F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
HB 17 2025
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to the Florida Bright Futures
3 Scholarship Program; amending s. 1007.27, F.S.;
4 conforming a cross-reference; amending s. 1007.35,
5 F.S.; requiring public middle schools to provide for
6 the administration of the Preliminary SAT/National
7 Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test to students who meet
8 specified criteria to help such students qualify for
9 the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program;
10 providing for an exemption from such test; requiring
11 specified test preparation resources and information
12 be provided to certain students for a specified time
13 period; providing continued eligibility criteria for
14 students receiving such resources and information;
15 providing for the funding for such assessments and
16 resources; amending ss. 1009.534 and 1009.535, F.S.;
17 revising the eligibility criteria for certain awards
18 under the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program;
19 providing an effective date.
20
21 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
22
23 Section 1. Paragraph (b) of subsection (1) of section
24 1007.27, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
25 1007.27 Articulated acceleration mechanisms.—
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26 (1)
27 (b) The State Board of Education and the Board of
28 Governors shall identify Florida College System institutions and
29 state universities to develop courses that align with s. 1007.25
30 for students in secondary education and provide the training
31 required under s. 1007.35(7) s. 1007.35(6).
32 Section 2. Subsections (6) through (10) of section
33 1007.35, Florida Statutes, are renumbered as subsections (7)
34 through (11), respectively, paragraph (a) of subsection (9) is
35 amended, and a new subsection (6) is added to that section, to
36 read:
37 1007.35 Florida Partnership for Minority and
38 Underrepresented Student Achievement.—
39 (6)(a) For the purpose of helping minority and
40 underrepresented students qualify for the Florida Bright Futures
41 Scholarship Program, each public middle school, including, but
42 not limited to, schools and alternative sites and centers of the
43 Department of Juvenile Justice, shall provide for the
44 administration of the PSAT/NMSQT to enrolled minority and
45 underrepresented students in 8th grade who have a grade point
46 average of 3.5 or higher. However, written notice shall be
47 provided to each parent which must include the opportunity to
48 exempt his or her child from taking the PSAT/NMSQT.
49 (b)1. Students with a score of 1,000 or higher shall be
50 provided all of the following:
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51 a. Online or in-person SAT or ACT preparation courses or
52 access to other evidence-based SAT or ACT preparation resources.
53 b. Information on all eligibility requirements for the
54 Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program.
55 2. The resources provided under this paragraph shall be
56 offered to eligible students until such students are provided
57 the opportunity to take the SAT, ACT, or Classical Learning Test
58 in 11th grade pursuant to s. 1008.22(3)(c).
59 3. To remain eligible for the resources provided under
60 this paragraph, students must maintain a grade point average of
61 3.5 or higher.
62 (c) Funding for the administration of the PSAT/NMSQT and
63 the resources provided under this subsection shall be provided
64 using lottery funds deposited into the Educational Enhancement
65 Trust Fund.
66 (9)(a) Except as provided in subsection (6), funding for
67 the partnership shall be contingent upon annual funding in the
68 General Appropriations Act.
69 Section 3. Paragraph (e) of subsection (1) of section
70 1009.534, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
71 1009.534 Florida Academic Scholars award.—
72 (1) A student is eligible for a Florida Academic Scholars
73 award if he or she meets the general eligibility requirements
74 for the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program and:
75 (e) Has been recognized by the College Board National
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76 Hispanic Recognition Programs Program as a scholar recipient.
77
78 The student must complete a program of volunteer service or,
79 beginning with a high school student graduating in the 2022-2023
80 academic year and thereafter, paid work, as approved by the
81 district school board, the administrators of a nonpublic school,
82 or the Department of Education for home education program
83 students, which must include 100 hours of volunteer service,
84 paid work, or a combination of both. Eligible paid work
85 completed on or after June 27, 2022, shall be included in the
86 student's total of paid work hours. The student may identify a
87 social or civic issue or a professional area that interests him
88 or her and develop a plan for his or her personal involvement in
89 addressing the issue or learning about the area. The student
90 must, through papers or other presentations, evaluate and
91 reflect upon his or her volunteer service or paid work
92 experience. Such volunteer service or paid work may include, but
93 is not limited to, a business or governmental internship, work
94 for a nonprofit community service organization, or activities on
95 behalf of a candidate for public office. The hours of volunteer
96 service or paid work must be documented in writing, and the
97 document must be signed by the student, the student's parent or
98 guardian, and a representative of the organization for which the
99 student performed the volunteer service or paid work.
100 Section 4. Paragraph (e) of subsection (1) of section
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101 1009.535, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
102 1009.535 Florida Medallion Scholars award.—
103 (1) A student is eligible for a Florida Medallion Scholars
104 award if he or she meets the general eligibility requirements
105 for the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program and:
106 (e) Has been recognized by the College Board National
107 Hispanic Recognition Programs Program as a scholar, but has not
108 completed the program of volunteer service or paid work required
109 under s. 1009.534.
110
111 A high school student must complete a program of volunteer
112 service or, beginning with a high school student graduating in
113 the 2022-2023 academic year and thereafter, paid work approved
114 by the district school board, the administrators of a nonpublic
115 school, or the Department of Education for home education
116 program students, which must include 75 hours of volunteer
117 service, 100 hours of paid work, or 100 hours of a combination
118 of both. Eligible paid work completed on or after June 27, 2022,
119 shall be included in a student's total of required paid work
120 hours. The student may identify a social or civic issue or a
121 professional area that interests him or her and develop a plan
122 for his or her personal involvement in addressing the issue or
123 learning about the area. The student must, through papers or
124 other presentations, evaluate and reflect upon his or her
125 volunteer service or paid work experience. Such volunteer
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126 service or paid work may include, but is not limited to, a
127 business or governmental internship, work for a nonprofit
128 community service organization, or activities on behalf of a
129 candidate for public office. The hours of volunteer service or
130 paid work must be documented in writing, and the document must
131 be signed by the student, the student's parent or guardian, and
132 a representative of the organization for which the student
133 performed the volunteer service or paid work.
134 Section 5. This act shall take effect July 1, 2025.
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Statutes affected: H 17 Filed: 1007.27, 1009.534