Florida has adopted two education rules after months of rulemaking. Rule 6A-1.09953, establishing a statewide uniform weighted grading system for honors and accelerated courses, was filed as a final rule on August 13, 2026, and becomes effective September 2, 2026. Rule 6A-5.0661, requiring uniform core curricula for all state-approved teacher preparation programs, was filed on August 5, 2026, and takes effect August 25, 2026. The Florida Administrative Register published both final adopted versions.
Uniform weighted grading scale (6A-1.09953)
The rule creates a 5.0 weighted grading scale for Florida high schools. Standard courses receive up to a 4.0 for an A, honors and industry-certification courses carry a 0.5 weight (4.5 for an A), and accelerated courses such as dual enrollment, Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, AICE, and FACT carry a 1.0 weight (5.0 for an A). The scale applies to students entering 9th grade in the 2026-2027 school year and to high school coursework taken by middle grades students in that year and beyond. Students who earned high school credit in middle school before 2026-2027 will have their weighted credits recalculated upon entering 9th grade. Prior cohorts continue under their original GPA calculation. The rule is based on House Bill 1279 from the 2026 legislative session.
Teacher preparation core curricula (6A-5.0661)
The teacher preparation rule requires that starting August 1, 2027, every state-approved teacher preparation program provide uniform core curricula courses. The required foundational courses include Introduction to Education, which covers cognitive science of learning including cognitive load theory, working memory, retrieval practice, attention, motivation, background knowledge, and the production effect; Impact Teaching and Classroom Management; and Foundations of Civil Discourse, American Exceptionalism, and Western Civilization. The rule also mandates mastery-based clinical experiences in PK-12 classrooms, where candidates demonstrate the Florida Educator Accomplished Practices. Additional requirements include content literacy instruction grounded in the science of reading and mathematics practices that emphasize fluency and conceptual understanding.
First-state precedent
Florida was the first state to formally adopt the Phoenix Declaration, a set of seven guiding principles for education in Florida, in November 2025. The Daily Signal reported that the State Board of Education's adoption of the Uniform Core Curricula rule in July 2026 marked the most concrete step to date toward implementing those principles.