Opinion ID: 1151091
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: Amendment to Article IX of the Constitution, Section 17

Text: The general assembly shall enact a law beginning for the school year 1993-94 establishing a Taxpayers' state and county refund account for taxpayers who filed an income tax return and/or paid property taxes. For every student who is counted and funded by the taxpayers' money for each school year, but is no longer attending any public or non-public school in Colorado, school districts shall deposit in state and county Taxpayers' Refund Accounts, as established by the legislature, that portion of the amount funded for the student from the time the student withdrew school attendance in that district. All state and county tax monies received by a school district for the education of any student shall follow the student to his/her public, or non-public school of option in the same resident district to which the student has applied and been accepted. The state portion of monies received by school districts for the education of a student shall follow that student to his/her public or non-public school of option outside of the resident district to which he/she has applied and been accepted, with county tax monies refunded to taxpayers within the resident district. School districts are responsible for informing students and parents of this law. The State Department of Education shall keep records of the number of students who were funded in Colorado schools and have transferred from district to district, to non-public schools, transferred within districts, or transferred out of state. The State Department of Education shall make these statistics available to the taxpayers annually. This law will supercede section 7 of Article IX to the extent it is in conflict with section 17. The General Assembly shall establish and implement the Taxpayers' Refund Account, as well as provide all the necessary mechanisms needed to fulfill this amendment. OBJECTIVES: 1. To increase accountability by the school districts to the taxpayers for money received for the education of students. 2. To reduce the dropout rate of public school students. 3. To provide an option of schools for parents and students to allow tax money to follow the student to any public or non-public school in Colorado. 4. To prevent school districts from retaining and return to taxpayers monies of students who were funded at a public school and are no longer attending school anywhere. 5[.] To lower the cost of education through increased competition, creating greater diversity in schools, increasing cooperation among public and non-public schools, and providing quality education. 6. To give kids a better chance to learn. SPONSORS: Mr. Timothy Koch [address and phone number omitted] Ms. Mary Stephens [address and phone number omitted]