The State Board of Education Rules were intended to establish uniform procedures relating to the acceptance of transfer work and credit for students entering Florida’s public middle and high schools. The rules increase consistency in the credit transfer process and fulfill the State Board of Education responsibility to prescribe “procedures for maintenance and transfer of student records” as required by FS 1003.25 (3). 

The State Uniform Transfer of Students in the Middle Grades Rule applies to out-of-state middle grades transfer students, and states that grades earned and offered for acceptance shall be based on official transcripts and shall be accepted at face value subject to validation, if required, by the receiving school’s accreditation.

The State Uniform Transfer of High School Credits Rule applies to all high school transfer students, and states that credits and grades earned and offered for acceptance shall be based on official transcripts and shall be accepted at face value subject to validation, if required, by the receiving school’s accreditation. The rules do not require that the transferring school be accredited in order for the credits to be accepted at face value. 

If validation of the official transcript is deemed necessary for accreditation purposes by the receiving school, or if the student does not possess an official transcript, or is a home education student, then credits or grades shall be validated through performance during the first grading period.

A student transferring into a school shall be placed at the appropriate sequential course level. A middle grades student should have passing grades, and a high school student should have a minimum grade point average of 2.0 after the first enrolled grading period in order to receive credit. 

The State Board of Education Rules specifically require credits and grades to be accepted at face value, establish limited exceptions where validation can be used, and provide procedures for validation. The rules, therefore, preclude districts and individual schools from placing any additional requirements or procedures on the transfer of middle school grades and high school credits and grades.