HB 1263 Summary

• Reenacts and extends the Equal Opportunity for Students with Special Needs Act, which establishes an Education Scholarship Account (ESA) program for students with disabilities in Mississippi.

• Allows eligible students (those with an active Individualized Education Program within the past five years) to receive $6,500 annually (adjusted for inflation) to use for tuition, tutoring, curriculum, therapies, and other qualifying educational expenses at nonpublic schools or with educational service providers.

• Limits initial enrollment to 500 students in 2015-2016, with up to 500 additional new students allowed each subsequent year; uses first-come, first-served basis initially, then random selection with preference for students with active IEPs once 50% capacity is reached.

• Requires the Joint Legislative Committee on Performance Evaluation and Expenditure Review (PEER) to conduct biennial evaluations of the program beginning in 2018, assessing student satisfaction, academic performance, graduation rates, and fiscal impact to the state.

• Extends the program's repeal date from June 30, 2020 to July 1, 2023, allowing the ESA program to continue operating during this extended period.