HB2898 Summary: School Construction Grants

• Eliminates references to "grant entitlements" and replaces them with "grant index" calculations based on district wealth ratios, with the State Board of Education opening application cycles and prioritizing projects as funds become available.

• Removes debt service grants entirely; school districts can still use construction project grants to pay debt service on bonds, but the state no longer provides separate debt service funding.

• Increases minimum enrollment requirements for school construction project grant eligibility from 200 to 450 students for elementary districts and from 400 to 650 students for unit districts.

• Raises the maximum school maintenance project grant from $50,000 to $150,000 per fiscal year and expands eligible project types to include energy efficiency, facility security, remodeling, accessibility, and technology needs.

• Creates a new exemption from the Grant Accountability and Transparency Act for school construction projects under this law.