Florida

Feds End Probe Into Florida Bright Futures Program

The U.S. Education Department has concluded that Florida did not violate anti-discrimination laws by using standardized test scores to award Bright Futures scholarships.

The department's Office for Civil Rights investigation centered on claims that the eligibility rules for the college scholarships effectively discriminated against Hispanic and African-American students. Key factors include grade point average and standardized test scores.

The Miami Herald reported Thursday investigators did not find sufficient evidence of a legal violation and closed the probe.

Republican U.S. Sen Marco Rubio had called for the probe to end and expressed satisfaction it was over.

Bright Futures scholarships are worth about $2,300 a year for most students, with top students getting up to $3,100.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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