This bill amends section 79-239 of the Reissue Revised Statutes of Nebraska to enhance the enrollment option program for students whose applications are rejected by public school districts. It requires rejecting districts to provide written notification to parents or guardians detailing the reasons for rejection, the appeal process, and the option to decline the appeal while requesting a scholarship account. The bill introduces the Nebraska Option Enrollment Tuition Account Program, which allows parents of eligible students to access funds for qualified education expenses at private schools if their application for enrollment is rejected.

The bill defines key terms related to the program, including "eligible student," "qualified education expense," and "scholarship account." It mandates that the State Board of Education administer the program, credit funds to scholarship accounts based on the average per pupil cost, and outlines the conditions under which parents can access these funds. Additionally, it specifies that access to funds will be lost if the student reenrolls in a public school or fails to comply with program requirements. The bill also allows the board to use a portion of the funds for program administration and establishes that it does not grant the state additional authority over private or denominational schools. The original section 79-239 is repealed, and the act takes effect immediately upon passage.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 79-239