08 LC 33
2551
Senate
Resolution 1213
By:
Senators Moody of the 56th, Hill of the 4th and Weber of the 40th
ADOPTED
SENATE
A
RESOLUTION
Creating
the Senate Education Funding Mechanisms Review Study Committee; and for other
purposes.
WHEREAS,
the state funding for the operation of Georgia´s public schools is based on
the Quality Basic Education Formula, which was established in 1985;
and
WHEREAS,
the formula calculates funding to local school systems based generally on
student counts and type of program; and
WHEREAS,
it is the stated policy of the State of Georgia to ensure that every public
school student is educated in a facility which is structurally sound, well
maintained, and has adequate space and equipment to meet each student´s
instructional needs; and
WHEREAS,
to accomplish this policy, the law provides for funding to local school systems
for purposes of capital outlay, including expenditures for the acquisition of
fixed assets and existing buildings, improvements to sites, construction of new
buildings, building additions, building upgrades for energy conservation, and
new equipment and furnishings for educational facilities; and
WHEREAS,
state funding also includes equalization grants for local school systems in
Georgia which have relatively weak local tax bases and are unable to raise
revenues sufficient for facility needs and which serve as additional state
capital outlay grants for short-term periods, specifically targeted at
low-income school systems, in order to help such systems initiate what they have
been unable to accomplish with existing revenue sources; and
WHEREAS,
in the area of curriculum, the state provides for funding for virtual courses,
including courses through the Georgia Virtual School established by the State
Board of Education and courses created through charter schools such as the
Georgia Virtual Academy; and
WHEREAS, due to the complexity of education funding mechanisms and, specifically, the mechanisms relating to the Quality Basic Education Formula, capital outlay, equalization grants, and virtual schools, it is in the best interests of the citizens of this state to periodically review and evaluate the efficacy and sufficiency of these and other funding mechanisms in meeting the needs of Georgia´s schools and students.
WHEREAS, due to the complexity of education funding mechanisms and, specifically, the mechanisms relating to the Quality Basic Education Formula, capital outlay, equalization grants, and virtual schools, it is in the best interests of the citizens of this state to periodically review and evaluate the efficacy and sufficiency of these and other funding mechanisms in meeting the needs of Georgia´s schools and students.
NOW,
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE that there is created the Senate
Education Funding Mechanisms Review Study Committee to be composed of five
members of the Senate as follows: the chairperson of the Senate Appropriations
Committee, the chairperson of the Senate Education and Youth Committee, the
chairperson of the Senate Education Appropriations Subcommittee, and two members
of the Senate to be appointed by the Lieutenant Governor. The Lieutenant
Governor shall designate one of the appointees to serve as chairperson of the
committee. The chairperson shall call all meetings of the
committee.
BE
IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the committee shall undertake a study of the
conditions, needs, issues, problems, and opportunities as mentioned above or
related thereto and recommend any action or legislation that the committee deems
necessary or appropriate. The committee may conduct such meetings at such places
and at such times as it may deem necessary or convenient to enable it to
exercise fully and effectively its powers, perform its duties, and accomplish
the objectives and purposes of this resolution. The committee may call upon
persons with expertise in education funding as deemed necessary by the committee
to fully explore the purposes of this resolution. The members of the committee
shall receive the allowances authorized for legislative members of interim
legislative committees but shall receive the same for not more than ten days
unless additional days are authorized. The funds necessary to carry out the
provisions of this resolution shall come from the funds appropriated to the
Senate. In the event that the committee makes a report of its findings and
recommendations with suggestions for proposed legislation, if any, such report
shall be made on or before December 31, 2008. The committee shall stand
abolished on December 31, 2008.