Rep. Dan Huberty, chair of the House Public Education Committee, filed HB 21 today which would provide $1.6 billion in new funding into the public education system. The bill as filed would increase the basic allotment, modernize transportation funding, create a new weight for students with dyslexia, and create a “financial hardship transition program”.
Spotlight on bill language:
- Increases the Basic Allotment from $5,140 to $5,350 per student, each year of the biennium by:
- Creating new transportation funding at $125 per student through the basic allotment that benefits charters and allows districts that pay recapture to fully access state transportation dollars for the first time,
- Including funding for the High School Allotment, and
- Including funding for Additional State Aid for Non-Professional Staff.
- Lowers Recapture at a rate of
- Approximately $163 million in 2018, and
- Approximately $192 million in 2019.
- Creates a Hardship Provision Grant that provides assistance for those districts experiencing a hardship due to the expiration of ASATR.
- Adds a 0.1 Weight for Students with Dyslexia that with help approximately 154,000 students identified with dyslexia, in the 2016-2017 school year.
- Repeals a Hold Harmless for school districts identified as Chapter 41 in 1993.
- Funded by a Contingency Rider in House Bill 1, the Appropriations Bill
Runs for this legislation can be found by visiting:
HB 21, along with other school finance bills, will be considered in House Public Education on March 7 at noon or upon final adjournment. The hearing will be live-streamed.