Bill > SB998

This bill modifies provisions related to the Missouri Empowerment Scholarship Accounts Program, which provides financial assistance for students to attend private schools or receive other educational services. Key changes include redefining "legal resident" to mean someone lawfully present in the United States, expanding the definition of a "qualified student" to include those diagnosed with dyslexia or certain other disabilities, and removing previous eligibility requirements for students from lower-income households, such as having attended a public school or being a sibling of a scholarship recipient. The bill also clarifies that organizations can intervene in legal actions on behalf of parents participating in the program and establishes that qualified schools, other than public schools, are not considered agents of the government by accepting scholarship funds. Furthermore, it states that qualified schools are not required to be accredited by any entity or comply with specific rules or regulations to participate, and that any such requirements imposed by the state treasurer or the scholarship board are void. The bill also addresses how students who leave public or charter schools for the scholarship program are counted for state and federal aid purposes for their former schools and exempts the program from the Missouri sunset act.

Education

https://www.senate.mo.gov/26info/BTS_Web/Bill.aspx?SessionType=R&BillID=289