TAP Number: BPSO-2006-005
July 2006
Technical Assistance Paper
Technical Assistance Paper Related to Applied, Integrated, and
Combined Courses Pursuant to House Bill 7087
Purpose
The purpose of this document is to provide technical assistance regarding the implementation of
specific requirements in House Bill 7087 related to increasing the number of approved applied,
integrated, and combined courses available to school districts.
Background
The 2006 Florida Legislature passed House Bill 7087, An Act Relating to Education, more
commonly known as the A++ Bill. This legislation included the efforts of several task forces,
numerous public input opportunities, and meetings with practitioners. A major component of the
bill is secondary school reform, including middle school promotion and requirements, student
academic planning, secondary school redesign, and high school graduation requirements. As
part of the secondary school reform, the bill requires the Department of Education to increase
the number of approved applied, integrated, and combined courses available to school districts.
Legislative Requirements
House Bill 7087, enacted by the 2006 Legislature, creates Section 1003.413, Florida Statutes
(Florida Secondary School Redesign Act.--), with the intent to provide secondary school redesign
to ensure that students promoted from the eighth grade have the necessary academic skills for
success in high school and students graduating from high school have the necessary skills for
success in the workplace and postsecondary education. In order to support the successful
implementation of this section by district school boards, the Department of Education (among
other requirements) must increase the number of approved applied, integrated, and combined
courses available to school districts by February 1, 2007.
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PAPERS (TAPs) are produced periodically by the
Bureau of Public School Options to present discussion of current topics. The
TAPs may be used for inservice sessions, technical assistance visits, parent
organization meetings, or interdisciplinary discussion groups. Topics are
identified by state steering committees, district personnel, and individuals, or
from program compliance monitoring.
BUREAU OF PUBLIC SCHOOL OPTIONS
325 WEST GAINES STREET, ROOM 314
TALLAHASSEE, FL 32399-0400
REFER QUESTIONS TO:
Mary Jo Butler
maryjo.butler@fldoe.org
(850) 245-0479
John L. Winn, Commissioner
Current Status of the Number of Courses for Students in Grades 9-12
A review of the 2006-2007 Course Code Directory, as approved by the State Board of
Education, reveals the following information regarding
basic education courses for
students in grades 9-12:
•
26 courses Computer Education
•
25 courses Dance
•
35 courses Drama/Theater Arts
•
36 courses Experiential Education
•
157 courses Foreign Languages
•
10 courses Health
•
9 courses Humanities
•
99 courses Language Arts
•
2 courses Leadership Skills Development
•
15 courses Library Media
•
58 courses Mathematics
•
79 courses Music
•
4 courses Peer Counseling
•
49 courses Physical Education
•
13 courses Research and Critical Thinking
•
26 courses ROTC and Military Training
•
2 courses Safety and Driver Education
•
67 courses Science
•
97 courses Social Studies
•
83 courses Visual Arts
•
892 courses Total for Grades 9-12 courses
The 2006-2007 Course Code Directory includes courses for grades 9-12 in the Course
Code Directory, which currently have
applied or integrated
in the course titles
.
A
review of the course descriptions for these courses revealed that the purpose of the
courses is to develop competence in the content area within the context of career,
workplace, community, or through hands-on laboratory activities. This review indicates
that these courses may need additional review and revision to be consistent with the
accepted definition of applied and integrated courses. Current applied or integrated
courses in the Course Code Directory include the following:
•
1 course Applied Computer Education
•
2 courses Applied Language Arts
•
6 courses Applied and Integrated Mathematics
•
8 courses Integrated Science
•
17 courses Total for Grades 9-12 courses
Agriscience Foundations I, the initial course in most Agriscience and Natural Resources
programs, is an example of an applied and integrated course. This course has been
validated by career and technical education (CTE) and academic science instructors that
identified correlations to academic standards in the Sunshine State Standards. This
course counts as a high school science credit for high school graduation and meets the
competencies for the CTE program area.
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A thorough review of the approved CTE courses in the Course Code Directory may lead
to the identification of more CTE courses that meet the definitions of applied, integrated,
and combined courses.
In addition to the basic education courses, a review of the
career technical courses for
students in grades 9-12
indicates the following:
•
89 courses Agriscience and Natural Resources Education
•
177 courses Business Technology Education
•
15 courses Diversified Education
•
48 courses Health Science Education
•
59 courses Family and Consumer Sciences Education
•
50 courses Technology Education
•
488 courses Industrial Education
•
76 courses Marketing Education
•
30 courses Public Service Education
•
1,032 courses Total Secondary CTE courses
The Course Code Directory includes the following courses for
exceptional student
education
for students in grades 9-12
:
•
11 ESE courses in academic subject areas (independent level of functioning)
•
5 ESE courses at the supported level of functioning
•
4 ESE courses at the participatory level of functioning
•
12 ESE special skills courses
•
3 ESE miscellaneous courses
•
3 ESE gifted courses
•
4 ESE therapy courses
•
15 career and technical education courses
•
2 ESE non-credit courses
•
59 courses Total ESE courses
These ESE courses may be used for elective credit for a standard diploma or for credit
to obtain a special diploma. In addition to these courses, students with exceptionalities
may be enrolled in basic or career and technical courses. Individual students with a
disability may access different ESE courses at various levels of functioning, (i.e.,
independent, supported, and participatory) depending on their individual needs and
abilities.
In addition to the high school courses available in the Course Code Directory, students
have access to
hundreds of dual enrollment courses
.
Developing Applied, Integrated, and Combined Courses
House Bill 7087 requires an increase in the number of approved applied, integrated, and
combined courses for students for the 2007-2008 school year.
Integrated, applied, and combined courses by definition cannot be achieved by focusing
narrowly on one subject area. Instead, these courses define an interdisciplinary
curriculum that builds connections between subject areas. The following definitions
3
suggest some common approaches that characterize interdisciplinary teaching and
integrated content.
Applied Courses
–
Applied courses involve meaningful application or implementation of
skills, integrated academic and technical content, a focus on workplace skills, and
instruction delivered both in the school or college setting and in the workplace. These
courses may include experiential learning through an internship or apprenticeship in
specific career interest areas. Applied courses are usually available in a program of
study, offering program-specific core academic and technical preparation in a program of
study which begins in high school, continues at a postsecondary institution, and
culminates in a certificate or degree that leads to a specific occupation.
Integrated Courses
–
Integrated courses are designed to help students make valuable
connections while learning. Interdisciplinary topics can be rearranged around
overlapping concepts and emergent patterns and designs. It is possible to blend the
four major content areas or to blend academic content areas with career technical
content by finding the overlapping skills, concepts, and achievement standards of
several courses. Integration is a result of a methodical selection of related subject
matter ideas and content that supports an in-depth and comprehensive instructional
approach. This can be accomplished within single disciplines or across several
disciplines.
Combined Courses
–
A combined course refers to the grouping of two courses during a
single instructional period or block of time.
If a school combines two courses for multiple credit during a single instructional period or
through block scheduling, it is recommended that the combination be approved by the
school board after analysis of the course integrations and assurance that the course
requirements and appropriate Sunshine State Standards for each of the courses are
included in the combination and that the combined course is taught by instructors with
appropriate certification. According to Section 1003.436, Florida Statutes (Definition of
credit.--), one full credit means a minimum of 135 hours of bona fide instruction. A
combined course might be equal to two credits and 270 hours of bona fide instruction.
Prior to developing a new applied or integrated course, districts may want to consider
expanding secondary curriculum course options with applied and integrated courses that
currently exist within the Course Code Directory and through dual enrollment courses.
These applied, integrated, rigorous and relevant courses serve to enhance the
secondary curriculum and increase course options for major and minor areas of interest.
Considerations for Developing an Applied, Integrated, or Combined Course
For districts who have determined the need to develop and propose a new applied or
integrated course that combines standards covered in existing courses from the Course
Code Directory, the following documents provide guidance for developing and proposing
new applied or integrated courses to be added to the Course Code Directory.
•
Worksheet for Proposed New Applied or Integrated Courses
•
Course Code Directory Additions Form for Request for New Applied or
Integrated Course
4
•
Guide for Developing an Applied or Integrated Course
•
Checklist and Rubric Tool for School District Review
Once developed, proposals must be submitted to the Department for review, feedback,
and approval. The following are key considerations for developing an applied or
integrated course.
Teacher Certification
In the development of applied or integrated courses, consideration must be given to the
recommended certification required for the new courses in that more than one
certification may be required per the course credit awarded. Another consideration, in
addition to appropriate certification for applied and integrated courses, are the highly
qualified teacher (HQT) requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) for
teachers of all core academic courses as designated per NCLB. The NCLB core courses
are English, reading, language arts, mathematics, science, foreign languages, civics and
government (political science) economics, history, geography, and arts (music, art,
drama). The HQT requirements are not applicable for career, technical, and vocational
courses. If credit is awarded for one or more core academic areas, the HQT
requirements must be met.
Teachers must be certified in the subject area for the proposed applied, integrated, or
combined course disciplines, as follows:
•
One teacher may be certified in the combined disciplines
or
•
Team teachers can be certified in each of the disciplines
Dual Enrollment Considerations
When planning the format and nature of applied or integrated courses, districts may
want to first consider the rigorous and relevant courses that presently exist. The Dual
Enrollment Program offers an established model for combining college course rigor with
high school subject area requirements.
State University Admission Qualifications
All proposed high school courses are reviewed by the admission directors of the State
University System (SUS) of Florida for evaluating whether they meet the SUS
admissions requirement for core high school credit or elective credit, or are not
considered in the admissions process.
Core courses considered for SUS admission:
•
English/Language Arts (three of which must include substantial writing)
•
Mathematics (Algebra I and above levels)
•
Natural Science (two of which must include substantial laboratory
requirements)
•
Social Science (includes history, civics, political science, economics, sociology,
psychology and geography)
•
Foreign Language (may include American Sign Language)
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Elective courses may include any additional core courses and/or the following:
•
Level 2 Fine Arts courses
•
Level 3 courses in any discipline
•
Dual enrollment courses for which both high school and postsecondary
academic college credit is granted
•
ROTC/Military Training
•
Equivalent courses as determined by the Articulation Coordinating Committee
Generally, any course not meeting one of the above categories is not accepted for SUS
admission consideration. This includes, among others, vocational credit dual enrollment
courses, physical education, and non-core courses that might limit a high school
student’s available class hours for focused academic preparation to study at the
university level.
It is important for educators providing academic advisement to review the student’s
transcript to advise the student and to ensure that the student is on track to meet the
requirements for the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program and the 18 unit course
distribution requirement for state university admission, if applicable, based on the
student’s desired postsecondary education goals.
Course Levels and Maximum Credit
Proposed applied, integrated, or combined courses must be common to the Course Code
Directory and reflect rigor and relevance of course levels 2 and/or 3 as follows:
•
A proposed applied or integrated course must equal 1.0 or more credits.
•
A proposed course must identify the subject area for reporting the credit and grade and
identify any other subject area requirements that can be satisfied with a passing grade of
C or better in the applied or integrated course.
•
A proposed course must identify any program, subject area, or credit requirements that
are satisfied without a reported grade.
•
A proposed course must identify the course levels as specified in the Course Code
Directory.
•
If a Level 2 course and a Level 3 course are combined or integrated, the content of the
Level 2 course must be enriched to meet Level 3 expectations. For example, if a Level 3
science course and a Level 2 career technical course are combined, the content,
expected learning outcomes, and course rigor of the career technical course must
equate with Level 3 expectations.
Subject Area Credit
To satisfy subject requirements in a core academic area, the applied, integrated, or
combined course must include substantial learning outcomes aligned with the Sunshine
State Standards for the core course. The teacher of record for core subject areas requires
appropriate in-field certification.
•
A proposed applied, integrated, or combined course must identify the subject area(s) for
reporting the credit(s) and grade(s).
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•
A proposed course must identify any subject area requirements that can be satisfied for
no grade or credit.
•
The credit awarded for the course drives the teacher certification requirements.
For example,
if a course combines the content and Sunshine State Standards for a science
and a career technical course, the core subject area reported on the transcript must match
the core certification of the teacher of record.
Other considerations
Course developers must consider the following:
•
Reporting indicators or flags that will identify the course as an applied or integrated
course on the high school transcript
•
FTE considerations and seat time requirements
Process for Submitting a Proposed
New Applied, Integrated and Combined Course
•
Use the
Guide to Developing Interdisciplinary Curriculum/Integrated Courses
as a
planning tool to develop an applied or integrated course (Appendix A).
•
Complete
the Worksheet for Components of an Applied, Integrated, or Combined
Course.
•
Complete the
Form for Request for New Applied, Integrated, or Combined Courses
for the Course Code Directory
.
•
Submit the
Worksheet for Components of an Applied, Integrated, or Combined
Course
and the
Form for Request for New Applied, Integrated, or Courses for the
Course Code Directory
to the Florida Department of Education.
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8
Florida Department of Education
Worksheet for Proposed New Applied, Integrated, or Combined Course
Instruction Sheet
In developing the curriculum and syllabus for the proposed integrated course, please
refer to the indicators in the Components of an Applied, Integrated, or Combined Course
work sheet. The matrix provides a framework that can assist in the development of a
new course. This matrix is a tool for ensuring that the proposed applied, integrated, or
combined course:
•
meets high school graduation subject area requirements
•
includes Sunshine State Standards
•
counts as course applicable toward admission to one of the state universities as
a core or elective course
•
meets Bright Futures Scholarship core or elective requirements
•
comprehensively aligns with essential workforce skills
•
aligns with the U.S. Department of Education’s 16 Career Clusters
Instructions for completing the work sheet:
1. Identify the name of the proposed new applied, integrated, or combined course
title.
2. Identify the course titles and numbers of the courses to be combined if the new
course integrates or combines current courses in the Course Code Directory.
3. Check all Career Clusters that are appropriate for the new proposed course.
4. Identify the subject area requirement that the new course will satisfy for high
school graduation requirements as a core or elective course.
5. List the Sunshine State Standards for each discipline integrated into the
proposed new course.
6. Identify the core or elective course(s) that the new course will satisfy for Bright
Futures Scholarship.
7. Identify the proposed core or elective course(s) that the new course will satisfy
for admissions to a state university.
8. Check all Workforce Skills that the new course will address
.
Florida Department of Education
Worksheet for Proposed New Applied, Integrated, or Combined Course
1. New Combined
Course Title:
_______________
2. Titles and Numbers if New Course Combines Current Courses in the Course Code Directory:
______________________________________________
3. U.S. Dept. of
Education’s
16 Career Clusters
4. Subject Area
Requirements
(EN, MA, SC, SS,
PA, EL, PE)
Core/Elective
5. Sunshine State
Standards
6. Bright Futures
GSV Scholarship
7. SUS Admission
Requirements and
Core/Elective and
Bright Futures FMS/
FAS Scholarship
requirements
8. Workforce Skills
Agriculture, Food, &
Natural Resources
Communication
Architecture &
Construction
Creativity
Arts, A/V, Technology &
Communications
Critical Thinking
Business Management
& Administration
Continuous
Learning
Education and Training
Decision-making
Finance
Leadership
Government & Public
Administration
Life Management
9
10
Health Science
Organization
Hospitality & Tourism
Problem
Solving
Information Technology
Research/Project
Development
Law, Public Safety, &
Security
Resourceful and
Responsive
Manufacturing
Self-directedness
Marketing, Sales &
Service
Social Responsibility
Science, Technology,
Engineering, &
Mathematics
Teamwork
Transportation,
Distribution, and
Logistics
Technical/Scientific
Course Code Directory Additions
Form for Request for New Applied, Integrated, or Combined Course
Please submit two copies of all forms and attachments as
well as the electronic version of the course description to :
Proposed New Applied, Integrated, or Combined Course
For the Course Code Directory
Course Code Directory (Attention: Anke Toth)
Florida Department of Education
Bureau of Public School Options
325 West Gaines Street, Room 314
Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0400
Applied Course
Integrated Course
Combined Course
(850) 245-0479, SunCom 205-0479
Email: anke.toth@fldoe.org
DATE:
SCHOOL DISTRICT:
CONTACT NAME/TITLE:
CONTACT PHONE:
CONTACT MAILING ADDRESS:
CONTACT EMAIL ADDRESS:
ACADEMIC COURSE TITLE:
ACADEMIC SUBJECT AREA(S): ACADEMIC SUBJECT AREA CATEGORY(IES):
CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION (CTE) COURSE
TITLE:
CTE PROGRAM AREA(S):
TITLES AND NUMBERS IF NEW COURSE COMBINES CURRENT COURSES IN THE COURSE CODE DIRECTORY:
COURSE NUMBER(S)
COURSE TITLE(S)
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GRADE LEVEL:
COURSE LEVEL:
CREDIT:
MEETS GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS FOR:
Middle/Junior 6-8
9-12/Adult
Other _______________________
Level 2
Level 3
1.0
SATISFIES A COURSE REQUIREMENT IN A CTE
PROGRAM FOR:
RECOMMENDED CERTIFICATION:
Certification should be recommended on the basis of course credit awarded.
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
Please attach a course description for the recommended course that identifies the Major Concepts/Content, Special
Notes, and the Course Requirements aligned with the Sunshine State Standards clearly delineating the integration of
content within and across subject areas. See example at
http://www.firn.edu/doe/curriculum/crscode/basic612/912/912/ss912/2100310.pdf
Please attach the completed worksheet for components of an Applied, Integrated, or Combined Course.
SCHOOL BOARD APPROVAL:
(Please attach documentation of your School Board approval of this recommended course.)
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______________________________________________________ _______________________________
Signature of Superintendent or Designee Date
Instruction: Submit only one form for each new integrated and applied course.
PLEASE DESCRIBE THE COMPELLING NEED FOR THE NEW COURSE, INCLUDING THE REASON WHY AN EXISTING COURSE WILL NOT SERVE THE
NEED. Requests could be supported with data indicating the need for the course. Other considerations should include existing courses that might
duplicate content or credits.
APPENDIX A
Guide to Developing Applied, Integrated, or Combined Courses
Guide for Developing Applied, Integrated, or Developing Courses
Educators must consider several other factors when developing applied, integrated, or
combined courses. It is important to draft a statement of purpose prior to proceeding
with the essential steps as outlined below. See Appendix B for District Review Rubric.
•
What is the purpose of the proposed applied, integrated, or combined course?
•
Does it serve students’ needs?
•
Does it increase students’ college or workforce readiness?
•
What connections do the combined courses have to career and workforce
expectations?
Step 1: Develop a data driven curriculum
A. Assess and gather data on student needs (FCAT scores, CPT scores,
ESOL, ESE).
B. Address differentiation for multiple learning styles and ability ranges.
Step 2: Assess the school environment (setting and time factors)
A. Describe how the plan addresses programmatic realities, such as needed
space and time within the school environment.
B. Explain the opportunities available for team teaching, extended time
blocks, flexible scheduling, and workforce connections.
Step 3: Content and format for an applied, integrated, or combined course
A. Cite standards-driven learning objectives: both discipline-specific and
interdisciplinary links.
B. Cite the Sunshine State Standards and learning outcomes.
C. Describe how learning objectives for the combined course will promote
increased skills in literacy and math.
D. Reference the career cluster, workforce skills, HS subject area
requirements, and identify as core or elective for BF and SUS.
E. Describe the credit to be awarded and subject area(s) satisfied.
F. Describe how the combined course credit will be recorded on the
transcript.
G. Describe any quality point weighting that applies.
Step 4: Blueprint to Action: Implementation Strategies
A. Provide a copy of the syllabus, suggested lesson plans and daily activities
that will seamlessly integrate and combine content from multiple discipline
fields.
B. Describe the means by which students will demonstrate acquisition and
application of knowledge.
C. Provide a list of textual, multimedia, and community resources.
D. Describe the opportunities to showcase student work and allow for
application (business partners, internships, experiential learning).
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Step 5: Assessment and Evaluation
A. Clearly articulate the performance standards for authentic assessment of
student learning (products and projects that document mastery of specific
competencies).
B. Describe the primary assessment tools to be used to provide evidence of
student outcomes and applied learning? (tests/ portfolios)
C. Describe the assessment tools that will present evidence of students’
demonstration of knowledge interwoven with multiple disciplines.
D. Describe how students will demonstrate applied learning in practical
situations.
E. Describe how students will demonstrate and produce evidence of insight,
creation, and critical thinking skills.
F. Describe how students will demonstrate both consumer and producer
skills.
Step 6: Professional Development
A. Describe the plans that have integrated professional development for
interdisciplinary teaching into the district Master In-service Plan.
B. Describe how highly qualified teachers and certification needs are,
addressed in professional development activities. .
C. Describe how professional development activities will address the
integration of technology and training with differentiated curriculum.
D. Describe how the proposed curriculum will be monitored and
promising practices recognized.
E. Describe any online professional development resources that will be
made available.
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