Opinion ID: 2518321
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: at-risk

Text: H.B. 2247 increases funding for at-risk students from .10 of the BSAPP to .145. This increased weighting, when applied to the higher BSAPP, results in an increase of $26 million targeted to at-risk students. The A&M study recommended a weight of .20 for districts with 200 or fewer students, .52 for districts with 1,000 students, .59 for districts with 10,000 students, and .60 for districts with 30,000 students, resulting in a range of $1,491 to $2,790 per student (in 2001 dollars). Both the State and the Board contend the increased funding for at-risk students is significant. The Board argues that, pending performance of a new cost study, H.B. 2247 should be viewed as a good faith effort toward legislative compliance with our January 3, 2005, opinion. The plaintiffs, on the other hand, contend that the increased funding level remains significantly lower than that recommended by the State's own expert witness in 1991, before the SDFQPA was enacted. That expert, Dr. Allan Odden, recommended a .25 minimum weight to provide an extra $1,000 for each eligible at-risk student. Neither the State nor the Board contend that actual costs of educating at-risk students were considered.