2019 -- S 0940

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LC002609

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2019

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO EDUCATION - THE EDUCATION EQUITY AND PROPERTY TAX RELIEF

ACT

     Introduced By: Senators Pearson, Gallo, Conley, McCaffrey, and Ruggerio

     Date Introduced: May 30, 2019

     Referred To: Senate Education

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Section 16-7.2-2 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:

     16-7.2-2. Joint legislative committee to establish a permanent education foundation

aid formula for Rhode Island. Joint committee on education funding formula.

     (a) There is hereby established a joint legislative committee to develop a basic foundation

support program and an appropriate transition plan to fully implement a new funding system

review, not less than bi-annually, the education funding formula established pursuant to this

chapter, and assess whether it is meeting the needs of students, districts, and taxpayers. The

committee shall also recommend to the governor, house of representatives, and senate any

changes or modifications to the formula or the implementation of the formula.

     (b) The committee shall consist of ten (10) fourteen (14) members, five (5) of four (4)

members of the house of representatives which shall be appointed by the speaker of the house,

one (1) of which shall be from the minority party, and five (5) four (4) members of the senate

appointed by the president of the senate, one (1) of which shall be from the minority party. The

speaker of the house and president of the senate shall each appoint a committee co-chair. The

chairpersons of the house and senate finance subcommittees on education shall be members and

serve as joint committee co-chairs. The chairpersons of the senate committee on finance, senate

committee on education, house committee on finance, and house committee on health, education,

and welfare shall serve as ex officio members.

     The joint legislative committee is directed to consider the following framework in

developing a new education foundation support program:

     (1) A state education funding formula that is student population and needs driven.

Student counts should include enrollments, students eligible for free and reduced lunch, those

participating in language assistance programs, and special education. Provisions should be made

for those school districts that experience declining enrollments.

     (2) The accounting for "extraordinary special education expenditures" in special

education spending for one child in a given fiscal year.

     (3) A per pupil foundation amount to be used in the calculation of school funding. The

per pupil foundation amount should be based on what the cost is to provide an equitable and

adequate education, and consider various cost factors, such as pupil-teacher ratios, teacher and

staff compensation, technology investments, educational supplies, teacher training and

professional development, student performance assessments, curriculum offerings and support

services and other costs associated with the delivery of educational services.

     (4) Per pupil cost, based on a least cost option plan to provide purchase of service

contracts in areas such as equipment, repair, benefits, transportation, general purchasing, capital

construction, data processing and health and other insurance programs. In addition, the

department of education should assist regional collaboratives in identifying opportunities to

maximize multiple school district participation for "high cost" programs.

     (5) Various methods of funding the system.

     (6) A transition education funding plan.

     (c) The joint legislative committee review shall include, but not be limited to, the four (4)

core principles of the education equity and property tax relief act, which are as follows:

     (1) All children should have access to an adequate and meaningful education regardless

of their residence or economic means;

     (2) An education funding system should treat property taxpayers equitably, limit the

portion of school budgets financed by property taxes, and establish sufficient cost controls on

spending;

     (3) The state should ensure that its education funding structure adequately reflects the

different needs of students, and responds to educational inequities among the state's school

districts; and

     (4) The state education funding system should provide a predictable amount and source

of funding to ensure stability in the funding of education aid.

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     (b)(d) The speaker of the house and president of the senate, in consultation with the The

committee co-chairs, are hereby directed authorized to appoint a foundation aid technical

advisory group, and a property tax relief technical advisory group, and any other advisory group

deemed necessary by the committee co-chairs.

     (c)(e) The foundation aid technical advisory group shall advise and assist the committee

as determined by the committee, which may include, but need not be limited to, in recommending

and revising the foundation aid amounts by:

     (1) Identifying specific resources and least cost options to provide every child the

opportunity to necessary educational opportunities to meet education performance standards; and

     (2) Systematically calculating the amount of per pupil funding necessary to support an

effective and efficient educational system. The group may create task forces to consider the needs

of special populations, comprehensive education programs, and noneducational support activities,

composed of experts in these areas. In developing a foundation aid amount, the group shall

consider, among other factors, pupil-teacher ratios, compensation, collective bargaining practices,

technology investments, educational supplies, teacher training and professional development,

student performance assessments, curriculum offerings and support services and all other costs

and needs associated with the delivery of educational services.

     (d) The property tax relief technical advisory group shall advise and assist the committee

in identifying the options and the impact of replacing existing local education property tax levies

that support the funding of elementary and secondary education with other resources.

     (f) The property tax relief technical advisory group shall advise and assist the committee

as determined by the committee, which may include, but need not be limited to:

     (1) Identifying options to fund the formula and related impacts to local property tax

levies.

     (2) Advising the committee on the appropriate level of funding by the state and local

communities.

     (e)(g) The joint committee shall issue a report outlining its findings and recommendations

no later than May 15, 2007 December 15, 2019, and at least bi-annually thereafter. The governor

shall consider the findings and recommendations for inclusion in the governor's annual budget

submission.

     All state agencies, and departments, local education agencies, municipalities, and state

schools shall be directed to cooperate with and provide all necessary information to the joint

legislative committee.

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     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 reconstitute the joint legislative committee to establish a permanent

education foundation aid formula, to include the chairpersons of the house and senate finance

sub-committees on education to serve as joint committee co-chairs, and the chairpersons of the

senate committee on finance, senate committee on education, house committee on finance and

house committee on health, education and welfare who would serve as ex officio members. The

act would also amend the goals and mission of the committee.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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