HB789 (2008) Detail

Providing supplemental education grants for certain school districts.


HB 789-FN-A-LOCAL – AS INTRODUCED

2007 SESSION

07-0844

04/09

HOUSE BILL 789-FN-A-LOCAL

AN ACT providing supplemental education grants for certain school districts.

SPONSORS: Rep. Dunn, Ches 3; Rep. Wells, Rock 8

COMMITTEE: Education

ANALYSIS

This bill provides supplemental education grants to eligible school districts and makes an appropriation to the supplemental education grant fund.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

07-0844

04/09

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Seven

AN ACT providing supplemental education grants for certain school districts.

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

1 New Section; Supplemental Education Grants; Education Equity Index. Amend RSA 198 by inserting after section 41 the following new section:

198:41-a Supplemental Education Grants; Fund Established.

I. In this section:

(a) “Determination year” means the fiscal year that was 3 years prior to the fiscal year for which a municipality’s education equity index is to be determined pursuant to this section.

(b) “Equalized valuation” means the equalized valuation of property in a jurisdiction as determined by the department of revenue administration, including property subject to taxation under RSA 82 and RSA 83-F.

(c) “Equalized valuation per pupil” means, for any municipality, the equalized valuation of the municipality for the determination year, divided by the municipality’s average daily membership in residence for the determination year.

(d) “Statewide average equalized valuation per pupil” means the total statewide equalized valuation of all municipalities that had resident pupils during the determination year, divided by the total statewide average daily membership in residence for the determination year.

(e) “Median income” means, for any jurisdiction for a determination year, the most recently available median household income data from the United States decennial census or such current official estimates of such data from the department of revenue administration as may be available for such determination year, provided that, in the case of any unincorporated towns or unorganized places in Coos county, the median income for Coos county shall be the median income for each such unincorporated town or unorganized place, and, provided further that, Penacook shall be assigned the median income value determined for Concord.

(f) “Average test score” means the average number of pupils that achieved a scaled score, in the statewide education improvement and assessment program administered in grades 1-6 during the determination year pursuant to RSA 193-C, equivalent to performance above the novice level, which average shall be determined by averaging together the results for each test administered without any weighting for the number of pupils taking each test, provided that, if results are not reported for a municipality for any individual test, that test shall be ignored in determining the municipality’s average test score, and, provided further that, if there are no results reported for a municipality for any of the tests administered during the determination year, then the municipality shall be assigned an average test score for such determination year equal to the statewide average test score for such determination year.

II. The department shall make supplemental education grants to eligible school districts for the purposes set forth in this section. The department shall identify eligible school districts by determining an education equity index for each municipality that had any resident pupils during the applicable determination year as follows:

(a) Each municipality’s education equity index shall be computed by dividing one by the sum of:

(1) 0.4 times the statewide average equalized valuation per pupil divided by the equalized valuation per pupil for the municipality;

(2) 0.2 times the statewide median income divided by the municipality’s median income;

(3) 0.095 times the percentage of the municipality’s pupils in grades 1-12 eligible to receive a free or reduced price meal during the determination year as reported to the department, divided by the statewide percentage of pupils in grades 1-12 eligible to receive a free or reduced price meal during the determination year as reported to the department;

(4) 0.005 times the percentage of the municipality’s pupils in kindergarten through grade 8 identified as having limited English proficiency and receiving at least 5 hours per week of special instruction in English during the determination year as reported to the department divided by the statewide percentage of pupils in grades kindergarten through 8 identified as having limited English proficiency and receiving at least 5 hours per week of special instruction in English during the determination year;

(5) 0.15 times the statewide average test score divided by the municipality’s average test score;

(6) 0.075 times the statewide graduation rate for the determination year as reported by the department, divided by the municipality’s graduation rate for the determination year as reported to the department, where each municipality’s graduation rate shall be equal to the graduation rate for the particular high school attended by the municipality’s resident pupils that attend high school; and

(7) 0.075 times the statewide percentage of high school graduates that entered directly into postsecondary education in the determination year as reported by the department, divided by the percentage of the municipality’s high school graduates that entered directly into postsecondary education in the determination year as reported to the department, where each municipality’s percentage of high school graduates that entered directly into postsecondary education in the determination year rate shall be equal to the percentage of such high school graduates for the particular high school attended by the municipality’s resident pupils that attend high school.

(b) For the 2008 fiscal year only, the department shall determine the education equity index for each municipality within 15 days after the effective date of this section.

(c) Beginning July 1, 2008, and annually thereafter, the department shall determine the education equity index for each municipality no later than October 1 of the calendar year preceding the beginning of the fiscal year for which the education equity index is calculated.

IX. In determining the education equity index for any municipality that sends pupils to more than one school or school district, the department shall consider only data from schools or school districts within this state attended by 5 percent or more of the municipality’s resident pupils, and the department shall determine each value necessary to calculate the education equity index for such municipality by weighting the corresponding values for each school or school district to which the municipality sends pupils by the number of resident pupils from the municipality that attend such school or school district. If a municipality sends all of its resident pupils that are relevant to the determination of any value necessary to calculate the education equity index for such municipality to one or more schools not operated by any school district, then the municipality shall be assigned the statewide value for such value.

X. The commissioner shall inform the school districts with the 30 lowest education equity indices that they are eligible to apply for supplemental education grants.

XI. Supplemental grants may be awarded to eligible school districts for expenses incurred for any aspect of education except infrastructure costs or bonded indebtedness.

XII. Grants shall be for one academic year and grant amounts shall be furnished in one disbursement. A school district which is or continues to be eligible under paragraphs I-III may apply annually for a grant under this section.

XIII. The department shall administer the grant program established under this section and shall adopt rules, pursuant to RSA 541-A, relative to development of a grant application form, grant application deadlines, and grant evaluation, notification, and disbursement procedures.

XIV.(a) There is hereby established in the office of the state treasurer a fund to be known as the supplemental education grant fund. Any appropriations received shall be deposited in the fund. Moneys in the fund and any interest earned on the fund shall be used to provide supplemental grants to eligible school districts as provided in this section and shall not be used for any other purpose. The commissioner of the department of education shall oversee disbursements from the fund. The moneys in the fund shall be nonlapsing and shall be continually appropriated to the department.

(b) The commissioner of the department of education shall prepare an annual report to be presented no later than December 1 of each year to the president of the senate, the speaker of the house of representatives, and the governor and council, and filed with the state library. The report shall detail the specific activities supported by, and expenditures from, the fund during the past year.

2 New Subparagraph; Application of Receipts; Supplemental Education Grant Fund. Amend RSA 6:12, I(b) by inserting after subparagraph (252) the following new subparagraph:

(253) Moneys deposited in the supplemental education grant fund established in RSA 198:41-a.

3 Appropriation. The sum of $50,000,000 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2008, and the sum of $50,000,000 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2009, are hereby appropriated to the supplemental education grant fund established in RSA 198:41-a, XIV. The governor is authorized to draw a warrant for said sums out of any money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated.

4 Effective Date. This act shall take effect July 1, 2007.

LBAO

07-0844

Revised 02/02/07

HB 789 FISCAL NOTE

AN ACT providing supplemental education grants for certain school districts.

FISCAL IMPACT:

      The Department of Education states this bill will increase state general fund and restricted expenditures by $50,000,000 in FY 2008 and $50,000,000 in FY 2009, and increases state restricted and local revenue by $50,000,000 in FY 2008 and $50,000,000 in FY 2009. There will be no fiscal impact on county revenue or county and local expenditures.

      This bill appropriates $50,000,000 in FY 2008 and $50,000,000 in FY 2009 from the general fund to the supplemental education grant fund established by this bill for the purposes of this bill.

METHODOLOGY:

    The Department of Education states expenditures for supplemental education grants under this bill are limited to appropriated funds. The Department states it will distribute $50,000,000 of supplemental education grants to school districts in both FY 2008 and FY 2009. The grants will be funded from the supplemental education grant fund established by this bill. This bill appropriates $50,000,000 in FY 2008 and $50,000,000 in FY 2009 from the general fund to the supplemental education grant fund.