BILL REQ. #: Z-0628.2
State of Washington | 63rd Legislature | 2014 Regular Session |
Read first time 01/28/14. Referred to Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on Education.
AN ACT Relating to aligning student transportation formulas with 2013 session laws; amending RCW 28A.160.192; adding a new section to chapter 28A.715 RCW; and providing an effective date.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
Sec. 1 RCW 28A.160.192 and 2011 1st sp.s. c 27 s 3 are each
amended to read as follows:
(1) ((The superintendent of public instruction shall phase-in the
implementation of)) The distribution formula under this chapter for
allocating state funds to school districts for the transportation of
students to and from school((. The phase-in shall begin no later than
the 2011-2013 biennium and be fully implemented by the 2013-2015
biennium.)) must:
(a) ((The formula must)) Be developed and revised on an ongoing
basis using the major cost factors in student transportation, including
basic and special student loads, school district land area, average
distance to school, roadway miles, and number of locations served.
Factors must include all those site characteristics that are
statistically significant after analysis of the data required by the
revised reporting process.
(b) ((The formula must)) Allocate funds to school districts based
on the average predicted costs of transporting students to and from
school, using a regression analysis. Only factors that are
statistically significant shall be used in the regression analysis.
Employee compensation costs included in the allowable transportation
expenditures used for the purpose of establishing each ((school
district's independent)) variable in the regression analysis shall be
limited to the base salary or hourly wage rates, fringe benefit rates,
and ((applicable health care)) the insurance benefit allocation
rate((s)) provided in the omnibus appropriations act.
(2) ((During the phase-in period,)) Funding provided to school
districts for student transportation operations shall be distributed on
the following basis:
(a) Annually, each school district shall receive the lesser of the
((previous school year's pupil transportation operations allocation))
expected cost as predicted by the regression analysis under subsection
(1)(b) of this section, or the total of allowable pupil transportation
expenditures identified on the previous school year's final expenditure
report to the state plus district indirect expenses using the federal
restricted indirect rate as calculated in the district annual financial
report;
(b) Annually, the amount identified in (a) of this subsection shall
be adjusted for any budgeted ((increases)) changes provided in the
omnibus appropriations act for salaries ((or)), fringe benefits, and
the insurance benefit allocation rate; and
(c) ((Annually, any funds appropriated by the legislature in excess
of the maintenance level funding amount for student transportation
shall be distributed among school districts on a prorated basis using
the difference between the amount identified in (a) adjusted by (b) of
this subsection and the amount determined under the formula in RCW
28A.160.180; and)) Allocations provided to recognize the cost of depreciation to
districts contracting with private carriers for student transportation
shall be deducted from the allowable transportation expenditures in (a)
of this subsection.
(d)
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2 A new section is added to chapter 28A.715
RCW to read as follows:
(1) To claim funds under this section, a school that is the subject
of a state-tribal education compact must comply with RCW 28A.160.115,
28A.160.170, 28A.160.210, and 46.61.380.
(2) During the initial year of operation, a school that is the
subject of a state-tribal education compact may claim transportation
operating funds under this subsection only for transportation of
eligible students to and from school as defined in RCW 28A.160.160.
The school may claim an allocation per eligible student as the prior
year's per student allocation to a school district of similar geography
and ridership, less any federal funds provided to the school
specifically for the purpose of transporting students to and from
school on a daily basis.
(3) After the initial year of operation, the superintendent of
public instruction shall allocate transportation operating funds
consistent with the methodology provided under RCW 28A.160.150 through
28A.160.192, less any federal funds provided to the school specifically
for the purpose of transporting students to and from school on a daily
basis.
(4) For the purpose of administering RCW 28A.160.150 through
28A.160.192, the superintendent of public instruction shall consider
tribal school districts to be school districts, including any school
that is the subject of a state-tribal education compact approved under
this chapter, except that the school's approved transportation service
area must be used in lieu of school district land area.
(5) A school that is the subject of a state-tribal education
compact may claim bus depreciation funds based on the payment schedule
provided under RCW 28A.160.200(3). The bus depreciation funds must go
into a separate transportation vehicle fund to be used only for the
purchase of pupil transportation vehicles.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3 This act takes effect September 1, 2014.