3. Expanding educational options. In areas of the State where public school choice is limited, the possibility of attending a quality private school approved for tuition purposes provides a necessary educational option to parents and their children while underperforming public schools improve their effectiveness. Private school choice provided under this Act is consistent with the federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, 20 United States Code, Chapter 70, Subchapter I.

4. Home schooling not impacted. This Act does not apply to home schooling or home schools.

SUMMARY

This bill proposes several changes in law to improve school choice in order to address the educational needs of a wider range of students. The bill provides for the establishment of charter schools that may serve the unique educational needs of students by act of the Legislature. The bill also expands the current law governing transfer of students between public schools through the process known as "superintendents' agreement" to include a wider range of public schools and to include transfers between public schools and private schools approved for tuition purposes. Such transfers are required under the bill if the student has failed to meet state academic and student achievement standards and the school from which the student requests to transfer has failed to make adequate yearly progress as defined in the federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 and the school to which transfer is sought has met those standards. The bill also increases the number of private schools eligible for student transfer by removing the requirement that private schools be nonsectarian in order to be eligible for tuition payment. Finally, the bill establishes principles to guide the Department of Education in implementing the law. The bill does not apply to homeschooling or homeschooled students.