6A-6.0651: Alternative Credit Pilot Program
PURPOSE AND EFFECT: The purpose of this rule is to provide requirements for pilot districts in the implementation of this pilot program.
SUMMARY: This rule addresses the time period for the pilot, which core courses are eligible for students to receive alternative credit for in the pilot, how frequently end-of-course assessments may be administered, how passing scores for the assessments will be determined, district responsibility for remediation if assessments are not passed, and how alternative credit will be reflected on student transcripts.
SUMMARY OF STATEMENT OF ESTIMATED REGULATORY COSTS: No Statement of Estimated Regulatory Cost was prepared.
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.
SPECIFIC AUTHORITY: 1002.375(7) FS.
LAW IMPLEMENTED: 1002.375 FS.
A HEARING WILL BE HELD AT THE DATE, TIME AND PLACE SHOWN BELOW:
DATE AND TIME: October 21, 2008, 8:30 a.m.
PLACE: Tampa Airport Marriott, Tampa, Florida
THE PERSON TO BE CONTACTED REGARDING THE PROPOSED RULE IS: Holly Edenfield, Executive Director, K-12 Legislative and Public Affairs, (850)245-0659
THE FULL TEXT OF THE PROPOSED RULE IS:
6A-6.0651 Alternative Credit Pilot Program.
The purpose of this rule is to provide requirements for pilot districts in the implementation of this pilot program.
(1) At a minimum, the term of this pilot program will be through December 2009.
(2) Eligible core courses for which students may receive alternative credit are Algebra 1a, Algebra 1b, Algebra 1, Geometry, and Biology.
(3) In order for a student enrolled in a pilot course to receive alternative credit, the student must pass the respective end-of-course assessment approved by the Department of Education. Assessments may be developed by the Florida Virtual School or adopted or developed by the Department.
(4) The minimum passing scores for each end-of-course assessment will be determined by the Department based on the recommendations of a committee of Florida educators through a standard-setting procedure. Minimum passing scores must be no lower than those expected of students enrolled in the credit bearing course for which the alternative credit is sought.
(5) The end-of-course assessments for alternative core credit may be administered at any point during a students enrollment in the career course. The Department will approve the method of administration of the end-of-course assessment for each pilot district.
(6) If a student does not meet the minimum passing scores established by the Department, and has participated in the remediation provided by the district, the student may retake the assessment multiple times during the duration of the career course, provided that there are at least thirty-one (31) calendar days between administrations and a different form of the assessment is administered each time.
(7) Although the career course descriptions must include a minimum of fifty (50) percent of the alternative credit core course benchmarks, the district is responsible for providing students access to resources aligned to all of the core course benchmarks to assist students in preparing for the respective end-of-course assessment.
(8) Remediation in the core course for which alternative credit is sought must be provided after each unsuccessful attempt to pass the end-of-course assessment. The district is responsible for providing this remediation.
(9) A student enrolled in the career course is not required to take the end-of-course assessment for alternative core credit unless the student is seeking such alternative credit.
(10)(a) If a student is not successful in passing the end-of-course assessment, the student will not receive alternative credit for the core course. However, the students credit for the career course is not affected by the score on the alternative credit end-of-course assessment.
(b) If a student passes the end-of-course assessment in the core course, but does not earn a passing grade in the career course, the students alternative core credit is not affected.
(11) If a student is successful in passing the alternative credit end-of-course assessment, the student will receive credit for the core course and a P will appear on the students transcript as the grade. There is no penalty on the transcript if a student is not successful after the allotted attempts to retake the assessment.
(12) The district must report alternative credit awarded for core courses on the student transcript according to Department requirements in the DOE Information Data Base Requirements: Volume I Automated Student Information System, 2008 as incorporated by reference in Rule 6A-1.0014, F.A.C.
(13) The Florida Virtual School will provide the Department and pilot districts with electronic student test results. They will also report diagnostic information to districts detailing how students performed on each benchmark tested using secure measures to protect the identity of students, and summary level information to the state.
Specific Authority 1002.375(7) FS. Law Implemented 1002.375 FS. HistoryNew_________.
