(1) Beginning with taxes levied for collection in 2020, the maximum dollar amount which may be levied by or for any school district for enrichment levies under RCW
84.52.053 is equal to the lesser of two dollars and fifty cents per thousand dollars of the assessed value of property in the school district or the maximum per-pupil limit. This maximum dollar amount shall be reduced accordingly as provided under RCW
43.09.2856(2).
(2) The definitions in this subsection apply to this section unless the context clearly requires otherwise.
(a) For the purpose of this section, "inflation" means the percentage change in the seasonally adjusted consumer price index for all urban consumers, Seattle area, for the most recent 12-month period as of September 25th of the year before the taxes are payable, using the official current base compiled by the United States bureau of labor statistics.
(b) "Maximum per-pupil limit" means:
(i) Two thousand five hundred dollars, as increased by inflation beginning with property taxes levied for collection in 2020, multiplied by the number of average annual full-time equivalent students enrolled in the school district in the prior school year, for school districts with fewer than forty thousand annual full-time equivalent students enrolled in the school district in the prior school year; or
(ii) Three thousand dollars, as increased by inflation beginning with property taxes levied for collection in 2020, multiplied by the number of average annual full-time equivalent students enrolled in the school district in the prior school year, for school districts with forty thousand or more annual full-time equivalent students enrolled in the school district in the prior school year.
(c) "Open for in-person instruction to all students" means that all students in all grades have the option to participate in at least 40 hours of planned in-person instruction per month and the school follows state department of health guidance and recommendations for resuming in-person instruction to the greatest extent practicable.
(d) "Prior school year" means the most recent school year completed prior to the year in which the levies are to be collected, except as follows:
(i) In the 2022 calendar year, if 2019-20 school year average annual full-time equivalent enrollment is greater than the school district's 2020-21 school year average annual full-time equivalent enrollment and the school district is open for in-person instruction to all students by the beginning of the 2021-22 school year, "prior school year" means the 2019-20 school year.
(ii) In the 2023 calendar year, if 2019-20 school year average annual full-time equivalent enrollment is greater than the school district's 2021-22 school year average annual full-time equivalent enrollment and the school district was open for in-person instruction to all students by the beginning of the 2021-22 school year, "prior school year" means the 2019-20 school year.
(3) For districts in a high/nonhigh relationship, the enrollments of the nonhigh students attending the high school shall only be counted by the nonhigh school districts for purposes of funding under this section.
(4) For school districts participating in an innovation academy cooperative established under RCW
28A.340.080, enrollments of students attending the academy shall be adjusted so that each participant district receives its proportional share of student enrollments for purposes of funding under this section.
(5) Beginning with propositions for enrichment levies for collection in calendar year 2020 and thereafter, a district must receive approval of an enrichment levy expenditure plan under RCW
28A.505.240 before submission of the proposition to the voters.
(6) The superintendent of public instruction shall develop rules and regulations and inform school districts of the pertinent data necessary to carry out the provisions of this section.
(7) Beginning with taxes levied for collection in 2018, enrichment levy revenues must be deposited in a separate subfund of the school district's general fund pursuant to RCW
28A.320.330, and for the 2018-19 school year are subject to the restrictions of RCW
28A.150.276 and the audit requirements of RCW
43.09.2856.
(8) Funds collected from levies for transportation vehicles, construction, modernization, or remodeling of school facilities as established in RCW
84.52.053 are not subject to the levy limitations in subsections (1) through (5) of this section.
Purpose—Construction—2012 1st sp.s. c 10: "(1) Legislation enacted in 2009 (chapter 548, Laws of 2009) and in 2010 (chapter 236, Laws of 2010) revised the definition of the program of basic education, established new methods for distributing state funds to school districts to support this program of basic education, and provided an outline of specific enhancements to the program of basic education that are required to be implemented by 2018. In order to meet the required deadlines to implement full funding of the enhancements, the joint task force in section 2 of this act is created to develop and recommend options for a permanent funding mechanism.
(2) Initiative Measure No. 728 (chapter 3, Laws of 2001) dedicated a portion of state revenues to fund class size reductions and other education improvements. Because class size reductions and similar improvements are incorporated in the reforms that were enacted in chapter 548, Laws of 2009, and chapter 236, Laws of 2010, and that are being incrementally implemented through 2018, Initiative Measure No. 728 is repealed in order to make these dedicated revenues available for implementation of basic education reform and to facilitate the funding reform recommendations of the joint task force in section 2 of this act.
(3) Nothing in chapter 10, Laws of 2012 1st sp. sess. alters or amends the elements included in the school district levy base set forth in RCW
84.52.0531." [
2012 1st sp.s. c 10 s 1.]