Washington State

House of Representatives

Office of Program Research

BILL

ANALYSIS

Education Committee

SSB 6038

This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a statement of legislative intent.

Brief Description: Requiring rules to address school construction assistance for schools in shared or colocated facilities.

Sponsors: Senate Committee on Early Learning & K-12 Education (originally sponsored by Senators Delvin and McAuliffe).

Brief Summary of Substitute Bill

  • Directs the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction to adopt rules to ensure that a host school district of a shared or co-located facility is not penalized when calculations are made for state school construction assistance.

Hearing Date: 2/17/12

Staff: Barbara McLain (786-7383).

Background:

School districts may be eligible for state funding assistance for school construction to build new facilities or modernize existing facilities. Three primary factors determine the amount of state assistance a district may receive: (1) the square footage of instructional space for which the state will provide funding assistance; (2) the cost per square foot the state will match; and (3) the matching ratio which relates to equalizing the school districts' wealth by providing a greater percentage of state funds to economically disadvantaged districts.

There are provisions in law and rules adopted by the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) regarding state assistance when a construction project is jointly financed by multiple districts. However, other rules may provide a disincentive for joint ventures where multiple school districts are operating an educational program in a single facility. For example, if the host school district already has sufficient district-wide instructional space according to the rules to serve its own students, that district might not qualify for state funding assistance to add square footage for the purposes of a shared facility because the nonresident students are not factored into the allowable space calculations.

Summary of Bill:

The OSPI must adopt rules to ensure that a host school district of a shared or co-located facility is not penalized when calculations are made for state school construction assistance.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Not requested.

Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is passed.