FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION

KATHLEEN SHANAHAN, Chair ROBERTO MARTNEZ Vice Chair

Gerard Robinson Commissioner of Education Randy Hanna, Chancellor The Florida College System

Members
SALLY BRADSHAW GARY CHARTRAND DR. AKSHAY DESAI BARBARA S. FEINGOLD JOHN R. PADGET

March 22, 2012 MEMORANDUM TO: FROM: SUBJECT: Council of Instructional Affairs Council of Student Affairs Julie Alexander, Interim Vice Chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs 2012 Legislative Update Select Bills Impacting The Florida College System

The Florida Legislature passed several bills during the 2012 legislative session that may impact your policies and/or operations. The proposed bills require the Governors signature before they become law. For more information, visit the Governors bill action website at www.flgov.com/bill-action. The Legislature passed the following bills, which have not yet been signed by the Governor: House Bill 0347: College Credit for Military Training and Education Courses (effective July 1, 2012) http://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2012/0347/BillText/er/PDF (Summary attached) Creates section (s.) 1004.096, Florida Statutes (F.S.), requiring the State Board of Education (SBE) to adopt rules that enable eligible members of the United States Armed Forces to earn academic college credit at public postsecondary educational institutions for college-level training and education acquired in the military. Senate Bill 0922: Current and Former Military Personnel* (effective July 1, 2012, except as otherwise expressly provided) http://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2012/0922/BillText/er/PDF (Summary attached) Creates s. 1004.075, F.S., to require each Florida College System (FCS) institution and state university that offers priority course registration for a segment of the student population, or upon implementation of priority course registration for a segment of the student population, to provide priority course registration for each veteran of the United States Armed Forces who is receiving GI Bill educational benefits. *Note: House Bill 0045 also passed and includes the same requirement.
325 W. GAINES STREET TALLAHASSEE, FL 32399-0407 (850) 245-0407 www.fldoe.org/cc

2012 Legislative Update Page 2 March 22, 2012 Senate Bill 1040: Practice of Dentistry (effective upon becoming a law) http://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2012/1040/BillText/er/PDF (Summary attached) Among the provisions, the bill amends s. 466.007, F.S., to (1) revise the eligibility requirements for taking the examinations required to practice dental hygiene and (2) revise the licensing requirements to practice as a dental hygienist. House Bill 1355: Protection of Vulnerable Persons (effective October 1, 2012) http://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2012/1355/BillText/er/PDF (Summary attached) Amends s. 39.205, F.S., to (1) increase criminal penalties for knowingly and willfully failing to report known or suspected child abuse, abandonment, or neglect, or knowingly and willfully preventing another person from doing so, (2) require specified educational institutions, including FCS institutions, and their law enforcement agencies to report known or suspected child abuse, abandonment, or neglect in certain circumstances, (3) provide financial penalties for violations, (4) provide for challenges to findings of determinations, and (5) provide for a presumption in certain circumstances. Senate Bill 5001: Appropriations (effective July 1, 2012, or upon becoming law, whichever occurs later; however, if this act becomes law after July 1, 2012, then it shall operate retroactively to July 1, 2012) http://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2012/5001/BillText/er/PDF Special Category 110A: Florida Virtual Campus (see page 33 of the bill) Special Category 110B: 2+2 Partnerships for public colleges and public universities (see page 33 of the bill) Senate Bill 5201: Postsecondary Education Funding (effective July 1, 2012) http://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2012/5201/BillText/er/PDF (Summary attached) Amends s. 1000.21, F.S., to allow South Florida Community College to be renamed South Florida State College. Creates s. 1006.73, F.S., to establish the Florida Virtual Campus to provide access to online student and library support services and serve as a statewide resource and clearinghouse for postsecondary education distance learning courses and degree programs and to increase student access and completion of degrees. Creates s. 1006.735, F.S., to establish the Degree Completion Pilot Project to recruit, recover, and retain adult learners and assist them in completing degrees aligned to high-wage, high-skill, and workforce needs. Amends s. 1009.531, F.S., to (1) shorten the length of time from 3 years to 2 years that a student is eligible to accept the initial Bright Futures Scholarship after high school graduation, beginning with 2012-13 graduates, (2) clarify that students are required to annually submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), (3) limit allowable uses for the Bright Futures Gold Seal Vocational Scholarship, and (4) revise student GPA eligibility requirements for renewal of the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship award. House Bill 7059: Acceleration Options in Public Education (effective July 1, 2012) http://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2012/7059/BillText/er/PDF (Summary attached) Amends ss.1001.64-1001.65, F.S., to revise district interinstitutional articulation agreements reference to dual enrollment articulation agreements. Repeals s. 1007.235, F.S., relating to district interinstitutional articulation agreements.

2012 Legislative Update Page 3 March 22, 2012

Amends s.1007.263, F.S., to eliminate an exemption from FCS admission requirements for secondary students enrolled in college-level instruction not creditable towards the high school diploma. Amends s.1007.27, F.S., to (1) delete duplicative language relating to early admission and (2) provide student eligibility requirements comparable to dual enrollment eligibility requirements for enrollment in Advanced Placement courses. Amends s. 1007.271, F.S., to: Provide student eligibility requirements and restrictions for enrollment and continued enrollment in dual enrollment courses; Authorize a participation limit based on capacity; Provide requirements for faculty members providing instruction in college credit dual enrollment courses; Provide curriculum standards for college credit dual enrollment; Clarify district school board duties; Establish a minimum and maximum number of college credit hours for participation in an early admission program; Provide home education student eligibility requirements for enrollment in dual enrollment courses; Require a home education articulation agreement; Provide requirements for the development and contents of a school district and Florida College System institution dual enrollment articulation agreement; Require the Department of Education to develop an electronic submission system for dual enrollment articulation agreements and to review agreements for compliance; Authorize dual enrollment articulation agreements with state universities, eligible independent colleges and universities, and private secondary schools; Create the dual enrollment articulation agreement that is comparable to the district interinstitutional articulation agreement previously required by s. 1007.235, F.S.; and Require a listing of additional initial eligibility requirements: Allows for exceptions from the GPA requirements on a case-by-case basis. Clarifies that the registration process for dual enrollment is determined by the FCS institution. Clarifies responsibilities of school districts and FCS institutions. Includes a statement that the school district should share funding to cover instructional and support costs incurred by the postsecondary institution. Repeals s.1007.272, F.S., relating to joint dual enrollment and advanced placement instruction.

House Bill 7129: State Universities of Academic and Research Excellence and National Preeminence (effective upon becoming a law) http://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2012/7129/BillText/er/PDF (Summary attached) Creates s. 1001.765, F.S., State universities of academic and research excellence and national preeminence, and includes a provision to allow eligible state universities to require first-time students to take 9-12 credits to be determined by the state university and require students to complete those hours only at the state university. Provides an allowance for acceleration credit to be applied towards graduation at the request of the student.

2012 Legislative Update Page 4 March 22, 2012 House Bill 7135: Relating to Postsecondary Education (effective upon becoming a law) http://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2012/7135/BillText/er/PDF (Summary attached) Amends s. 1002.02, to (1) provide additional requirements for the SBEs coordinated 5-year plan for postsecondary enrollment and its strategic plan specifying goals and objectives, (2) provide SBE a duty to require FCS institutions to provide students with electronic access to the Economic Security Report of employment and earning outcomes prepared by the Department of Economic Opportunity, and (3) require SBE rules to revise credit hour requirements in general education courses. Amends s. 1001.03, F.S., to (1) require SBE to identify performance metrics for the FCS and develop a plan that specifies goals and objectives for each FCS institution and (2) require SBE to adopt a unified state plan for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics in K-20 education. Amends s. 1001.10, F.S., to authorize the Commissioner of Education to conduct a review of certain practices, procedures, or actions at any FCS institution. Amends s. 1001.64, F.S., to conform provisions related to general education. Amends s. 1004.015, F.S., to require the Higher Education Coordinating Council to annually report recommendations for postsecondary education. Amends s. 1007.23, F.S., to provide that the statewide articulation agreement must require FCS students seeking an associate in arts degree to indicate a baccalaureate degree program offered by an institution of interest by the time the student earns 30 semester hours. The institution in which the student is enrolled shall inform the student of any prerequisites offered in the program at the institution of interest. Amends s. 1007.25, F.S., to (1) revise provisions relating to general education course requirements and associate and baccalaureate degree requirements. Beginning with students entering public postsecondary institution in 2014-2015, an associate in arts degree shall require no more than 60 semester hours of college credit and must include 30 semester hours of general education coursework and foreign language competency. A baccalaureate degree program shall require no more than 120 semester hours of college credit and, beginning with students entering public postsecondary institution in 2014-2015, must include 30 semester hours of general education coursework and (2) provide requirements for general education core course options, including high-level academic and critical thinking skills and common competencies that students must demonstrate to successfully complete the course. Amends s. 1007.33, F.S., to (1) provide additional requirements for notice of intent to propose a baccalaureate degree program at a FCS institution, (2) require an institution offering a baccalaureate degree program to report its status using specified performance and compliance standards, and (3) delete provisions relating to exemption from SBE approval of certain baccalaureate degree programs. Creates s. 445.07, F.S., to require the Department of Economic Opportunity to annually prepare, or contract with an entity to prepare, an Economic Security Report of employment and earning outcomes for degrees or certificates earned at public postsecondary educational institutions.

2012 Legislative Update Page 5 March 22, 2012 The Division of Florida Colleges will host two conference calls/webinars during the month of April to provide an overview of several high impact bills and, once bills are signed by the Governor, will provide technical assistance for issues requiring additional clarification. JA/ceh Attachment Cc: College Admissions Officers and Registrars College Advisors College Baccalaureate Liaisons College Dual Enrollment Liaisons College Financial Aid Directors College Veterans Certifying Officials Division of Florida Colleges Matthew Bouck, Office of Articulation Kathleen Taylor, Division of Career and Adult Education Mary Jane Tappen, Division of Public Schools