The Florida Senate

240.409  Florida Public Student Assistance Grant Program; eligibility for grants.--

(1)  There is hereby created a Florida Public Student Assistance Grant Program to be administered by the Department of Education in accordance with rules of the state board.

(2)

(a)  State student assistance grants through the program may be made only to full-time degree-seeking students who meet the general requirements for student eligibility as provided in s. 240.404, except as otherwise provided in this section. Such grants shall be awarded annually for the amount of demonstrated unmet need for the cost of education and may not exceed an amount equal to the average prior academic year cost of tuition and matriculation fees for 30 credit hours at state universities or such other amount as specified in the General Appropriations Act, to any recipient. A demonstrated unmet need of less than $200 shall render the applicant ineligible for a state student assistance grant. Recipients of such grants must have been accepted at a state university or community college authorized by Florida law. No student may receive an award for more than the equivalent of 9 semesters or 14 quarters in a period of not more than 6 consecutive years, except as otherwise provided in s. 240.404(3).

(b)  A student applying for a Florida public student assistance grant shall be required to apply for the Pell Grant. The Pell Grant entitlement shall be considered by the department when conducting an assessment of the financial resources available to each student.

(c)  The criteria and procedure for establishing standards of eligibility shall be determined by the department. The department is directed to establish a rating system upon which to base the approval of grants, and such system shall include a certification of acceptability by the state university or community college of the applicant's choice and the use of a nationally recognized system of need analysis. Priority in the distribution of grant moneys shall be given to students with the lowest total family resources, as determined pursuant to this subsection, taking into consideration the receipt of Pell Grants and student contributions to educational costs.

(d)  The department is directed to establish, for fall enrollment, an initial application deadline for students attending all eligible institutions and an additional application deadline for community college applicants who apply after the initial application deadline. The second community college deadline shall be at the close of each institution's drop-add period. The department shall reserve an amount to be designated annually in the General Appropriations Act for the purpose of providing awards to community college students who apply for a student assistance grant after the initial application deadline. Community college applicants who apply during the initial application period and are eligible to receive an award, but do not receive an award because of insufficient funds, shall have their applications reconsidered with those community college applicants who apply after the initial application deadline. The provisions of this paragraph shall take effect beginning with the 1990-1991 academic year.

(3)  Based on the unmet financial need of an eligible applicant, the full amount of a Florida public student assistance grant must be between $200 and $1,500 per academic year or the amount specified in the General Appropriations Act. When funds are not sufficient to make full awards to all eligible applicants, the department shall reduce the amount of each recipient's grant award pro rata. For any year in which a pro rata grant reduction is necessary, such adjustment shall be made by reducing the second semester or the second and third quarter award disbursements to grant recipients. In each such instance, institutions shall notify students of award adjustments.

(4)  In the event that a Florida public student assistance grant recipient transfers from one institution eligible under this section, s. 240.4095, or s. 240.4097 to another, his or her eligibility shall be transferable upon approval of the department. When approved by the department, the amount of the unmet need shall be recalculated for the new institution and shall be adjusted accordingly.

(5)

(a)  Payment of Florida public student assistance grants may be transmitted to the president of the state university or community college which the recipient is attending, or to his or her representative, in advance of the registration period. Institutions shall notify students of the amount of their awards.

(b)  Institutions shall certify to the department, within 30 days of the end of regular registration, the eligibility status of each awarded student. The eligibility status of each student to receive a disbursement shall be determined by each institution as of the end of its regular registration period, inclusive of a drop-add period. Institutions shall not be required to reevaluate a student's eligibility status after this date for purposes of amending eligibility determinations previously made. However, an institution shall be required to make refunds for students who receive award disbursements and terminate enrollment for any reason during the academic term when an institution's refund policies permit a student to receive a refund under these circumstances.

(c)  Institutions shall certify to the department the amount of funds disbursed to each student and shall remit to the department any undisbursed advances within 60 days of the end of regular registration.

(6)  Funds appropriated by the Legislature for state student assistance grants shall be deposited in the State Student Financial Assistance Trust Fund. Notwithstanding the provisions of s. 216.301 and pursuant to s. 216.351, any balance in the trust fund at the end of any fiscal year that has been allocated to the Florida Public Student Assistance Grant Program shall remain therein and shall be available for carrying out the purposes of this section.

(7)  The State Board of Education shall establish rules necessary to implement this section.

History.--ss. 1, 2, 3, ch. 72-199; s. 70, ch. 72-221; s. 4, ch. 73-273; s. 1, ch. 78-66; s. 68, ch. 79-222; s. 6, ch. 83-291; s. 43, ch. 84-336; s. 69, ch. 87-224; s. 15, ch. 89-207; s. 3, ch. 89-367; s. 6, ch. 90-236; s. 22, ch. 91-55; s. 4, ch. 91-186; s. 9, ch. 92-144; s. 60, ch. 95-148; s. 10, ch. 95-376; s. 30, ch. 95-430.

Note.--Former s. 239.461.