The Florida Senate
BILL ANALYSIS AND FISCAL IMPACT STATEMENT
(This document is based on the provisions contained in the legislation as of the latest date listed below.)
Prepared By: The Professional Staff of the Committee on Education Postsecondary
BILL: SB 750
INTRODUCER: Senator Calatayud
SUBJECT: Articulation Agreements
DATE: March 21, 2023 REVISED:
ANALYST STAFF DIRECTOR REFERENCE ACTION
1. Jahnke Bouck HE Favorable
2. AED
3. FP
I. Summary:
SB 750 modifies provisions related to statewide articulation agreements, the statewide course
numbering system, and transfer degrees. Specifically, the bill:
Requires the Articulation Coordinating Committee (ACC) to convene a workgroup to
develop statewide “2+2” Associate in Science (AS) degree to baccalaureate degree
articulation agreements in high-demand fields.
Requires state universities to establish at least one local “2+2” AS degree to baccalaureate
degree articulation agreement with one or more Florida College System (FCS) institutions.
Requires the ACC to convene a workgroup to strengthen educator preparation programs in
this state and provide seamless pathways to continued educational opportunities.
Requires institutions to award transfer credit toward program requirements for courses with
similar learning outcomes as identified in the statewide course numbering system.
Creates Associate in Arts specialized transfer degree to allow students to complete required
lower-level coursework at an FCS institution in preparation for transfer to a baccalaureate
degree program, and requires the State Board of Education to establish criteria for the review
and approval of new specialized transfer degrees.
The bill has no impact on state revenues or expenditures.
The bill takes effect on July 1, 2023.
BILL: SB 750 Page 2
II. Present Situation:
Associate in Arts Degree
The Associate in Arts degree (AA) is designed for students who plan to transfer from a Florida
College System (FCS) institution to a baccalaureate degree program, either at an FCS or state
university system (SUS) institution.1
The AA degree requirements consist of 60 total credit hours and include 36 credit hours of
general education and 24 credit hours of electives. Students should choose elective courses
required for admission to their intended program of study or major at the desired college or
university. The Common Prerequisites Manual2 is a catalog of lower-level courses that are
prerequisites for entrance into baccalaureate programs offered by FCS and SUS institutions.
Students are encouraged to discuss their intended program of study with an academic advisor at
their college to ensure they are meeting all requirements to transfer upon completing their AA
degree.3
A baccalaureate degree must be no more than 120 semester hours of college credit, unless prior
approval has been granted by the Board of Governors (BOG) or the State Board of Education
(SBE), as applicable, and include 36 semester hours of general education coursework.4
General Education Core Courses
Students initially entering an FCS or SUS institution in 2015-2016 and thereafter, are required to
complete at least one identified general education core course in each of the subject areas of
communication, mathematics, social sciences, humanities, and natural sciences. All public
postsecondary educational institutions are required to accept these courses as meeting general
education core course requirements.5 Beginning in 2022-2023, the general education core course
requirement is extended to students in an associate in applied science (AAS) and associate in
science (AS) degree program.6
General education core course options consist of a maximum of five courses in each identified
subject area, but may exceed that limit with the SBE or the BOG approval. The general
education core courses are established in SBE rule7 and BOG regulation.8
Transfer of General Education Courses
Each public postsecondary institution must accept transfer general education core courses taken
at another institution. After completing the general education core course requirements, the
1
Florida Department of Education, Florida College System, Academics, https://www.fldoe.org/schools/higher-ed/fl-college-
system/academics/ (last visited March 20, 2023).
2
Florida Shines, Common Prerequisites Manual, https://cpm.flvc.org/advance-search (last visited March 20, 2023).
3
Florida Department of Education, Florida College System, Academics, https://www.fldoe.org/schools/higher-ed/fl-college-
system/academics/ (last visited March 20, 2023).
4
Section 1007.25(10), F.S. and Board of Governors Regulation 6.017
5
Section 1007.25, F.S.
6
Id.
7
Rule 6A-14.0303, F.A.C.
8
Board of Governors Regulation 8.005.
BILL: SB 750 Page 3
remaining courses and credits that fulfill the total 36-hour general education requirement for an
associate in arts or baccalaureate degree are at the discretion of the FCS or SUS institution.9
General education programs in Florida, while consistent at the general education core
requirements and the total of 36 hours for completion, vary in the selection of institutionally-
required courses. Students who transfer with an AA or AS degree, or who have completed their
block of 36 general education hours do not have to meet the receiving institution’s general
education program requirements. If a student does not complete the total 36-hour general
education curriculum prior to transfer, each course, outside of courses taken as general education
courses, will be reviewed individually to determine if it meets the general education
requirements of the new institution.10
Associate in Science Degree
The Associate in Science (A.S.) degree is offered by each FCS institution. The A.S. degree is
intended to provide programs of career and technical instruction consisting of lower division
college credit courses to prepare for entry into employment. The A.S. degree is also a transfer
degree and a basis for admission to a related bachelor’s degree. The A.S. degree is awarded upon
satisfactory completion of a planned program of instruction comprised of the standard credit
hour length established, after demonstration of the attainment of predetermined and specified
performance requirements. The standard credit hour length of all associate in science degree
programs is defined in SBE rule,11 and must include a minimum of 15 college credits of general
education coursework.12 Courses taken as a part of the A.S. degree to meet the 36-hour general
education requirement will transfer and apply to the baccalaureate degree.13
Statewide Articulation Agreements
Each state university board of trustees, Florida College System board of trustees, and district
school board must plan and adopt policies and procedures to provide articulated programs so that
students can proceed toward their educational objectives as rapidly as their circumstances
permit.14
Statewide articulation agreements help facilitate the seamless transition of students across and
among Florida’s educational entities. This supports the DOE’s focus to expand opportunities for
postsecondary degrees and certificates. These agreements are intended to be a minimum
guarantee of articulated credit and do not preclude institutions from granting additional credit
based on local agreements.15
9
Florida Board of Governors, Regulation 8.005 General Education Core Course Options, available at
https://www.flbog.edu/wp-content/uploads/8_005GeneralEducationCore_final.pdf and Rule 6A -14.0303(5), F.A.C.
10
Florida Department of Education, Statewide Postsecondary Articulation Manual (Jan. 2021), at 15, available at
https://www.fldoe.org/core/fileparse.php/5421/urlt/Statewide-Articulation-Manual.pdf. See also Rule 6A-10.024(2)(c),
F.A.C.
11
Rule 6A-6.0571, F.A.C.
12
Rule 6A-14.030(4), F.A.C.
13
Rule 6A-10.024(6), F.A.C.
14
Rule 6A-10.024(1), F.A.C.
15
Florida Department of Education, Career & Adult Education, Statewide Articulation Agreements,
https://www.fldoe.org/academics/career-adult-edu/career-technical-edu-agreements/ (last visited March 20, 2023).
BILL: SB 750 Page 4
2+2 Articulation in Florida
The SBE and the BOG shall enter into a statewide articulation agreement which the SBE shall
adopt by rule. The agreement must preserve Florida’s “2+2” system of articulation and facilitate
the seamless articulation of student credit across and among Florida’s educational entities.16
The Florida Statewide Articulation Agreement17 is the most comprehensive articulation
agreement in the nation. Critical components of the statewide articulation agreement include:18
Defining the AA degree as the transfer degree.
Establishing requirements for awarding degrees and degree definitions.
Guaranteeing transfer of the general education block of credit.
Creating the ACC, its purpose, role, and membership.
Guaranteeing transfer of credit via the SCNS.
Establishing a process for determining credit-by-examination equivalencies.
Providing for AS degree articulation.
Establishing a common college transcript.
Students who graduate from an institution within the FCS with an AA degree are guaranteed the
following rights under the Statewide Articulation Agreement:19
Admission to an upper-division program at an SUS or FCS institution if it offers
baccalaureate degree programs, except for limited-access programs.20
Acceptance of at least 60 semester hours by the SUS and FCS baccalaureate degree-granting
institutions.
Adherence to the university or college requirements and policies, based on the catalog in
effect at the time the student first enters the FCS institution, provided the student maintains
continuous enrollment.
Transfer of equivalent courses under the SCNS.
Acceptance by the SUS and baccalaureate degree-granting FCS institutions of credits earned
in accelerated programs (e.g. Dual Enrollment, CLEP, Advanced Placement, International
Baccalaureate, and Advanced International Certificate of Education).
No additional general education core or general education institutional requirements.
Advance knowledge of selection criteria for limited access programs.
Equal opportunity for native university students to enter limited-access programs.
A student who completes an AA degree may continue to earn additional credits at an FCS
institution if courses to be completed are listed in the university catalog as required for the
degree or as prerequisite to a course required for the degree.21 However, in order to be eligible
16
Section 1007.23(1), F.S.
17
Section 1007.23, F.S., Rule 6A-10.024, F.A.C, and Board of Governors, Articulation Resolution, available at
https://www.flbog.edu/wp-content/uploads/ArticulationRegulation.pdf.
18
Florida Department of Education, Statewide Postsecondary Articulation Manual (Jan. 2021), at 14, available at
https://www.fldoe.org/core/fileparse.php/5421/urlt/Statewide-Articulation-Manual.pdf.
19
Id.
20
Board of Governors Regulation 8.013. Limited-access programs are degree programs may include additional admission
requirements (e.g., higher grade point average and/or higher test scores, additional courses or prerequisites, or auditions
and/or portfolios).
21
Section 1007.25(12), F.S.
BILL: SB 750 Page 5
for federal financial aid, a student must be enrolled or accepted for enrollment as a regular
student in an eligible degree or certificate program.22 Therefore, a student who completes an AA
but needs additional courses for university requirements may not be eligible for additional
federal student aid.
Targeted 2+2 Pathway Articulation Agreements
To strengthen Florida’s “2+2” system of articulation and improve student retention and on-time
graduation, each FCS institution was required to, by the 2019-2020 academic year, execute at
least one “2+2” targeted pathway articulation agreement with one or more state universities, and
each state university was required to execute at least one such agreement with one or more FCS
institutions to establish “2+2” targeted pathway programs. The agreements were established to
provide students who graduate with an associate in arts degree and who meet specified
requirements guaranteed access to the state university and a degree program at that university, in
accordance with the terms of the “2+2” targeted pathway articulation agreement. To participate
in a “2+2” targeted pathway program, a student must:23
Enroll in the program before completing 30 credit hours, including, but not limited to,
college credits earned through articulated acceleration mechanisms.24
Complete an AA degree.
Meet the university’s transfer requirements.
State universities were required to, as a part of the “2+2” targeted pathway articulation
agreement:25
Establish a 4-year, on-time graduation plan for a baccalaureate degree program, including,
but not limited to, a plan for students to complete an associate in arts degree programs,
general education courses, common prerequisite courses, and elective courses.
Advise students enrolled in the program about the university’s transfer and degree program
requirements.
Provide students who meet the requirements under this paragraph with access to academic
advisors and campus events and with guaranteed admittance to the state university and a
degree program of the state university, in accordance with the terms of the agreement.
Some examples of the “2+2” targeted pathway agreements are DirectConnect to UCF26, FUSE at
the University of South Florida27, and Connect4Success at Florida International University.28
22
Federal Student Aid, Eligibility Requirements, https://studentaid.gov/understand-aid/eligibility/requirements (last visited
Mar. 20, 2023).
23
Section 1007.23(8), F.S.
24
Section 1007.27, F.S.
25
Section 1007.23(8), F.S.
26
University of Central Florida, DirectConnect to UCF, https://directconnect.ucf.edu/ (last visited March 20, 2023).
27
University of South Florida, FUSE, https://www.usf.edu/undergrad/transfer-student-success/fuse/ (last visited March 20,
2023).
28
Florida International University, Connect4Success, Overview, https://admissions.fiu.edu/how-to-
apply/connect4success/index.html (last visited March 20, 2023).
BILL: SB 750 Page 6
Statewide Career Pathways Articulation Agreements
Statewide career pathways articulation agreements help to facilitate the seamless transition of
students across and among Florida’s educational entities. These agreements are intended to be a
minimum guarantee of articulated credit and do not preclude institutions from granting additional
credit based on local agreements.29
Associate in Science to Bachelor of Science Degree Articulation Agreements
The SBE and the BOG authorize several provisions for statewide articulation from an AS to a
baccalaureate degree. The Department of Education (DOE), in consultation with institutions,
periodically review, as necessary, the provisions of the state articulation agreements and the
prescribed curricula to ensure the continued effectiveness of the articulation between the AS and
baccalaureate degree programs. In addition, the AS degree is considered fully transferable within
the FCS, and many FCS baccalaureate degree programs are directly aligned with related AS
degrees.30
There are currently nine approved statewide AS degree to baccalaureate degree articulation
agreements.31
Early Childhood Education Articulation Agreements
The Early Childhood Education articulation agreement guarantees the award of course credits
toward a postsecondary degree in early childhood education programs approved by the SBE and
BOG which award a child development associate credential issued by the National Credentialing
Program of the Council for Professional Recognition or award an approved credential32 as being
equivalent to the child development associate credential, and include training in emergent
literacy which meets or exceeds the minimum standards3