Bill > S251

This bill aims to modernize school construction in Massachusetts. It makes the following key changes: 1. Increases the percentage of state school aid that can be used by districts with a disproportionate share of school buildings in need of major renovation, potential replacement, or major repairs, from 1% to 2%, until the debt service obligations for school construction projects in those schools are paid. 2. Requires the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) to provide more flexibility in its reimbursement policies, including setting a minimum reimbursement rate per square foot based on the average of the actual construction costs from the previous 3 fiscal years. 3. Increases the maximum reimbursement rate from the MSBA from 80% to 100% of eligible project costs. 4. Adds a "School Integration Percentage" component to the MSBA's reimbursement formula, providing a 10-percentage point bonus for new project applications that demonstrate a likelihood of significantly improving inter-district or intra-district racial integration of students. 5. Sets a minimum $100,000 threshold for the MSBA to find a proposed Accelerated Repair Program project ineligible based on estimated total budget. 6. Allows extraordinary maintenance projects up to $500,000 per school to qualify as net school spending for the purposes of state funding regulations.

Education

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/193/S251