(a)
(1) Except as provided by paragraph (2) of this subsection and subsections (e) and (f) of this section, for each of the following programs, “minimum school funding” means at least 75% of the per pupil amount applicable to each of the following programs:
- (i) The foundation program under § 5-213 of this subtitle;
- (ii) The compensatory education program under § 5-222 of this subtitle;
- (iii) The English learner education program under § 5-224 of this subtitle;
- (iv) The special education program under § 5-225 of this subtitle;
- (v) Public providers of prekindergarten under § 5-229 of this subtitle;
- (vi) Transitional supplemental instruction under § 5-226 of this subtitle;
- (vii) The comparable wage index grant under § 5-216 of this subtitle; and
- (viii) The college and career readiness program under § 5-217 of this subtitle.
(2) Except as provided by subsection (e) of this section, for each of the following programs, “minimum school funding” means 100% of the per pupil amount applicable to each of the following programs:
- (i) Private providers of prekindergarten under § 5-229 of this subtitle; and
- (ii) The per pupil grant under the concentration of poverty program under § 5-223 of this subtitle.
(b)
- (1) For each school, the county board shall distribute the minimum school funding amount for the applicable program multiplied by the school enrollment for the applicable program.
- (2) On or before July 1, 2024, for fiscal year 2025, and each July 1 thereafter, each county board shall report on the county board's compliance with this section to the Department and the Accountability and Implementation Board established under Subtitle 4 of this title.
(3) A county board may request a waiver under § 5-406 of this title from this provision for reasons including:
- (i) A significant shift in total school-level enrollment between the prior year and the current year;
- (ii) A significant shift in school-level enrollment of at-promise students between the prior year and the current year; and
- (iii) A significant difference in the amount of funding provided through the formula and the amount of expenditures necessary for a category of at-promise students.
(c) On or before July 1, 2023, the Department shall, in collaboration with the Accountability and Implementation Board established under Subtitle 4 of this title:
- (1) Implement a financial management system and student data system capable of tracking and analyzing the requirements under this section and integrating local school system data; and
- (2) Update the “Financial Reporting Manual for Maryland Public Schools” to ensure uniformity in reporting expenditures for each school.
- (d) For fiscal years 2023 and 2024, each county board and the Department shall report to the Accountability and Implementation Board established under Subtitle 4 of this title expenditures for each school in accordance with the federal Every Student Succeeds Act requirements for reporting expenditures.
(e)
- (1) A county board may exclude from the requirements of this section, countywide obligations and contracts for goods and services that cannot be allocated at the school level.
- (2) If a county board makes the exclusion under paragraph (1) of this subsection, the county board shall report the reason for the exclusion to the Department.
- (f) For the purposes of this section, subsection (a)(1)(iv) of this section may be reported in the aggregate for each county.
Added by Acts 2021, c. 36, § 3, eff. March 14, 2021. Amended by Acts 2021, c. 55, § 1, eff. April 9, 2021.