1. A. The Office of Accountability is hereby authorized to conduct a performance review program to determine the effectiveness and efficiency of the budget and operations of school districts that have administrative service costs which are above the expenditure limits established for school districts in Section 18-124 of this title. Funds appropriated by the Legislature to the State Board of Education for the Office of Accountability for fiscal year 2002 and subsequent years may be expended to fulfill the provisions of this act. The Office of Accountability may contract with an outside entity or hire personnel to assist in the development and design of the program. The Office of Accountability may contract with outside entities to assist in conducting performance review programs. Such entities shall be chosen through a competitive bid process. Invitations to bid for the performance reviews shall be open to any public or private entity. Contracts for performance reviews shall not be done on a sole source basis.
2. B. The board of education of any school district in the state may, by majority vote, request the Office of Accountability to conduct a performance review of that school district. If a school district requests a performance review, twenty-five percent (25%) of the entire cost of the review shall be borne by the school district.
3. C. After a performance review of a school district is completed by the Office of Accountability, the school district may implement all or part of the recommendations contained in the review.
4. D. If a school district experiences a cost savings that is directly attributable to implementation of performance review recommendations, the cost savings shall be expended by the school district for classroom expenses. Classroom expenses shall include but are not limited to teacher salaries and purchasing textbooks, teaching material, technology and other classroom equipment. Classroom expenditures shall not include administrative services as defined in Section 18-124 of this title or for equipment or materials for administrative staff.

Added by Laws 2001, HB 1601, c. 419, § 1, emerg. eff. July 1, 2001; Amended by Laws 2002, SB 1335, c. 446, § 1, emerg. eff. June 5, 2002 (superseded document available).