Senate Bill 366 amended multiple Florida Statutes to expand the mechanisms institutions may use to assess readiness for college-level work. In addition to identifying approved common placement tests, the State Board of Education ....

 

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

State Board of Education

RULE NO.:RULE TITLE:

6A-10.0315Common Placement Testing and Instruction

PURPOSE AND EFFECT: Senate Bill 366 amended multiple Florida Statutes to expand the mechanisms institutions may use to assess readiness for college-level work. In addition to identifying approved common placement tests, the State Board of Education (SBOE) is required to adopt rules to develop and implement alternative methods for assessing communication and computation skills. The purpose of this rule amendment is to specify the alternative methods and associated minimum standards that Florida College System (FCS) institutions may use. Other technical changes will be made. Once the rule is effective, FCS institutions may use approved alternative methods in lieu of or in addition to common placement test to determine college readiness for dual enrollment, developmental education, admissions and meta-major advising.

SUMMARY: Alternative methods for assessing college readiness in the Florida College System.

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 amendment is not expected to have any adverse impact on economic growth, business competitiveness, increase regulatory cost or any other factor listed in s. 120.541, F.S. and will not require legislative ratification. This is based upon the nature of the amendments, which expands the mechanisms colleges can use to assess a student’s readiness for college.

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(1), (2)(n), (6), 1008.30(2), F.S.

LAW IMPLEMENTED: 1008.30, F.S.

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

DATE AND TIME: February 9, 2022, 9:00 a.m.

PLACE: Tallahassee Community College, Student Union Ballroom, 444 Appleyard Dr., Tallahassee, FL 32304

THE PERSON TO BE CONTACTED REGARDING THE PROPOSED RULE IS: Mike Sfiropoulos, Ph.D., Director of Academic Affairs, Division of Florida Colleges, [e-mail] or [phone].

 

THE FULL TEXT OF THE PROPOSED RULE IS:

6A-10.0315 Demonstration of Readiness for College-Level Communication and Computation Common Placement Testing and Instruction.

(1) The purpose of this rule is to establish methods for assessing communication and computation skills and the minimum standards the test scores a student must achieve to demonstrate readiness to perform college-level work pursuant to section 1008.30, F.S. A student who demonstrates readiness by achieving or exceeding standard test scores established herein and enrolls in a Florida College System institution within two (2) years after achieving such scores shall not be required to retest or complete developmental education at a Florida College System institution. “Developmental education” prepares students for college level reading, writing and mathematics courses. A student admitted to a Florida College System institution who is assessed for readiness for college-level computation and communication under paragraphs (1)(a) or (1)(b) and whose assessment results indicate whose score on a common placement test indicates a need for developmental education must be advised of all the developmental education options offered at the institution and, after advisement, shall be allowed to enroll in the developmental education option of his or her choice. Colleges must allow students to enroll in developmental education courses.

(a) Exempt students. Further in accordance with section 1008.30, F.S., a student who entered 9th grade in a Florida public school in the 2003-2004 school year, or any year thereafter, and earned a Florida standard high school diploma or a student who is serving as an active duty member of any branch of the United States Armed Services shall not be required to be assessed for readiness for college-level work in communication and computation take a common placement test and shall be considered exempt. Exempt students shall not be required to enroll in developmental education instruction in a Florida College System institution. However, an exempt student may opt to be assessed and to enroll in developmental education, and the college shall provide such assessment and courses upon the student’s request.

(b) Non-exempt students. Non-exempt students who have not earned credit for college level coursework for reading, writing, and mathematics shall be assessed for readiness for college-level work tested for proficiency prior to the completion of initial registration. Non-exempt students whose assessment results indicate a need for developmental education earning scores less than those listed below shall enroll in developmental education in the area of the deficiency.

(2) Common placement tests. Exempt and non-exempt students meeting or exceeding standard scores on any of the following tests, using the highest score in the case of multiple scores, may be enrolled in college level courses. Institutions shall accept scores on the public high school transcript as an official record of scores in addition to official score reports from the issuing entity listed in this subsection. A student who demonstrates readiness by achieving or exceeding standard test scores established herein and enrolls in a Florida College System institution within two (2) years after achieving such scores shall not be required to retest or complete developmental education at a Florida College System institution.

Florida Postsecondary Education Readiness Test (PERT)Standard Score

Reading106

Writing103

Mathematics114

ACCUPLACER, The College Board

Through January 2020

Reading Comprehension83

Sentence Skills83

Elementary Algebra72

Next-Generation ACCUPLACER, The College Board

Since September 2019

Quantitative Reasoning, Algebra, and Statistics (QAS)242

Reading245

Writing245

SAT, The College Board

Since March 1, 2016

Reading Test24

Writing and Language Test 25

Math Test24

ACT with Writing or ACT, Inc.

Reading19

English17

Mathematics19

      (3) Alternative methods to common placement tests. Pursuant to section 1008.30, F.S., Florida College System institutions may use alternative methods in lieu of the common placement tests under subsection (2) to assess student readiness for college-level work in communication and computation. Institutions shall recognize scores and grades on alternative methods specified in paragraphs (3)(a) through (3)(c) as valid for placement purposes for a minimum of two years.

(a) Tests and assessments. A score that meets or exceeds the standard score on any one of the assessments shall be accepted as demonstration of readiness for college-level work. Institutions shall accept scores on the public high school transcript in addition to official score reports from the issuing entity listed in this subsection as an official record.

PSAT/NMSQT (PSAT 10), The College Board Standard Score

ReadingTest        24

Writing and Language Test        25

Mathematics Test        24

PreACT®

Reading 22

English        18

Mathematics        22

General Educational Development (GED®) Test

Reasoning Through Language Arts        165

Mathematical Reasoning         165

Test Assessing Secondary Completion (TASC™)

Language Arts Reading        580

Language Arts Writing                   560 and 6 on Essay

Mathematics        560

High School Equivalency Test (HiSET®)

Language Arts Reading         15

Language Arts Writing         15

Mathematics         15

End-of-Course Assessments

Algebra 1 End-of-Course Assessment         4

Geometry End-of-Course Assessment         4

ALEKS® PPL

Mathematics        30

(b) Performance in high school coursework. Any student who has an unweighted high school GPA of 3.0 and achieves a grade of “B” or better in any of the courses listed below shall have demonstrated readiness for college-level work. Institutions shall accept courses and grades on the public high school transcript as an official record.             

1. Courses Taught at a Florida Public High School

Mathematics

Algebra 1/Algebra 1 Honors        

Algebra 2/Algebra 2 Honors        

Pre-Calculus                                     

Calculus                                            

Geometry        

Probability and Statistics        

Math for College Algebra        

Math for College Statistics         

Math for College Liberal Arts

English Language and Literature

English 4/English 4 Honors

2. Accelerated High School Courses

Mathematics

Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE) high school mathematics courses

Advanced Placement (AP) high school mathematics courses

International Baccalaureate (IB) high school mathematics courses

English Language and English Literature

Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE) high school English courses

Advanced Placement (AP) high school English courses

International Baccalaureate (IB) high school English courses

(c) Credit-by-examination. Students achieving passing scores and receiving credit for college-level communication or computation pursuant to the credit-by-examination equivalency list in Rule 6A-10.024, F.A.C., shall have previously demonstrated readiness for college-level coursework.

(d) Local placement methods for developmental education. To use a local placement method, an institution must first receive approval of that method by the Department. Approval is based on a satisfactory demonstration that the method is a valid and reliable indication of a student’s readiness for college-level coursework in the subject area addressed in the method. The process for receiving approval is as follows.

1. A Florida College System institution seeking consideration of approval must complete and submit the Application to Use Local Method to Determine College Readiness for Developmental Education, Form No. ALTPLACE-01 (URL) which is hereby incorporated by reference in this rule effective March 2022. A copy of the form may be found at https://www.fldoe.org/schools/higher-ed/fl-college-system/academic-student-affairs/ or by writing to the Division at 325 West Gaines Street, Suite 1244, Tallahassee, Florida 32399.

2. Institutions must complete Form No. ALTPLACE-01 for each local placement method requested. Evidence must include information on the method’s availability and accessibility and supporting documentation containing quantitative and/or qualitative data to demonstrate the validity and reliability of the local placement method. The documentation must be recent, which is defined as within the last three to five years, and must demonstrate why the method and the minimum standard identified by the college for the method represent an accurate measure of college readiness comparable to other alternative assessments and standards identified in this rule.

3. Institutions must submit Form No. ALTPLACE-01 the term preceding the term in which the local placement method becomes effective: spring for a summer effective date, summer for a fall effective date, and fall for a spring effective date. The Division of Florida Colleges (Division) will publish the specific deadlines at https://www.fldoe.org/schools/higher-ed/fl-college-system/academic-student-affairs/. Form No. ALTPLACE-01 and supporting documentation must be submitted via email to [e-mail].

4. The Division will provide the institution with a written decision upon review of a complete submission.

a. “Full approval” indicates the application and supporting documentation were sufficient in demonstrating the local placement method is a valid and reliable placement tool; the institution is fully approved to use the local placement method for developmental education placement.

b. “Provisional approval” indicates the application and supporting documentation demonstrated the local placement method may be a valid and reliable placement tool, but up-front information is limited. The provisionally approved institution has approval to use the local placement method for a period of three terms, during which time the institution will be required to collect data on the efficacy of the method. At the conclusion of the provisional period, the institution will be required to resubmit their application and supporting documentation to the Division for consideration.

c. “Denial” indicates the application and supporting documentation did not demonstrate the local placement method may be a valid and reliable placement tool. If the application is denied, the institution will receive written notification identifying the specific areas of deficiency. The institution may resubmit its application at a later date once any outstanding issues are resolved. 

5. Institutions receiving approval must participate in an annual data collection process to monitor usage of local methods and student performance in coursework.

(3) Students whose first language is not English may be placed in developmental education prior to the required common placement testing, if such instruction is otherwise demonstrated as being necessary. Such students shall require common placement testing.

(4) Student records and test scores are confidential education records under Section 1002.221, F.S. Institutions are required to comply with Section 1002.221, F.S., in maintaining confidentiality of these records.

(5) Florida College System institutions may establish local policies and procedures governing the use of assessments and alternative methods for placement The Commissioner shall report to the State Board of Education each year the results of common placement testing.

Rulemaking Authority 1001.02(6), 1008.30(1), (2) (3), (4) FS. Law Implemented 1001.02, 1007.263, 1007.271 1008.02, 1008.30 FS. History–New 7-15-84, Amended 6-6-85, Formerly 6A-10.315, Amended 5-17-88, 7-25-91, 10-18-94, 8-28-95, 6-25-96, 3-28-00, 2-12-12, 8-21-12, 6-27-13, 10-22-13, 11-29-16, 9-24-19,

 

NAME OF PERSON ORIGINATING PROPOSED RULE: Mike Sfiropoulos, Ph.D., Director of Academic Affairs, Division of Florida Colleges.

NAME OF AGENCY HEAD WHO APPROVED THE PROPOSED RULE: Richard Corcoran, Commissioner, Department of Education.

DATE PROPOSED RULE APPROVED BY AGENCY HEAD: December 22, 2021

DATE NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULE DEVELOPMENT PUBLISHED IN FAR: October 29, 2021