Florida Senate - 2016                        COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
       Bill No. SB 520
       
       
       
       
       
       
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                              LEGISLATIVE ACTION                        
                    Senate             .             House              
                  Comm: RCS            .                                
                  12/07/2015           .                                
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       Appropriations Subcommittee on Education (Gaetz) recommended the
       following:
       
    1         Senate Amendment (with title amendment)
    2  
    3         Delete everything after the enacting clause
    4  and insert:
    5         Section 1. Paragraph (c) of subsection (2) and paragraphs
    6  (a) and (b) of subsection (6) of section 1009.531, Florida
    7  Statutes, are amended to read:
    8         1009.531 Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program;
    9  student eligibility requirements for initial awards.—
   10         (2)
   11         (c) A student graduating from high school in the 2012-2013
   12  academic year and thereafter is eligible to accept an initial
   13  award for 2 years following high school graduation and to accept
   14  a renewal award for 5 years following high school graduation. A
   15  student who applies for an award by high school graduation and
   16  who meets all other eligibility requirements, but who does not
   17  accept his or her award, may reapply during subsequent
   18  application periods up to 2 years after high school graduation.
   19  For a student who enlists in the United States Armed Forces
   20  immediately after completion of high school, the 2-year
   21  eligibility period for his or her initial award and the 5-year
   22  renewal period shall begin upon the date of separation from
   23  active duty. For a student who is receiving a Florida Bright
   24  Futures Scholarship award and discontinues his or her education
   25  to enlist in the United States Armed Forces, the remainder of
   26  his or her 5-year renewal period shall commence upon the date of
   27  separation from active duty. For a student who is unable to
   28  accept an initial award immediately after completion of high
   29  school due to a full-time religious or service obligation
   30  lasting at least 18 months, the 2-year eligibility period for
   31  his or her initial award and the 5-year renewal period begin
   32  upon the completion of his or her religious or service
   33  obligation. The organization sponsoring the full-time religious
   34  or service obligation must meet the requirements for nonprofit
   35  status under s. 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code or be a
   36  federal government service organization, including, but not
   37  limited to, the Peace Corps and AmeriCorps programs. The
   38  obligation must be documented in writing and verified by the
   39  entity for which the student completed the obligation on a
   40  standardized form prescribed by the department. If a course of
   41  study is not completed after 5 academic years, an exception of 1
   42  year to the renewal timeframe may be granted due to a verifiable
   43  illness or other documented emergency pursuant to s.
   44  1009.40(1)(b)4.
   45         (6)(a) The State Board of Education shall publicize the
   46  examination score required for a student to be eligible for a
   47  Florida Academic Scholars award, pursuant to s. 1009.534(1)(a)
   48  or (b), as follows:
   49         1. For high school students graduating in the 2010-2011 and
   50  2011-2012 academic years, the student must earn an SAT score of
   51  1270 or a concordant ACT score of 28.
   52         2. For high school students graduating in the 2012-2013
   53  academic year, the student must earn an SAT score of 1280 which
   54  corresponds to the 88th SAT percentile rank or a concordant ACT
   55  score of 28.
   56         3. For High school students graduating in the 2013-2014
   57  academic year and thereafter, the student must earn an SAT score
   58  of 1290 which corresponds to the 89th SAT percentile rank or a
   59  concordant ACT score of 29.
   60         (b) The State Board of Education shall publicize the
   61  examination score required for a student to be eligible for a
   62  Florida Medallion Scholars award, pursuant to s. 1009.535(1)(a)
   63  or (b), as follows:
   64         1. For high school students graduating in the 2010-2011
   65  academic year, the student must earn an SAT score of 970 or a
   66  concordant ACT score of 20 or the student in a home education
   67  program whose parent cannot document a college-preparatory
   68  curriculum must earn an SAT score of 1070 or a concordant ACT
   69  score of 23.
   70         2. For high school students graduating in the 2011-2012
   71  academic year, the student must earn an SAT score of 980 which
   72  corresponds to the 44th SAT percentile rank or a concordant ACT
   73  score of 21 or the student in a home education program whose
   74  parent cannot document a college-preparatory curriculum must
   75  earn an SAT score of 1070 or a concordant ACT score of 23.
   76         3. For high school students graduating in the 2012-2013
   77  academic year, the student must earn an SAT score of 1020 which
   78  corresponds to the 51st SAT percentile rank or a concordant ACT
   79  score of 22 or the student in a home education program whose
   80  parent cannot document a college-preparatory curriculum must
   81  earn an SAT score of 1070 or a concordant ACT score of 23.
   82         4. For High school students graduating in the 2013-2014
   83  academic year and thereafter, the student must earn an SAT score
   84  of 1170 which corresponds to the 75th SAT percentile rank or a
   85  concordant ACT score of 26 or the student in a home education
   86  program whose parent cannot document a college-preparatory
   87  curriculum must earn an SAT score of 1220 or a concordant ACT
   88  score of 27.
   89         Section 2. Paragraph (d) is added to subsection (3) of
   90  section 1009.532, Florida Statutes, to read:
   91         1009.532 Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program;
   92  student eligibility requirements for renewal awards.—
   93         (3)
   94         (d) A student who is initially eligible in the 2017-2018
   95  academic year and thereafter for a Florida Gold Seal Vocational
   96  Scholars award under s. 1009.536(2) and who completes a
   97  technical degree education program as defined in s. 1004.02(13)
   98  may also receive an award for:
   99         1. A maximum of 60 credit hours for a bachelor of science
  100  degree program for which there is a statewide associate in
  101  science degree program to bachelor of science degree program
  102  articulation agreement; or
  103         2. A maximum of 60 credit hours for a bachelor of applied
  104  science degree program at a Florida College System institution.
  105         Section 3. Subsection (1) of section 1009.534, Florida
  106  Statutes, is amended to read:
  107         1009.534 Florida Academic Scholars award.—
  108         (1) A student is eligible for a Florida Academic Scholars
  109  award if he or she the student meets the general eligibility
  110  requirements for the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program
  111  and the student:
  112         (a) Has achieved a 3.5 weighted grade point average as
  113  calculated pursuant to s. 1009.531, or its equivalent, in high
  114  school courses that are designated by the State Board of
  115  Education as college-preparatory academic courses; and has
  116  attained at least the score required under pursuant to s.
  117  1009.531(6)(a) on the combined verbal and quantitative parts of
  118  the Scholastic Aptitude Test, the Scholastic Assessment Test, or
  119  the recentered Scholastic Assessment Test of the College
  120  Entrance Examination, or an equivalent score on the ACT
  121  Assessment Program;
  122         (b) Has attended a home education program according to s.
  123  1002.41 during grades 11 and 12, or has completed the
  124  International Baccalaureate curriculum but failed to earn the
  125  International Baccalaureate Diploma, or has completed the
  126  Advanced International Certificate of Education curriculum but
  127  failed to earn the Advanced International Certificate of
  128  Education Diploma, and has attained at least the score required
  129  under pursuant to s. 1009.531(6)(a) on the combined verbal and
  130  quantitative parts of the Scholastic Aptitude Test, the
  131  Scholastic Assessment Test, or the recentered Scholastic
  132  Assessment Test of the College Entrance Examination, or an
  133  equivalent score on the ACT Assessment Program;
  134         (c) Has been awarded an International Baccalaureate Diploma
  135  from the International Baccalaureate Office or an Advanced
  136  International Certificate of Education Diploma from the
  137  University of Cambridge International Examinations Office;
  138         (d) Has been recognized by the merit or achievement
  139  programs of the National Merit Scholarship Corporation as a
  140  scholar or finalist; or
  141         (e) Has been recognized by the National Hispanic
  142  Recognition Program as a scholar recipient.
  143  
  144  The A student must complete a program of volunteer community
  145  service work, as approved by the district school board, the
  146  administrators of a nonpublic school, or the Department of
  147  Education for home education program students, which must shall
  148  include a minimum of 75 hours of service work for high school
  149  students graduating in the 2010-2011 academic year and 100 hours
  150  of service work for high school students graduating in the 2011
  151  2012 academic year and thereafter. The student, and must
  152  identify a social or civic issue or a professional area problem
  153  that interests him or her, develop a plan for his or her
  154  personal involvement in addressing the issue or learning about
  155  the area problem, and, through papers or other presentations,
  156  evaluate and reflect upon his or her experience. Except for
  157  credit earned through service-learning courses adopted pursuant
  158  to s. 1003.497, the student may not receive remuneration or
  159  academic credit for the volunteer service work performed. Such
  160  work may include, but is not limited to, a business or
  161  government internship, work for a nonprofit community service
  162  organization, or activity on behalf of a candidate for public
  163  office. The hours of volunteer service must be documented in
  164  writing, and the document must be signed by the student, the
  165  student’s parent or guardian, and a representative of the
  166  organization for which the student performed the volunteer
  167  service work.
  168         Section 4. Subsection (1) of section 1009.535, Florida
  169  Statutes, is amended to read:
  170         1009.535 Florida Medallion Scholars award.—
  171         (1) A student is eligible for a Florida Medallion Scholars
  172  award if he or she the student meets the general eligibility
  173  requirements for the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program
  174  and the student:
  175         (a) Has achieved a weighted grade point average of 3.0 as
  176  calculated pursuant to s. 1009.531, or the equivalent, in high
  177  school courses that are designated by the State Board of
  178  Education as college-preparatory academic courses; and has
  179  attained at least the score required under pursuant to s.
  180  1009.531(6)(b) on the combined verbal and quantitative parts of
  181  the Scholastic Aptitude Test, the Scholastic Assessment Test, or
  182  the recentered Scholastic Assessment Test of the College
  183  Entrance Examination, or an equivalent score on the ACT
  184  Assessment Program;
  185         (b) Has completed the International Baccalaureate
  186  curriculum but failed to earn the International Baccalaureate
  187  Diploma or has completed the Advanced International Certificate
  188  of Education curriculum but failed to earn the Advanced
  189  International Certificate of Education Diploma, and has attained
  190  at least the score required under pursuant to s. 1009.531(6)(b)
  191  on the combined verbal and quantitative parts of the Scholastic
  192  Aptitude Test, the Scholastic Assessment Test, or the recentered
  193  Scholastic Assessment Test of the College Entrance Examination,
  194  or an equivalent score on the ACT Assessment Program;
  195         (c) Has attended a home education program according to s.
  196  1002.41 during grades 11 and 12 and has attained at least the
  197  score required under pursuant to s. 1009.531(6)(b) on the
  198  combined verbal and quantitative parts of the Scholastic
  199  Aptitude Test, the Scholastic Assessment Test, or the recentered
  200  Scholastic Assessment Test of the College Entrance Examination,
  201  or an equivalent score on the ACT Assessment Program, if the
  202  student’s parent cannot document a college-preparatory
  203  curriculum as described in paragraph (a);
  204         (d) Has been recognized by the merit or achievement program
  205  of the National Merit Scholarship Corporation as a scholar or
  206  finalist but has not completed the a program of volunteer
  207  community service work required under as provided in s.
  208  1009.534; or
  209         (e) Has been recognized by the National Hispanic
  210  Recognition Program as a scholar, but has not completed the a
  211  program of volunteer community service work required under as
  212  provided in s. 1009.534.
  213  
  214  A high school student graduating in the 2011-2012 academic year
  215  and thereafter must complete at least 75 hours a program of
  216  volunteer community service work approved by the district school
  217  board, the administrators of a nonpublic school, or the
  218  Department of Education for home education program students. The
  219  student, which shall include a minimum of 75 hours of service
  220  work, and must identify a social or civic issue or a
  221  professional area problem that interests him or her, develop a
  222  plan for his or her personal involvement in addressing the issue
  223  or learning about the area problem, and, through papers or other
  224  presentations, evaluate and reflect upon his or her experience.
  225  Except for credit earned through service-learning courses
  226  adopted pursuant to s. 1003.497, the student may not receive
  227  remuneration or academic credit for volunteer service work
  228  performed. Such work may include, but is not limited to, a
  229  business or government internship, work for a nonprofit
  230  community service organization, or activity on behalf of a
  231  candidate for public office. The hours of volunteer service must
  232  be documented in writing, and the document must be signed by the
  233  student, the student’s parent or guardian, and a representative
  234  of the organization for which the student performed the
  235  volunteer service work.
  236         Section 5. Subsection (1) of section 1009.536, Florida
  237  Statutes, is amended, present subsections (2), (3), and (4) of
  238  that section are redesignated as subsections (3), (4), and (5),
  239  respectively, a new subsection (2) is added to that section, and
  240  paragraph (d) is added to present subsection (4) of that
  241  section, to read:
  242         1009.536 Florida Gold Seal Vocational Scholars award.—The
  243  Florida Gold Seal Vocational Scholars award is created within
  244  the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program to recognize and
  245  reward academic achievement and career preparation by high
  246  school students who wish to continue their education.
  247         (1) A student who entered grade 9 before or in the 2015
  248  2016 academic year is eligible for a Florida Gold Seal
  249  Vocational Scholars award if he or she the student meets the
  250  general eligibility requirements for the Florida Bright Futures
  251  Scholarship Program and the student:
  252         (a) Completes the secondary school portion of a sequential
  253  program of studies that requires at least three secondary school
  254  career credits. On-the-job training may not be substituted for
  255  any of the three required career credits.
  256         (b) Demonstrates readiness for postsecondary education by
  257  earning a passing score on the Florida College Entry Level
  258  Placement Test or its equivalent as identified by the Department
  259  of Education.
  260         (c) Earns a minimum cumulative weighted grade point average
  261  of 3.0, as calculated pursuant to s. 1009.531, on all subjects
  262  required for a standard high school diploma, excluding elective
  263  courses.
  264         (d) Earns a minimum unweighted grade point average of 3.5
  265  on a 4.0 scale for secondary career courses that comprise
  266  comprising the career program.
  267         (e) Beginning with high school students graduating in the
  268  2011-2012 academic year and thereafter, completes at least 30
  269  hours a program of volunteer community service work approved by
  270  the district school board, the administrators of a nonpublic
  271  school, or the Department of Education for home education
  272  program students. The student must identify, which shall include
  273  a minimum of 30 hours of service work, and identifies a social
  274  or civic issue or a professional area problem that interests him
  275  or her, develop develops a plan for his or her personal
  276  involvement in addressing the issue or learning about the area
  277  problem, and, through papers or other presentations, evaluate
  278  evaluates and reflect reflects upon his or her experience.
  279  Except for credit earned through service-learning courses
  280  adopted pursuant to s. 1003.497, the student may not receive
  281  remuneration or academic credit for the volunteer service work
  282  performed. Such work may include, but is not limited to, a
  283  business or government internship, work for a nonprofit
  284  community service organization, or activity on behalf of a
  285  candidate for public office. The hours of volunteer service must
  286  be documented in writing, and the document must be signed by the
  287  student, the student’s parent or guardian, and a representative
  288  of the organization for which the student performed the
  289  volunteer service work.
  290         (2) A high school student graduating in the 2016-2017
  291  academic year and thereafter is eligible for a Florida Gold Seal
  292  Vocational Scholars award if the student meets the requirements
  293  under subsection (1) or meets the general eligibility
  294  requirements for the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program,
  295  and the student:
  296         (a) Earns a minimum of 5 postsecondary credit hours through
  297  CAPE industry certifications approved pursuant to s. 1008.44
  298  which articulate for college credit; and
  299         (b) Completes at least 30 hours of volunteer service work
  300  approved by the district school board, the administrators of a
  301  nonpublic school, or the Department of Education for home
  302  education program students. The student must identify a social
  303  or civic issue or a professional area that interests him or her,
  304  develop a plan for his or her personal involvement in addressing
  305  the issue or learning about the area, and, through papers or
  306  other presentations, evaluate and reflect upon his or her
  307  experience. Except for credit earned through service-learning
  308  courses adopted pursuant to s. 1003.497, the student may not
  309  receive remuneration or academic credit for the volunteer
  310  service work performed. Such work may include, but is not
  311  limited to, a business or government internship, work for a
  312  nonprofit community service organization, or activity on behalf
  313  of a candidate for public office. The hours of volunteer service
  314  work must be documented in writing, and the document must be
  315  signed by the student, the student’s parent or guardian, and a
  316  representative of the organization for which the student
  317  performed the volunteer service work.
  318  
  319  A high school student graduating in the 2019-2020 academic year
  320  and thereafter is eligible for a Florida Gold Seal Vocational
  321  Scholars award only if the student meets the requirements under
  322  this subsection.
  323         (5)(4)
  324         (d) A student who is initially eligible in the 2017-2018
  325  academic year and thereafter for a Florida Gold Seal Vocational
  326  Scholars award under subsection (2) and who completes a
  327  technical degree education program as defined in s. 1004.02(13)
  328  may also receive an award for:
  329         1. A maximum of 60 credit hours for a bachelor of science
  330  degree program for which there is a statewide associate in
  331  science degree program to bachelor of science degree program
  332  articulation agreement; or
  333         2. A maximum of 60 credit hours for a bachelor of applied
  334  science degree program at a Florida College System institution.
  335         Section 6. This act shall take effect July 1, 2016.
  336  ================= T I T L E  A M E N D M E N T ================
  337  And the title is amended as follows:
  338         Delete everything before the enacting clause
  339  and insert:
  340                        A bill to be entitled                      
  341         An act relating to the Florida Bright Futures
  342         Scholarship Program; amending s. 1009.531, F.S.;
  343         providing that the initial award period and the
  344         renewal period for students who are unable to accept
  345         an initial award immediately after completion of high
  346         school due to a full-time religious or service
  347         obligation begin upon the completion of the religious
  348         or service obligation; specifying requirements for an
  349         entity that is sponsoring the obligation; requiring
  350         verification from the entity for which the student
  351         completed such obligation; revising eligibility
  352         requirements for the Florida Bright Futures
  353         Scholarship Program; deleting obsolete provisions;
  354         amending s. 1009.532, F.S.; providing that certain
  355         students may receive an award for a specified number
  356         of credits towards specified bachelor of science
  357         degree programs or bachelor of applied science degree
  358         programs; amending ss. 1009.534 and 1009.535, F.S.;
  359         requiring a student, as a prerequisite for the Florida
  360         Academic Scholars award or the Florida Medallion
  361         Scholars award, to identify a civic issue or a
  362         professional area of interest and develop a plan for
  363         his or her personal involvement in addressing the
  364         issue or learning about the area; prohibiting the
  365         student from receiving remuneration or academic credit
  366         for the volunteer service work performed except in
  367         certain circumstances; requiring the hours of
  368         volunteer service work to be documented in writing and
  369         signed by the student, the student’s parent or
  370         guardian, and a representative of the organization for
  371         which the student performed the volunteer service
  372         work; amending s. 1009.536, F.S.; requiring a student,
  373         as a prerequisite for the Florida Gold Seal Vocational
  374         Scholars award, to identify a civic issue or a
  375         professional area of interest and develop a plan for
  376         his or her personal involvement in addressing the
  377         issue or learning about the area; prohibiting the
  378         student from receiving remuneration or academic credit
  379         for the volunteer service work performed except in
  380         certain circumstances; requiring the hours of
  381         volunteer service work to be documented in writing and
  382         signed by the student, the student’s parent or
  383         guardian, and a representative of the organization for
  384         which the student performed the volunteer service
  385         work; requiring a high school student graduating in
  386         the 2016-2017 academic year to meet certain
  387         requirements to be eligible for a Florida Gold Seal
  388         Vocational Scholars award; providing that certain
  389         students may receive an award for a specified number
  390         of credits toward specified bachelor of science degree
  391         programs or bachelor of applied science degree
  392         programs; providing an effective date.