Bill would create targeted capital grants for very small, property-poor school districts

House Bill 1538, sponsored by Representative Joel McIntyre, would create a new state capital program to help comprehensive modernization or replacement of instructional facilities in school districts with enrollments of 1,000 students or fewer.

John Wilson Topeli, staff to the committee, told the Capital Budget Committee the proposal is substantially the same policy as substitute House Bill 1044 from last session except for a delayed effective date. Under the bill, projects eligible for grants must modernize or replace instructional facilities that are at least 30 years old and recorded as in poor or unsatisfactory condition. The program would fund planning, design and construction costs and be prioritized by an advisory committee using a points- and formula-based scale that gives more weight to districts with less remaining debt capacity and lower enrollments…