BRIGHT FUTURES SCHOLARSHIP CRITERIA TO BE TIGHTENED
Miami Herald, The (FL) - Sunday, January 9, 2000
Author: Associated Press
A state panel has recommended ``fine tuning,'' rather than major changes in eligibility criteria for Florida's Bright Futures scholarship program for college and vocational students.
Florida's Post-secondary Education Planning Commission approved a recommendation Friday that the criteria for Merit Scholars, the largest of three Bright Futures programs, be increased slightly from a high school grade-point average of 3.0 and 970 SAT score to 3.1 and 1020, effective for the 2004-05 school year.
``The idea was to move it to a point where it is above the state average for the SAT, but not have it be a huge jump,'' said PEPC executive director Bill Proctor.
The state average combined SAT score is 997.
The change, however, is expected to reduce the number of Merit Scholars by 22 percent, hitting minorities the hardest - 32 percent of black recipients and 22 percent of Hispanics, according to a state analysis.
The panel also proposed closing a loophole that has allowed university students to obtain Gold Seal Vocational awards intended for vocational and community college students.
Its final recommendation is that the Bright Futures program be more heavily promoted, because many students still are unaware of it.
The recommendations, made during a teleconference meeting, will go to the Florida Legislature, which had asked the commission to conduct a study of the $130 million annual scholarship program.
Merit scholarships pay 75 percent of tuition and fees for four years while Gold Seal awards provide the same level of aid for two years. Gold Seal recipients can apply for Merit Scholar awards after completing two years of community college.
The commission recommended no change in the Academic Scholars program that pays 100 percent of tuition and fees plus $600 in expenses for four years. The criteria is a 3.5 high school grade-point average, 1270 SAT score and 75 hours of community service.
There has been criticism that the Bright Futures program provides financial aid to students who do not need the help, while some needy students are bypassed.
Florida's Post-secondary Education Planning Commission approved a recommendation Friday that the criteria for Merit Scholars, the largest of three Bright Futures programs, be increased slightly from a high school grade-point average of 3.0 and 970 SAT score to 3.1 and 1020, effective for the 2004-05 school year.
``The idea was to move it to a point where it is above the state average for the SAT, but not have it be a huge jump,'' said PEPC executive director Bill Proctor.
The state average combined SAT score is 997.
The change, however, is expected to reduce the number of Merit Scholars by 22 percent, hitting minorities the hardest - 32 percent of black recipients and 22 percent of Hispanics, according to a state analysis.
The panel also proposed closing a loophole that has allowed university students to obtain Gold Seal Vocational awards intended for vocational and community college students.
Its final recommendation is that the Bright Futures program be more heavily promoted, because many students still are unaware of it.
The recommendations, made during a teleconference meeting, will go to the Florida Legislature, which had asked the commission to conduct a study of the $130 million annual scholarship program.
Merit scholarships pay 75 percent of tuition and fees for four years while Gold Seal awards provide the same level of aid for two years. Gold Seal recipients can apply for Merit Scholar awards after completing two years of community college.
The commission recommended no change in the Academic Scholars program that pays 100 percent of tuition and fees plus $600 in expenses for four years. The criteria is a 3.5 high school grade-point average, 1270 SAT score and 75 hours of community service.
There has been criticism that the Bright Futures program provides financial aid to students who do not need the help, while some needy students are bypassed.
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