The bill stipulates that beginning in fiscal year 2024, eligible counties—defined as those with a population density of less than 100 and a full-time equivalent student enrollment of fewer than 2,000—will benefit from this mandated funding. The calculation for the funding will multiply the full-time equivalent enrollment by a per pupil amount that increases gradually over the next several years. Thus, it is designed to provide increasing financial support to those counties over time, recognizing the unique challenges they face.
Summary
House Bill 1240 focuses on enhancing the funding for education in counties with low population density and low student enrollment. The bill mandates that the Governor include in the annual budget an appropriation based on a low-density calculation, which takes into account the county's population density and full-time equivalent student enrollment numbers. This initiative aims to address funding disparities that affect rural and less populated counties, ensuring that they receive adequate financial resources to support their educational systems.
Contention
Although the bill is primarily aimed at assisting rural counties, it might face scrutiny regarding the adequacy of the proposed funding levels and the methods used in the low-density calculation. Critics may argue that it does not fully address the diverse needs of all educational settings or that the growing per pupil amounts may not be sufficient to cover the actual costs faced by institutions in these regions. Furthermore, there could be discussions around the effectiveness of the funding distribution and whether it truly compensates for the disadvantages experienced by low-density, rural educational environments.
School funding; State Aid; calculation; increasing percentages of allowable general fund carryover; weighted calculations; effective date; conditional effect.