Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program.

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
State Board of Education

RULE NO.: RULE TITLE:
6A-20.028: Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program.

NOTICE OF CHANGE

Notice is hereby given that the following changes have been made to the proposed rule in accordance with subparagraph 120.54(3)(d)1., F.S., published in Vol. 37 No. 51, December 22, 2011 issue of the Florida Administrative Weekly.

Subsection (1), paragraph (3)(d), sub-subparagraph (3)(g)1.d., subparagraph (4)(c)4., paragraph (5)(c), subparagraphs (5)(d)1., 2., subsection (6), paragraph (7)(d), subparagraphs (8)(d)1., 2., (e)2., and the history citation of Rule 6A-20.028 are amended to read:

(1) General eligibility requirements. To receive an initial or renewing Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program award a student shall, in addition to any other applicable statutory or regulatory requirements:

(a) through (3)(c) No change.

(d) A home-educated student applying for a Florida Academic Award under Section 1009.534, Florida Statutes, must complete community service hours that meet the following requirements during high school and by high school graduation:

1. through (g)c. No change.

d. A student must earn at least the minimum standardized Critical Reading and Math scores on the SAT Reasoning Test or equivalent combined composite, excluding the writing section, or the minimum standardized scores on the ACT, either administered at a national test site by January 31st for seventh semester evaluation or and by June 30th for eighth semester evaluation of the student’s last year in high school, as identified for each award level specified in Section 1009.531(6), Florida Statutes. ACT scores are rounded up for scores with .5 and higher; SAT scores do not require rounding. Sections of the SAT or ACT from different test dates may be used to meet the test criteria, but test types cannot be mixed.

2. through (c)3. No change.

4. The earlier date and time stamp for filing the FFAA-1.

(5) through (b)5. No change.

(c) Academic eligibility criteria for a reinstated award shall be determined if the student did not receive scholarship funding for the last academic year during which the student was eligible. The student must submit Form FFAA-31, Florida Financial Aid Reinstatement/Restoration Application for students, as incorporated by reference in Rule 6A-20.02719, F.A.C., by May 30 of the year the student is seeking funding.

(d) No change.

1. For the student who graduated high school in 2008-09 or earlier, an award may be restored for the student with insufficient GPA and insufficient hours. The student must submit Form FFAA-31, Florida Financial Aid Reinstatement/Restoration Application for students, as incorporated by reference in Rule 6A-20.02719, F.A.C., by May 30 of the year the student is seeking funding. A student may earn and be funded in an eligible restored status one time only. In addition to applying for restoration, the student is responsible for ensuring submission of verification from the last institution attended as a degree- or certificate-seeking student. The institutional cumulative GPA and hours earned, as defined in subparagraph (5)(b) of this rule, as reported by the last institution attended, will determine the student’s eligibility to be restored based on the minimum academic program renewal requirements.

2. For the student who graduated high school in 2009-10 and thereafter, the award may be restored for the student with insufficient GPA after the first year of funding only. The student must submit Form FFAA-31, Florida Financial Aid Reinstatement/Restoration Application for students, as incorporated by reference in Rule 6A-20.02719, F.A.C., by May 30 of the year the student is seeking funding. A student may earn and be funded in an eligible restored status one time only. In addition to applying for restoration, the student is responsible for ensuring submission of verification from the last institution attended as a degree- or certificate-seeking student. The institutional cumulative GPA, as defined in paragraph (5)(b) of this rule, as reported by the last institution attended, will determine the student’s eligibility to be restored based on the minimum academic program renewal requirements.

3. No change.

(6) Awards. Awards are made under all programs in this section in accordance with Sections 1009.215, 1009.43, 1009.53, 1009.531, 1009.532, 1009.533, 1009.534, 1009.5341, 1009.535, 1009.536, and 1009.538, Florida Statutes.

(a) through (7)(c) No change.

(d) In accordance with Section 1009.53415, Florida Statutes, a Florida Academic Scholar or Florida Medallion Scholar who graduated in the 2010-2011 academic year and thereafter and has earned a first baccalaureate degree within seven (7) semesters or 105 credit hours of funding, may receive Bright Futures funding for one (1) semester up to fifteen (15) of the student’s unused hours, at the undergraduate rate, for up to seven (7) or five (5) years after high school graduation, dependent upon his or her high school graduation year, if the student enrolls in a graduate degree program at a Bright Futures-eligible institution.

(8) through (d) No change.

1. Pursuant to Section 1009.531(4), Florida Statutes, sSubmit transcripts for all students in ninth through twelfth grade to the FDOE High School transcript database three (3) times a year in order to annually provide complete and accurate Florida Bright Futures Scholarship evaluation information.

2. Submit transcript, community service hours, and eligibility criteria data by deadlines established by the FDOE, including, but not limited to, community service hours required of initial Bright Futures applicants.

(e)1. No change.

2. Submit scholarship required courses, community service hours, and other eligibility criteria data as requested for all students in ninth through twelfth grades to the FDOE, via the Online Transcript Entry and Evaluation System (http://www.floridastudentfinancialaid.org), to include but not limited to community service hours required of initial Bright Futures applicants.

Rulemaking Authority 1001.02(1), 1009.53(3) FS. Law Implemented 1009.40, 1009.41, 1009.42, 1009.43, 1009.53, 1009.531, 1009.532, 1009.533, 1009.534, 1009.5341, 1009.535, 1009.536, 1009.537, 1009.538 FS. History–New________.