Association of
Alaska School Boards
E-NEWS
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work.
A weekly digest
of education news for Alaska's School Board Members.
Association of
Alaska School Boards, 1111 West 9th St., Juneau, AK 99801. Tel.
907-586-1083,
Fax 907-586-2995. Carl Rose, Executive Director,
crose@aasb.org: John Greely, Editor, jgreely@aasb.org. Review past issues of
the E-News on
the AASB Website at <http://www.aasb.org>. To unsubscribe send an email
stating the same to jgreely@aasb.org.
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Sponsored by
Alaska Public Entity Insurance Co. <http://www.akpei.com>
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AASB E-News
September 14,
2006
--PENSIONS COULD CRIPPLE GOVERNMENT
BUDGETS
--CHART SHOWS IMPACT OF PERS-TRS INCREASE
ON DISTRICTS
--GOVERNOR RECOMMENDS BUY-DOWN OF
PERS-TRS DEBT
--ANCHORAGE ENROLLMENT LAGS FOR
ELEMENTARY STUDENTS
--TINY SCHOOLS THREATENED BY SHORTAGE OF
STUDENTS
--UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA ENROLLMENT
DECLINES FOR 3RD YEAR
--HOME-SCHOOLERS ASK DISTRICT TO RESCIND
CAP ON SPENDING
--TEACHERS UNION OPTS OUT OF
GUBERNATORIAL ENDORSEMENT
--BOYS IN A MUDDLE: AUTHOR SAYS SCHOOLS
FAVOR GIRLS
--MAGNA AWARDS OFFER SCHOOL BOARDS PRIZES
PENSIONS COULD CRIPPLE
GOVERNMENT BUDGETS
Starting next year, Alaska school districts and
municipalities will see huge spikes in what they have to pay into the stateÕs
retirement systems. The Alaska Retirement Management Board approved the
increases in employer contributions to the systems this week, a move intended to
whittle away at a $6.9 billion shortfall over the next 25 years. See full story
here:
http://www.adn.com/news/education/story/8191455p-8085095c.html
CHART SHOWS
IMPACT OF PERS-TRS INCREASE ON DISTRICTS
The Alaska Division of Retirement and
Benefits has compiled a chart showing the impact of the latest employer
contribution rates on local governments, school districts and the State of
Alaska. See the full chart here:
GOVERNOR
RECOMMENDS BUY-DOWN OF PERS-TRS DEBT
Governor Frank Murkowski has instructed
his commissioners who serve on the Alaska Retirement Management Board to
support the Buck Consultants actuarial valuation reportÕs recommended employer
contribution rate for Fiscal Year 2008. He also says that he will recommend to
the next governor and legislature that the additional employer costs be covered
by surplus state funds and that another $500 million be used to buy down the
unfunded liability of the PERS and TRS systems. See full news release here:
http://www.gov.state.ak.us/news.php?id=2621
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ANCHORAGE SCHOOL ENROLLMENT
LAGS FOR 3RD YEAR IN A ROW
After 10 days of school, the Anchorage School District
reported being about 500 students shy of its predicted 49,378 enrollment.
Uncertain military deployments may be the culprit. See full story here:
http://www.adn.com/news/education/story/8189006p-8082515c.html
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TINY SCHOOLS
THREATENED BY SHORTAGE OF STUDENTS
A school district in the eastern
Aleutian Islands faces losing state funds for two schools because enrollment
has dipped below 10. Akutan and False Pass are in danger of closing unless a
plan cobbled together by borough officials works. See full story here:
http://www.adn.com/news/education/story/8181595p-8074438c.html
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UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA
ENROLLMENT DECLINES FOR 3RD YEAR
Fewer students are enrolled this year at the University of
Alaska, officials say. But enrollment is up at one community college, perhaps
reflecting the fact that only 25 percent of the jobs available over the next 10
years in Alaska will require a bachelorÕs degree. See full story here:
http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/university/story/8192405p-8085966c.html
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HOME-SCHOOLS ASK DISTRICT TO RESCIND CAP ON SPENDING
Parents should have the flexibility to spend their $2,000
home-school allotment from the state as they see fit, said nearly a dozen
parents at a recent meeting of the Matanuska-Susitna Borough School Board. See
full story here:
http://www.adn.com/news/education/story/8188874p-8082419c.html
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TEACHERS UNION
OPTS OUT OF GUBERNATORIAL ENDORSEMENT
The Alaska chapter of the National
Education Association has decided against endorsing any candidate in the
governorÕs race. The union made the decision after interviews with the three
major candidates indicated their answers on education issues werenÕt that much
different. See full story here:
http://www.adn.com/news/politics/story/8178235p-8071063c.html
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BOYS IN A
MUDDLE: AUTHOR SAYS SCHOOLS FAVOR GIRLS
Our schools are failing boys. At least
according to Michael Gurian, social scientist, therapist and best-selling
author of ŌThe Wonder of Boys,Ķ and other books. See full story here:
http://www.adn.com/life/story/8185254p-8078190c.htm
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MAGNA AWARD
OFFERS SCHOOL BOARDS PRIZES
There is still
time to spotlight your school district and win $3,500. The deadline for
entering the 2007 Magna Awards is October 2, 2006. Presented by the American
School Board Journal, the annual Magna Awards recognize school boards that are
taking bold and creative steps to advance student learning through programs
developed or actively supported by the school board. A distinguished panel of
independent judges will select up to two dozen winners and award a case prize
of $3,500 to each of three grand prize winners, one from each of three
enrollment categories: under 5,000, 5,000-20,000 and over 20,000. Nomination
forms are available online at: http://www.asbj.com/magna/Magna07_nomination.pdf.
For more information,
contact Margaret Suslick at the National Association of School Boards, e-mail msuslick@nsba.org or by phone at
703-838-6236
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Association of
Alaska School Boards
...promoting BOARD STANDARDS through...
Vision Structure
Accountability Advocacy Conduct-Ethics
Association of
Alaska School Boards
1111 West 9th
Street, Juneau, Alaska 99801-1510 Tel. 907-586-1083
Fax 907-586-2995
Email: aasb@aasb.org
Website: http://www.aasb.org