1. graders have and have not identified a major in their ePEP?

Major Area of Interest (MAI) Reporting
?
Questions and Answers
?
1.
?
Is FACTS.org the official repository of MAI credits?
No, districts will ascertain MAI credits (by one of the methods provided in this memorandum), store that
information, place it on a student’s transcript, and certify students for graduation. The DOE will capture
MAI information from student transcripts for longitudinal information purposes.
2.
?
Do all incoming 9
th
graders need to be registered for and take a MAI credit?
No, the statute does not specify when a student must take their MAI credits, only that they need four MAI
credits for graduation (which do not have to be from the same MAI). Therefore, taking a credit in grade
nine for a major will vary.
3.
?
Do all incoming 9
th
graders need to have an ePEP with their major identified on FACTS.org?
This is a decision for school districts. By law, the 2006-07 sixth graders are required to have an electronic
Personal Education Planner (ePEP) prior to grade nine. Therefore, incoming 2007 and 2008 9
th
graders are
not required to have an ePEP. Districts are required to report student enrollment in a MAI on a student’s
transcript at the course level; use of the FACTS.org ePEP Course File (Method 2) and Department of
Education (DOE) Reconciliation File (Method 3) is optional. If districts choose to implement Method 2 or 3
described in this memorandum to facilitate MAI reporting they will need to institute a policy requiring 2007
and 2008 9
th
graders to complete an ePEP.
4.
?
What does the DOE Reconciliation File really do?
The file compares a student’s planned courses and major(s) contained in the FACTS.org ePEP with the
courses from the student’s transcript for the fall and spring term to identify MAI credits so the District can
store the information and report MAI credits on student transcripts.
5.
?
Is the reconciliation process specific to a term or high school year?
No, the reconciliation process will identify any courses on a student’s transcript that belong to their planned
major(s) even if a course is not specifically planned for a major and even if a course was taken in a previous
term or high school year. For example, a foreign language course taken in 9
th
grade was completed as an
elective, not a major area of interest credit. Then, in the student’s sophomore year, the student planned a
major that included foreign language. The reconciliation process would recognize the planned major and
match any courses on the transcript approved for that major. In this case, the 9
th
grade foreign language
course would be flagged with a certain “match type” indicating a credit for the major was found.
6.
?
What students are included in the FACTS.org ePEP Course File and DOE Reconciliation File?
The FACTS.org ePEP Course File available for download from NWRDC will contain all students enrolled
in a public school in grades 7-12 (as provided by Survey 2 and 3 Student Database enrollment information).
For 2007-2008, the DOE Reconciliation File will only contain 9
th
grade students (as provided by Survey 2
and 3 Student Database enrollment information), as these students are the first class required to complete
four MAI credits for graduation.
7.
?
What exactly is required on ePEP?
The ePEP is a high school plan. Students must create an ID, create a profile and settings, and select courses
for their graduation plan. Standard diploma students will plan for 24-credits depending on their graduation
plan and district requirements, including courses and major areas of interest (MAIs) specific to each school.
The types of courses planned will vary depending on the student's goals for graduation and postsecondary
education. The courses and majors available to select from are specific to each school.
8.
?
How does a district manager of MAI check to see which 9
th
graders have and have not identified a
major in their ePEP?
FACTS.org has created a Student Activity System that allows authorized middle and high school personnel
to access student activity for their district's schools. Logins for the system are created by the District
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Guidance Supervisor. These contacts recently received their instructions on how to add personnel and
create IDs. Once an ID is created for the Student Activity System, notification is sent to the new user
with instructions and a guide on how to use the system.
9.
?
Are there any resources available to train personnel on how to build an ePEP and/or facilitate the
instruction of the middle school career and education planning course?
Yes, training and specific guidance on how to facilitate the new middle school career and education
planning course content is available. For information, please visit the FACTS.org Training Services web
page.
10.
Can districts download a file of the Statewide Major Areas of Interest with each major’s 4-digit code?
Yes, the 2007-08 state-approved list will be available for download at NWRDC. The 2008-09 file will be
approved on December 1, 2007, and will be posted in Spring. The 2008-09 file will replace the 2007-08 file
on July 1, 2008.
11.
What are the Florida Automated System for Transferring Educational Records (FASTER) file
formats for entering MAI credits on a student’s transcript?
The FASTER data elements and format for reporting MAI were approved at the FASTER meeting on July
13, 2007, and will shortly be available from the FASTER website at www.firn.edu/faster.
12.
Can districts receive a test file for the FACTS.org ePEP Course File and DOE Reconciliation File?
Yes, test files will be available at NWRDC by the end of September that districts can use to assess the value
of the Reconciliation File to their reporting efforts. Additional guidance will be provided reflecting any
changes in the reporting methods that may have arisen from the test files and will include timelines for the
ensuing process.
13.
Are four credits aligned with a Major Area of Interest required for graduation?
Yes, similar to Mathematics and English, students entering 9
th
grade in 2007 and thereafter must
successfully complete four credits aligned with a MAI. The four credits may be in one or several different
MAIs. Please note, a 24-credit standard diploma requires eight elective credits, four of which must be
aligned with a MAI; it is unlikely that any student will not have four elective credits aligned with a MAI.
14.
Do students need four credits in a single MAI?
No, students must successfully complete four credits aligned with a MAI, but the credits do not have to be
from the same MAI. However, it is anticipated that students completing four credits in the same MAI will
be recognized upon graduation (specifics to be determined).
15.
Can a credit be used to satisfy a core requirement and a MAI requirement?
No, the four credits aligned with a major area of interest cannot be used to satisfy another graduation
requirement. A course can count as core credit or a MAI credit, but not both (i.e., no “double-dipping”).
For example, if a student’s major is Language Arts, the student will be required to have four English credits
and four additional credits approved for the Language Arts major.
For information regarding the DOE Reconciliation File, please contact Mr. Pete Tanzy at (850) 245-9775 or
via email at Pete.Tanzy@fldoe.org. For information regarding the FACTS.org ePEP Course File, please
contact Ms. Andrea Latham at (850) 245-0518 or via email at Andrea.Latham@fldoe.org. For information
regarding Major Areas of Interest, please contact Ms. Lillian Finn at (850) 245-0509 or via email at
Lillian.Finn@fldoe.org.
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