Senate Bill 1852
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida Senate - 2000 SB 1852
By Senator Kirkpatrick
5-1213-00 See HB
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to the Florida Gold Seal
3 Vocational Scholars award; amending s.
4 240.40207, F.S., relating to the Florida Gold
5 Seal Vocational Scholars award; revising
6 student eligibility requirements; revising
7 provisions relating to transfer to the Florida
8 Merit Scholars award program; providing for
9 determination of the credit hour limitation;
10 providing an effective date.
11
12 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
13
14 Section 1. Section 240.40207, Florida Statutes, is
15 amended to read:
16 240.40207 Florida Gold Seal Vocational Scholars
17 award.--The Florida Gold Seal Vocational Scholars award is
18 created within the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program
19 to recognize and reward academic achievement and vocational
20 preparation by high school students who wish to continue their
21 education. Beginning with the fall term of 2002, except as
22 provided in subsection (5), a Florida Gold Seal Vocational
23 Scholars award may not be used at a baccalaureate
24 degree-granting institution unless the award is a renewal of
25 an initial award issued prior to the fall term of 2002.
26 (1) A student is eligible for a Florida Gold Seal
27 Vocational Scholars award if the student meets the general
28 eligibility requirements for the Florida Bright Futures
29 Scholarship Program and the student:
30 (a) Completes the secondary school portion of a
31 sequential program of studies that requires at least three
1
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida Senate - 2000 SB 1852
5-1213-00 See HB
1 secondary school vocational credits in a program of study
2 identified by the Department of Education taken over at least
3 2 academic years, and is continued in a planned, related
4 postsecondary education program. If the student's school does
5 not offer such a two-plus-two or tech-prep program, the
6 student must complete a job-preparatory career education
7 program selected by the Occupational Forecasting Conference or
8 the Workforce Development Board of Enterprise Florida for its
9 ability to provide high-wage employment in an occupation with
10 high potential for employment opportunities. A minimum of
11 three of these credits must be successfully completed in the
12 same program. On-the-job training may not be substituted for
13 any of the three required vocational credits.
14 (b) Demonstrates readiness for postsecondary education
15 by earning a passing score on the Florida College Entry Level
16 Placement Test or its equivalent as identified by the
17 Department of Education.
18 (c) Earns a minimum cumulative weighted grade point
19 average of 3.0, as calculated pursuant to s. 240.40202, on all
20 subjects required for a standard high school diploma,
21 excluding elective courses.
22 (d) Earns a minimum unweighted grade point average of
23 3.5 on a 4.0 scale for secondary vocational courses comprising
24 the vocational program.
25 (e) Completes the requirements of a vocational-ready
26 diploma program, as defined by rules of the State Board of
27 Education.
28 (2) A Florida Gold Seal Vocational Scholar is eligible
29 for an award equal to the amount required to pay 75 percent of
30 matriculation and fees, if the student is enrolled in a public
31 postsecondary education institution. A student who is enrolled
2
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida Senate - 2000 SB 1852
5-1213-00 See HB
1 in a nonpublic postsecondary education institution is eligible
2 for an award equal to the amount that would be required to pay
3 75 percent of the matriculation and mandatory fees of a public
4 postsecondary education institution at the comparable level.
5 (3) To be eligible for a renewal award as a Florida
6 Gold Seal Vocational Scholar, a student must maintain the
7 equivalent of a grade point average of 2.75 on a 4.0 scale for
8 all postsecondary education work attempted, with an
9 opportunity for reinstatement one time as provided in this
10 act.
11 (4) A student may earn a Florida Gold Seal Vocational
12 Scholarship for 110 percent of the number of credit hours
13 required to complete the program, up to 90 credit hours or the
14 equivalent. A Florida Gold Seal Scholar who has a cumulative
15 grade point average of 2.75 in all postsecondary education
16 work attempted may apply for a Florida Merit Scholars award at
17 any renewal period. All other provisions of that program
18 apply, and the credit-hour limitation must be calculated by
19 subtracting from the student's total eligibility the number of
20 credit hours the student attempted while earning the Gold Seal
21 Vocational Scholarship.
22 (5) Upon successful completion of an associate degree
23 program, an award recipient who meets the renewal criteria in
24 subsection (3) and enrolls in a baccalaureate degree program
25 at an eligible postsecondary education institution is eligible
26 to transfer to the Florida Merit Scholars award component of
27 the Bright Futures Scholarship Program. All other requirements
28 of the Florida Merit Scholars award shall apply to a student
29 who transfers to that program under this section. The
30 department is authorized to adjust the award type following
31 receipt of a Florida Gold Seal Vocational Scholars award
3
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida Senate - 2000 SB 1852
5-1213-00 See HB
1 during the fall term, should a student receive an associate
2 degree in the fall and enroll in a baccalaureate degree
3 program during a subsequent term of the same academic year.
4 The credit hour limitation must be calculated by subtracting
5 from the student's total eligibility the number of credit
6 hours the student attempted while receiving the Florida Gold
7 Seal Vocational Scholars award.
8 Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2000.
9
10 *****************************************
11 HOUSE SUMMARY
12
Revises student eligibility requirements for the Florida
13 Gold Seal Vocational Scholars award. Revises provisions
relating to transfer to the Florida Merit Scholars award
14 program. Provides for determination of the credit hour
limitation.
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
4