”The Alabama legislature took important steps today to empower parents and extend education scholarships to thousands of special needs students and low-income families. By expanding eligibility and funding for the state’s Education Scholarship Program, underserved students, kids stuck in failing schools and those with unique needs and abilities can have access to a customized education and the support they deserve for lifelong success.
“Thank you, Sen. Donnie Chasteen, for supporting parental choice and ensuring more Alabama families have agency and access to the learning environments that are best for their children.”
About SB263
Eligibility
- Opens eligibility to all students who have an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) and makes their scholarship funds flexible. Students with an IEP may use their funds on qualifying expenses, such as tuition, textbooks, tutoring, instructional materials and online learning, to meet their unique educational needs. More than 150,000 Alabama K-12 students are listed as special education, according to the Alabama Department of Education’s October 2022 Child Count.
- Raises the income eligibility requirement to students from households that earn up to 250% of the poverty line ($75,000 for a family of four).
- Expands the program to include students assigned to a traditional public school with a D or an F rating.
Funding
- Raises the individual scholarship amount to a maximum of $10,000 per school year.
- Raises the cap on funding for the Alabama Accountability Act of 2013’s Education Scholarship Program, from $30 million to $40 million. The program could serve at least 4,000 students if the $40 million funding cap is reached. If specific targets are met, the cap could increase by $10 million each year until it reaches $60 million.
The bill now heads to Gov. Kay Ivey’s desk for signature.
