Legislature(2019 - 2020)DAVIS 106
03/11/2020 08:00 AM House EDUCATION
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Audio | Topic |
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Start | |
HB153 | |
HB237 | |
Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
*+ | HB 237 | TELECONFERENCED | |
+= | HB 153 | TELECONFERENCED | |
+ | TELECONFERENCED |
HB 237-APPROP: EARLY LITERACY PROGRAMS 9:45:17 AM CO-CHAIR DRUMMOND announced that the final order of business would be HOUSE BILL NO. 237, "An Act making special appropriations from the general fund for early literacy programs in public schools; and providing for an effective date." 9:45:37 AM REPRESENTATIVE ANDI STORY, Alaska State Legislature, as prime sponsor, introduced HB 237. She paraphrased the sponsor statement [included in the committee packet], which read in its entirety as follows [original punctuation provided]: Reading is a foundational skill, critical to a student's continued progression and success. As "Alaska's Education Challenge" states, research suggests that school readiness at an early age is a critical strategy for improving future student outcomes and closing achievement gaps. School districts across Alaska recognize the importance of early literacy and have taken to heart the goal of children reading at grade level by the end of third grade. Many districts have already devoted considerable resources to this end, even in these times of budget constraints. HB 237 provides resources to bolster and support school districts in this important work. It distributes $10 million in early literacy grants to districts outside the formula, as though through the foundation formula. This approach ensures every district receives funds to support their early literacy initiatives. In directing funds to school districts, HB 237 honors local control and community- based decisions in meeting the literacy needs of its youngest students. The proposed appropriation for FY21 is $10 million, and for FY22, an inflation adjusted $10,225,000. HB 237 recognizes the value of community-based services, interventions and choices in determining the most effective and culturally relevant strategies to increase the number of students who are reading at grade level by the end of third grade. HB 237 includes intent language that directs the Department of Education and Early Development to report on the use of the early literacy funds to the Alaska Legislature by January 31, 2021. The data from this report will highlight the ways schools are supporting students and meeting early literacy goals. 9:48:04 AM MARY HAKALA, Staff, Representative Andi Story, Alaska State Legislature, addressed the sectional analysis for HB 237 [included in the committee packet], on behalf of Representative Story, prime sponsor. The sectional analysis read as follows [original punctuation provided]: Section 1. Reflects legislative intent that directs school districts to report to the Department of Education and Early Development on the use of early literacy funds appropriated in section 2, by January 15, 2021. The Department of Education and Early Development is to compile district reports and present a summary to the Alaska Legislature by January 31, 2021 for early literacy programs. Section 2(a). Appropriates $10,000,000 to the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development to be distributed to school districts as grants "outside the formula", as though through the foundation formula for FY21 for early literacy programs. Section 2(b). Appropriates $10,225,000 to the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development to be distributed to school districts as grants "outside the formula", as though through the foundation formula for FY22 for early literacy programs. Section 3. Effective date for Section 2(b), is July 1, 2021. Section 4. Immediate effective date for all other sections of the bill. MS. HAKALA directed attention to the HB 237 project distribution by district [included in the committee packet], which was prepared by DEED. She explained that the document illustrates how the money would be distributed across the state. She noted that the distribution is a projection. 9:50:14 AM REPRESENTATIVE PRAX asked if the distribution is based on the number of students [in each district]. 9:50:49 AM CO-CHAIR STORY said it would be run through the foundation formula, which accounts for school size and other components. 9:51:13 AM MS. HAKALA added that the distribution was prepared by DEED to estimate how $10 million would be allocated under the foundation formula. She deferred to the department to speak to the specific mechanics of the formula. 9:51:28 AM REPRESENTATIVE PRAX sought clarification as to why the Aleutian Region would be allocated $7,872 in FY 22, while the Fairbanks North Star Borough would receive $1,000,847. 9:52:24 AM REPRESENTATIVE STORY deferred to the department. CO-CHAIR DRUMMOND in response to Representative Prax, explained that the projected amounts are adjusted through the foundation formula. She explained that the formula accounts for special needs students, as well as different programs, later adding that accomplishing set goals with the projected allocations becomes more feasible once the actual number of students is known. 9:52:49 AM MS. TESHNER stated that the costs on the distribution document represent the adjusted average daily membership (ADM), which is not a true head count. She explained that the adjusted ADM has gone through the formula, which adjusts for factors such as school size and district cost factor, and subsequently distributes the $10 million accordingly. She pointed out that for the current fiscal year, the Aleutian Region district has a total of 28 students; however, the Adjusted ADM is 200.04. 9:54:56 AM REPRESENTATIVE PRAX contended that the startup cost per student would be higher for smaller districts; consequently, he questioned whether the foundation formula is underfunding smaller districts and overfunding larger districts. 9:55:45 AM CO-CHAIR STORY noted that the appropriation provided in HB 237 would not fund a startup program. She explained that the intent of the bill is to ensure every district receives funds to support their early literacy initiatives. She said each district could use the money to reach their literacy goals as they see fit. 9:57:08 AM CO-CHAIR DRUMMOND announced that HB 237 would be held over.
Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
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HB 237 Sponsor Statement 3.3.20.pdf |
HEDC 3/11/2020 8:00:00 AM |
HB 237 |
HB 237 Sectional Analysis 3.3.20.pdf |
HEDC 3/11/2020 8:00:00 AM |
HB 237 |
HB 237 Committee Packet 3.11.2020.pdf |
HEDC 3/11/2020 8:00:00 AM |
HB 237 |
HB 237 Version M.PDF |
HEDC 3/11/2020 8:00:00 AM |
HB 237 |
HB237 FY20 and FY21 by district disbursment 3.4.20 DEED.pdf |
HEDC 3/11/2020 8:00:00 AM |
HB 237 |