School finance-regional cost adjustment.

2016
STATE OF WYOMING
16LSO-0304
Introduced
1.2

HOUSE BILL

NO.

HB0092

School finance-regional cost adjustment.

Sponsored by:
Representative(s) Madden and Lindholm and Senator(s) Case

A BILL

for

AN ACT relating to school finance; providing for use of the 2015 hedonic wage index as specified for the regional cost adjustment of the education resource block grant model; modifying definitions as specified; allowing contracts with consultants; and providing for an effective date.

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

Section
1
.

W.S.
21
‑
13
‑
101(
a)(xiv) and
(xvii) and
21
‑
13
‑
309(m)(v)(C) are
amended to read:

21
‑
13
‑
101
.

Definitions.

(a)

As used in this chapter:

(xiv)

"Education resource block grant model" means the block grant model for Wyoming school finance contained within the enumeration of model components summarizing and executing recommendations within the 2010 cost of education study
and th
e 2015 cost of education
study
to update the hedonic wage index
, as modified by the legislature
,
as referenced in paragraph (xvii) of this subsection

and model spreadsheets
,

provided by the consultant performing the 2010 cost of education study
updated for technical corrections
, all of which are enacted into law, on file with the secretary of state and are maintained and made available for public inspection by the state superintendent under W.S. 21
‑
2
‑
202(e)
;
, and as may be subsequently modified by the legislature prior to future model recalibration required under W.S. 21
‑
13
‑
309(t);

(xvii)

"Attachment A" to 2011
House Bill 0127

Wyoming Session Laws, Chapter 185
consists of an enumeration of model components as enacted into law, summarizing and executing recommendations contained within
the 2010 cost of education study
,

as modified by the legislature,
and
including
modification of
the hedonic wage index
in accordance with the recommendations
contained in the 2015
cost of education
study.
"
Attachment A
"
,
as modified by the legislature
,

is hereby incorporated into this chapter by this reference;

21
‑
13
‑
309
.

Determination of amount to be included in foundation program for each district.

(m)

In determining the amount to be included in the foundation program for each district, the state superintendent shall:

(v)

Based upon ADM computations and identified school configurations within each district pursuant to paragraph (iv) of this subsection, compute the foundation program amount for each district as prescribed by the education resource block grant model adopted by the Wyoming legislature as defined under W.S. 21
‑
13
‑
101(a)(xiv), as contained within the spreadsheets and accompanying reports referenced under W.S. 21
‑
13
‑
101(a)(xvii), on file with the
secretary of state and maintained by the state superintendent pursuant to W.S. 21
‑
2
‑
202(e). The following criteria shall be used by the state superintendent in the administration of the education resource block grant model:

(C)

Salaries for all school and district level staffing categories, including teachers, principals and assistant principals, central office administrators, secretarial and clerical staff, operations and maintenance staff and aides and media technicians, shall be based upon average statewide salary levels calibrated for school year 2005
‑
2006 for each staffing category, adjusted under subsection (o) of this section, including the experience, education and responsibility level as appropriate and as computed for each staffing category. The statewide average for each staffing category shall be adjusted for each district based upon the district experience, education and responsibility level relative to the statewide average for that category. District experience, education and responsibility level by appropriate staffing category shall be updated each year such that district adjustments reflect the prior school year staffing information. The district
adjusted average salary for each staffing category shall be further adjusted for regional cost differences as measured by the greater of the hedonic wage index
, revised pursuant to the 2015
cost of education
study,
or the Wyoming cost
‑
of
‑
living index computed by the division of economic analysis, department of administration and information, with a minimum of one hundred (100) index value, as prescribed by the education resource block grant model. For purposes of the education resource block grant model, the version of the Wyoming cost
‑
of
‑
living index used by the division shall be based upon the
unrecalibrated
housing cost index weights unless otherwise determined by the legislature based upon recommendation of the joint education interim committee. In addition, the version of the Wyoming cost
‑
of
‑
living index applied under this subparagraph for any school year shall be the average of the six (6) consecutive semi
‑
annual index reports completed by January 1 of the immediately preceding school year;

Section 2
.

(a)

The hedonic wage index as utilized in
operation of the
regional cost adjustment
within the education resource block grant model pursuant to W.S. 21
‑
13
‑
309(
m)(v)(C)
shall be updated
,
and the methodology revised
,
in accordance with the recommendations contain
ed
in the 2015
cost of education
study
to construct the 2015 Wyoming
hedonic wage index utilizing the auto regressive random effects model

conducted pursuant
to
2015 Wyoming S
ession Laws
, Chapter 142, Section 4, Section 343
.

(b)

The legislative service office may retain consultants as necessary to
advise
in executing the responsibi
lities prescribed by this act.
The management council may expend funds appropriated by the legislature for approved contractual agreements between the council and professional consultants.

Section 3
.

This
act is effective July 1,
201
6
.

(END)

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HB0092