Current through Reg. 50, No. 187; September 24, 2024
(1) Eligibility of nonprofit
scholarship-funding organizations. An eligible nonprofit scholarship-funding
organization that is approved pursuant to Section
1002.395, F.S., may establish
Reading Scholarship accounts for eligible students.
(2) Nonprofit scholarship-funding
organization requirements. Eligible nonprofit scholarship-funding organizations
shall:
(a) Receive applications and determine
eligibility of students in accordance with the requirements of Section
1002.411(2),
F.S.;
(b) Verify eligible
expenditures before the distribution of funds for any expenditures made
pursuant to Section 1002.411 (3)(a)2.,
F.S.
(3) Eligible
students. Applications for a New Worlds Reading Scholarship Account shall be
made by parents directly through an eligible nonprofit scholarship-funding
organization. The nonprofit scholarship-funding organization shall verify the
eligibility of students pursuant to the criteria established in Section
1002.411, F.S., and award
scholarships consistent with the requirements of Section 1002.411,
F.S.
(4) Scholarship payments. The
following provisions relate to the distribution of funds from the Department of
Education to an eligible nonprofit scholarship-funding organization.
(a) An eligible scholarship funding
organization may request a payment from the Department of Education for an
eligible student after it has confirmed that the student has met the
eligibility criteria in Section
1002.411(2),
F.S. Using the Department's web-based system (
https://www.floridaschoolchoice.org/login/login_sfo.asp),
the nonprofit scholarship-funding organization must:
1. Confirm the eligibility of each
scholarship student and include;
a. Student
name, date of birth, Florida Education Identification number (FLEID), English
Language Learner status, gender, race, grade level, and address including
public school district attended; and,
b. Date and time the nonprofit
scholarship-funding organization confirmed eligibility.
2. Submit a signed invoice requesting payment
which must include the amount requested for each individual student as well as
the total amount requested.
(b) Eligible nonprofit scholarship-funding
organizations must set an annual deadline for scholarship
participation.
(c) The Department
shall distribute funds on a first-come first-served basis, in the following
order of priority for each invoice period:
1.
Students confirmed by the SFO as English Language Learners who are enrolled in
a program or receiving services that are specifically designed to meet the
instructional needs of English Language Learner students;
2. Date and time the scholarship-funding
organization confirmed eligibility.
(d) Requests for payments by a nonprofit
scholarship-funding organization must be submitted no later than May 1 for the
fiscal year in which the student is eligible to receive a
scholarship.
(e) The Commissioner
may revoke a student's participation in the program and withhold or request the
return of a scholarship payment if it is determined that the parent is in
violation of Section 1002.411(3),
F.S.
(f) Eligible nonprofit
scholarship-funding organizations are responsible for the return of all
scholarship funds to the Department that were received in error or associated
with a scholarship account that has been closed pursuant to Section
1002.411(7)(i),
F.S. Funds returned must include the administrative fee if no reimbursements
were made for expenditures that occurred in the fiscal year in which the
scholarship was awarded.
(5) Quarterly Reports: Four (4) times a year,
no later than October 30, January 30, April 30, and July 30 of each year, an
eligible nonprofit scholarship-funding organization shall submit in a format to
be specified by the Department an electronic list of all participating
scholarship students and eligible expenditures. For purposes of the quarterly
report, a participating scholarship student is one whose scholarship account
has been funded in the current fiscal year.
(a) The list shall include the following
information:
1. Demographic information for
each student, including name, date of birth, FLEID, English Language Learner
status, grade level, gender, race, and public school district
attended;
2. Program award amount
for each student;
3. Information on
providers of services; and,
4.
Total year-to-date expenditures on behalf of participating students by purpose
type.
(b) No later than
October 30 of each year, an eligible nonprofit scholarship-funding organization
shall provide the department a report that indicates the status of participants
who did not renew participation for the current fiscal year.
(c) Nothing in this rule shall limit the
Department's authority to request any other information related to the
scholarship program.
Rulemaking Authority
1001.02,
1002.395(13)(d),
1002.39(18),
1002.411 FS. Law Implemented
1002.411
FS.
New 8-21-18.
