SSB 1099 (LSB 1463XC (3) 86)

SENATE FILE _____

BY  (PROPOSED COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION BILL BY CHAIRPERSON QUIRMBACH)

A BILL FOR

An Act establishing a low-income program supplement for school districts to provide programs serving low-income pupils.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  Section 257.1, subsection 2, paragraph b, Code 2015, is amended to read as follows:
   b.  For the budget year commencing July 1, 1999, and for each succeeding budget year the regular program foundation base per pupil is eighty-seven and five-tenths percent of the regular program state cost per pupil. For the budget year commencing July 1, 1991, and for each succeeding budget year the special education support services foundation base is seventy-nine percent of the special education support services state cost per pupil. The combined foundation base is the sum of the regular program foundation base, the special education support services foundation base, the total teacher salary supplement district cost, the total professional development supplement district cost, the total early intervention supplement district cost, the total teacher leadership supplement district cost, the total area education agency teacher salary supplement district cost, and the total area education agency professional development supplement district cost, and the low-income program supplement.
    Sec. 2.  Section 257.1, subsection 3, Code 2015, is amended to read as follows:
   3.  Computations rounded.  In making computations and payments under this chapter, except in the case of computations relating to funding of special education support services, media services, and educational services provided through the area education agencies, and the teacher salary supplement, the professional development supplement, the early intervention supplement, and the teacher leadership supplement, and the low-income program supplement, the department of management shall round amounts to the nearest whole dollar.
    Sec. 3.  Section 257.4, subsection 1, paragraph a, Code 2015, is amended by adding the following new subparagraph:
   NEW SUBPARAGRAPH.  (10)  The amount of the low-income program supplement to be received by the school district under section 257.10A.
    Sec. 4.  NEW SECTION.  257.10A  Low-income program supplement.
   1.  In order to provide additional funding to school districts for programs serving low-income pupils, each district shall receive for each budget year beginning on or after July 1, 2017, a low-income program supplement as calculated under subsection 2.
   2.  Each school district’s low-income program supplement shall be an amount equal to the number of pupils in the school district, as reported by the school district on the basic educational data survey for the base year, who are eligible for free and reduced price meals under the federal National School Lunch Act and the federal Child Nutrition Act of 1966, 42 U.S.C. §1751-1785, multiplied by four hundredths of the regular program state cost per pupil for the budget year.
   3.  Amounts received under this section shall be utilized by a school district to develop or maintain programs for low-income pupils, including but not limited to before and after school educational programs, summer education programs, individual instructional assistance programs, tutoring and mentoring programs, programs to reduce or waive student fees required as part of the school district’s educational program, or other programs or assistance approved by the department.
   4.  For purposes of this section, “low-income pupils” means pupils who are eligible for free and reduced price meals under the federal National School Lunch Act and the federal Child Nutrition Act of 1966, 42 U.S.C. §1751-1785.
   5.  Providing programs under this subsection for low-income pupils shall not restrict a school district from offering participation in those programs by pupils who are not low-income pupils, using other funds and resources available to the school district for such purposes.
    Sec. 5.  Section 257.16, subsection 4, Code 2015, is amended to read as follows:
   4.  Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary, if the governor orders budget reductions in accordance with section 8.31, the teacher salary supplement district cost, the professional development supplement district cost, the early intervention supplement district cost, and the teacher leadership supplement district cost as calculated under section 257.10, subsections 9, 10, 11, and 12, and the area education agency teacher salary supplement district cost and the area education agency professional development supplement district cost as calculated under section 257.37A, subsections 1 and 2, and the low-income program supplement as calculated under section 257.10A shall be paid in full as calculated and the reductions in the appropriations provided in accordance with this section shall be reduced from the remaining moneys appropriated pursuant to this section and shall be distributed on a per pupil basis calculated with the weighted enrollment determined in accordance with section 257.6, subsection 5.
EXPLANATION
The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with

the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
   This bill provides additional funding to school districts for programs serving low-income pupils, as defined in the bill. 
   Under the bill, each district receives for each budget year beginning on or after July 1, 2017, a low-income program supplement. Each school district’s low-income program supplement is an amount equal to the number of pupils in the school district who are eligible for free and reduced price meals multiplied by four hundredths of the regular program state cost per pupil for the budget year.
   Amounts received by a school district under the bill must be utilized by a school district to develop or maintain programs for low-income pupils, including but not limited to before and after school educational programs, summer education programs, individual instructional assistance programs, tutoring and mentoring programs, programs to reduce or waive student fees required as part of the school district’s educational program, or other programs or assistance approved by the department.
   The amount of the low-income program supplement is included within the combined foundation base and is paid to each school district as part of the state foundation aid.
   The bill specifies that providing programs for low-income pupils does not restrict a school district from offering participation in those programs to pupils who are not low-income pupils, using other funds available to the school district.