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17m ago

Florida Board Bans Undocumented Students From State Colleges

The change cuts off a low-cost entry route for many Florida students, prompting legal scrutiny as the education department moves the rule into formal rulemaking.

The Florida Board of Education voted Tuesday to require students enrolling at any Florida College System institution to prove they are U.S. citizens or lawfully present in the country, approving a rule that bars undocumented students from attending the state's 28 public colleges. (WPEC)
The Florida Board of Education voted Tuesday to require students enrolling at any Florida College System institution to prove they are U.S. citizens or lawfully present in the country, approving a rule that bars undocumented students from attending the state's 28 public colleges. (WPEC)
The Florida Board of Education voted Tuesday to require students enrolling at any Florida College System institution to prove they are U.S. citizens or lawfully present in the country, approving a rule that bars undocumented students from attending the state's 28 public colleges. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
The Florida Board of Education voted Tuesday to require students enrolling at any Florida College System institution to prove they are U.S. citizens or lawfully present in the country, approving a rule that bars undocumented students from attending the state's 28 public colleges. (IRSC)

Overview

  • The State Board of Education voted Tuesday to require proof of U.S. citizenship or lawful presence for admission to all 28 Florida College System institutions and for most adult general education programs.
  • The rule requires applicants to attest to their status and provide documentation before enrolling and passed the board with one dissenting vote.
  • The measure will not take effect until the Department of Education completes a formal rulemaking process, leaving unclear whether students already admitted or currently enrolled will be removed or otherwise affected.
  • A legislative oversight panel, the Joint Administrative Procedures Committee, has questioned the board’s statutory authority to adopt the ban, and advocates and some lawmakers have signaled plans for legal or legislative challenges.
  • Analysts warn the policy could shrink enrollment and revenue—an estimate from the Florida Policy Institute projects more than $15 million a year in lost tuition and fees—and it severs a long-used pipeline from GED and adult-education programs into college and workforce training.