(a)  Any community that has a local appropriation that funds at least eighty-five percent (85%) of the basic education program shall be defined as a high local contribution community. A high local contribution community that has provided full funding of the basic education program and all other approved programs required in law and regulation is authorized to reduce its local appropriation to schools by an amount up to ten percent (10%) of any increase it receives in state school funds, pursuant to the implementation of the permanent foundation education aid formula as defined in § 16-7.2-3.

Terms Used In Rhode Island General Laws 16-7-23.1

  • Appropriation: The provision of funds, through an annual appropriations act or a permanent law, for federal agencies to make payments out of the Treasury for specified purposes. The formal federal spending process consists of two sequential steps: authorization
  • town: may be construed to include city; the words "town council" include city council; the words "town clerk" include city clerk; the words "ward clerk" include clerk of election district; the words "town treasurer" include city treasurer; and the words "town sergeant" include city sergeant. See Rhode Island General Laws 43-3-9

(b)  Any community that has a local appropriation that combined with state education aid provides full funding of the basic education program and exceeds the benchmarks established by the department of elementary and secondary education for costs outside the permanent foundation education aid formula, pursuant to § 16-7.2-3, including but not limited to transportation, facility maintenance, and retiree health care, shall be defined as a high per pupil expenditure community. A high per pupil expenditure community is authorized to reduce its local appropriation to schools by an amount up to ten percent (10%) of any increase it receives in state school funds, pursuant to the implementation of the permanent foundation education aid formula as defined in § 16-7.2-3.

(c)  Upon request of the local community, and for good cause shown, the commissioner of elementary and secondary education may grant variances to subsection (a) and (b) if the commissioner finds that such adjustment does not disrupt the continued effective operation of the public school system of the city or town.

History of Section.
P.L. 2010, ch. 124, § 1; P.L. 2010, ch. 125, § 1.