Bill > A1507

This bill, known as the "Parent Empowerment and Choice Act," establishes a process for parents to initiate reforms in "low performing schools," which are defined as public schools where a significant percentage of students score in the "partially proficient" range on State assessments in both language arts and mathematics for two consecutive years. Parents can submit a petition to the school's board of education or, if the district is under State control, the State district superintendent, with signatures from over 50% of the students' households. This petition can request one of three reform measures: reopening the school as a charter school, changing school leadership, or establishing a tuition voucher system. If a tuition voucher is requested, it will cover the cost of attending a nonpublic school or a public school in another district, with transportation provided, and the student can continue to receive the voucher until graduation. The bill also amends existing law to include students attending schools via these tuition vouchers in the calculation of "resident enrollment," a term used in determining school funding.