(1) The legislature intends to continue to redefine the instructional program of education under RCW 28A.150.220 that fulfills the obligations and requirements of Article IX of the state Constitution. The funding formulas under RCW 28A.150.260 to support the instructional program shall be implemented to the extent the technical details of the formula have been established and according to an implementation schedule to be adopted by the legislature. The object of the schedule is to assure that any increases in funding allocations are timely, predictable, and occur concurrently with any increases in program or instructional requirements. It is the intent of the legislature that no increased programmatic or instructional expectations be imposed upon schools or school districts without an accompanying increase in resources as necessary to support those increased expectations.

     (2) The office of financial management, with assistance and support from the office of the superintendent of public instruction, shall convene a technical working group to:

     (a) Develop the details of the funding formulas under RCW 28A.150.260;

     (b) Recommend to the legislature an implementation schedule for phasing-in any increased program or instructional requirements concurrently with increases in funding for adoption by the legislature; and

     (c) Examine possible sources of revenue to support increases in funding allocations and present options to the legislature and the quality education council created in RCW 28A.290.010 for consideration.

     (3) The working group shall include representatives of the legislative evaluation and accountability program committee, school district and educational service district financial managers, the Washington association of school business officers, the Washington education association, the Washington association of school administrators, the association of Washington school principals, the Washington state school directors' association, the public school employees of Washington, and other interested stakeholders with expertise in education finance. The working group may convene advisory subgroups on specific topics as necessary to assure participation and input from a broad array of diverse stakeholders.

     (4) The working group shall be monitored and overseen by the legislature and the quality education council established in RCW 28A.290.010. The working group shall submit its recommendations to the legislature by December 1, 2009.

     (5) After the 2009 report to the legislature, the office of financial management and the office of the superintendent of public instruction shall periodically reconvene the working group to monitor and provide advice on further development and implementation of the funding formulas under RCW 28A.150.260 and provide technical assistance to the ongoing work of the quality education council.

[2010 c 236 § 5; 2009 c 548 § 112.]