Bill > SB0029

This bill establishes a new mechanism for the State Board of Education to adjust funding for new or expanding charter schools that have significant enrollment underestimates. Specifically, the bill defines "enrollment deficiency" as the difference between a charter school's initial actual enrollment and its previously estimated enrollment used for budgeting purposes. If a charter school's enrollment is more than 10% lower than initially estimated and the original budget estimates did not accurately reflect potential enrollment, the state board may provide an additional allocation to cover costs. The board can draw from various funding sources to make these adjustments, including unencumbered balances from charter school start-up grants, charter school levy state guarantees, and the basic school program. The bill also requires the state board to report these funding adjustments to the Legislative Fiscal Analyst and the Governor's Office of Planning and Budget. Additionally, the bill amends existing appropriations rules to allow the state superintendent to transfer money for initial charter school enrollment estimates between line items. The bill will take effect on July 1, 2025, providing charter schools with a new avenue for financial support when enrollment projections are significantly off.

Education

https://le.utah.gov/~2025/bills/static/SB0029.html