Legislature(2013 - 2014)HOUSE FINANCE 519
04/13/2013 09:00 AM House FINANCE
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| SB56 | |
| SB57 | |
| SB49 | |
| SB18 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| += | SB 18 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | HB 192 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | HR 8 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | SB 56 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | SB 49 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| += | SB 57 | TELECONFERENCED | |
CS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 57(FIN)
"An Act relating to parental involvement in education;
adjusting pupil transportation funding; amending the
time required for employers to give tenured teachers
notification of their nonretention; and providing for
an effective date."
10:43:15 AM
Representative Costello moved HCS CSSB 57(EDC) before the
committee.
TIM LAMKIN, STAFF, SENATOR GARY STEVENS, communicated that
the bill did three things. First, there was an increasing
body of evidence that it was critical for children to be
proficient in reading by the third grade. He shared that
many states had policies to address the issue including
identification in the form of assessments; intervention
with programs such as summer school or home reading
programs; and retention (holding students back a grade
level). He noted that identification, intervention, and
retention all fell under local control. The bill would
allow for the state to take action by providing information
to parents about the importance of reading proficiency by
grade 3. Pamphlets including the information would be
provided to districts to inform parents of the importance
of their involvement including reading at home. The bill
also required the department to establish a media campaign.
Mr. Lamkin addressed the second component of the bill
related to layoff notifications for tenured teachers. He
detailed that March 16 had been established as the date as
early as 1949. He communicated that the legislature rarely
knew what the budget would look like by March 16.
Subsequently requiring districts to provide notification to
teachers by March 16 without knowing the next year's budget
caused unnecessary angst. The bill would change the date to
May 15 in order to accommodate the legislative session
schedule and to provide districts with flexibility.
Mr. Lamkin addressed the third component of the legislation
related to pupil transportation. He discussed that the
legislature had come close to passing an annual Consumer
Price Index adjustment for pupil transportation contracts.
He explained that districts had the pupil transportation
adjustments built into their contracts; therefore, the
money would ultimately come out of classrooms if funding
was not provided. The provision would provide a three-year
funding mechanism for an adjustment in inflation, which
would sunset with the anticipation of a statewide contract.
10:47:04 AM
Representative Wilson referred to a literacy blue print
that had been funded the prior year. She wondered whether
the item fell into the K-3 parent information. Mr. Lamkin
deferred the question to the department.
Vice-Chair Neuman OPENED public testimony.
BRUCE JOHNSON, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ALASKA COUNCIL OF SCHOOL
ADMINISTRATORS, spoke in support of the bill. He stated
that early literacy was critically important for future
school and life success. He relayed that the layoff
provision would provide increased flexibility in the
issuance of pink slips and layoffs under consideration. The
change would also provide more time for a teacher under
review to show improvement. He relayed that most contracts
were issued beginning in February in rural districts as
they prepared for the following year and attending the job
fair that was currently underway in Anchorage. He detailed
that many teachers were offered contracts as soon as the
district knew it was in the clear financially. He relayed
that the districts would not be waiting until May 15 to
offer contracts. He spoke to the importance of the pupil
transportation issue; the transportation was costly and
money would be taken from classrooms if the legislature did
not provide funding.
10:49:37 AM
Representative Wilson asked whether there were districts
that did not provide information on the importance of
reading. Mr. Johnson believed every district did address
the issue, but perhaps not in a formal or written way.
Vice-Chair Neuman CLOSED public testimony.
Representative Costello spoke to the three fiscal notes.
Fiscal Note 2 from the Department of Education and Early
Development had a zero impact. A new fiscal note from the
Department of Education and Early Development had an impact
of $736,300 in FY 14, $1,502,000 in FY 15, $3,435,800 in FY
16 through FY 19. Fiscal Note 4 from the Department of
Education and Early Development had an impact of $45,400 in
FY 14 through FY 19.
Representative Wilson added that the legislature had
increased funding for literacy in the budget for the
upcoming year. She hoped the department would work with the
districts on utilizing the funds.
Representative Wilson MOVED to REPORT HCS CSSB 57 out of
committee with individual recommendations and the
accompanying fiscal notes. There being NO OBJECTION, it was
so ordered.
HCS CSSB 57 was REPORTED out of committee with a "do pass"
recommendation and with one new fiscal impact note from
Department of Education and Early Development; one
previously published fiscal note: FN2(EED); and one
previously published zero note: FN4(EED).
10:52:47 AM
AT EASE
10:56:18 AM
RECONVENED
Co-Chair Stoltze resumed as meeting chair.
10:56:28 AM
AT EASE
11:00:33 AM
RECONVENED