SB 86 — Student Financial Aid

requiring that students meet specified statutory requirements;

requiring that students demonstrate readiness for enrollment in a postsecondary clock hour program by meeting a specified requirement, demonstrating specified literacy and numeracy skills, or by enrolling in an Integrated Education and Training program;

specifying criteria for continuing eligibility and for a renewal award;

prohibiting institutions from imposing additional criteria to determine a student’s initial eligibility;

providing that students are eligible to receive award amounts equal to certain tuition and registration fees;

requiring program awards to be allocated on a first come, first-served basis, with returning students given priority over new students;

requiring funds to be distributed to eligible institutions based on a formula approved by the state board;

requiring that the formula take into account specified criteria;

requiring that grants be transmitted to institutions in advance of the registration period;

requiring institutions to notify students of award amounts;

requiring institutions to determine the eligibility status of each student at a specified time;

prohibiting institutions from being required to reevaluate student eligibility after the specified time;

requiring institutions to report specified information to the department;

requiring institutions to remit to the department any undisbursed advances within a specified timeframe;

requiring the state board to adopt rules;

94187 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

96189 Section 1. Section 1006.75, Florida Statutes, is created to read:

To lift the hold and register for classes, each student must:shall:

and 3. Be directed to the dashboard established in subsection (1);(1).

and 4. Affirmatively indicate that he or she has been provided with the information required under this paragraph and is aware of the employment and wage prospects for his or her declared major.

Section 3. Paragraph (a) of subsection (1) of section 1009.40, Florida Statutes, is amendedamended, and paragraph (c) is added to that subsection, to read:

1009.71, s.

1009.711, s.

(c) Eligibility for funding for state merit-based scholarship program awards under the Bright Futures Scholarship Program and the Benacquisto Scholarship Program is contingent upon a student meeting the minimum requirements specified in paragraphs (a) and (b) and any additional requirements specified in ss.

1009.531, 1009.532, 1009.534, 1009.535, 1009.536, and 1009.893, subject to the following:

1. Beginning with students who initially receive an award in the 2023-2024 academic year:

a. A student enrolled in an associate in arts degree program, or a student enrolled in a state university who has not been admitted to an academic program, may receive an award up to the maximum amount established for the scholarship program for a maximum of 60 credit hours.

b. A student enrolled in a certificate program, technical diploma program, career degree program, or major as a part of a baccalaureate degree program:

(I) May receive an award up to the maximum amount established for the program if the certificate, diploma, career degree, or major is not identified on the list established pursuant to s.

1009.46(2)(a).

(II) May receive a reduced award from the maximum established for the program in the General Appropriations Act if the certificate, diploma, career degree, or major is identified on the list established pursuant to s.

1009.46(2)(a).

2. Student eligibility for a reduced award from the maximum award established for the scholarship program, as determined in the General Appropriations Act, applies to a program of study that was identified on the list pursuant to s.

1009.46(2)(a) at the time of the student’s initial enrollment, or if the student changes his or her major program to a program identified on the list.

A student may receive a maximum award established for the program if the program of study is removed from the list after the student’s initial enrollment, but before the student’s admission to the major.

3. Before disbursement of an award, each postsecondary educational institution shall verify that the funding level a student is provided aligns with the provisions established in this paragraph.

Section 10. Subsections10. Paragraph (1)(c) andis (2)added to subsection (3) of section 1009.534,1009.532, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:

1009.532 Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program;

student eligibility requirements for renewal awards.— (3)  (c) Notwithstanding paragraph (a), beginning with students initially funded in the 2022-2023 academic year, the maximum number of credit hours which can be awarded must be reduced by the number of postsecondary credit hours the student has earned from articulated acceleration mechanisms under s.

1007.27 which are accepted by the postsecondary educational institution toward the requirements of a career certificate, an applied technology diploma, an associate in applied science degree, or an associate in science degree or in partial fulfillment of general education coursework requirements of an associate or baccalaureate degree.

Section 11. Subsections (1) and (2) of section 1009.534, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:

440584 The student must complete a program of volunteer service work, as approved by the district school board, the administrators of a nonpublic school, or the Department of Education for home education program students, which must include a minimum of 75 hours of service work for high school students graduating in the 2010-2011 academic year and 100 hours of service work for high school students graduating in the 2011-2012 academic year and thereafter.

Section 11. Subsections12. Section (1)1009.5341, and (2) of section 1009.535, Florida Statutes, areis amended to read:

1009.5341 Florida Bright Futures Scholarship awards for graduate study.— (1) For the 2021-2022 academic year, Florida Bright Futures Scholarship recipients who graduate in the 2010-2011 academic year and thereafter with a baccalaureate degree in 7 semesters, or the equivalent or fewer hours, and wish to pursue graduate study may apply the unused portion of their Florida Academic Scholars award or Florida Medallion Scholars award toward 1 semester of graduate study, not to exceed 15 semester hours paid at the undergraduate rate.

A baccalaureate degree may include, but is not limited to, college credits earned through articulated acceleration mechanisms pursuant to s.

1007.27.

(2) Beginning with the 2022-2023 academic year, a Florida Bright Futures Scholarship recipient may apply the unused portion of his or her Florida Academic Scholars award or Florida Medallion Scholars award toward graduate study in a degree field that is not identified on a list developed pursuant to s.

1009.46(2)(a), which must be paid at the undergraduate rate.

Section 13. Subsections (1) and (2) of section 1009.535, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:

524688 A high school student graduating in the 2011-2012 academic year and thereafter must complete at least 75 hours of volunteer service work approved by the district school board, the administrators of a nonpublic school, or the Department of Education for home education program students.

Section 12. Paragraph14. Section (b)1009.71, of subsection (4) and subsection (5) of section 1009.893, Florida Statutes, areis amendedcreated to read:

1009.71 Florida Bright Opportunities Grant Program.— (1) ESTABLISHMENT;

PURPOSE.—The Florida Bright Opportunities Grant Program is established and shall be administered by the participating institutions in accordance with rules of the State Board of Education.

The program shall provide an award equal to the amount necessary to cover tuition and registration fees, after applying all other federal and state financial aid, for eligible students at a Florida College System institution, a career center operated by a district school board under s.

1001.44, or a charter technical career center under s.

1002.34.

(2) ELIGIBILITY.—In order to be eligible for the program, a student must have a tuition and registration fee balance not covered by all federal financial and state financial aid, and:

(a) Be enrolled as a student seeking a degree or career certificate in an associate degree, technical certificate, applied technology diploma, or clock hour certificate program at a Florida College System institution, or a clock hour career certificate or diploma program at a district career center or charter technical career center.

The students must be enrolled for at least 6 semester hours or the equivalent per term at a Florida College System institution, district career center, or charter technical career center;

(b) Meet the requirements under s.

1009.40(1)(a)2.

and 3.

and (c);

and (c) Qualify and remain eligible each academic year for the Pell Grant.

755 An institution may not impose additional criteria to determine a student’s eligibility to receive a grant under this section.

(3) GRANT AWARD.—The program shall:

(a) Cover remaining tuition and registration fees, with a stipend for books as specified in the General Appropriations Act, for eligible students after all other federal and state financial aid is applied to tuition and fees.

(b) Be allocated, subject to the availability of funding, on a first-come, first-served basis.

The award may not exceed the cost of tuition and fees at that institution, plus a stipend for books as determined in the General Appropriations Act.

Returning students shall receive priority over new students.

(4) AWARD DURATION.—A student is eligible to receive an award for the number of semesters or quarters specified in s.

1009.40(3).

(5) DISTRIBUTION OF FUNDS.— (a) The funds appropriated for the program must be distributed to eligible institutions in accordance with a formula approved by the State Board of Education.

The formula must take into account at least the prior year’s distribution of funds and the number of eligible applicants who did not receive awards.

(b) Subject to appropriation by the Legislature, payment of grants must be transmitted to the institution in advance of the registration period.

Institutions shall notify students of the amount of their awards.

(c) The eligibility status of each student to receive a disbursement must be determined by each institution as of the end of its regular registration period, inclusive of a drop-add period.

Institutions may not be required to reevaluate a student’s eligibility status after this date for purposes of changing eligibility determinations previously made.

(d) Each participating institution shall report to the department by the established date the number of students eligible for the program for each academic term.

Each institution also shall report to the department any necessary demographic and eligibility data for such students.

(e) Institutions shall certify to the department within 30 days after the end of regular registration each term the amount of funds disbursed to each student.

Institutions shall remit to the department any undisbursed advances for the fall, spring, and summer terms within 30 days after the end of the summer term.

(6) RULES.—The State Board of Education shall adopt rules to implement this section.

Section 15. Section 1009.711, Florida Statutes, is created to read:

1009.711 Florida Endeavor Scholarship Program.— (1) ESTABLISHMENT;

PURPOSE.—The Florida Endeavor Scholarship Program is established and shall be administered by participating institutions in accordance with rules of the State Board of Education.

The program shall provide an award equal to the amount necessary to cover tuition, registration, and testing fees, including high school equivalency diploma test fees, for eligible students at a Florida College System institution, a career center operated by a district school board under s.

1001.44, or a charter technical career center under s.

1002.34.

(2) ELIGIBILITY.—In order to be eligible for the program, a student may not have earned a high school credential before enrolling at the institution, and must:

(a) Be enrolled in a career certificate or noncollege credit applied technology diploma program or in a General Education Program at a Florida College System institution, a district career center, or a charter technical career center;

(b) Meet the requirements under s.

1009.40(1)(a)2.

and 3.

and (c);

(c) Demonstrate readiness for enrollment in a postsecondary clock hour program.

The student shall:

1. Meet the basic skills assessment requirement for the certificate or diploma program;

2. Demonstrate grade 9 level or above literacy and numeracy skills on an assessment approved by the State Board of Education for basic skills;

or 3. Enroll for at least one term in a school district or Florida College System institution Integrated Education and Training program.

(d) To maintain eligibility after the initial term of enrollment, a student must demonstrate progress toward the completion of a clock hour certificate or diploma program through attendance and successful completion of program standards.

A student who does not maintain attendance and progress toward completion of courses in the program is not eligible for a renewal award.

839 An institution may not impose additional criteria to determine a student’s initial eligibility to receive a grant under this section.

(3) SCHOLARSHIP AWARD.—A student is eligible to receive an award equal to the amount to cover tuition and registration fees for a career certificate or applied technology diploma program for the number of semesters or quarters specified in s.

1009.40(3).

The award may not exceed the cost of tuition and registration fees at that institution.

The institution shall award scholarships subject to the availability of funding, on a first-come, first-served basis.

Returning students must be given priority over new students.

(4) DISTRIBUTION OF FUNDS.— (a) The funds appropriated for the program must be distributed to eligible institutions in accordance with a formula approved by the State Board of Education.

The formula must take into account at least the prior year’s distribution of funds and the number of eligible applicants who did not receive awards.

(b) Subject to the appropriation of funds by the Legislature, the department shall transmit payment of grants to the institution in advance of the registration period.

Institutions shall notify students of the amount of their awards.

(c) The eligibility status of each student to receive a disbursement must be determined by each institution as of the end of its regular registration period, inclusive of a drop-add period.

Institutions may not be required to reevaluate a student’s eligibility status after this date for purposes of changing eligibility determinations previously made.

(d) Each participating institution shall report to the department by the established date the number of students eligible for the program for each academic term.

Each institution also shall report to the department any necessary demographic and eligibility data for such students.

(e) Institutions shall certify to the department within 30 days after the end of regular registration each term the amount of funds disbursed to each student.

Institutions shall remit to the department any undisbursed advances for the fall, spring, and summer terms within 30 days after the end of the summer term.

(5) RULES.—The State Board of Education shall adopt rules to implement this section.

Section 16. Paragraph (b) of subsection (4) and subsection (5) of section 1009.893, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:

Section 13. This17. This act shall take effect July 1, 2021.