6A-10.040. Basic Skills Requirements for Postsecondary Career Certificate Education

(1) Students enrolled in a career certificate program as defined in Section 1004.02, F.S., offered for career education credit of 450 hours or more must complete an entry-level basic skills examination within the first six (6) weeks after admission into the program. The assessment instruments and methods listed in paragraphs (1)(a) through (1)(e), of this rule, (English version only) are designated to assess student mastery of basic communication (reading language arts) and computation (mathematics) skills and must be used according to standards established for test administration and interpretation set forth in Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing (American Psychological Association (APA), American Educational Research Association (AERA), National Council on Measurement in Education (NCME), 2014) and with appropriate accommodations for students with disabilities as specified in Rule 6A-1.0943, F.A.C.:

(a) Tests of Adult Basic Education (TABE), Forms 11 and 12, 2017;

(b) Demonstration of basic communication and computation skills pursuant to Rule 6A-10.0315, F.A.C.;

(c) Comprehensive Adult Student Assessment System (CASAS), GOALS 900 Series, 2019;

(d) 2014 GED® Tests: Reasoning through Language Arts and Mathematical Reasoning where a minimum score as required in Rule 6A-6.0201, F.A.C., has been attained on each test.

(e) A test adopted by the Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission pursuant to Section 943.17, F.S., and Rule 11B-35.0011 F.A.C., used for admission into law enforcement or corrections training programs.

(2) Minimum basic skills grade levels in each career education program description adopted under Rule 6A-6.0571, F.A.C., and published annually in the curriculum frameworks and posted on the Department of Education’s website http://.fldoe.org/workforce/dvdframe/, must be used to determine basic skills levels required for completion of career certificate programs.

(3) Students deemed to lack the required minimal level of basic skills as measured by one of the designated examinations must be provided with instruction specifically designed to correct the deficiencies.

(4) After a student completes the remediation prescribed for basic skills deficiencies, the student must be retested using an alternative form (if possible) of the same examination that was used for initial testing. A career certificate of completion shall not be awarded until the minimum, or higher, required level of basic skills, as designated in the program’s curriculum framework, is achieved. An adult with a disability as defined in Section 1004.02(6), F.S., may be exempted from meeting the career basic skills grade levels required for completion of the career certificate program. Each school district and Florida college institution must adopt a policy addressing procedures for exempting eligible adults with disabilities from the basic skills exit requirements as permitted in Section 1004.91(3), F.S.

(5) Procedures for students whose first language is not English:

(a) No student is exempt from this rule because of language deficiencies. If one of the approved basic skills assessment instruments cannot be administered, an alternative assessment from subsection (7) of this rule should be used for initial testing. Adult English Language Learners (ELL), must be given English language instruction and remediation in basic skills as needed to improve proficiency. The math assessment may be measured by one (1) of the designated tests in subsection (1) of this rule.

(b) ELL students must achieve the minimum grade level/scale score or higher on one of the designated tests in subsection (1) of this rule as required by the Department to be awarded a certificate of completion in a career education program.

(6) Minimum basic skills grade levels/scale scores achieved on one of the designated tests in Rule 6A-10.0315, F.A.C., are acceptable for a period of two (2) years. Minimum basic skills grade levels or scale scores for designated tests in paragraphs (1)(a), (c), (d), and (e) are acceptable indefinitely. The program administrators must receive a copy of the test scores from the institution which administered the test or an official copy of the transcript.

(7) Use of alternative assessments. If the tests listed in subsection (1) do not meet the initial assessment needs of the adult with disability or ELL student, locally determined alternative assessment instruments may be used within the first six (6) weeks, for diagnostic and remediation purposes only.

(8) Exemptions. The following students are exempt from the basic skills examination requirement and the designated program administrator must receive an official copy of the degree, transcript, or test score in order to allow any of these exemptions;

(a) One who possesses a college degree at the associate in applied science level or higher.

(b) One who demonstrates readiness for public postsecondary education pursuant to Rule 6A-10.0315, F.A.C.

(c) One who passes a state, national or industry certification or licensure examination related to their career certificate program and identified in the “2023-2024 Basic Skills Licensure Exemption List,” which is incorporated by reference herein https://www.fldoe.org/core/fileparse.php/5652/urlt/FINAL-1-ADA_2023-24-basicskills-with-License-exempt.xlsx http://www.flrules.org/Gateway/reference.asp?No=Ref-16367). The Basic Skills Licensure Exemption List may be requested from the Department of Education, Division of Career and Adult Education, 325 West Gaines Street, Tallahassee, FL 32399-0400.

(d) An adult student enrolled in an apprenticeship program that is registered with the Department of Education in accordance with Chapter 446, F.S.

(e) A candidate entering a law enforcement officer basic recruit training program, if he or she is a veteran as defined in Section 1.01(14), F.S., or holds an associate degree or higher from an accredited college or university.

(9) Dual enrollment. Pursuant to paragraph (8)(b) of this rule, students enrolled in an eligible career education dual enrollment program under Section 1007.271, F.S., are exempt from the basic skills examination requirement if they have demonstrated readiness for postsecondary education in accordance with Rule 6A-10.0315, F.A.C. prior to admission into the career certificate program. Dual enrollment students who have not met this requirement must complete the basic skills examination, unless otherwise exempt.

Rulemaking Authority 1001.02(1), (2)(n), 1004.91(1) FS. Law Implemented 1004.91 FS. History–New 10-8-85, Formerly 6A-10.40, Amended 5-2-89, 9-5-93, 11-25-97, 1-24-99, 4-26-06, 7-21-08, 5-18-14, 8-26-15, 6-23-16, 2-20-18, 12-22-19, 2-16-21, 5-3-22, 2-21-23, 2-20-24.