The purpose of this rule amendment is to adopt the new and revised course descriptions for the 2012-13 school-year. Courses for Prekindergarten, General Academics, Academics Subject Areas, Special Skill Courses, Therapy, Supported Levels 9-12, ...

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
State Board of Education

RULE NO.: RULE TITLE:
6A-1.09414: Course Descriptions for Grades 6-12, Exceptional Student Education
PURPOSE AND EFFECT: The purpose of this rule amendment is to adopt the new and revised course descriptions for the 2012-13 school-year. Courses for Prekindergarten, General Academics, Academics Subject Areas, Special Skill Courses, Therapy, Supported Levels 9-12, Participatory Level 9-12, Gifted, Career and Technical Education for Students with Disabilities and Non-Credit are being revised to align with the Next Generation Sunshine State Standards and Common Core State Standards approved by the State Board of Education for these content areas.
SUMMARY: Course descriptions for Prekindergarten, General Academics, Academic Subject Areas, Special Skill Courses, Therapy, Supported Levels 9-12, Participatory Level 9-12, Gifted, Career and Technical Education for Students with Disabilities and Non-Credit are updated to include the Next Generation Sunshine State Standards and Common Core State Standards.
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 been prepared by the agency.
Based on the SERC, the rule is not expected to require legislative ratification pursuant to Section 120.54(3), Florida Statutes. Instructional materials are adopted on a five year schedule and instructional materials publishers already incur a cost to update their content for each adoption. Publishers will incur no additional cost as a result of this rule. Likewise, virtual instruction providers are required to apply for approval every three years and to demonstrate that their content is aligned to state standards as part of the approval process regardless of the rule change.
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: 1001.03(1), 1011.62(1)(s) FS.
LAW IMPLEMENTED: 1001.42(9), 1003.42, 1011.62(1)(s) FS.
A HEARING WILL BE HELD AT THE DATE, TIME AND PLACE SHOWN BELOW:
DATE AND TIME: July 17, 2012, 8:00 a.m.
PLACE: Broward College, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
THE PERSON TO BE CONTACTED REGARDING THE PROPOSED RULE IS: Pam Stewart, Chancellor, Division of Public Schools, 325 W. Gaines Street, Room 1502, Tallahassee, FL 32399

THE FULL TEXT OF THE PROPOSED RULE IS:

6A-1.09414 Course Requirements – Descriptions for Grades PK 6-12, Exceptional Student Education.

A course description is a broad guideline which directs district personnel by providing the essential content and course requirements for each course in grades PK-12 contained in specific instructional plans for a given subject area or area of study and which is consistent with the “Course Code Directory and Instructional Personnel Assignments” adopted in Rule 6A-1.09441, F.A.C. Course requirements approved by the State Board of Education are contained in the publication “2012-2013 The document, Florida Course Descriptions for Grades PK6-12, Exceptional Student Education, 1999” which is hereby incorporated by reference and made a part of this the rules of the State Board. Copies of approved course descriptions these documents may be obtained from K-12 Public Schools the Educational Products Distribution Section, Department of Education, 325 West Gaines Street, Tallahassee, Florida 32399, or online at http://www.floridastandards.org at a cost to be established by the Commissioner not to exceed actual cost.

(1) District school board variance authority. District school boards of education are authorized, through local rules, to approve a variance of up to ten (10) percent of the course requirements of each course description.

(2) Commissioner of Education waiver authority. The Commissioner of Education may approve a school’s waiver request submitted by a district school board, to allow the school to substitute locally approved course requirements provided that locally approved requirements specified for the state approved course adequately address the major concepts/content and Sunshine State Standards for special diploma contained in the course description, and the waiver request fulfills the provisions of and as submitted in accordance with procedures specified in Section 229.592, Florida Statutes.

Rulemaking Specific Authority 1001.03(1), 1011.62 229.565(1), 230.23(7) FS. Law Implemented 1001.42(9), 1003.42, 1011.62(1)(s) 229.592, 230.23(7), 232.2454, 232.247, 233.09 FS. History–New 7-9-86, Amended 12-28-86, 12-13-88, 12-11-89, 11-12-91, 6-6-93, 10-18-94, 9-28-99,________.

NAME OF PERSON ORIGINATING PROPOSED RULE: Pam Stewart, Chancellor, Division of Public Schools
NAME OF AGENCY HEAD WHO APPROVED THE PROPOSED RULE: Gerard Robinson, Commissioner, Department of Education
DATE PROPOSED RULE APPROVED BY AGENCY HEAD: June 12, 2012
DATE NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULE DEVELOPMENT PUBLISHED IN FAW: June 8, 2012