SENATE BILL REPORT

                   SB 5375

                    As of February 23, 1999

Title:  An act relating to payments to high school districts educating students from nonhigh school districts.

Brief Description:  Changing provisions relating to payments to high school districts educating students from nonhigh school districts.

Sponsors:  Senators Morton and Hochstatter.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Education:  3/1/99.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

Staff:  Susan Mielke (786-7422)

Background:  There are 48 school districts that do not offer a high school program.  High school-aged students in these "non-high" districts attend high school in neighboring districts.

A high school district receiving high school students from a non-high district receives the state apportionment dollars for those students from the non-high district based upon the state basic education allocation per student of the high school district.

The state does not currently provide dollars for non-basic education activities and programs that are funded by local levy dollars.  If the high school district is successful in passing a levy, then the non-high district must make payments to the high school district in an amount no greater than the available levy amount per full-time equivalent student.  To facilitate the non-high payments, the non-high district's levy lid is increased and the high school district's levy lid is decreased by the same amount.  The additional levy authority can be used by the non-high district to collect local levy money for the non-high payment.

Summary of Bill:  The requirement for non-high district payments to high school districts is eliminated.  The non-high school district payments are replaced with state payments.  The amount provided is the high school district's levy amount per full-time equivalent student.

Appropriation:  $5.4 million.

Fiscal Note:  Requested on February 17, 1999.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.