HB0331S05 | Hope Scholarship Program

Description

General Description:

This bill creates the Hope Scholarship Program.

Highlighted Provisions:

"11 This bill:
12 ▸ requires a scholarship granting organization to submit reports on the Hope
13 Scholarship Program (program);
14 ▸ defines terms;
15 ▸ authorizes a scholarship granting organization to establish scholarship accounts on
16 behalf of eligible students to pay for private education goods and services starting in
17 the 2023-24 school year;
18 ▸ requires the board to contract with, no later than October 1, 2022, a scholarship
19 granting organization to administer the program;
20 ▸ prohibits a scholarship granting organization from accepting scholarship funds in
21 certain circumstances;
22 ▸ requires private schools and service providers to meet certain standards to be
23 eligible to receive scholarship funds;
24 ▸ authorizes a scholarship granting organization to receive donations to the program;
25 ▸ requires the scholarship granting organization to conduct audits;
26 ▸ prohibits certain regulations of eligible schools and eligible service providers;
27 ▸ requires background checks for employees and officers of a scholarship granting"

Bill Details

Bill Number:

HB0331S05

Year:

2022

Status:

House/ filed

Last Action:

Mar 04, 2022

Fiscal Note

Fiscal Note Amount:

$72,000,000

This bill appropriates in fiscal year 2023: to State Board of Education -- Contracted Initiatives and Grants -- Hope Scholarship Program, as an appropriation: from Education Fund, ongoing $36,000,000; and from Education Fund, one-time ($34,000,000), leaving $2,000,000 for Fiscal Year 2023.

View Fiscal Note

Utah PTA Response

Utah PTA Position

Oppose

Utah PTA Resolution:

EDU 2021-1 | Education Funding (retired)

Impact on Children:

This bill proposes that the taxpayer subsidize private schools, diverting precious resources away from public schools to which they are intended to benefit. It will benefit a few families and be a detriment to most.

Commission:

Education

Utah PTA Public Policy Program

National PTA and Utah PTA Resolutions:

That Utah PTA oppose vouchers, tax credits and deductions and other similar funding sources for public and private preschool, elementary and secondary school tuition and other education-related expenses for students.

Utah PTA Legislative Policy:

Continued maintenance of the constitutional guarantee of financial support for public schools as the first claim on state revenues.

National PTA and Utah PTA Position Statements:

OPPOSING VOUCHERS, TUITION TAX CREDITS AND DEDUCTIONS AS SYSTEMS OF EDUCATION AID The National PTA opposes education voucher proposals for public and nonpublic preschool, elementary and secondary school students. The National PTA opposes tax credits and deductions for elementary and secondary school tuition and other education-related expenses for public and nonpublic school students. The National PTA believes that these funding methods would have a detrimental effect on our public school system. Such funding would promote division without diversity, create division and separation within the community and negate the long struggle to desegregate our schools and our society. It is the opinion of the National PTA that vouchers and similar systems would violate the constitutionally mandated separation of church and state. The National PTA recognizes that changes must be made within the public schools to provide an equitable and excellent educational opportunity for every child. Vouchers, tax credits, deductions and other such funding sources do not provide the means for bringing about improvements in our public schools. The National PTA supports our system of public education as the major vehicle for perpetuating the basic values of a democratic system of government. This system must be strengthened and continue to be governed by public officials accountable to the public and supported by adequate funding.