S‑0437.1 _____________________________________________
SENATE BILL 5666
_____________________________________________
State of Washington 57th Legislature 2001 Regular Session
By Senators Hochstatter, Swecker, Stevens and Oke
Read first time 01/30/2001. Referred to Committee on Education.
_1 AN ACT Relating to establishing the student improvement tuition
_2 scholarship program; adding a new chapter to Title 28A RCW; and
_3 declaring an emergency.
_4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
_5 NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. This chapter shall be known as "the
_6 student improvement tuition scholarship program."
_7 NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. The definitions in this section apply
_8 throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires
_9 otherwise.
10 (1) "Eligible student" means a child enrolled in a public
11 school who is experiencing academic or behavioral difficulties at
12 the public school in which the child is enrolled.
13 (2) "Parent" means either or both parents of a child or the
14 child's legal guardian.
15 (3) "Eligible private school" means any private school approved
16 by the state board of education.
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_1 (4) "Student improvement tuition scholarship student" means an
_2 eligible student whose parents have received a student improvement
_3 tuition scholarship.
_4 (5) "Student improvement tuition scholarship" means the lesser
_5 amount between the cost of tuition at the eligible private school
_6 chosen to redeem the scholarship and up to ninety-three percent of
_7 the state-appropriated basic education funds and any learning
_8 assistance program, transitional bilingual instruction program,
_9 special education program, and highly capable program funds that
10 were generated by the eligible student when enrolled in the public
11 school, prorated for the amount of time the student is enrolled in
12 an eligible private school. The sole acceptable use of the student
13 improvement tuition scholarship funds is application towards the
14 cost of tuition at an eligible private school. A single scholarship
15 cannot extend beyond one school year. However, eligible students
16 may apply for a scholarship in consecutive school years.
17 (6) "Assisting payments" means the following:
18 (a) When the tuition at the eligible private school chosen to
19 redeem the student improvement tuition scholarship is less than
20 the maximum amount available for the scholarship, then the
21 assisting payments are equal to the difference between the tuition
22 and the state-appropriated basic education funds and any learning
23 assistance program, transitional bilingual instruction program,
24 special education program, and highly capable program funds that
25 were generated by the eligible student when enrolled in the public
26 school, prorated for the amount of time the student is enrolled in
27 an eligible private school; or
28 (b) When the tuition at the eligible private school that is
29 chosen to redeem the student improvement tuition scholarship is
30 greater than the maximum amount available for the scholarship,
31 then the assisting payments are equal to up to seven percent of
32 the state-appropriated basic education funds and any learning
33 assistance program, transitional bilingual instruction program,
34 special education program, and highly capable program funds that
35 were generated by the eligible student when enrolled in the public
36 school, prorated for the amount of time the student is enrolled in
37 an eligible private school.
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_1 NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. Beginning in the 2001-02 school year, to
_2 the extent funds are appropriated, the superintendent of public
_3 instruction shall make student improvement tuition scholarships
_4 available to the parent of an eligible student to be used toward
_5 the payment of the tuition of the eligible student at an eligible
_6 private school.
_7 NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. The superintendent of public instruction
_8 shall adopt rules under chapter 34.05 RCW necessary to implement
_9 this chapter. The rules shall include a process and criteria for
10 accepting student improvement tuition scholarship applications
11 from the parent of eligible students.
12 NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. Private schools accepting student
13 improvement tuition scholarship students shall report the number
14 of student improvement tuition scholarship students monthly,
15 October through June, to the superintendent of public
16 instruction. Reports shall show the total number of student
17 improvement tuition scholarship students served, the name of each
18 student, and the hours of enrollment of each student per week.
19 NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. Based upon the reports submitted under
20 section 5 of this act, the superintendent shall make the following
21 payments:
22 (1) Monthly student improvement tuition scholarship payments to
23 the parent of student improvement tuition scholarship students
24 enrolled in eligible private schools; and
25 (2) Monthly assisting payments to the public school district
26 the student improvement tuition scholarship student transferred
27 from to attend the eligible private school.
28 NEW SECTION. Sec. 7. Each school district shall annually
29 provide general information regarding the student improvement
30 tuition scholarship program to the parent of all students of the
31 school district.
32 NEW SECTION. Sec. 8. This act is necessary for the immediate
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_1 preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of
_2 the state government and its existing public institutions, and
_3 takes effect immediately.
_4
_5 NEW SECTION. Sec. 9. Sections 1 through 8 of this act
_6 constitute a new chapter in Title 28A RCW.
‑‑‑ END ‑‑‑
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