SB 1281 Summary

• Expands eligibility for empowerment scholarship accounts to include children who are siblings of current or previous recipients and children residing within Indian reservation boundaries in Arizona.

• Allows qualified students to contribute up to $2,000 annually to Coverdell education savings accounts or 529 education savings accounts, and permits students with disabilities to use funds for evaluation costs.

• Requires the Department of Education to enter contracts with private contractors by December 15, 2017 to administer applications, eligibility determinations, and financial transactions for empowerment scholarship accounts.

• Establishes an Empowerment Scholarship Account Review Council composed of six parent members, two legislative committee chairs, and the superintendent of public instruction to review account administration and recommend policy changes until December 31, 2020.

• Modifies application processing timelines from 45 to 30 days, requires the Department to provide detailed explanations when denying applications, and mandates publication of a policy handbook with 60-day public comment periods before implementation of new policies.