Equity in public school funding and staffing; At-Risk Program established, Standards of Quality.

Source-provided summary

Public schools; Standards of Quality; certain calculations; At-Risk Program established. The bill establishes (i) the At-Risk Program for the purpose of supporting programs and services for students who are educationally at-risk, including programs and services of prevention, intervention, or remediation; (ii) a state-funded, flexible per pupil Standards of Quality funding add-on to be applied for each special education student, calculated in accordance with the provisions of the bill, for the purpose of better meeting the educational needs of students with disabilities; and (iii) a state-funded, flexible per-pupil Standards of Quality funding add-on to be provided for each English language learner student, calculated in accordance with the provisions of the bill, for the purpose of better meeting the educational needs of English language learner students. The bill also establishes requirements and conditions for each school division receiving funding pursuant to the At-Risk Program or either of the per pupil Standards of Quality funding add-ons established pursuant to the bill, including a requirement that each such school division annually report to the Department of Education on the planned and actual uses of such funds. The bill directs the Department to annually compile and publish on its website a summary of the reports received from each school division on the use of such funds. Finally, the bill authorizes the Department, upon providing notice and an opportunity for corrective action, withhold, recover, or redirect funds provided pursuant to the bill from any school division found to be in noncompliance with the requirements set forth in the bill.