Relating to area education agencies, including consolidating the area education agencies, modifying the teacher salary supplement state cost per pupil calculation, and modifying the employment terms of certain specified employees of area education agencies

This bill relates to area education agencies, including consolidating the area education agencies, modifying the teacher salary supplement state cost per pupil calculation, and modifying the employment terms of certain specified employees of area education agencies. Current law establishes a maximum of area education agencies throughout the state. There are currently nine area education agencies in the state. Area education agencies provide means of identifying and serving children who require special education and provide for media services and other programs for pupils in grades kindergarten through and children requiring special education. The bill provides that the number of area education agencies shall not exceed four on and after July 1, 2023. The bill requires area education agencies to reorganize as necessary to implement this requirement and specifies that area education agencies engaging in such reorganization shall be contiguous.23, relating to the terms of employment of area education agency employees and the organization of initial area education agency boards, apply to such reorganizations. The bill provides a timeline for the implementation of reorganization of area education agencies by July 1, 2023. Under current law, the teacher salary supplement state cost per pupil is the teacher salary supplement state cost per pupil for the base year plus a supplemental state aid amount that is equal to the categorical state percent of growth for the budget year, multiplied by the teacher salary supplement state cost per pupil for the base year. The bill modifies the calculation of the teacher salary supplement state cost per pupil for the budget year beginning July 1, 2023, by adding to the existing amount the difference between the sum of the total approved budgets for all area education agencies excluding federal moneys for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2022, and such budget amount for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2023, divided by the statewide total budget enrollment for the budget year. The bill then, for budget years beginning on or after July 1, 2024, resumes the calculation of the teacher salary supplement state cost per pupil in the manner the amount was calculated previously. The bill also adjusts the calculation of the teacher salary supplement district cost per pupil in a similar manner for the budget year beginning July 1, 2023, and subsequent budget years. The bill requires the boards of directors of area education agencies to allow any person employed by the area education agency who holds a license, certificate, statement of recognition, or authorization other than a coaching authorization, issued by the board of educational examiners under Code chapter 272, to live outside the boundaries of the area education agency and provide educational services and programs meeting certain specified requirements to students primarily over the internet, but only when such services and programs can be provided effectively over the internet.