The bill introduces an amendment to Chapter 45-53 of the General Laws, linking a community's eligibility for permanent foundation education aid to its achievement in providing low- and moderate-income housing. From January 1, 2025, communities will have five years to ensure that 10% of their year-round housing units, or 15% in certain urban areas, are designated as low- and moderate-income housing. Communities that exceed these targets will receive additional education aid proportional to their achievement. The statewide planning program is responsible for annually certifying each municipality's compliance to the general assembly.

Furthermore, the bill amends Section 16-7.2-3 of the General Laws, establishing the permanent foundation education aid formula, which includes a core instruction amount and additional support for high-need students, starting in the 2012 fiscal year. The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education is charged with implementing regulations for this chapter. The bill also requires the department to evaluate and recommend funding for multilingual learner (MLL) students by the 2025 fiscal year and to develop methods for identifying students below 185% of the federal poverty guideline by October 1, 2024. The bill includes an insertion that specifies the application of § 45-53-16 regarding education aid and housing goals after the annual calculation of education aid. The act will become effective on January 1, 2025. There are no deletions mentioned in the provided text.

Statutes affected:
7921: 16-7.2-3