BILL REQ. #:  S-4210.1 

READ FIRST TIME 01/30/12.   

     AN ACT Relating to adjustments to the school construction assistance formula; amending RCW 28A.525.162; reenacting and amending RCW 28A.525.166; creating a new section; and declaring an emergency.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   The school construction assistance funding formula is used to determine state funding contributions to school construction projects. It is the intent of the legislature that the formula use the most accurate method available to reflect the actual number of students using districts' school facilities. State funding currently provides all-day kindergarten for over twenty percent of kindergarten students and RCW 28A.150.315 calls for the continued phasing-in of all-day kindergarten each year until full statewide implementation is achieved in the 2017-18 school year. In addition, because alternative learning experience programs of education take place in whole, or in part, outside the regular classroom setting, and because online alternative learning experience programs are delivered primarily electronically using the internet or other computer-based methods, it is appropriate to consider the impact of alternative learning experience students in assessing school space needs. The legislature acknowledges the review of the formula conducted by the office of the superintendent of public instruction and accepts many recommendations from the resulting December 2011 report. The legislature also intends to provide financial assistance for school districts affected by the transition to the new funding formula. This assistance will be limited to grants to cover direct district expenditures for contracted architects, engineers, and other consultants for projects that are no longer eligible for state assistance under the new formula or for projects requiring significant redesign work as a result of reduced state assistance under the new formula.

Sec. 2   RCW 28A.525.162 and 2009 c 129 s 5 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) Funds appropriated to the superintendent of public instruction from the common school construction fund shall be allotted by the superintendent of public instruction in accordance with ((student enrollment and the provisions of RCW 28A.525.200)) this chapter.
     (2) No allotment shall be made to a school district until such district has provided local funds equal to or greater than the difference between the total approved project cost and the amount of state funding assistance to the district for financing the project computed pursuant to RCW 28A.525.166, with the following exceptions:
     (a) The superintendent of public instruction may waive the local requirement for state funding assistance for districts which have provided funds for school building construction purposes through the authorization of bonds or through the authorization of excess tax levies or both in an amount equivalent to two and one-half percent of the value of its taxable property, as defined in RCW 39.36.015.
     (b) No such local funds shall be required as a condition to the allotment of funds from the state for the purpose of making major or minor structural changes to existing school facilities in order to bring such facilities into compliance with the barrier free access requirements of section 504 of the federal rehabilitation act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. Sec. 706) and rules implementing the act.
     (3) For the purpose of computing the state funding assistance percentage under RCW 28A.525.166 when a school district is granted authority to enter into contracts, adjusted valuation per pupil shall be calculated using headcount student enrollments from the most recent October enrollment reports submitted by districts to the superintendent of public instruction, adjusted as follows:
     (a) In the case of projects for which local bonds were approved after May 11, 1989:
     (i) For districts which have been designated as serving high school districts under RCW 28A.540.110, students residing in the nonhigh district so designating shall be excluded from the enrollment count if the student is enrolled in any grade level not offered by the nonhigh district;
     (ii) The enrollment of nonhigh school districts shall be increased by the number of students residing within the district who are enrolled in a serving high school district so designated by the nonhigh school district under RCW 28A.540.110, including only students who are enrolled in grade levels not offered by the nonhigh school district; and
     (iii) The number of preschool students with disabilities included in the enrollment count shall be multiplied by one-half;
     (b) In the case of construction or modernization of high school facilities in districts serving students from nonhigh school districts, the adjusted valuation per pupil shall be computed using the combined adjusted valuations and enrollments of each district, each weighted by the percentage of the district's resident high school students served by the high school district; ((and))
     (c) The number of kindergarten students included in the enrollment count shall be ((multiplied by one-half)) counted as one headcount student; and
     (d) The number of students residing outside the school district who are enrolled in alternative learning experience programs under RCW 28A.150.325 shall be excluded from the total.
     (4) In lieu of the exclusion in subsection (3)(d) of this section, a district may submit an alternative calculation for excluding students enrolled in alternative learning experience programs. The alternative calculation must show the student headcount use of district classroom facilities on a regular basis for a regular duration by out-of-district alternative learning experience program students subtracted by the headcount of in-district alternative learning experience program students not using district classroom facilities on a regular basis for a reasonable duration. The alternative calculation must be submitted in a form approved by the office of the superintendent of public instruction. The office of the superintendent of public instruction must develop rules to define "regular basis" and "reasonable duration."
     (5) The superintendent of public instruction, considering policy recommendations from the school facilities citizen advisory panel, shall prescribe such rules as are necessary to equate insofar as possible the efforts made by school districts to provide capital funds by the means aforesaid.
     (((5))) (6) For the purposes of this section, "preschool students with disabilities" means children of preschool age who have developmental disabilities who are entitled to services under RCW 28A.155.010 through 28A.155.100 and are not included in the kindergarten enrollment count of the district.

Sec. 3   RCW 28A.525.166 and 2009 c 421 s 5 and 2009 c 129 s 6 are each reenacted and amended to read as follows:
     Allocations to school districts of state funds provided by RCW 28A.525.162 through 28A.525.180 shall be made by the superintendent of public instruction and the amount of state funding assistance to a school district in financing a school plant project shall be determined in the following manner:
     (1) The boards of directors of the districts shall determine the total cost of the proposed project, which cost may include the cost of acquiring and preparing the site, the cost of constructing the building or of acquiring a building and preparing the same for school use, the cost of necessary equipment, taxes chargeable to the project, necessary architects' fees, and a reasonable amount for contingencies and for other necessary incidental expenses: PROVIDED, That the total cost of the project shall be subject to review and approval by the superintendent.
     (2) The state funding assistance percentage for a school district shall be computed by the following formula:
     The ratio of the school district's adjusted valuation per pupil divided by the ratio of the total state adjusted valuation per pupil shall be subtracted from three, and then the result of the foregoing shall be divided by three plus (the ratio of the school district's adjusted valuation per pupil divided by the ratio of the total state adjusted valuation per pupil).

			District adjusted		Total state
		3-valuation		÷	adjusted valuation		State
Computed			per pupil		per pupil		Funding
State						- %	Assistance
Ratio			District adjusted		Total state
		3+valuation		÷	adjusted valuation
			per pupil		per pupil

PROVIDED, That in the event the state funding assistance percentage to any school district based on the above formula is less than twenty percent and such school district is otherwise eligible for state funding assistance under RCW 28A.525.162 through 28A.525.180, the superintendent may establish for such district a state funding assistance percentage not in excess of twenty percent of the approved cost of the project, if the superintendent finds that such additional assistance is necessary to provide minimum facilities for housing the pupils of the district.
     (3) In addition to the computed state funding assistance percentage developed in subsection (2) of this section, a school district shall be entitled to additional percentage points determined by the average percentage of growth for the past three years. One percent shall be added to the computed state funding assistance percentage for each percent of growth, with a maximum of twenty percent.
     (4) In computing the state funding assistance percentage in subsection (2) of this section and adjusting the percentage under subsection (3) of this section, students residing outside the school district who are enrolled in alternative learning experience programs under RCW 28A.150.325 shall be excluded from the count of total pupils. In lieu of the exclusion in this subsection, a district may submit an alternative calculation for excluding students enrolled in alternative learning experience programs. The alternative calculation must show the student headcount use of district classroom facilities on a regular basis for a reasonable duration by out-of-district alternative learning experience program students subtracted by the headcount of in-district alternative learning experience program students not using district classroom facilities on a regular basis for a reasonable duration. The alternative calculation must be submitted in a form approved by the office of the superintendent of public instruction. The office of the superintendent of public instruction must develop rules to define "regular basis" and "reasonable duration."
     (5) The approved cost of the project determined in the manner prescribed in this section multiplied by the state funding assistance percentage derived as provided for in this section shall be the amount of state funding assistance to the district for the financing of the project: PROVIDED, That need therefor has been established to the satisfaction of the superintendent: PROVIDED, FURTHER, That additional state funding assistance may be allowed if it is found by the superintendent, considering policy recommendations from the school facilities citizen advisory panel that such assistance is necessary in order to meet (a) a school housing emergency resulting from the destruction of a school building by fire, the condemnation of a school building by properly constituted authorities, a sudden excessive and clearly foreseeable future increase in school population, or other conditions similarly emergent in nature; or (b) a special school housing burden resulting from projects of statewide significance or imposed by virtue of the admission of nonresident students into educational programs established, maintained and operated in conformity with the requirements of law; or (c) a deficiency in the capital funds of the district resulting from financing, subsequent to April 1, 1969, and without benefit of the state funding assistance provided by prior state assistance programs, the construction of a needed school building project or projects approved in conformity with the requirements of such programs, after having first applied for and been denied state funding assistance because of the inadequacy of state funds available for the purpose, or (d) a condition created by the fact that an excessive number of students live in state owned housing, or (e) a need for the construction of a school building to provide for improved school district organization or racial balance, or (f) conditions similar to those defined under (a), (b), (c), (d), and (e) of this subsection, creating a like emergency.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 4   This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and takes effect immediately.