Florida Senate - 2010 SB 2642
By Senator Baker
20-01427-10 20102642__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to the Florida Bright Futures
3 Scholarship Program; amending s. 1009.53, F.S.;
4 revising the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship
5 Program beginning with initial awards to students for
6 the 2011 fall term; amending s. 1009.531, F.S.,
7 relating to student eligibility requirements for
8 initial awards, to conform to changes made by the act;
9 updating a cross-reference to high school graduation
10 requirements; creating s. 1009.5315, F.S.; providing
11 that, for students receiving initial awards beginning
12 with the 2011 fall term, the Florida Bright Futures
13 Scholarship Program shall consist of five levels of
14 awards; specifying student eligibility requirements
15 and award amounts for each level of award; defining
16 the term “tuition and fees” for purposes of award
17 amounts; providing requirements for renewal of awards;
18 amending s. 1009.532, F.S., relating to student
19 eligibility requirements for renewal awards, to
20 conform to changes made by the act; amending s.
21 1009.538, F.S., relating to the calculation of awards
22 for students attending nonpublic institutions, to
23 conform to changes made by the act; amending s.
24 1009.24, F.S., relating to state university student
25 fees, to conform to changes made by the act; providing
26 that the tuition differential shall be included in the
27 calculation of Florida Bright Futures Scholarship
28 Program award amounts beginning with initial awards to
29 students for the 2011 fall term; providing an
30 effective date.
31
32 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
33
34 Section 1. Subsections (2) and (3), paragraph (a) of
35 subsection (4), and subsection (7) of section 1009.53, Florida
36 Statutes, are amended to read:
37 1009.53 Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program.—
38 (2) The Bright Futures Scholarship Program consists of
39 three types of awards: the Florida Academic Scholarship, the
40 Florida Medallion Scholarship, and the Florida Gold Seal
41 Vocational Scholarship. Beginning with initial awards for the
42 2011 fall term, the Bright Futures Scholarship Program consists
43 of five levels of Florida Bright Futures Scholarships.
44 (3) The Department of Education shall administer the Bright
45 Futures Scholarship Program according to rules and procedures
46 established by the State Board of Education. A single
47 application must be sufficient for a student to apply for any of
48 the three types of awards or for any of the five levels of
49 awards beginning with initial awards for the 2011 fall term. The
50 department must advertise the availability of the scholarship
51 program and must notify students, teachers, parents, guidance
52 counselors, and principals or other relevant school
53 administrators of the criteria and application procedures. The
54 department must begin this process of notification no later than
55 January 1 of each year.
56 (4) Funding for the Bright Futures Scholarship Program must
57 be allocated from the Education Enhancement Trust Fund and must
58 be provided before allocations from that fund are calculated for
59 disbursement to other educational entities.
60 (a) If funds appropriated are not adequate to provide the
61 maximum allowable award to each eligible applicant, awards in
62 all three components of the program or in all five levels of the
63 program beginning with initial awards for the 2011 fall term
64 must be prorated using the same percentage reduction.
65 (7) A student may receive only one type or level of award
66 from the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program at a time,
67 but may transfer from one type or level of award to another
68 through the renewal application process, if the student’s
69 eligibility status changes. However, a student is not eligible
70 to transfer from a Florida Medallion Scholarship or a Florida
71 Gold Seal Vocational Scholarship to a Florida Academic
72 Scholarship. A student who receives an award from the program
73 may also receive a federal family education loan or a federal
74 direct loan, and the value of the award must be considered in
75 the certification or calculation of the student’s loan
76 eligibility.
77 Section 2. Subsections (1), (4), and (5) of section
78 1009.531, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
79 1009.531 Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program;
80 student eligibility requirements for initial awards.—
81 (1) Effective January 1, 2008, In order to be eligible for
82 an initial award from any of the three types of scholarships or
83 for an initial award beginning with the 2011 fall term from any
84 of the five levels of scholarships under the Florida Bright
85 Futures Scholarship Program, a student must:
86 (a) Be a Florida resident as defined in s. 1009.40 and
87 rules of the State Board of Education.
88 (b) Earn a standard Florida high school diploma or its
89 equivalent as described in s. 1003.428, s. 1003.429, s. 1003.43,
90 or s. 1003.435 unless:
91 1. The student completes a home education program according
92 to s. 1002.41; or
93 2. The student earns a high school diploma from a non
94 Florida school while living with a parent or guardian who is on
95 military or public service assignment away from Florida.
96 (c) Be accepted by and enroll in an eligible Florida public
97 or independent postsecondary education institution.
98 (d) Be enrolled for at least 6 semester credit hours or the
99 equivalent in quarter hours or clock hours.
100 (e) Not have been found guilty of, or entered a plea of
101 nolo contendere to, a felony charge, unless the student has been
102 granted clemency by the Governor and Cabinet sitting as the
103 Executive Office of Clemency.
104 (f) Apply for a scholarship from the program by high school
105 graduation.
106 (4) Each school district shall annually provide to each
107 high school student a complete and accurate Florida Bright
108 Futures Scholarship Evaluation Report and Key. The report shall
109 be disseminated at the beginning of each school year. The report
110 must include all high school coursework attempted, the number of
111 credits earned toward each type or level of award, and the
112 calculation of the grade point average for each type or level of
113 award. The report must also identify all requirements not met
114 per type or level of award, including the grade point average
115 requirement, as well as identify the types or levels of awards
116 for which the student has met the academic requirements. The
117 student report cards must contain a disclosure that the grade
118 point average calculated for purposes of the Florida Bright
119 Futures Scholarship Program may differ from the grade point
120 average on the report card.
121 (5) A student who wishes to qualify for a particular type
122 or level of award within the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship
123 Program, but who does not meet all of the requirements for that
124 type or level of award, may, nevertheless, receive the award for
125 that type or level if the principal of the student’s school or
126 the district superintendent verifies that the deficiency is
127 caused by the fact that school district personnel provided
128 inaccurate or incomplete information to the student. The school
129 district must provide a means for the student to correct the
130 deficiencies and the student must correct them, either by
131 completing comparable work at the postsecondary institution or
132 by completing a directed individualized study program developed
133 and administered by the school district. If the student does not
134 complete the requirements by December 31 immediately following
135 high school graduation, the student is ineligible to participate
136 in the program.
137 Section 3. Section 1009.5315, Florida Statutes, is created
138 to read:
139 1009.5315 Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program
140 awards.—
141 (1) For students receiving initial awards beginning with
142 the 2011 fall term, the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship
143 Program shall consist of five levels of awards. A student is
144 eligible for one of the five levels of awards if the student
145 meets the general eligibility requirements for the program under
146 s. 1009.531 and the requirements for one of the five levels as
147 follows:
148 (a) A Level I award requires that the student:
149 1.a. Has achieved at least a 3.0 weighted grade point
150 average as calculated pursuant to s. 1009.531, or its
151 equivalent, in high school courses that are designated by the
152 State Board of Education as college preparatory academic courses
153 and has attained a score of at least 970 on the combined reading
154 and mathematics sections of the SAT Reasoning Test or an
155 equivalent score on the ACT Assessment Program; or
156 b. Has completed a college preparatory curriculum in a home
157 education program pursuant to s. 1002.41 during grades 11 and 12
158 that has been documented through a transcript approved by the
159 Department of Education, has completed the International
160 Baccalaureate curriculum but failed to earn the International
161 Baccalaureate Diploma, or has completed the Advanced
162 International Certificate of Education curriculum but failed to
163 earn the Advanced International Certificate of Education
164 Diploma, and has attained a score of at least 970 on the
165 combined reading and mathematics sections of the SAT Reasoning
166 Test or an equivalent score on the ACT Assessment Program.
167 2. Has completed a program of community service work, as
168 approved by the district school board or the administrators of a
169 nonpublic school, which shall include a minimum of 75 hours of
170 service work and require the student to identify a social
171 problem that interests him or her, develop a plan for his or her
172 personal involvement in addressing the problem, and, through
173 papers or other presentations, evaluate and reflect upon his or
174 her experience.
175 (b) A Level II award requires that the student:
176 1.a. Has achieved at least a 3.5 weighted grade point
177 average as calculated pursuant to s. 1009.531, or its
178 equivalent, in high school courses that are designated by the
179 State Board of Education as college preparatory academic courses
180 and has attained a score of at least 1100 on the combined
181 reading and mathematics sections of the SAT Reasoning Test or an
182 equivalent score on the ACT Assessment Program; or
183 b. Has completed a college preparatory curriculum in a home
184 education program pursuant to s. 1002.41 during grades 11 and 12
185 that has been documented through a transcript approved by the
186 Department of Education, has completed the International
187 Baccalaureate curriculum but failed to earn the International
188 Baccalaureate Diploma, or has completed the Advanced
189 International Certificate of Education curriculum but failed to
190 earn the Advanced International Certificate of Education
191 Diploma, and has attained a score of at least 1100 on the
192 combined reading and mathematics sections of the SAT Reasoning
193 Test or an equivalent score on the ACT Assessment Program.
194 2. Has completed a program of community service work, as
195 approved by the district school board or the administrators of a
196 nonpublic school, which shall include a minimum of 75 hours of
197 service work and require the student to identify a social
198 problem that interests him or her, develop a plan for his or her
199 personal involvement in addressing the problem, and, through
200 papers or other presentations, evaluate and reflect upon his or
201 her experience.
202 (c) A Level III award requires that the student:
203 1.a. Has achieved at least a 3.5 weighted grade point
204 average as calculated pursuant to s. 1009.531, or its
205 equivalent, in high school courses that are designated by the
206 State Board of Education as college preparatory academic courses
207 and has attained a score of at least 1200 on the combined
208 reading and mathematics sections of the SAT Reasoning Test or an
209 equivalent score on the ACT Assessment Program; or
210 b. Has completed a college preparatory curriculum in a home
211 education program pursuant to s. 1002.41 during grades 11 and 12
212 that has been documented through a transcript approved by the
213 Department of Education, has completed the International
214 Baccalaureate curriculum but failed to earn the International
215 Baccalaureate Diploma, or has completed the Advanced
216 International Certificate of Education curriculum but failed to
217 earn the Advanced International Certificate of Education
218 Diploma, and has attained a score of at least 1200 on the
219 combined reading and mathematics sections of the SAT Reasoning
220 Test or an equivalent score on the ACT Assessment Program.
221 2. Has completed a program of community service work, as
222 approved by the district school board or the administrators of a
223 nonpublic school, which shall include a minimum of 75 hours of
224 service work and require the student to identify a social
225 problem that interests him or her, develop a plan for his or her
226 personal involvement in addressing the problem, and, through
227 papers or other presentations, evaluate and reflect upon his or
228 her experience.
229 (d) A Level IV award requires that the student:
230 1.a. Has achieved at least a 3.5 weighted grade point
231 average as calculated pursuant to s. 1009.531, or its
232 equivalent, in high school courses that are designated by the
233 State Board of Education as college preparatory academic courses
234 and has attained a score of at least 1300 on the combined
235 reading and mathematics sections of the SAT Reasoning Test or an
236 equivalent score on the ACT Assessment Program;
237 b. Has completed a college preparatory curriculum in a home
238 education program pursuant to s. 1002.41 during grades 11 and 12
239 that has been documented through a transcript approved by the
240 Department of Education, has completed the International
241 Baccalaureate curriculum but failed to earn the International
242 Baccalaureate Diploma, or has completed the Advanced
243 International Certificate of Education curriculum but failed to
244 earn the Advanced International Certificate of Education
245 Diploma, and has attained a score of at least 1300 on the
246 combined reading and mathematics sections of the SAT Reasoning
247 Test or an equivalent score on the ACT Assessment Program;
248 c. Has been awarded an International Baccalaureate Diploma
249 from the International Baccalaureate Office or an Advanced
250 International Certificate of Education Diploma from the
251 University of Cambridge International Examinations Office;
252 d. Has been recognized by the merit or achievement programs
253 of the National Merit Scholarship Corporation as a scholar or
254 finalist; or
255 e. Has been recognized by the National Hispanic Recognition
256 Program as a scholar recipient.
257 2. Has completed a program of community service work, as
258 approved by the district school board or the administrators of a
259 nonpublic school, which shall include a minimum of 75 hours of
260 service work and require the student to identify a social
261 problem that interests him or her, develop a plan for his or her
262 personal involvement in addressing the problem, and, through
263 papers or other presentations, evaluate and reflect upon his or
264 her experience.
265 (e) A Level V award requires that the student:
266 1.a. Has achieved at least a 3.5 weighted grade point
267 average as calculated pursuant to s. 1009.531, or its
268 equivalent, in high school courses that are designated by the
269 State Board of Education as college preparatory academic courses
270 and has attained a score of at least 1400 on the combined
271 reading and mathematics sections of the SAT Reasoning Test or an
272 equivalent score on the ACT Assessment Program;
273 b. Has completed a college preparatory curriculum in a home
274 education program pursuant to s. 1002.41 during grades 11 and 12
275 that has been documented through a transcript approved by the
276 Department of Education, has completed the International
277 Baccalaureate curriculum but failed to earn the International
278 Baccalaureate Diploma, or has completed the Advanced
279 International Certificate of Education curriculum but failed to
280 earn the Advanced International Certificate of Education
281 Diploma, and has attained a score of at least 1400 on the
282 combined reading and mathematics sections of the SAT Reasoning
283 Test or an equivalent score on the ACT Assessment Program;
284 c. Has been awarded an International Baccalaureate Diploma
285 from the International Baccalaureate Office or an Advanced
286 International Certificate of Education Diploma from the
287 University of Cambridge International Examinations Office and
288 has attained a score of at least 1400 on the combined reading
289 and mathematics sections of the SAT Reasoning Test or an
290 equivalent score on the ACT Assessment Program;
291 d. Has been recognized by the merit or achievement programs
292 of the National Merit Scholarship Corporation as a scholar or
293 finalist and has attained a score of at least 1400 on the
294 combined reading and mathematics sections of the SAT Reasoning
295 Test or an equivalent score on the ACT Assessment Program; or
296 e. Has been recognized by the National Hispanic Recognition
297 Program as a scholar recipient and has attained a score of at
298 least 1400 on the combined reading and mathematics sections of
299 the SAT Reasoning Test or an equivalent score on the ACT
300 Assessment Program.
301 2. Has completed a program of community service work, as
302 approved by the district school board or the administrators of a
303 nonpublic school, which shall include a minimum of 75 hours of
304 service work and require the student to identify a social
305 problem that interests him or her, develop a plan for his or her
306 personal involvement in addressing the problem, and, through
307 papers or other presentations, evaluate and reflect upon his or
308 her experience.
309 (2)(a) For purposes of this section, the term “tuition and
310 fees” includes the following fees to the extent assessed by a
311 community college or state university:
312 1. Tuition.
313 2. Financial aid fee.
314 3. Activity and service fee.
315 4. Health fee.
316 5. Athletic fee.
317 6. Capital improvement fee.
318 7. Building fee.
319 8. Transportation access fee.
320 9. Student affairs facility use fee.
321 10. Tuition differential fee.
322 (b) Beginning with Florida Bright Futures Scholarships
323 initially awarded for the 2011 fall term, the amount of awards
324 pursuant to subsection (1) shall be as follows:
325 1. A Level I award shall pay 100 percent of the cost of
326 tuition and fees that a student incurs while enrolled in a
327 certificate, diploma, or associate degree program at a community
328 college or career center. A student who completes an associate
329 degree program is eligible for a Level II award for the cost of
330 tuition and fees for a baccalaureate degree program at a
331 community college, a state university, or a comparable eligible
332 independent postsecondary education institution pursuant to s.
333 1009.533.
334 2. A Level II award shall pay 25 percent of the cost of
335 tuition and fees that a student incurs while enrolled in a
336 baccalaureate degree program at a state university or a fixed
337 amount calculated according to s. 1009.538 at a comparable
338 eligible independent postsecondary education institution
339 pursuant to s. 1009.533. A student who is eligible for a Level
340 II award is eligible for a Level I award if the student enrolls
341 at a community college or career center.
342 3. A Level III award shall pay 50 percent of the cost of
343 tuition and fees that a student incurs while enrolled in a
344 baccalaureate degree program at a state university or a fixed
345 amount calculated according to s. 1009.538 at a comparable
346 eligible independent postsecondary education institution
347 pursuant to s. 1009.533. A student who is eligible for a Level
348 III award is eligible for a Level I award if the student enrolls
349 at a community college or career center.
350 4. A Level IV award shall pay 75 percent of the cost of
351 tuition and fees that a student incurs while enrolled in a
352 baccalaureate degree program at a state university or a fixed
353 amount calculated according to s. 1009.538 at a comparable
354 eligible independent postsecondary education institution
355 pursuant to s. 1009.533. A student who is eligible for a Level
356 IV award is eligible for a Level I award if the student enrolls
357 at a community college or career center.
358 5. A Level V award shall pay 100 percent of the cost of
359 tuition and fees that a student incurs while enrolled in a
360 baccalaureate degree program at a state university or a fixed
361 amount calculated according to s. 1009.538 at a comparable
362 eligible independent postsecondary education institution
363 pursuant to s. 1009.533. A student who is eligible for a Level V
364 award is eligible for a Level I award if the student enrolls at
365 a community college or career center.
366 (3) To be eligible to renew any of the five levels of
367 awards, a student must maintain the equivalent of a cumulative
368 grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale and meet the
369 eligibility requirements for renewal under s. 1009.532.
370 Section 4. Subsection (1) of section 1009.532, Florida
371 Statutes, is amended to read:
372 1009.532 Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program;
373 student eligibility requirements for renewal awards.—
374 (1) To be eligible to renew a scholarship from any of the
375 three types of scholarships or, beginning with initial awards
376 for the 2011 fall term, from any of the five levels of
377 scholarships under the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship
378 Program, a student must:
379 (a) Effective for students funded in the 2009-2010 academic
380 year and thereafter, earn at least 24 semester credit hours or
381 the equivalent in the last academic year in which the student
382 earned a scholarship if the student was enrolled full time, or a
383 prorated number of credit hours as determined by the Department
384 of Education if the student was enrolled less than full time for
385 any part of the academic year. If a student fails to earn the
386 minimum number of hours required to renew the scholarship, the
387 student shall lose his or her eligibility for renewal for a
388 period equivalent to 1 academic year. Such student is eligible
389 to restore the award the following academic year if the student
390 earns the hours for which he or she was enrolled at the level
391 defined by the department and meets the grade point average for
392 renewal. A student is eligible for such restoration one time.
393 The department shall notify eligible recipients of the
394 provisions of this paragraph. Each institution shall notify
395 award recipients of the provisions of this paragraph during the
396 registration process.
397 (b) Maintain the cumulative grade point average required by
398 the scholarship program, except that:
399 1. If a recipient’s grades fall beneath the average
400 required to renew a Florida Academic Scholarship, but are
401 sufficient to renew a Florida Medallion Scholarship or a Florida
402 Gold Seal Vocational Scholarship, the Department of Education
403 may grant a renewal from one of those other scholarship
404 programs, if the student meets the renewal eligibility
405 requirements;
406 2. If, at any time during the eligibility period, a
407 student’s grades are insufficient to renew the scholarship, the
408 student may restore eligibility by improving the grade point
409 average to the required level. A student is eligible for such a
410 restoration one time. The Legislature encourages education
411 institutions to assist students to calculate whether or not it
412 is possible to raise the grade point average during the summer
413 term. If the institution determines that it is possible, the
414 education institution may so inform the department, which may
415 reserve the student’s award if funds are available. The renewal,
416 however, must not be granted until the student achieves the
417 required cumulative grade point average. If the summer term is
418 not sufficient to raise the grade point average to the required
419 renewal level, the student’s next opportunity for renewal is the
420 fall semester of the following academic year; or
421 3. If a student is receiving a Florida Bright Futures
422 Scholarship, is a servicemember of the Florida National Guard or
423 United States Reserves while attending a postsecondary
424 institution, is called to active duty or state active duty, as
425 defined in s. 250.01, prior to completing his or her degree, and
426 meets all other requirements for the scholarship, the student
427 shall be eligible to continue the scholarship for 2 years after
428 completing active duty or state active duty.
429 (c) Reimburse or make satisfactory arrangements to
430 reimburse the institution for the award amount received for
431 courses dropped after the end of the drop and add period or
432 courses from which the student withdraws after the end of the
433 drop and add period unless the student has received an exception
434 pursuant to s. 1009.53(11).
435 Section 5. Section 1009.538, Florida Statutes, is amended
436 to read:
437 1009.538 Bright Futures Scholarship recipients attending
438 nonpublic institutions; calculation of awards.—
439 (1) Notwithstanding ss. 1009.53, 1009.534, 1009.535, and
440 1009.536, a student who receives any award under the Florida
441 Bright Futures Scholarship Program, who is enrolled in a
442 nonpublic postsecondary education institution, and who is
443 assessed tuition and fees that are the same as those of a full
444 time student at that institution, shall receive a fixed award
445 calculated by using the average tuition and fee calculation as
446 prescribed by the Department of Education for full-time
447 attendance at a public postsecondary education institution at
448 the comparable level. If the student is enrolled part-time and
449 is assessed tuition and fees at a reduced level, the award shall
450 be either one-half of the maximum award or three-fourths of the
451 maximum award, depending on the level of fees assessed.
452 (2) Notwithstanding ss. 1009.53 and 1009.5315, a student
453 who receives an initial award under the Florida Bright Futures
454 Scholarship Program beginning with the 2011 fall term, who is
455 enrolled in a nonpublic postsecondary education institution, and
456 who is assessed tuition and fees that are the same as those of a
457 full-time student at that institution shall receive a fixed
458 award calculated by using the average tuition and fee
459 calculation pursuant to s. 1009.5315 as prescribed by the
460 Department of Education for full-time attendance at a public
461 postsecondary education institution at the comparable level. If
462 the student is enrolled part-time and is assessed tuition and
463 fees at a reduced level, the award shall be either one-half of
464 the maximum award or three-fourths of the maximum award,
465 depending on the level of fees assessed.
466 Section 6. Paragraph (d) of subsection (4) and paragraph
467 (b) of subsection (16) of section 1009.24, Florida Statutes, are
468 amended to read:
469 1009.24 State university student fees.—
470 (4)
471 (d) The sum of the activity and service, health, and
472 athletic fees a student is required to pay to register for a
473 course shall not exceed 40 percent of the tuition established in
474 law or in the General Appropriations Act. No university shall be
475 required to lower any fee in effect on the effective date of
476 this act in order to comply with this subsection. Within the 40
477 percent cap, universities may not increase the aggregate sum of
478 activity and service, health, and athletic fees more than 5
479 percent per year unless specifically authorized in law or in the
480 General Appropriations Act. A university may increase its
481 athletic fee to defray the costs associated with changing
482 National Collegiate Athletic Association divisions. Any such
483 increase in the athletic fee may exceed both the 40 percent cap
484 and the 5 percent cap imposed by this subsection. Any such
485 increase must be approved by the athletic fee committee in the
486 process outlined in subsection (12) and cannot exceed $2 per
487 credit hour. Notwithstanding the provisions of ss. 1009.534,
488 1009.535, and 1009.536, that portion of any increase in an
489 athletic fee pursuant to this subsection that causes the sum of
490 the activity and service, health, and athletic fees to exceed
491 the 40 percent cap or the annual increase in such fees to exceed
492 the 5 percent cap shall not be included in calculating the
493 amount a student receives for a Florida Academic Scholars award,
494 a Florida Medallion Scholars award, or a Florida Gold Seal
495 Vocational Scholars award. Notwithstanding the provisions of s.
496 1009.5315, that portion of any increase in an athletic fee
497 pursuant to this subsection which causes the sum of the activity
498 and service, health, and athletic fees to exceed the 40 percent
499 cap or the annual increase in such fees to exceed the 5 percent
500 cap shall not be included in calculating the amount a student
501 receives for a Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program award.
502 (16) Each university board of trustees may establish a
503 tuition differential for undergraduate courses upon receipt of
504 approval from the Board of Governors. The tuition differential
505 shall promote improvements in the quality of undergraduate
506 education and shall provide financial aid to undergraduate
507 students who exhibit financial need.
508 (b) Each tuition differential is subject to the following
509 conditions:
510 1. The tuition differential may be assessed on one or more
511 undergraduate courses or on all undergraduate courses at a state
512 university.
513 2. The tuition differential may vary by course or courses,
514 campus or center location, and by institution. Each university
515 board of trustees shall strive to maintain and increase
516 enrollment in degree programs related to math, science, high
517 technology, and other state or regional high-need fields when
518 establishing tuition differentials by course.
519 3. For each state university that has total research and
520 development expenditures for all fields of at least $100 million
521 per year as reported annually to the National Science
522 Foundation, the aggregate sum of tuition and the tuition
523 differential may not be increased by more than 15 percent of the
524 total charged for the aggregate sum of these fees in the
525 preceding fiscal year. For each state university that has total
526 research and development expenditures for all fields of less
527 than $100 million per year as reported annually to the National
528 Science Foundation, the aggregate sum of tuition and the tuition
529 differential may not be increased by more than 15 percent of the
530 total charged for the aggregate sum of these fees in the
531 preceding fiscal year.
532 4. The aggregate sum of undergraduate tuition and fees per
533 credit hour, including the tuition differential, may not exceed
534 the national average of undergraduate tuition and fees at 4-year
535 degree-granting public postsecondary educational institutions.
536 5. The tuition differential may not be calculated as a part
537 of the scholarship programs established in ss. 1009.53-1009.538.
538 However, beginning with initial awards for the 2011 fall term
539 under the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program, the
540 tuition differential shall be included in the calculation for an
541 award pursuant to ss. 1009.5315 and 1009.538.
542 6. Beneficiaries having prepaid tuition contracts pursuant
543 to s. 1009.98(2)(b) which were in effect on July 1, 2007, and
544 which remain in effect, are exempt from the payment of the
545 tuition differential.
546 7. The tuition differential may not be charged to any
547 student who was in attendance at the university before July 1,
548 2007, and who maintains continuous enrollment.
549 8. The tuition differential may be waived by the university
550 for students who meet the eligibility requirements for the
551 Florida public student assistance grant established in s.
552 1009.50.
553 9. Subject to approval by the Board of Governors, the
554 tuition differential authorized pursuant to this subsection may
555 take effect with the 2009 fall term.
556 Section 7. This act shall take effect July 1, 2010.