Fact Sheet
ENNOBLES Act FCAT Waiver for
Students with Disabilities (HB 1739):
Purpose of the ENNOBLES Act (HB 1739):
The purpose of the Enhanced New Needed Opportunity for Better Life and
Education for Students with Disabilities (ENNOBLES) Act, passed by the
2003 Legislature, is to provide students with disabilities increased access to postsecondary education and meaningful careers.
Students with disabilities impacted by this legislation:
For the purposes of this act, the term “student with a disability” means any student with a current Individual Education Plan (IEP) who is documented as having a hearing impairment, including deafness; a speech or language impairment; a visual impairment including blindness; a serious emotional disturbance, including an emotional handicap; an orthopedic impairment
(including other health impairment or physical impairment); mental retardation; autism, a traumatic brain injury; or a specific learning disability, including, but no limited to dyslexia, dyscalculia, or developmental aphasia.
Key provisions of this act:
Key provisions include the following:
• Broward County must provide instruction to prepare students with disabilities to demonstrate proficiency in the skills and competencies
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• necessary for successful grade-to-grade progression and high school graduation.
An educational team composed of individual education plan (IEP) team members may recommend a waiver of the Florida Comprehensive
Assessment Test (FCAT) as a requirement for graduation with a standard diploma for students with disabilities under certain conditions.
The State Board of Education (SBE) will adopt rules for the provision of expanded test accommodations and modifications of procedures as necessary for students with disabilities which will demonstrate the student’s abilities rather than reflecting the student’s impaired sensory, manual, speaking, or psychological process skills. (Additional accommodations have been identified).
Revised 11/06

• Addresses access to postsecondary education, including clarification of admission requirements, reasonable substitution for any requirement for graduation, for admission into a program of study, or for entry into upper division.
Students with disabilities who are eligible for an FCAT Waiver:
The ENNOBLES Act provides for certain 12 th grade students with disabilities to have the FCAT requirement waived under specific
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• circumstances for the purpose of receiving a standard high school diploma.
In order to be considered for the waiver from the FCAT graduation requirement, the student must:
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Be identified as a student with a disability as defined in section
1007.02(2), Florida Statues
Have participated in remediation activities/courses in reading and/or math
Have a current individual educational plan
Have taken the Grade 10 FCAT at least twice including March of the student’s senior year with appropriate accommodations
(accommodations are changes to the way students are taught or tested that do not change the expectations for learning)
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Have met the state’s 24 credit/courses
Have a 2.0 cumulative grade point average (GPA) requirement
Complete 40 service learning hours
The Educational Team will complete the required application packet. The packet must include specified documentation that the student has mastered the required Grade 10 Sunshine State Standards in Reading and
Mathematics.
The Educational team must also determine that the FCAT cannot accurately measure the student’s abilities even with all allowable accommodations. The team recommends those students who meet the waiver requirements by completing the FCAT Waiver application. The school principal reviews for approval.
Revised 11/06

Revised 11/06