Bill > H581

This bill establishes a Promise Scholarship Account program that allows eligible students to receive $9,500 annually in state funds for qualified educational expenses. To qualify, students must have attended a public school in Massachusetts for at least 6 weeks, have parents residing in the state, and meet specific participation requirements. Qualified expenses include tuition, fees, textbooks, tutoring, curriculum materials, online learning programs, certain therapies, transportation, and technological devices. Parents who receive these accounts must agree to provide education in core subjects, not enroll the student in public schools during participation, and use funds only for approved expenses. The program is designed to give parents more educational choices, with participating private schools required to meet certain standards, such as employing qualified teachers and complying with anti-discrimination laws. The Massachusetts Department of Education will oversee the program, conducting annual audits, collecting student performance data, and producing yearly reports to the state legislature. Students can remain in the program until they graduate high school or reach age 20 (or 22 for special education students), with unused funds potentially rolling over for future educational expenses or postsecondary tuition within Massachusetts.

Education

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/H581