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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. 1002.394, F.S.; conforming a provision to 3
changes made by the act; amending s. 1003.4282, F.S.; 4
deleting provisions providing for the award of a 5
certificate of completion to certain students; 6
conforming provisions to changes made by the act; 7
amending s. 1003.433 conforming a provision to changes 8
made by the act; amending s. 1007.263, F.S.; revising 9
the student eligibility criteria for enrollment in 10
certificate career education programs; providing an 11
effective date. 12
13
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 14
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Section 1. Subsection (16) of section 1002.394, Florida 16
Statutes, is amended to read: 17
1002.394 The Family Empowerment Scholarship Program. — 18
(16) TRANSITION-TO-WORK PROGRAM.—A student with a 19
disability who is determined eligible pursuant to paragraph 20
(3)(b) who is at least 17 years, but not older than 22 years of 21
age and who has not received a high school diploma or 22
certificate of completion is eligible for enrollment in his or 23
her participating private school's transition -to-work program. A 24
transition-to-work program shall consist of academic 25
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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
instruction, work skills tr aining, and a volunteer or paid work 26
experience. 27
(a) To offer a transition -to-work program, a participating 28
private school must: 29
1. Develop a transition -to-work program plan, which must 30
include a written description of the academic instruction and 31
work skills training students will receive and the goals for 32
students in the program. 33
2. Submit the transition -to-work program plan to the 34
Office of Independent Education and Parental Choice and consider 35
any guidance provided by the department pursuant to pa ragraph 36
(8)(d) relating to the plan. 37
3. Develop a personalized transition -to-work program plan 38
for each student enrolled in the program. The student's parent, 39
the student, and the school principal must sign the personalized 40
plan. The personalized plan mu st be submitted to the Office of 41
Independent Education and Parental Choice upon request by the 42
office. 43
4. Provide a release of liability form that must be signed 44
by the student's parent, the student, and a representative of 45
the business offering the volu nteer or paid work experience. 46
5. Assign a case manager or job coach to visit the 47
student's job site on a weekly basis to observe the student and, 48
if necessary, provide support and guidance to the student. 49
6. Provide to the parent and student a quarter ly report 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
that documents and explains the student's progress and 51
performance in the program. 52
7. Maintain accurate attendance and performance records 53
for the student. 54
(b) A student enrolled in a transition -to-work program 55
must, at a minimum: 56
1. Receive 15 instructional hours at the participating 57
private school's physical facility, which must include academic 58
instruction and work skills training. 59
2. Participate in 10 hours of work at the student's 60
volunteer or paid work experience. 61
(c) To participate in a transition -to-work program, a 62
business must: 63
1. Maintain an accurate record of the student's 64
performance and hours worked and provide the information to the 65
participating private school. 66
2. Comply with all state and federal child labor law s. 67
Section 2. Paragraph (c) of subsection (5) and paragraphs 68
(a) and (d) of subsection (8) of section 1003.4282, Florida 69
Statutes, are amended to read: 70
1003.4282 Requirements for a standard high school 71
diploma.— 72
(5) AWARD OF A STANDARD HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA.— 73
(c) A student who earns the required 24 credits, or the 74
required 18 credits under s. 1002.3105(5), but fails to pass the 75
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assessments required under s. 1008.22(3) or achieve a 2.0 GPA 76
shall be awarded a certificate of completion in a form 77
prescribed by the State Board of Education. However, a student 78
who is otherwise entitled to a certificate of completion may 79
elect to remain in high school either as a full -time student or 80
a part-time student for up to 1 additional year and receive 81
special instruction designed to remedy his or her identified 82
deficiencies. 83
(8) STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES. —Beginning with students 84
entering grade 9 in the 2014 -2015 school year, this subsection 85
applies to a student with a disability. 86
(a) A parent of the student with a disability shall, in 87
collaboration with the individual education plan (IEP) team 88
during the transition planning process pursuant to s. 1003.5716, 89
declare an intent for the student to graduate from high school 90
with either a standard high school diploma or a certificate of 91
completion. A student with a disability who does not satisfy the 92
standard high school diploma requirements pursuant to this 93
section shall be awarded a certificate of completion. 94
(d) A student with a disability who receives a certificat e 95
of completion and has an individual education plan that 96
prescribes special education, transition planning, transition 97
services, or related services through 21 years of age may 98
continue to receive the specified instruction and services. 99
100
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The State Board of Education shall adopt rules under ss. 101
120.536(1) and 120.54 to implement this subsection, including 102
rules that establish the minimum requirements for students 103
described in this subsection to earn a standard high school 104
diploma. The State Board of Educati on shall adopt emergency 105
rules pursuant to ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54. 106
Section 3. Paragraph (b) of subsection (2) of section 107
1003.433, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 108
1003.433 Learning opportunities for out -of-state and out-109
of-country transfer students and students needing additional 110
instruction to meet high school graduation requirements. — 111
(2) Students who earn the required 24 credits for the 112
standard high school diploma except for passage of any must -pass 113
assessment under s. 1003.4282 or s. 1 008.22 or an alternate 114
assessment by the end of grade 12 must be provided the following 115
learning opportunities: 116
(b) Upon receipt of a certificate of completion, Be 117
allowed to take the College Placement Test and be admitted to 118
developmental education or c redit courses at a Florida College 119
System institution, as appropriate. 120
Section 4. Subsection (4) of section 1007.263, Florida 121
Statutes, is amended to read: 122
1007.263 Florida College System institutions; admissions 123
of students.—Each Florida College Sys tem institution board of 124
trustees is authorized to adopt rules governing admissions of 125
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students subject to this section and rules of the State Board of 126
Education. These rules shall include the following: 127
(4) A student who has earned the required 24 credi ts under 128
s. 1003.4282, or the required 18 credits under s. 1002.3105(5), 129
for the standard high school diploma, except for passage of any 130
must-pass assessment under s. 1003.4282 or s. 1008.22 or an 131
alternate assessment by the end of grade 12, been awarded a 132
certificate of completion under s. 1003.4282 is eligible to 133
enroll in certificate career education programs. 134
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Each board of trustees shall establish policies that notify 136
students about developmental education options for improving 137
their communication or c omputation skills that are essential to 138
performing college-level work, including tutoring, extended time 139
in gateway courses, free online courses, adult basic education, 140
adult secondary education, or private provider instruction. 141
Section 5. This act shall take effect July 1, 2025. 142