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.

May 25, 2007

--CONGRESS EXTENDS SECURE RURAL SCHOOLS PAYMENT

--CAPITAL BUDGET INCLUDES GRANT FOR CHRISTIAN SCHOOL

--JUNEAU OKS $64 MILLION SCHOOL BUDGET

--KENAI GAINS $9 MILLION TO AVOID DRASTIC CUTS

--FAIRBANKS SEES MOSTLY GOOD NEWS IN BUDGET

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CONGRESS EXTENDS SECURE RURAL SCHOOLS PAYMENT

Congress, last evening, approved a one-year extension to the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act. The programs provide a dedicated funding stream for school districts dependent on forest timber receipts that have been unable to rely on consistent and dependable payments due to the continued controversy over timber sales in National Forests. See full news release here:

http://murkowski.senate.gov/pressapp/record.cfm?id=275131

CAPITAL BUDGET INCLUDES GRANT FOR CHISTIAN SCHOOL

It’s a relatively small line item in the state’s capital budge, but one legislator says it creates a divine problem and could put the budget process under increased scrutiny next year. A $50,000 grant to the Gateway School and Learning Center in Anchorage is in question. See full story here:

http://www.ktuu.com/Global/story.asp?S=6549168

JUNEAU OKS $64 MILLION SCHOOL BUDGET

Closing out a second night of wrangling, the Juneau School Board voted to accept the $64.4 million operating budget for the 2008 school year. The new budget is $10 million more than last year’s funding. The largest new item, $800,000, went to reduce class sizes district-wide by one student. See full story here (may require registration):

http://juneauempire.com/stories/052407/loc_20070524008.shtml

KENAI GAINS $9 MILLION TO AVOID DRASTIC CUTS

With $9 million in relief approved by the Legislature and awaiting the governor’s signature, Kenai Peninsula Borough School District administrators now are revising next year’s budget to reinstate staffing to current school year levels. Donna Peterson, the district superintendent, said there are a lot of smiles in the district office this week. See full story here (may require registration):

http://www.peninsulaclarion.com/stories/052407/news_0524new001.shtml

FAIRBANKS SEES MOSTLY GOOD NEWS IN BUDGET

It’s been a week since the Legislature approved an eleventh-hour education funding plan. School district officials in Fairbanks have spent that time figuring out how the various packages of money spread throughout several bills will affect the district’s budget next year. “Most of it is good news,” says Superintendent Ann Shortt. See full story here:

http://newsminer.com/2007/05/23/7141