Florida Department of Education
Curriculum Framework

Program Title:	Fundamentals of Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Program Type:	Orientation/Exploratory and Career Planning
Career Cluster:	Information Technology 

Secondary – Middle School	
Program Number	9009700	
CIP Number	0511010201	
Grade Level	6-8	
Program Length	1 credit (2 Semesters)	
Teacher Certification	Refer to the Program Structure section.	
CTSO	FL-TSA, SkillsUSA	
CTE Program Resources 	http://www.fldoe.org/academics/career-adult-edu/career-tech-edu/program-resources.stml	

Purpose 

The purpose of this program is to assist students in making informed decisions regarding their future academic and occupational goals and to provide information regarding careers in the Engineering & Technology Education career cluster. 

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 Artificial Intelligence (AI)-enabled careers; 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 AI and Machine Learning required for AI-enabled professionals working in business and academic environments. The intention of this course is to prepare students to be successful both personally and professionally in an AI-based society. 

The content includes but is not limited to fundamental understanding of the Five Big Ideas in AI: Perception, Representation & Reasoning, Machine Learning, Human AI Interaction, Societal impacts of AI; AI system and their components; problems and tools AI-enabled workers use to build models and systems that leverage data to make decisions; mastery of foundational skills required to become power AI users. In addition, the course content includes but is not limited to practical experiences in AI system design, deployment, and evaluation; problem identification; creation, selection, and curation of data sets; computer programming, use of machine learning algorithms, program design structure, evaluation of the societal impact of AI, employing ethical and responsible development methodologies and decision making, essential programming techniques, and implementation issues. Specialized programming skills involving advanced mathematical calculations and statistics are also integrated into the curriculum. 

Instruction and learning activities are provided in a laboratory setting using hands-on experiences with the equipment, materials and technology appropriate to the course content and in accordance with current practices.  

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

Program Structure

This program is a planned sequence of instruction consisting of two course(s).

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

The following table illustrates the program structure:

Course Number	Course Title	Teacher Certification	Length	
9009710	Exploring Artificial Intelligence	BUS ED 1@2 
COMPU SCI 6 
INFO TECH 7G 
WEB DEV 7G 
COMP PROG 7G
Science 6-12
ENG 7G
EG TEC 7G
EG Tech 6-12
TECH ED 1 @2
ENG & TEC ED 1@2
MATH 6-12	.5 credit	
9009720	Applying Artificial Intelligence		.5 credit	

Standards

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

Exploring Artificial Intelligence
01.0	Identify computer components and their functions.
02.0	Demonstrate knowledge of different operating systems.
03.0	Demonstrate an understanding of Internet safety and ethics. 
04.0	Demonstrate proficiency using the Internet to locate information.
05.0	Identify and define intelligent behavior. 
06.0	Articulate the relationship between AI, machine learning, and computer science.
07.0	Explain the history and evolution of AI.
08.0	Define and investigate examples of AI applications. 
09.0	Understand the possibilities for AI in careers as a designer, developer and user.
10.0	Understand the AI Ethics in regard to generative AI, Deep Fakes, fair use and copyright.
11.0	Design an AI application or product using an online tool. 

Applying Artificial Intelligence
12.0	Identify examples of computer perception systems built into AI-enabled technologies.
13.0	Describe different types of data and how they are used in AI.
14.0	Describe the high-level processes, methods and conventions used in computer perception.
15.0	Identify and describe the types of representations and algorithms designed into AI-enabled technologies.
16.0	Understand what AI agents and how agents maintain representations of the world and use them for reasoning.
17.0	Describe machine learning and neural networks in AI-enabled technologies.
18.0	Describe the different methods computers use to learn from data (machine learning).
19.0	Collect and analyze a data set. 
20.0	Conduct an investigation of a machine learning model.
21.0	Define and investigate generative AI and how it works with current applications.
22.0	Demonstrate an understanding of AI ethics in regard to data bias, algorithmic bias, adversarial AI and AI deployment.

Career and Education Planning [these must be met to satisfy the requirements of Section 1003.4156, Florida Statutes]

23.0	Explain his or her career interests, skills and values.  
24.0	Describe occupations and industries in his or her region.  
25.0	Describe a variety of postsecondary pathways.  
26.0	Create a personalized career and academic plan.  

Florida Department of Education
Student Performance Standards

Course Title: 		Exploring Artificial Intelligence
Course Number: 	9009710
Course Length:	Semester

Course Description:

This course introduces students to the principles of Artificial Intelligence (AI). The course defines “Intelligent Behavior”, describes the relationship between AI and computer science, explains the history of AI and showcases applications of AI in the real world. Students will explore the role of data in AI applications and the algorithms which guide AI decision making. Students will engage in hands-on activities related to the use of AI in machine learning. 

CTE Standards and Benchmarks	
01.0	Identify computer components and their functions.  The student will be able to:	
01.01	Describe what defines a computer and ways a computer can be used.	
01.02	Identify the internal components of a computer (e.g., case, CPU, RAM, power supply, hard drive, motherboard, expansion cards, cabling).	
01.03	Identify and know how to connect various computer input devices (e.g., mouse, keyboard, phone, camera, scanner, microphone, game controller, stylus, barcode reader fingerprint scanner, GPS device, touch pad, graphics tablet) and describe their use. 	
01.04	Identify and know how to connect various computer output devices (e.g., monitor, printer, projector, speakers, headphones) and describe their use. 	
01.05	Identify and know how to connect various storage devices (e.g., flash drive, external hard drive (SSD, network drive), memory card, discs, cloud).	
02.0	Demonstrate knowledge of different operating systems.  The student will be able to:	
02.01	Compare and contrast various operating systems used in a computer and mobile devices (i.e., Windows, OS (Apple), UNIX, Android, iOS).	
02.02	Describe and use conventional file naming conventions.	
02.03	Demonstrate proficiency with file management tasks (e.g., folder creation, file creation, backup, copy, delete, open, save).	
02.04	Be able to identify file types by extension (e.g., .doc, .txt, .wav, xls).	
02.05	Demonstrate proficiency in using gadgets, icons, taskbars and other pre-loaded operating system programs. (e.g., calculator, text editor, clock, volume controls, adding icons and shortcuts to taskbar and shortcut menus).	
03.0	Demonstrate an understanding of Internet safety and ethics.  The student will be able to:	
03.01	Describe risks associated with social networking sites (e.g., Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter) and ways to reduce these risks.	
03.02	Define “privacy” and relate it to the term “digital footprint”.	
03.03	Practice cybersafety techniques to protect your personal information when using internet searches, email, chat rooms, and social network websites.	
03.04	Describe cyberbullying, its impact on perpetrators and victims and ways to respond.	
03.05	Describe risks associated with digitally sending inappropriate content (including legal issues, social consequences), and discuss methods for response, reporting, and prevention.	
03.06	Describe risks associated with online gaming and identify ways to reduce these risks.	
03.07	Discuss issues related to downloading music or videos from the Internet, including unethical vs. illegal actions.	
03.08	Compare and contrast rules for copyright and fair use, especially in relation to using online resources for school and educational purposes.	
03.09	Distinguish between viruses and malware and discuss their impact on personal privacy and computer operation.  	
03.10	Describe common threats used to spread malware and viruses, including phishing, pharming, Trojans, spyware, malicious sites, “free” downloads.	
03.11	Perform an antivirus scan on a computer system to check for viruses and malware.	
03.12	Describe strong password practices.   	
03.13	Practice cyber safety techniques to protect your computer system when using Internet searches, email and social network websites.   	
03.14	Identify security issues related to mobile phones, including personal information compromised if a phone is lost or stolen.  	
03.15	Adhere to Acceptable Use Policies when accessing the Internet.	
04.0	Demonstrate proficiency using the Internet including AI to locate information.  The student will be able to:	
04.01	Identify and use web terminology (WWW, Web Browser, Internet, Web Server, Web Page, Address Bar, Hyperlinks, Navigation Buttons, Search Bar, Bookmarks/Favorites, Tab, Downloading, Plug-ins, Social Media Plug-ins).	
04.02	Define Universal Resource Locators (URLs) and associated protocols (e.g., http, ftp, telnet, mailto).	
04.03	Compare and contrast the types of Internet domains (e.g., .com, .org, .edu, .gov, .net, .mil).	
04.04	Demonstrate proficiency using search engines, including Boolean search techniques.	
04.05	Compare search results to an AI GPT model to see if they both return the same verifiable information. Understand why these might be the same or different.	
04.06	Demonstrate proficiency using various web tools (e.g., downloading of files, transfer of files, telnet, PDF).	
04.07	Compare and contrast the roles of web servers and web browsers.	
04.08	Evaluate online information for relevance, credibility and quality using basic guidelines and indicators (e.g. authority, affiliation, purpose, bias, date).	
04.09	Identify and apply copyright and fair use guidelines and explain plagiarism as an ethical and legal violation.	
04.10	Incorporate results from Internet searches into a research project (e.g., report, summary).	
04.11	Download images as needed to support a research project, complying with copyright notices.  	
04.12	Properly cite Internet sources used to obtain information for a research project.	
05.0	Identify and define intelligent behavior. The student will be able to:	
05.01	Explain that "knowing" something means the ability to both represent and reason with it.	
05.02	Explain the difference between knowledge/information and “knowing” (e.g., books can represent knowledge, but they do not "know" things because they cannot make use of that knowledge.)	
05.03	Know and state conditions where behavior is intelligent using non-trivial sense-deliberate-act cycle. 	
05.04	Identify examples of intelligent and non-intelligent machine/agent behavior 	
06.0	Articulate the relationship between AI, Machine Learning, and Computer Science. The student will be able to:	
06.01	Describe computer science as a discipline focused on the study of computers and algorithmic processes, including their principles, their hardware and software designs, their implementation, and their impact on society.	
06.02	Describe AI as a branch of computer science that studies the science and engineering of making intelligent machines, especially intelligent computer programs that enable them to make predictions, decisions, plans, and solve problems.	
06.03	Describe machine learning as a set of techniques that enables a computer system to learn from data rather than through explicit programming. Machine learning techniques can be used to build models that solve problems, make predictions, and make decisions.	
06.04	Describe the differences between the field of AI and ML	
07.0	Explain the history and evolution of AI. The student will be able to:	
07.01	Research AI and reflect on its current state.	
08.0	Define and investigate examples of AI applications. The student will be able to:	
08.01	Identify and describe current examples of AI applications in everyday life 	
08.02	Identify and describe AI technologies students interact with frequently and determine what problems and/or needs the AI is intended to solve.	
08.03	Investigate how the different examples AI you interact with daily work and determine what type(s) of AI is being used 	
08.04	Discuss how AI is and could be used to enhance areas of student interest, real-world problems, business needs, and the future of work.	
08.05	Identify and analyze how AI is impacting art and other creative fields.	
08.06	Define critical and contemporary areas of AI including machine learning, natural language processing, and computer vision.  	
09.0	Understand the possibilities for AI in careers as a designer, developer and user. The student will be able to:	
09.01	Identify and describe current career opportunities for AI designers, developers and users. 	
09.02	Identify and describe AI Careers and the how responsibilities and skills differ for designers, developers and users.	
09.03	Investigate how the different Career paths and the skills and education requirements differ between them.  	
09.04	Research, or Host speakers to understand what the career pathways in AI are and how someone who works in an AI position function to use or develop AI in their career. 	
10.0	Understand the AI Ethics in regard to generative AI, Deep Fakes, fair use and copyright. The student will be able to:	
10.01	Distinguish between credible and unreliable information sources. 	
10.02	Recognize and describe signs of compromised information or data. 	
10.03	Understand what the definition of fair use is for both Data and AI generated works.	
10.04	Understand copyright laws and the ways AI generated work impacts the current understanding of copyright	
11.0	Design an AI application or product using an online tool. The student will be able to do:	
11.01	Plan and conduct an experiment using a web tool that creates a AI app or generative AI product using a prompt or data set	
11.02	Predict what information the trained model from your experiment might use to classify data or create the product.	
11.03	Analyze and examine the app or product to see if there are ethical issues with the product.	
11.04	Communicate your findings through an oral or written presentation. 	

Florida Department of Education
Student Performance Standards

Course Title: 		Applying Artificial Intelligence
Course Number: 	9009720
Course Length:	Semester

Course Description:

This course has students apply what they have learned about Artificial Intelligence to real world situations. The course defines how computer systems build intelligence through perception.  Students will explore the role of data in AI applications and the algorithms which guide AI decision making. Students will engage in hands-on activities related to use of AI in machine learning. 

CTE Standards and Benchmarks	
12.0	Identify examples of computer perception systems built into AI-enabled technologies. The student will be able to:	
12.01	Explain differences between sensing in intelligent vs. non-intelligent machines.	
12.02	Identify basic types of perception algorithms and explain how they are used in real-world applications.	
12.03	Describe and provide examples of the advantages and limitations of sensors and computer perception and their impact on meaning making.	
13.0	Describe different types of data and how they are used in AI. The student will be able to:	
13.01	Identify the different kinds of data we collect and share as Internet users.	
13.02	Define numeric, text, date, graphics and sound types of data that computers use.	
13.03	Distinguish that data requires context to be information.	
13.04	Describe how computers store data using bits (binary digits).	
13.05	Describe and construct a simple model of the data processing cycle (input-processing-output).	
13.06	Define Big Data and describe how it is used in AI.	
13.07	Describe how AI uses data to make predictions or decisions.	
13.08	Define logic and summarize its use in programming, including AI.	
14.0	Describe the high-level processes, methods, and conventions used in computer perception. The student will be able to:	
14.01	Describe the differences between human senses vs. animal senses vs. computer sensors in capturing, storing/representing, and making meaning from data.	
14.02	Explain how AI move from sensing data to perceiving meaning for language and vision systems (e.g., sense, perceive, act cycle)	
14.03	Illustrate abstraction hierarchies for speech understanding and perceptual reasoning to highlight the relationship between higher level and lower levels of abstraction in resolving ambiguities in the levels below.	
15.0	Identify and describe the types of representations and algorithms designed into AI-enabled technologies. The student will be able to:	
15.01	Identify different types of representations in AI and their uses.	
15.02	Explain how heuristic, combinatorial, state space search algorithms and operators are commonly used in AI to find answers to questions and problems.	
15.03	Identify and describe classification, approximation, inference, optimization, recognition, search families of reasoning algorithms and the work they do.	
15.04	Identify and explain how AI representations and types of reasoning are used in AI systems used in everyday life.	
16.0	Explain how agents maintain representations of the world and use them for reasoning. The student will be able to:	
16.01	Explain how representation supports reasoning and reasoning algorithms operate on representations.	
16.02	Describe and provide examples of common implementations of decision trees, rule-based inference, and statistical inference reasoning algorithms and their advantages and limitations in solving problems (human interpretability, transparency).	
17.0	Describe machine learning and neural networks in AI-enabled technologies. The student will be able to:	
17.01	Explain the difference between machine learning and human learning.	
17.02	Identify supervised, unsupervised, reinforcement, and transfer learning types of machine learning) and provide examples of the types of problems they solve.	
17.03	Identify CNN, RNN, GAN types of neural networks and the image classification, speech recognition, deep fakes/creativity/art applications they are used in.  	
18.0	Describe the different methods computers use to learn from data (Machine Learning). The student will be able to	
18.01	Explain how supervised, unsupervised, reinforcement, and transfer learning function. 	
18.02	Identify and describe layers (input, hidden, output), activation functions, learning rules and transfer learning components of a neural network and explain how they function.	
18.03	Explain how CNN, RNN, GAN types of neural networks function.	
19.0	Collect and analyze a data set. The student will be able to:	
19.01	Identify different kinds of data and how they might be used in decision making 	
19.02	Describe and construct a simple model of the data processing cycle (input-processing-output).	
19.03	Collect, organize, manipulate and analyze different types of data using preset spreadsheet functions. 	
19.04	Analyze one or more online datasets, describe the information the datasets provide, and identify the types of questions it can and cannot answer	
19.05	Analyze data to construct informed summaries, decisions, and predictions related to the data.	
19.06	 Use spreadsheet functions to create tables and graphs to visually represent and communicate data.	
19.07	Explain and demonstrate the ways training data influences learning and decisions made by the model.	
20.0	Conduct an investigation of a Machine Learning Model. The student will be able to do:	
20.01	Plan and conduct an experiment using a web tool that trains a machine learning model without coding to train a model to recognize data and distinguish between at least three different categories. 	
20.02	Predict what information the trained model from your experiment might use to classify data.	
20.03	Construct an argument using data that explains how your machine learning experiment model works and evaluate if it was. successful	
20.04	Plan and conduct an experiment using a Computer Vision service to analyze an image dataset from an online source. 	
20.05	Plan and conduct an experiment using a Text Analytics service to analyze a text dataset from an online source.	
21.0	Define and investigate generative AI and how it works and current applications. The student will be able to do:	
21.01	Understand what Generative AI is and the basics of how it works.	
21.02	Use a generative AI tool to create some product	
21.03	Predict what information the trained model from your experiment might use to classify data. Predict the outcome of the generative AI.	
21.04	Examine the product for ethical issues for fair use, data sets and copyright.  	
22.0	Demonstrate an understanding of AI ethics in regard to data bias, algorithmic bias, adversarial AI and AI deployment. The student will be able to:	
22.01	Define bias, perception, privacy, and accuracy in the context of AI.	
22.02	Explore potential examples of bias using a web tool that trains a machine learning model without coding. 	
22.03	Describe and critique how ethics and philosophy explicitly and implicitly play a role in AI applications.	
22.04	Explain the ways in which developing an AI application involves humans making numerous technical and ethical decisions.	
22.05	Explain the key principles of responsible and ethical AI design that result in AI systems that keep fairness, transparency, explainability, human-centeredness, privacy and security interests of users in mind.	
22.06	Explain the range of views on the need for and types of ethical standards for AI systems that make decisions about people.	
22.07	Describe the importance of minimizing bias in AI systems to increase people’s trust in AI systems.	
22.08	Identify the sources of bias in AI systems and models and explain the key approaches to minimizing bias.	
22.09	Describe group and individual types of fairness and various views of fairness that affect the metrics for evaluating fairness in systems.	
22.10	Describe model, algorithm, data, goals, outcomes, compliance, influence, and usage principles of transparency in AI and explain the regulatory, responsibility, privacy, security considerations that are important when making decisions with AI systems.	
22.11	Explain the challenges of implementing transparency in AI for companies such as vulnerabilities and security, privacy, intellectual property, legal and risk management.	
22.12	Understand and provide examples of how AI can become adversarial to others or to its intended purpose. 	
22.13	Provide examples of the judgements humans in the loop make in the development of AI, and the responsibility they have to consider the system's impact in the world. 	
22.14	Explain how AI designers and developers have an ethical responsibility to be able to explain how AI systems and their components work. 	
22.15	Provide examples or explain how a company, developer, or decision maker can establish accountability in the development and use of AI to make decisions (e.g., codes of ethics/responsible design, ethical design consideration and choices, and decision tracking). 	
22.16	Understand the subjective nature of values across cultures and describe the key principles, importance, and challenges of designing AI to align with the norms and values of the user group in mind (e.g., understanding user’s values, culture, and norms; defining the value system the AI system is designed for).	
22.17	Describe the expertise and process needed to ethically design AI to support users (e.g., multi-disciplinary team incl. Ethicist/sociologist, developers, legal/compliance, tracking, etc.).	
Career and Education Planning [these must be met to satisfy the requirements of Section 1003.4156, Florida Statutes]	
Standards and Benchmarks	
23.0	Explain his or her career interests, skills and values.  The student will be able to:	
23.01	Describe his or her career interests based on a career interest assessment, personal experience, career informational interviews, research and/or reflection.	
23.02	Describe what career-related skills are his or her current strengths or could become strengths in the future with practice and training based on a career skill assessment, personal experience and/or reflection.	
23.03	Describe what Iifestyle and workplace values are most important to them to consider during career decision making, such as salary and benefits, work environment, the nature of the work and work/life balance.	
23.04	Describe what values that relate to positively impacting others and the world are most important to them to weigh during career decision making.	
24.0	Describe occupations and industries in his or her region.  The student will be able to:	
24.01	Define Career Clusters, industries and occupations.	
24.02	Define regional poverty, average and family-sustaining wage thresholds.	
24.03	Review local labor market data to identify the top five regional occupations as relates to each of the following: employment, growth and salary.	
24.04	List three occupations that align with his or her personal career interests, skills and values.	
24.05	List the regional salary, employment and growth of three occupations they are most interested in learning more about.	
24.06	Summarize occupational content learned through a career informational interview, career fair, job shadowing, service learning, guest speaker, project-based learning, work-based learning, worksite visit or other firsthand experience.	
25.0	Describe a variety of postsecondary pathways.  The student will be able to:	
25.01	Evaluate the pros and cons of pursuing education, employment, entrepreneurship or enlistment immediately following high school.	
25.02	Define postsecondary training provider options and their admissions requirements, including apprenticeships, technical colleges, state or community colleges, universities and industry-recognized certification providers.	
25.03	Define postsecondary credentialing and stacking options, including industry-recognized certifications, apprenticeship certificates of completion, career certificates, licenses and associate or baccalaureate degrees	
25.04	Explain training options aligned with his or her career assessment results and occupational exploration.	
25.05	Review postsecondary training data and list the total cost, average debt after graduation and median earnings and job placement rates of students who completed the student’s preferred postsecondary training option.	
25.06	Summarize what they learned about his or her preferred postsecondary training provider through online research; virtual or in-person tours; a college fair; and/or interviewing a current student, alumni or staff member.	
26.0	Create a personalized career and academic plan.  The student will be able to:	
26.01	Prioritize an occupation for plan formation using one or more decision making techniques, such as a decision matrix, pros and cons analysis or other means	
26.02	Explain the reasoning for choosing to pursue his or her preferred occupation	
26.03	Identify which credentials, technical skills, and employability or entrepreneurship skills are relevant to his or her preferred career pathway.	
26.04	Prioritize a recognized postsecondary credential (industry-recognized certifications, apprenticeship certificates of completion, career certificates, licenses and associate or baccalaureate degrees) aligned with his or her chosen occupation using a decision-making technique, such as a decision matrix and/or pros and cons analysis, etc.	
26.05	Prioritize a postsecondary training provider aligned with his or her recognized postsecondary credential goal using a decision-making technique, such as a decision matrix and/or pros and cons analysis, etc.	
26.06	Define means of paying for postsecondary training, including scholarships (must include State scholarships), grants, savings, work, work-study programs, private loans and Federal loans.	
26.07	Describe ways of meeting the requirements of Florida’s graduation pathways and obtaining accelerated credit, work-based learning experience, career and technical education credit and industry-recognized certifications in high school.	
26.08	Develop a freshman year course schedule that meets high school graduation requirements and that provides academic and career preparation aligned with the student’s career goals.	
26.09	Identify extracurricular activities aligned with his or her occupational and postsecondary training goals.	

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.

Florida Standards for English Language Development (ELD)
English language learners communicate for social and instructional purposes within the school setting. ELD.K12.ELL.SI.1 

English Language Development (ELD) Standards Special Notes:
Teachers are required to provide listening, speaking, reading and writing instruction that allows English language learners (ELL) to communicate for social and instructional purposes within the school setting.   For the given level of English language proficiency and with visual, graphic, or interactive support, students will interact with grade level words, expressions, sentences and discourse to process or produce language necessary for academic success. The ELD standard should specify a relevant content area concept or topic of study chosen by curriculum developers and teachers which maximizes an ELL’s need for communication and social skills. For additional information on the development and implementation of the ELD standards, please contact the Bureau of Student Achievement through Language Acquisition at SALA@fldoe.org.

Special Notes 

It is recommended that these courses be offered at the 8th grade level.

Career Planning

Effective July 1, 2019, per Section 1003.4156, Florida Statutes (F.S.), for students to meet middle grades promotion requirements, a Career and Education Planning course must be completed in either sixth, seventh, or eighth grade. These courses should be taught integrating the eight career and education planning course standards. 

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.