Florida’s 2024 regular legislative session adjourned on Friday, March 8, with lawmakers passing 211 bills and a $117.46 billion budget, supporting a variety of new and continued initiatives.
Major policy changes include a public school deregulation package after last year’s charter school voucher expansion, a new associate in arts specialized transfer degree, and additional changes to the state’s career and technical education (CTE) system. Review FCAN’s 2024 Florida Legislative Session Recap for an overview of higher education legislation that will impact Florida’s students and the postsecondary education system.
Join us on Tuesday, April 2 where we will hear from our panel of guests on Florida’s postsecondary education bills that were passed in addition to a breakdown of major higher education budget items.
Topics to be covered include:
- Senate Bill 7032: Creates the Graduation Alternative to Traditional Education (GATE) Program to provide an alternative educational pathway for individuals ages 16 to 21, who have dropped out of high school and do not have a diploma and additional education. Students enrolled in the GATE program would have the opportunity to earn a diploma and career certificate or industry certification at no cost.
- Senate Bill 62: Ensures additional opportunities for previously incarcerated individuals in Florida. The bill states that an individual may not lose their resident status for in-state tuition purposes due to incarceration.
- House Bill 1285: This bill makes a variety of changes, including the creation of The Office of the Ocean Economy and a new associate in arts specialized transfer degree. The Office of the Ocean Economy will be housed at Florida Atlantic University with an intent to connect Florida’s oceanic resources to economic development strategies and opportunities. Florida College System (FCS) institutions can opt into offering this new specialized transfer degree for AA programs that may require additional coursework prior to transferring to a university.
- The balanced budget for fiscal year 2024-2025 includes $4.96 billion for the State University System, $1.72 billion for the Florida College System, and no tuition increases.
Bring your questions and learn more about higher education legislation and funding items that will impact Florida’s students and postsecondary education system.
Date and time: Tuesday, April 2, 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. ET
Moderator:
Dave Sobush, Director of Research & Policy, FCAN
Guest Presenters:
- Representative Lauren Melo, R – Naples
- Representative Jervonte Edmonds, D – West Palm Beach
- Nicole Washington, Washington Education Strategies