At least 11 states beyond Florida move forward with education choice legislation

Editor’s note: As Florida’s 2022 legislative session closes in on the halfway mark, here is a roundup of education choice legislation bills that have been introduced in other states compiled by ExcelinEd.

 Alabama

 Parent’s Choice Act (SB 140) by Sen. Del Marsh passed the Senate Education Policy Committee. If passed into law, the legislation would create a flexible education savings account program for public school students, homeschooled students and students entering kindergarten in 2022-23, increasing eligibility each year until it becomes a universal program.

Arizona

Sen. Wendy Rogers’ SB1131 advanced to a second reading in the Senate and awaits a hearing in the Senate Education Committee. If passed, the bill would expand education savings account eligibility to children of parents who were killed in the line of duty or who are a veteran, first-responder or health professional.

Georgia

Education savings account bills HB 60 and HB 999 moved in the Georgia House to give public school families a state subsidy of about $6,000 a year to help cover education-related expenses. HB 60 passed the House Education Committee, and HB 999 (Education Freedom Act) passed a subcommittee of that same committee.

Indiana

Parent teacher compact legislation (HB1251) passed the House floor this week and was transferred to the Senate. The bill would allow the Department of Education to study creating a first-of-its-kind program to allow parents to enter into agreements with teachers through the state to provide a flexible learning environment for their child.

Education savings account improvements (SB331), sponsored by Sen. Brian Buchanan, passed out of the Senate Committee on Appropriations.

Enrichment Scholarship legislation (HB1252), sponsored by Rep. Bob Behning, passed out of the House Education Committee. If passed, the bill would establish the Indiana Student Enrichment Grant program, providing eligible students with up to $1,000 for approved educational expenses.

Kansas

The Kansas K-12 Education Budget Subcommittee introduced and heard four school choice bills in January. These bills now await a committee vote.

HB2514 would require all school districts to offer part-time enrollment. Districts currently offer part-time enrollment on a voluntary basis.

HB2553 would require all school districts to offer open enrollment to non-resident students instead of on a voluntary basis. Districts would be required to establish policies and procedures to make transfer available to students throughout the school year based on school capacity and to accept students in the order in which they applied.

HB2550 would establish the Student Empowerment Act, providing for the state’s first education savings account program.

SB61 would expand eligibility for the state’s tax credit scholarship program to students who qualify for free and reduced-price lunch.

Missouri

Charter funding equity legislation (HB1552), by Rep. Doug Richey, passed out of the Joint Budget Committee. The bill aims to change the funding formula for charter school students to include all state and local aid received by the districts through a more equitable and streamlined system.

Nebraska

In his State of the State address, Gov. Pete Ricketts recommended $60 million in federal funding for family-directed education recovery accounts for low-income families, or $30 million a year for the next two years.

Oklahoma

Senate President Pro Tempore Greg Treat has filed Senate Bill 1647, which would create the Oklahoma Empowerment Account program. Under the program, any student eligible to enroll in a public school would be eligible for an OEA, which could be used to pay for a range of education services, including private-school tuition.

Pennsylvania

Sen. Mike Regan’s SB527 automatically raises the cap by 25% on funding available for the Educational Improvement Tax Credit and Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit programs, if at least 90% of the tax credits were claimed in the prior year. The bill passed out of the Senate Education Committee and awaits a vote on the Senate floor.

South Carolina

Gov. Henry McMaster in his State of the State address proposed that $20 million be used to create education savings accounts and to raise the starting teacher salary from $36,000 to $38,000. He also noted his expectation that 67 charter schools be authorized in August.

Sen. Larry Grooms’ SB 935, which would create an education scholarship accounts program, was introduced and referred to the Senate Committee on Education.

Tennessee

Gov. Bill Lee in his State of the State address committed $16 million recurring and $16 million nonrecurring to the Charter Schools Facility Fund to increase the number of high-quality charter schools in the state.