Hope Scholarship Program (CS for SB 1172) - Summary

• Establishes the Hope Scholarship Program allowing parents of public school students who were victims of substantiated violence or abuse to transfer their child to another public school or receive a scholarship to attend an eligible private school, beginning in the 2018-2019 school year on a first-come, first-served basis contingent on available funds.

• Sets scholarship amounts at 88% of unweighted FTE funding for grades K-5, 92% for grades 6-8, and 96% for grades 9-12; establishes $750 maximum for students transferring to public schools outside their resident district.

• Requires school principals to investigate reported incidents within the definition and notify parents within 24 hours; mandates school districts notify eligible parents of program availability if investigation remains open or issues unresolved after 30 days.

• Creates a scholarship tax credit mechanism allowing taxpayers to contribute $20 at motor vehicle purchase or registration, with 100% credit against state sales and use tax, with contributions collected by dealers and motor vehicle agents then remitted to eligible nonprofit scholarship-funding organizations.

• Repeals chapter 623 (private school corporations) and section 1002.43 (private tutoring programs) effective July 1, 2019; updates definitions and cross-references throughout chapter 1002 to reflect the new scholarship program and removal of tutoring program provisions.