Bill Description: Senate Bill 1317 (S1317) would establish the framework for creating a system of regional service centers to provide special services to small school districts and charter schools.
Rating: -3
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?
S1317 would establish a framework for creating a system of Regional Service Centers (RSC) to provide special services to multiple school districts or charter schools, such as speech pathologists, school psychologists, or other non-instructional positions that would otherwise be “cost-prohibitive or impractical for a single district or charter to deliver independently.”
Idaho has 116 public school districts. Neighboring states have significantly fewer school districts despite being just as rural, such as Nevada (17) and Wyoming (48). If certain school districts are incapable of providing essential services at a reasonable cost, then it follows that the existence of those independent districts do not make financial sense for the state to maintain. S1317 seeks to avoid this glaring problem in our current education system by creating a network of middle-man, bureaucratic entities to concentrate buying-power and facilitate cooperation between school districts. This byzantine structure unnecessarily grows and complicates the structure of our public education system.
(-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?
S1317 stipulates that the Regional Service Centers “shall be considered an independent body corporate and politic” with a governing board consisting of “at least two (2) superintendents or charter administrators, or their designees, from LEAs receiving contracted services from the RSC,” and another member appointed by the superintendent of public instruction without any voting power. This structure diffuses accountability regarding contract and purchasing decisions made by a superintendent or charter administrator, allowing them to claim they are bound by the decision of the RSC.
(-1)
Does it increase government spending (for objectionable purposes) or debt? Conversely, does it decrease government spending or debt?
The legislation claims that the $1 million appropriation is a one-time expense covered by transferring funds from the Driver Training Account and that “future dollars would come from school districts and public charter schools participating and buying into the services.” However, it is unclear why a single, centralized fund for all Regional Service Centers would need to be established if an LEA is going to be paying a RSC directly for services. This structure suggests that, contrary to the fiscal note, the legislative appropriation will not be “one-time,” but result in continual requests for providing funds to establish new RSCs.
It is also worth highlighting that there is nothing in the statute prohibiting the members of an RSCs’ board from receiving compensation.
(-1)
