On the heels of approving a bill that provides increases to vouchers/independent charter payments and the low revenue ceiling, the Joint Finance Committee (JFC) GOP majority approved on a party-line 11-4 vote an omnibus motion on K-12 education funding late Tuesday evening. The motion approved contains elements from the framework agreement announced by the governor and legislative leaders last week but also fills in some of the blanks in other areas.
Below is a summary of some the major provisions:
Revenue Limits/General Aids
- $325 per pupil increase in 2023-24; $325 per pupil additional increase in 2024-25 in revenue limits.
- Provide increases of $154,700,000 in 2023-24 and $379,600,000 in 2024-25 in general school aids.
Categorical Aids
- Provide increases of $40,146,700 in 2023-24 and $56,887,700 in 2024-25 for special education aid to achieve an estimated 33.3% reimbursement rate (not sum sufficient).
- Place $50 million in the JFC supplemental appropriation for an early literacy and reading improvement program.
- Provide $2,943,800 increase annually over base for high cost transportation aid. It is estimated that this amount would fund 75% estimated eligible expenses to districts in each year.
- Transportation aid: Increase the reimbursement rate for pupils transported over 12 miles to and from school in the regular school year from $375 to $400 beginning in 2023-24.
- Provide $630,200 increase annually over base for sparsity aid. This is estimated to fully fund payments to eligible districts.
- School-based mental health services grants: provide a one-time increase of $15 million above base funding of $10 million for grants to school districts and independent charter schools. Modify the program to require DPI to distribute funds on a per pupil basis to eligible schools under current law instead of a competitive grant program. Program purpose was changed from collaboration with “community mental health agencies” to “mental health providers”.
(It is estimated that this amount of funding would provide payments of approx. $31 per pupil in 2023-24 and 2024-25 and $12 per pupil in future years.) - Place $5 million in the JFC supplemental appropriation for shared school district services.
See the entire motion HERE.
