Senate Bill 15 Summary

• Establishes the "Rural Education Empowerment Act" requiring administrative services of school districts with average daily membership under 250 students to be combined with contiguous districts upon superintendent retirement, resignation, or departure.

• Directs the State Board of Education to assist districts in reaching voluntary agreements on combining administrative services, and to formulate binding agreements if districts cannot agree, addressing employee time allocation, benefits, retirement contributions, and state aid calculations.

• Authorizes the State Board to work toward countywide administrative service consolidation if multiple districts in a county meet the criteria.

• Defines "administrative services" as duties of superintendents, assistant superintendents, directors, coordinators, supervisors, and employees with administrative functions including human resources, purchasing, accounting, and information technology, but excludes principals and assistant principals.

• Requires savings from administrative consolidation be allocated to special education services, National Board teacher certification reimbursement, advanced placement and gifted programs, or technology; effective July 1, 2015.