Posted May 17, 2006

The Joint Legislative Audit & Review Committee (JLARC) is a bipartisan legislative committee that conducts performance audits, program evaluations and other studies for the state Legislature. JLARC conducted a study of K-12 finance and student performance in 1999 and a study of school spending and performance assessment within the state’s K-12 system in 2005. The studies resulted in several findings, including:

• The state does a good job of collecting data at the district level, but similar data is not collected at the school level;

• School districts use different methods of expenditure tracking, making it difficult to compare school spending across districts; and

• OSPI databases on students, staff, expenditures and student performance information are not linked to one another.

As a follow-up to its 2005 study, JLARC directed its staff to undertake a study that would identify, with representatives from local school districts and boards, critical school performance data that would enhance both the Legislature’s and districts’ ability to make informed resource commitments. The committee also directed staff to address related changes to information systems and accounting practices.

As this study proceeds, JLARC staff would like to contact individuals to receive feedback on technical issues. Those who participate will not be asked to collect any data; they will be asked for a professional opinion regarding identifying and collecting data in a standardized format in the future. The study will take place from June to December; participants will be asked to participate in two to three conversations, most likely by telephone.

Those who are interested in participating should contact WSSDA’s Sheila Chard at 360/493-9231 by June 12, 2006.

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