HB 1 (Buckley) was filed on 10/19. HB 1 (184 pages) relates to primary and secondary education, including the certification, compensation, and health coverage of certain public school employees, the public school finance system, special education in public schools, the establishment of an education savings account program, measures to support the education of public school students that include certain educational grant programs, reading instruction, and early childhood education, the provision of virtual education, and public school accountability.
Spotlight on provisions in the bill:
- Increases the basic allotment (BA) by $30 next year (FY24) to $6,190, and $340 the following year (FY25) to $6,500, the bill also makes numerous changes to the school finance system including but not limited to:
- Increases to the small and midsize allotments
- Removes the cap for the fast growth allotment
- Intends to set the state on a path toward funding special education based on intensity of services model – the commissioner by rule shall define seven tiers of intensity of service for funding
- Allows districts to adopt a sixth golden penny without holding an election
- Increases school safety funding
- Article 5 of the bill creates an education savings account (ESA) program that limits the number of students participating initially to 25,000 and the program can continue to grow by 25k for the following two years unless it is extended by the legislature
- Creates a one-time pass-through retention stipend of $4k per full-time employee subject to the minimum salary schedule and $2k for each part-time teacher, librarian, counselor, and nurse
- Requires the Commissioner to use the 2022 accountability standards through the 2025-26 school year and establishes a new state commission on assessment and accountability