The Florida Senate

240.4015  Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Testing Program.--

(1)  By January 1, 2002, the Articulation Coordinating Committee shall identify the minimum scores, maximum credit, and course or courses for which credit is to be awarded for each College Level Examination Program (CLEP) general examination, CLEP subject examination, College Board Advanced Placement Program examination, and International Baccalaureate examination. In addition, the Articulation Coordinating Committee shall identify such courses in the general education core curriculum of each state university and community college.

(2)  Each community college and state university must award credit for specific courses for which competency has been demonstrated by successful passage of one of these examinations unless the award of credit duplicates credit already awarded. Community colleges and universities may not exempt students from courses without the award of credit if competencies have been so demonstrated.

(3)  Beginning with initial award recipients for the 2002-2003 academic year and continuing thereafter, students eligible for a Florida Academic Scholars award or a Florida ¹Merit Scholars award who are admitted to and enroll in a community college or state university shall, prior to registering for courses that may be earned through a CLEP examination and no later than registration for their second term, complete at least five examinations from those specified in subsection (1) in the following areas: English; humanities; mathematics; natural sciences; and social sciences. Successful completion of dual enrollment courses, Advanced Placement examinations, and International Baccalaureate examinations taken prior to high school graduation satisfy this requirement. The Articulation Coordinating Committee shall identify the examinations that satisfy each component of this requirement.

(4)  Initial award recipients for the 2001-2002 academic year who are eligible for a Florida Academic Scholars award or a Florida ¹Merit Scholars award and who are admitted to and enroll in a community college or state university may choose, prior to registering for courses that may be earned through CLEP examination, to complete up to five CLEP examinations, one in each of the following areas: English; humanities; mathematics; natural sciences; and social sciences.

(5)  Each community college and state university shall pay for the CLEP examinations required pursuant to this section from the funds appropriated from the Educational Enhancement Trust Fund. Institutions shall pay no more than $46 per examination for the program, which shall include access to a student guide to prepare for the test. The Department of Education shall negotiate with the College Board for a reduced rate for the examinations. The institution shall not charge the student for preparation and administration of the test, access to a student guide to prepare for the test, or recordkeeping and reporting of each student's test results to the department.

(6)  The credit awarded pursuant to this section shall apply toward the 120 hours of college credit required pursuant to s. 240.115(6).

(7)  The maximum number of credit hours for which a student is eligible to receive a Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program award shall be reduced by the number of hours for which credit is awarded pursuant to this section.

(8)  Beginning with the 2002-2003 award recipients, the Department of Education shall track and annually report on the effectiveness of the program, and include information on the number of students participating in the program; the CLEP examinations taken and the passage rate of Florida Academic Scholars and Florida ¹Merit Scholars award recipients; the use of Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate examinations and dual enrollment courses to satisfy the requirements of the program; and the course credit provided.

History.--s. 42, ch. 2001-170.

¹Note.--The word "Merit" was substituted for the word "Medallion" by the editors. Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 1330 or C.S. for C.S. for H.B. 1509 would have changed the title of Florida Merit Scholarships to Florida Medallion Scholarships, but neither passed.