2008-03-19                     Senate Journal                      Page 2261
SB 285                                                                                                                        
The Finance Committee considered SENATE BILL NO. 285 "An Act                                                                    
relating to the power and duties of the Department of Education and                                                             
Early Development for improving instructional practices in school                                                               
districts; and providing for an effective date" and recommended it be                                                           
replaced with                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
          CS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 285(FIN)                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
and further recommended the adoption of a Finance Committee Letter                                                              
of Intent:                                                                                                                      

2008-03-19                     Senate Journal                      Page 2262
       It is the intent of the Legislature that the Department of                                                               
       Education and Early Development (DEED) provide state                                                                     
       oversight of public education, and that state oversight                                                                  
       promote local control of public education where local                                                                    
       control has resulted in effective instructional practices.                                                               
                                                                                                                                
       It is the intent of the Legislature that the DEED intervene                                                              
       in a school district when the department has evidence that                                                               
       intervention by the department can result in improvement                                                                 
       in instructional practices in the school district, consistent                                                            
       with the accountability system established in                                                                            
       AS 14.03.123, the secondary student competency                                                                           
       examination in AS 14.03.075, and the decision of the                                                                     
       Alaska Superior Court in Moore v. State, No. 3AN-04-                                                                     
       9756 CI (Alaska Super. 2007).                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
       It is the intent of the Legislature that if intervention                                                                 
       actions being taken by DEED involve the hiring of                                                                        
       district or school coaches, to the extent practicable, only                                                              
       Alaskan professionals with significant experience                                                                        
       working in Alaska's educational system and instructional                                                                 
       practices be utilized.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Signing no recommendation: Senators Stedman, Hoffman, Cochairs;                                                                 
Senator Olson. Signing do pass: Senators Elton, Thomas. Signing                                                                 
amend: Senator Dyson.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
The following previously published fiscal information applies:                                                                  
 Fiscal Note No. 1, Department of Education and Early                                                                           
      Development                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
The bill was referred to the Rules Committee.