Below are some of the questions regarding Florida Bright Futures in connection with the IB program and CAS hours. Recently the Florida Legislature authorized to change the eligibility and funding requirements to recognize both the IB Program Diploma and the IB Curriculum.
Q: How do you qualify for Bright Futures if you are in the
IB program?
A: All students who earn the IB Diploma and meet the other requirements of the Florida Bright Futures can qualify. Community service hours earned through CAS are recognized with the diploma. In addition, students who complete the IB program curriculum requirements will also qualify as long as the student meets the other requirements of the Florida Bright Futures.
Q: What exactly does this mean?
A: The IB board results are usually not received until the summer after senior year so IB diplomas are not awarded until then. Students who have completed a minimum of 10 credits in the IB program, have completed the CAS IB requirement, and have completed the IB extended essay will qualify for Bright Futures.
Q: What is CAS and what are the requirements in terms
of Bright Futures?
A: CAS stands for Creativity, Action, and Service. According to the IB website, CAS "encourages students to be to be involved in activities as individuals and as part of a team that take place in local, national and international contexts. Creativity, action, service enables students to enhance their personal and interpersonal development as well as their social and civic development, through experiential learning, lending an important counterbalance to the academic pressures of the rest of the IB Program." Students must complete at least three hours a week in CAS activities over the two years in the program, as well as plan and reflect each stage of an activity monthly, meet with the CAS Coach monthly, and take part in one collaborative project.
Q: Why does the school still require students in the Pre-IB
program to earn community service hours?
A: While the school and the Honors Option program do not require students to perform community service, the school does encourage students to do so (which meets Bright Futures requirements) in case they would opt out of continuing in the IB program their junior and senior year.
Q: Where can I go for more information?
A: Largo's IB guidance counselor is Caitlin Wolfe. Her email address is wolfecai@pcsb.org. The online Bright Futures IB information can be found here. The IB website can be found here.
