Committee approves State Board rule changes on Opportunity Scholarship and facilities reporting

The House Committee on Education approved two rule dockets from the State Board of Education that align administrative rules with statutes the Legislature previously passed.

Matthew Reiber, strategy and planning officer for the State Board of Education, told the committee docket 08-0113-2401 updates rules governing the Opportunity Scholarship to reflect changes made in last year’s legislation. The committee approved that docket by voice vote.

Reiber also presented docket 08-0201-2401, which modifies rules governing administration and school data reporting. Reiber said the change clarifies that student counts for facility-related funding are limited to students physically in attendance on campus — language intended to implement a facilities bill the Legislature passed last year. Staff confirmed there is a temporary rule in place that mirrors the permanent rule language while the permanent rule is considered.

Representative Mathias moved to approve the rule dockets; the committee adopted the rules by voice votes.

Committee members thanked State Board staff for using temporary rule authority to implement legislation in a timely fashion. No contested roll-call votes were recorded for these rule actions in committee.