The bill amends various sections of Florida Statutes to enhance career education and promote the Florida Gold Seal CAPE Scholars award. It mandates the inclusion of work-related internships in counseling materials for high school graduation and tasks the Department of Education with developing equivalent courses that align with state academic standards. Additionally, the bill revises local school districts' strategic plans to focus on recruiting students into career-themed courses, particularly those at risk of dropping out. It also prohibits transportation access fees from being included in the calculation of Florida Gold Seal CAPE Scholars awards and updates eligibility criteria for scholarship programs, ensuring that students can meet volunteer service or paid work requirements through internships or community service.

Moreover, the bill modifies the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program by removing the requirement for high school students graduating in the 2022-2023 academic year to complete 100 hours of paid work, allowing for a combination of volunteer service and paid work hours instead. It emphasizes the need for students to document their service, with signatures required from the student, their parent or guardian, and a representative of the organization. The bill also introduces provisions for dual enrollment programs, requiring annual agreements between career centers and high schools to facilitate student participation, and mandates the development of comprehensive dual enrollment articulation agreements to be submitted to the Department of Education. 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