An Act relative to the net school spending cap

This bill modifies how Massachusetts calculates the spending cap for school districts that move out of the state's lowest 10 percent in per-pupil spending. It establishes that districts leaving this bottom tier will generally face a new 9 percent cap on spending growth, unless their spending was already higher than that level before the change. The legislation also restricts the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education from approving new charter school seats for these districts if their spending cap exceeds 9 percent. Additionally, the bill requires the state to pay tuition costs for charter students from these districts without deducting the amount from the district's state funding. Finally, the law includes a provision ensuring that students already enrolled in charter schools by August 1, 2022, are not forced to leave.