Florida Senate - 2023                                    SB 1004
       
       
        
       By Senator Torres
       
       
       
       
       
       25-01215-23                                           20231004__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to high school equivalency diplomas;
    3         amending s. 1003.435, F.S.; prohibiting a district
    4         school board from requiring certain students to take a
    5         course before taking the high school equivalency
    6         examination unless the student failed to earn a
    7         passing score on a specified practice test; providing
    8         an effective date.
    9          
   10  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   11  
   12         Section 1. Subsection (4) of section 1003.435, Florida
   13  Statutes, is amended to read:
   14         1003.435 High school equivalency diploma program.—
   15         (4)(a) A candidate for a high school equivalency diploma
   16  shall be at least 18 years of age on the date of the
   17  examination, except that in extraordinary circumstances, as
   18  provided for in rules of the district school board of the
   19  district in which the candidate resides or attends school, a
   20  candidate may take the examination after reaching the age of 16.
   21         (b) A district school board may not require a student who
   22  has reached the age of 16 to take any course before taking the
   23  examination unless the student fails to achieve a passing score
   24  on the GED practice test as established by State Board of
   25  Education rule.
   26         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2023.