HB5709 - School Choice Act Summary

• Establishes a pilot School Choice Program allowing custodians of qualifying pupils in designated zip codes to receive scholarships up to the state foundation level of support to attend participating nonpublic schools.

• Restricts eligibility to students in kindergarten through 8th grade during 2012-2013 who enroll in grades 1-12 at nonpublic schools; scholarships are renewable through 12th grade if pupils and custodians remain eligible.

• Limits scholarships to no more than 1,000 per school year, with priority given to renewals; program runs from 2013-2014 through 2016-2017 school year and automatically repeals January 1, 2018.

• Funds the program through transfers from the State Lottery Fund to the Common School Fund; scholarship amounts are exempt from Illinois income tax.

• Requires the State Board of Education to notify public school principals, process scholarship applications (March 1 - May 1), issue scholarships by August 15, and submit a program evaluation report by December 31, 2017.