00                        HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 10 am                                                                      
01 Relating to a task force and the school district cost factor adjustments for education                                  
02 funding.                                                                                                                
03 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES:                                                                         
04       WHEREAS a study conducted in the state in 2004 by the Institute of Social and                                   
05 Economic Research recommended that the school district cost factors under AS 14.17.460(a)                               
06 be increased to more accurately reflect cost differentials in rural school districts; and                               
07       WHEREAS a study published in 2003, by the Institute for Social and Economic                                     
08 Research also recommended that the school district cost factors under AS 14.17.460(a) be                                
09 increased to more accurately reflect cost differentials in rural school districts; and                                  
10       WHEREAS the studies of school district cost factors should be valid, defensible, and                            
11 decisive; and                                                                                                           
12       WHEREAS the rates of inflation, building, and energy costs, and other costs affecting                           
13 education are significantly higher in rural school districts than in urban school districts; and                        
14       WHEREAS the current district cost factors under AS 14.17.460(a) do not accurately                               
15 reflect the cost differentials among the school districts.                                                              
16       BE IT RESOLVED that the House of Representatives establish a seven-member task                                  

01 force on school district cost factors and foundation formula to evaluate proposals that are                             
02 based on available facts and conclusions pertaining to school district cost differentials.  The                         
03 task force shall be comprised of at least four members of the House of Representatives,                                 
04 appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives and three members may be                                       
05 appointed at the discretion of the President of the Senate by July 15, 2005.  The task force                            
06 shall prepare a written report with recommendations to be delivered to the House of                                     
07 Representatives and the Senate not later than January 20, 2006.  The task force members will                            
08 receive no additional compensation and shall serve at the pleasure of the Speaker of the House                          
09 of Representatives.