Bill Text: IA HF394 | 2019-2020 | 88th General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: A bill for an act relating to school district finance by modifying provisions relating to the calculation of the regular program state cost per pupil, establishing a supplementary weighting plan for certain mandatory school district transportation costs, and including effective date provisions.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 41-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2019-02-26 - Sponsor added, Derry. H.J. 360. [HF394 Detail]

Download: Iowa-2019-HF394-Introduced.html

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House File 394 - Introduced
HOUSE FILE 394
BY WINCKLER , ABDUL-SAMAD ,
ANDERSON , BEARINGER ,
BRECKENRIDGE , BROWN-POWERS ,
COHOON , DONAHUE , EHLERT ,
FORBES , GAINES , GASKILL ,
HALL , HEDDENS , HUNTER ,
JACOBY , JUDGE , KACENA ,
KONFRST , KRESSIG , KURTH ,
KURTZ , LENSING , MASCHER ,
MATSON , McCONKEY , B.
MEYER , NIELSEN , OLDSON ,
OLSON , OURTH , PRICHARD ,
M. SMITH , R. SMITH ,
STAED , STECKMAN , SUNDE ,
THEDE , WESSEL-KROESCHELL ,
WILLIAMS , and WOLFE
A BILL FOR
An Act relating to school district finance by modifying
provisions relating to the calculation of the regular
program state cost per pupil, establishing a supplementary
weighting plan for certain mandatory school district
transportation costs, and including effective date
provisions.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
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DIVISION I
STATE COST PER PUPIL
Section 1. Section 257.8, subsection 5, paragraph b, Code
2019, is amended to read as follows:
b. For the budget year beginning July 1, 2018, and
subsequent budget years, references to “supplemental state aid”
and “regular program state cost per pupil” shall mean those
terms as calculated including the additional amount amounts for
the specified budget year beginning July 1, 2018, years under
section 257.9, subsection 2 , paragraph “b” , and references to
“regular program district cost per pupil” shall mean that term as
calculated including any adjustments made under section 257.10,
subsection 2 .
Sec. 2. Section 257.9, subsection 2, Code 2019, is amended
to read as follows:
2. Regular program state cost per pupil for 1992-1993 and
succeeding years.
a. For the budget year beginning July 1, 1992, and
succeeding budget years beginning before July 1, 2018, the
regular program state cost per pupil for a budget year is the
regular program state cost per pupil for the base year plus the
regular program supplemental state aid for the budget year.
b. For the budget year beginning July 1, 2018, the regular
program state cost per pupil is the regular program state
cost per pupil for the base year plus the regular program
supplemental state aid for the budget year, plus five dollars.
c. For the budget year beginning July 1, 2019, the regular
program state cost per pupil is the regular program state
cost per pupil for the base year plus the regular program
supplemental state aid for the budget year, plus ten dollars.
d. For the budget year beginning July 1, 2020, and
succeeding budget years beginning before July 1, 2028, the
regular program state cost per pupil for a budget year is the
regular program state cost per pupil for the base year plus the
regular program supplemental state aid for the budget year,
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plus twenty dollars.
c. e. For the budget year beginning July 1, 2019 2028 , and
succeeding budget years, the regular program state cost per
pupil for a budget year is the regular program state cost per
pupil for the base year plus the regular program supplemental
state aid for the budget year.
Sec. 3. EFFECTIVE DATE. This division of this Act, being
deemed of immediate importance, takes effect upon enactment.
DIVISION II
TRANSPORTATION SUPPLEMENTARY WEIGHTING
Sec. 4. Section 257.11, Code 2019, is amended by adding the
following new subsection:
NEW SUBSECTION . 7A. School district transportation costs.
a. In order to provide additional funds for school district
transportation costs resulting from the transportation of
resident pupils required by chapter 285 and paid from sources
other than the district’s physical plant and equipment levy
fund under section 298A.4 or revenue received from the secure
an advanced vision for education fund under section 423F.2, a
supplementary weighting plan for such pupils is adopted.
b. Each school district shall be assigned a supplementary
weighting amount as follows:
(1) For the budget year beginning July 1, 2019, ten percent
of the combined weighting amount calculated under paragraph
“c” , subparagraph (2), for that budget year.
(2) For the budget year beginning July 1, 2020, twenty
percent of the combined weighting amount calculated under
paragraph “c” , subparagraph (2), for that budget year.
(3) For the budget year beginning July 1, 2021, thirty
percent of the combined weighting amount calculated under
paragraph “c” , subparagraph (2), for that budget year.
(4) For the budget year beginning July 1, 2022, forty
percent of the combined weighting amount calculated under
paragraph “c” , subparagraph (2), for that budget year.
(5) For the budget year beginning July 1, 2023, fifty
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percent of the combined weighting amount calculated under
paragraph “c” , subparagraph (2), for that budget year.
(6) For the budget year beginning July 1, 2024, sixty
percent of the combined weighting amount calculated under
paragraph “c” , subparagraph (2), for that budget year.
(7) For the budget year beginning July 1, 2025, seventy
percent of the combined weighting amount calculated under
paragraph “c” , subparagraph (2), for that budget year.
(8) For the budget year beginning July 1, 2026, eighty
percent of the combined weighting amount calculated under
paragraph “c” , subparagraph (2), for that budget year.
(9) For the budget year beginning July 1, 2027, ninety
percent of the combined weighting amount calculated under
paragraph “c” , subparagraph (2), for that budget year.
(10) For the budget year beginning July 1, 2028, and each
succeeding budget year, one hundred percent of the combined
weighting amount calculated under paragraph “c” , subparagraph
(2), for that budget year.
c. (1) (a) Transportation cost factor. For each budget
year beginning on or after July 1, 2019, the department of
management shall calculate for each school district all of the
following:
(i) The sum of the school district’s total transportation
costs incurred for the transportation of pupils required under
chapter 285, and paid from sources other than the district’s
physical plant and equipment levy fund under section 298A.4
or revenue received from the secure an advanced vision for
education fund under section 423F.2, for the three years
immediately preceding the base year.
(ii) The sum of the school district’s regular program
district cost for the three years immediately preceding the
base year, excluding amounts attributable to budget adjustments
received under section 257.14.
(iii) The school district’s budget enrollment multiplied by
the quotient of the school district’s amount under subparagraph
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subdivision (i) divided by the school district’s amount under
subparagraph subdivision (ii).
(iv) The school district’s amount under subparagraph
subdivision (iii) divided by the sum of the amounts calculated
under subparagraph subdivision (iii) for all school districts.
(v) The amount calculated under subparagraph subdivision
(iv) multiplied by ninety percent of the sum of all school
districts’ transportation costs incurred for the transportation
of pupils required under chapter 285 for the year preceding
the base year and paid from sources other than the districts’
physical plant and equipment levy fund under section 298A.4
or revenue received from the secure an advanced vision for
education fund under section 423F.2.
(vi) The quotient of the amount calculated under
subparagraph subdivision (v) divided by the regular program
state cost per pupil for the budget year.
(b) Budget enrollment factor. For each budget year
beginning on or after July 1, 2019, the department of
management shall calculate for each school district all of the
following:
(i) The quotient of the school district’s budget enrollment
divided by the statewide total budget enrollment multiplied by
five percent of the sum of all school districts’ transportation
costs incurred for the transportation of pupils required under
chapter 285 for the year preceding the base year and paid from
sources other than the district’s physical plant and equipment
levy fund under section 298A.4 or revenue received from the
secure an advanced vision for education fund under section
423F.2.
(ii) The amount calculated under subparagraph subdivision
(i) divided by the regular program state cost per pupil for the
budget year.
(c) Route miles factor. For each budget year beginning
on or after July 1, 2019, the department of management shall
calculate for each school district all of the following:
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(i) The quotient of the school district’s total route
miles traveled for the transportation of pupils required under
chapter 285 for the year preceding the base year divided by the
school district’s budget enrollment.
(ii) The school district’s amount under subparagraph
subdivision (i) divided by the sum of the amounts calculated
under subparagraph subdivision (i) for all school districts.
(iii) The amount calculated under subparagraph subdivision
(ii) multiplied by five percent of the sum of all school
districts’ transportation costs incurred for the transportation
of pupils required under chapter 285 for the year preceding
the base year and paid from sources other than the districts’
physical plant and equipment levy fund under section 298A.4
or revenue received from the secure an advanced vision for
education fund under section 423F.2.
(iv) The amount calculated under subparagraph subdivision
(iii) divided by the regular program state cost per pupil for
the budget year.
(2) The combined weighting amount for each school district
is the sum of the following:
(a) The amount calculated under subparagraph (1),
subparagraph division (a), subparagraph subdivision (vi).
(b) The amount calculated under subparagraph (1),
subparagraph division (b), subparagraph subdivision (ii).
(c) The amount calculated under subparagraph (1),
subparagraph division (c), subparagraph subdivision (iv).
d. Funding received by a school district as the result of
supplementary weighting under this subsection shall not affect
a school district’s eligibility for transportation funding
under section 257.16C or transportation assistance under
section 257.31, subsection 17.
e. Amounts received by a school district as the result
of supplementary weighting under this subsection shall be
deposited in the school district’s general fund and may be used
for any general fund purpose.
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f. If a school district established as the result of a
reorganization under chapter 275 does not have sufficient
transportation cost data, regular program district cost per
pupil data, or enrollment data for the calculation of amounts
required under this subsection, the department of management
shall use estimated transportation cost data, regular program
district cost per pupil data, and enrollment data derived from
data for prior budget years from each district involved in
the reorganization until such amounts can be calculated using
actual data for the reorganized school district.
g. For the budget years beginning July 1, 2019, July 1,
2020, and July 1, 2021, and if necessary, any subsequent budget
years, if insufficient or incomplete transportation cost data
makes the implementation of this subsection impractical, the
department of management shall, in consultation with the
department of education and the legislative services agency,
establish procedures and modified methodologies for calculating
supplementary weighting and funding amounts under this
subsection.
Sec. 5. Section 257.11, subsection 8, Code 2019, is amended
to read as follows:
8. Pupils ineligible. A Except for transportation weighting
under subsection 7A, a pupil eligible for the weighting plan
provided in section 256B.9 is not eligible for supplementary
weighting pursuant to this section unless it is determined
that the course generating the supplemental weighting has no
relationship to the pupil’s disability. A pupil attending an
alternative program or an at-risk pupils’ program, including
alternative high school programs, is not eligible for
supplementary weighting under subsection 2 .
Sec. 6. Section 257.31, subsection 17, paragraphs a and d,
Code 2019, are amended to read as follows:
a. If a district’s average transportation costs per
pupil exceed the state average transportation costs per
pupil determined under paragraph “c” by one hundred fifty
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percent, the committee may grant transportation assistance aid
to the district using exclusively the funds transferred to
the committee in accordance with section 321.34, subsection
22 . Such aid shall be miscellaneous income and shall not be
included in district cost.
d. Funds transferred to the committee in accordance with
section 321.34, subsection 22 , are appropriated to and may be
expended for the purposes of the committee, as described in
this section subsection . However, highest priority shall be
given to districts that meet the conditions described in this
subsection . Notwithstanding any other provision of the Code,
unencumbered or unobligated funds transferred to the committee
pursuant to section 321.34, subsection 22 , remaining on June
30 of the fiscal year for which the funds were transferred,
shall not revert but shall be available for expenditure for the
purposes of this subsection in subsequent fiscal years.
Sec. 7. EFFECTIVE DATE. This division of this Act, being
deemed of immediate importance, takes effect upon enactment.
EXPLANATION
The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
This bill relates to school district finance by modifying
provisions relating to the calculation of the regular program
state cost per pupil and by establishing a supplementary
weighting plan for certain school district transportation
costs.
Division I of the bill relates to the determination of the
regular program state cost per pupil and, by operation of law,
the determination of regular program district cost per pupil
for school districts. Those amounts are used to determine
supplemental state aid amounts for each school budget year,
determining the budget authority for each school district,
and determining amounts of preschool foundation aid for
schools participating in the statewide preschool program for
four-year-old children under Code chapter 256C.
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Current Code section 257.9 provides that for the budget
year beginning July 1, 2018, the regular program state cost
per pupil is the regular program state cost per pupil for the
base year plus the regular program supplemental state aid for
the budget year, plus $5. Under the bill, for the budget
year beginning July 1, 2019, the regular program state cost
per pupil is the regular program state cost per pupil for the
base year plus the regular program supplemental state aid for
the budget year, plus $10. Additionally, for the budget year
beginning July 1, 2020, and succeeding budget years beginning
before July 1, 2028, the regular program state cost per pupil
is the regular program state cost per pupil for the base
year plus the regular program supplemental state aid for the
budget year, plus $20. Then with the budget year beginning
July 1, 2028, and succeeding budget years, the regular program
state cost per pupil will again be calculated as the regular
program state cost per pupil for the base year plus the regular
program supplemental state aid for the budget year without any
additional amount added.
Division I of the bill takes effect upon enactment.
Division II of the bill establishes a supplementary
weighting plan for school district transportation costs
resulting from the transportation of pupils as required under
Code chapter 285.
The bill establishes a methodology for calculating the
amount of supplementary weighting assigned to each school
district. The calculation is made using school district
transportation cost data, school district enrollment data,
and school district transportation route mile data. The
amount of the supplementary weighting is phased in over a
period of 10 school budget years beginning with the budget
year beginning July 1, 2019. Under the bill, if a school
district established as the result of a reorganization does not
have sufficient data for the calculation of amounts required
under the bill, the department of management is required to
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use estimated data derived from data for prior budget years
from each district involved in the reorganization until such
amounts can be calculated using actual data for the reorganized
school district. In addition, for specified budget years,
if insufficient or incomplete transportation cost data makes
the implementation of the bill impractical, the department
of management is required to, in consultation with the
department of education and the legislative services agency,
establish procedures and modified methodologies for calculating
supplementary weighting and funding amounts under the bill.
The bill specifies that funding received by a school
district as the result of supplementary weighting in the
bill does not affect a school district’s eligibility for
transportation funding under Code section 257.16C or assistance
granted by the school budget review committee and specifies
that transportation assistance granted by the school budget
review committee may only be granted using funds transferred to
the committee in accordance with Code section 321.34(22). The
bill also provides that funding received by a school district
as the result of the supplementary weighting must be deposited
in the school district’s general fund and may be used for any
general fund purpose.
Division II of the bill takes effect upon enactment.
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