Senate Bill 1380e2

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.







    CS for CS for SB 1380                         Second Engrossed



  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to scholarship programs;

  3         amending s. 240.40202, F.S.; modifying student

  4         eligibility requirements for initial awards;

  5         amending s. 240.40203, F.S.; revising student

  6         eligibility requirements for renewal awards;

  7         amending s. 240.40205, F.S.; revising initial

  8         eligibility requirements for the Florida

  9         Academic Scholars award; amending s. 240.40206,

10         F.S.; revising initial eligibility requirements

11         for the Florida Merit Scholars award; amending

12         s. 240.40207, F.S.; revising provisions

13         relating to the Florida Gold Seal Vocational

14         Scholars award; amending s. 240.40208, F.S.;

15         correcting a cross reference; repealing s.

16         240.40209, F.S., relating to calculation of

17         awards for Florida Bright Futures Scholarship

18         recipients attending nonpublic institutions;

19         providing an effective date.

20

21  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

22

23         Section 1.  Subsections (5) and (6) are added to

24  section 240.40202, Florida Statutes, 1998 Supplement, to read:

25         240.40202  Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program;

26  student eligibility requirements for initial awards.--

27         (5)  Beginning with year 2000 high school graduates,

28  the Department of Education shall collect family socioeconomic

29  data from Bright Futures Scholarship applicants.

30         (6)  A student who is determined to be ineligible for

31  an initial award for failure to meet the high school grade


                                  1

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    CS for CS for SB 1380                         Second Engrossed



  1  point average requirement may appeal the determination to the

  2  department and request a recalculation of the grade point

  3  average to include the grades earned in up to three credits of

  4  advanced fine arts courses. The department shall make a

  5  description of the appeals process available to individuals

  6  upon request. The department shall recalculate the student's

  7  grade point average using the additional courses and advise

  8  the student of any changes in the student's eligibility

  9  status. For purposes of this section, fine arts courses

10  include courses in music, drama, painting, sculpture, speech,

11  debate, or a course in any art form that requires manual

12  dexterity. "Advanced level fine arts courses" include fine

13  arts courses identified in the course code directory as

14  Advanced Placement, pre-International Baccalaureate or

15  International Baccalaureate, and fine arts courses taken in

16  the third or fourth year of a fine arts curriculum.

17         Section 2.  Subsection (2) of section 240.40203,

18  Florida Statutes, is amended to read:

19         240.40203  Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program;

20  student eligibility requirements for renewal awards.--

21         (2)  A student who is enrolled in a program that

22  terminates in an associate degree or a baccalaureate degree

23  may receive an award for a maximum of 132 semester credit

24  hours or the equivalent 110 percent of the number of credit

25  hours required to complete the program. A student who is

26  enrolled in a program that terminates in a technical

27  certificate may receive an award for a maximum of 110 percent

28  of the credit hours or clock hours required to complete the

29  program up to 90 credit hours. A student who transfers from

30  one of these program levels to another becomes eligible for

31  the higher of the two credit hour limits.


                                  2

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    CS for CS for SB 1380                         Second Engrossed



  1         Section 3.  Subsection (1) of section 240.40205,

  2  Florida Statutes, 1998 Supplement, is amended, subsection (2)

  3  is renumbered and amended, subsections (3) and (4) are

  4  renumbered as subsections (5) and (6), respectively, and a new

  5  subsection (2) is added to said section, to read:

  6         240.40205  Florida Academic Scholars award.--

  7         (1)  A student who graduates from high school by the

  8  end of the 2002-2003 school year is eligible for a Florida

  9  Academic Scholars award if the student meets the general

10  eligibility requirements for the Florida Bright Futures

11  Scholarship Program and the student:

12         (a)  Has achieved a 3.5 weighted grade point average as

13  calculated pursuant to s. 240.40202, or its equivalent, in

14  high school courses that are required as a condition of

15  admission to a State University System institution as set

16  forth in rules of the Board of Regents adopted by the Board of

17  Regents and recommended by the State Board of Community

18  Colleges as college-preparatory academic courses; and

19         (b)  has attained at least a score of 1270 the score

20  identified by rules of the Department of Education on the

21  combined verbal and quantitative parts of the Scholastic

22  Aptitude Test, the Scholastic Assessment Test, or the

23  recentered Scholastic Assessment Test of the College Entrance

24  Examination, or an equivalent score on the ACT Assessment

25  American College Testing Program, or its equivalent as

26  determined by the Department of Education; or

27         (b)(c)  Has attended a home education program according

28  to s. 232.0201 during grades 11 and 12 or has completed the

29  International Baccalaureate curriculum but failed to earn the

30  International Baccalaureate Diploma, and has attained at least

31  a score of 1270 the score identified by rules of the


                                  3

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    CS for CS for SB 1380                         Second Engrossed



  1  Department of Education on the combined verbal and

  2  quantitative parts of the Scholastic Aptitude Test, the

  3  Scholastic Assessment Test, or the recentered Scholastic

  4  Assessment Test of the College Entrance Examination, or an

  5  equivalent score on the ACT Assessment American College

  6  Testing Program; or

  7         (c)(d)  Has been awarded an International Baccalaureate

  8  Diploma from the International Baccalaureate Office; or

  9         (d)(e)  Has been recognized by the merit or achievement

10  programs of the National Merit Scholarship Corporation as a

11  scholar or finalist.

12         (2)  A student who graduates from high school during

13  the 2003-2004 school year or thereafter is eligible for a

14  Florida Academic Scholars award if the student meets the

15  general eligibility requirements for the Florida Bright

16  Futures Scholarship Program and the student:

17         (a)  Has attained a score of at least 1270 on the

18  recentered Scholastic Assessment Test, an equivalent score on

19  the ACT Assessment Program, or the equivalent as determined by

20  the Department of Education and achieved a weighted grade

21  point average of 3.0 as calculated pursuant to s. 240.40202

22  using grades earned in the following courses:

23         1.  Four years of progressively advanced instruction in

24  language arts, including courses in English composition and

25  literature.

26         2.  Four years of progressively advanced instruction in

27  science, including laboratory courses in biology, chemistry,

28  and physics where laboratory facilities are available.

29         3.  Four years of progressively advanced instruction in

30  mathematics, including courses in algebra, geometry, and

31  calculus or trigonometry.


                                  4

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    CS for CS for SB 1380                         Second Engrossed



  1         4.  Two years of sequential foreign language.

  2         5.  One year of instruction in fine arts courses as

  3  defined in s. 240.40202.

  4         6.  Three years of instruction in social studies,

  5  including courses in American history and government, world

  6  history, and comparative political and economic systems;

  7         (b)  Has attended a home education program according to

  8  s. 232.0201 during grades 11 and 12 or has completed the

  9  International Baccalaureate curriculum but failed to earn the

10  International Baccalaureate Diploma, and has attained at least

11  a score of 1270 on the combined verbal and quantitative parts

12  of the recentered Scholastic Assessment Test of the College

13  Entrance Examination, or an equivalent score on the Act

14  Assessment Program;

15         (c)  Has been awarded an International Baccalaureate

16  Diploma from the International Baccalaureate Office; or

17         (d)  Has been recognized by the merit or achievement

18  programs of the National Merit Scholarship Corporation as a

19  scholar or finalist.

20         (3)  Effective with the 1998-1999 school year, a

21  student must complete a program of community service work, as

22  approved by the district school board or the administrators of

23  a nonpublic school, which shall include a minimum of 75 hours

24  of service work and require the student to identify a social

25  problem that interests him or her, develop a plan for his or

26  her personal involvement in addressing the problem, and,

27  through papers or other presentations, evaluate and reflect

28  upon his or her experience.

29         (4)(2)  A Florida Academic Scholar who is enrolled in a

30  baccalaureate-degree-granting public postsecondary education

31  institution is eligible for a maximum award of $2,800 an award


                                  5

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    CS for CS for SB 1380                         Second Engrossed



  1  equal to the amount required to pay matriculation, fees, and

  2  $600 for college-related expenses annually. A Florida Academic

  3  Scholar who is enrolled in an institution that does not award

  4  baccalaureate degrees is eligible for a maximum annual award

  5  of $2,000. The maximum award amount must be prorated each

  6  semester as provided in s. 240.40201(6) student who is

  7  enrolled in a nonpublic postsecondary education institution is

  8  eligible for an award equal to the amount that would be

  9  required to pay for the average matriculation and fees of a

10  public postsecondary education institution at the comparable

11  level, plus the annual $600.

12         Section 4.  Section 240.40206, Florida Statutes, 1998

13  Supplement, is amended to read:

14         (Substantial rewording of section.  See

15         s. 240.40206, F.S., 1998 Supp., for present

16         text.)

17         240.40206  Florida Merit Scholars award.--

18         (1)  A student who graduates from high school by the

19  end of the 2002-2003 school year is eligible for a Florida

20  Merit Scholars award if the student meets the general

21  eligibility requirements for the Florida Bright Futures

22  Scholarship Program and the student:

23         (a)  Has achieved a weighted grade point average of 3.0

24  as calculated pursuant to s. 240.40202, or the equivalent, in

25  high school courses that are required as a condition of

26  admission to a State University System institution, as set

27  forth in rules of the Board of Regents, and has attained a

28  score of at least 970 on the recentered Scholastic Assessment

29  Test, an equivalent score on the ACT Assessment Program, or

30  its equivalent as determined by the Department of Education;

31  or


                                  6

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    CS for CS for SB 1380                         Second Engrossed



  1         (b)  Has completed the International Baccalaureate

  2  curriculum but failed to earn the International Baccalaureate

  3  Diploma and has attained a score of at least 970 on the

  4  combined verbal and quantitative parts of the recentered

  5  Scholastic Assessment Test, an equivalent score on the ACT

  6  Assessment Program, or its equivalent as determined by the

  7  Department of Education; or

  8         (c)  Has completed a college-preparatory curriculum

  9  through a registered home education program and has attained a

10  score of at least 970 on the combined verbal and quantitative

11  parts of the recentered Scholastic Assessment Test, an

12  equivalent score on the ACT Assessment Program, or its

13  equivalent as determined by the Department of Education.

14  Eligibility shall be determined in the same manner as for

15  public school students.  For students whose parents do not

16  document a college-preparatory curriculum, a score of at least

17  1070 on the combined verbal and quantitative parts of the

18  recentered Scholastic Assessment Test, an equivalent score on

19  the ACT Assessment Program, or its equivalent as determined by

20  the Department of Education, shall be required for award

21  eligibility.

22         (2)  A student who graduates from high school in the

23  2003-2004 school year or thereafter is eligible for a Florida

24  Merit Scholars award if the student meets the general

25  eligibility requirements for the Florida Bright Futures

26  Scholarship Program and the student:

27         (a)  Has attained a score of at least 970 on the

28  recentered Scholastic Assessment Test, an equivalent score on

29  the ACT Assessment Program, or the equivalent as determined by

30  the Department of Education and achieved a weighted grade

31


                                  7

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    CS for CS for SB 1380                         Second Engrossed



  1  point average of 3.0 as calculated pursuant to s. 240.40202

  2  using grades earned in the following courses:

  3         1.  Four years of progressively advanced instruction in

  4  language arts, including courses in English composition and

  5  literature.

  6         2.  Four years of progressively advanced instruction in

  7  science, including laboratory courses in biology, chemistry,

  8  and physics where laboratory facilities are available.

  9         3.  Four years of progressively advanced instruction in

10  mathematics, including courses in algebra, geometry, and

11  calculus or trigonometry.

12         4.  Two years of sequential foreign language.

13         5.  One year of instruction in fine arts courses as

14  defined in s. 240.40202.

15         6.  Three years of instruction in social studies,

16  including courses in American history and government, world

17  history, and comparative political and economic systems; or

18         (b)  Has completed the International Baccalaureate

19  curriculum but failed to earn the International Baccalaureate

20  Diploma and has attained a score of at least 970 on the

21  combined verbal and quantitative parts of the recentered

22  Scholastic Assessment Test, an equivalent score on the ACT

23  Assessment Program, or its equivalent as determined by the

24  Department of Education; or

25         (c)  Has completed the curriculum prescribed in

26  paragraph (a) through a registered home education program or

27  has documented competency in each of the prescribed subject

28  areas and has attained a score of at least 970 on the combined

29  verbal and quantitative parts of the recentered Scholastic

30  Assessment Test, an equivalent score on the ACT Assessment

31  Program, or its equivalent as determined by the Department of


                                  8

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    CS for CS for SB 1380                         Second Engrossed



  1  Education. For students whose parents do not document

  2  completion of the prescribed curriculum or competencies in

  3  each of the prescribed subject areas, a score of at least 1070

  4  on the combined verbal and quantitative parts of the

  5  recentered Scholastic Assessment Test, an equivalent score on

  6  the ACT Assessment Program, or its equivalent as determined by

  7  the Department of Education, shall be required.

  8         (3)  A Florida Merit Scholar who is enrolled in a

  9  baccalaureate-degree-granting postsecondary education

10  institution is eligible for a maximum 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).

16         (4)  To be eligible for a renewal award as a Florida

17  Merit Scholar, a student must maintain the equivalent of a

18  grade point average of 2.75 on a 4.0 scale for all

19  postsecondary education work attempted, with an opportunity

20  for reinstatement one time as provided in this act.

21         Section 5.  Section 240.40207, Florida Statutes, 1998

22  Supplement, is amended to read:

23         240.40207  Florida Gold Seal Vocational Scholars

24  award.--The Florida Gold Seal Vocational Scholars award is

25  created within the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program

26  to recognize and reward academic achievement and vocational

27  preparation by high school students who wish to continue their

28  education. Beginning fall semester 2001, a Florida Gold Seal

29  Vocational Scholars award may not be used at a baccalaureate

30  degree-granting institution unless the award is a renewal of

31  an initial award issued prior to fall semester 2001.


                                  9

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    CS for CS for SB 1380                         Second Engrossed



  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.


                                  10

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    CS for CS for SB 1380                         Second Engrossed



  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 by 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)  Upon successful completion of an associate degree

29  program, an award recipient who meets the renewal criteria in

30  subsection (3) and enrolls in an associate or baccalaureate

31  degree program at an eligible postsecondary education


                                  11

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    CS for CS for SB 1380                         Second Engrossed



  1  institution is eligible to transfer to the Florida Merit

  2  Scholars award component of the Bright Futures Scholarship

  3  Program. Other than initial eligibility criteria, all other

  4  provisions of that component apply.

  5         Section 6.  Subsection (1) of section 240.40208,

  6  Florida Statutes, 1998 Supplement, is amended to read:

  7         240.40208  Eligibility for the Florida Bright Futures

  8  Scholarship Program; transition.--

  9         (1)  A student who graduates from high school in 1997

10  or earlier and who is eligible for the Florida Undergraduate

11  Scholar's Program pursuant to s. 240.402 is eligible for the

12  Florida Academic Scholars award as provided in this act. A

13  student who graduates from high school in 1998 or 1999 is

14  eligible for the Florida Academic Scholars award if the

15  student meets the criteria in s. 240.40205. However, in lieu

16  of satisfying the requirements set forth in s. 240.40205(1)(a)

17  and (b), a student may meet the following criteria:

18         (a)  Complete a program of at least 24 credits in

19  advanced-level studies as prescribed by the State Board of

20  Education, including as a minimum:

21         1.  Four years of progressively advanced instruction in

22  language arts, including courses in English composition and

23  literature.

24         2.  Four years of progressively advanced instruction in

25  science, including laboratory courses in biology, chemistry,

26  and physics where laboratory facilities are available.

27         3.  Four years of progressively advanced instruction in

28  mathematics, including courses in algebra, geometry, and

29  calculus or trigonometry.

30         4.  Two years of sequential foreign language.

31


                                  12

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    CS for CS for SB 1380                         Second Engrossed



  1         5.  One year of instruction in art and music or in

  2  either art or music.

  3         6.  Three years of instruction in social studies,

  4  including courses in American history and government, world

  5  history, and comparative political and economic systems.

  6         7.  One year of instruction in health and physical

  7  education to include assessment, improvement, and maintenance

  8  of personal fitness.

  9         (b)  Obtain at least the equivalent of an unweighted

10  grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale for all courses

11  taken for which high school credit may be granted.

12         (c)  Achieve a score of 1180 on the combined verbal and

13  quantitative parts of the Scholastic Aptitude Test, the

14  Scholastic Assessment Test, or the recentered Scholastic

15  Assessment Test of the College Entrance Examination, or an

16  equivalent score on the American College Testing Program or an

17  equivalent program.

18         (d)  Complete a program of community service work, as

19  approved by the district school board or the administrators of

20  a nonpublic school, which shall include a minimum of 75 hours

21  of service work and require the student to identify a social

22  problem that interests him or her, develop a plan for his or

23  her personal involvement in addressing the problem, and,

24  through papers or other presentations, evaluate and reflect

25  upon his or her experience.

26

27  Students who graduate from high school after 1999 must meet

28  the eligibility criteria pursuant to s. 240.40205.

29         Section 7.  Section 240.40209, Florida Statutes, is

30  repealed.

31         Section 8.  This act shall take effect July 1, 1999.


                                  13