Bill > S0374

This bill: This bill cites itself as the "Florida Excellence in Higher Education Act of 2017" and establishes the State Board of Community Colleges to oversee and coordinate the Florida Community College System. The bill renames the Florida College System as the Florida Community College System, creates the State Board of Community Colleges, and transfers administrative authority over the system from the State Board of Education to the new State Board of Community Colleges. The bill also revises the function and mission of the Florida K-20 education system, provides that the primary mission of a career center operated by a district school board is to promote advances and innovations in workforce preparation and economic development, establishes the World Class Faculty and Scholar Program to fund and support efforts to recruit and retain exemplary faculty and research scholars at state universities, and creates the Florida Farmworker Student Scholarship Program to provide scholarships for farmworkers and their children. Additionally, the bill requires the State Board of Community Colleges to adopt performance-based metrics and standards for the Florida Community College System institutions and creates the Distinguished Florida Community College System Institution Program to recognize the excellence of the highest performing institutions. The bill also requires state universities to adopt block tuition and fee policies, expands the Benacquisto Scholarship Program to include out-of-state students who are National Merit Scholars, and increases the amount of the Florida Academic Scholars award to cover 100% of tuition and fees and provide an additional stipend for textbooks.

Budget and Finance, Education

Appropriations (Senate), Education (Senate)

http://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2017/374