Florida Senate - 2019                             CS for SB 1316
       
       
        
       By the Committee on Education; and Senator Brandes
       
       
       
       
       
       581-03237-19                                          20191316c1
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to civic education; providing a short
    3         title; amending s. 1003.4282, F.S.; revising the
    4         requirements for a standard high school diploma to
    5         include a specified course; providing requirements for
    6         such course; creating s. 1003.4321, F.S.; establishing
    7         the Florida Seal of Civic Engagement Program;
    8         providing the purpose of the program; requiring the
    9         State Board of Education to establish criteria for
   10         awarding the seal; providing requirements for such
   11         criteria; providing duties of the Commissioner of
   12         Education and school districts; prohibiting a school
   13         district or the Department of Education from charging
   14         a fee for the seal; requiring the state board to adopt
   15         rules; amending s. 1003.497, F.S.; providing that a
   16         nonpartisan civic literacy project may be included in
   17         service-learning programs, activities, or policies;
   18         creating s. 1003.4971, F.S.; authorizing certain
   19         students to complete a nonpartisan civic literacy
   20         project; requiring the state board to develop the
   21         minimum criteria for such project and a process to
   22         confirm completion; providing requirements for such
   23         criteria and for nonpartisan civic literacy projects;
   24         prohibiting a student from receiving remuneration for
   25         specified purposes; authorizing the hours devoted to
   26         such project to be used for specified purposes;
   27         authorizing a school to integrate a nonpartisan civic
   28         literacy project into a service-learning program or
   29         activity; requiring the state board to adopt rules;
   30         amending s. 1007.25, F.S.; providing that earning the
   31         Seal of Civic Engagement demonstrates competency in
   32         civic literacy for specified purposes; providing
   33         membership requirements for a specified faculty
   34         committee; amending s. 1008.34, F.S.; revising school
   35         grade components to include students who complete a
   36         specified course with a grade of “B” or higher;
   37         providing an effective date.
   38          
   39  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   40  
   41         Section 1. Paragraph (d) of subsection (3) of section
   42  1003.4282, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
   43         1003.4282 Requirements for a standard high school diploma.—
   44         (3) STANDARD HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA; COURSE AND ASSESSMENT
   45  REQUIREMENTS.—
   46         (d) Three credits in social studies.—A student must earn
   47  one credit in United States History; one credit in World
   48  History; one-half credit in economics, which must include
   49  financial literacy; and one-half credit in United States
   50  Government or, beginning with students entering grade 9 in the
   51  2020-2021 school year, one-half credit in United States
   52  Government and Civic Engagement. The United States History EOC
   53  assessment constitutes 30 percent of the student’s final course
   54  grade. The one-half credit in United States Government and Civic
   55  Engagement must include an individual or group nonpartisan civic
   56  literacy project pursuant to s. 1003.4971 as a laboratory
   57  component. The state board shall approve and identify in the
   58  Course Code Directory the United States Government and Civic
   59  Engagement course. Such course may be offered as a semester
   60  course or a year-long course.
   61         Section 2. Section 1003.4321, Florida Statutes, is created
   62  to read:
   63         1003.4321Florida Seal of Civic Engagement Program.—
   64         (1)The Florida Seal of Civic Engagement Program is
   65  established to recognize each high school graduate who has
   66  attained a high level of community involvement and academic
   67  achievement in civics.
   68         (2)The purpose of the Florida Seal of Civic Engagement
   69  Program is to encourage students to understand the basic
   70  principles of American democracy and to foster a sense of
   71  citizenship and community involvement.
   72         (3)Beginning with the 2020-2021 school year, the Seal of
   73  Civic Engagement shall be awarded to a high school student who
   74  earns a standard high school diploma and who meets the
   75  requirements established by the State Board of Education. In
   76  establishing the criteria for awarding the Seal of Civic
   77  Engagement, the state board shall include all of the following:
   78         (a)Completion of the United States Government and Civic
   79  Engagement course with a grade of “B” or higher.
   80         (b)Community service or extracurricular activities that
   81  are related to civic engagement.
   82         (c)Additional academic achievement in courses that include
   83  the study of civics and the United States Government.
   84         (4)The Commissioner of Education shall:
   85         (a)Prepare and provide to each school district an
   86  appropriate insignia to affix to a student’s diploma indicating
   87  that the student has been awarded the Seal of Civic Engagement.
   88         (b)Provide information necessary for school districts to
   89  successfully implement the program.
   90         (5)Each school district shall:
   91         (a)Maintain appropriate records to identify students who
   92  have met the requirements to receive the Seal of Civic
   93  Engagement.
   94         (b)Provide the commissioner with the number of students
   95  who have met the requirements to receive the Seal of Civic
   96  Engagement.
   97         (c)Affix the appropriate insignia to the student’s diploma
   98  and indicate on the student’s transcript that the student has
   99  earned the Seal of Civic Engagement.
  100         (6)A school district or the Department of Education may
  101  not charge a fee for the Seal of Civic Engagement.
  102         (7)The state board shall adopt rules to implement this
  103  section. Such rules must, at a minimum, include all of the
  104  following:
  105         (a)The requirements a student must meet to be awarded the
  106  Seal of Civic Engagement.
  107         (b)A process to confirm a student’s successful completion
  108  of the requirements to receive the Seal of Civic Engagement.
  109         Section 3. Subsection (1) of section 1003.497, Florida
  110  Statutes, is amended to read:
  111         1003.497 Service learning.—
  112         (1) The Department of Education shall encourage school
  113  districts to initiate, adopt, expand, and institutionalize
  114  service-learning programs, activities, and policies in
  115  kindergarten through grade 12, including nonpartisan civic
  116  literacy projects under s. 1003.4971. Service learning refers to
  117  a student-centered, research-based teaching and learning
  118  strategy that engages students in meaningful service activities
  119  in their schools or communities. Service-learning activities are
  120  directly tied to academic curricula, standards, and course,
  121  district, or state assessments. Service-learning activities
  122  foster academic achievement, character development, civic
  123  engagement, and career exploration and enable students to apply
  124  curriculum content, skills, and behaviors taught in the
  125  classroom.
  126         Section 4. Section 1003.4971, Florida Statutes, is created
  127  to read:
  128         1003.4971Nonpartisan Civic Literacy Projects.—
  129         (1)Beginning with students entering grade 9 in the 2020
  130  2021 school year, students shall complete a nonpartisan civic
  131  literacy project as the laboratory component of the United
  132  States Government and Civic Engagement course offered under s.
  133  1003.4282. The State Board of Education shall develop the
  134  minimum criteria for a nonpartisan civic literacy project and a
  135  process for a district school board to confirm a student’s
  136  completion of the project. The criteria for nonpartisan civic
  137  literacy projects must, at a minimum, require a student to:
  138         (a)Identify a civic issue that impacts his or her
  139  community.
  140         (b)Rigorously research the issue from multiple
  141  perspectives and develop a plan for his or her personal
  142  involvement in addressing the issue.
  143         (c)Create a portfolio to evaluate and reflect upon his or
  144  her experience and the outcomes of his or her involvement.
  145         (2)(a)A nonpartisan civic literacy project must be
  146  nonpartisan in nature and focus on addressing at least one
  147  community issue.
  148         (b)A nonpartisan civic literacy project must promote a
  149  student’s ability to consider differing points of view and
  150  engage in civil discourse with individuals who hold an opposing
  151  opinion.
  152         (c)A student may not receive remuneration for his or her
  153  work relating to the nonpartisan civic literacy project.
  154         (d)The hours that a high school student devotes to a
  155  nonpartisan civic literacy project may be counted toward meeting
  156  community service requirements for high school graduation and
  157  community service requirements for participation in the Florida
  158  Bright Futures Scholarship Program. School districts are
  159  encouraged to include and accept nonpartisan civic literacy
  160  project activities and hours in requirements for academic
  161  awards, especially those awards that currently include community
  162  service as a criterion or selection factor.
  163         (3)The state board shall adopt rules to administer this
  164  section.
  165         Section 5. Subsection (4) of section 1007.25, Florida
  166  Statutes, is amended to read:
  167         1007.25 General education courses; common prerequisites;
  168  other degree requirements.—
  169         (4) Beginning with students initially entering a Florida
  170  College System institution or state university in the 2018-2019
  171  school year and thereafter, each student must demonstrate
  172  competency in civic literacy. Students must have the option to
  173  demonstrate competency through successful completion of a civic
  174  literacy course, or by achieving a passing score on an
  175  assessment, or, beginning in the 2020-2021 school year, by
  176  earning the Seal of Civic Engagement pursuant to s. 1003.4321.
  177  The State Board of Education must adopt in rule and the Board of
  178  Governors must adopt in regulation at least one existing
  179  assessment that measures competencies consistent with the
  180  required course competencies outlined in paragraph (b). The
  181  chair of the State Board of Education and the chair of the Board
  182  of Governors, or their respective designees, shall jointly
  183  appoint a faculty committee, representing faculty from public
  184  postsecondary educational institutions located in counties of
  185  varying size and demographic makeup, to:
  186         (a) Develop a new course in civic literacy or revise an
  187  existing general education core course in American History or
  188  American Government to include civic literacy.
  189         (b) Establish course competencies and identify outcomes
  190  that include, at a minimum, an understanding of the basic
  191  principles of American democracy and how they are applied in our
  192  republican form of government, an understanding of the United
  193  States Constitution, knowledge of the founding documents and how
  194  they have shaped the nature and functions of our institutions of
  195  self-governance, and an understanding of landmark Supreme Court
  196  cases and their impact on law and society.
  197         Section 6. Paragraph (b) of subsection (3) of section
  198  1008.34, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
  199         1008.34 School grading system; school report cards;
  200  district grade.—
  201         (3) DESIGNATION OF SCHOOL GRADES.—
  202         (b)1. Beginning with the 2014-2015 school year, a school’s
  203  grade shall be based on the following components, each worth 100
  204  points:
  205         a. The percentage of eligible students passing statewide,
  206  standardized assessments in English Language Arts under s.
  207  1008.22(3).
  208         b. The percentage of eligible students passing statewide,
  209  standardized assessments in mathematics under s. 1008.22(3).
  210         c. The percentage of eligible students passing statewide,
  211  standardized assessments in science under s. 1008.22(3).
  212         d. The percentage of eligible students passing statewide,
  213  standardized assessments in social studies under s. 1008.22(3).
  214         e. The percentage of eligible students who make Learning
  215  Gains in English Language Arts as measured by statewide,
  216  standardized assessments administered under s. 1008.22(3).
  217         f. The percentage of eligible students who make Learning
  218  Gains in mathematics as measured by statewide, standardized
  219  assessments administered under s. 1008.22(3).
  220         g. The percentage of eligible students in the lowest 25
  221  percent in English Language Arts, as identified by prior year
  222  performance on statewide, standardized assessments, who make
  223  Learning Gains as measured by statewide, standardized English
  224  Language Arts assessments administered under s. 1008.22(3).
  225         h. The percentage of eligible students in the lowest 25
  226  percent in mathematics, as identified by prior year performance
  227  on statewide, standardized assessments, who make Learning Gains
  228  as measured by statewide, standardized Mathematics assessments
  229  administered under s. 1008.22(3).
  230         i. For schools comprised of middle grades 6 through 8 or
  231  grades 7 and 8, the percentage of eligible students passing high
  232  school level statewide, standardized end-of-course assessments
  233  or attaining national industry certifications identified in the
  234  CAPE Industry Certification Funding List pursuant to rules
  235  adopted by the State Board of Education.
  236  
  237  In calculating Learning Gains for the components listed in sub
  238  subparagraphs e.-h., the State Board of Education shall require
  239  that learning growth toward achievement levels 3, 4, and 5 is
  240  demonstrated by students who scored below each of those levels
  241  in the prior year. In calculating the components in sub
  242  subparagraphs a.-d., the state board shall include the
  243  performance of English language learners only if they have been
  244  enrolled in a school in the United States for more than 2 years.
  245         2. For a school comprised of grades 9, 10, 11, and 12, or
  246  grades 10, 11, and 12, the school’s grade shall also be based on
  247  the following components, each worth 100 points:
  248         a. The 4-year high school graduation rate of the school as
  249  defined by state board rule.
  250         b. The percentage of students who were eligible to earn
  251  college and career credit through College Board Advanced
  252  Placement examinations, International Baccalaureate
  253  examinations, dual enrollment courses, or Advanced International
  254  Certificate of Education examinations; or who, at any time
  255  during high school, earned national industry certification
  256  identified in the CAPE Industry Certification Funding List,
  257  pursuant to rules adopted by the state board; or, beginning with
  258  the 2020-2021 school year, who complete the United States
  259  Government and Civic Engagement course with a grade of “B” or
  260  higher.
  261         Section 7. This act shall take effect July 1, 2019.