SENATE BILL REPORT

ESHB 1518

BYHouse Committee on Education (originally sponsored by Representatives Bristow and Grant)

Revising allocations for small school district capital construction.

House Committe on Education

Rereferred House Committee on Ways & Means/Appropriations

Senate Committee on Education

Senate Hearing Date(s):February 18, 1988; February 24, 1988

Majority Report:  Do pass as amended.

      Signed by Senators Bailey, Chairman; Kiskaddon, Chairman; Bauer, Bender, Benitz, Craswell, Gaspard, Lee, Rinehart.

Senate Staff:Larry Davis (786-7422)

                  February 24, 1988

AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, FEBRUARY 24, 1988

BACKGROUND:

In determining the percentage of state assistance for nonhigh school district construction and modernization projects, a nonhigh school district may count only those students actually attending school in its district.  This is based on the assumption that the nonhigh school district bears no cost for the construction of high school facilities.  At the same time, however, a nonhigh school district is required to contribute payment for bonds or excess tax levies to provide capital funds for building programs in the adjacent designated high school district receiving its students.

SUMMARY:

Nonhigh school districts shall be allowed to count students who reside in their district but attend a high school outside the district as a resident student for the purposes of determining the percentage of state assistance for school construction and modernization for which the district is eligible.

If a school district has passed bonds for a project prior to the effective date of this act, the state percentage of assistance for the project will not change.

A district which is providing a high school program for more than 33-1/3 percent of the students from the nonhigh school district must be made a designated district.  The nonhigh school district is required to make contributions to bonds and excess tax levies in the designated school district, only if the district was a designated district at the time the county auditor was requested to place the bond or tax levy measure on the ballot.

Students attending nondesignated high schools shall be counted by the nondesignated high school district for purposes of determining the percentage of state assistance for school construction.

The act shall take effect immediately.

SUMMARY OF PROPOSED SENATE AMENDMENT:

Language is added to make internal references consistent.

Appropriation:    none

Revenue:    none

Fiscal Note:      available

Effective Date:The bill has an emergency clause and takes effect immediately.

Senate Committee - Testified: Kris Van Gorkom, Washington Association of School Administrators (for)