Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that creates the Student Scholarships for Educational Excellence Program under the administration of the Department of Education to provide scholarships for students from families with a total income that does not exceed 250 percent of current federal poverty guidelines who reside in a district in a parish of at least 475,000 persons that is deemed to be in academic crisis to enroll in a voluntarily participating private or public school that is authorized under the program.

Highlights:

-Sets the scholarship amount at either 90 percent of the per pupil amount received by the covered school district from both state and local sources or the total cost of the private school, whichever is less (Sec. 1). -Requires that a school gain approval from the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education and comply with the criteria set forth in Brumfield, et al. v. Dodd in order to enroll students under the program (Sec. 1). -Mandates that enrollment of scholarship recipients in a school that has been in operation for less than two years shall not exceed 20 percent of the school's total enrollment unless the school is granted a waiver by the state Department of Education (Sec. 1). -Specifies that eligible students shall be entering kindergarten, first grade, second grade, or third grade for the 2008-2009 academic year and that students in grades four through twelve shall become eligible as additional grade levels are added to the program (Sec. 1). -Specifies that eligible students shall remain eligible to receive scholarships in each succeeding year that they remain enrolled in an approved participating school through grade twelve and that one grade level of eligibility shall be added each academic year after the 2008-2009 academic year (Sec. 1). -Requires participating private schools to ensure that scholarship recipients are administered all examinations required pursuant to the Louisiana School and District Accountability System including the Louisiana Educational Assessment Program, the integrated Louisiana Educational Assessment Program (iLEAP), and graduation exit examinations (Sec. 1). -Authorizes appropriations from the state general fund to finance scholarships awarded under the provisions of this bill (Sec. 1).

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that creates the Student Scholarships for Educational Excellence Program under the administration of the Department of Education to provide scholarships for students from families with a total income that does not exceed 250 percent of current federal poverty guidelines who reside in a district in a parish of at least 475,000 persons that is deemed to be in academic crisis to enroll in a voluntarily participating private or public school that is authorized under the program.

Highlights:

-Sets the scholarship amount at either 90 percent of the per pupil amount received by the covered school district from both state and local sources or the total cost of the private school, whichever is less (Sec. 1). -Requires that a school gain approval from the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education and comply with the criteria set forth in Brumfield, et al. v. Dodd in order to enroll students under the program (Sec. 1). -Specifies that eligible students shall be entering kindergarten, first grade, second grade, or third grade for the 2008-2009 academic year and that students in grades four through twelve shall become eligible as additional grade levels are added to the program (Sec. 1). -Specifies that eligible students shall remain eligible to receive scholarships in each succeeding year that they remain enrolled in an approved participating school through grade twelve and that one grade level of eligibility shall be added each academic year after the 2008-2009 academic year (Sec. 1). -Requires participating private schools to ensure that scholarship recipients are administered all examinations required pursuant to the Louisiana School and District Accountability System including the Louisiana Educational Assessment Program, the integrated Louisiana Educational Assessment Program (iLEAP), and graduation exit examinations (Sec. 1). -Authorizes appropriations from the state general fund to finance scholarships awarded under the provisions of this bill (Sec. 1).

Full Bill Text

Full Bill Text