The rule implements the provisions of the general education core courses in Section 1007.25, F.S., and identifies the core course options for each of five subject areas: communications, mathematics, social sciences, humanities, ....

 

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

State Board of Education

RULE NO.:RULE TITLE:

6A-14.0303General Education Core Course Options

PURPOSE AND EFFECT: The rule implements the provisions of the general education core courses in Section 1007.25, F.S., and identifies the core course options for each of five subject areas: communications, mathematics, social sciences, humanities, and natural sciences. Florida public postsecondary students are required to choose courses from the options provided in rule language.

SUMMARY: The rule is being revised to enact changes to Florida Statutes made by SB 266. SB 266 revised s. 1007.25, F.S., and created s. 1007.55, F.S., to establish general education course standards and principles. The rule is being revised to enact those new standards and principles and to implement new general education core course options considering the recommendations of faculty committees formed to recommend changes to general education core courses to the State Board of Education. The new general education core courses are being proposed, as well as the removal of a course from the general education core course list.

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: This proposed rule is not expected to have any adverse impact on economic growth, business competitiveness or any other factors listed in s. 120.541(2)(a), F.S., and will not require legislative ratification. No increase in regulatory costs are anticipated as a result of this rule. This is based upon the nature of the proposed rule.

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)(d)3, 1007.25(3), 1007.55, F.S.

LAW IMPLEMENTED: 1007.25(3), 1007.55, F.S.

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

DATE AND TIME: January 17, 2024, 9:00 a.m.

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

THE PERSON TO BE CONTACTED REGARDING THE PROPOSED RULE IS: Shannon Mercer, Director of Acceleration and Transfer, Office of Articulation, [e-mail]

 

THE FULL TEXT OF THE PROPOSED RULE IS:

 

6A-14.0303 General Education Core Course Options.

(1) Purpose. It is necessary that every undergraduate student of a Florida public postsecondary educational institution graduates as an informed citizen through participation in rigorous general education courses. General education courses should provide broad foundational knowledge to help students develop intellectual skills and habits that enable them to become more effective and lifelong learners and contain high-level academic and critical thinking skills. This rule implements the requirements for general education courses as required by section 1007.25, F.S., and the principles, standards and content for general education required under section 1007.55, F.S.

(2) General education core courses. Courses listed in this subsection implement the required principles, standards and content in accordance with s. 1007.55, F.S. Prior to the award of an associate in arts or baccalaureate degree, first-time-in-college students entering a Florida College System institution in the Fall Term, 2015, and thereafter must complete at least one (1) course from each of the general education subject areas listed in this section. Beginning in the 2022-23 academic year and thereafter, students entering associate in arts, associate in science, or associate in applied science or baccalaureate degree programs must complete at least one (1) course from each of the general education subject areas listed in this subsection prior to the awarding of their degree.

(a) through (d) No change.

(e) Natural Sciences:

1. through 8. No change.

9. GLY X010 Introduction to Geology;

10. OCE X001 Introduction to Oceanography;

11. 9. PHY X020 Fundamentals of Physics;

12. 10. PHY X048 General Physics with Calculus;

13. 11. PHY X053 General Physics I; or

14. 12. Any student who successfully completes a natural science course for which one (1) of the general education core course options in natural science is an immediate prerequisite shall be considered to have completed the natural science core.

(f) Social Sciences:

1. AMH X010 Introductory Survey to 1877;

2. 1. AMH X020 Introductory Survey Since 1877;

3. 2. ANT X000 Introduction to Anthropology;

4. 3. ECO X013 Principles of Macroeconomics;

5. 4. POS X041 American Government; or

6. 5. PSY X012 Introduction to Psychology; or

6. SYG X000 Principles of Sociology.

(g) Each institution may apply its own course titles to the general education core course options.

(3) Other means by which students can satisfy general education core course requirements.

(a) A student who has completed an associate in arts or baccalaureate degree conferred by a Florida College System institution or state university is considered to have met general education requirements, including requirements for general education core courses.

(b) Institutions must recognize credit earned through an acceleration mechanism in section 1007.27, F.S., as meeting the related general education core course requirement as prescribed in Rule 6A-10.024, F.A.C.

(c) Institutions may grant a substitution or modification to the courses listed above for eligible students with disabilities, subject to Rule 6A-10.041, F.A.C.

(d) Each institution must accept a student’s courses taken as meeting general education core course requirements upon transfer, regardless of whether the receiving institution offers the identical general education core courses.

(e) An institution may not require a student to complete an additional course to meet a subject area requirement in subsection (2) that was completed by the student at a Florida College System institution or state university with a course that has since been removed as a general education core course.

(4) (2) Institutional implementation and reporting of general education core courses. Institutions shall report to the Statewide Course Numbering System, established in s. Section 1007.24, F.S., all courses used to fulfill subject area core course options. Any course recommended by the institution to be added to its the list of general education core course options from subsection (2) (1) of this rule must follow the statewide course description provided in the Statewide Course Numbering System and shall be reported to the Office of K-20 Articulation at [e-mail] http://fldoe.org/articulation for review. Each institution may apply its own course titles to the general education core course options.

(3) Institutions must recognize credit earned through an acceleration mechanism in Section 1007.27, F.S., as meeting the related general education core course requirement.

(4) Institutions may grant a substitution or modification to the courses listed above for eligible disabled students, subject to Rule 6A-10.041, F.A.C.

(5) Institutional general education course offerings implementation and reporting. The remaining courses and credits, in addition to the core course options, to fulfill the total 36-hour general education requirement for associate in arts and baccalaureate degrees are provided by each at the discretion of the Florida College System institution and approved by the State Board of Education in accordance with this rule. An institution may not require a student to take an additional course to meet a subject area requirement that was completed by the student with a course that has since been removed as a general education course. 

(a) Each Florida College System institution board of trustees and president must annually review and approve, at a public meeting, the courses offered by the institution that meet general education course requirements in accordance with ss. 1007.24, 1007.25 and 1007.55, F.S.

(b) Each institution must submit its approved list of general education courses to the Articulation Coordinating Committee no later than September 1 of each year by the course prefix and number in the Statewide Course Numbering System, including the institution’s course title, in a format prescribed by the Department.

(c) The Articulation Coordinating Committee shall annually submit each institution’s completed list of general education courses to the State Board of Education, along with the statewide data elements required in s. 1007.55, F.S., no later than December 1 of each year.

(d) Using the criteria for general education course standards, principles and content listed in s. 1007.55, F.S., the State Board of Education will approve or reject each institution’s list of general education course offerings and notify the institution in writing within ninety (90) days of receiving the list from the Office of K-20 Articulation.

1. If the State Board of Education rejects an institution’s list of courses, the reason(s) for the rejection will be provided in writing to the institution, including any specific courses that were found to be not in compliance with the statute.

2. An institution whose list is rejected must resubmit its list to the State Board of Education for reconsideration within sixty (60) days. Until the new list is approved, the institution must continue to offer courses from the prior approved list.

3. If an institution whose list is rejected does not submit a revised list within sixty (60) days, or if the resubmitted list is rejected by the State Board of Education, the Commissioner may withhold performance funding payments for that institution until it submits a course list that meets requirements and is approved by the State Board of Education.

Rulemaking Authority 1001.02(1), (2)(n), (6)(d)3., 1007.25(3), 1007.55 FS. Law Implemented 1007.25(3), 1007.55 FS. History‒New 5-18-14, Amended 11-23-21, 2-21-23,

 

NAME OF PERSON ORIGINATING PROPOSED RULE: Shannon Mercer, Director of Acceleration and Transfer, Office of Articulation.

NAME OF AGENCY HEAD WHO APPROVED THE PROPOSED RULE: Manny Diaz Jr., Commissioner, Department of Education.

DATE PROPOSED RULE APPROVED BY AGENCY HEAD: December 19, 2023

DATE NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULE DEVELOPMENT PUBLISHED IN FAR: October 11, 2023