The bill introduces a new section to the Public School Finance Act that establishes a method for calculating career technical education program units. Specifically, it states that the number of these units will be determined by multiplying the Membership Enrollment in Management (MEM) for department-approved career technical education programs by a cost differential factor of 0.25. This addition aims to enhance the funding structure for career technical education within public schools.

Additionally, the bill amends Section 22-8-18 of the Public School Finance Act to include career technical education as a new item in the program cost calculation. The amendment removes the previous limit of program units from (1) to (15) and expands it to (16), thereby incorporating career technical education into the total program units used for computing program costs. This change reflects a commitment to recognizing and funding career technical education alongside other educational programs, ensuring that local school boards can prioritize resources effectively to meet community needs.

Statutes affected:
introduced version: 22-8-18