2012 -- S 2860

=======

LC02276

=======

STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2012

____________

A N A C T

RELATING TO EDUCATION - FOUNDATION LEVEL SCHOOL SUPPORT

     Introduced By: Senators Cote, and Picard

     Date Introduced: April 10, 2012

     Referred To: Senate Finance

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

1-1

     SECTION 1. Section 16-7-22 of the General Laws in Chapter 16-7 entitled "Foundation

1-2

Level School Support" is hereby amended to read as follows:

1-3

     16-7-22. Determination of average daily membership. -- Each community shall be

1-4

paid pursuant to the provisions of section 16-7-17 an amount based upon the following

1-5

provisions:

1-6

     (1) On or before September 1 of each year the average daily membership of each city and

1-7

town for the reference year shall be determined by the commissioner of elementary and secondary

1-8

education from data supplied by the school committee in each community in the following

1-9

manner: The aggregate number of days of membership of all pupils enrolled full time in grade

1-10

twelve (12) and below, except that pupils below grade one who are not full time shall be counted

1-11

on a full time equivalent basis: (i) increased by the aggregate number of days of membership of

1-12

pupils residing in the particular city or town whose tuition in schools approved by the department

1-13

of elementary and secondary education in other cities and towns is paid by the particular city or

1-14

town; and (ii) decreased by the aggregate number of days of membership of nonresident pupils

1-15

enrolled in the public schools of the particular city or town and further decreased by the aggregate

1-16

number of days of membership equal to the number of group home beds calculated for the

1-17

purposes of reimbursement pursuant to section 14-64-1.1; and (iii) decreased further, in the case

1-18

of a city or town which is a member of a regional school district during the first year of operation

1-19

of the regional school district, by the aggregate number of days of membership of pupils residing

1-20

in the city or town who would have attended the public schools in the regional school district if

2-1

the regional school district had been operating during the previous year, divided by the number of

2-2

days during which the schools were officially in session during the reference year. The resulting

2-3

figures shall be the average daily membership for the city or town for the reference year. For

2-4

purposes of calculating the permanent foundation education aid as described in section 16-7.2-

2-5

3(1) and (2), the average daily membership for school districts shall exclude charter school and

2-6

state school students.

2-7

     (i) Provided, that notwithstanding the provisions of this section and of the definition of

2-8

“reference year” as set forth in section 16-7-16, in the event the city council of the city of

2-9

Woonsocket authorizes the institution of a full-day kindergarten program and notifies the general

2-10

assembly of such decision prior to the passage of the annual state budget legislation for the fiscal

2-11

year commencing July 1, 2012, the kindergarten students in the city of Woonsocket shall be

2-12

considered full-time equivalent students, and the reference year used to determine the average

2-13

daily membership for the city of Woonsocket shall be moved forward one year and projected into

2-14

the fiscal year for which the appropriation is to begin. It is the intent of this section to provide

2-15

immediate funding for full-day kindergarten in the city of Woonsocket commencing with the

2-16

fiscal year in which the full-day kindergarten commences. In the event the city of Woonsocket so

2-17

decides to institute full-day kindergarten, the number of kindergarten students used in calculating

2-18

the total average daily membership for the city of Woonsocket shall be determined by the number

2-19

of students registered for kindergarten with the Woonsocket school department on or before June

2-20

1, 2012. The provisions of this paragraph shall not alter the method of determining the average

2-21

daily membership for all other students in the city of Woonsocket.

2-22

     (2) The average daily membership of pupils attending public schools shall apply for the

2-23

purposes of determining the percentage of the state's share under the provisions of sections 16-7-

2-24

16(3), 16-7-16(10), 16-7-18, 16-7-19, 16-7-20, 16-7-21 and 16-7.2-4.

2-25

     (3) In the case of regional school districts, the aggregate number of days of membership

2-26

by which each city or town is decreased in subdivision (1)(iii) of this section divided by the

2-27

number of days during which the schools attended by the pupils were officially in session shall

2-28

determine the average daily membership for the regional school district during the first year of

2-29

operation. After the first year of operation, the average daily membership of each regional school

2-30

district, except the Chariho regional high school district, shall be determined by the commissioner

2-31

of elementary and secondary education from data supplied by the school committee of each

2-32

regional school district for the reference year in the manner provided in subdivision (1) of this

2-33

section.

3-34

     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

=======

LC02276

=======

EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N A C T

RELATING TO EDUCATION - FOUNDATION LEVEL SCHOOL SUPPORT

***

4-1

     This act would provide for accelerated education aid funding to the city of Woonsocket in

4-2

the event the Woonsocket city council makes a determination to institute full-day kindergarten

4-3

and notifies the general assembly of that determination prior to passage of the budget for the

4-4

fiscal year commencing July 1, 2012.

4-5

     This act would take effect upon passage.

=======

LC02276

=======