Guest opinion: Quality Schools panel striving for public participation

The Quality Schools Interim Committee is developing legislation to comply with actions of the Montana courts and Legislature. The courts found that the school funding system is constitutionally deficient and ordered the Legislature to:

• Define "quality."

• Assess the educational needs of schools.

• Construct a funding system related to educationally relevant factors.

The 2005 Legislature began to comply with the courts’ decisions by defining "quality" and establishing educationally relevant factors to be used as "adjustments" in the development of a funding formula. The Legislature then appointed and funded the Quality Schools Interim Committee, and we were charged with four basic tasks:

• First, conduct a needs assessment to determine Montana’s schools needs for staff, supplies, facilities and funding so they can comply with the definition.

• Second, determine the cost of funding those needs.

• Third, develop a formula to provide funding for those costs and the distribution of the state’s share.

• Fourth, identify and commit adequate and stable revenue sources to fund the defined basic quality system of schools.

By MONICA LINDEEN and ROBERT STORY

Full Story and meeting dates: http://www.billingsgazette.com/index.php?id=1&display=rednews/2005/07/05/build/opinion/40-guest-opinion2.inc

For more information please visit the Quality Schools Web site at: http://www.leg.state.mt.us/css/committees/interim/2005_2006/qual_schools/.