The bill proposes amendments to "The Education Equity and Property Tax Relief Act," focusing on direct state funding for various educational expenses. It defines "extraordinary" special education costs as those exceeding five times the core foundation amount and tasks the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education with prorating funds if necessary and collecting data on costs. The bill also covers funding for career and technical education, pre-kindergarten programs, transportation costs, and additional support for English learners, applying a ten percent factor to the core-instruction per-pupil amount. The department is responsible for prorating funds if approved costs exceed appropriations and for recommending criteria for fund allocation. The bill includes insertions for clarity, such as the term "(department)," and deletions, though specific deletions are not detailed in the summary provided.

Additionally, the bill outlines state support for school-based mental and behavioral health services, offering direct state funding to local education agencies for hiring and retaining certified professionals, with reimbursement for half the cost of salaries and benefits. It sets ratios of professionals to students and prohibits LEAs from receiving reimbursements if they replace existing positions with new ones. The bill mandates annual reporting by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education on the employment of mental or behavioral health professionals. It also addresses state support for school resource officers, performance reporting by districts, and the approval process for fund use. The bill is set to take effect upon passage.

Statutes affected:
64: 16-7.2-6