The bill amends various sections of Florida Statutes to enhance career education and recognize student achievements through awards. It mandates the inclusion of work-related internships in counseling materials for high school graduation and tasks the Department of Education with developing additional courses that align with career education standards. The strategic 3-year plan for local school districts will now include strategies for recruiting students into career-themed courses and promote the Florida Gold Seal CAPE Scholars award within the Bright Futures Scholarship Program. Additionally, the bill prohibits transportation access fees from being included in the calculation of Florida Gold Seal CAPE Scholars awards and updates eligibility requirements for the Florida Gold Seal Vocational Scholars and CAPE Scholars awards, clarifying the requirements for volunteer service or paid work.

Furthermore, the bill revises the requirements for the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program by removing the previous requirement for high school students graduating in the 2022-2023 academic year to complete 100 hours of paid work, allowing instead for a combination of volunteer service and paid work totaling 30 hours. It also introduces provisions for dual enrollment programs, emphasizing career dual enrollment for secondary students seeking industry certifications, and requires annual agreements between career centers and high schools to detail costs and transportation arrangements. New language is added to ensure these agreements address scheduling changes to improve access and participation in dual enrollment programs. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
S 1688 Filed: 1003.493, 1009.22, 1009.23, 1009.534, 1009.535, 1007.271