Budget cuts dimming Bright Futures

Haven Mills of Zephyrhills had plans to graduate from Pasco-Hernando Community College in May with an associate's degree. Those plans could be put on hold because of the cut in funding for Florida Bright Futures scholarships.

Mills, 19, is a full-time student at PHCC. She had her first year paid for completely by Bright Futures. Starting this school year, Mills was forced to pay part of her tuition.

As a result, she's taking a smaller course load. Because of that, she won't have enough credits to graduate in May as she had hoped.

Instead, Mills will continue to work full time at a Chili's restaurant in Zephyrhills. She'll have to use all the money she earns there to pay for college. Last year, her restaurant wages amounted to extra cash.

"I have to save money in advance to pay for my education that was supposed to be paid for," Mills said. "I worked hard in high school to get this scholarship so that I wouldn't have to do this."

Budget shortfalls caused the Florida Legislature cut funding for Florida Bright Futures. The cuts went into effect at the start of the 2009-10 school year.

Bright Futures was created in 1997 to reward high school seniors for their achievements. Initially it paid 25 percent to 100 percent of full-time tuition, based on grades.

The scholarship covered 100 percent of tuition at community colleges.

The decision to reduce the scholarship means PHCC students get a set amount for tuition.

In Mills' case, that's $78 a credit hour, with no help for books.

Last year Mills took four to five courses - 12 to 15 credit hours -completely paid for by Bright Futures. This year she has had to cut her course load down to three classes. That won't be enough to graduate in the spring.

Mills can't turn to the college for help.

Donna Burdzinski, PHCC's associate dean for student enrollment and retention, had strong concerns when she heard the state's decision for Bright Futures. But, she said, the college has little of its own money to make up the difference.

"I know that Bright Futures needed to be tightened up," Burdzinski said. "The number of students who receive the scholarship is quite large. However, I think that the way that it was handled was not fair to the students."

The new scholarship plan includes incoming college freshmen and students who already have been awarded the scholarship.

Abby Fagan, a sophomore at PHCC, is in the same situation as Mills.

"I think that it's unfair," she said. "Students work hard all through high school to get this scholarship to help further our education, and then without warning they change it. So what's the point of working so hard to get it if it's not what they said it would be?"

Fagan is planning to transfer to the University of Florida in the fall. Fagan worries that she will have to cover a lot of her tuition. (Her parents said they will help.)

She also plans to apply for other scholarships.

"I went from not having to worry about tuition because it was paid for with Bright Futures to, now, 'What am I going to do to pay the difference?'" she said.

Students such as Mills and Fagan are frustrated.

"We work so hard to get this scholarship - just to have it taken away," Fagan said.

"And the worst part is, we can't do anything about it."

After 2009 Legislative Decisions

Florida Academic Scholars (FAS)$78 per credit hourFlorida Medallion Scholars (FMS)$59 per credit hourFlorida Medallion Scholars

AA/AS degree ( Community College)$78 per credit hourFlorida Gold Seal Vocational Scholars (GSV)$59 per credit hour *Funds set at the community college basis. Previous to the 2009-2010 school year

Florida Academic Scholars (FAS)100 percent of tuitionFlorida Medallion Scholars (FMS)75 percent of tuitionFlorida Medallion Scholars

AA/AS degree (Community College)100 percent of tuitionFlorida Gold Seal Vocational Scholars (GSV)75 percent of tuition Source: Florida Student Scholarship Grant Programs, 2009-2010