AB 751

This bill makes several changes to the Special Needs Scholarship Program,

created in the 2015-17 Biennial Budget Act. Under the program, beginning in the

2016-17 school year, children with disabilities who are enrolled in a public school in

this state may apply to the Department of Public Instruction to annually receive

financial assistance from the state to attend a participating private school in this

state.

Among other changes, this bill requires a child with a disability who wishes to

participate in the program to have an Individualized Education Program or services

plan in effect prior to being eligible to participate. Current law requires only that

the IEP or services plan to be completed for the child. The bill also permits a child

with a disability to apply for a scholarship and to attend a private school under the

program at any time during a school year. In addition, the bill requires the parent

or guardian of a child attending a private school under the program to make the child

available no more than once every three years for a reevaluation of the child's IEP

and services plan. Finally, the bill requires a participating private school that

receives more applications under the program than the number of spaces available

at the school to accept applications in the order in which they are received; current

law requires the private school to select applicants on a random basis.