(1) "Department" means the South Carolina Department of Education.

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(2) "Education Scholarship Trust Fund", "ESTF", or "fund" means the individual account that is administered by the department to which funds are allocated to the parent of an eligible student to pay for qualifying expenses.

(3) "Eligible school" means a South Carolina public school or an independent school that chooses to participate in the program. "Eligible school" does not include a charter school.

(4) "Eligible student" means a student who:

(a) is a resident of this State;

(b)(i) attended a public school in this State during the previous school year;

(ii) had not yet attained the age of five on or before September first of the previous school year but who has attained the age of five on or before September of the current school year; or

(iii) received a scholarship pursuant to this chapter for the previous school year; and

(c)(i) in school year 2024-2025, has a household income that does not exceed two hundred percent of the federal poverty guidelines;

(ii) in school year 2025-2026, has a household income that does not exceed three hundred percent of the federal poverty guidelines; and

(iii) in school year 2026-2027 and all subsequent years, has a household income that does not exceed four hundred percent of the federal poverty guidelines.

"Eligible student" does not include students participating in the Educational Credit for Exceptional Needs Children’s Fund program, as provided in § 12-6-3790.

(5) "IDEA" means the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act found in 20 U.S.C. § 1400, et seq.

(6) "Parent" means a resident of this State who is the natural or adoptive parent, legal guardian, custodian, or other person with legal authority to act on behalf of an eligible student.

(7) "Education service provider" means a person or organization approved by the department that receives payments from ESTF to provide educational goods and services to scholarship students.

(8) "Program" means the ESTF program created by this chapter.

(9) "Resident school district" means the public school district in which the student is domiciled.

(10) "Scholarship" means education funding allocated from an account established pursuant to this chapter.

(11) "Scholarship student" means an eligible student who is participating in the Education Scholarship Trust Fund program.

(12) "Substantial misuse" means wilfully and knowingly receiving or spending any portion of a scholarship for any purpose other than a qualifying expense.

(13) "Qualifying expense" means:

(a) tuition and fees of an education service provider;

(b) textbooks, curriculum, or other instructional materials including, but not limited to, any supplemental materials or associated online instruction required by either a curriculum or an education service provider;

(c) tutoring services approved by the department;

(d) computer hardware or other technological devices that are used primarily for a scholarship student’s educational needs and approved by the department or a licensed physician;

(e) tuition and fees for an approved nonpublic online education service provider or course;

(f) fees for approved:

(1) national norm-referenced examinations, advanced placement examinations, or similar assessments;

(2) industry certification exams; or

(3) examinations related to college or university admission;

(g) educational services for pupils with disabilities from a licensed or accredited practitioner or provider including, but not limited to, occupational, behavioral, physical, and speech-language therapies;

(h) approved contracted services from a public school district, including individual classes, after school tutoring services, transportation, or fees or costs associated with participation in extracurricular activities;

(i) contracted teaching services and education classes approved by the department;

(j) fees for transportation paid to a fee-for-service transportation provider for the scholarship student to travel to and from an eligible provider as defined in this section, but not to exceed seven hundred fifty dollars for each school year;

(k) fees for ESTF account management by private financial management firms approved by the department; or

(l) any other educational expense approved by the department.