Florida Senate - 2017 SB 1490
By Senator Thurston
33-00610B-17 20171490__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to the Florida College System Minority
3 Need-Based Grant Program; creating s. 1009.895, F.S.;
4 creating the grant program within the Department of
5 Education; requiring the Office of Student Financial
6 Assistance to administer the program; providing the
7 purpose of the program and student eligibility
8 requirements; specifying funding and a funding
9 priority; providing the renewal requirements for the
10 grant awards; providing rulemaking; providing an
11 effective date.
12
13 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
14
15 Section 1. Section 1009.895, Florida Statutes, is created
16 to read:
17 1009.895 Florida College System Minority Need-Based Grant
18 Program.—Beginning with the 2017-2018 school year, the Florida
19 College System (FCS) Minority Need-Based Grant Program is
20 created within the Department of Education. The grant program
21 shall be administered by the Office of Student Financial
22 Assistance.
23 (1) PURPOSE.—The purpose of the FCS Minority Need-Based
24 Grant Program is to provide educational opportunities to
25 African-American, Hispanic-American, Asian-American, and Native
26 American disadvantaged students enrolled in science, technology,
27 engineering, and math (STEM) programs in this state and who
28 demonstrate a financial need.
29 (2) STUDENT ELIGIBILITY.—To be eligible for an award under
30 the grant program, a student must meet all of the following
31 requirements:
32 (a) Be a state resident, as determined in s. 1009.40 and
33 rules of the State Board of Education.
34 (b) Earn a standard Florida high school diploma or its
35 equivalent pursuant to s. 1002.3105, s. 1003.4281, s. 1003.4282,
36 or s. 1003.435 unless:
37 1. The student completes a home education program according
38 to s. 1002.41; or
39 2. The student earns a high school diploma from a non
40 Florida school while living with a parent or guardian who is on
41 a military or public service assignment out of this state.
42 (c) Be accepted by and enrolled in an eligible FCS
43 institution.
44 (d) Be enrolled for at least 6 semester credit hours or the
45 equivalent in quarter hours or clock hours in a STEM program.
46 (e) Not have been found guilty of, or have entered a plea
47 of nolo contendere to, a felony charge, unless the student has
48 been granted clemency by the Governor and Cabinet sitting as the
49 Executive Office of Clemency.
50 (f) Apply for, and be awarded, Pell Grant funds.
51 (g) Complete 75 hours of volunteer or community service
52 work.
53 (h) Demonstrate readiness for postsecondary education by
54 earning a passing score on the College Placement Test or its
55 equivalent, as identified by the department.
56 (i) Achieve a 2.75-3.00 weighted grade point average (GPA).
57 (j) Achieve a minimum score of 970 on the SAT or 20 on the
58 ACT.
59 (3) FUNDING.—Funding for the grant program shall be as
60 provided in the General Appropriations Act. Seventy percent of
61 the funds must be provided to African-American students.
62 (4) AWARD RENEWAL.—To be eligible to renew an award under
63 the grant program, a student must maintain the equivalent of a
64 2.75 cumulative GPA or higher and earn at least 6 credit hours
65 for each semester funded.
66 (5) RULES.—The State Board of Education shall adopt rules
67 to implement this section.
68 Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2017.