Alabama 2023 Regular Session

Alabama House Bill HB442 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.
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11 HB442INTRODUCED
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33 SK3V75-1
44 By Representatives Garrett, Collins
55 RFD: Ways and Means Education
66 First Read: 09-May-23
77 2023 Regular Session
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1313 6 SK3V75-1 05/08/2023 KMS (L)cr 2023-1992
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1515 SYNOPSIS:
1616 This bill would create the Alabama Fits All
1717 Scholarship Program.
1818 This bill would require the State Board of
1919 Education to contract with a program manager to
2020 administer the program and would authorize the program
2121 manager to establish scholarship accounts on behalf of
2222 eligible students to pay for approved education goods
2323 and services.
2424 This bill would prohibit a program manager from
2525 accepting scholarship funds in certain circumstances
2626 and would require other fiscal safeguards, auditing,
2727 and accountability measures.
2828 This bill would require eligible schools and
2929 service providers to meet certain standards to be
3030 eligible to receive scholarship funds and would
3131 establish an annual and private portfolio submission to
3232 the program manager as an eligibility qualification.
3333 This bill would authorize the program manager to
3434 administer the program and distribute scholarship funds
3535 and would require the State Board of Education to
3636 provide limited oversight of the program manager,
3737 including an appeal process for the program manager's
3838 administrative decisions.
3939 This bill would require criminal history
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6969 background information checks for employees and
7070 officers of a program manager, would provide for
7171 program funding, and would also require the program
7272 manager and the State Board of Education to submit
7373 reports on the program to the Legislature.
7474 A BILL
7575 TO BE ENTITLED
7676 AN ACT
7777 To create the Alabama Fits All Scholarship Program;
7878 require the State Board of Education to contract with a
7979 program manager to administer the program; to authorize the
8080 program manager to establish scholarship accounts on behalf of
8181 eligible students; to prohibit a program manager from
8282 accepting scholarship funds in certain circumstances; to
8383 require fiscal safeguards and accountability measures; to
8484 require eligible schools and service providers to meet certain
8585 standards to be eligible to receive scholarship funds; to
8686 authorize the program manager to distribute scholarship funds;
8787 to require the State Board of Education to provide limited
8888 oversight of the program manager, including an appeal process
8989 for the program manager's administrative decisions; to
9090 prohibit certain regulations of eligible schools and eligible
9191 service providers; to require criminal history background
9292 information checks for employees and officers of a program
9393 manager; to provide for program funding; and to require the
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123123 program manager and the board to submit reports on the program
124124 to the Legislature.
125125 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:
126126 Section 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as
127127 the Alabama Fits All Scholarship Program.
128128 Section 2. For the purposes of this act, the following
129129 terms shall have the following meanings:
130130 (1) ELIGIBLE STUDENT. A student who satisfies all of
131131 the following:
132132 a. Who is eligible to participate in public school in
133133 grades K-12.
134134 b. Who is a resident of this state.
135135 c. Who, during the school year for which the student is
136136 applying for a scholarship account, does not receive a
137137 scholarship under the Alabama Accountability Act of 2013,
138138 Chapter 6D of Title 16, Code of Alabama 1975, or under any
139139 other similar educational scholarship program available for
140140 students in grades K-12.
141141 d. Who, during the school year for which the student is
142142 applying for a scholarship account, is not enrolled in a
143143 public school upon receiving the scholarship.
144144 e. Whose eligibility is not suspended or disqualified
145145 under Section 6.
146146 f. Who completes, to maintain eligibility, the
147147 portfolio requirement described in subdivision (c)(4) of
148148 Section 3.
149149 (2) FEDERAL POVERTY LEVEL. The United States poverty
150150 level as defined by the most recently revised poverty income
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180180 guidelines published by the United States Department of Health
181181 and Human Services in the Federal Register.
182182 (3) HOME-BASED SCHOLARSHIP STUDENT. A student who is
183183 homeschooled and receives a scholarship under the program.
184184 (4) NONPUBLIC SCHOOL. A nongovernment K-12 school
185185 offering educational instruction. The term includes private
186186 (religious and nonreligious), parochial, and church schools,
187187 including home-based education programs.
188188 (5) PROGRAM. The Alabama Fits All Scholarship Program
189189 established by this act.
190190 (6) PROGRAM MANAGER. An organization that satisfies all
191191 of the following:
192192 a. Is qualified as tax exempt under Section 501(c)(3),
193193 Internal Revenue Code.
194194 b. Is not affiliated with any international
195195 organization.
196196 c. Does not harvest data for the purpose of reproducing
197197 or distributing the data to other entities.
198198 d. Has no involvement in guiding or directing any
199199 curriculum or curriculum standards.
200200 e. Does not manage or otherwise administer a
201201 scholarship under the Alabama Accountability Act of 2013,
202202 Chapter 6D of Title 16, Code of Alabama 1975.
203203 f. Has an agreement with the State Board of Education
204204 that recognizes the organization as a program manager, in
205205 accordance with this act.
206206 (7) PROGRAM MANAGER EMPLOYEE. An individual working for
207207 the program manager in a position in which the individual's
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237237 salary, wages, pay, or compensation, including as a
238238 contractor, is paid from scholarship funds. The term does not
239239 include any of the following:
240240 a. An individual who volunteers for the program manager
241241 or for a qualifying provider.
242242 b. An individual who works for a qualifying provider.
243243 c. A qualifying provider.
244244 (8) PROGRAM MANAGER OFFICER. A member of the board of a
245245 program manager or the chief administrative officer of a
246246 program manager.
247247 (9) QUALIFYING PROVIDER. One of the following entities
248248 that is not a public school and is autonomous and not an agent
249249 of the state, in accordance with Section 7:
250250 a. An eligible school that the program manager approves
251251 in accordance with Section 9.
252252 b. An eligible service provider that the program
253253 manager approves in accordance with Section 10.
254254 (10) RELATIVE. A father, mother, husband, wife, son,
255255 daughter, sister, brother, uncle, aunt, nephew, niece, first
256256 cousin, mother-in-law, father-in-law, brother-in-law,
257257 sister-in-law, son-in-law, or daughter-in-law.
258258 (11) SCHOLARSHIP ACCOUNT. The account to which a
259259 program manager allocates funds for the payment of approved
260260 scholarship expenses in accordance with this act.
261261 (12) SCHOLARSHIP EXPENSE. An expense described in
262262 Section 3 that a parent or scholarship student incurs in the
263263 education of the scholarship student for a service or goods
264264 that a qualifying provider provides, including all of the
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294294 following:
295295 a. Tuition and fees of a qualifying provider.
296296 b. Fees and instructional materials at a college under
297297 the jurisdiction of the Alabama Community College System.
298298 c. Tutoring services.
299299 d. Fees for after-school or summer education programs.
300300 e. Textbooks, curricula, or other instructional
301301 materials, including any supplemental materials or associated
302302 online instruction that a curriculum or a qualifying provider
303303 recommends.
304304 f. Educational software and applications.
305305 g. Supplies or other equipment related to a scholarship
306306 student's educational needs.
307307 h. Computer hardware or other technological devices
308308 that are intended primarily for a scholarship student's
309309 educational needs.
310310 i. Fees for the following examinations, or for a
311311 preparation course for the following examinations, that the
312312 program manager approves:
313313 1. A national norm-referenced or standardized
314314 assessment described in Section 11, an advanced placement
315315 examination, or another similar assessment.
316316 2. A state-recognized industry certification
317317 examination.
318318 3. An examination related to college or university
319319 admission.
320320 j. Educational services for students with disabilities
321321 from a licensed or accredited practitioner or provider,
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351351 including occupational, behavioral, physical, audiology, or
352352 speech-language therapies.
353353 k. Contracted services that the program manager
354354 approves and that a local school system provides, including
355355 individual classes, after-school tutoring services,
356356 transportation, or fees or costs associated with participation
357357 in extracurricular activities.
358358 l. Ride fees or fares for a fee-for-service
359359 transportation provider to transport the scholarship student
360360 to and from a qualifying provider, not to exceed seven hundred
361361 fifty dollars ($750) in a given school year.
362362 m. Expenses related to extracurricular activities,
363363 field trips, educational supplements, and other educational
364364 experiences.
365365 n. Any other expense for a good or service that
366366 satisfies both of the following:
367367 1. A parent or scholarship student incurs in the
368368 education of the scholarship student.
369369 2. The program manager approves.
370370 (13) SCHOLARSHIP FUNDS. Both of the following:
371371 a. Funds that the Legislature appropriates for the
372372 program.
373373 b. Interest that scholarship funds accrue.
374374 (14) SCHOLARSHIP STUDENT. An eligible student,
375375 including a home-based scholarship student, for whom the
376376 program manager establishes and maintains a scholarship
377377 account in accordance with this act. The term does not include
378378 a homeschooled student who does not receive a scholarship
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408408 award under the program.
409409 Section 3. (a) There is established the Alabama Fits
410410 All Scholarship Program under which, beginning March 1, 2024,
411411 a parent may apply to a program manager on behalf of the
412412 parent's student to establish and maintain a scholarship
413413 account to cover the cost of a scholarship expense. The amount
414414 of scholarship funds available is subject to appropriations by
415415 the Legislature and may not exceed forty-five million dollars
416416 ($45,000,000) in the initial year.
417417 (b)(1) The program manager shall establish and
418418 maintain, in accordance with this act, scholarship accounts
419419 for eligible students.
420420 (2) The program manager shall do both of the following:
421421 a. Determine that a student meets the requirements to
422422 be an eligible student.
423423 b. Subject to subdivision (3), each year the student is
424424 an eligible student, maintain a scholarship account for the
425425 scholarship student to pay for the cost of one or more
426426 scholarship expenses that the student or student's parent
427427 incurs in the student's education.
428428 (3) Each year, subject to this act and legislative
429429 appropriations, a scholarship student is eligible for no more
430430 than:
431431 a. For the 2024-2025 school year, six thousand nine
432432 hundred dollars ($6,900).
433433 b. For each school year following the 2024-2025 school
434434 year, the maximum allowed amount under this subdivision in the
435435 previous year plus a percentage increase that is equal to the
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465465 five-year rolling average inflationary factor described in
466466 Section 6.
467467 (c)(1) A program manager shall establish a scholarship
468468 account on behalf of an eligible student who submits a timely
469469 application, unless the number of applications exceeds
470470 available scholarship funds for the school year.
471471 (2) If the number of applications exceeds the available
472472 scholarship funds for a school year, the program manager shall
473473 select students on a random basis, except as provided in
474474 subsection (f).
475475 (3) An eligible student or a public education student
476476 shall submit an application for an initial scholarship or
477477 renewal for each school year that the student intends to
478478 receive scholarship funds.
479479 (4)a. To maintain eligibility, the scholarship student
480480 or the parent of the scholarship student shall annually
481481 complete and deliver to the program manager a portfolio
482482 describing the scholarship student's educational opportunities
483483 and achievements under the program for the given year.
484484 b. The program manager may not disclose the content of
485485 a given scholarship student's portfolio except to the
486486 scholarship student's parent.
487487 (5) An eligible student who has applied for an
488488 educational scholarship under the Alabama Accountability Act
489489 of 2013, Chapter 6D of Title 16, Code of Alabama 1975, or any
490490 other similar educational scholarship program available for
491491 students in grades K-12, and who is wait listed or otherwise
492492 not approved for participation in those programs, may apply
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522522 for a scholarship account under this program.
523523 (d)(1) An application for a scholarship account shall
524524 contain an acknowledgment by the student's parent that the
525525 qualifying provider selected by the parent for the student's
526526 enrollment or engagement is capable of providing education
527527 services for the student.
528528 (2) A scholarship account application form shall
529529 contain the following statement: "I acknowledge all of the
530530 following:
531531 "a. A qualifying provider may not provide the same
532532 level of disability services that are provided in a public
533533 school.
534534 "b. I will assume full financial responsibility for the
535535 education of my scholarship recipient if I agree to this
536536 scholarship account.
537537 "c. Agreeing to establish this scholarship account has
538538 the same effect as a parental refusal to consent to services
539539 as described in 34 C.F.R. §300.300, issued under the
540540 Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, 20 U.S.C. §1400,
541541 et seq.
542542 "d. My child may return to a public school at any
543543 time."
544544 (3) Upon agreeing to establish a scholarship account,
545545 the parent assumes full financial responsibility for the
546546 education of the scholarship student, including the balance of
547547 any expense incurred at a qualifying provider or for goods
548548 that are not paid for by the scholarship student's scholarship
549549 account.
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579579 (4) Agreeing to establish a scholarship account has the
580580 same effect as a parental refusal to consent to services as
581581 described in 34 C.F.R. §300.300, issued under the Individuals
582582 with Disabilities Education Act, 20 U.S.C. §1400, et seq.
583583 (5) The creation of the program or establishment of a
584584 scholarship account on behalf of a student does not do either
585585 of the following:
586586 a. Imply that a public school did not provide a free
587587 and appropriate public education for a student.
588588 b. Constitute a waiver or admission by the state.
589589 (e) A program manager may not charge a scholarship
590590 account application fee.
591591 (f) A program manager shall give an enrollment
592592 preference based on the following order of preference:
593593 (1) To an eligible student who used a scholarship
594594 account in the previous school year.
595595 (2) To an eligible student who did not use a
596596 scholarship account in the previous school year and with a
597597 family income at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty
598598 level.
599599 (3) To an eligible student who is a sibling of an
600600 eligible student who uses a scholarship account at the time
601601 the sibling applies for a scholarship account or used a
602602 scholarship account in the school year immediately preceding
603603 the school year for which the sibling is applying for a
604604 scholarship account.
605605 (4) To an eligible student who did not use a
606606 scholarship account in the previous school year and with a
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636636 family income between 200 percent and 555 percent of the
637637 federal poverty level.
638638 (g)(1) Subject to subdivisions (2) through (5), a
639639 parent may use a scholarship account to pay for a scholarship
640640 expense that a parent or scholarship student incurs in the
641641 education of the scholarship student.
642642 (2) A scholarship student or the scholarship student's
643643 parent may not use a scholarship account for an expense that
644644 the student or parent does not incur in the education of the
645645 scholarship student, including either of the following:
646646 a. A rehabilitation program that is not primarily
647647 designed for an educational purpose.
648648 b. A travel expense other than a transportation
649649 scholarship expense described paragraph (12)l. of Section 2.
650650 (3) The program manager may not do either of the
651651 following:
652652 a. Approve a scholarship expense for a service that a
653653 qualifying provider provides unless the program manager
654654 determines that the scholarship student or the scholarship
655655 student's parent incurred the expense in the education of the
656656 scholarship student.
657657 b. Reimburse a scholarship expense for a service or
658658 good that a provider, that is not a qualifying provider,
659659 provides unless both of the following are satisfied:
660660 1. The parent or scholarship student submits a receipt
661661 that shows the cost and type of service or good and the name
662662 of the provider.
663663 2. The program manager determines that the parent or
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693693 scholarship student incurred the expense in the education of
694694 the scholarship student.
695695 (4) The parent of a scholarship student may not receive
696696 scholarship funds as payment for the parent's time spent
697697 educating the parent's child.
698698 (5) Except for cases in which a scholarship student or
699699 the scholarship student's parent is convicted of fraud in
700700 relation to scholarship funds, if a qualifying provider,
701701 scholarship student, or scholarship student's parent repays an
702702 expenditure from a scholarship account for an expense that is
703703 not approved under this subsection, the program manager shall
704704 credit the repaid amount back to the scholarship account
705705 balance within 30 days after the day on which the program
706706 manager receives the repayment.
707707 (h) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, funds
708708 that the program manager disburses under this act to a
709709 scholarship account on behalf of a scholarship student do not
710710 constitute state taxable income to the parent of the
711711 scholarship student.
712712 (i) The program manager shall prepare and disseminate
713713 information on the program to a parent applying for a
714714 scholarship account on behalf of a student, including the
715715 information that the program manager provides in accordance
716716 with Section 6.
717717 (j) On or before September 1, 2023, and as frequently
718718 as necessary to maintain the information, the State Board of
719719 Education shall provide information on the website of the
720720 State Board of Education, including all of the following:
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750750 (1) Scholarship account information.
751751 (2) Information on the program manager, including the
752752 program manager's contact information.
753753 (3) An overview of the program.
754754 Section 4. (a) Before the beginning of the school year
755755 immediately following a school year in which a qualifying
756756 provider receives scholarship funds equal to or more than five
757757 hundred thousand dollars ($500,000), the qualifying provider
758758 shall file with the program manager a surety bond payable to
759759 the program manager in an amount equal to the aggregate amount
760760 of scholarship funds expected to be received during the school
761761 year.
762762 (b) If a program manager determines that a qualifying
763763 provider has violated this act, the program manager may
764764 interrupt disbursement of or withhold scholarship funds from
765765 the qualifying provider.
766766 (c)(1) If the program manager determines that a
767767 qualifying provider no longer meets the eligibility
768768 requirements described in this act, the program manager may
769769 withdraw the organization's approval of the qualifying
770770 provider.
771771 (2) A provider or individual that does not have the
772772 approval of the program manager in accordance with either of
773773 the following may not accept scholarship funds for services
774774 under this act:
775775 a. Section 9, regarding eligible schools.
776776 b. Section 10, regarding eligible service providers.
777777 (d) If a qualifying provider requires partial payment
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807807 of tuition or fees before the beginning of the academic year
808808 to reserve space for a scholarship student who has been
809809 admitted to the qualifying provider, the program manager may
810810 do both of the following:
811811 (1) Pay the partial payment before the beginning of the
812812 school year in which the scholarship funds are awarded.
813813 (2) Deduct the amount of the partial payment from
814814 subsequent scholarship fund deposits in an equitable manner
815815 that provides the best availability of scholarship funds to
816816 the student throughout the remainder of the school year.
817817 (e) If a scholarship student described in subdivision
818818 (d)(1) chooses to withdraw from or otherwise not engage with
819819 the qualifying provider before the beginning of the school
820820 year:
821821 (1) The qualifying provider shall remit the partial
822822 payment described in subdivision (d)(1) to the program
823823 manager; and
824824 (2) The program manager shall credit the remitted
825825 partial payment to the scholarship student's scholarship
826826 account.
827827 Section 5. (a)(1) In accordance with Article 5,
828828 commencing with Section 41-4-110, of Chapter 4 of Title 41,
829829 the State Board of Education shall issue a request for
830830 proposals, on or before June 15, 2023, and enter an agreement
831831 with no more than one organization that qualifies as tax
832832 exempt under Section 501(c)(3), Internal Revenue Code, for the
833833 State Board of Education to recognize as the program manager,
834834 on or before September 1, 2023.
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864864 (2) An organization that responds to a request for
865865 proposals described in subdivision (1) shall submit all of the
866866 following information in the organization's response:
867867 a. A copy of the organization's incorporation
868868 documents.
869869 b. A copy of the organization's Internal Revenue
870870 Service determination letter qualifying the organization as
871871 being tax exempt under Section 501(c)(3), Internal Revenue
872872 Code.
873873 c. A description of the methodology the organization
874874 shall use to verify a student's eligibility under this act.
875875 d. A description of the organization's proposed
876876 scholarship account application process.
877877 e. An affidavit or other evidence that the organization
878878 satisfies all of the following:
879879 1. Is not affiliated with any international
880880 organization.
881881 2. Does not harvest data for the purpose of reproducing
882882 or distributing the data to another entity.
883883 3. Has no involvement in guiding or directing any
884884 curriculum standards.
885885 (3) The State Board of Education shall ensure that the
886886 agreement described in subdivision (1) satisfies all of the
887887 following:
888888 a. Ensures the efficiency and success of the program.
889889 b. Does not impose any requirements on the program
890890 manager that satisfy either of the following:
891891 1. Are not essential to the basic administration of the
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921921 program.
922922 2. Create restrictions, directions, or mandates
923923 regarding instructional content or curriculum.
924924 (b) The State Board of Education may regulate and take
925925 enforcement action as necessary against a program manager in
926926 accordance with the State Board of Education's agreement with
927927 the program manager.
928928 (c)(1) If the State Board of Education determines that
929929 a program manager has violated this act or the State Board of
930930 Education's agreement with the program manager, the State
931931 Board of Education shall send written notice to the program
932932 manager explaining the violation and the remedial action
933933 required to correct the violation.
934934 (2) A program manager that receives a notice described
935935 in subdivision (1), no later than 60 days after the day on
936936 which the program manager receives the notice, shall correct
937937 the violation and report the correction to the State Board of
938938 Education.
939939 (3)a. If a program manager that receives a notice
940940 described in subdivision (1) fails to correct a violation in
941941 the time period described in subdivision (2), the State Board
942942 of Education may bar the program manager from further
943943 participation in the program.
944944 b. A program manager may appeal a decision of the State
945945 Board of Education under paragraph a. in accordance with the
946946 Alabama Administrative Procedures Act.
947947 (4) A program manager may not accept state funds while
948948 the program manager satisfies either of the following:
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978978 a. Is barred from participating in the program under
979979 paragraph (3)a.
980980 b. Has an appeal pending under paragraph (3)b.
981981 (5) A program manager that has an appeal pending under
982982 paragraph (3)b. may continue to administer scholarship
983983 accounts during the pending appeal.
984984 (d) The State Board of Education shall establish a
985985 process for a program manager to report the information the
986986 program manager is required to report to the State Board of
987987 Education under Section 6.
988988 (e) The State Board of Education shall adopt rules
989989 pursuant to the Alabama Administrative Procedures Act, and
990990 include provisions in the State Board of Education's agreement
991991 with the scholarship organization for either of the following:
992992 (1) Subject to subsection (f), the administration of
993993 scholarship accounts and disbursement of scholarship funds if
994994 a program manager is barred from participating in the program
995995 under paragraph (c)(3)a.
996996 (2) Audit and report requirements as described in
997997 Section 6.
998998 (f)(1) The State Board of Education shall include in
999999 the rules described in subdivision (e)(1) measures to ensure
10001000 that the establishment and maintenance of scholarship accounts
10011001 and enrollment in the program are not disrupted if the program
10021002 manager is barred from participating in the program.
10031003 (2) The State Board of Education, if the program
10041004 manager is barred from participating in the program, may issue
10051005 a new request for proposals and enter into a new agreement
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10351035 with an alternative program manager in accordance with this
10361036 section.
10371037 (g)(1) On or before January 1, 2024, the State Board of
10381038 Education shall do all of the following:
10391039 a. Adopt rules, in accordance with the Alabama
10401040 Administrative Procedures Act, to establish a process for a
10411041 scholarship student or a scholarship student's parent to
10421042 appeal any administrative decision of the program manager for
10431043 State Board of Education resolution within 30 days after the
10441044 day of the appeal, including both of the following:
10451045 1. Scholarship expense denials.
10461046 2. Determinations regarding enrollment eligibility or
10471047 suspension or disqualification under Section 6.
10481048 b. Make information available regarding the appeals
10491049 process on the State Board of Education's website and on the
10501050 scholarship application.
10511051 (2) If the State Board of Education stays or reverses
10521052 an administrative decision of the program manager on appeal,
10531053 the program manager may not withhold scholarship funds or
10541054 application approval for the scholarship student on account of
10551055 the appealed administrative decision unless as the State Board
10561056 of Education expressly allows.
10571057 (h) The State Board of Education may not include a
10581058 provision in any rule that creates or implies a restriction,
10591059 direction, or mandate regarding instructional content or
10601060 curriculum.
10611061 Section 6. (a) The program manager shall administer the
10621062 program, including all of the following administrative duties:
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10921092 (1) Maintaining an application website that includes
10931093 information on enrollment, relevant application dates, and
10941094 dates for notification of acceptance.
10951095 (2) Reviewing applications from and determining if an
10961096 applicant is either of the following:
10971097 a. An eligible school under Section 9.
10981098 b. An eligible service provider under Section 10.
10991099 (3) Establishing an application process, including
11001100 application dates opening before March 1, 2024, in accordance
11011101 with Section 3.
11021102 (4) Reviewing and granting or denying applications for
11031103 a scholarship account.
11041104 (5) Providing an online portal for the parent of a
11051105 scholarship student to access the scholarship student's
11061106 account.
11071107 (6) Ensuring that scholarship funds in a scholarship
11081108 account are readily available to a scholarship student.
11091109 (7) Requiring a parent to notify the program manager if
11101110 the parent's scholarship student is no longer enrolled in or
11111111 engaging in a service for which the scholarship student
11121112 receives scholarship funds and that is provided to the
11131113 scholarship student for an entire school year.
11141114 (8) Obtaining reimbursement of scholarship funds from a
11151115 qualifying provider that provides the services in which a
11161116 scholarship student is no longer enrolled or with which the
11171117 scholarship student is no longer engaged.
11181118 (9) Expending all revenue from interest on scholarship
11191119 funds or investments on scholarship expenses.
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11491149 (10) Each time the program manager makes an
11501150 administrative decision that is adverse to a scholarship
11511151 student or the scholarship student's parent, informing the
11521152 scholarship student and the scholarship student's parent of
11531153 the opportunity and process to appeal an administrative
11541154 decision of the program manager to the State Board of
11551155 Education in accordance with the process described in Section
11561156 5.
11571157 (11) Maintaining a protected internal wait list of all
11581158 eligible students who have applied to the program and are not
11591159 yet scholarship students, including any student who removed
11601160 his or her application from the wait list.
11611161 (12) Providing aggregate data regarding the number of
11621162 scholarship students and the number of eligible students on
11631163 the wait list described in subdivision (11).
11641164 (b) The program manager shall do all of the following:
11651165 (1) Contract with one or more private entities to
11661166 develop and implement a commercially viable, cost-effective,
11671167 and parent-friendly system to do all of the following:
11681168 a. Establish scholarship accounts.
11691169 b. Maximize payment flexibility by allowing all of the
11701170 following:
11711171 1. For payment of services to qualifying providers
11721172 using scholarship funds by electronic or online funds
11731173 transfer.
11741174 2. Preapproval of a reimbursement to a parent for a
11751175 good that is a scholarship expense.
11761176 c. Allow scholarship students and scholarship student's
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12061206 parents to publicly rate, review, and share information about
12071207 qualifying providers.
12081208 (2) Ensure that the system complies with industry
12091209 standards for data privacy and cybersecurity, including
12101210 ensuring compliance with the Family Educational Rights and
12111211 Privacy Act, 34 C.F.R. Part 99.
12121212 (c) In advance of the program manager accepting
12131213 applications in accordance with Section 3 and as regularly as
12141214 information develops, the program manager shall provide
12151215 information regarding the program by publishing a program
12161216 handbook online for scholarship applicants, scholarship
12171217 students, parents, service providers seeking to become
12181218 qualifying providers, and qualifying providers that includes
12191219 information regarding all of the following:
12201220 (1) The policies and processes of the program.
12211221 (2) Approved scholarship expenses and qualifying
12221222 providers.
12231223 (3) The responsibilities of parents regarding the
12241224 program and scholarship funds.
12251225 (4) The duties of the program manager.
12261226 (5) The opportunity and process to appeal an
12271227 administrative decision of the program manager to the State
12281228 Board of Education in accordance with the process described in
12291229 Section 5.
12301230 (6) The role of any private financial management firms
12311231 or other private organizations with which the program manager
12321232 may contract to administer any aspect of the program.
12331233 (d) To ensure the fiscal security and compliance of the
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12631263 program, the program manager shall do all of the following:
12641264 (1) Prohibit a program manager employee or program
12651265 manager officer from handling, managing, or processing
12661266 scholarship funds, if, based on a criminal history background
12671267 information check conducted in accordance with Section 8, the
12681268 State Board of Education identifies the program manager
12691269 employee or program manager officer as posing a risk to the
12701270 appropriate use of scholarship funds.
12711271 (2) Establish procedures to ensure a fair process to do
12721272 any of the following:
12731273 a. Suspend a scholarship student's eligibility for the
12741274 program in the event of the scholarship student's or
12751275 scholarship student's parent's:
12761276 1. Intentional or substantial misuse of scholarship
12771277 funds; or
12781278 2. Violation of this act or the terms of the program.
12791279 b. If the program manager obtains evidence of
12801280 fraudulent use of scholarship funds, refer the case to the
12811281 Attorney General for collection or criminal investigation.
12821282 c. Ensure that a scholarship student whose eligibility
12831283 is suspended or disqualified under this subdivision or
12841284 subdivision (3) based on the actions of the student's parent
12851285 regains eligibility if the student is placed with a different
12861286 parent or otherwise no longer resides with the parent related
12871287 to the suspension or disqualification.
12881288 (3) Notify the State Board of Education, scholarship
12891289 student, and scholarship student's parent in writing of all of
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13201320 a. Of the suspension described in paragraph (2)a.
13211321 b. That no further transactions, disbursements, or
13221322 reimbursements are allowed.
13231323 c. That the scholarship student or scholarship
13241324 student's parent may take corrective action within 10 business
13251325 days of the day on which the program manager provides the
13261326 notification.
13271327 d. That without taking the corrective action within the
13281328 time period described in paragraph (3)c., the program manager
13291329 may disqualify the student's eligibility.
13301330 (e)(1) A program manager may not do either of the
13311331 following:
13321332 a. Disburse scholarship funds to a qualifying provider
13331333 or allow a qualifying provider to use scholarship funds if any
13341334 of the following occur:
13351335 1. The program manager determines that the qualifying
13361336 provider intentionally or substantially misrepresented
13371337 information on overpayment.
13381338 2. The qualifying provider fails to refund an
13391339 overpayment in a timely manner.
13401340 3. The qualifying provider routinely fails to provide
13411341 scholarship students with promised educational services.
13421342 b. Reimburse with scholarship funds an individual for
13431343 the purchase of a good or service if the program manager
13441344 determines that either of the following have occurred:
13451345 1. The scholarship student or the scholarship student's
13461346 parent requesting reimbursement intentionally or substantially
13471347 misrepresented the cost or educational purpose of the good or
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13771377 service.
13781378 2. The relevant scholarship student was not the
13791379 exclusive user of the good or service.
13801380 (2) A program manager shall notify a scholarship
13811381 student if the program manager does either of the following:
13821382 a. Stops disbursement of the scholarship student's
13831383 scholarship funds to a qualifying provider under paragraph
13841384 (1)a.
13851385 b. Refuses reimbursement under paragraph (1)b.
13861386 (f)(1) At any time, a scholarship student may change
13871387 the qualifying provider to which the scholarship student's
13881388 scholarship account makes distributions.
13891389 (2) If, during the school year, a scholarship student
13901390 changes the student's enrollment in or engagement with a
13911391 qualifying provider to another qualifying provider, the
13921392 program manager may prorate scholarship funds between the
13931393 qualifying providers based on the time the scholarship student
13941394 received the goods or services or was enrolled.
13951395 (g) A program manager may not subvert the enrollment
13961396 preferences required under Section 3 or other provisions of
13971397 this act to establish a scholarship account on behalf of a
13981398 relative of a program manager officer.
13991399 (h) The program manager shall do all of the following:
14001400 (1) Contract for annual and random audits on
14011401 scholarship accounts conducted as follows:
14021402 a. By a certified public accountant who is independent
14031403 from all of the following:
14041404 1. The program manager.
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14341434 2. The State Board of Education.
14351435 3. The program manager's accounts and records
14361436 pertaining to scholarship funds.
14371437 b. In accordance with generally accepted auditing
14381438 standards.
14391439 (2) Demonstrate the program manager's financial
14401440 accountability by annually submitting to the State Board of
14411441 Education all of the following:
14421442 a. A financial information report that a certified
14431443 public accountant prepares and that includes the total number
14441444 and total dollar amount of scholarship funds disbursed during
14451445 the previous calendar year.
14461446 b. No later than 180 days after the last day of the
14471447 program manager's fiscal year, the results of the audits
14481448 described in subdivision (1), including the program manager's
14491449 financial statements in a format that meets generally accepted
14501450 accounting principles.
14511451 (i)(1) The State Board of Education shall review a
14521452 report described in this section and may request that the
14531453 program manager revise or supplement the report if the report
14541454 does not fully comply with this section.
14551455 (2) The program manager shall provide to the State
14561456 Board of Education a revised report or a supplement to the
14571457 report no later than 45 days after the day on which the State
14581458 Board of Education makes a request described in subdivision
14591459 (1).
14601460 Section 7. (a) Nothing in this act shall be interpreted
14611461 as doing any of the following:
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14911491 (1) Except as expressly described in this act, granting
14921492 additional authority to any state agency or local school
14931493 system to regulate or control any of the following:
14941494 a. A nonpublic school, qualifying provider, or
14951495 homeschool.
14961496 b. Students receiving education from a nonpublic
14971497 school, qualifying provider, or homeschool.
14981498 (2) Applying to or otherwise affecting the freedom of
14991499 choice of a homeschooled student, including the curriculum,
15001500 resources, developmental planning, or any other aspect of the
15011501 homeschooled student's education.
15021502 (3) Expanding the regulatory authority of the state, a
15031503 state office holder, or a local school system to impose any
15041504 additional regulation of a qualifying provider beyond any
15051505 regulation necessary to administer this act.
15061506 (b)(1) A qualifying provider is entitled to maximum
15071507 freedom from unlawful governmental control in providing for
15081508 the educational needs of a scholarship student who attends or
15091509 engages with the qualifying provider.
15101510 (2) A qualifying provider is not an agent of the state
15111511 by virtue of the provider's acceptance of payment from a
15121512 scholarship account in accordance with this act.
15131513 (c) Except as provided in Section 4 regarding
15141514 qualifying providers, Section 9 regarding eligible schools, or
15151515 Section 10 regarding eligible service providers, a program
15161516 manager may not require a qualifying provider to alter the
15171517 qualifying provider's creed, practices, admissions policies,
15181518 hiring practices, or curricula in order to accept scholarship
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15481548 funds.
15491549 (d) A local school system or a public school within a
15501550 local school system in which a scholarship student was
15511551 previously enrolled shall provide to the scholarship student's
15521552 parent a copy of all school records relating to the student
15531553 that the local school system possesses within 30 days after
15541554 the day on which the local school system or public school
15551555 receives the parent's request for the student's records,
15561556 subject to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, 20
15571557 U.S.C. §1232g.
15581558 (e) By virtue of a scholarship student's involvement in
15591559 the program and unless otherwise expressly provided in
15601560 statute, a scholarship student is not either of the following:
15611561 (1) Enrolled in the public education system.
15621562 (2) Otherwise subject to statute, administrative rules,
15631563 or other state regulations as if the student was enrolled in
15641564 the public education system.
15651565 Section 8. The program manager and each employee and
15661566 officer of the program manager shall complete a criminal
15671567 history background information check. The criminal history
15681568 background check shall be administered in a manner prescribed
15691569 by the State Board of Education that is consistent with the
15701570 Alabama Child Protection Act of 1999, Chapter 22A of Title 16,
15711571 and rules adopted by the State Board of Education.
15721572 Section 9. (a) To be eligible to receive scholarship
15731573 funds on behalf of a scholarship student as an eligible
15741574 school, a nonpublic school with 150 or more enrolled students
15751575 shall do all of the following:
15761576 757
15771577 758
15781578 759
15791579 760
15801580 761
15811581 762
15821582 763
15831583 764
15841584 765
15851585 766
15861586 767
15871587 768
15881588 769
15891589 770
15901590 771
15911591 772
15921592 773
15931593 774
15941594 775
15951595 776
15961596 777
15971597 778
15981598 779
15991599 780
16001600 781
16011601 782
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16051605 (1)a. Contract with an independent licensed certified
16061606 public accountant to conduct an agreed upon procedures
16071607 engagement as the State Board of Education adopts or obtain an
16081608 audit and report that satisfies all of the following:
16091609 1. Is conducted by a licensed independent certified
16101610 public accountant in accordance with generally accepted
16111611 auditing standards.
16121612 2. Presents the financial statements in accordance with
16131613 generally accepted accounting principles.
16141614 3. Audits financial statements from within the 12
16151615 months immediately preceding the audit.
16161616 b. Submit the audit report or report of the agreed upon
16171617 procedure to the program manager when the nonpublic school
16181618 applies to receive scholarship funds.
16191619 (2) Comply with the antidiscrimination provisions of 42
16201620 U.S.C. §2000d.
16211621 (3) Provide a written disclosure to the parent of each
16221622 prospective scholarship student, before the student is
16231623 enrolled, of all of the following:
16241624 a. The education services that the school shall provide
16251625 to the scholarship student, including the cost of the provided
16261626 services.
16271627 b. Tuition costs.
16281628 c. Additional fees the school shall require a parent to
16291629 pay during the school year.
16301630 d. The skill or grade level of the curriculum in which
16311631 the prospective scholarship student shall participate.
16321632 (4) Require the following individuals to submit to a
16331633 785
16341634 786
16351635 787
16361636 788
16371637 789
16381638 790
16391639 791
16401640 792
16411641 793
16421642 794
16431643 795
16441644 796
16451645 797
16461646 798
16471647 799
16481648 800
16491649 801
16501650 802
16511651 803
16521652 804
16531653 805
16541654 806
16551655 807
16561656 808
16571657 809
16581658 810
16591659 811
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16611661 Page 30
16621662 criminal history background information check in accordance
16631663 with Section 8, as a condition for employment or appointment,
16641664 as authorized by the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety
16651665 Act of 2006, Pub. L. No. 109-248:
16661666 a. An employee who does not hold one of the following:
16671667 1. A current Alabama educator license issued by the
16681668 State Board of Education.
16691669 2. If the nonpublic school is not physically located in
16701670 this state, a current educator license in the state where the
16711671 nonpublic school is physically located.
16721672 b. A contract employee.
16731673 (b) A nonpublic school described in subsection (a) is
16741674 not eligible to receive scholarship funds if any of the
16751675 following occur:
16761676 (1) The nonpublic school requires a scholarship student
16771677 to sign a contract waiving the scholarship student's right to
16781678 transfer to another qualifying provider during the school
16791679 year.
16801680 (2) The audit report described in subdivision (a)(1)
16811681 contains a going concern explanatory paragraph.
16821682 (3) The report of the agreed upon procedures described
16831683 in subdivision (a)(1) shows that the nonpublic school does not
16841684 have adequate working capital to maintain operations for the
16851685 first full year.
16861686 (c) To be eligible to receive scholarship funds on
16871687 behalf of a scholarship student as an eligible school, a
16881688 nonpublic school with fewer than 150 enrolled students shall
16891689 do all of the following:
16901690 813
16911691 814
16921692 815
16931693 816
16941694 817
16951695 818
16961696 819
16971697 820
16981698 821
16991699 822
17001700 823
17011701 824
17021702 825
17031703 826
17041704 827
17051705 828
17061706 829
17071707 830
17081708 831
17091709 832
17101710 833
17111711 834
17121712 835
17131713 836
17141714 837
17151715 838
17161716 839
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17191719 (1) Provide to the program manager all of the
17201720 following:
17211721 a. A federal employer identification number.
17221722 b. The provider's address and contact information.
17231723 c. A description of each program or service the
17241724 provider proposes to offer a scholarship student.
17251725 d. Any other information as required by the program
17261726 manager.
17271727 (2) Comply with the antidiscrimination provisions of 42
17281728 U.S.C. §2000d.
17291729 (d) A nonpublic school described in subsection (c) is
17301730 not eligible to receive scholarship funds if the nonpublic
17311731 school requires a scholarship student to sign a contract
17321732 waiving the student's rights to transfer to another qualifying
17331733 provider during the school year.
17341734 (e) To be eligible to receive scholarship funds on
17351735 behalf of a scholarship student as an eligible school, a local
17361736 school system shall do all of the following:
17371737 (1) Provide to the program manager all of the
17381738 following:
17391739 a. A federal employer identification number.
17401740 b. The local school system's address and contact
17411741 information.
17421742 c. A description of each program or service the local
17431743 school system proposes to offer to scholarship students.
17441744 d. Any other information as required by the program
17451745 manager.
17461746 (2) Comply with the antidiscrimination provisions of 42
17471747 841
17481748 842
17491749 843
17501750 844
17511751 845
17521752 846
17531753 847
17541754 848
17551755 849
17561756 850
17571757 851
17581758 852
17591759 853
17601760 854
17611761 855
17621762 856
17631763 857
17641764 858
17651765 859
17661766 860
17671767 861
17681768 862
17691769 863
17701770 864
17711771 865
17721772 866
17731773 867
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17761776 U.S.C. §2000d.
17771777 (3) Enter into an agreement with the program manager
17781778 regarding the provision of services to a scholarship student
17791779 through which:
17801780 a. The scholarship student does not enroll in the local
17811781 school system.
17821782 b. The local school system and program manager ensure
17831783 that a scholarship student does not participate in a course or
17841784 program at the local school system except in accordance with
17851785 the agreement described in this subsection under the program.
17861786 (f) A local school system described in subsection (e)
17871787 is not eligible to receive scholarship funds in either of the
17881788 following situations:
17891789 (1) The local school system requires a public education
17901790 system scholarship student to sign a contract waiving the
17911791 student's rights to transfer to another qualifying provider
17921792 during the school year.
17931793 (2) The local school system refuses to offer services
17941794 that do not require local school system enrollment to
17951795 scholarship students under the program.
17961796 (g) Residential treatment facilities licensed by the
17971797 state are not eligible to receive scholarship funds.
17981798 (h) A nonpublic school or local school system intending
17991799 to receive scholarship funds shall do both of the following:
18001800 (1) Submit an application to the program manager.
18011801 (2) Agree to not refund, rebate, or share scholarship
18021802 funds with scholarship students or scholarship student's
18031803 parents in any manner except remittances or refunds to a
18041804 869
18051805 870
18061806 871
18071807 872
18081808 873
18091809 874
18101810 875
18111811 876
18121812 877
18131813 878
18141814 879
18151815 880
18161816 881
18171817 882
18181818 883
18191819 884
18201820 885
18211821 886
18221822 887
18231823 888
18241824 889
18251825 890
18261826 891
18271827 892
18281828 893
18291829 894
18301830 895
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18321832 Page 33
18331833 scholarship account in accordance with this act and procedures
18341834 that the program manager establishes.
18351835 (i) The program manager shall do all of the following:
18361836 (1) If the nonpublic school or local school system
18371837 meets the eligibility requirements of this section, recognize
18381838 the nonpublic school or local school system as an eligible
18391839 school and approve the application.
18401840 (2) Make available to the public a list of eligible
18411841 schools approved under this section.
18421842 (j) A nonpublic school approved under this section that
18431843 changes ownership shall do all of the following:
18441844 (1) Cease operation as an eligible school until both of
18451845 the following occur:
18461846 a. The school submits a new application to the program
18471847 manager.
18481848 b. The program manager approves the new application.
18491849 (2) Demonstrate that the nonpublic school continues to
18501850 meet the eligibility requirements of this section.
18511851 Section 10. (a) To be an eligible service provider, a
18521852 private program or service shall do all of the following:
18531853 (1) Provide to the program manager all of the
18541854 following:
18551855 a. A federal employer identification number.
18561856 b. The provider's address and contact information.
18571857 c. A description of each program or service the
18581858 provider proposes to offer directly to a scholarship student.
18591859 d. Subject to subsection (b), any other information as
18601860 required by the program manager.
18611861 897
18621862 898
18631863 899
18641864 900
18651865 901
18661866 902
18671867 903
18681868 904
18691869 905
18701870 906
18711871 907
18721872 908
18731873 909
18741874 910
18751875 911
18761876 912
18771877 913
18781878 914
18791879 915
18801880 916
18811881 917
18821882 918
18831883 919
18841884 920
18851885 921
18861886 922
18871887 923
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18901890 (2) Comply with the antidiscrimination provisions of 42
18911891 U.S.C. §2000d.
18921892 (3) Not act as a consultant, clearing house, or
18931893 intermediary that connects a scholarship student with or
18941894 otherwise facilitates the student's engagement with a program
18951895 or service that another entity provides.
18961896 (b) The program manager shall adopt policies that
18971897 maximize the number of eligible service providers, including
18981898 accepting new providers throughout the school year, while
18991899 ensuring education programs or services provided through the
19001900 program meet student needs and otherwise comply with this act.
19011901 (c) A private program or service intending to receive
19021902 scholarship funds shall do both of the following:
19031903 (1) Submit an application to the program manager.
19041904 (2) Agree to not refund, rebate, or share scholarship
19051905 funds with scholarship students or scholarship students'
19061906 parents in any manner except remittances or refunds to a
19071907 scholarship account in accordance with this act and procedures
19081908 that the program manager establishes.
19091909 (d) The program manager shall do all of the following:
19101910 (1) If the private program or service meets the
19111911 eligibility requirements of this section, recognize the
19121912 private program or service as an eligible service provider and
19131913 approve a private program or service's application to receive
19141914 scholarship funds on behalf of a scholarship student.
19151915 (2) Make available to the public a list of eligible
19161916 service providers approved under this section.
19171917 (e) A private program or service approved under this
19181918 925
19191919 926
19201920 927
19211921 928
19221922 929
19231923 930
19241924 931
19251925 932
19261926 933
19271927 934
19281928 935
19291929 936
19301930 937
19311931 938
19321932 939
19331933 940
19341934 941
19351935 942
19361936 943
19371937 944
19381938 945
19391939 946
19401940 947
19411941 948
19421942 949
19431943 950
19441944 951
19451945 952 HB442 INTRODUCEDHB442 INTRODUCED
19461946 Page 35
19471947 section that changes ownership shall do all of the following:
19481948 (1) Cease operation as an eligible service provider
19491949 until all of the following occur:
19501950 a. The program or service submits a new application to
19511951 the program manager.
19521952 b. The program manager approves the new application.
19531953 (2) Demonstrate that the private program or service
19541954 continues to meet the eligibility requirements of this
19551955 section.
19561956 Section 11. (a) Regarding a parent's right to academic
19571957 accommodations, nothing in this act restricts or affects a
19581958 parent's interests and role in the care, custody, and control
19591959 of the parent's child, including the duty and right to nurture
19601960 and direct the child's upbringing and education.
19611961 (b)(1) A parent may request that the program manager
19621962 facilitate any of the assessments provided to public school
19631963 students to the parent's scholarship student including, but
19641964 not limited to, college readiness assessments, reading grade
19651965 level assessments, and nationally norm-referenced assessments.
19661966 (2)a. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the
19671967 entity administering an assessment described in subdivision
19681968 (1) to a scholarship student in accordance with this section
19691969 may not report the result of or any other data pertaining to
19701970 the assessment or scholarship student to an individual or
19711971 entity other than the program manager, the scholarship
19721972 student, or the scholarship student's parent.
19731973 b. The program manager may not report or communicate
19741974 the result or data described in paragraph a. to an individual
19751975 953
19761976 954
19771977 955
19781978 956
19791979 957
19801980 958
19811981 959
19821982 960
19831983 961
19841984 962
19851985 963
19861986 964
19871987 965
19881988 966
19891989 967
19901990 968
19911991 969
19921992 970
19931993 971
19941994 972
19951995 973
19961996 974
19971997 975
19981998 976
19991999 977
20002000 978
20012001 979
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20032003 Page 36
20042004 or entity other than the relevant scholarship student and the
20052005 scholarship student's parent unless the result or data is
20062006 included in a deidentified compilation of data related to all
20072007 scholarship students.
20082008 (3) In any communication from the program manager
20092009 regarding an assessment described in this subsection, the
20102010 program manager shall include a disclaimer that no assessment
20112011 is required.
20122012 (4) The completion of an optional assessment under this
20132013 section satisfies the portfolio eligibility qualification
20142014 described in subdivision (c)(4) of Section 3.
20152015 Section 12. (a) If a scholarship student enters or
20162016 reenters the public education system during a given school
20172017 year:
20182018 (1) No later than five business days after the day on
20192019 which the student enters or reenters the public education
20202020 system, the program manager shall immediately remove the
20212021 balance in the scholarship student's scholarship account for
20222022 other use within the program.
20232023 (2) The State Board of Education may not distribute any
20242024 remaining state funds to the program manager for the student.
20252025 (3) The program manager may use the balance described
20262026 in subdivision (1) for another scholarship student.
20272027 (b) At the end of a school year, a program manager
20282028 shall withdraw any remaining scholarship funds in a
20292029 scholarship account and retain the scholarship funds for
20302030 disbursement in the following year.
20312031 (c)(1) To administer the program, the program manager
20322032 981
20332033 982
20342034 983
20352035 984
20362036 985
20372037 986
20382038 987
20392039 988
20402040 989
20412041 990
20422042 991
20432043 992
20442044 993
20452045 994
20462046 995
20472047 996
20482048 997
20492049 998
20502050 999
20512051 1000
20522052 1001
20532053 1002
20542054 1003
20552055 1004
20562056 1005
20572057 1006
20582058 1007
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20602060 Page 37
20612061 may use up to the lesser of five percent or two million five
20622062 hundred thousand dollars ($2,500,000) of the funds the
20632063 Legislature appropriates for the program.
20642064 (2) Subject to subdivision (1), the funds for program
20652065 administration described in subdivision (1) are nonlapsing.
20662066 (3) The program manager may not retain administrative
20672067 cost balances in excess of 25 percent of total administrative
20682068 costs in any fiscal year.
20692069 Section 13. Beginning in 2025 and in accordance with
20702070 the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, 20 U.S.C.
20712071 §1232g:
20722072 (1) The program manager shall submit a report on the
20732073 program to the Chairs of the Senate Finance and Taxation
20742074 Education Committee and the House Ways and Means Education
20752075 Committee no later than September 1 of each year that includes
20762076 all of the following:
20772077 a. The total amount of tuition and fees qualifying
20782078 providers charged for the current year and previous two years.
20792079 b. The total amount of goods paid for with scholarship
20802080 funds in the previous year and a general characterization of
20812081 the types of goods.
20822082 c. Administrative costs of the program.
20832083 d. The number of scholarship students from each county
20842084 and the aggregate number of eligible students on the wait list
20852085 described in Section 6.
20862086 e. The percentage of first-time scholarship students
20872087 who were enrolled in a public school during the previous
20882088 school year or who entered kindergarten or a higher grade for
20892089 1009
20902090 1010
20912091 1011
20922092 1012
20932093 1013
20942094 1014
20952095 1015
20962096 1016
20972097 1017
20982098 1018
20992099 1019
21002100 1020
21012101 1021
21022102 1022
21032103 1023
21042104 1024
21052105 1025
21062106 1026
21072107 1027
21082108 1028
21092109 1029
21102110 1030
21112111 1031
21122112 1032
21132113 1033
21142114 1034
21152115 1035
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21172117 Page 38
21182118 the first time in Alabama.
21192119 f. The program manager's strategy and outreach efforts
21202120 to reach eligible students whose family income is at or below
21212121 200 percent of the federal poverty level and related obstacles
21222122 to enrollments.
21232123 g. In the report that the program manager submits in
21242124 2025, information on steps the program manager has taken and
21252125 processes the program manager has adopted to implement the
21262126 program.
21272127 h. Any other information regarding the program and the
21282128 program's implementation that the Chair of the Senate Finance
21292129 and Taxation Education Committee or the Chair of the House
21302130 Ways and Means Education Committee requests.
21312131 (2) The State Board of Education shall also submit a
21322132 report on the cost-effectiveness of the program to the Chairs
21332133 of the Senate Finance and Taxation Education Committee and the
21342134 House Ways and Means Education Committee no later than
21352135 September 1 of each year.
21362136 Section 14. (a) In any legal proceeding against the
21372137 state in which a qualifying provider challenges the
21382138 application of this act to the qualifying provider, the state
21392139 shall bear the burden of establishing that the law is
21402140 necessary and does not impose an undue burden on the
21412141 qualifying provider.
21422142 (b) The following bear no liability based on the award
21432143 or use of scholarship funds under this act:
21442144 (1) This state.
21452145 (2) The State Board of Education.
21462146 1037
21472147 1038
21482148 1039
21492149 1040
21502150 1041
21512151 1042
21522152 1043
21532153 1044
21542154 1045
21552155 1046
21562156 1047
21572157 1048
21582158 1049
21592159 1050
21602160 1051
21612161 1052
21622162 1053
21632163 1054
21642164 1055
21652165 1056
21662166 1057
21672167 1058
21682168 1059
21692169 1060
21702170 1061
21712171 1062
21722172 1063
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21742174 Page 39
21752175 (3) The program manager.
21762176 (4) A local school system.
21772177 (c) If any provision of this act is the subject of a
21782178 state or federal constitutional challenge in a state court,
21792179 scholarship students and scholarship students' parents may
21802180 intervene as a matter of right to defend the program's
21812181 constitutionality, subject to any court order that all
21822182 defending parents and scholarship students intervene jointly.
21832183 Section 15. If any provision of this act or the
21842184 application of any provision of this act to any individual,
21852185 entity, or circumstance is held invalid by a final decision of
21862186 a court of competent jurisdiction, the remaining provisions of
21872187 this act remain effective without the invalidated provision or
21882188 application.
21892189 Section 16. This act shall become effective on the
21902190 first day of the third month following its passage and
21912191 approval by the Governor, or its otherwise becoming law.
21922192 1065
21932193 1066
21942194 1067
21952195 1068
21962196 1069
21972197 1070
21982198 1071
21992199 1072
22002200 1073
22012201 1074
22022202 1075
22032203 1076
22042204 1077
22052205 1078
22062206 1079
22072207 1080
22082208 1081