The bill amends the Public School Funding Act of 2003 to adjust funding amounts for public schools in Arkansas, particularly in light of the LEARNS Act, which established a minimum salary for teachers. The General Assembly finds it essential to provide suitable and efficient public education, and the bill outlines specific funding increases for the 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 school years. Notably, the foundation funding amount per student will increase from $7,618 to $8,162 for the 2025-2026 school year, and from $7,771 to $8,037 for the 2026-2027 school year. Additionally, the bill includes provisions for employer contributions to the state-sponsored insurance program, which will be deducted from the foundation funding amount starting in the 2026-2027 school year.

The bill also revises funding for alternative learning environments, English learners, and Enhanced Student Achievement funding, with increases in per-student funding amounts. For instance, alternative learning environment funding will rise from $4,987 to $5,212 for the 2025-2026 school year, and funding for English learners will increase from $366 to $375 per student. Furthermore, the bill aims to phase out teacher salary equalization funding while ensuring that the average teacher salary remains competitive. The statewide target average annual salary for teachers is set at $51,822 for the 2025-2026 school year, with a gradual decrease in equalization funding over the following years.

Statutes affected:
Old version HB1312 V2 - 4-7-2025 11:00 AM: 6-20-2305(a), 6-20-2305(b)
Old version HB1312 V3 - 4-9-2025 10:50 AM: 6-20-2305(a), 6-20-2305(b)
Old version HB1312 Original - 1-29-2025 02:58 PM: 6-20-2305(a), 6-20-2305(b)
HB 1312: 6-20-2305(a), 6-20-2305(b)
Act 909: 6-20-2305(a), 6-20-2305(b)