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HB 8160

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

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

The bill expands direct state funding for districts (special education excess costs, CTE, pre-K, regionalization, transportation, and SROs) while removing mandatory prorating when

04/28/2026 Committee recommended measure be held for further study
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Bill Summary · HB 8160

Summary of HB 8160 (Rhode Island, 2026) – The Education Equity and Property Tax Relief Act

Purpose and intent

HB 8160 proposes adjustments to Rhode Island’s Education Equity and Property Tax Relief framework. The overall aim is to modify how funds are allocated to school districts, with specific provisions to address costs related to special education, career and technical education, early childhood programs, regionalization, transportation, and school resource officers. A notable feature is the removal of mandatory prorating of funds when approved costs exceed available funding and the removal of certain transitional funding requirements for categorical programs.

Key provisions and changes

  • Reform of funding triggers (proration)

    • The bill retains several categories of state funding beyond the core foundation aid (16-7.2-3) but explicitly removes the current requirement that the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education prorate funds among districts when total requested reimbursement costs exceed the appropriated funding for any fiscal year. This change increases potential budget exposure if costs surpass allocated amounts (i.e., districts may receive more in costs offset than the available funds allow).

  • Categorical program funding (16-7.2-6)
    The act lists several direct state funding categories beyond the foundation aid:

    • (a) Excess costs for special education (extraordinary costs). Thresholds: defined as costs above four times the core foundation amount (core instruction + student success amount). Data would be collected on costs exceeding 2x, 3x, and 5x thresholds.
    • (b) Career and technical education (CTE) costs to support initial investments for transforming or creating CTE programs and facilities; funding to be prorated if total costs exceed available funding; DESE to develop allocation criteria yearly.
    • (c) Programs to expand access to voluntary, high-quality pre-kindergarten; criteria to be developed for allocating early childhood funds.
    • (d) Central Falls, Davies, and the Met Center Stabilization Fund: establishes a mechanism to share education aid and non-foundation costs (transport, facility maintenance, retiree health benefits) between the state and Central Falls; a transition period ends with continued local contribution. Davies and the Met Center require ongoing support for standalone high schools with both academic and CTE coursework; criteria for stabilizing funds to be developed.
    • (e) Excess costs for transporting students to out-of-district non-public schools; state covers these costs for participating districts.
    • (f) Excess costs for transporting within regional school districts; state and districts share equally after accounting for federal revenue; prorate if costs exceed funds.
    • (g) Regionalization bonus for public districts that are regionalized (per Chapter 3, including Chariho):
    • Start of bonus depends on timing of regionalization (as of or after July 1, 2010).
    • First year bonus: 2% of the state's share of foundation aid.
    • Second year bonus: 1%.
    • Third year: bonus ends.
    • Chariho’s bonus applied to the state share for member towns.
    • Proration applies if requested regionalization costs exceed available funds.
    • (h) Deleted by P.L. 2024, ch. 117, art. 8, § 1. [No longer applicable.]
    • (i) State support for School Resource Officers (SROs):
    • Beginning FY 2019, for three-year period, districts/municipalities employing SROs receive reimbursement equal to 50% of salaries/benefits for qualifying positions.
    • SRO staffing rules:
      • 1 SRO for schools with <1,200 students; 2 SROs for schools with ≥1,200 students.
      • Reimbursement limited to positions required by these rules; overstaffing or replacement of positions is not eligible.
    • SRO funds for positions established on/after July 1, 2018 are eligible.

  • Transition plan (16-7.2-7)

    • Categorical programs funded under a transition plan would continue under the new act unless further amended.

  • Effective date

    • The act takes effect upon passage.

Who is affected

  • School districts and regional districts receive direct state funding for the listed categories (special education excess costs, CTE, pre-K, transportation for public and non-public students, regionalization bonuses, SROs, and stabilization funds).
  • Central Falls, Davies, and the Met Center would experience new stabilization funding arrangements affecting how local and state contributions are shared, with a transition mechanism.
  • Students with special education needs and those benefiting from high-quality pre-K, CTE programs, and safe school environments via SROs will be directly impacted by funding shifts.
  • Districts choosing regionalization may receive a short-term regionalization bonus, subject to fund availability and proration.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • The act requires the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) to:
    • Develop criteria for allocating CTE and early childhood funds.
    • Prorate funds if applicable (though the bill removes the proration requirement for overall funding availability; note: prorating remains under other sections where specified).
  • The regionalization bonus has defined start dates tied to regionalization timing and lasts for three fiscal years.
  • The act references a transition plan and a 3-year period for SRO funding (beginning in FY 2019), with limits on eligibility and staffing.

Summary assessment

HB 8160 reorganizes and expands direct state funding categories under the Education Equity and Property Tax Relief Act, with a significant shift away from mandatory proration in all cases when costs exceed funding. It creates targeted funding streams for special education excess costs, CTE, early childhood, regionalization, transportation (public and non-public), and SROs, along with stabilization funds for Central Falls, Davies, and the Met Center. It also restores a transition framework for certain categorical programs and sets criteria for allocation and proration at the discretion of DESE and the General Assembly. The bill emphasizes equity in addressing high-cost areas and regionalization while altering funding mechanics that could affect district-level budgeting and planning.

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

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