Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program:
HB 167 would require every public high school in Florida to create a Bright Futures Scholarship mentorship program for its students. The program must give students access to a certified school counselor who can explain the eligibility requirements for each Bright Futures award and identify which awards the student is currently on track to qualify for. It also requires schools to run a comprehensive outreach campaign using social media and the school website, with optional content such as student success stories, application tips, and question-and-answer sessions for students and parents.
The bill also allows schools to connect students with mentors who have previously received a Bright Futures scholarship award. The measure is aimed at improving awareness, guidance, and application support for the state scholarship program, with the goal of helping more students understand and pursue eligibility before graduation. It would take effect July 1, 2025.
HB 167 would amend section 1009.53, Florida Statutes, by adding a new requirement for public high schools to establish Bright Futures mentorship programs. In practice, it would impose new student outreach and counseling duties on public schools and school counselors, while not changing the underlying scholarship eligibility rules themselves. The bill would affect public high school students, school counseling staff, and school districts responsible for implementing the required outreach and mentorship activities.
The available record shows no committee transcript or recorded votes, so there is no detailed public debate to assess. Based on the bill’s structure, the measure appears generally supportive of student access to scholarship information and counseling, with an emphasis on helping students navigate Bright Futures requirements. The bill ultimately died in the Student Academic Success Subcommittee, indicating it did not advance despite its apparent student-support focus.
No specific points of contention are documented in the provided materials because there are no committee transcripts or votes. Potential areas of concern, if discussed, would likely involve the administrative burden on public high schools, the availability of certified counselors, and whether the mentorship and outreach requirements would require additional resources or staffing. Supporters would likely emphasize improved access to scholarship information and better student guidance, while any skeptics might question implementation costs and feasibility.