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A bill to be entitled

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An act relating to postsecondary education; creating s.

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1009.893, F.S.; creating the Workforce Education Grant

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Program to provide grants to students enrolled in degree

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programs in nonpublic educational institutions; providing

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legislative intent with respect to workforce education;

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prescribing eligibility criteria for such students;

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defining the term "eligible nonpublic institution of

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higher education"; directing the State Board of Education

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to adopt rules; providing an effective date.

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

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     Section 1.  Section 1009.893, Florida Statutes, is created

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to read:

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     1009.893 Workforce Education Grant Program.--

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     (1) The Legislature finds and declares that workforce

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education programs are a critical component of the state's

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educational system and that it is in the state's interest to

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promote student choice, responsiveness of postsecondary

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institutions to students' needs, and the relevance of educational

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programs to the state's economic development needs across all

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sectors of the state's postsecondary education system. The

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Legislature further finds that nonpublic institutions eligible to

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participate in the Workforce Education Grant Program are an

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integral part of the higher education system in this state and

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that the Workforce Education Grant Program will help meet the

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state's interests in regard to workforce education and promote

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consistency in its support of workforce education. The

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Legislature intends to create a grant program that is not based

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on a student's financial need or other criteria upon which

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financial aid programs are based but is a tuition assistance

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program for state residents.

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     (2) There is created the Workforce Education Grant Program,

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or WEG Program, to be administered by the Department of

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Education.

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     (3) Subject to legislative appropriation, the department

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shall issue a grant under the WEG Program to any student who:

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     (a) Meets the residency requirement provided in s. 1009.40;

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and

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     (b) Is enrolled as a full-time undergraduate student in a

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Florida-campus-based program at an eligible nonpublic institution

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of higher education and is seeking an associate or higher degree

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that leads to employment in occupations that are consistent with

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the workforce needs of employers and economic development

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strategies of the state as listed on the Agency for Workforce

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Innovation's Florida Statewide Targeted Occupations List or on a

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regional targeted occupations list of a Florida workforce board

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at the time of enrollment.

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     (4) As used in this section, the term "eligible nonpublic

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institution of higher education" means an institution:

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     (a) That is licensed by the Commission for Independent

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Education under chapter 1005.

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     (b) That is accredited by an accrediting agency that is

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recognized by the United States Secretary of Education as a

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reliable authority as to the quality of education or training

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offered at its accredited institutions.

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     (c) That meets performance requirements for student

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achievement which include minimum objective quantitative

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standards, including completion rates and placement rates, as

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established by its recognized accrediting agency set forth in

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paragraph (b) or by the Commission for Independent Education.

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     (d) Whose students are eligible to participate in the

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Access to Better Learning and Education Grant Program and the

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William L. Boyd, IV, Florida Resident Access Grant Program.

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     (5) The State Board of Education shall adopt rules pursuant

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to ss. 120.53(1) and 120.54 to administer the WEG Program.

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     Section 2.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2008.