Joint Education Committee Meeting Summary (October 23-25)

The Joint Education Committee met in Laramie on October 23 through 25, 2002 to continue its work on school finance issues delegated by statute.  The Committee was briefed on study findings from a consultant to the State Department of Education on special education expenditures and funding.  The final report will be submitted to the Committee prior to the November meeting.  The State Department submitted a report on the definition of small schools.  A consultant studying the regional cost adjustment updated Committee members on study efforts.  The report will be available and discussed at the November meeting.  Committee members were provided a progress report on developing a cost-based funding mechanism for reading assessment and intervention programs.  A proposal is anticipated for the November meeting.  The Committee received information on progress in implementing the cost-based adjustment to the funding model for the experience level of classified staff.  A proposal for implementation is scheduled for the December meeting.

State Department consultants for the vocational education study presented study findings and recommendations.  The Committee forwarded legislation that would implement a funding mechanism for vocational education based upon student participation rates, impose a two-program minimum quality standard and a five-year hold harmless feature for districts with below average student participation rates.  An additional draft to be considered by the Committee provides funding based upon all students participating in vocational education programs without extracting vocational funding contained within model prototypes.  Both measures will be discussed at the November meeting.  The Committee received initial findings of a consultant review of the data and methodology used in the compensation component of the cost-based model.  The final report on findings will be submitted prior to the November meeting.  The State Department presented preliminary recommendations contained with a study of the accuracy of at-risk adjustment proxies and the adequacy of at-risk funding.  Based upon study findings, initial draft legislation will be considered at the November meeting.  Recommendations of the School Data Facilitation Forum were forwarded for review at the November meeting.

The Committee is scheduled to meet again on November 19 through 21, 2002 in Casper.