(1) Beginning with the 2019-2020 academic year, the Last Mile College Completion Program is established within the Department of Education to annually award the cost of in-state tuition and required fees to students classified as residents pursuant to s. 1009.21 who are in good standing at Florida College System institutions and state universities and who are within 12 or fewer credit hours of completing their first associate or baccalaureate degree. Any student who has earned college credit from a regionally accredited postsecondary institution within a period of 8 academic years before the year in which the student submits an application pursuant to subsection (2) is eligible to participate in the program. The award amount may not exceed the difference between the full cost of attendance and the total of the student’s financial aid, excluding loans. (2)(a) The department shall create a simple, web-based application for any student to identify his or her intent to enroll and complete his or her associate or baccalaureate degree within three academic terms at one or more Florida College System institutions or state universities or through an online competency-based program delivered by a regionally accredited, not-for-profit university.
(b) The department shall refer the student to the intended college or colleges for continued processing of eligibility, feasibility of reverse-transfer, award status, and enrollment. The participating Florida College System institution or state university must determine each referred student’s eligibility and report that information to the department on behalf of the student in a format prescribed by the department.
(c) Once each student has successfully passed the course or courses for each term enrolled during the program period, the department shall disburse the funds to the participating institution or university.
(3) Funding for the program specified under this section is contingent upon legislative appropriation.
(4) The State Board of Education and the Board of Governors shall adopt rules and regulations, respectively, to implement this section including, but not limited to, application processes, priority degree fields for award recipients, and reporting processes.
