Education

Florida Senate
-
2026

SB 1052

By
Senator Grall

29-00650B-26 20261052__
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 whether the service may be obtained elsewhere
10 at no cost; providing requirements for the disclosure;
11 authorizing the Department of Education to adopt
12 rules; amending s. 413.208, F.S.; requiring certain
13 service providers to apply to the Division of
14 Vocational Rehabilitation, rather than register;
15 requiring the division to establish minimum
16 qualifications for service providers; authorizing the
17 division to approve or deny any service provider
18 application; requiring the division to establish an
19 annual application period; providing that, as of a
20 specified date, only certain service providers may
21 participate in the vocational rehabilitation program;
22 requiring the division to develop and make publicly
23 available a certain annual report; requiring service
24 providers to meet certain standards to maintain
25 approved status; specifying that the rates for
26 vocational rehabilitation services meet certain
27 criteria; amending s. 1004.06, F.S.; revising
28 applicability for prohibited expenditures; creating s.
29 1004.072, F.S.; prohibiting a Florida College System
30 institution or state university from admitting a
31 student who is not a citizen of the United States or
32 lawfully present therein; amending s. 1004.93, F.S.;
33 revising legislative intent; amending s. 1004.933,
34 F.S.; revising eligibility requirements for the
35 Graduation Alternative to Traditional Education (GATE)
36 Program; amending s. 1005.06, F.S.; revising the list
37 of institutions that are not under the jurisdiction of
38 the Commission for Independent Education; amending s.
39 1006.71, F.S.; making a technical change; deleting
40 provisions requiring a gender equity plan in
41 intercollegiate athletics; deleting requirements for
42 the Commissioner of Education, the Chancellor of the
43 State University System, and each applicable
44 institution’s board of trustees to evaluate and assess
45 the gender equity plan and gender equity goals;
46 amending s. 1007.25, F.S.; revising the time period
47 for Florida College System institutions and state
48 universities to submit comments in response to a
49 specified notice of intent; prohibiting a Florida
50 College System institution or state university from
51 imposing certain graduation requirements; amending s.
52 1007.271, F.S.; revising the list of postsecondary
53 institutions that are eligible to participate in a
54 dual enrollment program; requiring that high school
55 grade point averages be weighted in a specified way;
56 amending s. 1008.30, F.S.; deleting a requirement for
57 the State Board of Education to adopt rules;
58 authorizing school district career centers to use
59 alternative methods adopted by the board to assess
60 students in basic communication and computation skills
61 in lieu of common placement tests; authorizing Florida
62 College System institutions to request approval of
63 institution-specific alternative methods; making
64 conforming changes; amending s. 1008.44, F.S.;
65 deleting a provision limiting how supplemental funding
66 may be earned for the CAPE Industry Certification
67 Funding List; amending s. 1008.47, F.S.; providing
68 construction; amending s. 1009.25, F.S.; revising
69 conditions for a student to meet the definition of
70 homeless children and youths for purposes of tuition
71 and fee exemptions; amending s. 1009.26, F.S.;
72 providing that a fee waiver only applies to a full
73 time undergraduate student; revising requirements for
74 a fee waiver; amending s. 1009.40, F.S.; requiring
75 that a student be a United States citizen or be in the
76 United States legally to be eligible for financial aid
77 or tuition assistance; amending s. 1009.536, F.S.;
78 revising student eligibility requirements for the
79 Florida Gold Seal Vocational Scholars award;
80 authorizing a student to apply for the Florida Gold
81 Seal CAPE Scholars award within a specified timeframe;
82 amending s. 1011.62, F.S.; revising the procedure to
83 determine Florida Education Finance Program funds;
84 providing a method for calculating additional full
85 time equivalent membership based on advanced courses
86 and test scores; providing specified bonuses; amending
87 s. 1011.84, F.S.; revising the components that must be
88 considered by the Legislature in determining an
89 apportionment to a Florida College System institution
90 from state funds; amending s. 1013.841, F.S.;
91 requiring all Florida College System institutions,
92 rather than only certain institutions, to maintain a
93 specified carry forward balance; providing that a
94 Florida College System institution may retain an
95 annual reserve amount exceeding the carry forward
96 balance; authorizing the inclusion in a carry forward
97 spending plan of the retention of a carry forward
98 balance as a reserve fund for a specified use;
99 amending s. 1009.895, F.S.; conforming a cross
100 reference; providing an effective date.
101
102 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
103
104 Section 1. Subsection (9) of section 251.001, Florida
105 Statutes, is amended to read:
106 251.001 Florida State Guard Act.—
107 (9) REIMBURSEMENT
, BENEFIT,
AND COMPENSATION.—
108 (a) The division shall reimburse members of the Florida
109 State Guard for per diem and travel expenses incurred to attend
110 required training or in the course of active service as provided
111 in s. 112.061.
112 (b) Members of the Florida State Guard may be compensated
113 for time spent training or in the course of active service at
114 rates established by the director, subject to appropriation.
115 (c) A member of the Florida State Guard may not make any
116 purchase or enter into any contract or agreement for purchases
117 or services as a charge against the state without the authority
118 of the director.
119
(d) As a benefit to the active members of the Florida State

120
Guard, subject to approval by the director of the Division of

121
the State Guard, each
Florida College System institution and

122
state university
shall waive tuition and fees for active members

123
of the Florida State Guard to enroll for up to 6 credit hours of

124
courses per term on a space-available basis.

125 Section 2. Section 413.0114, Florida Statutes, is created
126 to read:
127
413.0
1
14
Consumer disclosure for blind-related services
.
—

128
(1)

Any individual, business, nonprofit, or other entity

129
offering fee-based services to individuals who are blind or

130
visually impaired
shall
, before entering into a contract or

131
accepting payment, disclose in writing whether equivalent or

132
substantially similar services may be available at no cost

133
through the Division of Blind Services or another public agency.

134
(2)

The written disclosure must:

135
(a)
Be provided in plain language and, upon request, in an

136
accessible format, such as
b
rail
l
e, large print, or audio.

137
(b)

Include contact information for the Division of Blind

138
Services.

139
(c)

Be signed or electronically acknowledged by the

140
consumer or
his or her
representative.

141
(3)

A violation of this section constitutes an unfair or

142
deceptive trade practice under part II of chapter 501 and is

143
subject to penalties and enforcement as provided therein.

144
(4)

The Department of Education may adopt rules to

145
implement this section.

146 Section 3. Subsection (1) of section 413.208, Florida
147 Statutes, is amended to read:
148 413.208 Service providers; quality assurance; fitness for
149 responsibilities; background screening.—
150 (1) Service providers must
apply to

register
with
the
151 division. To qualify for
approval

registration
, The division

152
must ensure that the

a
service provider
must maintain

maintains

153 an internal system of quality assurance,
have

has
proven
154 functional systems,
meet the minimum qualifications,
and
be

is

155 subject to a due-diligence inquiry as to its fitness to
156 undertake service responsibilities.
157
(a) The division shall establish minimum qualifications for

158
service
providers
.
The division may
approve or
deny a
ny

service

159
provider application.
The division also shall establish an

160
annual application period for service providers to submit

161
applications.
Beginning January 1, 2027, only
service
providers

162
that meet the minimum qualifications established by the division

163
and that have been approved to provide employment-related

164
services to individuals with disabilities may participate in the

165
vocational rehabilitation program.

166
(b) The division shall develop and make
publicly
available

167
an
annual report of service provider effectiveness
which

168
include
s
an evaluation system measuring the effectiveness of all

169
service
providers
that
are
approved by
the division to provide

170
employment-related services to individuals with disabilities.

171
(c) In order to maintain
approved status
with the division,

172
service providers must meet minimum standards of effectiveness

173
in the provision of vocational rehabilitation services,

174
including placement of individuals in competitive and integrated

175
employment.

176
(d) Rates for vocational rehabilitation services must be

177
allocable, reasonable, and necessary, as determined by the

178
division.

179 Section 4. Subsection (3) of section 1004.06, Florida
180 Statutes, is amended to read:
181 1004.06 Prohibited expenditures.—
182 (3) Subsection (2) does not prohibit programs, campus
183 activities, or functions required for compliance with general or
184 federal laws or regulations
; for obtaining or retaining

185
institutional or discipline-specific accreditation with the

186
approval of either the State Board of Education or the Board of

187
Governors;
or for access programs for military veterans, Pell
188 Grant recipients, first generation college students,
189 nontraditional students, “2+2” transfer students from the
190 Florida College System, students from low-income families, or
191 students with unique abilities.
192 Section 5. Section 1004.072, Florida Statutes, is created
193 to read:
194
1004.072 Admission of students in public postsecondary

195
institutions.—A Florida College System institution or a state

196
university may admit
as a student only
an individual who is a

197
citizen of the United States or who is lawfully present therein.

198 Section 6. Paragraph (b) of subsection (1) of section
199 1004.93, Florida Statutes, is amended, and paragraph (c) is
200 added to that subsection, to read:
201 1004.93 Adult general education.—
202 (1)
203 (b)
It is further intended that
a
dult general education

204
programs offered by a public school district,
a
Florida College

205
System institution, or
a
state-funded community-based

206
organization
be
available to individuals
who meet all of the

207
following requirements
:

208
1. Are 16 years of age or older.

209
2. Are not currently enrolled in secondary school.

210
3. Do not have a high school diploma or its equivalent.

211
4. Want to learn to speak, read, and write the English

212
language.

213
5. Are a United States citizen or lawfully present in the

214
United States.

215
(c)
It is further intended that educational opportunities
216 be available for adults who have earned a diploma or high school
217 equivalency diploma but who lack the basic skills necessary to
218 function effectively in everyday situations, to enter the job
219 market, or to enter career certificate instruction.
220 Section 7. Paragraph (b) of subsection (4) of section
221 1004.933, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
222 1004.933 Graduation Alternative to Traditional Education
223 (GATE) Program.—
224 (4) PAYMENT WAIVER; ELIGIBILITY.—
225 (b) To be eligible for participation in the GATE Program, a
226 student must:
227 1. Not have earned a standard high school diploma pursuant
228 to s. 1003.4282 or a high school equivalency diploma pursuant to
229 s. 1003.435 before enrolling in the GATE Program;
230 2. Have been withdrawn from high school;
231 3. Be a resident of this state as defined in s. 1009.21(1);
232 4. Be 16 to 21 years of age at the time of initial
233 enrollment, provided that a student who is 16 or 17 years of age
234 has withdrawn from school enrollment pursuant to the
235 requirements and safeguards in s. 1003.21(1)(c);
236 5. Select the adult secondary education program and career
237 education program of his or her choice at the time of admission
238 to the GATE Program, provided that the career education program
239 is included on the Master Credentials List under s. 445.004(4).
240 The student may not change the requested pathway after
241 enrollment, except that, if necessary for the student, the
242 student may enroll in an adult basic education program prior to
243 enrolling in the adult secondary education program;
244 6. Maintain a 2.0 GPA for career and technical education
245 coursework;
and

246 7. Notwithstanding s. 1003.435(4), complete the programs
247 under subparagraph 5. within 3 years after his or her initial
248 enrollment unless the institution determines that an extension
249 is warranted due to extenuating circumstances
; and

250
8. Complete at least 300 hours of volunteer service, paid

251
work experience, or a combination of
both
, before participation

252
in the program
,
as approved by the GATE
P
rogram provider or the

253
Department of Education. The hours of service or paid work must

254
be documented in writing, and the document must be signed by the

255
student, the student’s parent or guardian if under 18 years of

256
age, and a representative of
each
organization for which the

257
student performed the volunteer service or paid work
.
258 Section 8. Paragraph (b) of subsection (1) of section
259 1005.06, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
260 1005.06 Institutions not under the jurisdiction or purview
261 of the commission.—
262 (1) Except as otherwise provided in law, the following
263 institutions are not under the jurisdiction or purview of the
264 commission and are not required to obtain licensure:
265 (b) Any college
or
,
school
, or course
licensed or approved
266 for establishment and operation
by another state agency.

267
Colleges or schools approved by another state agency to offer

268
one or more courses or programs
under
part
I of
chapter 464,
269 chapter 466, or chapter 475, or any other chapter of the Florida
270 Statutes
may not qualify for exemption from the commission’s

271
jurisdiction under this subsection

requiring licensing or

272
approval as defined in this chapter
.
273 Section 9. Section 1006.71, Florida Statutes, is amended to
274 read:
275 1006.71
Equality

Gender equity
in intercollegiate
276 athletics.—
277 (1)
PENALTIES FOR FAILURE TO COMPLY

GENDER EQUITY PLAN
.—
278 (a)
Each Florida College System institution and state

279
university shall develop a gender equity plan pursuant to s.

280
1000.05.

281
(b) The plan shall include consideration of equity in

282
sports offerings, participation, availability of facilities,

283
scholarship offerings, and funds allocated for administration,

284
recruitment, comparable coaching, publicity and promotion, and

285
other support costs.

286
(c) The Commissioner of Education shall annually assess the

287
progress of each Florida College System institution’s plan and

288
advise the State Board of Education and the Legislature

289
regarding compliance.

290
(d) The Chancellor of the State University System shall

291
annually assess the progress of each state university’s plan and

292
advise the Board of Governors and the Legislature regarding

293
compliance.

294
(e) Each board of trustees of a Florida College System

295
institution or state university shall annually evaluate the

296
presidents on the extent to which the gender equity goals have

297
been achieved.

298
(f) To determine the proper level of support for women’s

299
athletic scholarships, an equity plan may determine, where

300
appropriate, that support for women’s scholarships may be

301
disproportionate to the support of scholarships for men.

302
(g)1.
If a Florida College System institution is not in
303 compliance with Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 and
304 the Florida Educational Equity Act, the State Board of Education
305
must

shall
:
306
1.
a.
Declare the Florida College System institution
307 ineligible for competitive state grants.
308
2.
b.
Withhold funds sufficient to obtain compliance.
309
310 The Florida College System institution shall remain ineligible
,

311 and the funds
may

shall
not be paid until the Florida College
312 System institution comes into compliance or the Commissioner of
313 Education approves a plan for compliance.
314
(b)
2.
If a state university is not in compliance with Title
315 IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 and the Florida
316 Educational Equity Act, the Board of Governors
must

shall
:
317
1.
a.
Declare the state university ineligible for
318 competitive state grants.
319
2.
b.
Withhold funds sufficient to obtain compliance.
320
321 The state university shall remain ineligible
,
and the funds
may

322
shall
not be paid until the state university comes into
323 compliance or the Board of Governors approves a plan for
324 compliance.
325 (2) FUNDING.—
326 (a) An equitable portion of all separate athletic fees
327 shall be designated for women’s intercollegiate athletics.
328 (b) The level of funding and percentage share of support
329 for women’s intercollegiate athletics for Florida College System
330 institutions shall be determined by the State Board of
331 Education. The level of funding and percentage share of support
332 for women’s intercollegiate athletics for state universities
333 shall be determined by the Board of Governors. The level of
334 funding and percentage share attained in the 1980-1981 fiscal
335 year shall be the minimum level and percentage maintained by
336 each institution, except as the State Board of Education or the
337 Board of Governors otherwise directs its respective institutions
338 for the purpose of assuring equity. Consideration shall be given
339 by the State Board of Education or the Board of Governors to
340 emerging athletic programs at institutions which may not have
341 the resources to secure external funds to provide athletic
342 opportunities for women. It is the intent that the effect of any
343 redistribution of funds among institutions shall not negate the
344 requirements as set forth in this section.
345 (c) In addition to the above amount, an amount equal to the
346 sales taxes collected from admission to athletic events
347 sponsored by a state university shall be retained and utilized
348 by each university to support women’s athletics.
349 (3) STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION.—The State Board of Education
350 shall assure equal opportunity for female athletes at Florida
351 College System institutions and establish:
352 (a) Guidelines for reporting of intercollegiate athletics
353 data concerning financial, program, and facilities information
354 for review by the State Board of Education annually.
355 (b) Systematic audits for the evaluation of such data.
356 (c) Criteria for determining and assuring equity.
357 (4) BOARD OF GOVERNORS.—The Board of Governors shall ensure
358 equal opportunity for female athletes at state universities and
359 establish:
360 (a) Guidelines for reporting of intercollegiate athletics
361 data concerning financial, program, and facilities information
362 for review by the Board of Governors annually.
363 (b) Systematic audits for the evaluation of such data.
364 (c) Criteria for determining and ensuring equity.
365 Section 10. Paragraph (b) of subsection (9) of section
366 1007.25, Florida Statutes, is amended, and subsection (15) is
367 added to that section, to read:
368 1007.25 General education courses; common prerequisites;
369 other degree requirements.—
370 (9)
371 (b) An associate in arts specialized transfer degree must
372 include 36 semester hours of general education coursework and
373 require 60 semester hours or more of college credit. Specialized
374 transfer degrees are designed for Florida College System
375 institution students who need supplemental lower-level
376 coursework in preparation for transfer to another institution.
377 The State Board of Education shall establish criteria for the
378 review and approval of new specialized transfer degrees. The
379 approval process must require:
380 1. A Florida College System institution to submit a notice
381 of its intent to propose a new associate in arts specialized
382 degree program to the Division of Florida Colleges. The notice
383 must include the recommended credit hours, the rationale for the
384 specialization, the demand for students entering the field, and
385 the coursework being proposed to be included beyond the 60
386 semester hours required for the general transfer degree, if
387 applicable. Notices of intent may be submitted by a Florida
388 College System institution at any time.
389 2. The Division of Florida Colleges to forward the notice
390 of intent within 10 business days after receipt to all Florida
391 College System institutions and to the Chancellor of the State
392 University System, who shall forward the notice to all state
393 universities. State universities and Florida College System
394 institutions shall have
30

60
days after receipt of the notice
395 to submit comments to the proposed associate in arts specialized
396 transfer degree.
397 3. After the submission of comments pursuant to
398 subparagraph 2., the requesting Florida College System
399 institution to submit a proposal that, at a minimum, includes:
400 a. Evidence that the coursework for the associate in arts
401 specialized transfer degree includes demonstration of competency
402 in a foreign language pursuant to s. 1007.262 and demonstration
403 of civic literacy competency as provided in subsection (5).
404 b. Demonstration that all required coursework will count
405 toward the associate in arts degree or the baccalaureate degree.
406 c. An analysis of demand and unmet need for students
407 entering the specialized field of study at the baccalaureate
408 level.
409 d. Justification for the program length if it exceeds 60
410 credit hours, including references to the common prerequisite
411 manual or other requirements for the baccalaureate degree. This
412 includes documentation of alignment between the exit
413 requirements of a Florida College System institution and the
414 admissions requirements of a baccalaureate program at a state
415 university to which students would typically transfer.
416 e. Articulation agreements for graduates of the associate
417 in arts specialized transfer degree.
418 f. Responses to the comments received under subparagraph 2.
419
(15) A

Florida C
ollege
System institution
or
state

420
u
niversity may
not
impose an institution-wide graduation

421
requirement that includes a course in conflict with
subsection

422
(3)
.

423 Section 11. Subsections (1), (16), and (18) of section
424 1007.271, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
425 1007.271 Dual enrollment programs.—
426 (1) The dual enrollment program is the enrollment of an
427 eligible secondary student
in this state
or home education
428 student
in this state
in a postsecondary course creditable
429 toward high school completion and a career certificate or an
430 associate or baccalaureate degree.
Postsecondary institutions

431
that are
eligible to participate in the dual enrollment program

432
are Florida public postsecondary institutions and eligible not

433
for
-
profit independent colleges and universities pursuant to s.

434
1011.62(1)(i).
A student
who is
enrolled in postsecondary
435 instruction that is not creditable toward a high school diploma
436 may not be classified as a dual enrollment student.
437 (16) Students who
meet the eligibility requirements of this

438
section and who choose to
participate in dual enrollment
439 programs are exempt from the payment of registration, tuition,
440 and laboratory fees.
441 (18) School districts and
postsecondary

Florida College

442
System
institutions
shall

must
weigh dual enrollment courses the
443 same as advanced placement, International Baccalaureate, and
444 Advanced International Certificate of Education courses
when

445
grade point averages are calculated
.
High school grade point

446
averages must be calculated based on the high school credit

447
earned by the student in each course.
Alternative grade
448 calculation systems, alternative grade weighting systems, and
449 information regarding student education options that
450 discriminate against dual enrollment courses are prohibited.
451 Section 12. Subsections (2) and (3) and paragraphs (a) and
452 (b) of subsection (4) of section 1008.30, Florida Statutes, are
453 amended to read:
454 1008.30 Assessing college-level communication and
455 computation skills for public postsecondary education.—
456 (2)
By January 31, 2022, the State Board of Education shall

457
adopt rules to develop and implement alternative methods for

458
assessing the basic communication and computation skills of

459
students who intend to enter a degree program at a Florida

460
College System institution.
Florida College System institutions
461
and school district career centers
may use
these
alternative
462 methods
adopted by the State Board of Education for assessing

463
the basic communication and computation skills of students who

464
intend to enter a degree program at a Florida College System

465
institution or school district career center
in lieu of the
466 common placement tests under subsection (1) to assess student
467 readiness for college-level work in communication and
468 computation.
Florida College System institutions may request

469
approval of institution-specific alternative methods in

470
accordance with State Board of Education rules.

471 (3) The rules adopted under subsection (2) must specify the
472 following:
473 (a) A student who
entered 9th grade in a Florida public

474
school in the 2003-2004 school year, or any year thereafter, and

475 earned a Florida standard high school diploma
and who

476
demonstrated readiness for college-level communication and

477
computation skills by any of the approved common placement tests

478
or alternative methods pursuant to this section
or a student who
479 is serving as an active duty member of any branch of the United
480 States Armed Services is not required to be assessed for
481 readiness for college-level work in communication and
482 computation and is not required to enroll in developmental
483 education instruction in a Florida College System institution
or

484
a school district career center
. However, a student who is not
485 required to be assessed for readiness for college-level work in
486 communication and computation and is not required to enroll in
487 developmental education under this paragraph may opt to be
488 assessed and to enroll in developmental education instruction,
489 and the college
or school district career center
shall provide
490 such assessment and instruction upon the student’s request.
491 (b) A student who
earned a Florida standard high school

492
diploma and has not demonstrated readiness for college
-
level

493
courses pursuant to subsection (1) or
subsection
(2) must be

494
offered the opportunity to be

is
assessed for readiness for
495 college-level communication and computation and
, if the

496
student’s

whose
assessment results indicate a need for
497 developmental education
,
he or she
must be advised of
all
the
498 developmental education options offered at the institution
.

and,

499 After advisement,
the student
may enroll in the developmental
500 education option of his or her choice.
501 (c) A student who demonstrates readiness by achieving or
502 exceeding the test scores established
under subsection (1)
by
503 the state board and enrolls in a Florida College System
504 institution
or a school district career center
within 2 years
505 after achieving such scores
may

shall
not be required to retest
506 or complete developmental education when admitted to any Florida
507 College System institution
or school district career center
.
508 (4)(a) Each Florida College System institution
and school

509
district career center
shall implement the developmental
510 education strategies defined in s. 1008.02 and rules established
511 by the State Board of Education.
512 (b) Each Florida College System institution
and school

513
district career center
shall use placement test results or
514 alternative methods as established by the State Board of
515 Education to determine the extent to which each student
516 demonstrates sufficient communication and computation skills to
517 indicate readiness for his or her chosen meta-major. Florida
518 College System institutions
and school district career center
s

519 shall counsel students into college credit courses as quickly as
520 possible, with developmental education limited to that content
521 needed for success in the meta-major.
522 Section 13. Subsection (1) of section 1008.44, Florida
523 Statutes, is amended to read:
524 1008.44 CAPE Industry Certification Funding List.—
525 (1) The State Board of Education shall adopt, at least
526 annually, based upon recommendations by the Commissioner of
527 Education, the CAPE Industry Certification Funding List that
528 assigns categories of certificates and certifications as
529 provided for in s. 1003.4203 to certifications identified in the
530 Master Credentials List under s. 445.004(4) which meet a
531 statewide, regional, or local demand.
Supplemental funding for

532
regional and local demand certifications may only be earned in

533
those areas with regional or local demand as identified by the

534
Credentials Review Committee.

535 Section 14. Subsection (3) of section 1008.47, Florida
536 Statutes, is amended to read:
537 1008.47 Postsecondary education institution accreditation.—
538 (3) PROHIBITION.—
Notwithstanding any other provision of

539
law,
an accrediting agency or association
, including

540
programmatic accreditors,
may not compel any public
541 postsecondary institution to violate state law, and any adverse
542 action upon the institution based upon the institution’s
543 compliance with state law constitutes a violation of this
544 section that may be enforced through subsection (4), except to
545 the extent that state law is preempted by a federal law that
546 recognizes the necessity of the accreditation standard or
547 requirement.
548 Section 15. Paragraph (e) of subsection (1) of section
549 1009.25, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
550 1009.25 Fee exemptions.—
551 (1) The following students are exempt from the payment of
552 tuition and fees, including lab fees, at a school district that
553 provides workforce education programs, Florida College System
554 institution, or state university:
555 (e) A student who meets the definition of homeless children
556 and youths in s. 725 of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance
557 Act, 42 U.S.C. s. 11434a(2)
, as previously determined by a

558
public school
in this state
, and whose physical presence is in

559
this state
for the duration of the tuition and fee exemption
.
560 This includes a student who would otherwise meet the
561 requirements of this paragraph, as determined by a college or
562 university, but for his or her residence in college or
563 university dormitory housing. The State Board of Education may
564 adopt rules and the Board of Governors may adopt regulations
565 regarding documentation and procedures to implement this
566 paragraph. Such rules and regulations must consider
567 documentation of a student’s circumstance to be adequate if such
568 documentation meets the standards under 20 U.S.C. s. 1087uu
569 2(a). Any student who is determined to be a homeless child or
570 youth for a preceding award year is presumed to be a homeless
571 child or youth for each subsequent year unless the student
572 informs the institution that the student’s circumstances have
573 changed or the institution has specific conflicting information
574 about the student’s independence, and has informed the student
575 of this information.
576 Section 16. Paragraph (a) of subsection (20) of section
577 1009.26, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
578 1009.26 Fee waivers.—
579 (20)(a) Beginning with the
2026-2027

2022-2023
academic
580 year, a state university shall waive the out-of-state fee for a
581
full-time undergraduate
student who:
582 1. Has a grandparent who is a legal resident as defined in
583 s. 1009.21(1). For purposes of this subsection, the term
584 “grandparent” means a person who has a legal relationship to a
585 student’s parent as the natural or adoptive parent or legal
586 guardian of the student’s parent.
587 2. Earns a high school diploma comparable to a Florida
588 standard high school diploma, or its equivalent, or completes a
589 home education program.
590 3.a. Achieves an SAT combined score no lower than the 89th
591 national percentile on the SAT;
or

592 b. Achieves an ACT score concordant to the required SAT
593 score in sub-subparagraph a., using the latest published
594 national concordance table developed jointly by the College
595 Board and ACT, Inc.
; or

596
c. If a state university accepts the Classic Learning Test

597
(CLT) for admission purposes, achieves a CLT score concordant to

598
the required SAT score specified in sub-subparagraph a., using

599
the latest published scoring comparison developed by Classic

600
Learning Initiatives
.

601 4. Beginning with students who initially enroll in the 2022
602 fall academic term and thereafter, enrolls as a full-time
603 undergraduate student at a state university in the fall academic
604 term immediately following high school graduation.
605 Section 17. Paragraph (a) of subsection (1) of section
606 1009.40, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
607 1009.40 General requirements for student eligibility for
608 state financial aid awards and tuition assistance grants.—
609 (1)(a) The general requirements for eligibility of students
610 for state financial aid awards and tuition assistance grants
611 consist of the following:
612 1.
United States citizenship or lawful presence in the

613
United States.

614
2.
Achievement of the academic requirements of and
615 acceptance at a state university or Florida College System
616 institution; a nursing diploma school approved by the Florida
617 Board of Nursing; a Florida college or university which is
618 accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by the State
619 Board of Education; a Florida institution the credits of which
620 are acceptable for transfer to state universities; a career
621 center; or a private career institution accredited by an
622 accrediting agency recognized by the State Board of Education.
623
3.
2.
Residency in this state for no less than 1 year
624 preceding the award of aid or a tuition assistance grant for a
625 program established pursuant to s. 1009.50, s. 1009.505, s.
626 1009.51, s. 1009.52, s. 1009.521, s. 1009.53, s. 1009.60, s.
627 1009.62, s. 1009.72, s. 1009.73, s. 1009.75, s. 1009.77, s.
628 1009.89, or s. 1009.894. Residency in this state must be for
629 purposes other than to obtain an education. Resident status for
630 purposes of receiving state financial aid awards
is

shall be

631 determined in the same manner as resident status for tuition
632 purposes pursuant to s. 1009.21.
633
4.
3.
Submission of certification attesting to the accuracy,
634 completeness, and correctness of information provided to
635 demonstrate a student’s eligibility to receive state financial
636 aid awards or tuition assistance grants. Falsification of such
637 information shall result in the denial of a pending application
638 and revocation of an award or grant currently held to the extent
639 that no further payments shall be made. Additionally, students
640 who knowingly make false statements in order to receive state
641 financial aid awards or tuition assistance grants commit a
642 misdemeanor of the second degree subject to the provisions of s.
643 837.06 and shall be required to return all state financial aid
644 awards or tuition assistance grants wrongfully obtained.
645 Section 18. Paragraph (c) of subsection (1) and subsection
646 (2) of section 1009.536, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
647 1009.536 Florida Gold Seal Vocational Scholars and Florida
648 Gold Seal CAPE Scholars awards.—The Florida Gold Seal Vocational
649 Scholars award and the Florida Gold Seal CAPE Scholars award are
650 created within the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program to
651 recognize and reward academic achievement and career preparation
652 by high school students who wish to continue their education.
653 (1) A student is eligible for a Florida Gold Seal
654 Vocational Scholars award if he or she meets the general
655 eligibility requirements for the Florida Bright Futures
656 Scholarship Program and:
657 (c)
1.

For a student earning a Florida Gold Seal Vocational

658
Scholars award,
earns a minimum cumulative weighted grade point
659 average of 3.0, as calculated pursuant to s. 1009.531, on all
660 subjects required for a standard high school diploma, excluding
661 elective courses.
662
2.
For students earning a Florida Gold Seal CAPE Scholars

663
award
,
earns a minimum cumulative weighted grade point average

664
of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale.

665 (2)
(a)
A student is eligible for a Florida Gold Seal CAPE
666 Scholars award if he or she meets the general eligibility
667 requirements for the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program,
668 and the student
does both of the following
:
669
1.
(a)
Earns a minimum of
3

5
postsecondary
credits

credit

670
hours
through CAPE industry certifications approved pursuant to
671 s. 1008.44 which articulate for college credit
.
; and

672
2.
(b)
Completes at least 30 hours of volunteer service, or
673 75 hours of volunteer service for students entering grade 9 in
674 the 2024-2025 school year and thereafter, or 100 hours of paid
675 work, approved by the district school board, the administrators
676 of a nonpublic school, or the Department of Education for home
677 education program students, or 100 hours of a combination of
678 both. The student may identify a social or civic issue or a
679 professional area that interests him or her and develop a plan
680 for his or her personal involvement in addressing the issue or
681 learning about the area. The student must, through papers or
682 other presentations, evaluate and reflect upon his or her
683 experience. Such volunteer service or paid work may include, but
684 is not limited to, a business or governmental internship, work
685 for a nonprofit community service organization, or activities on
686 behalf of a candidate for public office. The hours of volunteer
687 service or paid work must be documented in writing, and the
688 document must be signed by the student, the student’s parent or
689 guardian, and a representative of the organization for which the
690 student performed the volunteer service or paid work.
691
(b)
Before or within 3 months
after
completion of the GATE

692
P
rogram as provided in s. 1004.933, a student may apply for the

693
Florida Gold Seal CAPE
S
cholar
s
award.

694 Section 19. Paragraph (o) is added to subsection (1) of
695 section 1011.62, Florida Statutes, to read:
696 1011.62 Funds for operation of schools.—If the annual
697 allocation from the Florida Education Finance Program to each
698 district for operation of schools is not determined in the
699 annual appropriations act or the substantive bill implementing
700 the annual appropriations act, it shall be determined as
701 follows:
702 (1) COMPUTATION OF THE BASE FLORIDA EDUCATION FINANCE
703 PROGRAM.—The following procedure shall be followed in
704 determining the base Florida Education Finance Program funds for
705 each district:
706
(o)
Calculation of additional full-time equivalent

707
membership based on Florida
a
dvanced
c
ourses and test scores of

708
students
.
—A value of 0.16 full-time equivalent student

709
membership shall be calculated for each student in
a
Florida

710
advanced course who achieves a minimum score on an assessment

711
identified by the Department of Education pursuant to s.

712
1007.27(2)

and added to the total full-time equivalent student

713
membership in basic programs for grades 9 through 12 in the

714
subsequent fiscal year. Each district
shall
allocate at least 80

715
percent of the funds provided to the district for
A
dvanced

716
P
lacement instruction, in accordance with this paragraph, to the

717
high school that generates the funds. The school district shall

718
distribute to each classroom teacher who provided
A
dvanced

719
P
lacement instruction:

720
1.

A bonus in the amount of $
10
0 for each student taught by

721
the Florida advanced course teacher in each Florida advanced

722
course who achieves a minimum score on an assessment identified

723
by the Department of Education pursuant to s. 1007.27(2).

724
2.

An additional bonus of $500 to each Florida advanced

725
course teacher in a school designated with a grade of “D” or “F”

726
who has at least one student who achieves a minimum score on an

727
assessment identified by the Department of Education pursuant to

728
s. 1007.27(2), regardless of the number of classes taught or of

729
the number of students who achieve a minimum score on an

730
assessment identified by the Department of Education pursuant to

731
s. 1007.27(2).

732
733
Bonuses awarded under this paragraph shall be in addition to any

734
regular wage or other bonus the teacher received or is scheduled

735
to receive. For such courses, the teacher shall earn an

736
additional bonus of $
10
0 for each student who has a qualifying

737
score.

738 Section 20. Paragraphs (b) and (e) of subsection (3) of
739 section 1011.84, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
740 1011.84 Procedure for determining state financial support
741 and annual apportionment of state funds to each Florida College
742 System institution district.—The procedure for determining state
743 financial support and the annual apportionment to each Florida
744 College System institution district authorized to operate a
745 Florida College System institution under the provisions of s.
746 1001.61 shall be as follows:
747 (3) DETERMINING THE APPORTIONMENT FROM STATE FUNDS.—
748 (b) The apportionment to each Florida College System
749 institution from the Florida College System Program Fund shall
750 be determined annually in the General Appropriations Act. In
751 determining each college’s apportionment, the Legislature shall
752 consider the following components:
753 1. Base budget, which includes the state appropriation to
754 the Florida College System Program Fund in the current year plus
755 the related student tuition and out-of-state fees assigned in
756 the current General Appropriations Act.
757 2. The cost-to-continue allocation, which consists of
758 incremental changes to the base budget, including salaries,
759 price levels, and other related costs allocated through a
760 funding model
developed by the Florida College System presidents

761
in consultation with the Department of Education and
approved by
762 the Legislature
. The model must

which may
recognize
a minimum

763
level of funding per FTE and
differing economic factors arising
764 from the individual educational approaches of the various
765 Florida College System institutions, including, but not limited
766 to:
767 a.
Program offerings, weighting workforce FTE to account

768
for priorities and costs

Direct Instructional Funding, including

769
class size, faculty productivity factors, average faculty

770
salary, ratio of full-time to part-time faculty, costs of

771
programs, and enrollment factors
.
772 b.
Completion of credentials, including certificates,

773
certifications, and degrees

Academic Support, including small

774
colleges factor, multicampus factor, and enrollment factor
.
775 c.
Size of the college

Student Services Support, including

776
headcount of students as well as FTE count and enrollment

777
factors
.
778 d.
Economies of scale

Library Support, including volume and

779
other materials/audiovisual requirements
.
780 e.
Regional cost differentials

Special Projects
.
781
f. Operations and Maintenance of Plant, including square

782
footage and utilization factors.

783
g. Comparable wage factor.

784 3. Students enrolled in a recreation and leisure program
785 and students enrolled in a lifelong learning program who may not
786 be counted as full-time equivalent enrollments for purposes of
787 enrollment workload adjustments.
788 4.
Operating costs of new facilities adjustments, which

789
shall be provided, from funds available, for each new facility

790
that is owned by the college and is recommended in accordance

791
with s. 1013.31.

792
5.
New and improved program enhancements, which shall be
793 determined by the Legislature.
794
795
Student fees in the base budget plus student fee revenues

796
generated by increases in fee rates shall be deducted from the

797
sum of the components determined in subparagraphs 1.-5. The

798
amount remaining shall be the net annual state apportionment to

799
each college.

800 (e) If at any time the unencumbered balance in the general
801 fund of the Florida College System institution board of trustees
802 approved operating budget goes below
7

5
percent for a Florida
803 College System institution
with a final FTE less than 15,000 for

804
the prior year, or below 7 percent for a Florida College System

805
institution
with a final FTE of 15,000 or greater for the prior

806
year
, the president
must

shall
provide written notification to
807 the State Board of Education. By September 30 of each year, the
808 chief financial officer of each Florida College System
809 institution shall certify the unexpended amount of state funds
810 remaining in the general fund of an institution as of June 30 of
811 the previous fiscal year.
812 Section 21. Subsections (2), (3), and (4) of section
813 1013.841, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
814 1013.841 End of year balance of Florida College System
815 institution funds.—
816 (2)(a) Each Florida College System institution
with a final

817
FTE less than 15,000 for the prior year
shall maintain a minimum
818 carry forward balance of at least
7

5
percent of its state
819 operating budget
; however, a Florida College System institution

820
may retain and report to the State Board of Education an annual

821
reserve balance exceeding that amount
. If a Florida College
822 System institution fails to maintain a
7

5
percent balance in
823 state operating funds, the president
must

shall
provide written
824 notification to the State Board of Education.
825 (b) Each Florida College System institution
with a final

826
FTE less than 15,000 for the prior year
that retains a state
827 operating fund carry forward balance in excess of the
7

5

828 percent minimum shall submit a spending plan for its excess
829 carry forward balance. The spending plan
must

shall
include all
830 excess carry forward funds from state operating funds. The
831 spending plan
must

shall
be submitted to the Florida College
832 System institution’s board of trustees for approval by September
833 30
of each year
, 2020, and each September 30 thereafter
. The
834 State Board of Education shall review and publish each Florida
835 College System institution’s carry forward spending plan by
836 November 15
of each year
, 2020, and each November 15 thereafter
.
837 (3)
(a) Each Florida College System institution with a final

838
FTE of 15,000 or greater for the prior year shall maintain a

839
minimum carry forward balance of at least 7 percent of its state

840
operating budget. If a Florida College System institution fails

841
to maintain a 7 percent balance in state operating funds, the

842
institution shall submit a plan to the State Board of Education

843
to attain the minimum balance.

844
(b) Each Florida College System institution with a final

845
FTE of 15,000 or greater for the prior year that retains a state

846
operating fund carry forward balance in excess of the 7 percent

847
minimum shall submit a spending plan for its excess carry

848
forward balance. The spending plan shall include all excess

849
carry forward funds from state operating funds. The spending

850
plan shall be submitted to the Florida College System

851
institution’s board of trustees for approval by September 30,

852
2020, and each September 30 thereafter. The State Board of

853
Education shall review and publish each Florida College System

854
institution’s carry forward spending plan by November 15, 2020,

855
and each November 15 thereafter.

856
(4)
A Florida College System institution identified in
857 paragraph
(2)(b)

(3)(b)
must include in its carry forward
858 spending plan the estimated cost per planned expenditure and a
859 timeline for completion of the expenditure.
A carry forward

860
spending plan may include retention of the carry forward balance

861
as a reserve fund to be used for authorized expenses in

862
subsequent years.
Authorized expenditures in a carry forward
863 spending plan may include:
864 (a) Commitment of funds to a public education capital
865 outlay project for which an appropriation was previously
866 provided, which requires additional funds for completion, and
867 which is included in the list required by s. 1001.03(18)(d);
868 (b) Completion of a renovation, repair, or maintenance
869 project that is consistent with s. 1013.64(1) or replacement of
870 a minor facility;
871 (c) Completion of a remodeling or infrastructure project,
872 if such project is survey recommended pursuant to s. 1013.31;
873 (d) Completion of a repair or replacement project necessary
874 due to damage caused by a natural disaster for buildings
875 included in the inventory required pursuant to s. 1013.31;
876 (e) Operating expenditures that support the Florida College
877 System institution’s mission;
878 (f) Any purpose approved by the state board or specified in
879 the General Appropriations Act; and
880 (g) A commitment of funds to a contingency reserve for
881 expenses incurred as a result of a state of emergency declared
882 by the Governor pursuant to s. 252.36.
883 Section 22. Subsection (2) of section 1009.895, Florida
884 Statutes, is amended to read:
885 1009.895 Open Door Grant Program.—
886 (2) ELIGIBILITY.—In order to be eligible for the program, a
887 student must:
888 (a) Meet the requirements under
s. 1009.40(1)(a)3. and 4.

889
s. 1009.40(1)(a)2. and 3.
;
890 (b) Be enrolled in an adult secondary education program or
891 an integrated education and training program in which
892 institutions establish partnerships with local workforce
893 development boards to provide basic skills instruction,
894 contextually and concurrently, with workforce training that
895 results in the award of credentials under s. 445.004(4) or a
896 workforce education program as defined under s. 1011.80(1)(b)
897 (f) that is included on the Master Credentials List under s.
898 445.004(4); and
899 (c) Be enrolled at a school district postsecondary
900 technical career center under s. 1001.44, a Florida College
901 System institution under s. 1000.21(5), or a charter technical
902 career center under s. 1002.34.
903
904 An institution may not impose additional criteria to determine a
905 student’s eligibility to receive a grant under this section.
906 Section 23. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.