Revision: March 5, 2025, 1:24 p.m.
February 28, 2025
2025-0650h
02/09
Amendment to HB 563-FN
Amend the title of the bill by replacing it with the following:
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.
Amend the bill by replacing all after the enacting clause with the following:
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 RSA 198:40-f is repealed and reenacted to read as follows: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 shall be readjusted by taking the newly adjusted maximum grant and dividing by the difference between the grant floor and grant ceiling.
4 New Section; Fiscal Capacity Disparity Aid. Amend RSA 198 by inserting after section 40-f the following new section:
198:40-g Fiscal Capacity Disparity Aid.
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 a fiscal capacity disparity aid 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 of $1,000,000 or less shall receive $1,250 per pupil eligible in the municipality's ADMR.
(b) A municipality with an equalized valuation per pupil between $1,000,001 and $1,599,999 shall receive a grant equal to $0.00208333 for each dollar of difference between its equalized valuation per pupil and $1,599,999, for each pupil the municipality's ADMR.
(c) A municipality with an equalized valuation per pupil of $1,600,000 or more shall not receive a fiscal capacity disparity aid grant.
II. In this section:
(a) “Grant floor” means $1,000,000 in equalized valuation per pupil.
(b) “Grant ceiling” means $1,600,000 in equalized valuation per pupil.
(c) “Factor” means $0.00208333 for each dollar difference between equalized valuation per pupil.
(d) “Maximum grant” means $1,250 per pupil.
III. The fiscal capacity disparity aid 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 shall be readjusted by taking the newly adjusted maximum grant and dividing by the difference between the grant floor and grant ceiling.
5 Determination of Education Grants. Amend RSA 198:41, I(b)-(c) to read as follows:
(b) Subtract the amount of the education tax warrant to be issued by the commissioner of revenue administration for such municipality reported pursuant to RSA 76:8 for the next tax year; [and]
(c) Add the municipality's extraordinary need grant pursuant to RSA 198:40-f;[.]
(d) Add the municipality’s fiscal capacity disparity aid grant pursuant to RSA 198:40-g; and
(e) For municipalities with a total ADMR of 5,000 or more, subtract the amount necessary to limit the total additional targeted aid to $3,750 per pupil in the municipality’s ADMR. For the purpose of this paragraph, additional targeted aid shall be the sum of a municipality’s extraordinary needs grant and fiscal capacity disparity aid grant.
6 Effective Date. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.
2025-0650h
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.