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A bill to be entitled

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An act relating to postsecondary education; creating s.

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1009.893, F.S.; creating the Workforce Education Grant

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Program within the Department of Education; providing

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legislative intent with respect to workforce education;

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prescribing eligibility criteria for students to receive

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grants under the program; defining the term "eligible

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nonpublic institution of higher education"; providing that

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students who are eligible for certain other grant programs

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are not eligible for the Workforce Education Grant

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Program; directing the State Board of Education to adopt

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rules; providing an effective date.

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

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     Section 1.  Section 1009.893, Florida Statutes, is created

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to read:

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     1009.893 Workforce Education Grant Program --

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     (1) The Legislature finds that workforce education programs

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are a critical component of the state's educational system and

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that it is in the state's interest to promote student choice, the

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responsiveness of postsecondary institutions to students' needs,

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and the relevance of educational programs to the state's economic

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development needs across all sectors of the state's postsecondary

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education system. The Legislature further finds that nonpublic

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institutions eligible to participate in the Workforce Education

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Grant Program are an integral part of the higher education system

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in this state and that the Workforce Education Grant Program will

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help meet the state's interests in regard to workforce education

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and promote consistency in its support of workforce education.

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The Legislature intends to create a grant program that is not

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based on a student's financial need or other criteria upon which

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financial aid programs are based, but is a tuition assistance

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program for state residents.

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     (2) There is created the Workforce Education Grant Program,

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or WEG Program, to be administered by the Department of

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Education.

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     (3) Subject to legislative appropriation, the department

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shall issue a grant under the WEG Program to any student who:

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     (a) Meets the residency requirement provided in s. 1009.40;

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and

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     (b) Is enrolled as a full-time undergraduate student in a

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program at a campus in this state of an eligible nonpublic

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institution of higher education and is seeking an associate or

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higher degree leading to employment in occupations that are

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consistent with the workforce needs of employers and economic

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development strategies listed on the Agency for Workforce

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Innovation's Florida Statewide Targeted Occupations List or on a

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regional targeted occupations list of a regional workforce board

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at the time of enrollment.

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     (4) As used in this section, the term "eligible nonpublic

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institution of higher education" means an institution:

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     (a) That is licensed by the Commission for Independent

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Education under chapter 1005.

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     (b) That is accredited by an accrediting agency recognized

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by the United States Secretary of Education as a reliable

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authority as to the quality of education or training offered at

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its accredited institutions.

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     (c) That meets performance requirements for student

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achievement which include minimum objective quantitative

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standards, including completion rates and placement rates,

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established by its recognized accrediting agency set forth in

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paragraph (b) or by the Commission for Independent Education.

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     (5) Students who are eligible to participate in the Access

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to Better Learning and Education Grant Program or the William L.

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Boyd, IV, Florida Resident Access Grant Program are not eligible

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to participate in this program.

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     (6) The State Board of Education shall adopt rules pursuant

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to ss. 120.53(1) and 120.54 to administer the WEG Program.

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     Section 2.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2008.