SENATE BILL REPORT

SHB 1326

BYHouse Committee on Capital Facilities & Financing (originally sponsored by Representatives Bristow, Betrozoff, Peery, Fuhrman and Brough)

Revising provisions for local funding requirements for school construction projects.

House Committe on Education

Rereferred House Committee on Capital Facilities & Financing

Senate Committee on Education

Senate Hearing Date(s):March 22, 1989

Senate Staff:Leslie Goldstein (786-7424)

AS OF MARCH 21, 1989

BACKGROUND:

Currently, in determining the percentage of state assistance for nonhigh school district construction and modernization projects, nonhigh school districts may count only those students actually attending school in their districts.  Nonhigh school districts are required to contribute payment for bonds or excess tax levies to provide capital funds for building programs in adjacent designated high school districts receiving their students.

While statutes on the state matching ratio for school construction projects refer to full time equivalent enrollment, the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction currently uses October head count enrollment, with kindergarten students counted as half, for determining state funding.

SUMMARY:

Head count of pupils enrolled, rather than the number of fulltime equivalent students, shall be used in determining enrollment for purposes of calculating adjusted valuation per pupil for allotment of state matching funds from the common school construction fund.  The number of preschool handicapped and kindergarten students included in the enrollment count is multiplied by one-half.

In determining percentage of state assistance for eligible school construction and modernization, nonhigh school districts shall count students who reside in their districts but attend a designated high school serving district.

For construction or modernization of high school facilities in high school districts serving students from nonhigh school districts, the adjusted valuation per pupil shall be computed using the combined adjusted valuations and enrollment of each district, each weighted by the percentage of the district's resident high school students served by the high school district.

No state funds shall be allotted until a district has provided matching funds equal to or greater than the difference between the total approved project cost and the state's share.

A district providing a high school program for at least 33 1/3 percent of the students from the nonhigh school district, must be made a designated district.  If it was a designated district when the request was made to place a bond or tax levy measure on the ballot, the nonhigh district must make contributions for construction of high school facilities in the designated school district.

Appropriation:    none

Revenue:    none

Fiscal Note:      available