New Hampshire SB 158: relative to the formula for funding an adequate education.

Bill Text

SB 158-FN-LOCAL - AS INTRODUCED

2021 SESSION

 21-1052

 06/10

SENATE BILL 158-FN-LOCAL

AN ACT relative to the formula for funding an adequate education.

SPONSORS: Sen. Kahn, Dist 10; Rep. Myler, Merr. 10; Rep. Luneau, Merr. 10

COMMITTEE: Education

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ANALYSIS

 This bill:

 I. Develops s a formula for funding an opportunity for an adequate education.

 II. Modifies the determination of education grants.

 III. Modifies the statewide education property tax and its collection.

 IV. Develops rates for special education services provided by chartered public schools.

 V, Modifies property tax relief for low and moderate income homeowners.

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 Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

 21-1052

 06/10

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty One

AN ACT relative to the formula for funding an adequate education.

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

 1 Findings: The commission to study school funding identified a means of funding an adequate education based upon each student in every school having an opportunity to achieve statewide average performance outcomes. This formula differs from the current funding formula based on input ratios that don’t exist in any New Hampshire school and lead to a universal cost per student. However, the cost of providing an opportunity for an adequate education, as required by RSA 198:40-a, can be calculated by a district educating all of its students to a statewide average outcome based on student needs and district characteristics. Average outcomes are based upon student achievement scores, absentee rates, and graduation rates for every school in New Hampshire. The commission recommends a costing formula using weighted enrollment that reflects factors that can predict the cost for each New Hampshire school district. It is the obligation of the state to ensure that every district has access to the resources necessary to provide an adequate education. The goal is an allocation of state funds that provides greater student equity and taxpayer equity across the state. 

 2 Cost of an Adequate Education. Amend RSA 193-E:2-b, I-II to read as follows:

 I. The general court shall use the definition of the opportunity for an adequate education in RSA 193-E:2-a to determine the resources necessary [to provide essential programs, considering educational needs] for students to achieve measurable student outcomes, as defined in RSA 193-E:3, such that all students have a comparable opportunity for an adequate education regardless of need or location of the district in which they are enrolled. 

The general court shall make an initial determination of the [necessary specific resource elements to be included in] outcome performance measures to achieve the opportunity for an adequate education. 

 II. The general court shall create a process for the periodic determination of the [specific resource elements essential to providing the substantive educational content of] outcome performance measures to achieve the opportunity for an adequate education. This review should occur no less frequently than every [10] 5 years. 

 3 Cost of an Opportunity for an Adequate Education. RSA 198:40-a is repealed and reenacted to read as follows:

 198:40-a Cost of an Opportunity for an Adequate Education. 

 I. Beginning July 1, 2022, the annual cost of providing the opportunity for an adequate education as defined in RSA 193-E:2 and RSA 193-E:2-a shall be as specified in paragraphs II through IV.

 II. The allocation of state funds to schools and towns shall be based on an education cost formula that differentiates aid to school districts based on the average daily membership in attendance (ADMA) as defined in RSA 198:38, student differentiated need, and community characteristics. 

 III. Predicted costs are based upon weighted student ADMA calculated on the following base cost plus the base times each weighted student in a district:

 (a) Base cost of $6,107 per student in the ADMA, plus differentiated aid based on weighted cost per pupil that are multipliers to the base cost as follows: 

 (b) An additional weighted student of 1.49 for each student in the ADMA who is eligible for a free or reduced price meal; plus 

 (c) An additional weighted student of 2.20 for each student in the ADMA who is an English language learner; plus 

 (d) An additional weighted student of 4.29 for each student in the ADMA who is receiving special education services; plus 

 (e) An additional weighted student for each student in the ADMA based on