H103 - 2022 Appropriations Act. (SL 2022-74)

Overview: Section 8A.8 of S.L. 2022-74 temporarily suspends certain program evaluation requirements for Opportunity Scholarships, including the following:

• For the 2022-2023 school year, the requirement that nonpublic schools be ineligible to receive scholarship grants if they did not report aggregate test performance data of eligible students for the 2021-2022 school year. A nonpublic school cannot be ineligible to receive scholarship grants as a result of an inability to report this data.
• For the 2022-2023 school year, the requirement to report the aggregate test performance data of eligible students.
• For the 2022 and 2023 calendar years, the requirement to report learning gains or losses and the competitive effects of the Opportunity Scholarships program on public school performance.

By March 1, 2023, the State Education Assistance Authority, in collaboration with other entities, must report to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee on at least the following information:

• Options and a timeline to implement the recommendations of the March 1, 2018, report of the task force established pursuant to Section 10A.6 of S.L. 2017-57.
• The estimated cost of each option provided in the March 1, 2018, task force report.
• Any legislative recommendations on improving the evaluation of students receiving Opportunity Scholarships.

This section became effective July 1, 2022.