Title: General Education Promotion
Subject: Curriculum Frameworks
Author: Division of Career and Adult Education
Last saved by: Brown, Maia
Manager: Chancellor
Company: Department of Education
Keywords: General, Education, Promotion

2026-2027

Florida Department of Education
Adult General Education Curriculum Framework

ADULT HIGH SCHOOL
Program Title | Adult High School (AHS)
Program Number | 9900010
Course Number | 9900010
CIP Number | 1532010500
Grade Level | 30, 31
Program Length | Maximum 1300 hours

PURPOSE

Adult High School Program: The purpose of the AHS program is to provide eligible individuals with high school courses and assessments approved by the Florida Department of Education (FDOE) that lead to a Standard State of Florida High School Diploma. In addition, the AHS program also serves to meet the intent of the Florida Legislature and Office of the Governor as formulated in Florida Statutes and the FDOE State Board Rules. 

Two Florida Statutes (F.S.) provide the underlying basis of the AHS program:

•	s. 1002.3105, F.S.– Challenging Curriculum to Enhance Learning (ACCEL) options

http://www.leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=1000-1099/1002/Sections/1002.3105.html

•	s. 1003.4282, F.S. – Requirements for a Standard High School Diploma 

https://www.flsenate.gov/laws/statutes/2020/1003.4282

The following Florida Statues and State Board Rules also support the AHS program:

•	s. 1003.41, F.S. – State Academic Standards 

http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?mode=View%20Statutes&SubMenu=1&App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=1003.41&URL=1000-1099/1003/Sections/1003.41.html

•	s. 1003.433, F.S. – Learning opportunities for out-of-state and out-of-country transfer students and students needing additional instruction to meet high school graduation requirements

http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?mode=View%20Statutes&SubMenu=1&App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=1003.433&URL=1000-1099/1003/Sections/1003.433.html

•	s. 1004.02, F.S. – Definitions 

http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?mode=View%20Statutes&SubMenu=1&App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=1004.02&URL=1000-1099/1004/Sections/1004.02.html

•	s. 1004.92, F.S. – Purpose and Responsibilities for Career Education 

http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?mode=View%20Statutes&SubMenu=1&App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=1004.92&URL=1000-1099/1004/Sections/1004.92.html

•	s. 1004.93, F.S. – Adult General Education 

https://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=1000-1099/1004/Sections/1004.93.html

•	s. 1008.22, F.S. – Student Assessment Program for Public Schools

https://www.flsenate.gov/laws/statutes/2011/1008.22

•	Rule 6A.020, F.A.C. – Granting High School Credits to Adults

https://www.flrules.org/gateway/RuleNo.asp?title=SPECIAL%20PROGRAMS%20I&ID=6A-6.020

•	Rule 6A.09941, F.A.C. – State Uniform Transfer of Students in Middle Grades and High School

https://www.flrules.org/gateway/RuleNo.asp?title=FINANCE%20AND%20ADMINISTRATION&ID=6A-1.09941

•	Rule 6A-1.09422, F.A.C. – Statewide Standardized Assessment Program Requirements

https://www.flrules.org/gateway/RuleNo.asp?title=FINANCE%20AND%20ADMINISTRATION&ID=6A-1.09422

•	Rule 6A-6.014, F.A.C. – General Requirements for Adult General Education Program

https://www.flrules.org/gateway/ruleno.asp?id=6A-6.014

STUDENTS

Individuals eligible to enroll in the AHS program are those who meet the following criteria:

•	Are 16 years of age or older.
•	Are not enrolled in the K12 system.
•	Do not possess a Standard State of Florida High School Diploma.
•	Do not possess a high school diploma from another state.
•	Students with a Certificate of Completion from a Florida high school.

Table 1: Educational Functioning Level (EFL), Grade Equivalents and Credit Options

EFL

Grade Equivalent

ACCEL
18 Credits

CTE Career Pathways
18 Credits

Standard Diploma
24 Credits

ASE Level 5 | 11.0 – 11.9 | 0 – 9 | 0 – 9 | 0 – 12
ASE Level 6 | 12.0 – 12.9 | 10 – 18 | 10 – 18 | 13 – 24
Completion | Above 12.9 | More than 18 | More than 18 | More than 24

PROGRAM LENGTH
The Florida Legislature provides funding to local agencies to provide instruction for a maximum of 1300 hours of per student per program year. Although it is allowable for local agencies to provide more than 1300 hours of instruction per program year, the additional hours are not eligible for funding.

CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION

The AHS program provides the following three options to obtain a standard State of Florida High School Diploma:

•	18 Credits – Academically Challenging Curriculum to Enhance Learning High School Diploma 
•	18 Credit – Career and Technical Pathway High School Diploma 
•	24 Credit – Standard State of Florida High School Diploma

The Florida Benchmarks for Excellent Student Thinking (B.E.S.T) Standards serve as the curriculum guide for AHS instructors. The B.E.S.T. Standards are posted on the following websites:

•	FDOE CPALMS

https://www.cpalms.org/Public/

•	FDOE Course Code Directory

https://www.fldoe.org/policy/articulation/ccd/

PLACEMENT INTO THE AHS PROGRAM

Placement: Local adult education agencies have several options for placing students in the AHS program:

•	Students who provide a transcript of high school credits that places them in EFL 5 or 6 may be placed into the program without taking a placement exam
•	Students entering the Adult High School program are placed at EFL 5 or 6 based on documented or self-reported K–12 credit completion, in accordance with Rule 6A-6.014, F.A.C. Assessment is not required for placement.

https://www.flrules.org/gateway/ruleno.asp?id=6A-6.014

Progression: Students show progression in the AHS program by earning credits that move them from EFL 5 (11th grade) to EFL 6 (12th grade). Students must complete all required statewide exams in accordance with State of Florida guidelines. Depending on the course, students may be required to complete an End of Course (EOC) exam. Students may also earn concordant or comparative scores in certain courses.

Completion: Students complete the AHS program and obtain a standard State of Florida High School Diploma by fulfilling the following criteria:

1.	Meet all state and local standards required for graduation.
2.	Maintain a 2.0 Grade Point Average.
3.	Complete state exams in accordance with FDOE guidelines (not required if the student has met criteria #1).

Additional Information

_ACCOMMODATIONS 

_Federal _and _state _legislation _requires _the _provision _of _accommodations _for _students _with _disabilities _to _address _individual _needs _and _guarantee _equal _access. _Adult _students _with _disabilities _are _required _to _self-identify, _submit _documentation _and _request _the _necessary _accommodations. _Accommodations _for _students _with _disabilities _may _be _necessary _in _various _areas, _including _instructional _methods _and _materials, _assignments _and _assessments, _time _constraints _and _schedules, _learning _environments, _assistive _technology _and _special _communication _systems. _Documentation _detailing _the _requested _and _provided _accommodations _should _be _securely _stored _in _a _confidential _file.

_ADULT _EDUCATION _INSTRUCTOR _CERTIFICATION _REQUIREMENTS

_Instructors _of _students _enrolled _in _the _AHS _program _are _required _to _meet _the _certification _requirements _of _the _courses _they _teach. _For _certification _requirements, _see _sections _3 _and _5 _of _the _Florida _DOE _Course _Code _Directory. _As _per _s. _1012.39 _(1)(b), _F.S., _each _school _district _shall _establish _the _minimal _qualifications _for _part-time _and _full-time _teachers _in _adult _education _agencies.

https://www.fldoe.org/policy/articulation/ccd/

https://www.flsenate.gov/laws/statutes/2011/1012.39

_TECHNICAL _ASSISTANCE

_For _technical _assistance, _please _visit _the _FDOE _Career _& _Adult _Education _Technical _Assistance _Page, _or _contact _the _office _at:
_•	_850-245-0450
•	_FloridaAdultEducation@fldoe.org