Montana State Legislature

2015-2016 School Funding Interim Commission

About the School Funding Interim Commission 

Senate Bill 128 created a 16-member School Funding Interim Commission for the 2015-16 Interim and each successive fifth interim. The bill requires the commission to:

  • conduct a study to reassess the educational needs and costs related to the basic system of free quality public elementary and secondary schools;
  • if necessary, recommend to the following legislature changes to the state's funding formula; and
  • issue a report on the commission's findings and recommendations, including any draft legislation for amending the state school funding formula, by no later than the 15th of September preceding the next regular legislative session

School Funding Interim Commission Final Report

  • REPRESENTATIVE JEFF ESSMANN (R)
  • REPRESENTATIVE DONALD W JONES (R)
  • REPRESENTATIVE KATHY KELKER (D)
  • REPRESENTATIVE DEBRA LAMM (R)
  • REPRESENTATIVE EDIE L MCCLAFFERTY (D)
  • REPRESENTATIVE SUSAN WEBBER (D)
  • SENATOR ELSIE M ARNTZEN (R)--Vice Chair
  • SENATOR TOM FACEY (D)--Chair
  • SENATOR KRISTIN HANSEN (R)
  • SENATOR MARY MOE (D)
  • SENATOR MATTHEW ROSENDALE (R)
  • SENATOR LEA WHITFORD (D)

 
 

Public Members

  • Dave Lewis, Senate

     
  • Patricia Hubbard, Senate

     
  • Renee Rasmussen: House

     
  • Aidan Myhre: House
     

School Funding Interim Commission Topics

At its initial meeting on September 23, 2015, the commission determined to focus on 4 topics (commissioners ranked additional topics in an online poll following the meeting--see meeting summary):

  • Recruitment and retention
  • School facilities
  • Special education
  • District structure and equity

Below are links to materials distributed to commissioners by staff organized by topic. For handouts distributed by presenters and copies of public testimony, please see the minutes log for each meeting by clicking on "Meetings and Materials" to the right.

Recruitment and retention

School facilities

Special education

District structure and equity

Miscellaneous

General Background Resources:

The Legislative Fiscal Division's K-12 Public Education Finance page includes links to:

  • School funding presentations to the 2011-12 ELG by Jim Standaert and Dan Whyte
  • Various school funding staff reports
  • School funding court decisions
  • Previous school funding studies

Executive Summary of the 2008 School Facility Condition Assessment

The Quality Schools Interim Committee page has information on the 2005 school funding study.

Final Report of the 2003-2004 K-12 Public School Renewal Commission

Background materials distributed to members July 2015:

July 2015 Interim newsletter "Back Page" article on school funding

Final Report of the 2005 Quality Schools Interim Committee

"Understanding Montana School Finance and School District Budgets" (OPI; November 2014)

Final Report

Bill Drafts

Recruitment and Retention

School Facilities

Special Needs

  • LCs SE01, SE02, SE03 -- bill drafts to increase the state special education payment
  • LC GFTD -- bill draft creating a state-funded, per-ANB component for programs to serve high ability/high potential students
  • LC SNSY -- draft resolution to request an interim study of funding for programs to serve special needs students

School Employee Health Benefits

  • LC HLTH -- bill draft to create task force study of K-12 health benefits

Final Report

Bill draft updates

The bill draft updates will vary depending on completeness of bill draft; some may be brief conceptual updates, others may be reviews of nearly finalized drafts. The commission will make final determinations at its final meeting later this summer.

Special Needs

School Facilities

  • Update on LC ICAP, bill draft to revise INTERCAP loan program
  • Update on LC EFBT, bill draft to provide transferability of funds to building reserve
  • Concepts for
    • LC GRT1, bill draft for new facility grant program
    • LC GRT2, bill draft for new facility grant program
    • LC DSGB, bill draft to shore up funding for facility reimbursements

Recruitment and Retention

District Structure and Equity Issues -- Tuesday May 3 AM

School Facilities -- Tuesday May 3 PM

The commssion will not convene Wednesday May 4 PM

Special Education and Gifted and Talented Funding -- Thursday May 5 AM

District Structure and Equity Issues -- Monday AM

Facilities -- Monday PM

Recruitment and Retention -- Tuesday AM

Special Education -- Tuesday PM

Gifted and Talented -- Tuesday PM

 

Background materials mailed March 16, 2016

K-12 Education and Demographics

School funding formula

School facilities

Recruitment and retention

District structure and boundaries

Special education

Technology

 

Background materials mailed/posted December 31, 2015

Background materials mailed/posted December 4, 2015

Background materials mailed/posted November 13, 2015

Proposed Rules for School Funding Interim Commission 

The School Funding Interim Commission is not one of the regular interim committees of the legislature and does not have duties related to administrative rule review pursuant to 5-5-215, MCA.

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