Progress Reports

Goal 6: By 2010, South Dakota will target financial resources to improve classroom instruction and opportunities.

Objective 6A: Conduct a review and implement any necessary changes to the funding formula for K-12 education.

Initiatives:

1. Establish a taskforce of school officials, legislators and business leaders to advise the Department of Education as it reviews current funding formula.

2. Study all aspects of current formula including sparsity, small school factor, fund balance and other revenue.

	Initial meeting – set up basic framework of study, committee make up, scope.
	Preparation for meeting with John Myers – outline deliverables expected from John, structure of meeting, and items to be discussed.
	Meeting with John Myers.
	Submit names to Governor to appoint to study task force.
	Set up date and agenda for first committee meeting.  Topics will include:
	Sparse school districts Small school districts Districts with increasing and decreasing enrollment Other revenue that is outside the formula School district fund balances State vs. Local share of education funding Impact Aid Capital Outlay and inequities in revenue sources Funding Equity and Property Taxes
	Initial meetings of state aid study task force held in September and November 2005.
	Develop formula(s) to meet objectives as determined by the department.
	Deliver interim report:
	Must include preliminary findings regarding sparse schools Define sparsity Develop recommendations/findings on aligning resources to meet needs in sparse districts
	Third meeting of study committee – April 17 & 18, 2006
	Make final recommendations to the Governor by Nov. 15, 2006.
	Final Report to Legislature by December 2006.

3. Establish a teacher compensation assistance program (see Goal 4, Objective 4D)

Staff: Rick Melmer, Darla Mayer, Dale Bertsch, Susan Woodmansey, Bureau of Finance and Management