| 1 | A bill to be entitled |
| 2 | An act relating to postsecondary education; creating the |
| 3 | Florida Public Community College and Career Center Working |
| 4 | Student Assistance Program; providing legislative intent; |
| 5 | providing eligibility criteria for student assistance |
| 6 | grants; amending s. 1009.50, F.S.; providing additional |
| 7 | elements to be considered in awards of grants to community |
| 8 | college students under the Florida Public Student |
| 9 | Assistance Grant Program; providing an effective date. |
| 10 |
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| 11 | WHEREAS, the primary motive of federal student aid has been |
| 12 | to further the country's economic health and competitiveness, |
| 13 | and |
| 14 | WHEREAS, the investment made in grant aid would be offset |
| 15 | by the students' future contribution to the economic development |
| 16 | of the community, and |
| 17 | WHEREAS, unmet needs of students have forced a reliance on |
| 18 | loans, NOW, THEREFORE, |
| 19 |
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| 20 | Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: |
| 21 |
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| 22 | Section 1. Florida Public Community College and Career |
| 23 | Center Working Student Assistance Program.-- |
| 24 | (1)(a) The Legislature recognizes the importance of the |
| 25 | role of financial aid in ensuring access to postsecondary |
| 26 | education and for student success. It is the intent of the |
| 27 | Legislature that every student enrolled in a public community |
| 28 | college have the resources necessary for graduation. The |
| 29 | Legislature further recognizes that the financial consequence of |
| 30 | repaying loans, on which graduates have placed high reliance, |
| 31 | negatively influences these graduates' ability to provide |
| 32 | positive reinforcement for the state's economy. |
| 33 | (b) It is the purpose of this act to promote successful |
| 34 | student participation in the economic development of their |
| 35 | communities and the state by: |
| 36 | 1. Providing financial support that will enable working |
| 37 | students to achieve their degrees and increase their earning and |
| 38 | spending potential. |
| 39 | 2. Offering grant assistance to working students to |
| 40 | minimize the use of loans for entry-level training. Student |
| 41 | loans are more appropriate for students who have already moved |
| 42 | beyond entry-level jobs and have the income that will allow |
| 43 | repayment of loans. |
| 44 | (c) There is created the Florida Public Community College |
| 45 | and Career Center Working Student Assistance Program to provide |
| 46 | financial support for working students in this state. This |
| 47 | program will provide assistance to students whose employment |
| 48 | income makes them ineligible for federal and state grant |
| 49 | assistance and for whom their income is insufficient to commit |
| 50 | to long-term debt through any financial assistance through |
| 51 | federal or other loans. |
| 52 | (2)(a) Student grants through the program may be made to |
| 53 | students who enroll in at least 6 semester hours, or the |
| 54 | equivalent, or 10 hours per week of adult vocational training |
| 55 | per term and who meet other requirements for student eligibility |
| 56 | provided in this section or by rule. The grants shall be awarded |
| 57 | annually for an amount of need determined by the institution but |
| 58 | may not exceed an amount specified in the General Appropriations |
| 59 | Act. |
| 60 | (b) The primary purpose of this grant is to serve students |
| 61 | who are not receiving state or federal grants. Therefore, a |
| 62 | student applying for a grant under this section must also |
| 63 | complete the application for federal financial aid, so that |
| 64 | access to federal and state grants is the first avenue of |
| 65 | support. However, for purposes of this grant, the institutional |
| 66 | assessment of financial resources available to the student may |
| 67 | consider issues beyond that identified in the Free Application |
| 68 | for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) calculations to determine the |
| 69 | unmet need of the student. Such issues include, but are not |
| 70 | limited to: |
| 71 | 1. The inability of family members to contribute to the |
| 72 | educational expenses of those under age 24 who must report |
| 73 | family income on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid |
| 74 | (FAFSA) application. |
| 75 | 2. Independent or dependent students whose income and |
| 76 | expenses only qualify the student for loan programs, but for |
| 77 | whom loan debt will be an unreasonable burden. |
| 78 | (c) Institutions shall prioritize awards to students |
| 79 | having the greatest need and may require students to meet |
| 80 | additional criteria for eligibility. |
| 81 | (3) The Department of Education shall develop a method to |
| 82 | distribute funds to community colleges and career centers and |
| 83 | adopt rules necessary to administer this section, and shall |
| 84 | require annual reports of such colleges and centers. Community |
| 85 | college boards of trustees and school boards shall adopt rules |
| 86 | to administer this section locally. |
| 87 | Section 2. Paragraph (e) is added to subsection (2) of |
| 88 | section 1009.50, Florida Statutes, to read: |
| 89 | 1009.50 Florida Public Student Assistance Grant Program; |
| 90 | eligibility for grants.-- |
| 91 | (2) |
| 92 | (e) For community college students, Pell Grant |
| 93 | entitlements shall be considered in the award, but may not be |
| 94 | required as a condition of award. The maximum expected family |
| 95 | contribution established by the department for community |
| 96 | colleges shall recognize that students at community colleges are |
| 97 | working and supporting families and that the expected |
| 98 | contribution to education cannot equal that at other |
| 99 | institutions. |
| 100 | Section 3. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law. |