scholarships; requirements; foster care students

This bill amends Arizona laws to tighten rules for private school scholarships funded by corporate donations and taxpayer contributions, specifically targeting how funds are distributed to low-income students. It requires that at least 90% of such contributions be used for scholarships awarded only to children from families earning less than 185% of the income limit for reduced-price school lunches, with specific provisions to include foster care students who cannot attend public schools due to behavioral or medical needs. The legislation also mandates that scholarship amounts be capped at $5,600 for younger students and $7,500 for high schoolers, with these limits increasing by $200 annually, while requiring organizations to publicly report how many scholarships go to low-income families. Additionally, the bill prohibits organizations from awarding scholarships based solely on donor recommendations and restricts students from receiving these funds while simultaneously enrolled in public or charter schools. Ultimately, the bill aims to ensure that tax-advantaged educational funds primarily benefit economically disadvantaged students attending private schools of their parents' choice.