HOUSE BILL No. 6420

 

September 6, 2006, Introduced by Reps. Gaffney, Vagnozzi and David Law and referred to the Committee on Appropriations.

 

     A bill to amend 1979 PA 94, entitled

 

"The state school aid act of 1979,"

 

by amending section 20 (MCL 388.1620), as amended by 2005 PA 155.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 

     Sec. 20. (1) For 2003-2004 and for 2004-2005, the basic

 

foundation allowance is $6,700.00 per membership pupil. For 2005-

 

2006, the basic foundation allowance is $6,875.00.

 

     (2) The amount of each district's foundation allowance shall

 

be calculated as provided in this section, using a basic foundation

 

allowance in the amount specified in subsection (1).

 

     (3) Except as otherwise provided in this section, the amount

 

of a district's foundation allowance shall be calculated as

 

follows, using in all calculations the total amount of the

 


district's foundation allowance as calculated before any proration:

 

     (a) Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, for a

 

district that in the immediately preceding state fiscal year had a

 

foundation allowance in an amount at least equal to the amount of

 

the basic foundation allowance for the immediately preceding state

 

fiscal year, the district shall receive a foundation allowance in

 

an amount equal to the sum of the district's foundation allowance

 

for the immediately preceding state fiscal year plus the dollar

 

amount of the adjustment from the immediately preceding state

 

fiscal year to the current state fiscal year in the basic

 

foundation allowance. However, for 2002-2003, the foundation

 

allowance for a district under this subdivision is an amount equal

 

to the sum of the district's foundation allowance for the

 

immediately preceding state fiscal year plus $200.00.

 

     (b) For a district that in the 1994-95 state fiscal year had a

 

foundation allowance greater than $6,500.00, the district's

 

foundation allowance is an amount equal to the sum of the

 

district's foundation allowance for the immediately preceding state

 

fiscal year plus the lesser of the increase in the basic foundation

 

allowance for the current state fiscal year, as compared to the

 

immediately preceding state fiscal year, or the product of the

 

district's foundation allowance for the immediately preceding state

 

fiscal year times the percentage increase in the United States

 

consumer price index in the calendar year ending in the immediately

 

preceding fiscal year as reported by the May revenue estimating

 

conference conducted under section 367b of the management and

 

budget act, 1984 PA 431, MCL 18.1367b.  For 2002-2003,  However,

 


beginning in 2006-2007, for a district that in the 1994-95 state

 

fiscal year had a foundation allowance greater than $6,500.00, the

 

district's foundation allowance  is  shall be an amount equal to

 

the greater of the sum of the district's foundation allowance for

 

the immediately preceding state fiscal year plus the  lesser of

 

$200.00  dollar increase in the basic foundation allowance or the  

 

product of the  district's foundation allowance for the immediately

 

preceding state fiscal year  times the percentage increase in the

 

United States consumer price index in  adjusted by an amount

 

determined by the state treasurer at the end of the calendar year

 

ending in the immediately preceding fiscal year  as reported by the

 

May revenue estimating conference conducted under section 367b of

 

the management and budget act, 1984 PA 431, MCL 18.1367b  to

 

reflect the cumulative annual percentage change in the general

 

price level, as defined in section 1211 of the revised school code,

 

MCL 380.1211.

 

     (c) For a district that has a foundation allowance that is not

 

a whole dollar amount, the district's foundation allowance shall be

 

rounded up to the nearest whole dollar.

 

     (d) For a district that received a payment under former

 

section 22c for 2001-2002, the district's 2001-2002 foundation

 

allowance shall be considered to have been an amount equal to the

 

sum of the district's actual 2001-2002 foundation allowance as

 

otherwise calculated under this section plus the per pupil amount

 

of the district's equity payment for 2001-2002 under former section

 

22c.

 

     (4) Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, the state

 


portion of a district's foundation allowance is an amount equal to

 

the district's foundation allowance or $6,500.00, whichever is

 

less, minus the difference between the product of the taxable value

 

per membership pupil of all property in the district that is not a

 

principal residence or qualified agricultural property times the

 

lesser of 18 mills or the number of mills of school operating taxes

 

levied by the district in 1993-94 and the quotient of the ad

 

valorem property tax revenue of the district captured under 1975 PA

 

197, MCL 125.1651 to 125.1681, the tax increment finance authority

 

act, 1980 PA 450, MCL 125.1801 to 125.1830, the local development

 

financing act, 1986 PA 281, MCL 125.2151 to 125.2174, or the

 

brownfield redevelopment financing act, 1996 PA 381, MCL 125.2651

 

to 125.2672, divided by the district's membership excluding special

 

education pupils. For a district described in subsection (3)(b),

 

the state portion of the district's foundation allowance is an

 

amount equal to $6,962.00 plus the difference between the

 

district's foundation allowance for the current state fiscal year

 

and the district's foundation allowance for 1998-99, minus the

 

difference between the product of the taxable value per membership

 

pupil of all property in the district that is not a principal

 

residence or qualified agricultural property times the lesser of 18

 

mills or the number of mills of school operating taxes levied by

 

the district in 1993-94 and the quotient of the ad valorem property

 

tax revenue of the district captured under 1975 PA 197, MCL

 

125.1651 to 125.1681, the tax increment finance authority act, 1980

 

PA 450, MCL 125.1801 to 125.1830, the local development financing

 

act, 1986 PA 281, MCL 125.2151 to 125.2174, or the brownfield

 


redevelopment financing act, 1996 PA 381, MCL 125.2651 to 125.2672,

 

divided by the district's membership excluding special education

 

pupils. For a district that has a millage reduction required under

 

section 31 of article IX of the state constitution of 1963, the

 

state portion of the district's foundation allowance shall be

 

calculated as if that reduction did not occur. The $6,500.00 amount

 

prescribed in this subsection shall be adjusted each year by an

 

amount equal to the dollar amount of the difference between the

 

basic foundation allowance for the current state fiscal year and

 

$5,000.00, minus $200.00.

 

     (5) The allocation calculated under this section for a pupil

 

shall be based on the foundation allowance of the pupil's district

 

of residence. However, for a pupil enrolled in a district other

 

than the pupil's district of residence, if the foundation allowance

 

of the pupil's district of residence has been adjusted pursuant to

 

subsection (19), the allocation calculated under this section shall

 

not include the adjustment described in subsection (19). For a

 

pupil enrolled pursuant to section 105 or 105c in a district other

 

than the pupil's district of residence, the allocation calculated

 

under this section shall be based on the lesser of the foundation

 

allowance of the pupil's district of residence or the foundation

 

allowance of the educating district. For a pupil in membership in a

 

K-5, K-6, or K-8 district who is enrolled in another district in a

 

grade not offered by the pupil's district of residence, the

 

allocation calculated under this section shall be based on the

 

foundation allowance of the educating district if the educating

 

district's foundation allowance is greater than the foundation

 


allowance of the pupil's district of residence. The calculation

 

under this subsection shall take into account a district's per

 

pupil allocation under section 20j(2).

 

     (6) Subject to subsection (7) and section 22b(3) and except as

 

otherwise provided in this subsection, for pupils in membership,

 

other than special education pupils, in a public school academy or

 

a university school, the allocation calculated under this section

 

is an amount per membership pupil other than special education

 

pupils in the public school academy or university school equal to

 

the sum of the local school operating revenue per membership pupil

 

other than special education pupils for the district in which the

 

public school academy or university school is located and the state

 

portion of that district's foundation allowance, or the sum of the

 

basic foundation allowance under subsection (1) plus $300.00,

 

whichever is less. Notwithstanding section 101(2), for a public

 

school academy that begins operations after the pupil membership

 

count day, the amount per membership pupil calculated under this

 

subsection shall be adjusted by multiplying that amount per

 

membership pupil by the number of hours of pupil instruction

 

provided by the public school academy after it begins operations,

 

as determined by the department, divided by the minimum number of

 

hours of pupil instruction required under section 101(3). The

 

result of this calculation shall not exceed the amount per

 

membership pupil otherwise calculated under this subsection.

 

     (7) If more than 25% of the pupils residing within a district

 

are in membership in 1 or more public school academies located in

 

the district, then the amount per membership pupil calculated under

 


this section for a public school academy located in the district

 

shall be reduced by an amount equal to the difference between the

 

product of the taxable value per membership pupil of all property

 

in the district that is not a principal residence or qualified

 

agricultural property times the lesser of 18 mills or the number of

 

mills of school operating taxes levied by the district in 1993-94

 

and the quotient of the ad valorem property tax revenue of the

 

district captured under 1975 PA 197, MCL 125.1651 to 125.1681, the

 

tax increment finance authority act, 1980 PA 450, MCL 125.1801 to

 

125.1830, the local development financing act, 1986 PA 281, MCL

 

125.2151 to 125.2174, or the brownfield redevelopment financing

 

act, 1996 PA 381, MCL 125.2651 to 125.2672, divided by the

 

district's membership excluding special education pupils, in the

 

school fiscal year ending in the current state fiscal year,

 

calculated as if the resident pupils in membership in 1 or more

 

public school academies located in the district were in membership

 

in the district. In order to receive state school aid under this

 

act, a district described in this subsection shall pay to the

 

authorizing body that is the fiscal agent for a public school

 

academy located in the district for forwarding to the public school

 

academy an amount equal to that local school operating revenue per

 

membership pupil for each resident pupil in membership other than

 

special education pupils in the public school academy, as

 

determined by the department.

 

     (8) If a district does not receive an amount calculated under

 

subsection (9); if the number of mills the district may levy on a

 

principal residence and qualified agricultural property under

 


section 1211(1) of the revised school code, MCL 380.1211, is 0.5

 

mills or less; and if the district elects not to levy those mills,

 

the district instead shall receive a separate supplemental amount

 

calculated under this subsection in an amount equal to the amount

 

the district would have received had it levied those mills, as

 

determined by the department of treasury. A district shall not

 

receive a separate supplemental amount calculated under this

 

subsection for a fiscal year unless in the calendar year ending in

 

the fiscal year the district levies 18 mills or the number of mills

 

of school operating taxes levied by the district in 1993, whichever

 

is less, on property that is not a principal residence or qualified

 

agricultural property.

 

     (9) For a district that had combined state and local revenue

 

per membership pupil in the 1993-94 state fiscal year of more than

 

$6,500.00 and that had fewer than 350 pupils in membership, if the

 

district elects not to reduce the number of mills from which a

 

principal residence and qualified agricultural property are exempt

 

and not to levy school operating taxes on a principal residence and

 

qualified agricultural property as provided in section 1211(1) of

 

the revised school code, MCL 380.1211, and not to levy school

 

operating taxes on all property as provided in section 1211(2) of

 

the revised school code, MCL 380.1211, there is calculated under

 

this subsection for 1994-95 and each succeeding fiscal year a

 

separate supplemental amount in an amount equal to the amount the

 

district would have received per membership pupil had it levied

 

school operating taxes on a principal residence and qualified

 

agricultural property at the rate authorized for the district under

 


section 1211(1) of the revised school code, MCL 380.1211, and

 

levied school operating taxes on all property at the rate

 

authorized for the district under section 1211(2) of the revised

 

school code, MCL 380.1211, as determined by the department of

 

treasury. If in the calendar year ending in the fiscal year a

 

district does not levy 18 mills or the number of mills of school

 

operating taxes levied by the district in 1993, whichever is less,

 

on property that is not a principal residence or qualified

 

agricultural property, the amount calculated under this subsection

 

will be reduced by the same percentage as the millage actually

 

levied compares to the 18 mills or the number of mills levied in

 

1993, whichever is less.

 

     (10) Subject to subsection (4), for a district that is formed

 

or reconfigured after June 1, 2002 by consolidation of 2 or more

 

districts or by annexation, the resulting district's foundation

 

allowance under this section beginning after the effective date of

 

the consolidation or annexation shall be the average of the

 

foundation allowances of each of the original or affected

 

districts, calculated as provided in this section, weighted as to

 

the percentage of pupils in total membership in the resulting

 

district who reside in the geographic area of each of the original

 

or affected districts. The calculation under this subsection shall

 

take into account a district's per pupil allocation under section

 

20j(2).

 

     (11) Each fraction used in making calculations under this

 

section shall be rounded to the fourth decimal place and the dollar

 

amount of an increase in the basic foundation allowance shall be

 


rounded to the nearest whole dollar.

 

     (12) State payments related to payment of the foundation

 

allowance for a special education pupil are not calculated under

 

this section but are instead calculated under section 51a.

 

     (13) To assist the legislature in determining the basic

 

foundation allowance for the subsequent state fiscal year, each

 

revenue estimating conference conducted under section 367b of the

 

management and budget act, 1984 PA 431, MCL 18.1367b, shall

 

calculate a pupil membership factor, a revenue adjustment factor,

 

and an index as follows:

 

     (a) The pupil membership factor shall be computed by dividing

 

the estimated membership in the school year ending in the current

 

state fiscal year, excluding intermediate district membership, by

 

the estimated membership for the school year ending in the

 

subsequent state fiscal year, excluding intermediate district

 

membership. If a consensus membership factor is not determined at

 

the revenue estimating conference, the principals of the revenue

 

estimating conference shall report their estimates to the house and

 

senate subcommittees responsible for school aid appropriations not

 

later than 7 days after the conclusion of the revenue conference.

 

     (b) The revenue adjustment factor shall be computed by

 

dividing the sum of the estimated total state school aid fund

 

revenue for the subsequent state fiscal year plus the estimated

 

total state school aid fund revenue for the current state fiscal

 

year, adjusted for any change in the rate or base of a tax the

 

proceeds of which are deposited in that fund and excluding money

 

transferred into that fund from the countercyclical budget and

 


economic stabilization fund under section 353e of the management

 

and budget act, 1984 PA 431, MCL 18.1353e, by the sum of the

 

estimated total school aid fund revenue for the current state

 

fiscal year plus the estimated total state school aid fund revenue

 

for the immediately preceding state fiscal year, adjusted for any

 

change in the rate or base of a tax the proceeds of which are

 

deposited in that fund. If a consensus revenue factor is not

 

determined at the revenue estimating conference, the principals of

 

the revenue estimating conference shall report their estimates to

 

the house and senate subcommittees responsible for school aid

 

appropriations not later than 7 days after the conclusion of the

 

revenue conference.

 

     (c) The index shall be calculated by multiplying the pupil

 

membership factor by the revenue adjustment factor. However, for

 

2005-2006, the index shall be 1.00. If a consensus index is not

 

determined at the revenue estimating conference, the principals of

 

the revenue estimating conference shall report their estimates to

 

the house and senate subcommittees responsible for school aid

 

appropriations not later than 7 days after the conclusion of the

 

revenue conference.

 

     (14) If the principals at the revenue estimating conference

 

reach a consensus on the index described in subsection (13)(c), the

 

basic foundation allowance for the subsequent state fiscal year

 

shall be at least the amount of that consensus index multiplied by

 

the basic foundation allowance specified in subsection (1).

 

     (15) If at the January revenue estimating conference it is

 

estimated that pupil membership, excluding intermediate district

 


membership, for the subsequent state fiscal year will be greater

 

than 101% of the pupil membership, excluding intermediate district

 

membership, for the current state fiscal year, then it is the

 

intent of the legislature that the executive budget proposal for

 

the school aid budget for the subsequent state fiscal year include

 

a general fund/general purpose allocation sufficient to support the

 

membership in excess of 101% of the current year pupil membership.

 

     (16) For a district that had combined state and local revenue

 

per membership pupil in the 1993-94 state fiscal year of more than

 

$6,500.00, that had fewer than 7 pupils in membership in the 1993-

 

94 state fiscal year, that has at least 1 child educated in the

 

district in the current state fiscal year, and that levies the

 

number of mills of school operating taxes authorized for the

 

district under section 1211 of the revised school code, MCL

 

380.1211, a minimum amount of combined state and local revenue

 

shall be calculated for the district as provided under this

 

subsection. The minimum amount of combined state and local revenue

 

for 1999-2000 shall be $67,000.00 plus the district's additional

 

expenses to educate pupils in grades 9 to 12 educated in other

 

districts as determined and allowed by the department. The minimum

 

amount of combined state and local revenue under this subsection,

 

before adding the additional expenses, shall increase each fiscal

 

year by the same percentage increase as the percentage increase in

 

the basic foundation allowance from the immediately preceding

 

fiscal year to the current fiscal year. The state portion of the

 

minimum amount of combined state and local revenue under this

 

subsection shall be calculated by subtracting from the minimum

 


amount of combined state and local revenue under this subsection

 

the sum of the district's local school operating revenue and an

 

amount equal to the product of the sum of the state portion of the

 

district's foundation allowance plus the amount calculated under

 

section 20j times the district's membership. As used in this

 

subsection, "additional expenses" means the district's expenses for

 

tuition or fees, not to exceed $6,500.00 as adjusted each year by

 

an amount equal to the dollar amount of the difference between the

 

basic foundation allowance for the current state fiscal year and

 

$5,000.00, minus $200.00, plus a room and board stipend not to

 

exceed $10.00 per school day for each pupil in grades 9 to 12

 

educated in another district, as approved by the department.

 

     (17) For a district in which 7.75 mills levied in 1992 for

 

school operating purposes in the 1992-93 school year were not

 

renewed in 1993 for school operating purposes in the 1993-94 school

 

year, the district's combined state and local revenue per

 

membership pupil shall be recalculated as if that millage reduction

 

did not occur and the district's foundation allowance shall be

 

calculated as if its 1994-95 foundation allowance had been

 

calculated using that recalculated 1993-94 combined state and local

 

revenue per membership pupil as a base. A district is not entitled

 

to any retroactive payments for fiscal years before 2000-2001 due

 

to this subsection.

 

     (18) For a district in which an industrial facilities

 

exemption certificate that abated taxes on property with a state

 

equalized valuation greater than the total state equalized

 

valuation of the district at the time the certificate was issued or

 


$700,000,000.00, whichever is greater, was issued under 1974 PA

 

198, MCL 207.551 to 207.572, before the calculation of the

 

district's 1994-95 foundation allowance, the district's foundation

 

allowance for 2002-2003 is an amount equal to the sum of the

 

district's foundation allowance for 2002-2003, as otherwise

 

calculated under this section, plus $250.00.

 

     (19) For a district that received a grant under former section

 

32e for 2001-2002, the district's foundation allowance for 2002-

 

2003 and each succeeding fiscal year shall be adjusted to be an

 

amount equal to the sum of the district's foundation allowance, as

 

otherwise calculated under this section, plus the quotient of 100%

 

of the amount of the grant award to the district for 2001-2002

 

under former section 32e divided by the number of pupils in the

 

district's membership for 2001-2002 who were residents of and

 

enrolled in the district. Except as otherwise provided in this

 

subsection, a district qualifying for a foundation allowance

 

adjustment under this subsection shall use the funds resulting from

 

this adjustment for at least 1 of grades K to 3 for purposes

 

allowable under former section 32e as in effect for 2001-2002. For

 

an individual school or schools operated by a district qualifying

 

for a foundation allowance under this subsection that have been

 

determined by the department to meet the adequate yearly progress

 

standards of the federal no child left behind act of 2001, Public

 

Law 107-110, in both mathematics and English language arts at all

 

applicable grade levels for all applicable subgroups, the district

 

may submit to the department an application for flexibility in

 

using the funds resulting from this adjustment that are

 


attributable to the pupils in the school or schools. The

 

application shall identify the affected school or schools and the

 

affected funds and shall contain a plan for using the funds for

 

specific purposes identified by the district that are designed to

 

reduce class size, but that may be different from the purposes

 

otherwise allowable under this subsection. The department shall

 

approve the application if the department determines that the

 

purposes identified in the plan are reasonably designed to reduce

 

class size. If the department does not act to approve or disapprove

 

an application within 30 days after it is submitted to the

 

department, the application is considered to be approved. If an

 

application for flexibility in using the funds is approved, the

 

district may use the funds identified in the application for any

 

purpose identified in the plan.

 

     (20) For a district that is a qualifying school district with

 

a school reform board in place under part 5a of the revised school

 

code, MCL 380.371 to 380.376, the district's foundation allowance

 

for 2002-2003 shall be adjusted to be an amount equal to the sum of

 

the district's foundation allowance, as otherwise calculated under

 

this section, plus the quotient of $15,000,000.00 divided by the

 

district's membership for 2002-2003. If a district ceases to meet

 

the requirements of this subsection, the department shall adjust

 

the district's foundation allowance in effect at that time based on

 

a 2002-2003 foundation allowance for the district that does not

 

include the 2002-2003 adjustment under this subsection. This

 

subsection only applies for 2002-2003, 2003-2004, and 2004-2005.

 

Beginning in 2005-2006, the foundation allowance of a district that

 


received an adjustment under this subsection for those fiscal years

 

shall be calculated as if those adjustments did not occur.

 

     (21) Payments to districts, university schools, or public

 

school academies shall not be made under this section. Rather, the

 

calculations under this section shall be used to determine the

 

amount of state payments under section 22b.

 

     (22) If an amendment to section 2 of article VIII of the state

 

constitution of 1963 allowing state aid to some or all nonpublic

 

schools is approved by the voters of this state, each foundation

 

allowance or per pupil payment calculation under this section may

 

be reduced.

 

     (23) As used in this section:

 

     (a) "Combined state and local revenue" means the aggregate of

 

the district's state school aid received by or paid on behalf of

 

the district under this section and the district's local school

 

operating revenue.

 

     (b) "Combined state and local revenue per membership pupil"

 

means the district's combined state and local revenue divided by

 

the district's membership excluding special education pupils.

 

     (c) "Current state fiscal year" means the state fiscal year

 

for which a particular calculation is made.

 

     (d) "Immediately preceding state fiscal year" means the state

 

fiscal year immediately preceding the current state fiscal year.

 

     (e) "Local school operating revenue" means school operating

 

taxes levied under section 1211 of the revised school code, MCL

 

380.1211.

 

     (f) "Local school operating revenue per membership pupil"

 


means a district's local school operating revenue divided by the

 

district's membership excluding special education pupils.

 

     (g) "Membership" means the definition of that term under

 

section 6 as in effect for the particular fiscal year for which a

 

particular calculation is made.

 

     (h) "Principal residence" and "qualified agricultural

 

property" mean those terms as defined in section 7dd of the general

 

property tax act, 1893 PA 206, MCL 211.7dd.

 

     (i) "School operating purposes" means the purposes included in

 

the operation costs of the district as prescribed in sections 7 and

 

18.

 

     (j) "School operating taxes" means local ad valorem property

 

taxes levied under section 1211 of the revised school code, MCL

 

380.1211, and retained for school operating purposes.

 

     (k) "Taxable value per membership pupil" means taxable value,

 

as certified by the department of treasury, for the calendar year

 

ending in the current state fiscal year divided by the district's

 

membership excluding special education pupils for the school year

 

ending in the current state fiscal year.

 

     Enacting section 1. This amendatory act does not take effect

 

unless Senate Bill No.____ or House Bill No. 6419(request no.

 

04956'05) of the 93rd Legislature is enacted into law.