SSB 1159

Description

Senate File 269 modifies and establishes provisions related to the funding of school districts, including establishing a State supplemental aid (SSA) amount based on a State percent of growth rate and the categorical State percent of growth rate for the budget year beginning July 1, 2021 (FY 2022), and provides for other changes to the school aid formula. Senate File 269 has five provisions with a fiscal impact:

• Establishes a 2.40% State percent of growth rate to be applied to the State cost per pupil (SCPP) for FY 2022 for an SSA of $155 per pupil.
• Establishes a 2.40% State percent of growth rate to be applied to each of the State categorical cost per pupil amounts for FY 2022.
• Provides an additional increase of $10 to the FY 2022 regular program SCPP separate from the SSA.
• Provides additional property tax replacement funding based on the per pupil increase that results from the establishment of the State percent of growth in FY 2022. The Bill requires the additional levy portion of the FY 2022 SCPP amount to be frozen at $750 per pupil, regardless of the per pupil increase for FY 2022.
• Amends the FY 2022 General Fund appropriation to the Transportation Equity Program under Iowa Code section 257.16C to equal the amount necessary to make all transportation equity aid payments.

The Bill takes effect upon enactment.

Background

State Cost Per Pupil. The school aid formula provides funding to school districts and Area Education Agencies (AEAs) through a mix of State aid and property taxes. In general, funding is generated on a per pupil basis, with the per pupil amounts providing an overall budget limitation (or spending authority). There are five SCPP funding levels that would be increased by a 2.40% State percent of growth for FY 2022 with the enactment of this Bill. Table 1 provides the supplemental State aid amounts (also referred to as per pupil growth amounts) and SCPP amounts for FY 2022 based on a 2.40% growth rate. The SSA amounts will be applied to all corresponding district and AEA cost per pupil amounts. In addition to a 2.40% growth rate, Section 2 of the Bill, as amended, adds an additional $10 to the SCPP separate from the SSA.

Table 1 — SF 269 In addition to the State percent of growth and SSA amounts for FY 2022, enrollments, weightings, and taxable valuations within each school district have an impact on the amount of total school aid funding, including the amount of State aid and local property tax required to generate the total funding amount.

State Categorical Supplements. The State categorical supplements are funded entirely through State aid and generate funds for each school district and AEA through the school aid formula on a per pupil basis. The FY 2022 SCPP funding levels for the teacher salary supplement (district and AEA), professional development supplement (district and AEA), early intervention supplement (district only), and Teacher Leadership and Compensation (TLC) (district only) supplement would be increased by a 2.40% State percent of growth for FY 2022. Table 2 provides the per pupil growth amounts and SCPP amounts for FY 2022 based on this Bill, as amended.

Table 2 — SF 269 Additionally, there is a budget guarantee provision for each of the State categorical supplements, which provides each district and AEA with a minimum of the previous fiscal year’s level of funding (net of the previous year’s budget guarantee amount). This provision for the State categorical supplements is funded entirely through State aid.FY 2021 FY 2022 FY 2022 FY 2022 FY 2022 State Cost State Percent Supplemental Additional State Cost Per Pupil of Growth State Aid SCPP Dollars Per Pupil Regular Program 7,048$ 2.40% 169$ 10$ 7,227$ Special Education Program 7,048 2.40% 169 10 7,227 AEA Special Education Services 308.56 2.40% 7.41 - 315.97 AEA Media Services 57.53 2.40% 1.38 - 58.91 AEA Education Services 63.48 2.40% 1.52 - 65.00 FY 2022 State Cost Per Pupil CalculationsFY 2021 FY 2022 FY 2022 FY 2022 State Cost State Percent Supplemental State Cost Per Pupil of Growth State Aid Per Pupil Teacher Salary - Districts 605.58$ 2.40% 14.53$ 620.11$ Professional Development - Districts 68.58 2.40% 1.65 70.23 Early Intervention - Districts 74.71 2.40% 1.79 76.50

Teacher Leadership and

Compensation - Districts 340.89 2.40% 8.18 349.07 Teacher Salary - AEAs 31.69 2.40% 0.76 32.45 Professional Development - AEAs 3.70 2.40% 0.09 3.79 FY 2022 State Categorical Cost Per Pupil Calculations Property Tax Replacement Payment (PTRP). 2013 Iowa Acts, chapter 121 (Education Reform), included the creation of the PTRP provision to replace local property tax amounts with State aid. The provision froze the additional levy portion of the SCPP at $750; based on the State percent of growth enacted during the intervening fiscal years, this provision created $15 per pupil in property tax relief in FY 2014 and up to $131 per pupil in FY 2021. The continual growth is a result of the requirement that the per pupil property tax relief of previous fiscal years carry forward into future fiscal years. Enactment of this Bill, as amended, would maintain the additional levy portion of the SCPP at $750 in FY 2022. The per pupil property tax relief amount will be based on the State percent of growth enacted for FY 2022. Table 3 provides detail regarding the SCPP funding levels as provided by a 2.40% growth rate for FY 2022 in this Bill. Table 3 — SF 269 Transportation Equity Program. Iowa Code section 257.16C establishes the Transportation Equity Program. The Program was created to provide additional funding to school districts for public school transportation costs that exceed a statewide adjusted average cost per student. Transportation equity payments may buy down transportation costs to the statewide average cost per student for providing transportation to public schools. If funding permits, school districts with transportation costs per pupil below the statewide average will receive transportation base funding payments on a per capita basis.

Assumptions

• Estimates are based on October 2020 certified enrollments and supplementary weightings for FY 2021, which were approved by the School Budget Review Committee (SBRC) in December 2020.
• A statewide taxable valuation growth rate of 3.88% for FY 2022 was previously agreed upon by the Legislative Services Agency (LSA) and the Department of Management. Based on this assumed rate, the statewide total for the uniform levy is estimated to account for $39.0 million (+3.94%) of the school foundation property tax change in FY 2022 (including the uniform levy portion of the commercial/industrial rollback replacement payment). The estimated increase in the uniform levy amount is not affected by the establishment of the State percent of growth rate. Property tax adjustment aid amounts are based on the statewide taxable valuation growth factor applied to each school district’s FY 2022 taxable valuation amount.
• Total State aid includes funding from the State General Fund and other funds appropriated or deposited in the Property Tax Equity and Relief (PTER) Fund, which is used to provide additional property tax relief through the school aid formula.Increase Due to Increase Due to

Supplemental Additional Dollars

FY 2021 State Aid Rate to the SCPP FY 2022 Regular Program 7,048$ 169$ 10$ 7,227$ Unadjusted Additional Levy 881 21 1 903 PTRP Portion 131 20 1 153 Fixed Additional Levy Portion 750 0 0 750 FY 2022 Property Tax Replacement Payment Calculation

• Establishing an FY 2022 State percent of growth will also affect the amount of funding generated for the Statewide Voluntary Preschool Program. Funding for the Program is provided by State General Fund dollars and is included in the overall State aid total.
• Districts eligible for the 101.00% budget adjustment will approve use of that provision.
• Other legislation may have an impact on the amount of State aid and property tax generated through the school aid formula.
• The General Fund appropriation to the Transportation Equity Fund will increase by approximately $768,000. Starting in FY 2023, the appropriation may grow at the same rate as the categorical SCPP rate.

Fiscal Impact

Table 4 provides the estimated fiscal impact of the six provisions of this Bill, as amended. These provisions include:

• A $7.5 million reduction1 in State aid to the AEAs (current statute).
• $86.6 million in PTRP funding, an increase of $11.6 million (15.40%) compared to FY 2021.
• $560.5 million for the State categorical supplements for school districts and AEAs, an increase of $7.7 million (1.39%). This includes:
• $317.8 million for the teacher salary supplement at the district and AEA levels.
• $36.1 million for the professional development supplement at the district and AEA levels.
• $37.1 million for the early intervention supplement.
• $169.6 million for the Teacher Leadership and Compensation supplement.
• $80.9 million for preschool formula funding, a decrease of $7.4 million (8.38%) compared to FY 2021. The preschool formula funding is included in the State aid amount but is not included in the combined district cost total.
• $26.0 million in budget adjustment funding for 137 qualifying districts, an increase of $17.8 million (215.45%) compared to FY 2021. The budget guarantee adjustment is calculated at the school district level so that school districts receive 101.00% of their previous year’s funding. The budget guarantee adjustment is funded entirely through property taxes.
• The total property tax funds generated through the school aid formula are estimated to be $1.660 billion, an increase of $47.1 million (2.92%) compared to FY 2021.
• The total State aid from the General Fund (reflecting the total school aid funding level for school districts and AEAs generated through the school aid formula) is estimated to be $3.418 billion, an increase of $36.5 million (1.08%) compared to FY 2021. Any legislative action affecting FY 2022 school aid provisions will have an impact on school aid amounts. Additionally, any variations in the assumptions noted may result in changes in the FY 2022 estimates provided in Table 4.

The total General Fund appropriation in Table 4 provides the additional fiscal impact of SF 269, as amended. This also includes:

• The additional increase in the FY 2022 SCPP of $10 for a total of $5.8 million, which is included in the total State aid estimate.
• The FY 2022 General Fund appropriation of $27.5 million to the Transportation Equity Fund, which is not included in the total State aid estimate.

1 Since FY 2018, the General Assembly has further reduced funding to AEAs by an additional $15.0 million per year, for a total reduction of $22.5 million. Historically, the additional reductions have been included in the annual Standing Appropriations Act. Table 4 — SF 269

Sources

• Iowa Department of Education, Certified Enrollment and Enrollment Projections File
• Iowa Department of Management, School Aid File
• Iowa Department of Revenue
• LSA analysis and calculations