Appropriates $39,656,800 to the Superintendent of Public Instruction for fiscal year 2019; limits the number of authorized full-time equivalent positions to 142.00; and provides direction on distributions.

This is the FY 2019 original appropriation bill for the Superintendent of Public Instruction. It appropriates $39,656,800 and caps the number of authorized full-time equivalent positions at 142.00. For benefit costs, the bill removes $1,450 per eligible FTP to bring the annual employer contribution for health insurance down to $11,650 by including a two-month employee and employer premium holiday, adds a 6.8% increase for life insurance, and adjusts funding for workers' compensation in amounts that vary by agency. For replacement items, $141,300 is provided, which includes 11 network servers for $99,000; five network switchesfor$13,000; fourUPSbackupsystemsfor$4,200; andothermiscellaneousequipmentfor$25,100. For statewide cost allocation adjustments, no change is provided, as Attorney General fees will increase by $600,riskmanagementcostswilldecreaseby$3,200,StateControllerfeeswillincreaseby$2,800,andState Treasurer fees will decrease by $200 for a net change of $0. An annualization of $1,000 is provided for the constitutional officers' pay increase from July 1, 2018, through December 31, 2018. The Superintendent's salary for calendar year 2018 is $107,357. The bill also provides funding for a 3% ongoing merit-based salary increase for permanent employees, to be distributed at the discretion of the Superintendent. The bill funds two line items, which provide $305,000 to support an increase in the number of students participating in proficiency assessments in line item 3 and $283,800 for a K-3 Reading Assessment in line item 6. This bill includes a total of $383,800 for a K-3 Reading Assessment ($100,000 is retained in the FY 2018 Base and $283,800 is added in line item 6). There is also $166,200 in the Division of Central Services of the Public Schools Educational Support Program appropriation that can be used for literacy programs. Upon approval of this bill, a grand total of $550,000 will be available for reading assessments in FY 2019.