FOUNDATION FORMULA MODIFICATIONS: The phase-in of the SB 287 formula will be extended through the 2015-2016 school year. The full phase in of the formula will occur in the 2016-2017 school year. The phase-in percentages for the new and old formulas are modified, as described in the act. This act contains allowances for the distribution of state aid depending on the amount of available appropriations, as described below.

This act allows the General Assembly to appropriate more funds than required by the phase-in percentages for any particular school year. In such a situation, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education is required to adjust the phase-in percentages to accommodate appropriations in order to distribute one hundred percent of the total amount of appropriated funds.

In addition, during the phase-in, if the foundation formula appropriation is equal to or greater than the foundation formula expenditure for fiscal year 2010 and the previous fiscal year's foundation formula expenditures but is insufficient to fully fund the applicable phase-in percentages for the formula during that school year, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education must reduce the payment amounts to all districts, including hold harmless districts. This provision will also apply if the current year appropriation is reduced by the Governor. The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education must calculate a uniform proportional reduction percentage based on all available state aid to be applied to the payment amount to which all districts would otherwise be entitled under the applicable phase-in percentages.

During the phase-in, in any year when the foundation formula appropriation is less than the fiscal year 2010 foundation formula appropriation, less than the previous fiscal year's foundation formula expenditure, or reduced from the current year appropriation by the Governor, and as a result, the reduced appropriation is less than the foundation formula expenditure, payment amounts to all districts must be reduced. The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education must calculate a uniform proportional reduction percentage based on all available state aid to be applied to the payment amount to which all districts would otherwise be entitled under the applicable phase-in percentages.

This provision is similar to a provision contained in HCS/SS/SB 943 (2010). (Section 163.031)

SUMMER SCHOOL: Beginning in the 2010-2011 school year, summer school attendance that can be included in a district's average daily attendance will only include attendance hours of students exclusively in academic areas of study for credit-bearing courses or remedial courses that are necessary for a student to be promoted to the next grade. Curriculum must be based on core subject areas of the regular instruction program for relevant grade levels. Each school district must verify to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education that its summer school program conforms to these requirements. School districts may offer a summer school program that offers non-academic or enrichment activities at their own expense. Summer school average daily attendance reimbursement will be limited to the number of hours calculated by multiplying fifteen percent of a district's January membership for a maximum of six hours a day for twenty days.

This provision is similar to a provision contained in HCS/SS/SB 943 (2010). (Section 163.036)

SMALL SCHOOL GRANTS: This act modifies the Small School Grants Program. It excludes summer school attendance from the average daily attendance count of 350 or fewer students. It requires the appropriation of an additional $5 million to be distributed to districts based on their average daily attendance for the regular school year upon the earlier of the completion of the foundation formula phase-in or the fiscal year after the first fiscal year in which the formula is fully funded. It also extends a proportionally decreasing payment to districts that have an average daily attendance of 351 to 449.

This provision is similar to a provision contained in HCS/SS/SB 943 (2010), HB 2052 (2010), and HB 1789 (2010). (Section 163.044)

CAREER LADDER: This act modifies the Career Ladder program. This act removes the requirement that the General Assembly make an annual appropriation. Beginning in fiscal year 2012, Career Ladder payments will only be made available to local school districts if an appropriation is made. Any state appropriation must be made prospectively in relation to the year in which work under the program is performed. Nothing in this act shall be construed to prohibit a local school district from funding the program for its teachers for work performed in years for which no state appropriation is made available.

In addition, this act removes the variable match portion of Career Ladder. Instead, Career Ladder will be funded by sixty percent local funding and forty percent state funding. The three groups of school districts with variable funding rates are eliminated.

These provisions are identical to provisions contained in CCS/SS#2/SCS/HCS#2/HB 1543 (2010) and HCS/SS/SB 943 (2010). (Sections 168.500 and 168.515)

PARENTS AS TEACHERS: This act repeals the prohibition on payment by program participants or their parents or guardians. Families with children under kindergarten entry age will be eligible to receive annual screenings and parents will be eligible to receive prenatal visits, as described in the act. Priority for Parents as Teachers services must be given high needs families in accordance with criteria established by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. School districts may establish cost sharing strategies.

This provision is identical to a provision contained in HCS/SCS/SB 815 (2010) and HCS/SS/SB 943 (2010) and is substantially similar to a provision contained in CCS/SS#2/SCS/HCS#2/HB 1543 (2010). (Section 178.697)

TAX RATES FOR REAL AND PERSONAL PROPERTY: This act allows any school district that has levied a voter-approved separate tax rate for different subclasses of real property and personal property, or a tax rate increase before August 28, 2010, to use those rates for the single rate calculation using the specified blended rate calculation method. (Section 1)

SUMMER SCHOOL PENALTY: This act repeals section 163.037, which required an additional per pupil weight to be added to summer school attendance after the 2009-2010 school year if summer school attendance statewide drops below a specified level. (Section 163.037)

This act contains an emergency clause on sections 163.031 and 163.036.

MICHAEL RUFF