HCS HB 1704 -- GRANTS FOR SMALL SCHOOLS

SPONSOR:  Wilson, 119 (Wallace)

COMMITTEE ACTION:  Voted "do pass" by the Special Committee on
Rural Community Development by a vote of 10 to 0.

This substitute increases the overall appropriation amount for
small school grants from $15 million to $20 million with $15
million being distributed to eligible districts in proportion to
their average daily attendance.  Beginning with Fiscal Year 2009,
the substitute also allows schools that have an average daily
attendance of 351 to 449 students to receive a flat amount per
student that decreases proportionately as the average daily
attendance increases.

FISCAL NOTE:  Estimated Cost on General Revenue Fund of
$8,421,905 in FY 2009, FY 2010, and FY 2011.  No impact on Other
State Funds in FY 2009, FY 2010, and FY 2011.

PROPONENTS:  Supporters say that the small schools grant is one
of the better features of the new formula because it recognizes
the fixed overhead expenses of small schools.  Currently, if a
school has an average daily attendance of 350 students, it
receives its full share of the grant money.  However, if a school
has an average daily attendance of 351, it gets nothing.  This
creates a great disparity between schools that can sometimes be
neighbors.  The bill will fix this problem by allowing a school
with an average daily attendance of 351 to receive 99% of the
grant and decrease by 1% for each additional student who attends
school on average daily, up to 449.  The current allocation
method will be more fair and aid smaller schools which are
struggling.

Testifying for the bill were Representatives Wallace and Whorton;
Missouri Council of School Administrators; Penney Rector, School
Administrators Coalition; Missouri School Boards Association;
Missouri National Education Association; Missouri State Teachers
Association; Sid Doerhoff, St. Elizabeth R-IV School District;
Dr. Chris Berger, Park-III School District; and Missouri Farm
Bureau.

OPPONENTS:  There was no opposition voiced to the committee.

Missouri House of Representatives
94th General Assembly, 2nd Regular Session
Last Updated October 15, 2008 at 3:11 pm