To clarify and update the academic and economic criteria sections which include specific criteria that participating postsecondary educational institutions use to determine the eligibility of a middle or high school student ....

 

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

State Board of Education

RULE NO.:RULE TITLE:

6A-6.05282College Reach-Out Program

PURPOSE AND EFFECT: To clarify and update the academic and economic criteria sections which include specific criteria that participating postsecondary educational institutions use to determine the eligibility of a middle or high school student to participate in the College Reach-Out Program. In the academic criteria section, the academic year that a student’s cumulative grade point average is below 2.5 will be removed and replaced with language that the student must meet this criterion at the time the student applies for participation in the program. The academic criteria in which a student earned an academic course grade of a “C” or below in specific courses will be revised to include English Language Arts (ELA) and social studies. This revision will remove the criteria of a student needing a course grade of a “C” or below in math and science courses and replaces it with the option to consider a student’s course grade in any of the four core subject areas — ELA, math, science, and social studies, which will broaden opportunities for additional students to be eligible to participate in the program. A student’s performance in ELA and mathematics will be revised to expand the options of consideration and will allow a student’s performance on the Florida Standards Assessments (FSA), or on the Algebra I End-of-Course (EOC) Assessment to be considered. Criteria that relates to grade retention, school suspension or expulsion, truancy and a student’s participation in a Dropout Prevention Program will be removed. In the economic criteria section of the rule, “Free and Reduced-Price Lunch Program” will be removed and replaced with “school lunch program” to align with the eligibility descriptions under the federal Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act [42 U.S.C. §1758(b)(1)(A)]. The economic criteria related to a student’s family receiving “public assistance” will remove the calendar year that a student’s family receives such assistance and be replaced with the focus on the current status of a student’s family receiving public assistance. The outdated terminology used to describe a student as an “orphan or ward of the court with no taxable income” will be removed and replaced with updated terminology that describes such student as one who is “currently placed, or during the previous fiscal year was placed, in foster care.” The effect of this proposal is to clarify, update and provide more flexibility regarding the academic and economic criteria sections that are used to determine the eligibility of a student to participate in the College Reach-Out Program.

SUMMARY: The proposed rule revises the academic and economic criteria sections by which participating postsecondary educational institutions will use to determine the eligibility of a student to participate in the College Reach-Out Program.

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: 1) no requirement for SERC was triggered under Section 120.541(1), F.S., and 2) based on past experiences with rules of this nature, the adverse impact or regulatory cost, if any, do not exceed nor would be expected to exceed any one of the economic analysis criteria set forth in Section 120.541(2)(a), F.S. and is not expected to require legislative ratification.

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), 1007.34, FS.

LAW IMPLEMENTED: 1007.34, FS.

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

DATE AND TIME: January 13, 2021, 9:00 a.m.

PLACE: Daytona State College, Event Center, 1200 W. International Speedway Blvd., Daytona Beach, FL 32114.

THE PERSON TO BE CONTACTED REGARDING THE PROPOSED RULE IS: Melissa Ramsey, Executive

Vice Chancellor, Division of Public Schools, 325 West Gaines Street, Tallahassee, FL 32399-0400, [phone].

 

THE FULL TEXT OF THE PROPOSED RULE IS:

 

6A-6.05282 College Reach-Out Program.

(1) through (2) No change.

(3) Academic criteria. The academic criteria for the College Reach-Out Program are as follows:

(a) The student is a potential first-generation-in-college student;

(b) The student’s cumulative grade point average at the time the student applies for participation in the program for the preceding academic year is below 2.5;

(c) The student’s academic transcript at the time the student applies for participation in the program indicates course grades in English Language Arts (ELA), mathematics, and science or social studies at grade “C” or below; or

(d) The student has an achievement level below a Level 3 in English Language Arts (ELA) and mathematics, on the Florida Standards Assessments (FSA), or on the Algebra I End-of-Course (EOC) Assessment under Section 1008.22, F.S.;

(e) The student has been subject to grade retention and not promoted to the next grade during any academic year;

(f) The student has been suspended or expelled from school the previous school year;

(g) The student has incurred absences of more than twenty-five (25) school days in the previous school year; or

(h) The student has participated in a Dropout Prevention Program in the previous school year.

(4) Economic criteria. The economic criteria for the College Reach-Out Program are as follows:

(a) The student is eligible for the fFree and rReduced-pPrice lLunches and participates in the school lunch pProgram under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act [42 U.S.C. §1758(b)(1)(A)]

(b) The student’s family receives received other public assistance during the preceding calendar year and participates in assistance programs, such as (Supplemental Security Income and/or Housing Choice Voucher Program); or

(c) The student is currently placed, or during the previous fiscal year was placed, in foster care an orphan or ward of the court with no taxable income.

Rulemaking Authority 1001.02, 1007.34 FS. Law Implemented 1007.34 FS. History–New 11-13-12, Amended 6-23-16,______.

 

NAME OF PERSON ORIGINATING PROPOSED RULE: Melissa Ramsey, Executive

Vice Chancellor, Division of Public Schools.

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

DATE PROPOSED RULE APPROVED BY AGENCY HEAD: November 30, 2020

DATE NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULE DEVELOPMENT PUBLISHED IN FAR: September 30, 2020