S.B. 255
128th General Assembly
(As Introduced)
Sens. Cates, Husted, Jones, Schiavoni, Wagoner, Buehrer, Schaffer, Coughlin, Seitz
BILL SUMMARY
· Over a six-year period, gradually increases to 20,000 the number of Educational Choice scholarships that may be awarded annually.
CONTENT AND OPERATION
Under current law, up to 14,000 students may be awarded Educational Choice scholarships in each school year. The bill gradually increases that limit over a six-year period, ultimately capping the number of available scholarships at 20,000 after the 2015-2016 school year, as shown in the table below. (R.C. 3310.02.)
|
School year |
Number of available scholarships |
|
Each school year through 2010-2011 |
14,000 |
|
2011-2012 school year |
15,000 |
|
2012-2013 school year |
16,000 |
|
2013-2014 school year |
17,000 |
|
2014-2015 school year |
18,000 |
|
2015-2016 school year |
19,000 |
|
2016-2017 school year and thereafter |
20,000 |
The Educational Choice Scholarship Pilot Program provides scholarships to students attending or assigned to lower performing public schools to pay tuition at chartered nonpublic schools. The maximum amount of each scholarship is $4,250 for grades K to 8, and $5,000 for grades 9 to 12. To finance the scholarships, the Department of Education deducts from the state aid account of each scholarship student's resident school district $5,200, which is used to fund both the Educational Choice Program and the Pilot Project Scholarship Program (the Cleveland voucher program).
A student who receives an Educational Choice scholarship may continue to receive annual scholarships through grade 12, so long as the student's resident district stays the same or the student transfers to a new district and would be assigned to a qualifying school. Additionally, to remain eligible for the scholarships, the student must take each state achievement assessment prescribed for the student's grade level and have 20 or fewer unexcused absences during the school year.[1]
HISTORY
|
ACTION |
DATE |
|
|
|
|
Introduced |
05-11-10 |
S0255-I-128.docx/jc