Senate Bill 2579 Summary

• Establishes the Opportunity Scholarship Program beginning in 2017-2018 school year to provide scholarships to low-income children and students with disabilities to attend nonresident public schools or participating nonprofit nonpublic schools.

• Implements a three-year phase-in: year one (2017-2018) limited to students from persistently lowest-achieving schools and kindergarteners; year two (2018-2019) expands eligibility; year three (2019-2020) available to all low-income children statewide with a $25 million annual cap for non-persistently lowest-achieving school residents.

• Scholarship amount equals 100% of the state's share of the resident school district's total revenue per average daily attendance; creates an Excess Scholarship Fund from scholarships exceeding tuition charged, with half of excess funds (starting 2018-2019) directed to public school demonstration grants and middle-income scholarships.

• Requires participating nonpublic schools to be 501(c)(3) nonprofits that do not discriminate based on achievement measures or disability status, must administer annual standardized assessments to scholarship recipients, and cannot charge higher tuition rates to scholarship recipients.

• Establishes the Education Opportunity Board (three members appointed by Governor with Senate confirmation) to administer the program, award scholarships, verify applicant eligibility, process payments, and provide annual reporting to the Governor and Legislature.