Gov. Rick Scott’s Blue Ribbon Task Force on State Higher Education Reform has reached tentative agreement on its recommendations. The panel on Wednesday called for different tuition rates based on the type of degree being sought such as business, education or engineering. It also proposed letting “preeminent universities” set higher tuition rates. In addition, the […]
We’ve spent the week looking at how Bright Futures scholarships have changed over the last fifteen years. Bottom line: More students are getting the money, but the awards aren’t going as far as they used to in covering the cost of college or university tuition. The program establishes three lottery-funded scholarships for high academic achievers. […]
The value of Bright Futures scholarships has gone down in Florida as tuition has jumped, but they’re still a good deal. Requirements have changed, so let’s take a look at what students need to do to receive a Bright Futures award and keep it each year they’re in college. The program provides three levels of […]
Across Florida, college freshmen are signing up for classes. Many are bringing Bright Futures scholarships to help pay their way. But Forrest Estep experienced sticker shock when he saw what the scholarships don’t cover. Estep is a student at Florida State University. In the past, his Bright Futures Scholarship would have covered a lot more. […]
The Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program and the Florida Prepaid College Plan are not mutually exclusive. But some people think they should be. Woody Estep wishes he’d bought into the prepaid program. His son attends Florida State University, where his Bright Futures scholarship last year covered just a portion of the tuition and none of […]
Gov. Rick Scott is drawing a line on tuition hikes this year. He wants state universities to find other ways to deal with budget cuts. At a contentious Board of Governors meeting in June, many universities asked for the maximum tuition increase. A few got it; most did not. But some colleges are heeding Scott’s […]
Florida’s 11 state universities (soon to be 12) are not one-size-fits-all. That was part of Chancellor Frank Brogan’s message as he spent most of Monday afternoon before the Blue Ribbon Task Force on State Higher Education Reform. He used a lot of jargon – “devolution,” “delivery systems,” “performance funding” – to explain what the Board […]
College students  who need to go to summer school have few choices for grants and scholarships. And their options just shrank. The federal government is no longer giving out a need-based Pell Grant to help students pay for summer tuition. And the replacement is more loans. Senior Courtney Johnson has taken summer courses at Florida International […]
The lawmaker behind two key pieces of legislation relating to Florida’s state university system – one signed by Gov. Rick Scott, the other vetoed – talked about the Legislature’s efforts before the Higher Education Coordinating Council on Wednesday. Rep. Bill Proctor, R-St. Augustine, told the group’s seven members that many of their recommendations were reflected […]
After repeatedly saying he was against raising tuition at Florida’s colleges and universities, Gov. Rick Scott on Friday vetoed a bill that would have allowed the state’s top two universities to hike tuition at will. The state already allows public institutions to raise tuition up to 15 percent a year. But Florida State University in […]
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