SESSION WATCH
THE BILL ITSELF

CS/CS/SB 7038

Education

VERSION S 7038 c2 · BACK TO THE SUMMARY · OFFICIAL RECORD

underlined language is being added; struck language is being deleted. Line numbers are the Legislature's own — the same ones amendments cite.

Florida Senate - 2026 CS for CS for SB 7038 By the Committee on Rules; the Appropriations Committee on Pre-K - 12 Education; and the Committee on Education Postsecondary 595-03175-26 20267038c2
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to education; amending s. 251.001,
3 F.S.; requiring each Florida College System
4 institution and state university to waive tuition and
5 fees for members of the Florida State Guard if certain
6 conditions are met; creating s. 413.0114, F.S.;
7 requiring entities that offer fee-based services to
8 individuals who are blind or visually impaired to
9 disclose in writing whether the service may be
10 obtained elsewhere at no cost; providing requirements
11 for the disclosure; authorizing the State Board of
12 Education to adopt rules; amending s. 413.208, F.S.;
13 requiring certain service providers to apply to,
14 rather than register with, the Division of Vocational
15 Rehabilitation; requiring the division to establish
16 minimum qualifications for service providers;
17 requiring the division to establish an annual
18 application period; authorizing the division to
19 approve or deny any service provider application;
20 providing that, as of a specified date, only certain
21 service providers may participate in the vocational
22 rehabilitation program; requiring the division to
23 develop and make publicly available a certain annual
24 report; requiring service providers to meet certain
25 standards to maintain approved status; requiring that
26 the rates for vocational rehabilitation services meet
27 certain criteria; amending s. 491.005, F.S.; revising
28 the date for a requirement to obtain a license as a
29 marriage and family therapist; amending s. 1001.7065,
30 F.S.; revising academic and research excellence
31 standards; amending s. 1001.92, F.S.; revising certain
32 performance-based metrics; amending s. 1003.437, F.S.;
33 requiring the State Board of Education to establish a
34 uniform weighted grading system for specified courses
35 and articulated acceleration mechanisms; requiring
36 district school boards to use the system for a
37 specified purpose; creating s. 1004.0983, F.S.;
38 requiring state universities and Florida College
39 System institutions to adopt and implement specified
40 policies and procedures relating to safety; specifying
41 requirements for such policies and procedures;
42 requiring state universities and Florida College
43 System institutions to annually review and update the
44 policies and procedures; authorizing the Board of
45 Governors and the State Board of Education to adopt
46 regulations and rules, respectively; amending s.
47 1005.06, F.S.; revising the list of institutions that
48 are not under the jurisdiction of the Commission for
49 Independent Education; amending s. 1007.25, F.S.;
50 revising the timeframe for Florida College System
51 institutions and state universities to submit comments
52 in response to a specified notice of intent; amending
53 s. 1007.271, F.S.; revising the list of postsecondary
54 institutions that are eligible to participate in a
55 dual enrollment program; amending s. 1008.30, F.S.;
56 deleting a requirement for the State Board of
57 Education to adopt rules; authorizing school district
58 career centers to use alternative methods adopted by
59 the board in lieu of common placement tests to assess
60 students in basic communication and computation
61 skills; authorizing Florida College System
62 institutions to request approval of institution
63 specific alternative methods; making conforming
64 changes; amending s. 1008.44, F.S.; deleting a
65 provision limiting how supplemental funding may be
66 earned for the CAPE Industry Certification Funding
67 List; amending s. 1008.47, F.S.; revising the
68 timeframe for a public postsecondary institution to
69 seek and obtain accreditation; amending s. 1009.21,
70 F.S.; providing that a person may not lose his or her
71 resident status for tuition purposes due to
72 incarceration; providing that a person may not lose
73 his or her resident status for tuition purposes due to
74 his or her parent serving outside this state in
75 certain capacities; amending s. 1009.26, F.S.;
76 providing that a fee waiver only applies to a full
77 time undergraduate student, beginning with a specified
78 academic year; revising requirements for a fee waiver;
79 amending s. 1009.30, F.S.; requiring that certain
80 postsecondary institutions be reimbursed for public
81 school students under the Dual Enrollment Scholarship
82 Program; amending s. 1009.536, F.S.; revising student
83 eligibility requirements for the Florida Gold Seal
84 Vocational Scholars and Florida Gold Seal CAPE
85 Scholars awards; authorizing a student to apply for
86 the Florida Gold Seal CAPE Scholars award within a
87 specified timeframe; amending s. 1009.893, F.S.;
88 authorizing a student to defer an award under the
89 Benacquisto Scholarship Program; amending s. 1009.983,
90 F.S.; authorizing a specified designee with certain
91 credentials to serve as director of the direct-support
92 organization for the Florida Prepaid College
93 Foundation, Inc.; amending s. 1009.986, F.S.; revising
94 the membership of the board of directors of Florida
95 ABLE, Inc.; amending s. 1011.62, F.S.; revising the
96 academic acceleration options supplement in the
97 Florida Education Finance Program to include a method
98 for calculating additional full-time equivalent
99 membership based on a specified course and test score;
100 providing specified bonuses; amending s. 1011.84,
101 F.S.; revising the components to be considered by the
102 Legislature in determining an apportionment of state
103 funds to a Florida College System institution;
104 deleting obsolete provisions; amending s. 1013.841,
105 F.S.; requiring all Florida College System
106 institutions, rather than only certain institutions,
107 to maintain a specified carry forward balance;
108 providing that a Florida College System institution
109 may retain an annual reserve amount exceeding the
110 carry forward balance; deleting obsolete provisions;
111 authorizing the inclusion in a carry forward spending
112 plan of the retention of a carry forward balance as a
113 reserve fund for a specified use; providing an
114 effective date.
116 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
118 Section 1. Subsection (9) of section 251.001, Florida
119 Statutes, is amended to read:
120 251.001 Florida State Guard Act.—
121 (9) REIMBURSEMENT , BENEFIT, AND COMPENSATION.—
122 (a) The division shall reimburse members of the Florida
123 State Guard for per diem and travel expenses incurred to attend
124 required training or in the course of active service as provided
125 in s. 112.061.
126 (b) Members of the Florida State Guard may be compensated
127 for time spent training or in the course of active service at
128 rates established by the director, subject to appropriation.
129 (c) A member of the Florida State Guard may not make any
130 purchase or enter into any contract or agreement for purchases
131 or services as a charge against the state without the authority
132 of the director.
133 (d) As a benefit to the active members of the Florida State
134 Guard, subject to approval by the director of the Division of
135 the State Guard, each Florida College System institution and
136 state university shall waive tuition and fees for active members
137 of the Florida State Guard to enroll for up to 6 credit hours of
138 courses per term on a space-available basis.
139 Section 2. Section 413.0114, Florida Statutes, is created
140 to read:
141 413.0114 Consumer disclosure for blind-related services.—
142 (1) An individual, business, nonprofit, or other entity
143 offering fee-based services to individuals who are blind or
144 visually impaired shall, before entering into a contract or
145 accepting payment, disclose in writing whether equivalent or
146 substantially similar services may be available at no cost
147 through the Division of Blind Services or another public agency.
148 (2) The written disclosure must:
149 (a) Be provided in plain language and, upon request, in an
150 accessible format, such as braille, large print, or audio.
151 (b) Include contact information for the Division of Blind
152 Services.
153 (c) Be signed or electronically acknowledged by the
154 consumer or his or her representative.
155 (3) A violation of this section constitutes an unfair or
156 deceptive trade practice under part II of chapter 501 and is
157 subject to penalties and enforcement as provided therein.
158 (4) The State Board of Education may adopt rules to
159 implement this section.
160 Section 3. Subsection (1) of section 413.208, Florida
161 Statutes, is amended to read:
162 413.208 Service providers; quality assurance; fitness for
163 responsibilities; background screening.—
164 (1) Service providers must apply to register with the
165 division. To qualify for approval, a registration, the division
166 must ensure that the service provider must maintain maintains an
167 internal system of quality assurance, have has proven functional
168 systems, meet the minimum qualifications, and be is subject to a
169 due-diligence inquiry as to its fitness to undertake service
170 responsibilities.
171 (a) The division shall establish minimum qualifications for
172 service providers. The division shall establish an annual
173 application period for service providers to submit applications.
174 The division may approve or deny any service provider
175 application. Beginning January 1, 2027, only service providers
176 that meet the minimum qualifications established by the division
177 and that have been approved to provide employment-related
178 services to individuals with disabilities may participate in the
179 vocational rehabilitation program.
180 (b) The division shall develop and make publicly available
181 an annual report of service provider effectiveness, which
182 includes an evaluation system measuring the effectiveness of all
183 service providers that are approved by the division to provide
184 employment-related services to individuals with disabilities.
185 (c) In order to maintain approved status with the division,
186 service providers must meet minimum standards of effectiveness
187 in the provision of vocational rehabilitation services,
188 including placement of individuals in competitive and integrated
189 employment.
190 (d) Rates for vocational rehabilitation services must be
191 allocable, reasonable, and necessary, as determined by the
192 division.
193 Section 4. Paragraph (c) of subsection (3) of section
194 491.005, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
195 491.005 Licensure by examination.—
196 (3) MARRIAGE AND FAMILY THERAPY.—Upon verification of
197 documentation and payment of a fee not to exceed $200, as set by
198 board rule, the department shall issue a license as a marriage
199 and family therapist to an applicant whom the board certifies
200 has met all of the following criteria:
201 (c)1. Attained one of the following:
202 a. A minimum of a master’s degree in marriage and family
203 therapy from a program accredited by the Commission on
204 Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education.
205 b. A minimum of a master’s degree with a major emphasis in
206 marriage and family therapy or a closely related field from a
207 university program accredited by the Council on Accreditation of
208 Counseling and Related Educational Programs and graduate courses
209 approved by the board.
210 c. A minimum of a master’s degree with an emphasis in
211 marriage and family therapy or a closely related field, with a
212 degree conferred before September 1, 2032 2027 , from an
213 institutionally accredited college or university and graduate
214 courses approved by the board.
215 2. If the course title that appears on the applicant’s
216 transcript does not clearly identify the content of the
217 coursework, the applicant provided additional documentation,
218 including, but not limited to, a syllabus or catalog description
219 published for the course. The required master’s degree must have
220 been received in an institution of higher education that, at the
221 time the applicant graduated, was fully accredited by an
222 institutional accrediting body recognized by the Council for
223 Higher Education Accreditation or its successor organization or
224 was a member in good standing with Universities Canada, or an
225 institution of higher education located outside the United
226 States and Canada which, at the time the applicant was enrolled
227 and at the time the applicant graduated, maintained a standard
228 of training substantially equivalent to the standards of
229 training of those institutions in the United States which are
230 accredited by an institutional accrediting body recognized by
231 the Council for Higher Education Accreditation or its successor
232 organization. Such foreign education and training must have been
233 received in an institution or program of higher education
234 officially recognized by the government of the country in which
235 it is located as an institution or program to train students to
236 practice as professional marriage and family therapists or
237 psychotherapists. The applicant has the burden of establishing
238 that the requirements of this provision have been met, and the
239 board shall require documentation, such as an evaluation by a
240 foreign equivalency determination service, as evidence that the
241 applicant’s graduate degree program and education were
242 equivalent to an accredited program in this country. An
243 applicant with a master’s degree from a program that did not
244 emphasize marriage and family therapy may complete the
245 coursework requirement in a training institution fully
246 accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and
247 Family Therapy Education recognized by the United States
248 Department of Education.
250 For the purposes of dual licensure, the department shall license
251 as a marriage and family therapist any person who meets the
252 requirements of s. 491.0057. Fees for dual licensure may not
253 exceed those stated in this subsection.
254 Section 5. Paragraph (d) of subsection (2) of section
255 1001.7065, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
256 1001.7065 Preeminent state research universities program.—
257 (2) ACADEMIC AND RESEARCH EXCELLENCE STANDARDS.—The
258 following academic and research excellence standards are
259 established for the preeminent state research universities
260 program and shall be reported annually in the Board of Governors
261 Accountability Plan:
262 (d) A 4-year graduation rate of 60 percent or higher and an
263 adjusted cohort graduation rate for full-time, first-time-in
264 college students.
265 Section 6. Subsection (1) of section 1001.92, Florida
266 Statutes, is amended to read:
267 1001.92 State University System Performance-Based
268 Incentive.—
269 (1) A State University System Performance-Based Incentive
270 shall be awarded to state universities using performance-based
271 metrics adopted by the Board of Governors of the State
272 University System. Beginning with the Board of Governors’
273 determination of each university’s performance improvement and
274 achievement ratings, and the related distribution of annual
275 fiscal year appropriation, the performance-based metrics must
276 include:
277 (a) The 4-year graduation rate and adjusted cohort
278 graduation rate for first-time-in-college students;
279 (b) Beginning in fiscal year 2022-2023, the 3-year
280 graduation rate for associate in arts transfer students;
281 (c) Retention rates;
282 (d) Postgraduation education rates;
283 (e) Degree production;
284 (f) Affordability;
285 (g) Postgraduation employment and salaries, including wage
286 thresholds that reflect the added value of a baccalaureate
287 degree;
288 (h) Access rate, based on the percentage of first-year
289 undergraduate students enrolled during the fall term who
290 received a Pell Grant during the fall term; and
291 (i) Beginning in fiscal year 2021-2022, the 6-year
292 graduation rate for students who are awarded a Pell Grant in
293 their first year.
295 The Board of Governors may approve other metrics in a publicly
296 noticed meeting. The board shall adopt benchmarks to evaluate
297 each state university’s performance on the metrics to measure
298 the state university’s achievement of institutional excellence
299 or need for improvement and minimum requirements for eligibility
300 to receive performance funding. Benchmarks and metrics may not
301 be adjusted after university performance data has been received
302 by the Board of Governors.
303 Section 7. Section 1003.437, Florida Statutes, is amended
304 to read:
305 1003.437 Middle and high school grading system.—The grading
306 system and interpretation of letter grades used to measure
307 student success in grade 6 through grade 12 courses for students
308 in public schools shall be as follows:
309 (1) Grade “A” equals 90 percent through 100 percent, has a
310 grade point average value of 4, and is defined as “outstanding
311 progress.”
312 (2) Grade “B” equals 80 percent through 89 percent, has a
313 grade point average value of 3, and is defined as “above average
314 progress.”
315 (3) Grade “C” equals 70 percent through 79 percent, has a
316 grade point average value of 2, and is defined as “average
317 progress.”
318 (4) Grade “D” equals 60 percent through 69 percent, has a
319 grade point average value of 1, and is defined as “lowest
320 acceptable progress.”
321 (5) Grade “F” equals zero percent through 59 percent, has a
322 grade point average value of zero, and is defined as “failure.”
323 (6) Grade “I” equals zero percent, has a grade point
324 average value of zero, and is defined as “incomplete.”
326 The State Board of Education shall establish a statewide uniform
327 weighted grading system for honors courses and articulated
328 acceleration mechanisms identified in s. 1007.27. For the
329 purposes of class ranking, District school boards shall use the
330 may exercise a weighted grading system to calculate weighted
331 high school grade point averages pursuant to s. 1007.271 .
332 Section 8. Section 1004.0983, Florida Statutes, is created
333 to read:
334 1004.0983 Public postsecondary safety policies and
335 procedures.—
336 (1) Each state university and Florida College System
337 institution shall adopt and implement written safety policies
338 and procedures applicable to campus facilities, classrooms, and
339 other institutional settings to prevent, report, and respond to:
340 (a) An act of violence or attempted violence against a
341 person.
342 (b) A credible threat as defined in s. 784.048(1)(c).
343 (2) The policies and procedures must:
344 (a) Identify a person responsible for:
345 1. Coordinating the state university’s or Florida College
346 System institution’s response to actions listed in paragraphs
347 (1)(a) and (b).
348 2. Implementing such policies and procedures, including all
349 safety measures.
350 (b) Establish clear internal and external reporting
351 protocols, including notification of campus security or a local
352 law enforcement agency when appropriate.
353 (c) Outline the protective measures available to affected
354 persons, which may include work or class relocation, security
355 escorts, and restricting access to certain areas by a person
356 engaged in an activity listed in paragraph (1)(a) or paragraph
357 (1)(b).
358 (d) Provide timely updates to an affected person regarding
359 the status of an incident and any action taken.
360 (e) Ensure the policies and procedures are prominently
361 posted on the state university’s or Florida College System
362 institution’s website and available to students, faculty, staff,
363 and visitors upon request.
364 (3) Each state university and Florida College System
365 institution shall annually review and update the policies and
366 procedures to incorporate the best practices in threat
367 assessment, campus security, and safety.
368 (4) The Board of Governors may adopt regulations and the
369 State Board of Education may adopt rules to administer this
370 section.
371 Section 9. Paragraph (b) of subsection (1) of section
372 1005.06, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
373 1005.06 Institutions not under the jurisdiction or purview
374 of the commission.—
375 (1) Except as otherwise provided in law, the following
376 institutions are not under the jurisdiction or purview of the
377 commission and are not required to obtain licensure:
378 (b) Any college or , school , or course licensed or approved
379 as an institution for establishment and operation by another
380 state agency. A college or school, or any of its programs or
381 courses, does not qualify for exemption from the commission’s
382 jurisdiction under this paragraph solely because another state
383 agency licenses or approves one or more of its programs or
384 courses. Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed to limit
385 or affect the exemptions for contract training, continuing
386 education, or professional development programs or courses under
387 paragraph (d), even if such programs or courses are approved
388 under chapter 466 for establishment and operation under part I
389 of chapter 464, chapter 466, or chapter 475, or any other
390 chapter of the Florida Statutes requiring licensing or approval
391 as defined in this chapter .
392 Section 10. Paragraph (b) of subsection (9) of section
393 1007.25, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
394 1007.25 General education courses; common prerequisites;
395 other degree requirements.—
396 (9)
397 (b) An associate in arts specialized transfer degree must
398 include 36 semester hours of general education coursework and
399 require 60 semester hours or more of college credit. Specialized
400 transfer degrees are designed for Florida College System
401 institution students who need supplemental lower-level
402 coursework in preparation for transfer to another institution.
403 The State Board of Education shall establish criteria for the
404 review and approval of new specialized transfer degrees. The
405 approval process must require:
406 1. A Florida College System institution to submit a notice
407 of its intent to propose a new associate in arts specialized
408 degree program to the Division of Florida Colleges. The notice
409 must include the recommended credit hours, the rationale for the
410 specialization, the demand for students entering the field, and
411 the coursework being proposed to be included beyond the 60
412 semester hours required for the general transfer degree, if
413 applicable. Notices of intent may be submitted by a Florida
414 College System institution at any time.
415 2. The Division of Florida Colleges to forward the notice
416 of intent within 10 business days after receipt to all Florida
417 College System institutions and to the Chancellor of the State
418 University System, who shall forward the notice to all state
419 universities. State universities and Florida College System
420 institutions shall have 30 60 days after receipt of the notice
421 to submit comments to the proposed associate in arts specialized
422 transfer degree.
423 3. After the submission of comments pursuant to
424 subparagraph 2., the requesting Florida College System
425 institution to submit a proposal that, at a minimum, includes:
426 a. Evidence that the coursework for the associate in arts
427 specialized transfer degree includes demonstration of competency
428 in a foreign language pursuant to s. 1007.262 and demonstration
429 of civic literacy competency as provided in subsection (5).
430 b. Demonstration that all required coursework will count
431 toward the associate in arts degree or the baccalaureate degree.
432 c. An analysis of demand and unmet need for students
433 entering the specialized field of study at the baccalaureate
434 level.
435 d. Justification for the program length if it exceeds 60
436 credit hours, including references to the common prerequisite
437 manual or other requirements for the baccalaureate degree. This
438 includes documentation of alignment between the exit
439 requirements of a Florida College System institution and the
440 admissions requirements of a baccalaureate program at a state
441 university to which students would typically transfer.
442 e. Articulation agreements for graduates of the associate
443 in arts specialized transfer degree.
444 f. Responses to the comments received under subparagraph 2.
445 Section 11. Subsections (1) and (16) of section 1007.271,
446 Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
447 1007.271 Dual enrollment programs.—
448 (1) The dual enrollment program is the enrollment of an
449 eligible secondary student in this state or home education
450 student in this state in a postsecondary course creditable
451 toward high school completion and a career certificate or an
452 associate or baccalaureate degree. Postsecondary institutions
453 that are eligible to participate in the dual enrollment program
454 are Florida public postsecondary institutions and eligible not
455 for-profit independent colleges and universities pursuant to s.
456 1011.62(1)(i). A student who is enrolled in postsecondary
457 instruction that is not creditable toward a high school diploma
458 may not be classified as a dual enrollment student.
459 (16) Students who meet the eligibility requirements of this
460 section and who choose to participate in dual enrollment
461 programs are exempt from the payment of registration, tuition,
462 and laboratory fees.
463 Section 12. Subsections (2) and (3) and paragraphs (a) and
464 (b) of subsection (4) of section 1008.30, Florida Statutes, are
465 amended to read:
466 1008.30 Assessing college-level communication and
467 computation skills for public postsecondary education.—
468 (2) By January 31, 2022, the State Board of Education shall
469 adopt rules to develop and implement alternative methods for
470 assessing the basic communication and computation skills of
471 students who intend to enter a degree program at a Florida
472 College System institution. Florida College System institutions
473 and school district career centers may use these alternative
474 methods adopted by the State Board of Education for assessing
475 the basic communication and computation skills of students who
476 intend to enter a degree program at a Florida College System
477 institution or school district career center in lieu of the
478 common placement tests under subsection (1) to assess student
479 readiness for college-level work in communication and
480 computation. Florida College System institutions may request
481 approval of institution-specific alternative methods in
482 accordance with State Board of Education rules.
483 (3) The rules adopted under subsection (2) must specify the
484 following:
485 (a) A student who entered 9th grade in a Florida public
486 school in the 2003-2004 school year, or any year thereafter, and
487 earned a Florida standard high school diploma and who
488 demonstrated readiness for college-level communication and
489 computation skills by any of the approved common placement tests
490 or alternative methods pursuant to this section or a student who
491 is serving as an active duty member of any branch of the United
492 States Armed Services is not required to be assessed for
493 readiness for college-level work in communication and
494 computation and is not required to enroll in developmental
495 education instruction in a Florida College System institution or
496 a school district career center . However, a student who is not
497 required to be assessed for readiness for college-level work in
498 communication and computation and is not required to enroll in
499 developmental education under this paragraph may opt to be
500 assessed and to enroll in developmental education instruction,
501 and the college or school district career center shall provide
502 such assessment and instruction upon the student’s request.
503 (b) A student who earned a Florida standard high school
504 diploma and has not demonstrated readiness for college-level
505 courses pursuant to subsection (1) or subsection (2) must be
506 offered the opportunity to be is assessed for readiness for
507 college-level communication and computation and , if the
508 student’s whose assessment results indicate a need for
509 developmental education , he or she must be advised of all the
510 developmental education options offered at the institution . and,
511 After advisement, the student may enroll in the developmental
512 education option of his or her choice.
513 (c) A student who demonstrates readiness by achieving or
514 exceeding the test scores established under subsection (1) by
515 the state board and enrolls in a Florida College System
516 institution or a school district career center within 2 years
517 after achieving such scores may shall not be required to retest
518 or complete developmental education when admitted to any Florida
519 College System institution or school district career center .
520 (4)(a) Each Florida College System institution and school
521 district career center shall implement the developmental
522 education strategies defined in s. 1008.02 and rules established
523 by the State Board of Education.
524 (b) Each Florida College System institution and school
525 district career center shall use placement test results or
526 alternative methods as established by the State Board of
527 Education to determine the extent to which each student
528 demonstrates sufficient communication and computation skills to
529 indicate readiness for his or her chosen meta-major. Florida
530 College System institutions and school district career centers
531 shall counsel students into college credit courses as quickly as
532 possible, with developmental education limited to that content
533 needed for success in the meta-major.
534 Section 13. Subsection (1) of section 1008.44, Florida
535 Statutes, is amended to read:
536 1008.44 CAPE Industry Certification Funding List.—
537 (1) The State Board of Education shall adopt, at least
538 annually, based upon recommendations by the Commissioner of
539 Education, the CAPE Industry Certification Funding List that
540 assigns categories of certificates and certifications as
541 provided for in s. 1003.4203 to certifications identified in the
542 Master Credentials List under s. 445.004(4) which meet a
543 statewide, regional, or local demand. Supplemental funding for
544 regional and local demand certifications may only be earned in
545 those areas with regional or local demand as identified by the
546 Credentials Review Committee.
547 Section 14. Subsection (2) of section 1008.47, Florida
548 Statutes, is amended to read:
549 1008.47 Postsecondary education institution accreditation.—
550 (2) ACCREDITATION.—
551 (a) By September 1, 2022, The Board of Governors or the
552 State Board of Education, as applicable, shall identify and
553 determine the accrediting agencies or associations best suited
554 to serve as an accreditor for public postsecondary institutions.
555 Such accrediting agencies or associations must be recognized by
556 the database created and maintained by the United States
557 Department of Education. Within 3 years In the year following
558 reaffirmation or fifth-year review by its accrediting agencies
559 or associations, each public postsecondary institution must seek
560 and obtain accreditation from an accrediting agency or
561 association identified by the Board of Governors or State Board
562 of Education, respectively, before its next reaffirmation or
563 fifth-year review date. The requirements in this section are
564 limited to a one-time change in accreditation. The requirements
565 of this subsection are not applicable to those professional,
566 graduate, departmental, or certificate programs at public
567 postsecondary institutions that have specific accreditation
568 requirements or best practices, including, but not limited to,
569 law, pharmacy, engineering, or other similarly situated
570 educational programs.
571 (b) Once a public postsecondary institution is required to
572 seek and obtain accreditation from an agency or association
573 identified pursuant to paragraph (a), the institution shall seek
574 accreditation from an a regional accrediting agency or
575 association and provide quarterly reports of its progress to the
576 Board of Governors or State Board of Education, as applicable.
577 If each regional accreditation agency or association identified
578 pursuant to paragraph (a) has refused to grant candidacy status
579 to an institution, the institution must seek and obtain
580 accreditation from any accrediting agency or association that is
581 different from its current accrediting agency or association and
582 is recognized by the database created and maintained by the
583 United States Department of Education. If a public postsecondary
584 institution is not granted candidacy status before its next
585 reaffirmation or fifth-year review date, the institution may
586 remain with its current accrediting agency or association.
587 (c) This subsection expires December 31, 2032.
588 Section 15. Present subsections (4) through (13) of section
589 1009.21, Florida Statutes, are redesignated as subsections (5)
590 through (14), respectively, a new subsection (4) is added to
591 that section, and present subsection (7) of that section is
592 amended, to read:
593 1009.21 Determination of resident status for tuition
594 purposes.—Students shall be classified as residents or
595 nonresidents for the purpose of assessing tuition in
596 postsecondary educational programs offered by charter technical
597 career centers or career centers operated by school districts,
598 in Florida College System institutions, and in state
599 universities.
600 (4) An individual may not lose his or her resident status
601 for tuition purposes solely by reason of his or her
602 incarceration in a state or federal correctional facility in
603 this state.
604 (8) (7) A person may shall not lose his or her resident
605 status for tuition purposes solely by reason of his or her
606 serving, or, if such person is a dependent child, by reason of
607 his or her parent’s or parents’ serving outside this state as
608 active duty or civilian personnel: ,
609 (a) In the Armed Forces outside this state .
610 (b) On assignment for the United States Department of State
611 or Department of Defense.
612 (c) Teaching at a Department of Defense Dependent School.
613 Section 16. Paragraph (a) of subsection (20) of section
614 1009.26, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
615 1009.26 Fee waivers.—
616 (20)(a) Beginning with the 2026-2027 2022-2023 academic
617 year, a state university shall waive the out-of-state fee for a
618 full-time undergraduate student who:
619 1. Has a grandparent who is a legal resident as defined in
620 s. 1009.21(1). For purposes of this subsection, the term
621 “grandparent” means a person who has a legal relationship to a
622 student’s parent as the natural or adoptive parent or legal
623 guardian of the student’s parent.
624 2. Earns a high school diploma comparable to a Florida
625 standard high school diploma, or its equivalent, or completes a
626 home education program.
627 3.a. Achieves an SAT combined score no lower than the 89th
628 national percentile on the SAT;
629 b. Achieves an ACT score concordant to the required SAT
630 score in sub-subparagraph a., using the latest published
631 national concordance table developed jointly by the College
632 Board and ACT, Inc.; or
633 c. If a state university accepts the Classic Learning Test
634 (CLT) for admission purposes, achieves a CLT score concordant to
635 the required SAT score specified in sub-subparagraph a., using
636 the latest published scoring comparison developed by Classic
637 Learning Initiatives.
638 4. Beginning with students who initially enroll in the 2022
639 fall academic term and thereafter, enrolls as a full-time
640 undergraduate student at a state university in the fall academic
641 term immediately following high school graduation.
642 Section 17. Subsection (3) of section 1009.30, Florida
643 Statutes, is amended to read:
644 1009.30 Dual Enrollment Scholarship Program.—
645 (3)(a) The program shall reimburse eligible postsecondary
646 institutions for tuition and related instructional materials
647 costs for dual enrollment courses taken during the fall or
648 spring terms by eligible students, consisting of:
649 1. Private school students who take dual enrollment courses
650 pursuant to s. 1007.271(24)(b);
651 2. Home education program secondary students; or
652 3. Personalized education program secondary students.
653 (b) The program shall reimburse eligible independent
654 postsecondary institutions for tuition and related instructional
655 materials costs for dual enrollment courses taken by public
656 school students during the fall or spring terms.
657 (c) The program shall reimburse institutions for tuition
658 and related instructional materials costs for dual enrollment
659 courses taken by public school, private school, home education
660 program, or personalized education program secondary students
661 during the summer term.
662 Section 18. Subsection (2) of section 1009.536, Florida
663 Statutes, is amended, and subsection (6) is added to that
664 section, to read:
665 1009.536 Florida Gold Seal Vocational Scholars and Florida
666 Gold Seal CAPE Scholars awards.—The Florida Gold Seal Vocational
667 Scholars award and the Florida Gold Seal CAPE Scholars award are
668 created within the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program to
669 recognize and reward academic achievement and career preparation
670 by high school students who wish to continue their education.
671 (2) A student is eligible for a Florida Gold Seal CAPE
672 Scholars award if he or she meets the general eligibility
673 requirements for the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program,
674 and the student:
675 (a) Earns a minimum of 3 5 postsecondary credits credit
676 hours through CAPE industry certifications approved pursuant to
677 s. 1008.44 which articulate for college credit; and
678 (b) Earns a minimum cumulative weighted grade point average
679 of 2.5, as calculated pursuant to s. 1009.531, on all subjects
680 required for a standard high school diploma, excluding elective
681 courses; and
682 (c) Completes at least 30 hours of volunteer service, or 75
683 hours of volunteer service for students entering grade 9 in the
684 2024-2025 school year and thereafter, or 100 hours of paid work,
685 approved by the district school board, the administrators of a
686 nonpublic school, or the Department of Education for home
687 education program students, or 100 hours of a combination of
688 both. The student may identify a social or civic issue or a
689 professional area that interests him or her and develop a plan
690 for his or her personal involvement in addressing the issue or
691 learning about the area. The student must, through papers or
692 other presentations, evaluate and reflect upon his or her
693 experience. Such volunteer service or paid work may include, but
694 is not limited to, a business or governmental internship, work
695 for a nonprofit community service organization, or activities on
696 behalf of a candidate for public office. The hours of volunteer
697 service or paid work must be documented in writing, and the
698 document must be signed by the student, the student’s parent or
699 guardian, and a representative of the organization for which the
700 student performed the volunteer service or paid work.
701 (6) Before or within 3 months after completion of the GATE
702 Program as provided in s. 1004.933, a student may apply for the
703 Florida Gold Seal CAPE Scholars award.
704 Section 19. Paragraph (a) of subsection (4) of section
705 1009.893, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
706 1009.893 Benacquisto Scholarship Program.—
707 (4) In order to be eligible for an initial award under the
708 scholarship program, a student must meet the requirements of
709 paragraph (a) or paragraph (b).
710 (a) A student who is a resident of this state, as
711 determined in s. 1009.40 and rules of the State Board of
712 Education, must:
713 1. Earn a standard Florida high school diploma or its
714 equivalent pursuant to s. 1002.3105, s. 1003.4281, s. 1003.4282,
715 or s. 1003.435 unless:
716 a. The student completes a home education program according
717 to s. 1002.41; or
718 b. The student earns a high school diploma from a non
719 Florida school while living with a parent who is on military or
720 public service assignment out of this state;
721 2. Be accepted by and enroll in a Florida public or
722 independent postsecondary educational institution that is
723 regionally accredited; and
724 3. Be enrolled full-time in a baccalaureate degree program
725 at an eligible regionally accredited Florida public or
726 independent postsecondary educational institution during the
727 fall academic term following high school graduation. A student
728 may defer the initial scholarship award for up to 1 year.
729 Section 20. Subsection (5) of section 1009.983, Florida
730 Statutes, is amended to read:
731 1009.983 Direct-support organization; authority.—
732 (5) The chair of the board or a designee who possesses
733 knowledge, skill, and experience in the areas of accounting,
734 risk management, or investment management shall serve as a
735 director of the direct-support organization. The chair and the
736 executive director of the board shall jointly name, at a
737 minimum, four other individuals to serve as directors of the
738 organization.
739 Section 21. Paragraph (d) of subsection (3) of section
740 1009.986, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
741 1009.986 Florida ABLE program.—
742 (3) DIRECT-SUPPORT ORGANIZATION; FLORIDA ABLE, INC.—
743 (d)1. The board of directors of Florida ABLE, Inc., shall
744 consist of:
745 a. The chair of the Florida Prepaid College Board , or a his
746 or her designee who possesses knowledge, skill, and experience
747 in the areas of accounting, risk management, or investment
748 management .
749 b. Up to three individuals who possess knowledge, skill,
750 and experience in the areas of accounting, risk management, or
751 investment management, one of whom may be a current member of
752 the Florida Prepaid College Board, who shall be appointed by the
753 Florida Prepaid College Board.
754 c. One individual who possesses knowledge, skill, and
755 experience in the areas of accounting, risk management, or
756 investment management, who shall be appointed by the Governor.
757 d. Two individuals who are advocates of persons with
758 disabilities, one of whom shall be appointed by the President of
759 the Senate and one of whom shall be appointed by the Speaker of
760 the House of Representatives. At least one of the individuals
761 appointed under this sub-subparagraph must be an advocate of
762 persons with developmental disabilities, as that term is defined
763 in s. 393.063.
764 2.a. The term of the appointees under sub-subparagraph 1.b.
765 shall be up to 3 years as determined by the Florida Prepaid
766 College Board. Such appointees may be reappointed.
767 b. The term of the appointees under sub-subparagraphs 1.c.
768 and d. shall be 3 years. Such appointees may be reappointed.
769 3. Unless authorized by the board of directors of Florida
770 ABLE, Inc., an individual director has no authority to control
771 or direct the operations of Florida ABLE, Inc., or the actions
772 of its officers and employees.
773 4. The board of directors of Florida ABLE, Inc.:
774 a. Shall meet at least quarterly and at other times upon
775 the call of the chair.
776 b. May use any method of telecommunications to conduct, or
777 establish a quorum at, its meetings or the meetings of a
778 subcommittee or other subdivision if the public is given proper
779 notice of the telecommunications meeting and provided reasonable
780 access to observe and, if appropriate, to participate.
781 c. Shall annually elect a board member to serve as chair.
782 5. A majority of the total current membership of the board
783 of directors of Florida ABLE, Inc., constitutes a quorum of the
784 board.
785 6. Members of the board of directors of Florida ABLE, Inc.,
786 and the board’s subcommittees or other subdivisions shall serve
787 without compensation; however, the members may be reimbursed for
788 reasonable, necessary, and actual travel expenses pursuant to s.
789 112.061.
790 Section 22. Present paragraphs (h) and (i) of subsection
791 (17) of section 1011.62, Florida Statutes, are redesignated as
792 paragraphs (i) and (j), respectively, and a new paragraph (h) is
793 added to that subsection, to read:
794 1011.62 Funds for operation of schools.—If the annual
795 allocation from the Florida Education Finance Program to each
796 district for operation of schools is not determined in the
797 annual appropriations act or the substantive bill implementing
798 the annual appropriations act, it shall be determined as
799 follows:
800 (17) ACADEMIC ACCELERATION OPTIONS SUPPLEMENT.—The academic
801 acceleration options supplement is created to assist school
802 districts in providing academic acceleration options, career
803 themed courses, and courses that lead to digital tool
804 certificates and industry certifications for prekindergarten
805 through grade 12 students and shall be allocated annually in the
806 General Appropriations Act.
807 (h) Calculation of additional full-time equivalent
808 membership based on the Florida Advanced Courses and Tests
809 (FACT) College Algebra course and test score of students.—A
810 value of 0.16 full-time equivalent student membership shall be
811 calculated for each student in the Florida Advanced Courses and
812 Tests (FACT) College Algebra course who achieves a minimum score
813 on an assessment identified by the Department of Education
814 pursuant to s. 1007.27(2) and added to the total full-time
815 equivalent student membership in basic programs for grades 9
816 through 12 in the subsequent fiscal year. Each district shall
817 allocate at least 80 percent of the funds provided to the
818 district for the FACT College Algebra course instruction, in
819 accordance with this paragraph, to the high school that
820 generates the funds. The school district shall distribute to
821 each classroom teacher who provided the FACT College Algebra
822 course instruction:
823 1. A bonus in the amount of $50 for each student taught by
824 the FACT College Algebra course teacher in each FACT College
825 Algebra course who achieves a minimum score on an assessment
826 identified by the Department of Education pursuant to s.
827 1007.27(2).
828 2. An additional bonus of $500 to each FACT College Algebra
829 course teacher in a school designated with a grade of “D” or “F”
830 who has at least one student who achieves a minimum score on an
831 assessment identified by the Department of Education pursuant to
832 s. 1007.27(2), regardless of the number of classes taught or of
833 the number of students who achieve a minimum score on an
834 assessment identified by the Department of Education pursuant to
835 s. 1007.27(2).
836 Section 23. Paragraphs (b) and (e) of subsection (3) of
837 section 1011.84, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
838 1011.84 Procedure for determining state financial support
839 and annual apportionment of state funds to each Florida College
840 System institution district.—The procedure for determining state
841 financial support and the annual apportionment to each Florida
842 College System institution district authorized to operate a
843 Florida College System institution under the provisions of s.
844 1001.61 shall be as follows:
845 (3) DETERMINING THE APPORTIONMENT FROM STATE FUNDS.—
846 (b) The apportionment to each Florida College System
847 institution from the Florida College System Program Fund shall
848 be determined annually in the General Appropriations Act. In
849 determining each college’s apportionment, the Legislature shall
850 consider the following components:
851 1. Base budget, which includes the state appropriation to
852 the Florida College System Program Fund in the current year plus
853 the related student tuition and out-of-state fees assigned in
854 the current General Appropriations Act.
855 2. The cost-to-continue allocation, which consists of
856 incremental changes to the base budget, including salaries,
857 price levels, and other related costs allocated through a
858 funding model developed by the Florida College System presidents
859 in consultation with the Department of Education and approved by
860 the Legislature . The model must which may recognize a minimum
861 level of funding per FTE and differing economic factors arising
862 from the individual educational approaches of the various
863 Florida College System institutions, including, but not limited
864 to:
865 a. Program offerings, weighting workforce FTE to account
866 for priorities and costs Direct Instructional Funding, including
867 class size, faculty productivity factors, average faculty
868 salary, ratio of full-time to part-time faculty, costs of
869 programs, and enrollment factors .
870 b. Completion of credentials, including certificates,
871 certifications, and degrees Academic Support, including small
872 colleges factor, multicampus factor, and enrollment factor .
873 c. Size of the college Student Services Support, including
874 headcount of students as well as FTE count and enrollment
875 factors .
876 d. Economies of scale Library Support, including volume and
877 other materials/audiovisual requirements .
878 e. Regional cost differentials Special Projects .
879 f. Operations and Maintenance of Plant, including square
880 footage and utilization factors.
881 g. Comparable wage factor.
882 3. Students enrolled in a recreation and leisure program
883 and students enrolled in a lifelong learning program who may not
884 be counted as full-time equivalent enrollments for purposes of
885 enrollment workload adjustments.
886 4. Operating costs of new facilities adjustments, which
887 shall be provided, from funds available, for each new facility
888 that is owned by the college and is recommended in accordance
889 with s. 1013.31.
890 5. New and improved program enhancements, which shall be
891 determined by the Legislature.
893 Student fees in the base budget plus student fee revenues
894 generated by increases in fee rates shall be deducted from the
895 sum of the components determined in subparagraphs 1.-5. The
896 amount remaining shall be the net annual state apportionment to
897 each college.
898 (e) If at any time the unencumbered balance in the general
899 fund of the Florida College System institution board of trustees
900 approved operating budget goes below 7 5 percent for a Florida
901 College System institution with a final FTE less than 15,000 for
902 the prior year, or below 7 percent for a Florida College System
903 institution with a final FTE of 15,000 or greater for the prior
904 year , the president must shall provide written notification to
905 the State Board of Education. By September 30 of each year, the
906 chief financial officer of each Florida College System
907 institution shall certify the unexpended amount of state funds
908 remaining in the general fund of an institution as of June 30 of
909 the previous fiscal year.
910 Section 24. Subsections (2), (3), and (4) of section
911 1013.841, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
912 1013.841 End of year balance of Florida College System
913 institution funds.—
914 (2)(a) Each Florida College System institution with a final
915 FTE less than 15,000 for the prior year shall maintain a minimum
916 carry forward balance of at least 7 5 percent of its state
917 operating budget ; however, a Florida College System institution
918 may retain and report to the State Board of Education an annual
919 reserve balance exceeding that amount . If a Florida College
920 System institution fails to maintain a 7 5 percent balance in
921 state operating funds, the president must shall provide written
922 notification to the State Board of Education.
923 (b) Each Florida College System institution with a final
924 FTE less than 15,000 for the prior year that retains a state
925 operating fund carry forward balance in excess of the 7 5
926 percent minimum shall submit a spending plan for its excess
927 carry forward balance. The spending plan must shall include all
928 excess carry forward funds from state operating funds. The
929 spending plan must shall be submitted to the Florida College
930 System institution’s board of trustees for approval by September
931 30 of each year , 2020, and each September 30 thereafter . The
932 State Board of Education shall review and publish each Florida
933 College System institution’s carry forward spending plan by
934 November 15 of each year , 2020, and each November 15 thereafter .
935 (3) (a) Each Florida College System institution with a final
936 FTE of 15,000 or greater for the prior year shall maintain a
937 minimum carry forward balance of at least 7 percent of its state
938 operating budget. If a Florida College System institution fails
939 to maintain a 7 percent balance in state operating funds, the
940 institution shall submit a plan to the State Board of Education
941 to attain the minimum balance.
942 (b) Each Florida College System institution with a final
943 FTE of 15,000 or greater for the prior year that retains a state
944 operating fund carry forward balance in excess of the 7 percent
945 minimum shall submit a spending plan for its excess carry
946 forward balance. The spending plan shall include all excess
947 carry forward funds from state operating funds. The spending
948 plan shall be submitted to the Florida College System
949 institution’s board of trustees for approval by September 30,
950 2020, and each September 30 thereafter. The State Board of
951 Education shall review and publish each Florida College System
952 institution’s carry forward spending plan by November 15, 2020,
953 and each November 15 thereafter.
954 (4) A Florida College System institution identified in
955 paragraph (2)(b) (3)(b) must include in its carry forward
956 spending plan the estimated cost per planned expenditure and a
957 timeline for completion of the expenditure. A carry forward
958 spending plan may include retention of the carry forward balance
959 as a reserve fund to be used for authorized expenses in
960 subsequent years. Authorized expenditures in a carry forward
961 spending plan may include:
962 (a) Commitment of funds to a public education capital
963 outlay project for which an appropriation was previously
964 provided, which requires additional funds for completion, and
965 which is included in the list required by s. 1001.03(18)(d);
966 (b) Completion of a renovation, repair, or maintenance
967 project that is consistent with s. 1013.64(1) or replacement of
968 a minor facility;
969 (c) Completion of a remodeling or infrastructure project,
970 if such project is survey recommended pursuant to s. 1013.31;
971 (d) Completion of a repair or replacement project necessary
972 due to damage caused by a natural disaster for buildings
973 included in the inventory required pursuant to s. 1013.31;
974 (e) Operating expenditures that support the Florida College
975 System institution’s mission;
976 (f) Any purpose approved by the state board or specified in
977 the General Appropriations Act; and
978 (g) A commitment of funds to a contingency reserve for
979 expenses incurred as a result of a state of emergency declared
980 by the Governor pursuant to s. 252.36.
981 Section 25. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.