II. Legislative Response

The Legislature established a process directing efforts addressing the Supreme Court dictate.  The primary goal of this effort was to prepare legislation establishing a new school finance system meeting the requirements of the Supreme Court with an effective date not later than July 1, 1997

A Select Committee on School Finance was created by the 1995 Legislature and activated by the Management Council in 1996.  This Committee provided oversight and coordination of the overall legislative process, directing and receiving reports from designated legislative committees assigned portions of the issues and topics addressed by this effort.  Legislative committees involved in this effort included:

(1)       The Joint Education Interim Committee assigned the task of defining the proper education to which each Wyoming student is entitled, termed the "basket of educational goods and services;"

(2)       The Joint Corporations, Elections and Political Subdivisions Interim Committee tasked with reviewing the educational delivery system, including telecommunications;

(3)       The Joint Appropriations Committee charged with overseeing a cost of education study and developing a methodology for determining costs of providing education goods and services taking into account cost differences within the state;

(4)       The Joint Revenue Interim Committee assigned the task of developing a distribution formula sufficient to fund the cost of the proper education in a manner so that funding differences are cost-based;

(5)       The School Capital Construction Committee charged with establishing a system for funding the provision of adequate school buildings and facilities, including maintenance of these facilities.

Efforts resulted in the enactment of major school reform legislation during a special session held early June 1997.  As the State Superintendent and school districts had insufficient time to fully implement reform measures by school year 1997-1998, a major portion of the adopted reform provisions were not applicable until the 1998-1999 school year, with some components phased-in thereafter.  This delayed implementation provided the Legislature opportunity to fine-tune and further define reform provisions during the 1998 Budget Session preceding commencement of the 1998-1999 school year.  Further, several school finance issues and components were delayed to allow the collection of additional data and further study, resulting in the finalization and implementation of a majority of system adjustment components and a process addressing school building adequacy during the 1999 General Session.  It should be noted that the Legislature considered and provided for a transition period during which school districts were required to conform to and comply with the new system of school finance.