The Hope Scholarship Program was established during the 2018 legislative session. The purpose and effect of this rule is to implement the Hope Scholarship Program, pursuant to section 1002.40, Florida Statutes.

 

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

State Board of Education

RULE NO.:RULE TITLE:

6A-6.0951The Hope Scholarship

PURPOSE AND EFFECT: The Hope Scholarship Program was established during the 2018 legislative session. The purpose and effect of this rule is to implement the Hope Scholarship Program, pursuant to section 1002.40, Florida Statutes.

SUMMARY: The proposed rule describes and clarifies the obligations of eligible Scholarship Funding Organizations (SFOs), eligible private schools, and school districts, and creates and incorporates The Hope Scholarship Notification Form (IEPC-HS1), and provides details regarding the scholarship application processes, the public school option and quarterly reports and data expected from SFOs.

SUMMARY OF STATEMENT OF ESTIMATED REGULATORY COSTS AND LEGISLATIVE RATIFICATION:

The Agency has determined that this will not have an adverse impact on small business or likely increase directly or indirectly regulatory costs in excess of $200,000 in the aggregate within one year after the implementation of the rule. A SERC has not been prepared by the Agency.

The Agency has determined that the proposed rule is not expected to require legislative ratification based on the statement of estimated regulatory costs or if no SERC is required, the information expressly relied upon and described herein: No requirement for SERC was triggered pursuant to section 120.541(1), F.S. There would be no economic impact from this amendment and the adverse impact or regulatory costs, if any, does not exceed nor would be expected to exceed any one of the economic analysis criteria set forth in section 120.541(2)(a), F.S.

Any person who wishes to provide information regarding a statement of estimated regulatory costs, or provide a proposal for a lower cost regulatory alternative must do so in writing within 21 days of this notice.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY: 1002.40, FS.

LAW IMPLEMENTED: 1002.40, FS.

A HEARING WILL BE HELD AT THE DATE, TIME AND PLACE SHOWN BELOW:

DATE AND TIME: July 18, 2018, 9:00 a.m.

PLACE: Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate, Congressional Room, 1500 Masters Blvd., ChampionsGate, FL 33896.

THE PERSON TO BE CONTACTED REGARDING THE PROPOSED RULE IS: Adam Miller, Executive Director, Office of Independent Education and Parental Choice, 325 W. Gaines Street, Suite 1044, Tallahassee,

Florida 32399-0400; [phone]; [e-mail].

 

THE FULL TEXT OF THE PROPOSED RULE IS:

 

6A-6.0951 The Hope Scholarship Program.

(1) Eligibility of nonprofit scholarship-funding organizations. A nonprofit scholarship-funding organization (SFO) that is approved pursuant to section 1002.395, F.S., may establish Hope Scholarships for eligible students.

(2) Eligibility of private schools. A private school is eligible to participate in the Hope Scholarship Program if it complies with all requirements for private schools participating in state school choice scholarship programs pursuant to sections 1002.40, and 1002.421, F.S., and State Board of Education rule 6A-6.03315, F.A.C.

(3) Parent notification requirements. Pursuant to the requirements of section 1002.40(6), F.S., a school district must timely notify a parent of the Hope Scholarship program and provide the parent a completed Hope Scholarship Notification Form (Form IEPC-HS1), available on the Department’s website, www.floridaschoolchoice.org.  Form IEPC-HS1 (DOS link) is hereby incorporated by reference, effective August 2018.

(4) Hope Scholarship application procedure. To receive a Hope Scholarship a parent must apply to an eligible and participating SFO according to the SFO’s application procedures and deadlines.  The application submitted by a parent must include, at a minimum, the following information:  

(a) Student’s name, student’s Florida Education Identifier (FLEID), date of birth, gender, race, current public school district, current public school attended, grade level, parent’s name, telephone number, mailing address and email address.

(b) A completed Form IEPC-HS1 must be included with the application and submitted to the scholarship funding organization to which the application is made.

(5) The nonprofit scholarship-funding organization shall confirm eligibility for each student and award all scholarships consistent with the requirements of section 1002.40, F.S. The process used to confirm the eligibility of students and award scholarships is subject to the annual financial and compliance audit required by law.

(6) Public school Hope Scholarship option. Pursuant to section 1002.40(6), F.S., a student meeting the Hope Scholarship eligibility requirements may choose to attend another public school in the student’s school district or in another school district. Public school options are subject to the receiving school’s capacity.

(7) Quarterly and annual reports. Participating eligible SFOs shall provide quarterly reports no later than August 10, October 10, January 10, and March 10, and an annual report no later than July 15 of each fiscal year the SFO received any contributions, as defined in section 1002.40(2), F.S.  The quarterly and annual reports must be submitted in a format to be specified by the Department and must include an electronic list of all participating scholarship students. The list shall include the following information:

(a) Demographic information for each student, including name, date of birth, Florida Education Identifier, grade level, gender, race, parent’s name, mailing address, email address, and telephone number;

(b) The name and Master School ID of the public school and district in which the student was enrolled when the incident was reported;

(c) Information on the student’s school of attendance, including tuition, fees, and transportation amounts;

(d) The amount and type of each student’s scholarship;

(e) The incident type as reported on Form IEPC-HS1; and,

(f) Year-to-date information on the amount paid for each scholarship student during the school year and the school attended, including the first data of attendance and withdraw date. If a student attended more than one school, the summary shall detail the amount of the scholarship payments that the student generated by each school.

(8) Nothing in this rule shall limit the Department’s authority to request any other information related to the scholarship program.

Rulemaking Authority 1001.02, 1002.40(6)) FS. Law Implemented 1002.40 F.S., New.

 

NAME OF PERSON ORIGINATING PROPOSED RULE: Adam Miller, Executive Director, Office of Independent Education and Parental Choice.

NAME OF AGENCY HEAD WHO APPROVED THE PROPOSED RULE: Pam Stewart, Commissioner, Department of Education.

DATE PROPOSED RULE APPROVED BY AGENCY HEAD: June 13, 2018

DATE NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULE DEVELOPMENT PUBLISHED IN FAR: May 18, 2018.