2013 -- S 0180

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LC00949

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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2013

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A N A C T

RELATING TO EDUCATION - THE EDUCATION EQUITY AND PROPERTY TAX RELIEF

ACT

     Introduced By: Senator Roger Picard

     Date Introduced: February 06, 2013

     Referred To: Senate Finance

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Sections 16-7.2-3 and 16-7.2-4 of the General Laws in Chapter 16-7.2

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entitled "The Education Equity and Property Tax Relief Act" are hereby amended to read as

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follows:

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     16-7.2-3. Permanent foundation education aid established. -- (a) Beginning in the

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2012 fiscal year, the following foundation education aid formula shall take effect. The foundation

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education aid for each district shall be the sum of the core instruction amount in (a)(1), and the

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amount to support high need students in (a)(2), and the amount to support school districts in

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(a)(3), which shall be multiplied by the district state share ratio calculated pursuant to section 16-

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7.2-4 to determine the foundation aid.

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      (1) The core instruction amount shall be an amount equal to a statewide per pupil core

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instruction amount as established by the department of elementary and secondary education,

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derived from the average of northeast regional expenditure data for the states of Rhode Island,

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Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New Hampshire from the National Center for Education

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Statistics (NCES) that will adequately fund the student instructional needs as described in the

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basic education program and multiplied by the district average daily membership as defined in

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section 16-7-22. Expenditure data in the following categories: instruction and support services for

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students, instruction, general administration, school administration and other support services

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from the National Public Education Financial Survey as published by NCES and enrollment data

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from the Common Core of Data also published by NCES will be used when determining the core

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instruction amount. The core instruction amount will be updated annually. For the purpose of

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calculating this formula, school districts' resident average daily membership shall exclude charter

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school and state-operated school students.

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      (2) The amount to support high need students beyond the core instruction amount shall

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be determined by multiplying a student success factor of forty percent (40%) by the core

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instruction per pupil amount described in section 16-7.2-3(1) and applying that amount to all

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resident children eligible for USDA reimbursable school meals.

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     (3) The amount to support school districts with students residing in housing taxed in

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accordance with section 44-5-13.11 shall be determined by multiplying a housing factor of forty

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percent (40%) by the core instruction per pupil amount described in subsection 16-7.2-3(1) and

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applying that amount to all resident children residing in housing taxed in accordance with section

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44-5-13.11.

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      (b) LEAs may set aside a portion of funds received under subsection (a) to expand

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learning opportunities such as after school and summer programs, full day kindergarten and/or

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multiple pathway programs provided that the basic education program and all other approved

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programs required in law are funded.

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     16-7.2-4. Determination of state's share. -- For each district, the state's share of the

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foundation education aid calculated pursuant to section 16-7.2-3(a) shall use a calculation that

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considers a district's revenue generating capacity and concentration of high-need students. The

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calculation is the square root of the sum of the state share ratio for the community calculation

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(SSRC), pursuant to section 16-7-20, squared plus the district's percentage of students eligible for

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USDA reimbursable school meals in grades PK-6 (PK6FRPL) squared, plus the percentage of

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students residing in housing taxed in accordance with section 44-5-13.11 squared, divided by two.

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      For purposes of determining the state's share, school district student data used in this

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calculation shall include charter school and state school students. These ratios are used in the

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permanent foundation education aid formula calculation described in section 16-7.2-5.

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage and shall apply to all school years

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commencing on or after July 1, 2013.

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LC00949

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N A C T

RELATING TO EDUCATION - THE EDUCATION EQUITY AND PROPERTY TAX RELIEF

ACT

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     This act would amend the calculation of the permanent foundation education aid to

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school districts. The act would make an adjustment based upon students residing in qualified low

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income housing.

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     This act would take effect upon passage and would apply to all school years commencing

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on or after July 1, 2013.

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LC00949

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