Florida Senate - 2025 SB 1698 By Senator Fine 19-01504-25 20251698__ 1 A bill to be entitled 2 An act relating to certificates of completion; 3 amending s. 1002.394, F.S.; conforming a provision to 4 changes made by the act; amending s. 1003.4282, F.S.; 5 deleting provisions providing for the award of a 6 certificate of completion to certain students; 7 conforming provisions to changes made by the act; 8 amending s. 1003.433, F.S.; conforming a provision to 9 changes made by the act; amending s. 1007.263, F.S.; 10 revising the student eligibility criteria for 11 enrollment in certificate career education programs; 12 providing an effective date. 13 14 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 15 16 Section 1.Subsection (16) of section 1002.394, Florida 17 Statutes, is amended to read: 18 1002.394The Family Empowerment Scholarship Program. 19 (16)TRANSITION-TO-WORK PROGRAM.A student with a 20 disability who is determined eligible pursuant to paragraph 21 (3)(b) who is at least 17 years, but not older than 22 years of 22 age and who has not received a high school diploma or 23 certificate of completion is eligible for enrollment in his or 24 her participating private schools transition-to-work program. A 25 transition-to-work program shall consist of academic 26 instruction, work skills training, and a volunteer or paid work 27 experience. 28 (a)To offer a transition-to-work program, a participating 29 private school must: 30 1.Develop a transition-to-work program plan, which must 31 include a written description of the academic instruction and 32 work skills training students will receive and the goals for 33 students in the program. 34 2.Submit the transition-to-work program plan to the Office 35 of Independent Education and Parental Choice and consider any 36 guidance provided by the department pursuant to paragraph (8)(d) 37 relating to the plan. 38 3.Develop a personalized transition-to-work program plan 39 for each student enrolled in the program. The students parent, 40 the student, and the school principal must sign the personalized 41 plan. The personalized plan must be submitted to the Office of 42 Independent Education and Parental Choice upon request by the 43 office. 44 4.Provide a release of liability form that must be signed 45 by the students parent, the student, and a representative of 46 the business offering the volunteer or paid work experience. 47 5.Assign a case manager or job coach to visit the 48 students job site on a weekly basis to observe the student and, 49 if necessary, provide support and guidance to the student. 50 6.Provide to the parent and student a quarterly report 51 that documents and explains the students progress and 52 performance in the program. 53 7.Maintain accurate attendance and performance records for 54 the student. 55 (b)A student enrolled in a transition-to-work program 56 must, at a minimum: 57 1.Receive 15 instructional hours at the participating 58 private schools physical facility, which must include academic 59 instruction and work skills training. 60 2.Participate in 10 hours of work at the students 61 volunteer or paid work experience. 62 (c)To participate in a transition-to-work program, a 63 business must: 64 1.Maintain an accurate record of the students performance 65 and hours worked and provide the information to the 66 participating private school. 67 2.Comply with all state and federal child labor laws. 68 Section 2.Paragraph (c) of subsection (5) and paragraphs 69 (a) and (d) of subsection (8) of section 1003.4282, Florida 70 Statutes, are amended to read: 71 1003.4282Requirements for a standard high school 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 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 certificate 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 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 Education 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 1003.433Learning 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. 1008.22 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 allowed 117 to take the College Placement Test and be admitted to 118 developmental education or credit 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 1007.263Florida College System institutions; admissions of 123 students.Each Florida College System institution board of 124 trustees is authorized to adopt rules governing admissions of 125 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 credits 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. 134 135 Each board of trustees shall establish policies that notify 136 students about developmental education options for improving 137 their communication or computation 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.