New Hampshire HB 563: relative to the cost of an opportunity for an adequate education, extraordinary need grants, fiscal capacity disparity aid, and determination of education grants.

Bill Text

HB 563-FN - AS AMENDED BY THE HOUSE

13Mar2025... 0650h

2025 SESSION

 25-0223

 02/11

HOUSE BILL 563-FN

AN ACT relative to the cost of an opportunity for an adequate education, extraordinary need grants, fiscal capacity disparity aid, and determination of education grants.

SPONSORS: Rep. Ladd, Graf. 5; Rep. Cordelli, Carr. 7; Rep. Drye, Sull. 7; Rep. Spilsbury, Sull. 3; Rep. S. Smith, Sull. 3; Rep. Leishman, Hills. 33; Rep. Cornell, Hills. 22; Sen. Ward, Dist 8

COMMITTEE: Education Funding 

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AMENDED ANALYSIS

 This bill changes the calculation of costs of an opportunity for an adequate education, extraordinary need grants, and determination of education grants. It also establishes fiscal capacity disparity aid grants.

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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.

 Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]

 Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

13Mar2025... 0650h 25-0223

 02/11

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty Five

AN ACT relative to the cost of an opportunity for an adequate education, extraordinary need grants, fiscal capacity disparity aid, and determination of education grants.

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

 1 Cost of an Opportunity for an Adequate Education. Amend RSA 198:40-a, I-II to read as follows:

 I. [For the biennium] Beginning July 1, [2023] 2026, the annual cost of providing the opportunity for an adequate education as defined in RSA 193-E:2-a shall be as specified in paragraph II. The department shall adjust the rates specified in this paragraph in accordance with RSA 198:40-d.

 II.(a) A cost of [$4,100] $4,351 per pupil in the ADMR, plus differentiated aid as follows:

 (b) An additional [$2,300] $2,441 for each pupil in the ADMR who is eligible for a free or reduced price meal anytime during the determination year; plus

 (c) An additional [$800] $849 for each pupil in the ADMR who is an English language learner anytime during the determination year; plus

 (d) An additional [$2,100] $3,140 for each pupil in the ADMR who is receiving special education services anytime during the determination year.

 2 Annual Adjustment. Amend RSA 198:40-d to read as follows:

 198:40-d Annual Adjustment.

 Beginning July 1, [2024] 2027, and every year thereafter, the department of education shall adjust the following with an increase of 2 percent annually, rounded up to the nearest whole dollar:

 I. Per pupil costs in RSA 198:40-a, II; and

 II. [Extraordinary need grant "grant floor," "grant ceiling," "factor," and "max grant" as defined in RSA 198:40-f, II, (a)-(d); and 

 III.] Chartered public school additional grants under RSA 194-B:11, I(b)(1)(A) and (B).

 3 Extraordinary Need Grants. RSA 198:40-f is repealed and reenacted to read as follows:

 198:40-f Extraordinary Need Grants.

 I. In addition to aid for the cost of the opportunity for an adequate education provided under RSA 198:40-a, each year the commissioner shall calculate an extraordinary need grant for schools and provide that amount of aid to a municipality's school districts as follows:

 (a) A municipality with an equalized valuation per pupil eligible to receive a free or reduced-priced meal of $1,700,000 or less shall receive $11,730 per pupil eligible to receive a free or reduced-price meal in the municipality's ADMR.

 (b) A municipality with an equalized valuation per pupil eligible to receive a free or reduced-price meal between $1,700,001 and $6,999,999 shall receive a grant equal to $0.00221321 for each dollar of difference between its equalized valuation per pupil eligible to receive a free or reduced-price meal and $6,999,999, for each pupil eligible to receive a free or reduced-price meal in the municipality's ADMR.

 (c) A municipality with an equalized valuation per pupil eligible to receive a free or reduced-price meal of $7,000,000 or more shall not receive an extraordinary need grant. 

 II. In this section:

 (a) “Grant floor” means $1,700,000 in equalized valuation per free or reduced-price meal pupil.

 (b) “Grant ceiling” means $7,000,000 in equalized valuation per free or reduced-price meal pupil.

 (c) “Factor” means $0.00221321 for each dollar difference between equalized valuation per free or reduced-price meal pupil.

 (d) “Maximum grant” means $11,730 per free or reduced-price meal pupil.

 III. The extraordinary needs grants shall be calculated using the formula described in paragraph I, however, beginning July 1, 2027, and every year thereafter, the grant floor, grant ceiling, and maximum grant shall be increased by 2 percent. The factor shal