(1) The State Board of Education shall adopt, by rule, standards of basic skill mastery for completion of certificate career education programs. Each school district and Florida College System institution that conducts programs that confer career and technical certificates shall provide applied academics instruction through which students receive the basic skills instruction required pursuant to this section.

(2) Students who enroll in a program offered for career credit of 450 hours or more shall complete an entry-level examination within the first 6 weeks after admission into the program. The State Board of Education shall designate examinations that are currently in existence, the results of which are comparable across institutions, to assess student mastery of basic skills. Any student found to lack the required level of basic skills for such program shall be referred to applied academics instruction or another adult general education program for a structured program of basic skills instruction. Such instruction may include English for speakers of other languages. A student may not receive a career or technical certificate of completion without first demonstrating the basic skills required in the state curriculum frameworks for the career education program.

(3)(a) An adult student with a disability may be exempted from this section.

(b) The following students are exempt from this section:

1. A student who possesses a college degree at the associate in applied science level or higher.

2. A student who demonstrates readiness for public postsecondary education pursuant to s. 1008.30 and applicable rules adopted by the State Board of Education.

3. A student who passes a state or national industry certification or licensure examination that is identified in State Board of Education rules and aligned to the career education program in which the student is enrolled.

4. An adult student who is enrolled in an apprenticeship program that is registered with the Department of Education in accordance with chapter 446.

History.—s. 234, ch. 2002-387; s. 93, ch. 2004-357; s. 14, ch. 2008-235; s. 66, ch. 2011-5; s. 49, ch. 2013-27.