The Florida Senate
BILL ANALYSIS AND FISCAL IMPACT STATEMENT
(This document is based on the provisions contained in the legislation as of the latest date listed below.)
Prepared By: The Professional Staff of the Committee on Fiscal Policy
BILL: SB 694
INTRODUCER: Senators Perry and Rouson
SUBJECT: Florida Seal of Fine Arts Program
DATE: January 29, 2024
ANALYST STAFF DIRECTOR REFERENCE ACTION
1. Sabitsch Bouck ED Favorable
2. Gray Elwell AED Favorable
3. Sabitsch Yeatman FP Favorable
I. Summary:
SB 694 establishes the Florida Seal of Fine Arts Program to recognize high school graduates
who have met specified criteria in fine arts by having an appropriate Seal of Fine Arts (seal)
affixed to the student’s high school diploma. Specifically, the bill:
Establishes the program beginning with the 2024-2025 school year.
Sets criteria for earning the seal and permits the Department of Education (DOE) to adopt
additional criteria.
Sets requirements for the Commissioner of Education (commissioner) to prepare the seal and
provide to school districts a rubric for implementation.
Sets requirements for school districts including; maintaining records to identify students
earning the seal, reporting to the commissioner, affixing the seal to the student’s diploma,
and indicating on the student’s transcript that the seal was earned by the student.
Prohibits fees associated with the seal.
This bill could have a fiscal impact to the DOE. See section V.
The bill takes effect on July 1, 2024.
II. Present Situation:
The Arts and Florida Students
Florida brings the arts to students in a variety of ways; from promoting an Arts Education
Month
1
to enacting arts-related legislation such as:
1
Florida Department of Education (FDOE), Memorandum, Arts Education Month (2022), available at
https://info.fldoe.org/docushare/dsweb/Get/Document-9476/dps-2022-13.pdf (last visited Jan. 9, 2024).
REVISED: BILL: SB 694 Page 2
Requiring each school board to provide courses and instruction in the arts for all students,
and requiring students to take one credit in fine or performing arts, speech and debate, or
practical arts to meet graduation requirements.
2
Establishing the annual art in the capitol competition as a statewide visual arts competition
for all public, private, and home education students in grades six through eight.
3
Requiring the Commissioner of Education to annually publish a fine arts report that includes:
o Student access to and participation in fine arts courses, including visual arts, music,
dance, and theatre courses;
o The number and certification status of educators providing instruction in fine arts
courses;
o Classroom space equipped for fine arts instruction; and
o The manner in which schools are providing the core curricular content for fine arts
established in the state academic standards.
4
During the 2021-2022 school year, all Florida districts enrolled students in a fine arts course.
Statewide 61 percent (1,736,659) of all students enrolled in a fine arts course as follows:
Visual Arts comprising 47 percent of enrollments;
Music comprising 47 percent of enrollments;
Theatre comprising 4 percent of enrollments; and
Dance comprising 2 percent of enrollments.
5
Florida Seal of Biliteracy Program
The Florida Seal of Biliteracy Program (program) was established in 2016. The program
recognizes high school graduates who attain a high level of competency in listening, speaking,
reading, and writing in one or more foreign languages in addition to English, and offers two
seals: gold and silver.
6
To earn the gold or silver seal of biliteracy, a Florida high school student who has earned a
standard high school diploma must:
Earn four foreign language course credits in the same foreign language with a cumulative 3.0
GPA or higher;
Achieve a qualifying scores on a foreign language assessment with the gold seal requiring
higher qualifying scores as determined by the State Board of Education (SBE); or
Satisfy alternative requirements as determined by the SBE.
7
2
Sections 1003.42(1) and 1003.4282(3), F.S.
3
Section 1003.49965, F.S.
4
Section 1003.4995, F.S.
5
Florida Department of Education, 2021-2022 Fine Arts Report, https://www.fldoe.org/academics/standards/subject-
areas/fine-arts/ (last visited January10, 2024).
6
Section 1003.432, F.S.
7
Rule 6A-1.09951, F.A.C. BILL: SB 694 Page 3
Standard High School Diploma Designations
Florida also offers other designations on the standard high school diploma including a “Scholar”
designation and an “Industry Scholar” designation. These two designations are not in the form of
a seal attached to the diploma.
In order to earn the Scholar designation a students must:
Earn one credit in Algebra II or an equally rigorous course.
Pass the statewide Biology I End-Of-Course (EOC) assessment and earn one credit in
chemistry or physics and one credit in a course equally rigorous.
Pass the statewide Geometry EOC assessment.
Pass the statewide U.S. History EOC assessment or alternate.
Earn two credits in the same foreign language.
Earn at least one elective credit in an Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate,
Advanced International Certificate of Education, or a dual enrollment course.
In order to earn the Industry Scholar designation a student must attain one or more industry
certifications.
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III. Effect of Proposed Changes:
The bill creates s. 1003.4321, F.S., to establish the Florida Seal of Fine Arts Program within the
DOE beginning with the 2024-2025 school year. The program is established to recognize high
school graduates who have met exemplary benchmarks in fine arts coursework and have
demonstrated an exemplary level of proficiency in the performing or visual arts.
The seal will be awarded to high school students who have earned a standard diploma and meet
the following requirements:
Completes three year-long courses or three sequential courses in dance, music, theatre or the
visual arts with a grade of “A” in each of the three courses.
Meets any two of the following requirements:
o Completes a fine arts International Baccalaureate, Advanced Placement, dual enrollment,
or honors course in dance, music, theatre or the visual arts with a grade of “B” or higher.
o Participates in a district or statewide organization’s juried event as a selected student
participant for two or more years.
o Records as least 25 volunteer hours of arts-related community service in his or her
community and make a comprehensive presentation of his or her experience.
o Receives district, state, or national recognition for the creation of an original work of art,
which is defined as “a musical or theatrical composition, visual artwork, or
choreographed routine or performance.”
The bill allows the DOE to establish additional criteria for awarding of the seal.
The bill directs the Commissioner of Education to do the following:
Prepare and provide to each district an appropriate seal for the diploma.
8
Section 1003.4285, F.S. BILL: SB 694 Page 4
Provide each district with a rubric to implement the program.
The bill directs each school district to do the following:
Maintain records of students who have earned the Seal of Fine Arts.
Report to the DOE the number of students who have met the requirement to earn the seal.
Affix the appropriate seal to the diploma of students who have earned the seal.
The bill prohibits districts or the DOE from charging a fee associated with the seal.
The bill requires the DOE adopt rules to administer the program.
The bill takes effect on July 1, 2024.
IV. Constitutional Issues:
A. Municipality/County Mandates Restrictions:
None.
B. Public Records/Open Meetings Issues:
None.
C. Trust Funds Restrictions:
None.
D. State Tax or Fee Increases:
None.
E. Other Constitutional Issues:
None.
V. Fiscal Impact Statement:
A. Tax/Fee Issues:
None.
B. Private Sector Impact:
None.
C. Government Sector Impact:
The DOE may incur a cost to provide the seal for diplomas. However, the department
should be able to absorb such costs within existing resources. BILL: SB 694 Page 5
VI. Technical Deficiencies:
None.
VII. Related Issues:
None.
VIII. Statutes Affected:
This bill creates section 1003.4321 of the Florida Statutes.
IX. Additional Information:
A. Committee Substitute – Statement of Changes:
(Summarizing differences between the Committee Substitute and the prior version of the bill.)
None.
B. Amendments:
None.
This Senate Bill Analysis does not reflect the intent or official position of the bill’s introducer or the Florida Senate.