Signed by Governor Tom Wolf

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to concur with senate amendments and pass a bill that expands tax credit education scholarships.

Highlights:

• Establishes the Innovation Schools Program in order to study and evaluate innovative approaches to economically disadvantaged schools (Sec. 8). 

• Requires the Department of Education to conduct and publish a school accountability test in order to determine a school's qualifications for the credit (Sec. 3). 

• Authorizes schools to provide alternative meals to students who are ineligible to participate in the school food program (Sec. 7).

• Requires community colleges to receive economic development stipends and reimbursement for operating costs (Sec. 9). 

• Specifies that no less than $5 million of the total aggregate amount of all tax credits shall be used to provide tax credits for contributions from business firms to advance the scholarship amount to students attending an economically disadvantaged school by up to $1,000 more than the amount provided during the immediately preceding school year (Sec. 14). 

• Requires schools that desire to be designated as economically disadvantaged schools for a school year to report the total number of scholarship eligible students attending the school (Sec. 14).

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass an amended bill that expands tax credit education scholarships.

Highlights:

• Establishes the Innovation Schools Program in order to study and evaluate innovative approaches to economically disadvantaged schools (Sec. 8). 

• Requires the Department of Education to conduct and publish a school accountability test in order to determine a school's qualifications for the credit (Sec. 3). 

• Authorizes schools to provide alternative meals to students who are ineligible to participate in the school food program (Sec. 7).

• Requires community colleges to receive economic development stipends and reimbursement for operating costs (Sec. 9). 

• Specifies that no less than $5 million of the total aggregate amount of all tax credits shall be used to provide tax credits for contributions from business firms to advance the scholarship amount to students attending an economically disadvantaged school by up to $1,000 more than the amount provided during the immediately preceding school year (Sec. 14). 

• Requires schools that desire to be designated as economically disadvantaged schools for a school year to report the total number of scholarship eligible students attending the school (Sec. 14).

Full Bill Text