Board members and district staff discussed a proposal to more actively connect high‑school course planning and advising to Florida Bright Futures scholarship criteria so more graduates qualify for state aid.

Why it matters: Bright Futures scholarships provide state dollars that can cover 75–100 percent of tuition for qualifying students; increasing student eligibility can reduce student debt, expand college access and strengthen postsecondary outcomes for district graduates.

Board member Ms. Rosario summarized several Bright Futures awards (Florida Academic Scholarship, Florida Medallion, Gold Seal Vocational Scholarship, Gold Seal CAPE) and noted the distinct requirements for coursework, weighted GPA and test concordance scores (ACT, SAT or the newer CLT/CLT10). She asked staff to evaluate how the district might embed Bright Futures checkpoints into course-selection and advising from ninth grade onward and whether diploma distinctions or seals could be used as visible incentives.

Superintendent Dr. Moore and instructional staff described work already underway: programs of study intended to give every student a defined pathway; a district initiative to target PSAT and college-readiness growth in tenth grade; and test-prep offerings embedded as electives and interventions for juniors and seniors. Staff said additional, earlier interventions and clearer signaling to families — including using the district’s parent portal — could increase the number of students who reach the GPA and test-score thresholds.

Board members suggested concrete steps: (1) ensure counselors and parents receive clear, individual “what‑you‑need” checklists for Bright Futures eligibility; (2) expand or formalize test-prep offerings beginning earlier than 11th grade; and (3) consider diploma distinctions (a “seal”) or a formal pathway label to make completion visible.

No formal policy changes were adopted at the workshop; staff said they would continue work with guidance counselors and program coordinators and return with options for board consideration.