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2015 Florida Statutes

Title XLVIII K-20 EDUCATION CODE
Chapter 1009 EDUCATIONAL SCHOLARSHIPS, FEES, AND FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE Entire Chapter
SECTION 893
Florida National Merit Scholar Incentive Program.
F.S. 1009.893
1009.893 Florida National Merit Scholar Incentive Program.—
(1) As used in this section, the term:
(a) “Department” means the Department of Education.
(b) “Incentive program” means the Florida National Merit Scholar Incentive Program.
(2) The Florida National Merit Scholar Incentive Program is created to reward any Florida high school graduate who receives recognition as a National Merit Scholar or National Achievement Scholar and who initially enrolls in the 2014-2015 academic year or, later, in a baccalaureate degree program at an eligible Florida public or independent postsecondary educational institution.
(3) The department shall administer the incentive program according to rules and procedures established by the State Board of Education. The department shall advertise the availability of the incentive program and notify students, teachers, parents, certified school counselors, and principals or other relevant school administrators of the criteria.
(4) In order to be eligible for an award under the incentive program, a student must:
(a) Be a state resident as determined in s. 1009.40 and rules of the State Board of Education;
(b) Earn a standard Florida high school diploma or its equivalent pursuant to s. 1002.3105, s. 1003.4281, s. 1003.4282, or s. 1003.435 unless:
1. The student completes a home education program according to s. 1002.41; or
2. The student earns a high school diploma from a non-Florida school while living with a parent who is on military or public service assignment out of this state;
(c) Be accepted by and enroll in a Florida public or independent postsecondary educational institution that is regionally accredited; and
(d) Be enrolled full-time in a baccalaureate degree program at an eligible regionally accredited Florida public or independent postsecondary educational institution during the fall academic term following high school graduation.
(5)(a) An eligible student who is a National Merit Scholar or National Achievement Scholar and who attends a Florida public postsecondary educational institution shall receive an incentive award equal to the institutional cost of attendance minus the sum of the student’s Florida Bright Futures Scholarship and National Merit Scholarship or National Achievement Scholarship.
(b) An eligible student who is a National Merit Scholar or National Achievement Scholar and who attends a Florida independent postsecondary educational institution shall receive an incentive award equal to the highest cost of attendance at a Florida public university, as reported by the Board of Governors of the State University System, minus the sum of the student’s Florida Bright Futures Scholarship and National Merit Scholarship or National Achievement Scholarship.
(6)(a) To be eligible for a renewal award, a student must earn all credits for which he or she was enrolled and maintain a 3.0 or higher grade point average.
(b) A student may receive the incentive award for a maximum of 100 percent of the number of credit hours required to complete a baccalaureate degree program, or until completion of a baccalaureate degree program, whichever comes first.
(7) The department shall annually issue awards from the incentive program. Before the registration period each semester, the department shall transmit payment for each award to the president or director of the postsecondary educational institution, or his or her representative, except that the department may withhold payment if the receiving institution fails to report or to make refunds to the department as required in this section.
(a) Each institution shall certify to the department the eligibility status of each student to receive a disbursement within 30 days before the end of its regular registration period, inclusive of a drop and add period. An institution is not required to reevaluate the student eligibility after the end of the drop and add period.
(b) An institution that receives funds from the incentive program must certify to the department the amount of funds disbursed to each student and remit to the department any undisbursed advances within 60 days after the end of regular registration.
(c) If funds appropriated are not adequate to provide the maximum allowable award to each eligible student, awards must be prorated using the same percentage reduction.
(8) Funds from any award within the incentive program may not be used to pay for remedial coursework or developmental education.
(9) A student may use an award for a summer term if funds are available and appropriated by the Legislature.
(10) The department shall allocate funds to the appropriate institutions and collect and maintain data regarding the incentive program within the student financial assistance database as specified in s. 1009.94.
(11) Section 1009.40(4) does not apply to awards issued under this section.
(12) The State Board of Education shall adopt rules necessary to administer this section.
History.—s. 26, ch. 2014-56.