FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
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    STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION
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    John L. Winn
    Commissioner of Education
    F. PHILIP HANDY,
    Chairman
    T. WILLARD FAIR,
    Vice Chairman
    Members
    DONNA G. CALLAWAY
    JULIA L. JOHNSON
    ROBERTO MARTÍNEZ
    PHOEBE RAULERSON
    LINDA K. TAYLOR
    MEMORANDUM
    TO:
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    State Universities and Community Colleges Presidents, Provosts and Financial Aid
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    Directors
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    FROM:
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    Commissioner John Winn
    DATE:
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    September 16, 2005
    SUBJECT:
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    Hurricane Katrina Postsecondary Students and State Student Financial Aid
    Mississippi, and Alabama, whose lives have been disrupted and many of whom have been displaced due
    to the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. The Florida Department of Education wishes to offer swift and
    compassionate resolutions to assist these victims.
    To address your specific questions regarding state student financial aid and relieve as many administrative
    barriers as possible.
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    If students need assistance with state financial aid application activities, we will waive program
    deadlines to accommodate eligible students who have been affected by this natural disaster.
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    With regard to state financial aid, by statute, eligible students are required to have degree seeking
    status to receive funds. We wish to recognize institutional decisions for such student enrollment
    of degree or non-degree seeking. In order to address the barriers of admission paperwork,
    Executive Order 2005-176, issued September 1, 2005, authorizes state universities and
    community colleges to waive documentation requirements relating to student residency and
    enrollment status.
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    We recognize that the federal financial aid guidelines of September 2, 2005,
    http://www.ifap.ed.gov/eannouncements/0902HurricaneKatrinaGuid.html encourage schools to
    enroll students as degree or certificate seeking. However, they allow some limited situations of
    non-degree seeking student status being eligible to receive funds. This does not apply to Florida
    state financial aid programs. Please be mindful of the impact of enrollment status on students
    who are seeking and are otherwise eligible for state financial aid.
    If you have questions regarding this communication, please contact Theresa Antworth, Director State
    Scholarship and Grant Programs, at (850) 410-5185.
    325 W. GAINES STREET • TALLAHASSEE, FL 32399-0400 • (850) 245-0505 • www.fldoe.org

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