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Education committee divided over hiring consultant; chairs’ RFP fails after division vote
Summary
After extended debate about scope, timing and whether consultant recommendations would delay action, the Senate side voted to authorize a new RFP but the House side registered opposition and the chair concluded the committee would not proceed with a joint RFP.
The Senate Education Committee considered whether to authorize a new request for proposals (RFP) to hire a consultant to conduct an adequacy study. Senator Stearch moved to authorize the Bureau of Legislative Research to begin a new RFP and to allow committee chairs to sign the final version.
Members debated the motion for more than an hour. Representative Lowry (who said he had originally moved for study) argued against hiring another outside consultant, saying the committee already has authority and staff to make changes and worried a consultant’s recommendations could be used to delay implementation: "I'm speaking against...hiring a consultant" and "we can start with that discussion over the next 18 months without having to hire a consultant," he told the panel.
Supporters said an independent consultant could bring broader perspective and identify issues the committee may have missed. After a motion for division, the Senate side recorded ayes; the House side recorded noes. The chair stated, "It looks like the noes have it, so we will not have an RFP," and adjourned the meeting.
The vote leaves the committee to decide whether to rely solely on BLR staff, to narrow the scope of any future procurement, or to revisit an RFP in a subsequent meeting.
