FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
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    STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION
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    Dr. Eric J. Smith
    Commissioner of Education
    T. WILLARD FAIR,
    Chairman
    Members
    PETER BOULWARE
    DR. AKSHAY DESAI
    ROBERTO MARTÍNEZ
    PHOEBE RAULERSON
    KATHLEEN SHANAHAN
    LINDA K. TAYLOR
    MEMORANDUM
    CONTACT INFORMATION
    TO:
    District Superintendents
    Sara Marchessault
    District Assistant Superintendents
    (850) 245-0831
    District Secondary Curriculum Staff
    Sara.Marchessault@fldoe.org
    District Purchasing Directors
    DPS: 2009-004
    District Guidance Supervisors
    District Workforce Education Contacts
    High School Principals
    High School Guidance Counselors
    FROM:
    Dr. Frances Haithcock
    DATE:
    January 15, 2009
    SUBJECT:
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    NEW HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA DESIGNATIONS FREQUENTLY ASKED
    QUESTIONS
    Section 1003.4285, Florida Statutes, requires the following four new designations be included on the
    standard high school diploma beginning with the 2008-09 school year, as applicable:
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    Major Area of Interest, pursuant to completion of credits as provided in section 1003.428,
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    Florida Statutes
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    Completion of four or more accelerated college credit courses in Advanced Placement (AP),
    International Baccalaureate (IB), Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE), or
    dual enrollment if the student is eligible for college credit pursuant to sections 1007.27 or
    1007.271, Florida Statutes
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    Career education certification in accordance with section 1003.431, Florida Statutes
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    Florida Ready to Work Credential in accordance with section 1004.99, Florida Statutes
    DR. FRANCES HAITHCOCK
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    CHANCELLOR OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS
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    325 W. GAINES STREET • SUITE 514 • TALLAHASSEE, FL 32399-0400 • (850) 245-0509 • www.fldoe.org
    District Superintendents, et al.
    January 15, 2009
    Page Two
    Rule 6A-1.0995, Florida Administrative Code,
    Form of High School Diplomas and Certificates of
    Completion
    , was recently amended by the State Board of Education as prompted by the new section of
    statute described above. It requires districts to determine what each designation will look like and where
    it will be placed provided that the following criteria are met:
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    Designations must be in the form of a stamp, sticker, seal, or text,
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    There may be no more than four state designations, and
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    District-determined seals must be placed below designations.
    The following list of questions and answers has been compiled from feedback received from districts.
    Frequently Asked Questions
    1.
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    Must a student complete all four Major Area of Interest (MAI) credits in the same MAI to
    receive the designation?
    Yes, a student must complete all four MAI credits in the MAI to receive the designation;
    otherwise, all students would receive the designation since it is a graduation requirement.
    2.
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    Do MAI designations have to be on the diplomas for the graduating class of 2008-09?
    No, MAI designations do not need to be on diplomas for the graduating class of 2008-09.
    Because MAI requirements took effect beginning with the freshman class of 2007-08, the first
    year that MAI designations will be needed on the diploma is 2010-11.
    3.
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    Can a student who is eligible for recognition in, for example, both AP and dual enrollment
    coursework receive more than one designation for accelerated college credit on his/her diploma?
    No. The rule states that only one designation for any of the accelerated college credit options
    met may be included on the diploma.
    4.
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    Does the accelerated college credit designation require completion of courses or passage of
    exams at the end of the courses?
    Yes. Students in AP, IB, or AICE courses must complete the courses and pass the exams at the
    level indicated in the Articulation Coordinating Committee
    Credit-by-Exam Equivalencies
    list
    (available from the Department’s Web site at
    http://www.fldoe.org/articulation/pdf/2007_ACC-CBE.pdf).
    Students in dual enrollment courses must complete the course with a grade of C or better.
    5.
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    Since the scores for AP, IB, and AICE exams are not received by schools until after graduation
    and career education certification and Ready to Work Credential results may not come in before
    graduation, how will these eligible students receive their designation?
    This will vary by district and possibly by school; however, one approach is for students to return
    to the school with their diplomas when scores have arrived and have a designated staff member
    affix the state designations.
    District Superintendents, et al.
    January 15, 2009
    Page Three
    6.
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    A diploma designation for a career education certification in accordance with section 1003.431,
    Florida Statutes, is required. Is this the same as industry certification as referenced in sections
    1003.492(2) and 1011.62(1)(o), Florida Statutes?
    No. The current requirements in section 1003.431, Florida Statutes, for career education
    certification are not the same as the requirements for industry certification. The career education
    certification requirements include the following:
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    Completion of the requirements for high school graduation.
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    A passing score on the college entry-level placement test or an equivalent test identified
    by the Department of Education.
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    A comprehensive program of study in career education including:
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    Completion of academic courses with a designation from the Department of
    Education of level two or above.
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    Attainment of at least one occupational completion point in an industry-certified
    career education program or completion of at least two courses in a technology
    education program.
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    Completion of a one-credit course addressing workplace readiness skills.
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    Participation in work-based learning experiences, as defined in rule by the State
    Board of Education.
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    Participation in a capstone activity that includes a project related to a career.
    7.
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    Can students receiving a special diploma, certificate of completion, or special certification of
    completion, who are eligible for these designations, have these designations placed on their
    special diploma or certificate?
    No. The statute is titled
    Standard high school diploma designations
    and states “By the 2008-
    2009 school year, each standard high school diploma shall include, as applicable….” Therefore,
    the provision of these designations only applies to a standard high school diploma.
    8.
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    Can designations be placed on the back of the diploma?
    No, the state designations must be placed on the front of the diploma above any district-
    determined seals.
    9.
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    Must these designations be identified in the student database and/or on the student's transcript that
    is sent to postsecondary institutions?
    Information contained in the district’s student data base and on a student’s transcript is sufficient
    for the postsecondary institution to determine whether the student has met each of the four
    designations except for the Ready to Work Credential. An item to indicate the completion of the
    Ready to Work Credential will be added to the database and the transcript in the future.
    District Superintendents, et al.
    January 15, 2009
    Page Four
    10.
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    Which designations will go on the student transcript?
    With the addition in the future of the Ready to Work Credential, all information necessary for the
    determination of whether a student meets the criteria for these designations will be available on a
    student’s transcript. Some analysis of individual course work will be necessary to make the
    determination.
    11.
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    Can designations in the form of stickers be mailed to students?
    Mailing stickers to be affixed to the diploma is not prohibited but the district should consider
    how to assure security of the designations if this option is used.
    12.
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    Can a seventh semester “snapshot” of the student records be used to determine whether students
    meet any of these designations and to grant designations?
    Some students may already qualify for one or more of the state designations by the completion of
    the seventh semester of high school, but other students will complete the qualifications only after
    completing all requirements for a standard diploma. A district must allow for determining the
    status of each student’s qualifications for each designation through the student’s completion of
    high school.
    If you have any additional questions, please contact Sara Marchessault in the Bureau of School
    Improvement at (850) 245-0426 or Sara.Marchessault@fldoe.org.

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