School finance-regional cost adjustment.

23LSO-0250
2023
STATE OF WYOMING
23LSO-0250
ENGROSSED
3.0

SENATE FILE NO. SF0051

School finance-regional cost adjustment.

Sponsored by: Joint Education Interim Committee

A BILL

for

AN ACT relating to school finance; modifying the Wyoming cost-of-living index as used in the regional cost adjustment within the education resource block grant model as specified; providing a sunset date; and providing for an effective date.

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

Section 1
.

W.S. 21
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13
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309(m)(v)(C) is amended to read:

21
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13
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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
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13
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101(a)(xiv), as contained within the spreadsheets and accompanying reports referenced under W.S. 21
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101(a)(xvii). The following criteria shall be used by the state superintendent in the administration of the education resource block grant model:

(C)

Salaries shall be computed as follows:

(I)

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 under "Attachment A" 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
;
.

(II)

The district adjusted average salary for each staffing category
computed under subdivision (I) of this subparagraph
shall be further adjusted for regional cost differences as measured by the greater of the hedonic wage index 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

greater of the
average of the six (6) consecutive semi-annual index reports completed by January 1 of the immediately preceding school year
or the semi-annual index report completed by January 1 of this immediately preceding school year. This subdivision is repealed July 1, 2026
;

Section 2
.

This act is effective July 1, 2023
.

(END)

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SF0051