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High School Reform Frequently Asked Questions

  1. When will the new general requirements for high school graduation take effect?
  2. What are these new requirements?
  3. How long will districts have to plan for the revised graduation requirements?
  4. What courses fulfill the Algebra I requirement?
  5. What is a “major area of interest?”
  6. What are the purposes of a “major area of interest?”
  7. What is the student’s “education plan?”
  8. How is the high school “major area of interest” different from a college “major?”
  9. What is a “minor area of interest?”
  10. Does a student have to be enrolled in a major area of interest to graduate?
  11. Why is Florida reforming high schools by implementing major and minor areas of interest?
  12. Does a student have to complete a major area of interest to graduate?
  13. Will the diploma of a student who has completed a major area of interest be any different from that of a student who has completed a major area of interest?
  14. Why is Florida reforming high schools by implementing major and minor areas of interest?
  15. Where can I find examples of major areas of interest?
  16. Where can I find the proposal form for submitting a major area of interest?
  17. What if a district wants to create a new course for inclusion in a major area of interest?
  18. How often does the State Board of Education approve new courses?
  19. Can the courses in an approved major area of interest change after a student has enrolled in the area of interest?
  20. How will students know what new courses are approved for their major area of interest?
  21. What is the process for seeking approval of a major area of interest?
  22. How do we decide what the majors should be?
  23. Can Florida Virtual School be utilized as an option for majors?
  24. What if a student moves to another school and their major is not offered? Are there ground rules that should be used from district to district or school to school when students are mobile?
  25. Do we have flexibility to change our plan throughout the year?
  26. How and when do practicums come in?
  27. Does Fine Arts need to be a full credit?
  28. Can intensive reading and intensive math be part of the major and minor for ESE students?
  29. What if I have one student whose parents want a specific major? What designates need?
  30. Can a parent opt out of having a child pick a major?
  31. Can dual enrollment be a 4th course option?
  32. Special diploma students are not typically assigned to special diploma until 11th grade. Do they get placed in a major track until they are placed in special diploma?
  33. American Sign Language is listed as Language Arts. Can it be moved to be listed as a Foreign Language, or listed as both?
  34. How many majors do we need to offer?
  35. Is the October 1 deadline a firm date?



1. When will the new general requirements for high school graduation take effect?
These new diploma requirements will apply to all students who enter their first year of high school in the 2007-08 school year and thereafter.
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2. What are these new requirements?
Beginning with students entering their first year of high school in 2007-2008 school year, graduation requires (new requirements are italicized and bolded):
  1. The successful completion of a minimum of 24 credits, or
  2. An International Baccalaureate Curriculum, or
  3. An Advanced International Certificate of Education Curriculum.
The 24 credits may be earned through applied, integrated, and combined courses approved by the Department of Education and shall be distributed as follows:
  • 16 core curriculum credits;
    • Four (4) credits in English, with a major concentration in composition, reading for information, and literature.
    • Four (4) credits in mathematics, one of which must be Algebra I, a series equivalent to Algebra I, or a high-level mathematic course. School districts are encouraged to set specific goals to increase enrollments in, and successful completion of, geometry and Algebra II.
    • Three (3) credits in science, two of which must have a laboratory component.
    • Three (3) credits in social studies as follows: one (1) credit in American history; one (1) credit in world history; one-half credit in economics; and one-half credit in American Government.
    • One (1) credit in fine arts.
    • One (1) credit in physical education to include integration of health.
    • Eight (8) credits in majors, minors, or electives:
      • Four (4) credits in a major area of interest, such as sequential courses in a career and technical program, fine and performing arts, or academic content area, selected by the student as part of the education plan. Students may revise major areas of interest each year as part of annual course registration processes and should update their education plan to reflect such revisions.
      • Four (4) credits in elective courses selected by the student as part of the education plan. These credits may be combined to allow for a second major area of interest, a minor area of interest, elective courses, intensive reading or mathematics intervention courses, or credit recovery courses.
        • Minor areas of interest are composed of three (3) credits selected by the student as part of the education plan and approved by the district.
        • Elective courses are selected by the student in order to pursue a complete education program and to meet eligibility requirements for scholarships
        • For each year in which a student scores at Level 1 on FCAT reading, the student must be enrolled in and complete an intensive reading course the following year. Placement of Level 2 readers in either an intensive reading course or a content area course in which reading strategies are delivered shall be determined by diagnosis of reading needs.
        • For each year in which a student scores Level 1 or Level 2 on FCAT Mathematics, the student must receive remediation the following year. These courses may be taught through applied, integrated, or combined courses and are subject to approval by the department for inclusion in the Course Code Directory.
        • Credit recovery courses shall be offered so that students can simultaneously earn an elective credit and the recovered credit
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3. How long will districts have to plan for the revised graduation requirements?
School districts are required to implement the revised graduation requirements beginning with students entering their first year of high school in the 2007-2008 school year. Sufficient planning time should be allocated in order to ensure that information related to these requirements is disseminated to students, parents, and school personnel prior to the spring 2007 course selection process. In addition, school districts must begin as soon as possible to identify majors to submit to the DOE by October 1, 2006.
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4. What courses fulfill the Algebra I requirement?
Algebra I – 1200310 (1 credit), Algebra I Honors – 1200320 (1 credit), Pacesetter Mathematics I – 1200500 (1 credit), Algebra IA – 1200370 and Algebra IB – 1200380 (2 credits), Applied Mathematics I 1205400 and Applied Mathematics II 1205410 (2 credits), Integrated Mathematics I 1207310 and Integrated Mathematics II 1207320 (2 credits)
Note: Only Algebra I (1200310), Algebra I Honors (1200320), and Algebra IA (1200370) & Algebra IB (1200380) are eligible for middle grades weighted funding.
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5. What is a “major area of interest?”
A major area of interest includes four (4) credits in a common area such as sequential courses in a career and technical program, fine and performing arts, or academic content area, selected by the student as part of the student’s education plan. A student must earn a total of four (4) credits in a major area of interest. One (1) of these credits may be earned in a practicum, as described in the Course Code Directory. Major areas of interest will be proposed by school districts to the Commissioner of Education and, once approved, will be available for students to consider. When a student is selecting a major area of interest, it is important for educators providing academic advisement to review the student’s transcript to advise the student and to help ensure that the student is on track to meet the requirements for the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program and the 18 units course distribution requirements for state university system (SUS) admission, if applicable, based on the student’s desired postsecondary education goals.
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6. What are the purposes of a “major area of interest?”
The purposes of a major area of interest are to provide students:
  • Opportunities to earn additional credit toward college or technical school, or beginning certification in an occupation
  • Opportunities to learn more in areas that students might be considering as future professions or lifetime skills
  • Opportunities to receive credit and recognition for high level accomplishments outside of the school day for a supervised activity directly related to the major area of interest
  • Opportunities to increase the relevance of the high school experience through more in-depth study in an area students find engaging
  • Opportunities to increase the value of “elective” classes
  • Opportunities to increase the value of the high school diploma
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7. What is the student’s “education plan?”
As part of the newly passed requirements for middle grades promotion, each student should be enrolled in a career and education planning course in 7th or 8th grade. The course must include educational planning using the online student advising system known as Florida Academic Counseling and Tracking for Students at the Internet website FACTS.org, and shall result in the completing of a personalized academic and career plan. Each student’s plan must be signed by the student, the student’s parent, and the student’s guidance counselor or academic advisor.
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8. How is the high school “major area of interest” different from a college “major?”
The focus is on the student’s interest. These are broader than college majors, and once a student chooses a major area of interest in high school, they are not locked into that as a permanent decision. Unlike a college major that is the major area of study required for the degree in a specific area, a high school major area of interest is part of the eight (8) high school credits that are not part of the identified core courses that students must take for completion of high school.
The high school major area of interest is a means by which a student can explore areas of interest in depth. Students may revise major areas of interest each year as part of annual course registration processes, without penalty. However, a student MAY choose to take courses in an area that they will later pursue in postsecondary education.
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9. What is a “minor area of interest?”
Minor areas of interest are composed of three credits selected by the student as part of the education plan required by S. 1003.4156, F.S. and approved by the local district school board.
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10. Does a student have to be enrolled in a major area of interest to graduate?
Yes, each student must identify and be enrolled in courses that are part of a major area of interest.
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11. Why is Florida reforming high schools by implementing major and minor areas of interest?
This part of high school reform is designed to give students the ability to explore an area of interest and to make their education more relevant to their lives. It empowers students to take charge of their own education. Students are provided the opportunity to focus on one of their interests. Students will earn four credits in a major area of interest - similar to college students - which may be in the arts, advanced academic studies, or career preparation. There will be flexibility so students can change their areas of emphasis, if they wish. The remaining four elective credits may be used to earn a second major area of interest, a minor, or for other elective classes.
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12. Does a student have to complete a major area of interest to graduate?
No, a student does not have to complete a major to graduate but does have to be enrolled in a major area of interest each year. In addition to the sixteen (16) core curriculum credits, students must complete eight (8) additional credits. These credits may be in any combination of majors, minors, or electives.
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13. Will the diploma of a student who has completed a major area of interest be any different from that of a student who has completed a major area of interest?
The Department of Education is currently considering ways to differentiate diplomas for students who have completed a major area of interest as part of their graduation requirements.
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14. Why is Florida reforming high schools by implementing major and minor areas of interest?
This part of high school reform is designed to give students the ability to explore an area of interest and to make their education more relevant to their lives. It empowers students to take charge of their own education. Students are provided the opportunity to focus on one of their interests. Students will earn four credits in a major area of interest - similar to college students - which may be in the arts, advanced academic studies, or career preparation. There will be flexibility so students can change their areas of emphasis, if they wish. The remaining four elective credits may be used to earn a second major area of interest, a minor, or for other elective classes.
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15. Where can I find examples of major areas of interest?
The Department of Education will post approved major areas of interest on the department’s web site.
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16. Where can I find the proposal form for submitting a major area of interest?
The form is available on the DOE web site at http://www.fldoe.org/APlusPlus.
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17. What if a district wants to create a new course for inclusion in a major area of interest?
Districts first will have to submit the course for approval through the Course Code Directory course approval process. Once the course has been approved and added to the Course Code Directory it can be submitted as a course for a major area of interest or the district can submit it to be added to a major area of interest that has already been approved.
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18. How often does the State Board of Education approve new courses?
The State Board of Education approves new courses three times a year, but courses must be approved by April of each year to be part of course offerings the following school year.
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19. Can the courses in an approved major area of interest change after a student has enrolled in the area of interest?
Yes, courses can be added for a major area of interest to provide more options for a student. However, once a student has begun a major area of interest, the district cannot change the requirements to complete the major area of interest by deleting courses that were provided at the time the student chose their major are of interest.
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20. How will students know what new courses are approved for their major area of interest?
Students are encouraged to meet with their guidance counselor and schools should notify students of new courses.
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21. What is the process for seeking approval of a major area of interest?
Annually, by October 1, the district school board shall approve major areas of interest that will be available at each school that serves high school level students and submit the list to the Commissioner of Education for approval. Only those major areas of interest that are integrated--meaning include courses from different content areas, career and technical areas, dual enrollment and/or virtual classes--have to be submitted for approval prior to enrolling students in them.
The basic steps of the process are:
  1. The district evaluates their programs and decides which areas they want to emphasize as majors. Surveying the students to determine their areas of interests is strongly encouraged.
    Guiding questions include:
    1. Who needs to be part of the committee in developing our major areas of interest?
    2. What courses currently exist to develop possible major areas of interest?
    3. What courses are needed to create non-traditional major areas of interest?
    4. What educational resources are available such as teacher interest areas, dual enrollment, Florida Virtual School, technology, etc.?
    5. What partnerships are available such as businesses, postsecondary, and community organizations?
    6. What are the fiscal and physical plant considerations?
    7. How can we collect input from students, postsecondary, parents, and community partners?

  2. The district contact completes the “major area of interest” proposal form and submits it to their district school board for approval.
    Guiding questions include:
    1. Do courses need to be submitted for approval?
    2. How can our major areas of interest support programs such as Gold Seal, Talented Twenty, Career Academies, IB, Bright Futures, Advance Placement, Vocational certification programs, occupational completion points, stats university admissions, NCAA requirements, students working toward special diplomas, etc.?
    3. What major areas of interest have already been approved by the Department?

  3. Once approved by the district school board, the major area of interest is submitted to the Department of Education. All major areas of interest for the next school year must be submitted for approval no later than October 1.

  4. The department will review each proposal and make a recommendation to the Commissioner to approve or not to approve a major. The Commissioner has 60 days to approve or not approve the major area of interest from the date of submission.
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22. How do we decide what the majors should be?
School districts should survey the students and the community to determine the areas of interest and need.
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23. Can Florida Virtual School be utilized as an option for majors?
Yes. We encourage the use of any means that will increase the number of course options available to students, this could include Florida Virtual School or dual enrollment courses.
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24. What if a student moves to another school and their major is not offered? Are there ground rules that should be used from district to district or school to school when students are mobile?
Once a major area of interest is approved it is available for anyone in the state to implement. If a student transfers to a school that does not offer the major area of interest he or she was enrolled in, then the district or school is encouraged to work with the student to determine what options. If the major that the student was enrolled in is not available at the new school, then students should pick from the area that is available at the new school. District policies should be developed and be part of future school improvement plans.
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25. Do we have flexibility to change our plan throughout the year?
Yes, but only to add or delete major areas of interest that have already been approved by the state. The major area of interest submission process has two main parts:
  1. The major areas of interest that will be offered at each high school from the approved list, must be submitted to the DOE by October 1 for the 2007-08 school year.
  2. District school boards may also propose major areas of interest and submit those to the DOE, which must also be submitted to the DOE by October 1 for the 2007-08 school year.
Once these proposals are approved, the system will be unlocked so districts can change their offerings. In other words, school districts will be able to modify which major areas of interest will be offered at which schools based on the new list of approved major areas of interest.
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26. How and when do practicums come in?
Practicums can occur at any time in the program (district option) and on the job training may be considered as part of the practicum. A district can submit a practicum to be added to the Course Code Directory. Once a course is approved, it will be available to become a part of a major area of interest.
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27. Does Fine Arts need to be a full credit?
Yes, the fine arts requirement is a full credit, using the course code directory for a list of courses. The courses that will meet this requirement are those coded as Performing and Fine Arts (PF) credits in the Course Code Directory. A student can take two (2) half credit courses to fulfill this requirement.
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28. Can intensive reading and intensive math be part of the major and minor for ESE students?
Yes, if the ESE student is pursuing a special diploma and these classes are aligned to the major area of interest. If these courses are not part of the approved major area of interest, than these required remedial courses would not be appropriate for inclusion in the major area of interest.
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29. What if I have one student whose parents want a specific major? What designates need?
Major areas of interest should be developed based on student and community needs and interests. Districts are encourages to survey students to determine needs. However, it should be understood that the availability of major areas of interest will vary from school to school and school district to school district.
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30. Can a parent opt out of having a child pick a major?
No.
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31. Can dual enrollment be a 4th course option?
Yes. In many cases, dual enrollment course availability will enable a district to offer additional major areas of interest by providing more course options. A major area of interest could be comprised of four (4) dual enrollment courses if it is appropriate.
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32. Special diploma students are not typically assigned to special diploma until 11th grade. Do they get placed in a major track until they are placed in special diploma?
Yes, the major area of interest requirement is intended to provide opportunities for students to explore their academic and/or career and technical interests. Students with severe disabilities should be enrolled in appropriate major areas of interest for them.
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33. American Sign Language is listed as Language Arts. Can it be moved to be listed as a Foreign Language, or listed as both?
The current system is based on the course listings in the Course Code Directory. At this time, American Sign Language is included under Language Arts and is therefore considered to be a part of the Language Arts major area of interest.
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34. How many majors do we need to offer?
This should be based on student needs/interests and community needs/interests. In order to submit the major areas of interest offered at a school, districts will have to select at least two, one for standard diploma students and one or students with disabilities pursuing a special diploma.
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35. Is the October 1 deadline a firm date?
Yes, it is a statutory requirement.
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