(1) A student is eligible for a Florida Academic Scholars award if he or she meets the general eligibility requirements for the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program and:(a) Has achieved a 3.5 weighted grade point average as calculated pursuant to s. 1009.531, or its equivalent, in high school courses that are designated by the State Board of Education as college-preparatory academic courses and has attained at least the score required under s. 1009.531(6)(a) on the combined verbal and quantitative parts of the Scholastic Aptitude Test, the Scholastic Assessment Test, or the recentered Scholastic Assessment Test of the College Entrance Examination, or an equivalent score on the ACT Assessment Program; (b) Has attended a home education program according to s. 1002.41 during grades 11 and 12, has completed the International Baccalaureate curriculum but failed to earn the International Baccalaureate Diploma, or has completed the Advanced International Certificate of Education curriculum but failed to earn the Advanced International Certificate of Education Diploma, and has attained at least the score required under s. 1009.531(6)(a) on the combined verbal and quantitative parts of the Scholastic Aptitude Test, the Scholastic Assessment Test, or the recentered Scholastic Assessment Test of the College Entrance Examination, or an equivalent score on the ACT Assessment Program; (c) Has been awarded an International Baccalaureate Diploma from the International Baccalaureate Office or an Advanced International Certificate of Education Diploma from the University of Cambridge International Examinations Office;
(d) Has been recognized by the merit or achievement programs of the National Merit Scholarship Corporation as a scholar or finalist; or
(e) Has been recognized by the National Hispanic Recognition Program as a scholar recipient.
The student must complete a program of volunteer service work, as approved by the district school board, the administrators of a nonpublic school, or the Department of Education for home education program students, which must include a minimum of 75 hours of service work for high school students graduating in the 2010-2011 academic year and 100 hours of service work for high school students graduating in the 2011-2012 academic year and thereafter. The student must identify a social or civic issue or a professional area that interests him or her, develop a plan for his or her personal involvement in addressing the issue or learning about the area, and, through papers or other presentations, evaluate and reflect upon his or her experience. Except for credit earned through service-learning courses adopted pursuant to s. 1003.497, the student may not receive remuneration or academic credit for the volunteer service work performed. Such work may include, but is not limited to, a business or governmental internship, work for a nonprofit community service organization, or activities on behalf of a candidate for public office. The hours of volunteer service must be documented in writing, and the document must be signed by the student, the student’s parent or guardian, and a representative of the organization for which the student performed the volunteer service work.
(2) A Florida Academic Scholar who is enrolled in a certificate, diploma, associate, or baccalaureate degree program at a public or nonpublic postsecondary education institution is eligible, beginning in the 2017-2018 academic year, for an award equal to the amount necessary to pay 100 percent of tuition and fees established under ss. 1009.22(3), (5), (6), and (7); 1009.23(3), (4), (7), (8), (10), and (11); and 1009.24(4), (7)-(13), (14)(r), and (16), as applicable, and is eligible for an additional $300 each fall and spring academic semester or the equivalent for textbooks, to assist with the payment of educational expenses. (3) To be eligible for a renewal award as a Florida Academic Scholar, a student must maintain the equivalent of a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale with an opportunity for restoration one time as provided in this chapter.
(4) In each school district, the Florida Academic Scholar with the highest academic ranking shall receive an additional award equal to the amount specified in the General Appropriations Act for college-related expenses. This award must be funded from the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program.
