The Florida Senate

1009.77  Florida Work Experience Program.--

(1)  There is established the Florida Work Experience Program to be administered by the Department of Education. The purpose of the program is to introduce eligible students to work experience that will complement and reinforce their educational program and career goals and provide a self-help student aid program. Such program shall be available to:

(a)  Any student attending a state university or community college authorized by Florida law; or

(b)  Any student attending a nonprofit Florida postsecondary education institution that is eligible to participate in either of the student assistance grant programs established in ss. 1009.51 and 1009.52

(2)(a)  A participating institution may use up to 25 percent of its program allocation for student employment within the institution.

(b)  A participating institution may use up to 10 percent of its program allocation for program administration.

(3)  Each participating institution is authorized to enter into contractual agreements with private or public employers for the purpose of establishing a Florida work experience program.

(4)  The participating postsecondary educational institution shall be responsible for reimbursing employers for student wages from moneys it receives from the trust fund pursuant to subsection (8). Public elementary or secondary school employers shall be reimbursed for 100 percent of the student's wages by the participating institution. All other employers shall be reimbursed for 70 percent of the student's wages. When a college or university employs a student on campus through this program, other student financial aid funds may not be used to fund the institution's 30-percent portion of the student's wages.

(5)  The employer is responsible for furnishing the full cost of any mandatory benefits. Such benefits may not be considered part of the 30-percent wage requirement total for matching purposes.

(6)  A student is eligible to participate in the Florida Work Experience Program if the student:

(a)  Is enrolled at an eligible college or university as no less than a half-time undergraduate student in good standing. However, a student may be employed during the break between two consecutive terms or employed, although not enrolled, during a term if the student was enrolled at least half time during the preceding term and preregisters as no less than a half-time student for the subsequent academic term. A student who attends an institution that does not provide preregistration shall provide documentation of intent to enroll as no less than a half-time student for the subsequent academic term.

(b)  Meets the general requirements for student eligibility as provided in s. 1009.40, except as otherwise provided in this section.

(c)  Demonstrates financial need.

(d)  Maintains a 2.0 cumulative grade point average on a 4.0 scale for all college work.

(7)  The State Board of Education shall prescribe such rules for the program as are necessary for its administration, for the determination of eligibility and selection of institutions to receive funds for students, to ensure the proper expenditure of funds, and to provide an equitable distribution of funds between students at public and independent colleges and universities.

(8)  Funds appropriated by the Legislature for the Florida Work Experience Program shall be deposited in the State Student Financial Assistance Trust Fund. The Chief Financial Officer shall authorize expenditures from the trust fund upon receipt of vouchers approved by the Department of Education. Any balance therein at the end of any fiscal year that has been allocated to the program shall remain therein and shall be available for carrying out the purposes of the program.

History.--s. 459, ch. 2002-387; s. 1963, ch. 2003-261; s. 62, ch. 2004-41.