding negotiated pursuant to s. 1001.42(21) and, by October 1, a district-managed turnaround plan for approval by the state board. The district-managed turnaround plan may include a proposal for the district to implement an extended school day, a summer program, or a combination of an extended school day and a summer program. Upon approval by the state board, the school district must implement the plan for the remainder of the school year and continue the plan for 1 full school year. The state board may allow a school an additional year of implementation before the school must implement a turnaround option required under paragraph (b) if it determines that the school is likely to improve to a grade of “C” or higher after the first full school year of implementation.
(b) Unless an additional year of implementation is provided pursuant to paragraph (a), a school that earns three consecutive grades below a “C” must implement one of the following:
1. Reassign students to another school and monitor the progress of each reassigned student;
2. Close the school and reopen the school as one or more charter schools, each with a governing board that has a demonstrated record of effectiveness; or
3. Contract with an outside entity that has a demonstrated record of effectiveness to operate the school. An outside entity may include a district-managed charter school in which all instructional personnel are not employees of the school district, but are employees of an independent governing board composed of members who did not participate in the review or approval of the charter.
(c) Implementation of the turnaround option is no longer required if the school improves to a grade of “C” or higher.
1(d) If a school earning two consecutive grades of “D” or a grade of “F” does not improve to a grade of “C” or higher after 2 school years of implementing the turnaround option selected by the school district under paragraph (b), the school district must implement another turnaround option. Implementation of the turnaround option must begin the school year following the implementation period of the existing turnaround option, unless the state board determines that the school is likely to improve to a grade of “C” or higher if additional time is provided to implement the existing turnaround option.
(5) The state board shall adopt rules pursuant to ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54 to administer this section. The rules shall include timelines for submission of implementation plans, approval criteria for implementation plans, and timelines for implementing intervention and support strategies. The state board shall consult with education stakeholders in developing the rules.
History.—s. 377, ch. 2002-387; s. 1954, ch. 2003-261; s. 45, ch. 2006-74; s. 175, ch. 2007-5; s. 21, ch. 2008-108; s. 3, ch. 2009-144; s. 27, ch. 2011-175; s. 6, ch. 2012-194; s. 6, ch. 2014-23; s. 73, ch. 2014-39; s. 41, ch. 2017-116; s. 14, ch. 2019-23.
1Note.—Section 24, ch. 2019-23, provides that:
“(1) The Department of Revenue is authorized, and all conditions are deemed to be met, to adopt emergency rules pursuant to s. 120.54(4), Florida Statutes, for the purpose of administering the provisions of this act relating to the Hope Scholarship Program and Florida Tax Credit Scholarship Program.
“(2) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, emergency rules adopted pursuant to subsection (1) are effective for 6 months after adoption and may be renewed during the pendency of procedures to adopt permanent rules addressing the subject of the emergency rules.
“(3) This section shall take effect upon this act becoming a law and shall expire January 1, 2022.”
1008.332 Committee of practitioners pursuant to federal No Child Left Behind Act.—The Department of Education shall establish a committee of practitioners pursuant to federal requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. The committee members shall be appointed by the Commissioner of Education and shall annually report to the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives by January 1. The committee shall meet regularly and is authorized to review potential rules and policies that will be considered by the State Board of Education.
History.—s. 16, ch. 2006-301.
1008.34 School grading system; school report cards; district grade.—
(1) DEFINITIONS.—For purposes of the statewide, standardized assessment program and school grading system, the following terms are defined:
(a) “Achievement level,” “student achievement,” or “achievement” describes the level of content mastery a student has acquired in a particular subject as measured by a statewide, standardized assessment administered pursuant to s. 1008.22(3)(a) and (b). There are five achievement levels. Level 1 is the lowest achievement level, level 5 is the highest achievement level, and level 3 indicates satisfactory performance. A student passes an assessment if the student achieves a level 3, level 4, or level 5. For purposes of the Florida Alternate Assessment administered pursuant to s. 1008.22(3)(c), the state board shall provide, in rule, the number of achievement levels and identify the achievement levels that are considered passing.
(b) “Learning Gains,” “annual learning gains,” or “student learning gains” means the degree of student learning growth occurring from one school year to the next as required by state board rule for purposes of calculating school grades under this section.
(c) “Student performance,” “student academic performance,” or “academic performance” includes, but is not limited to, student learning growth, achievement levels, and Learning Gains on statewide, standardized assessments administered pursuant to s. 1008.22.
(2) SCHOOL GRADES.—Schools shall be graded using one of the following grades, defined according to rules of the State Board of Education:
(a) “A,” schools making excellent progress.
(b) “B,” schools making above average progress.
(c) “C,” schools making satisfactory progress.
(d) “D,” schools making less than satisfactory progress.
(e) “F,” schools failing to make adequate progress.
Each school that earns a grade of “A” or improves at least two letter grades may have greater authority over the allocation of the school’s total budget generated from the FEFP, state categoricals, lottery funds, grants, and local funds.
(3) DESIGNATION OF SCHOOL GRADES.—
(a) Each school must assess at least 95 percent of its eligible students, except as provided under s. 1008.341 for alternative schools. Each school shall receive a school grade based on the school’s performance on the components listed in subparagraphs (b)1. and 2. If a school does not have at least 10 students with complete data for one or more of the components listed in subparagraphs (b)1. and 2., those components may not be used in calculating the school’s grade.
1. An alternative school may choose to receive a school grade under this section or a school improvement rating under s. 1008.341. For charter schools that meet the definition of an alternative school pursuant to State Board of Education rule, the decision to receive a school grade is the decision of the charter school governing board.
2. A school that serves any combination of students in kindergarten through grade 3 that does not receive a school grade because its students are not tested and included in the school grading system shall receive the school grade designation of a K-3 feeder pattern school identified by the Department of Education and verified by the school district. A school feeder pattern exists if a majority of the students in the school serving a combination of students in kindergarten through grade 3 are scheduled to be assigned to the graded school.
3. If a collocated school does not earn a school grade or school improvement rating for the performance of its students, the student performance data of all schools operating at the same facility must be aggregated to develop a school grade that will be assigned to all schools at that location. A collocated school is a school that has its own unique master school identification number, provides for the education of each of its enrolled students, and operates at the same facility as another school that has its own unique master school identification number and provides for the education of each of its enrolled students.
(b)1. Beginning with the 2014-2015 school year, a school’s grade shall be based on the following components, each worth 100 points:
a. The percentage of eligible students passing statewide, standardized assessments in English Language Arts under s. 1008.22(3).
b. The percentage of eligible students passing statewide, standardized assessments in mathematics under s. 1008.22(3).
c. The percentage of eligible students passing statewide, standardized assessments in science under s. 1008.22(3).
d. The percentage of eligible students passing statewide, standardized assessments in social studies under s. 1008.22(3).
e. The percentage of eligible students who make Learning Gains in English Language Arts as measured by statewide, standardized assessments administered under s. 1008.22(3).
f. The percentage of eligible students who make Learning Gains in mathematics as measured by statewide, standardized assessments administered under s. 1008.22(3).
g. The percentage of eligible students in the lowest 25 percent in English Language Arts, as identified by prior year performance on statewide, standardized assessments, who make Learning Gains as measured by statewide, standardized English Language Arts assessments administered under s. 1008.22(3).
h. The percentage of eligible students in the lowest 25 percent in mathematics, as identified by prior year performance on statewide, standardized assessments, who make Learning Gains as measured by statewide, standardized Mathematics assessments administered under s. 1008.22(3).
i. For schools comprised of middle grades 6 through 8 or grades 7 and 8, the percentage of eligible students passing high school level statewide, standardized end-of-course assessments or attaining national industry certifications identified in the CAPE Industry Certification Funding List pursuant to state board rule.
In calculating Learning Gains for the components listed in sub-subparagraphs e.-h., the State Board of Education shall require that learning growth toward achievement levels 3, 4, and 5 is demonstrated by students who scored below each of those levels in the prior year. In calculating the components in sub-subparagraphs a.-d., the state board shall include the performance of English language learners only if they have been enrolled in a school in the United States for more than 2 years.
2. For a school comprised of grades 9, 10, 11, and 12, or grades 10, 11, and 12, the school’s grade shall also be based on the following components, each worth 100 points:
a. The 4-year high school graduation rate of the school as defined by state board rule.
b. The percentage of students who were eligible to earn college and career credit through College Board Advanced Placement examinations, International Baccalaureate examinations, dual enrollment courses, including career dual enrollment courses resulting in the completion of 300 or more clock hours during high school which are approved by the state board as meeting the requirements of s. 1007.271, or Advanced International Certificate of Education examinations; who, at any time during high school, earned national industry certification identified in the CAPE Industry Certification Funding List, pursuant to rules adopted by the state board; or, beginning with the 2022-2023 school year, who earned an Armed Services Qualification Test score that falls within Category II or higher on the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery and earned a minimum of two credits in Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps courses from the same branch of the United States Armed Forces.
(c)1. The calculation of a school grade shall be based on the percentage of points earned from the components listed in subparagraph (b)1. and, if applicable, subparagraph (b)2. The State Board of Education shall adopt in rule a school grading scale that sets the percentage of points needed to earn each of the school grades listed in subsection (2). There shall be at least five percentage points separating the percentage thresholds needed to earn each of the school grades. The state board shall periodically review the school grading scale to determine if the scale should be adjusted upward to meet raised expectations and encourage increased student performance. If the state board adjusts the grading scale upward, the state board must inform the public and the school districts of the reasons for and degree of the adjustment and its anticipated impact on school grades.
2. The calculation of school grades may not include any provision that would raise or lower the school’s grade beyond the percentage of points earned. Extra weight may not be added in the calculation of any components.
(d) The data of students attending alternative schools, students designated as hospital or homebound, and students who transfer to a private school shall be factored into a school grade as follows:
1. The student performance data for eligible students attending alternative schools that provide dropout prevention and academic intervention services pursuant to s. 1003.53 shall be included in the calculation of the home school’s grade. The term “eligible students” in this subparagraph does not include students attending an alternative school who are subject to district school board policies for expulsion for repeated or serious offenses, who are in dropout retrieval programs serving students who have officially been designated as dropouts, or who are in programs operated or contracted by the Department of Juvenile Justice. As used in this subparagraph, the term “home school” means the school to which the student would be assigned if the student were not assigned to an alternative school. If an alternative school chooses to be graded under this section, student performance data for eligible students identified in this subparagraph shall not be included in the home school’s grade but shall be included only in the calculation of the alternative school’s grade. A school district that fails to assign statewide, standardized end-of-course assessment scores of each of its students to his or her home school or to the alternative school that receives a grade shall forfeit Florida School Recognition Program funds for one fiscal year. School districts must require collaboration between the home school and the alternative school in order to promote student success. This collaboration must include an annual discussion between the principal of the alternative school and the principal of each student’s home school concerning the most appropriate school assignment of the student.
2. Student performance data for students designated as hospital or homebound shall be assigned to their home school for the purposes of school grades. As used in this subparagraph, the term “home school” means the school to which a student would be assigned if the student were not assigned to a hospital or homebound program.
3. A high school must include a student in its graduation rate if the student transfers from the high school to a private school with which the school district has a contractual relationship.
(4) SCHOOL REPORT CARD.—The Department of Education shall annually develop, in collaboration with the school districts, a school report card to be provided by the school district to parents within the district. The report card shall include the school’s grade; student performance in English Language Arts, mathematics, science, and social studies; information regarding school improvement; an explanation of school performance as evaluated by the federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), 20 U.S.C. ss. 6301 et seq.; and indicators of return on investment. Each school’s report card shall be published annually by the department on its website based upon the most recent data available.
(5) DISTRICT GRADE.—Beginning with the 2014-2015 school year, a school district’s grade shall include a district-level calculation of the components under paragraph (3)(b). This calculation methodology captures each eligible student in the district who may have transferred among schools within the district or is enrolled in a school that does not receive a grade. The department shall develop a district report card that includes the district grade; the information required under s. 1008.345(5); measures of the district’s progress in closing the achievement gap between higher-performing student subgroups and lower-performing student subgroups; measures of the district’s progress in demonstrating Learning Gains of its highest-performing students; measures of the district’s success in improving student attendance; the district’s grade-level promotion of students scoring achievement levels 1 and 2 on statewide, standardized English Language Arts and Mathematics assessments; and measures of the district’s performance in preparing students for the transition from elementary to middle school, middle to high school, and high school to postsecondary institutions and careers.
(6) RULES.—The State Board of Education shall adopt rules under ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54 to administer this section.
History.—s. 378, ch. 2002-387; s. 46, ch. 2006-74; s. 21, ch. 2008-235; s. 100, ch. 2009-21; s. 3, ch. 2009-222; s. 11, ch. 2010-22; s. 5, ch. 2010-48; s. 55, ch. 2011-4; s. 29, ch. 2011-175; s. 8, ch. 2012-194; s. 36, ch. 2013-27; s. 23, ch. 2013-51; s. 1, ch. 2014-23; s. 117, ch. 2015-2; s. 11, ch. 2015-6; s. 27, ch. 2017-116; s. 1, ch. 2017-171; s. 108, ch. 2018-110; s. 26, ch. 2018-111; s. 1, ch. 2020-74; s. 2, ch. 2020-75.
1008.341 School improvement rating for alternative schools.—
(1) ANNUAL REPORTS.—The Commissioner of Education shall prepare an annual report on the performance of each school receiving a school improvement rating pursuant to this section if the provisions of s. 1002.22 pertaining to student records apply.
(2) SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT RATING.—An alternative school is a school that provides dropout prevention and academic intervention services pursuant to s. 1003.53. An alternative school shall receive a school improvement rating pursuant to this section unless the school earns a school grade pursuant to s. 1008.34. An alternative school that chooses to receive a school improvement rating shall receive a school improvement rating if the number of its students for whom student performance data on statewide, standardized assessments pursuant to s. 1008.22 which is available for the current year and previous year meets or exceeds the minimum sample size of 10. If an alternative school does not have at least 10 students with complete data for a component listed in subsection (3), that component may not be used in calculating the school’s improvement rating. The calculation of the school improvement rating shall be based on the percentage of points earned from the components listed in subsection (3). An alternative school that tests at least 80 percent of its students may receive a school improvement rating. If an alternative school tests less than 90 percent of its students, the school may not earn a rating higher than “maintaining.” Beginning with the 2016-2017 school year, if an alternative school does not meet the requirements for the issuance of a school improvement rating in the current year, and has failed to receive a school improvement rating for the prior 2 consecutive years, the school shall receive a rating for the current year based upon a compilation of all student Learning Gains, for all grade levels, for those 3 years. Likewise, if the school fails to meet the requirements for a rating the following year or any year thereafter, the school’s rating shall be based on a compilation of student Learning Gains achieved during the current and prior 2 years. The school improvement rating shall identify an alternative school as having one of the following ratings defined according to rules of the State Board of Education:
(a) “Commendable” means a significant percentage of the students attending the school are making Learning Gains.
(b) “Maintaining” means a sufficient percentage of the students attending the school are making Learning Gains.
(c) “Unsatisfactory” means an insufficient percentage of the students attending the school are making Learning Gains.
Schools that improve at least one level or maintain a “commendable” rating pursuant to this section are eligible for school recognition awards pursuant to s. 1008.36.
(3) DESIGNATION OF SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT RATING.—Student Learning Gains based on statewide, standardized assessments, including retakes, administered under s. 1008.22 for all eligible students who were assigned to and enrolled in the school during the October or February FTE count and who have assessment scores, concordant scores, or comparable scores for the preceding school year shall be used in determining an alternative school’s school improvement rating. An alternative school’s rating shall be based on the following components:
(a) The percentage of eligible students who make Learning Gains in English Language Arts as measured by statewide, standardized assessments under s. 1008.22(3).
(b) The percentage of eligible students who make Learning Gains in mathematics as measured by statewide, standardized assessments under s. 1008.22(3).
Student performance results of students who are subject to district school board policies for expulsion for repeated or serious offenses, who are in dropout retrieval programs serving students who have officially been designated as dropouts, or who are in programs operated or contracted by the Department of Juvenile Justice may not be included in an alternative school’s school improvement rating.
(4) IDENTIFICATION OF STUDENT LEARNING GAINS.—For each alternative school receiving a school improvement rating, the Department of Education shall annually identify the percentage of students making Learning Gains consistent with the provisions in s. 1008.34(3).
(5) SCHOOL AND STUDENT REPORT CARDS.—The Department of Education shall annually develop, in collaboration with the school districts, a school report card for alternative schools to be delivered to parents throughout each school district. The report card shall include the school improvement rating, identification of student learning gains, student attendance data, information regarding school improvement, and indicators of return on investment. An alternative school that serves at least 10 students who are tested on the statewide, standardized assessments pursuant to s. 1008.22 in the current year and previous year shall distribute an individual student report card to parents which includes the student’s learning gains and progress toward meeting high school graduation requirements. The report card must also include the school’s industry certification rate, college readiness rate, dropout rate, and graduation rate. This subsection does not abrogate the provisions of s. 1002.22 relating to student records or the requirements of 20 U.S.C. s. 1232g, the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act.
(6) RULES.—The State Board of Education shall adopt rules under ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54 to administer this section.
History.—s. 47, ch. 2006-74; s. 22, ch. 2008-235; s. 101, ch. 2009-21; s. 12, ch. 2010-22; s. 24, ch. 2013-51; s. 7, ch. 2014-23; s. 28, ch. 2017-116.
1008.3415 School grade or school improvement rating for exceptional student education centers.—
(1) Each exceptional student education center shall choose to receive a school grade pursuant to s. 1008.34 or a school improvement rating pursuant to s. 1008.341.
(2) Notwithstanding s. 1008.34, the achievement levels and Learning Gains of a student with a disability who attends an exceptional student education center and has not been enrolled in or attended a public school other than an exceptional student education center for grades K-12 within the school district shall not be included in the calculation of the home school’s grade if the student is identified as an emergent student on the alternate assessment described in s. 1008.22(3)(c).
(3) The State Board of Education shall adopt rules under ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54 to implement this section, including, but not limited to, defining exceptional student education centers.
History.—s. 8, ch. 2013-236; s. 8, ch. 2014-23; s. 75, ch. 2014-39.
1008.345 Implementation of state system of school improvement and education accountability.—
(1) The Commissioner of Education is responsible for implementing and maintaining a system of intensive school improvement and stringent education accountability, which shall include policies and programs to implement the following:
(a) A system of data collection and analysis that will improve information about the educational success of individual students and schools, including schools operating for the purpose of providing educational services to youth in Department of Juvenile Justice programs. The information and analyses must be capable of identifying educational programs or activities in need of improvement, and reports prepared pursuant to this paragraph shall be distributed to the appropriate district school boards prior to distribution to the general public. This provision shall not preclude access to public records as provided in chapter 119.
(b) A program of school improvement that will analyze information to identify schools, including schools operating for the purpose of providing educational services to youth in Department of Juvenile Justice programs, educational programs, or educational activities in need of improvement.
(c) A method of delivering services to assist school districts and schools to improve, including schools operating for the purpose of providing educational services to youth in Department of Juvenile Justice programs.
(d) A method of coordinating with the state educational goals and school improvement plans any other state program that creates incentives for school improvement.
(2) The commissioner shall be held responsible for the implementation and maintenance of the system of school improvement and education accountability outlined in this section. There shall be an annual determination of whether adequate progress is being made toward implementing and maintaining a system of school improvement and education accountability.
(3) The annual feedback report shall be developed by the Department of Education.
(4) The commissioner shall review each district school board’s feedback report and submit findings to the State Board of Education. If adequate progress is not being made toward implementing and maintaining a system of school improvement and education accountability, the State Board of Education shall direct the commissioner to prepare and implement a corrective action plan. The commissioner and State Board of Education shall monitor the development and implementation of the corrective action plan.
(5) The commissioner shall annually report to the State Board of Education and the Legislature and recommend changes in state policy necessary to foster school improvement and education accountability. The report shall include:
(a) For each school district:
1. The percentage of students, by school and grade level, demonstrating learning growth in English Language Arts and mathematics.
2. The percentage of students, by school and grade level, in both the highest and lowest quartiles demonstrating learning growth in English Language Arts and mathematics.
3. The information contained in the school district’s annual report required pursuant to s. 1008.25(8).
(b) Intervention and support strategies used by school districts whose students in both the highest and lowest quartiles exceed the statewide average learning growth for students in those quartiles.
(c) Intervention and support strategies used by school districts whose schools provide educational services to youth in Department of Juvenile Justice programs that demonstrate learning growth in English Language Arts and mathematics that exceeds the statewide average learning growth for students in those subjects.
(d) Based upon a review of each school district’s reading plan submitted pursuant to s. 1011.62(9), intervention and support strategies used by school districts that were effective in improving the reading performance of students, as indicated by student performance data, who are identified as having a substantial reading deficiency pursuant to s. 1008.25(5)(a).
School reports shall be distributed pursuant to this subsection and s. 1001.42(18)(c) and according to rules adopted by the State Board of Education.
(6)(a) The Department of Education shall implement a training program to develop among state and district educators a cadre of facilitators of school improvement. These facilitators shall assist schools and districts to conduct needs assessments and develop and implement school improvement plans to meet state goals.
(b) Upon request, the department shall provide technical assistance and training to any school, including any school operating for the purpose of providing educational services to youth in Department of Juvenile Justice programs, school advisory council, district, or district school board for conducting needs assessments, developing and implementing school improvement plans, or implementing other components of school improvement and accountability. Priority for these services shall be given to schools designated with a grade of “D” or “F” and school districts in rural and sparsely populated areas of the state.
(c) Pursuant to s. 24.121(5)(d), the department shall not release funds from the Educational Enhancement Trust Fund to any district in which a school, including schools operating for the purpose of providing educational services to youth in Department of Juvenile Justice programs, does not have an approved school improvement plan, pursuant to s. 1001.42(18), after 1 full school year of planning and development, or does not comply with school advisory council membership composition requirements pursuant to s. 1001.452. The department shall send a technical assistance team to each school without an approved plan to develop such school improvement plan or to each school without appropriate school advisory council membership composition to develop a strategy for corrective action. The department shall release the funds upon approval of the plan or upon establishment of a plan of corrective action. Notice shall be given to the public of the department’s intervention and shall identify each school without a plan or without appropriate school advisory council membership composition.
(d) The commissioner shall assign a community assessment team to each school district or governing board with a school that earned a grade of “D” or “F” pursuant to s. 1008.34 to review the school performance data and determine causes for the low performance, including the role of school, area, and district administrative personnel. The community assessment team shall review a high school’s graduation rate calculated without high school equivalency diploma recipients for the past 3 years, disaggregated by student ethnicity. The team shall make recommendations to the school board or the governing board and to the State Board of Education based on the interventions and support strategies identified pursuant to subsection (5) to address the causes of the school’s low performance and to incorporate the strategies into the school improvement plan. The assessment team shall include, but not be limited to, a department representative, parents, business representatives, educators, representatives of local governments, and community activists, and shall represent the demographics of the community from which they are appointed.
(7) As a part of the system of educational accountability, the Department of Education shall:
(a) Develop minimum standards for various grades and subject areas, as required in ss. 1001.03, 1008.22, and 1008.34.
(b) Administer the statewide assessment program created by s. 1008.22.
(c) Review the school advisory councils of each district as required by s. 1001.452.
(d) Conduct the program evaluations required by s. 1001.03.
(e) Maintain a listing of college-level communication and mathematics skills associated with successful student performance through the baccalaureate level and submit it to the State Board of Education and the Board of Governors for approval.
(f) Perform any other functions that may be involved in educational planning, research, and evaluation or that may be required by the commissioner, the State Board of Education, the Board of Governors, or law.
History.—s. 379, ch. 2002-387; s. 48, ch. 2006-74; s. 176, ch. 2007-5; s. 126, ch. 2007-217; s. 187, ch. 2008-4; s. 22, ch. 2008-108; s. 23, ch. 2008-235; s. 102, ch. 2009-21; s. 4, ch. 2009-144; s. 29, ch. 2010-70; s. 109, ch. 2011-5; s. 15, ch. 2011-177; s. 9, ch. 2012-194; s. 22, ch. 2014-20; s. 10, ch. 2014-23; s. 11, ch. 2014-184; s. 42, ch. 2017-116.
1008.36 Florida School Recognition Program.—
(1) The Legislature finds that there is a need for a performance incentive program for outstanding faculty and staff in highly productive schools. The Legislature further finds that performance-based incentives are commonplace in the private sector and should be infused into the public sector as a reward for productivity.
(2) The Florida School Recognition Program is created to provide financial awards to public schools that:
(a) Sustain high performance by receiving a school grade of “A,” making excellent progress; or
(b) Demonstrate exemplary improvement due to innovation and effort by improving at least one letter grade or by improving more than one letter grade and sustaining the improvement the following school year.
(3) All public schools, including charter schools, that receive a school grade pursuant to s. 1008.34 are eligible to participate in the program.
(4) All selected schools shall receive financial awards depending on the availability of funds appropriated and the number and size of schools selected to receive an award. Funds must be distributed to the school’s fiscal agent and placed in the school’s account and must be used for purposes listed in subsection (5) as determined jointly by the school’s staff and school advisory council. If school staff and the school advisory council cannot reach agreement by February 1, the awards must be equally distributed to all classroom teachers currently teaching in the school. If a school selected to receive a school recognition award is no longer in existence at the time the award is paid, the district school superintendent shall distribute the funds to teachers who taught at the school in the previous year in the form of a bonus.
(5) School recognition awards must be used for the following:
(a) Nonrecurring bonuses to the faculty and staff;
(b) Nonrecurring expenditures for educational equipment or materials to assist in maintaining and improving student performance; or
(c) Temporary personnel for the school to assist in maintaining and improving student performance.
Notwithstanding statutory provisions to the contrary, incentive awards are not subject to collective bargaining.
History.—s. 381, ch. 2002-387; s. 24, ch. 2008-235; s. 13, ch. 2010-22.
1008.37 Postsecondary feedback of information to high schools.—
(1) The Commissioner of Education shall report to the State Board of Education, the Board of Governors, the Legislature, and the district school boards on the performance of each first-time-in-postsecondary education student from each public high school in this state who is enrolled in a public postsecondary institution or public career center. Such reports must be based on information databases maintained by the Department of Education. In addition, the public postsecondary educational institutions and career centers shall provide district school boards access to information on student performance in regular and preparatory courses and shall indicate students referred for remediation pursuant to s. 1004.91 or s. 1008.30.
(2) The Commissioner of Education shall report, by high school, to the State Board of Education, the Board of Governors, and the Legislature, no later than April 30 of each year, on the number of prior year Florida high school graduates who enrolled for the first time in public postsecondary education in this state during the summer, fall, or spring term of the previous academic year, indicating the number of students whose scores on the common placement test indicated the need for developmental education under s. 1008.30 or for applied academics for adult education under s. 1004.91.
(3) The Commissioner of Education shall organize school summary reports and student-level records by school district and high school in which the postsecondary education students were enrolled and report the information to each school district no later than January 31 of each year.
(4) As a part of the school improvement plan pursuant to s. 1008.345, the State Board of Education shall ensure that each school district and high school develops strategies to improve student readiness for the public postsecondary level based on annual analysis of the feedback report data.
(5) The Commissioner of Education shall annually recommend to the Legislature statutory changes to reduce the incidence of postsecondary remediation in mathematics, reading, and writing for first-time-enrolled recent high school graduates.
History.—s. 382, ch. 2002-387; s. 52, ch. 2004-41; s. 110, ch. 2004-357; s. 127, ch. 2007-217; s. 53, ch. 2013-27; s. 25, ch. 2013-51; s. 28, ch. 2019-119.
1008.38 Articulation accountability process.—The State Board of Education, in conjunction with the Board of Governors, shall develop articulation accountability measures which assess the status of systemwide articulation processes authorized under s. 1007.23 and establish an articulation accountability process which at a minimum shall address:
(1) The impact of articulation processes on ensuring educational continuity and the orderly and unobstructed transition of students between public secondary and postsecondary education systems and facilitating the transition of students between the public and private sectors.
(2) The adequacy of preparation of public secondary students to smoothly articulate to a public postsecondary institution.
(3) The effectiveness of articulated acceleration mechanisms available to secondary students.
(4) The smooth transfer of Florida College System associate degree graduates to a Florida College System institution or a state university.
(5) An examination of degree requirements that exceed the parameters of 60 credit hours for an associate degree and 120 hours for a baccalaureate degree in public postsecondary programs.
(6) The relationship between student attainment of college-level academic skills and articulation to the upper division in public postsecondary institutions.
History.—s. 383, ch. 2002-387; s. 128, ch. 2007-217; s. 16, ch. 2011-177.
1008.385 Educational planning and information systems.—
(1) EDUCATIONAL PLANNING.—
(a) The Commissioner of Education is responsible for all planning functions for the department, including collection, analysis, and interpretation of all data, information, test results, evaluations, and other indicators that are used to formulate policy, identify areas of concern and need, and serve as the basis for short-range and long-range planning. Such planning shall include assembling data, conducting appropriate studies and surveys, and sponsoring research and development activities designed to provide information about educational needs and the effect of alternative educational practices.
(b) Each district school board shall maintain a continuing system of planning and budgeting designed to aid in identifying and meeting the educational needs of students and the public. Provision shall be made for coordination between district school boards and Florida College System institution boards of trustees concerning the planning for career education and adult educational programs. The major emphasis of the system shall be upon locally determined goals and objectives, the state plan for education, and the Sunshine State Standards developed by the Department of Education and adopted by the State Board of Education. The district planning and budgeting system must include consideration of student achievement data obtained pursuant to ss. 1008.22 and 1008.34. The system shall be structured to meet the specific management needs of the district and to align the budget adopted by the district school board with the plan the board has also adopted. Each district school board shall utilize its system of planning and budgeting to emphasize a system of school-based management in which individual school centers become the principal planning units and to integrate planning and budgeting at the school level.
(2) COMPREHENSIVE MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEMS.—The Commissioner of Education shall develop and implement an integrated information system for educational management. The system must be designed to collect, via electronic transfer, all student and school performance data required to ascertain the degree to which schools and school districts are meeting state performance standards, and must be capable of producing data for a comprehensive annual report on school and district performance. In addition, the system shall support, as feasible, the management decisions to be made in each division of the department and at the individual school and district levels. Similar data elements among divisions and levels shall be compatible. The system shall be based on an overall conceptual design; the information needed for such decisions, including fiscal, student, program, personnel, facility, community, evaluation, and other relevant data; and the relationship between cost and effectiveness. The system shall be managed and administered by the commissioner and shall include a district subsystem component to be administered at the district level, with input from the reports-and-forms control management committees. Each district school system with a unique management information system shall assure that compatibility exists between its unique system and the district component of the state system so that all data required as input to the state system is made available via electronic transfer and in the appropriate input format.
(a) The specific responsibilities of the commissioner shall include:
1. Consulting with school district representatives in the development of the system design model and implementation plans for the management information system for public school education management;
2. Providing operational definitions for the proposed system, including criteria for issuing and revoking master school identification numbers to support the maintenance of education records, to enforce and support education accountability, to support the distribution of funds to school districts, to support the preparation and analysis of school district financial reports, and to assist the commissioner in carrying out the duties specified in ss. 1001.10 and 1001.11;
3. Determining the information and specific data elements required for the management decisions made at each educational level, recognizing that the primary unit for information input is the individual school and recognizing that time and effort of instructional personnel expended in collection and compilation of data should be minimized;
4. Developing standardized terminology and procedures to be followed at all levels of the system;
5. Developing a standard transmittal format to be used for collection of data from the various levels of the system;
6. Developing appropriate computer programs to assure integration of the various information components dealing with students, personnel, facilities, fiscal, program, community, and evaluation data;
7. Developing the necessary programs to provide statistical analysis of the integrated data provided in subparagraph 6. in such a way that required reports may be disseminated, comparisons may be made, and relationships may be determined in order to provide the necessary information for making management decisions at all levels;
8. Developing output report formats which will provide district school systems with information for making management decisions at the various educational levels;
9. Developing a phased plan for distributing computer services equitably among all public schools and school districts in the state as rapidly as possible. The plan shall describe alternatives available to the state in providing such computing services and shall contain estimates of the cost of each alternative, together with a recommendation for action. In developing the plan, the feasibility of shared use of computing hardware and software by school districts, Florida College System institutions, and universities shall be examined. Laws or administrative rules regulating procurement of data processing equipment, communication services, or data processing services by state agencies shall not be construed to apply to local agencies which share computing facilities with state agencies;
10. Assisting the district school systems in establishing their subsystem components and assuring compatibility with current district systems;
11. Establishing procedures for continuous evaluation of system efficiency and effectiveness;
12. Initiating a reports-management and forms-management system to ascertain that duplication in collection of data does not exist and that forms and reports for reporting under state and federal requirements and other forms and reports are prepared in a logical and uncomplicated format, resulting in a reduction in the number and complexity of required reports, particularly at the school level; and
13. Initiating such other actions as are necessary to carry out the intent of the Legislature that a management information system for public school management needs be implemented. Such other actions shall be based on criteria including, but not limited to:
a. The purpose of the reporting requirement;
b. The origination of the reporting requirement;
c. The date of origin of the reporting requirement; and
d. The date of repeal of the reporting requirement.
(b) The specific responsibilities of each district school system shall include:
1. Establishing, at the district level, a reports-control and forms-control management system committee composed of school administrators and classroom teachers. The district school board shall appoint school administrator members and classroom teacher members or, in school districts where appropriate, the classroom teacher members shall be appointed by the bargaining agent. Teachers shall constitute a majority of the committee membership. The committee shall periodically recommend procedures to the district school board for eliminating, reducing, revising, and consolidating paperwork and data collection requirements and shall submit to the district school board an annual report of its findings.
2. With assistance from the commissioner, developing systems compatibility between the state management information system and unique local systems.
3. Providing, with the assistance of the department, inservice training dealing with management information system purposes and scope, a method of transmitting input data, and the use of output report information.
4. Establishing a plan for continuous review and evaluation of local management information system needs and procedures.
5. Advising the commissioner of all district management information needs.
6. Transmitting required data input elements to the appropriate processing locations in accordance with guidelines established by the commissioner.
7. Determining required reports, comparisons, and relationships to be provided to district school systems by the system output reports, continuously reviewing these reports for usefulness and meaningfulness, and submitting recommended additions, deletions, and change requirements in accordance with the guidelines established by the commissioner.
8. Being responsible for the accuracy of all data elements transmitted to the department.
(c) It is the intent of the Legislature that the expertise in the state system of public education, as well as contracted services, be utilized to hasten the plan for full implementation of a comprehensive management information system.
(3) RULES.—The State Board of Education shall adopt rules to administer this section.
History.—s. 384, ch. 2002-387; s. 111, ch. 2004-357; s. 110, ch. 2011-5; s. 26, ch. 2013-51.
1008.386 Florida student identification numbers.—
(1) When a student enrolls in a public school in this state, the district school board shall request that the student provide his or her social security number and shall indicate whether the student identification number assigned to the student is a social security number. A student satisfies this requirement by presenting his or her social security card or a copy of the card to a school enrollment official. However, a student is not required to provide his or her social security number as a condition for enrollment or graduation. The Commissioner of Education shall assist school districts with the assignment of student identification numbers to avoid duplication of any student identification number.
(2) The department shall establish a process for assigning a Florida student identification number to each student in the state, at which time a school district may not use social security numbers as student identification numbers in its management information systems.
(3) The State Board of Education may adopt rules to implement this section.
History.—s. 385, ch. 2002-387; s. 3, ch. 2014-41.
1008.39 Florida Education and Training Placement Information Program.—
(1) The Department of Education shall develop and maintain a continuing program of information management named the “Florida Education and Training Placement Information Program,” the purpose of which is to compile, maintain, and disseminate information concerning the educational histories, placement and employment, enlistments in the United States armed services, and other measures of success of former participants in state educational and workforce development programs. Placement and employment information shall contain data appropriate to calculate job retention and job retention rates.
(2) Any project conducted by the Department of Education or the workforce development system that requires placement information shall use information provided through the Florida Education and Training Placement Information Program, and shall not initiate automated matching of records in duplication of methods already in place in the Florida Education and Training Placement Information Program. The department shall implement an automated system which matches the social security numbers of former participants in state educational and training programs with information in the files of state and federal agencies that maintain educational, employment, and United States armed service records and shall implement procedures to identify the occupations of those former participants whose social security numbers are found in employment records, as required by Specific Appropriation 337A, chapter 84-220, Laws of Florida; Specific Appropriation 337B, chapter 85-119, Laws of Florida; Specific Appropriation 350A, chapter 86-167, Laws of Florida; and Specific Appropriation 351, chapter 87-98, Laws of Florida.
(3) The Florida Education and Training Placement Information Program must not make public any information that could identify an individual or the individual’s employer. The Department of Education must ensure that the purpose of obtaining placement information is to evaluate and improve public programs or to conduct research for the purpose of improving services to the individuals whose social security numbers are used to identify their placement. If an agreement assures that this purpose will be served and that privacy will be protected, the Department of Education shall have access to the reemployment assistance wage reports maintained by the Department of Economic Opportunity, the files of the Department of Children and Families that contain information about the distribution of public assistance, the files of the Department of Corrections that contain records of incarcerations, and the files of the Department of Business and Professional Regulation that contain the results of licensure examination.
(4) The Florida Education and Training Placement Information Program may perform longitudinal analyses for all levels of education and workforce development. These analyses must include employment stability, annual earnings, and relatedness of employment to education.
History.—s. 386, ch. 2002-387; s. 468, ch. 2011-142; s. 88, ch. 2012-30; s. 376, ch. 2014-19.
1008.40 Workforce Development Information System.—The Department of Education shall:
(1) Design specifications for the collection and reporting of data and performance specifications for the Workforce Development Information System. This design must enable parallel reporting and state-level access of workforce data necessary to use the data reports as a basis for calculating funding allocations. In addition, the design must be capable of providing reports necessary to comply with other program performance documentation required by state or federal law, without requiring additional data collection or reporting from local educational agencies.
(2) Develop the computer programs, software, and edit processes necessary for local and state users to produce a single, unified Workforce Development Information System.
History.—s. 387, ch. 2002-387.
1008.405 Adult student information.—Each school district and Florida College System institution shall maintain sufficient information for each student enrolled in workforce education to allow local and state administrators to locate such student upon the termination of instruction and to determine the appropriateness of student placement in specific instructional programs. The State Board of Education shall adopt, by rule, specific information that must be maintained and acceptable means of maintaining that information.
History.—s. 388, ch. 2002-387; s. 112, ch. 2004-357; s. 111, ch. 2011-5.
1008.41 Workforce education; management information system.—
(1) The Commissioner of Education shall coordinate uniform program structures, common definitions, and uniform management information systems for workforce education for all divisions within the department. In performing these functions, the commissioner shall designate deadlines after which data elements may not be changed for the coming fiscal or school year. School districts and Florida College System institutions shall be notified of data element changes at least 90 days prior to the start of the subsequent fiscal or school year. Such systems must provide for:
(a) Individual student reporting.
(b) Compliance with state and federal confidentiality requirements, except that the department shall have access to the reemployment assistance wage reports to collect and report placement information about former students. Such placement reports must not disclose the individual identities of former students.
(c) Maximum use of automated technology and records in existing databases and data systems. To the extent feasible, the Florida Information Resource Network may be employed for this purpose.
(d) Annual reports of student enrollment, completion, and placement by program.
(2) The State Board of Education shall identify, by rule, the components to be included in the workforce education management information system. All such components shall be comparable between school districts and Florida College System institutions.
(3) Planning and evaluation of job-preparatory programs shall be based on standard sources of data and use standard occupational definitions and coding structures, including, but not limited to:
(a) The Florida Occupational Information System;
(b) The Florida Education and Training Placement Information Program;
(c) The Department of Economic Opportunity;
(d) The United States Department of Labor; and
(e) Other sources of data developed using statistically valid procedures.
History.—s. 389, ch. 2002-387; s. 113, ch. 2004-357; s. 22, ch. 2009-59; s. 112, ch. 2011-5; s. 469, ch. 2011-142; s. 89, ch. 2012-30.
1008.42 Public information on career education programs.—
(1) The Department of Education shall disseminate information derived from the reports required by s. 1008.43. The department shall ensure that the information disseminated does not name or otherwise identify a student, a former student, or the student’s employer.
(2) The dissemination shall be conducted in accordance with the following procedures:
(a) Annually, the Department of Education shall publish the placement rates and average quarterly earnings for students who complete each type of career certificate program and career degree program. This information must be aggregated to the state level and must be included in any accountability reports. A program that was created or modified so that placement rates cannot be calculated must be so identified in such reports.
(b)1. Each district school board shall publish, at a minimum, the most recently available placement rate for each career certificate program conducted by that school district at the secondary school level and at the career degree level. The placement rates for the preceding 3 years shall be published, if available, shall be included in each publication that informs the public of the availability of the program, and shall be made available to each certified school counselor. If a program does not have a placement rate, a publication that lists or describes that program must state that the rate is unavailable.
2. Each Florida College System institution shall publish, at a minimum, the most recent placement rate for each career certificate program and for each career degree program in its annual catalog. The placement rates for the preceding 3 years shall be published, if available, and shall be included in any publication that informs the public of the availability of the program. If a program does not have a placement rate, the publication that lists or describes that program must state that the rate is unavailable.
3. If a school district or a Florida College System institution has calculated for a program a placement rate that differs from the rate reported by the department, and if each record of a placement was obtained through a process that was capable of being audited, procedurally sound, and consistent statewide, the district or the Florida College System institution may use the locally calculated placement rate in the report required by this section. However, that rate may not be combined with the rate maintained in the computer files of the Department of Education’s Florida Education and Training Placement Information Program.
4. An independent career, trade, or business school may not publish a placement rate unless the placement rate was determined as provided by this section.
History.—s. 390, ch. 2002-387; s. 114, ch. 2004-357; s. 113, ch. 2011-5; s. 10, ch. 2013-89.
1008.43 Career program reporting requirements.—
(1)(a) The Department of Education shall develop a system of performance measures in order to evaluate the career education programs as required in s. 1008.42. This system must measure program enrollment, completion rates, placement rates, and amount of earnings at the time of placement. Placement and employment information, where applicable, shall contain data relevant to job retention, including retention rates. The State Board of Education shall adopt by rule the specific measures and any definitions needed to establish the system of performance measures.
(b) To measure and report program enrollment and completion rates, the Department of Education shall use data in the automated student databases generated by the public schools and Florida College System institutions. To measure and report placement rates and amount of earnings at the time of placement, the department shall use data in the reports produced by the Florida Education and Training Placement Information Program as required in s. 1008.39. If any placement information is not available from the Florida Education and Training Placement Information Program, the school district or the Florida College System institution may provide placement information collected by the school district or the Florida College System institution. However, this supplemental information must be verifiable by the department and must not be commingled with the database maintained by the Florida Education and Training Placement Information Program. The State Board of Education shall specify by rule the statistically valid, verifiable, uniform procedures by which school districts and Florida College System institutions may collect and report placement information to supplement the reports from the Florida Education and Training Placement Information Program.
(c) The State Board of Education shall adopt standards for the department, district school boards, and Florida College System institution district boards of trustees to use in program planning, program review, and program evaluation. The standards must include, at a minimum, the completion rates, placement rates, and earnings from employment of former students of career education programs.
(2) The State Board of Education shall adopt procedures for reviewing the career education programs administered by the district school boards and the Florida College System institution district boards of trustees when program performance falls below the standards required by this section.
(3) Annually, the department shall compile the reports submitted in compliance with the rules adopted under this section and shall produce a statewide report that addresses the extent to which school districts and Florida College System institutions are meeting the standards established under paragraph (1)(c).
(4) The State Board of Education may adopt rules necessary to administer this section.
History.—s. 391, ch. 2002-387; s. 115, ch. 2004-357; s. 114, ch. 2011-5.
1008.44 CAPE Industry Certification Funding List and CAPE Postsecondary Industry Certification Funding List.—
(1) Pursuant to ss. 1003.4203 and 1003.492, the Department of Education shall, at least annually, identify, under rules adopted by the State Board of Education, and the Commissioner of Education may at any time recommend adding the following certificates, certifications, and courses:
(a) CAPE industry certifications identified on the CAPE Industry Certification Funding List that must be applied in the distribution of funding to school districts pursuant to s. 1011.62(1)(o). The CAPE Industry Certification Funding List shall incorporate by reference the industry certifications on the career pathways list approved for the Florida Gold Seal Vocational Scholars award. In addition, by August 1 of each year, the not-for-profit corporation established pursuant to s. 445.004 may annually select one industry certification, that does not articulate for college credit, for inclusion on the CAPE Industry Certification Funding List for a period of 3 years unless otherwise approved by the curriculum review committee pursuant to s. 1003.491. Such industry certifications, if earned by a student, shall be eligible for additional full-time equivalent membership, pursuant to s. 1011.62(1)(o)1.
(b) No more than 30 CAPE Digital Tool certificates limited to the areas of word processing; spreadsheets; sound, motion, and color presentations; digital arts; cybersecurity; and coding pursuant to s. 1003.4203(3) that do not articulate for college credit. Such certificates shall be annually identified on the CAPE Industry Certification Funding List and updated solely by the Chancellor of Career and Adult Education. The certificates shall be made available to students in elementary school and middle school grades and, if earned by a student, shall be eligible for additional full-time equivalent membership pursuant to s. 1011.62(1)(o)1.
(c) CAPE ESE Digital Tool certificates, workplace industry certifications, and OSHA industry certifications identified by the Chancellor of Career and Adult Education for students with disabilities pursuant to s. 1003.4203(2). Such certificates and certifications shall be identified on the CAPE Industry Certification Funding List and, if earned by a student, be eligible for additional full-time equivalent membership pursuant to s. 1011.62(1)(o)1.
(d) CAPE Innovation Courses that combine academic and career performance outcomes with embedded industry certifications shall be annually approved by the Commissioner of Education and identified pursuant to s. 1003.4203(5)(a) and, if completed by a student, be eligible for additional full-time equivalent membership pursuant to s. 1011.62(1)(o)1.
(e) CAPE Acceleration Industry Certifications that articulate for 15 or more college credit hours pursuant to s. 1003.4203(5)(b) shall be annually approved by the Commissioner of Education and, if successfully completed, shall be eligible for additional full-time equivalent membership pursuant to s. 1011.62(1)(o)1. The approved industry certifications must be identified on the CAPE Industry Certification Funding List.
(2) The State Board of Education shall approve, at least annually, the CAPE Postsecondary Industry Certification Funding List pursuant to this section. The Commissioner of Education shall recommend, at least annually, the CAPE Postsecondary Industry Certification Funding List to the State Board of Education and may at any time recommend adding certifications. The Chancellor of the State University System, the Chancellor of the Florida College System, and the Chancellor of Career and Adult Education shall work with local workforce boards, other postsecondary institutions, businesses, and industry to identify, create, and recommend to the Commissioner of Education industry certifications to be placed on the funding list. The list shall be used to determine annual performance funding distributions to school districts or Florida College System institutions as specified in ss. 1011.80 and 1011.81, respectively. The chancellors shall review results of the economic security report of employment and earning outcomes produced annually pursuant to s. 445.07 when determining recommended certifications for the list, as well as other reports and indicators available regarding certification needs.
(3) In the case of rigorous industry certifications that have embedded prerequisite minimum age, grade level, diploma or degree, postgraduation period of work experience of at least 12 months, or other reasonable requirements that may limit the extent to which a student can complete all requirements of the certification recognized by industry for employment purposes, the Commissioner of Education shall differentiate content, instructional, and assessment requirements that, when provided by a public institution and satisfactorily attained by a student, indicate accomplishment of requirements necessary for funding pursuant to ss. 1011.62, 1011.80, and 1011.81, notwithstanding attainment of prerequisite requirements necessary for recognition by industry for employment purposes. The differentiated requirements established by the Commissioner of Education shall be included on the CAPE Industry Certification Funding List at the time the certification is adopted.
(4)(a) CAPE industry certifications and CAPE Digital Tool certificates placed on the CAPE Industry Certification Funding List must include the version of the certifications and certificates available at the time of the adoption and, without further review and approval, include the subsequent updates to the certifications and certificates on the approved list, unless the certifications and certificates are specifically removed from the CAPE Industry Certification Funding List by the Commissioner of Education.
(b) The Commissioner of Education may limit CAPE industry certifications and CAPE Digital Tool certificates to students in certain grades based on formal recommendations by providers of CAPE industry certifications and CAPE Digital Tool certificates.
(c) The Articulation Coordinating Committee shall review statewide articulation agreement proposals for industry certifications and make recommendations to the State Board of Education for approval. After an industry certification is adopted by the State Board of Education for inclusion on the CAPE Industry Certification Funding List, the Chancellor of Career and Adult Education, within 90 days, must provide to the Articulation Coordinating Committee recommendations for articulation of postsecondary credit for related degrees for the approved certifications.
History.—s. 37, ch. 2013-27; s. 185, ch. 2014-17; s. 12, ch. 2014-184; s. 118, ch. 2015-2; s. 29, ch. 2019-119.
1008.45 Florida College System institution accountability process.—
(1) It is the intent of the Legislature that a management and accountability process be implemented which provides for the systematic, ongoing improvement and assessment of the improvement of the quality and efficiency of the Florida College System institutions. Accordingly, the State Board of Education and the Florida College System institution boards of trustees shall develop and implement an accountability plan to improve and evaluate the instructional and administrative efficiency and effectiveness of the Florida College System. This plan shall be designed in consultation with staff of the Governor and the Legislature and must address the following issues:
(a) Graduation rates of A.A. and A.S. degree-seeking students compared to first-time-enrolled students seeking the associate degree.
(b) Minority student enrollment and retention rates.
(c) Student performance, including student performance in college-level academic skills, mean grade point averages for Florida College System institution A.A. transfer students, and Florida College System institution student performance on state licensure examinations.
(d) Job placement rates of Florida College System institution career students.
(e) Student progression by admission status and program.
(f) Career accountability standards identified in s. 1008.42.
(g) Institutional assessment efforts related to the requirements of s. III in the Criteria for Accreditation of the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.
(h) Other measures approved by the State Board of Education.
(2) The State Board of Education shall submit an annual report, to coincide with the submission of the agency strategic plan required by law, providing the results of initiatives taken during the prior year and the initiatives and related objective performance measures proposed for the next year.
(3) The State Board of Education shall address within the annual evaluation of the performance of the executive director, and the Florida College System institution boards of trustees shall address within the annual evaluation of the presidents, the achievement of the performance goals established by the accountability process.
History.—s. 392, ch. 2002-387; s. 116, ch. 2004-357; s. 129, ch. 2007-217; s. 115, ch. 2011-5.
1008.46 State university accountability process.—It is the intent of the Legislature that an accountability process be implemented that provides for the systematic, ongoing evaluation of quality and effectiveness of state universities. It is further the intent of the Legislature that this accountability process monitor performance at the system level in each of the major areas of instruction, research, and public service, while recognizing the differing missions of each of the state universities. The accountability process shall provide for the adoption of systemwide performance standards and performance goals for each standard identified through a collaborative effort involving state universities, the Board of Governors, the Legislature, and the Governor’s Office, consistent with requirements specified in s. 1001.706. These standards and goals shall be consistent with s. 216.011(1) to maintain congruity with the performance-based budgeting process. This process requires that university accountability reports reflect measures defined through performance-based budgeting. The performance-based budgeting measures must also reflect the elements of teaching, research, and service inherent in the missions of the state universities.
(1) By December 31 of each year, the Board of Governors shall submit an annual accountability report providing information on the implementation of performance standards, actions taken to improve university achievement of performance goals, the achievement of performance goals during the prior year, and initiatives to be undertaken during the next year. The accountability reports shall be designed in consultation with the Governor’s Office, the Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability, and the Legislature.
(2) The Board of Governors shall recommend in the annual accountability report any appropriate modifications to this section.
History.—s. 393, ch. 2002-387; s. 130, ch. 2007-217; s. 13, ch. 2012-195; ss. 12, 13, ch. 2015-222; ss. 10, 11, ch. 2016-62; s. 5, ch. 2017-71; s. 16, ch. 2019-4.