Florida Senate - 2016 CS for SB 520
By the Committee on Fiscal Policy; and Senators Lee and Gaetz
594-02122-16 2016520c1
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to the Florida Bright Futures
3 Scholarship Program; amending s. 1009.531, F.S.;
4 providing that the initial award period and the
5 renewal period for students who are unable to accept
6 an initial award immediately after completion of high
7 school due to a full-time religious or service
8 obligation begin upon the completion of the religious
9 or service obligation; specifying requirements for an
10 entity that is sponsoring the obligation; requiring
11 verification from the entity for which the student
12 completed such obligation; revising eligibility
13 requirements for the Florida Bright Futures
14 Scholarship Program; deleting obsolete provisions;
15 amending s. 1009.532, F.S.; providing that certain
16 students may receive an award for a specified number
17 of credits towards specified programs and degree
18 programs; amending ss. 1009.534 and 1009.535, F.S.;
19 requiring a student, as a prerequisite for the Florida
20 Academic Scholars award or the Florida Medallion
21 Scholars award, to identify a civic issue or a
22 professional area of interest and develop a plan for
23 his or her personal involvement in addressing the
24 issue or learning about the area; prohibiting the
25 student from receiving remuneration or academic credit
26 for the volunteer service work performed except in
27 certain circumstances; requiring the hours of
28 volunteer service work to be documented in writing and
29 signed by the student, the student’s parent or
30 guardian, and a representative of the organization for
31 which the student performed the volunteer service
32 work; amending s. 1009.536, F.S.; creating the Florida
33 Gold Seal CAPE-Vocational Scholars award within the
34 Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program; requiring
35 a student, as a prerequisite for the Florida Gold Seal
36 Vocational Scholars award, to identify a civic issue
37 or a professional area of interest and develop a plan
38 for his or her personal involvement in addressing the
39 issue or learning about the area; prohibiting the
40 student from receiving remuneration or academic credit
41 for the volunteer service work performed except in
42 certain circumstances; requiring the hours of
43 volunteer service work to be documented in writing and
44 signed by the student, the student’s parent or
45 guardian, and a representative of the organization for
46 which the student performed the volunteer service
47 work; requiring a high school student graduating in
48 the 2016-2017 academic year to meet certain
49 requirements to be eligible for a Florida Gold Seal
50 CAPE-Vocational Scholars award; providing that certain
51 students may receive an award for a specified number
52 of credits toward specified programs and degree
53 programs; providing an effective date.
54
55 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
56
57 Section 1. Paragraph (c) of subsection (2) and paragraphs
58 (a) and (b) of subsection (6) of section 1009.531, Florida
59 Statutes, are amended to read:
60 1009.531 Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program;
61 student eligibility requirements for initial awards.—
62 (2)
63 (c) A student graduating from high school in the 2012-2013
64 academic year and thereafter is eligible to accept an initial
65 award for 2 years following high school graduation and to accept
66 a renewal award for 5 years following high school graduation. A
67 student who applies for an award by high school graduation and
68 who meets all other eligibility requirements, but who does not
69 accept his or her award, may reapply during subsequent
70 application periods up to 2 years after high school graduation.
71 For a student who enlists in the United States Armed Forces
72 immediately after completion of high school, the 2-year
73 eligibility period for his or her initial award and the 5-year
74 renewal period shall begin upon the date of separation from
75 active duty. For a student who is receiving a Florida Bright
76 Futures Scholarship award and discontinues his or her education
77 to enlist in the United States Armed Forces, the remainder of
78 his or her 5-year renewal period shall commence upon the date of
79 separation from active duty. For a student who is unable to
80 accept an initial award immediately after completion of high
81 school due to a full-time religious or service obligation
82 lasting at least 18 months, the 2-year eligibility period for
83 his or her initial award and the 5-year renewal period begin
84 upon the completion of his or her religious or service
85 obligation. The organization sponsoring the full-time religious
86 or service obligation must meet the requirements for nonprofit
87 status under s. 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code or be a
88 federal government service organization, including, but not
89 limited to, the Peace Corps and AmeriCorps programs. The
90 obligation must be documented in writing and verified by the
91 entity for which the student completed the obligation on a
92 standardized form prescribed by the department. If a course of
93 study is not completed after 5 academic years, an exception of 1
94 year to the renewal timeframe may be granted due to a verifiable
95 illness or other documented emergency pursuant to s.
96 1009.40(1)(b)4.
97 (6)(a) The State Board of Education shall publicize the
98 examination score required for a student to be eligible for a
99 Florida Academic Scholars award, pursuant to s. 1009.534(1)(a)
100 or (b), as follows:
101 1. For high school students graduating in the 2010-2011 and
102 2011-2012 academic years, the student must earn an SAT score of
103 1270 or a concordant ACT score of 28.
104 2. For high school students graduating in the 2012-2013
105 academic year, the student must earn an SAT score of 1280 which
106 corresponds to the 88th SAT percentile rank or a concordant ACT
107 score of 28.
108 3. For High school students graduating in the 2013-2014
109 academic year and thereafter, the student must earn an SAT score
110 of 1290 which corresponds to the 89th SAT percentile rank or a
111 concordant ACT score of 29.
112 (b) The State Board of Education shall publicize the
113 examination score required for a student to be eligible for a
114 Florida Medallion Scholars award, pursuant to s. 1009.535(1)(a)
115 or (b), as follows:
116 1. For high school students graduating in the 2010-2011
117 academic year, the student must earn an SAT score of 970 or a
118 concordant ACT score of 20 or the student in a home education
119 program whose parent cannot document a college-preparatory
120 curriculum must earn an SAT score of 1070 or a concordant ACT
121 score of 23.
122 2. For high school students graduating in the 2011-2012
123 academic year, the student must earn an SAT score of 980 which
124 corresponds to the 44th SAT percentile rank or a concordant ACT
125 score of 21 or the student in a home education program whose
126 parent cannot document a college-preparatory curriculum must
127 earn an SAT score of 1070 or a concordant ACT score of 23.
128 3. For high school students graduating in the 2012-2013
129 academic year, the student must earn an SAT score of 1020 which
130 corresponds to the 51st SAT percentile rank or a concordant ACT
131 score of 22 or the student in a home education program whose
132 parent cannot document a college-preparatory curriculum must
133 earn an SAT score of 1070 or a concordant ACT score of 23.
134 4. For High school students graduating in the 2013-2014
135 academic year and thereafter, the student must earn an SAT score
136 of 1170 which corresponds to the 75th SAT percentile rank or a
137 concordant ACT score of 26 or the student in a home education
138 program whose parent cannot document a college-preparatory
139 curriculum must earn an SAT score of 1220 or a concordant ACT
140 score of 27.
141 Section 2. Paragraph (d) is added to subsection (3) of
142 section 1009.532, Florida Statutes, to read:
143 1009.532 Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program;
144 student eligibility requirements for renewal awards.—
145 (3)
146 (d)1. A student who is initially eligible in the 2017-2018
147 academic year and thereafter for a Florida Gold Seal CAPE
148 Vocational Scholars award under s. 1009.536(2) may receive an
149 award for a maximum of 100 percent of the number of credit hours
150 or equivalent clock hours required to complete one of the
151 following at a Florida public or nonpublic education institution
152 that offers these specific programs: for an applied technology
153 diploma program as defined in s. 1004.02(7), up to 60 credit
154 hours or equivalent clock hours; for a technical degree
155 education program as defined in s. 1004.02(13), up to the number
156 of hours required for a specific degree, not to exceed 72 credit
157 hours or equivalent clock hours; or for a career certificate
158 program as defined in s. 1004.02(20), up to the number of hours
159 required for a specific certificate, not to exceed 72 credit
160 hours or equivalent clock hours. A student who transfers from
161 one of these program levels to another program level is eligible
162 for the higher of the two credit hour limits.
163 2. A Florida Gold Seal CAPE-Vocational Scholar who
164 completes a technical degree education program as defined in s.
165 1004.02(13) may also receive an award for:
166 a. A maximum of 60 credit hours for a bachelor of science
167 degree program for which there is a statewide associate in
168 science degree program to bachelor of science degree program
169 articulation agreement; or
170 b. A maximum of 60 credit hours for a bachelor of applied
171 science degree program at a Florida College System institution.
172 Section 3. Subsection (1) of section 1009.534, Florida
173 Statutes, is amended to read:
174 1009.534 Florida Academic Scholars award.—
175 (1) A student is eligible for a Florida Academic Scholars
176 award if he or she the student meets the general eligibility
177 requirements for the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program
178 and the student:
179 (a) Has achieved a 3.5 weighted grade point average as
180 calculated pursuant to s. 1009.531, or its equivalent, in high
181 school courses that are designated by the State Board of
182 Education as college-preparatory academic courses; and has
183 attained at least the score required under pursuant to s.
184 1009.531(6)(a) on the combined verbal and quantitative parts of
185 the Scholastic Aptitude Test, the Scholastic Assessment Test, or
186 the recentered Scholastic Assessment Test of the College
187 Entrance Examination, or an equivalent score on the ACT
188 Assessment Program;
189 (b) Has attended a home education program according to s.
190 1002.41 during grades 11 and 12, or has completed the
191 International Baccalaureate curriculum but failed to earn the
192 International Baccalaureate Diploma, or has completed the
193 Advanced International Certificate of Education curriculum but
194 failed to earn the Advanced International Certificate of
195 Education Diploma, and has attained at least the score required
196 under pursuant to s. 1009.531(6)(a) on the combined verbal and
197 quantitative parts of the Scholastic Aptitude Test, the
198 Scholastic Assessment Test, or the recentered Scholastic
199 Assessment Test of the College Entrance Examination, or an
200 equivalent score on the ACT Assessment Program;
201 (c) Has been awarded an International Baccalaureate Diploma
202 from the International Baccalaureate Office or an Advanced
203 International Certificate of Education Diploma from the
204 University of Cambridge International Examinations Office;
205 (d) Has been recognized by the merit or achievement
206 programs of the National Merit Scholarship Corporation as a
207 scholar or finalist; or
208 (e) Has been recognized by the National Hispanic
209 Recognition Program as a scholar recipient.
210
211 The A student must complete a program of volunteer community
212 service work, as approved by the district school board, the
213 administrators of a nonpublic school, or the Department of
214 Education for home education program students, which must shall
215 include a minimum of 75 hours of service work for high school
216 students graduating in the 2010-2011 academic year and 100 hours
217 of service work for high school students graduating in the 2011
218 2012 academic year and thereafter. The student, and must
219 identify a social or civic issue or a professional area problem
220 that interests him or her, develop a plan for his or her
221 personal involvement in addressing the issue or learning about
222 the area problem, and, through papers or other presentations,
223 evaluate and reflect upon his or her experience. Except for
224 credit earned through service-learning courses adopted pursuant
225 to s. 1003.497, the student may not receive remuneration or
226 academic credit for the volunteer service work performed. Such
227 work may include, but is not limited to, a business or
228 governmental internship, work for a nonprofit community service
229 organization, or activities on behalf of a candidate for public
230 office. The hours of volunteer service must be documented in
231 writing, and the document must be signed by the student, the
232 student’s parent or guardian, and a representative of the
233 organization for which the student performed the volunteer
234 service work.
235 Section 4. Subsection (1) of section 1009.535, Florida
236 Statutes, is amended to read:
237 1009.535 Florida Medallion Scholars award.—
238 (1) A student is eligible for a Florida Medallion Scholars
239 award if he or she the student meets the general eligibility
240 requirements for the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program
241 and the student:
242 (a) Has achieved a weighted grade point average of 3.0 as
243 calculated pursuant to s. 1009.531, or the equivalent, in high
244 school courses that are designated by the State Board of
245 Education as college-preparatory academic courses; and has
246 attained at least the score required under pursuant to s.
247 1009.531(6)(b) on the combined verbal and quantitative parts of
248 the Scholastic Aptitude Test, the Scholastic Assessment Test, or
249 the recentered Scholastic Assessment Test of the College
250 Entrance Examination, or an equivalent score on the ACT
251 Assessment Program;
252 (b) Has completed the International Baccalaureate
253 curriculum but failed to earn the International Baccalaureate
254 Diploma or has completed the Advanced International Certificate
255 of Education curriculum but failed to earn the Advanced
256 International Certificate of Education Diploma, and has attained
257 at least the score required under pursuant to s. 1009.531(6)(b)
258 on the combined verbal and quantitative parts of the Scholastic
259 Aptitude Test, the Scholastic Assessment Test, or the recentered
260 Scholastic Assessment Test of the College Entrance Examination,
261 or an equivalent score on the ACT Assessment Program;
262 (c) Has attended a home education program according to s.
263 1002.41 during grades 11 and 12 and has attained at least the
264 score required under pursuant to s. 1009.531(6)(b) on the
265 combined verbal and quantitative parts of the Scholastic
266 Aptitude Test, the Scholastic Assessment Test, or the recentered
267 Scholastic Assessment Test of the College Entrance Examination,
268 or an equivalent score on the ACT Assessment Program, if the
269 student’s parent cannot document a college-preparatory
270 curriculum as described in paragraph (a);
271 (d) Has been recognized by the merit or achievement program
272 of the National Merit Scholarship Corporation as a scholar or
273 finalist but has not completed the a program of volunteer
274 community service work required under as provided in s.
275 1009.534; or
276 (e) Has been recognized by the National Hispanic
277 Recognition Program as a scholar, but has not completed the a
278 program of volunteer community service work required under as
279 provided in s. 1009.534.
280
281 A high school student graduating in the 2011-2012 academic year
282 and thereafter must complete at least 75 hours a program of
283 volunteer community service work approved by the district school
284 board, the administrators of a nonpublic school, or the
285 Department of Education for home education program students. The
286 student, which shall include a minimum of 75 hours of service
287 work, and must identify a social or civic issue or a
288 professional area problem that interests him or her, develop a
289 plan for his or her personal involvement in addressing the issue
290 or learning about the area problem, and, through papers or other
291 presentations, evaluate and reflect upon his or her experience.
292 Except for credit earned through service-learning courses
293 adopted pursuant to s. 1003.497, the student may not receive
294 remuneration or academic credit for volunteer service work
295 performed. Such work may include, but is not limited to, a
296 business or governmental internship, work for a nonprofit
297 community service organization, or activities on behalf of a
298 candidate for public office. The hours of volunteer service must
299 be documented in writing, and the document must be signed by the
300 student, the student’s parent or guardian, and a representative
301 of the organization for which the student performed the
302 volunteer service work.
303 Section 5. Section 1009.536, Florida Statutes, is amended
304 to read:
305 1009.536 Florida Gold Seal Vocational Scholars and Florida
306 Gold Seal CAPE-Vocational Scholars awards award.—The Florida
307 Gold Seal Vocational Scholars award and the Florida Gold Seal
308 CAPE-Vocational Scholars award are is created within the Florida
309 Bright Futures Scholarship Program to recognize and reward
310 academic achievement and career preparation by high school
311 students who wish to continue their education.
312 (1) A student is eligible for a Florida Gold Seal
313 Vocational Scholars award if he or she the student meets the
314 general eligibility requirements for the Florida Bright Futures
315 Scholarship Program and the student:
316 (a) Completes the secondary school portion of a sequential
317 program of studies that requires at least three secondary school
318 career credits. On-the-job training may not be substituted for
319 any of the three required career credits.
320 (b) Demonstrates readiness for postsecondary education by
321 earning a passing score on the Florida College Entry Level
322 Placement Test or its equivalent as identified by the Department
323 of Education.
324 (c) Earns a minimum cumulative weighted grade point average
325 of 3.0, as calculated pursuant to s. 1009.531, on all subjects
326 required for a standard high school diploma, excluding elective
327 courses.
328 (d) Earns a minimum unweighted grade point average of 3.5
329 on a 4.0 scale for secondary career courses that comprise
330 comprising the career program.
331 (e) Beginning with high school students graduating in the
332 2011-2012 academic year and thereafter, completes at least 30
333 hours a program of volunteer community service work approved by
334 the district school board, the administrators of a nonpublic
335 school, or the Department of Education for home education
336 program students. The student must identify, which shall include
337 a minimum of 30 hours of service work, and identifies a social
338 or civic issue or a professional area problem that interests him
339 or her, develop develops a plan for his or her personal
340 involvement in addressing the issue or learning about the area
341 problem, and, through papers or other presentations, evaluate
342 evaluates and reflect reflects upon his or her experience.
343 Except for credit earned through service-learning courses
344 adopted pursuant to s. 1003.497, the student may not receive
345 remuneration or academic credit for the volunteer service work
346 performed. Such work may include, but is not limited to, a
347 business or governmental internship, work for a nonprofit
348 community service organization, or activities on behalf of a
349 candidate for public office. The hours of volunteer service must
350 be documented in writing, and the document must be signed by the
351 student, the student’s parent or guardian, and a representative
352 of the organization for which the student performed the
353 volunteer service work.
354 (2) A high school student graduating in the 2016-2017
355 academic year and thereafter is eligible for a Florida Gold Seal
356 CAPE-Vocational Scholars award if he or she meets the general
357 eligibility requirements for the Florida Bright Futures
358 Scholarship Program, and the student:
359 (a) Earns a minimum of 5 postsecondary credit hours through
360 CAPE industry certifications approved pursuant to s. 1008.44
361 which articulate for college credit; and
362 (b) Completes at least 30 hours of volunteer service work
363 approved by the district school board, the administrators of a
364 nonpublic school, or the Department of Education for home
365 education program students. The student must identify a social
366 or civic issue or a professional area that interests him or her,
367 develop a plan for his or her personal involvement in addressing
368 the issue or learning about the area, and, through papers or
369 other presentations, evaluate and reflect upon his or her
370 experience. Except for credit earned through service-learning
371 courses adopted pursuant to s. 1003.497, the student may not
372 receive remuneration or academic credit for the volunteer
373 service work performed. Such work may include, but is not
374 limited to, a business or governmental internship, work for a
375 nonprofit community service organization, or activities on
376 behalf of a candidate for public office. The hours of volunteer
377 service work must be documented in writing, and the document
378 must be signed by the student, the student’s parent or guardian,
379 and a representative of the organization for which the student
380 performed the volunteer service work.
381 (3)(2) A Florida Gold Seal Vocational Scholar who is
382 enrolled in a public or nonpublic postsecondary education
383 institution is eligible for an award equal to the amount
384 specified in the General Appropriations Act to assist with the
385 payment of educational expenses.
386 (4)(3) To be eligible for a renewal award as a Florida Gold
387 Seal Vocational Scholar, a student must maintain the equivalent
388 of a cumulative grade point average of 2.75 on a 4.0 scale with
389 an opportunity for restoration one time as provided in this
390 chapter.
391 (5)(a)(4)(a) A student who is initially eligible prior to
392 the 2010-2011 academic year may earn a Florida Gold Seal
393 Vocational Scholarship for 110 percent of the number of credit
394 hours required to complete the program, up to 90 credit hours or
395 the equivalent.
396 (b) Students who are initially eligible in the 2010-2011
397 and 2011-2012 academic years may earn a Florida Gold Seal
398 Vocational Scholarship for 100 percent of the number of credit
399 hours required to complete the program, up to 90 credit hours or
400 the equivalent.
401 (c) A student who is initially eligible in the 2012-2013
402 academic year and thereafter may earn a Florida Gold Seal
403 Vocational Scholarship for a maximum of 100 percent of the
404 number of credit hours or equivalent clock hours required to
405 complete one of the following at a Florida public or nonpublic
406 education institution that offers these specific programs: for
407 an applied technology diploma program as defined in s.
408 1004.02(7), up to 60 credit hours or equivalent clock hours; for
409 a technical degree education program as defined in s.
410 1004.02(13), up to the number of hours required for a specific
411 degree not to exceed 72 credit hours or equivalent clock hours;
412 or for a career certificate program as defined in s.
413 1004.02(20), up to the number of hours required for a specific
414 certificate not to exceed 72 credit hours or equivalent clock
415 hours.
416 (d)1. A student who is initially eligible in the 2017-2018
417 academic year and thereafter for a Florida Gold Seal CAPE
418 Vocational Scholars award under subsection (2) may receive an
419 award for a maximum of 100 percent of the number of credit hours
420 or equivalent clock hours required to complete one of the
421 following at a Florida public or nonpublic education institution
422 that offers these specific programs: for an applied technology
423 diploma program as defined in s. 1004.02(7), up to 60 credit
424 hours or equivalent clock hours; for a technical degree
425 education program as defined in s. 1004.02(13), up to the number
426 of hours required for a specific degree, not to exceed 72 credit
427 hours or equivalent clock hours; or for a career certificate
428 program as defined in s. 1004.02(20), up to the number of hours
429 required for a specific certificate, not to exceed 72 credit
430 hours or equivalent clock hours. A student who transfers from
431 one of these program levels to another program level is eligible
432 for the higher of the two credit hour limits.
433 2. A Florida Gold Seal CAPE-Vocational Scholar who
434 completes a technical degree education program as defined in s.
435 1004.02(13) may also receive an award for:
436 a. A maximum of 60 credit hours for a bachelor of science
437 degree program for which there is a statewide associate in
438 science degree program to bachelor of science degree program
439 articulation agreement; or
440 b. A maximum of 60 credit hours for a bachelor of applied
441 science degree program at a Florida College System institution.
442 Section 6. This act shall take effect July 1, 2016.