FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
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STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION
Dr. Eric J. Smith
Commissioner of Education
T. WILLARD FAIR,
Chairman
Members
DONNA G. CALLAWAY
Lucy D. Hadi, Chancellor
Division of Workforce Education
DR. AKSHAY DESAI
ROBERTO MARTÍNEZ
PHOEBE RAULERSON
KATHLEEN SHANAHAN
LINDA K. TAYLOR
June 26, 2008
M E M O R A N D U M
TO:
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District School Superintendents
FROM:
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Lucy D. Hadi, Chancellor, Division of Workforce Education
Frances Haithcock, Chancellor, Division of Public Schools
SUBJECT:
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2008-09 Workforce Education Tuition and Fees
The purpose of this memorandum is to provide districts with the information necessary to
establish tuition and fees for adult and postsecondary workforce education programs for 2008-
09. There have been changes in the standard tuition requirement for the 2008-09 year. Please
see the attachment for a specific explanation of the changes and new requirements.
•
Attachment – Workforce Education Tuition and Fees 2008-09 (Word)
If you have any questions about these issues, please contact Michelle Schmidt at (850) 245-9005
or via e-mail at michelle.schmidt@fldoe.org.
LDH/FH/sms
Attachment
c:
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School District Finance Officers
School District Local Vocational Directors
Technical Center Directors
Adult Education Directors
325 W. GAINES STREET • TALLAHASSEE, FL 32399-0400 • (850) 245-0446 • www.fldoe.org
Attachment
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Workforce Education Tuition and Fees
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2008-09
The 2008 General Appropriations Act amended the tuition and fees policies for 2008-09. The following
changes to tuition levels for 2008-09 were included:
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Effective July 1, 2008, the standard tuition was increased to $1.77 for Career Certificate
and $0.87 for Adult General Education.
According to the workforce development fees statute, section 1009.22(3)(e), Florida Statutes (F.S.),
a district’s tuition must be within 5 percent of the standard tuition (above or below) and out of state
fee, if applicable.
Therefore, the 2008-09 standard tuition range for certificate programs is
$1.68 to $1.86 and the range for Adult General Education is $0.83 to $0.91.
NOTE: If a
district’s 2007-08 standard tuition falls within the range above, the school board is not required to
raise tuition in 2008-09. If a district’s 2007-08 career certificate (PSAV) tuition was $1.64, the new
tuition for 2008-09 must be increased (at a minimum) to $1.68 in order to be within 5% of the
standard tuition of $1.77.
The table found on the next page provides a summary of the charges allowed for the program areas of
Career Certificates (PSAV), Applied Technology Diplomas (ATD), and Adult General Education
(AGE). The summary includes ranges for tuition, out-of-state fees, the full cost of instruction and the
optional fees for student financial aid and capital improvement.
Student financial aid and capital improvement fees are
discretionary and are therefore not
required
. However, it is important to note that if these fees are charged, the amount allowed to be
charged for these two fees varies. If student financial aid fees are charged, the highest amount
allowed is 10% of tuition (for residents) or 10% of the sum of tuition and out-of-state fee (for non-
residents). Thus, the amount charged for student financial aid can be any percent
up to 10%
. If
capital improvement fees are charged, the highest amount allowed is 5% of tuition (for residents) or
5% of the sum of tuition and out-of-state fee (for non-residents). Thus, the amount allowed to be
charged for a capital improvement fee is any percent
up to 5%
.
Most students enrolled in Adult General Education courses are fee exempt
. Section
1009.25(1), F.S., addresses the specific requirements for fee exemption. In summary, students who
meet the following criteria are considered to be fee-exempt while enrolled in any adult basic, adult
secondary, or career-preparatory instruction: (1) a student who does not have a high school diploma
or its equivalent, or (2) a student who has a high school diploma or its equivalent and who has
academic skills at or below the eighth grade level as measured by the Test for Adult Basic
Education (TABE).
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Career Certificate/Applied Technology Diploma
RESIDENT
Standard
Fee Rate
Minimum
Fee Rate
(1)
Maximum
Fee Rate
(1)
Tuition
1.77 1.68
1.86
Student Financial Aid
(2)
(10% of Tuition)
0.18 0.17
0.19
Capital Improvement Fee
(2)
(5% of Tuition)
0.09 0.08
0.09
NONRESIDENT
Standard
Fee Rate
Minimum
Fee Rate
(1)
Maximum
Fee Rate
(1)
Tuition
1.77 1.68
1.86
Out-of-State Fee
5.31 5.04
5.58
Full Cost: Standard Tuition +
Out-of-State Fee
7.08 6.72
7.44
Student Financial Aid
(2)
(10% of Tuition +Out of State Fee)
0.71 0.67
0.74
Capital Improvement Fee
(2)
(5% of Tuition + Out of State Fee)
0.35 0.34
0.37
Adult General Education
(3)
(for Non-fee exempt or Non-fee waived students)
RESIDENT
Standard
Fee Rate
Minimum
Fee Rate
(1)
Maximum
Fee Rate
(1)
Tuition
0.87 0.83
0.91
Student Financial Aid
(2)
(10% of Tuition)
0.09 0.08
0.09
Capital Improvement Fee
(2)
(5% of Tuition)
0.04 0.04
0.05
NONRESIDENT
Standard
Fee Rate
Minimum
Fee Rate
(1)
Maximum
Fee Rate
(1)
Tuition
0.87 0.83
0.91
Out-of-State Fee
2.61 2.49
2.73
Full Cost: Standard Tuition +
Out-of-State Fee
3.48 3.32
3.64
Student Financial Aid
(2)
(10% of Tuition + Out of State Fee)
0.35 0.33
0.36
Capital Improvement Fee
(2)
(5% of Tuition + Out of State Fee)
0.17 0.17
0.18
(1)
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Five percent above or below the standard tuition is permissible according to s.1009.22(3)(f), F.S.
(2)
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Student Financial Aid and Capital Improvement Fees are discretionary and are not required.
(3)
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Most students enrolled in Adult General Education courses are fee exempt. See s.1009.22(2) and 1009.25(1),
F.S., for specific statutory requirements.
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Continuing Workforce Education (CWE)
In 1999, the method for establishing fees for Continuing Workforce Education shifted to local school
districts. Section 1009.22(3)(b), Florida Statutes (F.S.), states:
Fees for continuing workforce education shall be locally determined by the school board.
However, at least 50 percent of the expenditures for the continuing workforce education
program provided by the school district must be derived from fees.
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Statutory References for Fees
Tuition Statutes
The following are the current statutory references related to Workforce Fees.
Section 1009.22, F.S., Workforce education postsecondary student fees.
Section 1009.25, F.S., organizes all fee exemptions for all sectors.
Section 1009.26, F.S., organizes all fee waivers for all sectors.
Section 1009.27, F.S., organizes references to fee deferrals for all sectors.
Standard Tuition
Effective July 1, 2008, standard tuition shall be $1.77 per contact hour for programs leading to a career
certificate or an applied technology diploma and $0.87 for adult general education programs (see
specific Appropriation 120 in 2008 General Appropriations Act – HB 5001). Each district school board
may adopt tuition that is within the range of 5 percent below to 5 percent above the standard tuition and
out-of-state fee, if applicable (section 1009.22(3)(e), F.S.).
Beginning with the 2008-09 fiscal year and each year thereafter, the standard tuition per contact hour
shall increase at the beginning of each fall semester at a rate equal to inflation, unless otherwise
provided in the General Appropriations Act. The inflation rate will be reported by the Office of
Economic and Demographic Research to the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of
Representatives, the Governor, and the State Board of Education each year prior to March 1.
Note: Since the fee was included in the General Appropriations Act, this inflationary increase
does not apply for 2008-09.
Nonresident Fees
As found in section 1009.22(3)(c), F.S., beginning July 1, 2008, “The out-of-state fee per contact
hour shall be three times the standard tuition per contact hour.”
Financial Aid Fee
School districts are
permitted
to collect, for financial aid purposes, up to an additional 10 percent of
the student fees collected for
workforce development education programs
as stated in section
1009.22(5), F.S.
Capital Improvement Fee
School districts are
permitted
to collect a separate capital improvement fee for capital improvements,
technology enhancements, or equipping buildings which may not exceed 5 percent of the tuition fee for
resident students or 5 percent of the tuition and out-of-state fee for nonresident students. For additional
information see section 1009.22(6), F.S.
Technology Fee
School districts are permitted to collect a separate technology fee, effective July 1, 2009. Section
1009.22(7), F.S., addresses the statutory requirements. According to the statute, “Each district
school board and community college board of trustees is authorized to establish a separate fee for
technology, not to exceed 5 percent of tuition per credit hour or credit-hour equivalent for resident
students and not to exceed 5 percent of tuition and the out-of-state fee per credit hour or credit-hour
equivalent for nonresident students. Revenues generated from the technology fee shall be used to
enhance instructional technology resources for students and faculty and shall not be included in any
award under the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program…”
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Other Fees
Sections 1009.22(8) and (9), F.S., states:
(8) Each district school board is authorized to establish specific fees for workforce development
instruction not reported for state funding purposes or for workforce development instruction not
reported as state funded full-time equivalent students. District school boards and district boards
of trustees are not required to charge any other fee specified in this section for this type of
instruction.
(9) District school boards are not authorized to charge students enrolled in workforce
development programs any fee that is not specifically authorized by statute. In addition to
matriculation, tuition, financial aid, capital improvement, and technology fees, as authorized in
this section, district school boards are authorized to establish fee schedules for the following
user fees and fines: laboratory fees; parking fees and fines; library fees and fines; fees and fines
relating to facilities and equipment use or damage; access or identification card fees;
duplicating, photocopying, binding, or microfilming fees, standardized testing fees; diploma
replacement fees; transcript fees; application fees; graduation fees; and late fees related to
registration and payment. Such user fees and fines shall not exceed the cost of services provided
and shall only be charged to persons receiving the service. . . .
Fee Exemptions
Fee exemptions are defined in section 1009.25, F.S.
Fee Waivers
Fee Waivers are defined in section 1009.26, F.S. School districts may provide fee waivers for programs
funded through Workforce Development Education appropriations for up to 8 percent of the fee
revenues that would otherwise be collected.
Differential Out-of-State Fee
Section 1009.22(4), F.S., provides that a district school board that has a service area that borders another
state may implement a plan for a differential out-of-state fee.
Vocational Preparatory Instruction
There has been some confusion about fees for Vocational-Preparatory instruction. The Department now
considers Vocational-Preparatory instruction as an Adult Education course. Students receiving this
instruction are fee-exempt, if they satisfy the fee exemption criteria for Adult Education students.
However, section 1009.22(3)(a), F.S., states: “Fee-nonexempt students enrolled in vocational-
preparatory instruction shall be charged fees equal to the fees charged for certificate career education
instruction.”
Contacts
If you have any questions about these issues, please contact Michelle Schmidt at (850) 245-9005 or via
e-mail at michelle.schmidt@fldoe.org.
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