Rhode Island 2023 Regular Session

Rhode Island House Bill H6113 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

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5	5	2023 -- H 6113
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7	7	LC002196
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9	9	S TATE OF RHODE IS LAND
10	10	IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
11	11	JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2023
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13	13
14	14	A N A C T
15	15	RELATING TO EDUCATION -- THE EDUCATION EQUITY AND PROPERTY TAX
16	16	RELIEF ACT
17	17	Introduced By: Representatives Shanley, Donovan, Solomon, and Caldwell
18	18	Date Introduced: March 03, 2023
19	19	Referred To: House Finance
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22	22	It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
23	23	SECTION 1. Section 16-7.2-3 of the General Laws in Chapter 16-7.2 entitled "The 1
24	24	Education Equity and Property Tax Relief Act" is hereby amended to read as follows: 2
25	25	16-7.2-3. Permanent foundation education aid established. 3
26	26	(a) Beginning in the 2012 fiscal year, the following foundation education-aid formula shall 4
27	27	take effect. The foundation education aid for each district shall be the sum of the core instruction 5
28	28	amount in subdivision (a)(1) and the amount to support high-need students in subdivision (a)(2), 6
29	29	which shall be multiplied by the district state-share ratio calculated pursuant to § 16-7.2-4 to 7
30	30	determine the foundation aid. 8
31	31	(1) The core-instruction amount shall be an amount equal to a statewide, per-pupil core-9
32	32	instruction amount as established by the department of elementary and secondary education, 10
33	33	derived from the average of northeast regional expenditure data for the states of Rhode Island, 11
34	34	Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New Hampshire from the National Center for Education Statistics 12
35	35	(NCES) that will adequately fund the student instructional needs as described in the basic education 13
36	36	program and multiplied by the district average daily membership as defined in § 16-7-22. 14
37	37	Expenditure data in the following categories: instruction and support services for students, 15
38	38	instruction, general administration, school administration, and other support services from the 16
39	39	National Public Education Financial Survey, as published by NCES, and enrollment data from the 17
40	40	Common Core of Data, also published by NCES, will be used when determining the core-18
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43	43	LC002196 - Page 2 of 4
44	44	instruction amount. The core-instruction amount will be updated annually. For the purpose of 1
45	45	calculating this formula, school districts’ resident average daily membership shall exclude charter 2
46	46	school and state-operated school students. 3
47	47	(2) The amount to support high-need students beyond the core-instruction amount shall be 4
48	48	determined by multiplying a student success factor of forty percent (40%) by the core instruction 5
49	49	per-pupil amount described in subdivision (a)(1) and applying that amount for each resident child 6
50	50	whose family income is at or below one hundred eighty-five percent (185%) of federal poverty 7
51	51	guidelines, hereinafter referred to as “poverty status.” By October 1, 2022, as part of its budget 8
52	52	submission pursuant to § 35-3-4 relative to state fiscal year 2024 and thereafter, the department of 9
53	53	elementary and secondary education shall develop and utilize a poverty measure that in the 10
54	54	department’s assessment most accurately serves as a proxy for the poverty status referenced in this 11
55	55	subsection and does not rely on the administration of school nutrition programs. The department 12
56	56	shall utilize this measure in calculations pursuant to this subsection related to the application of the 13
57	57	student success factor, in calculations pursuant to § 16-7.2-4 related to the calculation of the state 14
58	58	share ratio, and in the formulation of estimates pursuant to subsection (b) below. The department 15
59	59	may also include any recommendations which seek to mitigate any disruptions associated with the 16
60	60	implementation of this new poverty measure or improve the accuracy of its calculation. Provided, 17
61	61	effective July 1, 2023, excess costs associated with special education students shall also be included 18
62	62	in calculating direct state aid funding provided to school districts as part of the permanent 19
63	63	foundation education-aid program. As used herein, the term “excess costs associated with special 20
64	64	education students” includes both expenses deemed to be “extraordinary” pursuant to §16-7.2-6(a), 21
65	65	as well as the additional costs incurred by a school district to educate a student determined to have 22
66	66	a mild to moderate intellectual disability which costs are above the cost to educate a student who 23
67	67	is not identified with a mild to moderate intellectual disability. 24
68	68	(b) The department of elementary and secondary education shall provide an estimate of the 25
69	69	foundation education aid cost as part of its budget submission pursuant to § 35-3-4. The estimate 26
70	70	shall include the most recent data available as well as an adjustment for average daily membership 27
71	71	growth or decline based on the prior year experience. 28
72	72	(c) In addition, the department shall report updated figures based on the average daily 29
73	73	membership as of October 1 by December 1. 30
74	74	(d) Local education agencies may set aside a portion of funds received under subsection 31
75	75	(a) to expand learning opportunities such as after school and summer programs, full-day 32
76	76	kindergarten and/or multiple pathway programs, provided that the basic education program and all 33
77	77	other approved programs required in law are funded. 34
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81	81	(e) The department of elementary and secondary education shall promulgate such 1
82	82	regulations as are necessary to implement fully the purposes of this chapter. 2
83	83	SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. 3
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90	90	EXPLANATION
91	91	BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
92	92	OF
93	93	A N A C T
94	94	RELATING TO EDUCATION -- THE EDUCATION EQUITY AND PROPERTY TAX
95	95	RELIEF ACT
96	96	***
97	97	This act would include the costs of educating students with intellectual disabilities in 1
98	98	calculating direct state aid funding from the permanent foundation education-aid program. 2
99	99	This act would take effect upon passage. 3
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