School finance-model recalibration.

WORKING DRAFT

ORIGINAL HOUSE

BILL

NO.
0228

ENROLLED ACT NO. 80, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

FIFTY-EIGHTH LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WYOMING
2005 GENERAL SESSION

AN ACT relating to school finance; establishing a select committee to conduct school finance model recalibration; providing for model recalibration subject to management council approval; imposing duties upon the department of education pertaining to school finance data requirements; providing funds for school finance litigation; providing appropriations; authorizing additional positions; and providing for an effective date.

Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Wyoming:

Section 1.

(a)

There is created a select committee on school finance recalibration consisting of the following members:

(i)

Five (5) members of the Wyoming senate appointed by the president of the senate, one (1) of whom shall be the chairman of the senate education committee and one (1) a member of the senate appropriations committee;

(ii)

Five (5) members of the Wyoming house of representatives appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives, one (1) of whom shall be the chairman of the house education committee and one (1) a member of the house appropriations committee.

(b)

The select committee shall undertake a study to recalibrate the education resource block grant model in accordance with W.S. 21
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13
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309(t) to determine if modifications are necessary to ensure the model remains cost-based in light of changing conditions and modifications to the law, and shall administer the contract with professional consultants to the legislature for model recalibration as approved by the management council. A report on recalibration, together with necessary legislation, shall be provided to the legislature in sufficient time for consideration during the 2006 budget session. The select committee may introduce legislation as other committees of the legislature.

(c)

The select committee shall elect a chairman. The legislative service office shall provide staff services to the committee.

(d)

There is appropriated from the school foundation program account to the legislative service office fifty thousand dollars ($50,000.00) which shall be used to fund necessary expenses of the select committee.

Section 2.

Seven hundred sixty thousand dollars ($760,000.00) is appropriated from the school foundation program account to the legislative service office to fund model recalibration in accordance with section 1 of this act. Funds appropriated under this section shall be expended in accordance with the contractual agreement entered into between the management council and professional consultants to the legislature for recalibration of the education resource block grant model.

Section 3.

Five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000.00) is appropriated from the school foundation program account to the attorney general for funding expenses associated with school finance litigation involved in the school equity foundation lawsuit and incurred by state's counsel for school finance litigation.

Section 4.

(a)

Nine hundred seventy-three thousand five hundred eighty-six dollars ($973,586.00) is appropriated from the school foundation program account to the department of education to improve the quality and availability of data necessary for computations under the education resource block grant model and for model recalibration efforts conducted by the legislature in accordance with sections 1 and 2 of this act. The department shall provide support to school districts in ensuring data quality and timeliness, shall generate additional data required by model recalibration and shall:

(i)

Modify rules, policies, practices and procedures for improving the accuracy of school data, the efficiency of the data collection process and for ensuring uniform and standardized treatment of school data for school district reporting purposes;

(ii)

Develop processes and procedures ensuring district compliance with standardized and uniform data treatment and reporting;

(iii)

Establish data validation procedures.

(b)

The department is authorized an additional five (5) at-will contract employees to implement subsection (a) of this section, and may expend funds appropriated under this section for contractual services. The at-will positions authorized under this subsection shall terminate effective June 30, 2006.

Section 5.

Appropriations authorized under this act shall be for the period commencing upon the effective date of this act and ending June 30, 2006.

Section 6.

This act is effective immediately upon co
m
pletion of all acts necessary for a bill to become law as provided by Article 4, Section 8 of the Wyoming Constit
u
tion.

(END)

Speaker of the House

President of the Senate

Governor

TIME APPROVED: _________

DATE APPROVED: _________

I hereby certify that this act originated in the House.

Chief Clerk

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