21-2-203. School district data collection and funding model administration; duties and responsibilities specified; data advisory committee; school district compliance.

(a) The department shall collect data for the state's school finance system and in accordance with rule and regulation of the state superintendent, administer the Wyoming education resource block grant model adopted by the Wyoming legislature pursuant to W.S. 21-13-309. As used in this section, "school finance system" means all statutes related to the terms and conditions under which funds from Wyoming sources are made available under Wyoming law to the public schools for school operations. The school finance system established following a 1995 Wyoming supreme court decision, and subsequently modified and recalibrated as required under W.S. 21-13-309(t), is extremely complex and requires timely and accurate data to be administered fairly and accurately. It is essential that a single entity be established to ensure that fair and accurate administration is accomplished.

(b) Repealed By Laws 2006, Chapter 37, § 2.

(c) The duties of the department are, in accordance with rules promulgated by the state superintendent, to:

(i) Administer the school finance, data management and reporting system for the funding of the public schools, including enforcement of rules for compliance with submission of data to the department by school districts;

(ii) Collect data from school districts necessary for the department to administer the school finance system and the statewide education accountability system established under W.S. 21-2-204. In accomplishing this, the department shall:

(A) Coordinate its work with all other functions of the department so as to consolidate data reporting requirements for school districts and eliminate duplication in reporting to the greatest extent possible, including reporting of assessment results required for determinations under W.S. 21-2-204;

(B) Consult with the advisory committee created under subsection (d) of this section with respect to the type and format of data to be reported and the administration of the system generally;

(C) Use existing data to establish longitudinal data systems as necessary for the statewide education accountability system.

(iii) Specify formats, uniform accounting standards, procedures and processes under which districts are required to account for and report data to the department. Electronic reporting shall be required wherever possible;

(iv) Recommend to the state superintendent proposed rules to improve the accuracy and reliability of data and the general efficiency of the operation of the school finance system, including requiring training for district personnel with respect to accounting and reporting related to the administration of the school finance system;

(v) Provide for the training of school district personnel with respect to rules, policies and procedures with which districts are required to comply in order for the department to administer the school finance system. The department may charge reasonable fees necessary to defray the costs of training;

(vi) Cooperate with and consult with other state agencies which have responsibilities related to the operation of the school finance system. This cooperation may include providing recommendations for modification to rules, practices and procedures of other agencies;

(vii) Ensure that comprehensive school finance system information is available in useful formats to state policymakers in both the executive and legislative branches of government, as well as to the school districts and the general public;

(viii) Assist the state superintendent in implementing W.S. 21-13-309(m)(v)(D) and assist districts with computations necessary for reporting student career-vocational education participation and career-vocational education instruction information;

(ix) Pursuant to W.S. 21-2-202(e), make the education resource block grant model available for public inspection.

(d) The state superintendent of public instruction shall establish an advisory committee consisting of not less than seven (7) members. This advisory committee shall have representatives from among Wyoming school districts, other state agencies involved in the administration of the school finance system, shall include the director of the department of audit or his designee, and shall include at least one (1) representative from the independent auditor community within the state. The committee shall meet at least twice annually and at the call of the state superintendent or his designee. The duties of the advisory committee are to:

(i) Recommend modifications to department rules, policies, practices and procedures to improve the accuracy of data and to improve the efficiency of the data collection process and the administration of the school finance system generally;

(ii) Since accurate, timely data is essential for fair administration of the school finance system, recommend rules or other means to ensure districts comply with data reporting and other requirements necessary for administration of the school finance system, including proposing modifications to subsection (e) of this section;

(iii) Serve as ongoing forum for communications between the department and school districts with respect to the administration of the school finance system.

(e) The following shall apply:

(i) All data or reports required to be submitted to the department by school districts in accordance with law or rules shall include a statement by the superintendent of the district certifying that the data submitted is complete, accurate and conform with all reporting requirements;

(ii) If a district superintendent fails to provide data or reports in compliance with law or rules regarding timeliness, format, completeness or accuracy, without good cause, the state superintendent shall:

(A) Advise the district's board of trustees of the noncompliance and require the district's board to submit a plan to correct the noncompliance and prevent future instances of noncompliance.

(B) Repealed by Laws 2005, ch. 99, § 2.

(C) Repealed By Laws 2005, ch. 99, § 2.