6A-10.0240. Minimum Standards for Admission to Florida College System Institutions

In accordance with s. 1001.64 F.S., each Florida College System institution board of trustees is authorized to govern admission of students pursuant to s. 1007.263, F.S., and the rules of the State Board of Education. In carrying out its duty to govern admission of students, any rules, procedures, or policies adopted by a Florida College System institution board of trustees, pursuant to s. 1001.64, F.S., must maintain the institution’s purpose and mission under s. 1004.65, F.S., and meet the minimum standards of this rule.: (1) General Admissions Criteria and Minimum Standards Applicable to All Programs. (a) Each board of trustees must adopt policies that: 1. Ensure that all students admitted to the Florida College System institution are citizens of the United States or lawfully present in the United States. This policy must include a procedure for requiring applicants to provide an attestation that he or she is a citizen of the United States or lawfully present in the United States prior to being granted admission to the institution and to provide documentation of such citizenship or lawful presence prior to enrolling in the institution. 2. Provide for admissions counseling that meets the requirements under s. 1007.263(1), F.S. 3. Reasonably accommodate the religious observance, practice, and belief of individual students in regard to admissions under s. 1006.53, F.S. 4. In accordance with s. 1007.264, F.S., and Rule 6A-10.041, F.A.C., allow a student with a disability who is otherwise eligible for admission, a reasonable substitution for any admission requirement where documentation can be provided that the student’s failure to meet the admission requirement is related to the disability. 5. In accordance with s. 1000.05(2), F.S., ensure that admissions criteria do not discriminate against nor include preferences in the admission process for applicants on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, religion, or marital status. (b) Each Florida College System institution board of trustees may consider the past actions of any person applying for admission or enrollment and may deny admission or enrollment to an applicant because of misconduct if determined to be in the best interest of the Florida College System institution. (2) Admissions Criteria for Associate Degree Programs. Admission to associate degree programs includes documentation of (a) and (b) as follows: (a) A standard high school diploma or one of the following: 1. A State of Florida high school equivalency diploma awarded under s. 1003.435(2), F.S. 2. A high school equivalency diploma issued by another state which is recognized as equivalent based on an assessment recognized by the United States Department of Education. To be acceptable, such diploma must have been issued based on a student achieving a passing score on the High School Equivalency Test (HiSET), the Test Assessing Secondary Completion (TASC), the California High School Proficiency Exam, or based on a student achieving a combination of passing scores on HiSET, TASC, or GED® subtests. 3. Previously demonstrated competency in college credit postsecondary coursework. 4. In the case of a student who is home educated, a signed affidavit submitted by the student’s parent or legal guardian attesting that the student has completed a home education program pursuant to the requirements of s. 1002.41, F.S. 5. Enrollment in a dual enrollment or early admission program pursuant to s. 1007.271, F.S. (b) A demonstrated level of readiness to perform college-level communication and computation skills in accordance with Rule 6A-10.0315, F.A.C. (3) Admissions Criteria for Career Certificate Programs as Defined in s. 1004.02(20), F.S. (a) A student who has not earned a high school diploma, including students who have earned the required 24 credits under s. 1003.4282, F.S., or the required 18 credits under s. 1002.3105(5), F.S., for the standard high school diploma, except for passage of any must-pass assessment under s. 1003.4282 or s. 1008.22, F.S., or an alternate assessment by the end of grade 12, is eligible to enroll in a career certificate program. (b) For admission to career certificate programs or Advance Technical Diploma programs requiring 450 hours or more, students must meet the requirements in Rule 6A-10.040, F.A.C. (4) Admissions Criteria for Baccalaureate Degree Programs as Defined in s. 1007.33, F.S. To ensure that colleges are maintaining an open-door admissions policy for associate degrees as part of their primary mission, all students, including native associate degree graduates, are required to apply for baccalaureate admission through a separate admissions process in order to be admitted into an upper division program at FCS institutions. (5) A Florida College System institution board of trustees may establish additional admissions criteria. Any additional admissions criteria must be included in the dual enrollment articulation agreement developed according to s. 1007.271(21), F.S. (6) Participation in community services, recreation, leisure programs, and continuing education programs for which participation does not result in credit or articulated credit, and which do not train for a specific occupation, does not constitute admission for purposes of this rule. (7) Florida College System policies and procedures concerning the admission process, including the process for admission decision notification and the appeal process for an admission decision, must be posted on the institution’s website and in the institution’s catalog. Florida College System institutions must post admission criteria and requirements for all programs, including additional criteria or prerequisites beyond admission to the college, on their website and in the college catalog.