Stricken language would be deleted from and underlined language would be added to present law.
1 State of Arkansas
2 94th General Assembly A Bill
3 Regular Session, 2023 HOUSE BILL 1773
4
5 By: Representative L. Johnson
6
7 For An Act To Be Entitled
8 AN ACT TO AMEND THE PUBLIC SCHOOL FUNDING ACT OF
9 2003; TO AMEND THE LAW TO INCLUDE ADDITIONAL
10 QUALIFICATIONS FOR PURPOSES OF RECEIVING TEACHER
11 SALARY EQUALIZATION FUNDING; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.
12
13
14 Subtitle
15 TO AMEND THE PUBLIC SCHOOL FUNDING ACT OF
16 2003; AND TO AMEND THE LAW TO INCLUDE
17 ADDITIONAL QUALIFICATIONS FOR PURPOSES OF
18 RECEIVING TEACHER SALARY EQUALIZATION
19 FUNDING.
20
21
22 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS:
23
24 SECTION 1. Arkansas Code § 6-20-2305(b)(6), concerning teacher salary
25 equalization funding under the Public School Funding Act of 2003, is amended
26 to read as follows:
27 (6)(A)(i) Beginning with the 2021-2022 2023-2024 school year,
28 for the following school districts identified by the Division of Elementary
29 and Secondary Education as having an average annual teacher salary below the
30 statewide target average annual salary, shall qualify for teacher salary
31 equalization funding shall be in an amount equal to one hundred eighty-five
32 dollars ($185) multiplied by the average daily membership of the school
33 district for the previous school year:
34 (a) School districts identified by the
35 Division of Elementary and Secondary Education as having an average annual
36 teacher salary below the statewide target average annual salary; and
*TNL424* 3/29/2023 11:59:19 AM TNL424
HB1773
1 (b) School districts that utilize an amount of
2 state funds equal to one hundred percent (100%) or more of the amount
3 allocated for teacher salaries, according to the most recent adequacy funding
4 matrix recommended by the Senate Committee on Education and the House
5 Committee on Education for the previous school year, for salaries for
6 teachers employed by the school districts.
7 (ii) For the 2021-2022 2023-2024 and 2022-2023 2024-
8 2025 school years, the statewide target average annual salary shall be fifty-
9 one thousand eight hundred twenty-two dollars ($51,822).
10 (iii) The House Committee on Education and the
11 Senate Committee on Education shall set jointly the statewide target average
12 annual salary for the 2023-2024 2025-2026 and 2024-2025 2026-2027 school
13 years, and each biennium thereafter, as part of the adequacy review process
14 required under § 10-3-2102.
15 (B)(i) On or before October 31 of each year, the Division
16 of Elementary and Secondary Education shall determine if a school district is
17 eligible to receive teacher salary equalization funds by reviewing certified
18 salary data submitted by the school district for the immediately preceding
19 fiscal year.
20 (ii) A school district with an average annual
21 teacher salary meeting or exceeding the statewide target average annual
22 teacher salary for the year that qualifies for teacher salary equalization
23 funds under subdivision (b)(6)(A)(i) of this section is ineligible to receive
24 teacher salary equalization funds exceeding the amount received by the school
25 district in the previous year.
26 (iii) A school district that receives funds from the
27 Educator Compensation Reform Fund is ineligible to receive teacher salary
28 equalization funds for the year in which the school district receives funds
29 from the Educator Compensation Reform Fund.
30 (iv) A school district shall continue to receive
31 teacher salary equalization funds in the same amount as the preceding fiscal
32 year in addition to the amount eligible for the current fiscal year.
33 (C) Teacher salary equalization funding provided to a
34 school district under this subchapter shall be expended only for teacher
35 salaries and benefits.
36
2 3/29/2023 11:59:19 AM TNL424
Statutes affected: HB 1773: 6-20-2305(b)