6A-6.0201. State of Florida High School Diplomas, as of January 1, 2014

(1) Pursuant to the requirements of Section 1003.435, F.S., the Commissioner shall award a State of Florida High School Diploma to a candidate who meets all of the following requirements:

(a) Takes at least one (1) exam of the 2014 GED® Test at a testing center in Florida approved by the Department of Education; and,

(b) Attains a minimum score of one hundred and forty-five (145) on each of the four (4) sub-tests of the 2014 GED® Test: Reasoning through Language Arts, Mathematical Reasoning, Science and Social Studies.

(2) The Commissioner of Education shall award a State of Florida High School Diploma to a candidate who achieved the criteria in subsection (1) from January 1, 2014, to the effective date of this rule.

(3) The Department shall convert sub-test scores which meet the minimum requirement from test administrations at any approved GED® testing center in another state or jurisdiction for residents of the state of Florida. The Commissioner shall award a State of Florida High School Diploma to Florida residents who meet the passing standard as specified in paragraph (1)(b) of this rule or the Florida passing standard for any previous test series. Individuals must provide proof of residency for a test score from another state or jurisdiction to be converted.

(4) The Department shall designate official testing centers in the state which are authorized to act as agents of the state in administering the 2014 GED® Test. The following entities are eligible to be authorized to offer the 2014 GED® Test:

(a) Public schools or other appropriate facilities of a local education agency (LEA).

(b) Public postsecondary educational institutions.

(c) Correctional facilities for state and/or local inmates.

(d) Correctional facilities for individuals in the custody of or under the supervision of the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice.

(e) If adequate access to public testing is not available at public schools and public postsecondary educational institutions in the county, other not-for-profit educational institutions or other governmental entities, including public libraries, are eligible to be approved as testing centers.

(f) OnVUE online-proctored testing center.

(5) Each official testing center shall establish a schedule for testing which adequately meets the needs of the candidates within its service area.

(6) The Department shall maintain a perpetual record of individual test results and issue State of Florida High School Diplomas and official transcripts to successful candidates.

(7) For in-person testing at an approved testing center, the statewide testing fee for the 2014 GED® Test shall be thirty-two (32) dollars for each of the following sub-tests: Reasoning through Language Arts, Mathematical Reasoning, Social Studies and Science. This fee shall be paid by the candidate at the time of the registration and scheduling of the test.

(8) For an online-proctored test administration, the statewide testing fee for the 2014 GED® Test shall be thirty-eight (38) dollars for each of the following sub-tests: Reasoning through Language Arts, Mathematical Reasoning, Social Studies and Science. This fee shall be paid by the candidate at the time of the registration and scheduling of the test.

(9) A fee of fifteen (15) dollars shall be assessed for the following services and document production to test takers or other entities seeking official documents with the signed authority of the test candidate or recipient of the diploma for all documents and services provided on or after January 1, 2014:

(a) Duplication of diploma and transcript: fifteen (15) dollars.

(b) Conversion of scores from applicants who have taken the GED® tests in the military or other states or jurisdictions: fifteen (15) dollars.

(10) School districts must have an underage waiver policy and procedures for individuals aged sixteen (16) and seventeen (17) years of age to take the official GED® test when certain conditions are met. The policy and procedures must be adopted in the district’s pupil progression plan and must be publicly posted on the school district website. Each school district must submit their underage waiver policy and procedures and the web address to which the document is posted to the High School Equivalency Diploma Program office via email at [e-mail] by October 1 of every calendar year. At a minimum, the underage waiver policy must include:

(a) The school district process by which an individual must apply for the waiver;

(b) The conditions under which a waiver will be granted by the district;

(c) An appeals process for denials; and

(d) The name and contact information of the school district personnel or other authorized individuals who may be contacted regarding questions about the underage waiver process and approval.

(11) Once an individual satisfies all requirements to be granted an underage waiver, the waiver must be submitted to the assigned school district or testing center personnel. This staff member must send the waiver to the High School Equivalency Diploma Program office via email at [e-mail] within thirty (30) calendar days. Submitted waivers must be signed by the superintendent or their designee. 

(12) For school districts with an underage waiver policy which requires enrollment in coursework as a condition for approval to take the official GED® test, a school district may not require a student to take any course if the following conditions are met:

(a) The individual attains a minimum score of one hundred and forty-five (145) on each of the four (4) sub-tests of the GED Ready®: Reasoning through Language Arts, Mathematical Reasoning, Science and Social Studies.

(b) Exam scores are dated within one (1) calendar year from the date the request for an underage waiver is submitted to the school district.

(c) The GED Ready® sub-tests are taken in a proctored environment as defined in the school district pupil progression plan.

Rulemaking Authority 1001.02(1), 1003.435(1), (4)(b) FS. Law Implemented 1003.435 FS. History‒New 11-19-13, Amended 3-23-16, 9-21-21, 9-26-23.