Sec. 1. (a) After June 30, 2023, a parent of a career scholarship student or an emancipated career scholarship student may establish a career scholarship account for the career scholarship student by entering into a written agreement with the treasurer of state on a form prepared by the treasurer of state. An application to establish a CSA account, or an application to participate in the CSA program with an ESA account, must be submitted not later than October 1 for the school year. Subject to subsection (f), the CSA account of a career scholarship student must be made in the name of the career scholarship student. The treasurer of state shall make the agreement available on the website of the treasurer of state.

     (b) To be eligible to participate in the CSA program, a parent of a career scholarship student or an emancipated career scholarship student must agree that:

(1) a grant deposited in the career scholarship student’s CSA account under section 3 of this chapter and any interest that may accrue in the CSA account will be used only for the CSA qualified expenses;

(2) money in the CSA account when the CSA account is terminated reverts to the state general fund; and

(3) the parent of the career scholarship student or the emancipated career scholarship student will use the money in the CSA account for the career scholarship student to attend one (1) or more of the sequences, courses, apprenticeships, or programs of study designated and approved under section 6(a) of this chapter.

     (c) A parent of a career scholarship student may enter into a separate agreement under subsection (a) for each child of the parent. However, not more than one (1) CSA account may be established for each career scholarship student.

     (d) Except as provided under subsection (f), a CSA account must be established under subsection (a) by a parent of a career scholarship student or an emancipated career scholarship student for a school year not later than thirty (30) days after the date that the treasurer of state approves an application submitted under subsection (a).

     (e) Except as provided in section 2 of this chapter, an agreement made under this section is valid for one (1) school year while the career scholarship student is in grades 10 through 12 and may be renewed annually. Upon graduation, or receipt of:

(1) a certificate of completion under the career scholarship student’s individualized education program; or

(2) an Indiana high school equivalency diploma under IC 22-4.1-18;

the career scholarship student’s CSA account is terminated.

     (f) If:

(1) a parent of a career scholarship student or an emancipated career scholarship student enters into a written agreement with the treasurer of state on a form under subsection (a); and

(2) the career scholarship student participates in the ESA program under this article;

the parent or emancipated career scholarship student must participate in the CSA program using the student’s ESA account instead of establishing a CSA account. However, if the student ceases to participate in the ESA program, the parent of the student or the emancipated student must establish a CSA account to participate in the CSA program.

As added by P.L.202-2023, SEC.62. Amended by P.L.127-2024, SEC.6.