Bill Text: FL S0520 | 2016 | Regular Session | Introduced

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program

Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2016-03-02 - Laid on Table, companion bill(s) passed, see CS/HB 793 (Ch. 2016-91) [S0520 Detail]

Download: Florida-2016-S0520-Introduced.html

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       Florida Senate - 2016                                     SB 520
       
       
        
       By Senator Lee
       
       
       
       
       
       24-00478-16                                            2016520__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to the Florida Bright Futures
    3         Scholarship Program; amending s. 1009.531, F.S.;
    4         providing that the initial award period and the
    5         renewal period for students who are unable to accept
    6         an initial award immediately after completion of high
    7         school due to a full-time religious or service
    8         obligation begin upon the completion of the religious
    9         or service obligation; specifying requirements for an
   10         entity that is sponsoring the obligation; requiring
   11         verification from the entity for which the student
   12         completed such obligation; revising eligibility
   13         requirements for the Florida Bright Futures
   14         Scholarship Program; deleting obsolete provisions;
   15         amending ss. 1009.534, 1009.535, and 1009.536, F.S.;
   16         requiring a student, as a prerequisite for the Florida
   17         Academic Scholars award, the Florida Medallion
   18         Scholars award, or the Florida Gold Seal Vocational
   19         Scholars award, to identify a social or civic issue or
   20         a professional area of interest and develop a plan for
   21         his or her personal involvement in addressing the
   22         issue or learning about the area; prohibiting the
   23         student from receiving remuneration or academic credit
   24         for the volunteer service work performed except in
   25         certain circumstances; requiring the hours of
   26         volunteer service work to be documented in writing and
   27         signed by the student, the student’s parent or
   28         guardian, and a representative of the organization for
   29         which the student performed the volunteer service
   30         work; providing an effective date.
   31          
   32  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   33  
   34         Section 1. Paragraph (c) of subsection (2) and paragraphs
   35  (a) and (b) of subsection (6) of section 1009.531, Florida
   36  Statutes, are amended to read:
   37         1009.531 Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program;
   38  student eligibility requirements for initial awards.—
   39         (2)
   40         (c) A student graduating from high school in the 2012-2013
   41  academic year and thereafter is eligible to accept an initial
   42  award for 2 years following high school graduation and to accept
   43  a renewal award for 5 years following high school graduation. A
   44  student who applies for an award by high school graduation and
   45  who meets all other eligibility requirements, but who does not
   46  accept his or her award, may reapply during subsequent
   47  application periods up to 2 years after high school graduation.
   48  For a student who enlists in the United States Armed Forces
   49  immediately after completion of high school, the 2-year
   50  eligibility period for his or her initial award and the 5-year
   51  renewal period shall begin upon the date of separation from
   52  active duty. For a student who is receiving a Florida Bright
   53  Futures Scholarship award and discontinues his or her education
   54  to enlist in the United States Armed Forces, the remainder of
   55  his or her 5-year renewal period shall commence upon the date of
   56  separation from active duty. For a student who is unable to
   57  accept an initial award immediately after completion of high
   58  school due to a full-time religious or service obligation
   59  lasting at least 18 months, the 2-year eligibility period for
   60  his or her initial award and the 5-year renewal period begin
   61  upon the completion of his or her religious or service
   62  obligation. The organization sponsoring the full-time religious
   63  or service obligation must meet the requirements for nonprofit
   64  status under s. 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code or be a
   65  federal government service organization, including, but not
   66  limited to, the Peace Corps and AmeriCorps programs. The
   67  obligation must be documented in writing and verified by the
   68  entity for which the student completed the obligation on a
   69  standardized form prescribed by the department. If a course of
   70  study is not completed after 5 academic years, an exception of 1
   71  year to the renewal timeframe may be granted due to a verifiable
   72  illness or other documented emergency pursuant to s.
   73  1009.40(1)(b)4.
   74         (6)(a) The State Board of Education shall publicize the
   75  examination score required for a student to be eligible for a
   76  Florida Academic Scholars award, pursuant to s. 1009.534(1)(a)
   77  or (b), as follows:
   78         1. For high school students graduating in the 2010-2011 and
   79  2011-2012 academic years, the student must earn an SAT score of
   80  1270 or a concordant ACT score of 28.
   81         2. For high school students graduating in the 2012-2013
   82  academic year, the student must earn an SAT score of 1280 which
   83  corresponds to the 88th SAT percentile rank or a concordant ACT
   84  score of 28.
   85         3. For High school students graduating in the 2013-2014
   86  academic year and thereafter, the student must earn an SAT score
   87  of 1290 which corresponds to the 89th SAT percentile rank or a
   88  concordant ACT score of 29.
   89         (b) The State Board of Education shall publicize the
   90  examination score required for a student to be eligible for a
   91  Florida Medallion Scholars award, pursuant to s. 1009.535(1)(a)
   92  or (b), as follows:
   93         1. For high school students graduating in the 2010-2011
   94  academic year, the student must earn an SAT score of 970 or a
   95  concordant ACT score of 20 or the student in a home education
   96  program whose parent cannot document a college-preparatory
   97  curriculum must earn an SAT score of 1070 or a concordant ACT
   98  score of 23.
   99         2. For high school students graduating in the 2011-2012
  100  academic year, the student must earn an SAT score of 980 which
  101  corresponds to the 44th SAT percentile rank or a concordant ACT
  102  score of 21 or the student in a home education program whose
  103  parent cannot document a college-preparatory curriculum must
  104  earn an SAT score of 1070 or a concordant ACT score of 23.
  105         3. For high school students graduating in the 2012-2013
  106  academic year, the student must earn an SAT score of 1020 which
  107  corresponds to the 51st SAT percentile rank or a concordant ACT
  108  score of 22 or the student in a home education program whose
  109  parent cannot document a college-preparatory curriculum must
  110  earn an SAT score of 1070 or a concordant ACT score of 23.
  111         4. For High school students graduating in the 2013-2014
  112  academic year and thereafter, the student must earn an SAT score
  113  of 1170 which corresponds to the 75th SAT percentile rank or a
  114  concordant ACT score of 26 or the student in a home education
  115  program whose parent cannot document a college-preparatory
  116  curriculum must earn an SAT score of 1220 or a concordant ACT
  117  score of 27.
  118         Section 2. Subsection (1) of section 1009.534, Florida
  119  Statutes, is amended to read:
  120         1009.534 Florida Academic Scholars award.—
  121         (1) A student is eligible for a Florida Academic Scholars
  122  award if he or she the student meets the general eligibility
  123  requirements for the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program
  124  and the student:
  125         (a) Has achieved a 3.5 weighted grade point average as
  126  calculated pursuant to s. 1009.531, or its equivalent, in high
  127  school courses that are designated by the State Board of
  128  Education as college-preparatory academic courses; and has
  129  attained at least the score required under pursuant to s.
  130  1009.531(6)(a) on the combined verbal and quantitative parts of
  131  the Scholastic Aptitude Test, the Scholastic Assessment Test, or
  132  the recentered Scholastic Assessment Test of the College
  133  Entrance Examination, or an equivalent score on the ACT
  134  Assessment Program;
  135         (b) Has attended a home education program according to s.
  136  1002.41 during grades 11 and 12, or has completed the
  137  International Baccalaureate curriculum but failed to earn the
  138  International Baccalaureate Diploma, or has completed the
  139  Advanced International Certificate of Education curriculum but
  140  failed to earn the Advanced International Certificate of
  141  Education Diploma, and has attained at least the score required
  142  under pursuant to s. 1009.531(6)(a) on the combined verbal and
  143  quantitative parts of the Scholastic Aptitude Test, the
  144  Scholastic Assessment Test, or the recentered Scholastic
  145  Assessment Test of the College Entrance Examination, or an
  146  equivalent score on the ACT Assessment Program;
  147         (c) Has been awarded an International Baccalaureate Diploma
  148  from the International Baccalaureate Office or an Advanced
  149  International Certificate of Education Diploma from the
  150  University of Cambridge International Examinations Office;
  151         (d) Has been recognized by the merit or achievement
  152  programs of the National Merit Scholarship Corporation as a
  153  scholar or finalist; or
  154         (e) Has been recognized by the National Hispanic
  155  Recognition Program as a scholar recipient.
  156  
  157  The A student must complete a program of volunteer community
  158  service work, as approved by the district school board, the
  159  administrators of a nonpublic school, or the Department of
  160  Education for home education program students, which must shall
  161  include a minimum of 75 hours of service work for high school
  162  students graduating in the 2010-2011 academic year and 100 hours
  163  of service work for high school students graduating in the 2011
  164  2012 academic year and thereafter. The student, and must
  165  identify a social or civic issue or a professional area problem
  166  that interests him or her, develop a plan for his or her
  167  personal involvement in addressing the issue or learning about
  168  the area problem, and, through papers or other presentations,
  169  evaluate and reflect upon his or her experience. Except for
  170  credit earned through service-learning courses adopted pursuant
  171  to s. 1003.497, the student may not receive remuneration or
  172  academic credit for the volunteer service work performed. Such
  173  work may include, but is not limited to, a business or
  174  government internship, work for a nonprofit community service
  175  organization, or activity on behalf of a candidate for public
  176  office. The hours of volunteer service must be documented in
  177  writing, and the document must be signed by the student, the
  178  student’s parent or guardian, and a representative of the
  179  organization for which the student performed the volunteer
  180  service work.
  181         Section 3. Subsection (1) of section 1009.535, Florida
  182  Statutes, is amended to read:
  183         1009.535 Florida Medallion Scholars award.—
  184         (1) A student is eligible for a Florida Medallion Scholars
  185  award if he or she the student meets the general eligibility
  186  requirements for the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program
  187  and the student:
  188         (a) Has achieved a weighted grade point average of 3.0 as
  189  calculated pursuant to s. 1009.531, or the equivalent, in high
  190  school courses that are designated by the State Board of
  191  Education as college-preparatory academic courses; and has
  192  attained at least the score required under pursuant to s.
  193  1009.531(6)(b) on the combined verbal and quantitative parts of
  194  the Scholastic Aptitude Test, the Scholastic Assessment Test, or
  195  the recentered Scholastic Assessment Test of the College
  196  Entrance Examination, or an equivalent score on the ACT
  197  Assessment Program;
  198         (b) Has completed the International Baccalaureate
  199  curriculum but failed to earn the International Baccalaureate
  200  Diploma or has completed the Advanced International Certificate
  201  of Education curriculum but failed to earn the Advanced
  202  International Certificate of Education Diploma, and has attained
  203  at least the score required under pursuant to s. 1009.531(6)(b)
  204  on the combined verbal and quantitative parts of the Scholastic
  205  Aptitude Test, the Scholastic Assessment Test, or the recentered
  206  Scholastic Assessment Test of the College Entrance Examination,
  207  or an equivalent score on the ACT Assessment Program;
  208         (c) Has attended a home education program according to s.
  209  1002.41 during grades 11 and 12 and has attained at least the
  210  score required under pursuant to s. 1009.531(6)(b) on the
  211  combined verbal and quantitative parts of the Scholastic
  212  Aptitude Test, the Scholastic Assessment Test, or the recentered
  213  Scholastic Assessment Test of the College Entrance Examination,
  214  or an equivalent score on the ACT Assessment Program, if the
  215  student’s parent cannot document a college-preparatory
  216  curriculum as described in paragraph (a);
  217         (d) Has been recognized by the merit or achievement program
  218  of the National Merit Scholarship Corporation as a scholar or
  219  finalist but has not completed the a program of volunteer
  220  community service work required under as provided in s.
  221  1009.534; or
  222         (e) Has been recognized by the National Hispanic
  223  Recognition Program as a scholar, but has not completed the a
  224  program of volunteer community service work required under as
  225  provided in s. 1009.534.
  226  
  227  A high school student graduating in the 2011-2012 academic year
  228  and thereafter must complete at least 75 hours a program of
  229  volunteer community service work approved by the district school
  230  board, the administrators of a nonpublic school, or the
  231  Department of Education for home education program students. The
  232  student, which shall include a minimum of 75 hours of service
  233  work, and must identify a social or civic issue or a
  234  professional area problem that interests him or her, develop a
  235  plan for his or her personal involvement in addressing the issue
  236  or learning about the area problem, and, through papers or other
  237  presentations, evaluate and reflect upon his or her experience.
  238  Except for credit earned through service-learning courses
  239  adopted pursuant to s. 1003.497, the student may not receive
  240  remuneration or academic credit for volunteer service work
  241  performed. Such work may include, but is not limited to, a
  242  business or government internship, work for a nonprofit
  243  community service organization, or activity on behalf of a
  244  candidate for public office. The hours of volunteer service must
  245  be documented in writing, and the document must be signed by the
  246  student, the student’s parent or guardian, and a representative
  247  of the organization for which the student performed the
  248  volunteer service work.
  249         Section 4. Subsection (1) of section 1009.536, Florida
  250  Statutes, is amended to read:
  251         1009.536 Florida Gold Seal Vocational Scholars award.—The
  252  Florida Gold Seal Vocational Scholars award is created within
  253  the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program to recognize and
  254  reward academic achievement and career preparation by high
  255  school students who wish to continue their education.
  256         (1) A student is eligible for a Florida Gold Seal
  257  Vocational Scholars award if he or she the student meets the
  258  general eligibility requirements for the Florida Bright Futures
  259  Scholarship Program and the student:
  260         (a) Completes the secondary school portion of a sequential
  261  program of studies that requires at least three secondary school
  262  career credits. On-the-job training may not be substituted for
  263  any of the three required career credits.
  264         (b) Demonstrates readiness for postsecondary education by
  265  earning a passing score on the Florida College Entry Level
  266  Placement Test or its equivalent as identified by the Department
  267  of Education.
  268         (c) Earns a minimum cumulative weighted grade point average
  269  of 3.0, as calculated pursuant to s. 1009.531, on all subjects
  270  required for a standard high school diploma, excluding elective
  271  courses.
  272         (d) Earns a minimum unweighted grade point average of 3.5
  273  on a 4.0 scale for secondary career courses that comprise
  274  comprising the career program.
  275         (e) Beginning with high school students graduating in the
  276  2011-2012 academic year and thereafter, completes at least 30
  277  hours a program of volunteer community service work approved by
  278  the district school board, the administrators of a nonpublic
  279  school, or the Department of Education for home education
  280  program students. The student must identify, which shall include
  281  a minimum of 30 hours of service work, and identifies a social
  282  or civic issue or a professional area problem that interests him
  283  or her, develop develops a plan for his or her personal
  284  involvement in addressing the issue or learning about the area
  285  problem, and, through papers or other presentations, evaluate
  286  evaluates and reflect reflects upon his or her experience.
  287  Except for credit earned through service-learning courses
  288  adopted pursuant to s. 1003.497, the student may not receive
  289  remuneration or academic credit for the volunteer service work
  290  performed. Such work may include, but is not limited to, a
  291  business or government internship, work for a nonprofit
  292  community service organization, or activity on behalf of a
  293  candidate for public office. The hours of volunteer service must
  294  be documented in writing, and the document must be signed by the
  295  student, the student’s parent or guardian, and a representative
  296  of the organization for which the student performed the
  297  volunteer service work.
  298         Section 5. This act shall take effect July 1, 2016.