CS/HB 445 2023
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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 certificates of completion; 2
amending s. 1002.45, F.S.; conforming a cross -3
reference; amending s. 1003.4282, F.S.; requiring 4
school districts to notify students entitled to a 5
certificate of completion and their parents of 6
specified education options; providing notification 7
requirements; requiring the State Board of Education 8
to adopt rules for specified purposes; amending s. 9
1011.62, F.S.; providing additional funding through 10
the Florida Education Finance Program to school 11
districts for certain students who earn a standard 12
high school diploma; providing requirements for such 13
funding; providing an effective date. 14
15
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 16
17
Section 1. Paragraph (b) of subsection (6) of section 18
1002.45, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 19
1002.45 Virtual instruction programs. — 20
(6) VIRTUAL INSTRUCTION PROGRAM AND VIRTUAL CHARTER SCHOOL 21
FUNDING.— 22
(b) Students enrolled in a virtual instruction program 23
shall be funded in the Florida Education Finance Program as 24
provided in the General Appropriations Act. The calculation to 25
CS/HB 445 2023
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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
determine the amount of funds for each student through the 26
Florida Education Finance Program shall include the sum of the 27
base Florida Education Finance Program pursuant to s. 28
1011.62(1)(t) s. 1011.62(1)(s) and all categorical programs 29
except for the categorical programs established pursuant to ss. 30
1011.62(1)(f), (7), and (13); 1011.68; 1011.685; and 1012.71. 31
Students residing outside of the school district reporting the 32
full-time equivalent virtual student shall be funded from state 33
funds only. 34
Section 2. Paragraph (c) of subsection (6) of section 35
1003.4282, Florida St atutes, is amended to read: 36
1003.4282 Requirements for a standard high school 37
diploma.— 38
(6) AWARD OF A STANDARD HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA. — 39
(c) A student who earns the required 24 credits, or the 40
required 18 credits under s. 1002.3105(5), but fails to pass the 41
assessments required under s. 1008.22(3) or achieve a 2.0 GPA 42
shall be awarded a certificate of completion in a form 43
prescribed by the State Board of Education. However, a student 44
who is otherwise entitled to a certificate of completion may 45
elect to remain in high school either as a full -time student or 46
a part-time student for up to 1 additional year and receive 47
special instruction designed to remedy his or her identified 48
deficiencies. 49
1. The school district must notify each student entitled 50
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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
to a certificate of completion and his or her parents, in 51
writing, of the option for the student to remain in high school 52
for up to 1 additional year to receive special instruction to 53
remedy his or her identified deficiencies and graduate with a 54
standard high school diploma. The notification must include the 55
contact information of a certified school counselor who can 56
advise the student and his or her parents on this option. 57
2. If the student elects to be awarded a certificate of 58
completion and declines the additi onal year of instruction, the 59
student's certified school counselor or other school personnel 60
shall inform the student of opportunities to continue his or her 61
education through eligible postsecondary, workforce, and adult 62
education programs. 63
3. The State Board of Education shall adopt rules to 64
monitor compliance with the requirements of this paragraph. 65
Section 3. Paragraphs (q) through (t) of subsection (1) of 66
section 1011.62, Florida Statutes, are redesignated as 67
paragraphs (r) through (u), and a new paragraph (q) is added to 68
that subsection, to read: 69
1011.62 Funds for operation of schools. —If the annual 70
allocation from the Florida Education Finance Program to each 71
district for operation of schools is not determined in the 72
annual appropriations act o r the substantive bill implementing 73
the annual appropriations act, it shall be determined as 74
follows: 75
CS/HB 445 2023
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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
(1) COMPUTATION OF THE BASIC AMOUNT TO BE INCLUDED FOR 76
OPERATION.—The following procedure shall be followed in 77
determining the annual allocation to each district for 78
operation: 79
(q) Calculation of additional full -time equivalent 80
membership based on the award of standard high school diplomas 81
to students eligible for a certificate of completion. —A value of 82
0.5 full-time equivalent student membership shall be calculated 83
for each student who is entitled to a certificate of completion 84
who elects to remain in high school for up to 1 additional year 85
pursuant to s. 1003.4282(6)(c) and is awarded a standard high 86
school diploma. Such value shall be added to the total full -time 87
equivalent student membership in basic programs for grades 9 88
through 12 in the subsequent fiscal year. Each school district 89
shall allocate the funds received from the bonus FTE funding 90
under this paragraph to the schools whose students generate the 91
funds. Funds shall be expended solely for the payment of special 92
instruction and support services to students eligible for a 93
certificate of completion who elect to remain in high school for 94
up to 1 additional year pursuant to s. 1003.4282(6)(c). 95
Section 4. This act shall take effect July 1, 2023. 96