Shnayjaah Jeanty started this petition as a constituent of Florida state Senate Rosalind Osgood
African American graduating seniors in Florida are at yet another disadvantage. According to the October 2022 addition to the Bright Futures Handbook (a scholarship program providing 75%-100% of college tuition coverage for graduating Florida seniors), ONLY College Board National Hispanic Recognition Award recipients (no other demographic!) will be able to bypass the SAT score (1210 for 75%,1330 for 100%) eligibility requirements necessary to receive a Bright Futures scholarship.
This is immensely detrimental to high-achieving, low-income individuals who may not have met the SAT requirements, but still received a National African American Recognition Award. Why shouldn’t Black individuals receive the SAME benefits for the SAME award? College tuition is a burden for many Black families in low socioeconomic spaces, and many Black Florida students see Bright Futures as their gateway to a quality education. However, if they don’t meet the SAT requirement (which already has sharp score disparities between races), they are unable to use their National Recognition Award to receive a scholarship.
If Bright Futures wanted to make a change to the eligibility requirements, why not provide opportunities for all minorities through the National Recognition Awards? In combination with the recent ban of AP African American Studies in Florida schools, it seems that it’s harder for Black students to thrive in the state.
The SAT requirement will be raised to a 1340 next year, making it even more difficult for those in marginalized communities to meet requirements they are unable to bypass.
Progress is creating opportunity for all communities, not just one.
Let’s push Bright Futures to promote progress.