Florida Bright Futures Presentation

Summary

BLT Consulting presents an evaluation of the Florida Bright Futures program, a merit-based scholarship initiative funded by the Florida Lottery. The program, aimed at encouraging Florida high school seniors to attend in-state postsecondary institutions, faces challenges with eligibility, accessibility, and equity. Through a mixed-methods design, the evaluation examines the program's impact on college enrollment, degree completion, and its effectiveness in meeting its goals. Key findings highlight disparities in scholarship distribution by race and ethnicity and suggest recommendations for improving awareness, support, and eligibility criteria to better serve underrepresented student groups.

Takeaways

• 😀 The Florida Bright Futures program, created in 1997, is a merit-based scholarship funded by the Florida Lottery, aimed at making college more financially accessible for Florida high school graduates.
• 😀 The program offers four different types of scholarships, ranging from full to partial tuition, for both public and private high school seniors in Florida.
• 😀 The goal of the Florida Bright Futures program is to encourage Florida's graduating seniors to stay in-state for higher education, which will benefit the state’s workforce and economy.
• 😀 Three main evaluation goals for the program were: assessing overall effectiveness, exploring potential policy changes, and increasing transparency in the allocation of funds from the Florida Lottery.
• 😀 The evaluation sought to answer questions about how the program influences college enrollment, the likelihood of degree completion, and the accessibility and equity of the eligibility criteria.
• 😀 A convergent mixed-methods evaluation design was used, combining quantitative data (e.g., graduation rates and scholarship usage) with qualitative surveys to provide a comprehensive understanding.
• 😀 Quantitative findings showed a significant gap between the number of high school graduates eligible for the scholarship and those who actually used it for college enrollment.
• 😀 Qualitative surveys revealed that 58% of respondents felt the scholarship would influence their college enrollment, with the main factor being financial support, while 42% were either already funded or unaware of the program.
• 😀 One of the recommendations was to update eligibility requirements to make the program more inclusive and improve awareness to ensure more eligible students are using the scholarship.
• 😀 Research also indicated a decline in the number of students meeting renewal requirements for the scholarship, with 40% of alumni citing lack of support outside of financial assistance as a challenge.
• 😀 Data analysis of racial and ethnic distribution showed disparities in scholarship awards, with white students receiving awards at a much higher rate compared to Black and Latino students, suggesting that eligibility criteria may need revision for better equity.

Q & A

What is the Florida Bright Futures program?

The Florida Bright Futures program is a merit-based scholarship created in 1997 by the Florida Department of Education. It is funded entirely by the Florida Lottery and provides full to partial tuition awards for graduating seniors from Florida public and private high schools to attend in-state post-secondary educational institutions.

What are the main goals of the Florida Bright Futures program?

The main goals of the Florida Bright Futures program are to make college financially accessible, encourage Florida high school graduates to pursue post-secondary education in-state, and ultimately help individuals work and raise families in Florida.

What evaluation methods were used in this study?

The evaluation used a convergent mixed-methods design, combining both quantitative data (such as enrollment rates and scholarship usage) and qualitative data (including surveys and interviews). This approach allowed for a more comprehensive understanding of the program’s impact.

How has the scholarship impacted college enrollment in Florida?

While there has been an increase in high school graduation rates, the scholarship has not seen a proportional increase in the number of eligible students or those using the scholarship. Only about 75% of eligible students actually use the scholarship, with some unaware or having sufficient funds already.

What did the survey responses indicate about the scholarship’s influence on college enrollment?

58% of survey respondents indicated that the scholarship influenced their college enrollment, mainly due to its financial benefits. However, 42% of respondents said the scholarship had no influence because they either already had the funds or had never heard of the program.

What are the recommendations regarding awareness and eligibility for the scholarship?

It is recommended that the program be updated to address the gap between eligibility and usage, possibly by adjusting eligibility criteria to be more inclusive. Additionally, efforts should be made to increase awareness of the scholarship through more outreach and support to ensure students retain their eligibility.

What did the research find about the scholarship’s impact on degree completion?

The research showed that both students who completed their degrees and those who did not still reported positive financial impacts from the scholarship. However, a decline in students meeting renewal requirements over the last five years suggests the need for further exploration into the reasons behind this trend.

What kind of support did scholarship recipients report lacking?

40% of respondents indicated a lack of support beyond financial assistance, such as academic counseling, networking, or career coaching. This points to the need for more comprehensive support to help students complete their degrees successfully.

What disparities were found in the distribution of the scholarship based on race and ethnicity?

The research found that white students are awarded the scholarship at rates significantly higher than their representation in the student population, while Black and Latino students, who make up a larger portion of Florida’s high school seniors, receive the scholarship at disproportionately lower rates.

What changes are recommended to address racial and ethnic disparities in the scholarship program?

It is recommended that further research be conducted to identify the barriers faced by underrepresented groups, such as GPA or test score requirements, and unequal access to resources. Based on this research, eligibility criteria might be revised or alternative pathways to qualification introduced to promote equity.

What future research is suggested to improve the Bright Futures program?

Future research should explore the long-term impact of the Bright Futures program on Florida's workforce and economy, particularly how many recipients stay in Florida after completing higher education. Additionally, focus groups and surveys of alumni from previous years could provide insights into the program's effectiveness and areas for improvement.