H517 — An Act to provide a sustainable future for rural schools

Summary

An Act to provide a sustainable future for rural schools

Bill Text

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The bill establishes new funding mechanisms and definitions to support rural and declining enrollment school districts while making adjustments to existing educational regulations and funding structures.

• Chapter 70 of the General Laws

  “Rural school district”, a school district with both of the following: (i) a student density of not more than 35 students per square mile and (ii) a per capita income of less than the average annual estimated, state-wide per capita income.

  This inserts a new definition for 'Rural school district' into the law.

• Chapter 71 of the General Laws

  There is hereby established and set upon the books of the commonwealth a separate fund known as the Rural Schools Aid Fund.

  This establishes the Rural Schools Aid Fund to support rural school districts.

• Chapter 71 of the General Laws

  A qualified school eligible for funding are towns and regional school districts, excluding vocational schools, independent agricultural, technical schools and charter schools; provided, that a school district shall be eligible for rural school aid if a school district has a student density of not more than 35 students per square mile and an average annual per capita income of not more than the average annual per capita income for the commonwealth for the same period;

  This delineates eligibility criteria for schools to receive rural school aid.

• Chapter 71 of the General Laws

  Annually, not later than the first day of December, the department shall submit a report to the house and senate committees on ways and means detailing: (i) its recommendations for additional adjustments to the rural school aid calculation for the upcoming fiscal year to improve the accuracy and equity of the student density component and the per capita income component;

  This mandates an annual report to inform lawmakers about rural school aid adjustments.

• Chapter 71 of the General Laws

  There is hereby established and set upon the books of the commonwealth a separate fund known as the Declining Enrollment Fund.

  This establishes the Declining Enrollment Fund to support schools experiencing declining student numbers.

• Chapter 71 of the General Laws

  A qualified school eligible for funding are towns and regional school districts, excluding vocational schools, independent agricultural, technical schools and charter schools; provided, that a school district shall be eligible for declining enrollment aid if it has a decline in student enrollment of at least 35 per cent over the 20 years prior to the school district’s application for funds;

  This defines eligibility for declining enrollment aid based on significant enrollment loss.

• Chapter 15A of the General Laws

  ; provided, however that paraprofessionals seeking to obtain licensure as special educators shall have priority for such grants.

  This gives priority to paraprofessionals for grants to obtain special education licensure.

• Chapter 71B of the General Laws

  The costs of programs shall be reimbursed at 100 percent of all instructional and transportation costs that exceed the approved costs threshold; provided, that such reimbursement shall be paid in the year in which the costs are incurred. → The costs of programs shall be reimbursed at 100 percent of all the instructional and transportation costs that exceed the approved costs threshold; provided, that such reimbursement shall be paid in the year in which the costs are incurred.

  This updates reimbursement terms regarding instructional and transportation costs.

• Chapter 71B of the General Laws

  There shall be within the department a program to support the development of specialized teachers with targeted funding for local educator preparation programs for special education.

  This establishes a program for funding local educator preparation for special education.

Sponsors

• Natalie M. Blais · Primary

Subjects