CDE Handbook - Florida FFA Association

Florida FFA Career
Development Event
Policies
Member Eligibility
To be eligible for participation in FFA Career Development Events
or awards, a participant must meet one of the following criteria:
1. Be an active member in good standing with the local
bona fide chapter, State, and National Associations for the
school year during which the event is held (or the previous
year), be enrolled in Agribusiness and Natural Resources
Education, and maintain a Supervised Agricultural
Experience (SAE) program. Note: Certain exceptions
may apply as follows. If a student is unable to enroll in
an agriculture course due to extenuating circumstance,
such as program closure or scheduling problems, that
student may maintain active membership status for up
to one membership year by paying local, chapter and
state dues and by maintaining a Supervised Agricultural
Experience (SAE) program and active involvement with
the local FFA chapter. This period of FFA membership
will be terminated at the end of that membership year if
the student does not re-enroll in a systematic program of
agricultural instruction.
2. Members may retain their active membership until
November 30, following the fourth National FFA
Convention after graduating from high school. A member
who is in good standing at the time of induction into the
armed forces of the United States of America shall be in
good standing during the period of active service without
further payment of dues or attendance at meetings.
Time spent in the armed forces shall not be considered
as elapsed time in determining the maximum period of
four conventions following graduation from high school
or leaving high school. Members making use of this
waiver of service time for the purpose of maintaining
active membership for application for advanced degrees
must resume active participation within the six months
after having been honorably discharged from service,
indicating such a desire by payment of dues and attendance
at meetings. Members participating in the six-month’
Armed Service program shall be eligible for one full year of
extended membership. No individual, however, may retain
active membership beyond the 23rd birthday.
3. These members are not eligible to participate in judging
events with the exception of those members on a state
Career Development Event Policies
winning team as graduating senior competing in national
competition.
4. A member who is a former state winner, either individual
or team, in a particular FFA contest or award program is
not eligible to compete in that contest or award area again.
5. The student must not have previously participated in a
National Career Development Event of the same kind.
6. Few exceptions will be made in the scheduling of events
for teams participating in two events, which are held
simultaneously. Prior notice must be given to the Florida
FFA Association office for such consideration.
7. Members below the ninth grade are eligible to participate
in state competitive events, unless otherwise stated in
the specific contest or award program area. Members
below the ninth grade will not be certified for national
competition because of national restrictions, excluding the
Creed CDE. In the event that one, two, or three members
of a four member team are ineligible to compete in national
competition, the advisor must substitute eligible members
from the chapter to compete nationally. A state winning
team comprised totally of less than ninth graders will yield
to the next eligible chapter. Members serving as substitutes
will be ineligible for future competition in that contest or
award program area.
Registration
1. Pre-registration is required for all events at the sub-district,
district and state level, unless otherwise announced by the
Florida FFA Association. Chapters should register at www.
flaffa.org. Registration will open approximately four (4)
weeks prior to the event and will close approximately two
(2) weeks prior to the event, as published on the official
Florida FFA calendar.
2. Following the close of registration, a list of registered
teams will be distributed electronically on the Florida FFA
listserv. If a chapter’s name does not appear on the list as a
result of registration error, notification must be made to the
Florida FFA Office within twenty-four (24) hours or by the
published deadline.
3. Chapters not properly registered will not be eligible for
competition.
General Guidelines
1. Advisors should properly instruct students how to
participate in a Career Development Event (CDE) prior
to arrival at the event (including judging card completion,
contest expectations, etc.).
2. Contestants must provide their own pens, pencils, erasers,
clip boards and other necessary items necessary for
Florida FFA Career Development Event Handbook 3