2009 Montana Legislature

SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 8

INTRODUCED BY B. HAWKS

BY REQUEST OF THE EDUCATION AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT INTERIM COMMITTEE

A JOINT RESOLUTION OF THE SENATE AND THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MONTANA URGING THE BOARD OF REGENTS, COMMISSIONER OF HIGHER EDUCATION, SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION, AND BOARD OF PUBLIC EDUCATION TO WORK WITH THE EDUCATION AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT INTERIM COMMITTEE ON DEVELOPING K-20 SHARED POLICY GOALS AND ACCOUNTABILITY MEASURES THAT CAN BE USED BY LEGISLATORS, THE EDUCATION COMMUNITY, AND THE PUBLIC TO EVALUATE PROGRESS TOWARD THE GOALS AND BY THE MONTANA LEGISLATURE TO GUIDE ITS FUNDING DECISIONS.

WHEREAS, Article VIII, section 12, of the Montana Constitution vests the Legislature with the responsibility to ensure strict accountability of all revenue received and money spent by the state, counties, cities, and all other local governmental entities; and

WHEREAS, Article X, section 9, of the Montana Constitution vests the Board of Regents with full power, responsibility, and authority to supervise, manage, and control the Montana University System, and requires the appointment of a Commissioner of Higher Education who serves as the chief executive officer of the Montana University System; and

WHEREAS, Article X, section 9, of the Montana Constitution states that the Board of Public Education shall exercise general supervision over the public school system; and

WHEREAS, section 20-3-106, MCA, grants supervision of certain aspects of the public schools and districts of the state to the Superintendent of Public Instruction; and

WHEREAS, Article X, section 8, of the Montana Constitution states that the elected board of trustees in each school district shall exercise supervision and control of schools in the district; and

WHEREAS, agencies of the education community have increasingly, and to positive effect, shared leadership between themselves and with their counterpart Education and Local Government Interim Committee; and

WHEREAS, agreement upon shared policy goals and accountability measures for the entire K-20 public education system, signed by the Board of Regents, Commissioner of Higher Education, Superintendent of Public Instruction, Board of Public Education, and Education and Local Government Interim Committee, would represent an important advance in interagency cooperation and the quality of education policymaking; and

WHEREAS, shared policy goals must be systematically tied to accountability measures in order to ensure timely and effective implementation of policy.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE AND THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MONTANA:

(1) That shared policy goals and corresponding accountability measures be identified and developed by the Board of Regents, Commissioner of Higher Education, Superintendent of Public Instruction, and Board of Public Education in consultation with the Education and Local Government Interim Committee.

(2) That the goals and measures may include but are not limited to K-20 efforts to:

(a) improve the affordability and availability of distance learning;

(b) reduce the remediation rate of students entering postsecondary education; and

- END -

Latest Version of SJ 8 (SJ0008.ENR)
Processed for the Web on March 13, 2009 (8:40am)

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