Budget Amendment ID: FY2020-S3-319

EDU 319

Charter School Reimbursement Formula

Ms. Comerford moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 7061-9010, by striking out item 7061-9010 and inserting in place thereof the following item:-

"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 ................................................................$100,000,000";

and further moves that the proposed new text be amended by adding the following section:-

"SECTION XX. Section 89 of chapter 71 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2016 Official Edition, is hereby 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 the payment of first year tuition for students previously enrolled in a private or parochial school or home schooled; (ii)  second, for the payment of tuition for siblings where required by paragraph (2) of subsection (i); (iii) third, for reimbursement of the per pupil facilities component of charter school tuition; and (iv) fourth, 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.

Subject to appropriation, in the year of the increase the district shall receive 100 per cent of the transitional assistance allowance; in the year following the increase the district shall receive 60 per cent of the transitional assistance allowance; and in the second year following the increase the district shall receive 40 per cent of the transitional assistance allowance.

If a district’s net charter school tuition cost in any fiscal year exceeds 9 per cent of its net school spending, it shall receive, subject to appropriation, supplemental charter tuition assistance 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."