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2013 SESSION


SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 328
Directing the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission to study the efficiency and effectiveness of elementary and secondary school spending in Virginia. Report.
 
Agreed to by the Senate, February 19, 2013
Agreed to by the House of Delegates, February 15, 2013
 

WHEREAS, the Commonwealth should express a strong commitment to all students who attend public schools in our Commonwealth in order to ensure that they receive an educational opportunity of high quality and a program that is continually maintained; and

WHEREAS, if Virginia is to continue offering a promising future, students must have a meaningful opportunity to learn the knowledge and skills necessary to meet the Standards of Learning objectives, to attend a fully accredited school, to graduate with at least a standard diploma, and to be ready for college and careers in this knowledge-based global economy; and

WHEREAS, the Constitution of Virginia states: "The General Assembly shall provide for a system of free public elementary and secondary schools for all children of school age throughout the Commonwealth, and shall seek to ensure that an educational program of high quality is established and continually maintained"; and

WHEREAS, the Constitution of Virginia also states: "The General Assembly shall determine the manner in which funds are to be provided for the cost of maintaining an educational program meeting the prescribed standards of quality, and shall provide for the apportionment of the cost of such program between the Commonwealth and the local units of government comprising such school divisions"; and

WHEREAS, our schools are meeting the challenges of revised graduation requirements, more rigorous Standards of Learning tests, and increased accreditation requirements; and

WHEREAS, many revisions to the Standards of Quality funding formula have been made by the General Assembly since the 2001 Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission study; and

WHEREAS, since 2005, Virginia has conducted School Efficiency Reviews to identify savings through best practices and operational improvements that could be used in the classroom to more directly benefit Virginia's children; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the Senate, the House of Delegates concurring, That the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission be directed to study the efficiency and effectiveness of elementary and secondary school spending in Virginia. The Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission shall (i) study the efficiency and effectiveness of elementary and secondary school spending in Virginia, including evaluating the findings from School Efficiency Reviews and assessing the extent to which recommendations have been implemented; (ii) compare to other states how and to what extent Virginia funds elementary and secondary education; and (iii) identify opportunities to improve the quality of education students receive in consideration of the funds spent.

Technical assistance shall be provided to the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission by the Department of Education. All agencies of the Commonwealth shall provide assistance to the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission for this study, upon request.

The Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission shall complete its meetings for the first year by November 30, 2014, and for the second year by November 30, 2015, and the Chairman shall submit to the Division of Legislative Automated Systems an executive summary of its findings and recommendations no later than the first day of the next Regular Session of the General Assembly for each year. Each executive summary shall state whether the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission intends to submit to the General Assembly and the Governor a report of its findings and recommendations for publication as a House or Senate document. The executive summaries and reports shall be submitted as provided in the procedures of the Division of Legislative Automated Systems for the processing of legislative documents and reports and shall be posted on the General Assembly's website.