Existing law declares that “the proper objective of state financial aid to public education is to ensure each Nevada child a reasonably equal educational opportunity” and establishes the Nevada Plan as a formula for distribution of state financial aid to the public schools in this State to accomplish that objective. (NRS 387.121) As part of the Nevada Plan, the Legislature establishes, during each legislative session and for each school year of the biennium, an estimated statewide average basic support guarantee per pupil. (NRS 387.122) This is the per pupil amount that is “guaranteed” on a statewide basis through a combination of state money and certain local revenues, supplemented by other local revenues which are not “guaranteed” by the State. The basic support guarantee for each school district is computed by multiplying the basic support guarantee per pupil that is established by law for the school district for each school year by pupil enrollment. (NRS 387.121-387.1223) In addition to the basic support guarantee per pupil, state financial aid to public education is provided through various programs, commonly known as “categorical funding,” that target specific purposes or populations of pupils for additional support. Such programs include, without limitation, the Account for the New Nevada Education Funding Plan, Zoom schools and Victory schools. (NRS 387.129-387.139; sections 1 and 2 of chapter 554, Statutes of Nevada 2019, at page 3460)
Beginning with the 2021-2023 biennium, existing law replaces the Nevada Plan with the Pupil-Centered Funding Plan, which combines money raised pursuant to state law at the local level with state money to provide a certain basic level of support to each pupil in this State which is adjusted: (1) to account for variation in the local costs to provide a reasonably equal educational opportunity to pupils; and (2) for the costs of providing a reasonably equal educational opportunity to pupils with certain additional educational needs. (NRS 387.1212-387.1216, 387.12455-387.12468; chapter 624, Statutes of Nevada 2019, at page 4193)
Section 1 of this bill creates the Enhanced Classroom Funding Account in the State General Fund and requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction to administer the account. Section 1 requires money in the account to be distributed proportionally to school districts and charter schools and used only for the purposes of: (1) increasing the compensation for teachers employed in public schools; and (2) acquiring, renovating or otherwise providing additional classroom space for the purpose of reducing class sizes. Section 1 further prohibits money from the Account from being used to supplant existing funding for such purposes.
Section 2 of this bill makes an appropriation of $1,000,000,000 from the State General Fund to the Account.