SUMMARY:

LC 33 7739  33 7860S

"Georgia Educational Scholarship Act" is an "education savings account" voucher. Would establish an account composed of state funds that are deposited on behalf of a participating student to use for qualified education expenses as listed in the bill. 

A student may qualify for an account under this act if they have one or more of the following criteria:

1. Student's parents currently reside in Georgia
2. The student has a family income below the 200 percent of the federal poverty level and is currently enrolled in a public school in this state
3. Has been adopted from foster care
4. Has a parent who is an active duty military service member stationed in Georgia with the previous year
5. Has one or more of the following disabilities: autism, deaf/blind, deaf/hard of hearing, emotional and behavioral disorder, intellectual disability, orthopedic impairment, other health impairment, specific learning disability, speech-language impairment, traumatic brain injury or visual impairment and has an Individual Education Program (IEP) written.
6. Has a documented case of being bullied and currently enrolled in Georgia public school
7. Spent the prior school year in attendance at a Georgia public school system or school systems
8. Student's parents sign an agreement promising to provide an education for the participating student in at least the subjects of reading, grammar, math, social studies and science; not to enroll the student in a local school system, local charter school or state charter school while participating in this program and to use account funds for qualified education expenses. 

The voucher amount for students would be "an amount equivalent to the costs of the educational program that would have been provided for the student in the resident school system...as calculated under Code Section 20-2-161."

Voucher students would be counted in enrollment of school system for funding purposes.  The funds needed for their account would be deducted from the district's QBE allotment.

School districts would have to report the number of participants quarterly to the Governor's Office of Student Achievement.  GOSA would then transfer quarterly payments to the district to be disbursed.

The first year participation would be limited to one-half of 1% of the statewide enrollment in the 2017-18 school year. Each year following, the number will increase by the same percentage up to a maximum of 5%.  If more students apply than allowed, students qualifying under numbers 1-6 above are given equal priority.

Unused amounts could roll over.  Upon high school graduation, the unused funds could be used for postsecondary education. 

The program would be administered by the Governor's Office of Student Achievement. 

SEE ALSO HB 301 

EFFECTIVE DATE:

Upon approval by the Governor or upon its becoming law without such approval and would apply beginning in the 2019-2020 school year.