For the Class of 2021, lawmakers recently agreed to increase the minimum required test score on the SAT college entrance exam. Florida's students depend on this scholarship.  Many students have been preparing since ninth grade to meet the requirements of Bright Futures, only to have the minimum requirements changed at the end of their high school career.

For the top Bright Futures award (Florida Academic Scholars (FAS), which pays for 100 percent of tuition and fees at state universities, the combined math and reading minimum is going up from 1290 to 1330.
For the next-highest scholarship award (Florida Medallion Scholars (FMS), which covers 75 percent of those expenses, the SAT minimum will rise from 1170 to 1210.

This increase couldn't be at a worse time.  We are in the midst of a Global Pandemic. Florida is one of the most effected states in the US.  The impact on students has been tremendous. This years seniors, ended their junior year in distance learning.  The interruption in education has created some learning gaps in their most crucial years of education

As juniors who signed up for the SAT, their test dates were cancelled due to stay at home orders.  Testing centers have been slow to re-open, as well.   Many testing centers have repeatedly cancelled testing dates.  Even if a student is able to secure an uncancelled testing location, testing conditions are less than ideal.  Students are required to wear face masks and practice social distancing protocol while at the test center.  This leads to long lines and long waits to check in.  Once in the testing room, students must wear masks.  All of these factors can adversely effect student performance. 

We would like for the Florida Legislators to reinstate the previous years minimum test scores for the Bright Futures Scholarship.