Bill > S0904

This bill allows individuals or organizations offering online courses, including massive open online courses (MOOCs), to apply for approval as state-level providers if their courses are measured by statewide assessments, and it establishes the Florida Accredited Courses and Tests Initiative (FACTs) to expand student choices for meeting promotion, graduation, and degree requirements through various courses and assessments. The initiative aims to provide flexible options for students to tailor their educational paths, and it allows for courses and assessments to be applied in whole or in parts towards these requirements. Furthermore, the bill authorizes school districts, Florida College System institutions, and state universities to contract with qualified external providers to administer and proctor statewide standardized assessments or assessments linked to Florida-accredited courses, and it requires the Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability (OPPAGA) to review and recommend how MOOCs can be funded in K-12 and postsecondary programs.