Legislature fixes funding for growing districts and some charter schools, gives them more time to spend learning loss aid

In the 2020-21 state budget approved in June, the Legislature agreed to fund school districts based on 2019-20 attendance levels, anticipating that the coronavirus pandemic would create havoc with school attendance this year. While most districts welcomed the idea, school districts and charter schools that had planned for growth in enrollment complained they’d be underfunded as a result. Before they adjourned on Monday, legislators approved a compromise. The state will mostly fund enrollment increases that were budgeted for as of last spring. Left out of the deal, however, are online charter schools, which have threatened to file a lawsuit to get their share of the additional funding.

Among other final actions on education, legislators:

• Agreed to give school districts and charter schools an additional six month to spend money to address learning loss.
• Amended a statute to clarify that school districts and charter schools can require teachers to do live remote instruction and record it for students’ use.