Signed by Governor Sonny Perdue

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that provides scholarships for disabled children to attend schools outside their resident districts.

Highlights:

- Provides for scholarships by subtracting from state money allotments for public school systems, which would equal the money spent on the child in public school or the cost of tuition for the private school, whichever is less [1(20-2-2115)(a-b)]. - Requires the state to choose which schools are eligible for the program, then each school will be allowed to admit students according to their own standards [1(20-2-2116)(a)]. - Qualifies children with the following disabilities: autism, deaf/blind, emotional and behavioral disorder, intellectual disability, orthopedic impairment, other health impairment, specific learning disability, speech-language impairment, traumatic brain injury, or visual impairment [1(20-2-2113)(b)(2)]. - Allows only those children that attended a public school during the previous school year to be eligible [1(20-2-2113)(b)(3)]. - Includes only students that have an individualized education program as required by special education law to be eligible [1(20-2-2113)(b)(3)]. - Allows disabled students to attend any public or private school, including religious schools [1(20-2-2112)(4)]. - Transfers responsibility to the parent for payment of the scholarship to the school and for the student's transportation to the school [1(20-2-2113)(c)].

Full Bill Text