Funding Adequacy Study
In December 2016, APA Consulting presented its findings and recommendations to the Kirwan Commission.
Their focus was on reassessing the adequacy of the current funding formula (based on the work of the Thornton Commission and the 2002 Bridge to Excellence in Public Schools Act) per student base funding amount and the weights for special needs students (students in poverty, English language learners, and those enrolled in special education).
They also took into considerations challenges to education, including newly adopted state standards and assessments, the effects of concentrations of poverty, achievement gaps, and access and quality of prekindergarten.
In November 2016, having completed their 18-month-long study, APA made their final report, inclusive of their findings and recommendations to the funding formula. They presented their report to the Kirwan Commission in December.
Their focus was on reassessing the adequacy of the current funding formula (based on the work of the Thornton Commission and the 2002 Bridge to Excellence in Public Schools Act) per student base funding amount and the weights for special needs students (students in poverty, English language learners, and those enrolled in special education).
They also took into considerations challenges to education, including newly adopted state standards and assessments, the effects of concentrations of poverty, achievement gaps, and access and quality of prekindergarten.
In November 2016, having completed their 18-month-long study, APA made their final report, inclusive of their findings and recommendations to the funding formula. They presented their report to the Kirwan Commission in December.
Summary of Recommendations
A higher base, per pupil funding amount of $10,880 (currently $6,860) to include:
New weights for special needs students
Counting Students
Regional Cost Adjustment
Uses the Comparable Wage Index (CWI), includes indices less than 1.0, and is applied to the foundation and all special needs total programs. Replaces Geographic Cost of Education Index (GCEI)
Calculating Local Wealth
Minimum State Aid Guarantees
- small class size
- staffing to support (but not limited to) art, music, PE, world language, technology, CTE, and advanced courses
- significant time for teacher planning, collaboration, embedded professional development
- additional instructional staff (ie. instructional coaches, library/media specialists)
- high level of student support (counselors, nurses, behavior specialists, social workers (for all students)
- administrative staff to allow for instructional leadership, data-based decision making and evaluation
- technology rich learning environments, resourced at a level that would allow one-to-one student devices
- resources for instructional supplies, materials, assessment, textbooks, and student activities
- district-level personnel and other resources to support schools
New weights for special needs students
- A weight of .35 (currently .97) for compensatory education and maintaining a linear approach for concentrations of poverty to provide sufficient funding for a range of services, particularly in schools with higher concentrations of poverty, including school-base services coordinator
- A weight of .35 (currently .99) to address the needs of English Learners.
- A weight of .91 (currently .74) for special education students, including mild, moderate, and severe categories.
- A weight of .29 (currently none) for prekindergarten students.
Counting Students
- Declining Enrollment: District would receive the greater of two counts - the prior year's September 30 enrollment count OR the average of three prior years
- Low-Income Students: Use Free Reduced Price Meal form created/returned to the State
- PreKindergarten Students: Provide high-quality prekindergarten for up to 80 percent of eligible programs for four-year-old students.
In order to receive funding a student must be enrolled in a program that has earned a Level 5 EXCELS rating, has earned state or national accreditation, or is a public school program that reaches EXCELS level 4 standards.
Regional Cost Adjustment
Uses the Comparable Wage Index (CWI), includes indices less than 1.0, and is applied to the foundation and all special needs total programs. Replaces Geographic Cost of Education Index (GCEI)
Calculating Local Wealth
- Net Taxable Income (NTI): Recommends that the State only uses the November NTI data for determining local wealth.
- Combining Assessed Property Values with NTI: Uses the multiplicative approach. Each district’s assessed property wealth is adjusted by multiplying it by the ratio of the district’s NTI to that the state average NTI.
Minimum State Aid Guarantees
- Foundation Amount: Recommends elimination. (Currently, districts are guaranteed to receive at least 15 percent of the foundation total program in state aid.
- Special Needs Programs: Recommends elimination.(Currently, districts are guaranteed to receive at least 40 percent of their special needs total program as state aid