The purpose of the proposed rule amendment is to establish in rule passing scores on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test® (FCAT) that are equivalent to the current passing scores required for students who entered high school at the time the High School Competency Test (HSCT) testing requirement was in place. Senate Bill 1908, passed by the 2008 Legislature, provides authority to the State Board of Education to adopt by rule passing scores on a new statewide assessment that are statistically equivalent to the passing scores required on an old statewide assessment. Once the equivalent passing scores on the new statewide assessment are adopted, the administration of the old assessment may be discontinued. With regard to this rule, the “old” statewide assessment is the HSCT and the “new” statewide assessment is the FCAT. The effect of this change will be to allow the Department of Education to discontinue the administration of the HSCT, effective with the approval of the final proposed rule including the equivalent scores.