This bill proposes several updates to the Arizona Revised Statutes concerning Arizona empowerment scholarship accounts. Key changes include the removal of the requirement for quarterly transfers of funds, replacing it with a monthly transfer schedule. Additionally, the bill modifies the withdrawal process for students, allowing any student to withdraw from a school district or charter school before enrolling in an empowerment scholarship account, rather than only those who have not received any funds. It also introduces new requirements for qualified schools and service providers, such as prohibiting the sharing or rebating of scholarship funds and mandating annual reporting on graduation rates and student attendance.

Furthermore, the bill enhances accountability by requiring qualified schools to notify parents about the educational services provided to prospective students before tuition payment and to ensure compliance with individualized education programs or section 504 plans. It also stipulates that if a qualified student's account is not renewed within one academic year, the department must notify the parent of the impending closure of the account. Lastly, the bill clarifies that if a qualified student's account lacks sufficient funds for an evaluation, the local school district must cover the costs, establishing a more structured approach to funding educational evaluations.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 15-2402, 15-2403, 15-766, 15-2401, 15-505, 15-534.04, 28-9551, 15-802, 15-185, 15-943, 35-190, 2020-2021, 35-113, 15-2401.01, 15-2404, 15-241