14-R367
2014 -- H 8359
Enacted 06/18/14
H O U S E R E S O L U T I O N
CREATING A SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION TO STUDY AND ASSESS RHODE
ISLAND'S "FAIR FUNDING FORMULA"
Introduced By: Representatives O`Grady, Tomasso, Amore, Tanzi, and Cimini
Date Introduced: June 19, 2014
WHEREAS, On June 10, 2010, the General Assembly enacted its first major school
funding reform in almost 20 years. The Governor signed the legislation on June 23, 2010; and
WHEREAS, The initiative was both a major policy shift and a major step forward. It
established a rational system for allocating state educational support among local districts by
basing that allocation on school population, and further adjusting that figure to account for
community wealth, tax base stability, and number of disadvantaged students; and
WHEREAS, This initiative aimed to provide for stable and predictable funding to LEAs
to establish sustainable finances moving forward. While the 2010 General Assembly went to
great lengths to address the inequities between LEAs that developed in the absence of a standard
formula, it is incumbent upon the current General Assembly to assess that legislation to ensure
that new inequities have not emerged as unintended consequences; now, therefore be it
RESOLVED, That a special legislative commission be and the same is hereby created
consisting of twelve (12) members: three (3) of whom shall be members of the House, not more
than two (2) from the same political party, to be appointed by the Speaker; one of whom shall be
a RIDE staff member, to be appointed by the Rhode Island Commissioner of Elementary and
Secondary Education; one of whom shall be the Executive Director of the Rhode Island Mayoral
Academies (RIMA); one of whom shall be Director of the Met School, or designee; one of whom shall be the Executive Director of the Rhode Island League of Charter Schools, or designee; one of whom shall be the Executive Director of the Rhode Island School Superintendents' Association, or designee; one of whom shall be the President of the Rhode Island League of Cities and Towns, or designee; one of whom shall be the President of the Rhode Island Chapter of the American Federation of Teachers, or designee; one of whom shall be the President of the Rhode Island Chapter of the National Education Association, or designee; and one of whom shall be the President of the Rhode Island Association of School Committees (RIASC), or designee. In lieu of any appointment of a member of the legislature to a permanent advisory commission, a legislative study commission, or any commission created by a General Assembly resolution, the appointing authority may appoint a member of the general public to serve in lieu of a legislator, provided that the majority leader or the minority leader of the political party which is entitled to the appointment consents to the appointment of the member of the general public. The purpose of said commission shall be to make a comprehensive study and assess Rhode Island's "Fair Funding Formula," including, but not limited to:
Type of expenses funded by the "local appropriation to education from property taxes" as
found in § 16-7.2-5(a), and the extent to which those expenses are fixed or variable;
Type of expenses funded by the "state share of the permanent foundation education aid"
as referenced in § 16-7.2-5(a), and the extent to which those expenses are fixed or variable;
Extent to which the total per pupil charter funding obligation shared by the state and LEA
is in line with the mandated FFF percentages;
Extent to which funding for expenses borne exclusively by LEAs is shifted to charters via provisions of § 16-7.2-5(a);
Extent to which charter tuition obligations differ between communities; and
Extent to which provisions of § 16-7.2-5(a) impact LEA out-year sustainability.
Forthwith upon passage of this resolution, the members of the commission shall meet at
the call of the Speaker of the House and organize. The Speaker of the House shall appoint a
chairperson.
Vacancies in said commission shall be filled in like manner as the original appointment.
The membership of said commission shall receive no compensation for their services.
All departments and agencies of the state shall furnish such advice and information,
documentary and otherwise, to said commission and its agents as is deemed necessary or
desirable by the commission to facilitate the purpose of this resolution.
The Speaker of the House is hereby authorized and directed to provide suitable quarters
for said commission; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the commission shall report its findings and results to the House of
Representatives on or before January 15, 2015, and said commission shall expire on January 27,
2015.
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LC006027
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