1. COMPONENTS OF SENATE BILL 1908
    2. Next Generation Sunshine State Standards
    3. School Grading

COMPONENTS OF SENATE BILL 1908
Next Generation Sunshine State Standards
The State Board of Education shall review the Sunshine State Standards and replace them
with Next Generation Sunshine State Standards prior to December 31, 2011.
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The reading content standards (adopted in January 2007), mathematics content
standards (adopted in September 2007), and science content standards (adopted in
February 2008) meet the specified requirements for Next Generation Sunshine State
Standards and will not be revised again before December 2011.
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The social studies, health education, and physical education standards, which will be
submitted to the State Board of Education for adoption at their October 2008 meeting,
will also meet the requirements to be Next Generation Sunshine State Standards.
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The content standards for Language Arts (adopted in January 2007) must be revised
and replaced to comply with new requirements, specifically, identifying significant
literary genres and authors that encompass a comprehensive range of historical
periods.
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The State Board of Education approved a timeline for the revision of content
standards at their June 2008 meeting which is available at this Web site:
http://www.fldoe.org/board/meetings/2008_06_17/Next%20Gen%20Stan.pdf.
A rule will be developed to establish a schedule for the periodic review and revision of
the standards by the end of the year.
Contact:
Todd Clark, Chief
Bureau of Instruction and Innovation
Todd.Clark@fldoe.org
(850) 245-0764
School Grading
School Grading System
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The bill provides additional criteria and student assessment data for designating school
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grades, beginning with the 2009-2010 school year for high schools with grades 9, 10, 11,
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and 12, or grades 10, 11, and 12.
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Fifty (50) percent of a school’s grade will be based on the existing FCAT-related
factors in s. 1008.34(3)(a), F.S., and the other half will be based on factors that
include:
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A school’s high school graduation rate;
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As valid data become available, the performance and participation of students in
Advanced Placement (AP) courses, International Baccalaureate (IB) courses, dual
enrollment courses, Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE)
courses, and the achievement of industry certification in a career and professional
academy;
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- The postsecondary readiness of the students as measured by the SAT, ACT, or the
common placement test;
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The high school graduation rate of at-risk students who scored at Level 2 or lower
on the grade 8 FCAT Reading and Mathematics examinations;
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The performance of a school’s students on statewide standardized end-of-course
assessments approved by the Department of Education, when available; and
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The annual growth or decline in these components.
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Beginning in 2009-10, in order for a high school to receive a grade of “A” the school
must demonstrate adequate progress for at-risk students who scored at Level 2 or
lower on the grade 8 FCAT Reading and Mathematics examinations.
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Provides the Commissioner of Education with authority to set cell-size requirements
for school grades. Establishes criteria under which schools with fewer than the
minimum number of students tested, as required for reliable results and protection of
student confidentiality, are exempted from receiving school grades.
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Provides the State Board of Education rule making authority to administer this
section.
These provisions are to be implemented for the 2009-10 reporting year. They will be
reflected in the Guide to Calculating School Grades technical assistance paper (TAP) for
2009. A copy of the most recent TAP is available via a link at
http://schoolgrades.fldoe.org/. The TAP for school grades for 2008 is being finalized and
will be posted online at the same time that grades for 2008 are released.
These provisions will be reflected in Rule 6A-1.09981, FAC. Rule development
workshops are pending.
Alternative School Improvement Rating System
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Amends s. 1003.341, F.S., to revise the definition of “home school” for purposes of
calculating school grades for schools that refer students to alternative schools, and
requires annual collaboration among school principals concerning the school
assignment of students attending an alternative school. The amended definition of
“home school” is: “the school to which the student would be assigned if the student
was not assigned to an alternative school.”
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Provides for the forfeiture of School Recognition Program funds for one fiscal year if
a school district fails to assign the FCAT scores of each of its students to his or her
home school or to the alternative school that receives a grade.
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Provides the Commissioner of Education with authority to set cell-size requirements
for school improvement ratings. Establishes criteria under which schools with fewer
than the minimum number of students tested, as required for reliable results and
protection of student confidentiality, are exempted from receiving school
improvement ratings.
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Provides the State Board of Education rule making authority to administer this
section.
These provisions will be implemented for the 2008-09 school year and reporting cycle.
All provisions for the calculation of alternative school improvement ratings for 2007-08
will be described in a technical assistance paper currently under development (provisions
for 2008-09 will be reflected in the TAP for 2009) and expected to be posted online (with
a link at http://schoolgrades.fldoe.org/) when school grades are released for 2008.
Rule development workshops will be required in the coming year to update the applicable
rule (6A-1.099822, FAC.).
School Recognition
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Revises the identification of schools that are eligible to receive school recognition
funds to include schools that improve more than one letter grade and sustain that
improvement in the following year.
This provision will be incorporated into the calculation of Florida School Recognition
Awards for 2008, which are finalized after the closing of the appeals period for school
grades.
A separate technical assistance paper is not produced for this program activity. However,
information applicable to this program is available online at
http://www.fldoe.org/evaluation/schrmain.asp, including recognized schools and award
amounts for the years in which this program has been in effect.
Contact:
Edward Croft, Director
Evaluation and Reporting Section
Bureau of Research and Evaluation
(850) 245-9579
Ed.Croft@fldoe.org
College Readiness
Beginning with the 2008-09 school year, the bill requires that a
college readiness
assessment
(currently CPT, ACT or SAT) shall be administered to all high school
students prior to grade 12 (changed from all second semester sophomores) with defined
FCAT scores and who indicate an interest in postsecondary education. The Department
will purchase or develop assessments and assist districts and community colleges with
their administration. The State Board of Education must establish by rule the minimum
test scores a student must achieve to demonstrate readiness. Students achieving the
minimum scores, and enrolling in a community college within 2 years, will not be
required to enroll in remediation courses. High schools, to the extent practicable, must
provide students in grade 12 who score below the minimum scores access to remedial
instruction prior to graduation, which shall be a
collaborative effort
between secondary
and postsecondary institutions.
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Contact:
Dr. Judith Bilsky, Acting Chancellor
Division of Community Colleges
Judith.Bilsky@fldoe.org
(850) 245-0407
Assessment
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Allows the Commissioner to incorporate end-of-course assessments into the statewide
assessment program. These assessments may be administered in addition to the
comprehensive assessments of reading, mathematics, writing, and science, and must
be rigorous, statewide, standardized, and aligned to the Next Generation Sunshine
State Standards. Planning is underway to determine how end-of-course assessments
will be incorporated into the statewide assessment program.
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Removes the requirement that the statewide assessment program include norm-
referenced tests. Beginning with the 2008-09 school year, the FCAT NRT will not be
administered as a part of the statewide assessment program.
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Beginning with the 2008-2009 school year through 2011-2012, requires the
Commissioner to discontinue the administration of the multiple-choice items on the
comprehensive assessment of writing. In 2012-2013, the Commissioner must
administer a comprehensive assessment of writing with specific characteristics,
including a combination of multiple-choice, short-response, and extended-response
items.
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Requires the Commissioner to provide notice to school districts, by August 1 of each
year, of the testing and reporting schedules for the school year following the
upcoming school year. Beginning with the 2010-2011 school year, the schedule must
provide for comprehensive assessments of writing to be administered no earlier than
the week of March 1 and comprehensive statewide assessments of other subjects to be
administered no earlier than the week of April 15. Statewide end-of-course
assessments must be administered within the last two weeks of a course. Student test
results must be reported by the final day of the regular school year for students.
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Directs the Commissioner to establish procedures for transitioning to new
assessments that impact the testing requirements for high school graduation. This
new language will allow the Department to phase-out old assessment programs, such
as the High School Competency Test (HSCT).
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Requires assessments, including the subject area examinations of the Florida Teacher
Certification Examination program to be aligned to the Next Generation Sunshine
State Standards.
Rules related to assessment will be reviewed and revised as appropriate.
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Contact:
Dr. Cornelia S. Orr
Assistant Deputy Commissioner for Accountability, Research, and Measurement
Office of Assessment
Cornelia.Orr@fldoe.org
(850) 245-0513
FCAT Preparation Activities
Beginning with the 2008-09 school year, districts must prohibit schools from suspending
a regular program of curricula to administer practice tests or engage in other test-
preparation activities for a statewide assessment. However, the following activities are
authorized:
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Distributing to students the sample test books and answer keys published by the
Department of Education.
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Providing individualized instruction in test-taking strategies, without suspending
the school's regular program of curricula, for a student who scores at Level 1 or
Level 2 on a prior administration of the statewide assessment.
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Providing individualized instruction in the content knowledge and skills assessed,
without suspending the school's regular program of curricula, for a student who
scores at Level 1 or Level 2 on a prior administration of the statewide assessment
or a student who, through a diagnostic assessment administered by the school
district, is identified as having a deficiency in the content knowledge and skills
assessed.
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Incorporating test-taking exercises and strategies into curricula for intensive
reading and mathematics intervention courses.
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Administering a practice test or engaging in other test-preparation activities for
the statewide assessment which are determined necessary to familiarize students
with the organization of the assessment, the format of the test items, and the test
directions, or which are otherwise necessary for the valid and reliable
administration of the assessment, as set forth in rules adopted by the State Board
of Education.
Note: While this prohibition is directed to classroom instruction, districts should consider
these limitations while making instructional materials purchases.
Contact:
Todd Clark, Chief
Bureau of Instruction and Innovation
Todd.Clark@fldoe.org
(850) 245-0764
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Electronic Personal Education Plan
The bill requires an annual review of each high school student’s electronic Personal
Education Plan (ePEP). This will take effect in the 2009-10 school year, when entering
9
th
graders are required to have completed an ePEP in order to be promoted from 8
th
grade. Those who enter high school that year or after without an ePEP, including students
who completed 8
th
grade out of state, in a private school, or who were home schooled,
must be given assistance in creating a plan. Therefore, 100% of 9
th
graders in 2009-10
and after will have an ePEP, which they must review yearly to track their progress and
modify as required. Counselors or other personnel will be able to check that each student
has visited their plan, and view any changes made, through the Student Activity System.
The System currently records the date the students viewed their records and will
be modified to also show the date the ePEP was actually updated (i.e.,
changed). Additional information and instructions will be available once the Student
Activity System update is complete.
Contact:
Dr. Connie Graunke, Executive Director
Florida Center for Advising & Academic Support
Connie.Graunke@fldoe.org
850-245-0518
Arts Requirement for High School Graduation
The bill adds practical arts courses that incorporate artistic content and techniques of
creativity, interpretation, and imagination, as identified through the Course Code
Directory, to the current options of dance, music, theatre, visual arts, speech, and debate
courses that high school students can take to meet the fine or performing arts graduation
requirement. This change will make it possible for students enrolled in arts-related career
and technical education courses to meet this graduation requirement through their
planned programs of study. Rule 6A-1.09441, FAC.,
Requirements for Programs and
Courses Which are Funded Through the Florida Education Finance Program and for
Which the Student May Earn Credit Toward High School Graduation
, will be amended to
update the Course Code Directory by the end of the year.
Contact:
Dr. Linda Lovins, Arts Education Program Specialist
Bureau of Instruction and Innovation
Linda.Lovins@fldoe.org
(850) 245-0762
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Standard High School Diploma Designations
The bill adds the following four new designations to the standard high school diploma
beginning with the 2008-09 school year, as applicable:
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Major Area of Interest
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Completion of four or more accelerated college credit courses in AP, IB, AICE, or
dual enrollment (the Commissioner is charged with establishing guidelines for
successful passage of examinations or coursework in each of these areas for the
purpose of this designation)
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Career education certification
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Florida Ready to Work Credential
Rule 6A-1.0995, FAC.,
Form of High School Diplomas and Certificates of Completion
,
will be amended by the end of this year.
Contact:
Alan Ramos
Bureau of School Improvement
Alan.Ramos@fldoe.org
(850) 245-0426
Dual Enrollment
The bill includes a provision requiring the Interinstitutional Articulation Agreement
(pursuant to s. 1007.235, F.S.) to stipulate that the college granting the postsecondary
credit for dual enrollment courses is responsible for assigning grades for those courses.
School districts are prohibited from changing any grade (once assigned by the college)
when posting it to the high school transcript.
Contact:
Dr. Heather Sherry, Director
Office of Articulation
Heather.Sherry@fldoe.org
(850) 245-0427
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
The bill ensures implementation of IDEA 2004 across school districts, given the state’s
responsibilities for general supervision.
Contact:
Dr. Kim Komisar, Administrator
Program Administration and Quality Assurance
Bureau of Exceptional Education and Student Services
Kim.Komisar@fldoe.org
(850) 245-0475
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School Advisory Council (SAC) Membership
The bill requires that the majority of members of a SAC must not be employed by the
school district. Previously, the majority of the SAC members at a school could not be
employed by that school.
Contact:
Dr. Sandra Dilger
Bureau of School Improvement
Sandra.Dilger@fldoe.org
(850) 245-0426
Teacher Certification
The bill requires that as the Next Generation Sunshine State Standards are adopted, the
teacher certification subject area examinations shall be aligned to the new standards.
The bill provides a new option for satisfying the subject area mastery requirement for
certification. For foreign languages for which there are no Florida-developed subject area
tests, scores earned on the oral and written proficiency tests administered by the
American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) will now satisfy the
mastery of subject area knowledge requirement. The scores must be above the
intermediate level. This change means that as of July 1, 2008, it will no longer be
necessary for Form CT-114 (currently used by superintendents to verify subject matter
competence when there is no subject area test) to be submitted to the certification bureau.
Upon receipt of the appropriate verification of ACTFL scores, the subject mastery
requirement will be met. Further technical information will be provided to district
certification contacts. Technical amendments are expected to be made to Rule 6A-4.004,
FAC.,
Florida Educator's Certificates with Academic, Administrative, Degreed
Vocational, and Specialty Class Coverages
,
by October 2008.
Contact:
Beverly Gregory, Chief
Bureau of Educator Certification
Beverly.Gregory@fldoe.org
(850) 245-0431
Corporate Tax Credit (CTC) Scholarship Assessments
Private schools participating in the CTC Scholarship Program will no longer be allowed
to use the FCAT as a nationally norm-referenced test to measure student achievement.
Rule 6A-6.0960, F.A.C.,
Corporate Tax Credit Scholarship Program
, will be amended
by October 2008.
Contact:
Jean Miller, Acting Executive Director
Office of Independent Education and Parental Choice
Jean.Miller@fldoe.org
(850) 245-0502
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Test of Adult Basic Education
The bill amends s. 1004.91, F.S., for certain adult students. An adult student who is
enrolled in an apprenticeship program that is registered with the Department of Education
in accordance with the provisions of chapter 446 will no longer have to be tested for basic
skills within the first six weeks of enrollment. Students in a registered apprenticeship
program will automatically be counted as program completers when they complete the
program and obtain journeyman status.
Contact:
Jane Silveria
Division of Workforce Education
Jane.Silveria@fldoe.org
(850) 245-9022
Florida Ready to Work Credential
The bill provides a Florida Ready to Work Credential to a student who successfully
passes assessments in Reading for Information, Applied Mathematics, and Locating
Information, or any other assessments of comparable rigor. Each assessment shall be
scored on a scale of 3 to 7. The level of the credential each student receives is based on
the following:
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A bronze-level credential requires a minimum score of 3 or above on each of the
assessments.
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A silver-level credential requires a minimum score of 4 or above on each of the
assessments.
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A gold-level credential requires a minimum score of 5 or above on each of the
assessments.
The Florida Ready to Work Credential and portfolio is awarded to students upon
successful completion of the instruction. Each portfolio must delineate the skills
demonstrated by the student as evidence of the student’s preparation for employment.
By the 2008-2009 school year, each standard high school diploma shall include, as
applicable a designation reflecting a Florida Ready to Work Credential in accordance
with s. 1004.99, F.S.
Contact:
Doreen DuMond
Division of Workforce Education
Doreen.DuMond@fldoe.org
(850) 245-9063
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Florida Teachers Lead Program
The bill deletes the word “Stipend” from the name of the Teachers Lead Program. In
other provisions, the bill:
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Prohibits purchase of equipment with Teachers Lead funds; this provision will
clarify that the school district is expected to supply necessary equipment and will
eliminate confusion over inventory;
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Requires the Commissioner of Education to disburse the Teachers Lead funds to
the school districts by July 15;
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Specifies that funds may be allocated and expended through the use of debit
cards, direct deposit, check, or purchasing card and that the funds are not subject
to competitive bidding or collective bargaining (this subsection is retroactive to
July 1, 2007);
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Limits to four years the amount of time that a classroom teacher must keep
receipts for materials and supplies purchased with funds;
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Provides that Teachers Lead funds do not affect a classroom teacher’s wages,
hours, or terms and conditions of employment and are therefore not subject to
collective bargaining; and
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Specifies that a classroom teacher may decline receipt of or return the funds
without explanation or cause.
Contact:
Linda Champion, Deputy Commissioner
Division of Finance & Operations
Linda.Champion@fldoe.org
(850) 245-0406
Cafeteria Sanitation Certificate
The bill requires each school cafeteria to post in a visible location and on the school Web
site the school's annual sanitation certificate and a copy of its most recent sanitation
inspection report, as required by federal law (42 U.S.C. s. 1758).
Contact:
Linda Champion, Deputy Commissioner
Division of Finance & Operations
Linda.Champion@fldoe.org
(850) 245-0406
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