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HB 8159

AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION -- THE EDUCATION EQUITY AND PROPERTY TAX RELIEF ACT

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Jon Brien and 2 co-sponsors

HB 8159 updates Rhode Island’s education funding to boost equity by adjusting core and high-need amounts, using new poverty/MLL measures and better data tracking.

04/28/2026 Committee recommended measure be held for further study
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Bill Summary · HB 8159

Summary of HB 8159 (2026) – The Education Equity and Property Tax Relief Act (Rhode Island)

Purpose and intent

HB 8159 proposes updates to Rhode Island’s permanent foundation education aid formula with the goals of equity in funding, enhanced support for high-need and multilingual learners, and alignment with updated poverty measures. The bill continues the framework of the Education Equity and Property Tax Relief Act but makes targeted changes to how core instruction funding and additional high-need student support are determined and allocated.

Key provisions and changes

  • Foundation education aid structure (existing framework continued):

    • The foundation aid for each district is the sum of:
    • A core instruction amount (per-pupil)
    • An amount to support high-need students
    • This sum is then multiplied by the district’s state-share ratio to determine foundation aid.
    • The core instruction amount is based on a statewide per-pupil figure derived from regional expenditure data and NCES datasets; it is updated annually.
    • Resident average daily membership excludes charter and state-operated school students for this calculation.

  • High-need student support (new/adjusted methodology):

    • The high-need portion is calculated using two factors:
    • A “student success factor” applied to the core per-pupil amount, with variables:
      • A targeted 40% (proposed in draft text; some sections show 45%) depending on poverty status.
      • Students at or below 185% of federal poverty guidelines are eligible for this additional funding.
      • For 2022 and beyond, the Department must develop a poverty measure to proxy poverty status that does not rely on school nutrition programs. Beginning FY 2024, SNAP participation becomes an indicator for eligibility (with a 1.6 multiplier for directly certified SNAP students).
      • A multilingual learner (MLL) factor of 20% is applied for MLL students in the three lowest proficiency categories, with reporting requirements for LEAs.
      • In districts where more than 45% of resident children are in poverty, the student success factor rises to 50% for those below 185% FPG.
    • The department must report and adjust values periodically; also, districts may use portion of funds for expanded opportunities (e.g., after-school, summer programs, full-day kindergarten) as long as core and other required programs are funded.

  • Poverty and MLL provisions and reporting (longitudinal data focus):

    • DESE must develop and evaluate poverty proxies and MLL needs, potentially embedding these needs into the core formula or as weights.
    • By October 1, 2023–2025, the department must produce several reports:
    • An MLL population and income-based segmentation with proposed funding levels.
    • Alternatives to identify students below 185% FPG via state programs (SNAP, RIteCare, etc.).
    • A process for matching Department of Human Services data with DESE enrollment records to improve matching and consistency of funding.
    • An expanded direct-certification approach (including Medicaid matching) to identify eligible students for funding.
    • A report on high-cost special education data consistency and validity.

  • Implementation timeline:

    • Effective date: Upon passage.
    • Core formula and high-need components are updated as described, with ongoing regulatory implementation by DESE.
    • Several reporting and development deadlines are set for 2023–2027 to refine measurements and data integration.

Who is affected

  • Local education agencies (LEAs) receive foundation aid distributions and must report on MLL funding uses by September 1 each year.
  • Students affected include those:
    • Living at or below 185% of the federal poverty guidelines (via updated poverty proxy or SNAP/MF programs for eligibility).
    • Identified as multilingual learners (MLLs), particularly in the lowest proficiency categories.
    • In districts with high poverty concentrations (≥45% of resident children in poverty) who may receive a higher student-success factor.
  • State agencies (DESE, Department of Administration, RI Longitudinal Data System, DHS) coordinate to measure poverty, track data, and implement revised funding formulas.

Procedural and timeline notes

  • The act emphasizes ongoing development of poverty measures and data-mipeline improvements.
  • It requires annual updates to the core instructional amount and periodic reports on funding, MLL needs, and data matching.
  • Immediate effective date upon passage, with phased data development and reporting through 2027 and beyond.

Overall, HB 8159 aims to strengthen funding equity by adjusting how core and high-need supports are calculated, incorporating updated poverty and multilingual-learners metrics, and improving data accuracy and transparency in Rhode Island’s education funding system.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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