Provides that in local education agencies when over 45% of the children have a family income that is at or below 185% of federal poverty guidelines, then the student success factor will be 50% by the core instruction per-pupil amount.

Plain-English Summary

This bill would change how Rhode Island calculates school funding for districts that serve a large percentage of lower-income students. Specifically, it targets school districts (called "local education agencies") where more than 45% of students come from families earning at or below 185% of the federal poverty level — which for a family of four is roughly $55,000–$56,000 per year. In those districts, a funding component called the "student success factor" would be set at 50% of the base per-pupil spending amount.

The "student success factor" is part of Rhode Island's school funding formula — it's essentially extra money added on top of the base amount the state spends per student, designed to account for the additional costs of educating students who face economic hardships. By setting this factor at 50%, the bill would ensure that qualifying high-poverty districts receive a meaningful, clearly defined boost in state funding for each student enrolled.

The bill would primarily affect lower-income communities and the school districts that serve them, potentially increasing the state funding those schools receive. Students in these districts could benefit from more resources in the classroom. Local taxpayers in these communities might also feel some relief, since more state funding could reduce the pressure on local property taxes to cover school costs — which is reflected in the bill's full title referencing "property tax relief."

This bill has been introduced and referred to the House Finance Committee, meaning it is in the early stages of the legislative process and has not yet been voted on.