Florida Department of Education

The Talented 20 Program: Profile of the Class of 2008

Students eligible for the Talented Twenty Program are guaranteed admission to one of the

eleven state universities and are given priority funding from the Florida Student Assistance

Grant (FSAG).

All of the following requirements must be met to qualify for the Talented 20 Program:

•

Be enrolled in a Florida public high school and graduate with a standard diploma

•

Be ranked in the top 20 percent of the senior class after posting of the seventh

semester grades

•

Take the ACT or SAT

•

Complete all 18-core course credit requirements as specified in Rule 6C-6.002, Florida

Administrative Code (FAC.)

Points to Consider

Suggested points to consider for reviewing the data are as follows:

–

When staff reviews the Talented 20 Evaluation Report after initial transcript submission:

Are students being reported who are working toward a special diploma?

Is there a particular pattern of students missing specific core academic credits (for

example, foreign language or mathematics)?

Are students deemed ineligible because they are missing half a credit? This may

indicate a problem with reporting dual enrollment or block scheduling.

Do students have postsecondary plans other than university/college entrance?

Strategies

Suggested strategies to help prepare more students to participate in rigorous academic high

school curriculum and to increase access to postsecondary educational opportunities include:

–

Parent involvement and seminars relating to student education and career plans

–

Postsecondary educational opportunities and financial aid (e.g., demonstrating and sharing

information on the www.FACTS.org Web site such as the e-Personal Education Planner

[ePEP])

–

Review of grade 10 PSAT/PLAN data reports and improving academic and career

advisement strategies

–

Review of disaggregated data to help uncover areas where groups of students are having

difficulty and address equity and access issues

–

Curricula alignment across grade levels, such as vertical teaming

–

Early identification of students that can take more rigorous curricula

–

Volunteer and mentoring programs to support student achievement

–

Elementary to middle and middle to high school collaboration for articulation planning

–

Professional development activities for school counselors.

Florida Department of Education

The Talented 20 Program: Profile of the Class of 2008

Percentage of Each Racial/Ethnic Group’s Qualifying for Talented 20

Black/

Non-

Hispanic

Asian/

Pacific

Islander

Hispanic

American

Indian/

Alaskan

Native

Multi-

racial

White

Total

2004

82.5% 93.2% 89.8%

92.8%

89.9%

91.8%

90.3%

2005

82.7% 95.3% 91.2%

86.4%

92.3%

93.1%

91.6%

2006

82.5% 94.0% 90.2%

85.5%

90.9%

92.3%

90.7%

2007

85.7% 93.1% 89.9%

91.4%

93.7%

92.7%

91.3%

2008

84.0% 94.0% 89.0%

93.0%

90.0%

93.0%

91.0%

Percentage of Students Qualifying for Talented 20 by Race

Black/

Non-

Hispanic

Asian/

Pacific

Islander

Hispanic

American

Indian/

Alaskan

Native

Multi-

racial

White

Total

Minority

2004

11.3% 5.2% 17.5%

.32%

.74%

65.0%

35.0%

2005

12.5% 5.2% 18.3%

.33%

1.1%

62.6%

37.4%

2006

12.5% 5.2% 19.1%

.27%

1.2%

62.5%

38.4%

2007

11.6% 5.7% 20.2%

.28%

1.3%

60.9%

39.1%

2008

11.5% 5.8% 20.9%

.24%

1.5%

60.1%

39.9%

–

Overall, Florida’s eligibility for Talented 20 continues to increase for minority populations from 32.1% (6,984) students

in 2000 to 39.9% (10,410 students) in 2008.

–

The largest percent increase in minority students eligible for Talented 20 was in Hispanic (.7% increase from 20.2% in

2007 to 20.9% in 2008).

Of the 26,078 students who ranked in the top 20 percent of their graduating class, 91.0 percent were

eligible for the program. In addition, 18 districts and university lab schools had greater than 95 percent

student eligibility. Overall, eligibility for the Talented 20 Program continues to increase for minority student

populations from 32.1 percent in 2000 to 39.9 percent in 2008.

Professional development and training, paid for by the state, is available via the Minority and Under

Represented Student Achievement Partnership (College Board). The program was designed to reach this

particular population. Many of your suggestions and strategies form the basis of Florida's partnership with

the College Board. Information concerning the College Board Partnership can be found at

www.collegeboard.com/floridapartnership. We encourage a careful examination of strategies your district

may use to prepare all students to participate in taking a rigorous academic high school curriculum to

increase access to postsecondary educational opportunities.