Budget Amendment ID: FY2020-S3-281

EDU 281

Charter Reimbursements for Cities and Towns

Messrs. Collins, Humason and O'Connor moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 7061-9010, by striking item 7061-9010 in its entirety and inserting in place thereof the following:-

7061-9010 For fiscal year 2020 aid to certain cities, towns and regional school districts of charter school tuition and the per-pupil capital facilities component included in the charter school tuition amount for commonwealth charter schools, as calculated under subsections (ff) and (gg) of section 89 of chapter 71 of the General Laws; provided, that notwithstanding said subsection (ff) of said section 89 of said chapter 71, or any other general or special law to the contrary, the per-pupil capital facilities component of the commonwealth charter school tuition rate for fiscal year 2020 shall be $938; and provided further, that if the amount appropriated is insufficient to fully fund all aid required by said section 89 of said chapter 71, the department shall fully fund the cost of such per pupil capital facilities component and shall prorate the tuition aid calculated under said subsection (gg) of said section 89 of said chapter 71............................................$113,000,000.

And by adding the following new sections:-

SECTION XX. Subsection (ff) of section 89 of chapter 71 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by inserting after the word “district”, in line 667, the following words:- , and a per pupil facilities component.

SECTION XX. Said subsection (ff) of said section 89 of said chapter 71, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out, in line 738, the word “capital” and inserting in place thereof the following word:- facilities.

SECTION XX. Said section 89 of said chapter 71, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out subsection (gg) and inserting in place thereof the following subsection:-

(gg) Funds appropriated by the commonwealth for charter school tuition assistance shall be expended as follows: (i) first, for reimbursement of the per pupil facilities component of charter school tuition; and (ii) second, for the transitional assistance and supplemental assistance as defined in this subsection, provided that said transitional assistance and supplemental assistance shall be prorated equally if sufficient funds are not appropriated to fully fund such assistance.

Any district whose total charter school tuition amount is greater than its total charter school tuition amount for the previous year shall be reimbursed by the commonwealth in accordance with this paragraph and subject to appropriation; provided, however, that no funds for said reimbursements shall be deducted from funds distributed pursuant to chapter 70. A district’s transitional assistance allowance shall be an amount equal to 100 per cent of the charter school tuition increase in the year in which the increase occurs, 60 percent in the year next following and 40 percent in the second year following.

For  a district’s whose net charter school tuition cost in any fiscal year exceeds 9 per cent of  its net school spending, the district’s  supplemental assistance shall be subject to appropriation, calculated as follows: (i) subtract the district's state school aid as a  percentage of the district's foundation budget from the total state school aid as a  percentage of the total state foundation budget, but not less than zero; (ii) multiply the  result by the foundation budget for the district's students attending charter schools; and  (iii) subtract from the result the amount of transitional assistance provided to the district.

SECTION XX. Notwithstanding subsection (gg) of section 89 of chapter 71 of the General Laws , as amended by section XX, in fiscal year 2020 any increase in appropriation above fiscal year 2019 levels, available for use as payments for transitional  assistance and supplemental assistance, shall be used to close equal proportions of the gap to full funding for both elements.