Relative to chartered public school funding.
AN ACT	relative to chartered public school funding.
SPONSORS:	Rep. Weyler, Rock. 13; Rep. Ladd, Graf. 4; Rep. Hinch, Hills. 21; Rep. Cordelli, Carr. 4; Rep. Hill, Merr. 3; Sen. Reagan, Dist 17; Sen. Giuda, Dist 2
COMMITTEE:	Finance
This bill provides that funding for chartered public school pupils shall be based on a percentage of the most recently available statewide average cost per pupil for public school pupils.
1 Chartered Public School Funding. Amend RSA 194-B:11, I(b) to read as follows:
(b)(1) Except as provided in subparagraph (2), for a chartered public school authorized by the state board of education pursuant to RSA 194-B:3-a, the state shall pay [tuition pursuant to RSA 198:40-a, I, II, and II-a plus an additional grant of $2,036 for the Virtual Learning Academy Charter School and $3,036 for all other chartered public schools directly to the chartered public school for each pupil who is a resident of this state in attendance at such chartered public school. Beginning July 1, 2017 and every biennium thereafter, the department of education shall adjust the per pupil amount of the additional grant based on the average change in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers, Northeast Region, using the "services less medical care services'' special aggregate index, as published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, United States Department of Labor] 55 percent of the state average cost per pupil for public school pupils as calculated on July 1 each year, including any differentiated aid pursuant to RSA 198:40-a, I-II for which a pupil is eligible, directly to the chartered public school. The state shall pay amounts required pursuant to RSA 198:40-a, III directly to the resident district.
(2) For the Virtual Learning Academy Charter School authorized pursuant to RSA 194-B:3-a, the state shall pay tuition pursuant to RSA 198:40-a, I, II, and II-a plus an additional grant of $2,036 directly to the Virtual Learning Academy Charter School for each pupil who is a resident of this state in attendance at such chartered public school. Beginning July 1, 2017 and every biennium thereafter, the department of education shall adjust the per pupil amount of the additional grant based on the average change in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers, Northeast Region, using the "services less medical care services'' special aggregate index, as published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, United States Department of Labor. The state shall pay amounts required pursuant to RSA 198:40-a, III directly to the resident district.
(3) For an online chartered public school which [receives] received its initial authorization to operate from the state board of education pursuant to RSA 194-B:3-a on or after July 1, 2013, the state shall pay tuition pursuant to RSA 198:40-a directly to the online chartered public school for each pupil who is a resident of this state in attendance at such chartered public school. In this subparagraph, "online chartered public school'' means a chartered public school which provides the majority of its classes and instruction on the Internet.
FISCAL IMPACT: [ X ] State [ ] County [ ] Local [ ] None
Indeterminable Increase
This bill, assumed effective for FY 2018, amends the amount of money per pupil the State would provide to public charter schools for each student, except for payments to the Virtual Learning Academy Charter School, which is unaffected by this bill. Under current law, the annual per pupil aid for public charter schools is $4,917.78 for kindergarten students, and $6,735.81 for grade 1-12 students, including any qualifying differentiated aid under RSA 198:40-a. Under this bill, per pupil aid for all pupils (including kindergarten) would be calculated at 55 percent of the most recently available statewide average cost per pupil for public schools, including any differentiated aid. It is unclear if "including any differentiated aid" means differentiated aid is included in the average cost per pupil or if charter schools would receive differentiated aid payments in addition to the 55 percent of the average cost per pupil. The calculations below assume the later and that differentiated aid payments would be unaffected by this bill.
State Average Cost per Pupil
55% Estimated State Average Cost Per Pupil
Payment Year
(Actual)
(Estimated*)
* The average increase of the average cost per pupil from 2012 through 2016 is 3.16%, which is assumed as the estimated increase from FY 2016 to FY 2017.
Annual Per Pupil Aid (Kindergarten)
Annual Per Pupil Aid (Grades 1-12)
Enrollment Projection (Kindergarten)
Enrollment Projection (Grades 1-12)
Total Per Pupil Aid (Kindergarten)
Total Per Pupil Aid (Grades 1-12)
Differentiated Aid
VLACS
Total Under Current Law
Total Under This Bill
Charter school enrollment estimates for FY 2020 and each year thereafter have not yet been made.
Jan. 31, 2017 House Hearing
Feb. 28, 2017 House Exec Session
HB584 Revision: 910 Date: Jan. 25, 2017, 3:16 p.m.
Feb. 28, 2017: Executive Session: 02/28/2017 10:00 AM LOB 210-211
Feb. 21, 2017: Division II Work Session: 02/21/2017 02:30 PM LOB 209
Feb. 14, 2017: ==CONTINUED== Division II Work Session: 02/14/2017 10:00 AM LOB 209
Feb. 8, 2017: ==RECESSED== Division II Work Session: 02/08/2017 10:00 AM LOB 210-211
Jan. 31, 2017: Public Hearing: 01/31/2017 03:10 PM LOB 210-211
Jan. 5, 2017: Introduced 01/05/2017 and referred to Finance HJ 3 P. 20