Florida Senate - 2023 SB 1168
By Senator Calatayud
38-01831A-23 20231168__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to certificates of completion;
3 amending s. 1003.4282, F.S.; prohibiting the award of
4 certificates of completion after a specified date;
5 requiring certain students to remain in high school to
6 receive special instruction to remedy certain
7 deficiencies beginning on a specified date; amending
8 ss. 1002.394, 1003.433, and 1007.263, F.S.; conforming
9 provisions to changes made by the act; providing an
10 effective date.
11
12 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
13
14 Section 1. Paragraph (c) of subsection (6) and paragraphs
15 (a) and (d) of subsection (9) of section 1003.4282, Florida
16 Statutes, are amended to read:
17 1003.4282 Requirements for a standard high school diploma.—
18 (6) AWARD OF A STANDARD HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA.—
19 (c)1. A student who earns the required 24 credits, or the
20 required 18 credits under s. 1002.3105(5), but fails to pass the
21 assessments required under s. 1008.22(3) or achieve a 2.0 GPA
22 before July 1, 2023, shall be awarded a certificate of
23 completion in a form prescribed by the State Board of Education.
24 However, a student who is otherwise entitled to a certificate of
25 completion may elect to remain in high school either as a full
26 time student or a part-time student for up to 1 additional year
27 and receive special instruction designed to remedy his or her
28 identified deficiencies. This subparagraph expires on July 1,
29 2023.
30 2. Beginning July 1, 2023, a student who earns the required
31 24 credits, or the required 18 credits under s. 1002.3105(5),
32 but fails to pass the statewide assessments required under s.
33 1008.22(3) or achieve a 2.0 GPA shall elect to remain in high
34 school either as a full-time student or a part-time student for
35 up to 1 additional year and receive special instruction designed
36 to remedy his or her identified deficiencies.
37 (9) STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES.—Beginning with students
38 entering grade 9 in the 2014-2015 school year, this subsection
39 applies to a student with a disability.
40 (a) A parent of the student with a disability shall, in
41 collaboration with the individual education plan (IEP) team
42 during the transition planning process pursuant to s. 1003.5716,
43 declare an intent for the student to graduate from high school
44 with either a standard high school diploma or a certificate of
45 completion. A student with a disability who does not satisfy the
46 standard high school diploma requirements pursuant to this
47 section shall be awarded a certificate of completion.
48 (d) A student with a disability who received receives a
49 certificate of completion before July 1, 2023, and has an
50 individual education plan that prescribes special education,
51 transition planning, transition services, or related services
52 through 21 years of age may continue to receive the specified
53 instruction and services.
54
55 The State Board of Education shall adopt rules under ss.
56 120.536(1) and 120.54 to implement this subsection, including
57 rules that establish the minimum requirements for students
58 described in this subsection to earn a standard high school
59 diploma. The State Board of Education shall adopt emergency
60 rules pursuant to ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54.
61 Section 2. Subsection (16) of section 1002.394, Florida
62 Statutes, is amended to read:
63 1002.394 The Family Empowerment Scholarship Program.—
64 (16) TRANSITION-TO-WORK PROGRAM.—A student with a
65 disability who is determined eligible pursuant to paragraph
66 (3)(b) who is at least 17 years, but not older than 22 years of
67 age and who has not received a high school diploma or
68 certificate of completion is eligible for enrollment in his or
69 her private school’s transition-to-work program. A transition
70 to-work program shall consist of academic instruction, work
71 skills training, and a volunteer or paid work experience.
72 (a) To offer a transition-to-work program, a participating
73 private school must:
74 1. Develop a transition-to-work program plan, which must
75 include a written description of the academic instruction and
76 work skills training students will receive and the goals for
77 students in the program.
78 2. Submit the transition-to-work program plan to the Office
79 of Independent Education and Parental Choice.
80 3. Develop a personalized transition-to-work program plan
81 for each student enrolled in the program. The student’s parent,
82 the student, and the school principal must sign the personalized
83 plan. The personalized plan must be submitted to the Office of
84 Independent Education and Parental Choice upon request by the
85 office.
86 4. Provide a release of liability form that must be signed
87 by the student’s parent, the student, and a representative of
88 the business offering the volunteer or paid work experience.
89 5. Assign a case manager or job coach to visit the
90 student’s job site on a weekly basis to observe the student and,
91 if necessary, provide support and guidance to the student.
92 6. Provide to the parent and student a quarterly report
93 that documents and explains the student’s progress and
94 performance in the program.
95 7. Maintain accurate attendance and performance records for
96 the student.
97 (b) A student enrolled in a transition-to-work program
98 must, at a minimum:
99 1. Receive 15 instructional hours at the private school’s
100 physical facility, which must include academic instruction and
101 work skills training.
102 2. Participate in 10 hours of work at the student’s
103 volunteer or paid work experience.
104 (c) To participate in a transition-to-work program, a
105 business must:
106 1. Maintain an accurate record of the student’s performance
107 and hours worked and provide the information to the private
108 school.
109 2. Comply with all state and federal child labor laws.
110 Section 3. Paragraph (b) of subsection (2) of section
111 1003.433, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
112 1003.433 Learning opportunities for out-of-state and out
113 of-country transfer students and students needing additional
114 instruction to meet high school graduation requirements.—
115 (2) Students who earn the required 24 credits for the
116 standard high school diploma except for passage of any must-pass
117 assessment under s. 1003.4282 or s. 1008.22 or an alternate
118 assessment by the end of grade 12 must be provided the following
119 learning opportunities:
120 (b) For students who earned Upon receipt of a certificate
121 of completion before July 1, 2023, be allowed to take the
122 College Placement Test and be admitted to developmental
123 education or credit courses at a Florida College System
124 institution, as appropriate.
125 Section 4. Subsection (4) of section 1007.263, Florida
126 Statutes, is amended to read:
127 1007.263 Florida College System institutions; admissions of
128 students.—Each Florida College System institution board of
129 trustees is authorized to adopt rules governing admissions of
130 students subject to this section and rules of the State Board of
131 Education. These rules shall include the following:
132 (4) A student who has been awarded a certificate of
133 completion under s. 1003.4282 before July 1, 2023, is eligible
134 to enroll in certificate career education programs.
135
136 Each board of trustees shall establish policies that notify
137 students about developmental education options for improving
138 their communication or computation skills that are essential to
139 performing college-level work, including tutoring, extended time
140 in gateway courses, free online courses, adult basic education,
141 adult secondary education, or private provider instruction.
142 Section 5. This act shall take effect July 1, 2023.