Prototypical School Funding Model: The future of school funding
While recent focus has been on the current year budget reductions and expected budget reductions for 2011-12, new funding formulas have been introduced, computer systems aligned for budgeting under the new structure and Legislative discussions and decision points use the new funding model as the State moves forward into the 2012-13 school year and beyond.
During the 2009 Legislative session, SHB 2261 was passed, creating a new funding structure for "Basic Education." This new funding model uses a prototypical school format to establish state funded staffing levels. Workgroups were established to address various issues and have been reporting back to the Quality Education Council and the Legislature with the final Legislative report on compensation due in June 2012.
Elements of an expanded "Program of Basic Education" and the funding to support it are to be phased-in and intended to be fully implemented by 2018. This legislation included the following:
 Increased instruction hours
Enhanced high school diploma requirements
New transporation funding formula
All-Day Kindergarten added to "basic education"
Funding allocations and reporting on expenditures will use a prototypical school model
What is a Prototypical School Model?
A prototypical school is a fixed theoretical school size that is used for modeling purposes. It is a scalable model allowing for funding to change as enrollment increases or decreases at the building level. Funding will be generated based on the grade level reported rather than a school's classification. For example, 6th grade as part of a middle school will generate staff at the elementary funding level. The school base enrollment size is as follows:
Elementary (K-6) 400
Middle School (7-8) 432
High School (9-12) 600
It was the intent of the 2009 Legislature to begin this process by using the 2008-09 funding levels and redistributing the dollars using the new formula, while adding additional resources in a phased-in approach.
 Review of SHB 2776
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