The bill seeks to amend the "The Education Equity and Property Tax Relief Act" by providing state funding for various educational programs and expenses. It defines "extraordinary" special education costs as those exceeding four times the core foundation amount and requires proration of funds if approved costs surpass the appropriated amount. The bill also addresses funding for career and technical education, pre-kindergarten, specific educational funds, transportation costs, and a regionalization bonus. It increases state support for English learners by applying a fifteen percent factor to the per-pupil amount and mandates that funds be used for high-quality services in accordance with the commissioner's guidelines. The amendment includes unspecified deletions and insertions to the existing law.

Furthermore, the bill introduces a requirement for public schools to employ at least one full-time social worker for every 250 students, defining the qualifications for such a social worker. To support this initiative, the general assembly is to appropriate an additional $2,000,000 for the fiscal year 2025 to help school districts or municipalities hire additional social workers. The bill is designed to take effect immediately upon passage, indicating the urgency of its implementation.

Statutes affected:
7545: 16-7.2-6