The bill proposes amendments to "The Education Equity and Property Tax Relief Act," specifically targeting the provision of direct state funding for educational programs and expenses. It introduces funding for special education students with "extraordinary" costs, career and technical education, pre-kindergarten access, and the establishment of the Central Falls, Davies, and the Met Center Stabilization Fund. Additionally, it provides for state funding for transportation costs to out-of-district non-public schools and within regional school districts. The bill also includes a regionalization bonus for public school districts that regionalize, with a two percent bonus in the first fiscal year and a one percent bonus in the second fiscal year, ending in the third fiscal year. Furthermore, it enhances support for English learners by applying a fifteen percent EL factor to the core-instruction per-pupil amount, with funds to be used in accordance with department criteria.
The legislation also introduces a new funding category for civics education, establishing a fund to support civics instruction in every district based on various needs. The allocated funds are intended for professional development, curriculum development, technical assistance for student-led civic projects, partnerships with community organizations, and evaluation of civic learning. The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education will oversee and assess the fund's effectiveness. The bill is set to take effect on July 1, 2024. There are no specific
or tags provided in the text, so the exact changes to the current law are not detailed in this summary.Statutes affected:
2321: 16-7.2-6