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Senate Education Committee Passes Legislation to Expand Bright Futures Scholarship

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SB 4 Secures Permanent Expansion of Bright
Futures Academic and Medallion Scholarships

The Senate Committee on Education today passed Senate Bill 4, the Florida Excellence in Higher Education Act of 2018, sponsored by Senator Bill Galvano (R-Bradenton). The legislation expands the state university and student financial aid portions of the higher education agenda the Senate advanced last session, a top priority of Senate President Joe Negron (R-Stuart). Included in the bill are provisions for the permanent expansion of the Bright Futures Academic Scholar award at 100 percent of tuition and fees, and the Bright Futures Medallion Scholar award at 75 percent of tuition and fees.
“Senate Bill 4 secures full funding for the Bright Futures Academic Scholar award, which began this academic year, and it also reinstates funding for the Bright Futures Medallion Scholar award at 75 percent of tuition and fees for fall and spring semesters, beginning in the 2018-19 academic year,” said President Negron. “With these two changes, we ensure the permanent expansion of the Bright Futures Scholarship for the approximately 94,000 students expected to qualify for new or renewed Bright Futures Academic and Medallion Scholarships. Senate Bill 4 also expands merit-based and need-based financial aid funding, and establishes flexible tuition policies for families,” continued President Negron. “As Florida students and their families plan for their investment in a college or university education, they deserve financial security and peace of mind throughout their academic journey. With these permanent changes in law, we can help alleviate some of those financial concerns.”
“Every student in Florida who qualifies and earns the privilege to attend one of our state universities should have the opportunity to pursue a higher education; however, for many of our students that is an unattainable goal due to financial burdens,” said Senator Galvano. “A college or university education is a significant investment of both time and money, and Senate Bill 4 helps students and their families make that investment by planning accordingly.”
“This legislation makes permanent the expansion of the Bright Futures Academic and Medallion Scholarships, establishes flexible tuition policies for full-time students, and incentivizes on-time graduation,” continued Senator Galvano. “In addition, Senate Bill 4 provides an opportunity for advanced planning for our universities by instituting a transition period for universities seeking preeminence status to adjust to the new 4-year graduation rate for full-time students.”
Summary of Senate Bill 4 – The Florida Excellence in Higher Education Act of 2018
PRESERVE ACCESS AND AFFORDABILITY FOR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES
Senate Bill 4 expands merit-based and need-based financial aid funding and establishes flexible tuition policies available to families so every student in Florida who qualifies and earns the privilege to attend one of our state universities has the opportunity to pursue a higher education.
Expands Student Financial Assistance and Support

  • Expands need-based state aid, and university or college gift aid, for students with demonstrated financial need.
    • Expands the First Generation Matching Grant Program to include community college students and doubles the state match for private donations supporting the program (2:1 match).
    • Creates a new Florida Farmworker Student Scholarship for children of migrant families to earn technical and college credentials.
  • Expands merit-based state gift aid for high-performing students.
    • Reinstates full funding of the Bright Futures Florida Academic Scholar award at 100 percent of tuition and fees, plus $300 in fall and spring semesters to cover instructional materials and other costs, beginning in this 2017-2018 academic year.
    • Guarantees funding for 2018 summer term tuition and fees for Bright Futures Florida Academic Scholar awards.
    • Reinstates funding for the Bright Futures Florida Medallion Scholar award at 75 percent of tuition and fees for fall and spring semesters, beginning in fall semester of the 2018-2019 academic year.
    • Expands Benacquisto Scholarship awards (full cost of attendance) to recruit out-of-state National Merit Scholar award winners.

Establishes Flexible Tuition and Fee Policies

  • Requires universities to implement an institutional block tuition and fee policy for full-time, in-state, undergraduate resident students.
    • Fall 2018 semester implementation for at least the entering freshman class – may be extended to include other students.
    • Must accommodate full-time student enrollment in at least 30 credits across any combination of fall, spring, or summer terms of the academic year.
    • Must maximize accelerated and transfer credit to facilitate on-time graduation and minimize excess hours.
    • Must be publicly approved by university boards of trustees and the Board of Governors, with updates and progress reports provided to the Legislature.

Increases Student Access to Internship and Job Opportunities

  • Requires each state university to use labor market projections and related degree production analyses to identify internship opportunities for students to benefit from industry experts and mentors, earn industry certifications, and become employed in high-demand fields.

RECRUIT AND RETAIN TOP FACULTY
Senate Bill 4 expands and enhances policy and funding tools state universities can leverage to recruit and retain the very best faculty, enrich professional and graduate school strength and viability, and bring aging infrastructure and research laboratories into the 21st century.
Establishes World Class Faculty Scholar Program

  • Creates the World Class Faculty Scholar Program to help universities recruit, recognize, and retain exemplary faculty, research scholars, and expert teams, as funded in the GAA.

Establishes University Professional and Graduate Degree Excellence Program

  • Creates the University Professional and Graduate Degree Excellence Program to promote quality and excellence in university professional schools, and improve graduate study outcomes in high-impact fields of medicine, law, and business, as funded in the GAA.

ELEVATE UNIVERSITY DISTINCTION AND NATIONAL PROMINENCE
Senate Bill 4 ensures universities remain accountable to Florida taxpayers by refining university performance expectations to incentivize and reward state university performance excellence and recognition in academics, instruction, research, and community accomplishments and achievements.
Incentivizes On-Time Graduation of Full-Time Students

  • Refines university performance expectations to incentivize and reward institutions for graduating full-time bachelor degree students in four years.
    • Preeminent State Research University: Upgrades the graduation metric to a 4-year graduation rate of 60 percent or higher. The current metric is a 6-year rate at 70 percent or higher. The bill provides one transitional year for any university having earned preeminent or emerging preeminent status based on the 2018 determination under current metrics to maintain that status for the 2018-19 academic year and receive 2018-19 preeminence funds accordingly.
    • University Performance Incentive Funding: Updates metrics to specify a 4-year graduation rate and require benchmarks for the “access” metric that reward institutions for performance success in serving Pell grant students.
  • Tightens state university relationships with their direct-support organizations’ leadership, use of funds, and public disclosure activities.

Promotes State University Programs of Excellence

  • Directs the Board of Governors to establish standards and measures to recognize, enhance, and promote individual degree programs in state universities across the system, which reflect national excellence, prominence, and distinction.

Senate Education Committee Passes Religious Liberties Act

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Legislation protects the Constitutional rights of students, parents, and teachers

The Florida Senate Committee on Education today passed Senate Bill 436 by Senator Dennis Baxley (R-Lady Lake), Religious Expression in Public Schools. The legislation creates the “Florida Student and School Personnel Religious Liberties Act,” and specifies that a school district may not discriminate against a student, parent, or school personnel on the basis of a religious viewpoint or religious expression.
“Freedom of Religion is a central right protected by our Constitution,” said Senate President Joe Negron (R-Stuart). “This legislation makes it clear that the State of Florida stands for religious liberty and will take the steps necessary to protect the free speech rights of public school students, parents, teachers, and school administrators.”
Senate Bill 436 authorizes students to express religious beliefs in written and oral assignments, free from discrimination. Students may also wear clothing, accessories, and jewelry that display a religious message or symbol to the same extent secular types of clothing, accessories, and jewelry that display messages or symbols are permitted in public school dress codes. Further, students may pray, or engage in and organize religious activities before, during, and after the school day, to the same extent student engagement in secular activity or expression, and the organization of secular activities and groups are permitted.
“We should be encouraging, rather than preventing our students from expressing their religious convictions,” said Senator Baxley. “This legislation safeguards Freedom of Religion by protecting our students from being discriminated against based on the free expression of their religious ideals in spoken word or prayer, attire, school assignments, and extracurricular activities.”
The legislation requires a school district to comply with Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and specifies that a school district may not prevent school personnel from participating in religious activities on school grounds that are student-initiated at reasonable times before or after the school day.
Districts must allow a religious group access to the same school facilities for assembling as a secular group without discrimination. Additionally, the bill requires school districts to adopt a policy that establishes a limited public forum for student speakers at any school event at which a student is to speak publicly. The legislation also requires the Florida Department of Education to develop and publish on its website a model policy regarding a limited public forum and the voluntary expression of religious viewpoints by students and school personnel in public schools. The model policy must be adopted and implemented by each district school board.

Senate Education Committee Passes College Competitiveness Act

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Legislation Re-Establishes Statewide Coordinating Board, Clarifies Mission
of Community Colleges, Strengthens 2+2 College-To-University Programs

The Senate Committee on Education today passed Senate Bill 374, the College Competitiveness Act of 2017, sponsored by Senator Dorothy Hukill (R-Port Orange) and co-sponsored by Senator Bill Galvano (R-Bradenton) and Senate Majority Leader Wilton Simpson (R-Trilby). Senate Bill 374 is a component of the Florida Excellence in Higher Education agenda advocated by Senate President Joe Negron (R-Stuart).
“Florida’s 2+2 college-to-university partnership program has earned a national reputation as a successful model for state systems of higher education,” said President Negron. “The goal of this legislation is to further elevate Florida’s community colleges through a renewed focus on their core mission.”
“As a former student and teacher, I recognize each component of our education system can provide a unique and valuable experience for our students as they learn the skills needed for a successful career,” said Senator Hukill. “A statewide coordinating board will provide the dedicated focus needed to keep our community colleges nationally competitive.”
Senate Bill 374, reinstates a statewide coordinating board for the Florida Community College System, tightens the community college bachelor degree approval process, expands 2+2 college-to-university partnerships, and clarifies responsibilities within Florida’s taxpayer-funded K-20 education system to avoid wasteful duplication of programs offered by state universities, community colleges, and technical centers.
“Florida’s 2+2 program was an important part of my college experience as I worked to complete my associate’s degree at Manatee Community College before transferring to the University of Florida,” said Senator Galvano. “This legislation will strengthen and expand college and university partnerships, so the next generation of Floridians can benefit from our excellent 2+2 program.”
“On-time completion of associate degrees and workforce programs are critical to our economy,” said Leader Simpson. “Learning these valuable skills enables students to graduate with the tools they need to begin a career in their community, or to obtain a degree that makes it easy to transfer to one of our outstanding state universities.”
Reinstates Statewide Coordinating Board  
Senate Bill 374 reinstates the State Board of Community Colleges as the coordinating board of the Florida Community College System, independent of the State Board of Education and the Board of Governors of the State University System, to oversee the local community college boards of trustees. The bill requires the State Board of Community Colleges to appoint a Chancellor to the board, and transfers personnel, budget, and other appropriate functions from the State Board of Education to the State Board of Community Colleges.
Clarifies Missions of Community Colleges and School District Workforce Programs
Senate Bill 374 clarifies that providing lower-level undergraduate instruction and awarding Associate in Arts degrees, which transfer to a state university, are responsibilities under the primary mission of community colleges.  Additionally, responsibilities under the primary mission of community colleges are to prepare students directly for careers requiring less than bachelor degrees, by awarding Associate in Science degrees, Associate in Applied Science degrees, and nationally recognized industry certifications, which help students enter the workforce prepared for success.
Offering upper-level instruction and awarding bachelor degrees are responsibilities under the secondary mission of community colleges. To support this delineation in mission, the bill establishes a cap on the planned growth in upper-level undergraduate enrollment at each community college, thereby focusing attention and resources on excellence in meeting primary mission responsibilities.  The provisions of the bill do not terminate any existing programs and no students currently enrolled in community college baccalaureate degree programs will be impacted by the enrollment cap.
The legislation further clarifies the mission of technical centers is to promote advances and innovations in specific workforce preparation and economic development.  The public technical center learning environment prepares its students to meet the needs of the local community through specific and specialized technical career-based training; thus promoting diversity and choices within the public technical education community and while increasing a quicker turnaround in economic investments as these students are more likely to immediately enter the workforce. The bill clarifies technical centers governed by local school boards may not offer college credit courses, college credit certificates, associate degrees, or bachelor degrees.
Expands 2+2 College-To-University Partnerships
Senate Bill 374 expands successful 2+2 college-to-university programs, such as DirectConnect partnerships with the University of Central Florida and FUSE partnerships with the University of South Florida, by requiring every college to implement, by no later than the 2018 academic year, a minimum of one 2+2 pathway agreement with at least one state university partner. The 2+2 pathway agreement guarantees the college’s Associate in Arts degree graduates, who meet specific requirements, admission to the university partnered with that community college.