(1) ESTABLISHMENT; PURPOSE.—The Open Door Grant Program is established and shall be administered by participating institutions in accordance with rules of the State Board of Education. The program is created to incentivize current and future workers to enroll in career and technical education that leads to a credential, certificate, or degree.
(2) ELIGIBILITY.—In order to be eligible for the program, a student must:(a) Meet the requirements under s. 1009.40(1)(a)2. and 3.; (b) Be enrolled in an adult secondary education program or an integrated education and training program in which institutions establish partnerships with local workforce development boards to provide basic skills instruction, contextually and concurrently, with workforce training that results in the award of credentials under s. 445.004(4) or a workforce education program as defined under s. 1011.80(1)(b)-(f) that is included on the Master Credentials List under s. 445.004(4); and (c) Be enrolled at a school district postsecondary technical career center under s. 1001.44, a Florida College System institution under s. 1000.21(5), or a charter technical career center under s. 1002.34. An institution may not impose additional criteria to determine a student’s eligibility to receive a grant under this section.
(3) GRANT AWARD.—A student is eligible to receive a maximum award equal to the amount needed to cover 100 percent of tuition and fees, exam or assessment costs, books, and related materials for eligible programs after all other federal and state financial aid is applied. In addition, a student may receive a stipend of up to $1,500, or an amount specified in the General Appropriations Act, per academic year to cover other education expenses related to the institutional cost of attendance. The institution shall make awards and stipends subject to availability of funding. Returning students must be given priority over new students.
(4) DISTRIBUTION OF FUNDS.—(a) For the 2023-2024 fiscal year, funding for eligible institutions must consist of a base amount provided for in the General Appropriations Act plus each institution’s proportionate share of full-time equivalent students enrolled in career and technical education programs. Beginning in fiscal year 2024-2025, the funds appropriated for the Open Door Grant Program must be distributed to eligible institutions in accordance with a formula approved by the State Board of Education. The formula must consider at least the prior year’s distribution of funds and the number of eligible applicants who did not receive awards.
(b) Subject to the appropriation of funds by the Legislature, the Department of Education shall transmit payment of grants to the institution in advance of the registration period. Institutions shall notify students of the amount of their awards.
(c) The eligibility status of each student to receive a disbursement must be determined by each institution as of the end of its regular registration period, inclusive of a drop-add period. Institutions may not be required to reevaluate a student’s eligibility status after this date for purposes of changing eligibility determinations previously made.
(d) Each term, institutions shall certify to the department within 30 days after the end of the regular registration period the amount of funds disbursed to each student. Institutions shall remit to the department any undisbursed advances for the fall, spring, and summer terms within 30 days after the end of the summer term.
(5) INSTITUTIONAL REPORTING.—Each institution shall report to the department by the established date:(a) The number of students eligible for the program for each academic term. Each institution shall also report to the department any necessary demographic and eligibility data for students; and
(b) Data from the previous fiscal year on program completion and credential attainment by students participating in the grant program that, at a minimum, includes:1. A list of the programs offered.
2. The number of students who enrolled in the programs.
3. The number of students who completed the programs.
4. The number of students who attained workforce credentials, categorized by credential name and relevant occupation, after completing training programs.
(6) REPORTING.—The department shall compile the data provided under paragraph (5)(b) and annually report such aggregate data to the State Board of Education.
(7) RULES.—The State Board of Education shall adopt rules to implement this section.
