(1) The general assembly hereby finds and declares that:

(a) Colorado should align its education system to maximize the state's limited resources in improving student achievement and closing the learning gap;

(b) One of the most effective ways to align the state's education system and maximize resources is to expand the department of education's eight existing regional service areas to twelve regional service areas, and to include in the expansion process representation from community and local district colleges, technical colleges, state institutions of higher education, early childhood councils, and business and industry;

(c) Colorado experimented with successful results with regional consortiums for professional development during 2000 and 2001 as a means to deliver professional development programs across school district lines in an efficient and effective manner;

(d) Regions can serve as an efficient and effective link between the state, the department of education, boards of cooperative services, administrative units, school districts, state institutions of higher education, and business and industry to leverage and implement scarce resources for education reform initiatives at state, regional, and local levels;

(e) A regional service area system would extend and expand service delivery in many areas, including but not limited to data centers, financial services, cooperative purchases, technological support, capital construction planning assistance, dropout prevention, early childhood and preschool programs, postsecondary partnerships and student transitions into postsecondary schools, professional development, curriculum and instructional expertise and support, and shared administration and services among school districts;

(f) Funding for regional service areas should be consistent and sustainable over time;

(g) School districts, boards of cooperative services, administrative units, community colleges, local district colleges, technical colleges, postsecondary institutions, early childhood councils, and representatives from business and industry located within the same geographic area should work collaboratively to develop a regional plan that meets the needs of participants in order to increase the effectiveness of a regional system.

(2) The general assembly therefore declares that it is in the best interest of the state of Colorado and its citizens to assist in providing a thorough and uniform educational system by creating a system of regional service areas that utilizes existing relationships to provide programs and services beyond the boundaries of the current twenty-one boards of cooperative services, fifty-seven administrative units, and one hundred seventy-eight school districts.

(3) The general assembly further finds and declares that, for purposes of section 17 of article IX of the state constitution, the establishment of twelve regional service areas which will effectively align the state's education system and maximize resources is a critical element of accountable education reform, accountable programs to meet state academic standards, expanding technology education, improving student safety, expanding the availability of preschool and kindergarten programs, and accountability reporting and, therefore, may receive funding from the state education fund created in section 17 (4) of article IX of the state constitution.