1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to education; establishing learning 
  1.3             scholarships for students with disabilities; proposing 
  1.4             coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 125A.
  1.5   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.6      Section 1.  [125A.125] [LEARNING SCHOLARSHIPS FOR STUDENTS 
  1.7   WITH DISABILITIES.] 
  1.8      Subdivision 1.  [ENROLLMENT.] (a) For purposes of this 
  1.9   section, a student may enroll in and receive a learning 
  1.10  scholarship to attend an eligible school as defined in paragraph 
  1.11  (b) if the student: 
  1.12     (1) has been determined to be eligible to receive special 
  1.13  instruction and services according to an individual education 
  1.14  plan under this chapter; and 
  1.15     (2) has been enrolled in a Minnesota school district for a 
  1.16  minimum of one school year. 
  1.17     (b) An eligible school must be accredited by an accrediting 
  1.18  agency recognized according to section 123B.445, or recognized 
  1.19  by the commissioner. 
  1.20     Subd. 2.  [FUNDING.] (a) Upon receiving proof that a 
  1.21  student is enrolled in an eligible school according to 
  1.22  subdivision 1, the commissioner shall determine the sum of the 
  1.23  amounts in clauses (1) and (2): 
  1.24     (1) the average general education revenue per pupil unit 
  1.25  plus the referendum equalization aid allowance in the pupil's 
  2.1   district of residence.  If the student elects to have the school 
  2.2   district where the school is located provide transportation 
  2.3   services, the commissioner shall subtract an amount equal to the 
  2.4   product of the formula allowance according to section 126C.10, 
  2.5   subdivision 2, times .0485 for reimbursement to the district; 
  2.6   and 
  2.7      (2) the sum of the amounts computed according to section 
  2.8   125A.76, subdivision 2, clauses (1), (3), (4), (5), (6), and 
  2.9   (7), attributable to the student and using the student's most 
  2.10  recent year of enrollment in a Minnesota school district as the 
  2.11  base year.  This information must be provided by the school 
  2.12  district in the form required by the commissioner. 
  2.13     (b) The learning scholarship shall be in the amount of the 
  2.14  sum under paragraph (a) or the amount of the eligible school's 
  2.15  tuition and fees, whichever is less.  The eligible school must 
  2.16  provide evidence of the student's enrollment and attendance, and 
  2.17  the school's tuition and fees, in the form required by the 
  2.18  commissioner. 
  2.19     (c) The commissioner shall make quarterly payments of the 
  2.20  learning scholarship on behalf of the student in the form of a 
  2.21  check that must be restrictively endorsed by the parent or 
  2.22  guardian of the enrolled student for the eligible school's use. 
  2.23     <b>[EFFECTIVE DATE.]</b> This section is effective for the 
  2.24  2003-2004 school year.