H. C. R. 40
(By Mr. Speaker, Mr. Kiss, and Delegates Mezzatesta,
Manuel, Anderson and Williams )
Requesting that the Joint Committee on Government and Finance
undertake a review of the West Virginia school aid formula to
determine its effectiveness and efficiency in meeting the
educational objectives of the state.
Whereas, West Virginia's Constitution directs the state
Legislature to provide for a thorough and efficient system of free
schools in the state and in an effort to accomplish that end the
Legislature created the school aid formula to assist in the
equitable distribution of the state's contribution to the education
of West Virginia's children; and
Whereas, West Virginians have invested extensively in education
by building new and better schools, by creating the first statewide
school computer access program, by leading the nation in the use of
educational technology in public schools, by raising the pay of
professional educators from forty-ninth in the nation to thirtieth
and have made many more numerous investments both at the state and
local level; and
Whereas, These improvement efforts still have not resolved all
the major issues regarding equal and equitable school funding in
West Virginia; and
Whereas, While the formula has been modified frequently, the
last such thorough review initiated by the Legislature having
occurred almost two decades ago; and
Whereas, The school aid formula must consistently adapt to
changes in demographics of population and students, including a
substantial decline in the population of the state and a
concomitant decline in its student population; and
Whereas, The school aid formula can provide equitable funding
to school districts but may require deliberative study as to its
various steps and provisions, especially in regard to the variant
needs of students and districts; therefore, be it
Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That the Joint Committee on Government and Finance is hereby
requested to create a select committee consisting of
representatives of the Legislature and other interested and
effected parties who will undertake a review of the state aid
formula as to its effectiveness and efficiency in meeting the
objectives of the state's education goals, and that the committee
will report its findings to the Joint Committee on Government and
Finance on or before the sixteenth of December, one thousand nine
hundred ninety-seven, unless the study is continued by resolution
or other action of the Joint Committee on Government and Finance; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the committee shall have broad latitude
to study: the condition of school funding in West Virginia and
shall, in its endeavors, study the issue of equality between and
among school districts as well as the issue of equality between and
among schools within school districts; financial impact of court
mandates and court imposed decisions; the boundaries of school
districts, especially with regard to the effect of changing
demographics and geography upon the usefulness of such existing
boundaries; the effect upon some counties of a continually
declining student population with regard to school funding; the
costs of, and planning for, increased enrollment by some counties;
the effect of the school aid formula on large rural counties as
well as the possible existence of limitations upon curricula
offerings as a result of unique and costly operational costs
experienced by such counties; the adequacy of West Virginia's
school funding formula; local excess levies and their effect on
the issue of equity and diversity of services between and among
school districts; statewide excess levy; the use of alternate or
additional means of funding public education; the sharing of school
personnel between and among districts; the contracting of services;
the availability, quality, and ratio of school nurses; the
condition of school facilities, maintenance and the need for
additional or upgraded facilities; acquisition, applications and
use of educational technology and its impact on school funding; the impact of legislation limiting class size in grades kindergarten
through sixth; the fiscal impact of all day kindergarten; the
cost, space availability and structure of pre-kindergarten
programs; the adequacy of services and the costs of such for
providing special education services per the standards set by the
federal government and a determination whether West Virginia meets
or exceeds such services; the cost, efficiency, maximum of student
travel times inclusive of transfers, and any other matters relating
to public school transportation; vocational education; the
establishment of charter schools; provision of regional services
including, but not limited to, efforts of regional education
service agencies; Medicaid billing by regional education service
agencies and county personnel; early retirement for teachers;
salaries of administrators, school service personnel and classroom
teachers; and, such other issues as the committee shall determine
to study; and be it
Further Resolved, That the committee be made up of: The
President of the West Virginia Senate or his designee; the Speaker
of the House of Delegates or his designee; five members of the
Senate selected by the President of the West Virginia Senate and
five members of the House of Delegates selected by the Speaker of
the West Virginia House of Delegates from whom the President of the
Senate and the Speaker of the House shall each name a co-chair for
this committee; and eleven members to be named by the Governor.
Members named by the Governor may be nonstate employees, state employees or a combination of one or the other or both.
Further Resolved, That the select committee, in making its
recommendations, should assume the amount used to fund the school
aid formula for fiscal year one thousand nine hundred ninety-six,
plus a growth of three percent. In addition, however, to making
its ultimate recommendations, the select committee may make
additional recommendations that exceed that amount if it finds
additional or alternate means of funding the school aid formula.
If no other or additional means of funding are identified then the
select committee shall remain within the parameters of fiscal year
one thousand nine hundred ninety-six; and be it
Further Resolved, That the joint committee may employ or
assign professional, clerical and technical assistants as it deems
necessary in order for the committee to perform its duties, and may
request information and cooperation from any state agency in order
to assist the performance of its duties; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the committee shall meet at the call of
the co-chairmen, in Charleston or elsewhere as they deem necessary
or appropriate, inasmuch as time is of the essence. For such
meetings, a quorum shall consist of a majority of voting members
being present; and, be it
Further Resolved, That vacancies on the committee shall be
promptly filled by the original appointing authority; and be it
Further Resolved, That the expenses for members of the
Legislature and the citizens members of the committee, as well as those expenses necessary to conduct the committee's study and to
prepare appropriate reports, recommendations and proposed
legislation be paid from the legislative appropriations to the
Jjoint Ccommittee on Ggovernment and Ffinance. Those members who may be
state employees shall have their expenses paid by their agency or
agencies.