HB2394 Summary

• Expands empowerment scholarship account eligibility beginning in 2017-2018 school year to include children in kindergarten and grades 1, 6, and 9 who currently attend or are eligible to attend public schools, with progressive expansion in subsequent years covering all grades by 2020-2021.

• Increases funding to 100 percent of base support level and additional assistance for students classified as low-income, with the department of revenue verifying income eligibility based on federal poverty guidelines.

• Modifies monthly funding transfers (instead of quarterly), requires students in grades 3-12 paying full tuition at qualified schools to take standardized achievement tests or college admission exams annually, and removes restrictions on multiple eligibility criteria selection.

• Establishes the department of revenue empowerment scholarship account fund to administer low-income determinations and grants parents ability to designate third-party assistance in the application process.

• Allows empowerment scholarship accounts to continue through age 22 for students with disabilities and requires qualified schools enrolling 50+ scholarship students to publicly report aggregate test scores.