MN HF273

Students attending persistently low-performing schools for at least one year with family income at or below 175 percent of federal poverty level are eligible to enroll in nonpublic schools or nonresident district schools.

Persistently low-performing schools are defined as schools with at least three consecutive years of poor performance, including: over 40 percent of students scoring "does not meet standards" in reading or mathematics, over 50 percent with low academic growth, or 50 percent or more of secondary students failing initial graduation required assessments.

Participating nonpublic schools must comply with anti-discrimination laws, accommodate students with disabilities under the ADA, adopt bullying and harassment prevention policies, accept students on a random basis, administer standardized tests, and submit audited financial data.

The state commissioner shall make quarterly tuition payments to parents or guardians in an amount equal to the lesser of state average general education revenue per pupil unit or the nonpublic school's operating and debt service costs per pupil.

School districts remain responsible for providing student transportation within district borders and receiving reimbursement for actual transportation costs; the state pays for test administration costs at nonpublic schools.