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| Special Projects & Studies |
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| Part of LEAP's role is to provide consulting
assistance on special Legislative projects. This assistance has taken the form of
special studies in such subject areas as: K-12 vocational education, central financial
systems, and transitioning welfare eligibility systems to support welfare reform.
For information on previous studies, please visit the LEAP Archives page. |
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| Current LEAP Project/Study Involvement |
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| Basic Education Finance Study |
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The Washington State Institute for Public Policy staffs a Joint Task Force to review all current basic education funding formulas, develop a new funding structure, and develop a new basic education definition, as described in E2SSB 5627. The legislation specifically named LEAP as one of the entities from which the Institute may request assistance. So far, LEAP has provided school building-specific staff information and consultation to the Institute and will continue to participate as the Institute and Task Force request.
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| Education Research and Data Center |
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The Washington Learns Report recommends ten long-term goals aimed at raising overall educational attainment in Washington. The Governor created a P-20 council to track progress toward these goals and focus on the transitions between early learning, K-12, and higher education. To support the work of the P-20 council, the Legislature provided funding to OFM to create an Education Research and Data Center. The legislation that created the Center, E2SSB 5843, specifies that OFM work jointly with LEAP. LEAP staff will continue work with OFM to identify the data to be compiled and analyzed to ensure that legislative interests are served
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| Ongoing LEAP Project/Study Involvement |
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| State and Local Finance Data |
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Government staff, members of the private sector, and citizens continue to require information about state and local government revenues and expenditures within the state of Washington. |
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The State and Local Finance Data website presents a consolidated view of financial data for different levels and types of governments (state agencies, counties, cities, school districts, port and transit districts). Data are provided for the period 1995-2005, showing: |
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- revenues by source (e.g., sales and use taxes, state grants, federal distributions)
- expenditures by service category (e.g., transportation, education, health and human services)
- comparison charts displayed on a single screen
- drill-down capability offering additional financial detail
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Additional information about these financial data and the original 1997 "Local Government Finance Study" are available in the Appendices section of the website. |