HB 461

1	A bill to be entitled
2	An act relating to participation in fine arts courses;
3	amending s. 1008.34, F.S.; revising the basis for the
4	designation of school grades to include participation
5	rates of students who are enrolled in fine arts courses;
6	providing an effective date.
7
8	Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
9
10	Section 1.  Paragraphs (b) and (c) of subsection (3) of
11	section 1008.34, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
12	1008.34  School grading system; school report cards;
13	district grade.-
14	(3)  DESIGNATION OF SCHOOL GRADES.-
15	(b)1.  A school's grade shall be based on a combination of:
16	a.  Student achievement scores, including achievement
17	scores for students seeking a special diploma.
18	b.  Student learning gains as measured by annual FCAT
19	assessments in grades 3 through 10; learning gains for students
20	seeking a special diploma, as measured by an alternate
21	assessment tool, shall be included not later than the 2009-2010
22	school year.
23	c.  Improvement of the lowest 25th percentile of students
24	in the school in reading, mathematics, or writing on the FCAT,
25	unless these students are exhibiting satisfactory performance.
26	2.  Beginning with the 2009-2010 school year for schools
27	comprised of high school grades 9, 10, 11, and 12, or grades 10,
28	11, and 12, 50 percent of the school grade shall be based on a
29	combination of the factors listed in sub-subparagraphs 1.a.-c.
30	and the remaining 50 percent on the following factors:
31	a.  The high school graduation rate of the school;
32	b.  As valid data becomes available, the performance and
33	participation of the school's students in College Board Advanced
34	Placement courses, International Baccalaureate courses, dual
35	enrollment courses, and Advanced International Certificate of
36	Education courses; and the students' achievement of industry
37	certification, as determined by the Agency for Workforce
38	Innovation under s. 1003.492(2) in a career and professional
39	academy, as described in s. 1003.493;
40	c.  Postsecondary readiness of the school's students as
41	measured by the SAT, ACT, or the common placement test;
42	d.  The high school graduation rate of at-risk students who
43	scored at Level 2 or lower on the grade 8 FCAT Reading and
44	Mathematics examinations;
45	e.  As valid data becomes available, the performance of the
46	school's students on statewide standardized end-of-course
47	assessments administered under s. 1008.22; and
48	f.  The participation rate of all eligible students in the
49	school who are enrolled in fine arts courses, which are visual
50	arts, music, dance, and theatre; and
51	g.f.  The growth or decline in the components listed in
52	sub-subparagraphs a.-f. a.-e. from year to year.
53	(c)  Student assessment data used in determining school
54	grades shall include:
55	1.  The aggregate scores of all eligible students enrolled
56	in the school who have been assessed on the FCAT.
57	2.  The aggregate scores of all eligible students enrolled
58	in the school who have been assessed on the FCAT and who have
59	scored at or in the lowest 25th percentile of students in the
60	school in reading, mathematics, or writing, unless these
61	students are exhibiting satisfactory performance.
62	3.  Effective with the 2005-2006 school year, the
63	achievement scores and learning gains of eligible students
64	attending alternative schools that provide dropout prevention
65	and academic intervention services pursuant to s. 1003.53. The
66	term "eligible students" in this subparagraph does not include
67	students attending an alternative school who are subject to
68	district school board policies for expulsion for repeated or
69	serious offenses, who are in dropout retrieval programs serving
70	students who have officially been designated as dropouts, or who
71	are in programs operated or contracted by the Department of
72	Juvenile Justice. The student performance data for eligible
73	students identified in this subparagraph shall be included in
74	the calculation of the home school's grade. As used in this
75	section and s. 1008.341, the term "home school" means the school
76	to which the student would be assigned if the student were not
77	assigned to an alternative school. If an alternative school
78	chooses to be graded under this section, student performance
79	data for eligible students identified in this subparagraph shall
80	not be included in the home school's grade but shall be included
81	only in the calculation of the alternative school's grade. A
82	school district that fails to assign the FCAT scores of each of
83	its students to his or her home school or to the alternative
84	school that receives a grade shall forfeit Florida School
85	Recognition Program funds for 1 fiscal year. School districts
86	must require collaboration between the home school and the
87	alternative school in order to promote student success. This
88	collaboration must include an annual discussion between the
89	principal of the alternative school and the principal of each
90	student's home school concerning the most appropriate school
91	assignment of the student.
92	4.  Beginning with the 2009-2010 school year for schools
93	comprised of high school grades 9, 10, 11, and 12, or grades 10,
94	11, and 12, the data listed in subparagraphs 1.-3. and the
95	following data as the Department of Education determines such
96	data are valid and available:
97	a.  The high school graduation rate of the school as
98	calculated by the Department of Education;
99	b.  The participation rate of all eligible students
100	enrolled in the school and enrolled in College Board Advanced
101	Placement courses; International Baccalaureate courses; dual
102	enrollment courses; Advanced International Certificate of
103	Education courses; and courses or sequence of courses leading to
104	industry certification, as determined by the Agency for
105	Workforce Innovation under s. 1003.492(2) in a career and
106	professional academy, as described in s. 1003.493;
107	c.  The aggregate scores of all eligible students enrolled
108	in the school in College Board Advanced Placement courses,
109	International Baccalaureate courses, and Advanced International
110	Certificate of Education courses;
111	d.  Earning of college credit by all eligible students
112	enrolled in the school in dual enrollment programs under s.
113	1007.271;
114	e.  Earning of an industry certification, as determined by
115	the Agency for Workforce Innovation under s. 1003.492(2) in a
116	career and professional academy, as described in s. 1003.493;
117	f.  The aggregate scores of all eligible students enrolled
118	in the school in reading, mathematics, and other subjects as
119	measured by the SAT, the ACT, and the common placement test for
120	postsecondary readiness;
121	g.  The high school graduation rate of all eligible at-risk
122	students enrolled in the school who scored at Level 2 or lower
123	on the grade 8 FCAT Reading and Mathematics examinations;
124	h.  The performance of the school's students on statewide
125	standardized end-of-course assessments administered under s.
126	1008.22; and
127	i.  The participation rate of all eligible students in the
128	school who are enrolled in fine arts courses, which are visual
129	arts, music, dance, and theatre; and
130	j.i.  The growth or decline in the data components listed
131	in sub-subparagraphs a.-i. a.-h. from year to year.
132
133	The State Board of Education shall adopt appropriate criteria
134	for each school grade. The criteria must also give added weight
135	to student achievement in reading. Schools designated with a
136	grade of "C," making satisfactory progress, shall be required to
137	demonstrate that adequate progress has been made by students in
138	the school who are in the lowest 25th percentile in reading,
139	mathematics, or writing on the FCAT, unless these students are
140	exhibiting satisfactory performance. Beginning with the 2009-
141	2010 school year for schools comprised of high school grades 9,
142	10, 11, and 12, or grades 10, 11, and 12, the criteria for
143	school grades must also give added weight to the graduation rate
144	of all eligible at-risk students, as defined in this paragraph.
145	Beginning in the 2009-2010 school year, in order for a high
146	school to be designated as having a grade of "A," making
147	excellent progress, the school must demonstrate that at-risk
148	students, as defined in this paragraph, in the school are making
149	adequate progress.
150	Section 2.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2010.

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.