The Wyoming Freedom Scholarship Act establishes a framework for Education Savings Accounts (ESAs) aimed at providing financial support for eligible students' educational expenses. The act designates the state treasurer as the administrator of the ESA program, which will include a dedicated Wyoming freedom scholarship program account funded by state appropriations and other sources. Eligible students can receive up to $6,000 annually, adjusted for inflation, to cover costs such as tuition, tutoring, and educational materials. Parents participating in the program must sign an agreement with the state treasurer and ensure that funds are used exclusively for qualifying educational expenses.

The act also creates a parent review commission to assist the state treasurer in evaluating expenditures and improving the ESA program, consisting of seven parent members from different counties. The bill outlines the oversight responsibilities for education service providers, ensuring they meet specific standards and prohibiting payments to those that misrepresent information or fail to deliver promised services. Additionally, the bill modifies the distribution of state revenues, allocates $30 million to the Wyoming freedom scholarship program, and sets a timeline for the state treasurer to adopt rules for the ESA program, with applications starting on January 1, 2025. Some sections of the bill will take effect immediately, while others will be effective from the specified date.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 9-4-601, 21-4-102, 21-4-301, 21-13-310