Florida Department of Education
Curriculum Framework 

No new students may be enrolled in this program starting 2026-27. The last year to report any enrollment is 2026-27. This program can be substituted with Mentored Industry Project 9601200 (1032011101) or School-Based Enterprise 9601300 (1052070100).

Course Title:		Agriculture, Food and Natural Resource Directed Study
Career Cluster:	Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources

Secondary – Career Preparatory	
Course Number	8100100	
CIP Number	0101999901	
Grade Level	11-12, 30-31	
Course Length	1 credit - Multiple credits	
Teacher Certification 	Refer to the Course Structure section.	
CTSO	FFA	
CTE Program Resources 	http://www.fldoe.org/academics/career-adult-edu/career-tech-edu/program-resources.stml	

Purpose 

This program offers a sequence of courses that provides coherent and rigorous content aligned with challenging academic standards and relevant technical knowledge and skills needed to prepare for further education and careers in the Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources career cluster; provides technical skill proficiency, and includes competency-based applied learning that contributes to the academic knowledge, higher-order reasoning and problem-solving skills, work attitudes, general employability skills, technical skills, and occupation-specific skills, and knowledge of all aspects of the Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources career cluster. 

The purpose of this course is to provide students with learning opportunities in a prescribed program of study within the Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources cluster that will enhance opportunities for employment in the career field chosen by the student.

Additional Information relevant to this Career and Technical Education (CTE) program is provided at the end of this document.

Course Structure

The content is prescribed by the instructor based upon the individual student's assessed needs for directed study.

This course may be taken only by a student who has completed or is currently completing a specific secondary job preparatory program for additional study in this career cluster. A student may earn multiple credits in this course.

The selected standards and benchmarks, which the student must master to earn credit, must be outlined in an instructional plan developed by the instructor.

To teach the course listed below, instructors must hold at least one of the teacher certifications indicated for that course.

The following table illustrates the secondary course structure:

Course Number	Course Title	Teacher Certification	Length	Level	Graduation Requirement	
8100100	Agriculture, Food and Natural Resource Directed Study	AGRICULTUR 1 @2
¶ANY AG EDUC G	1 credit – Multiple credits	2	CT	
(Graduation Requirement Codes: CT= Career & Technical Education, EQ= Equally Rigorous Science, EC= Economics, MA= Mathematics, 
PL= Personal Financial Literacy)

Florida’s Career Readiness Skills for CTE Programs

Employability Skills	
01.0	Apply academic skills to workplace scenarios.	
01.01	Use reading skills.	
01.02	Use writing skills.	
01.03	Use mathematical strategies and procedures.	
01.04	Use scientific principles and procedures.	
02.0	Design a solution to an industry problem.	
02.01	Use critical thinking.	
02.02	Use creativity.	
02.03	Make sound decisions.	
02.04	Solve problems.	
02.05	Reason. 	
02.06	Plan and organize.	
03.0	Manage resources within an industry project	
03.01	Manage time.	
03.02	Manage money or resources.	
03.03	Manage materials.	
03.04	Manage personnel.	
04.0	Oversee the subcomponents, operations and output of a technical or organizational system.	
04.01	Manage systems.	
04.02	Monitor systems.	
04.03	Improve systems.	
05.0	Use information for decision making.	
05.01	Locate information.	
05.02	Organize information.	
05.03	Use information.	
05.04	Analyze information.	
05.05	Communicate information.	
06.0	Apply relevant technology to workplace scenarios to aid productivity.	
06.01	Use technology.	
07.0	Interpret and express interpersonal communication.	
07.01	Communicate verbally.	
07.02	Listen actively.	
07.03	Comprehend written material.	
07.04	Convey information in writing.	
07.05	Communicate nonverbally.	
07.06	Interpret nonverbal communication.	
08.0	Interact with others to accomplish workplace goals.	
08.01	Collaborate with others in a team.	
08.02	Respond to customer needs.	
08.03	Exercise leadership.	
08.04	Negotiate to resolve conflict.	
08.05	Respect others.	
09.0	Manage personal behavior to maximize productivity and professional growth.	
09.01	Demonstrate responsibility and self-discipline.	
09.02	Adapt and show flexibility.	
09.03	Work independently.	
09.04	Demonstrate a willingness to learn.	
09.05	Demonstrate integrity.	
09.06	Demonstrate professionalism.	
09.07	Take initiative.	
09.08	Display positive attitude.	
09.09	Take responsibility for professional growth.	
Career Exploration & Planning 	
10.0	Explain career opportunities aligned with the regional economy and personal aspirations.	
10.01	Describe regional occupations that are high-demand, high-growth, high-wage and/or high-skill.	
10.02	Describe careers aligned with his or her interests, skills and values based on career assessment, experiential learning, career informational interviews, research and/or reflection.	
11.0	Explain postsecondary pathways aligned with his or her career aspirations.	
11.01	Compare and contrast postsecondary pathways, including education, employment, entrepreneurship and enlistment (the “Four Es”). 	
11.02	Compare and contrast regional postsecondary training provider options, including apprenticeships, technical colleges, state colleges, universities and industry-recognized certification providers. 	
11.03	Define postsecondary credentialing and stacking options, including industry-recognized certifications, apprenticeship certificates of completion, career certificates, licenses and associate or baccalaureate degrees. 	
11.04	Compare postsecondary training data for training programs of interest, such as total costs, average student loan debt, and median earnings and job placement rates after program completion.	
12.0	Develop a personalized career and academic plan.	
12.01	Prioritize an occupation, credential and postsecondary training provider for plan formation.	
12.02	Self-assess progress toward meeting graduation requirements and skill-development goals.	
12.03	Develop and complete a chronological checklist of steps and deadlines prior to postsecondary training or national service application that includes any required documentation to gather, writing prompts and examinations.	
12.04	Identify a variety of financial aid opportunities, including scholarships, grants, savings, work, work-study programs, private loans and federal loans.	
12.05	Develop a postsecondary training budget that is inclusive of living and school expenses.	
Job Attainment	
13.0	Find, assess and apply to job opportunities.	
13.01	Identify online job posts relevant to his or her career aspirations.	
13.02	Compare and contrast the job posts’ required qualifications, job duties, compensation, benefits and employers. 	
13.03	Define what information, documentation and writing prompts are required for the positions.	
14.0	Communicate personal competence, character and fit for a job opportunity.	
14.01	Develop a resume.	
14.02	Write a cover letter.	
14.03	Curate a professional portfolio that includes work products.	
14.04	Prepare for and experience a mock job interview.	
15.0	Cultivate and leverage relationships to professionally advance.	
15.01	Request a signed reference letter, letter of recommendation and/or an online skill/professionalism endorsement. 	
15.02	Develop a plan to cultivate a professional digital footprint.	
15.03	Develop a networking plan for a specific industry of interest.	

Standards

After successfully completing this program, the student will be able to perform the following:

01.0	Demonstrate expertise in a specific occupation contained within the career cluster.
02.0	Conduct investigative research on a selected topic related to the career cluster using approved research methodology, interpret findings, and prepare presentation to defend results.
03.0	Apply enhanced leadership and professional career skills.
04.0	Demonstrate higher order critical thinking and reasoning skills appropriate for the selected program of study.

05.0	

Florida Department of Education
Student Performance Standards

Course Title: 	Agriculture, Food and Natural Resource Directed Study
Course Number: 	8100100
Course Credit:	1

CTE Standards and Benchmarks 	
01.0	Demonstrate expertise in a specific occupation within the career cluster. The student will be able to:	
01.01	The benchmarks will be selected from the appropriate curriculum frameworks and determined by the instructor based upon the individual students assessed needs.	
02.0	Conduct investigative research on a selected topic related to the career cluster using approved research methodology, interpret findings, and prepare presentation to defend results. The student will be able to:	
02.01	Select investigative study referencing prior research and knowledge.	
02.02	Collect, organize and analyze data accurately and precisely.	
02.03	Design procedures to test the research.	
02.04	Report, display and defend the results of investigations to audiences that may include professionals and technical experts.	
03.0	Apply enhanced leadership and professional career skills. The student will be able to:	
03.01	Develop and present a professional presentation offering potential solutions to a current issue.	
03.02	Enhance leadership and career skills through work-based learning including job placement, job shadowing, entrepreneurship, internship, or a virtual experience.	
03.03	Participate in leadership development opportunities available through the appropriate student organization and/or other professional organizations.	
03.04	Enhance written and oral communications through the development of presentations, public speaking, and live and/or virtual interviews.	
04.0	Demonstrate higher order critical thinking and reasoning skills appropriate for the selected program of study. The student will be able to: 	
04.01	Use mathematical and/or scientific skills to solve problems encountered in the chosen occupation.	
04.02	Read and interpret information relative to the chosen occupation.	
04.03	Locate and evaluate key elements of oral and written information.	
04.04	Analyze and apply data and/or measurements to solve problems and interpret documents.	
04.05	Construct charts/tables/graphs using functions and data.	

Additional Information

Laboratory Activities

Laboratory investigations that include scientific inquiry, research, measurement, problem solving, emerging technologies, tools and equipment, as well as, experimental, quality, and safety procedures are an integral part of this career and technical program/course. Laboratory investigations benefit all students by developing an understanding of the complexity and ambiguity of empirical work, as well as the skills required to manage, operate, calibrate and troubleshoot equipment/tools used to make observations. Students understand measurement error; and have the skills to aggregate, interpret, and present the resulting data. Equipment and supplies should be provided to enhance hands-on experiences for students.

Extended Student Supervision

Because of the production and marketing cycle of the agriculture industry, this program requires individual instruction and supervision of students for the entire period beyond the 180-day school year.

Career and Technical Student Organization (CTSO)

CTSOs are co-curricular career and technical student organizations providing leadership training and reinforcing specific career and technical skills. Career and Technical Student Organizations provide activities for students as an integral part of the instruction offered. Other CTSOs not listed in this curriculum framework or recognized by the Florida Department of Education are permissible provided they support student mastery over the standards and benchmarks of this curriculum framework.

Accommodations

Federal and state legislation requires the provision of accommodations for students with disabilities as identified on the secondary student’s Individual Educational Plan (IEP) or 504 plan or postsecondary student’s accommodations’ plan to meet individual needs and ensure equal access. Accommodations change the way the student is instructed. Students with disabilities may need accommodations in such areas as instructional methods and materials, assignments and assessments, time demands and schedules, learning environment, assistive technology and special communication systems. Documentation of the accommodations requested and provided should be maintained in a confidential file.

In addition to accommodations, some secondary students with disabilities (students with an IEP served in Exceptional Student Education (ESE)) will need modifications to meet their needs. Modifications change the outcomes or what the student is expected to learn, e.g., modifying the curriculum of a secondary career and technical education course. Note: postsecondary curriculum and regulated secondary programs cannot be modified.

Some secondary students with disabilities (ESE) may need additional time (i.e., longer than the regular school year), to master the student performance standards associated with a regular course or a modified course.  If needed, a student may enroll in the same career and technical course more than once.  Documentation should be included in the IEP that clearly indicates that it is anticipated that the student may need an additional year to complete a Career and Technical Education (CTE) course.  The student should work on different competencies and new applications of competencies each year toward completion of the CTE course.  After achieving the competencies identified for the year, the student earns credit for the course.  It is important to ensure that credits earned by students are reported accurately.  The district’s information system must be designed to accept multiple credits for the same course number for eligible students with disabilities.