FL S1494

Creates the Language Education Assistance Program (LEAP) within the Department of Education to provide $30 million in grants to state universities, Florida College System institutions, and nonpublic colleges to offer free English classes to recent legal immigrants

Eligible students must have arrived in Florida within the preceding 3 years, have low English proficiency, be a U.S. citizen or legal resident, be at least 18 years old, and be accepted at a participating institution

Students must maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale in all English classes to retain eligibility in the program

Participating institutions must report passage rates and other requested information to the Department of Education by January 15 and June 15 annually

Effective date of July 1, 2016