TOPEKA–Rep. Eber Phelps (D-Hays, 111th Dist.) has provided details of the proposed school finance plan under House Bill 2410.
“These are details on the school finance plan that was passed by the Finance Committee at the end of the regular session. It has not been debated by the full House or Senate,” Phelps said in a news release.
A ruling March 2 by the Kansas Supreme Court determined the state’s spending on public education was unconstitutionally low. Lawmakers have until June 30 to pass a new constitutional funding formula.
The Kansas Legislature is adjourned until Mon., May 1, 2017 for its wrap-up session. On the to-do list, a budget plan that will be largely influenced by a school funding decision.
Below is the proposed school finance plan.
PROPOSED SCHOOL FINANCE PLAN – House Bill 2410–UPDATE
MAJOR POLICY PROVISIONS—Computer Printout SF17-168
• Base aid for student excellence (BASE) will increase to $4,006 in 2017-18, $4,206 in 2018-19, $4,406 in 2019-20, $4,606 in 2020-21, and $4,806 in 2021-22.
• Base aid for student excellence (BASE) will increase based upon the Midwest consumer price index beginning with the 2022-23 school year.
• Special mill levies currently in place will continue except declining enrollment will be reduced 50 percent in the 2017-18 school year and eliminated in the 2018-19 school year.
• Enrollment will be based upon prior year or second preceding year, whichever is higher. All weighted enrollment will be based upon the prior school year enrollment.
• Military second count with net increase in enrollment between September 20 and
February 20.
• At-risk funding will be based upon free lunch count and funded the same as law prior to the 2014-15 school year.
• High-density at-risk will be funded the same as law prior to 2014-15 school year.
• Provides a floor of ten percent for computing free lunch for any school district offering K-12.
• All-day kindergarten will be funded and counted in the enrollment.
• Career & Technical Education (vocational education) funding will be based upon .5 weighting (same as old law). The State Department of Education will study CTE cost by program and report to the Legislature by January 1, 2018.
• Virtual students will be funded as in current law.
• Non-resident virtual students will be excluded in the computation of assessed valuation per pupil for capital outlay and bond and interest state aid.
• Special education funding remains the same as current law.
• Transportation is amended slightly and on a statewide basis there will be a small increase in the state appropriation. No school district will receive less transportation state aid than received in 2016-17.
• New facilities will be funded for all elections held prior to July 1, 2015 with a .25 weighting.
• Bilingual education is computed using the higher of .361 of the contact hours or .185 of the bilingual headcount enrollment for students who qualify for bilingual services. The weighting under current law is .395 based on contact hours.
• 20-mill levy will remain the same as current law.
• Low and high enrollment will be reinstated as in law prior to 2014-15.
• Expands early childhood funding by increasing state aid for four-year-old at-risk programs, $2,000,000 each year in 2017-18 through 2021-22.
• The local option budget will be renamed the local foundation budget (LFB).
• School districts may adopt up to 30 percent of their local foundation budget on board action. If a district chooses to increase the LFB up to 33 percent, this would require board action and right of protest petition. Those school districts that are already at 33 percent will retain that authority.
• Partially funds the mentoring program and professional development as provided by law.
• Adds utilities as an option for capital outlay fund if the school district republishes their capital outlay resolution.
• Students from schools in the bottom 25 percent of student achievement and direct certified are eligible for tax credit for low income student scholarships effective July 1, 2017.
