The bill amends Section 16-7.2-3 of the General Laws in Chapter 16-7.2 entitled "The Education Equity and Property Tax Relief Act" to establish a permanent foundation education aid formula. The formula consists of a core instruction amount based on regional expenditure data and a student success factor to support high-need students. The bill increases the student success factor from 40% to 45% of the core instruction per-pupil amount for each child whose family income is at or below 185% of federal poverty guidelines. Additionally, the bill introduces a new provision that, in local education agencies where over 45% of resident children are classified as "poverty status," the student success factor will be 50%. The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education is tasked with developing a poverty measure that does not rely on school nutrition programs and to use this measure in calculations related to the application of the student success factor and the state share ratio.

The bill also outlines the responsibilities of the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, including providing estimates of foundation education aid costs, reporting updated figures based on average daily membership, and promulgating necessary regulations. It allows local education agencies to set aside funds for expanded learning opportunities, provided that basic education and other approved programs are funded. The department is also required to evaluate the number of multilingual learner students and recommend funding solutions to meet their needs. The bill mandates the development of alternatives to identify students from low-income families through state-administered programs and requires annual reporting on local contributions to education aid. The act would take effect upon passage.

Statutes affected:
2357: 16-7.2-3