Bill

SF 485

A bill for an act establishing requirements related to nonpublic schools that receive tuition payments from parents or guardians whose students are participating in the education savings account program.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Liz Bennett and 15 co-sponsors

Requires nonpublic schools receiving ESA funds to meet district-level standards for accountability, reporting, accreditation, and teacher qualifications.

Subcommittee: Rozenboom, Kraayenbrink, and Quirmbach.

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Bill Summary · SF 485

Summary of Bill SF 485

Overview

SF 485 establishes additional accountability and compliance requirements for nonpublic schools that receive tuition payments through the Education Savings Account (ESA) program, specifically for students whose families participate in the ESA program. The bill modifies what constitutes “qualified educational expenses” to include obligations for nonpublic schools to meet district-level standards. It aims to align nonpublic schools receiving ESA funds with public school standards in areas such as reporting, accreditation, and teacher qualifications.

Key Provisions

Definition of qualified educational expenses (ESA program)
- The bill modifies the definition to require nonpublic schools accepting ESA payments to meet several district-level requirements.
- Specifically, nonpublic schools must comply with:
- Accountability and transparency requirements applicable to boards of directors of school districts.
- Data reporting requirements applicable to school districts.
- Accreditation standards applicable to school districts.
- Teacher employment and teacher licensing requirements applicable to school districts.
Compliance requirements for nonpublic schools
- The nonpublic school must adhere to the same standards as public districts in the areas listed above (accountability, reporting, accreditation, and teacher qualifications).
Technical/interpretive provisions
- The bill strikes a provision within Code section 257.11B that prohibits certain construction or interpretation of that code section, related to the ESA framework. (Exact language omitted in the summary material, but indicates a closing of a potential interpretive barrier.)

Who Is Affected

Primary beneficiaries/participants:
- Families with students participating in the Education Savings Account program.
- Nonpublic schools that receive ESA funds for tuition or related qualified expenses.
Secondary affected parties:
- School district boards and district-level reporting/accreditation frameworks serve as the model for the new requirements.
- Public education oversight entities (e.g., the Department of Education) that administer accreditation and data reporting standards.

Procedural and Timeline Details

Introduced: March 3, 2025.
Subcommittee: Rozenboom, Kraayenbrink, and Quirmbach.
Legislative actions:
- 2025-03-03: Introduced and referred to Education.
- 2025-03-04: Subcommittee assigned (as above).
Status: In subcommittee stage; no final floor action reported yet.

Potential Impact

Increased regulatory alignment: Nonpublic schools with ESA funding would be governed by the same district-level standards as public schools in key areas, potentially improving transparency, accountability, and teacher qualifications.
Administrative burden: Nonpublic schools may incur additional reporting, accreditation, and staffing requirements consistent with public districts.
Clarity for families: Families using ESA funds would benefit from standardized expectations across participating schools.

This summary reflects the introduced text and current subcommittee status. If enacted, the bill could significantly increase oversight of nonpublic schools participating in the ESA program.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.