Technical Assistance
Middle Grades Promotion Requirements
Purpose
The purpose of this document is to provide technical assistance regarding the new general
requirements for middle grades promotion created by the 2006 Legislature.
Background
In 2004, the Legislature passed the Middle Grades Reform Act (S. 1003.415, F.S.) which
required the Department of Education to conduct a study to determine how the overall
academic achievement of middle grades students could be improved. As part of this
study, the Commissioner convened the Middle Grades Reform Task Force to receive
guidance and input from practitioners and stakeholders in this endeavor. The efforts
begun with this study were carried forward by the High School Reform Task Force which
met in 2005, resulting in additional recommendations to provide true and comprehensive
Secondary Reform. House Bill 7087 repeals S. 1003.415, F.S. and creates S. 1003.4156,
F.S., (General requirements for middle grades promotion), effectively implementing
many of the recommendations to ensure a strong middle grades foundation.
The middle grades in Florida comprise grades 6, 7, and 8. Currently, Florida serves
approximately 611,750 students in the middle grades, in 484 schools with traditional
middle school or junior high grade configurations, as well as in a number of other types
of schools, such as K-8 schools. These changes create further assurances that all students
promoted from eighth grade have the skills for success in high school, and that students
graduating from high school have the skills they need for success in the workplace and
postsecondary education.
Frequently Asked Questions and Answers
When will the new general requirements for middle grades promotion take effect?
The new general requirements for middle grades promotion will take effect beginning
with students entering grade 6 in the 2006-2007 school year.
Which schools are subject to the new requirements for middle grades promotion?
All schools with middle grades configuration or schools serving students in grade 6,
grade 7, or grade 8 are subject to the promotion requirements of S. 1003.4156, F.S.
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Middle Grades Promotion Requirements
How should the uniform grading scale be applied at the middle grades?
The intent of having a uniform grading scale for grades 6-12 is so middle school students
will become accustomed to the rigors and expectations of high school. A system that
assigns “points’ (e.g., where a student can earn up to 4 points per quarter, and 4 points are
all that are required cumulatively by the end of the year for promotion to the next grade)
are not consistent with this requirement. The uniform grading scale applies to
assignments and tests, and it also applies to course completion. To pass a course, a
student needs to earn a minimum cumulative grade of 60 percent at the end of the school
year.
What is the student’s personalized academic and career plan?
As part of the newly passed requirements for middle grades promotion, each student
should be enrolled in a career and education planning course in seventh or eighth grade.
The course must include career exploration using CHOICES or a comparable cost
effective program, and education planning using the online student advising system
known as Florida Academic Counseling and Tracking for Students (FACTS), and shall
result in the completion of a personalized academic and career plan. The purpose of the
personalized academic and career plan is to provide each student with a plan based on
individual aspirations and goals for postsecondary education and possible careers. The
plan should include information such as short and long-term goals, results of personal
assessments such as interests, values, skills, and aptitudes, careers/clusters of interest, and
an electronic personalized education plan (ePEP). The plan must be signed by the
student, the student’s guidance counselor or academic advisor, and the student’s parent,
and should become a portfolio of information that students can update as they continue
their education and the career decision making process.
What is CHOICES? What are other comparable cost-effective programs?
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CHOICES Explorer
is an online education and career exploration system that
provides extensive libraries of education, career and recreation articles. Career
profiles, post-secondary programs, career videos and much more can be
accessed. Students can select a favorite school subject or take the Career Finder
or Major Finder quiz to determine their best options, saving their results in a
personalized electronic portfolio. Students can combine their assessment results
and career goals with the personalized education plan in FACTS.org. Lesson
plans and Parent Guides are included. CHOICES Explorer is recommended for
middle school students. This program can be purchased from the Florida
Department of Education.
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Career Futures
, education and career planning software
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enhances self-
awareness and skill development as students explore career options and make
more informed choices for high school. Career Futures hands-on activities
demonstrate how interests, education, earnings and skills relate to workplace
realities. Students can start building meaningful plans with access to over 650
occupations and then move over to FACTS.org to build a four-year personalized
education plan for high school. The electronic portfolio helps students put it all
together. Career Futures is recommended for middle schools and is available
only in CD-ROM. It can be purchased through the Florida Department of
Education.
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CHOICES Planner
is an online career information delivery system that helps
students compare, connect, and choose from a database of occupational and
educational options. Assessments include interests, skills, and abilities. All
results of assessment and exploration can be stored in an electronic portfolio.
CHOICES Planner can be used by secondary and postsecondary schools. It is
available through the Florida Department of Education at no charge.
While there may be other comparable systems appropriate for middle school, these are
supported by the Florida Department of Education with technical assistance by a toll-free
number (800-342-9271), training, and special pricing options to include Choices Planner
at no charge. Many features are being planned to ensure that there are seamless
transitions between Choices and FACTS.org.
Can the semester-long course in career and education planning be incorporated into
another course?
The career and education planning course may be offered as a stand-alone course or
integrated into another course or courses offered in seventh or eighth grade. Districts will
have nine options for adding a career exploration and planning course:
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A new course description, Career Exploration and Decision Making, has been
developed as a semester long course, Course Number 1700060
The following eight courses have been updated so that districts/schools can integrate the
course outcomes into an existing course. (The revised requirements are underlined in the
course descriptions, which are attached.):
M/J Career Education, Course Number 2305000
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M/J Exploratory Wheel 2, Course Number 0600010
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M/JExploratory Career Wheel 1, Course Number 8000200
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Exploring Technology, Course Number 8600020.
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Orientation to Agriscience, Course Number 8100110
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Computer Applications in Business, Course Number 8200220
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Life Choices, Course Number 8500130
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Exploration of Health Occupations, Course Number 8400210
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The Department of Education will develop course frameworks and professional
development materials for the career and education planning course. Training and
technical assistance will be available for Choices and FACTS.org. Whether the course is
offered as a stand-alone course or integrated into another course, a personalized academic
and career plan must be completed. The Department is working on integrating these
requirements into more courses and will provide more information when this work is
completed.
The new social studies requirement stipulates that students must complete three (3)
middle school or higher year-long courses in social studies, one semester of which
must include the study of state and federal government and civics education. Will
districts be required to offer a stand-alone civics course?
No. The Sunshine State Standards for Social Studies Grades 6-8, currently require
instruction in history, geography, civics and government, and economics during the
middle grades. While districts may elect to offer a year-long stand-alone civics course or
a semester-long stand-alone civics course in conjunction with another semester-long
social studies course during the same school year (see below), S. 1003.4156, F.S.,
requires that contained in the three year-long (3) required courses in social studies, at
least one semester must include the study of state and federal government and civics
education.
In order to meet this requirement, beginning with students entering grade 6 in the 2006-
2007 school year, a school may select one of the following options:
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Offer a year-long civics course
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Offer a semester-long civics course, and a semester-long social studies course
(such as geography) during the same school year
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Offer a year-long U.S. History course, one semester of which must include the
study of state and federal government and civics education (see M/J United
States History and M/J United States History, Advanced, course requirements 4,
8, and 9)
Are students required to successfully complete a high-school-level mathematics
course while enrolled in a school composed of middle grades 6, 7, or 8?
No. Each school composed of middle grades 6, 7, or 8 must offer at least one high school
mathematics course for which students may earn high school credit. Each district must
allocate funds provided to the district for students in grades 6 through 8 who complete a
high school level Algebra course and receive a grade of “C” or better to the school that
generated the funds.
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Which mathematics courses will satisfy the high school mathematics course
requirement?
Any Level 2 or higher high school mathematics course will satisfy the high school
mathematics course requirement for middle grades.
Note: Only Algebra I (1200310), Algebra I Honors (1200320), Algebra IA (1200370), or
Algebra IB (1200380) are eligible for middle grades weighted funding.
Are there any additional requirements for schools composed of middle grades who
offer high school level courses?
Schools composed of middle grades will be required to annually submit grades and credit
for students taking high school level courses completed at the school via the Florida
Automated System for Transferring Educational Records (FASTER).
What are the new requirements for students who are not performing at grade level
in mathematics?
For each year in which a student scores at Level 1 or Level 2 on FCAT Mathematics, the
student must receive remediation the following year, which may be integrated into the
student’s required mathematics course.
Has the rigorous reading requirement been eliminated?
Yes. While it is still imperative that every student be proficient on grade level in reading,
the rigorous reading requirement that was formerly part of the Middle Grades Reform
Act has been stricken. Please note that most components of the rigorous reading
requirement have been incorporated into the district K-12 Comprehensive Reading Plan
approved by the Just Read, Florida! Office (S. 1011.62, F.S.).
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Middle Grades Promotion Requirements
What are the new requirements for students not reading at grade level?
Section 1003.4156, Florida Statutes, requires that for each year in which a student scores
at Level 1 on FCAT Reading, he/she must be enrolled in and complete an intensive
reading course the following year.
For students who score at Level 2 on FCAT Reading, placement in either an intensive
reading course or a content area course in which reading strategies are delivered shall be
determined by diagnosis of reading needs.
While this legislation will be phased in beginning with students in grade 6 in 2006-2007,
the requirements of the District K-12 Comprehensive Reading Plan are in effect for all
grades beginning with the 2006-2007 school year. This plan requires that all students in
grades 6-8 who scored at Level 1 or Level 2 on FCAT Reading in the previous year be
placed in a reading intervention course. The intensity of this course is determined
through assessment of individual student’s needs, as outlined in each district’s approved
K-12 Comprehensive Reading Plan (S. 1011.62, F.S.).
What is an intensive reading course?
The requirement for an intensive reading course may be fulfilled by either M/J Intensive
Reading or M/J Intensive Language Arts. The description of these courses can be found
at: http://data.fldoe.org/crsCode/68/Language%20Arts/Remedial/pdf/1000010.pdf and
http://data.fldoe.org/crsCode/68/Language%20Arts/Remedial/pdf/1000000.pdf
For Limited English Proficient (LEP) students, M/J Developmental Language Arts
through ESOL will fulfill the intensive reading course requirement. The description of
this course can be found at
http://data.fldoe.org/crsCode/68/Language%20Arts/English%20for%20Speakers%20of%
20Other%20Languages/pdf/1002180.pdf.
For exceptional education students (ESE), Reading: 6-8 will fulfill the intensive reading
requirement. This description of this course can be found at
http://www.firn.edu/doe/commhome/esecourse/7810020.pdf.
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