BILL REQ. #: H-3055.2
State of Washington | 63rd Legislature | 2014 Regular Session |
Prefiled 01/10/14. Read first time 01/13/14. Referred to Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on Education.
AN ACT Relating to eliminating the reduction in state basic education funding that occurs in counties with federal forest lands; amending RCW 28A.150.250 and 28A.520.020; creating a new section; and providing an effective date.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1 School districts in counties with federal
forests are at a disadvantage in terms of generating local revenue due
to economic and private development opportunities that are forgone on
these lands. The legislature intends to no longer reduce state basic
education funding to school districts in counties with federal forest
lands. The money school districts receive as a result of federal
forest revenue payments should be considered as grants, or
compensation, to inhabitants of local areas for impacts associated with
the presence of federal lands. These revenues should be delivered to
school districts as a supplement to basic education allocations in
addition to the state's basic education apportionment.
Sec. 2 RCW 28A.150.250 and 2009 c 548 s 105 are each amended to
read as follows:
(1) From those funds made available by the legislature for the
current use of the common schools, the superintendent of public
instruction shall distribute annually as provided in RCW 28A.510.250 to
each school district of the state operating a basic education
instructional program approved by the state board of education an
amount based on the formulas provided in RCW 28A.150.260, 28A.150.390,
and 28A.150.392 which, when combined with an appropriate portion of
such locally available revenues, ((other than receipts from federal
forest revenues distributed to school districts pursuant to RCW
28A.520.010 and 28A.520.020,)) as the superintendent of public
instruction may deem appropriate for consideration in computing state
equalization support, excluding excess property tax levies, will
constitute a basic education allocation in dollars for each annual
average full-time equivalent student enrolled.
(2) The instructional program of basic education shall be
considered to be fully funded by those amounts of dollars appropriated
by the legislature pursuant to RCW 28A.150.260, 28A.150.390, and
28A.150.392 to fund those program requirements identified in RCW
28A.150.220 in accordance with the formula provided in RCW 28A.150.260
and those amounts of dollars appropriated by the legislature to fund
the salary requirements of RCW 28A.150.410.
(3) If a school district's basic education program fails to meet
the basic education requirements enumerated in RCW 28A.150.260 and
28A.150.220, the state board of education shall require the
superintendent of public instruction to withhold state funds in whole
or in part for the basic education allocation until program compliance
is assured. However, the state board of education may waive this
requirement in the event of substantial lack of classroom space.
Sec. 3 RCW 28A.520.020 and 2011 c 278 s 1 are each amended to
read as follows:
(1) There shall be a fund known as the federal forest revolving
account. The state treasurer, who shall be custodian of the revolving
account, shall deposit into the revolving account the funds for each
county received by the state in accordance with Title 16, section 500,
United States Code. The state treasurer shall distribute these moneys
to the counties according to the determined proportional area. The
county legislative authority shall expend fifty percent of the money
for the benefit of the public roads and other public purposes as
authorized by federal statute or public schools of such county and not
otherwise. Disbursements by the counties of the remaining fifty
percent of the money shall be as authorized by the superintendent of
public instruction, or the superintendent's designee, and shall occur
in the manner provided in subsection (2) of this section.
(2) No later than thirty days following receipt of the funds from
the federal government, the superintendent of public instruction shall
apportion moneys distributed to counties for schools to public school
districts in the respective counties in proportion to the number of
resident full-time equivalent students enrolled in each public school
district to the number of resident full-time equivalent students
enrolled in public schools in the county. In apportioning these funds,
the superintendent of public instruction shall utilize the October
enrollment count.
(3) ((If)) The amount received by any public school district
pursuant to subsection (2) of this section ((is less than)) shall not
reduce the basic education allocation to which the district would
otherwise be entitled((, the superintendent of public instruction shall
apportion to the district, in the manner provided by RCW 28A.510.250,
an amount which shall be the difference between the amount received
pursuant to subsection (2) of this section and the basic education
allocation to which the district would otherwise be entitled)).
(4) All federal forest funds shall be expended in accordance with
the requirements of Title 16, section 500, United States Code, as now
existing or hereafter amended.
(5) The definition of resident student for purposes of this section
shall be based on rules adopted by the superintendent of public
instruction, which shall consider and address the impact of alternative
learning experience students on federal forest funds distribution.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 4 This act takes effect September 1, 2014.