Legislature(1999 - 2000)
02/09/2000 01:35 PM Senate HES
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* first hearing in first committee of referral
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+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
SB 198-INCREASE BASE ALLOCATION FOR EDUCATION
CHAIRMAN MILLER announced SB 198 to be up for consideration.
SENATOR WILKEN, sponsor of SB 198, said the State of Alaska's
education funding formula is based on a specific dollar amount per
student. Currently, the base student allocation is $3,940. SB 198
increases this allocation by $50, making the base allocation
$3,990. In FY01, the foundation program, which funds K-12 Alaska
public schools, will require approximately $19 million less in
state aid than the amount authorized in FY00. Several key factors
contribute to this drop in state aide while continuing to fund the
foundation formula. One is a decline in projected student
enrollment which is projected to be about .8 percent; another is a
required increase in the local effort per the formula (an increase,
depending on where you live, of around 2-5 percent); another is an
increase in assessed values across the state; and last, an increase
in the deductible impact aid, known as PL 874 money (an increase of
$11 million or 15 percent over last year).
SB 198 keeps a portion of these savings within K-12 education and
provides a modest increase in school funding equally across the
state. He encouraged their support.
MR. EDDY JEANS, School Finance Manager, Department of Education
(DOE), said the Governor has introduced SB 244 which would direct
an increase in funding through the quality schools grant component
of the foundation program. Specifically, it targets the money to
improve student performance. The Department of Education prepared
a fiscal note for SB 198 and the $50 increase in the base student
allocation equals $10,489,300. He emphasized that he feels
strongly that new dollars in the foundation program need to be
targeted to improve student performance. He offered to answer any
questions at this time.
Number 908
MR. JOHN CYR, President, National Education Association - Alaska,
stated support for SB 198. NEAA believes the need for more money
for schools is critical. It believes the foundation formula needs
to be increased.
NEAA is also concerned about teacher salaries. More and more young
professionals are leaving the state because they can't make a
living here. For instance, his son-in-law is moving away with his
two grandchildren. He has been teaching in Homer for the last
three years but cannot make an adequate living. The same thing is
happening to other folks, too; and it's a shame to see it happen.
The State needs to provide the basic infrastructure that schools
require. Alaska schools need help all over, not just in the
quality schools initiative. He urged committee members to pass the
bill.
Number 1021
MR. CARL ROSE, Executive Director, Association of Alaska School
Boards, stated support for SB 198 and made the following comments.
The quality of life in Alaska and across the U.S. will be directly
proportionate to the quality of the education we provide the young
people today. The issue is one of quality and he agrees with the
Department of Education that we need to pay strict attention to
that.
There is a system in place right now and quality initiatives have
been introduced that will require additional money. We don't have
the option of stopping what we do right now and focus strictly on
the quality of improvements. We have to continue providing the
services they do right now and, in many cases, schools are doing a
good job.
Their needs are tremendous and the way the foundation is set up ...
we have a strong economy in Alaska and it's reflected in our
property values. It calls for more local contributions as a result
of declining enrollment and the additional impact aid money. The
actual money to public education will be less than what was
appropriated last year and the question is not that we have fewer
needs today; we have more needs.
They support the quality initiatives. He understands the
Governor's position, but he is perplexed by the comment that
dollars won't be siphoned off or redirected to salaries,
maintenance and administration. Students have to be housed
somewhere, which is maintenance. Our students have to be taught
and that is largely salaries for our teachers. These schools have
to be administered; that's not the responsibility of professionals
in the class room. They are under tremendous mandates; schools have
to be administered to provide the public with some level of
accountability.
He concluded by saying that schools have great needs and this
should get us part of the way there. There is some merit to the
Governor's proposal. We are $19 million short and he wanted to do
everything he could to get those dollars into our schools, because
they need the money.
SENATOR WILKEN moved to report SB 198 out of committee with
individual recommendations with the attached fiscal note. There
were no objections and it was so ordered.
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