Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that changes the formulas used for distributing public education funds.

Highlights:

- Requires the State Board of Education to review and update the core curriculum content standards every five years [sec. 4 (a)]. - Instructs the education commissioner to annually a base per pupil cost, starting with $9,649 for the 2008-2009 school year (Sec. 7). - Establishes base district costs by multiplying the base per pupil cost and a district's enrollment [sec. 8 (b)]. - Adds additional funding weight for districts with vocational programs, special education needs, at-risk and bilingual students or because of costs based on geographic location [sec. 9 (a)]. - Allots each district equalization aid, which is calculated by district property values and income (Sec. 10). - Permits districts to petition for additional equalization aid when current funding does not accurately reflect the district's income wealth (Sec. 11). - Mandates that school districts provide free all day preschool for all at-risk three and four year olds. Districts with more than 40 percent at risk pupils need to provide free day care for all pupils [sec. 12 (a)]. - Requires all school districts to submit a five-year plan to provide full day preschool to all eligible three and four year olds by the 2013-2014 school year [sec. 12 (b)]. - Allocates additional education funds for a district's public or private schools' disabled and non-disabled students when a district demonstrates that per-student costs exceed newly established amounts [sec. 13 (b)]. - Eliminates the special needs status for certain districts based on the commissioner's assessment [sec. 28 (f-g)].

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that changes the formulas used for distributing public education funds.

Highlights:

- Requires the State Board of Education to review and update the core curriculum content standards every five years [sec. 4 (a)]. - Instructs the education commissioner to annually a base per pupil cost, starting with $9,649 for the 2008-2009 school year (Sec. 7). - Establishes base district costs by multiplying the base per pupil cost and a district's enrollment [sec. 8 (b)]. - Adds additional funding weight for districts with vocational programs, special education needs, at-risk and bilingual students or because of costs based on geographic location [sec. 9 (a)]. - Allots each district equalization aid, which is calculated by district property values and income (Sec. 10). - Permits districts to petition for additional equalization aid when current funding does not accurately reflect the district's income wealth (Sec. 11). - Mandates that school districts provide free all day preschool for all at-risk three and four year olds. Districts with more than 40 percent at risk pupils need to provide free day care for all pupils [sec. 12 (a)]. - Requires all school districts to submit a five-year plan to provide full day preschool to all eligible three and four year olds by the 2013-2014 school year [sec. 12 (b)]. - Allocates additional education funds for a district's public or private schools' disabled and non-disabled students when a district demonstrates that per-student costs exceed newly established amounts [sec. 13 (b)]. - Eliminates the special needs status for certain districts based on the commissioner's assessment [sec. 28 (f-g)].

Full Bill Text