Prototypical School Funding Model Allocations.
The prototypical school funding model allocates general apportionment funding to school districts based on assumed levels of staff and other resources necessary to support "prototypical" elementary, middle, and high schools. These prototypical schools are assumed to have the following full-time student enrollments: 400 students for elementary school, 432 students for middle school, and 600 students for high school. In addition to other allocations, for each prototypical school, the model includes minimum allocations for the following types of staff:
| Elementary | Middle | High | |
| Teaching assistance, including any aspect of educational instructional services provided by classified employees | 0.936 | 0.700 | 0.652 |
| Office support and other noninstructional aides | 2.012 | 2.325 | 3.269 |
Discretionary Spending of Allocations.
Subject to some limits, the funding provided to school districts through the prototypical school funding model is for allocation purposes only. This means that school districts have discretion over spending decisions and can, for example, use funding allocated for aides to hire teachers, to purchase technology, or on other costs. However, there are exceptions to this discretionary spending allowance, including that funding for average kindergarten through grade 3 (K-3) class sizes may be provided only to the extent of and proportionate to the school districts' demonstrated actual class size in grades K-3, up to the funded class sizes.
Additional Allocations Specified for School Staff.
In addition to the staffing units funded through the prototypical school funding model, certain additional staffing units are specified in statute. These additional staffing units are not allocated until they are specifically appropriated and designated for those staff in the omnibus operating appropriations act. These are additional units specified for the following types of staff:
| Elementary | Middle | High | |
| Teaching assistance, including any aspect of educational instructional services provided by classified employees | 1.0640 | 0.3000 | 0.3480 |
| Office support and other noninstructional aides | 0.9880 | 1.1750 | 0.2310 |
The minimum allocations in the prototypical school funding model for teaching assistants, office support staff, and noninstructional aides are increased gradually from the current ratios over three school years to the following amounts:
| School Year | Staff Type | Elementary | Middle | High |
| For the 2026-27 school year: | Teaching assistance, including any aspect of educational instructional services provided by classified employees | 2.000 | 1.000 | 1.000 |
| Office support and other noninstructional aides | 3.000 | 3.500 | 3.500 |
The additional allocations specified in statute beyond the prototypical formula for teaching assistance, office support, and other noninstructional aides are removed.