The bill amends Section 16-7.2-3 of the General Laws under "The Education Equity and Property Tax Relief Act" to establish a permanent foundation education aid formula. This formula will calculate foundation education aid for each district based on a core instruction amount and additional support for high-need students. The core instruction amount will be derived from regional expenditure data and updated annually, while the support for high-need students will include a student success factor of 40% for those from families at or below 185% of federal poverty guidelines and a multilingual learner (MLL) factor of 20%. Notably, the bill introduces new provisions that will take effect on July 1, 2025, which will increase the student success factor for both MLL students and those from low-income families to 25%.

Additionally, the bill mandates that local education agencies report annually on the use of funds for MLL students and requires the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to evaluate and report on the number of MLL students and their funding needs. The department is also tasked with developing alternatives for identifying low-income students through state-administered programs and ensuring compliance with local contributions to education aid. The act is set to take effect upon passage, aiming to enhance educational equity and support for high-need students in the state.

Statutes affected:
5398: 16-7.2-3