Bill Description: Senate Bill 1096 alters part of the existing K-12 funding formula to replace the current calculation based on support units with a weighted per-student funding formula based primarily on average daily attendance and student characteristics.
Rating: -1
Analyst Note: This rating was initially amended after further consideration of the proposed reform's merits in light of other proposed legislation dealing with the same topic. Senate Bill 1096 was then subsequently amended to alter the specifics of some of the weights. However, this amendment did not change the overall rating of the bill.
Does it increase government spending (for objectionable purposes) or debt? Conversely, does it decrease government spending or debt?
The fiscal note for Senate Bill 1096 states that it “does not change (the) general fund appropriation.” However, the Legislative Budget Book indicates that the Superintendent of Public Instruction is requesting “a net increase of $27,117,500 from all budget enhancement requests, to fund a weighted student formula proposal.” Any funding formula reform should prioritize improving efficiency and frugality, not growing an already over bloated K-12 budget. If this request is any indication of the long term fiscal effects of this reform, it could result in more objectionable increases to Idaho’s K-12 education budget.
(-1)
Does it in any way restrict public access to information related to government activity or otherwise compromise government transparency, accountability, or election integrity? Conversely, does it increase public access to information related to government activity or increase government transparency, accountability, or election integrity?
Currently, Idaho’s public system of education is funded using a convoluted formula based on support units that are calculated by taking the average daily attendance (ADA) and dividing that figure by a set of divisors that varies depending on the grade level. Senate Bill 1096 would simplify the process for calculating discretionary funds by replacing the support unit model with a funding formula based primarily off ADA. This reform will improve transparency by making it easier to forecast and track Idaho’s K-12 education budget.
(+1)
Does it violate the principle of equal protection under the law? Examples include laws that discriminate or differentiate based on age, gender, or religion or which apply laws, regulations, rules, or penalties differently based on such characteristics. Conversely, does it restore or protect the principle of equal protection under the law?
Senate Bill 1096 adjusts the funding formula to give weighted distributions to students that meet certain criteria. These weighted metrics include:
While students that meet some of the characteristics necessarily incur additional educational costs, such as special education students, not all of these characteristics justify additional funding. For instance, it is objectionable whether a gifted and talented or economically disadvantaged student deserves more funding than an average student. As it stands, this formula would focus school resources towards the poles, in exchange for diminishing the resources used to support the vast majority of students. A more just funding formula would disperse resources uniformly with only a few exceptions for extraordinary cases.
(-1)
Does it expand the government's bureaucratic monopoly on education, reduce family and student choice, or finance education based on an institution or system? Conversely, does it reduce government coercion in education, expand education choice, or finance education based on the student rather than the institution?
Senate Bill 1096 changes part of the funding formula from calculating funds based on support units to employing a weighted per-student funding formula based primarily on average daily attendance. Despite this change, it cannot be said to truly “finance education based on the student” since no amount of funds follows students who choose to leave the public education system.
(0)
