Florida Administrative Code
6 - DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
6A - State Board of Education
Chapter 6A-14 - COMMUNITY COLLEGES
Section 6A-14.096 - Site Determined Associate in Applied Science and Associate in Science Degree Access

Universal Citation: FL Admin Code R 6A-14.096

Current through Reg. 50, No. 187; September 24, 2024

(1) Purpose. This rule implements a uniform submission, approval, and compliance process for associate in applied science and associate in science degree programs offered by school district career centers and charter career centers in accordance with Section (s.) 1007.331, Florida Statutes (F.S.), for the purpose of meeting district, regional, or statewide workforce needs.

(2) Definitions.

(a) "Applicant" means an accredited school district career center as defined s. 1001.44, F.S., or an accredited charter technical career center as defined in s. 1002.34, F.S.

(b) "Associate in applied science degree" or "A.A.S. degree" means a program of career and technical instruction consisting of lower division college credit courses to prepare for entry into employment. The A.A.S. degree is awarded upon satisfactory completion of a planned program of instruction comprised of the standard credit hour length established in Rule 6A-6.0571, F.A.C., after demonstration of the attainment of predetermined and specified performance requirements.

(c) "Associate in science degree" or "A.S. degree" means a program of career and technical instruction consisting of lower division college credit courses to prepare for entry into employment. The A.S. degree is a transfer degree and a basis for admission to a related bachelor's degree. The associate in science degree is awarded upon satisfactory completion of a planned program of instruction comprised of the standard credit hour length established in Rule 6A-6.0571, F.A.C., after demonstration of the attainment of predetermined and specified performance requirements.

(d) "Credit" means a unit of measure assigned to courses or course equivalent learning. Credit is awarded if the learning activity it represents is part of, or preparatory for, an organized and specified program leading to a postsecondary certificate or degree. Credit is a device which indicates to the learner, to educational institutions, to employers, and to others how much of the program the learner has completed. The credit awarded may be independent of where the learning occurs. If a learning activity does not meet these requirements, credit shall not be awarded. The only types of postsecondary credit authorized are:
1. College credit. College credit is the type of credit assigned by postsecondary institutions to courses or course equivalent learning that is part of an organized and specified program leading to a diploma, certificate or degree. One (1) college credit is based on the learning expected from the equivalent of fifteen (15) fifty-minute periods of classroom instruction; with credits for such activities as laboratory instruction, internships, and clinical experience determined by the institution based on the proportion of direct instruction to the laboratory exercise, internship hours, or clinical practice hours.

2. Lower division college credit. Lower division college credit is assigned to college credit courses offered to freshmen and sophomores (1,000 and 2,000 level courses).

(e) "Council on Occupational Education" means the national accrediting of higher education institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

(f) "Classification of Instructional Programs" means refers to the taxonomic scheme developed by the U.S. Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics that assigns a unique 6-digit reporting number for postsecondary instructional programs. The codes are assigned are commonly referred to as CIP codes.

(g) "Completed proposal" means an applicant's final submission of an A.A.S. or A.S. program proposal to the Division for consideration by the State Board of Education.

(h) "Division" means the Division of Career and Adult Education.

(i) "Initial proposal" means a career center's first submission of an A.A.S. or A.S. program proposal to the Division for review.

(j) "Service district" means the geographical area served by a Florida College System (FCS) institution identified in Section 1000.21, F.S.

(3) Notice of intent process, objections and alternative proposals.

(a) An applicant seeking to offer an A.A.S. or A.S. degree program must complete and submit the Associate in Science and Applied Science Notice of Intent, Form No. AAS-AS-01 (http://www.flrules.org/Gateway/reference.asp?No=Ref-16706) which is hereby incorporated by reference in this rule effective July 2024. A copy of the form may be found at https://www.fldoe.org/academics/career-adult-edu/career-tech-edu/program-resources.stml or by writing to the Division at 325 West Gaines Street, Suite 732, Tallahassee, Florida 32399. The notice of intent must be submitted to the Division of Career and Adult Education at least one hundred (100) days before the submission of its official proposal. Notices of intent will be accepted beginning July 2024, and may be submitted by an applicant at any time throughout the year.

(b) The notice must include: a brief description of the program; the workforce demand and unmet need for graduates of the program to include evidence from entities independent of the institution; the geographic region to be served; the estimated timeframe for implementation; a description of how the application intends to address the a minimum of fifteen (15) college credits of general education coursework consisting of at least one of the general education core courses in each of the identified subjects that fulfill general education core requirements and civic literacy competency in accordance with s. 1007.25, F.S. and rules 6A-14.0303 and 6A-10.02413, F.A.C.; and, a summary of how the applicant engaged in need, demand, and impact discussions with the Florida College System institution in its service district and other postsecondary education providers in its service district which offer A.A.S. or A.S. degree programs.

(c) Florida College System institutions will be provided sixty (60) days to submit objections to the proposed new program or submit an alternative proposal to offer the A.A.S. or A.S. degree program. Objections or alternative proposals must be submitted to the Division for consideration by the State Board of Education in making its decision to approve or deny an applicant's proposal.

(d) Alternative proposals must address all of the following:
1. The extent to which the workforce demand and unmet need described in the notice of intent will be met.

2. The extent to which students will be able to complete the degree in the geographic region proposed to be served by the career center.

3. The level of financial commitment of the Florida College System institution to the development, implementation, and maintenance of the specified degree program, including timelines.

4. The extent to which faculty at both the career center and the Florida College System institution will collaborate in the development and offering of the curriculum.

5. The ability of the career center and the Florida College System institution to develop and approve the curriculum for the specified degree program within six (6) months after an agreement between the career center and Florida College System institution is signed.

6. The extent to which the student may incur additional costs above what the student would expect to incur if the program were offered by the career center or charter technical career center.

(4) Proposal process and application.

(a) After filing a Notice of Intent, an applicant must submit the Associate in Science and Applied Science Degree Proposal Application, Form AAS-AS-02 (http://www.flrules.org/Gateway/reference.asp?No=Ref-16707) which is hereby incorporated by reference in this rule effective July 2024. A copy of the form may be found https://www.fldoe.org/academics/career-adult-edu/career-tech-edu/program-resources.stml or by writing to the Division at 325 West Gaines Street, Suite 714, Tallahassee, Florida 32399. The proposal application must be submitted at least one hundred (100) calendar days after the submission of the notice of intent as specified in paragraph (3)(a).

(b) The Division will review the application and will notify the applicant of any deficiencies. The applicant will be required to submit a revised, completed proposal application, which addresses deficiencies identified by the Division, in order to proceed with the proposal to offer the associate degree.

(c) Unless the proposal is withdrawn by the applicant, the Division will submit the completed proposal application, any objections or alternative proposals, any additional related documentation to the Commissioner of Education with a written analysis. Applications will then be considered by the State Board of Education.

(5) Accreditation requirements for career centers and charter technical career centers. Upon approval by the State Board of Education, the career center or charter technical career center must obtain institutional accreditation from the Council on Occupational Education as an A.A.S. or an A.S. degree-granting institution. The Council on Occupation Education must be notified of any subsequent degree programs approved by the State Board of Education. Upon approval of a site-determined program by the State Board of Education, the career center is required to seek program level accreditation for any approved programs with a regulatory requirement for a program-level accreditation.

(6) Accountability process.

(a) Each career center or charter technical career center with one (1) or more A.A.S. or A.S. programs shall annually submit one Associate in Science/Applied Science Accountability Report, Form No. AAS-AS-03 (http://www.flrules.org/Gateway/reference.asp?No=Ref-16708), which is hereby incorporated by reference in this rule effective July 2024. A copy of the form may be found at https://www.fldoe.org/academics/career-adult-edu/career-tech-edu/program-resources.stml or by writing to the Division at 325 West Gaines Street, Suite 714, Tallahassee, Florida 32399.

(b) Annually, the Division will notify the career centers or charter technical career centers of the due date for the report at least sixty (60) days prior to the due date.

(c) The annual report shall be used to report on the following performance and compliance indicators:
1. Obtaining and maintaining Council on Occupational Education accreditation;

2. Maintaining qualified faculty and institutional resources;

3. Maintaining enrollment in previously approved programs;

4. Managing fiscal resources appropriately;

5. Complying with the primary mission and responsibility requirements in s. 1007.331, F.S., and

6. Other indicators of success, including program completions, placements, and surveys of graduates and employers.

Rulemaking Authority 1001.02(1), (2)(n), 1007.331(5) FS. Law Implemented 1007.331 FS.

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