Standards of Academic Progress
College Credit Standards of Academic Progress
Florida Community College is dedicated
to providing students with a high quality educational experience
in an environment
supportive of intellectual and personal development. The Standards
of Academic Progress (SOAP) is to clearly communicate the College’s minimum expectations
of academic progress.
The standards described below are effective
at the beginning of fall semester 2005. These standards supersede
the previously published standards and will be applied to all
college credit students who have enrolled in a Florida Community
College with a cumulative total of six or more credits. A student’s
cumulative Florida Community College coursework (including college preparatory courses) will be used
in the determination of academic status.
New and returning students with fewer than six credits
of enrollment will be evaluated initially at the end of the
semester in which they enroll in a Florida Community College cumulative
total of six or more credits.
Transfer students entering Florida Community College will be
evaluated once their records indicate six or more Florida Community
College credits of enrollment. Transfer credit will not be included
in the determination of status.
*Please note that these standards are not the same as those applicable
to financial aid. See the Financial Aid section of the catalog
for financial aid standards.
In order to maintain satisfactory academic
progress, students must maintain the following minimum cumulative
standards:
Florida
Community
College
Cumulative
Enrollment
__________
6 hours or more credit
|
Percentage of
Semester Courses
Successfully
Completed
(“W,” “F” and
“FN” grades
count as
unsuccessful)
__________
50 percent |
Required SOAP Cumulative
Grade Point
Average
________________
2.0 |
Students who meet or exceed
the established cumulative standards will be considered to have
satisfactory
standing under the SOAP standards. Students who are placed on academic warning or academic
probation will be returned to satisfactory standing as soon
as they bring their SOAP cumulative GPA to a 2.0 or higher and successfully complete at least 50 percent of their coursework — also the standard for satisfactory progress during any given semester if on warning or probation.
Standards for Students on Academic Warning,
Academic Probation and Academic Suspension
Students who do not meet the standards for satisfactory standing will initially be placed on academic warning. All students placed on warning must meet with a properly credentialed employee during the semester before registering for future semesters. Students who make satisfactory progress during the semester will remain on academic warning until they return to satisfactory standing.
Students who do not make satisfactory progress
based on the standard while on academic warning will be placed
on academic probation. All students placed on probation must meet with a properly credentialed employee during the semester before registering for future semesters. When an employee deems a student to be in need of in-depth intervention, a counselor will assist the student. Their enrollment will be limited to nine credits per semester (fall, spring or summer). Approval of the nine credits will be at the discretion of the campus student success dean or the dean’s designee. Additional credits may be granted at the discretion of the campus student success dean based only on documented extenuating circumstances (death in the family, illness, family crisis or accident), or educationally sound reasons. The loss of Social Security, financial aid, veterans assistance, insurance or other benefits is not included in the definition of extenuating circumstances. Students who make academic progress will remain on probation until they return to satisfactory standing.
Students who do not make satisfactory progress (i.e., 2.0 SOAP GPA or greater and 50 percent successful semester course completion)
while on academic probation will be placed on academic
suspension and must wait one semester before reinstatement is possible. Students on initial academic suspension should seek reinstatement by contacting a student success office approximately two months prior to the beginning of the semester they wish to re-enter Florida Community College.
All students placed on academic warning, academic probation or
academic suspension will be formally notified of their status by
the College. Students placed on warning, probation, or suspension should
meet immediately with a properly credentialed employee to determine what action can be taken to return to satisfactory progress.
- Following the suspension period, students who wish
to re-enter Florida Community College must complete an application
for reinstatement available at any campus student success office.
All students requesting reinstatement must meet with the campus dean of student success or the dean’s designee. The campus dean of student success or the dean’s designee will enter the approval for all reinstatements.
- Suspended students who apply for reinstatement
will be reinstated on probation and allowed to register for a maximum of
nine credit hours.
- Students may be granted additional credits at the discretion of the campus student success dean based only on documented
extenuating circumstances (death in the family, illness, family
crisis or accident) or educationally sound reasons. The loss
of Social Security, financial aid, veterans assistance, insurance or other
benefits is not included in the definition of extenuating circumstances.
Students must also have shown progress in the probationary period prior to being suspended and the extenuating circumstance must have occurred
in the probationary period prior to suspension.
- Students who are approved for reinstatement may register for the subsequent semester if satisfactory academic progress is made. At any time following the first re-enrollment semester after suspension, the campus dean may approve registration for additional credits. Once students return to satisfactory standing, registration will not be limited by this rule.
- Reinstated students who do not make satisfactory progress during a semester of reinstatement will be suspended and restricted from registration for one academic year. At the conclusion of the suspension period, these students may apply for reinstatement as described in paragraph one (1) above.
- Immediate Reinstatements — Students
will be immediately reinstated if a grade change restores
them to satisfactory
standing.
Postsecondary Workforce Training Standards
of Academic Progress
The same standards and procedures for college credit students
also will apply to students in postsecondary adult vocational
(PSAV) programs with one exception: the 50 percent completion requirement
will not apply to students in PSAV programs. At the end of each
semester, instructional program managers will evaluate students for
academic progress and apply appropriate interventions. Students suspended from PSAV programs will follow the same reinstatement procedures as college credit students; however, registration limitations for students returning from suspension will be at the discretion of the program manager.
Standards of Academic Progress for Students in Vocational Preparatory Instruction (VPI)
Prior to the midpoint of their program of study, students whose
Test of Adult Basic Education (TABE) scores are within two grade
levels of the exit requirement for the program may enroll simultaneously
in their PSAV courses and required VPI until they reach the midpoint
of their PSAV program. If a student does not test within two grade
levels of the exit requirement for the program, the student must
enroll only in VPI courses. Once the student earns a TABE score
no more than two grade levels from the exit requirement, the student
may enroll in PSAV coursework.
Once students reach the midpoint of their PSAV program, they must have earned a TABE score within one grade level of their program exit requirement. If students have not earned a TABE score within one grade level of the exit requirement by the midpoint of the program, they must enroll only in VPI coursework. When the student earns a TABE score which is no more than one grade level below the exit requirement, the student will be permitted to continue with PSAV coursework.
Once students have completed 75 percent of the coursework of their PSAV program of study, they must earn a TABE score that meets or exceeds the exit requirement. If students have not earned a TABE score that meets or exceeds the exit requirement by the 75 percent completion point of their program, they must enroll only in VPI coursework. Once the student has earned a TABE score that meets or exceeds the exit requirement, the student will be permitted to continue and complete PSAV coursework.
Adult Basic Education Standards of Academic Progress
Florida Community College is dedicated to providing students
with a high quality educational experience in an environment
supportive of intellectual and personal development. The adult
basic education Standards of Academic Progress were formulated
to help assure quality and to clearly communicate the department’s
minimum expectations of reasonable academic progress for our
students. All students enrolled in an adult basic education course
at Florida Community College must meet the minimum requirements
of the Standards of Academic Progress. A thorough review of these
standards will be presented to each student during the orientation/enrollment
process.
Adult High School Standards of Academic Progress
Florida Community College is dedicated to providing students with
a high quality educational experience in an environment supportive
of intellectual and personal development. The adult high school
Standards of Academic Progress were formulated to help assure quality
and to clearly communicate the department’s minimum expectations
of reasonable academic progress for our students. All students
enrolled in an adult high school course at Florida Community College
must meet the minimum requirements of the Standards of Academic
Progress. A thorough review of these standards will be presented
to each student during the orientation/enrollment process.
The standards described below took effect at the
beginning of summer term 2000. These standards will be applied
to all students who are enrolled in an adult high school course
beginning summer term 2000 or later.
In order to maintain satisfactory academic progress, students must maintain the following minimum standards each term they are enrolled:
| Full-term enrollment |
Completion requirement |
| 1-3 courses |
minimum 1 course |
| 4-6 courses |
minimum 2 courses |
(“NG,” “W,” “AW,” “IW” and “I” grades
count as enrollments and non-completions.)
Students who do not meet
the standard outlined above will initially be placed on academic
warning. Students who are placed on warning or probation may
avoid being placed into the next stage of the standard (i.e.,
probation or suspension) by maintaining the standard
for the next term which they enroll.
All students placed on warning, probation or suspension
will be formally notified of their status by mail. Such students
should meet immediately with an adult studies advisor to determine
what action can be taken to return to satisfactory progress.
Students who meet or exceed the established standards each term
will be considered to be making satisfactory progress. Students who are placed
on warning or probation will be returned to satisfactory progress as soon as
they meet or exceed the standards.
Students who do not make satisfactory progress based on the standard
will initially be placed on warning. Students who make satisfactory progress
during the term they are on warning will return to satisfactory status.
Students who do not make
satisfactory progress based on the standard while on warning
will be placed on probation. Their enrollment will be limited
to two courses during the next term they enroll. Students who make satisfactory
progress during the term they are on probation will return to satisfactory
status.
Students who do not make satisfactory progress based on the standard
while on probation will be placed on suspension and will not be allowed to
enroll in the College for one full term. The second and subsequent time students
are suspended two full terms must pass before reinstatement is possible. Students
on suspension should contact an adult studies advisor at least two months prior
to the beginning of the term they wish to re-enter Florida Community College
in order to initiate a formal request for reinstatement.
Students placed on suspension must complete a formal request
to be re-enrolled. Information regarding reinstatement procedures and deadlines
can be obtained from the campus adult studies office or the student success
office. No requests will be accepted after the established deadlines.
Students seeking a clarification of any part of this policy should
contact an adult studies advisor or the adult studies campus program coordinator.
- Students
who are academically suspended for the first time will not be allowed
to enroll in any courses for one full term.
- Following
the required one-term suspension, students who wish to re-enter Florida
Community College must complete an application for reinstatement at any
campus student affairs office. Students should complete the process on the
campus they were attending at the time of suspension.
- Suspended
students who apply for reinstatement will be reinstated and allowed
to register for a maximum of two courses on the first suspension, or one
course on the second and subsequent suspensions.
- Students
may request additional courses based only on documented extenuating
circumstances (death, illness, family crisis or accident) or educationally
sound reasons. The loss of Social Security, veteran’s assistance,
insurance or other benefits is not included in the definition as having
extenuating circumstances. Students must also show progress in the preceding
terms, and the extenuating circumstance must be in the term prior to suspension.
Exceptions can be reviewed by a counselor with final approval by the campus
dean of student success.
- Once
a student has been reinstated (approved for registration), completion
of the courses taken during the semester of reinstatement will permit the
student to register for the subsequent term if the standard is met. Reinstated
students who do not meet the standards based on final grades will be disenrolled
and be restricted from registration for two terms.
- Previously
suspended students who do not meet the standard will be suspended
for two terms and must request reinstatement based on the criteria stated
in item 3. Extenuating circumstances may occur and will be reviewed based
on the same process in item 4.
- Immediate
Reinstatements Students may request immediate reinstatement
based on the following criteria: A grade change that removes students from
the standard.
- The
campus dean of student success will submit to the registrar
the appropriate documentation of all students approved for reinstatement.
Once students are cleared for registration by the office of enrollment services,
they are eligible to register at any adult studies office.
- Application
for Reinstatement Process — All students requesting reinstatement
must complete an application for reinstatement.
- If the application request
meets the standards in item #3, the application is directed
to the campus dean of student success for approval/processing.
- If the application includes
a request for additional courses (extenuating circumstances
or educationally sound reason), students must make an appointment with
an adult studies advisor. Once completed, the application is then sent
to the campus dean of student success for approval/processing.
A minimum of 24 unduplicated credits, grades nine through 12, is
required for an adult high school diploma. The credit requirements
are as follows.
- English, four credits
- English courses must include major concentration in composition
and literature
- science, three full credits
- laboratory courses, two full credits
- non-laboratory courses, one full credit
- mathematics, three credits
- mathematics courses must include credit in Algebra
I or an equivalent series of courses
- social studies, three credits
- American history, one credit
- world history, one credit
- American government, one-half credit
- economics, one-half credit
- study skills, one-half credit
- career research and decision making, one-half credit
- life management skills, one-half credit
- practical arts, vocational education/exploration vocational
education, one-half credit and performing fine arts, one-half
credit or one credit in either area
- electives, eight and one-half credits
To graduate, students must:
- complete 24 credits: 15.5 credits of general
course requirements and eight and one-half credits of approved
electives;
- complete a minimum of two full credits at
Florida Community College;
- receive a passing score on the Florida Comprehensive
Assessment Test (FCAT), or equivalent state-approved assessment;
- acquire a minimum cumulated GPA of 2.0 (see
state student performance standards);
- be classified as admission status “A”;
- apply for graduation with adult studies
advisor.
Graduation and course requirements may change. Please be sure
to check with your adult studies advisor and refer to the state
student
performance standards listed in this section.
All students must pass the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test
(FCAT) and/or other state-mandated tests prior to graduation.
No student shall be granted credit toward a high school diploma
for enrollment in the following courses or programs.
- more than nine elective credits
in remedial programs as provided for in FS* 236.0841
and remedial
programs as provided
for in
FS* 232.246(8)(a) (Students entering the ninth grade
in 1997–98,
or thereafter, may not use level one courses to meet
graduation requirements.)
- more than one-half credit in exploratory vocational courses
as defined in FS* 228.041(22)(a)(2)
- more than three credits in practical arts home economics
as defined in FS* 228.041(22)(a)(4)
Students enrolled in the adult high
school program in pursuit of the high school diploma after
the beginning of the 1978–79
school year and before the 1984–85 school year are
required to meet only those requirements for graduation
that were in
effect at the time of their enrollment when such enrollment
has been
continuous except for summer terms.
Students enrolled prior to the 1997–98 school year
in the adult high school program may use one of the following
two options
to satisfy the GPA graduation requirement until the end
of
Spring Term 2003.
| Option 1: |
Earn a cumulative 1.5 GPA on
a 4.0 scale in those courses taken prior to July 1,
1997, and earn a cumulative 2.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale
for courses, which are taken after July 1, 1997, that
apply to the 24 credits required for high school graduation
as specified in subsection (1) of section FS* 232.246,
or
|
| Option 2: |
Earn a cumulative 2.0 GPA on
a 4.0 scale for courses that apply to the 24 credits
required for high school graduation as specified in
subsection (1) of section FS* 232.246.
|
For students entering the ninth grade for the first time
in the 1997–98 school year and thereafter, and for
all students graduating after Spring Term 2003, a cumulative
GPA of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale is necessary to graduate from high
school as specified in subsection (1) of section FS* 232.246.
It is the students’ responsibility
to schedule and participate in an exit interview with an
adult studies advisor and make application for graduation
after they have completed requirements. Before students may
graduate, they must have fulfilled all financial obligations
to the College.
*Florida Statutes
High School Equivalency Standards of Academc Progress
Florida Community College is dedicated to providing students
with a high quality educational experience in an environment
supportive of intellectual and personal development. The High School Equivalency Standards of Academc Progress were formulated to help assure
quality and to clearly communicate the department’s minimum
expectations of reasonable academic progress for our students.
All students enrolled in a high school equivalency course at Florida Community
College must meet the minimum requirements of the Standards
of Academic Progress. A thorough review of these standards
will be presented to each student during the orientation/ enrollment
process.
English for Speakers of Other Languages
(ESOL) Non-Credit Standards of Academic Progress
Florida Community College is dedicated to providing students
with a high quality educational experience in an environment
supportive of intellectual and personal development. The English
for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL non-credit) Standards
of Academic Progress were formulated to help assure quality
and to clearly communicate the department’s minimum expectations
of reasonable academic progress for our students. All students
enrolled in an ESOL course at Florida Community College must
meet the minimum requirements of the Standards of Academic
Progress. A thorough review of these standards will be presented
to each student during the orientation/ enrollment process.
