HB 1579 Summary

• Establishes the Equal Opportunity Scholarship Program providing scholarships to students from unaccredited districts with family income not exceeding 200% of federal poverty level to attend qualified nonpublic schools, with taxpayers receiving a 75% tax credit for qualifying contributions up to $50 million annually.

• Creates the Achievement School District (ASD) as an organizational unit within the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education with authority to directly operate or contract management of unaccredited schools and suspend/terminate contracts of school staff.

• Allows students in unaccredited districts to transfer to accredited public schools or charter schools in the same or adjoining county with tuition and transportation paid by the unaccredited district.

• Establishes high-quality charter school provisions allowing schools meeting specific performance benchmarks to expand into unaccredited districts with 10-year renewable charters and expedited approval processes.

• Permits virtual charter schools and virtual course programs for students in unaccredited districts to enroll in other districts or charter schools, with funding based on 72.5% of statewide average per-pupil expenditure, and creates a clearinghouse to coordinate student transfers from unaccredited districts.