To modify the requirements for the College and Career Acceleration component of school grades to align it with the requirements of section 1008.34, F.S., as amended in the 2020 legislative session. This amendment will provide ....

 

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

State Board of Education

RULE NO. RULE TITLE:

6A-1.09981 School and District Accountability

PURPOSE AND EFFECT: To modify the requirements for the College and Career Acceleration component of school grades to align it with the requirements of section 1008.34, F.S., as amended in the 2020 legislative session. This amendment will provide additional pathways for graduates to earn College and Career Acceleration credit for the purpose of school and district grades.

SUMMARY: Beginning with the 2021-22 school grades calculation, schools will receive credit in the College and Career Acceleration component for 2020-21 graduates who complete 300 or more clock hours of approved career dual enrollment courses. Beginning with the 2022-23 school grades calculation, schools will receive credit in the College and Career Acceleration component for 2021-22 graduates who earn an Armed Services Qualification Test score that falls within Category II or higher on the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) and at least two credits in JROTC courses from the same branch of the United States Armed Forces.

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: Based upon the nature of the changes and past agency experiences with the school and district accountability systems, no adverse impact or regulatory cost is expected as a result of these rule amendments and certainly not one that will exceed any one of the economic analysis criteria set forth in s. 120.541(2)(a), F.S. and will not require legislative ratification. Specifically, the amendment can only serve to help improve school and district grades, as it increases the pathways for graduates to earn acceleration credit.

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, 1008.22, 1008.34, 1008.345, FS.

LAW IMPLEMENTED: 1008.22, 1008.34, 1008.345, FS.

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

DATE AND TIME: June 10, 2021, 9:00 a.m.

PLACE: Florida State College at Jacksonville, Advanced Technology Center, 401 West State Street, Room T140/141, Jacksonville, FL 32202.

THE PERSON TO BE CONTACTED REGARDING THE PROPOSED RULE IS: Tracy Halley, Bureau Chief, Bureau of Accountability Reporting, Division of Accountability, Research, and Measurement, Florida Department of Education, 325 West Gaines Street, Suite 544, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0400, [phone].

 

THE FULL TEXT OF THE PROPOSED RULE IS:

6A-1.09981 School and District Accountability.

(1) through (3) No change.

(4) School Grading System. The school grade components shall be calculated as a percentage, with the possible points listed by the component.

(a) through (b) No change.

(c) School Grading Components for High Schools. The high school grading component shall be calculated for schools comprised of grades 9, 10, 11, and 12 or grades 10, 11, and 12. In addition, if a school includes grades 9, 10, 11, and 12 or grades 10, 11, and 12, with other grade levels, that school shall be included for the high school grading component. In addition, schools comprised of grades 11 and 12 shall be eligible for the high school grading component. High school grades shall include the following components.

1. No change.

2. College and Career Acceleration. (100 points) The percentage of students included as graduates in the graduation rate from subparagraph (4)(c)1. of this rule, who, while in high school, earned the following:

a. A score making them eligible to earn college credit through College Board Advanced Placement (AP) examinations, International Baccalaureate (IB) examinations, or Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE) examinations according to the requirements of Rule 6A-10.024, F.A.C.;

b. College credit through dual enrollment courses according to the requirements of Rule 6A-14.064, F.A.C., or, beginning with the 2021-2022 calculation of school grades, through the completion of three hundred (300) or more clock hours through career dual enrollment courses according to the requirements of Rule 6A-6.0575, F.A.C.; or

c. Career and Professional Education (CAPE) industry certification or a CAPE acceleration industry certification identified in the Industry Certification Funding List adopted in Rule 6A-6.0573, F.A.C.; or

d. Beginning with the 2022-2023 calculation of school grades, an Armed Services Qualification Test score that falls within Category II or higher (a score of 65 or higher on a score scale of 1 to 99) on the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) and at least two (2) credits in Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps courses from the same branch of the United States Armed Forces, as identified in the “Course Code Directory and Instructional Personnel Assignments” adopted by Rule 6A-1.09441, F.A.C.

3. For the purpose of calculating a school’s college and career acceleration component, a student shall be included no more than once.

(d) No change.

(5) through (7) No change.

Rulemaking Authority 1001.02, 1008.22, 1008.34, 1008.345 FS. Law Implemented 1008.22, 1008.34, 1008.345 FS. History–New 10-11-93, Amended 12-19-95, 3-3-97, 1-24-99, 2-2-00, 2-11-02, 12-23-03, 5-15-06, 6-19-08, 11-26-08, 11-12-09, 6-21-11, 7-16-12, 1-17-13, 5-21-13, 12-3-13, 2-9-16, 2-20-18,_______.

 

NAME OF PERSON ORIGINATING PROPOSED RULE: Tracy Halley, Bureau Chief, Bureau of Accountability Reporting.

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

DATE PROPOSED RULE APPROVED BY AGENCY HEAD: May 3, 2021

DATE NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULE DEVELOPMENT PUBLISHED IN FAR: April 6, 2021