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.

April 20, 2007

--AASB BOARDSMANSHIP ACADEMY & FLY IN SET FOR APRIL 21-24

--$1 BILLION FOR SCHOOLS CALLED GOOD FIRST STEP

--STATE OFFICIAL: OIL REVENUES HEADED FOR A FALL

--EDUCATION BILLS SCHEDULED FOR HEARINGS NEXT WEEK

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AASB BOARDSMANSHIP ACADEMY & FLY IN SET FOR APRIL 21-24

With the Legislature approaching the 90-day mark in session, interest is building in the Spring Boardsmanship Academy and Legislative Fly-in, scheduled for April 21-24 at Juneau’s Baranof Hotel. On Saturday, the 21^st, school board members will be briefed on a variety of special education issues, including students identified as having intensive needs. Darrell Sanborn, superintendent of the Unalaska City School District, and Eddy Jeans of the Department of Education & Early Development will lead the discussion, followed by presentations on the advancement of digital learning in Alaska Schools.

The next three days, from Sunday through Tuesday, will be devoted to key education issues before the 25^th Alaska Legislature. Guest speakers from both sides of the aisle in the House and Senate will speak. If you plan to attend and have not contacted members of your legislative delegation for an appointment on Monday or Tuesday, please do so. For a more detailed schedule for the Boardsmanship Academy and Legislative Fly-in, click here:

http://www.aasb.org/Calendar/sprflyin.html

$1 BILLION FOR SCHOOLS CALLED GOOD FIRST STEP

The Alaska Senate on Monday unanimously approved putting $1 billion of surplus revenues into an education savings account, a move school districts applauded as a good first step. “We took the vast majority of the $1.3 billion surplus anticipated this year and set it aside to accomplish two things: saving dollars and placing them in our highest priority, which is education,” said Sen. Lyman Hoffman, co-chair of the Finance Committee. See full story here:

http://www.adn.com/news/government/legislature/story/8801492p-8702725c.html

STATE OFFICIAL: OIL REVENUES HEADED FOR A FALL

The state of Alaska will have less money to spend than expected next year due to a revised estimate of North Slope oil production and fewer tax dollars coming in, state analysts said Thursday. See full story here:

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AK_XGR_REVENUE_FORECAST_AKOL-?SITE=AKFAI&SECTION=HOME

EDUCATION BILLS UP FOR PUBLIC HEARINGS NEXT WEEK

Tuesday, April 24, 3:00, House HESS Committee

HB 192 Layoff/non-retention of teachers

Wednesday, April 25, 1:00, House Judiciary Committee

HB 207 Student questionnaires & surveys

Wednesday, April 25, 1:30, Senate HESS Committee

SB 119 Grants for public school libraries