Bill description: This bill would establish new Rural Education Support Networks, to help groups of school districts attain educational goals.

Rating: -2

Does it create, expand, or enlarge any agency, board, program, function, or activity of government? Conversely, does it eliminate or curtail the size or scope of government?

The role of this new support network would be to “facilitate the coordination or sharing of educational resources, programs, services or information” and to improve the efficacy of programs throughout the network. The Network would include at least six school districts, the majority of which would have to be rural school districts. HB 630 would grant the Superintendent of Public Instruction the authority to establish one such network in Fiscal Year 2019 and additional networks in subsequent years.

(-1)

Does it increase government spending (for objectionable purposes) or debt? Conversely, does it decrease government spending or debt?

This new program would cost a total of $300,000 per year, for a total of 3 years. This $900,000 sum of money would go towards “the salary of the director of the network, salaries for additional network staff, employee benefits of the director, employee benefits for any additional network staff, rent, utilities, legal services, travel, and the procurement or provision of education services, programs, resources, or information.”

After the first three years, the member districts of the network would be responsible for providing other means of funding the network.

(-1)