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 Education Postsecondary
BILL: SPB 7032
INTRODUCER: For consideration by the Education Postsecondary Committee
SUBJECT: Education
DATE: January 16, 2024
ANALYST STAFF DIRECTOR REFERENCE ACTION
1. Brick/Palazesi Bouck HE Submitted as Comm. Bill/Fav
I. Summary:
SPB 7032 creates the Graduation Alternative to Traditional Education (GATE) Program, GATE
Scholarship Program, and GATE Student Success Incentive Fund. All three programs are aimed
at providing high school students the opportunity to earn postsecondary course credits at no cost
to the student while pursuing the completion of a standard high school diploma or equivalent
credential.
The bill provides eligibility criteria for students to enroll in the GATE Program and defines the
career education programs and certificates that can be offered to students enrolled in the GATE
Program. The bill exempts students that are enrolled in the GATE program from the payment of
tuition and specified fees and the costs of instructional materials.
To assist Florida College System institutions, school districts, and charter technical career
centers in administering the GATE Program, the GATE Scholarship Program reimburses
participating institutions for the tuition and fees and instructional materials for students enrolled
in the GATE program. Additionally, the bill provides incentive funding for institutions through
the GATE Student Success Incentive Fund. The incentive funding is provided based on the
number of students enrolled in the GATE program who earn a standard high school diploma or
equivalent credential and postsecondary industry certifications.
The bill is effective July 1, 2024.
REVISED: BILL: SPB 7032 Page 2
II. Present Situation:
High School Graduation in Florida
Florida’s High School Graduation Requirements
To earn a standard high school diploma a student must complete 24 credits, an International
Baccalaureate curriculum, or an Advanced International Certificate of Education curriculum.
1
The 24-credit option for a standard high school diploma includes:
2
Four credits in English Language Arts (ELA) I, II, III, and IV.
Four credits in mathematics, including one in Algebra I and one in Geometry.
Three credits in science, two of which must have a laboratory component and one of which
must include Biology I.
Three credits in social studies including one credit in United States History, one credit in
World History, one-half credit in economics, and one-half credit in United States
Government.
One credit in fine or performing arts, speech and debate, or career and technical education.
One credit in physical education which includes the integration of health.
Seven and one-half credits in electives.
One-half credit in personal financial literacy.
All students must pass the statewide, standardized grade 10 ELA assessment, or earn a
concordant score, and must pass the statewide, standardized Algebra I end-of-course (EOC)
assessment, or earn a comparative score, in order to earn a standard high school diploma.
3
Students who earn the required credits to graduate, but fail to pass the required assessments or
achieve a 2.0 grade point average (GPA) are awarded a certificate of completion in a form
prescribed by the State Board of Education (SBE). In the 2021-2022 graduation cohort, 5,818
students earned a certificate of completion.
4
High School Equivalency Diploma Program
The high school equivalency diploma offers students who are no longer enrolled in high school
an opportunity to earn a high school diploma by successfully passing the standard GED tests. To
be eligible for the high school equivalency diploma program students must meet the following
criteria:
5
At least 16 years old and currently enrolled in a prekindergarten-12 program.
Enrolled in and attending high school courses that meet high school graduation requirements.
1
Section 1003.4282(1)(a), F.S.
2
Section 1003.4282(3)(a)-(g), F.S.
3
Section 1003.4282(3), F.S. A student enrolled in an Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), or
Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE) course who takes the respective AP, IB, or AICE assessment and
earns a specified score is not required to take the corresponding EOC assessment. Section 1008.22(3)(b)6., F.S.
4
Florida Department of Education, Florida’s High School Cohort 2021-22 Graduation Rate,
https://www.fldoe.org/core/fileparse.php/7584/urlt/GradRates2122.pdf, (last visited Jan. 9, 2023).
5
Rule 6A-6.0212, F.A.C BILL: SPB 7032 Page 3
In jeopardy of not graduating with their kindergarten cohort because they are overage for
grade, behind in credits, or have a low GPA.
Assessed at a seventh grade reading level or higher at the time of selection as documented by
the Test of Adult Basic Education (TABE) reading component or other assessment to
determine grade level proficiency.
Each school district is required to offer and administer the high school equivalency diploma
examinations and the subject area examination to candidates.
6
A candidate for a high school
equivalency diploma must be at least 18 years of age on the date of the examination, except that
in extraordinary circumstances, as provided for in rules of the district school board of the district
in which the candidate resides or attends school, a candidate may take the examination after
reaching the age of 16.
7
School districts may not require a student who has reached the age of 16
to take any course before taking the examination unless the student fails to achieve a passing
score on the GED practice test.
8
As seen in the tables below, the number of students enrolling in GED programs at both school
districts and college in the Florida College System (FCS) has increased since the 2020-21 school
year.
9
Students enrolled in a School District GED program
School Year
Number of
Students enrolled
in a GED program
Number Students enrolled in
a GED program who are 21
years of age or less
2020-2021 5,256 2,851
2021-2022 7,499 4,123
2022-2023 8,888 5,330
Students enrolled in an FCS GED program
School Year
Number of
Students enrolled
in a GED program
Number Students enrolled in
a GED program who are 21
years of age or less
2020-2021 780 353
2021-2022 1,034 525
2022-2023 1,166 552
6
Section 1003.435(3), F.S.
7
Section 1003.435(4), F.S.
8
Id.
9
Email, Florida Department of Education, Governmental Relations (Dec. 8, 2023). BILL: SPB 7032 Page 4
Florida’s High School Graduation Rate
SBE rule provides that the 4-year graduation rate used in the school grades model be based on
the “uniform or federal graduation rate” or the four-year adjusted cohort graduation rate outlined
in the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA).
10
The ESEA defines the cohort for
graduation in four years is the number of students in the adjusted cohort for the graduating class
that formed based on first time ninth graders that entered in the fall four years prior.
11
The
following adjustments are made to the graduation cohort over time to:
12
Add incoming transfer students based on their grade level and year of entry;
Remove deceased students; and
Remove students who withdrew to attend school in another state, private school, or a home-
education program.
Each student in the graduation cohort receives a final classification as a graduate, dropout, or
non-graduate. Students who earned a GED-based diploma are counted as non-graduates in the
high school graduation rate, because the GED-based diploma is not recognized as a standard
diploma.
13
In the 2021-2022 graduation cohort, 392 students earned a GED-based diploma and
4,837 were enrolled in an Adult Education program.
14
School Grades
School grades are used to explain a school’s performance in a familiar, easy-to-understand
manner for parents and the public.
15
School grades are also used to determine whether a school
must select or implement a turnaround option
16
or whether a school is eligible for school
recognition funds as appropriated by the Legislature.
17
Each school must receive a school grade based on the school’s performance on the following
components:
18
The percentage of eligible students passing statewide, standardized assessments in ELA,
mathematics, science, and social studies.
The percentage of eligible students who make learning gains in ELA and mathematics as
measured by statewide, standardized assessments.
The percentage of eligible students in the lowest 25 percent in ELA and mathematics, as
identified by prior year performance on statewide, standardized assessments, who make
learning gains as measured by statewide, standardized ELA assessments.
10
State Board of Education rule 6A-1.09981, F.A.C.
11
Section 8101(25) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.
12
Florida Department of Education, 2021-22 Information Guide for the 4-year Graduation Rate Cohort,
https://www.fldoe.org/core/fileparse.php/7584/urlt/2122GradRateInfoGuide.pdf, (last visited Jan. 11, 2023).
13
Section 8101(43) of ESEA defines a “regular high school diploma” and specifies that it may not be aligned to a State’s
alternate academic achievement standards and does not include a general equivalency diploma, certificate of completion,
certificate of attendance, or any other similar or lesser credential.
14
Florida Department of Education, Florida’s High School Cohort 2021-22 Graduation Rate,
https://www.fldoe.org/core/fileparse.php/7584/urlt/GradRates2122.pdf,(last visited Jan. 9, 2023).
15
Section 1008.34(1), F.S.
16
Section 1008.33(4), F.S.
17
Section 1008.36, F.S.
18
Section 1008.34(3)(b)1.a.-j., F.S. BILL: SPB 7032 Page 5
For schools comprised of grade levels that include grade 3, the percentage of eligible
students who score an achievement level 3 or higher on the grade 3 statewide, standardized
ELA assessment.
For schools comprised of middle grades 6 through 8 or grades 7 and 8, the percentage of
eligible students passing high school level statewide, standardized end-of-course assessments
or attaining national industry certifications identified in the CAPE Industry Certification
Funding List pursuant to SBE rule.
For a school comprised of grades 9-12, or 10-12 the school’s grade is based on the following
components:
19
The 4-year high school graduation rate of the school.
The percentage of students who were eligible to earn college and career credit in a specified
acceleration mechanism, who earn a specified industry certification, or who participate in
Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps courses and earn a qualifying score on the Armed
Services Vocational Aptitude Battery.
Existing Initiatives in Adult Secondary and Career Education
Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014
In 2014, Congress passed the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), which
superseded the Workforce Investment Act of 1998.
20
WIOA requires each state to develop a
single, unified plan for aligning workforce services through the identification and evaluation of
core workforce programs.
21
WIOA identifies four core programs that coordinate and complement each other to ensure job
seekers have access to needed resources.
22
The core programs are:
Adult, Dislocated Worker and Youth Programs;
Adult Education and Literacy Activities;
Employment Services under the Wagner-Peyser Act;
23
and
Vocational Rehabilitation Services.
24
In Fiscal Year 2021-2022, CareerSource Florida allocated $245 million in funding
25
and assisted
86,503 job seekers in obtaining employment.
26
19
Section 1008.34(3)(b)2.,F.S. State Board of Education rule 6A-1.09981 defines the four-year high school graduation rate as
measured according to 34 CFR §200.19, Other Academic Indicators.
20
Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, 29 U.S.C. s. 3101 et seq. (2014).
21
See 29 U.S.C. s. 3112(a).
22
See 29 U.S.C. s. 3102(13).
23
See 29 U.S.C. s. 49 et seq.
24
See 29 U.S.C. s. 720 et. seq.
25
CareerSource Florida, Strategic Policy and Performance Council Meeting (Feb. 16, 2022), available at
https://careersourceflorida.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/2022-02-16-Closer-Look-
Fed_Funding_State_Board_Initiatives.pdf, at 5.
26
CareerSource Florida, CareerSource Florida Celebrates 2022 Workforce Development Accomplishments,
https://careersourceflorida.com/2022/12/29/careersource-florida-celebrates-2022-workforce-development-accomplishments/
(last visited Mar. 11, 2023). BILL: SPB 7032 Page 6
WIOA includes funding to provide adult education and literacy activities for individuals who are
at least 16 years of age, not enrolled in secondary school, and do not have a secondary school
diploma or its recognized equivalent.
27
Adult education and family literacy activities include
programs, activities, and services that include adult education, literacy, workplace adult
education and literacy activities, family literacy activities, English language acquisition
activities, integrated English literacy and civics education, workforce preparation activities, or
integrated education and training.
28
The estimated award for Fiscal Year 2023 for basic adult
education and family literacy activities in Florida is $40,506,044.
29
WIOA also provides funds to local workforce boards to provide youth workforce investment
activities that provide:
30
Activities leading to the attainment of a secondary school diploma or its recognized
equivalent, or a recognized postsecondary credential;
Preparation for postsecondary educational and training opportunities;
Strong linkages between academic instruction and occupational education that lead to the
attainment of recognized postsecondary credentials;
Preparation for unsubsidized employment opportunities, in appropriate cases; and
Effective connections to employers, including small employers, in in-demand industry
sectors and occupations of the local and regional labor markets.
Florida’s allotment for youth workforce investment activities under WIOA is $39,224,930 for the
2023 Program Year.
31
Perkins V
The Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006, as amended by the
Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act (Perkins V), assists
states and outlying areas in expanding and improving career and technical education (CTE) in
secondary schools, technical schools, and community colleges.
32
The term “career and technical
education” means organized educational activities that:
33
Offer a sequence of courses that provides individuals with rigorous academic content and
relevant technical knowledge and skills needed to prepare for further education and careers.
Include competency-based, work-based, or other applied learning that supports the
development of academic knowledge, higher-order reasoning and problem-solving skills,
work attitudes, employability skills, technical skills, and occupation-specific skills, and
knowledge of all aspects of an industry, including entrepreneurship, of an individual.
To the extent practicable, coordinate between secondary and postsecondary education
programs through programs of study that provide postsecondary credit or advanced standing.
27
29 U.S.C. s. 3272(4).
28
29 U.S.C. s. 3272(2).
29
USDOE, Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education, FY_2023_State_Grant_Allocations_Memo, available at
https://aefla.ed.gov/state-grants at 2.
30
29 U.S.C. s. 3164(c)(1)(C).
31
USDOL, ETA, WIOA Youth Activities State Allotments (2023), available at
https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/ETA/budget/pdfs/23you%24.pdf.
32
20 U.S.C. s. 2301 et seq.
33
20 U.S.C. s. 2302(5). BILL: SPB 7032 Page 7
May include career exploration at the high school level or as early as the middle grades.
Florida received $82,363,333 under Perkins V for Fiscal Year 2023.
The Gateway to College Program
The Gateway to College is a program designed for students who are behind in credits or out of
school to complete their high school diploma on a college campus while earning college
credits.
34
Since 2000, the Gateway to College program has helped more than 10,000 students
earn a diploma while gaining postsecondary credentials.
35
The Gateway to College program has
the following eligibility requirements:
36
Students aged 16-20 years old at entry.
Be enrolled in a high school approved by the postsecondary institution.
Need for an alternative placement which is typically includes students who are not on track
to graduate with their graduation cohort.
Trade School Scholarship for Adult Students
Through the Imagine America’s Foundation’s Adults Skills Education Program (ASEP), one-
time grants are provided to qualified adults to attend an eligible career college.
37
Students who
meet the following criteria are eligible for the grant:
38
Be enrolling in a participating college.
Meet the eligibility requirements of the college.
Be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.
Be at least 19 years of age and have a high school diploma, GED or pass an Ability to
Benefit test.
Not be a previous recipient of any other Imagine America Foundation scholarships/awards.
Complete the NCCT Educational Success Potential Assessment.
Demonstrate Financial Need.
There are currently over 400 career colleges that participate in the ASEP program that offer
programs in many areas including:
39
Welding
Mechanics
Medical
Information Technology (IT)
Business
Graphic Design & the Arts
34
Achieving the Dream, Gateway to College, https://achievingthedream.org/gateway-to-college/, (last visited Jan. 10, 2024).
35
Id.
36
Portland Community College, Gateway to College, https://www.pcc.edu/gateway-to-college/, (last visited Jan. 10, 2024).
37
Imagine America Foundation, Trade School Scholarships for Adult Students, https://www.imagine-
america.org/scholarshipsforadults/, (last visited Jan. 10, 2024).
38
Imagine America Foundation, Adult Skills Education Program Student Qualifications, https://www.imagine-
america.org/scholarshipsforadultsqualifications/, (last visited Jan. 10, 2024).
39
Id. BILL: SPB 7032 Page 8
Florida Workforce Education
“Workforce education” is adult general education or career education and may consist of a
continuing workforce education course or a program of study leading to an occupational
completion point, a career certificate, an applied technology diploma, a career degree, or a
registered apprenticeship certificate of completion.
At the postsecondary level, the terms “workforce education” and “workforce education program”
include:
40
Adult general education programs designed to improve the employability skills of the state’s
workforce.
41
Career certificate programs, which are defined as a course of study that leads to one
completion point.
42
Applied technology diploma programs.
Continuing workforce education courses.
Degree career education programs.
Apprenticeship and preapprenticeship programs.
Adult Education programs in Florida were established to encourage the provision of educational
services that will enable adults to acquire:
43
The basic skills necessary to attain basic and functional literacy.
A high school diploma or successfully complete the high school equivalency examination.
An educational foundation that will enable them to become more employable, productive,
and self-sufficient citizens.
The major program areas are Adult Basic Education Adult High School and GED® Preparation,
and English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL). These programs emphasize basic skills
such as reading, writing, math, and English language competency. Adult education programs
also help adult learners gain the knowledge and skills they need to enter and succeed in
postsecondary education.
44
“Adult secondary education” is a course through which a person receives high school credit that
leads to the award of a high school diploma or a course of instruction through which a student
prepares to take the high school equivalency examination.
45
An “applied technology diploma program” (ATD) is a course of study that is part of a technical
degree program, is less than 60 credit hours, and leads to employment in a specific occupation.
46
An ATD program may consist of either technical credit or college credit. A public school district
may offer an ATD program only as technical credit, with college credit awarded to a student
40
Section 1011.80(1), F.S.
41
Section 1011.80(1), F.S.
42
Section 1004.02(20), F.S.
43
Section 1004.93(1)(a), F.S.
44
Florida Department of Education, Adult Education, https://www.fldoe.org/academics/career-adult-edu/adult-edu/, (last
visited Jan. 10, 2024).
45
Section 1004.02(4), F.S.
46
Section 1004.02(7), F.S. BILL: SPB 7032 Page 9
upon articulation to an FCS institution. Statewide articulation among public schools and FCS
institutions is guaranteed.
47
To qualify for admission to an ATD program, a student must:
48
Have a high school diploma, a high school equivalency diploma, or a certificate of
completion; or
Submit a signed affidavit by the student's parent or legal guardian attesting that the student
has completed a home education program that satisfies school attendance requirements.
49
A “career certificate program” is a course of study that leads to at least one occupational
completion point.
50
An “occupational completion point” means the occupational competencies
that qualify a person to enter an occupation that is linked to a career and technical program.
51
The career certificate program may also confer credit that may articulate with a diploma or
career degree education program.
52
The DOE has established 29 statewide articulation
agreements for career certificate programs to career degree education programs.
53
CAPE Industry Certification Funding List
The State Board of Education is required to adopt, at least annually, based on recommendations
by the Commissioner of Education, the CAPE Industry Certification Funding List that assigns
additional full-time equivalent membership to certifications identified in the Master Credentials
List that meet a statewide, regional, or local demand.
54
Certifications included on the CAPE Industry Certification Funding List:
55
Require at least 150 hours of instruction and
Can be earned in middle and high school.
Usually require passage of a subject area examination and some combination of work
experience, educational attainment, or on-the-job training.
Funds for Operation of Workforce Education Programs
State funding for workforce education programs is calculated based on weighted student
enrollment and program costs, minus tuition and fee revenues, and including various
supplemental cost factors.
56
47
Section 1007.23(5), F.S.
48
Rule 6A-10.024(7), F.A.C.
49
Section 1002.41, F.S.
50
Section 1004.02(20), F.S.
51
Section 1004.02(21), F.S.
52
Section 1004.02(20), F.S.
53
Florida Department of Education, Statewide Articulation Agreements: Statewide Career Pathways,
https://www.fldoe.org/academics/career-adult-edu/career-technical-edu-agreements/psav-to-aas-as-degree.stml (last visited
Jan. 10, 2024).
54
Section 1008.44(1), F.S.
55
Rule 6A-6.0576(5)-(6), F.S.
56
Section 1011.80(6)(b), F.S. Continuing workforce education programs provided by district school boards or Florida
College System institutions must be fully supported by fees. Section 1011.80(6)(a), F.S. For fee-exempt students (e.g.,
students in an apprenticeship program), state funding is 100 percent of the average cost of instruction. Section 1011.80(6)(c),
F.S. BILL: SPB 7032 Page 10
Annual performance funding distributions to district school boards and state colleges are based
on student attainment of the credentials included in the CAPE Industry Certification Funding
List.
57
Performance funding for industry certifications for school district workforce education
programs is contingent upon specific appropriation in the General Appropriations Act.
58
Each district school board or FCS institution is provided $1,000 for each industry certification
earned by a workforce education student, or prorated if funds are insufficient to fully fund the
calculated total award.
59
Workforce Education Tuition and Fees
For programs leading to a career certificate or an ATD, the standard tuition is be $2.33 per
contact hour for residents.
60
A block tuition of $45 per half year or $30 per term is assessed for
students enrolled in adult general education, which includes adult secondary education
programs.
61
Each district school board and FCS institution may adopt tuition that is within the
range of five percent below to five percent above the standard tuition.
62
Institutions may also
adopt student financial aid,
63
capital improvement,
64
and technology fees
65
for students that are
not enrolled in adult general education programs. The student financial aid fee is capped at 10
percent of tuition, while the capital improvement and technology fees are capped at 5 percent of
tuition.
66
Florida College System institution boards of trustees and district school boards are also
authorized to establish fee schedules for the following user fees and fines: laboratory fees;
parking fees and fines; library fees and fines; fees and fines relating to facilities and equipment
use or damage; access or identification card fees; duplicating, photocopying, binding, or
microfilming fees; standardized testing fees; diploma replacement fees; transcript fees;
application fees; graduation fees; and late fees related to registration and payment. Such user fees
and fines may not exceed the cost of the services provided and may only be charged to persons
receiving the service.
67
The total tuition and fee estimate for district career centers for postsecondary certificate and adult
general education programs in the 2023-24 fiscal year is $40,152, 198.
68
57
Section 1008.44(2), F.S.
58
Section 1011.80(7)(b), F.S.
59
Sections 1011.80(7)(b)2. and 1011.81(2)(b), F.S.
60
Section 1009.22, F.S.
61
Section 1009.22(3)(c), F.S.
62
Section 1009.22(3)(d), F.S. Florida Department of Education, State Funding for Districts: 2023-24 District Workforce
Education Tuition and Fees (Attachment), available at https://www.fldoe.org/core/fileparse.php/7529/urlt/2023-24-
Workforce-Education-Tuition-and-Fees-Attachment.pdf at 1.
63
Section 1009.22(6), F.S.
64
Section 1009.22(7), F.S.
65
Section 1009.22(8), F.S.
66
Section 1009.22(6)-(8), F.S.
67
Section 1009.22(10), F.S.
68
Florida Department of Education, 2023-24 District Workforce Education Funding Summary, available at
https://www.fldoe.org/core/fileparse.php/7529/urlt/2324-wf-fundingsummary.pdf at 32. BILL: SPB 7032 Page 11
Workforce Education Funding for Co-enrollment
School districts and FCS institutions are permitted to allow students currently enrolled in high
school to co-enroll in their Adult High School program.
69
A student who is coenrolled in a K-12
education program and an adult education program may be reported for purposes of funding in
an adult education program. If a student is coenrolled in core curricula courses for credit
recovery or dropout prevention purposes and does not have a pattern of excessive absenteeism or
habitual truancy or a history of disruptive behavior in school, the student may be reported for
funding for up to two courses per year. Such a student is exempt from the payment of the block
tuition for adult general education programs. The Department of Education is required to develop
a list of courses to be designated as core curricula courses for the purposes of coenrollment.
70
State Financial Aid and Grants
The general requirements for eligibility of students for state financial aid awards and tuition
assistance grants consist of the following:
71
Achievement of the academic requirements of and acceptance at a state university or state
college; a nursing diploma school approved by the Florida Board of Nursing; a Florida
college or university which is accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by the SBE; a
Florida institution the credits of which are acceptable for transfer to state universities; a
career center; or a private career institution accredited by an accrediting agency recognized
by the SBE.
Residency in this state for no less than one year preceding the award of aid or a tuition
assistance grant.
72
Residency in this state must be for purposes other than to obtain an
education.
Submission of certification attesting to the accuracy, completeness, and correctness of
information provided to demonstrate a student’s eligibility to receive state financial aid
awards or tuition assistance grants.
III. Effect of Proposed Changes:
SPB 7032 creates the Graduation Alternative to Traditional Education (GATE) Program, GATE
Scholarship Program, and GATE Student Success Incentive Fund. All three programs are aimed
at providing high school students the opportunity to earn postsecondary course credits at no cost
to the student while pursuing the completion of a standard high school diploma or equivalent
credential.
The bill provides eligibility criteria for students to enroll in the GATE Program and defines the
career education programs and certificates that can be offered to students enrolled in the GATE
Program. The bill exempts students that are enrolled in the GATE program from the payment of
tuition and specified fees and the costs of instructional materials.
69
Florida Department of Education, Memorandum: 2022-23 Adult High School Co-Enrollment Program Eligible Course List
(July 12, 2022), available at https://www.fldoe.org/core/fileparse.php/7671/urlt/2223-AdultHighCoEnroll-Memo.pdf.
70
Section 1011.80(10), F.S.
71
Section 1009.40(1)(a), F.S.
72
The residency requirement is specific to awards under ss. 1009.50, 1009.505, 1009.51, 1009.52, 1009.53, 1009.60,
1009.62, 1009.72, 1009.73, 1009.75, 1009.77, 1009.89, and 1009.894, F.S. BILL: SPB 7032 Page 12
To assist Florida College System (FCS) institutions, school districts, and charter technical career
centers in administering the GATE Program, the GATE Scholarship Program reimburses
participating institutions for the tuition and fees and instructional materials for students enrolled
in the GATE program. Additionally, the bill provides incentive funding for institutions through
the GATE Student Success Incentive Fund. The incentive funding is provided based on the
number of students enrolled in the GATE program who earn a standard high school diploma or
equivalent credential and postsecondary industry certifications.
Graduation Alternative to Traditional Education (GATE) Program
The bill creates s. 1004.933, F.S., to establish the Graduation Alternative to Traditional
Education (GATE) Program within the Department of Education (DOE). In regards to the GATE
Program, the bill specifies the intent of the Legislature:
For each high school student to have the opportunity to earn postsecondary course credits at
no cost to the student while pursuing the completion of a standard high school diploma or
equivalent credential.
That high school students have access to high-quality workforce education programs that can
help them build their basic education abilities and attain industry-recognized postsecondary
credentials.
To assist students who may have challenges in completing the requirements for a standard
high school diploma in a traditional setting.
To create an alternative education pathway that supports this state’s commitment to
educational accessibility for all students by providing additional opportunities for students 16
to 21 years of age who have discontinued enrollment in traditional high school programs.
To increase the number of students who successfully earn a high school credential in this
state.
To increase the interest and participation of students in career and technical education (CTE)
programs.
To be eligible to participate in the GATE Program, the bill specifies that a student must:
Not have earned a standard high school diploma or a high school equivalency diploma.
Be a resident of this state for tuition purposes.
Be concurrently enrolled in an adult secondary education program and a career education
program at a FCS institution, a career center, or a charter technical career center.
Be 16 to 21 years of age at the time of initial enrollment.
Select the CTE pathway or program of his or her choice at the time of enrollment. The
student may not change the requested pathway after enrollment.
Maintain a 2.0 grade point average (GPA) for CTE coursework.
Complete the adult secondary education program and the career education program within
three years unless the institution determines that an extension is warranted due to extenuating
circumstances.
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The bill defines a “career education program” as an applied technology diploma program
73
or a
career certificate program
74
and defines an “institution” as a school district career center,
75
a
charter technical career center,
76
or a Florida College System institution.
77
The bill provides that students enrolled in the GATE Program are exempt from the payment of
registration, tuition, laboratory, and examination fees to a participating institution. Additionally,
instructional materials assigned for use under the GATE Program must be made available to
GATE Program students free of charge. The bill prohibits an institution from:
Imposing additional criteria to determine a student’s eligibility to receive a fee waiver under
the GATE Program.
Requiring students to pay for instructional materials costs that are eligible for reimbursement
under the GATE Scholarship Program.
GATE Scholarship Program
The bill creates 1009.711, F.S., to implement the GATE Scholarship Program. The GATE
Scholarship Program is created to financially support institutions in providing the GATE
Program.
Under the bill, the GATE Scholarship Program will reimburse eligible institutions for
registration, tuition, laboratory, and examination fees and related instructional materials costs for
students enrolled in the GATE Program. The bill requires the GATE Scholarship Program to
reimburse career centers and Florida College System institutions at their respective in-state
resident tuition rates.
Each participating institution is required to report to the DOE all students enrolled in the GATE
Program during the fall, spring, or summer terms within 30 days after the end of regular
registration. For each eligible student, the institution is required to report the total reimbursable
expenses by category, which the DOE must consider in determining an institution’s GATE
Scholarship Program award. The bill requires the DOE to reimburse each participating institution
no later than 30 days after the institution has reported enrollment for that term.
The bill provides that reimbursements from the GATE Scholarship Program are contingent upon
an annual appropriation in the General Appropriations Act (GAA). If the statewide
reimbursement amount is greater than the appropriation, the institutional reimbursement amounts
must be prorated among the institutions that have timely reported eligible students.
The bill requires the State Board of Education to adopt rules to implement the GATE Program
and the GATE Scholarship Program.
73
Section 1004.02(7), F.S.
74
Section 1004.02(20), F.S.
75
Section 1001.44, F.S.
76
Section 1002.34, F.S.
77
Section 1000.21, F.S. BILL: SPB 7032 Page 14
GATE Program Student Success Incentive Fund
The bill creates s. 1011.804, F.S., to establish the GATE Program Student Success Incentive
fund to reward school districts and FCS institutions for the documented success of students
participating in the GATE Program. Subject to legislative appropriation, each participating
institution may receive an allocation based on the performance of students in its GATE Program
according to the following metrics:
The number of students obtaining a standard high school diploma or high school equivalency
diploma while participating in the program.
The number of postsecondary industry certifications or other program completion credentials
earned by students participating in the program. Eligible industry certifications must be
identified on the CAPE Industry Certification Funding List
The bill requires that unless otherwise specified in the GAA, each institution must be provided:
An amount of $750 per student who obtains a standard high school diploma or high school
equivalency diploma.
An amount of $1,000 per student earning career certificates or credentials.
The bill provides that if funding is insufficient to fully fund the calculated total award, such
funds must be prorated among the institutions.
Funds for the Operation of Workforce Education
The bill modifies s. 1011.80, F.S., to increase from 2 to 4 the number of courses that may be
reported for funding for a student who is coenrolled in a K-12 education program and adult
education program. The bill also removes the requirement that the courses funded must be core
curricula.
High School Equivalency Diploma Program
The bill modifies s. 1003.435, F.S., to require district school boards to notify each candidate for
the high school equivalency diploma of the adult secondary and postsecondary education options
available in or near the district. Additionally, the candidate must be informed of the eligibility
requirements and any minimum academic requirements for each available option.
School Grades
The bill modifies s. 1008.34, F.S., to provide that students enrolled in high school, who choose to
enroll in the GATE Program may not be included in the graduation rate used in the school grades
model. By removing high school students who choose to enroll in the GATE program from the
graduation rate in the school grades model, high schools will not have their school grade
impacted by students enrolling in the GATE program.
The bill is effective July 1, 2024.
BILL: SPB 7032 Page 15
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 funding for the Graduation Alternative to Traditional Education (GATE) Program is
subject to legislative appropriation.
VI. Technical Deficiencies:
None.
VII. Related Issues:
None.
VIII. Statutes Affected:
This bill substantially amends the following sections of the Florida Statutes: 1003.435, 1008.34,
and 1011.80.
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This bill creates the following sections of the Florida Statutes: 1004.933, 1009.711, and
1011.804.
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.