Bill > SB1306

This bill modifies Arizona's Empowerment Scholarship Accounts (ESAs) program, which provides public funds to eligible students for educational expenses outside of traditional public schools. Key changes include expanding eligibility for qualified students to include those with high annual incomes starting July 1, 2027, who either attended a public school and transferred or can demonstrate their family's income is below a certain threshold, which is set at $200,000 and adjusted for inflation. The bill also requires parents to use a majority of ESA funds for core subjects like reading, grammar, math, social studies, and science, and clarifies that certain educational therapies and services for students with disabilities can be covered. Additionally, it introduces stricter rules for account renewal, requiring parents to renew annually and closing accounts after one year of non-renewal, and mandates quarterly reporting of all ESA expenditures by parents to the Department of Education for review. Finally, unexpended ESA funds for students with disabilities will be transferred to the classroom site fund on October 1st, while funds for all other students will be transferred on September 1st.

Education

https://apps.azleg.gov/BillStatus/BillOverview/84841