SUMMARY:  PASSED AS PART OF SB 178

The bill waives for two school years the state expenditure cost controls relating to direct instruction, media center, staff and professional development, and additional days of instruction.

REQUIREMENTS:

• For school years 2008-2009 and 2009-2010, the expenditure cost controls relating to state funds received for direct instruction, media center, staff and professional development, and additional days of instruction shall be waived and shall not apply to nor be enforceable against a local school system.
• Each local school system shall report its budgets and expenditures related to these programs to the Department of Education in October and March.
• No penalty shall apply to a local school system that executes the waiver on the above expenditure categories as long as reports are made in a timely manner.

POINTS TO CONSIDER:

• Provides much needed fiscal flexibility to local school systems during a time of reduced revenue.
• Allows local school systems to move funds from categories of low need to categories of higher need.
• Requires additional reporting to the Department of Education.

EFFECTIVE DATE:

If passed into law, the waiver would be effective for school years 2008-2009 and 2009-2010.  The law would be automatically repealed on July 1, 2010.