(A) Only for the purpose of administering the autism scholarship program, the department of education may request from any of the following entities the data verification code assigned under division (D)(2) of section 3301.0714 of the Revised Code to any child who is seeking a scholarship under the program:

(1) The school district in which the child is entitled to attend school;

(2) If applicable, the community school in which the child is enrolled;

(3) The independent contractor engaged to create and maintain data verification codes.

(B) Upon a request by the department under division (A) of this section for the data verification code of a child seeking a scholarship or a request by the child's parent for that code, the school district or community school shall submit that code to the department or parent in the manner specified by the department. If the child has not been assigned a code, because the child will be entering preschool or kindergarten during the school year for which the scholarship is sought, the district shall assign a code to that child and submit the code to the department or parent by a date specified by the department. If the district does not assign a code to the child by the specified date, the department shall assign a code to the child. The department annually shall submit to each school district the name and data verification code of each child residing in the district who is entering preschool or kindergarten, who has been awarded a scholarship under the program, and for whom the department has assigned a code under this division.

(C) The department shall not release any data verification code that it receives under this section to any person except as provided by law.

(D) Any document relative to the autism scholarship program that the department holds in its files that contains both a child's name or other personally identifiable information and the child's data verification code shall not be a public record under section 149.43 of the Revised Code.

Effective Date: 2008 HB562 09-22-2008.