Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that provides grants for the purpose of awarding private school scholarships to students in Washington, D.C.

Highlights:

• Requires entities receiving grants to use those grants to provide eligible students with scholarships to pay the tuition, fees, and transportation costs to enable eligible students to attend the private Washington, D.C., elementary or secondary school of their choice, beginning in the 2011-2012 school year (Sec. 7).

• Prohibits a scholarship awarded to a student from exceeding the following amounts per school year, adjusted for inflation in subsequent years (Sec. 7):
• $8,000 for attendance in kindergarten through grade 8; or
• $12,000 for attendance in grades 9 through 12.

• Requires any entity receiving grants to submit a report to Congress, within 6 months of the first appropriation of funds and each year thereafter, containing the following information (Sec. 10):
• Activities carried out with the funds during the preceding year;
• The academic growth and achievement of students participating in the program;
• The high school graduation and college admission rates of students who participate in the program; and
• Parental satisfaction with the program.

• Authorizes an appropriation of up to $60 million for fiscal year 2012 and for each of the next 4 fiscal years, which shall be divided in the following manner (Sec. 14):
• One-third to be used for awarding private school scholarship grants;
• One-third to be provided to the Mayor of the District of Columbia to be used to improve public schools in the District; and
• One-third to be provided to the Mayor of the District of Columbia to be used to improve public charter schools in the District.

Full Bill Text

Full Bill Text