Florida lawmakers consider sweeping changes to Bright Futures scholarships. (SAR)

Florida lawmakers consider sweeping changes to Bright Futures scholarships

Colleen Michele Jones

St. Augustine Record

March 20, 2021

On Tuesday, the Florida Senate’s education committee approved Senate Bill 86, which would make major changes to the Bright Futures scholarship program.

The proposed legislation states that in order to receive the most financial aid possible, students must pursue a degree that would more likely lead to a job after college.

The bill directs the state’s Board of Governors to compile a list of majors, with input from the State Board of Education and representatives from state colleges and universities, and designate those with higher employment prospects.

Students choosing those favored areas of study would receive more Bright Futures money — currently between 75 to 100% of tuition reimbursement — while students with a non-qualifying major would receive less.

Florida Rep. Dennis Baxley, R-Ocala, has filed a bill that would reduce Bright Futures scholarships for students whose majors do not "lead directly to employment."

The bill, sponsored by Sen. Dennis Baxley (R-Ocala), has already created controversy because it would likely favor STEM-based degrees over some liberal arts majors. There is no set list of preferred degrees yet.

Student-led protests in Tallahassee last week challenged that rationale, as well as other changes to the scholarship program.

Sen. Travis Hutson (R-St. Augustine) said students who currently have aid through Bright Futures will be grandfathered in, one issue he said which may have been misunderstood by some students.

If SB-86 becomes law, the new requirements would not take effect until the 2023-24 academic year. A House version of Baxley’s bill has not been filed. 

However, it’s a long way from the governor’s desk and Hutson said he expects lawmakers will tweak the legislation between now and then, a move he supports.

Approving degrees for Bright Futures

In an interview with The Record Thursday, Hutson said he believes in the intent of the legislation, particularly in using taxpayer money wisely, but that it still requires vetting as the review process continues.

"I do believe that making sure students have the best [career] outcomes as possible is a good thing, rather than going after some hodgepodge type of major or independent study that doesn't have proven job prospects," Hutson said.

As far as which degrees would not be approved for the full aid package, Hutson said, "That is clearly a conversation that the colleges and universities need to have, so we're working on this."

Hutson added that he believed the goal of the legislation was twofold: to provide fiscal accountability in the state making a bankable investment in students' futures; and to save students some heartache down the line by earning a degree with a better ROI in the job market.

Making the wrong choice

Heather Smith, a guidance counselor at Webster Elementary School in St. Augustine, said she and her husband had only been able to send their daughter to the University of South Florida thanks to the Bright Futures program. A freshman, she is pursuing a degree in a six-year program leading to a master's.

"We are so grateful to Bright Futures; we wouldn't be able to do it without that money," Smith said.

But Smith worried that the proposed changes would impact her son, a junior at St. Augustine High School. 

And as a guidance counselor, Smith was concerned that some students might find themselves wavering between career paths and be penalized for not choosing the "right" one.

"I know I changed my major three times in my freshman year," said Smith.

The amendment would also require the Board of Governors to develop an online dashboard featuring data on graduates of various fields of study. The dashboard would have to include information such as median salary after graduation, average student loan debt and debt-to-income ratio.

Rep. Cyndi Stevenson (R-St. Johns County) said while she hasn't had a chance to thoroughly examine the bill, in general she supported creating more awareness of students' post-college job opportunities.

"I don't think we should be dictating it, if it [the legislation] would be too restrictive," she said. 

Stevenson added that it's a good idea for students to consider their job prospects before choosing a major so as not to set themselves up for a mound of debt later on.

The bill would also change the funding formula in general, linking the amounts awarded to the state’s budget priorities, which change every year, something Hutson supports.

"In some years, based on the number of students qualifying for the program, we've been overfunded in Bright Futures or underfunded in Bright Futures," Hutson said.

An aerial photo show St. Johns State College’s St. Augustine campus on Friday, March 19, 2021. The school, founded in 1958, also has campuses in Palatka and Orange Park. 

Joe Pickens, president of St. Johns River State College which has a campus in St. Augustine, said he can understand the motivation behind the legislation.

"As overseers and creators of the [Bright Futures] program, it's certainly within the state Legislature's purview to make adjustments to the program, and if they are designing these changes to influence behavior that they believe is in the best interest of Florida residents, then it's their right," said Pickens, who served as a state representative to Putnam County and outlying areas from 2000 to 2008.

Pickens added that changes to Bright Futures would likely not impact many students attending St. Johns River State College which emphasizes "workforce degrees designed to put people to work right away, like nursing."