Florida Senate - 2010                                     SB 228
       
       
       
       By Senator Wise
       
       
       
       
       5-00124A-10                                            2010228__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to charter technical career centers;
    3         creating the Charter Technical Career Center Associate
    4         in Applied Science and Associate in Science Degrees
    5         Program; providing a purpose for the program;
    6         authorizing charter technical career centers to submit
    7         proposals to the State Board of Education to offer
    8         specified associate in applied science degree and
    9         associate in science degree programs; authorizing
   10         charter technical career centers to offer such degree
   11         programs through partnerships with community colleges
   12         or direct authority; providing for certain criteria to
   13         award the degrees on a limited basis; requiring that
   14         the board adopt rules; requiring that a participating
   15         charter technical career center implement the program
   16         through a memorandum of agreement; prohibiting a
   17         charter technical career center from requesting
   18         funding for the initial costs associated with
   19         implementing the degree programs for a specified
   20         amount of time after receiving authorization;
   21         requiring that funding for operational costs be at the
   22         same level as the funding for workforce development
   23         programs; providing requirements for participating
   24         charter technical career centers; providing an
   25         effective date.
   26  
   27  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   28  
   29         Section 1. (1) The Charter Technical Career Center
   30  Associate in Applied Science and Associate in Science Degrees
   31  Program is created for the purpose of authorizing charter
   32  technical career centers to offer associate in applied science
   33  degree and associate in science degree programs in order to meet
   34  local workforce needs. Charter technical career centers may
   35  submit proposals to the State Board of Education to participate
   36  in the program in their respective districts. Charter technical
   37  career centers may offer the degree programs through
   38  partnerships with community colleges or through direct authority
   39  to award such degrees.
   40         (2) After receiving and reviewing a charter technical
   41  career center’s proposal, the board may approve the proposal for
   42  a substantive change in accreditation status and authority to
   43  award specified associate in applied science and associate in
   44  science degrees on a limited basis, if certain criteria are met
   45  which relate to the demand for such programs; the unmet
   46  workforce need for graduates from such degree programs; and the
   47  availability of facilities, faculty, and other resources.
   48         (3) The board shall adopt rules providing guidelines for
   49  receiving, reviewing, and approving proposals submitted by
   50  charter technical career centers. The rules must establish an
   51  annual timeframe in which proposals are received. The rules must
   52  also require that a presentation be made to assist the board in
   53  its decision and that the Commissioner of Education make
   54  recommendations based on the proposals.
   55         (4) A charter technical career center that is authorized to
   56  offer an associate in applied science degree program or
   57  associate in science degree program shall implement the program
   58  in accordance with a memorandum of agreement entered into
   59  between the board and the center which outlines the expectations
   60  for administrative oversight and accountability for the initial
   61  and continued approval of the program.
   62         (5) A charter technical career center may not request
   63  additional funding for costs associated with the implementation
   64  and start-up of the associate in applied science and associate
   65  in science degree programs during the first 2 years after the
   66  charter technical career center receives authorization to offer
   67  such degree programs. Operational costs must be funded at the
   68  same level as funding for workforce development programs.
   69         (6) Each participating charter technical career center
   70  shall:
   71         (a) Maintain, as its primary mission, responsibility for
   72  responding to the community’s needs for postsecondary career
   73  degree programs and workforce education programs;
   74         (b) Maintain an open-door admissions policy for associate
   75  degree programs and workforce education programs; and
   76         (c) Accept credit for courses meeting general education
   77  prerequisite requirements which are earned in an approved
   78  program at an accredited college or university.
   79         (7) Each charter technical career center participating in
   80  the program shall accept general education course credit from
   81  colleges accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and
   82  Schools for the first 3 years of the program to avoid
   83  duplication of currently available courses.
   84         (8) Effective July 1, 2010, a charter technical career
   85  center may use the designation “technical college” rather than
   86  “center.” Any charter technical career center that has used the
   87  designation “college” may continue to use such designation after
   88  July 1, 2010, and until the date of application for candidate
   89  status with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools for
   90  a period up to 2 years.
   91         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2010.