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 includes a core instruction amount based on regional expenditure data and a student success factor to support high-need students, with a focus on those at or below 185% of federal poverty guidelines. The bill introduces a new method for determining the number of students in poverty, shifting from reliance on school nutrition programs to the use of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) data, with a multiplier of 1.6 applied to the number of students directly certified through SNAP. The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education is tasked with developing a poverty measure, updating the core-instruction amount annually, and providing estimates of foundation education aid costs. Local education agencies are allowed to allocate funds for expanded learning opportunities, provided that basic education and other approved programs are funded.

The bill also requires the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to evaluate the number of multilingual learner students and recommend funding solutions by October 1, 2023, and to develop alternatives for identifying students in poverty through state-administered programs by October 1, 2024. Additionally, the department must report on local contributions to education aid and compliance with relevant sections. A new insertion mandates the department to review the student success factor of 40% to ensure it meets instructional needs and report findings by October 1, 2024. The act will take effect upon passage.

Statutes affected:
7908: 16-7.2-3