TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Florida high school students applying for the state’s college and vocational school scholarship program will be able to substitute paid work experience for volunteering under a bill signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday.
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Students who apply for the Bright Futures program starting in the next school year will be able to fulfill the volunteer requirement by working 100 hours. During a bill signing ceremony at Hillsborough Community College in Tampa, DeSantis said the change will help low-income families whose teenagers need to work.
In the 2020-21 school year, the state distributed about $650 million to about 120,000 students — an average of $5,400 each.
The scholarships are awarded to students who attain high grade=point averages and test scores. They receive various amounts based on what level they achieve.