| Washington State House of Representatives Office of Program Research |
BILL ANALYSIS |
| Appropriations Committee | |
HB 3117
This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in
their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a
statement of legislative intent.
Brief Description: Requiring a LEAP document that provides estimates of educational programs and services for each publicly proposed budget document.
Sponsors: Representatives Hunter, Sullivan and McIntire.
Brief Summary of Bill |
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Hearing Date: 2/6/08
Staff: Ben Rarick (786-7349).
Background:
Transparency in public school finance has been the subject of much discussion in the recent
proceedings of task forces and expert panels established to examine Washington state school
finance structures.
The Washington Learns final report issued in November, 2006 included an assertion that "a
meaningful accountability system is focused on the right goals and requires a culture of
transparency and shared responsibility." The final report also stated that any new funding model
under development must "be clear and transparent to taxpayers."
The K-12 Advisory Committee contained within Washington Learns developed a model for
increasing budget transparency titled: Transparency and a Vision for Resources. Drawing on the
academic work of Dr Larry Picus and others, the recommendations attempt to display current
state budgeting categories in terms that educators, parents, and interested stakeholders could
understand.
Engrossed Substitute House Bill 5627 which created The Basic Education Funding Task Force,
established a goal of developing "a unique, transparent, and stable educational funding system for
Washington."
The state budget currently appropriates approximately $13.5 billion per biennium to fund public
schools. The public schools budget makes up about 40 percent of the total state near general
fund budget.
Summary of Bill:
House Bill 3117 would require each proposed state budget to include a Legislative Evaluation
and Accountability Program Committee (LEAP) document that displays appropriation levels for
K-12 public schools in clearly understood categories. The bill lists a number of categories which
must be included. They include average class size, average state-funded teacher salary and total
compensation, average salaries for administrators and classified staff, detailed categories of
expenditure within non-employee related costs (NERC), average hours of additional instruction
per week funded by the learning assistance, highly capable, and transitional bilingual programs,
and estimated staffing levels administrators, classified staff, and educational staff associates in
typically-sized public schools.
The bill declares that the purpose of the LEAP committee document is to make transparent to the
public the types of programs and services supported by proposed appropriation levels, and to
thereby enhance public debate on appropriate funding levels for the public school system.
The LEAP document would be for informational purposes only. It would have no impact on how
much the state allocates, how it allocates the funding, or how school districts may spend the
allocations. The LEAP document would be prepared for the school year immediately following
the legislative session in which the bill is considered.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Not requested.
Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.