Lake County students won't have to pay for PSAT

LEESBURG, Fla. — Thousands of 11th grade students in Lake County will not have to pay for the PSAT after all.

The school district said on Wednesday that students would be on the hook this year for the $15 fee because the district could no longer wait for an answer from the state. The cost had been covered by a partnership between Florida’s Department of Education and the College Board for the past two years.

Later in the day, education department spokesman Cheryl Etters told Channel 9’s Michael Lopardi that there would be no cost to students this year. Etters said the agreement with the College Board was set to expire on Sept. 30, but the state was able to extend the deal and found money to cover the fee.

“There was an expectation from the district that it would've gone the same way that it did the last two years,” said school board chairman Bill Mathias.

A recorded phone message that went out from an administrator at Lake Minneola High School asked parents to provide money to cover the fee. Mathias said the district was prepared to create a waiver for students who couldn’t cover the cost, but the state said it’s no longer necessary for students to bring payment.

“The 11th graders, in particular, this also is an integral part of their merit scholarship applications,” Mathias said.

The test is administered in October and November. Records from the district show 2,290 students in 11th grade took the PSAT last year.

Cox Media Group