How are school vouchers handled legally?
School vouchers are financial assistance issued by a government through a public school system to parents of eligible students. In Washington, school vouchers are legal under the Education Reform Act of 2017. This act allows parents to transfer their child from the public school system to a private school, and receive a voucher for tuition costs. The eligibility for school vouchers in Washington is based on income, residence, and student performance. To be eligible, students must come from a household with an income at or below 160% of the poverty line. Additionally, the student must reside in Washington and have demonstrated low academic performance in their current school. School vouchers must be used for tuition expenses for the private school to which the student is transferring. The state may issue up to $10,000.00 per student per year in tuition assistance, but parents are responsible for any additional tuition expenses. For schools accepting school vouchers, they must comply with regulations relating to curriculum, student assessments, and any other state or federal requirements. Private schools must also be deemed to be providing an education that is "substantially comparable" to other schools in the area. In Washington, school vouchers are regulated by the State Board of Education. They work with legislators to ensure that the Education Reform Act is working as it should and that students and schools are receiving the benefits of school vouchers.
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