Basic Skills Requirements for Career and Technical Certificate Education

To comply with Florida Administrative Code 6A-10.040, the Test of Adult Basic Education (TABE) will be used by PHSC to assess the basic skills of students enrolled in career and technical certificate education programs offered for career credit of 450 hours or more. Each program has specific grade-level exit requirements, which may be found on the TABE Exit Requirements for Career and Technical Certificate Programs Chart. The TABE level listed next to each program is the appropriate level that must be administered and only the designated level will be accepted. No student, except those exempted by statute or rule, shall be awarded a career and technical certificate of completion until the student achieves the minimum level of basic skills required for that program.

The TABE is designed to test student mastery of basic skills in mathematics, language and reading. All applicable sections must be taken within the first six weeks after admission beginning on the day of the first course in the program. The College administers and accepts only the most current forms of the TABE. Students with disabilities may request appropriate accommodations through the Office of Disabilities Services. Tests are computer graded and results are entered into the College's official student records system. Test scores remain active for two years or as long as a student remains continuously enrolled without a break of one year.

Students who score below the minimum basic skill levels of their program are advised to meet with an academic advisor to develop a plan focused on achieving their academic needs prior to retaking the TABE. Students can enroll in developmental education instruction and access Academic Success Center tutors and remedial materials. It is the responsibility of the student to make arrangements for instruction and/or remediation. Students may be retested with an alternate form of the TABE six weeks after the initial administration, and all examinees must wait six months before retesting with the same form.

The following students are exempt from taking the initial basic skills assessment:

1. Students who possess a college degree at the Associate of Applied Science level or higher
2. Students who have demonstrated readiness for college-level work:
   1. Students who have met the cut scores on any of the tests found in the Student Placement and Testing Chart
   2. Students who have successfully completed developmental education requirements
   3. Students with "C" or higher grades on both college-level English and mathematics courses
   4. Students who are exempt from common placement testing:
      1. Students who are serving as active duty military of any branch of the United States Armed Forces
      2. Students who entered 9th grade in a Florida public high school in the 2003-2004 school year, or any year thereafter, and earned a Florida standard public high school diploma.
3. Students who have met the minimum score on the Reasoning through Language Arts and Mathematical  Reasoning sub-tests of the 2014 GED Test as required in Florida Administrative Code 6A-60201.
4. Students who have passed a state, national or industry certification or licensure examination that is identified on the most current Florida Department of Education's Basic Skills and Licensure Exemption list
5. An adult student who is enrolled in an apprenticeship program that is registered with the Department of Education in accordance with Chapter 446, Florida Statute
6. Students with documented disabilities who have not met the basic skills exit requirement after an initial administration may request approval for an exemption from the Office of Disabilities Services

Official verification of degree, licensure, test scores or developmental education course completion must be submitted to the Office of Admissions and Student Records. Test score results submitted from an agency other than PHSC should be mailed directly from that agency. For additional information, students should contact an academic advisor in Student Affairs.