Senate Bill 1380
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Florida Senate - 1999 SB 1380
By Senator Sullivan
22-1347-99
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to the Florida Bright Futures
3 Scholarship Program; amending s. 240.40205,
4 F.S.; requiring a test score and two levels of
5 maximum annual award for a scholarship;
6 amending s. 240.40206, F.S.; requiring a test
7 score, to be raised in certain increments, and
8 two levels of maximum annual award for a
9 scholarship; amending s. 240.40207, F.S.;
10 requiring the use of a scholarship at certain
11 postsecondary educational institutions;
12 amending s. 240.40208, F.S.; deleting a
13 cross-reference; repealing s. 240.40209, F.S.;
14 relating to awards used at nonpublic
15 postsecondary educational institutions;
16 providing an effective date.
17
18 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
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20 Section 1. Subsections (1) and (2) of section
21 240.40205, Florida Statutes, 1998 Supplement, are amended to
22 read:
23 240.40205 Florida Academic Scholars award.--
24 (1) A student is eligible for a Florida Academic
25 Scholars award if the student meets the general eligibility
26 requirements for the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship
27 Program and the student:
28 (a) Has achieved a 3.5 weighted grade point average as
29 calculated pursuant to s. 240.40202, or its equivalent, in
30 high school courses that are adopted by the Board of Regents
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Florida Senate - 1999 SB 1380
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1 and recommended by the State Board of Community Colleges as
2 college-preparatory academic courses; and
3 (b) has attained at least a the score of 1270
4 identified by rules of the Department of Education on the
5 combined verbal and quantitative parts of the Scholastic
6 Aptitude Test, the Scholastic Assessment Test, or the
7 recentered Scholastic Assessment Test of the College Entrance
8 Examination, or an equivalent score on another test identified
9 by the department the American College Testing Program; or
10 (b)(c) Has completed attended a college-preparatory
11 curriculum through a registered home education program
12 according to s. 232.0201 during grades 11 and 12 or has
13 completed the International Baccalaureate curriculum but
14 failed to earn the International Baccalaureate Diploma, and
15 has attained at least a the score of 1270 identified by rules
16 of the Department of Education on the combined verbal and
17 quantitative parts of the Scholastic Aptitude Test, the
18 Scholastic Assessment Test, or the recentered Scholastic
19 Assessment Test of the College Entrance Examination, or an
20 equivalent score on another test identified by the department
21 the American College Testing Program; or
22 (c)(d) Has been awarded an International Baccalaureate
23 Diploma from the International Baccalaureate Office; or
24 (d)(e) Has been recognized by the merit or achievement
25 programs of the National Merit Scholarship Corporation as a
26 scholar or finalist.
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28 Effective with the 1998-1999 school year, a student must
29 complete a program of community service work, as approved by
30 the district school board or the administrators of a nonpublic
31 school, which shall include a minimum of 75 hours of service
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Florida Senate - 1999 SB 1380
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1 work and require the student to identify a social problem that
2 interests him or her, develop a plan for his or her personal
3 involvement in addressing the problem, and, through papers or
4 other presentations, evaluate and reflect upon his or her
5 experience.
6 (2) A Florida Academic Scholar who is enrolled in a
7 baccalaureate-degree-granting public postsecondary education
8 institution is eligible for a maximum award of $2,800 an award
9 equal to the amount required to pay matriculation, fees, and
10 $600 for college-related expenses annually. A Florida Academic
11 Scholar who is enrolled in an institution that does not award
12 baccalaureate degrees is eligible for a maximum annual award
13 of $2,000. The maximum award amount must be prorated each
14 semester as provided in s. 240.4021(6). student who is
15 enrolled in a nonpublic postsecondary education institution is
16 eligible for an award equal to the amount that would be
17 required to pay for the average matriculation and fees of a
18 public postsecondary education institution at the comparable
19 level, plus the annual $600.
20 Section 2. Section 240.40206, Florida Statutes, 1998
21 Supplement, is amended to read:
22 240.40206 Florida Merit Scholars award.--
23 (1) A student is eligible for a Florida Merit Scholars
24 award if the student meets the general eligibility
25 requirements for the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship
26 Program and also meets one of the following criteria the
27 student:
28 (a) The student has achieved a weighted grade point
29 average of 3.0 as calculated pursuant to s. 240.40202, or the
30 equivalent, in high school courses that are adopted by the
31 Board of Regents and recommended by the State Board of
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Florida Senate - 1999 SB 1380
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1 Community Colleges as college-preparatory academic courses;
2 and
3 (b) has attained at least the applicable score listed
4 in subsection (2) identified by rules of the Department of
5 Education on the combined verbal and quantitative parts of the
6 Scholastic Aptitude Test, the Scholastic Assessment Test, or
7 the recentered Scholastic Assessment Test of the College
8 Entrance Examination, or an equivalent score on another test
9 identified by the department. the American College Testing
10 Program; or
11 (b)(c) The student has completed attended a
12 college-preparatory curriculum through a registered home
13 education program according to s. 232.0201 during grades 11
14 and 12 or has completed the International Baccalaureate
15 curriculum but failed to earn the International Baccalaureate
16 Diploma, and has attained at least the applicable score listed
17 in subsection (2) identified by rules of the Department of
18 Education on the combined verbal and quantitative parts of the
19 Scholastic Aptitude Test, the Scholastic Assessment Test, or
20 the recentered Scholastic Assessment Test of the College
21 Entrance Examination, or an equivalent score on another test
22 identified by the department the American College Testing
23 Program. The department shall determine eligibility for a
24 home-educated student in the same way as for a public-school
25 student.
26 (c) The student has completed the International
27 Baccalaureate curriculum but failed to earn the International
28 Baccalaureate Diploma, and has attained at least the
29 applicable score listed in subsection (2) on the combined
30 verbal and quantitative parts of the recentered Scholastic
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1 Assessment Test of the College Entrance Examination, or an
2 equivalent score on another test identified by the department.
3 (2) The test score required for a student to earn a
4 Florida Merit Scholars award must be raised annually in the
5 following increments:
6 (a) A student who graduates from high school by the
7 end of the 2001-2002 school year must earn a score of 970 or
8 above on the recentered Scholastic Assessment Test or its
9 equivalent. A student who wishes to earn an award through a
10 home-education program but whose parents cannot document a
11 college preparatory curriculum must earn a score of 1070 or
12 above.
13 (b) A student who graduates from high school in the
14 2002-2003 school year must earn a score of 1020 or above on
15 the recentered Scholastic Assessment Test or its equivalent. A
16 student who wishes to earn an award through a home-education
17 program but whose parents cannot document a college
18 preparatory curriculum must earn a score of 1120 or above.
19 (c) A student who graduates from high school in the
20 2003-2004 school year must earn a score of 1030 or above on
21 the recentered Scholastic Assessment Test or its equivalent. A
22 student who wishes to earn an award through a home-education
23 program but whose parents cannot document a college
24 preparatory curriculum must earn a score of 1130 or above.
25 (d) A student who graduates from high school in the
26 2004-2005 school year must earn a score of 1040 or above on
27 the recentered Scholastic Assessment Test or its equivalent. A
28 student who wishes to earn an award through a home-education
29 program but whose parents cannot document a college
30 preparatory curriculum must earn a score of 1140 or above.
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1 (e) A student who graduates from high school in the
2 2005-2006 school year or thereafter must earn a score of 1050
3 or above on the recentered Scholastic Assessment Test or its
4 equivalent. A student who wishes to earn an award through a
5 home-education program but whose parents cannot document a
6 college preparatory curriculum must earn a score of 1150 or
7 above.
8 (3)(2) A Florida Merit Scholar who is enrolled in a
9 baccalaureate-degree-granting postsecondary education
10 institution is eligible for a maximum an award of $1,700
11 annually. A Florida Merit Scholar who is enrolled in an
12 institution that does not award baccalaureate degrees is
13 eligible for a maximum annual award of $1,100. The maximum
14 award must be prorated each semester as provided in s.
15 240.40201(6). equal to the amount required to pay 75 percent
16 of matriculation and fees, if the student is enrolled in a
17 public postsecondary education institution. A student who is
18 enrolled in a nonpublic postsecondary education institution is
19 eligible for an award equal to the amount that would be
20 required to pay 75 percent of the matriculation and fees of a
21 public postsecondary education institution at the comparable
22 level.
23 (4)(3) To be eligible for a renewal award as a Florida
24 Merit Scholar, a student must maintain the equivalent of a
25 grade point average of 2.75 on a 4.0 scale for all
26 postsecondary education work attempted, with an opportunity
27 for reinstatement one time as provided in this act.
28 Section 3. Section 240.40207, Florida Statutes, is
29 amended to read:
30 240.40207 Florida Gold Seal Vocational Scholars
31 award.--The Florida Gold Seal Vocational Scholars award is
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1 created within the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program
2 to recognize and reward academic achievement and vocational
3 preparation by high school students who wish to continue their
4 education. Beginning with the 2000-2001 school year, a student
5 may not use a Florida Gold Seal Vocational Scholars award to
6 enroll in a baccalaureate-degree-granting institution, except
7 that a student may renew an initial award issued before the
8 2000-2001 school year.
9 (1) A student is eligible for a Florida Gold Seal
10 Vocational Scholars award if the student meets the general
11 eligibility requirements for the Florida Bright Futures
12 Scholarship Program and the student:
13 (a) Completes the secondary school portion of a
14 sequential program of studies that requires at least three
15 secondary school vocational credits taken over at least 2
16 academic years, and is continued in a planned, related
17 postsecondary education program. If the student's school does
18 not offer such a two-plus-two or tech-prep program, the
19 student must complete a job-preparatory career education
20 program selected by the Occupational Forecasting Conference or
21 the Workforce Development Board of Enterprise Florida for its
22 ability to provide high-wage employment in an occupation with
23 high potential for employment opportunities. On-the-job
24 training may not be substituted for any of the three required
25 vocational credits.
26 (b) Demonstrates readiness for postsecondary education
27 by earning a passing score on the Florida College Entry Level
28 Placement Test or its equivalent as identified by the
29 Department of Education.
30 (c) Earns a minimum cumulative weighted grade point
31 average of 3.0, as calculated pursuant to s. 240.40202, on all
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1 subjects required for a standard high school diploma,
2 excluding elective courses.
3 (d) Earns a minimum unweighted grade point average of
4 3.5 on a 4.0 scale for secondary vocational courses comprising
5 the vocational program.
6 (e) Completes the requirements of a vocational-ready
7 diploma program, as defined by rules of the State Board of
8 Education.
9 (2) A Florida Gold Seal Vocational Scholar is eligible
10 for a maximum annual award of $1,100. The maximum award amount
11 must be prorated each semester as provided in s. 240.40201(6)
12 an award equal to the amount required to pay 75 percent of
13 matriculation and fees, if the student is enrolled in a public
14 postsecondary education institution. A student who is enrolled
15 in a nonpublic postsecondary education institution is eligible
16 for an award equal to the amount that would be required to pay
17 75 percent of the matriculation and mandatory fees of a public
18 postsecondary education institution at the comparable level.
19 (3) To be eligible for a renewal award as a Florida
20 Gold Seal Vocational Scholar, a student must maintain the
21 equivalent of a grade point average of 2.75 on a 4.0 scale for
22 all postsecondary education work attempted, with an
23 opportunity for reinstatement one time as provided in this
24 act.
25 (4) A student may earn a Florida Gold Seal Vocational
26 Scholarship for 110 percent of the number of credit hours
27 required to complete the program, up to 90 credit hours or the
28 equivalent. A Florida Gold Seal Scholar who has a cumulative
29 grade point average of 2.75 in all postsecondary education
30 work attempted may apply for a Florida Merit Scholars award at
31 any renewal period. All other provisions of that program
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1 apply, and the credit-hour limitation must be calculated by
2 subtracting from the student's total eligibility the number of
3 credit hours the student attempted while earning the Gold Seal
4 Vocational Scholarship.
5 (5) If an award recipient successfully completes the
6 postsecondary education component of the education program
7 described in paragraph (1)(a) and wishes to continue in
8 postsecondary education, the student may transfer to the
9 Florida Merit Scholars award component of the Bright Futures
10 Scholarship Program. To transfer the scholarship, the student
11 must meet all requirements to renew a Merit Scholarship.
12 Section 4. Subsection (1) of section 240.40208,
13 Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
14 240.40208 Eligibility for the Florida Bright Futures
15 Scholarship Program; transition.--
16 (1) A student who graduates from high school in 1997
17 or earlier and who is eligible for the Florida Undergraduate
18 Scholar's Program pursuant to s. 240.402 is eligible for the
19 Florida Academic Scholars award as provided in this act. A
20 student who graduates from high school in 1998 or 1999 is
21 eligible for the Florida Academic Scholars award if the
22 student meets the criteria in s. 240.40205. However, in lieu
23 of satisfying the requirements set forth in s. 240.40205(1)(a)
24 and (b), a student may meet the following criteria:
25 (a) Complete a program of at least 24 credits in
26 advanced-level studies as prescribed by the State Board of
27 Education, including as a minimum:
28 1. Four years of progressively advanced instruction in
29 language arts, including courses in English composition and
30 literature.
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1 2. Four years of progressively advanced instruction in
2 science, including laboratory courses in biology, chemistry,
3 and physics where laboratory facilities are available.
4 3. Four years of progressively advanced instruction in
5 mathematics, including courses in algebra, geometry, and
6 calculus or trigonometry.
7 4. Two years of sequential foreign language.
8 5. One year of instruction in art and music or in
9 either art or music.
10 6. Three years of instruction in social studies,
11 including courses in American history and government, world
12 history, and comparative political and economic systems.
13 7. One year of instruction in health and physical
14 education to include assessment, improvement, and maintenance
15 of personal fitness.
16 (b) Obtain at least the equivalent of an unweighted
17 grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale for all courses
18 taken for which high school credit may be granted.
19 (c) Achieve a score of 1180 on the combined verbal and
20 quantitative parts of the Scholastic Aptitude Test, the
21 Scholastic Assessment Test, or the recentered Scholastic
22 Assessment Test of the College Entrance Examination, or an
23 equivalent score on the American College Testing Program or an
24 equivalent program.
25 (d) Complete a program of community service work, as
26 approved by the district school board or the administrators of
27 a nonpublic school, which shall include a minimum of 75 hours
28 of service work and require the student to identify a social
29 problem that interests him or her, develop a plan for his or
30 her personal involvement in addressing the problem, and,
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1 through papers or other presentations, evaluate and reflect
2 upon his or her experience.
3
4 Students who graduate from high school after 1999 must meet
5 the eligibility criteria pursuant to s. 240.40205.
6 Section 5. Section 240.40209, Florida Statutes, as
7 created by section 6 of chapter 97-379, Laws of Florida, is
8 repealed.
9 Section 6. This act shall take effect July 1, 1999.
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12 SENATE SUMMARY
13 Amends various sections of the Florida Bright Futures
Scholarship Program. Requires a student to attain a
14 minimum of 1270 on the combined verbal and quantitative
parts of the recentered Scholastic Assessment Test of the
15 College Entrance Examination or an equivalent score on
another test identified by the Department of Education to
16 be eligible for the Bright Futures Scholarship. Provides
two levels of maximum annual award for the scholarship.
17 Provides specified test scores that are to be raised in
certain increments, and provides two levels of maximum
18 annual awards to be eligible for the Florida Merit
Scholars award if a student meets the general eligibility
19 requirements of the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship
Program. Requires the use of a scholarship at certain
20 postsecondary education institutions. Repeals s.
240.40209, F.S., relating to awards used at nonpublic
21 postsecondary educational institutions.
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