BILL REQ. #:  H-4590.1 

Read first time 01/22/08.   Referred to Committee on Appropriations.

     AN ACT Relating to transparency in state funding for K-12 public schools; and adding a new section to chapter 28A.150 RCW.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   A new section is added to chapter 28A.150 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) When the governor submits a budget bill under RCW 43.88.060 that contains appropriations proposed for support of the operation of the common schools, the governor shall also cause to be prepared an accompanying legislative evaluation and accountability program committee document as described in this section. The fiscal committees of the house of representatives and the senate shall direct the legislative evaluation and accountability program committee to update the document based on each subsequent version of the budget bill that is publicly proposed and acted upon by a legislative committee, adopted by the house of representatives or the senate, or enacted by the legislature.
     (2) The purpose of the legislative evaluation and accountability program committee document under this section is to make transparent to the public, using categories and terms that are readily understood, examples of the type and level of educational programs and services supported by funding appropriated in the omnibus appropriations act under specified programs for support of the common schools. Such transparency allows and enhances public debate regarding the level of state resources to support the common schools. The information in the legislative evaluation and accountability program committee document is for illustration purposes only. It is not intended, nor shall it be construed, that school districts are expected or required to expend funds in a manner consistent with the document.
     (3) Each legislative evaluation and accountability program committee document prepared under this section shall provide estimates for the following items, based on the level of state funding appropriated in the budget bill for which the document is prepared and for the school year immediately following the legislative session in which the bill is considered:
     (a) For the general apportionment program:
     (i) Estimated state-funded class size in elementary, middle, and high school grade spans;
     (ii) Average state-funded teacher salary, total teacher compensation, administrator salary, and classified staff salary;
     (iii) Estimated number of state-funded staff of various classifications in a hypothetical average-sized school; and
     (iv) Estimated amount per pupil for nonemployee-related costs, including a breakdown of the per pupil amount by selected major categories of expenditure;
     (b) For the learning assistance program, the transitional bilingual program, and the highly capable student program: Estimated hours of additional instruction per week in each program;
     (c) For the special education excess cost allocation: Estimated amount per eligible student;
     (d) For the promoting academic success program: Estimated hours of remediation for various types of students, hours of teacher planning time, and class size; and
     (e) For the student achievement fund: Estimated amount per pupil in each category of use of the funds under RCW 28A.505.210 and estimated staffing or additional instructional time supported by the funds in a hypothetical average-sized school.
     (4) Each document shall also contain a brief narrative description of how the estimates provided under subsection (3) of this section were calculated and the major assumptions behind the calculations. Estimates may be developed using documented expenditure patterns of school districts, best practices, or other sources of information.