§ 16-7-34.3. Reimbursement by the state for conventional public housing students. (a) Each school district shall be reimbursed for expenditures for services and instructional programs for students residing in conventional public housing units owned by public housing authorities which are not on local tax rolls. Reimbursement shall be made when the services and programs have been carried out in accordance with the requirements of state law and regulations of the board of regents for elementary and secondary education. The following formula shall be used to distribute aid for the students residing in the public housing units:

(1)(i) The following formula and definitions are to be used to determine the entitlement for each school district:

(ii) The incentive entitlement for a district shall be the product of the average per pupil cost for the district, the number of full time equivalent pupils in grade 12 and below residing in conventional public housing, and the state share ratio for the district.

(2) In this formula the following terms have the following meanings:

(i) "Incentive entitlement" means the sum payable to a local school district under this formula.

(ii) "Average per pupil costs for the district" means all expenditures approved by the state board of regents for elementary and secondary education as defined in § 16-7-20 plus the costs of special education required under chapter 24 of this title divided by average daily membership of pupils as determined in § 16-7-22(1).

(iii) "State share ratio" means the effective state share ratio as calculated under § 16-7-20.

(iv) "Conventional public housing" means those properties identified as eligible low rent housing projects under title I of P.L. 81-874, 20 U.S.C. § 236 et seq.

(b) Students living on property owned by the Rhode Island resource recovery corporation shall also be included in computations under this section.

(c) Students living in the North Kingstown Traveler's Aid housing project shall also be included in computations under this section.

(d) An amount shall be appropriated for the purpose of reimbursing school districts as required pursuant to subsection (a) for conventional public housing.

(e) If the sum appropriated in subsection (a) of this section is not sufficient to pay in full the amount for conventional public housing which each city and town is entitled to receive in any fiscal year, the maximum amount which all cities and towns are entitled to receive under this section shall be deducted from the sum appropriated for all cities and towns under § 16-7-20. If, after final allocation of §§ 16-7-15 through 16-7-34, a district receives more than one hundred percent (100%) reimbursement, the excess shall be deducted from this conventional public housing allocation in the following fiscal year.

(f) Reimbursement payments as calculated under this chapter shall be made according to § 16-7-16. All payments under this chapter shall be used exclusively to support services for conventional public housing students.

(g) Expenditure reports shall be submitted by the local school districts to the commissioner of elementary and secondary education in accordance with rules and regulations of the board of regents for elementary and secondary education.

History of Section. (P.L. 1986, ch. 287, art. 30, § 1; P.L. 1987, ch. 118, art. 12, § 1; P.L. 1989, ch. 490, § 1; P.L. 1990, ch. 65, art. 33, § 1; P.L. 1991, ch. 44, art. 39, § 1; P.L. 1992, ch. 133, art. 43, § 1; P.L. 1995, ch. 370, art. 18, § 2; P.L. 2001, ch. 86, § 31.)