Empowerment Scholarship Account Informational Session

Arizona Department of EducationNovember 2012

An account established by the Arizona Department of Education (ADE) that allows a parent of a qualified student to withdraw their child form a public district or charter school and receive a portion of their public funding to educate their child as the parent seems appropriate

Funds are removed from your school district and allocated to the parent/ guardian.

It now becomes the parent’s responsibility to educate their child.

What is an Empowerment Scholarship?

In order to be deemed a qualified student, the student must meet the following:

1. Arizona Resident AND2. Identified as child with special needs or active military

parent or award of the juvenile court and is residing with a perspective permanent placement foster care or achieved permanent placement through adoption or attending a “D & F” school AND

3. Attending public school for the first 100 days prior to applying or received a qualifying School Tuition Organization (STO) scholarship the prior year

Who is eligible?

My child just entered Pre-School in January and could not accumulate the full 100 days, does he/she qualify? If the child was not enrolled in a public/ charter school the

prior year; the student does not qualify for an ESA We changed schools and there was a gap.

As long as the gap was not 10 consecutive days My child is sick and misses school often

If he does not miss 10 consecutive days the child still qualifies

My child has missed 15 days but not consecutive. In order to qualify, the child cannot miss more than 10%

of total school days (180).

FAQ’s About Eligibility

I just moved to the state. In order to qualify, the student must have

attended public/ charter school for the 1st 100 days in Arizona.

I enrolled my child late into school. As a rule, a district will not count you as a “late

enrollee” unless you do not attend the first 10 days of school.

FAQ’s About Eligibility

Tax credit scholarships for Arizona children Three types of state tax credit scholarship program1. Individual Tuition 2. Corporate Tuition3. Lexie’s Law for Disabled and Displaced students

In order to qualify for an ESA, the student must be on an STO for Disabled and Displaced.

If unsure if your child received a qualifying STO, please contact Karen Jacobs at the Department of Revenue at 602-716-6923 or kjacobs@dor.gov

School Tuition Organization (STO) scholarships

1. Individualized Education Program (IEP)

2. Multidisciplinary Evaluation Team (MET)

3. 504 Plan

Your particular school district determines your child’s eligibility based on their evaluation.

ESA funds on primary eligibility

How does ESA identify a child with special needs?

The amount is determined by calculating 90% of each student’s funding level as generated by the school finance formula (state portion).

The formula included specific “weights” for different categories of disabilities, grade levels, school locations, etc.

K-3 students receive extra funding English language learners (ELL) receive extra

funding

If my child qualifies, how much will he/she receive?

The average base amount is $1,500-$3,700 Following slides, will list some categories not all Amount shown is for 1st-12th grade (Pre-K and K are

funded at half)

Funding

 MD-R, A-R & SMR-R - Students with multiple disabilities, autism and severe mental retardation placed in resource programs

6.024 $19,931.00

 MD-SC, A-SC & SMR-SC - Students with multiple disabilities, autism and severe mental retardation in a self-contained program.

5.833 $19,299.00

 MD-SSI - Students with multiple disabilities and severe sensory impairments.

7.947 $26,293.00

 DD, ED, MIMR, SLD, SLI & OHI - Students with developmental delays, emotional disabilities, mild mental retardation, specific learning disability, speech/language impairment and other health impairment.  

0.0093 $10.00

Disability Category - Definition Weight Estimated per pupil amount

 ED-P - Students with emotional disabilities enrolled in private special ED or intensive district programs  

4.820 $15,947.00

 MOMR - Students with moderate mental retardation

 

4.421 $14,627.00

VI - Visually impaired

 4.806 $15,901.00

Funding

 OI-R - Students with orthopedic impairments in a resource program.  

3.158 $10,488.00

 OI-SC - Students with orthopedic impairments in a self-contained program.  

6.773 $22,409.00

 P-SD - Preschool students with hearing impairments, visual impairments, developmental delay, preschool severe delay or speech/language impairment.  

3.595 $11,894.00

Additional weight

 K3 – Students in Kindergarten through third grade

 0.100

 $199.00

 ELL – English Language learners

 0.115

 $380.00

Funding

Estimated Base Amount+ Estimated Per Pupil Amount+ Estimated Additional Weights

Estimated ESA Award Amount / 4= Quarterly amount

January 1, 2013- May 1, 2013 (3pm deadline) Must submit1. Application2. IEP, MET or 504 Plan (children with special needs)

The IEP, MET or 504 Plan MUST be current

IEP (valid for 1 year) MET (valid for 3 years)

Application Process

If either is expiring on or before July 15, 2013 must be re-evaluated

Application Process

Award Letter (mailed) Total amount for the

year Quarterly

disbursements

2nd Page must be returned to the Department

Either Accepting or Declining ESA scholarship

MUST be in by MAY 15, 2013 This can be:1. Emailed (confirmation will be provided)

2. Faxed3. Mailed4. Hand-delivered

(Parent must call or email to check if it was received)

Once ESA staff has received your Acceptance Letter A CONTRACT PACKET will be mailed to you no later than

MAY 30, 2013 by 3pm

1. Checklist 2. Agreement Contract (4 pages)3. Bank Consent Form4. Expense Report Instructions

Please make sure that if you move during the process or wish for your contract to sent elsewhere you notify ESA staff immediately!

Application Process

Checklist: list of items/documents that are included and must be done prior to receiving ESA funds (please retain for your records)

Agreement Contract: 4 page contract (these are just some of the conditions listed on the contract)

1. Awarded amount & Quarterly disbursement2. Terms and Termination3. Holder Obligation4. Fraudulent Activity5. Conflict of Interest

Contract Packet

All 4 pages MUST be returned to the Department of Education by June 30, 2013 at 3pm

Must be MAILED or HAND DELIVERED! ESA will NOT accept any contracts that are emailed or faxed.

Don’t forget to sign your contract (page 4)

Please make a copy for your records

Agreement Contract

Expense Report Submission Schedule

If due date falls on a weekend or holiday the reports MUST still be in that day!

Contract Packet

  DUE DATE NEXT DISBURSEMENT

1st quarter’s expenditures September 30 October 15-October 30

2nd quarter’s expenditures

December 31 January 15-January 30

3rd quarter’s expenditures March 31 April 15-April 30

4th quarter’s expenditures June 30 *August 15-August 30

Bank of America/ Merrill Lynch Consent Form

MUST be returned with Agreement Contract Without this form, funds CANNOT be

released This form is basically giving Bank of America/

Merrill Lynch to share transactional information with the State of Arizona & permission to release a pre-paid debit card in your name for ESA usage

Contract Packet

Contracts are due by JUNE 30, 2012 3pm Process at Arizona Department of Education:1. ESA generates an approved list of parents2. Auditing checks our “math” sends to Accounting3. Accounting approves Auditing sends to State

Treasurer’s Office4. Treasury releases finalized list to Bank of

America5. Bank of America prepares for their process and

mails out the debit cards.

Upon receipt of Agreement Contract

Bank of America mails debit cards to all awarded ESA parents

Unless you contact the bank, they will NOT deliver to P.O. Boxes or forward to an address

ESA debit cards look exactly like B of A red debit cards

Cards arrive in a plain white envelop; nothing that will displays they are from B of A or ADE

DO NOT discard!!

Debit Card

Bank of America will mail out ESA pre-paid debit cards

Should receive your card between July 15-July 30, 2013

If you have not received your card by July 30, 2013, please contact me

If you moved and did not notify B of A you will need to contact them directly—ESA staff cannot call on your behalf

1st Disbursement

Funds must be used to provide an education which includes, at a minimum, reading; math; grammar; social studies; and science.

Eligible expenses are:1. Tuition & fees at a Private School for Pre-K-12th grade2. Textbooks required by private school3. Educational therapies from a licensed or accredited provider4. Tutoring services from a nationally, regionally, or state accredited

provider5. Paraprofessional (aide) must have Associate degree OR 60+ college

credit hours OR pass 1 of 3 paraprofessional exams offered by the state.

6. Curriculum (home-schooling or supplemental instruction)

You now have an ESA debit cardWhat can ESA funds be spent on??

In order to receive the next funding; quarterly reports must be submitted

The reports must include:1. Expense Report Cover Sheet2. Receipt(s)3. Bank statements that shows debits

Receiving Next Disbursements

January 1-May 1, 2013 (3pm): Applications are available (may began submitting to the Department)

May 15th: should have received an Award Letter May 30th (3pm): last day to submit Letter of

Acceptance or Declining of Award June 15th: should have received your Contract Packet June 30th (3pm): Last day to submit your Agreement

Contract & Consent Form July 15th- July 30th: ESA debit cards should be arriving July 30th: No debit card has arrived please contact Karla

Timeline for ESA application/process Important Dates

Yahoo Parent Group (ESA Website under Hot Topics)

ESA Advisory Board ESA Website www.azed.gov/esa Karla Wescott 602-364-1969 or

karla.wescott@azed.gov ESA email esa@azed.gov

Resources

Questions?

Thank you ALL for your time & patience during this presentation

Thank you, Michele Fiorenza for inviting us!