00                  SENATE CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 239(HES)                                                                 
01 "An Act establishing a pilot program for a regional learning center."                                                   
02 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:                                                                
03    * Section 1.  The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section                         
04 to read:                                                                                                                
05       FINDINGS.  The legislature finds that                                                                             
06            (1)  a recently completed study conducted by the Twenty-Second Alaska State                                  
07 Legislature through the Legislative Budget and Audit Committee indicates broad public                                   
08 support for regional learning centers;                                                                                  
09            (2)  the Legislative Budget and Audit Committee's Regional Learning Center                                   
10 Report suggests that long-range strategies for improvement of rural education will be found in                          
11 a variety of models developed on a regional basis;                                                                      
12            (3)  a pilot project utilizing excess facilities at former vocational education                              
13 centers could house rural students from outlying communities, create access to vocational                               
14 education features not presently available, and allow participation in employment                                       
15 opportunities in the fields of law enforcement, health care, aviation, and education;                                   

01            (4)  federal funding may be available to support the pilot project.                                          
02    * Sec. 2.  The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to                         
03 read:                                                                                                                   
04       PILOT PROGRAM FOR REGIONAL LEARNING CENTER.  (a)  The Department                                                  
05 of Education and Early Development shall, beginning July 1, 2002, and ending June 30, 2006,                             
06 establish a pilot program regional learning center for the purpose of supplementing secondary                           
07 education programs.  The pilot program regional learning center shall be established in a rural                         
08 educational attendance area with an average daily membership in fiscal year 2000 of at least                            
09 1,750, but not more than 2,000, and must                                                                                
10            (1)  include classes to expand career awareness and vocational education                                     
11 opportunities for secondary school students;                                                                            
12            (2)  include classes that increase independent living and working skills; and                                
13            (3)  use existing facilities within the school district if facilities are available.                         
14       (b)  In this section, "average daily membership" has the meaning given in                                         
15 AS 14.17.990.