Career pathways agreements.

(1) Each career center and Florida College System institution with overlapping service areas must annually submit to the Department of Education, on or before May 1, a regional career pathways agreement for each certificate program offered by the career center that is aligned with an associate degree offered by the Florida College System institution in the service area. Each career pathways agreement must guarantee college credit toward an aligned associate degree program for students who graduate from a career center with a career or technical certificate and meet specified requirements in accordance with the terms of the agreement. Regional agreements may not award less credit than the amount guaranteed through existing statewide articulation agreements.

(2) Each career pathways agreement must outline certificate program completion requirements and any licenses or industry certifications that must be earned before enrolling in an associate degree program. Articulated college credit must be awarded in accordance with the agreement upon initial enrollment in the associate degree program.