Florida Senate - 2019 CS for SB 1342
By the Committee on Education; and Senator Stargel
581-03748-19 20191342c1
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to postsecondary education for
3 secondary students; amending s. 1007.27, F.S.;
4 requiring postsecondary institutions to annually
5 report specified information to the Commissioner of
6 Education; requiring the Department of Education to
7 annually publish specified information to its website;
8 amending s. 1007.271, F.S.; revising the grade point
9 average requirement for student eligibility relating
10 to initial and continued enrollment in college credit
11 dual enrollment courses; prohibiting district school
12 boards and Florida College System institutions from
13 limiting the number of students participating in dual
14 enrollment; providing an exception; requiring, rather
15 than authorizing, instructional materials to be made
16 available to certain dual enrollment students free of
17 charge; prohibiting certain costs associated with a
18 private school student who is enrolled in a dual
19 enrollment course from being passed along to the
20 student’s school; amending s. 1007.273, F.S.; defining
21 the term “early college program”; providing additional
22 options for students participating in an early college
23 program; revising the requirements for an early
24 college program; authorizing certain private school
25 and home education students to enroll in an early
26 college program; revising early college program
27 contract and student performance contract
28 requirements; requiring each district school board to
29 annually notify students in certain grades of
30 specified information about the early college program;
31 authorizing a charter school to establish an early
32 college program; providing that certain students and
33 schools are not responsible for specified costs;
34 providing that students who meet certain requirements
35 generate a full-time equivalent bonus; providing
36 requirements for such bonuses; requiring a district
37 school superintendent to annually report to the
38 Commissioner of Education certain information relating
39 to the early college program; requiring the
40 commissioner to annually submit a report to the
41 Governor and the Legislature; providing an effective
42 date.
43
44 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
45
46 Section 1. Subsections (5) through (8) of section 1007.27,
47 Florida Statutes, are redesignated as subsections (6) through
48 (9), respectively, and a new subsection (5) is added to that
49 section, to read:
50 1007.27 Articulated acceleration mechanisms.—
51 (5)(a) Beginning September 1, 2020, and annually
52 thereafter, each postsecondary institution shall report to the
53 Commissioner of Education at least the following information, by
54 school district, for the previous school year for each dual
55 enrollment articulation agreement it enters into pursuant to s.
56 1007.271:
57 1. The number of students who enrolled in a dual enrollment
58 course under each articulation agreement, including those
59 students enrolled in an early college program under s. 1007.273;
60 2. The total and average number of dual enrollment courses
61 completed; clock hours earned; high school and college credits
62 earned; standard high school diplomas, certificates, and
63 associate and baccalaureate degrees awarded; and industry
64 certifications attained by the students who enrolled in each
65 dual enrollment program or early college program;
66 3. The projected student enrollment in each dual enrollment
67 program and early college program during the next school year;
68 and
69 4. Any barriers to entering into an agreement to establish
70 one or more early college programs as provided in ss. 1007.271
71 and 1007.273.
72 (b) By November 30, 2020, and annually thereafter, the
73 Department of Education shall publish on its website the status
74 of early college programs, including, at a minimum, a summary of
75 student enrollment and completion information, by each school
76 district, provided pursuant to this subsection; barriers, if
77 any, to establishing such programs; and recommendations for
78 expanding access to such programs statewide.
79 Section 2. Subsections (3), (4), and (17) and paragraph (b)
80 of subsection (24) of section 1007.271, Florida Statutes, are
81 amended to read:
82 1007.271 Dual enrollment programs.—
83 (3) Student eligibility requirements for initial enrollment
84 in college credit dual enrollment courses must include a 2.5 3.0
85 unweighted high school grade point average and the minimum score
86 on a common placement test adopted by the State Board of
87 Education which indicates that the student is ready for college
88 level coursework. Student eligibility requirements for continued
89 enrollment in college credit dual enrollment courses must
90 include the maintenance of a 2.5 3.0 unweighted high school
91 grade point average and the minimum postsecondary grade point
92 average established by the postsecondary institution. Regardless
93 of meeting student eligibility requirements for continued
94 enrollment, a student may lose the opportunity to participate in
95 a dual enrollment course if the student is disruptive to the
96 learning process such that the progress of other students or the
97 efficient administration of the course is hindered. Student
98 eligibility requirements for initial and continued enrollment in
99 career certificate dual enrollment courses must include a 2.0
100 unweighted high school grade point average. Exceptions to the
101 required grade point averages may be granted on an individual
102 student basis if the educational entities agree and the terms of
103 the agreement are contained within the dual enrollment
104 articulation agreement established pursuant to subsection (21).
105 Florida College System institution boards of trustees may
106 establish additional initial student eligibility requirements,
107 which shall be included in the dual enrollment articulation
108 agreement, to ensure student readiness for postsecondary
109 instruction. Additional requirements included in the agreement
110 may not arbitrarily prohibit students who have demonstrated the
111 ability to master advanced courses from participating in dual
112 enrollment courses or limit the number of dual enrollment
113 courses in which a student may enroll based solely upon
114 enrollment by the student at an independent postsecondary
115 institution.
116 (4) District school boards may not refuse to enter into a
117 dual enrollment articulation agreement with a local Florida
118 College System institution if that Florida College System
119 institution has the capacity to offer dual enrollment courses. A
120 district school board or Florida College System institution may
121 not limit the number of students who participate in dual
122 enrollment, including early college programs under s. 1007.273,
123 unless the institution requests, and the commissioner approves,
124 a 1-year waiver from the prohibition on limitation under this
125 subsection, specifically due to capacity to accommodate all
126 eligible students seeking to participate in dual enrollment or
127 early college programs from one or more counties served by the
128 college. Such waiver must describe the existing capacity issues
129 and specific courses or programs impacted by such capacity
130 issues, and must include suggested solutions and a timeline for
131 achieving the capacity to accommodate student demand.
132 (17) Instructional materials assigned for use within dual
133 enrollment courses shall be made available to dual enrollment
134 students from Florida public high schools, home education
135 programs, and private schools free of charge. This subsection
136 does not prohibit a Florida College System institution from
137 providing instructional materials at no cost to a home education
138 student or student from a private school. Instructional
139 materials purchased by a district school board or Florida
140 College System institution board of trustees on behalf of dual
141 enrollment students shall be the property of the board against
142 which the purchase is charged.
143 (24)
144 (b) Each public postsecondary institution eligible to
145 participate in the dual enrollment program pursuant to s.
146 1011.62(1)(i) must enter into a private school articulation
147 agreement with each eligible private school in its geographic
148 service area seeking to offer dual enrollment courses to its
149 students, including, but not limited to, students with
150 disabilities. By August 1 of each year, the eligible
151 postsecondary institution shall complete and submit the private
152 school articulation agreement to the Department of Education.
153 The private school articulation agreement must include, at a
154 minimum:
155 1. A delineation of courses and programs available to the
156 private school student. The postsecondary institution may add,
157 revise, or delete courses and programs at any time.
158 2. The initial and continued eligibility requirements for
159 private school student participation, not to exceed those
160 required of other dual enrollment students.
161 3. The student’s responsibilities for providing his or her
162 own instructional materials and transportation.
163 4. A provision clarifying that the private school will
164 award appropriate credit toward high school completion for the
165 postsecondary course under the dual enrollment program.
166 5. A provision expressing that costs associated with
167 tuition and fees, including registration, and laboratory fees,
168 will not be passed along to the student or the student’s private
169 school of enrollment.
170 Section 3. Section 1007.273, Florida Statutes, is amended
171 to read:
172 1007.273 Early college acceleration programs Collegiate
173 high school program.—
174 (1) Each Florida College System institution shall work with
175 each district school board in its designated service area to
176 establish one or more early college programs, including, but not
177 limited to, collegiate high school programs. As used in this
178 section, the term “early college program” means a structured
179 high school acceleration program.
180 (1)(2) PURPOSE.—At a minimum, early college collegiate high
181 school programs must include an option for public school
182 students in grades grade 11 and or grade 12 participating in the
183 early college program, for at least 2 1 full school years year,
184 to earn CAPE industry certifications pursuant to s. 1008.44 and
185 to successfully complete at least 60 30 credit hours or graduate
186 from high school with an associate degree through the dual
187 enrollment program under s. 1007.271. Private school students
188 and home education students in grades 11 and 12 may enroll in
189 the early college program. The early college program must
190 prioritize dual enrollment courses applicable as general
191 education core courses or common prerequisite courses under s.
192 1007.25 toward the first year of college for an associate degree
193 or a baccalaureate degree over dual enrollment courses
194 applicable as electives while enrolled in the program.
195 (2)(3) REQUIRED EARLY COLLEGE PROGRAM CONTRACTS.—Each
196 district school board and its local Florida College System
197 institution shall execute a contract to establish one or more
198 early college collegiate high school programs at a mutually
199 agreed upon location or locations. Beginning with the 2015-2016
200 school year, If the local Florida College System institution
201 does not establish an early college a program with a district
202 school board in its designated service area, another Florida
203 College System institution may execute a contract with that
204 district school board to establish the early college program.
205 Beginning with the 2020-2021 school year, the contract must be
206 executed by January 1 of each school year for implementation of
207 the early college program during the next school year. The
208 contract must:
209 (a) Identify the grade levels to be included in the early
210 college collegiate high school program which must, at a minimum,
211 include grade 12.
212 (b) Describe the early college collegiate high school
213 program, including a list of the meta-major academic pathways
214 approved pursuant to s. 1008.30(4) that are available to
215 participating students through the partner Florida College
216 System institution or other eligible partner postsecondary
217 institution participating pursuant to subsection (4); the
218 delineation of courses that must, at a minimum, include general
219 education core courses and common prerequisite courses pursuant
220 to s. 1007.25; and industry certifications offered, including
221 online course availability; the high school and college credits
222 earned for each postsecondary course completed and industry
223 certification earned; student eligibility criteria; and the
224 enrollment process and relevant deadlines.
225 (c) Describe the methods, medium, and process by which
226 students and their parents are annually informed about the
227 availability of the early college collegiate high school
228 program, the return on investment associated with participation
229 in the early college program, and the information described in
230 paragraphs (a) and (b).
231 (d) Identify the delivery methods for instruction and the
232 instructors for all courses.
233 (e) Identify student advising services and progress
234 monitoring mechanisms.
235 (f) Establish a program review and reporting mechanism
236 regarding student performance outcomes.
237 (g) Describe the terms of funding arrangements to implement
238 the early college collegiate high school program pursuant to
239 paragraph (5)(a).
240 (3) STUDENT PERFORMANCE CONTRACT AND NOTIFICATION.—
241 (a)(4) Each student participating in an early college a
242 collegiate high school program must enter into a student
243 performance contract which must be signed by the student, the
244 parent, and a representative of the school district and the
245 partnering applicable Florida College System institution, state
246 university, or other eligible partner postsecondary institution
247 participating pursuant to subsection (4) (5). The performance
248 contract must, at a minimum, specify include the schedule of
249 courses, by semester, and industry certifications to be taken by
250 the student, if any; student attendance requirements;, and
251 course grade requirements; and the applicability of such courses
252 to an associate degree or a baccalaureate degree.
253 (b) By September 1, 2020, and annually thereafter, each
254 district school board must notify each student in grades 9, 10,
255 11, and 12 in a public school, each home education student in
256 grades 9, 10, 11, or 12, and each private school with students
257 in grades 9, 10, 11, and 12 within the school district about the
258 early college program, including, but not limited to, all of the
259 following:
260 1. The method for earning college credit through
261 participation in the early college program. The notification
262 must include Internet websites to the dual enrollment course
263 equivalency list approved by the State Board of Education; the
264 common degree program prerequisite requirements published by the
265 Articulation Coordinating Committee pursuant to s.
266 1007.01(3)(f); the industry certification articulation
267 agreements adopted by the State Board of Education in rule; and
268 the approved meta-major academic pathways of the partner Florida
269 College System institution or other eligible partner
270 postsecondary institution participating pursuant to subsection
271 (4).
272 2. The estimated cost savings to students and their
273 families resulting from students successfully completing 30
274 credit hours and 60 credit hours applicable toward general
275 education core courses or common prerequisite courses before
276 graduating from high school versus the cost of students earning
277 such credit hours after graduating from high school.
278 (4)(5) AUTHORIZED EARLY COLLEGE PROGRAM CONTRACTS.—In
279 addition to executing a contract with the local Florida College
280 System institution under this section, a district school board
281 may execute a contract to establish an early college a
282 collegiate high school program with a state university or an
283 institution that is eligible to participate in the William L.
284 Boyd, IV, Effective Access to Student Education Grant Program,
285 that is a nonprofit independent college or university located
286 and chartered in this state, and that is accredited by the
287 Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges
288 and Schools to grant baccalaureate degrees. Such university or
289 institution must meet the requirements specified under
290 subsections (2) (3) and (3) (4). A charter school may execute a
291 contract directly with the local Florida College System
292 institution or another institution as authorized under this
293 section to establish an early college program at a mutually
294 agreed upon location.
295 (5) FUNDING.—
296 (a)(6) The early college collegiate high school program
297 shall be funded pursuant to ss. 1007.271 and 1011.62. Pursuant
298 to s. 1007.271, a home education student, private school
299 student, and private school student’s school of enrollment are
300 not responsible for the costs associated with instructional
301 materials, tuition, and fees, including registration and
302 laboratory fees. The State Board of Education shall enforce
303 compliance with this section by withholding the transfer of
304 funds for the school districts and the Florida College System
305 institutions in accordance with s. 1008.32.
306 (b) A student who enrolls in the early college program and
307 successfully completes an associate degree or at least 60
308 college credit hours toward fulfilling the requirements for a
309 baccalaureate degree pursuant to the student performance
310 contract under subsection (3) before graduating from high school
311 generates a 1.0 full-time equivalent (FTE) bonus. Each district
312 school board that is a contractual partner with a Florida
313 College System institution or other eligible postsecondary
314 institution pursuant to subsection (4) shall report to the
315 Commissioner of Education the total FTE bonus for each early
316 college program for the students from that school district. The
317 total FTE bonus shall be added to each school district’s total
318 weighted FTE for funding in the subsequent fiscal year.
319 (c) For any industry certification a student attains under
320 this section, the FTE bonus shall be calculated and awarded in
321 accordance with s. 1011.62(1)(o).
322 (6) REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.—
323 (a) Beginning September 1, 2020, and annually thereafter,
324 each district school superintendent shall report to the
325 commissioner, at a minimum, the following information on each
326 early college program administered during the previous school
327 year:
328 1. The number of students in public schools, private
329 schools, and home education programs within the school district
330 who enrolled in the early college program and the partnering
331 postsecondary institutions pursuant to subsections (2) and (4).
332 2. The total and average number of dual enrollment courses
333 completed, high school and college credits earned, standard high
334 school diplomas and associate and baccalaureate degrees awarded,
335 and industry certifications attained, if any, by the students
336 who enrolled in the early college program.
337 3. The projected student enrollment in the early college
338 program during the next school year.
339 4. Any barriers to executing contracts to establish one or
340 more early college programs.
341 (b) By November 30, 2020, and annually thereafter, the
342 commissioner must report to the Governor, the President of the
343 Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives the
344 status of early college programs, including, at a minimum, a
345 summary of student enrollment and completion information
346 pursuant to this subsection; barriers, if any, to establishing
347 such programs; and recommendations for expanding access to such
348 programs statewide.
349 Section 4. This act shall take effect July 1, 2019.