Florida Statutes
Part II - Accountability, Early Learning-20 (Ss. 1008.31-1008.47)
1008.44 - CAPE Industry Certification Funding List.

(1) The State Board of Education shall adopt, at least annually, based upon recommendations by the Commissioner of Education, the CAPE Industry Certification Funding List that assigns additional full-time equivalent membership to certifications identified in the Master Credentials List under s. 445.004(4) that meets a statewide, regional, or local demand, and courses that lead to such certifications, in accordance with s. 1011.62(1)(o). Additional full-time equivalent membership funding for regional and local demand certifications and courses that lead to such certifications may only be earned in those areas with regional or local demand as identified by the Credentials Review Committee. The CAPE Industry Certification Funding List may include the following certificates, certifications, and courses:
(a) CAPE industry certifications identified as credentials of value that meet the framework of quality under s. 445.004(4), that must be applied in the distribution of funding to school districts under s. 1011.62(1)(o). The CAPE Industry Certification Funding List shall incorporate by reference the industry certifications on the career pathways list approved for the Florida Gold Seal CAPE Scholars award.
(b) CAPE Digital Tool certificates under s. 1003.4203(3) that do not articulate for college credit. The certificates shall be made available to students in elementary school and middle school grades and, if earned by a student, shall be eligible for additional full-time equivalent membership under s. 1011.62(1)(o)1.
(c) CAPE ESE Digital Tool certificates, workplace industry certifications, and OSHA industry certifications for students with disabilities under s. 1003.4203(2). Such certificates and certifications shall, if earned by a student, be eligible for additional full-time equivalent membership under s. 1011.62(1)(o)1.
(d) CAPE Innovation Courses that combine academic and career performance outcomes with embedded industry certifications under s. 1003.4203(5)(a). Such courses shall, if completed by a student, be eligible for additional full-time equivalent membership under s. 1011.62(1)(o)1.
(e) CAPE Acceleration Industry Certifications that articulate for 15 or more college credit hours under s. 1003.4203(5)(b). Such certifications shall, if successfully completed, be eligible for additional full-time equivalent membership under s. 1011.62(1)(o)1.
(f) The Commissioner of Education shall conduct a review of the methodology used to determine additional full-time equivalent membership weights assigned in s. 1011.62(1)(o) and, if necessary, recommend revised weights. The weights must factor in the prioritization of critical shortages of labor market demand and middle-level to high-level wage earning outcomes as identified by the Credentials Review Committee under s. 445.004. The results of the review and the commissioner’s recommendations must be submitted to the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives no later than December 1, 2021.

(2) The CAPE Industry Certification Funding List adopted under subsection (1) shall be used to determine annual performance funding distributions to school districts or Florida College System institutions as specified in ss. 1011.80 and 1011.81, respectively.
(3) In the case of rigorous industry certifications that have embedded prerequisite minimum age, grade level, diploma or degree, postgraduation period of work experience of at least 12 months, or other reasonable requirements that may limit the extent to which a student can complete all requirements of the certification recognized by industry for employment purposes, the Commissioner of Education shall differentiate content, instructional, and assessment requirements that, when provided by a public institution and satisfactorily attained by a student, indicate accomplishment of requirements necessary for funding pursuant to ss. 1011.62, 1011.80, and 1011.81, notwithstanding attainment of prerequisite requirements necessary for recognition by industry for employment purposes. The differentiated requirements established by the Commissioner of Education shall be included on the CAPE Industry Certification Funding List at the time the certification is adopted.

(4)(a) CAPE industry certifications and CAPE Digital Tool certificates placed on the CAPE Industry Certification Funding List must include the version of the certifications and certificates available at the time of the adoption and, without further review and approval, include the subsequent updates to the certifications and certificates on the approved list, unless the certifications and certificates are specifically removed from the CAPE Industry Certification Funding List by the Commissioner of Education.
(b) The Commissioner of Education may limit CAPE industry certifications and CAPE Digital Tool certificates to students in certain grades based on formal recommendations by providers of CAPE industry certifications and CAPE Digital Tool certificates.
(c) The Articulation Coordinating Committee shall review statewide articulation agreement proposals for industry certifications and make recommendations to the State Board of Education for approval. After an industry certification is approved by CareerSource Florida, Inc., under s. 445.004(4), the Chancellor of Career and Adult Education, within 90 days, must provide to the Articulation Coordinating Committee recommendations for articulation of postsecondary credit for related degrees for the approved certifications.

History.—s. 37, ch. 2013-27; s. 185, ch. 2014-17; s. 12, ch. 2014-184; s. 118, ch. 2015-2; s. 29, ch. 2019-119; s. 33, ch. 2021-164.