HB 2147
In CommitteeHouse
School operating costs
Providing funding for school materials, supplies, and operating costs.
This status may be delayed. See Action History below for the latest updates.
How does a bill become law?
- Introduced: The bill is filed and assigned a number.
- Committee: A subject-matter committee holds hearings, takes public testimony, and decides whether to advance the bill.
- Floor Vote: The full chamber (House or Senate) debates and votes on the bill.
- Opposite Chamber: The bill repeats the committee and floor vote process in the other chamber.
- Governor: The Governor reviews the bill and decides whether to sign or veto it.
- Signed: The bill has been signed into law.
AI Analysis
This bill significantly increases state funding for K–12 school materials, supplies, and operating costs, adjusting for inflation and targeting additional support for small, high-poverty, and career and technical education programs. It also strengthens transparency and accountability around how schools use these funds.
- Increases base funding for materials, supplies, and operating costs to $1,614.28 per student (2026–27), with annual inflation adjustments beginning in 2026–27.
- Adds $214.84 per high school student (grades 9–12) for materials, supplies, and operating costs, also adjusted for inflation.
- Adds $100 per student (with a minimum $100,000 floor for small districts) for materials, supplies, and operating costs, adjusted for inflation.
- Requires the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction to report per-pupil funding breakdowns (including general, special education, bilingual, etc.) on its website and mandates school districts to link to that report.
- Adjusts staffing formulas for classroom teachers, support staff (e.g., nurses, counselors, paraeducators), and central administration based on prototypical school models and actual student needs.
- Increases funding for learning assistance, transitional bilingual, and highly capable programs, with formulas tied to student need (e.g., free/reduced-price meal eligibility).
Who is affected
- Public school districts — School districts receive increased state funding for materials, supplies, and operating costs, with additional support for small districts and those serving high-poverty populations.
- K–12 students — Students benefit from improved access to instructional materials, technology, and support staff (e.g., counselors, nurses, paraeducators), especially in high-poverty schools and for students needing extra academic or language support.
- School staff (teachers, paraeducators, administrators, etc.) — Teachers and support staff may see increased staffing levels or job security due to new funding tied to classroom teacher ratios and support staff allocations.
- Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction — The Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction gains new responsibilities to calculate and report per-pupil funding data and develop rules for implementation.
Pro/Con Analysis
Stronger case for concerns
Potential Benefits (5)
Mandates transparency reporting, but does not impose penalties for noncompliance or provide enforcement mechanisms — meaning districts may meet the minimum reporting requirement without meaningful accountability, limiting real-world impact.
Local GovernmentRef: Sec. 2(2)(b), Sec. 2(8)(b)(i)Class size reductions for K–3 are contingent on districts demonstrating actual class sizes — meaning districts that have already kept classes small may not receive additional funds, while those with larger classes may not reduce them without new hiring capacity.
EducationRef: Sec. 2(4)(b)(i)Support staff allocations (e.g., nurses, counselors) are capped at district-demonstrated ratios, potentially limiting new hires if districts cannot afford to hire beyond current levels — undermining the intent to increase staffing in high-need schools.
Public SafetyRef: Sec. 2(5)(b)(i)The $100K floor for small districts helps rural districts, but the per-student $100 allocation still disproportionately benefits larger districts — a 10,000-student district receives $1M, while a 500-student district receives only $50K (plus the $100K floor), limiting relative equity.
FinancialRef: Sec. 2(8)(a)(iii)(B)Uses outdated free/reduced-price meal eligibility data (2019–23) for 2024–25 funding, potentially misallocating resources to districts no longer high-poverty and underfunding those newly affected by economic shifts.
EducationRef: Sec. 2(10)(a)(iii), (a)(iv)
Potential Concerns (5)
The bill increases per-pupil funding for materials, supplies, and operating costs by over $1,600 per student (2026–27), plus $214.84 for high school students and $100 per student with a $100K floor for small districts — effectively restoring purchasing power eroded by inflation and targeting small/high-poverty districts. This directly improves district budgets and reduces pressure to cut classroom resources.
FinancialPeopleRef: Sec. 2(8)(a)(i), (ii), (iii)Mandates increased staffing for nurses, counselors, social workers, psychologists, and safety personnel — especially in high-poverty schools — improving student mental health, crisis response, and school safety infrastructure. This addresses long-standing gaps in support staff ratios that have compromised student well-being.
Public SafetyPeopleRef: Sec. 2(5)(a), (c); Sec. 2(10)(a)(ii)Expands learning assistance, transitional bilingual, and highly capable programs with formulas tied to student need (e.g., free/reduced-price meal eligibility), and adjusts class sizes downward for K–3 and high-poverty schools — directly improving academic outcomes for historically underserved students.
EducationPeopleRef: Sec. 2(10)(a)(i), (b)(i), (c); Sec. 2(4)(a)(i)Requires districts to report detailed expenditures for materials, supplies, and operating costs (e.g., technology, utilities, curriculum, security), and mandates transparency via public web links — enhancing accountability and enabling community oversight of how public funds are used.
Local GovernmentPeopleRef: Sec. 2(2)(b), Sec. 2(8)(b)(i)Requires districts to use increased allocations to support increased staffing, prevent layoffs, or increase salaries for paraeducators, office support, and noninstructional aides — helping retain frontline support staff who are disproportionately women and people of color.
Business & EmploymentLean peopleRef: Sec. 2(5)(c)
Who Is Most Affected
Small and high-poverty districts benefit significantly from targeted per-pupil increases and the $100K floor, reducing resource disparities and enabling hiring of support staff and instructional materials. However, districts already above median poverty levels may see less relative gain.
Students in high-poverty schools, English learners, and those needing learning assistance gain access to more targeted academic support, mental health services, and smaller class sizes — directly improving equity and outcomes.
Paraeducators, nurses, counselors, and social workers benefit from mandated staffing increases and salary support, improving job security and capacity to serve students. However, the requirement to use funds for existing staff may limit new hiring in cash-strapped districts.
Large districts benefit proportionally more from per-pupil allocations due to scale, and may absorb inflation adjustments more easily. However, they face new transparency and reporting burdens without offsetting cost relief.
The Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction gains new data collection and reporting responsibilities, expanding its role in accountability but increasing administrative burden without new statutory authority to enforce compliance.