FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
?
STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION
John L. Winn
Commissioner of Education
T. WILLARD FAIR,
Chairman
F. PHILIP HANDY,
Vice Chairman
Members
DONNA G. CALLAWAY
ROBERTO MARTÍNEZ
PHOEBE RAULERSON
KATHLEEN SHANAHAN
LINDA K. TAYLOR
February 14, 2007
M E M O R A N D U M
TO:
District Guidance Counselor Supervisors
FROM:
Cheri Pierson Yecke, Ph.D.
SUBJECT:
District FACTS.org Points of Contact
House Bill 7087, also known as the A++ Plan for Education, is having a major impact on
Florida’s high schools and middle schools. The A++ Plan requires that all current sixth grade
students take a career and education planning course prior to entering the ninth grade. During
this course, students will explore careers using the CHOICES Planner, or another comparable
program, and will use the FACTS.org web site to create an electronic personal education plan, or
ePEP. In addition, current eighth grade students will be required to enroll in a Major Are
a of
Interest.
In the coming months, the Department will be unveiling new services and features on
FACTS.org to assist in the A++ implementation. These features and services include: summer
training institutes, lesson plans, training materials, instructional CDs, on-line training modules,
and an enhanced ePEP including the Major Area of Interest and special diploma planning option.
To help facilitate the delivery of these services and notification to the schools, it is required that
each district designate a person to become the FACTS.org Point of Contact.
CHERI PIERSON YECKE, PH.D.
?
CHANCELLOR, K-12 PUBLIC SCHOOLS
?
325 W. GAINES STREET • TALLAHASSEE, FL 32399-0400 • (850) 245-0505 • www.fldoe.org
District Guidance Counselor Supervisors
February 14, 2007
Page Two
The FACTS.org Point of Contact would work with FACTS.org personnel on the following:
•
?
Coordinating training for the district or region;
•
?
Sending out communications through email to local education professionals; and
•
?
Contacting schools to ensure materials sent from the FACTS.org office have been
received and posted.
This representation will ensure that your district is getting the information, resources, and
training needed to implement the A++ plan for your students. As the district guidance
supervisor, you can assign yourself to be the FACTS.org Point of Contact or assign it to another
professional that has:
•
?
A thorough knowledge of the district they represent; and
•
?
Access to a county/district email distribution list.
Please forward the name, district, title, and contact information of the FACTS.org Point of
Contact designee to Donna Haff by March 5, 2007. You can send this information via email to
donna.haff@fldoe.org or fax to (850) 245-9532.
On behalf of the Department of Education, thank you for your dedication to the students of
Florida.
CPY/cgd