HB3408 HFAT Ellington 3-1

White 3336

Delegate Ellington moved to amend the bill by striking out the title and substituting therefor a new title, to read as follows:

H. B. 3408 -- “A BILL to amend and reenact §18‑8‑1 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended; to amend and reenact §18‑9A-25 of said code; to amend and reenact §18‑31‑2, §18‑31‑3, §18‑31‑4, §18‑31‑5, §18‑31‑6, §18‑31‑7, §18‑31‑8, §18‑31‑9, §18‑31‑10, and §18‑31‑11 of said code; and to amend said code by adding thereto a new section, designated §18‑31‑2a, all relating generally to nonpublic kindergarten, elementary, and secondary school education; clarifying that a child exempt from compulsory school attendance is not subject to the requirements of the Hope Scholarship Program unless that child is an eligible recipient; removing requirement that academic assessments of home school students be submitted to county superintendent; clarifying use of “home school student” in code; removing participation in the Hope Scholarship Program as a standalone exemption to compulsory school attendance and replacing it with an exemption from compulsory school attendance for those who choose to participate in an Assembled Instructional Module; setting forth parameters of participation in an Assembled Instructional Module; providing that students participating in an Assembled Instructional Module, learning pod students and microschool students have the same educational rights and privileges as home school students; removing requirement that academic assessments of learning pod students and microschool students be submitted to county superintendent; establishing the method of calculating the annual Hope Scholarship Program appropriation; providing that certain students exempt from compulsory school attendance and participating in nonpublic educational programs may participate in the Hope Scholarship Program if other eligibility requirements are met; defining terms; establishing eligibility requirements for the Hope Scholarship Program; setting forth procedure for notice of Hope Scholarship Program participation; requiring county superintendents to enter certain information into the state’s educational information system; permitting the State Treasurer to appear by designee at Hope Scholarship Board meetings; providing the State Treasurer’s Office with rulemaking authority; clarifying that all records containing personally identifying information of a Hope Scholarship student, applicant, or parent are confidential and not subject to disclosure pursuant to the West Virginia Freedom of Information Act; clarifying qualifying expenses under the Hope Scholarship Act; requiring Hope Scholarship students to meet all standardized testing and portfolio requirements for his or her exemption from compulsory school attendance as a condition of scholarship renewal; requiring the board to maintain and publish a list of all education service providers; authorizing the board to contract with independent auditors to complete Hope Scholarship Program audits; clarifying the board’s rulemaking authority with regard to certain functions, requiring education service providers to submit required criminal background screening results to the board; and clarifying that education service providers may not asses students additional tuition or fees based on participation in the Hope Scholarship Program.

Adopted

Rejected