Education improvement scholarships; modifies tax credit program, pre-kindergarten eligibility. (HB1019)

Introduced By

Del. Jimmie Massie (R-Richmond) with support from co-patron Del. Buddy Fowler (R-Ashland)

Progress

Introduced
Passed Committee
Passed House
Passed Senate
Signed by Governor
Became Law

Description

Educational improvement scholarships tax credit program; pre-kindergarten eligibility. Modifies the educational improvement scholarships tax credit program by including as eligible scholarship recipients children enrolled in or attending nonpublic pre-kindergarten programs. The maximum annual scholarship that a child enrolled in or attending a nonpublic pre-kindergarten program will receive is the lesser of the child's actual educational expenses or the state share of the grant per child under the Virginia Preschool Initiative for the locality in which the child resides. Under current law, tax credits are awarded to individuals and businesses making donations to nonprofit scholarship foundations using the donated funds to award scholarships to certain students in grades K through 12 attending nonpublic schools. Eligible scholarship recipients are students in grades K through 12 with a finalized individualized education program (IEP) in place or whose annual household income is not in excess of 300 percent of the federal poverty guidelines. The bill defines an eligible pre-kindergarten child as a child who is (i) a resident of Virginia, (ii) an at-risk four-year-old unserved by Head Start programs, and (iii) enrolled in or attending a nonpublic pre-kindergarten program. In addition, the family of the child (a) cannot have annual household income in excess of 300 percent of the current poverty guidelines or 400 percent of such guidelines if an IEP has been written and finalized for the child, (b) must be homeless as defined in 42 U.S.C. § 11302, or (c) must include parents or guardians of the child who are school dropouts. The bill defines a nonpublic pre-kindergarten program as a preschool program designed for child development and kindergarten preparation (1) that complies with nonpublic school accreditation requirements administered by the Virginia Council for Private Education (VCPE) or (2) that is participating in Virginia Quality (a partnership between the Virginia Early Childhood Foundation and the Office of Early Childhood Development of the Department of Social Services) with a current designation of at least Level 3 under such rating system. The bill includes several other curriculum and administrative requirements that must be met by a nonpublic pre-kindergarten program in order for children attending the program to be eligible to receive scholarships under the tax credit program. Under the bill, VCPE or the Virginia Early Childhood Foundation will certify nonpublic pre-kindergarten programs meeting such curriculum and administrative requirements. Read the Bill »

Outcome

Bill Has Failed

History

DateAction
01/13/2016Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/13/16 16103938D
01/13/2016Referred to Committee on Finance
01/19/2016Assigned Finance sub: Subcommittee #3
01/29/2016Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) (3-Y 2-N)
01/29/2016Impact statement from DOE/COO (HB1019)
02/01/2016Failed to report (defeated) in Finance (10-Y 12-N) (see vote tally)
02/08/2016Reconsidered by Finance
02/08/2016Tabled in Finance
02/10/2016Continued to 2017 in Finance
12/01/2016Left in Finance