Association of Alaska School Boards
Legislative Bulletin
A weekly digest of activity by the Alaska Legislature and U.S. Congress for Alaska’s School Board Members. AASB Tel. 907-586-1083, Fax 907-586-2995. Executive Director, Carl Rose crose@aasb.org; Editor, John Greely. Review past issues of the Bulletin on the AASB Website at http://www.aasb.org. To unsubscribe send an email requesting the same to jgreely@aasb.org.
This bulletin is distributed by email only. School districts should copy for board members not online.
February 17, 2006
--140 EDUCATION LEADERS ATTEND AASB FLY-IN
--BUDGET IMPACT SURVEY IN THE FIELD; DUE FEB. 22
--EDUCATION BILLS INTRODUCED THIS WEEK
--BILLS ON THE MOVE
140 EDUCATION LEADERS ATTEND AASB FLY-IN
One of the largest delegation of school leaders and students in recent memory flocked to the capital city Feb. 11-14 for the AASB Leadership Conference and Legislative Fly-in. Among the highlights:
- A day-long discussion of ways in which school boards can enlist the public’s help in making children Alaska’s top priority. AASB Executive Director Carl Rose described the elements of a “great conversation” needed to advance the cause of improving the health, safety, education and welfare of young Alaskans. Bruce Johnson, director of Quality Schools/Quality Students, and Sally Rue, director of the Alaska Initiative for Community Engagement, outlined statistical evidence that could be used in the campaign. Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development Greg O’Claray told the audience that with resource extraction and construction jobs dominating the economy, schools should put an emphasis on training “kids who will get to work on time and be willing to work. We will train them how to do the jobs.”
- Norm Wooten, Kodiak Borough School District member and secretary-treasurer of the National School Boards Association, outlined the cuts to education programs approved by Congress in the FY 2006 budget, while Rose touched on the funding proposals President Bush has advanced for the Department of Education in FY 2007. Wooten said that during last week’s NSBA Federal Relations Network meetings, he and others received a commitment from Rep. Don Young, R-Alaska, to co-sponsor an AASB-backed bill amending the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), which is due for reauthorization in 2007.
- Roger Sampson, commissioner of Education and Early Development, said he expected a decision by May whether Alaska would be one of the states selected to demonstrate a “growth model” for meeting adequate yearly progress under NCLB.
- Briefings were provided by various experts on the state budget, various education bills before the Legislature and the potential for school districts to sell bonds as a means of financing pension obligations.
- Before individual meetings between school board members and legislators at the Capitol on Monday and Tuesday, the conference heard breakfast remarks from Sens. Kim Elton of Juneau and Gary Wilken of Fairbanks, and Reps. Les Gara of Anchorage and Bruce Weyhrauch of Juneau.
- An evening presentation on Sunday and Monday featured officials of Apple Computers, Inc., on the possibilities for expanded digital learning in Alaska classrooms.
BUDGET IMPACT SURVEY IN THE FIELD; DUE FEB. 22
At our Legislative Fly-in, members of our Association were able to get the attention of legislators. Specifically, many legislators are now more aware that the governor’s proposed $90 million increase to the foundation program is not sufficient for many districts to avoid cuts, much less improve education to better meet the needs of Alaska students. Before the state budget is fully determined, AASB wants to help key legislators understand the impact of their decisions on your district budgets. To accomplish that, AASB is asking districts to respond to a short survey, which was distributed by e-mail yesterday (Feb. 16). If your superintendent, board president or legislative liaison did not receive the survey, please contact AASB and we will send it to you promptly. The deadline for the surveys to be returned is Wednesday, Feb. 22.
EDUCATION BILLS INTRODUCED THIS WEEK
Monday, the 36th day of the session, was the deadline for members of the Alaska House and Senate to introduce bills with their names as sponsors. They beat the clock with 55 new bills, of which six relate to K-12 public schools:
HB 469, by Rep. Mary Kapsner, D-Bethel, creating an educational facilities financing authority.
HB 475, by Rep. Paul Seaton, R-Homer, clarifying the level of employer contributions to the health reimbursement account for certain teachers and public employees.
HB 479, by Rep. Mark Neuman, R-Wasilla, creating a Vocational Education Account within the state treasury.
HB 482, by Rep. Tom Anderson, R-Anchorage, requiring school districts to adopt policies that prohibit harassment, intimidation and bullying of any student.
SB 281, by Sen. Fred Dyson, R-Eagle River, allowing school districts and REAAs to establish schools outside their boundaries.
SB 288, by Sen. Johnny Ellis, D-Anchorage, declaring September as Education Savings Month.
EDUCATION BILLS ON THE MOVE
From Senate Judiciary Committee to Senate Finance Committee, HB 41, by Rep. Bob Lynn, R-Anchorage, increasing criminal penalties for minor assaults of school personnel and bus drivers.
>From Senate Judiciary to Senate Finance, SB 10, by Sens. Gretchen Guess, D-Anchorage, and Fred Dyson, R-Eagle River, increasing the financial liability of minors for vandalism of public property, including school facilities.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“Sometimes you have an excuse when you know what to do and can’t afford it. You have no excuse when you know what to do and can afford it.”
Rep. Les Gara, D-Anchorage, speaking to the AASB Legislative Fly-in