Bill Text: FL S0162 | 2013 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: School Grades
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Failed) 2013-05-03 - Died in Education [S0162 Detail]
Download: Florida-2013-S0162-Introduced.html
Florida Senate - 2013 SB 162 By Senator Detert 28-00123-13 2013162__ 1 A bill to be entitled 2 An act relating to school grades; amending ss. 3 1003.435 and 1008.34, F.S.; requiring that high 4 schools be given a minimum percentage of credit for 5 students who receive high school equivalency diplomas 6 for purposes of calculating the school’s graduation 7 rate, beginning with the 2013-2014 school year; 8 providing an effective date. 9 10 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 11 12 Section 1. Subsection (6) of section 1003.435, Florida 13 Statutes, is amended to read: 14 1003.435 High school equivalency diploma program.— 15 (6)(a) All high school equivalency diplomas issued under 16the provisions ofthis sectionshallhave equal status with 17 other high school diplomas for all state purposes, including 18 admission to any state university or Florida College System 19 institution. 20 (b) Beginning with the 2013-2014 school year, a high 21 school’s graduation rate shall include at least 75 percent 22 credit for each student who receives a high school equivalency 23 diploma pursuant to this section. 24 (c)(b)The State Board of Education shall adopt rules 25 providing for the award of a standard high school diploma to 26 holders of high school equivalency diplomas who are assessed as 27 meeting designated criteria, and the commissioner shall 28 establish procedures for administering the assessment. 29 Section 2. Paragraph (b) of subsection (3) of section 30 1008.34, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 31 1008.34 School grading system; school report cards; 32 district grade.— 33 (3) DESIGNATION OF SCHOOL GRADES.— 34 (b)1. A school’s grade shall be based on a combination of: 35 a. Student achievement scores, including achievement as 36 measured by FCAT assessments under s. 1008.22(3)(c)1., 37 statewide, standardized end-of-course assessments under s. 38 1008.22(3)(c)2.a. and b., and achievement scores for students 39 seeking a special diploma. 40 b. Student learning gains in reading and mathematics as 41 measured by FCAT and statewide, standardized end-of-course 42 assessments, as described in s. 1008.22(3)(c)1. and 2.a., 43 including learning gains for students seeking a special diploma, 44 as measured by an alternate assessment. 45 c. Improvement of the lowest 25th percentile of students in 46 the school in reading and mathematics on the FCAT or end-of 47 course assessments described in s. 1008.22(3)(c)2.a., unless 48 these students are exhibiting satisfactory performance. 49 2. Beginning with the 2011-2012 school year, for schools 50 comprised of middle school grades 6 through 8 or grades 7 and 8, 51 the school’s grade shall include the performance and 52 participation of its students enrolled in high school level 53 courses with end-of-course assessments administered under s. 54 1008.22(3)(c)2.a. Performance and participation must be weighted 55 equally. As valid data becomes available, the school grades 56 shall include the students’ attainment of national industry 57 certification identified in the Industry Certification Funding 58 List pursuant to rules adopted by the state board. 59 3. Beginning with the 2009-2010 school year for schools 60 comprised of high school grades 9, 10, 11, and 12, or grades 10, 61 11, and 12, at least 50 percent of the school grade shall be 62 based on a combination of the factors listed in sub 63 subparagraphs 1.a.-c. and the remaining percentage on the 64 following factors: 65 a. The high school graduation rate of the school, which, 66 beginning with the 2013-2014 school year, shall include at least 67 75 percent credit for each student who receives a high school 68 equivalency diploma pursuant to s. 1003.435; 69 b. As valid data becomebecomesavailable, the performance 70 and participation of the school’s students in College Board 71 Advanced Placement courses, International Baccalaureate courses, 72 dual enrollment courses, and Advanced International Certificate 73 of Education courses; and the students’ achievement of national 74 industry certification identified in the Industry Certification 75 Funding List, pursuant to rules adopted by the state board; 76 c. Postsecondary readiness of all of the school’s on-time 77 graduates as measured by the SAT, the ACT, the Postsecondary 78 Education Readiness Test, or the common placement test; 79 d. The high school graduation rate of at-risk students, who 80 are students scoring at Level 1 or Level 2 on grade 8 FCAT 81 Reading and FCAT Mathematics; 82 e. As valid data becomebecomesavailable, the performance 83 of the school’s students on statewide, standardized end-of 84 course assessments administered under s. 1008.22(3)(c)2.c. and 85 d.; and 86 f. The growth or decline in the components listed in sub 87 subparagraphs a.-e. from year to year. 88 Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2013.