Strong advocacy work happens year-round, not just during the legislative session and related committee weeks. FCAN recently took to the road and headed up to Tallahassee to connect with legislators, legislative committee staff, and other important statewide partners to share recent research on dual enrollment, The Real Cost of College Attendance in Florida, and personalized community success and attainment profiles for state legislators.
Dual enrollment provides an opportunity for students in grade 6-12 to enroll in postsecondary education courses and simultaneously earn credit towards both a high school diploma and a career certificate or associate or baccalaureate degree at a Florida institution. Florida has implemented several incentives to promote dual participation.
However, areas of opportunity exist where Florida can continue to leverage dual enrollment education for students. Public awareness of dual enrollment varies, leaving many Florida students and families in the dark about this pathway. Our state can increase public awareness by creating a statewide marketing campaign, like the Get There website (on career and technical education), widening the reach of existing communication methods.
When considering the real cost of college attendance in Florida, Florida has been a leader when it comes to holding the line on tuition as rates have not increased since 2014. While tuition, fees, and textbooks are the main costs associated with a college education, additional costs that are sometimes not considered are attributed to housing, food, and transportation.
One measure that can be taken is expanding access to the Florida Student Assistance Grant (FSAG), a need-based state grant program for resident, undergraduate students who demonstrate financial need. Current grant awards are between $200 to $3,260 for eligible students. Annual appropriations for the program do not cover all eligible students. Typically, about 40% of eligible students do not receive aid because the funding runs out. Ensuring all eligible students receive meaningful aid will help additional Florida residents earn their postsecondary degree or credential and contribute to our statewide attainment.
Sharing these policy opportunities and research with policymakers and partners allows FCAN to continue being a strong advocate for Florida’s postsecondary student population, while maintaining partnerships for more impactful work statewide. Working collaboratively is how we can reach Florida’s SAIL to 60 Goal of increasing the percentage of Floridians with an education beyond high school to 60% by 2030. Currently, we stand at 54.5%.
More information on these policy areas and research is available throughout our website and specifically can also be found on FCAN’s 2025 Advocacy Agenda for the upcoming legislative session.