HB 979 2022
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hb0979-00
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to high school graduation 2
requirements; amending s. 1002.3105, F.S.; adding a 3
requirement for the award of a standard high school 4
diploma to a student through the Academically 5
Challenging Curriculum to Enhance Learning options; 6
amending s. 1003.4282, F.S.; requiring students to 7
submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid to 8
be awarded a standard high school diploma; providing 9
an exception; requiring high schools to enforce and 10
monitor compliance with such requirements; amending s. 11
1003.5716, F.S.; conforming cross -references; 12
providing an effective date. 13
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Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 15
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Section 1. Subsection (5) of section 1002.3105, Florida 17
Statutes, is amended to read: 18
1002.3105 Academically Challenging Curriculum to Enhance 19
Learning (ACCEL) options. — 20
(5) AWARD OF A STANDARD HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA. —A student who 21
meets the applicable grade 9 c ohort graduation requirements of 22
s. 1003.4282(3)(a)-(e), earns three credits in electives, and 23
earns a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 on a 4.0 24
scale, and complies with the Free Application for Federal 25
HB 979 2022
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hb0979-00
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
Student Aid requirement in s. 1003.4282(5) shall be awarded a 26
standard high school diploma in a form prescribed by the State 27
Board of Education. 28
Section 2. Subsections (5) through (11) of section 29
1003.4282, Florida Statutes, are renumbered as subsections (6) 30
through (12), respectively, and a n ew subsection (5) is added to 31
that section to read: 32
1003.4282 Requirements for a standard high school 33
diploma.— 34
(5) FREE APPLICATION FOR FEDERAL STUDENT AID REQUIREMENT. —35
Beginning with students entering grade 9 in the 2022 -2023 school 36
year, a student must submit a Free Application for Federal 37
Student Aid to be awarded a standard high school diploma. 38
However, a student meets the requirements of this subsection if 39
the student's parent or the student, if such student is 18 years 40
of age or older, submits a signed form declining to submit the 41
Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Each high school is 42
responsible for enforcing and monitoring compliance with this 43
subsection. 44
Section 3. Paragraphs (a) and (b) of subsection (2) of 45
section 1003.5716, Florid a Statutes, are amended to read: 46
1003.5716 Transition to postsecondary education and career 47
opportunities.—All students with disabilities who are 3 years of 48
age to 21 years of age have the right to a free, appropriate 49
public education. As used in this se ction, the term "IEP" means 50
HB 979 2022
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
individual education plan. 51
(2) Beginning not later than the first IEP to be in effect 52
when the student enters high school, attains the age of 14, or 53
when determined appropriate by the parent and the IEP team, 54
whichever occurs first, the IEP must include the following 55
statements that must be updated annually: 56
(a) A statement of intent to pursue a standard high school 57
diploma and a Scholar or Merit designation, pursuant to s. 58
1003.4285, as determined by the parent. 59
1. The statement must document discussion of the process 60
for a student with a disability who meets the requirements for a 61
standard high school diploma to defer the receipt of such 62
diploma pursuant to s. 1003.4282(11)(c) s. 1003.4282(10)(c). 63
2. For the IEP in effec t at the beginning of the school 64
year the student is expected to graduate, the statement must 65
include a signed statement by the parent, the guardian, or the 66
student, if the student has reached the age of majority and 67
rights have transferred to the student, that he or she 68
understands the process for deferment and identifying if the 69
student will defer the receipt of his or her standard high 70
school diploma. 71
(b) A statement of intent to receive a standard high 72
school diploma before the student attains the age of 22 and a 73
description of how the student will fully meet the requirements 74
in s. 1003.4282, including, but not limited to, a portfolio 75
HB 979 2022
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
pursuant to s. 1003.4282(10)(b) s. 1003.4282(9)(b) which meets 76
the criteria specified in State Board of Education rule. The IEP 77
must also specify the outcomes and additional benefits expected 78
by the parent and the IEP team at the time of the student's 79
graduation. 80
Section 4. This act shall take effect July 1, 2022. 81