Senate Bill sb1016c2
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Florida Senate - 2006 CS for CS for SB 1016
By the Committees on Education Appropriations; Education; and
Senator Wise
602-2431-06
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to student financial
3 assistance; creating s. 1009.893, F.S.;
4 providing legislative intent; creating the
5 Florida Independent Collegiate Assistance Grant
6 Program to provide grants to certain students
7 who attend nonpublic institutions of higher
8 education and are enrolled in programs leading
9 to specified occupations; requiring the
10 Department of Education to administer the
11 program; providing eligibility requirements;
12 providing requirements for the criteria and
13 priorities for funding; defining the term
14 "eligible nonpublic institution of higher
15 education"; requiring that each institution
16 certify to the department the amount disbursed
17 under the program and remit to the department
18 undisbursed funds; limiting the period that a
19 student is eligible to receive a grant;
20 requiring the adoption of rules; requiring the
21 Office of Program Policy Analysis and
22 Government Accountability to make certain
23 assessments and submit a report to the
24 Legislature; providing an effective date.
25
26 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
27
28 Section 1. Section 1009.893, Florida Statutes, is
29 created to read:
30 1009.893 Florida Independent Collegiate Assistance
31 Grant Program.--
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Florida Senate - 2006 CS for CS for SB 1016
602-2431-06
1 (1) The Legislature finds and declares that nonpublic
2 institutions eligible to participate in the Florida
3 Independent Collegiate Assistance Grant Program are an
4 integral part of the higher education system in this state.
5 The Legislature finds that a significant number of state
6 residents choose to pursue higher education at these
7 institutions and that these institutions and the students they
8 educate and train make a substantial contribution to the
9 development of the state's economy. The Legislature intends to
10 create a grant program that is not based on a student's
11 financial need or other criteria upon which most financial aid
12 programs are based, but to create a tuition assistance program
13 for state residents.
14 (2) There is created the Florida Independent
15 Collegiate Assistance Grant Program, or FICA Grant Program, to
16 be administered by the Department of Education.
17 (3) Subject to legislative appropriation, the
18 department shall issue an access grant under the FICA Grant
19 Program to any full-time student who:
20 (a) Meets the residency requirement as provided in s.
21 1009.40.
22 (b) Is enrolled as a full-time undergraduate student
23 in a Florida campus-based program at an eligible nonpublic
24 institution of higher education and is seeking an associate or
25 higher degree.
26 (c) Is enrolled in an undergraduate degree program
27 that leads to employment in one of the top 15 occupations, in
28 numbers of annual openings, as listed on the Agency for
29 Workforce Innovation's Florida Statewide Targeted Occupations
30 List at the time of initial enrollment.
31
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Florida Senate - 2006 CS for CS for SB 1016
602-2431-06
1 (d) Is making satisfactory academic progress as
2 defined by the nonpublic institution of higher education in
3 which the student is enrolled.
4 (4) The criteria and priorities for funding shall be
5 adopted annually by State Board of Education rule for the top
6 15 occupations listed and shall match standard occupational
7 classification titles on the Agency for Workforce Innovation's
8 lists with Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP)
9 codes for licensed training programs.
10 (5) As used in this section, the term "eligible
11 nonpublic institution of higher education" means an
12 institution:
13 (a) That is licensed by the Commission for Independent
14 Education under chapter 1005, is accredited by an accrediting
15 agency that is recognized by the United States Secretary of
16 Education as a reliable authority as to the quality of
17 education or training offered at its accredited institutions,
18 and has established performance requirements for student
19 achievement that include minimum objective quantitative
20 standards, including completion rates and placement rates as
21 determined by its accrediting agency.
22 (b) That uses an assessment required in s.
23 1005.04(1)(b) and that has been recommended by the State Board
24 of Education.
25 (c) That participates in the Florida Education and
26 Training Placement Information Program pursuant to s. 1008.39.
27 (d) Whose students are ineligible to participate in
28 the Access to Better Learning and Education Grant Program and
29 the William L. Boyd, IV, Florida Resident Access Grant
30 Program.
31
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Florida Senate - 2006 CS for CS for SB 1016
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1 (e) That participates in the statewide course
2 numbering system under s. 1007.24.
3 (6) Institutions shall certify to the department the
4 amount of funds disbursed to each student and shall remit to
5 the department any undisbursed advances or refunds within 60
6 days after the end of regular registration. A student is not
7 eligible to receive the access grant for more than 9 semesters
8 or 14 quarters, except as otherwise provided in s. 1009.40(3).
9 (7) The State Board of Education shall adopt rules
10 pursuant to ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54 for implementation of
11 the FICA Grant Program.
12 (8) The Office of Program Policy Analysis and
13 Government Accountability shall assess methods used to
14 evaluate a student's ability to successfully complete the
15 course of study for which the student has applied before
16 accepting the student into the program, completion rates,
17 job-placement rates, and the method used by institutions to
18 assure the accuracy of the reported data. By December 31,
19 2007, the Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government
20 Accountability shall submit an initial report to the President
21 of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
22 Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2006.
23
24 STATEMENT OF SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES CONTAINED IN
COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR
25 CS for Senate Bill 1016
26
27 The committee substitute for committee substitute for SB 1016
requires institutions receiving FICA funds to certify to the
28 department the amount of funds disbursed under this program.
It provides that undisbursed advances or refunds must be
29 remitted to the department within 60 days following the end of
the regular registration period. It also provides that
30 eligible students may not receive a FICA grant for more than 9
semester hours, or 14 quarters, except as otherwise provided
31 in s. 1009.40(3), F.S.
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