Current through Reg. 50, No. 187; September 24, 2024
(1) Waiver. Each Florida College System
institution's district board of trustees, each district school board with a
career center authorized under Section
1001.44, F.S., and each board of
directors for a charter technical career center authorized under Section
1002.34, F.S., shall adopt and
implement policies or procedures that waive tuition and fees for eligible
disabled veterans. As used in this section, the term "disabled veteran" means
an individual who is a resident of this state pursuant to Section
1009.21, F.S., and is:
(a) Determined by the United States
Department of Veterans Affairs to have a service-connected one-hundred (100)
percent total and permanent disability rating for compensation;
(b) Determined to have a service-connected
total and permanent disability rating of one-hundred (100) percent and is in
receipt of disability retirement pay from any branch of the United States Armed
Services; or
(c) Issued a valid
identification card by the Department of Veterans Affairs in accordance with
Section 295.17, F.S. that shows
eligibility for any benefit provided by state law for one-hundred (100)
percent, service-connected permanently and totally disabled
veterans.
(2)
Eligibility. Each institution must determine and verify student eligibility,
including any necessary documentation to demonstrate eligibility. Evidence of
eligibility must include:
(a) Documentation of
Service and Separation. Such documents may include, but are not limited to:
1. DD-214, "Certificate of Release or
Discharge from Active Duty;" or
2.
Retirement or separation orders; or
3. Official statement from military personnel
records center.
(b)
Documentation of Compensable Service-Connected Disability. Such documents may
include, but are not limited to:
1. An
official document from the Department of Veterans Affairs or an Armed Forces
branch certifying the one-hundred (100) percent total and permanent
service-connected disability rating; or
2. An official document or retired orders
from an Armed Forces branch showing that the veteran was retired due to a
service-connected disability or has been transferred to a Disability Retirement
List with a one-hundred (100) percent total and permanent service-connected
disability rating.
(c)
Documentation of the portion of tuition and fees paid in accordance with
federal law. Such documents may include, but are not limited to:
1. A Veteran Affairs Award Letter showing a
one-hundred (100) percent total and permanent service-connected disability
rating and the portion of tuition and fees paid in accordance with federal
law.
2. An official document from
the Department of Veterans Affairs showing the portion of tuition and fees paid
in accordance with federal law.
(3) Waiver Implementation. Pursuant to
Section 295.011, F.S., beginning with
the 2022-2023 academic year, a disabled veteran enrolled in a program of
education approved for educational assistance under
38 U.S.C. s.
3313 who meets the eligibility criteria of
subsection (2) and who does not qualify for the one-hundred (100) percent
eligibility tier under federal law is eligible to receive a waiver for tuition
and fees.
(a) The waiver amount is equal to
the difference between the portion of tuition and fees paid in accordance with
federal law and the full amount of tuition and fees at the institution
attended. The amount waived by the institution is not to be determined until
after the application of federal benefits under
38 U.S.C. s.
3313 and the application of federal or state
scholarships and grants received by the student.
(b) Each Florida College System institution's
board of trustees, each district school board with a career center authorized
under Section 1001.44, F.S., and each board of
directors for a charter technical career center authorized under Section
1002.34, F.S., shall report to
the State Board of Education the number and value of all fee waivers granted
annually.
(c) All students
receiving benefits under this rule must be enrolled according to the customary
rules and requirements and comply with the ordinary and minimum requirements of
the institution attended.
(4) Pursuant to Section
1009.285, F.S., a student will
be required to pay tuition at one-hundred (100) percent of the full cost of
instruction upon the third attempt of a course unless the Florida College
System institution has granted an exception due to extenuating
circumstances.
Rulemaking Authority
295.011(2)(b)
FS. Law Implemented 295.03,
295.05,
295.011
FS.
New 11-23-22.
