Summary of Specifications:
Notice of Intent to issue Request for Proposal by the Oakland Schools Education Foundation The Oakland Schools Education Foundation (OSEF) intend to issue a request for proposals (RFP) on or about February 3, 2017 for Determining the Cost for Funding Educational Achievement for all Michigan Students (PK-12). In June of 2016, OSEF received a grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation for a School Finance Research Project which includes the formation of a broad based statewide and bipartisan Collaborative. A significant objective of the grant is the development of this RFP and selection of a contractor to conduct an Adequacy study using multiple methodologies. As a result of Public Act 555 of 2014, the State of Michigan commissioned a comprehensive statewide cost study (attached) to determine the sufficient resources per pupil to provide a public education that enables a pupil to demonstrate successful completion, in terms of proficiency, of all of the credit requirements of the Michigan merit standard under sections 1278a and 1278b. The results of this study, titled Michigan Education Finance Study, were published in June 2016. This study identified that Michigan is not currently funding achievement for all students. OSEF is seeking to build upon the 2016 study, and is specifically seeking information to assist Michigan policymakers in developing a school operations funding formula which supports achievement for all pre K12 students in both traditional public and charter schools in Michigan. This study shall require the use of multiple methodologies and will exclude homeschool/shared time, cyber school students and adult education. Additionally, this study shall exclude costs associated with capital repairs, the construction of, acquisition or lease of facilities or technology including expenditures funded by a bond issue or sinking fund. At a minimum, this study must identify the base cost of providing education (on a per pupil basis) and weightings for significant subgroups including at a minimum special education, English language learners (ELL) and at risk/poverty. At a minimum, the weightings for poverty must factor in the impact of high concentrations; the successful vendor may also identify the impact of high concentrations of ELL and special education. The project outlined in the RFP is one of several projects. Information on additional projects is being provided only as background to proposers as these projects are outside the scope of the initial RFP being issued in February of 2017: • Subsequent project: Develop the formula to identify the total cost of funding educational achievement for all students in Michigan public and charter schools. This formula will use the information from the State funded Education Finance Report and the cost and weightings identified in the results of the project outlined in this RFP. • Additional project (may occur concurrently with this project): Collection of information about the variation of property tax base in school districts, how other states address capital funding for pk-12 education programs and an In-depth study of the critical capital needs of public schools in Michigan in an effort to assure more equitable access to funding by supporting low wealth districts and charter schools. Capital needs shall include facilities, technology and buses. The Michigan Education Finance Study, published in June 2016, included a study of equity. As such, further study of equity is specifically excluded from the scope of this project. For more information please see the School Finance Research Collaborative website at http://www.fundmischools.org/about/
