YBOR CITY, Fla. — Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday signed into law legislation updating the eligibility requirements for the state's Bright Futures scholarships.
What You Need To Know
- A new bill signed into law will update the eligibility requirements for Florida's Bright Futures scholarship
- Work hours will now count in place of volunteer hours on the application for students who work while attending school
- DeSantis said this will expand the opportunity for low-income students who have to work to support their families and aren't able to do volunteer work
- More than 120,000 students will recieve scholarships this year, the governor said
The scholarships allow work hours to count in place of community service for students who work while attending school.
The bill signed Monday is House Bill 461.
“We have students who come from lower income families who need to work to help support their families,” DeSantis said. “And they should not be denied the opportunity to qualify for a scholarship just because their socioeconomic background makes it more difficult to be able to do this type of volunteer work.”
Bright Futures rewards Florida high school students who earn high academic achievement and enroll in Florida colleges and universities.
DeSantis spoke at Hillsborough Community College, where he talked about the importance of affordable education for high school graduates.
"There aren’t very many places that you can go and get a credible four-year degree and pay $6,000, $6,500, $6,800 for tuition," he said.
"I’m a big believer in higher education but I’m not a big believer in plunging people $150,000 in debt with a degree in zombie studies. That is not a pathway to success."
According to the governor, there will be more than 120,000 students who will receive Bright Futures scholarships this school year.