UNOFFICIAL COPY 24 RS HCR 81/VO
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A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION directing the Legislative Research Commission 1
to establish the Efficient and Effective School District Governance Task Force. 2
WHEREAS, the General Assembly has created a system of public schools that 3
places a high priority on ensuring that all students achieve at high levels; and 4
WHEREAS, the General Assembly recognizes that many schools and districts in 5
the Commonwealth have unacceptable proficiency rates in reading, mathematics, science, 6
social studies, and writing; and 7
WHEREAS, the General Assembly recognizes that many schools and districts are 8
struggling with operational, managerial, and policy issues that are adversely impacting 9
student academic achievement; and 10
WHEREAS, the General Assembly has the responsibility of ensuring that the 11
governance models currently utilized by the state and local school districts are not 12
impeding student achievement; and 13
WHEREAS, the General Assembly recognizes that school districts with an 14
enrollment greater than 75,000 students in elementary, middle, and high school face 15
particular operating and management challenges; and 16
WHEREAS, taxpayers and parents of students expect that local school boards will 17
ensure that any policies they adopt shall abide by federal and state laws, meet federal and 18
state requirements for finances and operations, and meet federal and state accountability 19
and assessment provisions for student learning, growth, and improvement; and 20
WHEREAS, revenues and expenditures of school districts should be aligned to 21
educational programming to maximize the preparedness of students to succeed in the 22
workforce or in the pursuit of higher education while minimizing per pupil cost; and 23
WHEREAS, the General Assembly wishes to assess the efficiency and 24
effectiveness of the operations, management, and policies of Kentucky school districts 25
with student enrollment greater than 75,000; and 26
WHEREAS, the General Assembly seeks expert opinions and research from 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 24 RS HCR 81/VO
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education-focused institutions such as the Education Commission of the States, the 1
Southern Regional Education Board, and other organizations that can provide relevant 2
and pertinent information that pertains to school governance structures and the 3
infrastructure and supports needed to positively impact student academic achievement; 4
NOW, THEREFORE, 5
Be it resolved by the House of Representatives of the General Assembly of the 6
Commonwealth of Kentucky, the Senate concurring therein: 7
Section 1. The Legislative Research Commission is hereby directed to establish 8
the Efficient and Effective School District Governance Task Force to: 9
(1) Review current district governance and administration models of Kentucky's school 10
districts with student enrollment greater than 75,000 and compare the governance 11
and operational structures to school districts in other states with similar size and 12
demographic composition; 13
(2) Review the functionality, duties, structure, independence, effectiveness, and 14
efficiency of local boards of education and the impact of board decisions on student 15
outcomes, in districts with a student enrollment of greater than 75,000; 16
(3) Review publications, reports, and analyses of school governance relating to district 17
size, the efficiency of districts, and the effects of size on student outcomes, 18
including but not limited to a report from the Office of Education Accountability on 19
school district governance that was approved in the office's 2024 research agenda, 20
and previous Kentucky Department of Education management reports; 21
(4) Hear testimony from entities with experience in research on and expertise in 22
education organizational structures, policies, and governance; 23
(5) Hear testimony from parents of former, current, and prospective students attending 24
schools in districts with enrollment greater than 75,000, and from parents that have 25
chosen not to enroll their students in school districts with enrollment greater than 26
75,000, on the strengths and weaknesses of the districts' academic offerings, 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 24 RS HCR 81/VO
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educational capabilities, school and district policies, and their decisions to enroll or 1
not enroll their students in schools within such districts; 2
(6) Review relevant past performance audits, correction plans, and other analyses of 3
school districts with enrollment greater than 75,000; 4
(7) Review how other states have implemented or addressed the benefits and 5
challenges of: 6
(a) The creation of new school districts and the benefits and challenges of those 7
new districts; 8
(b) The expansion of the membership of the school board; and 9
(c) The modification of the selection process of the members of the school board; 10
(8) Assess the need for alternative governance structures, operations, management, and 11
policy models for districts with enrollment greater than 75,000; 12
(9) Explore options for the restructuring or reorganizing of school districts with an 13
enrollment of over 75,000 and the potential impact on: 14
(a) Federal, state, and local funding; 15
(b) School taxes and taxing authority; 16
(c) District boundaries and student enrollment; 17
(d) Continuation of student services; 18
(e) District real property and facilities; 19
(f) District bonding liability; 20
(g) District property; 21
(h) Demographic composition, including racial makeup; 22
(i) Transportation; 23
(j) Governance; 24
(k) Interscholastic athletics; 25
(l) Student performance and postgraduation readiness; 26
(m) Assessment and accountability; 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 24 RS HCR 81/VO
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(n) Personnel and tenure; 1
(o) Transition and startup timelines; 2
(p) Implementation costs; 3
(q) Compliance with federal law; and 4
(r) Any other issue; 5
(10) Evaluate the short-term and long-term impacts of any potential governance, 6
operation, or management changes of school districts with an enrollment greater 7
than 75,000; and 8
(11) Develop and submit any recommendations and changes the task force may adopt 9
relating to the governance and administration of school districts with enrollment 10
greater than 75,000 and how to better ensure the efficient and effective organization 11
of the Commonwealth's school districts to the Legislative Research Commission by 12
December 1, 2024. 13
Section 2. The Efficient and Effective School District Governance Task Force 14
shall be composed of the following members, with final membership of the task force 15
being subject to the consideration and approval of the Legislative Research Commission: 16
(1) Two members of the House of Representatives to be appointed by the Speaker of 17
the House, one of whom shall be designated to serve as co-chair; 18
(2) Two members of the Senate to be appointed by the President of the Senate, one of 19
whom shall be designated to serve as co-chair; 20
(3) One member of the House of Representatives to be appointed by the Minority Floor 21
Leader of the House; 22
(4) One member of the Senate to be appointed by the Minority Floor Leader of the 23
Senate; 24
(5) The State Auditor or designee; 25
(6) The mayor or designee from the largest city located within districts with a student 26
enrollment greater than 75,000; and 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 24 RS HCR 81/VO
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(7) To be appointed by the Legislative Research Commission to ensure broad political 1
and geographical representation within any school district with an enrollment 2
greater than 75,000 and ensure that such appointments reflect the racial minority 3
and gender composition of the school districts based upon the most recent data from 4
the United States Census Bureau: 5
(a) Two members who are taxpayers living in a school district with an enrollment 6
greater than 75,000, who are not current employees of the school district, have 7
competency and experience or knowledge in the field of education, and have 8
children that are currently attending or recently graduated within the past five 9
years from the school district; 10
(b) One member with experience in the finance, management, and operations of 11
large businesses that operate in the Commonwealth; 12
(c) One member who is a certified teacher currently employed as a classroom 13
teacher in a school district with enrollment greater than 75,000 who has at 14
least five years of experience working in the district; and 15
(d) One member from a list of three nominees that are recommended by the 16
superintendents of school districts with student enrollment of 75,000 who is a 17
principal. 18
Section 3. The Efficient and Effective School District Governance Task Force 19
shall meet at least twice per month. The Legislative Research Commission shall assign 20
staff from the Commission or the Office of Education Accountability as necessary to 21
assist the task force to conduct its business. The Commission may also enter into 22
contracts with consultants to assist the task force in its duties. 23
Section 4. Provisions of this Resolution to the contrary notwithstanding, the 24
Legislative Research Commission shall have the authority to alternatively assign the 25
issues identified herein to an interim joint committee or subcommittee thereof, and to 26
designate a study completion date. 27