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Bright Futures scholarship changes
Qualifying for a Bright Futures scholarship just got a little harder. Students looking to start college in 2028 will need higher standardized testing scores to meet new requirements from the Florida Department of Education. FOX 13's Briona Arradondo reports.
TAMPA, Fla. - High school students applying for Florida Bright Futures scholarships in 2028 will face tougher qualification standards after state education officials raised required standardized testing scores.
Higher testing benchmarks
What we know:
Florida high school seniors graduating in 2028 must score 1350 on the SAT to earn the Academic Scholars award, representing a 20-point increase from current requirements.
The CLT went up one point from 95 to 96, and the ACT had no change.
Requirement benchmarks for the Medallion Scholars award increased 10 points from 1190 to 1200 on the SAT, alongside the CLT going up one point from 83 to 84, and ACT up one point from 24 to 25.
Reasoning behind change
What we don't know:
The Florida Department of Education has not yet provided specific reasons for the updated score requirements.
Florida College Access Network said past adjustments occurred due to costs or other factors.
Student impacts and options
Local perspective:
Braulio Colón, executive director of the Florida College Access Network, said all students will feel the impact, but those who struggle to translate content knowledge to exam settings will face a harder path to meet benchmarks.
"If you qualify for Bright Futures, you're at least getting 75 percent of your tuition covered," said Colón. "Tuition is just one part of the cost, right, so you have housing and transportation and childcare. And all the other associated costs of living and being a full-time student need to get taken into account. And so, the Bright Futures is such a huge win for students who earn it."
Christie Raburn, executive director of high school education for Hillsborough County Public Schools, noted that testing is not the only important part of a college application and emphasized that colleges look for well-rounded students where essays play a big role.
Student guidance
What you can do:
Families can check in with local school districts and guidance counselors for guidance on college planning and financial aid.
In Hillsborough County, families can utilize the SCOPE program to help navigate college planning and financial aid requirements.
"They are there to help kids, walk them through applying for FAFSA, any requirements for Bright Futures to make sure that they're, first of all, aware of those requirements and that they are on track to obtain anything that they need," said Raburn of the guidance counselors. "So really a big part of the school counseling team is to inform students and encourage them."
The Source: The information in this story was gathered by FOX13’s Briona Arradondo, who interviewed Florida College Access Network Executive Director Braulio Colón and Hillsborough County Public Schools Executive Director of High School Education Christie Raburn.