The rule implements the statewide articulation agreement of Section 1007.23, Florida Statutes, which facilitates the transfer of credit across Florida educational entities. The purpose is to insert provisions regarding Florida’s 2+2 system of ...

 

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

State Board of Education

RULE NO.:RULE TITLE:

6A-10.024Articulation Between and Among Universities, Florida Colleges, and School Districts

PURPOSE AND EFFECT: The rule implements the statewide articulation agreement of Section 1007.23, Florida Statutes, which facilitates the transfer of credit across Florida educational entities. The purpose is to insert provisions regarding Florida’s 2+2 system of articulation: to clarify that provisions in the rule indicating a student with an associate in arts degree from a Florida public postsecondary institution shall be granted admission to an upper division program at a public postsecondary institution do not prevent a public postsecondary institution from denying admission or continued enrollment based on an applicant’s past misconduct; to clarify transfer guarantees for students with courses completed after award of the associate in arts degree; and to update the Articulation Coordinating Committee Credit-by-Exam Equivalencies list. The effect is to align the rule with institution standard admission practices and statutory articulation provisions and to expand credit-by-examination course equivalencies.

SUMMARY: This rule amendment will incorporate the following changes: clarify that a postsecondary institution’s admissions decisions for students with prior misconduct also applies to associate in arts transfer students; clarify that for students who earn additional credit after the associate in arts degree (pursuant to section 1007.25, Florida Statutes) are still protected by the 2+2 transfer guarantee as long as they maintain the 2.0 grade point average; and incorporate revisions to the Articulation Coordinating Committee Credit-by-Examination Equivalencies, Revised February 2016.

SUMMARY OF STATEMENT OF ESTIMATED REGULATORY COSTS AND LEGISLATIVE RATIFICATION: The Agency has determined that this will not have an adverse impact on small business or likely increase directly or indirectly regulatory costs in excess of $200,000 in the aggregate within one year after the implementation of the rule. A SERC has not been prepared by the Agency.

The Agency has determined that the proposed rule is not expected to require legislative ratification based on the statement of estimated regulatory costs or if no SERC is required, the information expressly relied upon and described herein: The proposed rule applies to public postsecondary institutions and student transfer of credit. It updates and clarifies existing policies and so does not create new regulations; no additional regulatory costs are anticipated as a result of these rule revisions.

Any person who wishes to provide information regarding a statement of estimated regulatory costs, or provide a proposal for a lower cost regulatory alternative must do so in writing within 21 days of this notice.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY: 1001.02(2)(n), 1007.23(1), 1007.25, 1007.27 FS.

LAW IMPLEMENTED: 1001.64(8)(a), 1007.01(2), 1007.23, 1007.25, 1007.27 FS.

A HEARING WILL BE HELD AT THE DATE, TIME AND PLACE SHOWN BELOW:

DATE AND TIME: February 18, 2016, 9:00 a.m.

PLACE: Room LL03, The Capitol, 400 South Monroe Street, Tallahassee, Florida

THE PERSON TO BE CONTACTED REGARDING THE PROPOSED RULE IS: Matthew Bouck, Office of Articulation, Department of Education, 325 West Gaines Street, Room 1401, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0400

 

THE FULL TEXT OF THE PROPOSED RULE IS:

 

6A-10.024 Articulation Between and Among Universities, Florida Colleges, and School Districts.

It is the intent of the Board of Governors in regulation and the State Board of Education in rule to facilitate articulation and seamless integration of the education system by agreeing to the provisions of this articulation agreement, pursuant to Section 1007.23, F.S. The authority to adopt and amend this rule aligns with the Constitutional power given the Board of Governors for the state university system and the statutory authority given the State Board of Education for the district school boards, the Florida College System, and the Department of Education.

(1) through (3)(b) No change.

(c) Nothing herein shall prevent a postsecondary institution from denying admission or continued enrollment based on an applicant’s past misconduct, both on or off campus, or when past actions have been found to disrupt or interfere with the orderly conduct, processes, functions or programs at any other postsecondary institution.

(4) No change.

(5) The award of additional credit after award of the associate in arts degree pursuant to section 1007.25(9), F.S., does not exclude a student from the provision in subsection (3). However, students must maintain a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or higher to qualify for guaranteed admission under subsection (3) of this rule.

(6)(5) Associate in Science (A.S.) Degree. The associate in science degree is defined in subsection 6A-14.030(3), F.A.C., (The rule may be obtained from the Office of Articulation, Florida Department of Education, 325 West Gaines Street, Tallahassee, Florida 32399) which definition is incorporated by reference herein, and for purposes of this agreement shall include:

(a) through (f) No change.

(7)(6) Applied Technology Diploma (A.T.D.). The A.T.D. consists of a course of study that is part of an associate in science (A.S.) or an associate in applied science degree (A.A.S.), is less than sixty (60) credit hours, is approximately fifty (50) percent of the technical component (non-general education), and leads to employment in a specific occupation. An A.T.D. program may consist of either clock hours or college credit.

(a) through (f) No change.

(8)(7) Credit by examination.

(a) For examination programs listed in Section 1007.27, F.S., a list of examinations, minimum scores for guaranteed transfer credit, maximum credits guaranteed to transfer, and recommended course equivalents shall be maintained by the Articulation Coordinating Committee and reviewed annually. The list is incorporated in the document Articulation Coordinating Committee Credit-by-Examination Equivalencies, Effective March 2016 December 2014, which is herein incorporated by reference and located at (http://www.flrules.org/Gateway/reference.asp?No=Ref-04771). The list may be requested from the Office of Articulation, Florida Department of Education, 325 West Gaines Street, Tallahassee, Florida 32399.

(b) through (e) No change.

(f) For all Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE), and College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) examinations, credit must be awarded at a minimum in accordance with the credit-by-examinations equivalencies determined by the Articulation Coordinating Committee referenced in paragraph (8) (7)(a) of this rule. The postsecondary institution shall determine the credit awarded for examinations completed prior to November 1, 2001, or examinations not included in the Articulation Coordinating Committee Credit-by-Examination Equivalencies.

(g) through (h) No change.

(9)(8) Limited access programs. Florida College System institution and state university transfer students shall have the same opportunity to enroll in baccalaureate limited access programs as native students. Baccalaureate limited access program selection and enrollment criteria shall be established and published in catalogs, counseling manuals, and other appropriate publications. A list of limited access programs shall be filed annually with the Articulation Coordinating Committee.

(10)(9) A state university may accept non-associate in arts degree credit in transfer based on its evaluation of the applicability of the courses to the student’s program at the university.

(11)(10) State universities and Florida College System institutions shall publish with precision and clarity in their official catalogs the admission, course, and prerequisite requirements of the institution, each unit of the institution, each program, and each specialization. Any applicable duration of requirements shall be specified. The university or college catalog in effect at the time of a student’s initial collegiate enrollment shall govern upper division prerequisites in the same manner as for native students at the same institution, provided the student maintains continuous enrollment as defined in that catalog unless otherwise specified.

(12)(11) The Department and all public universities, Florida College System institutions, and school districts shall maintain the electronic exchange of student transcripts and associated educational records, including acquisition of and access to test scores of students in the standard format established by the ACC.

(13)(12) All postsecondary courses offered for college credit, clock hours, or developmental education credit as they are defined in Rule 6A-10.033, F.A.C., (The rule may be obtained from the Office of Articulation, Florida Department of Education, 325 West Gaines Street, Tallahassee, Florida 32399) which definitions are incorporated by reference herein, shall be entered in the statewide course numbering system. Each course shall be assigned a single prefix and a single identifying number in the course numbering system.

(14)(13) When a student transfers among postsecondary institutions that are fully accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency recognized by the United States Department of Education and that participate in the statewide course numbering system, the receiving institution shall award credit for courses satisfactorily completed at the previous participating institutions when the courses are judged by the appropriate common course designation and numbering system faculty task forces to be academically equivalent to courses offered at the receiving institution including equivalency of faculty credentials regardless of the public or nonpublic control of the previous institution. The award of credit may be limited to courses that are entered in the statewide course numbering system. Credit so awarded shall satisfy institutional requirements on the same basis as credits awarded to native students.

Rulemaking Authority 1001.02(2)(n), 1007.23(1), 1007.25, 1007.27 FS. Law Implemented 1007.01(2), 1001.64(8)(a),1007.23, 1007.25, 1007.27 FS. History–New 5-5-75, Amended 10-7-75, 6-8-76, 8-22-77, 12-26-77, 3-28-78, 5-10-78, 7-2-79, 2-27-80, 5-27-81, 1-6-83, 4-5-83, 6-28-83, 1-9-85, Formerly 6A-10.24, Amended 8-4-86, 5-18-88, 5-29-90, 7-30-91, 10-4-93, 5-3-94, 1-2-95, 9-30-96, 6-15-98, 12-13-99, 8-14-00, 10-15-01, 9-22-03, 12-18-05, 12-23-14,________.

 

NAME OF PERSON ORIGINATING PROPOSED RULE: Matthew Bouck, Director, Office of Articulation

NAME OF AGENCY HEAD WHO APPROVED THE PROPOSED RULE: Pam Stewart, Commissioner, Department of Education

DATE PROPOSED RULE APPROVED BY AGENCY HEAD: January 15, 2016

DATE NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULE DEVELOPMENT PUBLISHED IN FAR: October 12, 2015