Florida Personal Learning Scholarship Account Program

 

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

State Board of Education

RULE NO.:RULE TITLE:

6A-6.0961Florida Personal Learning Scholarship Account Program

NOTICE OF CHANGE

Notice is hereby given that the following changes have been made to the proposed rule in accordance with subparagraph 120.54(3)(d)1., F.S., published in Vol. 40, No. 167, August 27, 2014 issue of the Florida Administrative Register.

 

Rule 6A-6.0961 is amended as follows:

(2)(b)4. Status of eligibility determination; and,

 

(4) Eligible students. Applications for a Florida Personal Learning Scholarship Account shall be made by parents directly through an eligible nonprofit scholarship-funding organization. The nonprofit scholarship-funding organization shall verify the eligibility of students pursuant to the criteria established in Section 1002.385, F.S., and award scholarships consistent with the requirements of Section 1002.385, F.S. The process used to identify eligible students and award scholarships is subject to the annual financial and operational audit required by Section 1002.395, F.S. law.

 

(5)(a) An eligible scholarship funding organization may request a payment from the Department of Education for an eligible student only after it has confirmed that the student has met the eligibility criteria in Section 1002.385(3)(a), F.S. Using the Department’s web-based system (https://www.floridaschoolchoice.org/login/login_sfo.asp), the nonprofit scholarship-funding organization must:

 

(5)(d) The Commissioner Department may suspend a student’s participation in the program and withhold a scholarship payment pursuant to Section 1002.385(10), F.S.

 

(7)(a) Persons interested in filing a complaint should contact the Department through the toll-free hotline [phone]), established pursuant to Section 1002.395, F.S., or through the Department’s website at www.floridaschoolchoice.org.

 

(7)(b) An initial complaint shall include, at a minimum, the complainant’s name, phone number, address, and details of the situation.

 

(7)(d) To register a formal complaint, the complainant may must complete the formal complaint form, sign it, and mail or fax it to the Department within thirty (30) days of making the initial complaint.

 

(8)(b) If there is a failure to respond to a letter of inquiry within fifteen (15) days in a timely manner by:

 

(8)(b)1. A parent, then the Department shall notify the appropriate nonprofit scholarship-funding organization of the nature of the inquiry and the parent’s deemed admission of alleged violation due to a failure to respond to the letter of inquiry. The nonprofit scholarship-funding organization may use that information to reconsider its determination of student eligibility. The Commissioner Department may take action as prescribed under subsection (9) of this rule.

2. A private school, then the Commissioner Department shall proceed with the noncompliance procedures related to the Commissioner’s authority established pursuant to Section 1002.385(10), F.S., and this rule.

3. A nonprofit scholarship-funding organization, then the Commissioner Department shall proceed with the noncompliance procedures related to the Commissioner’s authority established pursuant to Section 1002.385(10), F.S., and this rule.

4. A school district, then the Commissioner Department shall take any actions allowable under law to compel school district compliance with program requirements and to ameliorate the effect of the violation as appropriate.

 

(8)(c)3.b. A private school, then the Commissioner Department shall proceed with the noncompliance procedures related to the Commissioner’s authority established pursuant to Section 1002.385(10), F.S., and this rule.

c. A nonprofit scholarship-funding organization, then the Commissioner Department shall proceed with the noncompliance procedures related to the Commissioner’s authority established pursuant to Section 1002.385(10), F.S., and this rule.

d. A school district, then the Commissioner Department shall take any actions allowable under law to compel school district compliance with program requirements and to ameliorate the effect of the violation as appropriate.