Bill Summary for S 671 (2021-2022)

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Summary date: 

Apr 28 2021

Bill Information:

View NCGA Bill Details2021
Senate Bill 671 (Public) Filed Wednesday, April 7, 2021
AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR VIRTUAL EDUCATION IN PUBLIC SCHOOL UNITS IN EMERGENCY CIRCUMSTANCES, TO EXTEND PLANNED VIRTUAL INSTRUCTION FOR THE 2022-2023 SCHOOL YEAR FOR ALL PUBLIC SCHOOL UNITS, TO PROVIDE FOR REMOTE ACADEMIES IN LOCAL SCHOOL ADMINISTRATIVE UNITS BEGINNING WITH THE 2023-2024 SCHOOL YEAR, TO EXTEND PLANNED VIRTUAL INSTRUCTION FOR CHARTER SCHOOLS THROUGH THE 2023-2024 SCHOOL YEAR, AND TO EXTEND THE VIRTUAL CHARTER SCHOOL PILOT THROUGH THE 2024-2025 SCHOOL YEAR.
Intro. by Lee, Ballard, Galey.

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Bill summary

Senate committee substitute amends the 1st edition as follows.

Part I.

Further amends GS 115C-562.1(3) to expand the statutory eligibility criteria for eligible students for opportunity scholarships to also include a child in foster care (current criteria requires that the child reside in a household with an income level that does not exceed 150% of the amount required for qualification for the federal free or reduced-price lunch program). Prohibits the State Education Assistance Authority (Authority) from considering the household income of the foster parent in determining eligibility of a foster care child under this provision. Makes technical changes. 

Deletes the proposed changes to GS 115C-562.2, modifying the scholarship grant cap (per year, per eligible student) to an amount up to the average per pupil allotment amount the State Board of Education (State Board) allocated to a charter school pursuant to GS 115C-218.105(a)(1), plus the allocation for children with limited English proficiency and the allocation for children with disabilities, in the prior fiscal year; and reducing the total number of scholarships the Authority can award, beginning with the 2022-23 school year, from 2,000 to 1,500. Instead, amends the statute to set the scholarship grant cap (per year, per eligible student) to an amount of up to 90% of the average State per pupil allocation for average daily membership in the prior fiscal year. Eliminates the cap on the number of awards the Authority can award to eligible students in each school year. 

Adds to GS 115C-562.3 to require the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) to provide the Authority the average State per pupil allocation every December 1 for that fiscal year to determine the scholarship cap amount for the following fiscal year in accordance with GS 115C-562.2(b), as amended.  

Establishes additional eligibility criteria to receive scholarships for 2021-22, deeming students eligible who meet the following criteria: (1) enrollment in an NC public school or a Department of Defense school located in North Carolina for the fall semester of the 2019-20 school year, (2) enrollment in a nonpublic school that meets specified state law requirements for the spring semester of the 2019-20 school year and the entire 2020-21 school year, (3) the eligibility requirements of GS 115C-562.1(3)a1. (has not enrolled in a postsecondary institution in a matriculated status eligible for enrollment for 12 hours of academic credit) or b. (resides in a household with an income level not in excess of 133% of the amount required for the student to qualify for the federal free or reduced-price lunch program), and (4) submits an application for the 2021-22 school year. Mandates students deemed eligible solely by this provision be given first priority in scholarship awards in the same manner as those previously awarded scholarships. 

Part II.

Revises the award of scholarship funds from a North Carolina Personal Education Student Accounts for Children with Disabilities under GS 115C-92, as amended. Eliminates the proposed decrease in the scholarship amount from $9,000 per eligible student for the school year or $4,500 for eligible part-time students. No longer provides for funds remaining on a debit card at the end of the school year in the same manner as funds remaining in an electronic account, which are subject to proposed provisions providing return of the balance requirements and carryforward limitations. Modifies the proposed changes to GS 115C-597 to authorize the Authority to retain the lesser of 4% of the funds appropriated to the Program or $2 million each fiscal year for administrative costs (was up to 4% of the funds appropriated; currently authorizes up to $250,000). 

Makes a technical correction to refer to the NC Personal Education Student Accounts for the Children with Disabilities Program, as renamed by the act, in Section 2.2.