Senate Bill 1380c2
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida Senate - 1999 CS for CS for SB 1380
By the Committees on Fiscal Policy, Education and Senator
Sullivan
309-2074-99
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to the Florida Bright Futures
3 Scholarship Program; amending s. 240.40202,
4 F.S.; providing that a student must be advised
5 that additional funds for higher education may
6 be available by submitting a Free Application
7 for Federal Student Aid; amending s. 240.40203,
8 F.S.; setting a time limit for the receipt of a
9 scholarship; amending s. 240.40205, F.S.;
10 requiring a test score and two levels of
11 maximum annual award for a scholarship;
12 amending s. 240.40206, F.S.; requiring a test
13 score, to be raised in certain increments, and
14 two levels of maximum annual award for a
15 scholarship; amending s. 240.40207, F.S.;
16 requiring the use of a scholarship at certain
17 postsecondary educational institutions;
18 amending s. 240.40208, F.S.; deleting a
19 cross-reference; repealing s. 240.40209, F.S.;
20 relating to awards used at nonpublic
21 postsecondary educational institutions;
22 providing an effective date.
23
24 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
25
26 Section 1. Subsection (5) is added to section
27 240.40202, Florida Statutes, 1998 Supplement, to read:
28 240.40202 Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program;
29 student eligibility requirements for initial awards.--
30 (5) The student must be advised that additional funds
31 for higher education may be available by submitting a Free
1
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida Senate - 1999 CS for CS for SB 1380
309-2074-99
1 Application for Federal Student Aid. High school counselors
2 shall provide the Free Application for Federal Student Aid
3 forms to students and document to the Department of Education
4 that the student has submitted the form or obtained a
5 notarized statement from the student's parent or legal
6 guardian which shall be retained in the student's permanent
7 file attesting that the Free Application for Federal Student
8 Aid form was provided and that the parent or guardian elected
9 not to submit it.
10 Section 2. Subsection (2) of section 240.40203,
11 Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
12 240.40203 Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program;
13 student eligibility requirements for renewal awards.--
14 (2) A student who is enrolled in a program that
15 requires 120 credit hours or more to complete terminates in an
16 associate degree or a baccalaureate degree may receive an
17 award for a maximum of 132 semester credit hours or the
18 equivalent 110 percent of the number of credit hours required
19 to complete the program. A student who is enrolled in a
20 program that terminates in an associate degree or a technical
21 certificate may receive an award for a maximum of 110 percent
22 of the credit hours or clock hours required to complete the
23 program up to 90 credit hours. A student who transfers from
24 one of these program levels to another becomes eligible for
25 the higher of the two credit hour limits.
26 Section 3. Subsections (1) and (2) of section
27 240.40205, Florida Statutes, 1998 Supplement, are amended to
28 read:
29 240.40205 Florida Academic Scholars award.--
30 (1) A student is eligible for a Florida Academic
31 Scholars award if the student meets the general eligibility
2
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida Senate - 1999 CS for CS for SB 1380
309-2074-99
1 requirements for the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship
2 Program and the student:
3 (a) Has achieved a 3.5 weighted grade point average as
4 calculated pursuant to s. 240.40202, or its equivalent, in
5 high school courses that are adopted by the Board of Regents
6 and recommended by the State Board of Community Colleges as
7 college-preparatory academic courses; and
8 (b) has attained at least a the score of 1270
9 identified by rules of the Department of Education on the
10 combined verbal and quantitative parts of the Scholastic
11 Aptitude Test, the Scholastic Assessment Test, or the
12 recentered Scholastic Assessment Test of the College Entrance
13 Examination, or an equivalent score on the ACT Assessment
14 Program or another test identified by the department the
15 American College Testing Program; or
16 (b)(c) Has completed attended a college-preparatory
17 curriculum through a registered home education program
18 according to s. 232.0201 during grades 11 and 12 or has
19 completed the International Baccalaureate curriculum but
20 failed to earn the International Baccalaureate Diploma, and
21 has attained at least a the score of 1270 identified by rules
22 of the Department of Education on the combined verbal and
23 quantitative parts of the Scholastic Aptitude Test, the
24 Scholastic Assessment Test, or the recentered Scholastic
25 Assessment Test of the College Entrance Examination, or an
26 equivalent score on the ACT Assessment Program or another test
27 identified by the department the American College Testing
28 Program; or
29 (c)(d) Has been awarded an International Baccalaureate
30 Diploma from the International Baccalaureate Office; or
31
3
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida Senate - 1999 CS for CS for SB 1380
309-2074-99
1 (d)(e) Has been recognized by the merit or achievement
2 programs of the National Merit Scholarship Corporation as a
3 scholar or finalist.
4
5 Effective with the 1998-1999 school year, a student must
6 complete a program of community service work, as approved by
7 the district school board or the administrators of a nonpublic
8 school, which shall include a minimum of 75 hours of service
9 work and require the student to identify a social problem that
10 interests him or her, develop a plan for his or her personal
11 involvement in addressing the problem, and, through papers or
12 other presentations, evaluate and reflect upon his or her
13 experience.
14 (2) A Florida Academic Scholar who is enrolled in a
15 baccalaureate-degree-granting public postsecondary education
16 institution is eligible for a maximum award of $2,800 an award
17 equal to the amount required to pay matriculation, fees, and
18 $600 for college-related expenses annually. A Florida Academic
19 Scholar who is enrolled in an institution that does not award
20 baccalaureate degrees is eligible for a maximum annual award
21 of $2,000. The maximum award amount must be prorated each
22 semester as provided in s. 240.4021(6). student who is
23 enrolled in a nonpublic postsecondary education institution is
24 eligible for an award equal to the amount that would be
25 required to pay for the average matriculation and fees of a
26 public postsecondary education institution at the comparable
27 level, plus the annual $600.
28 Section 4. Section 240.40206, Florida Statutes, 1998
29 Supplement, is amended to read:
30 240.40206 Florida Merit Scholars award.--
31
4
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida Senate - 1999 CS for CS for SB 1380
309-2074-99
1 (1) A student is eligible for a Florida Merit Scholars
2 award if the student meets the general eligibility
3 requirements for the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship
4 Program and also meets one of the following criteria the
5 student:
6 (a) The student has achieved a weighted grade point
7 average of 3.0 as calculated pursuant to s. 240.40202, or the
8 equivalent, in high school courses that are adopted by the
9 Board of Regents and recommended by the State Board of
10 Community Colleges as college-preparatory academic courses;
11 and
12 (b) has attained at least the applicable score listed
13 in subsection (2) identified by rules of the Department of
14 Education on the combined verbal and quantitative parts of the
15 Scholastic Aptitude Test, the Scholastic Assessment Test, or
16 the recentered Scholastic Assessment Test of the College
17 Entrance Examination, or an equivalent score on the ACT
18 Assessment Program or another test identified by the
19 department. the American College Testing Program; or
20 (b)(c) The student has completed attended a
21 college-preparatory curriculum through a registered home
22 education program according to s. 232.0201 during grades 11
23 and 12 or has completed the International Baccalaureate
24 curriculum but failed to earn the International Baccalaureate
25 Diploma, and has attained at least the applicable score listed
26 in subsection (2) identified by rules of the Department of
27 Education on the combined verbal and quantitative parts of the
28 Scholastic Aptitude Test, the Scholastic Assessment Test, or
29 the recentered Scholastic Assessment Test of the College
30 Entrance Examination, or an equivalent score on the ACT
31
5
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida Senate - 1999 CS for CS for SB 1380
309-2074-99
1 Assessment Program or another test identified by the
2 department the American College Testing Program.
3 (c) The student has completed the International
4 Baccalaureate curriculum but failed to earn the International
5 Baccalaureate Diploma, and has attained at least the
6 applicable score listed in subsection (2) on the combined
7 verbal and quantitative parts of the recentered Scholastic
8 Assessment Test of the College Entrance Examination, or an
9 equivalent score on the ACT Assessment Program or another test
10 identified by the department.
11 (2) The test score required for a student to earn a
12 Florida Merit Scholars award must be raised annually in the
13 following increments:
14 (a) A student who graduates from high school by the
15 end of the 2001-2002 school year must earn a score of 970 or
16 above on the recentered Scholastic Assessment Test or its
17 equivalent on the ACT Assessment Program or another test
18 identified by the department. A student who wishes to earn an
19 award through a home-education program but whose parents
20 cannot document a college preparatory curriculum must earn a
21 score of 1020 or above.
22 (b) A student who graduates from high school in the
23 2002-2003 school year must earn a score of 1020 or above on
24 the recentered Scholastic Assessment Test or its equivalent on
25 the ACT Assessment Program or another test identified by the
26 department. A student who wishes to earn an award through a
27 home-education program but whose parents cannot document a
28 college preparatory curriculum must earn a score of 1070 or
29 above.
30 (3)(2) A Florida Merit Scholar who is enrolled in a
31 baccalaureate-degree-granting postsecondary education
6
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida Senate - 1999 CS for CS for SB 1380
309-2074-99
1 institution is eligible for a maximum an award of $1,700
2 annually. A Florida Merit Scholar who is enrolled in an
3 institution that does not award baccalaureate degrees is
4 eligible for a maximum annual award of $1,100. The maximum
5 award must be prorated each semester as provided in s.
6 240.40201(6). equal to the amount required to pay 75 percent
7 of matriculation and fees, if the student is enrolled in a
8 public postsecondary education institution. A student who is
9 enrolled in a nonpublic postsecondary education institution is
10 eligible for an award equal to the amount that would be
11 required to pay 75 percent of the matriculation and fees of a
12 public postsecondary education institution at the comparable
13 level.
14 (4)(3) To be eligible for a renewal award as a Florida
15 Merit Scholar, a student must maintain the equivalent of a
16 grade point average of 2.75 on a 4.0 scale for all
17 postsecondary education work attempted, with an opportunity
18 for reinstatement one time as provided in this act.
19 Section 5. Section 240.40207, Florida Statutes, is
20 amended to read:
21 240.40207 Florida Gold Seal Vocational Scholars
22 award.--The Florida Gold Seal Vocational Scholars award is
23 created within the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program
24 to recognize and reward academic achievement and vocational
25 preparation by high school students who wish to continue their
26 education. Beginning with the 2001-2002 school year, a student
27 may not use a Florida Gold Seal Vocational Scholars award to
28 enroll in a baccalaureate-degree-granting institution, except
29 that a student may renew an initial award issued before the
30 2001-2002 school year.
31
7
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida Senate - 1999 CS for CS for SB 1380
309-2074-99
1 (1) A student is eligible for a Florida Gold Seal
2 Vocational Scholars award if the student meets the general
3 eligibility requirements for the Florida Bright Futures
4 Scholarship Program and the student:
5 (a) Completes the secondary school portion of a
6 sequential program of studies that requires at least three
7 secondary school vocational credits taken over at least 2
8 academic years, and is continued in a planned, related
9 postsecondary education program. If the student's school does
10 not offer such a two-plus-two or tech-prep program, the
11 student must complete a job-preparatory career education
12 program selected by the Occupational Forecasting Conference or
13 the Workforce Development Board of Enterprise Florida for its
14 ability to provide high-wage employment in an occupation with
15 high potential for employment opportunities. On-the-job
16 training may not be substituted for any of the three required
17 vocational credits.
18 (b) Demonstrates readiness for postsecondary education
19 by earning a passing score on the Florida College Entry Level
20 Placement Test or its equivalent as identified by the
21 Department of Education.
22 (c) Earns a minimum cumulative weighted grade point
23 average of 3.0, as calculated pursuant to s. 240.40202, on all
24 subjects required for a standard high school diploma,
25 excluding elective courses.
26 (d) Earns a minimum unweighted grade point average of
27 3.5 on a 4.0 scale for secondary vocational courses comprising
28 the vocational program.
29 (e) Completes the requirements of a vocational-ready
30 diploma program, as defined by rules of the State Board of
31 Education.
8
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida Senate - 1999 CS for CS for SB 1380
309-2074-99
1 (2) A Florida Gold Seal Vocational Scholar is eligible
2 for a maximum annual award of $1,100. The maximum award amount
3 must be prorated each semester as provided in s. 240.40201(6)
4 an award equal to the amount required to pay 75 percent of
5 matriculation and fees, if the student is enrolled in a public
6 postsecondary education institution. A student who is enrolled
7 in a nonpublic postsecondary education institution is eligible
8 for an award equal to the amount that would be required to pay
9 75 percent of the matriculation and mandatory fees of a public
10 postsecondary education institution at the comparable level.
11 (3) To be eligible for a renewal award as a Florida
12 Gold Seal Vocational Scholar, a student must maintain the
13 equivalent of a grade point average of 2.75 on a 4.0 scale for
14 all postsecondary education work attempted, with an
15 opportunity for reinstatement one time as provided in this
16 act.
17 (4) A student may earn a Florida Gold Seal Vocational
18 Scholarship for 110 percent of the number of credit hours
19 required to complete the program, up to 90 credit hours or the
20 equivalent. A Florida Gold Seal Scholar who has a cumulative
21 grade point average of 2.75 in all postsecondary education
22 work attempted may apply for a Florida Merit Scholars award at
23 any renewal period. All other provisions of that program
24 apply, and the credit-hour limitation must be calculated by
25 subtracting from the student's total eligibility the number of
26 credit hours the student attempted while earning the Gold Seal
27 Vocational Scholarship.
28 (5) If an award recipient successfully completes the
29 postsecondary education component of the education program
30 described in paragraph (1)(a) and wishes to continue in
31 postsecondary education, the student may transfer to the
9
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida Senate - 1999 CS for CS for SB 1380
309-2074-99
1 Florida Merit Scholars award component of the Bright Futures
2 Scholarship Program. To transfer the scholarship, the student
3 must meet all requirements to renew a Merit Scholarship.
4 Section 6. Subsection (1) of section 240.40208,
5 Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
6 240.40208 Eligibility for the Florida Bright Futures
7 Scholarship Program; transition.--
8 (1) A student who graduates from high school in 1997
9 or earlier and who is eligible for the Florida Undergraduate
10 Scholar's Program pursuant to s. 240.402 is eligible for the
11 Florida Academic Scholars award as provided in this act. A
12 student who graduates from high school in 1998 or 1999 is
13 eligible for the Florida Academic Scholars award if the
14 student meets the criteria in s. 240.40205. However, in lieu
15 of satisfying the requirements set forth in s. 240.40205(1)(a)
16 and (b), a student may meet the following criteria:
17 (a) Complete a program of at least 24 credits in
18 advanced-level studies as prescribed by the State Board of
19 Education, including as a minimum:
20 1. Four years of progressively advanced instruction in
21 language arts, including courses in English composition and
22 literature.
23 2. Four years of progressively advanced instruction in
24 science, including laboratory courses in biology, chemistry,
25 and physics where laboratory facilities are available.
26 3. Four years of progressively advanced instruction in
27 mathematics, including courses in algebra, geometry, and
28 calculus or trigonometry.
29 4. Two years of sequential foreign language.
30 5. One year of instruction in art and music or in
31 either art or music.
10
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida Senate - 1999 CS for CS for SB 1380
309-2074-99
1 6. Three years of instruction in social studies,
2 including courses in American history and government, world
3 history, and comparative political and economic systems.
4 7. One year of instruction in health and physical
5 education to include assessment, improvement, and maintenance
6 of personal fitness.
7 (b) Obtain at least the equivalent of an unweighted
8 grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale for all courses
9 taken for which high school credit may be granted.
10 (c) Achieve a score of 1180 on the combined verbal and
11 quantitative parts of the Scholastic Aptitude Test, the
12 Scholastic Assessment Test, or the recentered Scholastic
13 Assessment Test of the College Entrance Examination, or an
14 equivalent score on the ACT Assessment American College
15 Testing Program or an equivalent program.
16 (d) Complete a program of community service work, as
17 approved by the district school board or the administrators of
18 a nonpublic school, which shall include a minimum of 75 hours
19 of service work and require the student to identify a social
20 problem that interests him or her, develop a plan for his or
21 her personal involvement in addressing the problem, and,
22 through papers or other presentations, evaluate and reflect
23 upon his or her experience.
24
25 Students who graduate from high school after 1999 must meet
26 the eligibility criteria pursuant to s. 240.40205.
27 Section 7. Section 240.40209, Florida Statutes, as
28 created by section 6 of chapter 97-379, Laws of Florida, is
29 repealed.
30 Section 8. This act shall take effect July 1, 1999.
31
11
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida Senate - 1999 CS for CS for SB 1380
309-2074-99
1 STATEMENT OF SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES CONTAINED IN
COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR
2 CS/SB 1380
3
4 The committee substitute for the committee substitute contains
the following provisions:
5
Requires the high school counselor to provide each applicant
6 for any of the three scholarships with a Free Application for
Federal Student Aid form, submit it to the Department of
7 Education or get a notarized statement from the parent or
guardian that they elected not to submit the form.
8
Authorizes the Department of Education to identify all tests
9 that have a score equivalent to that of the SAT.
10 Identifies, by name, the ACT Assessment Program as an eligible
test for students to take to qualify for the Bright Futures
11 Scholarship.
12 Establishes the highest level of SAT score to receive the
merit scholarship at 1020 rather than 1050.
13
Requires a home education student to make 50 points higher
14 rather than 100 points higher.
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
12