2024 -- S 2008

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LC003696

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2024

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO EDUCATION -- THE EDUCATION EQUITY AND PROPERTY TAX

RELIEF ACT

     Introduced By: Senators Rogers, DeLuca, and de la Cruz

     Date Introduced: January 10, 2024

     Referred To: Senate Finance

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Section 16-7.2-4 of the General Laws in Chapter 16-7.2 entitled "The

Education Equity and Property Tax Relief Act" is hereby amended to read as follows:

     16-7.2-4. Determination of state’s share.

     (a) For each district, the state’s share of the foundation education aid calculated pursuant

to § 16-7.2-3(a) shall use a calculation that considers a district’s revenue-generating capacity and

concentration of high-need students. The calculation is the square root of the sum of the state share

ratio for the community calculation, pursuant to § 16-7-20, squared plus the district’s percentage

of students in grades PK-6 in poverty status squared, divided by two.

     If this calculation results in a state share ratio that is less than the state share ratio for the

community calculated pursuant to § 16-7-20(a) and that district’s poverty status percentage as

defined in § 16-7.2-3(a)(2) is greater than fifty percent (50%), the state share ratio shall be equal to

the state share ratio for the community calculated pursuant to § 16-7-20(a).

     (b) For purposes of determining the state’s share, school district student data used in this

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

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

     (c) There shall be a poverty loss stabilization fund for districts that experience a decline in

the state share ratio calculated pursuant to subsection (a) of this section from the prior year of more

than 2.0 percent (2%). The amount shall be equal to fifty percent (50%) of the difference in the

amount of permanent foundation education aid received pursuant to § 16-7.2-3 received in the prior

year.

     (d) In any given fiscal year, the total education aid paid to a local education agency,

including distributed categorical funds, shall not be reduced by more than one percent (1%) of the

municipal education appropriation to the local education agency in the previous fiscal year.

     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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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 prohibit total education aid paid to any local education agency from being

reduced by more than one percent (1%) of the municipal education appropriation in the previous

fiscal year.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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