Section 2009-B. Opportunity scholarships.
(a) Notice.--By February 1 of each year, the department shall provide all opportunity scholarship organizations with a list of the low-achieving schools located within each school district.
(b) Award.--An opportunity scholarship organization may award an opportunity scholarship to an applicant who resides within the attendance boundary of a low-achieving school to attend a participating public school or a participating nonpublic school selected by the parent of the applicant. If an applicant who received an opportunity scholarship for the prior school year resides within the attendance boundary of a school that was removed from the list of low-achieving schools provided by the department under subsection (a), the applicant may receive an opportunity scholarship. The opportunity scholarship may be for each year of enrollment in a participating public school or participating nonpublic school for up to the lesser of five years or until completion of grade 12, provided the applicant otherwise remains eligible. In awarding scholarships, an opportunity scholarship organization shall give preference to any of the following:
(1) An applicant who received an opportunity scholarship for the prior school year.
(2) An applicant of a household with a household income that does not exceed 185% of the Federal poverty level for the school year preceding the school year for which the application is being made.
(3) An applicant of a household with a household income that does not exceed 185% of the Federal poverty level for the school year preceding the school year for which the application is being made and who resides within any of the following:
(i) A first class school district.
(ii) A school district designated as a financial recovery school district under Article VI-A for the year for which the award is made.
(c) Home schooling.--An opportunity scholarship organization shall not award an opportunity scholarship to an applicant for enrollment in a home education program under section 1327.1.
(d) Funding.--The aggregate amount of opportunity scholarships shall not exceed the aggregate amount of contributions made by business firms to the opportunity scholarship organization.
(e) Amount.--
(1) The maximum amount of an opportunity scholarship awarded to an applicant without a disability shall be $8,500.
(i) ((i) deleted by amendment).
(ii) ((ii) deleted by amendment).
(2) The maximum amount of an opportunity scholarship awarded to an applicant with a disability shall be $15,000.
(i) ((i) deleted by amendment).
(ii) ((ii) deleted by amendment).
(3) In no case shall the combined amount of the opportunity scholarship awarded to a recipient and any additional financial assistance provided to the recipient exceed the tuition rate and school-related fees for the participating public school or participating nonpublic school that the recipient will attend.
((e) amended July 8, 2022, P.L.620, No.55)
(f) Designation, reports and notices.--((f) repealed July 11, 2024, P.L.618, No.55)
(2009-B added July 13, 2016, P.L.716, No.86)