FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
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STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION
Dr. Eric J. Smith
Commissioner of Education
T. WILLARD FAIR,
Chairman
Members
Willis N. Holcombe, Chancellor
PETER BOULWARE
Division of Community Colleges
DR. AKSHAY DESAI
ROBERTO MARTÍNEZ
JOHN R. PADGET
KATHLEEN SHANAHAN
LINDA K. TAYLOR
June 5, 2009
M E M O R A N D U M
TO:
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Vice Presidents for Academic Affairs, The Florida College System
Vice Presidents for Student Affairs, The Florida College System
District
School
Superintendents
District Assistant Superintendents for Instruction
District
Test
Administrators
FROM:
Judith Bilsky, Ed.D., Executive Vice Chancellor, The Florida College System
Mary Jane Tappen, Deputy Chancellor for Curriculum, Instruction, and Student
Services, Division of Public Schools
SUBJECT:
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Senate Bill 1908 Implementation:
High School Mathematics Courses
The purpose of this memorandum is to clarify issues related to the implementation of section 1008.30(3),
Florida Statutes, as revised in 2008 by Senate Bill 1908, regarding mathematics remediation. An earlier
memorandum dated November 14, 2008, from Dr. Judith Bilsky and Ms. Mary Jane Tappen with the
subject
Senate Bill 1908: High School Mathematics for College Success and Mathematics for College
Readiness – Placement and Exit Requirements
provided information on district high school mathematics
course options related to the statutory requirement that high school students be offered opportunities to
remediate prior to high school graduation.
In that memorandum, districts were guided to select one of two mathematics course options to help better
prepare students for college.
Mathematics for College Success
, a .5 high school elective credit course,
closely corresponds to the college developmental education course,
Elementary Algebra
(MAT 0024),
which is a non-college credit course and is considered remediation.
Mathematics for College Readiness
,
a 1.0 high school mathematics credit course, resembles the college credit course,
Intermediate Algebra
(MAT 1033), which is not considered remediation at the college level, although it is not deemed of
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Senate Bill 1908 – Mathematics Success & Readiness
Page Two
June 5, 2009
sufficient college rigor to “count” as satisfying a college General Education requirement. As such, it is
important to make this distinction apparent to high school students taking these courses as a means to
meet college readiness standards. Please see the chart below describing the differences between these
course options.
High School
Postsecondary
Course
Number
Course
Title
Credit
Graduation
Requirement
Satisfied
Course
Number
Course
Title
Credit
Type
Degree
Requirement
Satisfied
1200410
Math for
College
Success
0.5 Elective
MAT
0024
Elementary
Algebra
Remedial
“0”
College
Credit
Not Applied
to Degree
1200700
Math for
College
Readiness
1.0 Mathematics
MAT
1033
Intermediate
Algebra
College
Credit
3.0
Elective,
Applied to
Degree
Mathematics for College Success
prepares students for Intermediate Algebra, the entry-level college
credit mathematics course that satisfies an elective requirement within a degree program.
For students
successfully passing
Mathematics for College Success
with a “C” or better, including passing the
statewide Basic Skills Exit Test at or above the same cut score identified by the local college for
their remedial students, it is guaranteed that the student will be eligible for enrollment in MAT
1033 without further placement testing or remediation within two years of completing the course
.
The Department recommends that high school students who pass
Mathematics for College Success
in the
first semester of their senior year be encouraged to dual enroll in MAT 1033 during the second semester
of their senior year. Passing MAT 1033 with a grade of “C” or better via dual enrollment would enable
students to move directly into MAC 1105, College Algebra, once they graduate from high school and are
admitted to a college within The Florida College System.
Grade point average eligibility requirements
for dual enrollment may be waived for this purpose if agreed upon by the school district and college and
then documented in the District Interinstitutional Articulation Agreement.
Mathematics for College Readiness
is intended to prepare students for
College Algebra
, which is a course
that satisfies a mathematics general education requirement at every public postsecondary institution in
Florida. There are no standard placement scores identified in State Board Rule for
College Algebra
as
there are for placement in Intermediate Algebra, the first college credit mathematics course sequenced
after MAT 0024. For placement into high school
Mathematics for College Readiness
, the Department
recommends
that students score within the 72-86 range on the College Placement Test (CPT) to ensure
readiness for college level coursework, or have passed high school Algebra II with a grade of “C” or
better,
however, this recommendation is not binding upon school districts.
Students, parents, and
counselors should carefully consider individual readiness for success in this course prior to enrollment.
In
order for students who successfully complete
Math for College Readiness
to be guaranteed entry
into
College Algebra
without additional coursework, they will need to score at least an 86 on the
CPT taken at the end of the course. Arrangements for this administration should be made between
the school district and their local college.
As high school counselors discuss course options with students, it is important to explain the differences
between entry and exit expectations for
Mathematics for College Success
and
Mathematics for College
Senate Bill 1908 – Mathematics Success and Readiness
Page Three
June 5, 2009
Readiness
and to inf
orm students of which postsecondary courses they most likely will be prepared for
when they get to college. Since
Mathematics for College Readiness
is aligned with a college level
mathematics course in The Florida College System, it should be considered college preparatory rather
than remediation. It is a mathematics course option that meets high school graduation requirements.
Therefore, the high school mathematics
remediation option
,
Mathematics for College Success
, should be
made available to those students who do not meet the State Board of Education defined cut score of 72 on
the CPT and indicate an interest.
The Department will be issuing the memorandum regarding the statutorily required 2009-2010 District
Interinstitutional Articulation Agreements (IAA) early this summer, and your Senate Bill 1908
implementation policy and practice decisions should be documented in the remediation reduction section
of your IAA.
We appreciate all the work you have already done to implement this legislation and encourage continued
collaboration among the districts and colleges in support of college and career readiness for all students
upon high school graduation.
JB/MJT/jac
c:
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Dr. Eric J. Smith, Commissioner, Florida Department of Education
Ms. Sandy Cho, Chief Strategy Officer, Office of the Commissioner
Dr. Frances Haithcock, Chancellor, K-12 Public Schools
Dr. Willis N. Holcombe, Chancellor, The Florida College System (FCS)
Ms. Lucy Hadi, Chancellor, Division of Workforce Education
Dr. Cornelia Orr, Assistant Deputy Commissioner for Accountability, Research and Measurement
Dr. Michael Jones, Bureau Chief, Postsecondary Assessment
Ms. Julie Alexander, Director, Articulation and Educational Services, FCS
Dr. Heather Sherry, Director, Office of Articulation
Mr. Todd Clark, Bureau Chief, Bureau of Instruction and Innovation
Ms. Loretta Costin, Vice Chancellor, Division of Workforce Education
Ms. Holly Edenfield, Executive Director, K-12 Legislative and Public Affairs
High School Principals
High School Mathematics Liaisons
