BILL REQ. #:  H-4408.1 

Read first time 01/19/10.   Referred to Committee on Education Appropriations.

     AN ACT Relating to public transparency for the prototypical school funding model; adding a new section to chapter 28A.300 RCW; and creating a new section.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   In establishing the prototypical school funding model in chapter 548, Laws of 2009, the legislature intended that the new model would provide a transparent funding system so that policymakers, educators, and taxpayers could better understand how the state supports basic education. To facilitate that goal, the legislature intends to establish a standardized portal through which the public is provided ready access to this model as it applies to their local schools.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   A new section is added to chapter 28A.300 RCW to read as follows:
     The office of the superintendent of public instruction shall implement and maintain an internet-based portal that provides ready public access to the state's prototypical school funding model for basic education under RCW 28A.150.260. The portal must provide citizens the opportunity to view, for each local school building, the staffing levels and other prototypical school funding elements that are assumed under the state funding formula. The portal must also provide a matrix displaying how individual school districts are deploying those same state resources through their allocation of staff and other resources to school buildings, so that citizens are able to compare the state assumptions to district allocation decisions for each local school building.